1. Silent Crystal Cave
   DJohn
2. imposing structures
   cotmm68030
3. Let it Go
   Barley

First, I excluded late entries.

Then I went for relevance.

Then I went for musical qualities.

I wish that Barley's lyrics had been mixed higher.

1. Gem Dust
   Misael.K
2. crystal cove
   eva
3. Let it Go
   Barley

Hidden gems

1. Blue
   obScene
2. Gem Dust
   Misael.K
3. acid crystals
   NickC

Lots of cool songs but since I couldn't voke jarski #1 I instead nominated the cool emotional obScene and the swelling rises of MisaelK as 1 and 2.

1. Blue
   obScene
2. Gem Dust
   Misael.K
3. Crystal Cathedral Theme
   Koekepan

1. Blue
   obScene
2. Gem Dust
   Misael.K
3. acid crystals
   NickC

@CotMM - FHRAAAAPPP lol

@NickC - I forgot how intense the kick would be lol.

@Eva - I want to wish you a Happy Christmas, but i'm typing this on the 30th December lol.

@Misael.K - I wasn't expecting it to be this loud, that's interesting. I do listen back, and i do think the drums could be less in your face, but yet at the same time, i also think it's fine. I think it might be the processing. Oh well.

@Misael.K - The ambience overtakes the need for gabber this time lol.

@CotMM - Why didn't i add an amen break to this? That would have been so good haha.

@NickC - It's gotten to a point, where if i don't do gabber, i'm seen as an outsider haha. Honestly typing that in was just soo hilarious. This week i might play to your expectations lol.

@Everyone - Dam for 6 minutes, they're didn't seem to be a lot to talk about. Oh well, thanks for the kind words!

Now then...

TheVideoGamer - This track is made up of really 3 ideas. Long luscious pad chords, with intense reverb. Slowly building icy bells, and a weird time-signature groove. The bells are spaced apart, and act as elements of surprises, while the pad chords and beats remain throughout. I tried to break it up with different sections, but i warmed to the beats a bit too much, so i ended up filtering them in and out of parts, as sort of fills/builds. To top of the whole thing, i added in risers and FX, and a speaker talking about crystals and how they are made, from Youtube. Hope you all liked it!

cotmm68030 - No Lyra this time? Usually i'm listening to her first. Very deep subs, almost like spooky crystals. Really nice low end, lovely metals in the background, intricate use of distortion. Admittedly this doesn't feel like crystals, and more like a dark forest or an abandoned warehouse. I feel to really capture the crystal feeling, i would add some warm chords over this ambience, and some occasional crystal reverb drops, however this is to make it more to the theme as such. Still though the track itself is very beautifully done, and is an hugely enjoyable listen. Well done!

Koekepan - Really lovely crystal sounds (Lol that sounds like a pun). Great melodies, very airy sounding, liking the simplicity. Love the second half a lot, really brings it to life, almost like an awaking. The whole thing sounds really nice, well done!

DarkShadow - You love using the square and saw leads a lot eh. It's like Demented Chiptune XD. I didn't understand the melodies in this one personally, felt all over the place, but it was a super nice listen, good job!

DJohn - Lovely intro, great setup into the lovely deep chords. It's interesting, because it feels almost like CotMM made this lol. The drone like characteristics of this, is lovely, it's very deep and sends me to space. The voice is also beautiful, as usual, you sing awesomely. However though in this instance, i feel it takes away than adds. I was all super immersed into the ambience, then the singing hits, very suddenly almost abruptly, and the mood quickly changes. I feel if you need a voice in there, then i suggest changing the chords to fit a progression, otherwise it's best to carry it on as a full on drone piece. It was very close though, nearly added it to Awesome, because the singing was beautiful, however in this case it's a Needs Work, i'm sorry, but good job though!

DDRKirby(ISQ) - Daam these are some intricate chords. It's very spicy chiptune jazz, mixed with some electronica. Says it's inspired by Steven Universe, a show i know, but admittedly never watched. I will say some of these chords i'm probably not ready for lol, a bit too spicy in this instance. I mean i want spicy chords sure, but for this genre, i'm not sure it's appropriate. However it's not frequent, and towards the end, it's almost non-existent, so a part of me thinks it's a mistake, or a more subtle attempt at seasoning the harmony if you will (Typing that sounds funny lol). The rest as usual, was extremely well produced, so in this instance, the positives outweigh the negatives. (Also as well, i feel me talking about the chords is nitpick territory). Anyways, well done!

Barley - I can't believe you actually did this lol. I was initially going to go straight to Good Job, because i hate that song with a passion (It's way too overplayed and it kind of annoys me to no end), but after listening, it ends up being a lot different than i imagined, to the point where i can't even hear the vocals, it's as if i forgot about the lyrics. Now that could be a mixing problem, but it does seem really fitting to the background, almost like distant wind. That still unfortunately means it's a Good Job, but that's primarily because i feel there is a bit of mixing that could be done, alongside the vocals, but that's not to say i didn't enjoy it, because i did. Good job!

Dex - Nice chords here. Very pretty, super nice crystal sounds. Lots of decay, overlaps a lot into this warm sine ambient wash. I feel the main synth/bell, is a bit too empowering with the rest, therefore it puts too much emphasis on that, and less on the beat and bassline as such. Also the track stops for no reason, mid-chord progression lol. Oh well, good job both of you!

IsACactus - Ooh funky chiptune, this is something i can bop my head to. I've not seen you around, but apparently you come about every 3 years. Super enjoyable melodies, the drum programming is super funky, the whole thing was very enjoyable to listen to, well done!

NickC - Intricate textures, very nice sound processing. Wasn't prepared for the loud aural assault that suddenly comes lol, but i dig it a lot. Sounds like a mix of DnB, Industrial music and acid. Amazing textures, feels like it's 3 genres in one, soo creepy. Not what i think when i see crystals, but man this one is a huge grower on me, i love the big distorted grooves and intense acid textures, Aweaome work!

JH Sounds - Going for a jazzy blues note i see in the backing track. GarageBand does have a cool selection of Jazz kits. Great choice of chords, like how you're breaking out a bit, while still having your signature voice. Enjoyable listen, well done!

Eva - Ooh i like that processed beat a lot! It's very warm, but very industrialized, this might become one of my favourites from you, assuming all of this is intentional. I don't want it to be a mistake in the recording, or you've turned the gain a bit too loud. Honestly this is a huge grower on me, i thought i was gonna find it a bit too loud, or a bit uneven, but no this is the opposite. I love this, probably one of my favourites from you, since i first met you. Well done!

Arcana - A cover? Ooh i'm game. Never heard of the original, because admittedly i don't engage in RPG's (Not exclusive to Final Fantasy, just RPG's in general), so this is the first i'm hearing of this music. Your voice is getting seriously strong and powerful. I feel the backing track could be amped up a bit, i'm not feeling just strings, but this might be the style you're going for. Also the detuned vibrato effects on the vocals, are a bit....odd to me, but it only happens in the acapella. I think the primary critique is the arrangement, but this might just be me, taste is personal. I can't argue this is one hell of an enjoyable listen. Maybe it needs to be more than just pure accapella, and more...sprucing. Oh well, it was super nice, good job!

Misael.K - Very lovely 80's inspired synths, i see your going for a Synthpop feel. I'm into the detune chords a lot, and the cool key modulations. Got that hint of sparkle, while also retaining a lot of funky grooves. The perc loops, make it more into the house genre, despite showcasing some 80's synths. Very pretty melodies, and super catchy drums. Definately one of your strong ones. Awesome work!

obScene - Very haunting triplet melodies. I sense a kalimba in the background. Love the strings and piano, you always make such incredible cinematic music. It's a combination of intense dark synths, and cool ambient orchestral passages. Very minimalistic i will say, i feel the lack of a bassline is deliberate. Hugely enjoyable, very icy cold. Maybe more suited to a Dark Forest, but the whole thing was extremely lovely, incredible work!

Jarskie - Great icy chords, almost feels like it belongs to a cold icy mountain in the wind. Awesome psy-trance vibes, that acid line is killer! Shame it can't be submitted, because this could be a contender to be voted on, it sounds awesome. Lovely synths, awesome work!

Nukage - You've sent a few submissions/links here, so i'll probably just listen what's the most relevant to the compo, since that's what my voting is for. The other stuff you've done, sounded really good though. Anyways, i'm into the EDM trap vibes a lot, great chords and melody. Really liking that beat, it's very dark and synthwavey, but has a solid electronic groove. That saw bass is tight as hell, really dig the transition into Dubstep like tendencies. Strangely no build-ups to say it's Nukage, but the whole thing was lovely, well done!

Top 3 - obScene, Misael.K, NickC

These entries should also be on the list, but can't:

cotmm68030

Eva

IsACactus

Jarskie #1 (This one was a late one, so it's a bummer. Despite the meme, this could actually be number one)

Awesome - cotmm68030, Koekepan, DDRKirby(ISQ), ItsACactus, NickC, JH Sounds, Eva, Misael.K, obScene, Jarskie, Nukage.

Needs Work - DarkShadow, DJohn, Barley, Dex, Arcana.

1. Silent Crystal Cave
   DJohn
2. Precious Gems
   JH Sounds
3. Quartz Fusion
   DDRKirby(ISQ)

DJohn: lovely vocals.

JH Sounds: catchy vocals.

DDRKirby(ISQ): cute and tense tunes.

awesum: DDRKirby(ISQ), Dex, DJohn, IsACactus, JH Sounds, Koekepan, NickC, obScene.
good: Arcana, Barley, cotmm68030, DarkShadow, eva, TheVideoGamer.

1. Crystal Cathedral Theme
   Koekepan
2. crystal cove
   eva
3. Crystal Lair (Activity Wizard)
   IsACactus

love all the diversity

1. Gem Dust
   Misael.K
2. Quartz Fusion
   DDRKirby(ISQ)
3. Crystal Lair (Activity Wizard)
   IsACactus

1. Festive Jewels (Happy Christmas)
   TheVideoGamer
2. crystal cove
   eva
3. imposing structures
   cotmm68030

TVG - how do you have time to make a 6 minute banger AND go looking for relevant samples

eva - mmm processing

cotmm - the music paints a more vivid scene than the pictures o_o