'7even' is one of the most underrated bjsc entries for me, im still so surprised it didn't do better!!!!! its in my top 5 favourites ever at this point i'd say

 

and yay for henry saiz in ur top 50 <333 i imagine thats my highest!!

BJSC Rank:

 

 

Mosane, one of Tirren's occasional shows in the last few years, is kind of incredible. I'd only just come across E.S. before this was entered but hadn't come across Mosane yet, so that when I did, I had an easy transition from the 'nearly as good' Pompeii. Mosane is reminiscent of all kinds of beautiful film instrumentals with some incredible choral dives on it.. it's lush. Also lush is the best Korean song I've ever discovered from BJSC, one of the first - IU's Good Day, making use of a bright and springy piano backing to make what IU's singing not just any pop song but an incredible one. The title's apt here as just hearing it is enough to brighten up my day. Now Good Day is the highest K-Pop song but C-Pop and J-Pop have just beaten it, both with original DNQs, and both a lot more rocky. The C-Pop is another Daehun entry, Love Doesn't Need To Pretend, and it's an incredible rap-rock such that I haven't found in Asian music that good before or since, the soar of Diana Wang on the chorus combined with R-Chord's energetic rapping make for an incredible experience that I've loved since first hearing it this time last year. Super Driver is slightly different, it's probably the first anime song entered to BJSC - before I did it, Umi braved it, and it's probably this getting entered that led me to enter others like it even if it took me a couple of years. This song was about 50% of what led me to try out the anime series associated with this song - and that one, The Melancholy Of Haruhi Suzumiya, is still in my anime top 3. Yet even before I associated it with the series, I loved this, it's sonic rock brilliance all the way through.

 

Crystallize was an unexpected introduction to one of my favourite artists now, I didn't really listen to much more of her until the first signs of Shatter Me surfaced and I realised I loved everything she did. Yet Crystallize remained a strong discovery all the way through and because of its early arrival is still my most played song of her's. It's amazing how much information Stirling contributes without vocals on all her songs, Crystallize goes for a wistful, yet calm mood as a slow feeling of elation takes over you from the sounds it makes, which is wonderful. No Gun is lyrically stand-out, kind of like Ironic in a way but a way that makes everything sound sad and regretful instead. I remain eternally shocked this didn't do better, the instrumentation is interesting and the song memorable, it deserved much better than it got and is very nearly my favourite Altyr song. My favourite Unovia song comes from the first time I gave Liam 12 and my first introduction to Dia Frampton and her wonderful voice, this song would be on regular rotation back in 2012 because it's so addictive in finding the perfect tempo to speed this particular song, about being on the run of all things, along.

 

It's probably surprising to notfurlong to have another Syndare in here up so high but Never Look Away deserves it all, actually kind of like Billy The Kid it's a pop song that speeds along at the perfect pace to keep you excited, especially with some rather brilliantly unusual lyrics ('We’re gonna photosynthesize and drink up the sunrise') and that makes the whole package comes together quite perfectly as it builds up towards 'Some nights we open up the flood' and crashes down gloriously. It stuck with me a lot after giving it I think only 8 points originally.

Ironically Daehun's highest entry is not an Asian song, especially when I've ragged on at him to send those in the past. Daehun also does French very well. Yu's first winner is a perfect example of that, one of the best songs we've ever caused to win this thing, dark and brooding pop about the last dance - except it feels entirely metaphorical and caught up in something bigger - I think it's my favourite French song of all-time. And the last song to miss my top 10 is Ólafur Arnalds' (also dark and brooding, but much more so) So Close, fitting with his ambient and atmospheric pedigree that I knew from

(a BJSC entry from before I joined and something all fans of him from this/Reinvention should check out, or just anyone really) but adding in Arnor Dán's lovely singing to make the whole song just that much more haunting - it's the sort of thing where I get overwhelmed by its beauty. Should have won (let me just repeat this for all of the top 10).

 

~~

 

Séyetana Rank:

 

 

Two of my biggest hits sadly have to miss my top 10, I wish I had 12 spaces in there, hell, I wish I had 30 spaces. But these are very good. Paralyzed was very exciting for me, catching Against The Current just as they were about to break on the underground scene, seeing it 2nd for much of the results before it fell to 9th, knowing there's now a small ATC cult on here with Lindsey and Spadam, that's all good experiences - and I fell in love with this band because of this beautiful pop rock song that sounds on the borderline between Paramore and Kelly Clarkson and it's led me to many more great pop rock songs from them.

 

Love Stuck is at time of writing my only appearance on the BJSC medal table so I'm glad I have it there if NOTHING ELSE. Because of like, not winning since then, its lyric of 'I'm still waiting... keep me hanging on a dream' gets stronger every year. It's not exactly what you might expect my biggest hit to sound like, coming as it did as the last hurrah of BJSC-Scandipop (it was the clear favourite that contest I seem to remember and I really did think I might actually win) before that dominant sound gave way to indie pop for a bit. But it is an incredibly good song and one I've listened to over 100 times since my smash with it.

Oh I didn't know you sent Paralyzed :o

BJSC Rank:

 

Cry For Freedom is deceptive in that it might not seem special at first, it's just a DnB instrumental, albeit a very good one, but as you hear it more you start to notice the little 'ethnic' bits in it and then the 'war sounds' and the whole picture of this cry for peace becomes complete - I never expected this to win and so when I checked my phone to find out the results of this on holiday I was completely shocked but also incredibly pleased that it had gone the whole way - because it is a track that has given me plenty of joy since then. NEARLY the best winner.

 

Meanwhile the synths in The Beginning Of The End conjure up an experience that's hard to describe, but the fact the lyrics of the song talk about times past, that's a sure winner to get me on board, and the synths just reinforce that point. The first track after Altyr changed their name and their second 12 from me in a row, it's stuck with me as both John's best entry and a beacon of Scandi synthpop for all these years, far from the actual Beginning Of The End, it's served more as the End of the Beginning for Altyr.

 

~~

 

Séyetana Rank:

 

 

Exhale beat No Gun for my choice of BJSC 60 entry and I'm so pleased I went with that (and John would have gotten No Gun anyway because he's faster like that), because it's ever so slightly better. Exhale is wall-to-wall sound of synths, it's been compared to M83 and I'm totally on board with that comparison. The joyful lift of 'don't think I tell you enough, I love hanging out with you' is a very appropriate lyric for me, while 'we'll start as we mean to go on' is also very brilliant. It was a tip to win in its contest and yet ended up only 10th, which is fine, as it was probably then that my 10th place meme started - and I'd had a less successful year and 10th was brilliant - and it's kind of fitting that it's ended up 10th here - meaning it's the REAL WINNER of this rank.

 

Requiem is my favourite entry so far this year, it mixes what was a slow emotional ballad with some hardcore beats and changes the whole tone of the track from something sad to something euphoric, I already consider it one of my best ideas to send. Even though it's my longest entry I've managed to play it more than any other entry this year (and those from before this year, watch your backs!) and indeed for most of January I wasn't listening to much else. It does feel its length, but that's a good thing because you get to the point where you think it's going to be over and you look and you see you have 3 or 4 minutes left and that's a GOOD thing because everything up to now sounds amazing. I think I may be stealing my EOY commentary for this from the future so I'll stop now and let the rest of its greatness speak for itself.

Ahh wonderful to see 'Cry For Freedom' cracking your top 10 :wub: As I've said many a time before it was such a surprising yet appropriate winner and definitely by far my favourite of my own entries, so pleasing that it resonated so well with the rest of BuzzJack when I eventually sent it. 'Requiem' is of course incredible too (may actually be contending with 'JAY Z' to be my favourite ever Séyetana entry now) so yay for sharing 9th place with that :D

 

A million yeses for the absolutely stunning 'So Close' :heart: and also great picks with Indila and E.S. Posthumus, plus the far far far superior Lindsey Stirling entry.

So many good songs in this countdown! and that's just the Seyetana entries :P

 

I have a feeling Lone Digger may still appear as it was your 2nd fave of 2015 IIRC? If so I'm very much looking forward to your write up of it, more often than not they reinvigorate my love for that particular song!

BJSC Rank:

 

 

Indeed, Klumzee, you are right. Lone Digger is already up there in my top 10 of best BJSC tracks and with good reason because every time I see it mentioned I feel the need to listen again and experience the wonder that is bopping along to its kooky and swingy beats. I actually took a listen to this one while it was in the list, one of those months where I did listen to songs in advance, and it instantly stood out from there that I had to listen to it a few more times before the contest went up. I was championing it for the win so much and while I was disappointed when it fell short that it got anywhere near close was amazing in itself. Its rare I feel a compulsion to actively hype someone else's entry but I did with Lone Digger because I was afraid it wouldn't reach other people, but it was so pleasing to know other people were sharing in the joy you get from its breakneck pace and lovely bubbly sounds.

 

RAMelia, my favourite of the 50 winners we've had since I joined, is something on the other end of the scale, like 7even a year later, a slow ballad that transforms into a trance song but here, after you've heard that pained and desperately sad opening and appreciated the tribute it's giving, to have the trance beats jump in in the manner they do gives a wonderful sense of completeness to the whole thing and it's for that reason that it stands out among the list of winners for me as the greatest.

 

Séyetana Rank:

 

Angel With A Shotgun was my way of introducing everyone to nightcore proper, I wouldn't want to necessarily take credit for it as the genre itself has become more popular on the internet since I sent it but it's become a fairly common term I've seen on here ever since I sent Angel With A Shotgun (and before I sent it the only mention I could find of it on the board was some off-hand mentions by Medicated Soap, who IIRC was surprised that someone actually sent nightcore) so it achieved its intended aim, getting other people listening to this subgenre of speed edit hardcore I love. And Angel With A Shotgun is probably the quintessential nightcore, it's not a particularly well-known song originally, from a pop-rock band without much success (although Jacob had discovered them independently of me at about the same time so that was an interesting coincidence), and that was why I hesitated about entering nightcore for a while and haven't entered it as a main contest entry since because so much of it is just a new way to listen to a song you already know so I felt I could only do it once. Angel With A Shotgun is changed so much from its original version though, it sounds almost like a girl is singing, it really ramps up the desperation and recklessness of the lyrics,(some of my favourite lyrics among all of my entries) as well as the choral sounds behind it, that it becomes something entirely new and the original song now sounds like a deep male-voiced slow motion parody. While I love nightcore I wouldn't often give it credit for ingenuity but this song is the exception to that rule and it's still easily my favourite nightcore of all time.

 

Sonsick is probably one of my most well-regarded earlier entries even though it didn't qualify originally, I often hear good things about it and I'm pleased for that because a song that launches into a chorus like that with the unique vocals and trumpets and weird distortions is something special, and each lyric, ESPECIALLY 'when you think you thinking clear', love that so pieces, feels deliberate and powerful. I almost walked out of the contest after it failed, I was in love with it that much and it's the closest I've ever come to missing a contest, I'm of course incredibly glad I wasn't that impulsive in the end...

 

BJSC Rank:

 

 

September is a journey. A journey of pulsating synths that keep going for about a minute, with a great riff to accompany it, a sound effect akin to a horse whinny that ramps up the drama and from there comes a synthpop masterpiece that I always make sure to listen to a lot of whenever September comes around. The way the vocals come in and just bounce around until you get to the longing of 'I just want you to remember' is beautiful - like Lone Digger it would have been an ideal winner, I do really love Cerahtonia and it got on this list much further down but September is just that little bit better. One of the best top 2s in BJSC history.

 

For a long time Heavy Stone was my #1 and there isn't a whole lot between any of my top 5 here. It was the first track that really made me realise how special BJSC could be because after a couple of listens it turned into something epic where I'd hang onto every word Kyla sang and would listen to this over and over with the volume turned up high. It's comfortably got a place in my favourite songs ever as do all of the top 5 to be fair. Kyla La Grange is now one of my favourite singers and I've loved nearly everything from her since but this first exposure will always be special (and it's a shame that this single version of Heavy Stone never made it onto the album, a slow ballad version that loses all the build being on there instead). Incredible song.

 

Séyetana Rank:

 

 

Flutterwonder is really surprising because while most of the brony scene isn't that amazing, being mostly amateur techno producers, Flutterwonder is something put into that musical community that sprung up along with the brony phenomenon with someone with real genuine musical talent. Taking a vocal rip from My Little Pony and chopping it up and mixing it with a bright happy instrumental that feels so familiar but yet is original as far as I know, he (now going as Matt R) created a beautiful song that I got really into and brings back memories and nostalgia of those times in the old days when I had a bit weirder taste than now, what with no anime and tentacles to normalize the ponies up. Like Sonsick it developed quite a following for a DNQ and that's really pleased me and it's definitely one of my best.

 

Also one of my best, one that's just recently leaped up to the top in terms of time since entered is The Hardest Mistakes, although like Flutterwonder I knew it for a lot longer before I entered it, I had it considered for quite a while and I'm so glad I eventually decided to give in because it's definitely one of my best, making use of brilliant vocals from both sides and producing a flip of a track called Electric Forest that sits where metalcore, pop punk and dance collide. Like with several of these tracks up high, I love the lyrics, especially 'I'll scream until my heart comes out of my chest' because it comes across in such beautiful desperation.

I never really got into 'September' at the time but I listened to it again fairly recently (due to its vague connection with my BJSC85 entry lol) and it is actually much better than I gave it credit for back then. 'Lone Digger' and 'RAMelia (Tribute To Amelia)' are both brilliant of course, the latter somehow effortlessly blends 2 completely different but individually great halves without sounding disjointed. Certainly up there with my favourite winners too. And 'Lone Digger' should have won. x

 

Absolutely love all of the last four Séyetana picks! <3 Justice for 'Sonsick'.

BJSC Rank:

 

 

I dithered for ages over whether to include The Last Sled in this. Tuomas is literally the lead guy behind my favourite band so of course I would know his solo material and I wanted to exclude Shatter Me for reasons that were summed up as I knew it too well for me to ever consider it a 'BJSC track' when listening. But it was different with The Last Sled. I had recently gotten the album but hadn't really listened to it a whole lot beyond lead single

and Zechhh entering The Last Sled made me really appreciate it and make it seriously challenge The Lifetime Of Adventure, especially when people started rallying behind it because it was such a different track for BJSC. Since then the wistful choruses about times past and the utterly GORGEOUS rock instrumental that comes in towards the end have been synonymous with one of the closest times Zech ever came to winning and I could barely love it more than I already do. BJSC 65 was one of the times that BJSC got it so right.

 

Ain't No Love is a very weird one, it came right at the height of the time when I was feeling a bit anti-Aeroche because they had had (as normal) constant hits and for the last few before Love Me Lots I hadn't hugely been a fan of any (although some of those would later grow on me, hi Catfish). But Love Me Lots was something else completely, quirky and original and it feels like those beats are inside your brain with their repeating that seems to naturally flow and drop and build. Couple it with some fairly trashy rap that it feels like you're anticipating for half the track and it's some weird match between refined and unrefined that feels utterly perfect to me. The final drop has you waiting for AGES before it lets go and that feeling of beauty just hangs with you for the whole time there. Had many a good walk around Exeter Uni to this over the years

 

For completeness,before I go to the top 2, much love to all of these and they may have contended for inclusion in this list somewhere if I wasn't being a bit restrictive:

Gotye - Somebody That I Used To Know

Azealia Banks - 212

Of Monsters & Men - Little Talks

Woodkid - Run Boy Run

Kyla La Grange - Walk Through Walls (like with Shatter Me I knew this track too well and unlike with many of the other tracks in this list that I already knew it never felt 'right' in the list for some reason)

CHVRCHES - The Mother We Share

Imagine Dragons - Radioactive

FAUL - Changes

DVBBS & Borgeous - Tsunami

Hozier - Take Me To Church

Lindsey Stirling - Shatter Me

The Magician - Sunlight

Walk The Moon - Shut Up And Dance

Lost Frequencies - Are You With Me

Galantis - Runaway (U & I)

 

I suspect if Tilted goes the way it's going that'll join this list soon too even though I never rated Christine originally sadly - it's situations like that, The Mother We Share and Are You With Me are also huge ones there, which is why I rationalised I couldn't include these even if it does make me look like an awful hipster, because my opinion's shifted on them from the contest for outside reasons and they've lost the 'oh this came from BJSC' thought, even the ones I DID love originally like Changes and Shut Up And Dance.

 

It's just because for most of them my opinion improved upon them becoming a hit like the worst kind of popularity whore that I am and many became so big they look out of place on my BJSC playlists now. I decided to post them now because I don't want to fully exclude them.

 

Séyetana Rank:

 

Matching The Last Sled for position in this countdown and coming a few points behind it in the same contest, Blood represents one of the best cinematic pop songs I've ever come across - using Dia Frampton's voice to full pained effect (coupled with a similarly powerful video the effect is stunning!) as the instrumental builds a wide open sense of reflection. I've rarely entered something this beautiful and it was well worth the diversion.

 

Just a couple of contests before, what was my first taste of what would become one of my favourite bands of the last few years for PURELY MUSICAL REASONS, Babymetal. There are many j-rock bands out there, some even with idols singing over rock beats and none do what Babymetal do quite so efficiently and unusually. Megitsune condenses the craziness into one tight rock song, where a lovely chorus from the main leader of the three metals rings out above the crushing industrial rock noise, some cool subtle metal growls coming from the younger two (!) and a great spoken word segment coming just before the final climax of the song. I wasn't even in my 'everything Japanese is amazing' phase at the time, maybe this started that. :kink: It's made me cry before, there's so many lovely sounds (although I accept that if you aren't a metalhead you may disagree on that) going into this song that it's well worthy of a place in my top 3.

Ain't No Love :wub: Another one of Leww's finest moments along with Henry Saiz.

 

Predictable (but good) top 2 of Séyetana entries it is then! I didn't know you regarded ARCHIS quite that highly though, not really such a fan of that.

BJSC Rank:

 

It's worth saying (again!) that it's incredibly close. Miracles is so amazing and transcendent in its beauty that it NEARLY is my favourite BJSC track ever and it is so close that I had to listen to both tracks in full again just now to make sure. There is a SLIVER in it. And I'm glad, I wouldn't want one track to be so far ahead that it was unbeatable because then there's much less chance of finding anything else from future contests that can match up to that one. Heavy Stone used to be at the top, then it was Some Die Young for a while (with probably a brief interlude by Ain't No Love), Miracles probably briefly overtook it for a point last year and Some Die Young only just about retains its place now. But on Miracles, I already wrote at length fairly recently in my EOY but it really spurred me on into Two Steps From Hell's other works and gives me all sorts of awesome and epic dreamy feelings that it was an instant classic for me and will probably always be one of my faves.

 

Now on the winner, Some Die Young is a happy-sounding pop song, there's an edge to Laleh's voice that makes her sound distinctive but most of its strength comes from the lyrical dissonance with the happy sound that should be apparent from its title, 'some die young, but you'd better hold on' is the sort of sentiment that is seen at the important points in our lives and sends all sorts of strong emotions through me. I was championing this for the win so much when it first appeared in the contest and while it didn't do that it's become my #1 answer to the question 'what track should have won its contest?', Heavy Stone drew me properly in, Some Die Young hooked me for life.

 

~~

 

Séyetana Rank:

 

 

I knew it'd eventually come down to these two, they've always been my top 2 when I've ranked my entries before and it's just the order that's varied, my two proudest sucesses because they're from the genre I've loved for ages, gothic metal/hard rock bands but with a soft ballady voice to them that lets the backing give them power. Turn Loose The Mermaids was actually probably my first proper exposure to Nightwish, my now favourite band, I knew a couple of songs from them so when the new album, Imaginaerum, dropped I recognised the name, took listens through the album, loved it, and immediately saw about collecting more albums. At the time I saw a bit of talk about the lead single Storytime and so didn't want to enter that and I figured BJSC wouldn't take well to harder rock (and this was 2012, I was probably right), so I entered the best ballad on the album, Turn Loose The Mermaids and over time and hundreds of plays it resonated with me as my first success here, the tune bringing up great memories and the lyrics being incredible for talking about weary eyes :kink: (and the track itself is the conclusion of a little story from I Want My Tears Back earlier on the album, the tears get returned here :magic: )

 

Amaranthine is my #1 though, just ahead of Turn Loose The Mermaids for being the most perfect form an entry of mine could ever take, multiple vocalists, a kickass guitar solo, some unusual lyrics that I'm able to think sound meaningful, here they're about the perfect love and perfect place to be, and what better for my #1 entry? And somehow, amazingly, and I never saw this coming, it provided me with the greatest moment in a BJSC results thread that I don't think will be topped unless I ever actually win and maybe not even then. JakeWild did the results over two days and at the end of the first day, Amaranthine was, somehow leading. Which meant we had tons of people talking about the possibility of it winning, how appropriate it would seem for me and, my favourite, Leww calling it 'bjsc's very own Lordi' or words to that effect. That is how I wanted to win. Ultimately, it finished 6th which is still great because I never thought it'd do so well, I was surprised it even qualified in some ways so to this day it's my favourite BJSC experience and success - and led me into another of my favourite bands.

 

Let's sing again:

LIKE A SIGN, LIKE A DREAM, YOU'RE MY AMARANTHINE

YOU ARE ALL I NEEDED, BELIEVE ME

LIKE WE DRIFT IN A STREAM, YOUR BEAUTY SERENE

THERE'S NOTHING ELSE IN LIFE I EVER NEED, MY DREAM AMARANTHINE

 

It sounds cheesy but there's nothing else I need from a BJSC entry, I wish I could go and experience that all again.

 

Anyway, I've done it - I've wanted to do something like this for at least a year so I hope you forgive me my self-indulgences and thank you to everyone who's put in a comment (particularly Bré :kink: ). I'll see you all in 87 for the next chapter of discoveries.

Oh that's a disappointing #1 lol (not that I don't like it but 'Miracles' would have been FAR better, glorious song :wub:). Correct choice out of the last 2 of your own though (Y)

 

(and no probs :kink: always willing to lend the illusion of relevance to our serene neighbours)

Beware Of Darkness come out of the night with a Dope track

 

 

Taking a bit of a departure from our normal rock entries into something that's a bit of a cross between the Arctic Monkeys and the White Stripes with a pummeling guitar beat (don't all throw me your 12s at once dance/pop voters), Dope represents the first attempt by Séyetana to get back to the final after the performance of last month. We'll see. But I hope you enjoy this anyway, I certainly do.

 

And on a side note the video, which features women bodybuilders carrying the band members around a dark park, was deemed the perfect video (and as luck would have it, lyrics) to go to a Pupok-hosted contest.

Yes!! So glad you went with this one, I adore it *.* THAT BASS PART! :wub: :drama:

This was annoyingly amazing, gutted that it DNQed. It'd have a lot of points from me (unlike last time you Qed xxx). #justiceforseyetana

Edited August 20, 20168 yr by Jacob Alan

Kalafina to take us back to success?

 

 

Following 2 songs which have not been great for contest success, despite gaining limited fanbases, we've turned to another of our favourite songs this year (see, this was in the PLAN somewhere along the line), despite coming out a few years ago it's been soundtracking quite a lot of my year in the background. Kalafina are a vocal girl group and each member has a distinct and magical vocal style. It also contains some beautiful flourishing strings to start and finish the song.

 

To The Beginning is wonderful to me, I hope it can be to you guys too.

First Assassination Classroom and now Fate/Zero? I am expecting one of the OPs from Fairy Tail next lol

First Assassination Classroom and now Fate/Zero? I am expecting one of the OPs from Fairy Tail next lol

 

If I start watching it... :kink:

 

I'm quite impressed with Shokugeki's first opening right now but I don't think I'd send that here. I've discovered some amazing songs from watching these shows which is why I've been resorting to them quite a bit.

Séyetana Bulletin:

 

Kalafina outperform all previous anime OPs

 

It's a bit late, although sometimes we don't even report on the finishes of our entrants, but Kalafina have come home with a respectable 33rd position in the final of BJSC LXXXVIII. It was nonetheless a historic occasion as Fate/Zero's 2nd OP To The Beginning marks the first anime opening (OPs) that I am aware of that qualified for the BJSC final. Previous attempts include The Melancholy Of Haruhi Suzumiya's 2nd OP Super Driver in BJSC LVIII, sent by Umiiruka, before any Séyetan had knowledge of anime, Sword Art Online II's 1st OP Ignite in BJSC LXXX and Assassination Classroom's 2nd OP Jiriki Hongan Revolution in BJSC LXXXVI. For anime endings (EDs), Alteria's Beautiful Life in BJSC LXXXVII was the ending to the second season of Rin-ne but no other known endings have been sent to the main contest. This is with the exception of the Séyetan entry to BJSC LXXXI, Requiem, which was a one-episode ED and impact song for Dusk Maiden Of Amnesia, although of course that was sent in a remixed form.

 

Hopefully this will not be the last time anime music impacts BJSC, but the commission denies that they will be sending another to BJSC LXXXIX. This is due to increasing pressure from other regions of Séyetana in response to the large cultural power that the Miurese currently have over the rest of the country. Miura, the city closest to the border with Daehun, is responsible for sponsoring most of these entries. The rest have been the last three entries sponsored by the capital, where music industry experts with ties to Miura are accused of wielding large influence to ensure their favourite gets chosen. Two months ago, the committee agreed to an alternating pattern between the north and south of the country, with the south providing Beware Of Darkness from Volsalmi, an alternative city that famously provided the country's debut entry and has never sent a final qualifier. Given the first opportunity for a northern city to select the entry has resulted with Miura once again, this system has been suspended and both Ziadiz and Miura will be excluded from the next entry's choosing to ensure fairness. Rumours are that the entry is already chosen but the committee wishes to keep things tightly under wraps.

 

Instrumental hype

 

The long-awaited Instrumental spinoff in neighbouring Persephonia has excited the populace immensely for the entries that other countries will be sending. Unlike with the main contest, a city does not sponsor these entries and as such talented musicians from all over the country have been asked to submit songs for consideration. After a short space in time when

was chosen, it was replaced with a mystery instrumental, which has already been a hit in Séyetana.

 

In other news... a special Gaming report

 

The other thing citizens of Séyetana are currently excited for is the long awaited release of Séyid Meier's BJSCivilization V* by Fizzleraxiz. It is predicted to be the biggest game of the year, in Séyetana and Aelandor at least, by a large margin. As such, the Bulletin is going to take a first look at 10 promo civilizations included with the game, all from BJSC's history (so may not match up with current country names) already announced, along with their leaders (someone important in the country's history), Unique Ability (UA), and Unique Units/Buildings/Improvements/National Wonders/Great People (UU/UB/UI/UNW/UGP). If you are not up-to-date with how BJSCivilization works, follow this link and search any keywords.

 

Ashton

Led by: Tone Damli

UA: Superior Numbers - Every military unit built may duplicate itself once. Ashtonise cities always have extra population, making them #1 on this metric in most circumstances.

UI: Border Control - Must be constructed in a tile on the border with another civilization. Even with Open Borders, all foreign units must pass through one of these tiles to get access to the rest of Ashtonise territory - with none of these constructed other units cannot enter Ashton without declaring war. Irrelevant when other civilizations discover Flight - at which point the Ashtonise player can designate an Airport to accomplish the same goal.

UU: Heidigen Bomb. Replaces Atomic Bomb. Launches 4.0 at other civilizations strapped to a nuke, granting culture to Ashton based on the number of civilians killed.

 

Bellamia

Led by: Ulrik Munther

UA: Actual Heroes In Defeat - When below 4 cities, defending strength on all units is doubled. Researching two full Social policy trees adds 'Actual' to the civ name and gives Bellamia an extra delegate in the World Congress.

UGP: Boyband - Replaces Great Musician. May not create Great Works but Tourism gained from Concert Tours is doubled.

UU: Long-Haired Warriors. Replaces Warrior. Always gives Culture for finishing a unit and has a chance to stun enemies for a turn.

 

Kylienips

Led by: Ryder

UA: Clerical Error - Double Faith is gained from Public Schools instead of Science. May build Cavalry without Horses.

UB: Nipple Gallery - Replaces Museum, provides increase to Tourism as well as Culture.

UB: Tokyo Police Club - Replaces Police Station - first one provides an extra Spy.

 

The Persephonians

Led by: Carel

UA: Countryball Diplomacy - An extra 5 resting points to City State relations for each Great Work of Art created, up to a maximum of 30.

UNW: The Great BJSC Spreadsheet. Persephonia may not build the Great Firewall, instead, this 'building' grants them a future 99% increase to spying power and informs them of all current espionage in the game.

UU: Egabbaci Catapults. Replaces Catapults. Launches cabbages at the enemy, any city attacked at least once by this unit gains a permanent increase to food when captured.

 

Pupok

Led by: Girli

UA: Spam - Production times for military units three times as fast in a Golden Age. Cities are founded with less happiness penalty but start out with less defensive strength.

UGP: Feminist Princess. Replaces Great General, gives more bonuses the more points Pupok has put into either Liberty or Freedom.

UU: Haschak Sisters. Replaces Missionary, does not suffer attrition when spreading the word (of Daddyism)

 

The Rontvians

Led by: Sheelah

UA: Church of Predictions - Increase to likelihood of Declaration of Friendships accepted. Increased Faith gained from having these friendships.

UB: Delta School - Replaces University, once built in 4 cities you gain a free technology.

UU: Magic Arrows - Replaces Archer, can send in two attacks per turn.

 

Séyetana

Led by: Elize Ryd

UA: Amaranthine Signs and Dreams - All Culture buildings (Museums etc) give Happiness and Science as well as Culture. When Computers discovered, gain two Great People of your choice.

UB: Tentacle Pool - Replaces Hydro Plant. As well as extra production, increases city defense, and also increases Happiness.

UU: Best Girl Squad - Replaces Gatling Gun. Is randomly strong or weak against other units but has the ability to be effective against them all.

 

Taahino

Led by: Alycia Debnam-Carey

UA: Alive Against The Current – Units gain 50% more health if fighting against a foe with a larger army.

UGP: Heda. Replaces Great General. Respawns in a number of turns if killed.

UU: Parahoy. Replaces Aircraft Carrier. Each Parahoy gives out large amounts of Tourism and increases the spawn rate of Great Musicians in their home city permanently.

 

Terra Avium

Led by: Feathers

UA: Avian Paradisum - Gain Culture, Science, Production and City defense from Zoos. All units move 1 tile faster in explored territory when at peace. All unit sprites look like birds.

UNW: Great Aviary. Must have built a Zoo in every city. Provides a healing bonus for all units in tiles worked by this city, and increases generation of Great People Birds.

UU: Sparrowhawk. Replaces Scout. Can fly across any tile and gains double vision.

 

Triangledonia

Led by: LarsM

UA: Shoutbox Modifier - Every World Congress, get the opportunity to change one of the proposals (except for World Leader).

UB: Triangle Windmill - Replaces Windmill. Extra production compared to normal and increases spy strength.

UU: Spinning Devvishes. Replaces Longswordsmen. Extra strength against siege weapons and gain extra speed.

 

Other nations (leaders): Aelandor (Matt Thiessen), Aeroche (TRVST), Skall (Air France), Trifoski (Ghost Loft), N DNTN (Autre Ne Veut), Daehun (A random member of SNSD), Eledan (Jonna Lee), Hendinia (Sophia Del Carmen), Ramrynia (A Claw) and Kopečka (Camille) will also be included in the base game. Other countries will come through expansions.

 

*all this spoofing is based on V although I'm very interested in real-world terms to see how VI turns out but I'm not getting it until both expansions have been released, V is great for now