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I LOVE EMILIA

 

(the only response that counts)

 

I can see why that might have stuck in the mind, I have no idea what its point is. :lol:

Who's Rem?

 

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    (or it could even have been page 27 being the last page for over a year because now I've started a new page it doesn't seem to be there? people post in my NT more thx)

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    IGORRR - ADHD Two months ago we sent a shitpost (lovable) J-Pop song, last month we sent a shitpost (lovable) folk-metal song, and this month it's the turn of breakcore out of my genre catalogue to g

There was a meme that was spread around the internet earlier this year that Amelia Bassano actually wrote all of Shakespeare's plays, but was denied credit because she was black (a claim that has been debunked on many grounds). This was a snarky, anime inflected retort at how ridiculous a claim it was.
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AH

 

Now you mention it, I do recall some sort of myth about Shakespeare not being the author gaining a bit of traction.

Indeed, and from my knowledge of drama, I can almost categorically state that any such claims that someone other than Shakespeare wrong his plays are ludicrous. There's also something a little bit classist about the people trying to knock him off his perch, as in "how could an author from the WORKING CLASSES write a masterpiece on the level of Romeo & Juliet"? To which I'd point out that for people in the 16th century, his audience would have been the working classes, and his plays the equivalent to what Mrs Brown's Boys is today.
  • 4 weeks later...
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Vogel Im Kafig soundtracks BJSC 97

 

 

Are we Terra Avium yet? I got a soundtrack piece for you all, yes, from the OST of an anime but it's a fab track that's stuck with me for a while and I was reminded of how great it was this year with the latest season of Attack On Titan. A beautiful soundtrack (meaning 'Bird In A Cage') that spends the first 3 minutes in an enchanting soundscape and then switches itself up for the last 3, I hope you all enjoy taking a journey with it.

 

IMPORTANT PSA I feel I should do, if you care at all about spoilers for Attack On Titan (and you should because it's one of the most accessible and yet spoiler-heavy anime out there. It's like if Game Of Thrones met the Walking Dead and turned the resulting walkers into man-eating giants. I'm not even exaggerating that much, that is pretty much the plot. WATCH IT), yeah, if you care at all about spoilers, don't look at comments (par for the course I'd expect but I'll say it anyway) or EVEN RELATED VIDEOS on the youtube link here, this part of the internet, it's very easy to stumble across them. Heed my warning.

 

Otherwise, yeah, enjoy the music.

  • 5 weeks later...
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SIAMÉS - THE WOLF

 

 

After a couple of months of playing this video over and over again and enjoying the novelty of a new band who sound like Arctic Monkeys at their best, I've decided to share SIAMÉS with you all. It's a very catchy tune with some great timely animation (I don't normally send songs that must be watched with the video, but I think this one definitely has a strength in the video) to accompany it. Vote for it if you enjoy it.

 

It's also Argentinian, so we return to that country for the first time since Tei Shi after most people haven't even been there once.

I actually came across this as a recommended video from Lone Digger! It's a really cool-sounding track, a bit more Dirty Heads/Cold War Kids which fits me perfectly :D
  • 4 weeks later...
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Egoist returns us to normality

 

 

Riding high on two... yes, as high as two, qualifiers in a row, one actually even being an entry from Japan, we've gone back to a bit of a comfort zone because it's the last contest before contest 100 and given our participation in that is unconfirmed due to... upcoming political instability... it's time for Séyetana to play to its strengths, with an entry that combines rock, orchestra and electro in one - and is soundtracking a Fate anime, because that's just like ALL of our entries.

 

When I first heard this I thought it was incredibly weirdly structured and kind of disappointing (so obviously a PERFECT candidate for BJSC, eh?), I knew of EGOIST through their emotional take on the Psycho Pass ending theme but this is hella different. A few repeated listens later and all the initial disappointment had all gone away to be replaced by joy at the gothic churchy drops, the measured way the singer winds her words around the backing track, and the weird structure now seems inspired and genius. Give it a chance, let it grow on you and maybe you'll feel what I feel for it now.

  • 3 weeks later...
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LOVE this! May it defy the predictions.

 

Just wanted to say thank you for this, it makes it worthwhile knowing that I got at least one good fan out of this, despite how badly it did in the end.

 

Turns out the best thing about 99 was that our votes got to be announced last. I'm not sure I've ever had the honour, or at least, it's been many many contests since that's happened. For clarity, here's my ranking in full:

 

Hi, here are the votes from Séyetana. I hope the best from here have all qualified (including myself, I don't even know if I'll know that!), thank you for all of the tunes (Hollyn was excellent, clear standout, go on and win Harmonica) and I may see you in 100 if we're lucky, 101 if we're not)

 

1. Hollyn Alone

2. Thomas Stenström Så så så säg

3. MC BOING Dance Floor

4. Dover Let Me Out

5. Zhanar Dugalova Izin korem

6. Mags duval Pink Cadillac

7. Alex Cameron Runnin' Outta Luck

8. Motiv8 (ft. Angie Brown) Rockin' For Myself

9. Sunmi Gashina

10. Rob & Chris Zeitmaschine (Rob & Chris 90s Dance Mix)

11. LUNA Butylochka

12. Butter Lifted

13. Confidence Man Better Sit Down Boy

14. Laura Nähri Joo Joo Äiti

15. Vitaa À fleur de toi

16. Sœur Slow Days

17. Les Rythmes Digitales (Hey You) What's That Sound?

18. Ravel Nightstar The Drums and Bass of Flower Bless

19. Syn Cole ft. Nevve Sway

20. RABBII All Men Must Die

21. NONONO Masterpiece

22. Jean-Michel Jarre Swipe To The Right (featuring Cyndi Lauper)

23. Dutch Force Deadline (Vocal Radio Edit)

24. Loboda Tvoi Glaza

25. VERIDIA Still Breathing

26. Archive Bullets

27. Yaeji Last Breath

28. Sofi Mkheyan Hamadzayn Em

29. Darin Tvillingen

30. ERA Ameno (Remix)

31. Lydia Singer Push Bang Bang (K. Warren's Ukg Mix)

32. Gabrielle Nattergal

33. Healyum Fools Eyes

34. Mike Mareen - Love Spy

35. Tom Fall Kaamos

36. Superorganism Something For Your M.I.N.D.

37. Roosevelt Elliot

38. Red 5 I Love You...Stop!

39. Glass Animals & Joey Bada$$ Lose Control

40. Zola Jesus - Exhumed

41. Unge Ferrari Hologram

42. Toto 99

43. Francesca Michielin Vulcano

44. Veronika Vesper Suffocate

45. Frans Walfridsson Tonight

46. Burak Yeter & Ryan Riback Go 2.0

47. CHVRN - Delirium

48. TYNE Crawl

49. Hannah Jane Lewis Raincheck

50. Solarstone with Giuseppe Ottaviani Falcons

51. Aesthetic Perfection LAX (Mr. Kitty Remix)

52. RPMs I Think It's Stupid But I Think It's Love

53. Rose Windross & Kele Le Roc Giving U (What U Want) [4x4 vox]54. Kaleida 99 Luftballons

55. ARLE Close To You - Icarus Edit

56. Jaira Burns Burn Slow

57. Marlisa Stand By You

58. Kalomira Shoot 'em Down

59. Eden Prince feat. Cassie - Obvious

60. Betsy You Won't Love Me

61. Ida da Silva Throw Your Love

62. Andrew Belle Down

63. In Real Life Eyes Closed

64. Girly Working Girl

65. Jessica Jarrell 100 Percentin

66. Touch Sensitive Pizza Guy

67. Catherine McGrath - Talk Of This Town

68. V. Bozeman Race Jones

 

As you can see, Thelonia and Land Of DW really missed out.

 

~

 

100 preparations

 

Participation status: Happening, now I that have my data, although I'm having to control my hotspot's data connection, but I will listen to the songs (preferably through the MP3s as then I'll only have to download them once but we'll see what's available).

 

What I'm planning on entering though... you'll have to wait and see but it's definitely an unforgettable track, no less for the Séyetan entry to the 100th contest.

 

Delegates of Syetenna and Associate Flops,

 

Lady Beaverdam would like to extend the hand of friendship and improve our diplomacy and trade by opening up a series of Littlefinger Brothels throughout your crusty country. Do not worry: maximum discretion for your VIPs.

 

What say you??

  • Author
Delegates of Syetenna and Associate Flops,

 

Lady Beaverdam would like to extend the hand of friendship and improve our diplomacy and trade by opening up a series of Littlefinger Brothels throughout your crusty country. Do not worry: maximum discretion for your VIPs.

 

What say you??

 

How could I refuse such a generous offer?

 

http://hothittoday.com/img/img_post/post_20170818102033.jpg

  • 2 weeks later...
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You Say Run, so I go beyond

 

 

BJSC 100, so I had to think of something really powerful, heroic and that would sum up just how good this contest has been to me over the years for finding good music. Fortunately, a few months ago, I got absolutely obsessed with a new TV series that I was thinking about dropping when a powerful round of this soundtrack blasted through at a critical moment, I found myself floating in ecstasy and started repeat playing the soundtrack and looking forward to whenever motifs of it would show up. So despite my considering Babymetal's Road Of Resistance, I thought that would be a little obvious, and this, You Say Run, is a much more fun and relevant way for me to end the year given what I've been doing this year.

 

Musically, it's got a lovely electric guitar that then drops into an orchestral BEAUTY that should lead to 18s flooding my way... in theory. In practice, that's less likely but I hope you guys like it anyway. There's a really good breakdown of it on Youtube by The Cartoon Cipher:

that explains its strengths and weaknesses as a track.

 

As that video makes clear, it's also one of those tracks that 'goes with everything', so I'll also just leave this here:

 

  • 1 month later...
  • Author

Séyetana End Of Year Country Rank

 

To not put too much of a downer on it, this year in BJSC is officially the worst Seyetana has ever done, as for the first year since 2011, I’ve not scored a top 10, and it’s the first ever year that I’ve had more DNQs than Qs. At least I get to keep my record of getting at least two top 15s every year. Barely. But despite that, I’m still going to do my traditional round up of ranking every country’s entries with commentary (that might get a little harsh if I’m not well disposed to your entries – there’s a silent ‘in my opinion’ everywhere guys) before listing my favourite entries of the year at the end. Because I care. Though I might streamline the process a little, it was huge and tiring last year.

 

There were several countries that absolutely killed it this year, if you have a COTY CONTENDER mark after your commentary that means I’m considering you for my favourite country of the year.

 

Contests

94 > 92 > 97 > 99 > 91 > 96> 100 > 98 > 93

A bit of a simplified ranking as each contest had its highlights and lowlights. 94 was the strongest overall in my mind, but there’s obviously good entries everywhere.

 

Winners

Saving Light > Gypsy (Catch Me If You Can) > Don’t Take The Money > Hurricane > Monopoly > Haide > Elizabeth Taylor > In The Morning

 

Séyetana

Well, let’s properly start with myself. And it might not be pretty. This has been, as I said, statistically, my least successful year in BJSC. Six non qualifiers to four qualifiers, with only two of those qualifiers going in the top half. Not the worst BJSC year anyone’s ever had, but by the standards of the qualifier ratio we have, it’s been a pretty bad one. Though I’ve also got to host my first non-Reloaded contest with the spinoff and in other song contest news I won my first one ever in the indie forum this year so it hasn’t been all bad outside of the canonical ten.

 

Of course, there’s a common factor in my DNQs, so let’s get this out of the way. They’re all Japanese, specifically all Japanese language, or in one case, an instrumental. In all but one case, they’re also a track commissioned to be part of an anime as well as for the artist. In contrast, my qualifiers were, with one exception again, western, and that exception used Western languages. Now I’m not saying the voters have a racial bias (I totally am), but it’s more that I’ve started to feel there’s a stigma against these entries that results in voters tuning out early, giving low odds and not giving them a chance to grow because anime songs have done badly in the past and they didn’t give those a chance either (the phrase I most dread hearing at a listenthrough is ‘sounds like a typical anime song’ – a) that’s not a bad thing and b) they’re actually quite rare btw) and that sucks, because I love entering them. See, I’ve entered entries from across the genre spectrum and they’re good quality, particularly EGOIST which I thought was objectively strong on production and interest factors, and they SHOULD be getting through to more people than they are. And here’s where I might be letting myself down, my ability to be objective.

 

I’m not silly, ever since I started entering anime songs back with Ignite (having at that point recently been burned pretty badly with a Japanese song that got good predictions at first – Scandal), I knew there’s one clear disconnect, I associate the song with a show that I at the least enjoy, if not outright adore, while other voters associate the song with its low budget video and how it’s attached to that anime weirdo who we let have power. So I’ve always tried, at least when I actually wanted to do well, to select songs that I thought other people might enjoy on a song level alone, yet very few of them get through – I’d like to be doing a lot better than one a year.

 

Anyway, the songs. Babyraids Japan, Cinderella Na Jirarenai (translated after some difficulty as ‘Cinderella Can’t Be Inserted’?!!), the one Japanese song I entered this year not from an anime (I KNOW), I think this failing to qualify set the tone of the year for me, I was fairly confident in it – I mean, a girlband, doing some cool rock things, great sounds and solos, what on earth is not to love? I still think it got quite unfairly shafted, although for the most part I don’t currently recall anything offensive that beat it out, although I’m sure I’ll recall something as I go through other people’s entries.

 

Ichiban No Takaramono (translated as ‘My Most Precious Treasure’

 

By the third contest, I’d never failed to qualify in both the first two contests of the year before, I decided to go all out and just enter another song I was still obsessed with over a year after I first heard it. That of course was something quite different, the incredible electronicore Let Me Hear. I know I scared a few of you, and honestly I don’t often love screamo that much, but the way it works on here, the ENERGY, the way it’s coming back to the autotune for that final jump, it’s godly and I’ve played it nearly as many times as INT. Again, how it did was of little consequence, it got some talk and that’s all.

 

Then I got a bit serious. I have my 4th contest success to live up to and I wanted something, so I went back to symphonic metal, I’d been thinking about Epica for a time, and found a song of theirs I really liked, so got myself back to the final with Beyond The Matrix. It’s not my best entry, though it’s certainly very pleasingly bombastic, but it got the job done, I was back in at least some business. Then I went into something I’ve started really enjoying again, hardstyle by way of chiptune, which is of course Nanobii, my most successful entry this year and the one I’m most proud of for its position. I had a good time riding out some of the speculation in this contest and Chipland is just so addictive (last.fm has recorded it as being by far the song I’ve listened to most this year, I know many anime songs are lower than they should be but it’s certainly amazing) I’m glad I was able to rack up a second success in a row.

 

Redo, an OP you actually hear very rarely as the show it’s from has a habit of skipping openings for more content, I had a moment where I thought it was incredible and I do still think it’s great with its rock but I do, as I’ve said, really wish I’ve entered ‘This Game’ by Konomi, I’ve spent so much time trying to get ‘interesting’ anime songs that entering a more typical one might have been interesting and the piano lead-in to that song is SO good, I may have to enter it in the future.

 

Vogel Im Kafig got me quite a flukey qualifier, for once (after Kalafina) my anime song barely made it over the line, though it of course should have been far higher, I’m proud of it for that, it’s a beautiful song and that leads us right into The Wolf, a head back to normality that I was very cool with, I spent so much time in the summer listening to that song, it’s a huge banger and got me a decent result, and kept my streak in TBO against all odds.

 

Then the final two. Egoist – Eiyuu Unmei No Uta (translated as ‘The Hero’s Fate Song’), you all slept on so goddamn much I’m really disheartened. Here you have a song with killer production, clean, well-sung vocals, a structure that demands attention and a catchy baseline, bonus points, orchestral beauty, and you tasteless whores couldn’t even give it 20 points? (Dobbo has the best taste here with his support of Ichi and this) And You Say Run, similar story – an instrumental that basically embodies heroic epic feeling (the reason why I entered it, to imbue the 100th contest with some of that feeling), is loved by everyone in the anime community and it can’t make it out of the bottom 5? You know I don’t like complaining about BJSC results for myself, I’m over it as ‘me’ doing badly, I just hate that these two incredible songs got treated that badly when they deserved LEAGUES better, especially over the hordes of crap that did better than them – it’s not been a good end to the year, as however true or not true it is, it feels like ‘anime stigma’ has reached crisis point and I can’t enter it without it getting ignored by the average voter in favour of 18 points to generic pop #101. It’s not like it can’t get through to people, I believe it can as most of it IS just female-led pop-rock that happens to be in a foreign language, which is why I keep trying, but it seems like I can’t get any support for a sound that when it’s de-animefied and de-Japanified does just fine.

 

I want to end this on a positive note, so I’ll say that one thing that You Say Run’s DNQ did for me is that it failed me my run of always having 50/50 Qs or better in every year. That was a goal I was trying to stick to for quite a while and now that I’ve lost that I feel a lot freer about having to meet it in the future.

 

Ranking: Girls Dead Monster – Ichiban No Takaramono > Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas – Let Me Hear > Nanobii – Chipland > Yuki Hayashi – You Say Run > EGOIST – Eiyuu Unmei No Uta > Hiroyuki Sawano & Cyua – Vogel Im Kafig > Babyraids Japan – Cinderella Na Jirarenai > Epica – Beyond The Matrix > SIAMES – The Wolf > Konomi Suzuki - Redo

 

#00274E

I went in reverse alphabetical order last year, so alphabetical it is.

Pogo was a huge wonder, I get the feeling it isn’t one of Jake’s favourite entries, I’d loved to be proved wrong, but that deep voice, combined with the fact that it’s basically The Picard Song updated with good production meant that it was a standout of the first contest of the year. As is often the case with the other entries, they weren’t all my thing but Other, HO and Hard As Diamonds made an impact for being pretty good enjoyable songs. LGBT was rather fun too. And A Million On My Soul was surprisingly good when I looked at it – weird that an Aelandor potential is the weakest of the #00 entries (would have been Aelandor’s weakest for me despite its success with others), which means a good year for them.

 

Pogo – Data & Picard > ONUKA - Other (feat. NAONI Orchestra) > Alexiane – A Million On My Soul > X0809 – HO > Nussy – Hard As Diamonds > cupcaKKe – LGBT > OrelSan – Basique > Pale Waves

 

Aelandor

Always annoyingly high quality because of the way you’ve been showcasing most of the best of ‘normal music’ with your taste. But three entries really stand out among the rest. Old Man, which was surprisingly (as I thought it would be meh from the title) incredibly emotional, plus it has such a bright sparkly instrumental and those lyrics are beautiful, exactly the sort of song I want Aelandor entering. And of course Giants was incredible and good for getting Aelandor their long overdue top 10. Copeland, being the closest entry this year to emo rock, was also an essential. Below that, I’ve known Up Ship for ages and for an ambient song it’s great. C2C is a boppy tune for something different from you, while Dear Adelaide and Tides are good qualifiers. The three DNQs were your weakest for a good year so BJSC largely got Aelandor right this time, but I still like all three of them too. COTY CONTENDER.

 

Billy Lockett – Old Man > Lights – Giants > Copeland – No One Really Wins > Port Blue – Up Ship! > C2C - Down The Road > Breanne Duren – Dear Adelaide > Nu:Tone – Tides > Meadowlark – Headlights > Soeur > HONNE

 

Aeroche

You know, I was going to say, despite not having a win for the first time, I think this is actually Aeroche’s strongest year yet. But then you had to go and spoil my commentary by winning at the last moment again. Still the strongest year though, although not really because of the winner, that’s about middling as far as these ten go, though it’s okay. Backdraft was properly amazing and I can’t believe that that’s your second-lowest this year – properly sold me on Merely when her last two entries were take it or leave it, that drop is incredible and I should probably spend this all just talking about how BACKDRAFT SHOULD HAVE WON (and the other two Merely entries are now retroactively incredible and ALSO SHOULD HAVE WON). Snow Globe was pretty great too and Born Ready (especially this, never saw it growing like that) and Rockin’ For Myself were some standout retro dance stuff, you’re really good at that. Dub-I-Dub was a bit annoying though. Head was okay, didn’t really like Ambience at all, Strobe was cool, and RL Grime, not quite as good as Because Of U but almost there, I can’t believe I’m putting it 5th, I absolutely stan all 5 and that’s the first time I’ve said this about Aeroche, I don’t normally say it about many countries. Basically we should have swapped Capitol for Backdraft and Snow Globe for Dub-I-Dub and I’d have been slain by Aeroche’s simultaneous appealing to both me and the BJSC public, something they haven’t done to this scale before. COTY CONTENDER.

 

Merely – Backdraft > Disco Fries – Born Ready > Motiv8 – Rockin’ For Myself > Dux Content – Snow Globe > RL Grimes – Reims > TR/ST – CAPITOL > deadmau5 – Strobe > Dana > Me & My > Mele

 

Aesthetica

Name changing to the start of the list, Aesthetica have had a pretty rough year looking at their results, and I’d have been on board with many of their NQs through, their two non-WG qualifiers being the worst, a female dutty rap song (ugh), and a below-par K-Pop. Poppy was a bit uninspired but not awful, Shade wasn’t really that bad, I kind of enjoyed its ineptitude, Coupdburst was kind of there, but then Yezi and FEMM were both rather good and I see a mirror of the same Asian racism that I face, except often in the opposite semi so I can’t do anything to help. At least the best, I Feel You was rightfully rewarded and I really did enjoy that, rather unique song.

 

Wonder Girls – I Feel You > FEMM -淋しい熱帯魚> Yezi – Anck Su Namum > Nadia Oh – Shade > Alice Vicious > That Poppy > CLC > Lil Debbie

 

Ajanaeda

As ever, I have very little crossover with Josh and we’re pretty much polar opposites, but seeing 5 DNQs is a bit harsh, I wouldn’t immediately throw Jane XO and Hundred Waters out and Healyum returning was a nice callback to Josh’s best, first, entry, but the other two, nope nope nope.

Jane XO > Hundred Waters > Healyum > ABIR > TYNI

 

Alteria

Alteria have developed an excellent sense of ‘only entering when they have a superb song to share’, because both their entries this year were so amazing that I gave them my 15s in a strong contest where the 18 was above everything. Bubblegum was an incredibly fun piece of pop that should have done as well or better than the next Confidence Man entry, while Fjokra was… I have no words that are really suitable. SO GOOD.

 

Fjokra – Sick Kids > Confidence Man – Bubblegum

 

Altyr Muunilinst

A mix of mostly passable pop this year on the Altyr train (to John’s credit, the only one I thought was a bit too average and bad was KATEA, John De Sohn was almost amusing in that regard), four entries aside. Make Believe was PC Music so rather enjoyable, NONONO’s Masterpiece was great, it was nice to see them again, Classic had a really nice melody that makes one want to relisten, and then of course the best Altyr entry was that masterpiece of television music, Light Of The Seven – up with music made for other popular entertainment!

Ramin Djawadi – Light Of The Seven > NONONO – Masterpiece > The Knocks – Classic > Hannah Diamond – Make Believe > Kamferdrops > Man Without Country > Rhys > MOODY > John De Sohn > KATEA

 

(République d')Ashton

There was that trilogy of entries in the middle of the year that were really quite awful, Attitudeproblem in particular, I think that has to reach the top of my ranking for worst qualifier of the year. But Tone & Sabina, the ones that made it to the TBO final, were rather good pop songs, so Ashton's first two were plenty good pop, I do think Sabina was really great, a lovely return after the wonderful Scarred For Life. And that Gabrielle song was rather nice and a good return to form from her I am one of the few people who thinks that 5FF thing was her worst attempt at BJSC. The rest, could take it or leave it, but I've noticed that Ashton have done well, more so than usual in entering artists associated with them this time.

 

Sabina Ddumba - Not Too Young > Tone Damli - Pinnacle >Gabrielle - Nattergal > Dagny > Dragonette > Molly Sanden > Mutya Kesha Siobhan > Tessa Violet > Bec Sandridge > Izabell et al

 

Avalonia

It's a little damning, for a nation that can share my taste on neo-classical, Finn pop and goth rock on occasion (Grant did have quite the wide interests), that I had to remind myself of a lot of Avalonia's entries this year. The bottom three on this list are just completely forgettable, while the next two are decent pop but nothing special. Finn-pop and soundtrack are the best here, although The Winter Soldier was more weird than actually good, in half-contrast to the movie, which was not weird and actually bad. The best is of course anything featuring the lovely vocals of Merethe Soldtvedt, but it is one of the weaker things she's put her name to.

 

Johannes Ringen - Neverafter > Jenni Vartianen - Suru On Kunniavieras > Henry Jackman - The Winter Soldier > Britt Nicole > Natasha Blume > Anna Kanzig > SVRCINA > Andrew Belle

 

Azure

It seems weird that Azure debuted this year, they're already a well-established part of the BJSC furniture, and rockbloc, although I've had limited success at getting them to vote for me, cmon Alanna. It's unusual for me to have no feelings about an Azure entry as it's normally something that stands out of the lineup, although sometimes in a bad way with that GNUCCI song. But otherwise mostly good, although I did find the Mario song a little basic. And the rest... explosive and punchy debut introducing me to an old Marianas Trench track, great stuff, a fantastic trio for the last three entries, good returns for old favourites Ghost Beach and Summer Set, and best of all a punchy Swedish pop track that came out of left-field, being slightly different for Azure to be kind of incredible. Dancing Out, Ambling Alp and The Band CAMINO were also rather rather good. COTY Contender

 

Thomas Stenström - Så Så Så Säg > Marianas Trench - Celebrity Status > Ghost Beach - Miracle > The Summer Set - Someone Like You > French Horn Rebellion - Dancing Out > Yeasayer - Ampling Alp > The Band CAMINO - Who Says We're Through > Patent Pending > Kids In Glass Houses > GNUCCI

Ooh I wasn't sure if we were going to get our annual paragraph spam Séyetana EOY this year (seems to be very few EOYs going on in general this year aw (my own EOY is coming eventually but will just be a single post since I never got around to finishing the last one yet)), glad to see it is still happening *.

 

I really liked most of your heroically failed Japanese/anime entries of this year but unfortunately I have to say even I wasn't massively keen on the EGOIST song tbh, I think it had the makings of a good song but came across a little too messy, it's not surprising to me that it didn't connect too well. 'You Say Run' on the other hand definitely did deserve to do a lot better than it did, as did 'Cinderella Ja Irarenai' (although BABYMETAL themselves DNQed so I guess not a huge surprise) and 'Redo'.

  • Author
I don’t think you’re giving The Wolf enough credit here 3 Easily the best thing you’ve sent.

 

Oh it's awesome but as it's me, compared to my other entries it's a bit less in my nature.

 

Ooh I wasn't sure if we were going to get our annual paragraph spam Séyetana EOY this year (seems to be very few EOYs going on in general this year aw), glad to see it is still happening *.

 

I really liked most of your heroically failed Japanese/anime entries of this year but unfortunately I have to say even I wasn't massively keen on the EGOIST song tbh, I think it had the makings of a good song but came across a little too messy, it's not surprising to me that it didn't connect too well. 'You Say Run' on the other hand definitely did deserve to do a lot better than it did, as did 'Cinderella Ja Irarenai' (although BABYMETAL themselves DNQed so I guess not a huge surprise) and 'Redo'.

 

I am gonna cool it on some of the paragraph spam, I was feeling like I might not do it, but I did write this stuff up in downtime a while back so I felt I had to get that at least out.

 

EGOIST's song just got better with every listen for me, that messy feeling does go away once you get used to the structure, it's just always a grower for everyone. It'll be a classic come BJSC 199. Appreciate the support for the others ofc

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Beaverdonia

I don't know whether it's something in the dam water, but Beaverdonia can so often be utterly horrendous. Ina Wroldsen, Touch Sensitive and especially DYU I never want to listen to again. Activewear was kind of fun but at least Meekul has redeemed himself with two slight risks, Yakety Yak, well, I always appreciate swing and trumpets and I got a lot of use from that song, while Waiting was really quite glorious and a good sendoff for the 100 contest.

 

The Drapers - Yakety Yak > BETSY - Waiting > Van Vuuren Bros > Digitalism > Nikola Rachelle > Ina Wroldsen > Touch Sensitive > Dominique Young Unique

 

(The Actual Republic Of) Bellamia

 

Uh, that rank should give you a clue as to where my loyalties lay as far as TARO Bellamia goes, not very well. Bite My Tongue was a pretty glorious exception, a lovely tropical pop-rock hit, that is basically the main crossover me and Joseph have, if he enters something that I decide to discern has actual decent cred. Chase Atlantic nearly had that but sounded a bit too much like Drake at times for me to grant them their song title in this countdown. Was not really here for the rest, the bottom three I didn't want to listen to more than once but the others were fine. They can be a lot more decent when entering males than with females, who knew?

 

The Beach - Bite My Tongue > Chase Atlantic > Marijia > Tom Jay Williams > Frans > Nemo Schiffman > RIVRS > Citizen Four > KStewart > We The Kings

 

Bhangra

I wish I pointed Lullaby, I'm surprised I didn't point trance that beautiful and it certainly has grown to be the best Bhangra entry this decade. Tarkan was something I had to point, always up for a bit of Turkish testosterone dance extravaganza, and there were a few Bhangra entries I liked beyond this, but didn't listen to a whole lot outside of their contests. I didn't try to forget them but I had to go listen to a number of these again. Not that I'd try to pin down a country but there's a certain Eurodance feeling to Bhangra's entries, which is quite refreshing when they're not entering Amelia Lily.

 

Audrey Gallagher - Lullaby > Tarkan - Yolla > Hedia - Your Mind > Darin - Tvilingen > Fenech-Soler - Kaleidoscope > Mileo > Fred V & Grafix > RUFUS > Margaret > Amelia Lily

 

Bignia-Zaragovina

Bignia started out well with a doomed male band in Sky On Fire, then they went downhill as they took a rubbish Finnish ESC reject, and then Shane Harper as the BJSC act that probably least needed a recycle, and then what was by far the worst Sabina Ddumba entry. Then I strangely have almost no memory of their brief foreign language detour in the centre of the year, much less one actually qualifying, but fair play as these were pretty decent. Then Jak started to do Jak again and those last four entries I can't even say a single nice word about. Finishing with M&M was the perfect troll for people like me.

 

Handsome Poets - Sky On Fire > Cezinando - Haper du har plass > Hkeem & Temur - Fy Faen > Sabina Ddumba > My First Band > Shane Harper > Skylar Stecker > In Real Life > Marcus & Martinus > Frankie Grande

 

Bøtanikkä

I missed it in my big BJSC 100 commisserations, but of course LP is the best Botanikkan entry, and a shame that didn't make it through to the final, because LP is flawless as always on it. Wrabel gave a much better entry than his previous time in BJSC, I enjoyed The Village a lot. And Yeke & Before were rather enjoyable listens, while Spirit Of The Hawk is a classic I've liked for a while. Decent year for Botanikka although a couple of entries I found a bit dull (Tsar B), overrated (Noga Erez) or annoying (BEATZ) dragged it down to a year where I don't think I managed to send them any points.

 

LP - When We're High > Wrabel - The Village > I Am Aisha - Yeke > Rednex - Spirit Of The Hawk > Vok - Before > Red 5 > Noga Erez > Age Of Love > Tsar B > BEATZ

 

Buzzjack Mountain

Of course the only BM entry I liked is the one to finish last in its semi. The rest is all just a bit too much low quality dance for me that I didn't come back to. Even tracks that other people liked from them like CENTVRIES or JX didn't work for me.

 

GEROX and LOBO - Dance With Me > Slam Dunk'd > Lee Mills > Rose Windross & Kele Le Ro > Alan Parsons Project > CENTVRIES > JX > Luca Debonaire > Future Bass Fishermen In A Tropical House

 

Cadelicia

I always seem to notice when Cadelicia lose out, as it seems like they often do that when they're hyped up and there was a bit of that with HI LIFE (a great PC track) and less heartbreakingly with that Turkish track. Though Arigato seemed to do just fine and I'm not keen on that. Death Team starts out well but loses it by playing its only card really early as a track, and I must admit that Tempura Kidz are one of the few Japanese things I'm not really into, sorry Oliver. Too close to generic club beats for me. Fandango was such an interesting track by way of Spanish/Latin sounds (good call on what would become popular) though to start the year off of and RABBII had a great misandric track in their lineup for 99, so those two were my big Cadelician highlights this year.

 

The Clarstone - Fandango > RABBII - All Men Must Die > HI LIFE - When I Get To The Club > Death Team - Jump > BLACKPINK > Tempura Kidz > Meg Mac > Emrah Karaduman > Julie Bergan > Tourist

 

Caerfyrddia

A great return for Caerfyrddia, as I said when I voted for it, I really like Into Deep and appreciate how reminiscent it is of the past Caerfyrddia sound even after all these years.

 

Cor Lupus

After the fact, I really got into the CashCash-esque sounds of HALEM, it came up on shuffle quite a bit in India, so that's good. LIONE was really glorious too, I love that bright dance sound that Cor Lupus can pull off well. Wasn't so into LINES though, as much as everyone raved about that, felt a bit predictable. It was, after Unstoppable, quite an average middle of the year all told for Cor Lupus, I rarely got on board until the last two, I sort of liked LAX, but then Cody came back for 100 with the other sound I can love him for, grindy dance-rock that sends my heart racing. While ricketing over poorly maintained Indian village roads to boot.

 

LIONE - Leave This Place > Written By Wolves - Timebombs & Hurricanes > HALEM - Unstoppable > Aesthetic Perfection - LAX > Mirror Talk > LINES > Kacy Hill > BGRZ > Gromee > Taryn Manning >

 

Cowtermont

One of our newest nations, I haven't got quite a sense of Cowtermont yet though I've noticed they do seem to have an affinity for the legend of Icarus... 3 decent songs that haven't really caught my attention for good or bad reasons yet, the best so far being the actual track called Icarus, although that's mostly because it has a brighter and more fun structure than the other two. Don't worry though, you're certainly doing okay and you don't need to attract my attention just yet, I look forward to more in the new year.

 

R3Hab - Icarus > Prince Fox - Space > Arle

YAY Izzles, up with BJSC EOY countdowns (especially with a bit of detail as you do so well) as they're feeling a bit sparse right now. #Jiz (:mellow:) flying that flag presently (as Seven's has concluded, then Liam and Phil had countdowns but they weren't 2017 specific). This format is great also and is reminding me of some songs that I forgot about.

 

The nations that we have snap favourites for thus far are Alteria and Cadelicia! 'Sick Kids' was a bit of a twenty one pilots pastiche but I adore them so this was never going to be a bad thing. I agree that Alteria seem to only enter when they have something genius up their sleeve. I hope they pay us fleeting visits next year too. I am then a sucker for Español so 'Fandango' was naturally up my street! I think the drop could have been a bit stronger but otherwise it is very enjoyable. I feel like Cadelicia keep DNQing with their best entries this year but this one was an exception!

Of course your fave from me would be the song that’s the most weeb :P

 

I didn’t quite get Cash Cash from HALEM (maybe their newer stuff) but that’s an interesting comparison.

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