WALRUS SQUARED (feat. me and hellbooks)

[hellbooks]

we will do ones that are good for a variety of timezones and also feel free to request certain times as well

[Isis]

Will it happen on like Ms discord? I prolly won't make it

[tris]

yeah. i hope you get to make future one's!

[tris]

soon!

[tris]

countdown was wrong!!!!! sorry

[tris]

it should be now unless people want to delay

[hellbooks]

Here's the scoreboard data -- the writeups for this cat are coming soon! Thank you for coming and see you next time!

edit: oops @ highlighted cell but also i'm not changing it

[tris]

wanderering

Spoiler: 1st matmos - goodnight loving bose ikard ; CHEETORY6

(tris: 3rd // hellbooks: 3rd)
18.9
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocWhVR3l4WA

~~hb~~

LIKE: 6.0 [4.5/5]
CATFIT: 2
UNFAMILIARITY: -0.1
SUSPECTED USER: schadd (United States bootleg version of Liz Fraser)
ACTUAL USER: aaaargh i got keely and schadd switched
PLAYLIST POINTS: 0.4
MEDAL FOR BEST TRACK NAME: yes

9.3 (8.3 + 1 for 3rd place)

Decided that if I've listened to an album by a band before I'll have to dock it at least 0.1 points even if I don't know/remember a lot about them or their situation. The title is like a United States bootleg version of Cocteau Twins titles. Also I do really like this mashup of sounds, like the percussion has a strong "indoors" feeling of like closely packed slappin' and tappin' sounds while the guitar and whistling and low train whistle definitely is working to create a tapestry of the outdoor Americana. Beyond the acoustics the structure of the song start to finish has a strong adventurousness for the sake of adventure that I must rate highly, but I must also acknowledge the strong gravitational pull of the groove that prevents it from having that full wandering feel.

I added this song to one of my favorite playlists which is named after a baths lyric ("you and I invent the ballroom")

~~t~~

ooh. i love all these instruments bumping along coming in and doing their thing. i'm not sure how to put this song into words. it has a unique mood. i guess it's like a one-person parade strolling down a tunnel?
8.6
guess; shaft.ed WRONG +1=9.6

Spoiler: 2nd clark - everlane ; SCHADD

(tris: 1st // hellbooks: tied 5th)
18.4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfpF9DapEyg

~~hb~~

LIKE: 5 [4/5]
CATFIT: 2.1
UNFAMILIARITY: -0.1
IS THIS ARTIST ON SCHADD'S LIST: i would believe yes
SUSPECTED USER: cheetory6
ACTUAL USER: schadd. you're kidding me. i even said-

7.0

This song would have smashed the Vivid Place catfit in my books (hell's books), it feels like walking through a tunnel that is lit by these bright blue and purple crystals. I thought very hard about how wide and expansive such a tunnel would be to facilitate wandering and I decided that even just the act of looking around and experiencing all the crystals is very wanderous (and wondrous!) in an interesting way.

~~t~~

amazing. i feel this song in my soul. it's so comforting and relaxing. everytime i listen to it, i feel like closing my eyes and drifting off into a trance. i want to let this wave of sound wash over me and carry me off into wherever it's going. it's got a lot of cool texture. i love this so much that i adjusted my conception of the wandering category to fit it. this was initially more floaty than wandery to me, but now i accept it as fully wandering but in a very drifty way. it's so good. thank you so much for this music.
9.5 + 2 = 11.5
guess; schadd -.1=9.4+2=11.4

Spoiler: 3rd the nighty night - this silly bag ; MUSHSHAGANA

(tris: 11th // hellbooks: 1st)
17.3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TktI2gjsu0I

~~hb~~

LIKE: 6.5 [4.7 w.d.]
CATFIT: 2.2
UNFAMILIARITY: 0
SUSPECTED USER: mushshagana
ACTUAL USER: mushshagana (-0.1)
PLAYLIST POINTS: 0.3

10.9 (8.9 + 2 for 1st place)

The bass kick made me go like CLOSER??? by THE NINE INCH NAILS??? I like the horrid creaking. This title is like a Cocteau Twins title. The pan out to evil acoustic literally made me gasp. I have a feeling this is going to be the first case in point about the anticipated phenomenon of MUSHSHAGANA being a crucial beloved submitter of mines. [Note to self: take out that last sentence if this is not MUSHSHAGANA] [Note to self: don't actually do this]. Sorry i was too busy liking the song to talk to the catfit let me do that... umm... the lyrics give me a strong sense of being lost, both of body and of mind, which i found to be really affecting, and it felt like the song was struggling to find itself (in a good way!)

The bonus points are for a playlist of songs that have a certain intensity (can also be like Pop Intensity) with a lot of room for a specific 2AM brand of unfocused thinking about emotions. it is right before the song gnaw by Rat

~~t~~

this song doesn't give me much wandering feeling. and, because i'm coming at this from a wandering mindset, i'm having difficulty evaluating it in other ways. it sits on a different level that i am not accessing right now. it seems interesting, but i coming at it from the wrong angle.
6.5
guess; MUSHSHAGANA -.1=6.4

Spoiler: 4th knut sönstevold - fantasy, op. 86 ; SHAFT.ED

(tris: 4th // hellbooks: tied 5th)
15.5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72h1L2ys2LU

~~hb~~

LIKE: 4.6 [3.8/5]
CATFIT: 2.4
UNFAMILIARITY: 0
SUSPECTED USER: tris
ACTUAL USER: shafty
MEDAL FOR BEST ARTIST NAME: yes

7.0

I was kind of hoping that we would see more instruments join the fray like side characters joining the hero on her winding path (see: buried giant from tris restless song) but even without that the way that the song takes slow steps upwards and then fluttery steps downwards is really evocative of a pleasant directionlessness. Also this guy's name rules

~~t~~

the bassoon wanders. i like it. it sounds like it's having a lot of fun! i'd like to go join it! it goes through a bunch of cool moods. if i listen to this enough, i might become fluent in this bassoon language.
8.5
guess; cheetory WRONG

Spoiler: 5th cusco - waters of cesme ; ISIS

(tris: 8th // hellbooks 4th)
15.4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyuHElsmvJ4

~~hb~~

LIKE: 5.6 [4.3/5]
CATFIT: 2
UNFAMILIARITY: 0.3
SUSPECTED USER: no idea. chevre
ACTUAL USER: aaaaaargh i got chevre and isis switched!!!!!!!

7.9

Similarly to Crystal Sword this kind of has a journeyman's song aesthetic to it. it reminds me of horses and i like horses. it makes me want to like run around. i listened to it a lot while walking this week. that combined with a strong new wave sensibility. It's really quite incredibly nice and unknowably compelling. I feel compelled to give an additional 0.3 points of unfamiliarity due to the total loss as to what this would be and who it would come from and when it was made. like literally what is this

~~t~~

yes, this wanders. we're skipping down the road and stuff. it's cool. i think it needs a little more something, but it's fine.
7.5
guess; chevre WRONG

Spoiler: 6th brian eno - golden hours ; DAVSTO

(tris: 5th // hellbooks: 7th)
15.2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xkwi8N7Ghw8

~~hb~~

LIKE: 5.2 (4.1/5)
CATFIT: 1.8
UNFAMILIARITY: 0
SUSPECTED USER: davsto
ACTUAL USER: davsto (-0.1)
MEDAL FOR GETTING 6.9 POINTS: yes

6.9

I think this is an affecting and sentimental song about awareness. I like the way that the guitar kind of pushes against and past the strict timing of the synth pulses, therein is what I see as the most catfitting aspect of the song. as for my high enjoyment of this song... honestly it like hugely grew on me by the third or fourth listen. i like his throaty voice and i like whenever it resolves and pushes past the resolution without looking back.

~~t~~

clickity clack. i love it when those interject. i think someone's brain is wandering or something. we're clearly drifting off somewhere. i like the bloup bloups that plod along the whole time. and there's some wandering piano in here too. i like how quiet it is. there's a lot of little things scurrying around.
8.4
guess; davsto -.1=8.3

Spoiler: 7th ian taylor - crystal sword ; CHEVRE

(tris: 6th // hellbooks: 9th)
14.3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mClWt5rTKLg

~~hb~~

LIKE: 4.5 [3.7 w.d.]
CATFIT: 1.5
UNFAMILIARITY: 0.2
SUSPECTED USER: isis
ACTUAL USER: chevre
APOLOGY POINTS: 0.1

6.3

I like the soft blyearts at the bottom of the sound spectrum of this song and the fake musescore-ass vocals in the patch. Like a lot actually. This song to me initially feels like you're gearing up to fight an epic guy although maybe like the whole of the OST sounds like that I wouldn't know. I gave you 0.2 unfamiliarity point and 0.1 additional apology point for having never played runescape. I think by the end of it that feeling wears off to leave a catfitting sense of rumination

~~t~~

this is excellent at conveying a feeling of venturing out with anticipation. it has great build up. there's some cool interplay with different lines of instruments.
there was something about this that sounded so familiar even though i haven't played runescape, but then i realized what it was. i used to play arcanists which i must have had similar music. so, as a bonus, i give you an orb.
8.0
guess; isis WRONG

Spoiler: 8th the tallest man on earth – king of spain ; PJ

(tris: 7th // hellbooks: tied 10th)
13.8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qdM8WdTfH4

~~hb~~

LIKE: 4.4 [3.7/5]
CATFIT: 1.9
UNFAMILARITY: 0
SUSPECTED USER: pj
ACTUAL USER: pj (-0.1)

6.2

I was loving this song and the guy's voice was like a huge blast of cold water (that I eventually became acclimated to). It occurs to me that this song is kind of about trying to become a new person and kind of finding "home" in a new place? Perhaps? At least those are my interpretations that lend themselves to the cat quite well.

~~t~~

last minute rating here. OOPS. yeah, i guess this wanders and stuff. it gets an additional tenth of a point for wandering out of my awareness somehow.
7.7
guess; pj -.1=7.6

Spoiler: 9th sleeping at last - west ; CALEDFWITCH

(tris: 10th // hellbooks: 8th)
13.6
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HB02j1of1UU

~~hb~~

LIKE: 4.8 [3.9/5]
CATFIT: 1.7
UNFAMILIARITY: 0
SUSPECTED USER: shafty
ACTUAL USER: caledfwitch!!!

6.5

I think that there is definitely a clear catfit aspect (putting pins in maps, a compass breaking and leaving one lost in the midst) but I think there is also an aspect of chasing the other person ("I can't get you out of my mind... I swear that I'll never try"), the promise of the ending of the search, and even the title which evokes a specific direction. So in a sense I think the wandering aspect is kind of deconstructed at the end of the narrative. I thought about trying to interpret it as a sad song where they're trying to hope for an impossible thing but i think that just didn't fit with the tone of it

~~t~~

this is nice, and definitely drifts around all wander-like. but, it doesn't connect to me that well. there's some good pieces to this. i like the guitar. but, i think something about the vocals is pushing me away. i can appreciate the song, but it doesn't connect to me. sorry
7.2
guess; caledfwtich -.1=7.1

Spoiler: 10th roselia - opera of the wasteland ; SIRIUS

(tris: 9th // hellbooks: tied 10th)
13.4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aE9b9boNXiI

~~hb~~

LIKE: 4.6 [3.8/5]
CATFIT: 1.9
UNFAMILIARITY: -0.2
SUSPECTED USER: sirius
ACTUAL USER: sirius (-0.1)

6.2

Through ways and means I have come to be very familiar with this band and their symphonic rock style situation. I think the chorus being in a different key is a beloved trait of music for me and also hugely contributes to the catfit here. I think there is a great way that the title nudges an interpretation of trying to search for something that isn't there which is definitely one potential aspect of wanderance

~~t~~

i like this! but, it only has small wanderingness to it. it does kind of sound like we're setting out on some journey. i like the way the vocals play off of each other in call and response bits and the way it twists around towards the end. the whole thing has a really fun energy. actually, i think i do feel the wandering more now. bumping this up from what it was going to be.
7.3
guess; sirius -.1=7.2

Spoiler: 11th eddie palmieri - un diá bonito ; HELBLOOKS

(tris: 2nd)
10.5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eq_Gt0cwZfg

~~t~~

this is so great. the first half is very great, and then the second half goes off wandering having fun until we run into the piano because we were too distracted by the drums. there's so much good in this. all the parts. all the instruments and vocals are contributing greatly. i love listening to this a lot.
9.0 + 1.6 = 10.6
guess; helblooks -.1=8.9+1.6=10.5

Spoiler: 12th 그림자 공동체 (shadow community) - 동요 (restless song) ; TRISH

(hellbooks: 2nd)
10.2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Orj8LV21zw

~~hb~~

LIKE: 6.6 [4.8/5]
CATFIT: 3.0
UNFAMILIARITY: -0.4
ADDITIONAL UNFAMILIARITY: -0.4
SUSPECTED USER: originally tris but i think i am going to wildly switch to caledfwitch
ACTUAL USER: FUCK!!!!!!!!! tris
MEDAL FOR GRAND SLAM: yes

10.2 (8.8 + 1.4 for 2nd place)

I was tempted to give you 0.1 point for submitting a korean song but I think that will just naturally manifest itself in the "like" category. i struggled for a long time on how lenient to be with the unfamiliarity here—in particular this guy is like on my gay list of favorite music which schadd highlighted as a thing that would face significant penalty, but it's not immediately obvious that that guy is this guy. I decided on what I hope is a reasonable lenience. and also anyway like great choice.

Let me offer some of my best attempt at an apt translation of some particularly catfitting lines:
- 서투른 바람이 엎은 곳 -> "where the unfamiliar wind stirs"
- 새파란 안개가 머문 곳, 맨 발로는 갈 수 없는 땅 -> "the land where the deep blue mist rests can't be reached on foot"
- 마음을 깊이 묻어 놓고서, 빛을 바라볼 수 있을까 -> "my heart is buried deeply, so can I hope to see bright light"

all in all this song is tremendously like this book called the buried giant that i just read and kind of had like a key piece in my recent thinking about wandering so I have no choice but award this song a GRAND SLAM

and here's a bonus thing; https://viewsync.net/watch?v=72h1L2ys2L ... &mode=solo

[tris]

Here's the scoreboard data -- the writeups for this cat are coming soon! Thank you for coming and see you next time!

edit: oops @ highlighted cell but also i'm not changing it

hey i gave chevre an orb!

[hellbooks]

bonus orb is in the spreadsheet and will be reflected in the next update thank you for reminding me about it

[Isis]

I made it but like awkwardly bailed after #1 for airport security stuff

[SleepyKrew]

thanks watermelon

[tris]

OH WAIT I DIDNT PUT THE LINKS IN

[shaft.ed]

sad i only caught the tail end of Dave and Isis' entry (not that they weren't fun!)

Will you post track links at some point?
PEDIT: odds appear favorable

that said
long live Knut

[tris]

PEDIT: yes i did it

[shaft.ed]

I hope I can get out of the apartment by end of the year
My parents still have my bassoon and I was going to pick it up again once it get my own place
I was actually "learning" that piece when I stopped playing

[MUSHSHAGANA]

For tris: the song is about sickness, sex and death, and is very much a meandering journey through those philosophical concepts through an existential, slightly misanthropic lens (the EP is the remnants of an unfinished second half of a concept album about very personal, intimate takes on various apocalypses). Beyond that, in the songwriting, it reminded me of very theatrical, "old western" themed country music. Horses slow-stepping through endless grassy plains. I figured if it didn't win on lyrics, the songwriting would hit the mark. Swing and a miss, such is life. Can't believe you guessed it was me though -- I believe hellbooks due to the similar wavelength we seem to be on, but you were a definite surprise.

[tris]

something just didn't click for me with it. your description there does make me see a little more though.

it seemed obviously you to me. lol. there's a certain coarseness to it.

[MUSHSHAGANA]

If you catch all of mine after schadd did, I'll need to give up and move to Antarctica. I hear the pay is really, really good.

[tris]

it's not immediately clear in this next cat at least.

[Ariel]

i knew hb was on the right without reading the header first bc of how mushsha was scored

[tris]

it's not immediately clear in this next cat at least.

oh i do have a guess. find out next weekend!

[schadd_]

i knew hb was on the right without reading the header first bc of how mushsha was scored

good

[shaft.ed]

find out next weekend!

are we going to outer space next time?

[tris]

yes yeap