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Reviews

Ravenous Devils Review and Background playlist

Warning – there are limited spoilers in this article where Dylanna Fisher writes a Ravenous Devils Review, the fantastic and gory game by Bad Vices Games. 

 Trigger Warning – this game and the resulting article discuss topics of gore, murder, cannibalism, avoiding the authorities, and tax evasion. Click here to go somewhere else.

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Introducing Ravenous Devils

For those who don’t know about this game, it’s a fantastic game reminiscent of the musical Sweeney Todd. It’s a twisted, creepy, and eerie game where you play a couple that’s starting a new business in a new town. The husband is a tailor that lures victims in and murders them for scrap fabric to sew. He then resells the fabric to other patrons in the second-floor tailor shop. The wife, on the other hand, takes the corpses and cooks them into various meals to sell in the pub on the main floor. That’s the main storyline. For the specifics, you’ll have to play the game or watch playthroughs for yourself.

Ravenous Devils Review

9/10. This game was a lot of fun to play overall. Bad Vice is known for amazing games including Ravenous DevilsSexual Void, and Hippocampus. Despite the extensive and explicit gore, this is a very enjoyable game to play. Loved the game. I’ve grown up on simulation games such as cake mania, diner dash, and roller coaster tycoon. I adore the fast-paced style in simulation games. Plus the commerce aspect is a great small-time goal with regular and obtainable upgrades. This is a great game to play if you’d like to have something casual but are tired of boring idle games.

Shout out to Steam for the achievements, and trading cards that appeal to my completionism. And before you ask, yes. I have completed all the achievements but haven’t gotten all the trading cards. That being said, I’m still in the process of beating the endless mode of the game. Whether there’s an actual beating of it, I’m not sure. But right now the goal is to go through the endless mode and purchase all of the upgrades without being caught by the police.

The ambience is fantastic with the background soundscapes of a pub in Victorian England. The audio also includes sound effects which seem very on point. It adds to the eerie aspect and the queasy nature. Don’t play this game if you have a weak stomach.

As someone who loves musicals like Sweeney Todd, and Repo! The Genetic Opera, I like my spooky with some musical scores for the immersion. For those that want to continue the ambience, I’ve compiled a list of ambient music to keep the eerie and energetic vibe. The inspiration for this playlist has come from Ravenous Devils. Let me know in the comments which ones you like the best.

“Tim Burton Vibes” By Sundew Baggins

“Fantasy Bard/Tavern Music Compilation” By Celestial Draconis

“Dark Music Of Gothic Castles And Fallen Lords” By Cryo Chamber

“VICTORIAN AMBIENCE: Victorian London Thunderstorm (Horses, Bells, Walking On Cobblestone)” By Autumn Cozy

“Ambience/ASMR: Sherlock Holmes Parlour, 221B Baker Street (Victorian London)” By Ambience Of Yesteryear

“Victorian London” By The Vault Of Ambience

“RAIN OVER INNSMOUTH | 10+ Hour Dark Lovecraftian Thunderstorm Ambience” By The Tale Master

“Dark Ambience – Horror Background Music” By Relax Cafe Music

“ATMOSPHERIC GOTHIC HORROR READING MUSIC | H.P Lovecraft, Stephen King, Edgar Allen Poe” By TINTIN MIX

“I See You…. 👀🔪 | Extreme Thriller, Suspense & Fear Background Ambience” By Ambiensis

Concluding Thoughts

Thank you for reading Switching Styles articles and reviews. Make any event a dramatic musical moment with notes of danger and risk. Support Switching Styles and share song suggestions everywhere. Follow us on our email newsletter on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. Share your favourite song suggestions in the comments below.

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Background Music and Immersion: Top Ten Tips

Immersion can be hard to master. However, with practice, expertise, and the proper tune for background music, it becomes simpler. Music or sound effects to increase the ambience are one factor that adds to the overall immersion.

Background sounds to add to your game’s immersion. A survey shows that nearly all of the larping respondents felt that background music and sound effects increased their overall sense of immersion (the computer games journal). Use these scene and music changes to improve your game.

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Top Ten Tips for Immersive Background Music

We’ve compiled a list of the top ten tips for adding immersive music to any kind of game. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

  • Set the playlist up ahead of time and just click play to start and next when the next scene change comes up
  • Putter on forums related to TTRPGS or social groups on social media. You don’t need to be active in the groups to learn more tips, tricks, and background music or soundscape suggestions.
  • Change it up each game to keep your players on their toes
  • Try having scene-specific soundscapes. If your players are inside a rowdy tavern, play a soundscape that’s crowded and noisy.
  • Find new sounds. Try different styles, or artists when compiling your playlists. There’s always something new to add to your games.
  • Listen to them beforehand to anticipate any changes in volume or loud bursts of noise.
  • Consider your audience’s preferences and take their advice. The playlist is for immersion for you as much as it is for your players. Collaborate with your players to find new and exciting music.
  • Branch out. It may seem counterintuitive but try different genres for your game. Your western style game could benefit from some spooky soundtracks during a specifically scary night scene.
  • Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. If the song doesn’t work at the moment or isn’t vibing with your players, take it as a learning opportunity. It’s not a mistake if you learn from it.
  • Follow switchingstyles.ca to get updates on fun and quirky music to add to your game.

Immersive Soundscape Playlist

Here are some ambient playlists, soundscapes, and background tracks to make your game as immersive as possible.

“Jurassic Park Music & Ambience – Amazing Soundscapes and Music” By Ambient Worlds

“Full Hour of Avatar the Last Airbender and Korra Amazing Soundtracks!” By Red Life

“11 HOURS of Rainforest Birds in 4K – Colorful Breathtaking Birds with Sound” by Nature Relaxation Films

Uncle Iroh Plays Tsungi Horn For 20 Minutes” By Saimo

Deep Ocean: 10 Hours of Relaxing Oceanscapes” By BBC Earth

Last Thoughts

Additional immersion information, recommendations, and methods may be found at switchingstyles.ca. Let me know in the comments what your favourite music recommendation was! Thank you for taking the time to read today’s update! It means a great deal to the writers. To never miss an update or a contest, follow the blog on WordPress or our social media!

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Categories
Reviews

NFL Anthem from Pinar Toprak

Fans are ecstatic about the new anthem song for the National Football league (NFL). This article “NFL Anthem from Pinar Toprak” is guest written by Jason Greiner.

Introducing Pinar Toprak

Some musicians are household names. Even if they haven’t been performing for decades and are relatively new to the industry, there are people out there that you’ve probably heard of regardless of your age or musical interests. Unless you are especially versed in the music scene, Pinar Toprak is probably not one of them. Despite that fact, I can assure you that she is extremely talented and well-respected as a professional and ground-breaking artist. 

Toprak is a Turkish-American composer. Only in her early 40s, she has written scores for some of the biggest video game franchises and blockbuster movies including those in the superhero genre. A quick sample includes the game “Fortnite” and the movie “Captain Marvel.” Her impressive resume began in 2004 with the short films “Hold The Rice” and “Headbreaker” both directed by Alfonso Pineda Ulloa. 

But recently, this woman took on new ground and became the first female ever to compose a score to go along with one of the biggest sports on the planet. Amazon commissioned her to write the new theme for their broadcasts of the NFL’s Thursday Night Football! 

Photo by Dhia Eddine on Pexels.com

You can see her in action conducting the music for this theme on YouTube!

This newest piece features a full orchestra and a sound that combines the qualities of both power and grace. 

Final Thoughts

If you take a listen, you may recognize some sounds that seem to have a feel very similar to what you might expect to hear at a college football stadium during the height of the season. There is an energy about it that makes the listener want to join in as if they were there in the stands while their college team was driving down the field. 

There is a driving, forceful and uplifting sensation that seems fitting for a stadium anthem. After all, that is the purpose of this piece. And the energy does not waiver from the very first notes to the finale of this work.

What are your thoughts on the newest NFL Anthem from Pinar Toprak? Let u!

Jason Greiner is the author of several books and eBooks and has worked as a professional in the field of journalism and blogging. He also provides photography and graphic design services on a freelance basis. Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Jason now lives in the city of Mebane, a small but fast-growing community in central North Carolina. As a lifelong music enthusiast, he enjoys discovering new artists and reviewing their work.

Categories
Interviews Reviews

Interview With Notedead

Are you ready? Are you sure you’re ready for this? We don’t think you are, but you better get ready. Switching Styles has the answers you need with this interview with Notedead.

Introductions All Around!

Max Preuss (drums) and Trymer Martin (guitars/vocals) combine to form the band, Notedead. It all started where all great bands start, with a passion for music. The band found their start during the 2020 global COVID-19 pandemic, despite the hardships. Everything was rough. That didn’t stop them. For Notedead, this was a new beginning. The band formed in 2020 and has been rocking the world since.

Q&A Between Switching Styles and Notedead!

In an interview with switching styles, they’ve opened up about their band, their process, and their goals. Read below to get to know Notedead even better!

What is it about music that makes you feel passionate?

 Music emits emotion. I long to feel what the artist felt when they wrote the song and kind of experience it together. Music is also everywhere, from malls to elevators. And rhythm is in footsteps and your heartbeat, it’s everything.

 The emotions a song can put you through makes me feel alive

How did Notedead start and how did the Covid 19 Pandemic impact your band?

 Early on in Covid times when everything stopped and when we couldn’t jam with our bands Trymer started writing his own stuff and asked Max to write drums along with it. We both quickly realized that our writing for our respective instruments clicked together.

We started ripping out songs super-fast, so we decided to continue writing under our own band together which is Notedead.

How is being an Edmonton-based band impacted Notedead?

 It’s funny because only half of the band (Max) is Edmonton based and the other half (Trymer) is from Lacombe so it’s almost a long-distance type band relationship.

 The local music scene in Edmonton has a great group of people who support and encourage us, and we are forever grateful.

What inspired you to start playing and making music?

Trymer:

 Before I got into my own music I listened to my dad’s classic rock/metal, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Foreigner, ZZ Top, etc. Anyways but I’m in grade 5 I had some project to do at school and there was another classmate who did his project, but his was on Sum 41 and it caught my eye, so I got the CD “all killer no filler” at a Walmart in Manitoba, and that cd changed me.

From there I adopted my first taste of music away from my parents and it inspired me to want to play guitar, the ball started rolling from there!

Max:

Rock band. I loved the game because I was able to some of jam along to my favorite songs while simultaneously learning a basic version of the drums. I got very good at that game, and it made my transition into real drums very easy.

My music teacher in junior high band class then asked if anybody knew how and I volunteered to learn some percussion. The rest is history, between drum lessons, drumming for my high school jazz band & winning jazz artist of the year, it’s safe to say I’m a real drummer now

What bands or genres inspire your sound?

 Counterparts, Napoleon, Dance Gavin Dance, to name a few… but it’s really so hard to say what inspires our sound, so many bands growing up shaped us into the musicians we are and what our preferences are as well.

We also use it a lot! Of dead notes haha

Describe your creative process when you write new music.

 We both write our music on Guitar Pro. being as we are far away from each other, and we both enjoy the punctualness we can read. Trymer usually comes up with the first riff and then sends it to Max and Max writes the drums and then we work together from there, writing the song section by section.

Sometimes there will be a pre-discussed idea before we start on our next track, but we always write song by song and never add too much to our plates.

What’s your favorite venue for performing? Why?

 We don’t play shows as we are only a 2 man band writing songs to share with people, but if we could Trymer would want to play the St. Andrews United Church in Lacombe as he used to play local punk shows there growing up (it’s kind of odd I know, but it was so much fun!) and Max wishes we could play at Polar Park Brewery in Edmonton but it unfortunately just closed down.

What are some of your current projects?

 Currently, we have some new music in the bank but nothing to confirm aside from our new album “Separate Paths”. However, Max is in 2 other bands, Withered Days and Sol Runner.

What advice would you give to musicians just starting?

 Listen to music as often as you can. Find something that you wish you could make your own and take that drive to make your own with your inspiration and feelings

 Don’t give up, you’re going to suck at times, but music is a lifelong partner if you let it be.

Is there anything you wanted to mention that I didn’t ask about?

 Yes, our new album ‘Separate Paths’ is out September 9th

Categories
Covers Interviews Reviews Switching styles

With Ether Q&A

With Ether has been rocking the internet with their skillful and intricate guitar arrangements both original and covers.

Below is an interview between With Ether and Switching Style’s very own Dylanna Fisher. Interviews such as this give a great insight into the heart of the music industry, our musicians. Check out With Ether’s work on YouTube, Spotify, Deezer and so many more.

 

How did you each get started in music?

Simon: I grew up in a family of musicians, dad was a rocker, mum was a classical guitarist, my musical tastes were shaped by what my dad used to put on the car stereo on the way to school, mainly classic rock bands and artists like deep purple, The Eagles, Joe Satriani etc. Started playing drums at 4 years old to be part of the family band, then picked up a guitar at 12 years old.

Al: I come from a somewhat musical family. My mum played piano and my dad was a champion player of the erhu, a classical Chinese stringed instrument. I had taken piano and violin lessons, even erhu like my dad as a young child but never really took it anywhere. When I was 14, I made the mistake of choosing music as one of my elective subjects at secondary school which required me to perform a recital at the end of the course in the exam, while not being able to play any instruments well at all. I’d been into Rock and Metal music for a little while then, and I’d always wanted to learn guitar but had been embarrassed to admit it, and so I took my school music course as the excuse to start taking guitar lessons.

 

How would you describe your sound?

Al: It’s always difficult to describe your own sound when there aren’t other groups or artists doing it, especially when the influences are so broad. I personally tend to think of what we do as ‘Contemporary Acoustic’, but I’ve read comments describing us as ‘Acoustic Metal’ which is not entirely inaccurate I suppose.

 

Who are your musical influences?

Al: Our personal influences are so wide-ranging we couldn’t possibly name them all, but for what we’re doing in the duo, we were initially very inspired by what the artists at CandyRat Records were doing, particularly Jimmy Wahlsteen, Andy McKee, Don Ross, Antoine Dufour, etc. Those guys’ influence very obviously all over our whole catalogue of music, with the guitar body percussion and use of harmonics. We’ve also been influenced by Japanese guitar duo Depapepe, who some of our viewers have flatteringly compared us to.

As you could probably tell, we’re also heavily influenced by Rock and Metal. As Simon mentioned he was influenced by Joe Satriani and Richie Blackmore (Deep Purple). When I first got deep into guitar, I was into Heavy Metal guitarists like Alexi Laiho (Children of Bodom), Randy Rhoads and Zakk Wylde (Ozzy Osbourne), James Hetfield (Metallica) and so on, and learning their styles helped me get a solid grounding in the physical aspects of guitar playing.

In terms of our arrangement and composition style, we’re influenced by the same composers who compose the music we rearrange. Nobuo Uematsu, Akira Yamaoka, and so on. We learn from the masters.

 

Why perform under the stage name With Ether? Where did the inspiration for the name come from? What does that mean to you?

Al: When we started the duo, it was originally a side project to the Metal band that we were in, and so our idea was to go in the opposite direction with this project and create a kind of tranquil ‘healing’ music for ourselves and others. Simon started floating the word ‘Ether’ around, a typical name for a healing potion in RPG games. After we’d brainstormed for a while, we decided ‘With Ether’ was nice and snappy, and communicated what we wanted to do with our music.

 

Why did you start on YouTube?

Al: The original reason we started uploading to YouTube was really only to have links and examples of our playing to send to music venues and event promoters so that we could get gigs. It wasn’t until we started getting more popular with the rearrangements that we really considered ourselves ’YouTubers’ as such. When we started the channel, uploading videos to YouTube wasn’t really thought of as a career path by most people.

How do you think YouTube functions as a platform for musicians?

Al: I think YouTube is a very useful tool for talented musicians to get themselves out there and show their skills if they’re trying to get hired. However, attracting lots of viewers to your channel does require you to be a ‘content creator’ and not just a musician, and as we know the YouTube algorithm is not always predictable or in our favour all the time.

How do you feel about the internet in the music business?

Al: For us personally, the internet’s influence on the music business has been positive. The ability for us to release music and garner an audience without having to go on the road, to collaborate with each other from halfway around the world, to even get financial support from our fans from all around the world directly through album sales and sites like Patreon. Saying that we aren’t a part of the ‘record industry’ as such, and YouTube is not a primary source of income for either of us. Perhaps if we were making and selling albums through the older medium of recording contracts and labels, we’d have a different opinion, but overall, it’s been a positive experience for us.

What are your thoughts on copyright?

Al: As far as copyright is concerned, I personally don’t have a problem with a portion of the ad revenue of a cover version or rearrangement we’ve released going to the copyright holder. It is their intellectual property after all, and they have a legal right to it. Some copyright holders can be excessively litigious and unreasonable, but that’s not a problem we’ve ever been faced with too much and we’ve never had a video taken down over copyright issues.

Why do rearrangements in particular?

Al: From our perspective, taking pieces from widely varying genres and arranging them for two acoustic guitars is a lot of fun and a great creative exercise.

How do they tend to compare to the originals?

Al: Comparing to the original largely depends on the piece. In general, our arrangements end up relying more on groove and a bit of backbeat, especially when it comes to the big orchestral themes such as Monster Hunter, Final Fantasy or God of War. With only two guitars, it’s not possible to replicate the magnitude and scope of these huge orchestral arrangements, so it’s important to take advantage of the unique aspects and physicality of the guitar to give the arrangements its own twist, rather than be married to the idea of sounding just like the original. You want to be faithful to the original, but you want to create something people will want to listen to based on its own merits as well.

What is the typical process?

Al: Our process ever since we’ve been separate has been fairly simple. One of us will create a full arrangement on our own, and then send the separate parts with metronome for the other to record over. Once that’s done, audio and video get sent over to mix and sync up, and it’s all done. When we get together in person, we like to create arrangements and write songs in a collaboration, but since we live halfway across the world from each other this process is much more efficient.

You’ve been revered by composers such as Akira Yamaoka, and Noriyuki Iwadare. How did that come about?

Al: If anyone’s doing the revering, it’s definitely us. We have been very lucky to receive praise from several composers of the themes we’ve rearranged, such as Akira Yamaoka and Noriyuki Iwadare as you’ve mentioned. We’re not entirely sure how they caught wind of our work. Most likely one of our fans must have gotten in touch with them via Twitter and showed them our work. It’s a surreal experience to get noticed and encouraged by these composers who we admire and are inspired by.

With Ether also performs original music as well as arrangements, why do you choose to

have both?

Al: As I mentioned earlier, when we started the channel, it was really just a tool to have our songs and performances on video so that we could send the links to venues and promoters in order to get gigs, so for the first few months of the channel existing all the material was original. We didn’t start doing video game rearrangements until Simon one day came up with the Metal Gear Solid Medley, and since people enjoyed them, we continued making more. Our channel is about doing the music that we both enjoy, and if a song takes our fancy, be it original or cover, there’s no reason not to do it.

How do they differ?

Al: The processes of writing the rearrangements compared to originals aren’t too much different from each other. When it comes to originals, obviously you have the freedom of creating the music from scratch, which could be a plus or a minus depending on who you ask. For me personally, there’s an intellectual challenge involved with creating rearrangements, especially highly complex orchestral pieces with lots of moving parts when you’ve only got two guitars. Deciding which elements of the original to draw from, what to leave out, what to add your own personal spin to, all these little things make rearranging a bit more challenging.

What is the importance of music?

Al: The importance of music is immeasurable. Outside of YouTube, we are both music teachers. Learning music even as only a hobby is a great experience for children and adults alike. Even just listening to music has been a transformative experience for countless people.

Do you notice a difference between online music and live music?

Al: Online music and live concerts are obviously very different from each other. There’s something unique about being in a room watching a musician play, and that experience can’t be replicated at any other time or place. Being able to record and upload your music online is obviously a great thing, especially now in these times when a lot of us are still forced to stay home, but there’s something exciting about being at a live show that film can’t capture.

What are some of your fondest memories throughout your music career?

Al: There were many great moments early in our YouTubing days. One that stands out to me is the time we crashed London’s Hyper Japan festival when we scored performer’s passes playing guitar for our violinist friend Masa in 2012. In the process, we managed to get on Nico Nico Douga’s (popular video streaming site in Japan) live stream of the event and performed the Metal Gear Solid Medley. Almost immediately after that, our subscriber count shot up by about 200 in the space of maybe 30 minutes. Right then we realized we were on to something with these rearrangements.

Other than that, my fond memories are just us goofing around making the arrangements, keeling over laughing at the dumb mistakes we would make after 20 takes.

What are some obstacles throughout your music career?

Al: I’m not sure we’ve experienced any great hardship or obstacle as a group. One challenge we did face is when Simon initially moved from the UK back to Thailand and we first started doing videos in split-screen, it was a challenge working out the system of how we would do it. If there was ever an obstacle, it may just be us finding the time to write and record the arrangements, as our lives have gotten far busier from the time when we were students, which is why sometimes we’ve gone as long as 6 months without releasing a video.

What advice would you give to musicians just starting out on YouTube?

Al: For any young musicians just starting out on YouTube, just keep making the best stuff you can and putting it out there. Any YouTuber much bigger than us will tell you; you just have to be consistent.

 

What are some projects you have in progress right now?

Al: We always have new projects on the way, but we don’t want to spoil any surprises. You’ll just have to visit our channel, subscribe, stay tuned, and stay ethereal!

 

 

Keep an eye out for more of their amazing content by following both Switching Styles and With Ether on social media.

Categories
Covers Interviews Switching styles

Featuring With Ether

With Ether is made up of two amazing musicians. Simon Leong and Alasdair Poon are an Acoustic Guitar Duo that specializes in Guitar music, Covers, Originals themed around video games, anime, and pop culture.

“In Japanese Role-Playing video games, Ether is an item commonly used to restore the player’s life force; in 2009, we formed with a mission statement to create music with that same healing quality,” they explain the inspiration for their namesake in their website.

They’ve received 8,678,531 views on their YouTube Channel since Feb 26, 2011. Their instrumental music is amazing to say the very least. With skillful and intricate guitar duet arrangements of music, they have gained revered praise from composers such as Akira Yamaoka (Silent Hill), Noriyuki Iwadare (Grandia) as well as being featured by Capcom Unity.

Meeting in 2008, Simon and Al discovered their kindred musical spirits. Two years later, they would take the step to start their guitar duo under the name With Ether to commemorate their shared passion for video games and popular media.

With Ether Originals

They also have their original work that is fantastic to listen to. With Simon living in his hometown in Thailand and Al continuing to live in the UK, it’s been interesting for them to continue making music as a team. With the help of split-screen videos and online music production, they’re able to bring their musical talent to the rest of the world. Here are a few examples of their original music for your listening pleasure.

 

“Two Steps Away” by Alasdair Poon, performed and recorded by Simon Leong and Alasdair Poon

 

“In One Hour” by Alasdair Poon and Simon Leong, Video vignette by Stephanie Leong.

 

“The Ebb and Flow” Original Acoustic Instrumental, Written and performed by Simon Leong and Alasdair Poon

 

 

Highlighted Covers

Switching styles is here for the music quality in general and more specifically for their covers. Simon and Al bring their passion not only for music but for the artistic content of video games and popular media. Combined, this passion makes for some amazing covers.

“With only two guitars, it’s not possible to replicate the magnitude and scope of these huge orchestral arrangements, so it’s important to take advantage of the unique aspects and physicality of the guitar to give the arrangements its own twist, rather than be married to the idea of sounding just like the original,” When asked about creating covers, Al Poon explains that, “You want to be faithful to the original, but you want to create something people will want to listen to based on its own merits as well”.

Acoustic Guitar Cover of Silent Hill Medley” Originally Composed by Akira Yamaoka

 

 

“Toss A Coin to Your Witcher” by With Ether Originally by Sonya Belousova, Giona Ostinelli, Joey Batey, Marcin Przybylowicz and Percival.

 

 

“Metal Gear Solid” by With Ether Originally Composed by Tappi Iwase and Harry Gregson-Williams.

 

 

“Mortal Kombat Theme” Music Originally by Techno Syndrome

 

 

“Pokémon Medley” Acoustic Guitar Cover by With Ether, originally by Pokémon

 

 

Keep an eye out for more of their amazing content by following both Switching Styles and With Ether on social media.

“We always have new projects on the way, but we don’t want to spoil any surprises. You’ll just have to visit our channel, subscribe, stay tuned, and stay ethereal!” hints Poon.

 

Categories
Covers Reviews Switching styles

Introducing Cloud9 and League of Legend Covers

Introducing Cloud9; Esports Meets Video Games

Companies such as Cloud9 have expanded upon playing video games competitively by adding a community aspect to it. Esports began as a subcategory of both the sports and gaming industry. They’ve made video games a spectator sport. That’s the element that brings esports the success it has.

Founded and currently owned by Jack and Paullie Etienne, Cloud9 is just one example. Introducing Cloud9, a company that’s taken competitive sports and combined it with entertainment technology within the Cloud9 community. Becoming one of the best-known Esport companies, Cloud9 is worth an estimated $350 million.

What Are Esports?

Esports, or Electronic Sports, is a form of competitive sport focusing on video games. These competitions are structured as organized multiplayer video game competitions with professional players. These professional players compete both as individuals and teams. Competition in video games was already there. Esports took it to another level.

 

What makes Cloud9 Different?

Starting in 2013, Cloud9 has become a worldwide esports organization with championships. They boast of being the best in the business, “With championships industry-wide, unmatched viewership hours, and extensive benefits packages for players and staff, Cloud9 prides itself on being the best in all categories”.

They have a range of games including Apex Legends, British Hurricane, Chess, Fortnite, Halo, League of Legends, London Spitfire, Super Smash Bros Melee, Valorant Blue, Wild Rift, World of Warcraft among many more.

Of these games, League of Legends is one of the most popular and most watched Esport throughout the world. However, League of Legends isn’t leading when it comes to prize money. The top five esports games based solely on the maximum prize money awarded are Dota 2 ($231,180,489.52), Counterstrike: Global Offensive ($110,688,306.47), Fortnite ($99,362,917.41), League of Legends ($82,056,088.16), and StarCraft II ($34,695,574.78). (Esports Earnings, 2021)

 

Music From League of Legends

League of legends, as stated previously is one of the most popular games provided through Cloud9. Below is a highlighted list of amazing League of Legends music for your next gaming session.

Sunday Morning LoLz by 菇菇窩

“Get Jinxed” Wønder, Originally By League Of Legends

 

“Legends Never Die” Cover By J.Fla, originally by League of Legends

“Phoenix” By Tj Brown And Lunity, originally by League of Legends

 

“Legends Never Die” Cover By By Jonathan Young And  Jordan Radvansky

 

“Giants” Cover By Caleb Hyles, Originally By True Damage

 

“Phoenix” By SOLENCE, originally by League of Legends

“Warriors” Originally By Imagin Dragons, Cover By 2WEI And Edda Hayes

 

“Awaken” By Wønder, Originally By League Of Legends

 

Final Thoughts

It’s more than a video game; more than a single stream. This is more than just watching because they’ve engaged the audience.

Categories
Covers Remixes Switching styles

Pokémon Go Statistics & Techno Remixes

Switching Styles has collected a list of Pokémon Go Statistics & Techno Remixes to show off whenever it comes in handy.

Niantic launched Pokémon go in the July of 2016. Since then, its popularity has grown exponentially. After only three months following the launch, the app had 500 million downloads. This increased to 1 billion in march of 2019!

We’ve found some numbers that are sure to blow your mind!!  
  • The US accounted for only 19% of Pokémon GO downloads over 2019 (10 million, up from 16% in 2018). (Sensor Tower)
  • Brazil accounted for 10% (5 million) of the downloads, while India accounted for 6% (3 million). That’s a lot of downloads! (Sensor Tower)
  • Most of the users (69%), a whopping 38 million in 2019, use the app on Android, and the remaining 31% (17 million) iOS (Sensor Tower)
  • US was the top country for Pokémon GO revenue in 2019, contributing $335 million – or 38% of the total. Japan was second, with $286 million (32%), followed by Germany, with $54 million (6%) (Sensor Tower)
  • Although downloads have grown exponentially doubling from 500 million to 1 billion in less than 3 years, the in-app spending has not increased that much. It started at 832,000,000 in 2016 and increased only to 894,000,000 in 2019 (Business of Apps)
  • Between android and apple, the in-game spending is a bit more even. Android has 54% of 2019 Pokémon GO revenue ($482 million), while the apple revenue coming to $412 million (46%) (Sensor Tower)
  • Pokémon GO was fifth in terms of global mobile game revenue over 2019 (Sensor Tower)
  • Over the year 2019, there were 2.7 million attendees of Niantic live events (Niantic)
  • Here’s one for gender, as 59% of Pokémon GO users are men and 41% are female (Inc.)
  • In the first month of release in 2016, nearly 300 UK crimes were connected with Pokémon GO (BBC)
  • A study from Purdue University found that the game could be dangerous as there are two deaths, 31 injuries, and $500,000 in vehicle damage that could be blamed on the game in a single county in Indiana (Purdue University)

Where did I find these Pokémon go statistics? Check the links for my references!

Check out these Pokémon go remixes while you share these fun facts with your friends.

“Pokémon Ruby & Sapphire Music Medley“ by Dr. Pez – VGM. Check it out.

“Pokémon Dubstep Remix“ By Lindsey Stirling And Kurt Hugo Schneider. Check It Out On Youtube.

“Gym Leader Battle Music“ by The Musical Ghost. Check it out on Spotify.

“Pokémon Theme Song“ by FallenSuperheroSG. Check it out on SoundCloud.

“The Medley of Pokémon“ By Hapinano. Check It Out On SoundCloud.

“Route 24 “ by xKito Music. Check it out on SoundCloud.

“Pikachu Use Thunderbolt! “ By Asher Postman. Check It Out On SoundCloud.

“Pokémon – XY Theme “ by NateWantsToBattle feat. RichaadEB. Check it out on iTunes.

“Pokémon Lo-fi Music“ by GlitchxCity. Check it out on Soundcloud.

“Pokémon Dppt: Sinnoh Trainer Battle Medley” By Sinnoh Fusion Ensemble. Check It Out On Spotify.

Want more of these fantastic remixes and fun facts? Support Switching Styles to keep the content coming your way!

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Reviews

Laughing while Farming; Stardew Valley Parodies

Stardew Valley Parodies. Yep, you heard that right.

Joke Time: What happened to the illegal business in the sewers? They got Krobusted.

That joke is foreboding what is to come within this article great jokes and even better parodies. As you’ve most likely noticed, Switching Styles portrays musical artistry in all its forms including serious and not so serious content. Today’s article is not so serious. We’re taking the peaceful and serene soundtrack of Stardew Valley and showcasing the parody side of it.

Joke Time: That old lady might seem nice, but I warn you, there’s Evelyn her.

We’ve mentioned Stardew Valley in earlier articles. Showcasing the amazing work of Eric Barone who single handedly created the game’s plot, design, soundtrack and visuals. He’s created a world in which players can create their own story, their own home, and of course, their own fun.

Joke Time: Why did the manager of Joja stock up on so many products? He thinks Morris better.

Now that your giggles are ready to go. Here are hilarious parodies just for you.

“I Stardew” Stardew Valley Parody Song by Brentalfloss

“STARDEW VALLEY THE MUSICAL” Animated Parody Video by LHUGUENY

“Stardew Valley” Rap Song by Jake Llaguno

“A Million Beans” a Parody of A Million Dreams from The Greatest Showman by Fuslie Stream Highlights

“Quiet Country Town” Stardew Valley Song by Shadrow

Let us know in the comments which parody made you giggle the most! As well, check out more Stardew Valley Parodies, Jokes, and Puns through Reddit!

Categories
Reviews

Stardew Valley; Not Just Fun and Games

“You’ve inherited your grandfather’s old farm plot in Stardew Valley. Armed with hand-me-down tools and a few coins, you set out to begin your new life!”

Stardew Valley Description from Steam

And what are you going to do with this newfound inheritance in this whimsical town?
Make your grandfather proud while enjoying the game’s fantastic gameplay and soundtrack.

Stardew Valley Review

It’s a game that’s not only easy to play but easy to lose yourself in.  With simple controls and a dynamic storyline, this game will whisk you away to a world of relaxation and friendship. But it’s far from a child care-free game. With in-depth character development, deeply realistic themes, and secret unlockable scenes and areas, this isn’t your average farming simulator. Due to its quality, it’s gained high ratings from several online reviewers including a 9.5/10 on IGN, a 10/10 on Steam and a 87% on MetaCritic.

“The core mechanics and relaxing aesthetic merge so well together that players will sink in to the experience and never want to leave,” describes Destructoid

“There’s a comfort in Stardew Valley that I’ve rarely found in other games….Whether you want to farm, fish, fight monsters, craft, mine, become everyone’s best friend, or do a little bit of everything, this farming adventure has plenty to offer,” Reviews Miranda Sanchez on IGN discussing its 9.5/10 score of Stardew Valley.

Stardew Valley Soundtrack

There’s more than just the gameplay especially when we’re discussing it on Switching Styles. As you’ll see below with the musical element, this is a sweet and nostalgic soundtrack all thanks to Eric Barone.

In fact, the entire game is all thanks to Barone. The initial release of Stardew Valley was created by a single person. This includes all of the music, graphics, coding, writing, and so on. Barone is the mind and passion behind Stardew Valley, known by his online persona as “ConcernedApe,”. Taking inspiration from the beloved classic Harvest Moon (now called Story of Seasons), he created an entire world of creative and peaceful farming.

Furthermore, he is also the man behind the music of Stardew Valley. The soundtrack contains soft orchestral music which blends in really well with the visuals and gameplay.

“The music that changes with each season perfectly fits the mellowness of the 16-bit countryside town and all the activities that await offer both peace in my daily routines and excitement in the land’s mysteries,” continues Miranda Sanchez in her review.

Stardew Valley Cover Songs

Check out the whole soundtrack on BandCamp, Steam, and Spotify. Below are some renditions of Barone’s work in StarDew Valley. Enjoy!

“Summer (Tropicala)” Jazz Cover by Craig Matterson Music

“Summer (Crescendo)” Guitar Cover by Ferdk

“Spring (It’s a Big World Outside)” Remix by InspirAspir

“The Wind Can Be Still” Violin cover by Patti Rudisill

“Raven’s Descent” Lo-Fi BeatREmix by not andromada

“Nocturne of Ice (Winter)” Acoustic Cover by Josiah Everhart

“The Lava Dwellers” Remix by Petpet

“Journey of The Prairie King” Remix by NoteBlock

“Spring (The Valley Comes Alive)” Orchestral Cover by The Young Artists Orchestra of Las Vegas

“Stardew Valley” Music Box Medley by BoxOfMusic

Now, we want to know what you think about the Stardew Valley soundtrack! Comment Below!