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OCR02003 - Donkey Kong Country 2 "A New Place"


djpretzel
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I can't stop listening to this song! I love everything about it, even the corny lyrics. They just work wonderfully well. I'm grateful for the opportunity to get music of this caliber free of charge, and everyone else should be too. Thanks! =)

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Only four songs in, and this is probably going to be one of my top three favorite songs on this album! I mean, come on, I've waited for this track ever since I saw the ReMixers doing it! Nicole and Injury, the amazing girls that did my favorite OCR song Permutation doing another DKC song with Tepid's work and Ault's sweet vocals added. It's a good day, indeed! I never imagined this as a vocal song, but the justice brought onto it was so better than I would have thought. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised to hear it on the radio, because the music and lyrics flow so well. Much ReSpect to the ReMixers of this project.

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This song is surprisingly my favorite on the Serious Monkey Business Album. The vocal work is simply amazing and some classic bass and pad patches are choosen to create a beautiful track of ambience. The chord progression in C minor was an absolutely fantastic idea. For some really strange reason though, this kind of reminds me of something that would play on newer Smallville episodes as it has kind of a depressing yet hopeful drama feel to it. The drums are minimal yet keep things flowing nicely. Although I miss the bass-line of the original which is always thrown in a remix, the way the melody rolls over the pads will always keep me playing this one on repeat. And yes, I find the lyrics a little cheesy, but the simpler a song of love a friendship is written, the better and catchier it is. Although it's good for what it was, the only thing negative I can give is that the ending leaves me begging for more.

9.7/10

Edited by A-RoN
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I'm typically wary of mixes that add lyrics when the original track had none, but I've been trying to be more open-minded and I'm glad I gave this one a chance. Upon first listen I'll admit I rolled my eyes a bit at some of the lyrics even though the performances are great, but the more I listen to it the more I appreciate it.

This track actually made me examine why I've previously avoided mixes that retroactively assign lyrics. I suppose it's because everybody interprets the instrumental differently, even if there's a clear tone, whereas lyrics typically narrow the scope of the song's "meaning" and may be at odds with one's previously-held view of the source material. It took me some time to appreciate that this is just as valid as two instrumental arrangements with wildly different moods.

 

EDIT: I rephrased some stuff that sounded kinda rude when I really didn't mean it to. Nine years later and this is still one of my favorites from the album.

 

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I'm a bit inclined to agree with Pogo on the lyrical aspect of the song... it did make the song sounds a bit corny (this is not a criticism of the vocals themselves because the vocals were fine), but it overshadowed the song itself.

May be a good idea to offer the songs with vocals in their instrumental versions as well (as the Crocodile Cracophony song was offered in Disc 3).

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May be a good idea to offer the songs with vocals in their instrumental versions as well (as the Crocodile Cracophony song was offered in Disc 3).

I will never provide instrumental versions of my music because removing the vocals would destroy the feeling I was going for. The lyrics tell a story about where Diddy and Dixie are headed both physically and emotionally; both are reasons why the song is called "A New Place." The shifting to the major key represents Diddy and Dixie overcoming the dangers that lie in Crocodile Cauldron and lyrically, their feelings towards one another have developed. The music and lyrics benefit from one another throughout the entire song.

I'm glad most of you enjoy this. Thank you to my collaborators who did an awesome job. I also need to thank Geoffrey Taucer and Bahamut for selecting my track as part of the initial flood, and for their and djp's great write-ups. I'm really happy I was able to be a part of the project since DKC2 has one of my favorite video game soundtracks and was composed by my favorite video game composer, David Wise.

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I will never provide instrumental versions of my music because removing the vocals would destroy the feeling I was going for... ...The music and lyrics benefit from one another throughout the entire song.

It's for exactly this reason that I wouldn't want an instrumental variant of this song. First of all, it would require the addition of an instrument track to fill in the melody provided by the original vocals. Second, and more importantly, this rendition of the song is built entirely around the vocals. Although the non-vocal components of the song are great as well, once you reach the point of stripping out the vocals, you may as well just make another ReMix altogether.

Despite my initial reservations, I've listened to this song at least fifteen times since I've downloaded it, and I'm sure there's plenty more ahead. It's helping me get through some metaphorical lava caverns with my own girlfriend during some uncertain but fast-approaching times.

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Love it! I have always loved the DKC2 soundtrack and this album has been great. This is such a cool vocal mix and I love the guitar. I love how you turned such an atmospheric song and turned into a mellow love song. The two voices really work well together. Great mix and thanks!

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I just realized how the lyrics fit the in-game level placement as well. The first time you hear the source of this track (Hot Head Bop), it's the first stage of Crocodile Cauldron. The first world is Gangplank Galleon, which was also the last level of the original Donkey Kong Country, which means that Diddy would be familiar with the ship. Maybe not Dixie, but Diddy would be. The first level they enter after finishing that world is, in fact, a new place. And that new place's BGM is Hot Head Bop, remixed here to A New Place. So there's that aspect of it too...

Then again, I may be rambling. Regardless, a beautiful track (in fact, the lyrics kept running through my head while playing) and well done! ^_^

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  • 3 weeks later...

this track reminds me of more contemporary pop-electronica (see: ATB); definitely a style we don't see very often on OCR, and a track that has really grown on me over the past few weeks. amazing performances and mixing all around. starla's vocals here are just beautiful, and 2:30 onward is an explosion of nostalgia. i love everything about it <3

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This is an incredible remix. I could go on and on about it, but I specifically want to comment on the AMAZING ambient noises that you used in the intro of the song. They remind me of the sounds that play in LOST whenever anyone goes near the cabin... hopefully that reference will resonate with someone :-P

EDIT: Well, there's so much to this song I guess I could expand on my favorite parts a bit. First off, Tepid's guitar is a marked improvement from his work on Permutation - the performance is better and the guitar tone is MUCH more appropriate. The acoustic flair at the end of the song is one of my favorite touches in the whole song :-) I'm also highly impressed with both vocalists, though I think they both shined a lot more in the second verse than in the first. Halc's right, it's a huge nostalgia explosion and I just get giddy everytime I listen to this song during the guitar solo and everything after that.

This is everything I've come to expect from a Nicole mix - simple, but with a lot of attention to ambiance and detail, coupled with some brilliant vocal performances... this is one of my favorite vocal mixes on the site! :-D Definitely a standout mix in almost all regards.

Edited by Emunator
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  • 2 weeks later...

Wow; I haven't been to this site in a few months, but when I heard this mix off DKC2 - SMB, I just had to come comment on its thread.

A New Place makes use of especially awesome ambiance, and both the acoustic and electric guitar by Tepid are done well. Honestly, I enjoy the vocals most of all, but they wouldn't be as good without the instrumentals! M.J. Ault's voice is awesome, and is used very well (especially in the second verse). He reminds me of a very distinct vocalist The Seatbelts (Cowboy Bebop OST) use in a few of their songs, and that's definitely a good thing. Starla's voice is also used very well, and works great together with Ault's. Keep up the awesome work, Nicole and the rest!

Edit: That vocalist I mentioned that M.J. Ault sounds like is Steve Conte.

Edited by Saber Mage
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Do I know any fancy musical terms? Nope. Do I know a good remix when I hear it? Yep, and this is one of them. I absolutely LOVE this song. Beautiful harmonies, wonderful atmosphere. The lyrics are a bit corny, but the Remixers made it work. Good job to everyone who contributed to this, keep em coming and if nothing else, I'll keep on listening 8-)

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • Liontamer changed the title to OCR02003 - Donkey Kong Country 2 "A New Place"

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