[Liontamer]

Original decision: http://www.ocremix.org/forums/showthread.php?t=2910


Hi, Larry! Yup, those are the 2 words, anyway, sorry about sending you another pm, but I got my track hosted here's the details again. It's a resub, so hopefully it'll get passed this time!

Link:
Contact Info
Remixer Name: The Joker, DragonAvenger
Email Address: jtown_music AT yahoo DOT com
Forum ID: 16059(Joker), 33038(DA)

Remix Info
Remix Name: In The Darkness Lies
Game: Banjo Kazooie
Songs Remix: Mad Monster Mansion
Original Link:
Comments:
The Joker - I always liked the MMM music from Banjo Kazooie. It just had this really catchy melody. I always wondered what that melody would sound like if it were darker, more "serious" in tone. So, I ended up making a really dark, gothy take on the song. I used every part of the song I could, even rearranging certain parts to make them sound more ominous. I also had the idea to use vocals, as the arrangement was rather minimalist, & I felt the song would be better fir it. So I contacted DragonAvenger, who came through in spades.

DragonAvenger - -The Joker contacted me asking for vocals to his piece. I tried to focus on some elements of the stage, mainly hands that are playing a piano and a ghost that won't turn it's back to you. I wanted to contrast the higher part, the "angels", and using "demons" in a lower part seemed the obvious choice.

Vocal lines (in mostly chronological order)
Play your song
Serenade the angels
Don't turn away
Don't leave me all alone
Demons are watching the shadows
Demons are waiting for you
Play your song
Serenade the heavenly angels
Demons are watching the shadows
Demons are waiting for you

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Big Adventures of Banjo and Kazooie - (10) "Mad Monster Mansion (Exterior)"

Thanks for providing the original, David. Except for the vocals, the soundfield was pretty balanced, and the textures clicked more with nothing ridiculously fake-sounding like the last time around. The string work in particular I harped on the last time, but here it comes through fairly well. The arrangement was already a pass to me, and the original vocals helped add another dimension to it, especially compared to the first version being a bit sparse.

Dragon's lyrics were loud enough where they added to the overall feel and weren't exposed (as some of the stuff didn't harmonize well with the music, IMO), but were too low to really be appreciated. If lyrics hadn't been provided, I would have guessed that it was just gibberish. I would have pushed 'em up a bit higher, without crowding out the music (or exposing the vocals) of course. The current levels could be tweaked but were reasonable given the style of the track, nonetheless.

Nice arrangement, taking something hokey and tounge-in-cheek spooky, and giving it a much more serious edge. Best of luck on the rest of the vote.

YES

[DarkeSword]

Hokey and tongue in cheek is right. I always get reminded of stuff like Casper the Friendly Ghost when I hear stuff like this. That's not really a bad thing.

I thought the lyrics were pretty useless. They're too quiet to really understand and sound a bit nasal; I don't think they really work in the context of the mix, and that melodic line could have been easily replaced with a stronger, rounder sounding lead instrument, like a clarinet or something.

Regardless, it's not a bad piece. Good arrangement with nice textures.

YES

[Vig]

Very dark. Darker than most goth rock i've come across. Good job. I think the vocals work well. It's common in some of the more ambient goth groups to have vocals mixed in such a way that you can't hear the lyrics. (check out "Judgement of Paris") Solid submission. Certainly accomplishes it's gothy goals.

YES

[Malcos]

Hey is that the matrix ominous sound effect? This is good, ambient stuff. It does sound quite dark and we don't often get submissions in this style. The reworking did the trick. Not much to add other than

YES