ReMix:Bubble Bobble "This Is Not a True Ending" 1:38

By Children of the Monkey Machine

Arranging the music of one song...

"Main Theme"

Primary Game: Bubble Bobble (Taito , 1988, NES), music by Tadashi Kimijima, Zuntata

Posted 2000-12-10, evaluated by djpretzel


Ahah! Interesting . . . in the space of ONE ReMix we get two - a ReMix, and a ReMix of that ReMix. It's multi-layered ReMixin' goofiness for the whole Bubble Bobble family! Okay, so what's up with this? Well, 68030, frontman for Children of the Monkey Machine, and the pleasant chap who set up the #ocremix IRC channel, submitted a very interesting BB ReMix a while back. It's cool because it changes the key in this famous theme to something very minor and ominous. I thought it was pretty bitchin', but I wanted to hear a version with a better drum track. So instead of just adding more drums, 68030 just went ahead and did an even darker, more sinister version of his mix, with heavy distortion and some ambient interludes. Pick your poison, but at least hear one, because the change of key is dramatic and worked really well.

djpretzel

Discussion

Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the complete thread or post your own.
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Crulex
on 2016-09-07 03:22:37

Much like Necrox, I liked the marimba with it echoing along to a deeper, bassier and more sinister sounding version of the Bubble Bobble theme. Much like a lot of older OCR tracks, this suffers from older production issues, but I absolutely love the idea behind it and would be behind bringing this idea to life with today's standards. Polished up and made longer by having some different sections, I think a dark Bubble Bobble mix would kick ass. Not bad for an early CotMM entry.

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timaeus222
on 2015-12-08 22:39:29

I think it's impressive that it wasn't totally quantized. The rhythm is actually humanized (you can tell at 0:49 - 0:52). :lol:

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Necrox
on 2015-12-08 22:33:52

I like the marimba (in all of its excessive reverb) and the bassline has potential, but the arrangement is just too short.

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Tables
on 2015-08-24 09:34:37

Oh dear, Children of the Monkey Machine? Wow. Such humble beginnings. You can see they have a weirder and darker side, but it's in its very early stages. Right now, it's more like a 'industrial Crash Bandicoot level' than a 'embodiment of dread'. Not that I don't love Crash, but... I absolutely cannot wait to see how CotMM grows into their spooky industrial ambiance vibe. But I can't judge a song based on its artist's future works...

Unfortunately, this isn't that strong. Some cool instrument choices, but I don't think that the incredibly conservative arrangement brought out their potential at all. Maybe next time, Monkey Machine!

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Nase
on 2009-09-10 01:45:56

It's a crappy mix, seems more like an early proof of concept kind of thing with the change to minor, but I for one am glad that stuff like this is still on the site. Historical value.

On a somewhat related note, I'm still sad that Daknit's stuff got purged so radically, although a lot of it obviously didn't follow the proclaimed concept of OCR. I loved his acid mix of The Sims and the Diablo track with deckard cain's voiceclip, even though those weren't OST remixes at all (unless you define the term music very very broadly).

But some of these quirky early mixes (some of them being inventive midi rips) added a lot of charm to the experience of browsing through OCR'S catalogue and listening to the site's roots. I still think that ultimately accepting the humble and less guideline-oriented beginnings would've been the better move.

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Bahamut
on 2009-09-10 01:04:23

Is it just me, or do most of these old mixes have sample production issues that dog them?

But here, we have a rather straightforward arrangement that sounds pretty much like the original tune. Only 1:37 in length too...it has quite some room for rearrangement. Then again, this is one of the old archaic mixes that populate the site still. CotMM has made some awesome stuff since then.

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Dhsu
on 2008-11-10 18:59:17

This track comes up often on Ormgas, but it always seems like a gimmick arrangement to me. A key change and some drums do not a good ReMix make.

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DragonAvenger
on 2008-10-24 22:44:43

It is strange to hear this song after hearing the remix of it. In a way it's cool to see the 'source of the source', but it also is a big contrast to asphixyated (or however that's spelled). In comparison I think it plays a little too tame, but if I'd listened to it first, I think the second would be too far out of whack. Very interesting.

Overall, it's got potential, but the piece doesn't really bring it out into the open. Much more could have been done to this besides the key change.

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quoda
on 2008-01-06 00:15:38

A decent remix. I like how dark it is. Would have enjoyed a bit more variation and definitely more interesting percussion, but it's a really good song and a really cool idea, changes the whole feel of the song when compared to the original.

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BardicKnowledge
on 2007-12-13 13:55:34

I really enjoyed this mix. The production is a little lacking (as stated above), but the arrangement is top notch. I didn't read which track of the game the remix arranged, and was expecting the "bad ending" song instead of the main melody. This is a great example of how to effectively change the mode in a piece of music -- something that we don't see nearly enough of here.

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Inv1ctus
on 2007-10-09 04:30:24

this mix kind of affectionately reminds me of tetris.

My only gripe with the song was that some of the percussive usage seemed misplaced.

However, the artist may have intended that specific effect, my belief when using drums specifically, not just sound effects is, that if your gonna bring in drums, Youd better "BRING" the drums kinda thing. No matter what type of piece it is. It could be a jazz piece, it doesnt matter. Percussion is repetitive by nature and is the foundation and consistency of any given song. If thats offbeat, the listeners gonna be offbeat.

Other than that, interesting take on an arcade favorite.

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OA
on 2007-03-27 11:55:07

Far too short.

The switch to a minor key is cool, but really beyond that, it is a straight up cover. Like previously stated, there is a lot of potential for reinterpretation here, adding more interesting drums or elaborating on some of the riffs, especially the synth bassline would be very welcome.

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Nineko
on 2005-11-20 09:40:20

I like how CotMM changed the key.

unfortunately, the arrangement is pretty simple here, a couple of lead instruments, a bassline, and basic drums.

definitely a nice piece, but with a lot of unexpressed potential.

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mDuo13
on 2003-07-13 17:00:31

This is my favorite of CotMM's work, and simply because he has transformed the happy, joyous Bubble Bobble mix into an ominous, evil track. This mix is often overlooked, however, as the kid-brother mix to the re-remixed AsphyxiatedInABubble version, but this one is nice because it retains a wonderful semblance of the original, as if it had simply been turned into a negative image, whereas Asphyxiated is like it had been turned into a negative image, shredded to pieces by a horde of monkeys with scissors, then somehow pieced into something that rocks the house. The samples in particular are nice in both mixes, as we've come to expect from CotMM - but this is a classic, and one everyone should keep close to their heart - but not too close should it decide to go on an insane rampage. :P

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Tyrant of Arx
on 2002-06-10 22:44:44

Bloody Hell that's a tune and a half, grats!

Sources Arranged (1 Song)


Primary Game:
( , , )
Music by
Songs:
Additional Game:
Bubble Bobble (Taito , 1986, ARC)
Music by Tadashi Kimijima
Songs:
"Main Theme"

Tags (8)


Genre:
Dance
Mood:
Dark
Instrumentation:
Electronic,Marimba,Synth
Additional:
Time > 4/4 Time Signature
Time > Duration: Short
Time > Tempo: Fast

File Information


Name:
Bubble_Bobble_This_Is_Not_a_True_Ending_OC_ReMix.mp3
Size:
1,649,669 bytes
MD5:
d4cc10c4cb99eabb213d1ab68ed8ceaf
Bitrate:
128Kbps
Duration:
1:38

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