ReMix: Speedball 'Matador'
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- Game: Speedball (Image Works, 1988, AMIGA)
- ReMixer(s): mutagene
- Composer(s): David Whittaker
- Song(s): 'Game'
- Posted: 2002-02-06, evaluated by djpretzel
Ahhhhhh, mutagene. It's been too long. Almost impossible to describe are the lovely, fresh textures that mutagene consistently disperses throughout his tracks. I'm a big fan, and feel his latest submission, off of Speedball, illustrates why nicely: very ephemeral dub, with timbres passing in and out like ghosts, and nary a turnkey, preset sound to be found. Crafting unique sonic soundscapes is hard enough in and of itself, but what's so great is that mutagene can do it and at the same time not forget about the actual song, melody, harmony, etc. The hard, clicking attack on the synth sound used for the running upward scales, the mega-reverbed 'yeahh', the synth brass with distortion, the crystal clear and cavernous reverb, and just the general overall sense of chill that is achieved by this track all add up to a good experience. Even if you never played this game, which hit most major computer platforms of the day way back when, I urge you - I implore you - to download the sweets and enjoy.
Discussion: Latest 13 comments/reviews; view the At once it seems to never build up to anything yet it does in the
same? In tracks similar to this, I would complain about the build
up... but there's something else here that doesn't make me feel
like it's a problem in Matador. It works great, however it's
working. :D
My only complaints are the transitions at 1:39 and 2:07, as they seem slightly abrupt. Then again, if this is a medly mix (I'm not familiar with the source), the transitions aren't too disruptive in that context.
Love the style and how it brings me back - now to where it brings me I don't know. XD Very cool. Very old school. :)
- Fun on August 12, 2012
My only complaints are the transitions at 1:39 and 2:07, as they seem slightly abrupt. Then again, if this is a medly mix (I'm not familiar with the source), the transitions aren't too disruptive in that context.
Love the style and how it brings me back - now to where it brings me I don't know. XD Very cool. Very old school. :)
- Fun on August 12, 2012
This is really cool. Mutagene was one of the unsung older mixers on
OCR. He wasn't always on the mark, but when he was he had some
really unique ideas.
You could complain about the lead sounds being a little plain, but they don't bother me at all. The overall reggae/dub groove is really excellent and atmospheric. There's also some very nice rhythmic stuff going on. The section that first appears at around 1:11 and goes to 1:40 especially has kind of an uncomfortable, loose energy to it that's hard to describe but awesome.
Really cool stuff, especially in a style that I wish we saw more of here. I'm gonna go back and check out some of mutagene's other mixes now.
- ella guro on December 5, 2009
You could complain about the lead sounds being a little plain, but they don't bother me at all. The overall reggae/dub groove is really excellent and atmospheric. There's also some very nice rhythmic stuff going on. The section that first appears at around 1:11 and goes to 1:40 especially has kind of an uncomfortable, loose energy to it that's hard to describe but awesome.
Really cool stuff, especially in a style that I wish we saw more of here. I'm gonna go back and check out some of mutagene's other mixes now.
- ella guro on December 5, 2009
Interesting approach...but it feels like it takes too long to reach
the part that really sticks out as what one might identify with a
matador. It also doesn't develop that part nearly enough. It really
could use a fundamental change in direction structurally to make it
more enthralling.
- Bahamut on September 24, 2009
- Bahamut on September 24, 2009
wow, this really took me by surprise. love the variations between
the funky baseline and the furious synths. the contrast really
gives it something early on, and the synths around 2:20 are nice as
well. Good job!
- justinj212 on January 15, 2009
- justinj212 on January 15, 2009
Someone needs to tell me if this game is about the pseudo-sport
speedball, or if it's just using the name. Because I would laugh
really hard if it was.
The song starts out very strangely, but it intrigues me. Good way to grasp my attention. It keeps the unusual vibe, which I'm starting to like. Mutagene really sets a good soundscape, that's for sure.
I wish that more had happened overall. It might be the lack of a clearly defined melody. The horns hit at it more than a few times, but I feel like they never break into 'melody' category.
I could see this going to much bigger things than it did, but the soundfield is really well done.
- DragonAvenger on October 21, 2008
The song starts out very strangely, but it intrigues me. Good way to grasp my attention. It keeps the unusual vibe, which I'm starting to like. Mutagene really sets a good soundscape, that's for sure.
I wish that more had happened overall. It might be the lack of a clearly defined melody. The horns hit at it more than a few times, but I feel like they never break into 'melody' category.
I could see this going to much bigger things than it did, but the soundfield is really well done.
- DragonAvenger on October 21, 2008
Very creative work here. A lot of Mutagene's stuff is hit-or-miss
with me, but I think he is on to something cool here.
I really like how there is the flooded soundfield effect going on in the background, but things still poke out here and there.
The arrangement is very creative and varied, though I wouldn't mind a bit more of a distinct melody. The effects are very cool throughout, even the crappy horn sample sounds good with all the treatment it receives. Ending is a bit WTF abrupt, but thems the breaks I suppose.
- OA on July 2, 2007
I really like how there is the flooded soundfield effect going on in the background, but things still poke out here and there.
The arrangement is very creative and varied, though I wouldn't mind a bit more of a distinct melody. The effects are very cool throughout, even the crappy horn sample sounds good with all the treatment it receives. Ending is a bit WTF abrupt, but thems the breaks I suppose.
- OA on July 2, 2007
After having becoming more familiar with the Speedball soundtrack
(credit goes to
[URL="http://www.ocremix.org/remixer/marslandbrotherhood/"]Marsland
Brotherhood[/URL]), I definitely had more of an appreciation for
Alex's own arrangement here. Very chill.
There are a lot of "oldbies" that are no longer regulars in this scene, but hearing mixes like these I think of mutagene and go "Now THAT's someone I'd like to hear another ReMix from again."
- Liontamer on February 8, 2007
There are a lot of "oldbies" that are no longer regulars in this scene, but hearing mixes like these I think of mutagene and go "Now THAT's someone I'd like to hear another ReMix from again."
- Liontamer on February 8, 2007
TCK wrote: http://www.weebls-stuff.com/wab/record/
The song in the background for the above flash (Wilmot Meets Lord Scruffage - The Sabres Of Paradise) - is this a rip of some sort?
Despite that, I like this quite a bit.
You should check dates before you make assumptions and stick your foot in your mouth. This mix was posted 3 years before that flash movie was created.
It's also very awesome.
- Bobwillis on April 18, 2006
http://www.weebls-stuff.com/wab/record/
The song in the background for the above flash (Wilmot Meets Lord Scruffage - The Sabres Of Paradise) - is this a rip of some sort?
Despite that, I like this quite a bit.
- TCK on November 26, 2005
The song in the background for the above flash (Wilmot Meets Lord Scruffage - The Sabres Of Paradise) - is this a rip of some sort?
Despite that, I like this quite a bit.
- TCK on November 26, 2005
I'm a late bloomer towards mutagene's stuff, but i'm really
starting to like his style. I'm familiar with the source through
the Marsland Brotherhood's version of it which stands in stark
stylistic contrast to this electronic dub, reverb drenched
piece.
The chunking wah-guitars, spliced segments of brass noise, and the drums give us the clear reggae/dub base, but the synths that fade in and out lend the track its singular electronic/ambient feel. The track as a whole is filled with colorful textures that swirl in and out of the soundscape. The track flows as an ambient track would; there's little in the way of a strict structure. As a result, the track is more of an experience than a clearcut piece.
Ethereal. Good stuff.
- Navi on September 20, 2005
The chunking wah-guitars, spliced segments of brass noise, and the drums give us the clear reggae/dub base, but the synths that fade in and out lend the track its singular electronic/ambient feel. The track as a whole is filled with colorful textures that swirl in and out of the soundscape. The track flows as an ambient track would; there's little in the way of a strict structure. As a result, the track is more of an experience than a clearcut piece.
Ethereal. Good stuff.
- Navi on September 20, 2005
This is the weirdest piece of audio I've let myself hear in awhile,
perhaps ever. It's as if you took a Ricky Martin song, added some
techno synths to it, took away all of his vocals except for one
note and stretched it across a random piece of the song
occasionally and ambiently, while maintaining a vibe of rap, and
putting it all under a sea of reverb. The melody present at
0:52-1:04 and 3:10-3:22 (and yet another time later) is my favorite
part. At 1:40-2:07, there seems to be a shift away from the
direction of the normal - not quite sure why it's in there; could
be taken out and I wouldn't care.
More people should listen to this.
- AnotherOneBitesTheDust on February 16, 2003
More people should listen to this.
- AnotherOneBitesTheDust on February 16, 2003
Speedball 'Matador'
Interesting intro - sounds like this is supposed to continue seamlessly from a previous song or something (not saying that's necissarily the case, though). The rest of the remix is everything you'd expect from Mutagene - sonic layer on sonic layer on sonic layer on sonic layer on sonic layer on sonic layer. I had to make an effort to focus on the notes and not get lost in the remix - I'll let you take that as you will. Also, I both love and hate the ending - it both sounds like it kind of dissolves (which is cool) and sounds like it just cuts off (which is not). But overall, I would definately get this if I were you.
- orkybash on May 23, 2002
Interesting intro - sounds like this is supposed to continue seamlessly from a previous song or something (not saying that's necissarily the case, though). The rest of the remix is everything you'd expect from Mutagene - sonic layer on sonic layer on sonic layer on sonic layer on sonic layer on sonic layer. I had to make an effort to focus on the notes and not get lost in the remix - I'll let you take that as you will. Also, I both love and hate the ending - it both sounds like it kind of dissolves (which is cool) and sounds like it just cuts off (which is not). But overall, I would definately get this if I were you.
- orkybash on May 23, 2002
