ReMix: EarthBound 'Dreaming on Distant Shores'

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EarthBound

We haven't had an Earthbound mix since last year, and so Rellik sends us at an opportune time a techno mix that starts with an extended, floaty intro that features distant, swirling, delayed synth atop broken/static fx with faint solo cello and choir leading to a beatdrop (of the non-Dain variety) at 1'27". Honestly, for the first several repetitions of the initial beat, I was actually reminded of my own Socket ReMix from not so long ago - some similarities in progression, rhythm, structure. Nothing overwhelming or even where you could cite anything definite, just my impression. Good techno trance development proceeds further, up until guitar takes over a more defined melody and the piece becomes a little more linear. I actually almost ended up going to the same high school Rellik goes to, way back in like 1994 or something - the DC/Metro area is home to several familiar faces on and around OCR, and it's cool to see people relatively local submitting stuff. The ReMixer writes:

"New mix here, and look, it's electronica again. It's called "Dreaming on Distant Shores", and it's from a song called "A Flash of Memory" from EarthBound. It's sort of... I guess you could call it contemplative trance? With some ambient elements. The whole mix is sort of centered on sound and immersion. Not my favorite type of style, but very fun to make, and fun to listen to! Thanks for checking it out."

At over six minutes, Rellik does the "responsible trance" gig adeptly, keeping things interesting all the way with breaks, and turning the last minutes into a more introspective, melodic affair. The pianoish timbre that accompanies the lovely acoustic guitar for this ending portion is a bit piercing and perhaps a little loud, but it only sticks out because the guitar is so warm and mellow. There's some rather unique percussion, a nasty (in a good way) escalating analogue patch at 3'07" that's followed by some mangled (ditto) breakbeat work, and subtractive and additive policies are well-implemented and do a lot to keep the piece moving forward. You could basically break it into three pieces - the extended, very immersive ambient intro, the quintessentially danceable trance portion that makes up the meat of the mix, and the more melodic outro that retains elements of techno but goes in a more lyrical direction. All three pieces make sense together though, and this is certainly gonna sit well for near-dehydrated Earthbound fans, especially if they're into electronica. Good stuffs.

― djpretzel

Discussion: Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the complete thread or post your own.
Glad this one survived the purge, it's an absolutely pristine and beautiful mix that keeps me engaged the entire time. Would have been a shame if this one never got to be heard.

- Emunator on July 16, 2011
This is the second most emotionally evocative piece of music I've ever heard (Overarrow by Anamanaguchi = 1st; that screeching square solo just wrenches me), and my pick for the best mix on OCR -- and I've heard 'em all! You really did something amazing here, especially in light of the simplicity of the arrangment. Every single element contoured perfectly with the next. Just excellent work :)

- ectogemia on July 4, 2011
You sir just dethroned "Chekan Winter" by Prophecy as my all time favorite remix on OCR. I've been here since this site's genesis and I have no idea how I missed this masterpiece. This song is working on so many levels yet everything feels symbiotic and harmonic. Also you manage to combine of my 3 favorite genres of music Trance, Trip-hop (rolling ambient in with this one), and chiptune in this mix. If you got a donation page or anything let me know I'll be glad to fund your hobby when the product is this amazing.

- 5!D34RM on May 29, 2011
...Why haven't I commented on this yet.
I'll go on the record saying that this is, without a DOUBT, THE best remix on this site. I am in love with it in every single way possible. I have no quarrel with it. I loved the source, and I love this. I'll be honest, while Earthbound isn't necessarily my favorite VG soundtrack (the Metroid games take that spot), it is probably up there in the top 3 or 4. Or 2 if I can count the Prime series as just the Trilogy altogether. :P I digress,what I mean to say is this does the source justice. TBH, melodically I couldn't tell the source right away, but that doesn't matter, because this just feels like Earthbound, and definitely feels like a Flash of Memory. In fact, I think this song feels more like a Flash of Memory than a Flash of Memory does. Damn.
This song has meant a lot to me in the past one year or so that I've had it on my playlist. It does its job of taking you away to another place. I remember the first time I listened to it, I was surprised to see the song was 6 minutes and 20 seconds long. It didn't feel that long. Time really does go by faster when you're dreaming :P
This is also an extremely emotional mix to me. I'm not sure how to explain it without dragging this on too long, though, so I think I'll leave it that.
Thank you so much for creating this beauty Rellik. You are without a doubt the most rockin' dude in the whole world.

- urdailywater on March 15, 2011
Marmiduke;597302 wrote: You'd never know it at a brief glance, but I consider this among the strongest mixes on the entire site.

I completely agree

- Benjamin Briggs on August 26, 2010
great rhythmic textures and filtering over a really serene backdrop making this a pretty excellent track. The source is pretty sparse to begin with, so a lot of the additions make it into a whole new song.
Overall really nice, check this one out. :-)

- OA on August 26, 2010
What the first user thinks... I think, because I think I know what he's taking about, I think. Great mix. Lots of Earthbound's tunes have been remixed into techno songs. But I think this is one of the most mature techno songs from those tracks.

- Rob C! on August 7, 2010
This came on my ipod while I was walking along the beach the other day. The way the atmosphere of the music along with the beauty of the ocean and the feel of the sand all came together ... I'm fairly certain I'll remember that moment forever. Terrific song.

- stkyle on January 21, 2010
You'd never know it at a brief glance, but I consider this among the strongest mixes on the entire site. It manages to be both fast and meloncholic; blurring the lines between those elements of light and shade and varying degrees of intensity. Seeings as I like long, understated intros, I found the setup perfect. Things progress so naturally, you can just hear it all clicking into place, like it's all predetermined. Even the bends and glitches and other experimentation have a real poetic rhythm to them and just sound like they belong. It's a magic listen.
And look, while I can't say I'm well versed in every piece of music from EarthBound, I trust the people who say that this mix does represent a small portion of the game's OST. And correct me if I'm wrong, even the shortest piece in the soundtrack is viable for remixing, given that the remixer uses that piece thoroughly for the mix's duration. If there's no doubt on the judges' part that the mix is derived from some specific chords played in an obscure moment in the game, then normal rules should apply and there shouldn't be any more dispute. This is not the first mix to remix a short series of notes that are seemingly inconsequential in comparison to larger themes but are nonetheless part of a game soundtrack and thus valid.
I think it's a credit to Rellik that such an overlooked piece of music could be nurtured to blossom into something as freaking awesome as this.

- Marmiduke on September 27, 2009
More than 3 years later I'm still pretty passionate about the following:
1. I love this song
2. It has no business being on this website (and should be removed)
:)

- richter on February 28, 2008
Ok, first of all, let me just say that hands down this remix is spectacular, and totally deserves to be on the 100.
Second of all, that said, I'm sure that I'm wrong, but where the heck is the Earthbound music? I've replayed the game like 5 times, but quite frankly, I don't notice anything in this remix from it.
Heh, well, that kinda proves that I love this remix though, doesn't it?

- Superrpgman on March 11, 2007
I was going through the torrent file trying to see if there were any interesting songs and found this beauty! What a find it was! Have had it on repeat for at least the last half hour just letting it take me away.
Very excellent work, well worth any and all attention it gets.

- Master_Yoshi on January 1, 2007
I've heard this song more than 300 times and it never gets old. It's just so calming, so beautiful, and still so captivating. It is definitely one of my top 3 favorite songs on the site now and I've heard at least 500 of them. Thank you, Rellik, for this wonderful song. I am so glad this was one of the first songs I downloaded from ocremix.
Very highly recommended, although for me it took a couple playthroughs to look past the static into the dream that it brings. 10/10

- diamondfalcon on September 25, 2006
EVERY single time I listen to this I just go into this pleasure-trance.
I'm doing it again.

- Red Shadow on May 28, 2006
I feel this wonderful remix is actually quite fast and intricate most of the time. Hearing people claim that it's "slow" and "ambient" is the exact opposite of how I listen to it. Must be a different mindset.
Doesn't get much more intense than this rich track. Lovely.

- Gamelore on May 25, 2006