ReMix: Commander Keen 4: Secret of the Oracle 'Tuatara Swamp Jam'
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- Game: Commander Keen 4: Secret of the Oracle (id, 1991, DOS)
- ReMixer(s): Mazedude
- Composer(s): Bobby Prince
- Song(s): 'Well of Wishes'
- Posted: 2005-01-12, evaluated by the judges
Mazedude writes:
"Another "swamp" remix, albeit much more world-music influenced, and jazzier than the last. Inspired and in part a tribute to one of my favorite instrumental bands, Tuatara. If you haven't heard their work, I highly recommend it. Amazing fusion, totally live. Enjoy! Oh, and if you didn't see it yet - I was on TV last week with my Capoeira group. Got to chill with Tom Arnold and them on Fox. In the Capoeira section of my site."
...pretty cool - I didn't really know what Capoeira was, so that link was a learning experience for me. I thought it was just the name of the aliens in Bust-a-Groove... go figure. This is a goofy mix, with sort of an off-kilter feel to it, as if Mr. Keen had one too many and was swaying back and forth as he attempted to escape from a whimsical yet vaguely disturbing swamp. Due to some high pitches (I know... I'm one to talk, etc., etc.) you might not want to blast this, but I found it to be an interesting distraction from musical normalcy. It doesn't expand on the original melody itself too much, for a Mazedude mix, but instead opts for filling in the spartan context of the original with new percussion and auxiliary, supporting instrumentation. As the first to cover Commander Keen on OCR, from the same title as well, I am required by law to quote reserved-but-positive judge analoq:
"while it doesn't particularly evolve within itself or from the original much... there are some cool things going on with the percussion and some new harmonizations that make this mix interesting."
It's not Mazedude's strongest work, from an arrangement or production perspective, but it's very quirky in its appeal and has some charm to its dissonance and occasional nanny-nanny-boo-boo motifs. It's not something that's gonna be particularly soothing if you've got a migraine, say, but it does have as analoq notes some cool harmonies and underlying percussive effects going on. A little esoteric, not for everyone, but an odd piece that, while less accessible, sorta fits in with his Cool Spot mix in its lighthearted swagger.
Discussion: Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the There's no doubt. It sounds slightly insane. And I love that.
However, it does draw your attention from the music to the novelty, which is a shame because there are some pretty cool little additions and harmonious bits tucked away in the crevices between the big, strange, almost dissonant stuff.
It's not the most likable of melodies, let's face it. I don't know how I'd go listening to it on loop. But that's definately not to say I didn't enjoy it. It's Mazedude, of course I enjoyed it.
- Marmiduke on February 16, 2009
However, it does draw your attention from the music to the novelty, which is a shame because there are some pretty cool little additions and harmonious bits tucked away in the crevices between the big, strange, almost dissonant stuff.
It's not the most likable of melodies, let's face it. I don't know how I'd go listening to it on loop. But that's definately not to say I didn't enjoy it. It's Mazedude, of course I enjoyed it.
- Marmiduke on February 16, 2009
Distinctly not my style, but I do appreciate the care in which this
track was assembled. It seems like Mazedude went out of his way to
make it sound crazy, but with all the counterpoint and harmonies,
it's clear he knows exactly what he is doing.
Quirky and creative, but a really high barrier of entry.
- OA on May 6, 2008
Quirky and creative, but a really high barrier of entry.
- OA on May 6, 2008
myf;44732 wrote: Could it possibly be the trippy, somewhat dissonant qualities of the mix, with a bubbling, liquidy feel that is somewhat reminiscant of the dollar store rods with the little thing inside that moved up and down when you twisted it, making a whoooooooooooooooooo sound.
That's why I liked it. Weird, but awesome!
- Nannette82 on July 12, 2007
Why do I like this mix? Let me count the ways. Could it possibly be
the trippy, somewhat dissonant qualities of the mix, with a
bubbling, liquidy feel that is somewhat reminiscant of the dollar
store rods with the little thing inside that moved up and down when
you twisted it, making a whoooooooooooooooooo sound. I dunno what
they are called, but this reminds me of one of those thingies. It
has an almost mocking quality, daring the listener not to like it,
daring the listener to get turned off by its quirky, strange and
squishy sound. The nah nah nah nah boo boo part only adds to the
mocking feel. We hear hints of steel drums in the background, and
other elements that give this song a bit of a caribbean taste,
which adds to the swampy feel, i guess. Parts of this mix remind me
of the soundtrack to Legend of Legaia.
Heh. Not the best of reviews, but i will admit that I like this mix, for all of its crazy ass mood.
Also:
- myf on January 26, 2005
Heh. Not the best of reviews, but i will admit that I like this mix, for all of its crazy ass mood.
Also:
Joseph Collins wrote: As I said twice before, this is definately more of an arrangement than a remix.
I watch you as you djpee wrote: The word "ReMix" was chosen but is not necessarily appropriate, as the tracks here are more [b]arrangements [/b]than remixes (think of this as the difference between a "remix" and a "ReMix," mmmkay?). Besides, "OverClocked Arrangements" would have sounded gimp.
- myf on January 26, 2005
As big a fan as I am of Mazedude and Commander Keen, I was a pretty
dissapointed by this. The arrangement is more conservative than
usual, but it's still a very good application of the "eat your
veggies" tune into the genre. My big problem is this completely
lacks polish - it sounds a lot like Mazedude's older mixes that I
presume were done completely in Impulse Tracker with no
mastering.
Now I understand that not everyone has the time to commit to remixing, but the result here is still very dissapointing for someone who is used to stuff (like his cyborg blobby or street fighter mix) with a much more refined sound. Maybe it's just me, but the whole "tracker sound" wears down my ears a lot more than it used to.
- Adhesive_Boy on January 19, 2005
Now I understand that not everyone has the time to commit to remixing, but the result here is still very dissapointing for someone who is used to stuff (like his cyborg blobby or street fighter mix) with a much more refined sound. Maybe it's just me, but the whole "tracker sound" wears down my ears a lot more than it used to.
- Adhesive_Boy on January 19, 2005
Not bad, but really, this music doesn't have
1. Beauty
2. Coolness (yes, opinions)
All it has is swampy-stuff. Which is actually pretty good, but it could have been something... more.
6/10
- Ichitootah on January 19, 2005
1. Beauty
2. Coolness (yes, opinions)
All it has is swampy-stuff. Which is actually pretty good, but it could have been something... more.
6/10
- Ichitootah on January 19, 2005
Joseph Collins wrote: This arrangement makes my stomach churn for some reason. And gives me a headache. Not to mention that it's boring, uninspired, and just drags on. . . Oi. It's my opinion that he [i]did[/i] succeed in making "Eat Your Veggies"(AKA "the Well of Wishes/Dopefish song") from [i]Commander Keen IV: The Secret of the Oracle[/i] sound all swampy. . .but is that a good thing?
Firstly, it's just not varied enough from the original to be truly unique. As I said twice before, this is definately more of an [i]arrangement[/i] than a remix.
The beginning is rather boring and unmotivated. It's basically the normal beginning, but deeper, and more ambient than the original, with a bubbly sort of instrument thrown in for the Hell of it. And then it just kind of drones on like this, adding drums, removing drums, adding and removing basslines, etc. etc. While I realize the original song was little more than thirty seconds of music, I'm positive Mazedude [i]could[/i] have done something more with this piece of music, if he'd really wanted to. Overall, though. . .I'm not impressed. And this track makes me phyiscally ill, to boot.
I'm not deducting points for the music making me ill. That's just wrong. However, I'm still going to have to give it a 3.1 out of 10. Sorry, Mazedude. You fail to impress me.
HAHAHAHAHA! I have to admit, that's one of the most interesting reviews I've ever read for a remix. "This made me physically ill." Yeesh.
- Liontamer on January 18, 2005
MAZEDUDE D'AISKI!
Man I love a good disjunct sound. I don't know if when I played this game I was forced to use PC speakers or if I just wasn't listening but this is a great little tune that you can tell is close to the original.
Very enjoyable... there's nothing I love more than a nice disjunct/detuned na-na-na-na-boo-boo melody used well. My new song of the month.
Rock.
- Less Ashamed Of Self on January 18, 2005
Man I love a good disjunct sound. I don't know if when I played this game I was forced to use PC speakers or if I just wasn't listening but this is a great little tune that you can tell is close to the original.
Very enjoyable... there's nothing I love more than a nice disjunct/detuned na-na-na-na-boo-boo melody used well. My new song of the month.
Rock.
- Less Ashamed Of Self on January 18, 2005
This arrangement makes my stomach churn for some reason. And gives
me a headache. Not to mention that it's boring, uninspired, and
just drags on. . . Oi. It's my opinion that he [i]did[/i] succeed
in making "Eat Your Veggies"(AKA "the Well of Wishes/Dopefish
song") from [i]Commander Keen IV: The Secret of the Oracle[/i]
sound all swampy. . .but is that a good thing?
Firstly, it's just not varied enough from the original to be truly unique. As I said twice before, this is definately more of an [i]arrangement[/i] than a remix.
The beginning is rather boring and unmotivated. It's basically the normal beginning, but deeper, and more ambient than the original, with a bubbly sort of instrument thrown in for the Hell of it. And then it just kind of drones on like this, adding drums, removing drums, adding and removing basslines, etc. etc. While I realize the original song was little more than thirty seconds of music, I'm positive Mazedude [i]could[/i] have done something more with this piece of music, if he'd really wanted to. Overall, though. . .I'm not impressed. And this track makes me phyiscally ill, to boot.
I'm not deducting points for the music making me ill. That's just wrong. However, I'm still going to have to give it a 3.1 out of 10. Sorry, Mazedude. You fail to impress me.
- Joseph Collins on January 17, 2005
Firstly, it's just not varied enough from the original to be truly unique. As I said twice before, this is definately more of an [i]arrangement[/i] than a remix.
The beginning is rather boring and unmotivated. It's basically the normal beginning, but deeper, and more ambient than the original, with a bubbly sort of instrument thrown in for the Hell of it. And then it just kind of drones on like this, adding drums, removing drums, adding and removing basslines, etc. etc. While I realize the original song was little more than thirty seconds of music, I'm positive Mazedude [i]could[/i] have done something more with this piece of music, if he'd really wanted to. Overall, though. . .I'm not impressed. And this track makes me phyiscally ill, to boot.
I'm not deducting points for the music making me ill. That's just wrong. However, I'm still going to have to give it a 3.1 out of 10. Sorry, Mazedude. You fail to impress me.
- Joseph Collins on January 17, 2005
That is one of the strangest mixes I've heard on OCR in a good
while. Nice work! I'm just glad that I finally have a Mac HW/SW
combination sufficient to get back into the old DOS games I came to
love on my dad's 486. Keen 4 was always my favorite of the series
(I think it was all the drugged-up flora and fauna) and 'man sieht
sich galaxie' got me back into the games for the first time in a
decade. It's great to see another mix that really lives up to the
feel of that game!
- seanstar on January 15, 2005
- seanstar on January 15, 2005
Excellent, I've been waiting for this to be posted. Great job
working with an original I never thought could be remixed. Funky
instruments and percussion. afk.
- Chris McGee on January 13, 2005
- Chris McGee on January 13, 2005
I loved Commander Keen growing up. 4 wasn't my favorite (still love
the first one, for sheer nostalgia if nothing else) but it's been
so long I wondered if I'd recognize the source material. Low and
behold, I do remember it, and perfectly. This is a great adaptation
of it. I can remember my frustration trying to get through some of
the trickier parts of this level distinctly... of course, I was
still in elementary school at the time.
Very funky. Very off-kilter, in a good way. Love the instrument choices. Sounds just like it should, I think. Captures the mood of the original perfectly. Wonderful! And good work.
- Fieari on January 13, 2005
Very funky. Very off-kilter, in a good way. Love the instrument choices. Sounds just like it should, I think. Captures the mood of the original perfectly. Wonderful! And good work.
- Fieari on January 13, 2005
i remember this from the wip forums, and now its up
its great, alot like his other swamp song
- jordex on January 12, 2005
its great, alot like his other swamp song
- jordex on January 12, 2005
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