ReMix: Super Metroid 'Brinstar Bonsai Garden'
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- Game: Super Metroid (Nintendo, 1994, SNES)
- ReMixer(s): Red Tailed Fox
- Composer(s): Kenji Yamamoto, Minako Hamano
- Song(s): 'Brinstar Red Soil Swampy Area', 'Yearnings of the Wind'
- Posted: 2006-05-04, evaluated by the judges
You know it's a good day when the Wizards can go into OT, lose via a heartbreaking last-second shot from King James, and I can still walk away with a positive attitude on life, the universe, and everything; call it fate. At any rate, RTF, perhaps more commonly known as the Rich Text Format, but in these parts singularly Red Tailed Fox, has provided us with a peculiar Super Metroid ReMix that wanders far and yonder in a spacy lounge jazz arrangement. Some panelists criticized the mix for a bit too much meandering and some rather crazy-sexy-cool yet simultaneously unbelievable cello portamento, but the consensus was that the voicings here, i.e. the gist of the arrangement, were slick. I concur wholeheartedly - check the semi-reggae infusion at 2'50" for a perfect example of the variety RTF brings to the game. The production, while not crystal-clear, has an impeccable ambience to it that fits the composition like a glove. Anything cleaner would have been too lounge, which po! and Morse have covered just fine and which the mix doesn't really belong in, and anything wetter would have been trying too hard to achieve pseudo-realism through excessive DSP - I actually think the production is rather spot-on for this type of arrangement, and an improvement upon the mixer's previous work as well. Shariq writes:
"Oh man, this is so slick. I love the flute/string harmonies and that bassline. Comping piano is excellent. Great implementation of electronic elements too. Some of the instrumentation may come off as gratuitous, like the asian instrument around halfway through, but I didn't have a problem."
The flute/string harmonies were a highlight for me too - that's now how I *want* to hear the original. Any time a mix can put forth an arrangement idea, no matter how small, that makes me want to hear the original in the same fashion, I consider it a big plus. It's one of the things I shoot for in my own mixes - that one elusive harmony, countermelody, or rhythmic shift that I always longed for in the source material. I think RTF's accomplished that with some of the introductory harmonies offered up here. That being said, the mix could still have a bit more direction and development. At four minutes, I do think its stronger side is in its first half and not its second, but at the same time, plenty of songs are four minutes long that don't have a memorable first half OR second half. At any rate, I like where Caio's headed with his stuff, I think he could pair this approach up with some more formal structural elements with amazing results, and I'm looking forward to his next mix, and that should be saying enough.
Discussion: Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the Marmiduke;510315 wrote: Horrible and demeaning analogy, I know, but that's the impression I get.
I like the analogy.
- Mr. Fox on February 21, 2009
There's a lot of loungy jazz, some Asian infused 'Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon' style string work and a sort of quazi reggae/dub influence. The shocking thing is the overall sound is bearable. It's actually more than bearable, it's pretty damn nifty. I'm not sure how the mix would have sounded if it were honed down to fit just one of those areas to full capacity; perhaps it would sound better, perhaps it would have turned out boring and lifeless. I don't know why I feel the need to justify decisions that I didn't make, so I'll just sign off simply saying: The mix works for me more than I think it should. Which is very welcome, in my books.
- Marmiduke on February 20, 2009
It's still great, smooth, jazzy, relaxing, contemplative, and an all around good listen. A must have for all jazz enthusiasts.
- 42 on January 29, 2009
Audity wrote:Radiowar wrote: Am I the only one who thought that parts where the swing feel was lost (ie. 1:04) were kind of awkward?
This song came on my playlist and as soon as that section came up I remembered that I wanted to comment on that. I think it's very awkward. Having that melody played on the 16th offbeats or whatever doesn't sound right at all. I think something similar could have been pulled off but without every single note landing on a 16th offbeat (or whatever). Whatever that rhythmic sample is in the background, it's pretty nice---one of the highlights---but I completely looked it over when paying attention to the offbeat weirdness.
That was one of my fav parts of the song - not because I thought it was some kind of creative triumph but becuase I thought it sounded very natural and chill.
- Patrick Burns on November 2, 2006
Radiowar wrote: Am I the only one who thought that parts where the swing feel was lost (ie. 1:04) were kind of awkward?
This song came on my playlist and as soon as that section came up I remembered that I wanted to comment on that. I think it's very awkward. Having that melody played on the 16th offbeats or whatever doesn't sound right at all. I think something similar could have been pulled off but without every single note landing on a 16th offbeat (or whatever). Whatever that rhythmic sample is in the background, it's pretty nice---one of the highlights---but I completely looked it over when paying attention to the offbeat weirdness.
Some things, if not most, don't have many velocity differences (or whatever else contributes to these purposes), or even rhythmic variety. I'm all for not caring about perfect realism, since synthetics are being used anyway, but there's always the problem of becoming too static.
It gets better towards the end. Ah, finally a track that I sort of like where I feel like I can actually review it properly. The whole thing focuses very heavily on arrangement, but I think nuances in various places were overlooked as a result.
- Audity on November 1, 2006
I agreed with Darkesword's comments about the asian instrument sounding gratuitous. I think the aimless feeling could be attributed to all the different instruments used here.
Overall this is a nice track but some of the rhythms and instrumentation put me off a bit.
- Radiowar on August 13, 2006
- JorJorMogBoi on June 16, 2006
I like jazzy remixes (po! is one of my favourite remixers), and I love the Super Metroid soundtrack. But I would have never dreamed of combining those two things! RTF does it in a wonderful manner (the violin playing the theme), and just like some people before me, I like the "aimlessness" of the song. This is what makes it so beautiful.
Instant classic; best mix I've heard in months.
- Martin Penwald on May 29, 2006
- pogosticksteve on May 7, 2006
I was a little sad to see that the judges didn't seem to like it quite so much. My favorable take might be because I have no remixing skills at all and thus don't know what to look for or appreciate in the technical sense. I actually liked how the piece flowed aimlessly. It's a quality of Jazz that I like - it can chill and go wherever it wants and still be awesome. You get lost in it, but that's what keeps it from ever getting old - even if you play it over and over.
Nice work RTF - I love this remix!
- apoc on May 6, 2006
- Keiseth on May 6, 2006
- Zipp on May 6, 2006
Look out for more of RTF in the upcoming 'Blood on the Asphalt: SF2 remix project'. 8)
- Malcos on May 6, 2006
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