ReMix: The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening 'Forest of Hysteria'
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- Game: The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (Nintendo, 1993, GB)
- ReMixer(s): Platonist
- Composer(s): Kazumi Totaka, Kozue Ishikawa, Minako Hamano
- Song(s): 'Mysterious Woods'
- Posted: 2008-03-03, evaluated by the judges
A unique, lo-fi, chiptunish, and pretty liberal Link's Awakening ReMix from newcomer Platonist, aka Jonas Loman. He writes:
"the song i remixed is originally called Mysterious Woods but my remix is called "Forest of Hysteria." i made it in Impulse Tracker (or rather- its clone for windows "Schism Tracker") i have mastered it in Wavelab to gain some/alot of quality, using Eq's and Maximizing .. the mix itself though was made in impulse/ further comment should be that the intro/the last part of the track is an arrangement of the midpart of the track which sounds disharmonic. . but really isn't if you look deeper into it .. i arranged it in such a way to gain more flexibility in creativity."
There's definitely a compelling texture here that marries chippish bits with more elaborate processing, and the programming/modulation really tie in to the nuts and bolts of the arrangement itself. Judges were keen on the production but the liberal arrangement, which steers relatively clear of melodic hooks, raised a few eyebrows. Larry spotted what seems like an allusion to the original main theme from the NES towards the end of the arrangement, but it turns out that wasn't the ReMixer's intention, just a coincidentally similar interval. This was definitely a happy accident, as Larry put it in his notes, as it adds a bit more "Zelda" to what otherwise teeters on the very impressionistic side of arrangement. Andy, who recently returned from meeting Nobuo Uematsu at the Distant Worlds concert in Chicago, writes:
"Cool mix. The production is polished and clean, with good mixing/mastering, but at the same time it's got a gritty & lo-fi sound on a lot of the instruments that really works. The texture evolves throughout the course of piece, even though the actual dynamics don't change that much (volume-wise) which gives it a feel of motion - I don't really think it needs to be cut down at all. Arrangement is also great. This mix exemplifies how you can do a lot with not only the melodies of a source, but the chord progression and harmony riffs. The mixer has added original writing that really fits in with the source material and the end result is definitely solid. My only possible complaint might be a lack of more direct melody usage, but I think there is more than enough arrangement derived in some form from the source tunes (be it an arpeggio, chord progression, backing riff, rhythm, etc.) to qualify it as an OC ReMix."
Well said; creative and exploratory first ReMix from Platonist. You can find more of his original stuff, along with the original works of several other OC ReMixers, at www.reunionstudio.org.
Discussion: Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the Polo;533093 wrote: I can't not like this. Hysteria just LEAKS out of this mix's pores. Each well-defined section boasts a level of tension to be reckoned with, never feeling out of place. And the way the synths are processed, you'd think they lost their minds or something (which can only be a good thing).
Electrically charged synths enter the woodwork as if to signal approaching danger, and the 4-note arpeggio entering at 0:29 seems to say, "I'm the boss and don't you forget it!" as evidenced by its beefiness and the way its DnB underlings support it. 2:35+ extrapolates both the arrangement and the mood automatically and in a fitting way. The piano chords playing the second half of the source at 3:20 direct the mix into a whole new direction, more focused and foreboding than before, soon joined by the mainstay synths and percussion.
And then 4:30 strikes. While the eponymous hysteria dominates, the background synth playing around with the melody is a subtle but interesting touch. Then at 6:00... silence? A bird chirping, maybe? (I like how that lingering synth gives that impression.) Everything seems tranquil, unperturbed. Maybe I'M crazy for imagining the hysteria, ha ha. :-P
8O :lol:
that's the nicest review i've gotten so far. you realized exactly (in every detail) what i was trying to capture in this one... and the noisy feel didn't even start to distract you even once, thank you and thanx for listening ^^
- Platonist on April 22, 2009
I can't not like this. Hysteria just LEAKS out of this mix's pores.
Each well-defined section boasts a level of tension to be reckoned
with, never feeling out of place. And the way the synths are
processed, you'd think they lost their minds or something (which
can only be a good thing).
Electrically charged synths enter the woodwork as if to signal approaching danger, and the 4-note arpeggio entering at 0:29 seems to say, "I'm the boss and don't you forget it!" as evidenced by its beefiness and the way its DnB underlings support it. 2:35+ extrapolates both the arrangement and the mood automatically and in a fitting way. The piano chords playing the second half of the source at 3:20 direct the mix into a whole new direction, more focused and foreboding than before, soon joined by the mainstay synths and percussion.
And then 4:30 strikes. While the eponymous hysteria dominates, the background synth playing around with the melody is a subtle but interesting touch. Then at 6:00... silence? A bird chirping, maybe? (I like how that lingering synth gives that impression.) Everything seems tranquil, unperturbed. Maybe I'M crazy for imagining the hysteria, ha ha. :-P
- Polo on April 17, 2009
Electrically charged synths enter the woodwork as if to signal approaching danger, and the 4-note arpeggio entering at 0:29 seems to say, "I'm the boss and don't you forget it!" as evidenced by its beefiness and the way its DnB underlings support it. 2:35+ extrapolates both the arrangement and the mood automatically and in a fitting way. The piano chords playing the second half of the source at 3:20 direct the mix into a whole new direction, more focused and foreboding than before, soon joined by the mainstay synths and percussion.
And then 4:30 strikes. While the eponymous hysteria dominates, the background synth playing around with the melody is a subtle but interesting touch. Then at 6:00... silence? A bird chirping, maybe? (I like how that lingering synth gives that impression.) Everything seems tranquil, unperturbed. Maybe I'M crazy for imagining the hysteria, ha ha. :-P
- Polo on April 17, 2009
OverCoat;383734 wrote: Give me your .it files :V
actually .. i might give you one or two :)
so ya, if anyone wants anything just pm your email or something and i'll send you a couple of itz
- Platonist on April 5, 2008
OverCoat;383734 wrote: Give me your .it files :V
Ditto.
I love tracked music and Link's Awakening (will likely forever by my favorite LoZ) but never been too into super-crunchy lo-fi, although there are a few extremely intentionally scratchy mods that I still listen to several times a week. All that in consideration, I'm glad I listened to this mix but I doubt it'll fall into my regular playlist soon. While it's a faithful interpretation and a good example of lo-fi, it's missing some kind of hook to make it stand out from either other mods I have on various HDDs or other Link's Awakening mixes.
-- BUT --
...it does show a proper, honest soul for oldschool games and oldschool tracked music. That spirit is highly appreciated and just because [i]this[/i] track may not become a regular listen, that doesn't mean I wont be eagerly awaiting Platonist's next mixes (yes, that's plural, damnit!).
I'd love to hear what you can do with heaps and gobs of more up-to-date software [b]later[/b]. Stick with the tracker for a few more mixes. =]
- Vesh on March 20, 2008
I love this kind of experimental type music. If you could call it
that?
This has a very distinct sound and I love that. I can see why other's wouldn't love that, though, it's very rough and gritty and kind of repetitive. But it's also unique, and something I don't hear often, so it has that.
All in all, I like it. I can't really say for sure why, but I do.
- Jaybell on March 15, 2008
This has a very distinct sound and I love that. I can see why other's wouldn't love that, though, it's very rough and gritty and kind of repetitive. But it's also unique, and something I don't hear often, so it has that.
All in all, I like it. I can't really say for sure why, but I do.
- Jaybell on March 15, 2008
Platonist;386447 wrote: from djpretzel's writeup:
"Larry spotted what seems like an allusion to the original main theme from the NES towards the end of the arrangement, but it turns out that wasn't the ReMixer's intention, just a coincidentally similar interval."
uhm, NO it WAS intentional, but since it only covers the first of the X chords in the NES theme, it doesn't qualify as a Zelda 1 remix .. if i had done more with the bassline it could've been.. but now i only borrowed the interval, it doesn't mean that i remixed the theme :smile:
Yeah, no worries, that was his mistake in interpreting my panel vote. :-)
- Liontamer on March 15, 2008
from djpretzel's writeup:
"Larry spotted what seems like an allusion to the original main theme from the NES towards the end of the arrangement, but it turns out that wasn't the ReMixer's intention, just a coincidentally similar interval."
uhm, NO it WAS intentional, but since it only covers the first of the X chords in the NES theme, it doesn't qualify as a Zelda 1 remix .. if i had done more with the bassline it could've been.. but now i only borrowed the interval, it doesn't mean that i remixed the theme :smile:
- Platonist on March 15, 2008
"Larry spotted what seems like an allusion to the original main theme from the NES towards the end of the arrangement, but it turns out that wasn't the ReMixer's intention, just a coincidentally similar interval."
uhm, NO it WAS intentional, but since it only covers the first of the X chords in the NES theme, it doesn't qualify as a Zelda 1 remix .. if i had done more with the bassline it could've been.. but now i only borrowed the interval, it doesn't mean that i remixed the theme :smile:
- Platonist on March 15, 2008
I like it. Terrific sound. I kinda wish it was shorter and packed
more punch each change/buildup. I get a bit of a similar vibe as
Palpable's In Pieces did for me. Yeah, this is definitely a
keeper.
--Eino
- evktalo on March 12, 2008
--Eino
- evktalo on March 12, 2008
I can't say its my favorite style, but the processing and mastering
are incredibly well-done. I especially like the bass drum in that
little break in the middle. I can see that some people can think
its a bit abrasive, but to each their own; I like it quite a bit
though it is relatively repetitive. Good work and don't believe the
haters, platonist ;)
- Hy Bound on March 7, 2008
- Hy Bound on March 7, 2008
Boy, "Forest of Hysteria" is about the best way to describe this...
that or "Forest of Freneticism." I like the idea of this, and many
of the elements are attractive, but it wasn't as cohesive as I
would have expected. And I think that perfect fourth starts to
distract from the other stuff you're doing towards the end.
Overall, I would have said it was very strong resub material.
- progressive on March 6, 2008
- progressive on March 6, 2008
Awesome! I'm liking this remix a lot....true about 50% of the
people I know would probably hate this remix, but how can you
resist those distorted drums and the raw synths.
Pretty cool to me.
Good stuff, Platonist! :wink:
Can't wait to hear more from this guy.
- PhiJayy on March 6, 2008
Pretty cool to me.
Good stuff, Platonist! :wink:
Can't wait to hear more from this guy.
- PhiJayy on March 6, 2008
Mustin;383743 wrote: [i]Link's Awakening[/i] is one of my all-time favourite games (and the best Zelda game - all you OoT lovers - suck my balls)
Be careful what you wish for :!:
- Dhsu on March 6, 2008
This is great, though I'm [i][b]VERY[/i][/b] surprised this made it
up on OCR (though I'm glad it did otherwise I probably wouldn't
have it).
With all the shit I've gotten about drums in the past, that's why I'm surprised this passed.
That said, I love this track. The drums are awesome and I wouldn't change them (I guess that's my style!). [i]Link's Awakening[/i] is one of my all-time favourite games (and the best Zelda game - all you OoT lovers - suck my balls), and I have to say that I feel this really does the game for great justice.
Love the lo-fi. The effects are well-timed and well-spaced. I'm impressed with the pacing on this track too. It builds where and when it needs to.
I'd love to hear a mix of the "Face Shrine" in this style! From a musician to a musician I know it's a bitch to get requests sometimes but damn that'd be hot!
Keep it up!
- Mustin on March 6, 2008
With all the shit I've gotten about drums in the past, that's why I'm surprised this passed.
That said, I love this track. The drums are awesome and I wouldn't change them (I guess that's my style!). [i]Link's Awakening[/i] is one of my all-time favourite games (and the best Zelda game - all you OoT lovers - suck my balls), and I have to say that I feel this really does the game for great justice.
Love the lo-fi. The effects are well-timed and well-spaced. I'm impressed with the pacing on this track too. It builds where and when it needs to.
I'd love to hear a mix of the "Face Shrine" in this style! From a musician to a musician I know it's a bitch to get requests sometimes but damn that'd be hot!
Keep it up!
- Mustin on March 6, 2008
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