ReMix: EarthBound 'Dialima tu Kafe'

downloadDownload MP3
8,600,673 bytes, 5:55, 192kbps
Stream/preview on YouTubePlay Preview
Streaming preview on YouTube
eStarland.com
EarthBound

More project mix postage, this time from Bound Together and a ReMixer we haven't heard from in a long while, Zeratul. He writes:

"Long overdue, my submission from the "Bound Together" Remix Project by Joe Cam from 2005. Since I just realized that all the other tracks have been up here for a long time now, I thought I'd just as well join. I hope it gets through the submission process, I like this track very much, differs from most of my other stuff - and it's actually my last remix to date (apart from some joke thingies). It's compositionaly based on the (in europe) very popular "Café del Mar" chill music series.

During a summer vacation on greek island mykonos (that explains the name, it means 'coffee break' in greek) I worked out most of the song structure. Afterwards I arranged it mostly with the waldorf micro-q and the access virus. Software used: Cubase, ReNoise, Reason, Garageband. Frank van't Ende (Diggi Dis) played the Guitar."

Nice; no denying this was a great project, arranging a singular and important game soundtrack, with a variety of artists & styles. Can't go wrong, given the ingredients. Incidentally, one of my sisters visited Mykonos a few years back and had a great time - cool that this mix was essentially "born" there. As you'd imagine, it feels very laid back, open, and - dare I say - wistful. The background discussion and what sounds like... radio fumbling/feedback... during the intro, as synth pads ebb and flow into EP and strings, which a nice little brief accordion riff then introduces fx-driven percussion to... all are quirky and interesting without being threatening or ominous. It's mellow, but it's also Earthbound, so there's gotta be some eccentricity in there somewhere, and I'd say Benedkit succeeds in that with a very open, floating structure. Diggi's guitar adds a human touch and only increases the feeling of carefree, vacation-minded chillin'. Sadly, I haven't even planned a summer vacation yet, and it's getting kinda late, so this mix makes me wanna get my ass in gear and by plane tickets for... anywhere. Good timing! A subtle mix with excellent attention to detail and an expansive arrangement that hopefully I'll be enjoying at some point in the next months while I take a (much needed) vacation of my own.

― djpretzel

Discussion: Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the complete thread or post your own.
o_O;
I downloaded this like three times to make sure, but whenever I play this with Windows Media Player, it turns into a 17 minute song. Everything else I check says it's just a little over 6 minutes.
Annnnyway, I like the initial sound effects making it feel like some forgotten home movie. It feels like something from Half-Life 2. The more I listen to the intro, the more it creeps me out actually.
Moving on it mellows and rounds out nicely, and understanding that this is supposed to have a Euro coffee break feel really makes more sense now and makes the sheer mellowness and gentile "go with the flow"-ness understandable.
It's a fairly decent track, but in the end, I don't really care for it though.

- 42 on December 27, 2009
Oh yes, I'm feeling this. I think this is really smart, classy stuff that doesn't just run it's course and fade off like a lot of chill-out mixes can do. It builds in a fluid manner, flows like honey and spreads into a warm, collective sound toward the end, which is a great, evenly balanced payoff. The entire mix is just pure ear candy. Inoffensive and easily overlooked, but a real treat and just amazing music to just shut your eyes and absorb into your head. It seems free of any strong ambitions, which is quite liberating for a listener. It requires absolutely no effort to be in love with this.

- Marmiduke on February 11, 2009
Really interesting track; I kept waiting for something to happen beyond sound effects and some pads, but it remained sparse throughout. I was a bit skeptical, but things became a bit more clear on repeated listens.
Not really my style overall, but I can feel what the intent is, and for dudes looking to straight up relax, this fits the bill.

- OA on September 16, 2008
Martin Penwald;416619 wrote: With all the ambient noise in the background, this almost sounds like something you'd hear on monotonik or kahvi. Which is a good thing.
Just one technical thing; the bitrate of this song moves up slowly, so winamp cannot display the duration of the song properly. Nothing major, but it always annoys me when that happens.

So [i]that's[/i] what was going on. I kept staring at iTunes and thinking "there's no way this mix is seventeen minutes long." :shock:
Great work guys. Good to see you around still, Zeratul.

- sephfire on June 27, 2008
With all the ambient noise in the background, this almost sounds like something you'd hear on monotonik or kahvi. Which is a good thing.
Just one technical thing; the bitrate of this song moves up slowly, so winamp cannot display the duration of the song properly. Nothing major, but it always annoys me when that happens.

- Martin Penwald on June 11, 2008
It brought a tear to my eye to see my favorite track from my beloved Bound Together finally make it onto OCR after almost 3 years. I can't believe it's been so long and people still buzz about this project and it's still getting notice here on OCR.
Much love to Z & Diggi for making one of my favorite songs ever and many thanks to djp for posting it.

- joe_cam on June 3, 2008
most likely my favorite mix from the bound together project, aside from 'keep it short'
neat to see it here

- Red Shadow on May 22, 2008
Very relaxing, and brings back memories of the game. The nature sounds in the background are a nice touch.

- jeriaska on May 21, 2008
:razz: ! loving this! .. also nice to see zeratul still in action! welcome back

- Platonist on May 21, 2008
I loved Bound Together and this is one of the best tracks. It's so relaxing and has a great atmosphere...

- Dunther on May 21, 2008
Yeah, I thought this was a different version, but it isn't. Which is okay, the original was already great.
I've got this on my Summer Nights CD, for listening to on those warm summer nights when nothing's going on... awesome, fits and even defines the CD itself. About time it got recognition as an OCRemix (not that you guys could help it, since he forgot to submit it).

- The Mutericator on May 21, 2008
Ahhh, laid back. My first thought when I listened to this was that its a perfect backgroundtrack for opening credits in some cool movie. And I mean this in a VERY GOOD way. This would totally steal the show from the credits in terms of setting up the mood, but I think some really cool visual material would compliment this track in a beautiful way.
As we have no cool opening credits, the track truly stands on its own too. I still think of its as "background music", but thats not a bad thing in any way. Some tracks are just meant to roll on the background, setting the mood. And this one does it in a great way.
There's also some really interesting sounds that add up to a beautiful scenery. The whole song is kind of a journey - and definitely not the "trippy" kind. Sometimes its just nice to lay back and enjoy. And for that, this is just the right stuff.

- EvilHorde on May 21, 2008
Is the random 2 in the title intentional? It made me think this was somehow different from the bound together version.
Which it ain't, which I am down with, because it was all chill and stuff and it did not feel like six minutes, which was awesome. One of my favorites from Bound Together.

- Jaybell on May 21, 2008
Got this from Bound' awhile back, and I can honestly say that it's my favorite track from the project. :)

- Carbon Dog on May 21, 2008
Ooo, second response.
I haven't posted in a long time, but this one deserves a mention as one of my all time favourite OCREMIXES. I've listened to it probably once a week since I downloaded it... what? Two years ago now?... and I still love it. I always thought the Coffee Break theme was underecognized in its extreme chillness (as is most of the EB soundtrack) and this mix does it justice in a way would be hard to match, from the ambient sounds in the beginning to the easily established groove.
And it probably helps that I love Cafe Del Mar. Especially their... I want to say tenth... mix.
Anyways, one of those few mixes that I wish I could put in the original game.

- Zipp on May 21, 2008