ReMix: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 'Mamacitas in My Valley'
Download MP3
Play Preview
- Game: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Nintendo, 1998, N64)
- ReMixer(s): Diggi Dis
- Composer(s): Koji Kondo
- Song(s): 'Gerudo Valley'
- Posted: 2008-07-15, evaluated by djpretzel
First off, let's just take a look at the mix title, here... because, on close inspection, you'll notice that it has the word "mamacitas" in it. So, I ask you: how can this mix possibly be bad? How can any fault be found? "Mamacitas" is like a free pass to the world of awesome... it's like adding 808 claps AND orchestra hits to your mix, and throwing in RAD TIMBALE LICKS, too. Frank serves up a heapin' helpin' of hip hop urbanism wrapped in a slick 'Gerudo Valley' arrangement. The source material is fantastic - really one of Kondo's best N64 pieces - and has been arranged a variety of ways by several ReMixers, including yours truly. I actually have yet another idea in my head for arranging it again; it's really attractive compositionally as it has a catchy chorus AND verse as well, which isn't too common.
At any rate, it's easy to see why mixers keep coming back to it, and I'm sure as hell glad DD has, as his version is fantastic. Rising piano arpeggios set the stage, but when the Kill Bill trumpets and Latin percussion enter at 0'16", the real mojo kicks in, amplified by a monoglide bridge into a heavy hip-hop beat with occasional string stabs, a nice & subtle moving harp part in the background, wah guitar riffs, and Spanish guitar on the melody. I did throw some similar Latin elements into my own arrangement way back when, but this has far better production values and hip-hop in its favor, plus an unstoppable mix title. The undulating synth bass groove more prevalent in the second half of the mix is absolutely delicious, and at 4'28" you'll wonder where the time went so quickly when everything ends. I know fadeout endings have legion detractors, but I might have preferred that to the very abrupt cut out that Frank opted for instead, but he compensates with beautiful layered beats and just a fantastic sense of rhythm and mixing. Everything Frank's done so far has been fabulous, but this just might be my favorite, as it succeeds so completely at accomplishing the goal of turning 'Gerudo' into a Latin/hip-hip jam piece. We've still got a lot of summer left, people, and if you don't party with this joint in your own valley at some point, it's your loss. Excellent.
Discussion: Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the It picked up towards the end, though! That jumping bass synth helped it along somehow, with the way they play off each other.
The great thing about this track was the rest of the stuff. And I mean ALL the other stuff, which included many sounds that usually feel...over-relied upon: claps, string stabs, hip-hop beats. But the thing is, the ethnic elements that were added to them kept them all daisy-fresh. And it goes the other way around, too! For example, the "Kill Bill" trumpets felt a little cheesy, but once the harp started playing quietly in the background: all was good. Except the spanish guitar lead, still.
Perhaps the problem was sample quality, as OA mentioned, or maybe (my first guess) it needed some other sounds to play off of it more.
From where it came in until towards the end, it felt quite isolated as the lead with all the other elements fading to waaaay in the background for a while.
The sheer arrangement: was awesome. Yet a lot of it went unnoticed the first time I listened to it. Like, the string stabs smooth out later in the song, letting stuff relax a bit as it was getting uptight somehow.
In any case, mamacitas should stay in the valley and party ALL NIGHT (as stuff staying in "my valley" and "partying ALL NIGHT" would have a totally different meaning o__o).
Anyway, it'd be an awesome party: the kind with the hip-hop dance floor where individuals show their moves, awesome drinks and other flavors, and EVERYBODY WEARS HATS...Don't ask me why. :dstrbd:
- TheCorty on September 28, 2010
SChepulis;651751 wrote: How did I miss this track?
^ this
seriously stellar work, diggi
love. it
- chthonic on July 17, 2010
- SubNormal J3 on June 29, 2010
- salamangkiro on June 24, 2010
Nice Job!
- Cecil the Blade on April 30, 2010
- SChepulis on March 4, 2010
I'm a huge fan of all your work, Diggi Dis, but this one feels like one of the most polished and overall quality works you've put out in a while! Highly recommended, don't let the genres turn you off if you happen to not be a fan of Latin or Hip-Hop ;-)
- Emunator on December 22, 2009
Really the only weakness in this is the lead guitar sample, and that abrupt ending.
Awesome work, esse.
- OA on December 4, 2009
My favorite part would have to be the long bridge near the middle of the track, it's inspiring when remixers place long segments of music drawn from themselves rather than from the game.
I hate to be such a sheep here but the ending is... ookkaaayyy, when it cuts out it sounds kinda cool, but I think having a more solid ending would have been nice.
Either way, great job, excellent remix.
- AmazinJason on December 17, 2008
This is one of my favorite mixes; it just takes an already cool song and makes it better.
This is a definite must download.
Incronaut;440619 wrote: I would love to go to this valley
Me too. :razz:
- 42 on December 16, 2008
Ay caramba! Las mamacitas estan enamoradas de Diggi Dis! Que suerte para el!
- glasfen on October 8, 2008
- dweber5 on October 8, 2008
