ReMix: StarTropics 'FlowTropiks'

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StarTropics

Here be a short mellow jazz arrangement from StarTropics that's simply as cool as a cucumber. Perhaps even cooler - even if it means offending the entire Cucurbitaceae family.  It's also analoq's first collab, with Hemo. Don't know exactly who did what; hopefully one of the fellas can chime in with specifics. What I do know is that, along with deliciously laissez-faire EP, there's some really groovy synth soloing, all on top of a smoky, mellow vibe. Synth leads resemble alternatively sax and brass, lending a fusiony feel to things, but the arrangement itself is straight jazz, with the ReMixers drawing circles in and around the source melody. I've let this one loop several times now, and I'm still diggin' the hell out of it. Vinnie writes:

"Nice take on this classic theme, modifying the chords and jazzing it up. The lead instrument entering at 0:34 sounded a little cheesy at first, but I think as the song went on, it grew on me, reminding me of the early synths that got used in 70's music. It's a great atmosphere, very dream-like. Good improvisations too."

Definitely one of those situations where there's a split second that you think the mixers actually wanted the synth sax/brass to sound like REAL sax/brass, in which case, yeah, the cheese factor would be high. Turns out synth sax/brass have a very legit place in jazz, as they've got their own thing going on, which Mr. Matthews and Mr. Roman clearly know all about. Judges harped on the drums a bit... I see the crit, as they're definitely pretty basic, but the extremely loose tom fills add flavor, and it wasn't a huge issue for me. A single ride cymbal with some counter-patterns would have filled things out more, to be sure, as the hats end up getting overworked, but I'm too lost in the soloing to care too awful much. 'FlowTropiks' indeed; short but oh so chill.

― djpretzel

Discussion: Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the complete thread or post your own.
I didn't think too much of this ReMix at first... but it's really grown on me since I've thought about it and started listening to it. I just love love LOVE what's been done with the melody here, and it's so smooth I can't help but enjoy this to death. This is one of those ReMixes that I can just kick back, and let it give me peace.

- ProjectSpam on June 24, 2009
The intro synth melody is a little clicky, but once the track gets started, it's just great. Nice and relaxing. If you know the other remix of this track, you'll love the contrast between them.
Great track for just chillin'. Has a very summer-evening kind of feel, and of course, a certain amount of tropical feel. And like summers where I live, it's too short.

- Rozovian on February 20, 2009
This song takes me back to my island days and also doubles as a nice romantic track.

- Mr Azar on October 30, 2008
Very chilled track with a nice mood. Could've benefitted from some soloing, though; both when it comes to variation as well as length.

- Martin Penwald on October 12, 2008
Classy and chill, if there was ever an OCR beach party, this would be perfect for the end of the night when things were winding down.
The judges seem to have an issue with the drums, and while I can see their point of view, I think they take on a more textural quality than a driving force, and if they were crisper, I don't think the song would have the same mood.
I love the rhodes and the sortof saxish synth, and the dense noodling throughout is really nice.
Great track, excellent work, gentlemen!

- OA on September 29, 2008
Good to see respect still going out to this oft forgotten classic.

- Schloss Ritter on September 26, 2008
I'm visualizing Mike using his yo-yo in time with the song as he drifts through some ruined island landscape
Thanks for the StarTropics representation

- Patrick Burns on September 17, 2008
Glad to see analoq back on the OCR front page, and congrats to Hemo for finally getting a remix up here! It only took what? Five years? :razz: But seriously, this track is some nice work. Nicely done on both fronts, dudes.

- KyleJCrb on September 16, 2008
Pure Overclocked Mastery... I can't say for sure how I can describe my emotions of this mp3, but... very up liffting, spiritful, enjoyable and with ice caking on the top an all time favorite.

:nicework: 8-O :nicework:

- ChaosPlayer on September 16, 2008
Nice, chill remix. I feel like I'm on the beach at sunset with a martini. Actually, I wish I were on a beach at sunset, but this will have to do. Everything flows nicely together, and the synth choices were well thought out. Kudos to Hemo and Analoq for this one.

- DragonAvenger on September 16, 2008
djpretzel wrote: Don't know exactly who did what; hopefully one of the fellas can chime in with specifics.

Larry pretty much has it right:
Liontamer wrote: it was really cool seeing Chris take charge on this one and lead the arrangement, supplemented with those analoq spices

I went to Hemo's place a few times and laid down some chords with lead lines and he'd run with it. Rather impressive he was able to take my disjointed noodlings and turn them into a cohesive piece of music that flows. All the transitions, counter-melodies, walking bass and additional arrangement were conceived with almost no direction from myself and yet it all fits like a glove.
cheers to Hemo for putting this together.
LuckyXIII wrote: or something where Mikey and the lead alien girl spend a romantic evening on the beach or something...

or something indeed... Hemo came up with the analoqistic title, I wanted to call it [i]Mica's Dirty Knickers[/i]
Jaybell wrote: analoq is back! Yesssssssss

I think it's more akin to my visage appearing on a grilled cheese sandwich (delicious!) rather than say a Second Coming.

- analoq on September 16, 2008
analoq is back! Yesssssssss
Oh my gosh this is the mellowest. I love it a bunch oh man so good

- Jaybell on September 16, 2008
Mmmm.... smooth and sexy.
I like.

- Geoffrey Taucer on September 16, 2008
AAAHHH!!!! StarTropics is one of my favorite games of the NES and I'm so glad to see it get some more OCR lovin'!
Indeed, the mix is smooth and snazzy and really fits a certain mood of the game...like an epilogue or something where Mikey and the lead alien girl spend a romantic evening on the beach or something...

- LuckyXIII on September 15, 2008
What did you think? Post your opinion of this ReMix.

- djpretzel on September 15, 2008

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