ReMix: Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! 'Exploration C'
Download MP3
Play Preview
- Game: Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! (Nintendo, 1996, SNES)
- ReMixer(s): Monobrow
- Composer(s): David Wise, Eveline Novakovic
- Song(s): 'Cavern Caprice'
- Posted: 2012-12-03, evaluated by djpretzel
- Album: Featured on Donkey Kong Country 3: Double the Trouble!
Katie's cut off Double the Trouble! has some gorgeous moments that shine through at points like the sun peeking through the clouds - exploratory stuff, as the mix title suggests, that gains much from a supple, flowering live flute which adds further intrigue to spiraling jazz, waxing and waning in complexity, fading in and out of a beautiful, exotic ether. It's intense, it's mysterious, and it's my favorite track yet from her; she writes:
"Flutes provided by bustatunez (Will Roget, II). This song was inspired by "Cry of the Chasmal Critter Chain" by my friend Liz, which is one of my favorite ReMixes ever. This ReMix is a take on "Cavern Caprice." It's one of my favorite songs from the original game. I always liked it because it had such a moody feel, a calming mania to it. Many thanks to Eveline (Fischer) Novakovic for the original composition of this, and all the other songs she made for DKC3. Also special thanks to Protricity (Ari Asulin) for much appreciated feedback throughout the process of creating this."
I think "calming mania" sums it up well; Emunator comments:
"Despite having only a few published remixes, Monobrow has one of the most versatile yet recognizable styles of anyone in the community. I knew from the start that she would be the perfect fit for "Cavern Caprice" (SNES), which featured very playful melodies juxtaposed with strong psychedelic undertones that were just begging to be expanded on.
Katie cited "Cry of the Chasmal Critter Chain," one of my favorite mixes from Kong in Concert, as a primary inspiration here, and I couldn't agree more. Both arrangements have a strong sense of motion throughout that evokes a strong atmosphere above all else, while still exploring the actual melodic content of the source to its absolute fullest. At almost 6 minutes in length, with countless sonic details and almost no repetition whatsoever, this song practically requires multiple listens on your best pair of headphones (and your favorite mind-altering substances, if desired) to really get the full effect!"
"Transplendent" is one of those words that doesn't get used often, and that's probably a good thing, but in this case I think invoking a sort of transcending resplendence - almost spiritual, or at least introspective - makes sense. Katie's lent to Double the Trouble! what Liz contributed to Kong in Concert - a depth, intensity, and fractal beauty that is formidable and rewards both focus and release on the part of the listener. Excellent.
Discussion: Latest 8 comments/reviews; view the - Crulex on December 7, 2012
Monobrow;894035 wrote: Just want to say that I'm also really glad you guys left in the extra seconds of the song at the end for the OCReMix version. In the album they fade into the next song so my extremely quiet last notes (and nod to a part of the original that I had left out until then) don't get heard (its not a problem though, because that's the nature of the cool seamless playback they have going)... I had thought they would just go unheard, and I know it sounds kind of silly but that mattered to me... I spent a lot more time on my fadeout than I should have lol.
Hahaha! Yeah, when I got the uncrossfaded WAVs from Wes and was vetting this for the flood, I heard that and though the quiet notes at the end were a nice, subtle touch. The people who pay attention to detail will hopefully hear it too. Great work all around!
- Liontamer on December 4, 2012
Just want to say that I'm also really glad you guys left in the extra seconds of the song at the end for the OCReMix version. In the album they fade into the next song so my extremely quiet last notes (and nod to a part of the original that I had left out until then) don't get heard (its not a problem though, because that's the nature of the cool seamless playback they have going)... I had thought they would just go unheard, and I know it sounds kind of silly but that mattered to me... I spent a lot more time on my fadeout than I should have lol.
Anyway,
Wes did a great job managing this album, its so huge in scope and he's really a cool guy that deserves a lot of credit for handling it all in a really happy/calm stride, who NEEDS to come over and finish Silent Hill 2 with us now that he's not busy anymore. ;-)
Also again, thanks to Lukas for playing the flute. I dunno if he even remembers it, but it was that night a couple years back when I just really needed someone to play a part I had written live, because no matter what I did, the samples weren't cutting it for what I had in mind. So he plays them and records them for me within an hour before bedtime, even though some notes I wrote were out of range and had to be manipulated later, and the playing is really genuine and came through so nicely. The live stuff made all the difference... And gave me enough material to even create new melody out of his existing recordings later in the song... I also layered some other flute samples around his stuff all over the place to fill in any gaps. It's amazing what music software can do these days.
<3
- Monobrow on December 4, 2012
