ReMix:The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker "Ballad on the Sea" 6:02

Happy V-day! Regardless of your sentiments about this love-it-or-hate-it holiday, we think you'll adore this smoky, misty, 6'02" rock ballad arrangement of Wind Waker's "Ocean" theme from newcomer MasterGi (Giorgio Pomili):

"Hi! My real name is Giorgio and I'm from Italy. This is the first track that I send to OC ReMix! It is a cover of one of my favourite video games song of all the times: "The Great Sea" from The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. This cover is in a classic slow rock and roll ballad style! I have to thank in particular a YouTube musician, boozinwalsh, because I've taken the inspiration for this arrangement from his cover of this song. I hope that my arrangement will be accepted. Bye!"

First off, I always love to see submissions from all over the world... it's one of the most rewarding aspects of running OCR. Giorgio makes a sweet & memorable debut here by channeling a specific type of sound - it's not JUST a rock ballad, it's got an earnest simplicity & tenderness to it that reminds me of "Sleep Walk" by Santo & Johnny, "Earth Angel", or even some of the Velvet Underground's ballads. It's not about flamboyant technique or whiz-bang arranging, but about each note of each phrase lingering those crucial microseconds in space/time, achieving a floating, intimate atmosphere. Chimpazilla nails it:

"Oh my goodness... I never would have expected to hear this upbeat 4/4 source slowed down to a dreamy 6/8 ballad. The source tune plays over and over, but with subtle melody variations and the additional padding that comes in, it never really repeats. I like the bassline writing. I personally would have liked even more elements, but the simplicity is working for me. This is simple yet elegant."

Emunator adds:

"Really though, this is a very immersive arrangement that builds at a near-glacial pace but continues to subtly introduce new riffs and variations. It's easy to get lost in the vibe. Production, humanization, and overall musicality are firing on all cylinders here. If it were me, I would have trimmed a minute or two off the track to make it more succinct, but the overlong arrangement really doesn't counteract all of the other wonderful things you brought to the table."

In keeping with the occasion, I'd say the pacing & repetition are both rather romantic; great stuff from MasterGi, who puts a time-traveling, emotive spin on a timeless classic!