ReMix:Seiken Densetsu 3 "Do the Splash Hop" 3:15

The unofficial anthem of SD3, Songs of Light and Darkness, and perhaps OC ReMix itself: "it was a long, long time..." ;)

The singular OverClocked Plaid Muffins (Level 99, LuIzA, Swann, Cyril the Wolf, AMT, Xenon Odyssey, PrototypeRaptor) finally return to the spotlight with this ska/rock vocal legend about a game that started off in Japan and eventually made it into the hearts, minds, & ears of gamers the world over, even without localization. You've got Beebo on vocals channeling a sort of "islands voice" vibe, you've got a thick bench of brass & guitar, you've got a catchy-as-hell, upbeat groove, and thus doing the Splash Hop is every bit as fun as it sounds. Album director Rozovian writes:

"It was a long, long time. Yes, it was. This project took way too long to complete, and for the most part, that's due to my own varying levels of interest and other failings. I've learned so many things during it, and I'm grateful for the experience, even if it's been tiresome and I've at times felt like quitting or just dumping the tracks onto the forums, but it's been amazing to see this thing come together. Every once in a while, when everything seemed dead, someone would surprise me with something cool and wholly unexpected, like a big collab reggae take on a source, telling the story of how the game found its way to gamers in the West.

The remix is really cool. The brass around the two-minute mark is probably my favorite moment, but the second verse and buildup to the chorus, the drum work there in particular, is a close second. There's a lot to like."

Co-director Meteo Xavier adds:

"Yes, this project took way too long to complete. The reasons for it we won't waste webspace trying to impress upon you - that's just how it works for some projects. We've had some drama, we've had some bad luck, we've had some people quit and we've had some failures here and there - but we refused to quit no matter what the forces that be threw at us.

This awesome remix is one of many amazing tracks we were able to acquire and might not have gotten if we tried to truncate or rush out the project. Just listen to it, you'll hear why it was worth the wait."

In addition to being a collab between many artists who are each impressive in their own right, and in addition to being infectious & addictive, "Do the Splash Hop" is an iconic contribution to & commentary on the game and album as a whole, as the directors' comments above indicate. Some things take time. This can be frustrating. It's not for everyone. On the other hand, some albums are able to push through in months, not years, depending on the makeup of the participants and the availability of leadership. There's no single right way to do things, and the types of albums that emerge from either process are often worthwhile in their differences. For some reason I'm reminded of those robot dudes from the beginning of The Fifth Element - "time doesn't matter, only life matters." That sounds about right, just replace "life" with "VGM" :)

As for the music, it's the OPM so you know it's on point; Stevo sells it on vocals, the lyrics are a hoot, the mixing keeps every element discernible but has an appealing glue/cohesion, each instrument gets space to riff a bit, the backup vocals/shouting make the mood, and that main ensemble melodic hook is gonna get stuck in your brain for the rest of your life. In a good way. Bass is legit; I just finished watching season 2 of Luke Cage (which I thought was pretty damn good), and one of the things I loved was all the Jamaican music & culture being deeply integrated into the show. Some of the part writing might seem simple, and yeah, there's a lot of leaning on offbeat chord stabs, but it's all about the attitude and the TIMING, and these guys & gal do a fantastic job capturing that, here. Little details like the dub-style delay on the vocals towards the end elevate the overall, and the result is a new classic that represents the best of the Plaid Muffins' style. Highly recommended & essential!