Polo

Production's ace in this mix. Each synth brings its own distinct personality to the table, intermingling without muddying the sound field. You have your "get ready for the next challenger" orchestral hits, your guitarishly teeth-baring bass, your diligently shiny 16th notes, your kazooie-like lead, and even a motherly piano that can hold its own when it's not supplementing or cleaning up after the others. There's a rapidity to the badassery (i.e. speed is added to strength) that effectively personifies the fighter behind the theme. Hawt.

1:43 is the most overtly recognizable part of Brinstar 2. Closer listening yields these source quotes: - 0:25+ (watery synth) = first three rising notes - 1:01+ (piano) = lone lead following the rising notes - 2:43 (whistly synth) = finishing section - 3:18+ (piano) = ditto, but more liberal riffage Every player brims with vitality, especially the string swells (glowing), the supporting synths (chirpy, tappy, bubbly, soapy, etc.), and of course the twilight-y ivories. The pauses/silences are a bit distracting in that I feel I have to play the part of the metronome to bridge the gap to the next section smoothly. Overall, a nicely cleansing mix.

Since level 4 shares a starting resemblance to level 1, it feels fitting to quote it first, like an appetizer/overture before the mix gets down to business. The first three notes of level 1 are evenly spaced out, perhaps to steady their presence among the other notes (and each other). 1:03 catches me off-guard, but only because I'm used to hearing level 1 finish up with its final section - maybe it's challenging itself to make progressively longer runs from the beginning. Level 3's brought forth on a down-the-notes segue before 1:58 relieves us from the guitars with light cymbal taps and a bass. Brief pauses/cliffhangers soothingly welcome every tempo change encountered. And the Game Over quote at the end = shaweet. Noble interpretation for the first video game I ever played.

The synths' textures are so oddball - sharp-edged, crackly, beeping, rubbery, what have you - that their collective bursts of energy are like confetti showers. Those bursts blow away creepy-spelunky moments like 1:26 - 1:30 (love that chipper synth that returns from the outset) as if to reiterate the party atmosphere. And that atmosphere gets packed to the next level when the drums at 2:06 enter. All the while, leads trade off between staccato notes and tenuto/pitch-bent notes. In the latter, the source's emotive inflections come to fruition, like when the mood turns starkly serious at 0:37 - 0:40 before conceding to optimism. So for all its chaos, Cyborg Blobby has plenty of interconnecting strengths. In the end, the Blob bids the boy farewell as it turns into a Root Beer rocket and gently jets away into the night sky. Really puts things in perspective.

- To Madara and Back is titled "MadaraMedley" in Winamp. - The review thread for FF7 - Where Destiny Meets is missing an 's' in the title (Fantasy).

This mix feels minimal and experimental as it drops a chord here, a riff there, a percussion loop elsewhere, gauging their effects both small and cumulative. Changing the time signature from 3/4 to 4/4 seems to make the environment more inviting. The synth playing the arpeggios in the beginning is so plucky it could pass for a new sort of string-based instrument. I like to think the cloud-like pad at 0:34 symbolizes heaven and the bass at 0:51 represents earth, so when they combine at 1:27, a concrete visual scene emerges. "Take a vacation," the mix says. It certainly practices what it preaches.

Rough breakdown of each section: 1st - Sounds like something I'd hear at the Cherry Blossom Festival. The flute's a hypnotic lure, and the progressional backup instruments make the whole vibe dreamy. Even the "sad" key at 1:05-1:21 is addicting. 2nd - It begins like a star-studded, flashy nightclub, then turns heavenly when presenting all manners of strings. The ending is boisterously baller thanks to that audience member going "Aw, come on!" and the fact that the booing CUTS OFF Team Gato's second rendition. 3rd - The violin sets a melodramatic mood - a fitting precursor to the phone conversation. "You know I got some metal joints" is so full of innuendos. Backup voices add plenty of warmth, especially at 3:27's "joints." Steamy. 4th - A crazy pizzicato, gooey bass, and sharp, rap-based synth set the comical rivalry/animosity between Crono and Gato. 4:16 presents some outlandish pads like a respite before the face-off. "And we'll go at it, punk" sounds like the definitive "it's on" trigger. All my Silver Points are belong to this.

With NSF tracks 36, 22, and 1 woven into an ornate orchestral setting, each source's underlying emotions are amplified and respected. Transitions (both major and micro) are handled like expert surgery, and every instrument is measured via duration, support, and emotive response to not feel out of place. The result is a leisurely and adventurous quasi-narrative: the peace of a flower garden, swift samurai strife, and a homecoming rife with loss. The end feels full of questions the listener must answer on their own, concluding with a tone of "to be continued...?" Classic stuff. Mix delivers.

Right off the bat, the cross-panned+reverbed beat/melody is infectious and lively. And the freestyle lead seems to reach the horizon and beyond, flying without a care in the world. No way I can be negative when these elements keep me busy swaying and hopping in my seat. Static creeps into the lonely sound field and gets clearer and crunchier, turning into 8-bit drums and finally claps for the rave-like burst at 1:12. They reappear as a lead-in to 2:51, and at that point the party is in full throttle. After the chips, dip, and soda have all been consumed, things settle down the smoothest with a light whistle and some pads. It feels like I'm watching clouds pass by and the day come to an end. Also, I love how 2:24 sounds like Misa Amane as a pop singer. Cute.

Using decisive notes from the sources, this mix maintains the sounds and moods of each while granting the arrangement some simple but colorful exploration space. That's why I covet the uplifting tangents at 0:38+ and 1:32+. I also like how 1:02 sweeps away the bustling action to reveal the gently swaying core, which could rock an infant to sleep. The mix encounters no dead ends and traverses no uneven ground as it slips in and out of the sources, finding and expressing all it needs to. It feels like the "old west" whistle in Norfair is deliberately succeeded by the "high noon" bells in Kraid's lair. Perhaps the Mother Brain is anticipating a smokin' quick draw with Samus. The machinery hum and rapid blips at the start sound like mini-alarms, as if foreshadowing the doomsday explosion should Samus win the shoot-out. Or maybe they represent the activity of her life-support system, along with the timely exhalations that could pass for her breathing. ...Yeah, Mother Brain's life sucks. But this mix sure as hell doesn't.

Singing Pretzel needs a lyrics tab. The vocals link in the writeup doesn't work, so you can get 'em from here. LT: Fixed.

I like how the choir opens up like a reminder of the human instrument that will lead the mix. Sprinkly percussion is soon joined by an amphibious bass, forming the backbone to support the singing. The synth at 0:44 serves as a welcome stepping stone to the chorus. I would've liked to hear a sparse section where the subtle pad in the back has more air time - it sounds both mysterious and calming. The bass-dominated breakdown really sounds like it wants me to "get down" based on its mini-nosedives. As if understanding the sentiment, the warpy synth at 1:08 has a pleasurable romp before cheekily assisting the vocals in the final section. 1:29-1:31 is a contagiously hopeful mini-climax; it holds my emotions at a high point until the end. Close listening shows that the vocals generally echo the notes in the source, and except for one line, the lyrics match up to the letter. djp's not at fault for the voice cracks and wavers in the louder/higher pitches - male adolescence is to blame. But I digress. On the flip side, his whispers are sexy, even snakelike, especially when noting the "dark storm that soon will paSSSS." Matching the speed of the original leaves some words inaudible, sure, but without lyrics on hand, even the source isn't 100% clear. Moral of the mix: Zorlog needs more lovin'. More time in the sun. Singing Pretzel brims with a holy magic that Fighting Through the Darkness lacks.

A contemplative serenity surrounds this mix thanks in large part to its choral pads and its transitions. Extra notes are lovingly dropped in places where the source stagnates in order to raise our spirits, prepare us for a busy section, or just feel more complete. The thrice-appearing "down the scale" section is compatible with either a lead-in or a lead-out; at 2:05 it's bridged by the rise and fall of the bell lead, and at 0:29 it flows like a stream into the source beginning. I even admire how the tail end of the source is brought to the front, without a lead but harboring glowing drums and pizzicato, to contrast with the bell-led iterations and illustrate the mix's growth. Makes me happy and makes the Ys goddess proud.

This forcibly reminds me of Shadowgate 64, thanks to the corridor-creeping pizzicato strings (1:52 = strongest), the woodwinds expressing tall tower wonder (2:47+ = ditto), and the overall vibe (exploring in a musky, people-less fantasy setting). Furtive and gripping, like a spellbook waiting to be found.

On the surface, Drift seems to share many blood-related traits of Heart of the Giant, like frame of progression, certain synth/percussion types, and even introductory points. But judicious sonic enhancements make this mix more focused and sweeping. I can imagine dolphins leaping and diving along a constantly panning ocean surface thanks to things like: - emotionally imploring synths - thunderous drums - "miscellaneous" sound effects in the source (bovine, chirping, mechanical, etc.) replaced by those of marine mammals to reflect the Ecco setting Makes me wish I could joyride (joyswim?) on the Pacific Ocean like a dolphin.

It sounds like Conrad's leisurely strutting through warped-out jungles on the planet Titan, or he's walking through his own memories in greens and golds. The higher key, slower pace, and happier, humming bass make Nostalgy Dimension appropriately daydreamy. I like how the bell-like lead from the source is maintained (in an upgraded form) at 1:32+. More than that, though, I appreciate how the different leads at 0:52+ and 2:38+ flank it in order to add distance to the places this mix goes. When their labors are done, 3:16 turns its attention inward, toward the bass/percussion. Perhaps thinking it's not varied enough, 3:26 unleashes a finale-ish drumgasm to help it alter its pattern, even if for a little bit. Holocube-ically transporting.

This really takes the source for a spin. It warms up extensively yet vividly, flexing a palette of ideas like muscles. I love the piano in particular - it effectively heralds the mix like the dawn of a new day. Drum and percussion maturation is so delectable you can almost taste it; intro appetizers grow into new tonalities and intensities (1:35+ = hot). Periodic quips like the wind flaps and the Game Over riff add a bold and ghostly sub-vibe to the mix. Even the ending's no slouch - it ebbs and sighs like a sunset, matching the grace of the intro. It rolls, it morphs, it's a controlled but fun ride like an automatic ball machine.

Listening to Eros makes me picture a beach at night: waves, wind, and a star-studded sky. The wealth of sensitivities employed here make this naturally drift, fly, sparkle, and seduce. Amusingly, the twinkly bells in the intro and outro act like gentle kisses, and the piano is like a shy lover in how its dynamics vary its vocal courage. Strings rise and fall where needed to both supplement and complement the melodic leads, most prominently at 1:33-1:40. 2:19+ makes me tear up inside, and the crescendo at 2:37 is grand and captivating. Eros shoots its arrow >---> straight to my heart. <3

See that picture in the top right corner of the page? That's an OCR mascot. If you click him/her/it/them, you'll go to a page with a short bio on said mascot, a list of their game appearances, and reference links for further reading. Try it. Also: http://www.ocremix.org/info/About_Us

The 10 notes at 0:13-0:17 and elsewhere remind me of the first level of Nitemare 3D; hearing that in a mix with an eerie sadness to it just kinda fits. Rapid swivels and scratches love to flip, twist, and undress the percussion in every direction without disturbing the creamy Rhodes lead. At 1:50+, the bells feel like they're trying to compete for attention in the full sound field; however, at 2:14, they foster a clear, pure segue into the next section. And what a ghostly midriff with the square wave-like bass and static playing over the barely audible voice. Needless to say, the many voice clips a-a-a-a-a-and chopping up of (3:05 lol) are a guilty pleasure. Closing out the mix with a lullaby-like iteration is the icing on the cake made entirely of frosting.

The aura-like pads and the lonely piano make this eternally enduring like Ryu's fighting spirit. Meanwhile, the shaker percussion, bass, and lead-in elements create momentum without losing focus. 0:54 and 3:25 introduce distinct portions of Ryu's theme, though I would've liked to hear the rest of the source explored in this soul-wresting vibe. 4:46+ wraps everything up with an easeful pad, a piano string, and a Shoryuken that brings the world warrior to a new level of power and confidence.

While Aquatic Ambiance employs a subtle, minutely worrisome feel, Blue Vision is openly sweeping, bubbly, and pronounces the beat to the point where I just gotta bob my head. Every lead synth is endearingly elastic, and the constant ebb and flow of effects adds to the strong but gentle current in this mix. I also like the way the chewy supporting lead (3:07+) alters itself briefly before the very end (4:08+).

Bomberfuzz boasts a bright and hyper character thanks to the processing attributes of many of its synths. Just the first one slinks left and right while speaking many vowels through an echo-y hallway - really flexible-like. A second lead (0:43-1:11) adds a transporting touch by sounding like it's moving through a tunnel. Mini explosions every so often and a growling/rubbery bass synth or two really pack on the density. Even so, the electric spurts that go "WOW" (1:14 and elsewhere), as well as the Bomberman voice samples, poke through the busy soundscape to serve as comic relief. And speaking of relief, even the calm breakdown is windy, smoky, and modulated lightly to gracefully contrast with the rough-and-tumble bulk. Fiery, forceful, and blows up in your face just like a bomb.

Everything floats thanks to plenty of reverb applied to atmospheric samples. It's like it's illustrating the weather: rolling clouds, light rain, and sun rays piercing through. Specifically, the bell+harp slowdown (0:42-1:06) is playful and pure, like drops of water or ripples in a pond. I also get a Secret of Mana vibe from the blippy, cross-panned synths at 2:32, the church bells (like in The Orphan of the Storm), and the drums at 3:32. Kizukaseru isn't just heavenly, it IS the heavens. Graceful and serene.