DragonAvenger

The tribal feel is really good on this, and for a first mix this is some solid work. The vocals used really added some nice character, I would have liked more of that brought back stronger later on in the mix. The trumpet is a little weak, and there was one part (1:38) where I felt it clashed not very well with the other instruments going on, but that moment is brief. There are plenty of other good things to make up for some tiny flaws. Nice work, and welcome!

I like how this stays very light throughout the mix. I'm feeling like I'm on my porch watching a storm, but it's just a light shower with a little thunder for effect, nothing serious. Nice use of instruments to achieve that effect. While the source is there, I think that because it's brought down to bare-bones at times is where people are getting the "liberal" feel. With just hints of the source melody and nothing else anchoring it strongly it makes it harder for the brain to make that clear connection. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it depends on the listener whether they like it or not. I'm not sure what I think yet, to be honest. Cool stuff, though.

I can't believe how Shna does this. It's an enviable talent to be able to sit down and throw together an amazing piece, let alone a remix, out of nowhere. Loving this all the way through. Am I the only one feeling almost a little bit of FFX piano tracks in here? I don't know if it's the tone of the piano or what, but I'm getting that vibe, oddly enough.

Hard not to move to the beat in this one. Love the wah guitar and the bass quite a bit, they really help make this track groove. The combination and balance between all the instruments is just right, and the soloing is quite nice. Don't know the source myself, but it stands alone pretty solidly, so nice work.

Having been listening to the Gun.Smoke remix lately, I can immediately hear the spaghetti western feel in this, and it works really well. I like how this has been slowed down to a sort of somber remembrance track. I think the guitars are especially nice. I'm not entirely digging the harmonica sound used for the lead, but it's not so bad that I can't enjoy the track. Great work.

Epic bass. Seriously.

Lots of details in this one that are really cool. I love the super low bass near the beginning, and the section from 4:20 to nearly the end is pretty cool. I agree with OA's judging about this sounding like Secret of Mana +. Overall, really nice work here, I'm liking htis one a lot.

Happy birthday to OC ReMix!!!

I enjoyed the opening and ending a lot more than I did the middle section. Dave put it right when he said it felt like a descent into darkness for those portions, which I thought was a really cool and mesmerizing affect. The center section felt a bit aimless to me (odd considering the beginning is aimless as well, but IMO in a good way), and it didn't fit with overall with the two outside sections. Too bad, I really liked the intro/ending.

I'm feeling like the vocals aren't in the same chord as the background that is playing, and it's really driving me nuts. This song never worked for me, mostly for that reason. Sorry.

This is very pretty, but I'd be tempted to call it just a cover with some additional parts thrown in. The playing is nice, and the sound quality is good, but between this and the FFIV piano collections version, I would go with that for some more intricate background material. I will also agree with others that the flute added doesn't really gel with the piano as much as compete with it for dominance. It's nice, but not as much of an arrangement as a cover.

What's cool about this is how often things change up throughout. Things are being dropped and added almost every 10 seconds. It keeps your attention. Just like the source, though, this doesn't really develop. After about 2 minutes I was ready for this one to be done. By that point I felt like there wasn't anything else that could be pulled from the source. I'd have to say this one just goes on too long for such a short melody to begin with that doesn't have a real melody. I would have been far happier with something half the length of this one.

The overall mysterious tone of this song is really cool. It makes me think of swimming super deep in the ocean where you start to see all the WTF fish. The industrial percussion adds to the tension nicely, as well. Cool stuff.

Very interesting idea. The instruments and style fit the song pretty well, and it's creatively done with good balance. However, I have to say this just isn't a pleasant listen. Partly because of how shrill the song is overall, and partly because I just hate the source. Nothing against Mazedude, I like most of his stuff, but this one is not for me. Cute ending though, did the bagpipe player get shot?

How ironic that I just watched this

Certainly something someone could dance to. The percussion really kicks out a groove, though it doesn't really change up during the mix, and the background keeps things intense. My favorite section is 2:05 when it breaks down for a bit. The main lead sound doesn't really fit the rest of the mix, in my opinion. It feels too mechanical and chip compared to the rest of the song. Also, there is a lot of repetition, and the dynamics don't do much, making the mix get a little static by the end. Not huge issues, but a bit of a detractor. Nice work.

Some cool stuff going on here. I can recognize a few of these tunes just through listening to other mixes, and this is a pretty cool medley. Transitions are done well, so things don't get caught up between songs. Overall playing is nice and tight, no complaints there. I like the raw feeling of the guitars, but I feel like they're lacking a little bite at times. They feel like their set a bit too far back in the soundscape. Other than that, cool stuff.

This is a fun mix. I only vaguely know the source just from listening to other mixes, but I like the adaption here. This definitely rocks, and it feels pretty natural overall to bring it into a rock style, which I wouldn't have imagined. Personally I feel like the mix isn't as tight as it could be. The instruments just aren't quite matching up in a couple sections and it feels a bit awkward (like just enough for it to be noticeable). I think it would have been brought up a notch just by being a little tighter and together. Nice work, I'm rockin' out.

Would the judges do the DJP, the BGC, or the Liontamer?

While this isn't grabbing my attention as much as for the other reviewers in this mix, I can see a lot of good things going on here. The sound effects are surprisingly good, and I'm usually skeptical on those sorts of things. The melody keeps a nice darker tone that works with the repetitive line you hear throughout and the percussion. I would have liked some panning throughout, and I personally like a little more change up/less repetitiveness, but that's personal taste kicking in. Nice work on this.

I am seriously glad I came across this track. I remember my brother playing this game (and generally sucking at it, not like I would have done any better), so I did a quick check of the source. What ilp0's done to the source is quite awesome, and worth checking out. There is certainly a Cowboy Bebop feel to this, whether the use of the various styles, or the instruments (piano at 1:50 really feels Kanno-ish), or the general awesomeness of this mix. OA is also right that headphones make a difference in listening to this one. Recommended, especially after a long and somewhat frustrating day.

Absolutely right. The idea that people at magfest overall have a better idea about remixing in general than the populace at Otakon was my basis of the idea. I was also thinking that it would be pre-judged (hence "Live"), or if you wanted to do more of a joke thing, make a joke mix, if someone wanted to whip something together. Mostly I was thinking that it would be something where someone could really see where the judges make the connections that they do, and how they would arrive at the decision they did.

Since this is a more "mature" audience, it might be cool to do a 'live judging' on a track that's on the queue. Show people the source, the mix, then break it down for them, talk about the good stuff, production issues, etc. with a lot of referrences back to the mix (especially if you play everything you're talking about). Then, since you'd probably want to play a yes'd track, have it release that night. Just my thought.

The opening is really almost transcendent. I was wondering if this was going to stay in that mood, but when it picks up I'm not dissapointed. Things are a little soft spoken overall, but it makes it feel almost like a flashback. I like the string swells, though they might be a tad overused. The sound effects are killing me, though. Yuck. I'd be much happier without them. Things also get a little long towards the end, I might have liked it to wrap up a little earlier. Nice track, good stuff going on...except the sound effects.

This packs plenty of energy, and you aren't left wanting more by the end. Nice guitar work all around, and a good track to rock out to. Nice work.