Chimpazilla

Whoa, that drop! Luscious synthwave indeed. This is so creative with the sax that soars over the soundscape, the vocoded vocals (would have liked more!), and that cello... pure silk. The piano is tasteful and well done. The sound palette is constantly changing while staying cohesive each element compliments the whole. My only wish would be for more beef in the low end, which has been pointed out, but otherwise this mix is a winner. YES

Wow, that's a lot of remix crammed into a short little package! I like it, and it grows on me more with each listen. I like the stacked saw lead even though it's LOWD. From what I can tell you have your limiter set to 0db, but it is still clipping. I'm going to share my pro-tip for mixing as loud as possible without clipping. Lower the input gain into your master channel by a few db (I usually lower by 5-10db depending on what I'm writing). Then bring it back up with one or two compressors and/or limiters in your master chain. That little trick alone will allow you to master your track to sound even louder than it is but without clipping at all. Oh and set your ceiling more like -0.3db to make sure. Please reduce the master overcompression/clipping. Other than that, yeah let's do this. YES (conditional)

Well, this is an eclectic mix! I agree with Emu about the rigid piano being an issue. The intro really exposes it. The bendy ocarina works in the intro due to the reverb, but after that it is dry and sticks out. After Navi says "listen!" I expect a drop but it's still sparse piano after that, which feels like a letdown, I think her vocal should occur instead before the beat drops. This arrangement feels odd to me, at 0:43 there is a tape stop and then a blast of frenetic piano, it just doesn't flow for me. The sections with the beat feel the most natural to me, I'd enjoy this arrangement more if the beat continued and/or developed throughout most of the song other than one or two short breakdowns. The arrangement feels really choppy and awkward as it stands now. The ideas are solid but the arrangement and production need work. NO

This is a tough call for me. As familiar as I am with this source material, I'm questioning whether it meets the criteria to be considered a song. To me it's more of an ambient soundscape, almost more of a sfx than a song. As for the remix, it is mastered way too quietly which is an ongoing problem with Rebecca's arrangements. This mix is maxing at -5db which is incredibly quiet. I have no problem with the instruments, they sound clean and natural enough to me, but I don't really feel this is a "song." I can't find anything in the OCR standards about the source material or remix needing to be a proper song, and I'm open to having my mind changed, so it's just my opinion that this mix isn't quite OCR material because it feels sparse and disconnected rather than being a proper arrangement. NO

I agree with Gario entirely here. The production isn't perfect, and some elements (mids and mid-highs) do sound muddy and overly fuzzy. But everything is clear to hear, especially the leads, and the creativity in this arrangement are just awesome. Too much goodness not to see this on the front page. Let's go with this one! YES

I like the idea of a full orchestration of this lovely theme, but other than the key change this is super conservative. I do appreciate that you've expanded the sound palette and added additional writing. But my main issue is the production. The lead flute as pointed out needs time to breathe in between phrases, and the backing elements are all so loud that the flute gets almost entirely drowned out when everything swells up. I know how difficult it is to get a full orchestra sounding real, and I don't insist that it all sound perfectly real, but the backing strings need some swells automated in so they sound more natural, and they need to come down in volume. The entire mix needs a volume re-balance, and could benefit from some EQ treatment so the elements each sit in their own place in the frequency spectrum. There will still be some overlap of course but if you cut lows out of elements that don't need lows, it will sound cleaner. NO

Cool arrangement and writing ideas, and interesting sound choices, but I have to agree with the guys above regarding the production. Mainly the mix sounds cluttered and muddy. I don't hear any sidechaining, so the kick is not only getting lost but it is doubling up the lows when it hits. At a minimum the bass needs to be sidechained, but I recommend each element get some sidechaining, including leads and backing elements (very gently, only a couple of db of gain reduction). Also, and maybe even more importantly, each element in the mix needs to be EQd so that each thing sits well in the mix. As it stands now I hear many elements overlapping and crowding each other. Cut lows out of everything that isn't kick or bass, for example your leads can be lowcut around 200Hz. This will clear out a ton of mud. Make sure reverbs are also lowcut. That is a rather odd snare! Not quite a plastic bucket for me, but well into the uncanny valley. Regarding the arrangement, I have to agree the mix outstays its welcome and goes on too long without introducing anything new, so I'd recommend cutting the arrangement back by 1-2 minutes. Good start but needs some attention. NO

Right away I feel like the intro is going on way too long. The siren riser happens too many times. The intro would be better if it were shorter, with some lows in it (full soundscape), and filtering out the lows as you lead into a drop. As it stands, this just drags on. Ok I'm now 2:30 in, and still no drop, instead the same thing I thought was a long intro is repeating verbatim. Hoo boy, no drop, no development. I like your sound palette ideas, but this is just a musical sketch and not a complete arrangement. NO

I am digging this super low bass. Ooooooo the growls are excellent. The snare is quite prominent but not overly so to me. The soundscape sounds full and empty at the same time which is something I really like. Great use of sfx. This is such a unique take on Kraid's theme. YES

Oh wow! I'm loving this right away. The vocal clips are terrific. When the beat drops, it's intense. I love a nice meaty kick but I feel like this kick hits just a bit too hard when paired with that first bassline. I see djp wished for an octave lower on the bassline, I think the octave used is fine until 1:33 at which point the bass really is playing an octave too high. Other than that issue, I think what's here works fine. I absolutely love the transition to the triplets at 2:51, I love that entire section, including the modulation, those are excellent surprises. The final section starting at 4:01 feels tacked on and unnecessary, the track could have finished out with the triplets and been complete, or the final section really should have been signaled somehow. And I agree with Larry that the final cutoff could be corrected with a quick fadeout. Overall, I dig this, let's do it. YES

I really like this arrangement and the instrumentation choices are solid. I agree with all the issues pointed out in the above votes, but the one thing that stands out to me the most is the lack of sparkle in the mix. With a little more highs overall, and perhaps some ear candy here and there, this would really make an impact. As it stands, it does sound just a tad muddy, or at least sonically disappointing, due to the lack of high-end sparkle. The chug guitars sound very autopilot and too quiet throughout the mix, and the leads are on the weak side both in production and writing. Although what I just wrote sounds all negative, I still think it's a lovely piece and certainly worthy of being heard by OCR fans, let's put this on the front page. YES

Chiming in here to agree that this is an excellent track. I agree with djp's vote entirely, and most especially about the lack of stereo separation. That's a shame because there are so many luscious details here that could be all over the soundscape and they are just dead center or lightly separated. This would have been an easy fix to make this a fully-immersive experience. Also, I agree with Larry "boooooooooo" for copy-pasta, and the sameness of the instrumentation throughout the arrangement makes the track feel longer than it should be. But dang, it's groovus-maximus, gotta go with it. YES

I'll be rubber-stamping this awesome jazzy upbeat 6/8 arrangement. I hear plenty of source in the verses, and flourishes in the connecting sections, and I agree that the bassline interprets Lava Path well. As always, awesome arrangement, performance and production from Nostalvania. YES

Rubber stamping this one. The arrangement is great, really dynamic and expressive. The piano sample is just a bit oof, since it is so prominent. The sound is quite tinny and thin. But dang, what a great arrangement. The piano sample being a little low quality does not stop me from enjoying this piece. YES

Oh... gosh. Can we argue that there IS in fact enough polka in the world? Regardless, what an interesting and creative way to approach a remix, it's cute and upbeat. The arrangement is quite well crafted. The instruments sound incredibly dry and fake, which considering the silliness of this arrangement, may actually be ok. The drums are super simple and robotic, which I find distracting. Source is a problem for me. This remix might be lousy with source and I'm just not hearing it clearly (other than the obvious five-note patterns and flourishes) due to the change from minor to major. That change is massive and for me eliminates all connection to the source tune, even if the writing has been preserved almost verbatim (which I'm not sure of). I'm leaning towards a NO primarily for the overly-dry/fake instrumentation and robotic drums. I won't judge based on source until I see a couple other Js chime in. edit 11-2-21: I'm revisiting this many months later. I still find this mix incredibly charming and silly. Reading through the other votes, I agree that the drums are on the loud side, as well as being simple and static as I previously mentioned, but the loudness does not seem like an issue to me. The simple, static drum groove does in fact go with this style. This track may not be everyone's cup of tea, as this split vote indicates, but I'm feeling like "it is what it is" and the creativity is winning the day for me. I didn't expect this to be my ultimate vote, but here it is: YES

Double-rubber-stamping. I like the arrangement and the trance style, plenty of personalization, but the vanilla-sounding synths and underwhelming mixing are tanking this. In 2021 the production bar is higher than this. It's an awesome start but needs modernization. I'd love to hear this again using much more interesting sound design. NO

Quote Vote ™. Wes nailed it, I agree totally. I do this same thing in my intros and I'd hate for it to be chopped into such small pieces and given a NO for that reason. As I listen through this remix I never have a moment when I'm not sure what source I'm hearing remixed. It's a well-produced fun track. It's LOWD (-7.3db RMS) but I hear no compression issues. Let's do this. YES

This is quite a unique approach to this source, and I love it. (is it sung in Polish?) I agree with the other two Js on the production side, however. The vocals are way too loud. I hear a few pitchy notes but they aren't dealbreakers for me. The vocals don't sound as dry to me as they do to the other Js, but I suspect the extra-loud volume of the vocals is giving them a dryer feel. The volume of the vocals just has to come down. Still, a bit of additional reverb added to the vocals (making sure to cut lows out of the reverb to avoid mud) would get them to sit better in the mix. I also agree that this track has a huge dynamic range which could benefit from some better overall compression and/or volume automation to make the listening experience a bit more consistent. These should be pretty easy fixes. I can't wait to hear this back again and get it on the front page because I really like this remix! NO (resubmit please)

I remember mastering this one, I hadn't heard it since then so clicking on it now was a nice surprise. I adored this remix as I was working with it and it still sounds amazing to me. I admit when I master, I'm focused almost entirely on production so I don't consider the source too closely. Now that I'm really comparing, it's tricky because the source is in 3/4 and in another key, and the connections are quite a bit looser than I'd like. I want to pass this track, but I'm hoping that someone who's stronger in source comparison than I am will perhaps kindly do a breakdown. (*cough cough Rexy*) Gosh I still love this track. NOT SURE YET DUE TO SOURCE

I hear what the other Js are saying about repetition, and I think the continuous same baseline is what causes that for me, but I agree with Larry that there is more than enough variation in the track to overcome the repetition. I like the double-time section and I really like the new lead I hear there. I don't care for fadeouts, but this one doesn't detract from the overall vibe of the track. I love this source in synthwave style. This one works for me. YES

Interesting track! The guitar work is excellent, and the organ is giving me some Deep Purple vibes, although I agree with Larry that the whole-note emphasis in the organ line is disappointing. The vocals are well performed and entertaining. Thanks to Rexy for the source breakdown. I don't disagree with many of the production crits others have mentioned, but I don't find anything dealbreaker-worthy in the production. Feels like a solid, enjoyable track to me. Let's get it posted! YES

This mix was done SO LONG AGO. But it still holds up! I hear the love and creativity that went into it, and how well Timaeus and I worked together on it. We had a blast making it!

You guys, am I just missing something here? I totally get not thinking the mixing is sufficient, but I am really not getting the rejection on grounds of it being a cover. I'm not sure why I'm the only one who feels this way and I'm legit confused. Perhaps @Liontamer could shed some light on this? Larry if you think this is truly a cover, I will relent. Thanks!

Ooooooooooo I love this intro, you've set up a spooky vibe immediately with those crushed bass swells. It takes awhile to build to the theme but it's a great ride. I love the stylistic crushing of some elements, while leaving the lead bell sound clean. Changing time signatures here... it seems like the mix goes from 4/4 with triplets to 3/4 at 3:09, either that or it's just written entirely in triplets from that point out, but it's seamless and I love it. The clock ticking is a great bit of ear candy. This arrangement is interesting, changing timbres as it moves along while still feeling totally cohesive. You captured a creepy vibe that I'm really digging. The mixing is good; it's a loud master though, peaking at 0.9db and hitting -6.8db RMS, but it's clean. Really liking this remix! Ok I just listened seven times. YES

WOW this waveform is a sausage, ok let's see what's up. Those toms in the intro are awesome, and the guitar tone is great right away. Oh my this is so loud, peaking at 0.5db and hitting -6.7db RMS, but dang it sounds so huge. There are some elements I think could be mixed more prominently, the chugs are drowning out almost everything else and there are some lovely details getting lost. It's a very busy and dense mix, and as Joel pointed out that is tricky unless you mix things just right, making sure all lows are removed from every element that isn't meant to play low. So the mixing isn't perfect, but this is a really well done arrangement, it's super exciting and I love it, let's do this. YES