Fieari

This is a very nice variations work. It's a little bit more artsy and technical than some people like, and this situation is exacerated due to the fact that he's mixing new styles into the variation... the grand orchestral style used to great effect in modern movies leads us to expect certain things like a grand climax which a "variation" just doesn't require, or indeed, even look for. When we hear a string section with a classical or march drum beat with a soaring melody instrument such as the flute here (can I call this a Jethro flute? seems to borrow some of his style a little bit at times as well) it brings to mind the grand movie epic style... but that's not what this is. I've found this to be very enjoyable to listen to. The mix of new and old theories work together very well for me. I can see why it's not everyone's cup of tea, but listening to the various canon sections (not canon as gun, canon as "row row row your boat") and the way the harmonies play with the melodies and indeed... the nice samples and production value... it works for me. Nice. Definitely an interesting new take on an old theme.

Awesome work guys. This song has it going. Great piano, and while I'm usually rather anti-social when it comes to any drums in a piece, I didn't mind them here. Probably because you avoided the pitfall I hate most of all: using drums to PROVIDE the beat when the instrument itself should be able to handle that on its own. The piano here clearly handled its own dynamics well, with plenty of rhythm, and the backbeat merely accentuated it, with a bit of variation so it didn't get monotonous. I like! I like! Good job.

MC Mouse, dang man... you can RAP. Those are some phat rhymes, ya hear? Love the intensity of your voice, the rapidness of your rhthym, that awesome tonguetwister quality that makes a rap fun... you know a good rap when it doesn't NEED a drumloop to support it, and this don't. Beatdrop... could use a teensy bit of work. Or maybe it was just the luck of the draw which lyric set he was stuck with. It felt a little faltering, it wasn't as forceful, not as rhthmic. I also found the really hard core background noise a bit offsetting. Of course, I'm not a real fan of really hardcore stuff, so take that with a grain of salt. And to this day I've never actually heard someone perform my favorite rap: Tolkien's Troll Song... yes, I'm a geek. At any rate, the whole of this is quite enjoyable, and I hope someone more talented than me makes a DWI stepfile for it. Would be fun to dance to. (As long as said DWI file has a standard mode setting... can't do the heavy difficulty level yet)

Edit: Nevermind, found the lyrics. Below the review. Heh. Hadn't thought to look there!

I would have loved to hear this without the kick drum thingy. It didn't NEED it. It doesn't add to it. I feel it distracts from the beautiful orchestral stuff in the background. A song like this should be able to hold a beat without hammering it into your skull like this, I think. Or even if you wanted to emphasize a beat, why not do it orchestrally? I mean, I find myself having to actively put up mental filters to pretend that backbeat isn't there...

I can hear the poor guitar, but more than that, I can hear the "soul" of this peice, which is fantastic. I have but one complaint, and that is that I think that the snare drum used near the beginning really detracts from the music. It feels far to jarring to me. It's jarring near the end too, but not as much and could be forgivable. I just don't like it at the beginning at all. It makes me wince. But there are so many moments this song has! Moments that are FULL of emotion and meaning! It's quite good, and well worth the download and listen.

People! Recognize technical beauty when you hear it! This is freedom personified into musical form! Freedom to fly, to soar... freedom to rest, to sleep... freedom to appreciate life. Try what Pretzel says and tap your foot or nod your head to the rythym. You can do it for short periods of time, but then it always breaks out, but does so in a way that maintains musical form and precision. This is entrancing, enthralling, beautiful. This song has soul. It has a story, a tale to tell, and it paints a fluid picture in my mind. Waterfalls and streams and sea and sky... At the same time it is incredibly precious, and horribly cruel. Not for the bouncing about it does with timing and beats, which is beautiful in and of itself, but because it builds and builds and builds and then drops you at the end, leaving you panting for more! "There should be another verse," I cry! But somehow, I feel that this too was intentional. It's like ending a message with an elipsis... there's more, it says, but I'll leave it to your imagination. Cruel, but still profound. This is good.

This Guitar rocks. This remix rocks. Goat rocks. Rock on! How much more can be said than this? How much more NEEDS to be said? Just listen to it! I am inspired by the rockingness of this rocking remix! Woo! All of it just fits together... its so coherant, and it all works... DJPretz gave a glowing review of this, which is rare these days. But really, this DESERVES it. I'm not sure how you could do this better than it is done here. Rock. \m/

This is quite awesome indeed. This is a style of piano I don't think I've ever heard before, mixing the rapid heart pounding driving sections in with the softer smoother gentler sections. I have but one complaint, and that is that I had to turn my speakers up a considerable amount in order to hear this mix. A little bit of extra volume would have been welcome, and perhaps just the tiniest bit of extra fidelity. Other than that, I'm in love with this piece. It just does everything so well!

Oh wow, this is gorgeous. The instrument quality is superb, and the dynamics are so evocative. Now, I have very little experience with creating music via a sequencer, so when I hear little touches like the faint slur with that plucked string instrument at the high end (listen closely... it sounds like the player is sliding his/her fingers along the board while plucking those particular notes) it sounds more real than I'm used to when hearing arrangements like this. I would argue against the person saying that the main instrument is unbalanced as well. I hear plenty of dynamic variety, and various things are emphasized at different times. Sometimes a particular instrument takes the stage more fully in order to draw out a specific feeling more strongly... and I'd say it does so very very well. I too was worried about when Schala would come in, but in this respect, I too was pleasantly surprised. When the bells came in at 3:15, I suddenly realised that the song had been building up to it for the past few sections, and it did so so seemlessly that when the bells came in, it felt very natural. And then later, when the two themes merged, Schala became a beautiful BACKGROUND on the strings... it didn't take the limelight, but rather emphasized the beauty of its counterpart melody and took full advantage of the lovely instruments. Well done. This is great stuff.

Oh man... as a flutist myself, I can REALLY appreciate that flute there. That sounds like it's played on wood to me, one of the more awesome flute materials. When it kicked in, I was floored. For the introduction, when it was pure piano, I was leaning back in my chair, really enjoying the flowing swirls and eddies, and when the flute came it, I jerked into an upright position. As it started to really jam, I just had to drum along, rapping my knuckles on my computer desk. The poor sound recording? So what. This ROCKS man... ROCKS. Pun not intended. Woohoo! I gotta listen to this again, get out my flute and see if I can keep up!

Nice work. I too am a huge fan of "The Trial in Concert" and while that peice will never be displaced in my heart, this one may well come up beside it. As I see it, The Trial in Concert is to be played during the actual trial scene. This peice is to be played AFTER the trial, during the excape. I don't particularly remember what actual music CT played during the excape, but this should be there instead of whatever forgettable theme it happened to be. It has that dark edge to it, a hurried rushed feeling (not in terms of polish, in terms of getting my heart pumping) and a sense of distinct urgency that feels appropriate for "You've just been screwed, now we need to get out of this mess." The piano version of this song is more "You are now being screwed". Well done. I only wish I was able to hack together a version of trigger that used OC remixes instead of the OSVs...

Wow. I've never heard anything like this before. I didn't quite believe Pretzel when he said this was something NEW... but it really is. The closest thing I can really compare it to is the megaman "Break the Beat in Half - Extra Pie Mix" which really isn't the same style at all, although it may have a slightly familiar philosophy in that it keeps jumping around. And besides, this mix is of better quality, I think. While I'm a really big orchestral fan, and I'd love to hear a full mix done on one or two of the sections in this (specifically :45 to :50, for example.. 1:05-1:10, and there were a couple other similar sections as well) this mix is something very VERY original. As I mentioned, I've never heard anything quite like it. One could wish it were slightly longer, but then, this does communicate it's music quite well, and anything further would have to break even more new territory-- this bit has indeed been adquetely developed. So good job there. I'm only asking for more length because I'm a greedy bastard who, when given something good, wants more goodness. Good work, well done! Hope to hear more from you in the future!

Mr. Michael, in reply, I'd ask you to take a look at this site's FAQ, and esspecially the mission statement. I'd like to emphasize that the purpose of OCR is for MUSIC over nostalgia. Not to say that the nostalgia thing isn't there, but it isn't the focus. It's not the purpose of OCR. If you're looking for the original sound with updated instruments, such things can be found, often on P2P services. I have two Grand Epic Orchestral mixes of the Main Zelda theme. It's out there. And this fufills a niche, a purpose, but that doesn't mean it's the sole thing to seek after. I'm just as in awe of the megaman piano solos as I am of AE's Techno works, even though the Techno is rather more similar to the original. (AE's works, by the way, are superb, and fall into the selection of the few techno songs I love) And who's to say that this sort of thing, found in Eutopia Pegasi can't evoke images from the game? Music can tell a story. I could personally see this exact remix in the upcomming Zelda game shown at E3 this year, with the Adult Link. It could be played during a cinematic, during the introduction, while a prophesy is being delivered, or perhaps in a temple, or while walking through the sunlit woods. It's not like the entire game is all about nonstop action (well, the first one was, but that has now been the expection to the rule with every game since). I'm just listening to the cresendo at 3:25 now... ooh, I can just SEE the spinning triforce here in a stone temple, with sunlight light pouring through a window... and the camera draws back, and the doors shut... And then we're outside, in the Golden Land, and it's night... the people who have been trapped here are going about their new lives in their new forms... and life is displayed, with hope for the future dispite the moblin hordes. Even here, under Ganon's rule, there is hope, and resistance. And then the finale to the song, where we return to Link himself, and he's being sent off on his quest. It all begins now, now is the time to do great things, heroic things. Yeah, this is epic. This is good stuff. This is music.

There have been a few attempts at the reverse, taking the complex and making it simple. I've heard a few chiptune remakes of more modern orchestral peices, and OC Remix's own "Battle of Strings and a Cell Phone" is a really neat peice of the same vein. But we aren't talking about such things here. We're talking about THIS little work of art. To me, it sounds very similar to the recent Beyond Good And Evil mix, with Aurora singing. Both singers do a FANTASTIC job, although I can clearly distinguish their voices. Destiny has a slightly deeper voice, but very pure and definitely pleasing to the ears. Other similarities include the airy woodwinds in the background at times, and the flowing piano. The main writeup for this work really hits the essense of this on the head though. The Beyond Good and Evil mix was working with source material that sounded much similar to the end result than this did with its source material. For Beyond Good and Evil, that was a good thing, as the source material, sounding as it does, is really nice. But for THIS... I'd NEVER have suspected hearing the main Zelda theme in this style. The beginning REALLY differs from the original in vast and powerful ways, making it almost, almost but not quite, unrecognizable. I'd say that's okay though, as it really sets the mood, and when the VERY recognizable tune pops up with the flute, it's a shock and startler, even though you DON'T CHANGE STYLES AT ALL. It just fits in like a puzzle piece, and that's what so amazing about it. The voice, the piano, the guitar, the ambient strings and sampled chorus in the background, everything just FITS together so well. The faint cymbal taps at just the key transition points is a major draw for how subtle they are. Subtle is good! Complexity you have. Variation you have. Beauty you have. Pleasing instruments you have. A tune that really draws me into the nostalgic you have. A voice to call the birds from the trees you have. Anything thing missing? Umm, I think you're missing a fair amount of suckage. Nope, can't find any suckage here. Well done!

I was thinking while listening to this that working with this particular Morrowind song can only produce something epic and outstanding due to its very nature... it's a VERY memorable song, that I've found myself humming or whistling in the car or whatnot and wondering to myself what the source was. So, as a side note, thanks for reminding me where this tune came from. But then I remembered that even if a melody lends itself well to sheer... umm... awesomness, that it takes quite a bit of talent to follow through on it. And for that matter, you've added a number of good things, and your instrument choice was wonderful, and besides... you didn't go techno! Which is GREAT! I must take back my thought that anyone could do this peice justice, and say instead that not everyone could, I probably couldn't, and you most certainly did. Well done!

Thelonius Temple High now... THAT'S some good stuff.

Personally, I'm not fond of this particular Jazz style. I mean, I love most jazz, but lounge jazz isn't my thing. Although I must admit the stuff around the 2 minute mark is good stuff, and afterwards too... probably the reason this was accepted in the first place. I mean, it's got LOTS of flair there. In the beginning though, it just feels like the player lacks a certain amount of control. The feeling I get is that he wants to play longer notes that start loud and get soft, but lacking the dynamic control, just plays staccatto. Staccatto doesn't fit here, I think. Maybe it was intentional, but it comes off... not good. As I said, it gets better latter, although still in the lounge style, but the beginning... meh. Props for playing it live though. More live stuff is always good.

I was never a personal fan of Castlevania IV, since I much preferred the free roaming style of Simon's Quest and SOTN, the pure action platformer railroad thing never got to me. But this isn't about the game, this is about the music. This is good music. I'm not quite sure what djp is talking about when he says you might suspect this to be electronica from the intro. The first second or two is really too quiet to tell, and I could expect it to be anything after hearing that. I'm pleased it's not electronica though, as such is not my thing either. This is good jazz. I was slightly worried that it would be lounge jazz after reading djp's write up, but fortunatly it is not. It's jazz. It's not roaring raging jazz, it's just good jazz. Slow, yes, maybe you could say mellow, but most of all, it's JAZZ. And jazz is good. Loving the saxophone, an instrument I usually don't like, due to the fact that it gets predominently used in lounge music (along with the muted trumpet). The piano is EXCELENT, and the drums just flow with the music. Well done. Sounds like good stuff to me!

Remind me again why I'm an SGX fan? Oh yeah... this mix does that quite well. I may not have heard of Destructo or Aurora before (well, outside of Sleeping Beauty) but already they've shot up quite a bit in my estimation. This is an awesome game, which had awesome music, and you did it justice. Loved the piano, the vocals were SUPERB and I hope to hear more of Aurora in other mixes just like the others around here... sub par equipment? This sounds fully professional. Well done! Very much well done! I always get nervous when drums are mentioned in a mix, because my personal tastes lend towards a little more subtlety than drums usually offer, but I was pleasantly surprised. This didn't have a breakneck beat like so many mixers seem to enjoy adding without need, and it fit the peice perfectly. Good work there too. I'm amazed at how... cohesive this mix turned out. I can't hear any "seams" between where SGX leaves off and Destructo picks up, and vice versa. I can hear, a little bit, the difference in style between you two, but if someone had told me that this was done by just one guy, I'd find no reason to disbelieve it. Love it, love it, love it!

I was also prepared not to like this one... but listening to it changed my mind. I think I'm going to have to sit in the "dissonance helping the piece" camp. To my ears, this song sounds like it is performed by someone in anguish and is wailing out his weeping and gnashing of teeth... in tune wouldn't have captured that "I'm in pain" feeling. Sometimes, listening to music like this can really draw out your own pain and just let it fly out into the sky... when you've gone too long without a good wailing cry, having someone help you with it can be really cathartic. Love this. Pour out your soul and let it rip across the atmosphere. Woo! A good example of some of the really cathartic wailing moments are 0:52-1:10. Play it, and just let it flow through you...

In no way is this the same thing for 7 minutes. I just listened to this while reading the sheet music along with it, and my appreciation grows even more. The play and counterplay... the call and responce... the passing of the theme, the emphasizing of different beats in order to change the entire feel from one section to the next even if the notes on one hand are identical both times through. This is beautiful! I appreciated it before (I also have the WIP higher bitrate version)... but now I appreciate it all the more. I'm very glad this made it onto OCR. I'd love to suggest listening to Peter Schickeili (errr... I'm not sure I spelled his name right though) sometime... he does a great radio show which explains classical music in a way anyone can appreciate it, and he's funny at that. PDQ Bach, for example, is pure genius. So for those who can't understand what's so great about this mix, listening to him might be an education you can appreciate.

I'm definitely an SGX fan. I've had this song, also since he mentioned it was finished on the WIP board. It's so beautiful. That would be an awesome computerized voice saying "S G X" which is rather appropriate. The voice reminds me Ikaruga a lot. Probably the same synthesizer was used.The beginning rocks. The slowdown rocks. The quiet bit rocks. The following build up rocks more. The strings rock hard. The thumping drums that signal the next build up are awesome. The driving drums the show up next are awesome. And then the piano. My Lord! The Piano! Is it even possible that something rocking so hard could be played by a real human being? I second the thought that I'd love to see it, because it'd be awesome to watch. It rocks my socks. Or "r0><0rz m`/ s0><0rz" if you will. Right on! Of course, everything after that piano is just denouncement, but it's a nessesary part of the song, and it ends really really well. Will the guy making the stepfile be making a COMPLETE stepfile, or will it just be superduper heavy mode like the stepfile the guy made for your other DDR mix (4F73R_M3)? I mean, I can do standard, I can do some heavy... but that was just insane. Like MAX300 on heavy or something. Anyway. Here's to hoping. And here's a toast to your making more mixes that rock long and rock hard. Cheers!

Ooh, I'd been WAITING for a Song of Storms mix to make it through... also known as the Windmill Theme, or for a reason I'm not particularly familiar with, "scheissebrot". There have been a number of VERY promising mixes posted in the WIP forum, but their authors all abandoned them, leaving a stupendous opening and one drooling for more, and then silence... But we're not talking about those other mixes. We're talking about this one. This one follows through, and my how well it does! The transition to the Desert Collosus Teleport song (I've forgotten the actual name) was perfect, and felt very natural. And the switch back was even more perfect... it felt rather tender, and then it rushes forth like the organ grinder was turning the crank to fast... and then ends simply. Okay, perhaps more could have been played with in order to make it REALLY feel like spinning the record to fast at the end, but all in all, it worked reasonably well. I like this. Well done! Well done. Don't stop remixing. I like what I hear.

Quite frankly, OMF2097 was my first fighter. I was in elementry school when I saved my allowance to buy it at $40... my friends and I -mastered- this game. DJPretzel doesn't give it enough credit. This game has plenty of things going for it. The simplicity of the controls was definitely in it's favor, and I still appreciate it over Street Fighter systems to this day. (For those curious, instead of having six buttons, it had two: punch and kick. Heavy punch/kick was back+punch/kick, mid was nuetral + punch/kick, and light was forewards+punch/kick) Enough about the game (which is now released as freeware! Go find it somewhere!)... this music is perfect. I've listened to a few OMF remixes before, and quite frankly... haven't been really impressed. This impressed me. It's driving, has the melody I remember from the game, and it captures the SPIRIT, the FEELING of playing as a 40ft tall death robot. Even the "slow" part doesn't let up... it's more like an aural representation of that zen state you get in when your combos are just perfect, and you know you're going to win... you don't think, you just OWN. Well done! Nice work! Don't stop mixing, you've got some great stuff here!