Sir_NutS

Definitely a throwback to some years ago when a lot of people around here were doing this kind of remixes (including me), proof that trends go in a cycle of cool > not cool >retro cool. And yes I do think this remix is pretty cool. Production is ok, the blind influence is is evident but it falls a bit short of reaching the clarity and quality of something like white skies, a bit crazy to think of since that song must be like 10 years old now. Comparisons aside each remix must stand scrutiny on its own and this is just referential as the artist said it was an inspiration, and on its own the production here makes the cut. The arrangement is super tropey, but the adaptation is where this shines as the translation from something sparse and on a different time signature to this genre was done very well. The artist has a good grasp on how to build a good song structure, and really, a lot was built from scratch in order to fill the soundscape of this remix of a source that's pretty much a simple melody played on chimes. YES

Super nice. I can always appreciate a song built up from a story idea, I've done that before and it changes the creative process but oftentimes for the best. The use of organic and synthezised elements mesh very well here, the ambiance is very immersive and the arrangement flows very well. The timing when it reached the solo climax was perfect, as well as the resolution of the ending. YES

Have to agree with MW, I think the balance is a bit off, mainly with the bass. But I'm not sure it's that big of an issue to reject this, specially since I'm not using my best setup right now. However I've compared this to some of my own stuff that's pretty bass-intensive and this seems indeed louder, plus it's definitely taking over some other elements where it shouldn't. I'll finish this vote after I get home, in order to listen on my best setup, but I wanna say that arrangement-wise this is pretty much over the bar. The source is recognizable but the personalization is there and it's clear. I'll be back later! EDIT: Listening on my good setup now. I disagree with Gario that the drums are causing ducking, there's some sidechain going, not the drums themselves causing the compressor to act up, that's a very distinct dynamic sound. On my good setup the volume of the saws don't bother me as much but they're definitely loud. I can hear everything else though thanks to the stereo separation, which wasn't as clear on my first listen this morning. Overall I think this would definitely benefit from the saws being lowered in volume but I don't think it interferes with the clarity of the mix per se. YES (Borderline)

Artist: Sir_NutS Name of the games arranged: The Adventures of Tintin: Prisoners of the Sun /Le temple du Soleil (europe) Name of the arrangement: Partons À L'aventure Name of the individual songs arranged: Stage 1-2 Link to remix: WAV file: Link to original: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkEFczKLRY8 Here I am again remixing yet another incredibly obscure game. why? because Alberto J. Gonzalez is a genius, and a tribute from me, a fan, was due. For those who don't know Tintin was a very popular character quite a long time ago, in Europe and Laitn America. Le Temple du Soleil (Prisoners of the sun) was an animated movie, and a few games were released for several platforms, including the game boy color, and this is one of the tracks in that game. There's not much to say about the production of this track because it was super easy as I already loved the original, the only slight difficulty was translating the more swingy/triplet-based melodies to a more straightforward synthwave-y track. For the vocoded voice I actually didn't record myself or anyone this time around and went for a bit of a more oldschool approach, using a voice synthesizer and then running it through a couple of vocoder effects. I want to do more remixes based on Mr. Gonzalez's music in the future (his work on the Turok: Rage wars OST for GBC is masterful) but for now, this is a good start I think. Enjoy!

After listening to the source I was very surprised by the style you went for here, and the intro specifically goes all-in as if saying "get ready because I don't care about the original's tone". Loved it. Honestly, this is pretty well mixed so my production beefs would be very minor, some sections that feel too busy but don't last too long anyways, a bit of a lack of air in the top end, but again, minor gripes. The arrangement and adaptation are stellar, with plenty of style changes, stops and structural mutations, not to mention the re instrumentation and performances which are great. There's some sections that repeat, but they don't feel like a copy-paste job to me, they fit in int he context of where the arrangement is going at that point. Overall a really cool adaptation that chanegs the tone completely without breaking its relation to the source. YES

I'll be honest this is super cool but also it's too transformative to the point where it's too hard to tell what this is a remix of. If I showed this to someone without context, even someone well-versed in vgm, I don't think that person will be able to tell this is a remix of such a popular and well-known song, which is a problem IMO. Yes, if I listen really hard, I can hear the connections, but they're too faint and diluted due to the extreme slowdown. I enjoyed this a lot on its own, great performances, and the atmosphere was great, but this doesn't really work as a remix IMO. NO EDIT 6/5/2018 : After Larry requested a review back in April I've been coming back to this track a few times and every time is the same. I find the approach too transformative and I can't make the connection unless I try very hard, and even then the connections I make are tenuous and fleeting. I must add that I'm very familiar with the original and I just have to think of the theme for the song to pop in my head. I did not base my vote on whether someone else would be able to make the connection, I based it on my analysis, I only mentioned this could be a problem if this song gets posted and the listeners are confused by their expectations of a remix. I'm reiterating my vote, if anyone thinks I'm doing a bad job because I still think the track is too transformative then I'll live with that. I've come back to this track more than any other track I've evaluated, and basing my evaluation on the submission standards: 3. The source material must be identifiable and dominant.

The production quality here needs a step up, the percussion is very exposed and dry, not to mention very repetitive, specially the hats sequence which sounds overly artificial. The pads seem to sit in the background just to muddy the mix in the mid/low-mids. The overall sound palette sounds too basic and vanilla. However, I believe you can make a great mix with not-so-great sounds, but the biggest failing here is that there was little regard for harmonization. There's a lot of clashing of all the parts and it sounds very dissonant. Parts like 0:57, sounds like all the parts are playing without a care of what the others are doing. You need to bring the bass, pads and arpeggios to complement each other, to harmonize. Also in this section, the right-panned cymbals are sequenced too fast together where they just end p sounding almost like noise. There's a lot of work to do here, but don't get discouraged, listen to music critically and find how the different parts work together to form a unified whole, a chord, a harmony. Find how this differs from your own and try to bring it closer to that, reading up/watching videos on music theory basics/harmonization also helps a ton. For now though, we can't pass this. NO

This is a pretty good adaptation to the kind of eurodance style & artists I used to listen to as a kid such as 666, though it has a slightly more aggressive edge closer to Eisenfunk. The production is a bit iffy for me, specially in the low/low-mids where I felt the mix got quite muddy and busy at some points, but other than that most of the synths and various embellishments are clear. The filtered 303-like arpeggio reminded me of some preset sequences in Propellerheads' Rebirth, which was the first music tool I got my hands on, and here they sound true to genre. The arrangement isn't too far from the original but it does vary in structure, and the differences lay in the adaptation which works really well. Overall this is pretty solid and super hype. YES

Yeah, to me there were small additions and changes in the remix, also the remix has a different tone to me, from the pop-rap original to fast but smooth jazzy mood. The biggest telling that I hadn't noticed was the fadeout ending, which was my gripe with the mix originally, and is mirrored in the midi. sadly on the vote to removal I'd say YES

Pretty clean mix coupled with some unusual (and a bit eccentric at times) percussion elements, which I rather liked. Nice arrangement as well, I did hear one note that sounds intentionally dissonant to me and after checking the other J's comments seems like they heard it as well, but again, this seems flavorful rather than a mistake. I liked the chorus for the most part, though some of the low notes sounded a bit exposed on the mix to me. Either way, that's a nitpick as this is just a solid remix. YES

I really loved the filtered layers overlapping the real instruments, and the addition of chiptune effects throughout the song to set up the mood. There's a lot of modulation throughout the song that keeps a collection of short sources like the ones here very interesting, but also there's the absolutely gorgeous arrangement below all the filtered goodies that's just amazing to listen to. The different expressions used for the bass are awesome, as well as the guitar which goes from clean to filtered to downright weird. The jazzy undertones mixed with the electronica elements work amazingly well here, with the tempo changes, and complete mood swings that, were not handled with the care they were handled here would've made the track sound aimless, but thankfully, that was not the case and instead we get a plethora of ideas that flow very well from one to the next. This is one of my favorite remixes I've evaluated this year. There's just so much to discover in this remix that's going to take me too long to describe here so just have my YES

Did not vote on the previous one, so let's see. Right away this sounds like what I would expect from Bluelighter, a nice orchestral arrangement with more than a touch of whimsy. Very nice tempo changes and dynamics. 2:27 sounds almost tango-ish, which is a plus in my book. Nothing seems to jump out to me concerning the production, sounds clean and backing insturments do their job well, giving a nice full body to the arrangement. This is a good listen that keeps the original lines not too far out of reach but also transforms it into a very fun arrangement. YES

The production here is very atmospheric and subtle. There are strings and pads making the rounds in the background but there's a bit more detailing than that if one listens closely, some atmospheric drones and textures complement the mood and set up the stage for the super minimalistic arrangement. I gotta say, by the 4 minute mark the constant piano hook was really starting to distract me from the enjoyment of the string melodies and textures. Thankfully it goes into a breakdown shortly after, with a slightly different voicing that leads to the ending. This is not for everyone, it's repetitive and minimal but it does not lack complexity. It's a good addition to our repertoire of ambient/moody remixes. YES

What Gario & Deia said. Humanization needs work, but also, the frequency balance of the mix feels off to me, a lot of mid-high content, some of it bordering on piercing. The arrangement would work with better production for sure. The mix also gets super busy around 1:20 and on. Loved that ending though. Clean and balance things up, and this could work, but right now I feel this needs another pass. NO

Oh hell yeah we need more Dracula X remixes. Drums are bouncy and so are the synths. I don't like the bass much though, it seems a bit dull and hollow, though it has a strong attack that helps it drive the song. The arrangement is solid, it doesn't deviate much from the original but the embellishments and added harmonies make it feel new. I think there could've been less repetition overall, but this is pretty good. Just noticed this is Gario after I was done listening, which surprised me a bit because what I've heard from gario is usually way more transformative. Not that this track needs more of that, just a different approach that also works. YES

Man, I think this is more than fine. Arrangement is solid, and the sequencing/humanization works for me. There's adequate pacing to every section and attention to detail. Instruments get a bit too exposed but I don't think I doubted this being above the bar after it was over. I liked the arrangement the most, as this is such a popular song that doing something different with it becomes super difficult, but you managed to add your own touch to the arrangement, weaving in original phrasing between the classic lines and I'm totally into that. I want this on the front page. YES

Ah, this is a genre I know a little bit about. The sound design on this one is pretty good in some of the parts, and the production is clean, however for me it's missing the dark atmosphere that characterizes Psytrance (and to a lesser extent, Goa). It's something I find hard to convey myself with a lot of videogame tunes, specially those from the NES era, which are meant to be more upbeat/adventurous in nature. However, having that dark atmosphere isn't obligatory to make an enjoyable mix. The squelches are well designed, tho I found the stacked saws to feel a bit plain, specially for Goa where we often hear much more movement in them like in some classics such as Dancing Galaxy. Overall, I think a switch to a darker key and more movement/structural breaks in the arrangement would've made this track much better, but it's solid enough as is to be over the bar. YES

Man those lyrics are pure cheddar. I think the arrangement is groovy and the arrangements ideas keep the track fresh for the most part, the effects put on the vocals mid-way were pretty cool as well. The whole thing doesn't overstay its welcome either. Overall I think the lyrics could've been less simplistic, and the mix could've been a bit cleaner, as it does feel a bit muddy at some points, specially on the lows and mid-lows but overall I think this is just above the bar. YES

I'm very happy MkVaff decided to return, OCR needs more oldschool goodness. Though this has that certain oldschool vibe to it, it doesn't feel dated at all. It's catchy and the original is easily recognizable. No crazy melody transformations here, and that's 100% fine with me. Losts of style, glitchy loops, and love for the original. YES

Yeah... the ending isn't a super improvement, but it is an improvement. The vocals are a bit too dry now, but my main beef was with the ending. This feels less like a WIP now, but to be honest I would've preferred just a longer fadeout instead of just a cymbal crash (Can't believe I'm saying I'd prefer a fadeout). I think I can let it pass like this, I still think the arrangement is awesome and just needed tweaking in the ending and vocals, which we got, just not to the degree I would've preferred. YES

This is super good, I didn't have as much of an issue with the mixing as the other js, I can hear the instruments fairly clearly throughout. Very powerful arrangement, awesome breakdown, and really I don't have much else to say that the others haven't. Let's get this up there. YES

The mix feels super busy right off the start. Not the cleanest production here, but it doesn't completely break down. Loved the arrangement and those short time signature change breaks. Also any vocoding is a plus for me. I think this song could've used a break somewhere, it's too busy ALL the time, and it gets very tiresome towards the end. Even a 15 second section where things calmed down would've improved the listening experience tremendously. I need to mull over this, as I'm borderline right now. I'll finish my vote later.

Hey Argle, it's been another minute since you submitted anything. Get to it. I'm not too familiar with the DK64 ost, since it's not a game I liked much back in the days. I see the original song here tried to be a mix of orchestral and tribal elements, but you decided to go full blown orchestra with it, and you did a great job as well. This sounds like one of those Super Smash Bros remixed tracks. Percussion is energetic and well sequenced, performances are believable enough, and although it's not an overly complex arrangement it does set itself apart from the original enough. The mix is clean and balanced. I don't have many complains with this one other than it kinda lost energy and became less interesting towards the end. Other than that, Solid stuff. YES

This is a good method that works for me a lot of times. In fact I think most of my most transformative mixes come from "shower humming".

#belatedshamelessselfpaneling Artist: Sir_NutS Name of the games arranged: Journey to Silius Name of the arrangement: 0373 Name of the individual songs arranged: Stage 4 Link to remix: Link to original: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kf5FIMCbu18 So a couple years ago I released my first (and so far, only) remix album through OCRecords. It was a tribute to Journey to Silius. People may wonder why I chose such a relatively obscure game to pay tribute to, when a lot of people are going for the big classics, the great, well-known composers, or the new popular thing. Well the answer for me is simple, I love this soundtrack. Mega Man 2 was the first game that made me actually stop to listen to the music, but Sunsoft games solidified the concept of memorable 8-bit videogame music to me. (well, Konami games too). These were songs I was humming at school without realizing it, and elevated what would be an OK game to another level. I just love every single song in this soundtrack and they are some of the few songs that have real nostalgic value to me and actually, really take me back in time. So that's why I did it, and I'm pleased that people seemed to enjoy the work and it probably means I didn't completely butcher it. Anyways, regarding this remix, it's probably the most complex of the album. It has a mix of Big Beat, Metal and a touch of 80s sensibilities thrown in. I had a ton of fun doing this one, probably more than any other remix in the album, and I think it does a good job representing the whole album thematically. It ends with a big finish, which in the album leads into the softer ending theme, sort of a goodbye to what is overall a high-energy compilation of remixes. I hope it's good enough to be in the front page, enjoy! (If this gets accepted, I believe Larry can fetch the wavs from the album release )