Sir_NutS

Very nice chords. The bass and drums aren't that great though, they sound pretty simple and character-less, and don't sit very well in the mix. The overall compression is pretty hard and the leads are taking down the whole mix, obscuring the drums. The drum sequencing was also simple and uninteresting. The rhodes and the violin samples weren't very good and they weren't used in a natural way either, plus they didn't sit very well in the mix. The overall eq levels on the mix feel a bit on the muddy side, most likely because of the persistent pads taking up a good amount of the low end space. The arrangement, although somewhat successful in blending the two sources together, was static and lacked any high or low points throughout, making the song feel stale after a while. Some of the melodic variations were very awkward, as around 3:20, where the different leads didn't play off each other very well and were a bit dissonant even. Plus I think the quick notes in the melodies played by the Bell sample didn't fit this instrument. Deia had some good points as well, though I think this needs a lot of work right now. NO

Why does everyone wants to remix The Parasprinter and ONLY The Parasprinter? I mean, it's a great song but we only have NG2 remixes of this song! even I went and did one! Parasprinter ranting aside, I've kept this song on hold for a couple weeks now, trying to discern my thoughts about it. First I feel the drum sequencing is very simple even for the genre. There's very little variation or embellishments and it's the same loop throughout as far as I can tell. I didn't have much of a problem with the guitar, I thought it had a nice loop to sing/rap to, and there were variations to it, while the supporting guitar played different rhythms. However there's very little else to find in the soundscape. The structure though is very simple and lacks development. We go from verses to chorus without transitions and the track feels like one long bridge, I would've liked more emphasis put on the chorus as the highlight of the track to differentiate between the other sections. With some work in developing the track further, I could see this going through, but at the moment I'll have ask for more. NO (resubmit)

Cool bass synth. Mix feels compressed a bit too much. Some of the leads disappear behind the sidechain too harshly, and the sound effects and some of the tom rolls make the compressor react on the whole track. I.E., the noise hit at 1:27 brough the whole mix down with it. The soloing synth in the second section felt too noodly and exposed, there was not much expression or articulation to it. The arrangement was pretty close to the original but the adaptation helped making the track feel like something unique. I do feel that the arrangement was quite static and the groove got stale after a while. A changeup of some sort would've helped things, as I found myself feeling a bit bored after the 3rd minute which is surprising because I really love stuff done in this style. With some fixes this could work but right now it's not quite there. NO

The mix is very unbalanced. There are some frequency peaks that need to be tamed in the mix and will make it a pleasant listen overall. These can be found mostly in the highs between 2k-6k hz. If you can't hear this due to inexperience or lack of proper equipment, a visual cue is always helpful, and you can grab a free tool to help you with this here. The mix would've fared better with a cleaner low end as well, as the bass pads aren't separated enough from the low frequencies of the kick. The pads are adding a lot of mud to the mix instead of helping fill the background properly, some synths are very harsh to the ears (the constant sequenced synth playing the high notes is a good example). The noise swells could be toned down on the highs as well, and the piano chords are distorting quite a bit although that could be an stylistic choice. The second section after the breakdown is lacking any bass presence. Regarding arrangement, it's very repetitive and static, although the instruments themselves change over time, there's not much going melodically. Some of the transitions need work, as the middle transition felt very barebones and lacked any sense of tension or expectation. As Deia pointed out there's quite a bit to work on here, and I hope our pointers can steer you in the right direction. For now though, NO

I'm getting a very early Detroit techno vibe here, (Juan atkins, mayday, etc), with even some german touch there from kraftwerk. I love your sound design here, very analogue sounding. The groove has that special feeling that early techno/electro songs had and that is not that easy to reproduce. There aren't many issues I can point at in the production here, there is some quirkiness like with the 808 kick at 02:11 and later on but that quirkiness is part of the authenticity of this style. I don't notice any issues bringing down the mix so stuff like this is just flavor really. The arrangement sticks fairly close to the original, but you managed to give it your own spin. I didn't mind the repetitiveness at all, as there is plenty of variation, and addition/subtraction of elements throughout, and honestly if it didn't have its fair share of repetitiveness it wouldn't work in this style imo. I do think however that you could've sent us a shorter "radio version" of your arrangement so it was more palatable for the general listening public. Overall I loved this and I totally get what you're trying to do here, and I think it's fantastic. However I'm sure a shorter version would help sway the votes in your favor as I think the repetitive nature of this style may get on some people's bad side. However, for me this is a YES

Yeah this is really, really, REALLY good. Those flutes are performed with a lot of soul. The vocals are spot on (holy crap that moment at 03:14), and the solo violin is exquisite. Production overall is excellent. One of the best remixes I've had the pleasure to review so far, just lovely. YES

The environment was quite sparse and the different synths were very dry. Each wub felt like it was on its own and not really part of a cohesive arrangement, in dubstep you want to tie those up well so they flow better between each other. The drum sequencing was minimal and the last section at 2:46 didn't even have a kick going with it. The vocal bits were dry, plain and exposed. The source wasn't used in an interesting way either, as the drop bears little to no relation to the source picked. This is too barebones and simple. NO

I wasn't a fan of some of the articulations in the pan flute, felt quite stiff, specially at the start, though it gets a little better by 1:20. I thought the supporting instruments like the guitars and orchestral elements fared much better in the performance department. It is easy to notice however, how much care went into humanizing the performances, as it's not the case with some submissions we get where it feels the instruments were thrown in without much detailing going into them. The arrangement makes up for the shortcomings in sample quality however, showing us plenty of interpretation and expansion on the original's motifs. I liked how the orchestral elements were there just to support the arrangement and it was never a big focus, while the folk instrumentation took over for the most part. Very emotive and beautiful adaptation with a really nice vibe that can lift one's spirit. I'm very happy to pass this one. YES

This track is not dark nor brooding, sorry to say. It is however an awesome arrangement with some really great ambiance. Cinematic is a good word to define it, as to me it evokes feelings of something epic. I liked how the original cues were adapted in different ways throughout the track, as the oiginal bell melody is transformed several times before we reach the end. The electronic drums work well in conjunction with the cinematic hits, just as well as the synthetic pads work with the orchestral cellos and other strings. Overall, this was not only a great marriage of two sources but of synth & orchestral elements. YES

Very interesting soundscape, the dual guitars work very well in tandem with the sparse hats. Even with the simplistic nature of the arrangement at first, there are many details that keep it from falling into monotony. The second section is fuller but also brings in some interesting effects on the strumming, although the compression went a bit on the hard side at some spots, it's nothing too bad. 1:20 was a highlight for me, really interesting soundscape, almost kraftwerk-like. Overall, very creative take on this theme. It's not just a straight guitar cover, as the artist used the instrument both as the main focus as well as an effect-soundscape generator. YES

Like Larry, I dislike the "hey, Listen!" clip, it sounded pretty cheesy and loud. Not a fan of the drum intro either, the upbeat groove was too much of a contrast with the rest of the song, which was more ambience-oriented in general. The electric guitar tone was ok, and I didn't have too much of a problem with the heavily-delayed instruments (although it does becomes too much at some points), but the short notes on the guitar sounded odd to me, it was much more natural and fitting when the notes were sustained for a while. Speaking of delay, sections like 1:09 worked better for me, keeping a sort of ethereal feel but also were pretty interesting. Some other times, as in 0:48 and 1:05, I thought the worked too artificially for it to fit in the song. The transition to the kakariko village section didn't work very well to me, although after it settled down, i found the lullaby's backing fitting well. So perhaps with a better transition this could've been better. The latest sections with the variations and soloing worked well enough. I didn't have much of a problem with the ending, as I think it was an stylistic choice to have both themes blend and fadeout in a bed of reverb and delay. This could possibly work out for me with some fixes on the issues mentioned above, specially the transition to the second theme halfway through. it's a good start and if you work on it and resubmit it, I'll be all ears. NO (resubmit)

I'm posting here just so my name stays forever tied to a thread about judging the merits of a song called "Who is Dankey Kang?". edit: apparently I have to vote too. well then, This is a very cool house adaptation. It's difficult to adapt such a popular song with probably hundreds of remixes out there into something different. Some cool house chord progressions, juicy drums and driving bass. Ambience is good as well, however some synths need some eq'ing, they sound very unpleasant specially the high-pitched arpeggiated synth and some of the leads around 1:30. Speaking of leads, they really ruin this song. They sound out of time and very exposed and out of place. Melodies sound a lot like just a bunch of noodling to be honest, I didn't get any expression from the new variations on the original. I thought the arrangement was stretched too thin over too long a period of time, as after the breakdown there isn't much new to keep my interest. Also later towards the end there are more odd sound design decisions, particulary the lead and the applied sidechain which is hitting at some odd times, exposing too much the production techniques. Also, the ending trail cuts off abruptly. Overall I think there was a good idea here and the base is solid but you need to work on integrating the original's main melodies in a more natural manner. Also the sound design choices and the interpretation needs some looking at as well. NO (resubmit)

The original almost has a c64 soundtrack vibe to it, I like it. I have to disagree with Kris on this song lacking energy, it has plenty of it imo, feels very exciting all the time. Also -10 db RMS is definitely NOT quiet for metal, it's actually average/above average for a metal track. Also my diagnostic tools didn't catch any clipping, nor my ears. I do have to agree on the other production comments. The mix is lacking clarity, the drums are very distant and lack presence, and there's a severe lack of highs as if they were rolled off with a 12 db lp filter after 5khz. The overall compression envelope seems to be too relaxed as some of the busy sections are being effected with odd amplitude curves, noticeable at around 1:48, the buildup at 2:08 and on. I liked the arrangement a lot, as well as the performances. But some of the parts need better aligning, 1:30 is a good example where the guitars aren't following the rhythm on point, which makes it sound sloppy. Overall this is a good arrangement, albeit fairly close to the original in feel and structure but there's enough for me to differentiate it. This definitely needs work on the production side of things, and I hope our comments can help you get the track where it needs to be. NO (resubmit)

Unlike most Super Metroid remixes, which usually stay very close to the game's overall somber, solitary feel, you managed to infuse it with a different feel that's more on the brighter and fun side, without being too happy, just enough to make a difference, so kudos on that. With that said, I feel this could've used a bit more work. The performance is loose at times, and even gets a tad sloppy at some spots specially with the fast guitar hook. Adding to that the bass seems to lose itself in some of the quick notes and does not follow the beat all too well. The overall mix and mastering, although not bad, could be tighter as well, as the instruments don't feel cohesive enough, but this is not a major issue for me. Regarding the arrangement I wasn't feeling the first half of the song, but I really enjoyed the second half as it explored the original in fun and inventive ways that flowed naturally. The first half however, from 0:35 until around 1:45 felt a bit aimless to me and it could maybe use some restructuring to make it flow better into the more interesting section. Overall I think I can give this a pass as the production issues I found didn't bring the mix down and the approach to interpretation worked very well. YES (borderline)

This is one of those remixes that bring me back to those days of dream trance and progressive trance goodness. Really feeling the Sasha/Digweed/above & beyond feel here. However I feel the production needs a bump to make it past. you have the right ideas and soundscape, but the mix is not as balanced as I would've liked, there's a ton of soundspace to be filled in the highs, while the chords and bass take up quite a lot of the soundspace in the mid/lows. I think you could tone down the chords just a little and bring up that amazing ambience in the highs to balance things out better. Unlike Emu I'm totally fine with the reverb levels and the generally static beat. It's all part of the genre and a busier/varied drum sequencing COULD run the risk of ruining the illusion, however I wouldn't be against trying some variation there. The piano performance is also something that could be worked on. The sample fits the genre but I think you could get away with something more dynamic. Adding more humanization wouldn't hurt either, as even Robert Miles' fairly static melodies showed some degree of human performance to them. I am completely fine with the arrangement. Excellent adaptation to this genre and it's all just lovely. Both sources worked well together, and I really think this song would work as-is with other issues fixed. Work on your mix balance and other issues mentioned above and you'll have a winner here. Please don't sit on this and resubmit! NO (resubmit)

Production seems ok to my ears, the bass seemed like it could've had more presence, and is sorely missing in most of the mix, making it feel tinny at times, and not as full as it could be. In the sections where it can be heard it lacks definition and its more of a distant rumble than an instrument being played, in contrast with pretty much every other element which feels like it has its own well-defined space. The arrangement however works very well, and I enjoyed the mix of orchestral and metal elements throughout. These kind of genre fusions tend to have a certain sound to them sometimes, almost generic, however I felt that some of the structure and arrangement choices served the mix well to evade this. the lead at 03:12 was odd sounding at first, but it ended up growing on me and it definitely added character to the arrangement. the 3:32 little variation is a good representation of what I mean here. Overall, structure was sound and interpretation abundant. Keep the Wild Gun remixes coming. YES

First, you need to limit your track. It's clipping all over the place. If you are using a vst-enabled DAW, this is a great free and simple tool you can use. Just put it at the very end of your mastering chain and make sure the output slider is set to -0.1 db or less. That alone will save you from any clippings in this track or any other. Second, watch your levels. You don't want your track hitting the red until you're doing the final compression/limiting. Try to get your global levels around -6 to -9 db on your master mix (before efffects) so you have some headroom to play around with eq/compression/other effects in your master. Gario also had some good production advice that should be heed. Regarding your arrangement, it shows promise, the trap approach works ok for this theme and you had some interesting sound design choices there. The drum sequencing was good as well, and the different melodies showed customization, although less melodically varied than in the original. I would really want to hear this with the production issues fixed and then see how it fares, right now just on production grounds this is just too flawed. NO (resubmit)

Right off the bat this track has some evident production issues. It's very heavily compressed and I'm reading around -8 to -9db rms on the dynamic range, which is pretty hard for a rock/metal song and could definitely be more relaxed. I'm not sure his is the reason for the distortion we can hear in the low range at around 0:10 and in many, many other places throughout, but it could definitely be a factor. Nevertheless, this mix needs some cleanup. Luckily the kick is not interfering there, so it's just a matter of finding the separation between the bass and rhythm guitars. If you want to see these issues for yourself, in case your audio equipment is not letting you hear them, I recommend grabbing this excellent, free vst tool. Other than that I thought the arrangement was solid enough for a pass, definitely lots of energy here and although the structure is fairly similar to the original, I found the feel of both tracks to be different enough. I thought the arrangement could've used more interpretation however, but it's borderline passable for me. I, however, cannot let it through unless the mix/master issues are solved. Until then, NO (Resubmit)

I've been chewing on this one for about a week now. On one hand we have a genius performance and arrangement which explores the original in so many ways I lost count. On the other hand, that piano sound really irks me. It sounds better in some sections (the moonlight sonata intermission and the following saloon-style are good examples imo), but for the most part it sounds really thin and expressionless. I think this would've been a definite yes for me if a different piano was used, as in a piano solo arrangement the most important thing about the production, besides recording quality, is the piano sound. As Deia pointed out, the arrangement does feel like it loses direction at times, I think this could've been at least one minute shorter and not much would've been lost and it would've been a more focused arrangement. Overall I'm still undecided about this one so I'll just leave my comments for other judges to see and I'll come to a conclusion later. EDIT 6/30: So I listened again today and man, that piano sound still sticks out to me and distracts me from fully enjoying this. It works better in some sections but for the most part it's just pulling my attention to it at every opportunity. The sparse sections where the arrangement meanders about are the ones that contribute the most to expose this, as the listener has less to focus on arrangement-wise. I however found the arrangement in general to be even stronger on subsequent listens. I've made my bias for arrangement clear many times, and looking at the other votes the piano sound obviously bothers others less, so I'm willing to borderline pass this. I passed another Shnab arrangement that used the same piano not too long ago, albeit in that context the piano worked much better. I think many people will enjoy this and won't mind the piano, and I think the arrangement is too good just to shelf it. YES (borderline)

Right off the bat, the orchestral aspects are lacking humanization and their robotic nature is very apparent. Also the bass synth seem very exposed compared to everything else in the first minute. Some elements work better than others, for example the rising strings at 01:46 were subtle but added a lot to the energy buildup. I found the filtered synth to work better in the 1:10 section than when it reappears at 02:05, it doesn't seem to be meshing too well with the orchestral background. The legato strings are overpowering most of the elements of the song and they don't seem to have much subtletly in their performance. The drums seem muffled a lot behind the strings and synths, most of what we hear is the hat shuffle, which seems to be on autopilot since it never stops looping the same pattern. However this arrangement is definitely in the right direction, the source has been transformed effectively, source usage is evident and familiar while also providing a new spin on pretty much every element. The original was a bit goofy but your remix has more of an epic tone. I would like to hear a version with a tighter production. Work on your humanization, try to blend the synth and orchestral elements in your song more naturally, and work on he mix clarity. I would also like to hear a better ending, not a fan of this one. NO (resubmit)

Interesting choices. I think you did a good job marrying the two sources together, but the overall execution of the mix is flawed. I felt the overall empty soundspace didn't act in favor of the remix, some elements such as the distorted guitar are oddly mixed in, the synths are really lacking character and presence, sound very muffled. There's variation in the drums, but some beats don't add a good groove to the song and just feel aimless (1:55). The piano feels dry and overly mechanical at times. The lack of a natural-sounding performance on the piano is very exposed at 2:27. I see that Deia saw pretty much the same issues, so I agree with everything in the previous post. To add to those, some of the transitions are not well set up (1:22, 1:55). Underneath the bad mix there could be an interesting arrangement, as I hear sections like 3:32 that show a lot of promise. But for now you must get your mix levels to make more sense and to fill the stage better. NO

Deia summed up my thoughts on this one pretty well. The samples are ok, with some sections showing their artificial nature more, but thankfully those are a minority. The mix is ok, some unbalanced things of note are, as Larry said, the accordions and for me, the final bells, being too upfront and in the case of the accordion not giving a feel of the instrument being handled delicately but rather being aritificially subdued. The arrangement is another point where I agree with Deia, it sticks very close to the original however there are added harmonies and flairs, as well as a slight changes in structure and a nice variation in pacing with the slowing to moderato, enough for me to pass it. This remix sounds like a lighthearted and playful version of the Red Army Orchestra performing Bad Piggies and I guess that would be enough for me. YES

The wind samples felt pretty stiff and lacking human articulations, although most of the instruments felt this way as well, it's more noticeable in these because they take the spotlight at a couple of sections. So overall the performances didn't feel very natural to me but I think in this case they didn't need to be. Other background textures on the mix fared better, creating a more interesting soundscape. I felt the subs were affecting too much the mix in the busiest sections due to the compression but the song's elements were clear enough throughout. The arrangement starts off very creative but gets less interesting for me over time. The background is constantly evolving, and the structure is handled in creative ways but I wished more variations were done to the main melody and motifs, an opportunity missed in this regard was at the second brass section where the main melody repeats verbatim. There is however, as previously mentioned, a lot of work done to keep things different everywhere else as the song runs its course. Not a fan of the ending, as the main arpeggio just cuts off abruptly. Overall I have to agree it's an original take on a very popular song, which evolves constantly an can either keep the listener engaged if one's looking at the details, or just act equally as nice if just used as background music. The dub sections were a highlight for me (3:08). YES

The mix isn't as clear as I would've liked. The distorted rhythm guitar strange overdrive tone sounds like an odd mix between digital distortion and analog overdrive, it works on some sections, not so well in others. Some sections like 02:38 the mix almost falls apart. However, lead guitars are clear, choirs are powerful and the drums pack a good punch. Production issues aside, this is a really great arrangement. The Dancing Mad opening was amazing, The transitions into the Bravely Default portions were natural, and surprisingly in line with the mood set by dancing mad. The guitar performances are on point, offering edge to the song, and that solo was INTENSE. The church organ sections fit both sources extremely well and add the air of pending doom from Dancing Mad. This song in general evokes a One Winged Angel feel and I totally approve of that. In the end I feel the production nitpicks are just drops in a bucket. This is an awesome arrangement that shines in pretty much every department. YES

This is pretty damn awesome, I loved the dark feeling and the organized disarray of it all. The sound design was sick and those amped feedback sounds can cut through flesh. If this didn't have a beat this would fit right at home in a horror movie scene. Sadly I do have to agree with Kris and Deia, there's really not that much Doom in this. What little there is is really awesome and unsettling, but its not enough for a remix. vote changed below