Marmiduke

Easily one my favourite vocal performances on the site. This strikes gold on all fronts, offering a nice blend of rich backing music and superb leading voice work. You almost don't know where to place your attention. This is definitely one that you need to listen to a lot of times in order to appreciate just how good it is. I wouldn't change a thing about this. A must listen, if not for the pure serenity of it all, but just to see the capability of the remixing scene.

This is mostly exceptional for the cred that it brings with it, but it's not without its nice, warm charms. Great live recording, though it lacks a lot of atmosphere that makes some live recordings sound so distinct and engrossing. Didn't really connect with the fake atmosphere implanted into it, since I could tell it wasn't real as soon as I heard it. Other than that, there aren't any hitches to speak of (especially nice to see in live recordings). It's a simple arrangement for sure, but given the genre and the band set-up, that's all that's really needed. A nice laid back performance, made extra special by the very talented gentleman behind it all. Occasional recognition from the creative epicenter is monumental.

Pretty dire sample wise, and it struggles to be inspiring for a good length of its runtime. The cameo of Terra's Theme is the peak of the mix, showcasing some nicely arranged blending of melodies, but it is so shortlived its almost insulting. This is pretty standard Final Fantasy remixing. A bunch of moody organ/choir tunes mashed up. It's not fancy, and it sounds below average. But its not horrible for what it is. At the very least, you can hear the effort put into it. For all its faults, it at least isn't a rushjob. And would someone with the proper authority change this from Final Fantasy to Final Fantasy 7. No matter what the official categorising rules are, this mix is mislabelled.

I have no idea why, but even after listening to it and relistening to it, I always find it utterly unpredictable. It's several delightful discoveries every time. It might be the fact that it so smoothly progresses from source track to source track, or that there is an ebb and flow mechanic in how many sound effects bombard the music. Whatever it is, I'm a massive fan of it. It's not a building mix, rather a mix that does its own thing when it wants to. It's a bizarre rhythm to get into as a listener, but one that is by no means offputting. Subtle in some ways, unsubtle in others. A pretty curious mix in terms of sound and structure, but a ridiculously entertaining one too.

Wow, this still sounds really fresh. I've completely forgotten about this mix, and I can't ever remember liking it as much as I do now. Maybe it's because I started getting into The Avalanches a year or two ago, which this is strikingly similar to in that it is a great standalone piece held together with some clever voice samples. I'm not the biggest proponent for voice samples, but when they are chosen for their rhythmic nuances over their context or subject matter like they are here and with The Avalanches' work, I find it hard not to get behind it. It works too well to turn my nose up at. Not much to say about the actual sounds and samples really, since most of it is lifted. But the drums stand out for good reason, I think they hold up and give the piece some accent that does a decent jo of establishing a defected identity for itself. It's ability to emancipate from the direction of the source is probably the only reason this mix got through, and I'm glad it did. I've been an outsider looking in at Jet Grind Radio, but its always been on my 'To Play' list. I had no idea the soundtrack was such a refreshing explosion of energy and groove. To hell with the gameplay, I think I'm in love already. Will definitely be checking it out, thanks to this mix that has been greatly underloved by me for far too long.

There's nothing quite like rock guitar married with Castlevania; a strong pairing goat clearly seems to understand. The complex melodic structures and the dark gothic tones are a perfect match for guitar solos and chugging, however I detect a much lighter approach to this that doesn't exactly destroy the compatibility of the piece, but it defers quite a bit from what made goat's similar efforts really shine. Technically, I think things are as high-quality as you'd expect, but the unusual blend of the dark vibes of metal and Castelvania with the almost danceable treatment it's been given here is a strange flavour. Not a bad one, and not one that would make me dislike it, but it got an against-the-grain feel to it, like it isn't in its element at any one time. I guess it could also be in part due to the sound effects of the water, which I don't welcome or wish to be removed. They're integrated well, but don't prove their worth enough for me. This is a mix I have a hard time coming to a set opinion of. It may just be a case of me enjoying what's here a lot but being disappointed by it at the same time. It definitely does what it does as well as any other metal mix (better in some cases), but hits too far from my own personal mark for me to give the standing ovation. This isn't badass, it's merely a fun romp with guitars.

You can definitely hear the potential in there, amongst the crushingly plain samples and the emptiness behind the main tracks. It's a decent template, but feels quite a long way from being finished. This is a musical skeleton, and really only meets WIP standards these days. Some encouraging piano work does a lot for this mix, but definitely not enough. What's here isn't unlistenable. Not by a long shot. But it's not great either.

Warning: Extreme bubbliness. I dig what goes on this one a whole lot, in that it constantly surprises me and keeps on improving and building a nice structure of little melodic ideas. This is quite far from the straightfoward treatment of the source I initially thought it would be. In fact, the depth to the arrangement is fairly underplayed by the one-dimensional 'happy' sound approach. The samples aren't my favourite thing about this, and that ending is completely and utterly wrong, but I'm pegging this one up as one of the best explorations of the Chocobo theme done so far, and distinctly upbeat one at that. Unexpectedly stimulating in more ways than one.

Surprising. Very surprising. I much prefer a clean sound than a dirty, distorted sound, which is why it's so surprising that I'm totally endeared by this mix. It exaggerates its effects whilst having a bit of respect for the audience, meaning the intricacies of the music isn't going to fly over people's heads but at the same time it's not going to sound silly and obvious. It's pulled off really well. The percussion and the panning in particular are definite highlights. And considering the age of this mix, I don't think the samples are THAT bad. The choir samples get very iffy in places, but in other places I think its totally passable. I'm glad to chalk this up as a very pleasant enlightenment. It's a nice little step out of my own personal taste. In fact, the more I listen to it, the more I appreciate the sound. Can't ask for more than that.

I have a soft spot for this one, and mixes like it. Very simple in nature; a pretty much cookie-cutter trance conversion of a retro tune. I can definitely see a lot of derision in what's here, but it just so happens that I'm a bit of a fan of trance, which does this mix a fairly big favour. There's nothing glowing I can say about this. The samples sound bland today, and the little new ground it covers won't enlighten anybody if it hasn't done so already. But I get a lot of enjoyment out of simplicity, making it pretty hard to resist its sole ambition to get you in the dancing mood. For this reason, I've kept it close by for a long time, just in case I need a boost in dancitude.

It's such a shame that the intro to this mix, which really has nothing to do with the music itself, has garnered most of the attention of listeners over the years. Because really, this is all about the music. It's amazing, addictive trance. FFMusic Dj proves he is a well-oiled techno machine that pumps out pristine product like noone else. Very melodic output done very well. It's a heavyweight theme given the heavyweight treatment, which is bound to not be what everyone is after. And yeah, it's probably right to point out it has a fairly oddball-esque segregated intro. Which I happen to enjoy and get a smile over every time I hear it. But to let a non-contextual prologue deflate your positivity towards this excellent mix would be a big mistake, not to mention idiotic beyond belief. This mix deserves better than to be sideshowed.

This isn't a mix I would describe as going places. It lingers on the one section of the source the entire time, lingering with the drum loop, lingering with synth cycles. It's fun to listen to, but it has a hard time satisfying my appetite. Technically I see nothing wrong with this. I love the source tune, I think the samples sound great. I just have a real problem with the arrangement. It's not that I think it is boring, I'm happy to sit through this. But as far as my want for it to progress, to build or to even bridge, it underperforms. This is the sort of mix that travels its furthest in its first minute, and from then on gets overly comfortable in what it is doing. Like I said, it's more than competent for D'n'B, not so much for game music remixing. By no means a stinker, but a little outside my tastes.

Definitely strikes me as more an experiment with mood and approach than a full-fledged track. It vaguely explores some of the territory that would become a regular staple of CotMM mixes, but comes off as a much more simplistic, uninvolved exercise. I actually like what I hear here, but it's just a little too vague and sparse to be an early classic. Very nice liberal piano arrangement though. Very nice indeed.

Nice to hear from a time where music from licensed games was worth a goddamn. And also from a time where mixes could be short and sweet, without the pressure of being overshadowed and lost between the cracks. This isn't the snazziest mix in the world, but it's got a great beat and has quite a bit of swing under the hood. Really love the left-field idiosynchratic style that goes on here; this could only be Mustin. Does a decent job with the samples, supplies some undeniable swank, and then lets us move on. More than I can ask for from a game commissioned by M&Ms.

Interesting lo-fi approach to the chiptune formula. Fuzzed production and a slew of more traditional sounding synths give this a feeling removed from the chip mixes I've heard lately. Which is actually refreshing. In exchange for oomph and clarity, there's an array of texture and density to music. I think the mix gets better and better as it progresses; the arrangement certainly takes on a life of its own, moving into unfamiliar tangents that complement the nostalgic melodies quite nicely. This is constantly keeping things fresh, despite the fact it is the length of an average dance mix. Sustaining happy, lo-fi electronic music that long and never having it grow tedious is a commendable achievement. The chiptune scene on the site seems to be going from strength to strength, and this very enjoyable collab mix is a definite stepping stone to the current awesomeness.

This would be so much more awesome if the levels were kept under control. There are times where things get way too high, and times where you strain to hear notes because they are so low and buried under everything else. A bit of clarity would do wonders to this mix. I do love the arrangement. It's a short melody, but one that is sustained admirably throughout. It goes through quite a few iterations and phases and spits us out at the other side, and at the very least, that's what's great about the mix. It could have been better though. I could have praised it more. And that hurts. Unfortunately, this is a little too all over the place to gain full access to my heart. Awww.

Can't say this one sits well for me. It's not the vocals... I actually don't have a problem with them at all. I just hate the samples and the fact that all the variations on the limited theme is dumped onto the percussion and voicework. It puts a lot of stress on the track, especially since the quality of sounds leaves a lot to be desired. The samples used to present the melody are not my cup of tea at all, sounding overly simple and dated. This isn't a total trainwreck. You can't really go wrong with breakbeat drums and the voicework was inspired somewhat, but the track doesn't do all that much for me.

This is hugely impressive considering it was part of the initial wave of Chrono Trigger mixes, and still stands up soundwise to its modern brethren. There are some fantastic samples used here that really make the mix. Zeal hasn't been reinvented here, but it's still a very nice sounding Zeal. A step ahead of others at the time. I enjoyed the small amount of paraphrasing on the theme, but this comes down to one of those rare covers that are actually welcome and altogether enjoyable. A classic.

Hahahahahahahahaha. That ending. Yes! YES! This has to, HAS TO, persevere through any and all lockdowns. I will not hear a word against this mix. We must strive to keep this mix on the site forever. This mix is so overshadowed by djpretzel's take on the same tune that was released not too long afterwards. If this one wasn't whipped up in under an hour, it will be just plain embarassing. Who's with me? Let's campaign to keep X on the site! Why? For as good a reason as any. It belongs here because it doesn't belong here. I hope that is well understood. Judges, Vote Yes for X next lockdown. Appease to it's one semi-fan.

What the frig was that? This is basically an intro to a mix being passed off as an entire mix. It's comically short. The biggest shame about it is that I could see where it could be going, and it was exciting indeed. Castlevania music is much more rooted in classical composition than most other videogame music, and this seemed to be leading into a full orchestral elaboration on that. But then it petered out. The transition into the woodwind is awful, and the potential being wasted here is almost too hard to be in witness of. Really pleasant stuff made sinful through some horrendous oversights and plain laziness. I get the feeling this was intended to be something more than it turned out to be, and what we got was a WIP rushed to completion. Thus, it's a tiny (literally) blip on my radar.

Tags: power, fury, whirlwind of guitars, ownage, squealing, howling, orgasmic. No other words are needed to describe my adulation for this mix.

I remember when this was first put up on the site, this was my go-to mix for pure fun. Somewhere along the way, I stopped listening to it, and strangely I'm struggling to find the joy I once found in this. There's a desolation in here that negates a lot of the bubblegum-goodtime-happydance-smilefactory vibe that the old Euro scene was all about, and that this is clearly trying to channel. I don't think it's all the mixer's fault; I think I've become more cynical over the years and I've also listened to a larger range of stuff. Tastes change and perspectives alter, and this mix didn't live up to the expectation I had of it when I originally heard it, unfortunately. The samples are uninspired, there's no depth in sound and there's no gloss that I find to be the selling point of mixes like this. Rayza delivers gloss. This only attempts to. This is still amiable stuff. It follows a well-worn routine, but its a damn successful one. I'm a fan of the tune (itself a remix of Canon in D), and this will always be a good one to have around for the purposes of hearing it with bundled energy. But I'm afraid I have to demote it from go-to status. Something about it leaves me cold to its brightness.

Very sweet melody to work with here. Nice ambiguity between sadness and triumph, and the instrumentation supports that too. I didn't feel like a lot was done to the actual source, which is a little disappointing. I would have loved some expansion on the theme, but the harmonic changes were a nice consolation. Sample wise, things sound a little high right across the board, which takes a little time to become accustomed to, and the bass and snare can get intrusive if you let that sort of thing bother you. Overall, I think the value of this mix lies in the fact that it represents such a strong source melody. It does a decent job of updating it, doing justice to all the hooks and adding a few new ideas in there too. Could have been a bit more than it is, but what's here will do.

This is just a thicket of ideas sporadically twisted into the shape of music, and I love every second of it. Seriously, Shnabubula has the perfect ear for possibility; what something could sound like and not necessarily what it should sound like by normal musical standards. And that is a precious thing for a listener to have access to. I certianly don't take this for granted. It supercedes any misgivings about sample quality and superficial rubbish like that. That is deviating from the entire point. This is more than entertainment. It's expression. Some people might find this mix to be like a foreign film without subtitles, and I don't claim to 100% 'get' this mix, but it's one of those things that just the fact it got made fascinates me. That's common among Shnab's work, but a total rarity in life.

THIS is a remix. It's a to-the-point rush that takes the source melody, scrunches it into a ball and shapes it into something distinct yet instantly recognisable. I'm hardpressed to choose which section I liked best as both are remarkably cool and have held up throughout the many years its been around for. There are enough ideas present for this to be expanded to two mixes (or merely a longer one.) I hate the fact this ends so quickly and almost without much care at all, almost as if it runs off a cliff and disappears into blackness... but I can excuse that for the sheer luck that the mix is here at all. This impresses the hell out of me, and I honestly think this represents one of the purest statements of what this site is all about. It's a combination of liberal, conservative, fresh and nostalgic elements working simultaneously towards the one vision. It's just a shame there are a few imperfections thrown in along with it.