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OCR01674 - Top Gear "Rockabilly ~ Dark Gears ~ Surfing Gear"


djpretzel
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I've seen a lot of your mixes over at VG mix X and I generally enjoyed them. I wondered if I'd ever see one here :). Sure it's a bit rough and the transitions aren't the most seamless in the world. But that's not what sells this one for me.

The arrangement of the individual themes are all very different and very good. The thing I like about this track is it feels spontaneous like a good jam session.

It's the kind of improvisation that's just plain fun :). Personally, I'd probably enjoy breaking out my keyboard and jamming with a band like this because it sounds like you guys had a blast making an arrangement of a cherished game and it shows :).

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Righto... overall a decent mix. I didn't care for the first part, partially because it came in too abruptly, and partially because your lead guitar seemed to be having some slight issues staying on time. Slight, mind you, but noticeable. After the change up, it started sounding pretty good from there on out. It would've been nice to hear some better changeups between the parts though, they were very abrupt. Started to rock pretty hard in the third part, I'd say that was my favorite bit of the mix. My biggest issue would be the overall quality of the instrumentation. This simply could've been played quite a bit better. Decent mix, but definite room for improvement.

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A bit messy, yeah, but super energetic. You really can't help but bop along. The extreme panning on the tapping section early on makes you kinda sick with headphones though. :-( bleaaaahhhhh (that was me throwing up from sonic vertigo)

Transitions are pretty weak, and i think it if pretty medley-heavy, but it's still pretty enjoyable to listen to. There's good variety on the different sections to keep it feeling fresh, even if it is actually several different songs stitched together.

So in my opinion, there are several rough spots but overall it's a fun track, especially on speakers.

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I've heard these guys on VGmix X. Like the other tracks this one's very well arranged and has a novel feel to it. As said before, some of the transitions are rough and a few guitars there are a little loose in terms of rythum, but all in all, you guys keep things upbeat and bright.

I'm satisfied with this mix, but ready for another submission from you. Keep it up!

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  • 3 weeks later...

As has been said before, this is a very energetic mix, but the transitions are lacking; too abrupt, IMO.

Love the part from 2:23 on, as it reminds me of one of the tracks from the very first GTA.

Moreover, I really like the third part. Again, the transition could've been handled better, but come on, surf-guitar music on OCR? Gotta love that.

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  • 1 month later...

I agree about the energy - and the headphone issue too. This track has sort of "garage" production - at first I didn't like it so much, but then it somehow just clicked, it sounds right. The transitions between different original material are indeed very "medley". It makes the whole sound undeveloped. There are a lot of good ideas, but they don't get to shine so much. The second section is quite great. The beginning solo bass sounds really nice to me. I'd love a "full" ReMix developed from that part.

I also grabbed the Megaman 2 soundtrack from 8-bit Instrumental's homepage, and I really enjoy tracks 11-13 - the password piece is among them.

--Eino

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  • 6 months later...
The extreme panning on the tapping section early on makes you kinda sick with headphones though. :-( bleaaaahhhhh (that was me throwing up from sonic vertigo)

I got that with speakers. Whoa, kinda dizzy.

A fun mix, but I'm not crazy about the different sections overall. Needs to be more fluid, or expand just one section and go from there.

Unfortunately the beginning is messiest, which sets up a not so great first impression. I would clean that up if possible.

Despite all the criticism, it's still a fun mix to listen to, and I enjoyed it. Kudos.

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  • 2 months later...
  • 6 months later...

I'll start off to say that the dirty, garage-band sounding feel isn't my cup of tea, so I'm sure it doesn't help my review. I think some of the playing could've been a bit tighter. On the other hand, however, it's obviously capably produced and well executed for live instruments. Good job varying up the different sections to keep things fresh.

Oh man, quick panning at 1:14 really messes with my head. I think it's important to keep in mind some of us listen on headphones :).

I did like the wah guitar section coming in a bit after 2:20. I've always been a sucker for the effect. I would've liked to hear some more transitions, rather than abrupt changeups (I'm looking at you, 4:55), but it's not bad enough to mess with the overall track too much.

Overall, I can appreciate a solid instrumental piece like this, whether or not it's my style. Well done.

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  • 4 months later...
  • 1 month later...

This is a fun romp, not the most technically proficient and not necessarily the most interesting arrangement, but I enjoy listening to it a lot nonetheless :-) I didn't really take issue with the performance itself - the mistakes gave it that definite "live band" character.

Aside from the practically non-existent transitions, this one's good stuff.

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  • 2 years later...

Having thought fondly of 8-Bit Instrumental since Kyle's exposure of them on Nitro Game Injection, I'm good to see what they did here.

This to me feels like a medley of 3 different songs, though credit where credit is due for making all the different segments as varied as each other. Safe as they may be, seeing the difference in style across all three themes made them all worthwhile.

The first rockability section definitely had a lot of ideas packed in in regards to the performance stylistically, and definitely had some fun ideas especially with the panned pull-offs near the end of it. Didn't seem to cite any real problems with the performance there.

I did however find the timing a little more problematic with the dark second segment, especially when following after the wah guitar section at 2:30, though again it managed to make up for with some strong ideas, especially in regards to processing ideas and drum performance. Thankfully that segment got tighter as it went on and showed more polish as a performance from the 3 minute segment onwards.

And with the surf guitar finale at 5:08, it may still have its looseness and I even thought the lead guitar was a little overdone on the echo time, but again it's a fun idea that managed to work well charismatically.

I may be somewhat critical about this one, but for a track that's bursting with ideas and creative flow, I dig it a lot. :) And it's even harder to get a bunch of real musicians working on sync, though that's one key thing that may be looked at in regards to 8-Bit Instrumental's future works - the field of studio engineering, to give it less of a garage band sound.

But I know that they can make ideas work as a whole group, and so I hope they'll keep submitting material in the future :)

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  • 1 year later...

I've played this game countless times since I was a kid. I find this mix to be an awesome mix of Tracks 1, 3 and 4 respectively. All the different instruments make this experience one-of-a-kind. I find myself bewildered as to how this precision guitar-picking was pulled of.

This is a fine mix of metal, classic rock and beach guitar. The whole game cycled through my head as I heard this remix.

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  • Liontamer changed the title to OCR01674 - Top Gear "Rockabilly ~ Dark Gears ~ Surfing Gear"

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