OCR00905 - Age of Empires: The Rise of Rome "Realms of Africa"

[Zipp]

It's rare that I download a mix that is from a game I haven't played. I just don't have the connection to it the same way that I would otherwise. Occasionally I like it. This time, I liked it. A lot. Makes me really wish someone would do a Star Craft remix (please? anyone?)

What drew me in was defenitely the begining. It transported me to the Jungles and Deserts of unexplored terrain. Having never heard the original, the piece loses interest for me after somewhere in the middle, but it's still very listenable and gets points for simply going to so many different places, quite like the Morrowind mix, "Isle of Edges." Great work.

Zipp

[DiamondBerg]

Nice remix, protricity I luv ya!..nvm... Make a StarCraft Remix!!!! This game rock, someone please!!

[watkinzez]

Even though it really isn't, I usually associate this song with Ari's earlier works. That is, before he really started kicking ass with his DKC2 songs. Not to say this one is poor, but actually quite good. Was the source in Age of Empires II? I've certainly heard it before.

Very well done transitions, and the choir specifically was interesting to me.

[Tex]

I have been mixing for ten years and have created 200+ songs.

OMG.

And I also love this mix. It sounds like a sad music in some transitions. The effects created by Protricity are very nice. Cool placement of percussion. Everything here is well placed. But personally the effects are my favourite thing in this work.

Excellent job.

[Navi]

Still one of the best mixes on this site.

[Kapyrna]

As one who has the Redbook audio from every AoE disk made, I like this mix. It's not 5-star, but i'll give it a four because it was done /right/, not just 'done'.

Thanks, Protricity.

[HoboKa]

You really have to listen to the whole thing to appreciate it. It's one of those songs that takes you on a journey. Opens up with nice atmosphere to show what's going to go down. No distinct melody or pattern is present until 1:15. It continues in it's growth from there to 1:48 where something loud is noticable and you can get "into it".

About half way through things stop.

Another melody seems to be growing. I am reminded of various places from the game Terranigma. Things keep growing in this second half until it hits 3:35 where my favorite part comes in. A slow string guides you through the rhythm with the melody at the same time. Something very dramatic and eerie about this part. I like it a lot, same goes for any other song that successfully pulls that feeling off.

The drums vary, mostly being either absent or blended perfectly in the background, nothing techno about this at all. 5 minutes? Seems like 2.

Yeah, it does have a Terranigma feel to it. Speaking of which, we need more remixes of that game AND Age of Empires

[duskvstweak]

I have loved this mix since I first heard it. Man, I keep wishing we'd get more AOE mixes, but this keeps me happy!

[metalsnakejuice]

Listened to this today for the first time. The melody is great too.

[OceansAndrew]

a little slow start, but some cool additions and a uniquely Asian feel to this one, which is weird due to the title. I'm not hearing what i'd expect from Africa at all in this. Production was pretty good, if at times somewhat empty, but there was always something happening. A lot of different feeling sections, and a pretty relaxed arrangement make this decent.

[Marmiduke]

Well, I can say it really nails the Age of Empires vibe perfectly, from its ethnicity to its conceptual arrangement.

What I think is remarkable about this mix, besides the usual soaringly high level of production quality from Protricity, is that it has a great narrative approach to its design. It's full of space and distance, which is probably not the most musically enticing thing to hear, but from a conceptual perspective, it really helps let the mix sink deeper into you.

It starts with a drawn out intro and the establishment of melody, but then crosses into a transitory bridge that stretches across the entire centre of the mix, like a massive African grassland. This section is slow, drawn back and full of stopping and starting, until finally we reach the last section; a nice driving reflection of the journey.

While not technically or superficially superior to Protricity's more celebrated tracks, I think this one is one of the more interesting. It's designed very nicely, and while not the most listenable style of arrangement out there, that hasn't stopped me from giving it many dozens of listens over the years.

[WesternZypher]

I love Stephen Rippy's music from the AoE series - they're evocative, jammy, and great for laying waste to your enemy's cities to. Protricity has made a fine mix, but it does sound more Asian than African.