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OCRA-0017 - Donkey Kong Country 2: Serious Monkey Business

Bahamut

By Bahamut,
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DKC2 – Serious Monkey Business reactions (beware, I nitpick random things and this is not attempting to be unbiased, just my response to the songs):

Disc 1:

Djpretzel – Sturm und Kong: One of the strongest opening tracks to an album I’ve ever heard. The introductory orchestral composition is foreboding and tense, with the two-note strings keeping rhythm while some other instruments play chilling lines of the melody. All comes to a head when it switches to synths and dancey drums…but wait, the orchestra is still there. I am in LOVE with the French horns used, above all else. A great balance of digital textures and classical instruments. Production quality is top notch. This soundscape is complex and sounds meticulously planned, though there were a few parts in the middle where I almost got bored. Things changed enough to keep my ADHD interested, though, which means one thing: Great work!

Joren de Bruin – Simian Soiree: Jazz lounge intro piano teasing the main chunk of source. I’m not sure how I feel about using an electric bass here, when the drums and piano sound so much more chill. I guess a standup would have been more my preference, but the playing and processing here is still good. It doesn’t sound like it doesn’t belong, and plays the parts well. Once the ensemble backing and electric guitar come in, the piece really starts to come into its. The acoustic guitar is gorgeous. A great adaptation of the source to a new genre and style, all while keeping it fresh with plenty of original spice. BAM! Sax could have been a bit better, but it’s not bad.

Ross Kmet – How Krool Went Insane: chimes and stereo-panning effects bring it in as the bass and other instruments take their time to really get going. The chimes and epiano sound very fitting, and the lead synth feels like a love-it-or-hate-it choice, though I enjoy it. When the chopped stuff comes in with the wah hits, it starts to drift from what I enjoy. It doesn’t stray too far, and when it goes back into the main progression I don’t mind. During the later half of the song, I started zoning out. This one’s pretty unique, also pretty chill. The ending FX hurt my ears a little though.

OA – Party’s Over Here: I swear I facepalm every time I hear the intro to this. This is so cheesy that it not only loops around again to be not cheesy, but it goes even further again back to being unbelievably cheesy. Nice rock-synth party song. Splashes of violins mixed in with the synth lead and the distorted guitars. One can tell it’s an OA song from that specific synth lead. Crisp drums, and all-around good production, which is what I’ve come to expect from him. Ending is a little bland, and….A FADEOUT!? MAAAAN! Nuh uh. Go back and fix it. And while you’re at it, tell that happy chick to lay off the valium a bit (read: I enjoyed this song quite a bit).

Patrick Burns – Rare Respite: Wow. The piano is outstanding for an opening, I really wish it went on longer in that manner. Even if I can’t get my way there, though, what you do have after it is phenomenal. This is exactly what I envisioned as an arrangement for the jig, and it’s pulled off great. The piano is great throughout, and those acoustics are…I’m pretty speechless. You even had creaking planks on a ship. The choice of instruments, the playing, the production. I have to say this is my favorite song from disc 1. I really can’t think of anything negative, and it kept my attention throughout. Even if I try to nitpick, I can’t find anything to nitpick. And even my personal preference about the piano was fulfilled, bringing it back at the end with even more well-placed environmental sounds. FANTASTIC! AHHH!

Hemophiliac – Tetanus: His skill in orchestral composition is quite great. It shows here that he knows exactly what he's doing. The opening oboe hooked me immediately, and once the snare section comes in, I’m fully immersed. An uplifting and adventurous-sounding piece, my only real qualm is when the synthetic sound is brought in. It ruined the warm soundscape that had been developed a bit, but it doesn’t ruin the song (just brings it down a notch for me personally). The ending piano is superb, especially the notes with the dissonant strings behind it. This is still a winner of a song.

Nutritious – Old School: Not my favorite Nutritious piece, but still a very good one, and a lot different than what I’ve heard him do before. Very synthy, very 80’s, and it’s awesome regardless. Even the strings played sound almost disco. Not much else to say in regards to feedback on this one. Production is good.

Bustatunes – Monkey Merengue: great epiano, and…is that a marimba? These instruments are stellar. Lounge-style with great string reinforcement. Hand percussion work in the middle is a nice touch. I could listen to this on loop while enjoying a martini talking to a saucy waitress. Busta impresses very much with this song, which I can’t do justice to with words since I am not that familiar with the genre. I’ll close with saying that this feels like it should be

performed by a live band.

Zyk0 – Token Up: Nice rotating leslie on that organ, good tone on the guitar. This is a smooth adaptation of one of the most recognizable DKC-series songs to the freestyle approach it seems built to do. I’m not that big a fan of the middle section as that guitar wankery feels a little off to me, but other than that, this was enjoyable to an extent. Female voice to the right was a good choice. Production is good, but the drums seem just a bit too quiet in comparison to the guitar. That hand percussion needs to be bumped to say the least. There were a few guitar bits throughout that seemed a little sloppy, but I’d associate that more with your chosen approach. Not really my cup of tea. The song is also a bit too long. By all means it’s not a bad mix, but I was left a little disappointed.

Joshua Morse – It’s a Jungle Out There!: Ah, now this is interesting. Some various hand drums, really has a DKC feel. I don’t know how I feel about that metallic instrument (I don’t know what it is, but it’s for most of the beginning part, stops at :54). Regardless, cool choices for instruments. The flute is great, another smooth lounge jazzy arrangement in-total.

Zyk0 – The Apes of Wrath: Ah, now I like this a lot more. This one feels very chaotic with the drum-guitar playing. That cool organ from the other song is back (or something that’s very close). I really enjoyed this one, and don’t have much to say besides some of the timings threw me off. Got the effect of “wrath” conveyed very well, even without going screaming metal. Rocking. Also the length of this one is more digestible.

Djpretzel – Welcome to the Funky House: SHAFT! That’s all I gotta say. Donkey “Shaft” Kong. That’s the total vibe I get from this, especially with that talking guitar-style synth. Not as flashy as Strum, but still well put together, and very enjoyable. It’s a funky house, indeed. Don’t have much else to say. I could be a jerk and say “whoa, it’s too minimal and doesn’t change up enough” but that would just be rude. This fits the desired style very well.

Fishy – Beneath the Canopy: This is definitely a runner-up for my favorite song on the first disc. I don’t think this could get any more Pink Floyd-esque without actually infringing on one of their songs. Great lead guitar tone, and the backing pads do a great job fleshing out the mellow soundscape. Guitar performance is standard Fishy (read: AWESOME!). There’s a reason this guy is going to school for music, and it’s hard to not see why if you listen to his songs. Drums are kickass and don’t overplay at all.The addition of the section with primarily strings was a great touch. Overall, nice rockwork. Ending piano is like a cross between DKC2 and FF. Me likey very much.

Nicole Adams feat. M.J. Ault and Starla – A New Place: Nicole did a great job adapting the melody for vocal performance, and this duet is near-orgasmic. Performances from both vocalists are out of this world, and the production is top shelf. The guitar is a nice touch, too, both electric and acoustic. This song flows incredibly well, and it reminds me a bit of a more synthy Fleetwood Mac. Drums get a little repetitious at one point, but I’m constantly distracted by the vocalists so it’s not a big deal. Wonderful way to end disc one.

Disc 2:

Zylance – Roller Disco: *dances* Even if this doesn’t expand that much on the original, this is an absolute fun song to listen to. Disco + video game music = unbelievable cheese, especially when pulled off with a combination of authentic disco flavor and newer “retro” sounding digital instruments thrown in. Zylance (Zoola) definitely achieves here, and the musical inclusion of pitched monkey SFX is great, especially as an homage to how it was used in some songs of the original soundtrack. Nice energy and fine production. Wish it was longer, had a better ending, and went a bit farther with the arrangement. Still fantastic.

Prince of Darkness – This Chase is Haunted: *stops dancing and facemelts to the floor*. Tony, you magnificent bastard. This is so kickass. My only qualm is that the lead is a little out of tune at one point or another during the song (very slight, I guess I can only hear it because I’ve had similar minute issues with tuning myself). That’s about it, other than that, this mix hits you in the face like a freight train and keeps going for miles of guitar and synth wankery. This man is crazy, and this song is crazy awesome. Utter rocking out in this one.

Bustatunez – Paleolithic Park: Well, after picking my melty face off the floor from the last one, moving on to…John Williams? This is essentially John Williams on DKC2 tunes. Bustatunez has a range so versatile and unrestrained with what he can do musically that I am always impressed yet rarely surprised. This song, however, surprised the pants off of me and had me imagining running from a T-Rex the entire song. This symphony is 100% believable. Either he got the money to record with a live orchestra, or he has mastered symphony sample libraries. I could believe either one. The phrasing and articulations are impressive to the point of jawdropping. This is my absolute favorite song on disc 2.

Patrick Burns – Rhumba Rumble: Hand me a tropical umbrella drink served in a coconut shell with some synths thrown in there! Island groove fused with some cool digital stuff here, and it’s so happy chipper during the first section that I feel like the sun’s going to shine through the walls. Then funky…with a wah’d guitar and some organ ditties. Mr. Burns, my hat is off to you. The Kong’s better open a beach resort and have this as their theme song.

Flickerfall – Us Monkeys Together: Flickerfall is a powerful force. Does this count as synth pop? It’s got synths, it’s pop, so I’d say yes. The Chinese vocals make me feel like I’m listening to the next big thing from the eastern countries. Amy, Vinnie, great work here. No negative feedback whatsoever. This thing was stuck in my head from my first listening months ago. When a song has the listener so hooked they start singing in a language they don’t understand, you KNOW a song is good (I like to call it “99 luftballons syndrome”).

Diggi Dis – Club Klubba: I be diggin’ dis, Diggi. For some reason I’m reminded of what horror punk would sound like if they decided to become club artists. Must be the chord progressions. Nice motifs splashed throughout, and an adequate, albeit standard, club sound pervades this rendition. Enjoyable, but not really standout to me. This feels very middle-of-the-road, but is by no means bad.

Another Soundscape – Swamp Gases: Ever since Daijiru (Too Hot for Clothes), every single song I’ve listened to by Anso seems porn-y in some way, shape, or form. The BPM here is very softcore-style, and the synth choices actually kinda feel dirty. OR maybe it’s just my mind playing tricks on me. Standard Anso style, which is always a pleasure to listen to, as it is varied and well-produced. Cool beans, dude.

Zyk0 – Backwards Room: The opening reminds me of Marilyn Manson’s contribution to the score of the Resident Evil movie. Very unsettling. The song, as most from zyk0 for this project, is very unique. I can’t say I’m a big fan of the vocals or some of the instrument choices, but it’s still catchy for some reason. I can’t put my finger on it, but I really like this. Bizarre, to sum up. Bizarre but listenable, for the most part. Some of the FX hits and loops are a bit corny, and the drums get old quickly, though. The song also feels long, just like the first zyk0 song on the other disc.

Geoffrey Taucer, José the Bronx Rican, and Hale-Bopp – Trapped in the Minds: Great mix except I’m not a big fan of the distortion used by Taucer. That’s more an aesthetic opinion, though, and this mix shines very brightly despite that. The drums could have been a bit stronger during the chorus, I feel. The rapping is fantastic, as well as the chorus vocals, and the arrangement itself is A+. Definitely can tell the differences from the DoD version, and this one is a world improved in many areas.

Tepid – Crystal Swamp: I’ve been a fan of Phil’s since back in the VGMix 2 days. This is a great relax electro version, and I can tell this is Tepid just from the way it sounds. The production is great, the variation in sounds and tempo is awesome. Everything sounds great. I got nothing else to say about it.

Virt – Dance of the Zinger: What a way to make a comeback! I have to say, on a small personal note, that one of the most satisfied and happy feelings I’ve ever had as a musician was after the DoD announcement this year when Jake runs up to me yelling “what the fuck, man? WHAT THE FUCK?” and then gives me one of the biggest hugs of my life. Anyways, getting back on topic, Jake may have changed his physique drastically (this man looks slim n’ trim these days) but his musical skills have only exponentially increased. This feels like an anthem, and I’m quite afraid to drive to this song for fear of it making me want to speed like a madman. My second favorite track from this disc. The mesh of calm sound instruments, like the piano and strings, so seamlessly with the buzz synths, swelling pads, and awesome drums…highly impressed, I am. The arps were the icing on the cake. Someone get me some glow sticks!

Rest of Disc 2 here.

Edited by Level 99
Put more thing in the thing
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Bahamut Newbie

Bahamut

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PARTEH TIME BITCHES!!! >:D

btw, what kind of file is the FLAC file? will it play on my mp3 or will I have to convert them?

It's lossless (or close enough anyhow - was told earlier that it's technically not quite but close). you can convert from FLAC to mp3 if you want, or you can just grab the mp3s if you don't need that level of quality. The mp3s should suffice for most.

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whilst Newbie

whilst

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PARTEH TIME BITCHES!!! >:D

btw, what kind of file is the FLAC file? will it play on my mp3 or will I have to convert them?

you'll prob have to convert it unless you have rockbox installed on your mp3 player. basically it's a lossless compression of .wave files...sorta like a zip file. except you can play .flac files in VLC and other various programs

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yay torrent! except my d/l speed isn't super super fast :(

we need more seeders!!

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yay project! so pumped.

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Sir_Snooze Newbie

Sir_Snooze

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...My pants are dirty now. Thanks, guys.

No, serious - holy SHIT, son! This is FUCKIN' NOBLE! I've already decided to not go to class tomorrow. In fact, I'm not leaving my apartment. I'm doing this nostalgia-style - just me, DKC 2 and Serious Monkey Business.

And pizza. I may or may not return to this post - I'll try to remember - but on first listens everything is frickin' awesome! Thanks Geoffrey and Bahamut - you guys should be proud of yourselves for producing this colon-crushing album of victorious mega-win.

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GTAHater836 Newbie

GTAHater836

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I like darn near everything I heard from this album. A really good recovery from 2009's apparent losing streak. (people didn't like the four 2009 albums compared to everything dated 2008 and before, did they?)

Back to Serious Monkey Business: I can't decide if I like this or Kong in Concert better. When that happens, you know you have a superb album.

Edited by GTAHater836
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halc Newbie

halc

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boy do i wish i could've been a part of this ;-)

congratulations and kudos to everybody involved for putting this together. imo, this is the best album to have come out of this community - Tepid, Skryp, Sole Signal, Fishy and Morse's tracks in particular really hit home with me. djp's mixes were 110% worth the wait, and the Dave Wise collab is simply legendary. personally i could've gone for a little more electronica but that's just a personal bias - what's here is fantastic and the artists deserve every bit of praise.

gg next project lol

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jett Newbie

jett

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Just finished listening to the whole thing. Amazing work guys, truly. The best ocremix album yet, easily. Excellent production on all tracks.

I'll say this, though, I don't think death metal is for me. :P

Edited by jett
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Brandon Strader Newbie

Brandon Strader

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Just finished listening to the whole thing. Amazing work guys, truly. The best ocremix album yet, easily. Excellent production on all tracks.

I'll say this, though, I don't think death metal is for me. :P

Hah! The first comment comes in. ^_^

I had a blasty blast recording those vocals, as well as the recorder solo at the end. It was actually the first time I'd ever recorded a recorder, so that's special. And I haven't been able to match those growls since then. :-( I gotta practice more. Thanks to Nekofrog for thinking I was good enough to vocalize his song. ;-)

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Djinn Newbie

Djinn

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Yay. :)

I love this album's consistency. "A New Place" is easily the best vocal track that I've ever heard off of OCR. And how cool is it that Dave Wise contributed? I'm really honored to have the chance to listen to this free of charge. Of course, I can't wait for the opportunity to buy a physical copy. ;) Congratulations everyone on a job well done!

Edited by Djinn
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Lord Exor Newbie

Lord Exor

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Overall, an outstanding effort. The album does a good job showcasing the talent of the individual artists, and although there were some questionable genre choices--in my opinion anyway--most of the tracks were enjoyable to listen to.

It's a well-known and oft parodied fact that I do not fancy vocal music for various reasons--aside from the "social conformity" vitriol, which was purely farcical--and so I will refrain from commenting on the vocal tracks. However, I will acknowledge the work and dedication put into them, and the fortitude of the vocalists for being comfortable with their voices. I'm also grateful to Neko for providing us with an instrumental version of his piece, which allowed me to thoroughly relish his music.

David Wise and his fellow composers also deserve accolades of course, and I thoroughly enjoyed his reinterpretation of "Donkey Kong Rescued". My next favorite track happens to be Mazedude's "Dead Raggening"; I knew I would adore it ever since I first heard a preview of it, and I love his work.

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