OCR02095 - Donkey Kong Country 2 "Tetanus"

[djpretzel]

What did you think? Post your opinion of this ReMix.

[OceansAndrew]

I really enjoyed the arrangement on this, and the synths make it a lot more interesting and nuanced than a straight orchestral arrangement would be. Other highlights for me are the prominent piano playing, and the snare rolls. It really gives the track soem good drama and tension.

Overall good stuff, nice work, Hemo.

[Hemophiliac]

Thanks, OA!

Please note:

any reference to Vader in this is purely coincidental, and I didn't even realize it until after I finished the piece. x.x

[PranaDevil]

Signed up pretty much just to comment on this track as I feel it's the strongest out of the entire collection. (and I love pretty much every track in it, so that's saying something there)

It actually gives me a huge feel of something big about to happen, with the soft opening giving a kind of intro movie vibe, allowing a slow introduction to things as it slowly increases in power the further in the song goes. Building up until 1:55 when it gets darker and feels like it's at that point something should be found out.

It also gives me a strong pirate feel, don't know if that was intentional, but it actually led to me coming up with a huge pirate theme Mafia Scum game purely because I was sitting listening to this track and had some ideas of even creating a video that could potentially go with it.

Rare is it that a piece of music gives me that much inspiration as well, I often hear songs that I think would work well as a wrestling theme, or that would just be good for something, but it's not often I'll hear something that leads to me just having to sit down and work it out.

Wound up having to create the video twice purely because my computer had to be reset to system settings just after I'd finished it the first time due to a virus.

So hopefully I didn't overstep any boundaries, but I'll link the video here too (purely because I feel it also shows how well the song fits as a sort of introduction to something). The names that flash up part way through were the players of the game, which explains the stupidity of at least one of them.

[DragonAvenger]

I love how this was arranged, it sounds like it could easily fit into a move. The mood is just right, and the percussion adds a lot of intensity. Great use of dissonance, as well. Loved this on the project, love it now.

[Sandie Sandwicheadman]

I like this track, it has a cool vibe to it, and the synths do add something to it. I was a bit disappointed though; The original track has some fantastic drumming, especially that intro. I was hoping to hear something in that vein, it could have given some extra punch to the end of the track. However, the track itself is one of the better ones on the album, and I salute ya.

[Crulex]

Very cool, driven track. The synths were something I didn't expect, but I enjoyed it throughly. The intro built the track up very nicely and I'm glad we finally have an awesome and memorable remix of LJ's Saga. Well done on this one.

[WannaPollkaLlama]

Man, epic job on this piece. I was listening to for the first time while working i played it on youtube and had clicked the link without paying attention to what game this came from. at about 1:00 to 1:10 where the drums Come in I was thinking "Man I wish somebody would do a Remix like this For Donkey Kong it would fit it so amazingly....Sad that they haven't...." and then that's when i heard the melody and figured out it was not just donkey kong but one of my favorite songs and parts of the game!!! It was fantastic. I love this Piece it makes me happy inside I enjoyed the Drums and feel that they were placed well. I agree that in some places there could be more but over all I felt that you used them but didn't abuse them and it fit the piece fantastically I also loved the movement from instument to instrument it was very fluid and nice and I felt that you chose each instrument to convey the feeling at any particular part pretty much perfectly, the mysterious, the calm, the anxious, and all the beauty in between It was an astounding piece and deffinately going in my collection thank you Very much for this Beautifully epic mix

[RECKENEFIN]

This is a great track. The opening definitely sets a tense mood, and the second part just lets all of the tension break loose. I normally am not a big fan of overt synth, but the use of it as almost an atmospherical accent works very well here. 2 thumbs up.

On a side note, and I'm not sure if it's just me, if it's a coincidence, or if it was planned, but when the percussion first comes in at 0:35 (I think), does that sound like the noise when you come across one of the barrels containing Diddy/Dixie? You know, the sound where they're pounding on the barrel trying to get out, usually followed by some monkey noises? If I'm not just imagining it, then that subtly yet awesomely adds to the sense of urgency of the piece.

[UnveiledOsiris]

Lockjaw's Locker is "the" song of DKC2 for me. Whenever I think of that game, this song comes to mind. Now it's achieved an afterlife, brought back from the dead by Hemophiliac with all the foreboding and suspense that one can only imagine that the original would have realized had technology allowed it. Easily one of my favorite tunes from Serious Monkey Business.

[Holy Land]

Lockjaw's Locker is one of my favorites too.

This mix certainly does it justice. Terrific atmosphere.

[Emunator]

That synth... damn, that feels so inspired. It really helps build up the intensity of the track more than you might think it would. Of course, the rest of the track ain't bad either - it's pretty much exactly what I would have hoped for out of the first Lockjaw's Locker remix on the site. Intense, moody, and well-produced... what's not to love?

[Rexy]

Lockjaw's Saga. One of my fave tracks off DKC2 if mostly for the claustrophobic nature behind the track.

So the track starts of pretty gentle with some strong clarinet work before working its way into a Graylightning-ish affair with the arrangement. It's hard to make out the source the first few listens, but if you listen carefully a lot of the elements was based around the low horn part of the original, which managed to set itself up in regards to structure. Credit where credit is due for the synth-work - gives in that Harry Gregson-Williams type affair to the track. Excellent work.

The samples have also been handled decently and appropriate to Hemo's vision. One thing I might recommend though would be to watch the strings; it doesn't seem to be the strongest component in a good portion of your arrangements to date, and by manipulating the filters somewhat particularly in fields of decay and sustain, they would sound somewhat more lifelike rather than having this straight expression to them.

But overall, a more arrangement-experimental track, and it's something that manages to pay off in the scope of the Serious Monkey Business album. And in solo effort form too, so that's a major achievement there Hemo! Hopefully you'll keep contributing to the site however you can

[Mirby]

This song captures the feeling of being trapped quite well, something that can happen in the stages in which the source plays. It's very well done, and a take on the mix I really enjoy.

[Bahamut]

I love the sense of progression that this track has, appearing front and center in the song. It is unique in that way with its structure in Serious Monkey Business, and is probably the biggest draw of the song for me. Chris did a great job with this song I feel, and captures some suspense with his approach to it.