*NO* Donkey Kong Country 3 (SNES) 'Return to Kong, Bye Bye Baddies!'

[OceansAndrew]

Remixer Name: Josh Whelchel

Email: josh@jwmusic.org

Websie: http://www.jwmusic.org

Forum ID: 5487

Remix Title: "Return to Kong, Bye Bye Baddies!"

Game Name: Donkey Kong Country 3

Composer: David Wise

Song(s): Baddies on Parade (Mainly), Crazy Calypso, Pokey Pipes

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMusIC9EskQ

Part of the DKC3 project, please do not post until the project completes, if it's accepted.

--

I really wanted to do something with this track that expanded on the limited source in such a way to tell a compelling story. If you can sort of imagine a nostalgic view back on the adventures that were had through a monochromatic photo album (well hey, sort of like in the credits!). To achieve this, I pretty much tease that at the melody without ever hitting it outright until 1:27. After that, I take the same melodic exterior to create some fun solos that build up into a faster section that begins with the super-fun bassline of Baddies on Parade. Slowly I start to tease at theme of the game (Crazy Calypso) at 2:27, where I start using just the chord progression of that theme before hitting it at full speed at 2:45. After grooving we mix it up into a little cameo of Pokey Pipes at 3:19 that serves as a middle 8 before we hit the solo-riffs and outro break at 3:45 that are structured around the main melody, which reappears at 4:15, and in full at 4:19.

To sum it up, this is sort like what trying to remember all of those fun moments you had with Dixie were like in little pieces, sometimes the melody comes to you right away, sometimes it's just familiar enough.

Technical jumbo:

Most of this mix hangs on the melodic riff at :12 in the original (Baddies on Parade) with that high note, enough so that the source is familiar but the melody, which in the original is like earcandy on repeat, is not reproduced verbatim until I want it to be.

Source:

[OceansAndrew]

Despite a *super* awkward early transition, I was feelin' this. Nice synth use, some cool additional ideas, and fun stuttering gated synth madness gives this a lot of textural variety. Some of the synth stuff felt too mechanically sequenced, but overall it was good, and felt performed, rather than clicked in. The ending was a little bit anticlimactic, but even that and the weird transition early on can't keep this one down. Production is clean and clear, and the balance is good, with solid panning ideas, and a full soundscape.

Arrangement is on the liberal side to me, but with the 3 sources, I think it gets the point aross well enough, though some judges will definitely feel differently about it, and i'm not sure how the stopwatch will treat you.

I like it.

Yes

[Palpable]

This song was neat. I tried my own hand at Baddies on Parade briefly before giving up on it, because I couldn't get a good groove for the melody. This was a good fit for the source. Production wasn't totally clean and I think sometimes the parts stepped on each other, but it was over the bar.

However. The source seemed really marginalized in this compared to the new writing. Here's what I heard:

1:26-1:32

1:59-2:04

2:44-3:02

3:27-3:44

4:19-4:24

I'm sure that's not everything, but unless I missed something major (a possibility), that's way short of dominant source usage, less than 20%. There was some chord usage too, but nothing strong enough that I would count it. Even with your breakdown mentioning a section where you riff off the Baddies on Parade bassline, it only has a vague similarity to me. Actually, it seemed like one of those mixes where a few parts have a similarity to the original, but because those parts were modified in some way, it lost the connection. We'll see what others think, I'd like to see someone take another shot at a breakdown. Til then,

NO

[DragonAvenger]

- Crazy Calypso

- Pokey Pipes

I had to listen to this a few times, but I'm on Vinnie's side for this. There are some hints at the source here and there, but honestly you would have to know the sources super well to get a lot of the references; they are too vague for me.

I like listening to this, but there's not enough source for me.

NO

[Fishy]

Hrm. Yeah I think the connections are tenuous for me. As much as I love the sound of that intro it went on far too long for just two chords which could be anything. There are plenty of sections based on the groove but it's just not obvious enough to me without that strong melody in there.

This is going on the project anyway, so people will hear it regardless of the vote but yeah, pretty sure people would like to hear more of the original in there.

NO

[OceansAndrew]

No need to let this one drag out, after re-listening, the source use is seemingly more shaky than I remember, so in the spirit of humility, i'll admit I was wrong, and change my vote to a no. I still like the track though.

No