OCR01289 - *YES* Castlevania Chronicles 'Mucho Dollar Care a Junk CIA'

[djpretzel]

DS EDIT: Shnabubula just IMed me and asked me to change the title of this mix, so Dave, when you post this, call it "A Vice Nasal Scent Choir."

Shnabubula: hey, I have a favor to ask

Me: ?

Shnabubula: I think "mucho dollar care a junk CIA" is a stupid name. Is it possible I could change it?

Me: sure

Shnabubula: a vice Nasal Scent choir

Sam PMed me a little bit later and said:

I told Darkesword I wanted to change the name of my CV Chronicles song. I thought more about it and decided against it. So you can just leave it as it is. Sorry about that.

I'd like to explain the title of this song. I'm afraid it might exceed the character limit though. Recently you had a submission called Xexyz 'Exizk'. It kind of looks like an anagram, but it's not really. I thought it would be funny if I could come up with an anagram for: 'Akumajo Dracula Chronicle' and what I got was: Mucho Dollar Care a Junk CIA. [if this title is too long, the original title for this song was sandstorm, and you can use that instead]I loved the Akumajo Dracula Chronicle soundtrack for the X68000 and I hated the PSX Version. This will be my last submission in a while because I need to really beef up my practicing [i've been writing alot of remixes/originals so my practicing has been suffering]. It has been a pleasure! [Oh yeah... I almost forgot. Some more remixer information. My real Name {as Mr. Oji is well aware} is Samuel Ascher-Weiss and my user id number is 17819]

[that takes you to a link for the ReMix as well as an mp3 of the original].

[Liontamer]

http://xferoc1.fileplanet.com/%5E1664812191/classicgaming/castlevania/mp3/chronicles/1-33-etude_for_the_killer.mp3 - "Etude For The Killer" (X68000 Version)

Cool piano and wind opening. The French horn (if I've got that correct...which I don't) at :07 sounds fake, but the tone isn't bad on it regardless. Per Shna's usual stuffz, we've got some offbeat arrangement here. The bongos are very active yet sensibly done; same for the piano work. On the surface, things sound pretty awkward with the guitar strings, but focusing on the geetars you hear a sense of structure to them. They may put off some people, though.

The track manages to stay grounded despite the many wacked out instruments courtesy of the source tune melody, which is heavily rearranged at some points, but also handled via straightforward arrangement that expands upon the source with several layers of embellishments. Very excellent ending section at 3:10 with the final buildup at 3:22 and resolution at 3:28.

Quality shizz as usual. Nice idea for the mix title by the way. Stuff like this, Hunter's Community Chest, and even HOMMAGE A NAKANO that didn't get passed by us promotes a healthy dialogue with the panel and within the community. (Be sure to post Hommage to VGMix though.) Hopefully there won't be as much controversy on this one, but in any case, I've got no issues here. Best of luck with the Chopin stuff you're working on, Sam. For the next six months or so, the community can enjoy your four OC ReMixes along with your other work. The fanbase'll grow, I hope.

YES

[zykO]

eh

at first listen, this seemed overrated. i didn't think that the arrangement worked as well as it was intended to as there were segments that were simply too mechanical and reached across as stalely as would a Genmidi on steroids. those flutes get very loud and though i love the abrasive tone, too much of it all over a long repeated time at only one volume setting is too brutal.

most of the guitar was just ridiculous. the part went to completely gratuitous places during various stretches. dont do that

the good, though - this is an ambitious arrangement. the note schemes and a lot of your phrasing both on the "acoustic guitar" and the flute lead are amazing. this whole piece reminds me a lot of Al DiMeola's World Sinfonia album which pretty much sounds like this throughout.

but perhaps the biggest player here and ultimately the defining element of the piece for me was its mood - it was dead on what i wanted to hear. it did struggle at times with relating the cold calculatted transylvanic, euro aspect of the mix with the much different middle eastern stretches as they were so distinctly ... different. but i suppose that may have been their function, in which case, bravo. but i did feel a bit quartered by it. makes me think i'm in the crusades.

all in all. excellent piece. if simply for its mood, which it so perfectly grasped and yanked me out of my chair and to the middle of a dire struggle between two very opposite entities.

you YES you

[Digital Coma]

Thanks for supplying the original, another very developed yet short song you've chosen to arrange.

First, the bad. The 'performance' here in the instrumentation is very plasticky and cold, and not as inviting as it should be for such an intricate work. The piano especially reeks of plunkiness.

But the good, and what invariably makes up for the lack of human element: the phrasing. It is both bold and very enjoyable. The acoustic guitar and flutes are very well paired to play off each other and keep the song rolling between dynamic peaks. The hand percussion is simple but seats the beat well. As Weed said, portions are gratuitous and abrasive, like the low piano and upwards guitar passage at the end.

The pure lack of human touch in this compositon leads me to believe it was created by a systematic robot gone awry that wants its audience to feel the same.

YES

[Malcos]

Very original and amibitous this, but it was pulled off rather well. I like what you've done with the guitar, it's got that real 'twang' sound to it. I think that the mix has a very mechanical feel to it, but that's my only issue with it, and it doesn't detract enough from all the positive elements of this enough for me to say no.

YES

Very different.