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OCR01397 - Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee "The Monsaic"


djpretzel
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Another solid score for TO. While it appears the judges find this piece to have a more Western flavor, I’d have to lean more towards the East. Perhaps it’s due to the recent phenomenon of associating the Wild West with the Wild East: namely, the Samurai cowboy.

The solo woodwinds introduce the blind samurai with a little boy tagging along beside him trying to match his steps (Lone Wolf and Cub style). After panning across the samurai’s (or should I say Ronin’s) stoic face, and the boy’s effacing visage, the synth-strings unveil the scene to a wide panoramic of the vast bleak hills of rural Japan, the sun is appropriately just peeking over the mountaintops bathing the travelers in a warm orange light, casting long still shadows behind them.

The beat is deliberate, like the solid steps taken by a man approaching an unknown destiny...(I can't help being dramatic, it's in my blood)

While some have heard a resemblance to Enya, I have this to say: The song does indeed employ a few Enya staples: woodwinds, native American percussions, and a windy backdrop. But while Enya tends to produce tunes for those who wish to tune-out, this piece has a very definitive driving forward…

One thing I noticed after listening to this track several turns, it warps time. I'm not kidding. This track has the ability to orogami-fold 5 and a half minutes into what literally feels like 2...maybe China's just screwing with my head...

Great work.

Mick

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I was under the impression that there was no actual soundtrack for the game, so I suppose he went on game-audio rip or something like that.

There's no actual soundtrack. I plugged my equipment into my PS2 and recorded the background ambience from the monsaic lines level.

You can find the source here (temporarily):

http://www.doulifee.com/prc/TheOrichalcon/oddworldabe_monsaiclines.mp3

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A good mix. I definitely agree with the dark samurai sort of feel. However, I do disagree with one point.

Another solid score for TO. While it appears the judges find this piece to have a more Western flavor, I’d have to lean more towards the East. Perhaps it’s due to the recent phenomenon of associating the Wild West with the Wild East: namely, the Samurai cowboy.

What recent phenomenon? 90% of classic waesterns are based on Jpanese tales of samurai. 'A Fist Full of Dollars' is based on the samurai tale called 'Yojimbo.' 'The Magnificent Seven' is based on 'The Seven Samurai.' Samurai and the Cowboy have been in league together since the Western genre was born.

Back to the point, excellent mix, it gives a great sense of there being something more lurking in the shadows, much like the feel of the first two games themselves.

edit: This is number twenty five! My first rated post! Party at my house!

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It was very good. It felt like a cross between New Age and Native American, and overall. It was excellent. Another instant favorite to add to the list. The only thing that bothered me at all was the staccato drums at some points. It's such a minor point however, and the quality of everything else, essentially blows that little issue out of the water.

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What recent phenomenon? 90% of classic waesterns are based on Jpanese tales of samurai. 'A Fist Full of Dollars' is based on the samurai tale called 'Yojimbo.' 'The Magnificent Seven' is based on 'The Seven Samurai.' Samurai and the Cowboy have been in league together since the Western genre was born.

Vamp Lord, you are absolutely correct 100% about the 90%. I should have clarified, it appears only 50% of my meaning was understood, by an unknown percentage of folks on the forum...

By "recent phenomenon", I meant it relatively. The earliest reference to Samurai was roughly before the 1000 AD mark. The Old American West ranges as far back as America's colonial period, but is generally considered to be the 19th century (1800's).

Akira Kurosawa's Yojimbo (1961) and a Fist Full of Dollars (1964), were both products from less than half of century ago...

Thus: "Recent phenomenon".

But in reference to a review of a song posted a few days ago...I could see how my meaning was muddled.

Most importantly, I'm glad you too can see the samurai scene scored by TO's track.

Take care and look forward to future exchanges of interesting trivia...

M

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This thread is for you, TO. Not history.

You're request has been understood. Won't happen again (perhaps a private message next time)...

Let me just reiterate for all the fellow viewers out there:

"Do you see what kind of in-depth tangential debate can come from such an inspiring track?"

It really is a piece deserving of several threads: Native American history, Old American Western history, Japanese history, film history...the remix really resonates with so many varieties of themes...download it!

Great work again.

M

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Perhaps I should explain it then.

It's not meant to be american anything. If it sounds native american or whatever, it's purely by accident. What I was going for was to bring the Oddysee music up to the same style of music that was in the latest title of Stranger's Wrath.

You can argue over style's and what flavour it has, but in the end, it's just meant to be a nice tribal and atmospheric sounding mix with a bit of power in it. Consider it New-Australian then.

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Woah, this is an inspired elaboration of a really simple source... I love Abe's Oddysey, and the minimalist ambient sounds accompanying the eerie gameworld. I very much like how you've brought out the melody and percussion, added an impressive array of instruments, and without departing far from the vibe of the original sounds (actually, I hear the slight departure as an excellent choice), have come out with something truly listenable.

At 3:20, the drum stutter sounded out of place to me. Apart from that, very solid sounding mix.

New-Australian... Works for me. =)

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Heh. I played this game, don't remember much of the BGM though. Anyway, this remix is quite impressive. I really love the sort of lonely feel it has at the beginning, that is augmented as the track moves forward with additional instruments. It kind of keeps that feel throughout, at least to me, with the flutey trails and minimalistic guitar, as well as, of course, the wind sfx and ethnicy percussion. Hmm, weird sentence there. Anyway, good stuff. Keep it up.

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  • 4 weeks later...

OmegaMan has some good points on the East/West feel. But, to stick to the tune: I dig it. Very solid and balanced; nothing too over- or underpowered. Easy on the ears. I dunno what criticism I can offer... repetitive? But, that's the nature of ambience isn't it? Don't change a thing!

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  • 1 year later...
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  • 8 months later...

Nice meditation on a theme. The melody really folds in a rhythm, like listening to the patterns of waves on a beach. I really like that. Of course all the variations are there, but they're not emphasised, which is cool and allows for a smoother ride.

Of course, it isn't Abe's Odyssey without Abe mumbling or belching or something, and I for one am very happy the mix is detached from the game in that regard. Some things can only be fully appreciated in isolation.

When the music is this strong, extended runtimes and repetiveness are not a flaws but gifts. Thanks TO.

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  • 1 month later...

i could definitely use this for meditating. i love new age stuff man so i'm going to be totally bias in this review >=]

i love how you started out with the flute very melodic with that atmosphere behind it. the percussions are nice gives that tribal feel to it. though it gets repetitive i have no issue with it. this piece is very relaxing, i sleep to this sometimes =]

good productions and arrangement. 9 out of 10

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  • 2 years later...

*sigh* SUCH a lonely vibe at play. It has shades of sorrow, loss, and feeling burdened, but they're titillatingly mild. The mix doesn't try to pin down my attention, it doesn't elude my senses, and it almost puts me in a trance as it gently tugs at my heartstrings. It treads some floaty, almost ambivalent ground. Whew.

To echo GrayLightning, my only gripe is the cutoff ending. But the more I listen to this, the more I can easily forget that detail and just lose myself in the serene soundscape. <3 <3 <3

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  • 1 year later...
  • Liontamer changed the title to OCR01397 - Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee "The Monsaic"

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