OCRA-0036 - Donkey Kong Country 3: Double the Trouble!

[Geneson]

Quick thoughts:

Intoxica is soooooo good. Radiowar - as much as I loved your past music, I never knew you had a track like this in you. It's amazing.

So is Treehouse Campfire. Love this one so much.

Taken together, discs 3 and 4 (the GBA tracks) are like a huge party where all the best musicians show up and do their thing. It's like a huge triumphant victory lap. Everyone is in their top form on these tracks and there's hardly a misstep. The SNES tracks didn't carry the same momentum and sustained excellence as the GBA collection.

Theophany, you're brilliant. Your musical fingerprints and DNA are found all over the entire album.

zyko, I'm constantly fascinated by how you continue to reinvent yourself. All three of your tracks exhibit something new that I've never heard from you before. Awesome work.

[Crulex]

So, Emunator gave us all the challenge to listen and review all the tracks from the main album. Sounded like something for me to do, so I’m doing it. Okay, so having had enough time to listen thoroughly to the album from top to bottom, I’ll give it my best shot. From the top, shall we?

Disc 1:

Road to Double Trouble: Hearing the fanfare theme get it’s own intro ReMix was cool, and it does give a nice preview of what is about to take place. Love the rainy sounds behind it, it screams “get set for a journey!”. Sounds like it got cut off at the end for some reason though, unless it was supposed to go straight to the next track.

Let it Beat: Heard the wip from Brandon on R:TS, and I enjoyed that as it was. Hearing it more filled out with the beat of great sounding drums and the paradise/Hawaiian feeling makes this a wonderful arrangement of the title screen. Nice work with the bonus screen theme in there as well.

Joe Elm: Cool. Very tropical arrangement of the select screen. I kinda love the tradition of a more happy feeling being used for the DKC 2 and 3 select screens. Even the slow down was welcomed. Just a good feeling from this track, and that’s always a good thing.

Unbearable: You had to go and make that pun, didn’t you, Brandon? Oh well, bluesy rock that sounds like something out of an old timey truck stop on the side of the country is perfect for the Bear Bro’s and the guitar along with the piano just sounds so awesome. I’m going to be grooving to this for a long time. The blues is strong with this one.

The Submap Emissary: Damn, man, I was not expecting that at all after the Disco Train ReMix and Link to the Piano, but boy, looks like Zylance gets the award for biggest spectrum jump in genres. Grand, adventurous, and emotionally epic, this screams like something that would be in a Donkey Kong Country 3 movie. And that guitar was amazing. Giving something so wondrous a bit of an edge with the electric guitar was a sweet touch. A good example of a more liberal ReMix being great.

Purewater Pressure: The beginning of this song reminded me of the beginning of a few tracks from the old SNES jungle book game with the wildlife sounds. Funny enough, this was one of the tracks I was looking forward to the most, seeing as how I enjoyed the Stilt Village levels. Not quite laid back, but easy going and very fitting for a romp through the boardwalk and surrounding lake.

Bash the Bastards!: Okay, the name gives me a chuckle whenever I see it. So, we have a world music ReMix complete with Lion King-like vocals at the beginning, all while being light, bouncy and happy. Very relaxing and fun to listen to for sure. Stevo's voice is a perfect fit for this kind of ReMix, and the guitar and marimba work done sounded great. I think this would fit in nicely while roaming around Pride Rock. Very nice take on the bonus theme.

Funky’s Joint: Okay, this one also made me laugh at the start, because I was not expecting this at all. Nice, slight Reggae beat going on right here. Honestly, Hanging at Funky’s was one of the very few songs from the DKC3 game I wasn’t fond of, so points for getting me to at least like the ReMix. So chill, and I think we all know why……

Unfinished Business: Boy, that intro was weird and a bit off, which coincidentally, is perfect for a carnival. Swanky always did make me think he was shady, but this ReMix certainly has a vibe that makes it clear to me now. He’s just eccentric. Fun to listen to.

Thrill of the Chase: Ah, man….reminds me of that sled level on K3. So many lost lives….anyway, this has an excellent beat that starts to match your heart in intensity. Might be a bit lower in tempo, but you can still feel the business picking up and it’s not slowing down one bit.

Epic Bananas: I remember requesting this way back before the DKC 3 project began and that's where I heard rumblings of this track. I can say that I am so glad that this came from the album after looking forward to it for so long. The sinister tone of the original got amped up in this ReMix and it does sound more epic. Moody, energy-filled, and definitely brings me back to that damn Ripsaw Rage level. *Shudders* Awesome job with this song, Sole Signal.

Don’t Drink the Water: BASS BASS DROP IT HARD!!!

I love this song so much, I can’t begin to tell you. Sometimes cheesy and funny is just as good as anything else. This has so much fun energy and I can clearly hear the source, and it’s sweet to here the source used in this way. This was a pick for my top five of Disk one. Maybe I’m a weird minority, but I would love to hear more ReMixes like this. So much fun.

Banana Revolution (Live in Kongcert): I don’t understand why this song has been getting such negative feedback as it has. It’s supposed to sound like a live concert, and the audience SFX in the beginning and the applause/clap-along near the end sets that tone. The vocals, I understand, turns some people off, but in my opinion, I thought it was catchy along with the beat of the song. The reprise at the end was a good touch and I thought the idea of a “live in Kongcert” song was a nice one. Again, probably in the minority, but I liked it.

Permafrost: Okay, this was the song I was interested in hearing because I knew it would be interesting. And I was right. Snowy levels always seem good for trance or, as I call things like this “deep thought” songs, and this is a great example of that. Draconiator and Flexstyle should be proud of this one.

Kingfisher’s Stream: The waterfall levels always had a surreal and cool sound to them, so I'm glad to hear that taken even further here. Halc's chiptune style and Mattias's style blend so well together in this track. Did I hear "halc" and "anso" in the background around the warped section around the 2:38 and 2:46 mark, or was that just my mind playing tricks on me? Either way, fantastic work on this beautiful source.

Deep Sea Lights: I just knew this ReMix had to be as haunting as the original, and it was. Reminds me of the dark sea level with the flashlight fish and Engarde. Sweet work with the piano and dubstep elements. Sounds gorgeous, yet menacing. This ReMix is a winner to me. That piano, man……wow.

Exploration C: You really get the picture of going deep into the caverns with this one, much like the atmosphere created by Critter Clan and the old caves, so mission accomplished on getting that emotion and feeling across. The flute was indeed a great choice for this ReMix. So much variation and change-ups, the mix never gets boring or repetitive, which is great for something about six minutes. Excellent job, Monobrow!

Shenanigans Bananigans: Kooky and crazy, straight out of a cartoon or something. So playful and chaotic, this is my kind of song. It’s like the Kong’s are getting into all kinds of mischief in the jungle and we get to hear it. Bonus points for amazing marimba and xylophone work. I love hearing those instruments in action.

Cliffside Clamber: Really does capture the feel of the original and expand upon it, especially when the guitars hit. Rock and world music/mountain sound with a little Latin thrown in is a pretty unique idea. I caught that little bit of Temple Tempest you snuck in there midway through the second minute. Very interesting ReMix indeed. Damn good work.

Mojo Gogo: Love this track since it was released as a special preview. Those vocals and sax make for a very enjoyable time and it just makes me want to dance. It’s just so infectious, that the beat gets to you. Great closing to the first disk.

Edited December 24, 2012 by Crulex

[Crulex]

Disk Two

K'ReMispheric Pressure: All you have to do is listen to the song, and you know it’s from Halc. Chip-tunes that sound clear and represent the melody of the two themes so well, it’s a great example of what can be done with a song given the right thought. Loved your take on Krematoa.

Wonderfall: The wildlife and nature sounds set this apart from Kingfisher’s Stream, and sounds oddly peaceful and almost like a waterfall’s base, sounded by beautiful sights, rather than the dangerous cliffs. Not bad at all.

Winter: This has a weird sound to it. Not bad, just weird. The flute was a great choice here and I do feel the wintery wonderland vibe from this. Good to hear that some sources had more than one ReMix. Gives fans a little variety for those who may not like one or the other.

Low Life: Dubstep seems to be the style of the year, as I’ve heard more people playing and experimenting with it this year than before. Some do it well, and others don’t. This one seems to do it well, so well done. Not my favorite song on the album, but once again, nice to hear more than one take on some themes.

Blast Beatdown: Hands down, one of my favorite ReMixes off of this album. And with Tefnek and Zircon mixing it up, especially in the factory, you knew that this was going to kick so much ass. So gritty, dirty, dark and powerful. And when that main riff hit, it was like a punch in the brain. It just has that menacing mechanical sound that you would expect, but so much more. Yeah, it just further proves that when you need intense and evil levels pushed to the max, you call Tefnek and Zircon.

Intoxica: Radiowar seems to always hits the mark when he gets a ReMix posted. Every time. And with the quality of this ReMix, you can easily see it. This has the trippy hip-hop the pipes needed and maintains that fuzzy, slightly hazy and chilling sound takes me back to playing in slow motion or backwards controls. So much fun times, both in level and song. Lots of atmosphere in here. Love the use of those few notes at the very end. I thought that was a sweet way to end the song.

Water Warped: I like how the album picture seems to fit the sound of this song. It’s like what would happen if the water levels mixed with the pipes and got a little….well….warped. Twisted and wonky, it’s an interesting ReMix. I like the voices used in the track.

Can’t Boss Us Around (Robot Anarchists From Hell Mix): Alright, I’m going to just say it….I like both this mix and the original mix of this theme. It seems like everyday I go back and forth on which one I like better. But for this mix, I do like the electronic elements used to enhance the track here, and this sounds more like the actual fight, whereas the original sounded more like a pre-fight theme, if that makes any sense to anyone. Both themes are great, so score another win for the bad guys.

Krematoa Inferno: First off, I like the visual scenario of this theme as described by Mattias in the album descriptions. Nice dubstep take on Mill Fever. Tense and a bit chaotic, but it’s not overly frenzy, which gives this song a perfect balance.

Wrinkley’s Nightcap: Chopin-esque piano melody driven ReMix of Wrinkly/Peach 64!? Awesome! So peaceful and beautiful, I could easily drift off to sleep listening to this if I was tired enough. I always felt that this theme had elegant potential, but it’s proven here. Great job.

The Mighty Junglol: Wow, that intro was epic. I kinda want to hear Jason narrate an adventure book, a scary novel or a villain’s voice now, cause he has the voice for it. Holy hell. And after I recognized the source, I enjoyed the whole song more. The monkey sounds were a nice addition, and while not as crazy as the original chase theme, it does set it up as K. Rool’s last stand in a way.

X-Y-X-X B-A-B-Y: Yet another title that makes me tilt my hat for cleverness. Hearing the sounds of the crystals in the song makes it both nostalgic and fun to listen to, and the beat is fascinating in that it sounds so unorthodox, yet works. The sound effects and beats are where this one shines. Good job getting that banana bird.

Breaking the Crystal Key: Wow…..this one has a very mystical feel to it. Almost like your in the presence of a soft-spoken yet powerful mage. Which is kinda what Mama Bird was, so, it’s cool. Very ambient and you get a majestic visual from it. Then when it got crazy, oh man, it picked up quite a bit. Loved it, and certainly one of my favorites from the album.

Afterburn: One of my top five for disk two. The intro translates into a very intense countdown to the rocket level. I have to say, I loved that level as much as I hated it, and the same goes with the theme. Great job on keeping the melody going along with the backing “countdown” as I call it. Where this ReMix really shines is the darker section. I actually played this level again while listening to the song, and it was so awesome. Great work.

Bring the Noise: Good ol’ K. Rool. I feel like this guy is sometimes overlooked or underrated compared to the likes of Kefka and Bowser, but no other bosses were as fun to fight as this croc, no matter what the form was. I like how this has a more electronic rock feel to it as opposed to the other albums having death metal or straight rock. The voice samples and the evil laugh reminds me of some older songs in the electronic rock range, which make this even more fun to listen to. Great song for the Frankenstein form of K. Rool.

Friendships through Dark and Light: Dark and light is right. I love how this theme goes through the phase of light and grand with the select screen theme, to more orchestrated darkness and adventurous areas. The beginning is like a giant parade or celebration, which is fitting for nearing the end of the first round of songs. Great song for a combo of Crazy Calypso and Crystal Chasm.

Return to Kong, Bye-Bye Baddies!: The credits theme, and the song that lets you know you’ve won. Great way to continue the finish line for the SNES themes. Lots of nostalgia when that main melody kicks in. Great song for a tour of victory and reminiscence.

‘Til We Meet Again: I always thought the DKC3 game over theme was the best, and to hear a hip-hop take on it was both unexpected and very welcomed. Props for making such a short theme last for over three minutes and keeping it interesting in it’s own way.

Other two disks to come when I get more time.

Edited December 24, 2012 by Crulex

[McKnackusThe1st]

So I had to delay listening to the album until Christmas was over. While certainly it was a difficult wait, I couldn't justify mixing it into my playlists until I was done with my yearly Christmas music indulgence.

With that said, HOLY CRAP.

I knew this was going to be a good album but DANG is this awesome! I'm not even half way done listening to it and I've already 5-starred most of them. I can also tell that all the promotions and previews have kept a lot of the best pieces a tight secret, which is awesome because now I know there will be a lot more surprise hits!

Also, I went and ripped all the promotions I could find to try and make my own promotional sigs and I cut this out of one of the disk arts.

I'm curious to know if there's just the "double the trouble" text somewhere, because that would be infinitely useful in making more sigs.

Edited December 30, 2012 by McKnackusThe1st

[Cody Wedel]

http://imageshack.us/a/img14/6637/logothemaverickk.png

^ is this good?

[McKnackusThe1st]

http://imageshack.us/a/img14/6637/logothemaverickk.png

^ is this good?

It's a start. I already have that image saved. I'm more curious if the "double the trouble!" text is lying around somewhere.

[Crulex]

Disk Three

Knautilus: So we begin the third disk with the title screen of the GBA version of the game. The fact that this came from what was an already arranged Aquatic Ambiance song makes this great, for managing to go even further with the theme. Again, like other tracks on the album, this has a bit of a pretty haunting quality from the piano and strings. Love the airy vocals to this as well.

Treehouse Campfire: One of my favorites off of disk three. The opening with the crickets, fire crackling and the acoustic guitar strumming made me feel right at home as far as relaxing and comfort levels go. Very natural, like you are right by the fire pit at night, warming up to the fire while hearing this. Nice work getting the bonus and Cranky theme in here as well. Finally, the crowd excitement and firework sound effects were a unique and cool way to bring this track to an end.

Pina Kremlada: Tropical and chip-tuney, what an exciting mixture! It is like a bit party and we are all chilling by the shores, a drink in hand. The middle section reminded me of Mario RPG because of some of the measure beats, which was great to hear. I love dark ReMixes yes, but on the other hand, ReMixes like this one also make my day, so great work on this, Hylian Lemon!

Thump Brothers: This is badass walking music, let me tell you. The funky beatboxing intro was so good in setting up the tone of the ReMix. Yeah, really, the chiptune bits and pieces that followed the melody along with the beatboxing, just great arrangement ideas all around. Amazing ReMix, Flexstyle!

Accident! A Morning Rescue By Skies! Glory!: This album gets points for the most creative titles for ReMixes.

To be honest, I was half expecting this source to be ReMixed in the style of actual polka, like the source tried to be. I am not saying that I was disappointed, cause I love this happy, bubbly little tune and I find myself tapping my toe to it, I am just saying I was (pleasantly) surprised that this was taken in a different direction other than the obvious. Terrific ReMix here.

Party’s Over There!: Aw, no little “Hey! Party’s over there!” voice clip? Just kidding, it was fine without that, haha. Really enjoyed the combination of trumpet, guitar and sax in this one, and it does indeed keep up the party atmosphere with the upbeat melody. Middle section was pretty cool, it sounded almost like a music box, but not nearly as “tinklely”, if that makes sense.

Ripsaw Boogie: Oh yeah. I hear the 70’s out of this one. Some of the influences and riffs gave me memories of certain songs from that era, so mission accomplished on making this happy track into a jam session that would fit in nicely to the old days.

The Paper Chase: I have to say, I never would have imagined a sexy, jammin' hip-hop arrangement of the Chase, but I'm glad that we got it. The breathy moans and "hit me!" bits, I could see how some may not like it as much as I do, but I still think it fit right in with the kind of mix we're hearing right here. Smooth and cool, not bad at all. I think a lot of people are too hard on the vocals. They seem to fit right in with the genre and arrangement, but oh well, everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

Funky’s Tricks: AKA, Funky has you doing his dirty work again. The slightly exotic jazz direction was another surprise, albeit a welcomed one, and it reminds me of something that perhaps Morse would have done in the earlier years. This seems like it would fit Funky better than the original did for the light nature of it, so props on that.

All Mixxed Up: This song is interesting to say the least. The song does sound like a good mix up of various directions that end up as a pie of delicious sounds. That guitar about halfway through the third minute though, wow, very sweet. I really liked the vocals near the end of the song. It was different, and has become my second favorite zykO song as of now. My number one zykO song? That will be coming up later.

Arichnophobia: Best boss battle ReMix on the album in my opinion. Then again, I might be biased because I liked the Arich battle theme more than the others to begin with. I always wondered by Arich had his own boss theme but K. Rool had the regular theme in the DKC3 GBA game. Also, I would have loved to have seen a bonus fight between Arich and Squitter like in the album picture. Anyway, the driving force of this song really gets you pumped and you can just hear the battle rage on. I like how the melody would carry on in a smaller tone during the breakdown periods. Cheers to Paul Capps for adding in the guitar work.

Vext: The original GBA pipes had a minimal, yet creepy sound to it, so hearing GSlicer add a beat and some meat to this theme was awesome. I enjoyed hearing some of the pipe noises in the background, just like in the original. The hard-edge sounding break was by far my favorite part of this ReMix.

Post-Apocalyptic Society: This is heel/bad guy entrance music, plain and simple. That industrial metallic sound with the guitar riff and increasing drum beat just made you want to given into the dark side. I mean really, the whole first minute was like a pure evil “sound the alarms, cause someone is getting their ass kicked” anthem. So good. This is what the K. Rool battle should have sounded like if he had to have the same melody for his theme.

Nutz in the Head: That number one zykO song I mentioned earlier? This is it. I fell in love with this ReMix right here. Sounds so dark and sinister, but with a chaotic, glitchy, gritty texture added in. The section change with the minor glass breaking sound and hard hits was a sweet way of changing the arrangement up right before hitting the area that goes completely psycho. Perfect mix of brain-rattling insanity and clockwork mechanics.

Tangerine Fever: Mazedude and Mill Fever (GBA) is a perfect marriage in my eyes (and ears). It does indeed have that groovy funk that reminds me of Alexander Brandon, among others. 2:35 to 3:40 in particular gave me chills, since it was my favorite part of the source and hearing as a bit of break was awesome. Mazedude never fails to bring a tune to life, and he's certainly giving us the fever now. Good stuff, man.

Edited December 31, 2012 by Crulex

[Crulex]

Disk Four

Undercurrent: I have been a fan of Pot Hocket’s work since I heard his Theme of Love ReMix off the Final Fantasy IV album, and I am glad to say he has not lost any steam here with this mix of the Riverbank. Emotional acoustic guitar playing, invoking a peaceful day near the water. Keep it up, man!

Aquatic Transformations: A ReMix of a remix of the water theme, I knew this one would be interesting to hear considering the source. It amazes me that there is always a new way to get this melody into a song without it getting boring. It’s like going from a riverbank right into the ocean, so nice placement. Got to love all those bips and bumps complementing the arrangement. Not bad at all.

Heart of the Cave: Love the water running sound effects in the intro. I am starting to notice a pattern here. It was cool to hear a guest appearance by Brinstar for the GBA Cave theme. The two go together nicely. The whole atmosphere sounds damp, wondrous and chilling at points. You can probably tell by now that I’m big on visualization of music, and I can get a lot of visuals out of this mix. Very cool.

Cranky’s Mojo: Okay, so this one….I liked the slow opening to this ReMix. Especially when the flute kicked in, you really set up the Asian feeling well. And then the mix goes into high gear with the famous stereotypical Asian guy shout, and the beat just pops. I love the breakdown, where the Asian sound seems to be strongest. I wasn’t expecting the jazzy section, but it was a welcomed addition. Great work Peach!

Chasing Waterfalls: The song on the GBA half of the album that I was waiting for was this one. SO glad that the piano intro was kept in and used a few times, because that’s what made the source one of my favorite songs on the GBA game. Nice, chill, almost hip-hip beat goes with the waterfall so well.

Corn-fed Kong: It has been a real long time since I have heard anything I would consider to be real classic country on OCR, which is one of the many reasons why I was looking forward to this track. Just like most of the tracks from the album, this ReMix seems to take the feeling of the original and take it up several notches, which I am truly thankful for. Love the piano and violin work by Diotrans and Diggi Dis. Fantastic take on Rockface Rumble.

Spanish Jitters: Eleven artists on one song!? *Pulls lever* Jesus! I am not sure, but this may be the most star-studded ReMix on OCR, both in sheer number of ReMixers and how they are all basically OCR mainers. As for the ReMix itself, holy shit what a way to start off the DKC 3 flood. Everything sounds amazing and melted together cohesively, which must have been tough. The Sax, trumpet, Spanish guitar work, the 80s sounding section, everything, I just love it! I think the only way I can sum this all up is that my mind is blown. Excellent work everyone!

Sea Breeze Concerto: As a lover of ReMixes that make good use of the source by a lot, this is right up my listening alley. Brings back the memory of hearing this for the first time on the night time stilt village level. Very nice to hear Dave Wise contribute an awesome sax solo to one of his best tracks ever, as well as put the finishing touches on this bad boy. I actually did not catch the DKC fanfare at the end until I read the posted write-up, so that was a nice treat. Love it.

Beneath The Moonlight: Words can almost not express the beauty of this ReMix. Just paint the picture of a sandy pier under a dark blue sky, with a full moon providing enough light to see the ocean's waves come in and out while listening to this. So gorgeous. I always thought the original had a tad bit of Spanish flair, and I'm glad to hear it here as well. The solo was a pretty cool way to capitalize on the giant build of this song. Worth the wait and certainly a magical track.

Distant Dreams On Stormy Seas: This one almost brought a tear to my eye due to the lullaby-type arrangement. The music box sound with the stormy sound effects really make it fit for someone trying to dream during terrible weather, and yet it is so uplifting. The overall impact of this track is something I think will vary from person to person, naturally, but the soft, touching sound of this track makes it a perfect end to the fourth disk and main album. Cool uses of the submarine sound effects at the very end. I agree, this is the perfect farewell track.

Bonus Disk/Disk Five

Take the World Back: I thought the idea of inversing the melody from dark to lighter and happy was a neat choice for arrangement, and it shows great imagination. Very ambient, but nice to listen to.

Jitterbug System: Funny little track this one is. I had no problems finding the source and thought it was an interesting direction for the Jungle theme. Quirky and crazy, pretty cool for a bonus song.

Rocket Rave: The intro has a tense feeling to it that reminds me of the Fear Factory levels in DKC 1. Not bad at all for a bonus track complementing the other Rocket Run ReMix from this album. Good solid beat that doesn’t get overly frantic….I like this one quite a bit.

Treetop Intense: I certainly got the “danger in the forest at night” vibe out of this ReMix, and I have to say that this is one of my favorites off of disk five. The animal noises along with the dark, driving, guitar really sounded amazing to me. This was indeed intense.

Joyful Jungle Jig: Mischievous jazz was the right way to go with this song, and while not as goofy as the other take on this theme, it was still playful and light. This is another reason why I hope no one skips the bonus disk. There are a lot of good tracks on here.

Heart of Darkness: I confess that it took me a moment to take this ReMix in the first time I heard it. I am not saying it was bad or anything like that, but it was one of those songs where it had parts that I loved and other parts that I didn’t care for. I do like the sound of a more chilled/ambient form of dubstep though.

Canopy Crawl: Oooh, someone’s keeping it classy up in here. Heh, the piano driven melody here was a great idea for this source and I think that it was done extremely well. Loving the more jazzy sections near the end.

Banana Revolution (Flexstyle Slam-The-Breaks Edit): Again, this song, needs more love. I think that this is a nice toned mix that would maybe appeal to people who don’t care for the original, music wise. I liked the use of the glitched-up words at some points and a more technological approach to the feel of this mix. I am going to have a hard time deciding which version I like better for a while, haha.

Cranky’s Christmas Mojo: Cool, a Christmas edition of Cranky’s theme. Nice work, Peach. I really caught on with that chord progression Peach mentioned in the write-up, more on Koji Kondo’s side. Perfect for the season we’re in.

Can’t Boss Us Around (Original Mix): I think what appeals to me about this version compared to the one Flexstyle helped with is the stripped-down sound to this version. It sounds more menacing and cold without the crazy effects behind it. Like I said before, it’s like the pre-fight song to the boss theme, like you are getting ready for the real battle.

FrosTronix (Original Mix): Again, what I like about these “Original Mix” tracks are that they have a more tame feeling to them, giving them a bit of a different flavor from the one’s that Flexstyle beefed up later on. This almost reminds me of Chekan Winter, because of the steady snowy vibe accompanied by the beat underneath.

Dive: The intent of the ReMix was something I agreed with, but for some reason I just wasn’t fond of the stretching and pitching of the samples. It kinda sounded awkward to me at various points. But props to the artists for the instrument choices, as sax, piano, violin, trumpet and guitar make for a sweet combination.

The Crystal Key is Broken: Not bad for a less break-filled take on Mama Bird. Still has that mystical sound to it that sounds like a divine influence. The more this song went on, the more I enjoyed it. Very nice.

Footloose Falls: Emunator, so many props for getting the idea of combining the backing elements of the SNES waterfall with the tune of the GBA waterfall. That was utterly brilliant. You said the dance beat was a joke at first, but to me, that was part of the charm of this mix. Beautiful music with a great beat makes this my favorite off of disk five.

Overall: Donkey Kong Country is my all-time favorite trilogy series in gaming. And this album has made me utterly and truly grateful that so many talented ReMixers and artists were able to come together and create one of the best albums on OCR. In fact, although DKC2 was my favorite game from the series, this is by far my favorite album, because even songs from the original game that I didn’t like that much were remixed in a way that I became a fan. Considering that there’s about 77 tracks on the album and I have about 68 on my MP3 from this album, I think that says a lot about how much of a success this is. Congrats to the directors, artists and producers of this wonderful musical treat.

Edited December 31, 2012 by Crulex

[Peach]

Thank you for your kind words, Crulex. Hope you have a great New Year and continue enjoying the album throughout 2013.

[Bored_Man]

I probably should continue my review, huh? But before I do, I suppose I ought to give my opinion on the GBA soundtrack of DKC 3. It's a good soundtrack, none of the tracks are bad, but some of them don't really fit on the level they are on, and the "mood" of them is sometimes a jarring contrast to their SNES counterpart. Also, there is less music than the SNES soundtrack, which explains why Disc 3 and 4 are shorter than Disc 1 and 2.

DISC 3: KNAUTALIS

KNAUTILUS (TITLE THEME GBA)

Nice piano work, I've got to say. Really sets the mood. And when the vocals come in, they further set the mood, as well as the percussion. Feels a little eerie, or haunting, but nice. Also, it's a little weird that there are two different spellings for K. Rool's submarine; you've got the one in the disc name, and then the title of this track. I dunno, just something I noticed.

TREEHOUSE CAMPFIRE (TREETOP TUMBLE GBA)

Got to love that acoustic guitar. It really sells the idea that you're out in the wilderness, watching the stars and maybe toasting some marshmallows with your friends. The song just feels very peaceful, and I like it. I also like the reference to Cranky's Theme (aka, the original DK theme) towards the end, and the fireworks are a nice touch, and remind me of New Year's Eve since there were fireworks going off last night over here in my town.

PINA KREMLADA (NORTHERN KREMISPHERE GBA)

Just think, come February I'll be old enough to actually try a piña colada if I want to. Also, I'm not sure how people type that Spanish (I think it's Spanish) N, so I have to copy the word from a webpage that has it whenever I want to use the word.

Anywho, this song seems quite festive and chiptuney, and makes you want to dance or go for a swim.

THUMP BROTHERS (BROTHERS BEAR GBA)

Anyone else feel like putting on some sunglasses and driving down the street while blasting this out of your car and bobbing your head? You'll feel like you're in a music video, not to mention it'd be fun to watch if anyone actually uploaded a video of them doing this. Come to think of it, it'd be neat to hear people's reactions to any of the songs on this album if they heard them. I'd have liked to hear the planned rap collab, though this is a fine substitution.

ACCIDENT! A MOUNTAIN RESCUE BY SKIES! GLORY! (FROSTY FROLICS GBA)

That title is...huh. I'm not sure if it's a reference to something, but it's quite silly, and the song itself seems a little silly too. The original song in comparison to the SNES Frosty Frolics is what I meant about jarring mood differences, even if the GBA Frosty Frolics was not a bad song. This song sounds like it'd be in a musical theater production, or maybe a musical cartoon, like during a montage or something. Fun and, well, frolicy.

PARTY'S OVER THERE (BONUS TIME GBA)

Here, there, everywhere. You can't escape the party, it and its pink pony herald will find you. Loving the sax, as I should as a natural sax player. The rest of the instrumentation is also nice . So maybe this party also doubles as a band concert, to reach the people and get them on their feet and moving and grooving.

RIPSAW BOOGIE (TREETOP TUMBLE GBA)

This song...I'm not all too sure what I think of it, actually. Sometimes it feels like a natural interpretation of the source tune, and at other times you feel it grinding down and down into a slower section, which can really throw you off if you're not used to it. Even so, it makes the song unique, much like ilp0's Mega Man 1 album.

THE PAPER CHASE (CHASE GBA)

My suggestion for Thump Brothers goes double for this song. Feel your car shake as you drive down the road feeling like the biggest ape on the block, and rightly so. This was one of two of my top picks for Disc 3. Diggi Dis brings the funk, the groove, and whatever else you might want to call it.

FUNKY'S TRICKS (FUNKY'S GAME GBA)

Groovetastic, and funky like its namesake. Feels pretty tropical, maybe like you're out on a lake or ocean on a speedboat, or just driving by it with the top down and relaxing.

ALL MIXXED UP (HOT PURSUIT GBA)

From what I've heard, this track was called Jangle Bells in the GBA OST, which I find strange if that's true. Since it quite obviously is not a Christmas themed bonus song, and it is a song to keep you on the move, zykO brings the appropriate atmosphere. I must confess that I love zykO's work, especially on Serious Monkey Business. A lot of his songs feel the same, yet very different. I know that's a strange description, but that's the best way I can think to put it. This is one of the longer songs on the album, and it does kind of overstay its welcome some, but if you listen to it long enough, new elements are introduced to keep your attention.

ARICHNOPHOBIA (ARICH BOSS)

Okay, so, I think Arich Boss plays for bosses of nature, and Boss Boogie GBA plays for mechanical or man (err, Kremling) made monstrosities. That's the best explanation I have as to why some bosses have one theme while others have another. Anyways, as my second pick for Disc 3, this one brings the fight straight to you, as a mix of what I think is techno and rock. As proven with my mix-up in Disc 1, I'm not exactly the most knowledgeable about music genres, so I apologize if I mislabel something. At any rate, this is an energetic song to pump you up. Also, an aside note, but I've noticed some people have been playing Double the Trouble songs on Audiosurf, myself among them, though I'm not very good.

VEXT (POKEY PIPES GBA)

I'm not too sure what to think of this song...it feels funky and atmospheric at the same time, which is a bit of an odd combination. I like how it retains the sound effects from its source song, which makes it feel like an evolution of said source song.

POST-APOCALYPTIC SOCIETY (BOSS BOOGIE GBA)

And here are the above mentioned Kremling-made monstrosities! What better to go with metal bosses than metal music? Nothing quite like headbanging while you take down a juiced up and ax crazy snowman in a snowball fight to the death.

NUTZ IN THE HEAD (NUTS AND BOLTS GBA)

This song, man...I have to pick it as a third standout track for Disc 3. Those vocals in the beginning are awesome, and the mood is deliciously dark and fearful. zykO strikes again, and what a strike back it is. Guitar work is awesome, and the overall atmosphere just feels frenzied, like you're trying to get out of this hellish environment before Crack Shot Kroc lives up to his name and strikes you dead.

TANGERINE FEVER (MILL FEVER GBA)

And then there was Mazedude. This song, kind of like Vext, kicks the original song up a couple notches. You know what it's based on, but when you go back to the original, you realize it's just not the same before Mazedude worked his magic, his tangerines, and his fever all over the song.

OVERALL IMPRESSION

This kind of feels like a "what-if" scenario, if K. Rool really did try and work his plot. It starts out innocently enough, with happier songs in the beginning, but towards the end, it gets darker, like you missed something and now you need to take care of it before it ruins your day. Of course, once you do take care of what you missed, it sets the stage for the fourth, final, and fantastic disc.

[Cody Wedel]

^ that's really weird about the "Knautalis" spelling... I would've never noticed that. Thankfully the typo isn't on the actual disc art, though. That would've been all kinds of bad.

I suppose I ought to give my opinion on the GBA soundtrack of DKC 3. It's a good soundtrack, none of the tracks are bad, but some of them don't really fit on the level they are on, and the "mood" of them is sometimes a jarring contrast to their SNES counterpart.

Very interesting. I've always felt that people who criticize the soundtrack simply feel the tunes just don't fit in with their respective archetypes, which I totally accept with open arms... either that or they're pissed that the SNES soundtrack was replaced. I know I was one of the latter people back in 2005 when the game was released

In general, I think the quality of a videogame soundtrack should correlate with how well it fits the game, and even I agree that many of DKC3 GBA's tracks don't really match their designated environments. As a soundtrack, it's OK at best. Out of context though? Not only does the soundtrack strike me as Wise's most brilliant work, but it consists of some of the most memorable compositions I've ever heard. I think tracks like Stilt Village, Mill Fever & Cavern Caprice are easily on par with the beloved Aquatic Ambience, Stickerbush Symphony & Forest Interlude.

Distant Dreams On Stormy Seas: This one almost brought a tear to my eye due to the lullaby-type arrangement. The music box sound with the stormy sound effects really make it fit for someone trying to dream during terrible weather, and yet it is so uplifting. The overall impact of this track is something I think will vary from person to person, naturally, but the soft, touching sound of this track makes it a perfect end to the fourth disk and main album. Cool uses of the submarine sound effects at the very end. I agree, this is the perfect farewell track.

Thanks for the kind words I personally couldn't be more proud of the track, and I actually did legitimately shed a tear upon hearing the final version. The ending is just perfect.

[orlouge82]

Wow, I don't visit the site for awhile, and I miss all of the drama.

Anyhow, I just came on to say that after 1 month, I am still listening to this album almost exclusively. Love it.

Also, since I've been listening to the FLAC versions, I didn't notice until someone pointed it out in this forum that the Torrent is missing two lossless songs from Disc 5: FrosTronix and Dive. Any chance the Torrent file will be updated to include those two songs?

[Cody Wedel]

Unfortunately not, since we didn't have WAV versions of those two tracks

[Bored_Man]

I could provide WAVs of those two songs, if you'd like, since I have software that converts music file types to other music file types.

[Chernabogue]

I could provide WAVs of those two songs, if you'd like, since I have software that converts music file types to other music file types.

They could too, but the quality wouldn't be there.

[orlouge82]

Unfortunately not, since we didn't have WAV versions of those two tracks

Bummer.

On the plus side, those two tracks are technically brand new to me, so I get an additional two songs to listen to on each playthrough!

[Thrik]

Only listened to a few favourite tracks so far, but I'm enjoying what I'm hearing. I'll happily admit that DKC3 is my least favourite of the DKC soundtracks, but there's nonetheless plenty of quality music and these remixes are doing a great job of emphasising just how good some of the composition was — I'd simply forgotten after not giving it nearly as much listening time as I have the DKC1 and DKC2 soundtracks.

One revelation that I can't believe I'd never noticed before: the main title theme incorporates both the DKC1 jungle beat and bonus level music. Not sure how that never occurred to me all those years ago but there you go.

Looking forward to getting through the rest of this monster album. I'm very curious about the GBA music, it seems so bizarre to me that Wise composed a whole new soundtrack for a game he was at least partially responsible for the original soundtrack of. Anyone know why that was? I know he was less involved than with DKC1 and DKC2, was he simply dissatisfied with the result or what?

[Cody Wedel]

If I recall, Wise stated a while back in an interview that the game's soundtrack was added in near the end of development. I'll try to find the interview.

....aaand, here you go!

http://www.squareenixmusic.com/features/interviews/davidwise.shtml

I came on to the project towards the end of development. We didn't have too much time to add the soundtrack to the Game Boy Advance port of Donkey Kong Country 3. We were using a custom sound engine, which took a little massaging to get the best out of it, and I was very aware we were making a handheld version. Graeme Norton had previously composed new and inspiring compositions some years before, for some of the original Game Boy ports of the Donkey Kong series, which I thought worked somewhat better than trying to do a second rate version of the original.

Actually, I did spend a week considering if it might be viable to convert the original score, but to do so would have required working within the limitations of the system, and it simply wasn't translating well. We were using 8 bit samples with no multi-sampling on playback, which introduces artefacts such as noise and anti aliasing. There is simply a very limited bandwidth to work within. The bass sounds very wooly on the GBA and has to be suggested, using hard sounds that we might think have a lot of bass content in them, such as piano and synthesiser bass. The original score used a lot of low sustained pedal notes, which would simply be lost on a handheld system. What's more, the high end breaks up using this system, so the notes viable aren't actually so high.

Thus, given the very tight time limitations and restricted bandwidth, I decided it would just take far too much time to adapt the original soundtrack. The only realistic way to meet the deadline was to compose a new score for the GBA.

[Mirby]

Who is Graeme Norton... surely that must mean Graeme Norgate!

[Thrik]

Got through all the SNES tracks, absolutely splendid. Thoroughly enjoyed the whole album apart from a few inevitable ones I didn't appreciate the genre of so much. That makes three fantastic DKC albums I've seen mature and be brought to beautiful fruition now, although this seems to be the most accomplished album in terms of sheer quality and quantity of music. Almost makes me want to see a second edition of the earlier ones.

Might try and find time to do a track-by-track review of at least the SNES ones. I'll listen to the GBA tracks when I have time, but as I never played that version I have no appreciation of the source material whatsoever. Are any older DKC themes incorporated into it (as with both DKC2 and DKC3 SNES) or is it completely fresh stuff?

[StarTrick]

Might try and find time to do a track-by-track review of at least the SNES ones. I'll listen to the GBA tracks when I have time, but as I never played that version I have no appreciation of the source material whatsoever. Are any older DKC themes incorporated into it (as with both DKC2 and DKC3 SNES) or is it completely fresh stuff?

You should really check this stuff out. Hey, it's Dave Wise returning after all. And yes, you will hear some familiar melodies in there!

[Thrik]

Went through all the GBA tracks too, some good stuff there. I was pleased to hear the jungle tune from DKC1 pop up a number of times (look out for the ones with 'Jungle Jitter' as a source, as well as the first Treetop Tumble track), some brilliant interpretations of it. I was otherwise unfamiliar with most of what featured, although I think I heard the DKC1/2 Cranky theme pop up at one point.

Still seems strange to me Wise chose to completely recompose rather than reproduce, as I see what an earlier poster meant about the atmosphere of some tracks (and consequently stages) being transformed somewhat. Not sure I can say it's a good or bad thing, just a curiosity.

Edited January 15, 2013 by Thrik

[Thrik]

Can't get enough of Cliffside Climber. It's quite faithful to the original and really takes me back, yet is refreshed enough to be its own work. Also I'm pretty sure I heard the snow level music from DKC1 thrown in there at one point? Can't remember if that happened in DKC3 but it made me smile. Epic Bananas is another favourite, taking one of DKC3's most haunting melodies and turning it into an energy-filled beast. In many ways it would have suited the treetop level where you have to outrun the ginormous saw.

Winter has a lovely atmosphere, although could use a little more variation to make it truly memorable. Intoxica runs along a similar line, and is exactly the kind of electronica I often listen to outside of the VGM world — this might sit beside artists like Bonobo and Emancipator in my playlist. Breaking the Crystal Key does a great job of retaining the source track's haunting feel whilst giving it a burst of adrenaline, and the oriental influences make it something very unique. Could have gone so wrong if it were any more electronic than it is.

Friendships Through Dark and Light is wonderful, although strangely immediately evokes memories of Banjo-Kazooie rather than DKC3. Perhaps an omen of where OCRemix's top musicians should focus their attentions next? 'Til We Meet Again is a great way to round off the bulk of the SNES music, I always was very fond of that short piece of source music.

Moving into the later discs, Joyful Jungle Jig is a toe tapper that's fun to listen to although is another track that needed a bit more variation to really fulfil its potential. FrosTronix (Original Mix) is fantastic, really nails the DKC atmosphere I won't even try to quantify any self-respecting remix should strive for and I liked the (perhaps unintentional) nod to Serious Monkey Business's 'Roller Disco' track towards the beginning.

Dive. This one caught me off guard as I subconsciously expected the tracks stuck on the last disc to be inferior b-sides or something, but this is one of the album's finest. Great mood that does justice to one of DKC3's strongest source tracks, with some quality sax (or whatever) incorporated; I was very pleased when the piano bit I remember most from the source made a proper appearance a few minutes in. Random, but this piece makes me think of Homeland's title sequence music a little.

The Crystal Key is Broken is the winning Mama Bird interpretation for me, surpassing the previous one which was already superb. The bass is so masterfully handled in this track that the relatively unchanged melody is given a whole new lease of life, and there're endless details to listen to and appreciate — ultimately evolving into a beautiful cacophony that reveals some serious skill behind its composition.

So, great work guys! That's as far as my track-specific reviewing will go as I really am a busy person nowadays, but it was fun thinking and writing about why I love some of these tracks so much. An incredible way to end the DKC remix album trilogy, and I agree with the sentiment that this is the most consistently high-quality one yet. I hope this isn't the last I hear from the talent involved in terms of interpreting classic Rare music.

Edited January 17, 2013 by Thrik

[Bored_Man]

Let's finish this on up!

DISC 4: PACIFICA

UNDERCURRENT (ENCHANTED RIVERBANK GBA)

Oh hey, Pot Hocket. I remember the piece like this that was on Voices of the Lifestream. This one is very nice and relaxing, mellowed out and overall pleasant.

AQUATIC TRANSFORMATIONS (WATER WORLD GBA)

So we've gone downstream into the ocean, then. This song is not as "busy" as the original, but it's definitely similar to both it and the original's base, Aquatic Ambience. Guitar work is pretty cool as well.

HEART OF THE CAVE (CAVERN CAPRICE GBA)

Neat little cameo from Super Metroid in the beginning. This song is quite a long one, and it takes a little while to really pick up, but it is worth the wait. Even so, when it does, it isn't over the top or noisy, but more subdued and "present".

CRANKY'S MOJO (CRANKY'S DOJO GBA)

This song, the intro especially, makes me think of Donkey Kong Jungle Beat, mostly because that game had you fighting different Kongs that seemed like martial artists. I can picture a montage of Cranky Kong training and sparring, trying to get back his skills from his heyday, and maybe preparing to go off on a sightseeing adventure of his own. The jazzy portion is unexpected, but pretty neat. Overall, a good pick for one of my personal standout tracks.

CHASING WATERFALLS (CASCADE CAPERS GBA)

I like the groove this one sets. Can't exactly think of the words to describe what I like about it, but I like it all the same.

CORN-FED KONG (ROCKFACE RUMBLE GBA)

I will be honest here, and say that I was never a huge fan of country music. Nowadays, I don't hate it, but it isn't my favorite genre, mostly because I have not listened to a lot of it, and a lot of it sounds very same-y. Same issue with rap. I want to think I'm getting better with both, though. Anyways, this song...it feels very cheerful and adventurous, like you're going somewhere, but enjoying the journey more than worrying about the destination.

SPANISH JITTERS (JUNGLE JITTER GBA)

THIS song. THIS is how you start an album flood, no question about it. I can't imagine how fun and rewarding it must have been for you all to perform with Mr. Wise and Mr. Beanland. The song itself, very very nice. I'm a sucker for jazzy, big band pieces, so this is right up my alley. I can definitely imagine this playing at a party or some other event. The "80's section" is a nice breakdown, and makes the piece that much more special. Top notch job, folks.

SEA BREEZE CONCERTO (STILT VILLAGE GBA)

If you look at the sprite banner for this piece, you'll see Donkey Kong on saxophone, and Diddy Kong on guitar, just like on the artwork on Kong in Concert. Ah, how time flies. Anyways, this just overall is a nice jam session. Monkey Kong, you guys are lucky getting to work with Mr. Wise, but this is really your show, and it is a great one. That said, the sax solo is very nice. I also love the ending referencing the startup theme from the original Donkey Kong Country.

BENEATH THE MOONLIGHT (STILT VILLAGE GBA)

I can tell just from the start, this is the album's baby right here. 9 minutes long, and all of it awesome. It's very atmospheric, and just overall an experience rather than just a song. Great job.

DISTANT DREAMS ON STORMY SEAS (GAME OVER GBA)

So the story ends with Dixie Kong and Kiddy Kong stranded in the rain likely to die of exposure and cold? That's rather sad . Also, thanks to somebody posting a certain rendition of the main theme of DKC 1 in the album thread, I can hear a certain rap artist sadly singing along to this with his..."famous" lyrics. Joking aside, this feels like a somber yet fitting ending to the album. Perhaps it's signifying the end of the SNES era as the series moved forward into the N64 era. But either way, it's the end of the main four discs, and this is a good way to send it off.

OVERALL IMPRESSION

In contrast to the last disc's impression of doing the adventure again, this one feels more like an actual vacation, a hard-earned reward of relaxation. Great songs all around, especially with David Wise and Robin Beanland's involvement. It's been a great trip listening to all four of these discs, and I'm grateful to everyone who worked on the project. I'll try to do a review of the bonus disc at some point. Thanks again, everybody .

[Bored_Man]

Also, I do not mean to sound impatient or demanding, but when can I expect to receive the bonus content? Should I PM Emunator about it?