OCR02938 - *YES* Metroid 'Dex'

[DragonAvenger]

Remixer Name: Brent Wollman

Website: https://soundcloud.com/brent-wollman

UserID: 41181

Game arranged: Metroid

Name of arrangement: Dex

Individual songs arranged: Title

It’s a strange take on the theme, but I think it’s cool.

Breakdown:

0:00-0:17 Source

0:17-0:45 No source

0:45-0:59 Source

0:59-1:12 No Source

1:12-1:53 Source

1:53-2:00 No source

2:00-End Source

This track is another victim of the wretched loudness wars. though it is flawed from a mixing/mastering perspective, i don't think that detracts too much from the goal of the track. I am cool with having it posted the way it is if you all are

war is hell

Edited July 23, 2014 by djpretzel

[OceansAndrew]

It's pretty interesting, but may be a bit too messy and disjointed for me to really dig into. The cuts between source and no source aren't super clean, and the effects throughout are sweet, but the dynamics arent much more pronounced than 2 extremes. I'd like some mid ground. What this feels like to me is a great sound demo, and the elements are working, but it needs to feel more cohesive and dynamic. The source feels a bit shoehorned into some awesome effects, rather than the source being the foundation for an expanded, effect-heavy version of the song. Other judges may disagree here, but I think this needs a little more polish and direction.

No, please resubmit

[Liontamer]

The first listen was definitely something else. Some of the sounds in the opening were particularly grating, and it's not my style, but after more than a few spins, this just doesn't sound uncohesive at all. It's certainly a cool study in sound design, and I didn't feel like this was too disjointed, too gimmicky, or had no middle ground with the energy.

I thought 1:12, while still having lots of scattered sounds around it, took the energy down a notch, and then led to the more chilled out lead at 1:59, followed by the slow down and breakdown at 2:34, which lasted until 3:27 worked back up into the tense finish. It felt to me like reasonable dynamic contrast was in place.

There's definitely a case to be made that the surrounding effects distract from the dynamics of the source usage and create the "two extremes" feel that OA had. When he said "The source feels a bit shoehorned into some awesome effects, rather than the source being the foundation for an expanded, effect-heavy version of the song," I did agree on some level. Nonetheless, to me, the source is still mission critical to this arrangement, so while I see his POV, I'm not quite on board; the implication was that the Kraid theme was too marginalized, and that just didn't happen for me.

No hate on OA for the NO, but it feels kind of like a "too weird for me"/grandpa kind of call. Obviously, he's not unfamiliar with strange music, so that doesn't mean he's just scared of new muzaks. This IS weird, and this may not win my award for most plays, but the arrangement substance WAS there for me, and it felt developed and cohesive enough. Let it establish itself with a few listens to see if you feel the same way.

YES

[Chimpazilla]

Well, I LOVE weird muziks and this one sure is weird. It's so creative. I am loving the wide soundscape and varied textures here, track is full of surprises. I love the different moods created as the piece goes along. Because the arrangement is so inherently weird, I'm not having any problem with the transitions between source and not-source, it feels cohesive to me. Plenty of source, mixing is great. My only complaint is that I wish the outro was a little more different from the intro, they kinda feel like bookends... but both are cool enough that I won't whine about it. Very cool track!

YES

[Nutritious]

Yeah, that intro is quite grating. The headphones I'm using right now don't get fantastic high end freq response and this is still a bit much for me at normal volume levels.

Arrangement certainly is creative. I do see what Andrew's saying about the source content and the glitchy effected parts seeming to be separate or disjointed. I ran roll with it as a stylistic choice, because it didn't come off to me as situation (as some do in the past) where source material just sounds pasted-on.

Kinda wish we could have a version without some of the piercing freqs - assuming this passes perhaps it could be requested.

Yeah so, it's weird, different, but cool.

YES

[Flexstyle]

Here's the thing--I think this is a fine arrangement, and very creative. I love an oddball arrangement, and the glitched-out flavor really catches my ear. Crunchy tones are sweet, and that's some really detailed chopping in there--I dig! However, I'd be very cautious about the way this is mastered. It doesn't need to be that loud, especially in the beginning and a couple other spots. Plus, there are some frequencies at times that just are too much, going beyond artistic choice into the realm of "pain."

I'd pass this if those harsh frequencies got tamed via either turning down those instruments in the mix, or maybe just doing some careful EQing on the master bus, and if some volume automation was applied on the master, post-limiter, to keep it from being so VERY LOUD at points (beginning and end come to mind). That way you can keep the crunchy tone, yet avoid blowing everyone's ears out with the super-high average db number.

(leaving space for post-fix vote, hopefully)

Edited December 24, 2013 by Flexstyle

[Liontamer]

I'd be very cautious about the way this is mastered. It doesn't need to be that loud, especially in the beginning and a couple other spots. Plus, there are some frequencies at times that just are too much, going beyond artistic choice into the realm of "pain."

I'd pass this if those harsh frequencies got tamed via either turning down those instruments in the mix, or maybe just doing some careful EQing on the master bus, and if some volume automation was applied on the master, post-limiter, to keep it from being so VERY LOUD at points (beginning and end come to mind). That way you can keep the crunchy tone, yet avoid blowing everyone's ears out with the super-high average db number.

I could get on board with that. I'm not feeling I need to change my vote over it, and could live with it as is, but whether this makes it or not in this current version, I'd agree the pulling back on some of the grating loudness would help, so I can pass that onto Brent.

[Palpable]

Yow, that intro. Definitely edging close to the line of being too grating there alone, but once it moved past that, there wasn't anything for me to fault this on. The concept completely works for me, and the Metroid title is a song that makes sense in this desolate, almost scary style. It can be rare to hear a song where you can't compare the style to something else you've heard, but I'm struggling here. I can place certain elements in other songs, but as a whole this sounds pretty singular to me. Brent is quickly becoming one of my favorite remixers.

YES