*NO* Legend of Dragoon 'Pale Ale from Bale'

[Chimpazilla]

ReMixer & real name: Eino Keskitalo
e-mail: 

Names of games arranged: Legend of Dragoon

Name of Arrangement: Pale Ale from Bale

Names of individual songs arranged: Royal Capital
 

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjoUI1ZVne4

This is for Hakstock's PSX project. Ivan asked for an unmastered WAV, so the album version is probably going to have a better sound and should be the one posted (assuming this passes).

This was originally done for HoboKa's Meat 'n' Potatoes compo round #22 (http://compo.thasauce.net/rounds/view/MnP22) so the source usage should be straightforward. I was going to finish this for the Hometown Heroes project, but since it unfortunately fizzled out (great concept!), I'm happy Ivan adopted it for the PlayStation album.
 

I wanted to do something quick and simple, so I fired up Renoise, put a C64 drum loop on, figured out an easy, somewhat droning guitar riff off the source and built from there with a bunch of synth samples. The structure is simple and repeating, but I tried to put in a lot of small-scale variation, especially post-compo. The guitar recording quality is a bit poor I'm afraid, but by now you can probably tell I'm into pretty lo-fi stuff anyway..

 

cheers,

--Eino

 

Edited July 3, 2016 by Liontamer
closed decision

[Gario]

Legend of Dragoon love! Awesome! Big fan of the game, and I'm very glad to hear the soundtrack get some love on here. You have a very smooth, relaxed arrangement, and I absolutely love the lo-fi direction you went with the guitars and drums. It's chill, and it works great.

The arrangement is very plain, and it has a pretty static soundscape. It relies quite a bit on the additional flourishes in the guitar portion and melody in order to set itself apart from the source, but I'm not entirely convinced that it's enough. The overall soundscape, while great, doesn't really develop - it stays in the same place throughout the entire song. Fortunately the song is short enough to where it doesn't create too much of an issue, but it would be a good idea to change up the texture once or twice in the track (drop a few instruments, perhaps utilize a new synth for a section, etc.). The ending is a bigger issue, though. It just sort of ends - that doesn't do this mix justice. This track really needs a more substantial ending than what you gave it, and it would be very helpful if the arrangement took a few more liberties with the source.

The production is quite good. I know you're going for the lo-fi sound in the guitar, and it works for the most part. At 1:04, though, the guitar harmonies punch through too much - due to a combination of the poorer quality recording and mixing it louder than normal, it sounds jarring. Mix that part down, making it match the guitar levels of the rest of the track.

I like it, but that ending kills it. While the conservative nature of the arrangement, static soundscape and the slip up on the guitar mixing at 1:04 affect it as well, that ending is what made me vote as I did - give it a more substantial ending, fix the mixing at 1:04 and play around with the source & soundscape a little more. If you do that, you'll easily have my vote, as I think this is a great track, and very close to being a pass.

NO/RESUB

[Sir_NutS]

I'm having issues understanding the direction of this remix,  it seems like you're trying to go for a melancholic, but sort of odd/off left field sounding lo-fi guitar infused arrangement, but the approach feels like it clashes with the arrangement.  I was thinking this before listening to the original and after I did it made more sense.  The original is a very tropical sounding/relaxing arrangement.  I think that, because you kept the original cues pretty much intact for the most part, it's not working well with this different approach and would require to do some changes in the structure of the original arrangement to make it fit.  

Regardless of this feeling of clashing visions I'm getting, which is honestly borderline subjective, I feel the arrangement is very static and I hear your attempts at keeping it interesting by adding several different variations and embellishments on top, but the core of the arrangement remains pretty static throughout, and even makes the song feel longer than it really is.  It's a very short arrangement but due to its static and repetitive nature it feels like it meanders about for too long.

Regarding the production, it's good, the lo-fi elements are handled well and the mix is clean,  I was not very fond of some of the choices regarding the sound palette such as the short synth used in places such as 0:27.  The drums are well sequenced.

Not a fan of the ending, pretty uneventful and sudden.

I think Gario also has some points but I think we mostly agree with the issues here.

NO

[Palpable]

No problem with the direction of this mix, like Sir_NutS had, but he think he's spot on about the staticness of the arrangement. I also think the source song is pretty boring personally, and has the same problem as your mix. The groove is good, but I don't think it's interesting enough to carry a song for 3 minutes, despite a lot of effort on your part to include variations. Sometimes a mix needs micro variations (changes in notes, flourishes) and sometimes macro variations (new sections, dropouts), and I think more macro variations would be in order here.

I don't think that issue alone is a dealbreaker FYI, but combined with some offputting sounds (the synth at 0:14 always sticks out like a sore thumb for me) and the abrupt ending, it feel a bit short for me. I think it's very fixable, and this is the kind of sub I'd like to see get posted. Hope you can give us another go.

NO (resubmit)