OCR01564 - *YES* Kirby's Dream Land 2 'Breakbeat Forest'

[Liontamer]

"Red Tailed Fox for now." - LT

Well, I decided to submit this one in because it's my first non collab in a while, and it's a whole lot different from my usual stuff. I've been sequencing a lot of electronic music lately, and I've been forced to do a trance piece for high school which taught me a lot about how it's all put together. So I decided I'd make a FUN mix on one of my favourite sources, Kirby's Dreamland 2. Ah yes, you either love it or hate it, but I'm not of the latter.

The source song I mixed itself is pretty brainless (Big Forest), so I thought I'd add some jazzy progressions into it, to provide some variety whilst keeping the whole gameboyish chiptune feel. There's some guitar, piano, drum and bass, and a special surprise at the end. The concept is to entertain, and I think it should bring out the 10 year old in you, or that is you?

Recap:

Game Remixed: Kirby's Dreamland 2

Original VG Song Remixed: Big Forest

Mixer name: Tepid

Caio for now,

Phil

-----------------------------------------------------

http://www.zophar.net/gbs/kirbydl2.zip - Track 6

I actually liked the intro a lot more than the breakbeat section. The breakbeat section was a more natural extension of the source, whereas the piano & acoustic guitar intro went in a different direction. Nonetheless, of course, the synth + breakbeat arrangement was a natural extension of the source like I said, and left the source ripe for expansion.

I'll be honest, I wasn't quite sure if the breakbeats were just loops. The tone of the samples themselves was pretty generic/default-y, which made it seem like the patterns may have been cribbed and undermined the energy level as a result. Piano break at 1:43 was alright, but I didn't like the tone of the soundfont. I've heard it before, and the note-to-note movement sounded mechanical; quite a contrast to the more natural-sounding piano from the intro.

I was a bit disappointed at the melody being minimally arranged during the breakbeat sections; it's more melodious than the source, but overall the interpretation was fairly minimal and relied too much on the breakbeats to form the texture for my tastes. However, there was a lot of new writing with the supporting instrumentation that built off of the more basic support writing of the original. It tended to be obscured on account of the breakbeats, but it's certainly there. The arrangement outside of the breakbeats was also good.

Ha; nice transition into the light piano while the beats gradually faded out. Ending at 3:51 was a little too drawn out, with the Kirby ending, then the cumshot at 3:56. Could have snuck the cumshot in during the breakbeat sections. To me, it's more funny that way (see: virt - The Legend of Kay soundtrack , but you get them in where you can, I suppose.

Not my cup of tea, wasn't hot on the sound design for the breakbeat section and felt the breakbeat writing sounded too repetitive over time, but other than that, things were cool. Nice way to branch out, Phil.

YES (borderline)

[DarkeSword]

I really feel like the balance between the percussion and the squares is way off. The percussion really should have way more presence here, and the arpeggiating square line gets old quick, especially at that volume.

Piano stuff is really nice though, and I love the intro.

I think you need to work on balance and part writing issues for a lot of the "electronic" sections of this piece.

NO resub

[Vig]

the intro is great, though the guitar is too loud. Oh crap...is this going to turn into a gabber mix?...Sigh.

Fortunately the gabby sections are moderated by a number of more acoustic interludes which provide much-needed dynamics.

I think YES

[Malcos]

...the cumshot at 3:56. Could have snuck the cumshot in...

Sorry what? Cumshot? I thought it was climax? Anyway...

I really enjoyed the more acoustic parts of this mix, ie the intro and outtro. However I think that the mixing on the electronic side just didn't come up to the same standard. I think the drums should have been louder. I also feel that the higher side (right hand) of the piano section that came in at 1.45 sounded really fake. For me, the cohesion of the mix just didn't work, and the breakbeat parts sounded repetitive.

NO

[zykO]

this is killer.

the intro is very relaxing and pleasing. this is beautiful. wow, what a change of pace. this track gets really gnarly with the synth. i love the breakbeats but the synth arpeggios don't sit well with me. hahaha but you have a piano break right into it. very clever arrangement. this is pretty entertaining and i normally really despise kirby music - normally too happy for my tastes and this is also shot with a dose of happy but it is clever, entertaining and above all else very clean and professional. the arpeggios are a problem for me but might be a stylistic issue that only not many others will have. especialyl when the rest of this is so entertaining.

i dig.

YES

[JJT]

Really digging the jazz alterations in this mix. Is that a sharp five i'm hearing at 2:15? I'm a little sloppy on my intervals...

I'm feeling the concerns regarding the mixing...the levels on the arpeggiating synth are kind of sketch. Other than that, this is solid work. Very good attention to harmonic detail. There are plenty of major nine and altered chords thrown in to keep things interesting. I'm not a big fan of the ending, but thats personal taste.

This is above the bar with some breathing room, in my not so humble opinion.

YES

[Jillian Aversa]

Wow, I am duly, dually impressed with your work here, Phil! The accoustic/piano sections were stronger than I've ever heard from you before, and then I didn't know you had this whole other crazy side to you. The melody usage is rather conservative, but you've done so many creative things with the instrumentation, and lots of jazzy flair as well. It's cool, and then it's super dooper uber happy, and then it's cool again, and then super dooper uber happy, and finally cool again. Yes, how Kirby indeed!

The section starting at 1:07 was a little weak at first, in my opinion. Instead of bringing out the breakbeats, they sound a little distant in comparison with the rather overbearing piano. I'm gonna have to agree with Larry that the percussion sounds kinda like a default, but I'll let it slide. Nice pitch bend at 3:10, followed by the cute little squeaks. What a mischievous little puff of pink; you've really captured his personality!

I think the cumshot at the end was a little overdone (poor Malcos has no idea what's going on! ). Something about the timing was strange... I would have preferred either no cumshot, or a few more seconds of the *real* ending before it came in. Oh well, good stuff!

(>^-^)> YES <(^-^<)