OCR04174 - *YES* Guild Wars 2 "Rytlock's Super Critter Rave"

[Rexy]

Remixer Name: Paper Coelacanth
Real Name: Owen Henson
Email: 

Game Arranged: Guild Wars 2 - Super Adventure Box
Name of Arrangement: Rytlock's Super Critter Rave
Original Song: Rytlock's Critter Rampage
Composed by Maclaine Diemer

Last year, Pixel Mixers did a free tribute album, Try Hard and Tribulations, for the annual April Fools Day event in Guild Wars 2, Super Adventure Box. This track was my contribution to that album.
The moment I heard the rising arpeggios in the original song, I knew I wanted to extend it into a poppy dance tune, and I had a ton of fun with it! I even tried to take a little inspiration from the FX in the HTML game of the same name.
 

 

[Jivemaster]

Expands the original's soundscape quite well. Things start out similar to the original but with an added range of backing instruments. The chord section in the break at 1:16 leading into the chorus portion was enjoyable. There is a modern disco style feel to the layers here. We hit a more major breakdown at 2:15, bringing with it a change of pace. At 2:58 we're reintroduced to the chorus portion for a final run, but it's presented differently, with blippy fills. This was appreciated and made the end portion more unique, separating it from the earlier section. Things end in pretty standard fashion. The production here is handled well — parts are clean and have their place, and there is a good level of variation across the arrangement, while maintaining the original's vibe. Nice work.

YES

[Rexy]

This source does not have a lot to work with - a straightforward melody and rising arpeggio, as mentioned in the submission letter.  The slow-build intro with sparse uses of the lead didn't feel too promising on the source quota front initially.  But at 0:47, the representation got more concentrated - focusing on the simple melody with a couple of note alterations to better fit this dance vibe you got going on, before shifting towards the arpeggio.  I do like how, at 1:45, you decided to fill in space with arpeggios similar to those established in the source - smart move.  The A section return at 2:29 had the melody stay as it was, but I appreciate the chill backing and eventual harmonies giving the progression a whole other mood.  The original noodling at 3:13, between two arpeggio interpretations, has many fun synth envelope effects that make it a charming segue between sections.

However, I am concerned about those two arp sections (2:58, 3:27) sounding identical to other previously established segments (1:16, 1:45), taking up 30 seconds in the track's run time.  A more impactful climax outside of the solo would've been nice to have, but it doesn't dampen the running time too much, so consider it a minor irk.

The mixdown is also very serviceable - a touch heavy on the low-end frequencies in terms of volume, but everything has its own defined space in the mix.  The palette is full of variety, with the synth tones and support instrumentation, along with some equally charming volume fades between them.  It did, however, leave two places of room for improvement.  Firstly, the snare feels dry and stiff and might've done with some additional wetter layers to make it feel more like a contemporary dance snare.  Secondly, while you've demonstrated volume fades for longer held synth notes, it could be cool for you to experiment with other effect envelopes and to see what works.  Pitch and modulation immediately head to mind, though automating other parameters within your synth VST could open up to some unexpected results.

As the track stands, it feels like a complete track, handles a short tune with absolute gusto, and demonstrates improvement with your music writing on both fronts.  I bet it'll make a fair amount of impact on the front page, for sure!

YES

[prophetik music]

oh, this is a nice one. great soundscape, great adaptation of a sparse source into a more fleshed-out arrangement. notably, i really appreciated how you played with space in your backing instruments - for example, the backing chords at around 1:15 have a lot of space, and then you sustained them more at 1:29 as you go into what i'd call the chorus of this tune. great variation that let you keep a similar instrumentation while feeling fresh. there's a wrong note in the lead at 1:51ish - you're arpegiating an FMaj chord instead the a minor that's there, and the f is functioning as a b6 instead of the root that it'd have been with a different bass note. not a huge deal, just sounded weird.

the breakdown at 2:15 was solid, and did a nice job lending some dynamic to the track while feeding into the half-time thing at 2:27. i thought this was also well done, and feeds into the build at 2:58 (which could have been a bit more original, but it was well-handled). 3:12's change-up to the melodic content was a fun callback to the original's chippy sound palate, but it kinda falls off a clif at 1:38 on the melody side, and that was an odd transition. the rest of the outro is fine, though, and it ends abruptly but not uncomfortably.

overall this is a track with way more on the positive side than the negative. there's a great soundscape, a fun arrangement, and a few nitpicks if anything. nice work.

 

 

YES

[DragonAvenger]

What an excellent expansion on a relatively short theme! Really love the overall bubbly vibe, and there's a ton of change-ups to keep the soundscape fresh. Solid downtempo at 2:30ish that transitions nicely back into the pre-chorus. The rising arpgeggio really keeps things tied together well, solid use there without overstaying. 
 

Love it,

YES