Emunator Posted November 13, 2022 Share Posted November 13, 2022 ReMixer Name: The Good Ice ID: 36903 Email: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thegoodice Game: DKC2 Song: Mining Melancholy (Kannon's Klaim) Composer: David Wise Arrangement Title: Kannonball One of my favorite songs from one of my favorite games! It might be overshadowed by Stickerbush Symphony and Forest Interlude, but this song has always been a certified banger in my mind. Something I've realized lately is that I really like making game music that doesn't sound like game music. So this is our attempt at a crunchy alt rock/electronic mix, in the vein of Phantogram or something of that ilk. And despite the copious amounts of distortion on everything (everything) this might actually be my cleanest mix to date from a sonic standpoint. Regarding the actual arrangement, it's pretty straightforward barring some added chord progressions. I had a lot of fun recreating the original percussion loop with a bunch of household foley sounds, but without a true "verse" section the rest was actually kind of tricky to stretch out without being too repetitive. I guess our solution to this was to add more breaks and repackage the hook as more of a chorus so it didn't get stale. Nick was also able to tie in a cool Michael Jackson riff (They Don't Care About Us), which, coincidentally is nearly identical to the Hot Pursuit riff from DKC3. I'd also like to shoutout my good friend Alex for supplying the creamy acoustic parts and general idea-bouncing. Good times all around. Rock and stone, to the bone! The Good Ice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prophetik music Posted November 29, 2022 Share Posted November 29, 2022 never heard this one, but it's fun. intro is suitably exciting - i like the build and drum fill especially. there's a good head-bobbing feel to the intro with the beat and arpeggio. the first melodic part comes in at 0:39 and builds into the 'chorus' theme at around 0:55. the break at 1:18 is well-timed and i like the chord changes there. the intro of the electric guitar at 1:38 or so and the later addition of organ was a great way to mix up the recap of the 'chorus' part although it's clear that the basic structure there is the same. there's a vibe break and some fun pads and sound design around 2:10. i like dropping the drums and letting some of your more interesting synth choices carry this section. 2:51 sees the beat come back in and drive through to the end with (finally!!) the electric guitar carrying the melody. this is an easy vote. it sounds great, there's a ton of meaty percussion that does a great job carrying the beat, the synth and lead choices are excellent, and the changes from the original like the chord changes and the structural shifts are not hugely transformative but are enough for me to call this a unique piece and not a cover. nice work. YES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkSim Posted December 22, 2022 Share Posted December 22, 2022 When I first started out on my remixing journey in 2009, this was the first source I ever attempted to remix! Totally agree with you that it's a banger. I love the metallic percussion at the beginning, and you've recreated that really well. The pitchbending on the stabs is an interesting choice, it adds a little jazziness that I wasn't expecting. I've got a couple of reservations about the production, which I definitely think could be improved, but nothing is a dealbreaker. There's a lot of sub-bass content, which is bloating the low-end a bit, and could probably be cleaned up to make it sound less fatiguing on the ears. Overall mixdown is a bit on the quiet side, and usually dropping some sub-bass content can help with that. On the opposite end, there's a hi-hat sound that's very present in the foreground, and could do with a little more care to make it sit better in the mix. It's particularly noticeable in the final chorus. Arrangement is conservative, for the first minute and 20 it's like a much beefier cover, but then I do start to notice the differences. I like the section from 1:40, and then the break at 2:30 is nice, with the amped acoustic guitar. Percussion is chunky throughout, with so much layering and distortion on it that it's only just kept under control. Definitely a highlight though, and worth listening out for the detail in there on repeat listens. YES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liontamer Posted January 11, 2023 Share Posted January 11, 2023 Intro was too crunchy for my personal taste, but no big deal. I enjoyed reading the submission letter and seeing how the structure played out based on it. It's going to be REALLY difficult not crediting "Hot Pursuit" as a source tune; you're right those MJ and DKC3 themes are close. Anyway, solid! YES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MindWanderer Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 Crunchy is right: the kicks have a noticable amount of crackle to them that I personally found distracting, and pump a little bit, too. I was a little surprised to open this up in Audacity and see that there was plenty of headroom at all times, because it sure sounds like it's hitting a hard limiter and getting distorted. The grungy synth used as a pad doesn't help; it adds some texture but mostly it just adds white noise. That said, after playing this a few times, the approach made so much sense that it had me doubting myself about whether it was really all that different from the original. (It totally is.) Quasi-industrial grunge is a perfect genre for this, and the additions fit in completely naturally. The performances are on point, too. This is one of those remixes where the remix could become more iconic, in some peoples' minds, than the original. I do really dislike the grittiness, especially of the kicks, but I won't throw a hissy fit over it, and everything else is great. YES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts