Emunator Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 *Project Mix - please don't post until the release of the Pixel Mixers Indie Games vol 3 compilation. It should be coming out soon, so maybe this could be scheduled as a tie-in when it drops?* Remixer: Emunator Name: Skipping Stones Down Sips River Game: Chicory: A Colorful Tale Source: Sips River Artist Comments: It's been a while since my last solo submission (which, coincidentally, was also a Lena Raine arrangement!) Since I was struggling to come up with any arrangement ideas on my own, I sought some external motivation by signing up for the Pixel Mixers Indie Games vol. 3 compilation project. I've always admired the level of friendliness and collaboration within the Pixel Mixers community, so I'm deeply grateful for the opportunity to contribute to one of their albums! Creatively speaking, 2021 and 2022 were years marked by a deep-rooted writer's block and lack of inspiration, so it's no surprise that the themes of Chicory: A Colorful Tale were so resonant with me. The game touches on concepts such as imposter syndrome, perfectionism, and the inextricable link between mental health and creativity, and it speaks to these ideas with such a deep level of emotional intelligence and empathy. It's truly an amazing narrative that I think any artist can relate to in some way. During my period of writer's block, the time I did spend on music was characterized more by sound design and playing piano, so when I was ready to tackle this arrangement, I leaned into those two areas most heavily. The original Sips River source is absolute perfection, so aside from transposing it to a different key, I left Lena's composition pretty much intact, instead focusing on building up atmosphere with layered keys and bells and a soft percussion groove (which, believe it or not, was loosely inspired by the default Cisco hold music that I unfortunately heard way too much of during my years working in customer service! ) All in all, there's not really much to say about this from a technical standpoint. It's certainly not my most polished or ambitious remix, but the process of creating it reminded me that it's not reasonable to expect everything you create as an artist to exceed your previous attempts. That mentality will inevitably reach a breaking point where it's no longer sustainable and you end up paralyzed by your own unrealistic expectations. This year, I hope to cultivate a healthier relationship with creativity, focusing less on reaching an arbitrary level of perfection and more on enjoying the creative process and simply making anything at all. Source: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liontamer Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 Nice lil inclusion of sound effects, such as wooden floor planks being leaned on, for some extra organic touches during the intro and quieter sections. The lead at :50 had a hopeful quality to it that sets the tone the whole way through. The source tune's basically the foundation throughout, with creative building blocks of writing and ornamentation surrounding it. Excellent sound design and dynamics throughout. Thanks for letting us get a chance to vote on it, Wes. It's a gem of a treatment! YES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MindWanderer Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 I really need to play this game! At first, I was worried that a chill, piano-driven acoustic remix of a chill, piano-driven acoustic track wasn't going to be transformative enough. I needn't have been; the electronic approach makes this a very different take. Where the original evokes wonder, the remix evokes joy. It's tough to rearrange something so much and still have it remain a faithful homage; not better, just different. It works in a way I wasn't expecting. A real pleasure to listen to. YES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkSim Posted January 30, 2023 Share Posted January 30, 2023 It's alright, innit? YES The creaky sounds from the piano seat make it feel alive and warm, like I'm sitting right there as the pianist is playing. Filtered percussion allows the delicate bells and reverse hits space to breathe and echo, and then when things open up at 2:32 it's a delight. The ebb and flow of the track, and its pacing, is done very well. Nothing is rushed, and the listener can relax and enjoy their trip down Sips River in safe hands. There's a really interesting chord at 1:16 that's an inspired addition, as is the bridge to 1:40. It's almost uneasy, and as such is a departure from the source, adding more emotional dynamics to the piece that make the highs feel even higher. Wonderful stuff! No but seriously you should stop ripping off Sigur Ros. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chimpazilla Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 OH GOD that Cisco hold music.... whenever I hear that delayed kick and clap I cringe super hard. Often, we are forced to listen to this travesty for quite a long time. Many companies use it. Then it gets stuck in my head for hours until I'm feeling rage. Who would write such a thing, whyyyy??? AND WHY DO WE ALL HAVE TO HEAR IT??? Is there no quality control in the on-hold music world, or is this just punishment? It's cruel and unusual, especially to producers!!! There oughta be a law! Now for this remix, gosh if only Wes could produce a track with feels, that'd be greeeeeat, mkay? This one ls luscious and dreamy just as it should be. The piano creaks, and the wow and flutter at the end, really add to the "hope in the face of obstacles" feel of the piece. The bells are beautiful and send shivers down my spine. Production is ace. Gosh I can relate to the imposter syndrome, perfectionism and creative block, so well that it hurts. Wes, you even made the concept of "delayed kick and clap" work beautifully well, which is impressive. Cisco be damned. All the YES there is, and then some. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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