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OCR04749 - *YES* Kirby: Planet Robobot "Mind Lost in a Program"


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Artist Name: jnWake

Collabers: Jabo (on guitars), Ivan Hakštok (on bass).

Another DoD passes, another remix submission... this one is from March 2024's HAL month and it's my take on the final boss theme from Planet Robobot, in my usual prog. rock/metal style. I've always wanted to cover Kirby music since it's super hype, which is especially true of its final boss themes. I was a little hesistant about covering this one since there's an incredible cover of it by GaMetal but I decided to go for it anyway... So, the final boss in Planet Robobot has you face the main villain of the game after he fuses with a supercomputer, hence I wanted my cover to kinda reflect the contrast between "organic" elements and "robotic" ones, which guided most of my sample/instrument decisions. The backstory of the main villain of the game also has some sad elements, which is reflected in the melodies during the song, and I wanted to keep some of that melancholy in the remix.

The source is kinda long so I'll refrain from describing it, but I'll reference some timestamps when I describe the source usage of my remix:

0:00-0:18: Intro, the ascending melody is the main motif of the source, while the piano/synth duo plays the arpeggios from the source's intro. Here I used the piano/chiptune combo to reflect that organic/robotic duality I mentioned above.

0:18-0:42: This is a rock oriented adaptation of the section that plays from 0:18 to 0:40 in the source. Main difference is that I started on E minor while the source begins on C minor.

0:43-1:05: Adaptation of the section that follows from the source, the duality of the track is represented again by the change in leads and mood in this section.

1:06-1:32: Adaptation of the next section from the source, first in a similar style than the source and then as heavy chuggy metal.

1:33-1:56: Kirby fans will recognize this part as the Halberd theme from Kirby Super Star but it's actually featured on the source (2:03 to 2:22) so I had to feature it here on the remix! This section takes the first part of the melody and expands it (even more key changes!) while also adding a guitar solo.

1:57-2:26: Repeat of the 1:06-1:32 melody, which is like the main "melancholic" melody of the track.

2:27-2:52: Reprise of the intro! In both instances I added some weird sound effects in the background for that robotic feel. At 2:40 there's a brief synth solo!

2:53-3:16: Reprise of the main ascending melody from 0:18-0:42, first in C# minor and then in F# minor.

3:17-3:28: Second part of the Halberd melody, which I didn't feature in the earlier Halberd cameo.

3:29-3:52: This section uses the motif of the main villain of the game, which is referenced on the 2:33 section of the source. I expanded it to a larger section than in the source.

3:53-4:04: A cameo from a popular Kirby melody! Appears at 2:39 in the source, including the transition to the next section in both the source and my remix. I was a little hesistant to include this part in the remix at first since I wanted to focus more on the villain than on Kirby but I thought of a fun reharmonization and a fun timing variation for the second repeat of the melody so I kept it in!

4:05-End: Ending of the track, based on the ending of the source (starts at 2:47), I repeated it twice with extra melodies from dramatic effect!

Aaaand that's all! This track actually won the month in DoD which was very cool. Hope you enjoy!


Games & Sources

Game: Kirby: Planet Robobot

Source: Vs. Star Dream

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  • 2 weeks later...

wow, what an original! this is a great track.

initial riffs is just what i expected, and i love it already. immediate head-bobber. performance is stellar. 0:42's a break, with the following band sound at 0:56 more of a fusion vibe like you'd expect to hear in a persona track. 1:18 is finally the MOAR DAKKA i was hoping for and has some plini vibes with the ascending melodic line over heavy rhythmic chugs. 1:57's recap with the two leads is great, and i like the immediate key change here to ensure there's no chance anyone will think it's getting too samey.

2:28's break is well-timed and needed after all that, and the last gasp of fresh air before the end. synth solo at 2:40 is superb. during the section at 3:00ish i was really impressed with just how clean the mix sounds - there's a ton going on, and it's all audible and punchy and vibrant. EQing here is very good. 3:17's section felt a bit tacked in there as a palette cleanser since it doesn't really dovetail into adjacent sections, but the following section with trading leads sounds great. 4:05's a straight blow through to the end, and it's done.

what a track. this is super fun - there's a lot of genre shifts and style elements in here for everyone, and it just keeps on evolving as it goes along. excellent work.

 

 

YES

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  • 1 month later...
Posted (edited)

This original song is nuts - I had to check if I was accidentally playing multiple songs at the same time, but nope. Just a weird intro! The jazz-fusion-orchestral meat of the source is just sublime and feels right up your alley, I can see why you were drawn to this.

Your arrangement wastes no time getting into it. Immediately I'm hearing the benefit of the collaborators you chose to involve here. The whole band ensemble sounds full and rich, and your keys/synths fit right in. 1:21 is a little on the loud side, and the lead at 2:42 or some of the synth bells toward the end are pretty shrill when they hit those high notes, but man... there's just so much going on here, I don't think I could fully process everything you've done here across 10 listens. It's really cohesive despite jumping between styles at a moment's notice. The performances and writing are so strong, any minor mixing miscues are a drop in the bucket. This is a slam dunk.

YES

Edited by Emunator
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  • 1 month later...

This is great. Tons of personalization everywhere all while still keeping the source front and center and easily recognizable. Speaking of the source, it's all kinds of crazy...in a good way.  Tons going on and themes weaving in and out of each other. The production is clean and clear throughout as well, great job not letting the piano get buried any time it shows up.

I particularly liked how the intro from the source plays into your intro as well. Great contrast between the full sound and guitars vs. the small chippy-synths.

If I were to have one gripe with this (and it's not even really a gripe), it's that most sections end and go to another one without much transition. More overlap of parts could make them smoother, but as is now; it's not even jarring or flow-breaking.  They are just changes, and as any good song does; they come at the right times.

Easy YES

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Listening to the source first, wow it is frenetic.  I can already hear how this is an ideal source to be tackled by jnWake! 

The remix is full of energy and contrast right away, I love the little chippy interludes in between the humongous soundscape.  Wow, this sounds so lush and full.  Nice energy shift at 0:42, moving into a fuller section at 0:54.  The instrumentation is typical jnWake fare, but the addition of the excellent guitars and bass and bits of chiptune is dynamite.  The track is mixed so well; it's amazing to hear everything this clearly in a soundscape this full.  I agree with Wes, there are a couple of loud/shrill sections, but in the grand scheme of this arrangement it isn't a big deal.  Very easy vote on this one, let's do this.

Super congrats on the DoD win!  It was well deserved.

YES

 

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