Emunator ⚖️ Posted May 8 Posted May 8 Artist Name: mo.oorgan, Emunator Credits: mo.oorgan: Arrangement, production, programming Emunator: Additional production/programming, mixing Chimpazilla: Mastering Comments: Comments: This is the counterpart track to the other submission "Thalassaphobia", that is a part of an external release that Emunator graciously invited me to be a part of. Fear Factory was always one of my favorite songs growing up, to the point where, as a child, I explicitly remember accessing the secret OST menu from within the game just to listen to it ('DARBY-DAY' gang rise up~). The productions process for both of these tracks went by so quickly that I forgot they even existed multiple times. Emu aptly stated that this song bears some resemblance to the theme song from the TV show "The Last of Us", but also further borrows elements from jazz to deliver a foreboding, looming-spooky sentiment. They really drove the message home by applying proper metal foley effects, well tempered transitional effects, and more, with a great mix to boot. For both of these remixes, we both started with one track and passed the WIP to the other to add onto it, and the result was similar to the nature of how Pokemon games release two versions of opposite colors and hold different themes. I really enjoy the contrast between these two tracks, and the naming convention behind them definitely leans into the fact, emphasizing these definitely came as a pair. I'm truly grateful for the opportunity to participate in this album was extended to me, especially on two songs, and I am likewise thankful for Chimpazilla's mastering expertise on our tracks, as she sincerely brought the sauce for both of them. Games & Sources Donkey Kong Country - "Fear Factory"
Liontamer ⚖️ Posted June 20 Posted June 20 I heard the source being used most of the way, I just timed it out to make sure I wasn't being bowled over by the great musicianship. :25-:36, :39-41, :51.75-1:02, 1:04.5-1:13, 1:16.5-1:42, 1:42-2:06, 2:08.5-2:18.75, 2:21-2:36.5 Weird intro that felt totally disconnected from the source (heard some faint allusions to it, they're there), but there's the melody brought in all swagged out at :25. OK, this definitely was never a direction I would have expected. If you like your arrangements melodically conservative, you'll hate this. If you're more cerebral with them, you'll appreciate the transformation, the clever genre change, the subtlety of the source in places, and the fun with passing the theme across the different instruments. Sounds awesome, mo.oomunator! A super transformative approach for sure, this is dripping with character. :-) YES
Hemophiliac ⚖️ Posted June 27 Posted June 27 This is a really cool and unexpected take on this classic from DKC. This loose analog-grunge-electronic feel is awesome and I feel like it's mostly well produced. I have some issue with the performance of the electric piano (left hand chords) compared to the other parts. It's too lose and the timing really gets messy in the middle of the track. 1:17-1:42 in particular I can't follow where beat is. Not only is the electric piano's timing very free here but so is the kick. It's probably possible to get by with a loose electric piano performance but the kick here does not agree with the timing either. The kick should really be an anchor to the rest of the groove, instead it's guiding it wildly. This section really took me out of the flow of the rest of the track and didn't let me groove with the rest of it. Things can be loose in timing, but here they just feel incongruent and not cohesive. Not a huge fan of the chord changes at 1:23 and 1:36, but I can live with them. Pretty crunchy and not fitting in super well. There's a hole in the low-mid frequency (175-330Hz) range above the bass giving the track feel like big bass with a big space above to the other parts. The bass is huge and filling a lot of the space on pure volume alone, but it's upper harmonics aren't supporting that space very well. So, sonically there's some dip there. I notice this mostly for 0:51-1:17 and 2:08-end. Concept and sound design is awesome, but the performance/sequencing timing hurts it for me. I personally would like to see the timing tightened up as the looseness in that middle section has really took me out of the flow. That's the biggest issue to me. NO (resubmit)
jnWake ⚖️ Posted June 28 Posted June 28 (edited) Sibling tracks from siblings! Fun concept. Like its sibling track, this one begins with a guitar part. At 0:25 it morphs into a new soundscape with piano and a synth that's doing one of the melodies from the source, the piano sound has Emunator written all over it haha. It builds a bit and around 0:51 we get a new section with another take on the same melody, now broken up and played with a very free timing. At 1:17 we get the second main melody from the source as we continue on this chill piano/e. piano jazzy electronic vibe. It's a very unique sound honestly. Another change at 1:43 to a different section of the source played on a nice synth string. At 2:09 we return to the 0:51 part, I haven't mentioned it until now but the sound design is great, lots of fun flourishes all over the place. Around 2:32 the track, kinda out of nowhere. I feel there could've been more effort put into making the chord progression lead into a more satisfying end. On arrangement, this is great! I love the chill jazz take on the source. Source is heavily reinterpretated and modified here, but more than recognizable. Fear Factory is a very overcovered source so getting a less direct take on it is fun. My only nitpick is the ending being sudden. On production, this is also great as you'd expect from the siblings involved. Sound design is top notch, mix is good and the samples are awesome. No notes from me! Reading the votes above I can see what Hemo's getting at but it doesn't bother me, I have no issues with the epiano performance but I'd agree that the kick at 1:20 feels off time (although I'm also assuming it's intentional). Regardless, I don't think that issue's anywhere close to a dealbreaker. Overall, awesome track. Creative take on an iconic source! YES Edited June 28 by jnWake
prophetik music ⚖️ Posted June 30 Posted June 30 opening's got some really wild effecting on it to give it atmosphere. 0:25's a similarly significant change. the panning in the lead is a little disconcerting on headphones. 0:51's beat is where it kind of kicks off and gets moving. it's a little weird hearing the heavily filtered kit and piano, and then hear the very crisp, unfiltered snap. i didn't have any problems with the 1:20 section, although i agree it's loose to the point of the parts not really doing much with each other. the use of the kick as a heartbeat later around the 1:50 mark is interesting. the wide swing and spacey approach is a feature here, not a bug, but i can definitely see how it'd get on someone's nerves. as for the ending, the track kind of vibes out the door a little more sudden than i'd have expected. production is what i'd expect for the genre. this is a pretty easy vote. the arrangement is refreshingly different from the other nine hundred FF arrangements i've ever heard. the emunification of it is expected - if anything, the over-reliance on sound design for transitions is almost too much - and interestingly handled. it's a neat compliment to the other one. YES
paradiddlesjosh ⚖️ Posted July 1 Posted July 1 Like LT, I can't really connect the intro to a specific point of the source material. Still, there's more than a preponderance of source usage. I'm in agreement with Wake and proph: the loose timing in the rhythm section (particularly the left hand of the piano and the kick from 1:17-1:42) can be off-putting, but they're a feature of the genre. Would love some filtering on the snap and cymbal around 1:32; this is a nitpick. Nice work, Wes and Mo. Get this thing outta here! YES
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