Liontamer ⚖️ Posted June 17 Posted June 17 Artist Name: Argle Finally a truly new remix. Not just old, or old-new, but new new. It's from my favorite ARPG and one of my very favorite games ever, Grim Dawn! GD is the perfect amount of complexity and build crafting for me, without tipping over the line into needing a master's degree in Excel spreadsheets for something like Path of Exile. Anyway, the track seeks to answer the question, "How much distortion?" To which the answer is, Yes. I may not have many through lines as an artist but a style I enjoy revisiting periodically is the "cinematic industrial" vibe of my Metroid Prime or FF6 Fanatics tracks. The moody OST of Grim Dawn seemed perfect for this. I didn't set out to use an EDM style four-on-the-floor beat from the beginning, but I gave it a try for something different than the aforementioned tracks. I think it works? To be honest I'm not actually aware of artists that make music in this combination of styles. It has to exist other than me right here. The crazy thing is I think I've remixed a game that's truly unrepresented, not just on OCR but seemingly everywhere! Terrible. I have at least 2 other source ideas that I would definitely do so mayhap I will revisit this game... I don't normally include source breakdowns but this is a bit murkier than my usual fare so here it is: 0:25-1:00 (source: 0:20-0:27 strings) 1:00-1:22 (source: 1:34-1:41 harp) 1:24-1:48 (source: 2:03-2:25 guitar) 1:48-2:12 (source: 2:25-2:31+ piano) 2:12-2:33 (source: 2:03-2:25 guitar) 2:33-2:58 (source: 1:34-1:41 harp) 3:00-3:24 (source 3:05-3:32 horns) 3:24-3:37 (source: 2:25-2:31+ piano) 3:37-3:55 (source: 0:20-0:27 strings) Games & Sources Song: No Man's Land
Liontamer ⚖️ Posted June 24 Author Posted June 24 The source breakdown was truly appreciated, thank you! Everything was right where you said it was, which made the source usage a mere check-off, which then allowed me a fresh second listen to just enjoy the overall evolution of the track. I liked the sound design overall and you managed to personalize your sound compared the source mainly by going so beat-driven, but also through different instrumentation choices for the different source segments you referenced, some cool textural changes, and some cool moments of moving around the stereo field. Everything had a dense and delayed sound, though it feels like it's missing a little something; would love to hear Chimpazilla's POV, because there's even more untapped intensity here, IMO, especially with the kicks, but it doesn't get there. More nitpicks: would have loved hearing some occasional areas of clarity as another contrast opportunity, especially because the effects tended to feel samey after a while. Also, more (subtle) variations with the loud core beat pattern when it was in play would have helped, because it felt like it had only had the one main pattern when it was on. Maybe someone else can better articulate what I mean with my nitpicks, but either way nothing close to dinging this though, just observations worth noting. Great theme choice, and I enjoyed your treatment, which stayed dark yet managed to have its own personality. Argle: "I think it works?" YES
prophetik music ⚖️ Posted July 2 Posted July 2 really extended, atmospheric intro. loads of rings and sweeps in there. the panning elements were a little disconcerting on headphones at first. the strings emerging from the distortion mess around 0:45 was a really neat idea, reminded me of some of the electrorchestral stuff on the Matrix soundtracks. there's a big build in the keys and beat into 1:24, which is a great payoff section. there's a lot going on in the low mids with all those buzzy elements, and as a result there's not really any bass presence on the initial pop there. it doesn't sound like there's any sidechaining on the pads (although i can hear their retrigger points, which is disconcerting), and that might open up some more room for the kick and bass elements if that was there. after the initial first blow of the melodic material, there's a follow-on section that's a little less intense before a full drop at 2:13. this goes right back into the melody during that quieter section - a break before hitting that melodic line the third time in a row may have been a nice thing to have there. there is indeed a break starting at 2:36, and the track's in a bit of a holding pattern for a bit to let the build work, which is a nice pause from the melodic material. we get one more filtered break, and then 3:00 is the first time we don't have a beat. this is more cinematic, and feels like it's building back up to a big blow - but doesn't quite ever get there. this is a nice way to get people to want to listen again. there's a bunch of sound design on the way out and it's done after some more growls and booms. fun idea. i appreciate the restraint at the end to not do a victory lap on the same chorus you'd already hit a few times. i wouldn't have minded some more intentional pacing in the middle and a cleaner mix around 1:24, but what's here is a lot of fun. nice work. YES
Chimpazilla ⚖️ Posted July 6 Posted July 6 Hey Argle! Nice to see you submitting again! Alrighty, let's see what we've got going on here. Cool moody source tune! And I love the idea of combining styles to make something new, that is something I also really enjoy doing whenever possible. I love the slow-burn atmo intro to the remix, and the beats when they come in. I really like this source with a 4-on-the-floor beat! This arrangement is really great and thank you for the source breakdown. I like how you worked in the various parts of the source motif and chords and made them your own, and I love the big hits in the outro. I have to agree with Larry, this could be Sofa King HUGE if the beats were heavier, thiccer, way moar lowder. This is a great beat, and the kick sound works really well. I do hear the sidechaining but only on the bass (maybe some of the lower synths too?). This mix feels like it could be a midtempo EDM track to me. In a mix like this, ideally everything should get some measure of sidechaining in varying amounts, including leads and percussion loops. I want to hear that deep dent in the soundscape when the kick hits, I want it to make me feel slightly dizzy in fact, and I want the kick (and the snare) to punch me hard in the face. I feel like overall, the low end is too weak, and the result of that is the midrange is kind of screaming. This effect is most notable starting at 1:24. There's a ton of awesome distortion on the midrange synths which works really well here, but without a heavy beefy low end to counterbalance it, it sounds screechy. Dance piano sounds somewhat stiff, but not a dealbreaker. Mixing crits aside, this is a great arrangement and I dig it hard. Let's go. YES
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