OCR04925 - *YES* Katamari Damacy "Cosmic Knowledge"

[Liontamer ⚖️]

Artist Name: Ridiculously Garrett
Source Tune: "Katamari Stars"
Composer: Hideki Tobeta
Release Date: March 18, 2004

This song plays in the Constellation menu of Katamari Damacy. It's a dubiously simple tune. However, when you break down each melodic idea and motif, there really is quite a lot of material to use.

This arrangement is designed in the boom bap style, others may call it simply 90s hip hop or jazz rap. I'm a very large fan of specifically East Coast hip hop from the 90s and its many artists, like A Tribe Called Quest, Wu Tang Clan, Mobb Deep, Big L, Lord Finesse (from D.I.T.C.), etc. This style sees heavy use of jazz record samples. The following arrangement contains no samples from actual jazz records. It is arranged more with a "live" jazz quartet setting in mind. 

Instead, the arrangement contains a mixture of MIDI controlled virtual instruments via Bitwig Studio's sound library and drum, vocal, and saxophone samples from Erik Jackson's "Fat Pack": https://hiphopdrumsamples.com/products/erik-jackson-fat-pack?_pos=1&_sid=45e126cd3&_ss=r

I've decided to title this track "Cosmic Knowledge" as a common phrase in 90s hip hop is "dropping knowledge." Basically meaning "imparting truth or wisdom."

This track does not follow the original arrangement section for section. Instead I opted for an ABACDA format. There is vinyl noise in the background - this is intentional and not a defect in audio quality or rendering. I start off with a bass line which you do not hear in the original composition. I decide to then separate the original introduction into 3 separate melodies at 00:22. You hear the guitar arpeggio in the A section, and I've designed it to be a record scratch part in line with the style. Accompanying it is a single saxophone note - this type of saxophone sampling is heard all throughout 90s hip hop. This plays for 8 bars and then goes into the B section, where we hear the two other melodies. Return to A section at 01:30. Then in the C section at 01:55 we the get the main melody twice. Bass line changes in line with harmony. The D section at 02:40 carries us into the climax accompanied by a vocal sample which I have applied rhythmic auto pan and record scratch. We return to the A section at 03:48 where we finally the melodies of the A and B section. One final refrain with saxophone and piano taken to a final lone vibraphone chord at 04:34.

Arrangement follows a philosophy of "keep it moving." I strove to change the melodies/instrumentation about every 8 bars. This pulls from class arranging techniques of 1950s "hollywood music" from the likes of Paul Weston. Drums remain consistent throughout with various fills, though not copy and pasted. Each section recorded individually. Same goes for piano backing. Bass line is copy and pasted, however, I feel this is important to keep the style grounded as there usually isn't much variation in this regard.

Lastly, piece is pitched down to -0.22 cents. Because vibes.

Please enjoy. 🙂

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Games & Sources

Game: Katamari Damacy

Source: 

[prophetik music ⚖️]

bass line to start doesn't sound great solo - the lack of difference between the attacks are very obvious. beat sounds nice and i like the other backing elements that come in as well at 0:20. the scratches are solid - i like what's done to the vocal snip before the B section for example. the keys that come in during the B section are also just the right vibe. i wouldn't have minded a bit of wah on the vibes for the B melody.

there's a recap of the A section at 1:30 - i wouldn't have minded a bit less of the scratch volume here and another padding element to fill it in and keep the feel moving. C section starts at 1:55 and this is also a bit in need of a padding element. also the snare here is pretty loud compared to everything else. the autopan at D (~2:41)is a lot and disconcerting on headphones - it would have been nice to have half the distance in that pan. it settles down a bit at 3:27 and is a little easier to take there, but it's still a lot. i like the additional sustained element put into the melodic material there.

we get another recap of the A material and then the track's done.

overall this is a fun ride! really interesting example of the style you're going for. i wouldn't have minded for the autopan to be less and the snare to be a bit dirtier (and probably a bit quieter), but overall this is a solid take on a pretty theme. nice work.

 

 

YES

[Liontamer ⚖️]

The steady drumbeat plodded, IMO, but there’s more than enough solid arrangement going on elsewhere that I can look beyond the core perc pattern being underwhelming. The bassline also seemed the most in the uncanny valley, but has a solid enough tone that I recognize from other music.

I enjoyed the interpretation overall; it definitely puts an unexpected genre transformation on it while also feeling like a very comfortable fit in this style. Cool stuff, Garrett!

YES

[paradiddlesjosh ⚖️]

Never gonna forget this source tune and its mouth fart snare sound. Thanks for that, Garrett! 🤣

No qualms about the arrangement; the source is recognizable via the breakdown and the genre adaptation is solid.

The sampled upright bass is exposed by itself in the intro; LT's right about it being in uncanny valley territory, and that the tone of it's otherwise solid enough. It definitely becomes less noticeable once the whole band comes in. I agree with proph that the snare can come down in volume a bit, though whether it could be dirtier is a matter of taste -- I like the dry pop this one has. The auto-pan effect in the D section could be narrowed some -- even in speakers, it's disorienting -- but it's not a dealbreaker.

Like proph, I really dig the scratch work. It definitely helps secure the 90s East Coast hip-hop vibe.

Overall, while there is some room for improvement with some of the production elements, we don't let perfect be the enemy of the good around these parts. Let's put this one up on the site.

YES