ReMix:Mega Man X5 "Moonlight Vibin'" 4:13

It's been awhile! DCT writes:

"I recently completed a new remix and seeing as how it's been forever since my last one was posted (though "conventional" calendars might say it's only been about 4 and a half years), I figured I'd submit it. All my artist info is still accurate, but I don't think Mega Man X5 is in the database. I've never played any of the games in the Mega Man X series but always enjoyed the music. I was in a creative slump one day when the End Credits song for MMX5 showed up in the mp3 player. Creativity arose, and I put this arrangement together....then the slump returned. *sigh* Anyway, I hope it meets the OCR standards."

It does, and no worries, we added MMX5 to our database just for you :) Hope that slump abates and it doesn't take another 4+ years to get another mix from DCT, as this piece reminds us of his sonic skills, even if his domain name makes it hard to forget. There's a smorgasbord of Mega Man tunage out there, and while the NES classic II & III get so much (deserved) love, it's great to see the horizons expanded a bit. Things intro w/ smooth EP and bass and then a slick R&B/hip-hop beat comes in, synth pads swoosh around, EP trades out to acoustic piano, and things develop from there. This arrangement reminds me of some of Kaijin's work - smooth, well-produced ballad approach, in this case with more of an emphasis on the beat. Intonation gets a little more challenging with some curveballs further in, like the descending piano line at 2'31" (quite odd but didn't bother me) and strings at 3'07" - I find that changeups like this keep things fresh, especially in ballads. I weighed in again on this vote, so let's see what I said:

"Would have liked a bit more evolution w/ the beat - it's good, but it stays fairly static throughout. Other elements are smoov all around, and while straightforward, the arrangement executed the genre well."

That's true, in retrospect - the beat is good, but does stay pretty static. However, the artist changes everything else up and introduces new elements, so it's not a huge deal. Vinnie adds:

""Subtle dynamics", I like that, Larry, seems to describe this to a T. There's a lot going on on a micro-level, and it keeps this relatively simple take interesting throughout. The piano interlude is gentle and haunting, and I just love the quirky, yet spooky atmosphere crafted here"

I found this more comforting than haunting, personally, but either way it does have nice detail work and DCT stays on top of the arrangement the whole time, tending it like an observant gardener and making sure it grows. Great, smooth stuff from a previously unmixed source & an artist we hadn't heard from in far too long!