ReMix:Half-Life 2 "Fearful Minds" 4:50

Our first HL2 ReMix! Brent Wollman's ear-catching debut ReMix of Descent & Descent II that we posted back in April was a very distinct & memorable first mix; now he's back with an arrangement of Half-Life 2 & Half-Life: Opposing Force, again including two related games in his arrangement and again giving the PC some love, but this time with less rock and more emphasis on electronic & ambient components:

"The two tracks I remixed here are some of my all-time favorite video game tunes. I did the first half of this track about a year ago and just left it sitting around. I opened up the project file recently and really liked what I heard so I thought I’d finish it. I took a cinematic/ambient approach that evolves into a more driving electronica sound."

There's both a variety of textures AND some different DSP going on that give this arrangement a wide soundscape, and some VERY cool minimalist transitions/glitching (e.g. 2'44") that strike me as pretty fresh & are executed with precision. It's atmospheric & ambient while at the same time developing and mutating quite a bit, and possessing a solid electronic backbone. More importantly, it delivers on the promise of Brent's initial mix and maintains a creative approach to arrangement coupled with a great ear for layering & sound design. Larry sums it up well:

"I'm keeping it short and sweet. Brent's arrangement was excellent and pieced together the two themes well. I liked how this track had tons of variations, just like both sources, to keep things fresh throughout. Really enjoyed the percussion choices, instrumental variations and laid-back vibe here. The bowed string samples strained for realism but were more than serviceable. Otherwise, everything else pretty much clicked. Everything really morphed and evolved subtly but nicely."

Vinnie adds:

"Sometimes the track was thin, but there was no knocking the arrangement ideas and instrumentation. Lot of creative ideas bouncing around, and an interesting listen overall. I would have liked some additional drums to fill in the background, but what was here was sweet."

I suppose I could see this striking some as TOO minimalist, at times, but I think Brent did a good job of using negative space and creating an unpredictable atmosphere; each detail feels placed with certainty & thought, like sonic feng shui. So I personally prefer the rather Spartan percussive accommodations, and overall I continue to be impressed by the distinctness of Brent's approach to arrangement AND production, as well as his source selections. Definitely looking forward to hearing more!