Posted 2014-07-04, evaluated by Liontamer


We end our FOUR FOR THE FOURTH flood with none other than katethegreat19, aka Erutan, aka Kate Covington. Every mix we post of Kate's is like a mini-event unto itself, as she's consistently proven that she's able to capitalize on her amazing voice and multi-instrumental prowess with arrangements that take advantage of both. This type of triple-threat is pretty rare; Harmony comes to mind, for example, and that's certainly excellent musical company to be keeping. The production & clarity of Kate's mixes has only improved since her debut on OCR over five years ago (!!), and this lyrical, stunning World of Warcraft arrangement from her album A Bard's Side Quest showcases her gifts in a crystalline context:

"Here is my cover of World of Warcraft's "Temple of the Moon" which I think is one of the most soothing and soporific tracks in the game. My cover is decidedly less soporific, but I couldn't resist allowing it get epic. xD There was a ton more I could have done with this piece, but, alas, time was ticking and there were album tracks to do!

I wanted to give this peaceful theme from WoW some love. I recorded vocals in the language of the Kal'dorei and tried to keep the mystical Darnassus feel. Some words are from the WoW world, but most are indeed made up by me. They didn't create a real lexicon for the night elves, just a couple words here and there to add some spice, ha ha, so I didn't have too much to work with initially -- nonsense words to the rescue!

While it pretty much starts out like the original (I'm using a real kantele for the main instrument, which sounds pretty close to whatever David Arkenstone used in the original), I tried to build it from there into something more epic. Hopefully it deviates enough arrangement-wise to be considered for the site. ^w^; All vocals and acoustic instruments performed by myself! Thank you for listening!"

Larry writes:

"Every time I hear Kate's music, both instrumental and vocal, I'm always blown away by the craft, care and precision involved. With every single part performed live, she's a one-woman army of musical skill. Once again, she's innovated her own dialect to supply the lyrics, and the end result is enveloping.

Hopefully, David Arkenstone has heard this wonderful tribute to this World of Warcraft piece of his, as I know Kate is a true fan of his work. Like Kate mentioned, this is less soporific than the original "Temple of the Moon," but it's certainly no less soothing it its own way. It may be a crime against nature to attempt to tune out Kate's vocals on any level, BUT... do also take time to focus on the relaxing instrumental soundscapes she's got here, again, all expertly assembled. Beautiful work!"

Ditto ALL of that; between the comments from Kate herself & Larry, I think all the highlights have been covered, but all you really need to know is that this is another beautiful arrangement from Kate. I still queue up "Rose of May" on a regular basis - all of her work has a staying power that makes it timeless, and it bears repeating that a huge part of that is how well she's able to craft vocal parts, lead and backing, that amplify the natural beauty of her voice. A perfect grand finale to our fearsome foursome of superb ReMixes, we hope you've enjoyed all the music, whether you're celebrating the fourth of July or not!

djpretzel

Discussion

Latest 7 comments/reviews; view the complete thread or post your own.
avatar
fredrikd
on 2014-10-17 04:36:44

Wow! (No pun intended) I get the good kind of chills every time I hear that last vocal part. For me, this track converts WoW to LOTRO ;) I've listened through your posted remixes, and I'm impressed with how well you handle such a vast array of (incredibly unique and interesting) instruments, as well as your voice.

avatar
DimeTower
on 2014-08-31 01:18:17

DJPretzel nails this - what do you even say to this? The harmonization and beautiful instrumentals are enrapturing, and the flow of this piece is like going down a serene river, replete with bends and turns that keep things fresh and exciting. Of note is a neat difference from the stunning Rose Of May - the lyrics here are non-English, so Kate's voice sort of becomes its own instrument, and mixes even more easily into the gorgeous instrumentals. The effect is something truly special as the song waxes and wanes.

A must-listen.

avatar
Crulex
on 2014-07-06 18:41:45

I just can't get enough of Kate's amazing vocals. I mean, there are quite a few female vocalists on OCR and beyond, and I'm not out to take anything away from them at all because they are truly talented, but I'm amazed at how consistantly awesome Kate's voice is, especially matched up with the instrumental music behind it that is just as gorgeous. Seriously, the music alone is well done, but as a combined track, the vocals and music compliment each other. There's something magical about this piece, and I think it's the enchanting pictures and mystically soothing vibes you get from the arrangement. Evktalo is right, I wouldn't have been surprised if someone tried to convince me that this was a LOTR piece or something similar. Going to my playlist right now.

avatar
OverClocked PodCast
on 2014-07-04 21:07:32

I recently discovered Kate's Raindancer album and promptly fell in love with it. I mean it when I say she creates some of the most beautiful, ponderous music I've ever heard, and this song is no exception.

I'm thrilled every time someone creates a Warcraft ReMix and this is such a good choice. I can see the pale, violet city of Darnassus in my mind's eye; so much care placed in every note. And I caught some of the night-elf-speak, which kind of made me happy. ;)

So yeah, thumbs up.

avatar
kitty
on 2014-07-04 16:09:26

Erutan has such a beautiful voice and it really shows in this mix. As much as I reeeeeally wanted things to keep building and get really epic sounding with a full orchestra and powerful percussion around 3:08, Erutan did a great job with creating a mystical atmosphere. Any "lack" of instrumental background seems specifically crafted to achieve that perfect mysterious and soothing atmosphere.

Do recommend!

avatar
evktalo
on 2014-07-04 15:21:12

Can I just say how weird and wonderful it is to hear the immediately recognizable tones of your national instrument in an OC ReMix?

Fantastic arrangement and performance. Very well paced, comparing to the source I think you emphasized its dynamics to a great effect. Super fine sense of space. Even the biggest sections have lots of room. Props also to working the melody to a natural vocal piece. I had a thought that this is something that would've fit quite well on the soundtracks of the LOTR movies.

avatar
Liontamer
on 2014-07-04 13:47:56

What did you think? Post your opinion of this ReMix.

Sources Arranged (1 Song)


Primary Game:
World of Warcraft (Blizzard Entertainment , 2004, WIN)
Music by David Arkenstone,Derek Duke,Glenn Stafford,Jason Hayes,Tracy W. Bush
Songs:
"Temple of the Moon"

Tags (8)


Genre:
New Age
Mood:
Mellow
Instrumentation:
Harp,Singing,Vocals: Female
Additional:
Lyrics > Lyrics: Original
Production > Live Recording
Time > Tempo: Slow

File Information


Name:
World_of_Warcraft_Heart_of_the_Moon_OC_ReMix.mp3
Size:
6,066,023 bytes
MD5:
49f0cbfd5e5df4a1a2c2df1c68d97e2d
Bitrate:
192Kbps
Duration:
4:09

DARNASSIAN:

Kal'dorei, Kal'dorei
Asha're, Nathu're
Leyashnu, bela'thil
Kal'dorei, Kal'dorei
Asha're, Nathu're
Lei'alas, Darnassus, bela'thil
Kal'dorei, Elune-adore
Lei'alas Teldrassil
Kal'dorei, Elune-adore
Lei'alas anu, bela'thil

Kal'dorei, Kal'dorei
Asha're, Nathu're
Lei'alah, Darnassus, bela'thil

Kal'dorei, Elune-Adore
(Kaya yakaya ha
Ha'naras ha ha'naras
Navidi e)
Lei'alas Teldrassil
(Kaya yakaya ha
Ha'naras ha ha'naras
Navidi e)
Kal'dorei, Elune-Adore
(Kaya yakaya ha
Ha'naras ha ha'naras
Navidi e)
Lei'alas anu (Kaya yakaya ha ha'ne), bela'thil

Promotion

8-bit Jazz Heroes - Press Start
View All

Latest Albums

View All

Latest ReMixes