ReMix:Super Metroid "Drowning in Iron Oxide" 5:02

By Platonist

Arranging the music of one song...

"Brinstar - Red Soil Wetland Area"

Primary Game: Super Metroid (Nintendo , 1994, SNES), music by Kenji Yamamoto (I), Minako Hamano

Posted 2015-09-03, evaluated by djpretzel


NINTENDOFLOOD continues with a fresh take on "Brinstar" (red) from Platonist (Jonas Loman) that morphs & mutates but consistently employs a retro/electronic aesthetic, almost like if someone remade the Super Metroid score as a demoscene intro; Jonas writes:

"So, I'm not going to let it happen again, not 4 years. This time, I'm closing the gap in half and submitting after 2. That should be enough, eh? Very busy Plato, will be available for more remixing in the future. For now, I sign off and thank Adam "theGarbs" Garbutt for the great master, he's way better with compressors than me."

He has indeed been busy, including scoring the new Wii U game Guac’ a Mole (soundtrack available at OverClocked Records). That said, 4-year hiatus successfully averted - and with style! For a source that we've heard plenty of (great) cinematic & aggressive versions of, this more intricate & tricksy purely electronic take is distinct & also quite successful. Palpable does an excellent job analyzing & summing things up:

"I love artists that can maintain a distinctive style yet keep each song fresh in a new way. Jonas starts this track with a stark, chip-sounding synth, the type I expect from him. It plays the classic SM arpeggio, but it's only when more instruments come in that you realize there's an extra beat per measure. It's definitely not a smooth adaptation and that's every bit intentional - this track has some weird delays and timings that give it a lurching, uneasy feel. The stark synths and loopy structure are perfect for the source material. About halfway through the track, it breaks into a sprightly gallop that blends some new melodies with the source melodies. It's more of a standard structure, but just as you're getting used to it, he pulls it to a halt, slamming back to the weird first section. This is a track that zigs and zags abruptly, but damn if it doesn't work for the material."

What he said; there are some curveballs in here, and each of them is worth catching. From a production standpoint, when things are (relatively) minimalist AND electronic, having interesting textures & giving them room to breathe is key, and I love the separation & character each component has. It's very most excellent to be posting another ReMix from Platonist, and his spin on this VGM mainstay is one I'll be coming back to & exploring often!

djpretzel

Discussion

Latest 7 comments/reviews; view the complete thread or post your own.
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Platonist
on 2016-12-25 07:55:10
On 2015-12-21 at 9:30 PM, nitrozsz said:

The instrument work for this track was loud, and strange. It almost completely eliminates any sense of dread from the original version of this track. Even if you’re not familiar with the Super Metroid soundtrack, I still wouldn’t recommend it. Too much happening all at once. None of it very soothing to me, nor is it anything I would want to jam to at a club.

Well, it's neither meant to be dreadful, soothing or being jammed to at a club, so you got those down. Fair points, if experiment just for experiment's sake isn't your thing, then so be it; none of my mixes will probably be interesting to you, because that's what I usually enjoy doing.

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Crulex
on 2016-12-12 02:54:18

Heh, I don't this this ReMix is THAT odd, but it does have some offbeat (in a good way) expression to it. The switching back and forth of the timings at points, the sorta start, stop and then start again melody towards the middle of the mix was quite the experience and I was okay with it. The glitching towards the fake-out ending was pretty neat, and having more glitches afterwards keeps the listener on their toes. It's a kind of ReMix that people should listen to for the experience, but I can see how it is the kind of mix where you'll either like it or won't be fond of it because of some of it's peculiar moments. Either way, it sounds good to me. Good mix, man!

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nitrozsz
on 2015-12-21 15:30:12

The instrument work for this track was loud, and strange. It almost completely eliminates any sense of dread from the original version of this track. Even if you’re not familiar with the Super Metroid soundtrack, I still wouldn’t recommend it. Too much happening all at once. None of it very soothing to me, nor is it anything I would want to jam to at a club.

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timaeus222
on 2015-12-17 15:56:49

Sounds kind of like standby music. I liked that delayed metal percussion in the background. The change to 12/8 at 1:57 was pretty unexpected but welcome. It helped keep the pacing from getting too plodding. The glitching in the background at 3:20 was pretty cool before we got back into 3:33. I see what Palpable is saying with the "extra measure". Going from 10/8 to 12/8 back to 10/8 is quite unique. Quirky track for sure, but more people should take a listen. Don't miss this!

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Daniel Caton
on 2015-12-02 14:29:47

This is weird. I love this one, don’t get me wrong, but so many parts of it just don’t make sense to me. And yet… it still works somehow. That’s the beauty of this mix, I think. Oh, the production and instrument choices are both fine, but the writing is what makes this one special. The tempo’s not standard, the instruments aren't always on beat, there are odd delays and stylistic choices… I’m kind of at a loss for words on this one, but it’s absolutely worth a listen, even if electronic music isn’t normally your thing.

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evktalo
on 2015-09-05 05:09:15

"Brinstar mix from Platonist? Oh yes please!" That was my reaction, and the end result does not disappoint.

I like to think I can definitely hear the sampler-based tracker sound aesthetic here, employed to great, distinct effect.. lofi-ish sounds used very tastefully, without (a lot of) mixing stage effects or trickery, just pure sequencing, and it's inspiring to hear that it is enough (of course it is, but you know). Enjoyable, curious mood which is not straightforward to pin down.

I liked the fake ending style break around 3:29, and the very recognizable pattern repeat bit at 4:12 brought a smile to my face, and worked very well too.

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Liontamer
on 2015-09-03 11:36:11

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

Sources Arranged (1 Song)


Primary Game:
Super Metroid (Nintendo , 1994, SNES)
Music by Kenji Yamamoto (I),Minako Hamano
Songs:
"Brinstar - Red Soil Wetland Area"

Tags (7)


Genre:
EDM
Mood:
Energetic
Instrumentation:
Electronic,Synth
Additional:
Time > 4/4 Time Signature
Time > 5/4 Time Signature
Time > Time Signature: Variable

File Information


Name:
Super_Metroid_Drowning_in_Iron_Oxide_OC_ReMix.mp3
Size:
8,613,344 bytes
MD5:
c3193a5f4edf8c1477ee45739b4083b9
Bitrate:
225Kbps
Duration:
5:02

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