ReMix:Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars "Happy Times Are Back Again" 4:54

To close out a short week we've got a peppy, Marimba-centered march & Latin-infused jam on "Hello, Happy Kingdom" from Wiesty (Dylan Wiest), off of Super Mario RPG: Window to the Stars:

"This was my first submission for the Window to the Stars album and it dates back to probably 2013 in its original form, which was going to be an upbeat samba sort of tune. I had milked all of the ideas I could out of that avenue and was still not super-happy with the arrangement, so it was back to the drawing board. I've always wanted to do a percussion-only tune, so I figured this could be my chance. I'm no Doug Perry, but I recorded 3 parts on marimba, congas, and clave, which I think makes for a nice, simple percussion ensemble. The beginning is in a minor key and has more of a somber tone which is supposed to represent when the Mushroom Kingdom was taken over by the Smithy Gang. The mood changes at the end when Mario saves the day and you can hear elements of the original samba arrangement being used."

Indeed; things go from from a forlorn march to a tangy fiesta, with Marimba remaining in the spotlight throughout. MindWanderer writes:

"I mostly agree with Gario: it's a great concept, a clever arrangement, and an excellent performance. My one big gripe would be with the lengthy breaks at 0:41-0:47, 2:17-2:21, and 2:48-2:51, and the abrupt transition at 4:02, which breaks up the arrangement into distinct sections. However, each section is based on the same melody, and there's a thematic progression in addition to the consistent instrumentation. It's definitely more like a mini-suite than a single song, but we've passed arrangements like that before. Otherwise, this is fun and different, a good addition to the album as well as our front page."

Generally, we might take more issue with "simple pause" transitions in a medley context, although even then, minimalist instrumentation & continuing threads can help make something feel like a coherent, single piece of music. This is a spartan, focused arrangement that highlights a single instrument very well & makes a unique pivot in tone/temperament; from a performance perspective, it's less about virtuosic wowsmanship and more about exploring the theme. Quirky, particular stuff that fits in well with the playful & offbeat nature of the SMRPG soundtrack!