ReMix:Super Metroid "Save the Animals" 2:10

With Summer Games Done Quick 2018's Super Metroid run scheduled for later today (and with a nod to speedrunning ReMixers TGH and Xarnax42), it's the perfect time to post dannyshock (Manu Gerber)'s GDQ-inspired spin on the Super Metroid theme. Be sure to check out the regular GDQ events, as they support Doctors Without Borders, one of the best charities & causes out there. Manu debuted with a super-chill jazz take on Contra 3 back in 2010, so it's been a goooood looooong while, but he's back with a marriage of funk, jazz, & chip that puts a groovy spin on Samus's SNES anthem:

"The original score of this game is absolutely fantastic! The source is very dark, and since there are already a ton of orchestral arrangements out there, I went for something more 70s funk/jazz-inspired. Cheers!"

This is definitely a bit quirkier & more playful than Manu's debut C3 track, and also more than most folks would anticipate for an arrangement of this particular theme. It works, though, and the blend of funk bass, agile drums, chill organ, and charismatic synths is fun - it almost feels proggy at bits, like something ELP might have done. I dig how the chip synths go off the rails towards the conclusion, and my primary beef is just that this could have been longer, broken things down a bit, built them back up, and explored more of the possibilities. DragonAvenger writes:

"Whoa, was not expecting this sort of sound to fit the main theme, but it’s a super fun take that hits a lot of unique areas. I can see the source usage issue, but I feel the track makes a lot of turns back to the source and I would have no issue identifying it. I thought the ending was rather abrupt and anticlimactic. I wouldn’t mind it being as short as it is but even a small build to the ending would have been a nice touch. Regardless I think this gets the job done and has plenty of style to boot."

Some judges did take issue w/ the amount of source & aspects of production, but the prevailing sentiment was that Manu pulled it through; Chimpazilla writes:

"Without timestamping, I feel like the source usage is dominant enough, there's no doubt about what is being remixed. I love the hybrid genre here, jazz, electro and some chippies."

So do I! I hear what the dissenting judges are saying, and I do feel like this could have been fleshed out a bit more, but some mixes also DO work well in snack-sized portions, and this quick jam still establishes an aesthetic & goes places with it. Cool, funky, & unexpected take on a classic Super Metroid theme from dannyshock!