ReMix:Mega Man 4 "Cossack Skies²" 4:50

bsolmaz13 follows up a chip-tastic EDM debut from back in August with this chill/downtempo MM4 "Dr. Cossack Stage 2" groove:

"A slow and moody remix of the incredibly underrated Dr. Cossack Stage 2 theme. Made with KORG Gadget on Nintendo Switch.

I created the original "Cossack Skies" with an intentional minimalistic vibe and repetition to it. It was kind of like an experiment really. After some time now, however, I really think this track deserves to be fleshed out more. So, I tweaked it a bit, added some new sounds here and there, and replaced the entire second half with something that's a bit more unique. I really like the melancholy in this updated track and I hope you do too."

I really liked "Rock the Masters" quite a bit - not only did it serve as a proof-of-concept for getting a mix made entirely on a Switch past the judges panel (Korg Gadget is rather solid!), it was an enjoyable, well-produced example of chip-centric EDM. I'm actually glad that the follow-up isn't particularly similar, because it shows variety/diversity both from the artist & the software as well. This is definitely more minimalist, with a sparse 808 drum pattern and a certain loneliness to the structure; of this revision, MindWanderer writes:

"...excellent job distilling the best parts of the original arrangement and playing around with them to make something new with generally improved flow and much less repetition. Cutting down the length while adding new progression to the textures worked wonders. Creative, catchy, and chill."

Yes, yes, and yes - whenever the interaction between artists & judges results in new versions of arrangements that fulfill the promise & potential of that original spark, it's a Beautiful Thing. prophetik music adds:

"this track has so much more identity to it now compared to before. the removal of some of the repetition and addition of more character in the background and percussion is great. an example of how you've reinforced this from start to finish is the consistent use of acciaccatura in the melody line (this is the accented delayed stepwise motion at the end of each phrase). using it throughout and then echoing it in the inverse in the rhythm of that great arpeggio synth that sneaks in around 3:30ish is a great payoff moment. i don't know if you did it on purpose but they dovetail really well together and i love that."

Patient, clean, & chill, this mix offers a distinct new take on a classic MM theme while also illustrating a different side of the artist's repertoire; great example of a successful revision/resubmission, and thrilled to see bsolmaz13 back on OCR!