ReMix:Star Fox 2 "The Lost Legend of Lylat" 3:29

We begin the week with an alliteratively-titled solo piano arrangement of Star Fox 2 & Star Fox 64, from DS (David Sylvester):

"I originally made this piano cover when Star Fox 2 was officially released on the SNES Classic since I was so hyped that, after years of only being an unfinished ROM, this classic game could finally receive recognition for what it almost brought to the Star Fox franchise. In this cover, I tried to embody multiple aspects of the franchise, including the solemn sense of duty, the encroaching dread of invasion, and the overall action-packed Star Wars-esque vibes (with a little Star Wars Easter egg thrown in too!), along with a look toward the "future" with some melodic bits from the Star Fox 64 main theme blended in too."

Equipment used:

• DAW: Logic Pro X
• Electric keyboard: Yamaha P-80
• Piano VST: Ravenscroft 275
• MIDI to USB: iConnectivity mio

Nice variety of moods, here, with passages that are triumphant, suspenseful, reflective, dark, etc. - also some louder, two-fisted piano playing, when it's called for. Rexy offers a great play-by-play:

"It starts simple with one variant played straight and another with reliance on sustain, then 0:28 has the first few notes as a transition into the first use of the SF64 theme. 0:49 brought the mood and dynamics in a more beauty-driven direction and set the scene for a victorious feel at 1:15. The ominous tone at 1:43 also broke up the major key prowess in favor of adding tension in the build-up to the right-hand arpeggio and Star Wars cameo. 2:25 reprises the first two variants while setting up for a dynamic finish based on the SF64 theme. It's a meaty sonata, it takes advantage of the 12-second loop, and the differing presentations demonstrate your understanding of the source along with your creative ideas."

I really dig the phrase "meaty sonata" - and yeah, this *would* qualify; Nutritious adds:

"The performance is excellent. You've managed to both anchor this well to the original, while somehow keeping fresh ideas flowing throughout. I legit thought we were going into the Star Wars credits at 2:26 (which would probably not have been a good idea :). I agree with the comments about the low-heavy EQ, but I wouldn't go as far as to make it a conditional vote. Impressive track here for sure."

Neat homage from DS which extends slim sources & brings out a lot of dramatic/thematic variety in the process, aided by a confident, emphatic performance. Enjoy!