ReMix:Command & Conquer "Acting on Instinct" 3:29

Off his Remix & Conquer album, Mike Norvak (Miguel Ángel Ramírez López) brings us a dark, dystopian, sample-laden industrial/EDM take on the original C&C:

"First track from Noise Boulder Records EP Remix & Conquer with remixes from the aforementioned game series. A second part EP is scheduled for 2021.

Audio mastered by Lee Jackson. Special thanks to Andrés Idman Parédes."

Rexy evaluated:

"Mike's choice of BGM is an interesting one - much of the first half relies on a bass groove to define itself, while the second brought in a minimal but effective melody. Even with not a lot to work with, he still made it work with this electronic transformation. This track has a fun assortment of synths with differing expressions, a full mixdown with a noted emphasis on sub-bass, and attention to subtle reverb and envelope effects, adding more to the setup's impact.

Structure-wise, he allowed the 16-note pulsing synths to ground the interpretation while letting the bass riff in the A section get subtle notation modifications. The B section at 1:06 followed a similar idea yet quickly allowed for the C section at 1:22 to be the primary focus through to the end. The chords stuck as a primary focus until 1:56 when the melody made a more anchored appearance, later getting transformations from 2:29. Unlike in the source, he didn't call back to any previous idea, benefitting both the palette and the suspenseful direction overall.

What I heard was a great first impression for his Remix & Conquer EP - one that stands strong to open it, and I've got my fingers crossed to see what the follow-up album will spawn. Excellent job!"

What she said; nice military-industrial complex atmosphere with an undulating bass & plenty of repeated in-game vox/talking FX to seal the aesthetic deal - while more modern than the source, this still has a faint throwback vibe to me, recalling late 90s cyberpunkish electronic work. The piece mutates enough as it progresses to give a sense of development, and I dig many of the sound design choices - it's the right texture for the C&C series, while spicing things up a bit at the same time. Bass in particular has a thick low-end that remains intellegible even with the rapid pulsing. Great stuff from Mike, enjoy!