ReMix:OutRun "Sweet Summer Breeze" 3:33

Happy Cinco de Mayo!! Time to hop in the Testarossa and celebrate with lifelong Latin music enthusiast, MkVaff, as he delivers some high-energy OutRun EDM! MkVaff (Mike Vafeas) writes:

"I've completed a new remix that to me encapsulates some of the upbeat feelings of the beginning of summer and some of the beautiful, warm weather that goes along with it.

OutRun was a game that I was aware of since the '80s, but didn't really play much of until I finally picked it up as a Sega Ages game on Switch a few years ago. As far as racing games go, I tend to enjoy the more arcade-type games more than simulations, so the bright colors and upbeat music that Sega featured in their arcade racing titles has always had a big appeal for me. As much as I may have heard the music of OutRun in passing, it wasn't until I gave it a closer listen that I realized how much fun the soundtrack actually was.

And so I decided on the Latin-flavored track "Magical Sound Shower" as the basis for my most recent remix. The original song was actually pretty long before it repeated properly, and it had a ton of musical breaks and an extended solo section, so I ended up taking my favorite parts of the original song and chopping them up and recombining them into something that flowed a little bit better for the remixes that I tend to create.

In the end, I had a blast making this song. It's so energetic and joyful - and I really tried to capture some of the feeling of driving down the coast on a beautiful, sunny day without a care in the world.

As always, thanks for checking it out, and hope y'all enjoy! Thanks and be well. :-)"

Some of MkVaff's best work, as a gritty organ takes center stage & shines with downright joyous soloing in the spirit of bands like Santana, but paired with a super-fun electronic dance beat. I was a bit worried that the kick was gonna be too thin until the full arsenal hit at 0'44", where the bass then steps up... plenty. Some very active Latin piano accompaniment patterns expand on the syncopation in the original & keep things lively. It's fun, it's vibrant, and it's 100% Mike. Almost four years since our last featured OutRun ReMix, so it was about time, too! Between piano, organ, and synth lead, there's plenty of melodic/timbral variety, and I dig the filter sweeps thrown in & the phasing you can hear on the tail end of the whole track, as the sun sets and we begin the long drive home. Excelente musica from MkVaff - enjoy!