ReMix:Goemon's Great Adventure "The Heart Beats with the Rhythm of the Rain" 5:27

We've been quiet for a bit, but now we've got a very nifty series of mixes from newcomers to share with you, starting with this hybrid folk/ambient/downtempo arrangement of Goemon's Great Adventure from PrismaticBlack (Hunter Johnson):

"I didn't own this game for years. I would always rent it from Blockbuster time after time, until I eventually beat it. There was something alluring about this game during my childhood years that kept me coming back to it. It was humorous. It had epic robot battles. It had a colorful cast of playable characters and a wicked soundtrack. It all stuck with me. I absolutely cherish this game for its influence on me musically. Love this soundtrack. So underrated, IMO. I really love the music, so there is a good chance that there may be more in the future.

From my years perusing the internet, I have found a commonality amongst those who appreciate this game: the "Mokeke Forest" music has the ability to put a millennial at ease. I can't recall how many times I've seen a comment on the reuploads of the OST that say "This song relaxes me when I feel overwhelmed" or "This is nostalgia in its purest form". The truth is that there is something magical about this song. The N64 Goemon games blend Japanese folk music with funk, jazz, and rock, and simply cannot go unrecognized.

The nostalgic elements of the gameplay certainly add to its appeal. In this particular level, you can take the clear and apparent path to reach the Entry Pass, or you can wade through the waters and wait at a bus stop hidden deep within the forest and be transported to the mystical Tengu Village. It was one of the first experiences I had with a game involving a lore-enhancing "secret", and, for that reason, it really sticks with me. There is wildness in the air.

I wanted to preserve the traditional Eastern vibe of this song, while creating a new listening experience. I let the melody lead me into new directions and eventually I ended up with what I can only call a "journey". I mean this sincerely. The track starts off sedated and calm, but builds into a grandiose modernized interpretation of the source material. It just happened organically, and I can't effectively explain it. I think that's why I am so proud of it. I just let little old me from 1999 lead the way. I imagined myself deep in the forest, and searching for a way out. Did I take the clear path or the road less traveled? The answer is "yes", as cliché as that sounds. Please enjoy our adventure through Mokeke Forest."

More than half this mix is essentially sans drums, and envelopes the listener in a natural atmosphere that's rich with Japanese and Chinese instruments; the erhu really stands out, and I'd like to know what Hunter used for this, because it sounds pretty durn good. There are also various plucked components, some nature FX/ambiance, and assorted accompanying electronic textures & bits. I enjoyed reading Hunter's writeup because I had a somewhat similar experience with Legend of the Mystical Ninja back in the SNES era. Some judges had an adverse reaction to the stylized & assertive sidechaining that kicks in past the halfway point, but prophetik music articulated the prevailing wind, more or less:

"there's a break and a big chillsteppy hit at 2:55. the heavy sidechaining here is absolutely a stylistic thing - this is every single downtempo track i've heard in the last 5 years. ducking even the melodic content behind the kick is something i've heard a lot in that style. this is a little more intense of transition between kick and everything else than i've heard, but it's not an incorrect methodology, it's a genre choice."

Execution is always debatable as to whether things "went too far," etc., but I've certainly seen sidechaining applied with generous, American-sized portion control in modern production contexts. I think it could/should have been dialed back a bit, personally, but it wasn't experience-ruining for me, either. XPRTNovice adds:

"I have to admit, when I saw a 5:36 song on a source that was about 30 seconds, I was a little skeptical. But man, there are some really great variations and flourishes in there. When that koto came in at 1:28 ish, I got goosebumps. This track is great, and it doesn't stop changing or morphing until the very end. Well done."

Well done, indeed; love the backstory/context, love the articulate & very musical blend of Eastern instrumentation, and love the way the track morphs from a folk/new-age meditation into something more modern/downtempo, without losing its soul. Great kickoff to our series of mixes from new artists - absolutely hoping to hear more from PrismaticBlack in the future!