Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun "Tron Looper" 3:59

HAPPY 30th BIRTHDAY to the Command & Conquer series! Real-time strategy games like C&C get the blood pumping and the stress response triggered, but the nostalgia's realer than real, and Noise Boulder Records' Mike Norvak is celebrating the series with the release of his new Remix & Conquer: Deluxe Edition album! Go get that (and tell a PC-loving friend), then swing back here for a choice cut from the Remix & Conquer II EP, as Mike Norvak channels new wave retro for his heavy-handed take on C&C: Tiberian Sun's "Lone Trooper"! For Norvak, this corresponding album release is the culmination of his franchise tributes:

"As we are celebrating Command & Conquer's 30th anniversary this September 26th, I think there's an excellent opportunity to talk about Remix & Conquer: Deluxe Edition with remixes from my past two Command & Conquer EPs plus some additional surprises!

A song from the first EP was already featured on OC ReMix some years ago. This remix is part of the second EP from the series, but I never submitted anything from it until now.

I tried to keep the 80's vibe of the original song and make it more upbeat instead of ambient. You'll notice the nods and references to some of the late-eighties new wave sounds and mood in general. I hope you'll enjoy it!"

This was well-produced with a ton of heft, and I really enjoyed how well Mike personalized his sound compared to Jarrid Mendelson's already awesome original. (There's something special in the water with this theme too, our third ReMix of it now from the Tiberian Sun score!) It was a treat as we went along hearing how Mike interpreted so many distinct sections of the source. If you're gonna channel new wave, it's gotta have body, duly acknowledged by judge prophetik music:

"much more aggressive perspective initially than the original. i like the short bass tone and the punchy kick [...] there's the first real focused application of melody at about the 0:40 mark, and i like the harmonic shout on the middle part of that.

there's a little bit of a break for a moment at 1:12 [...] 1:28 has a bit of a synth solo section that weaves in and out of time for a bit before another more significant break. there's some bell tones in here that have a neat vibe to them, no pun intended. [...]

melody line synth gets mixed up at 2:16, which is a great choice. [...] we start to get into the falling action at 3:09, and there's some altered elements about this section to help it start to come down. [...] the choir synths are a nice choice given how that's how the original track ends. [...]

there's a good amount of variety of the original in it and it doesn't ever stay in one place too long. i like the heavier focus on noodling through the melody in various ways instead of just playing it all in a row [...] i like that you don't stick with a single drum loop the entire time."

My favorite part of Mike's mix was 3:09 hitting that concluding section from the source, which changes up the arrangement's rhythm and works so well with the dense lead synth and driving beats. It still retains the militaristic feel of the original that'll prompt déjà vu, but it's less skulky & lonely and more mechanical. All of it amounted to an aura that also roped in judge pixelseph:

"Great vibe on the source track, and instantly in love with the direction this remix goes [...] the production is excellent! Great adaptation on the melodic phrases to make them more personalized - @ 2:14 - 2:46 is a personal highlight, where the A melody comes back after the drop.

This is definitely above the bar for OCR to my ear. Welcome back to the front page, Mike!"

The deliberate pacing and upbeat yet low-key dynamics of new wave are in full effect, so kudos for a fun style influence here and props to Norvak for his three-bagger in 2025 -- after double Doom representation this year, he's come through with a well-deserved tribute to another acclaimed PC series. :-) Good stuff from a true PC soundtrack champion in Mike Norvak, who's gone big with his new album, Remix & Conquer: Deluxe Edition!