ReMix: Donkey Kong Country 'Stray Donkey Strut'
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- Game: Donkey Kong Country (Nintendo, 1994, SNES)
- ReMixer(s): djpretzel
- Composer(s): Dave Wise, Eveline Fischer, Robin Beanland
- Song(s): DK Island Swing
- Posted: 2002-09-28, evaluated by djpretzel
This is a ReMix that I shouldn't have made. Not for any musical reasons, but simply because I already had a different mix in mind for a long time and I've been really busy and this cut into my schedule in numerous ways. But I saw the ReQuest on our forums, and it occurred to me that this is a cool piece that should have been covered by now. Furthermore, I'd been listening to several versions of the Charleston by Spike Jones, Jelly Roll Morton, etc., and thought it would be fun to try to incorporate some of that style into a ReMix. Also, I just hooked my Motif up via SPDIF instead of 1/4th analog, and wanted to test it out. Thus I chose a particularly saucy upright bass in Gigastudio, some brass swells as well, and put together some drums, organ, jazz guitar, flute, vibes, piano, two synth pads, and a wah-wah electric piano on the Motif. That's quite a few different instruments to blend into one piece, but I think it's passable. This is jazz coverage of the first-level music in Donkey Kong Country, with some big band thrown in. The bass is definitely the foundation, though sometimes a low piano doubles it for that old-time pomp feel. Most of the times it's melodic and fairly close to the original spec, but towards the end it switches over to a walking pattern instead. The first time the melody comes in, on the wah EP (which Yamaha suggests should be used in jazz fusion contexts - whoops), the chords underneath don't change and are a little more complex. Then there's the "big whoopy" section as I like to call it, after which the organ comes in and the chords do change. By downloading this, you make a pact to play it loudly and on speakers, not headphones :) (I've found it works much better that way). Doesn't sound like too much else on the site, largely due to how the brass is used+abused. Pretty short, but doesn't repeat identical portions. Hope you dig.
Discussion: Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the very experimental and an original and interesting take on a good theme.
I don't particularly care for it, but still an A for effort.
- 42 on January 20, 2009
That´s my opinion where this funky tune would fit perfectly, mmyess.
Great remix pretzeldude, some nice funky brasses and a cool spy synth, along with a sub-tropical feel, I like it. It was time for the mönkey to leave his jungle anyway.
And what more do we have, ah, a lovely piano at the end with the whole package to finish it off smooth, agent donkey style.
Until we meet again...
- Bummerdude on September 29, 2005
It is the music of the first phase. Very interesting the melody, full of these "wenswens". The piano enters evident in the 01:13 of music, and unhappyly it finishes in the 01:31.
- Txai on November 14, 2004
- tyler_lucero on November 14, 2004
I love the first minute and a half or so, I love when djp uses his "wah wah" sounding instruments, his sorta bubbly-ish instrument. I love it and I love his jazzy sorta ways, the kinda music you listen to when playing pool. I don't know what it's called but do you know what I mean? Yeah and I love how he changes the melody around to these jumpy, jazzish, improvised tunes!
The flute goes along so well in this song!
- jordex on September 21, 2004
I personally have never played a single Donkey Kong Country game, but after listening to 'Stray Donkey Strut', it doesn’t really matter if I did or not... because this remix is so frickin’ cool. All the instruments go together really well. I especially enjoy the use of piano under the brass swells, giving it, as you said, that “old time pomp feel”. That’s the way to use a low piano, in my opinion. Very Elfman-like, and very jazzy. It makes me smile when I listen to it. Definitely one that I’ll keep in my collection, right alongside “ Diddy Evolution.”and such.
Very nice work going on here. Thumbs up! oh... god no! I just made an Ebert & Roeper reference. I have to bang my head really hard on my desk now.
"thud" :oops:
- debeerguy007 on February 9, 2004
- Aamp on October 3, 2003
8/10
- Aninymouse on August 20, 2003
- DJ Pili on August 8, 2003
- Ultimo Hedgehog on May 12, 2003
The part at 1:49 I think is a variation of the original melody but I don't really remember the original fully. Variated or not, I have caught myself whistling that part randomly in the day with extreme enjoyment.
As I said earlier, making the steps made me like the song. It must have been the movement of my fingers on the arrow keys that made me think I was emulating djp jamming on the keyboard. It's a really good song to move to, but not necessarily with your whole body. I suggest tapping YOUR fingers to the rhythm and each time the attack of the notes occur!
- AnotherOneBitesTheDust on March 8, 2003
- PassivePretentiousness on February 24, 2003
- A-RoN on February 18, 2003
- Vinren on November 29, 2002
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