ReMix: Socket 'TripTheLightFantastic'

 prev   list all   next 

Download MP3
5,931,215 bytes, 4:57, 160kbps

djpretzel does trance? Probably as close as I'll get. But first, more about the source material: without a doubt in my mind, of the Sega Genesis game soundtracks I have heard, I believe that Socket's is the most underrated, undervalued OST on the system, and would make my overall list (regardless of hardware) easily as well. This Sonic the Hedgehog clone from Vic Tokai managed to capture some of the appeal of the blue hedgehog it was modeled after, but was on-par or below its forefather in all aspects save one: Socket's soundtrack easily, even favorably compares with the music from the original Sonic as well as its sequels. No one to date, to my knowledge, has requested a track from this game be ReMixed. I've never heard it mentioned in extended discussions of the best Genesis soundtracks. And yet I feel it truly deserves a place in such conversations, as it's consistently excellent and melodically intricate & original. This is the PERFECT game soundtrack for ReMixing, by my own ideals, as it's older, relatively unknown, and deserves a second, third, and fourth listen. It's one of the soundtracks that impressed me enough to record it to casette tape way back when, and probably played an integral part in inspiring the origin of OCR itself. In the time between this mix, which I started a couple days ago, and my previous Tekken 2 ReMix, I started three other ReMixes that I couldn't seem to complete, for one reason or another. One was a lost cause to begin with, the other two I do intend to go back to. But when I found myself humming this theme from Socket a few nights ago, then sat down at the keyboard, everything clicked. This is trance, but breaks it up a bit and has some of what I'd call disco & synth-pop thrown in. It's closer to the original than some of my other creations, but has a different sound - this is another technically complex, from a configuration perspective, mix. It features almost everything in my studio - two software samplers, FM7, D'Cota, Z3TA+, Yamaha Motif, Kawai K5000, and MicroKORG, all working together. The result is maximalist (well, let's just say it's NOT minimalist) trance-ish fare that doesn't try to hide or sublimate the main melody but instead embraces it. I love the original tune to death, and love the Socket OST in general, so this is sort of my tribute to this overlooked, wonderful score. Hope you dig it.

― djpretzel

Discussion: Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the complete thread or post your own.

This just came up on the roulette and I couldn't recall having heard it before. It made me very happy. :) I must have somehow missed out on it the first time around, and I think it might be my new favorite song of yours, DJP. I hear a lot of shades of Erasure in it and I kept waiting for Andy Bell to come in. The pieces just gel together sublimely, and even without hearing the original, I loved it.

- Palpable on October 20, 2007

My favorite djpizzle mix and I never dropped a comment. This track was smooooth back in the day. Still is. Infectious groove, great sounds, polished production. I still give Dave a little crap every now and then about how he'll never make anything else that I'll like more than this and that he's jumped the shark. But driving to Baltimore with him last year for a meetup, he was nice enough to throw this ReMix on a mix CD he made for the drive down. If I'm remembering it right, I also got to hear his Summoning of Spirits mix [URL="http://www.ocremix.org/remix/OCR01500/"]"The Koan of Drums"[/URL] right after he finished it.
In any case, this was also a track that made me go back and check out the original, as well as snag a ROM of the game. Well, to me the game sucked, and I don't recall any other tracks being as good as the one's djp arranged, but I definitely love what he's done with the source material here. Seamless fusion of the two themes, I never would have known there was more than one source if I hadn't checked the soundtrack out. Great stuff, and of the few tracks that lots of people around here have taken a chance on and liked despite not knowing the game. The number of reviews back in the day definitely illustrated that.

- Liontamer on October 5, 2007

I am [b]really[/b] digging this. djp you rule

- SirRus on July 25, 2005

This remix has quickly become a favorite of mine, to the point where I can dig it out of my Winamp playlist in a matter of seconds. For relaxing, there's none better anywhere on OCRemix.

- Trygon on July 24, 2005

I've had this remix for some time now. I listened to it a few times after having initially aquiring the song, but I had forgotten about it until just recently. I was listening to my OCR songs while hittin' the books the other day, and by the power of random, this popped on somewhere along the way, and I just couldn't stop listening to it. It's so mellow, and I like that a lot since a lot of the trance/techno induced remixes (and trance/techno in general) I tend to hear are extremely high energy, can be repetitive, and sound unoriginal. And I like trance, just not bad trance, but this isn't bad by any means of the word. I've had it for a least a year, maybe 2, and I'm just now hooked. I've been listening to it all morning. But I'll tell you the true reason that this remix is so damn good; I had never heard the original sample before until I hunted down the game last night and played it. This is a great song sans the original, but I do like the game's soundtrack (what little of it I actually heard anyway). Thank you for the good music, djpretzel.

- MisterBiggler on June 8, 2005

First of all, I want to congratulate djprezel for making a suitable trance that did not sound as repetitive as the genre usually includes. The sounds melded nicely together, forming a smooth rhythm, that, while providing excellent backround the the melody, did not over-power it(Which isn't a bad thing, but it just wouldn't have fit in such a song.). Around 00:56' I started hearing some notes that reminded me of the ending theme of Pee-Wee's Playhouse, the nightmarish show I so loved in my childhood. David and I are among the few who acutally played this game in its prime. While I did not own it, I had quite a fun rental session courtesy of my local Blockbuster. This is one of the few songs which actually make me want to buy a brand new computer and pump it full of all sorts of music programs. Again, kudos to you, Mr. Lloyd, for revitalizing my youth in such a happy way that reminds me of summer times at the beach. You have my thanks.

- Wingsinadream on January 31, 2005

Wow. This is a great remix. Why... I remember back in the good old days, I used to stop by Blockbuster every Friday after school and rent a game for my at the time only console, the almighty Genesis, and this was one of the many Sonic ripoffs that I played through between school days. Awesome Possom being another. :p *shot* I'm not sure what level this is from... Antiquity or whatever it's called. Anywho, excellent remix that brings back painfully distant memories and makes me want to play Socket one more time.

- Troika on September 30, 2003

OOOO.....I really do not know what to say except "WOW" the memories brought back to me on this mix was insanely great! Heh..makes we want to bust out the ol'school systems an start playin with this tune on an the TV on mute. Phenominal mix I must say...as a proud lover of electronica & games I just can't get enough must have reapeated for the 50th time already hah. In my opinion, this game definately deserves a remix, and from the looks of it this has got to be the best SOCKET music I have heard yet! Thanks....and a TERRIFIC JOB Dj Pretzel!!!

- Kazin on April 13, 2003

Goddamn i love this remix. Easily in my top 5 favorites here.
I usually dont post my comments on mixes cause no one cares what i think, but i gotta make an exception here.
This remix is guaranteed to make me do 2 things everytime i hear it:
1. dance
2. smile
I love upbeat trancy/techno stuff. makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.

- Isosceles on March 31, 2003

Oh! I love this one! Has a certain...how you say...happy-quality to it. Very nice.
When I first heard it, I was just sorta doing a little passive-listening. Then later on I came back and heard it again. "Hey, sounds cool."
Then I came back again and listened to it without the headphones with the volume most-of-the-way up. WOOO, that just shows that you cannot judge a mix by listening to it one time. It grows on you just like video games themselves do. Neato.
Final verdict... MY SCORE-- 9.0/10

- Tidus Of Spira on March 9, 2003

It's totally great.
1:01 - "ooooooWOOOOOOOoooooooooo"
That makes the song, right there.

- Hornpipe2 on March 6, 2003

I really love the ping ponging synth that was mentioned earlier at :43 also that percussion sample that sounds liek someone going "shhhaa!" is great. This like someone said, doesnt really pick up, it builds back into itself well, and has tons and tons of wonderfully delicious sounds. But overall i thought this wasnt really worth keeping on my hard drive.
The main reason im not keeping this is because of 1:52, it sounds like its going to go all anthem on us (if im using the word right) but then as its picking up it trips out and brings you down from the high you almost get.
This mix pulls me in too many different directions without really exactly going anywhere. I would have liked this more if it were harder and had something that stood out a lot. I like the synth strings and i like a lot of the processing.
Ok, this mix wreaks of awesomeness, but its just not that good in my tastes. I expected something more maybe.
Also, its waaaaaaaaaaay repetitive in my opinion.
this seems liek one of those mixes you hear thats constantly building to some super fat awesome part of the song... but doesnt really go anywhere, and i dont like the ending.
Great work djp, just not my preference of musical style.

- DM Lee on March 4, 2003

Wow yeah, it IS the forest level. My mistake :) But no, this doesn't play anywhere else. See, I hadn't played the game in so long. Maybe I should pop in the cartridge again.

- OverCoat on March 4, 2003

Very well done. While this mix doesn't have the super high energy of the original game music, it is still upbeat and very enjoyable to listen to. There are a few interruptions now and again in the beat which I felt brought the mix down a tiny bit... it just happened too often. DJP is very impressive musically, though I think he prefers to impress technically more than musically. But like always this is a great mix and gives Socket some much-deserved recognotion. I recorded the sound test onto MiniDisc years ago when I rented it and still listen to it often. Great stuff!
Edit:
Here is a link to the original Genesis version of this tune (in MP3 form) for those of you who can't find it. Be warned... this was recorded from a real Genesis and not some emulator! So the sound quality is 100% genuinely authentic.
http://joe.film-tech.net/oc/socket.mp3
Listen to DJP's tune first. Then this. Then listen to DJP's remix again. You'll raise your opinions like I did. Great mix DJP!

- Joe Redifer on March 4, 2003

I have to agree with the words "kick ass" when used in a description of this mix, but somehow, it's kickass in a subtle way (notwithstanding the inherrent contradiction therein).
Case in point: I've been listening to this for about an hour straight now (immersion is how I like my music - I've been known to submerge into my headphones for the better part of a day when a new Jamiroquai album comes out) and I'm still hearing new nuances and harmonies and syncopations that blow me away in their subtlety and detail. The style is drastically different, but the listening experience itself is decidedly similar to hearing "DubNoFantasyAloneMan" - layer upon layer of delicately and deliciously constructed complexity that leaves me with just a single thought in my mind:
Wow*.
As ever, thank you DJP.
*actually "wow" is probably an understatement (and coincidentally, a palindrome) compared to how this song makes me feel when i listen to it, but that's probably as close as i can come with the cumbersome alphabetical amalgamations of written language.

DiscoDan wrote: ...probably makes good fast driving music for late at night through empty city streets lined with sky scrapers...

So very, very true.

- Kuribo's Shoe on March 4, 2003

Download MP3

• Size: 5,931,215 bytes
• MD5 Checksum: 599fd7537ef7c844f972939facc3ecd3

• Download from iiens.net
• Download from Aplus
• Download from Dreamhost
• Download from ocrmirror.org

Help us save bandwidth - using our torrents saves us bandwidth and lets you download multiple mixes as a single download. Use the tracker below and scroll for more information, or visit http://bt.ocremix.org directly, and please don't forget to help us seed!!

Chiptunes, as well as sample-based formats like RSN/SPC for the SNES, allow you to replay the original soundtracks to many of your favorite games. The resources below will help you get started downloading and listening to chiptunes.

Download Socket Chiptune

• HTTP - Aplus Mirror
• HTTP - Dreamhost Mirror

Winamp + Chipamp = Nostalgia

Play chiptunes in 40+ formats with the free Chipamp Plugin Bundle, available at www.chipamp.org. The combination of Winamp and Chipamp is one of the easiest ways to get up and running, playing chiptunes and other game audio formats in no time at all.

Download Chipamp today, and don't worry about tracking down the right plugin - we did the work for you.