ReMix: Shinobi 'DarkTortoise'

Download MP3
3,478,600 bytes, 3:37, 128kbps

• Trade-in your Games or Anime DVDs!
• OC ReMix Shirts & Merch
• Games:
  • DS | GBA | GC | PS2 | WII | XBOX | 360
  • Imports & Pre-owned
• Anime:
  • DVDs & Merchandise

Cool, classic Shinobi. I love this theme, in all its pentatonic, cheesy Yuzo Koshiro ninja goodness. In general, Shinobi was a game that captured a lot of what was cool about ninjas, and while most gamers of the day grew up with larger helpings of Ryu Hayabusa than Joe Musashi, I still know in my heart of hearts that Joe could kick his posterior in a one-on-one. You see, it's all about the ninja magic, my friends.... Okay, before I start some sort of a fanboy schism war pitting Shinobi against Ninja Gaiden, let me get to the music. Newcomer moonove gives us a very cool, semi-ambient electronica reworking of the Black Turtle theme. The chord progression here really works to his choice of genre's advantage, as it's mysterious and tentative and floaty to begin with, which is further brought out by the myriad synth textures used. Things intro with warm pads and a synth gurgling, very low, and then the familiar (to some, I hope) belltone melody makes it entrance, with some chimes and well-timed pad swells. At 1'04 the beat and bass come in, along with a similarly gurgling synth percussion effect that's panned hard left and hard right for a super-stereo effect. There's some FM7 "Exciting" type synth chord stabs, and at 1'54" some rising, delayed analog arpeggios - all very cool and traded off skillfully so that the whole thing is smooth and seamless. This is a great example of a minimalist piece taken and elaborated upon not by messing around extensively with the main melody (which is also legit in my book and works well in addition) but by adding a half-dozen auxiliary parts that weren't in the original and change the tone and style substantially. Good, classic nostalgonica (yes, I can invent words at will. Being webmaster has to have SOME fringe benefits).

― djpretzel