ReMix: Adventure Island 'Tribal Warfare'

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I don't know about you, but when I think of an overweight man constantly running, jumping, and skateboarding around an island with a pleasant look on his face, I think of Adventure Island. Truth be told, this specific thought does not in actuality cross my mind all that often, of which I am proud, but on those rare instances when it does, I also remember the upbeat tunage that went along with Hudson's plump hero's misadventures. Ubik has taken said soundtrack and created something a bit more sinister, with some great d'n'b/breakbeat work and a very mysterious, minor feel. This is from the underground stage in level 5, which explains why it's not as happy-go-lucky as some of the other melodies, but Ubik's taken the minimal original and constructed an expansive, dark universe filled with biting, mutating percussion around every unlit corner. GL writes:

"The piece has a nice flow, too. The transitions are also very thoughtful. Love that part at 1:45. Classic NES. This is all very well done, but my slight complaint is I wish the melody was more prominent. At times it doesn't feel like there's much of a melody. This is only forgiveable because you pull off the piece as a whole quite well. Interesting."

It's certainly not melody-centric, that's for sure, and those looking for something with more direction and linear build might not dig it as much, but for action music and just a good, varied beat, and some lovely cut-ups and processing, you can't go wrong. There's a good variety of synth textures, as well, and as mentioned the brief but perfectly-placed NES excerpts inject a little lo-fi nostalgia into this high-tech, aggressive arrangement. Dark and immersive.

― djpretzel