ReMix: Super Mario World 'Ghost'

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Perfect for Halloween, Nixdorux's take on the SMW castle theme is an interesting blend of minimal electronica with 'maximal' orchestral, layering an intelligent, emotive symphonic presence over a very simple thud kick and synth bass. The ReMixer writes, in preserved bilingual fashion (appropriate since I just got back from Montreal):

"Hello ! C'est une sorte de remix lectro/orchestral... J'écoute très peu de musique electro et ca doit surement s'entendre au travers de ce remix Smile Cela dit, j'avais vraiment envie d'essayer ce mariage entre percussions electro (plutôt minimalistes ici) et arrangement orchestral...

Hello! It is a kind of remix electro/orchestral... I listen to very little music electro and this must surely get along through this remix:) However, I wanted really to test this marriage between percussions magnet (rather minimalists here) and orchestral arrangement... "

The kick is very exposed, almost like it's saying "yes, I'm a dance kick drum, sitting in the middle of an orchestral arrangement - you got a problem with that?"... or something to that effect. I love the types of risks Nicolas takes as a ReMixer, and the sheer creativity combined with technique that's required to pull off his ideas as well as he does. Sub-par samples would ruin some of the transitions and arrangement decisions (french horn rips, for example) he makes here, and it takes some know-how to segue at 2'54" from dance-orchestral to more resigned but still tense, swing-time jazz-orchestral without things becoming massively trainwreck very quickly. Nixdorux pulls it off, though, and delivers a mix that very thoroughly explores Kondo's theme, from multiple angles, with equal parts ability and originality. Most of the judges had significant issues with the kick drum, and I can see why; on first listen and even subsequent listens, if you were going to single one element out as being... suspect... the kick would be it. It doesn't bother me as much, I suppose, because while it sounds a bit odd, it always sounds intentionally so, and the mix would have been different with slicker, more elaborate percussion; drums aren't the focus here, that's clear, but I think the ReMixer still wanted a four-to-the-floor feel, just without the overhead. Your mileage may vary, but I definitely think you'll dig everything besides the kick enough for it not to matter, as did the panel. Great spooky wind + dogs barking intro vibe to boot. Good, seasonal, unorthodox stuff from Nicolas.

― djpretzel