ReMix: Awesome 'Game Over (Cheeze Mix)'

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Once upon a time a company named Psygnosis made a wide range of innovative, beautiful, and well-scored games for the C64, Amiga, and Atari ST. In those days, the PC wasn't really a player in the computer game arena, and for awhile, the Amiga offered the best gaming platform for both graphics and sound, relative to console competition. Though Lemmings easily eclipsed their earlier titles in terms of popularity, they'd released quite a few excellent games in quite a few genres prior, always with a distinct European flavor to the overall aesthetic and somewhat prohibitive difficulty levels. 'Awesome' is a shooter I never played and which is apparently rather rare and obscure even to diehard Amigans, but which newcomer Erik Sundström provides an elaborate, enjoyable hybrid arrangement of. Though he titled this a "Cheeze Mix", it's quite mature and not exactly what I would call cheesy; there's tightly woven orchestral elements that blend against a 70's style acoustic rock kit, and synths on top of that. Things intro with a military snare and strings that might signal pure orchestral, but gradually a kick fades in along with synths and pizzicato; check the subtle pitch bend downwards at 0'27" - interesting arrangement decision, and definitively states that this won't be a strictly realistic affair. Vigilante's been having some medical goings-on for awhile, and writes about some of the "non-cohesive cohesiveness" employed:

"Entering day 3 of oxycodone-fueled post-surgery limbo, I feel like this track is aptly comparable to my state of consciousness: it makes very little sense, but it's really quite enjoyable. I don't think it's just the drugs talking. The parts jump around wildly, but everything is bound together in a wonderfully ethereal cerebro-aquatic goo."

Gray wasn't too keen on the original source material, at least in terms of production, and appreciated what Erik S was able to do with it:

"The composition and arrangement in this is great, especially when you compare it to the shallow original. This is what remixing is about to me. You brought in so much personalization and style - your synths are fun and interesting - it's a kaleidoscope of absorbing textures."

Kaleidoscopic indeed; definitely a distinct, different sound going on with this mix that sets it apart and gives it a unique flavor. The extended synth solo at 2'10", which approaches a prog rock vibe, is probably my favorite section; might not have panned it so hard left, but it's a great solo nonetheless. Groovy phased drum fill at 3'03", too. Great, utterly distinct first mix from Erik S that lives up to the name of the game it's from.

― djpretzel