ReMix: Tetris 'Linear Groove'
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- Game: Tetris (Nintendo, 1989, GB)
- ReMixer(s): chthonic
- Composer(s): Hirokazu Tanaka
- Song(s): A-Type (Korobeiniki)
- Posted: 2007-08-23, evaluated by djpretzel
So, my girlfriend and I were at the 9:30 a while back, waiting for Gogol Bordello to come on, when I start feeling incredibly sick. We ended up having to leave before they started, and she got sick later so we think it was the appetizers at GB, but either way, it was a letdown, because we were both really psyched to see them. They're sort of "gypsy punk", and the only reason I mention the event - besides my predilection for irrelevant anecdote - is that I've always thought they'd do a GREAT Tetris cover, if they could ever be persuaded as such. In the meantime, though, Mr. Briggs comes through in spades with an eccentric blend of rock drums, retro electronica, and ethnic instrumentation. We're working on revising the standards currently, and we gave some serious thought to banning Tetris mixes, because the music involved wasn't originally written for a game. This *is* an important part of our standards - otherwise we'd get Star Wars mixes up the wazoo and any licensed Need for Speed rap would be fair play, which doesn't really maintain an emphasis on video game music - but for Tetris we agreed we'd make an exception. The main theme, Коробе́йники, is so pervasively known worldwide as the Tetris theme, despite its roots as a Russian folk song from the 19th century, that we felt it could constitute the one and only exception to an otherwise strictly enforced aspect of our standards. Heck, at Otakon this year there was an ice cream truck playing the theme, and people were lining up in spades because it was "the Tetris theme," as onlookers commented. How many of them knew said theme was really Korobeiniki? Who knows, but it has a unique status as the most widely known piece of video game music that wasn't written for a video game, regardless.
So, this policy decision comes at an appropriate time, given chthonic's excellent submission. This piece is a lot of fun; from the swinging, somewhat lo-fi rockish drum intro that's followed by some chiptunish textures in a funky jam to the intentional vinyl crackling effects to the unexpected cello and strummed/plucked guitar turn at 2'09" followed by some shoutin' samples, it's definitely both energetic and peculiar, in a good way. If the tempo was a little less perfect and you added in some crowd ambience, it would almost sound like a live recording; I could definitely see the arrangement being performed live very effectively. Actually, throw in some vodka-induced shouting and somewhat goofy singing, and it'd make a great Gogol Bordello track. So, while we may have missed them in concert, we get our zany Russian regardless. Всё что ни делается, всё к лучшему.
Discussion: Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the "Nice job, chthonic."
dito
- Detrius on February 22, 2009
While it may not be the best mix ever, it certainly wins points for how addictive it is. I'll definitely end up leaving it on repeat for the next hour or so. Okay, so it's lacking in a few places, but that certainly doesn't make it a bad mix in my book. I'd give it an 8.9/10, personally.
Nice job, chthonic.
- CobaltDelta on September 21, 2008
- wayamy27narf on March 3, 2008
a'ndu;319573 wrote: so dude like you totally wrote this song on my computer
so like theoretically im the reason it exists
props to me
he is not lying, folks
props to him, indeed
in hindsight, your computer is really slow dude
- chthonic on September 19, 2007
so like theoretically im the reason it exists
props to me
- a'ndu on September 17, 2007
Harmony;313744 wrote: Simple and slick. I love when a mix takes a solid underlying groove (like what’s established with the synth that kicks off the source material at 0:09) and runs with it. When that foundation is setup, there’s almost nothing you can do as a musician to screw it up. The guitar breaks at 2:10 and 2:39 are needed to break the monotony and they are great in their own right.
Not sure what you were going for with the decision to add vinyl pops and hisses throughout major portions of this. Yeah, it fills out holes in the soundsscape but at the cost of sound quality. And if it was the lo-fi thing you were after, the rest of the mix just doesn’t echo that. Meh, I’m probably biased after having heard earlier versions sans vinyl effects.
Speaking of that, I have a wip of this titled “Tetraphobia WIP v2.” Where in the timeline of WIP -> VGmix -> OCRemix does that version fall?
that was in the VGMix WiP stage, but it's almost an exact replica of the final version (I only worked on this mix thrice)
also, about the vinyl ambiance... you have no idea, dude
I actually rendered two versions of the song, one with the vinyl and one without, and I listened to them back to back on loop for about 3 nights before releasing this
when push came to shove, for me, the payoff of hearing the vinyl effects alongside the pizzicato with that ridiculous lo-fi filter combo was enough for me to leave it in
I'm just glad you heard that it was a instrumentational (is that a word?) sacrifice... you're definitely one of the scarce detailed listeners I've found in recent years
instrumentational
lol
- chthonic on September 3, 2007
DarkAura;313118 wrote: Eh, you're right. I've been listening to it more, and it's growing on me.
That being said, I still think it's missing something, but I can't put my finger on what.
could it be that it's intentionally missing something? 8-)
my overall point here is ocremixes are music, and a very strong niche genre at that
djpretzel linked to the dictionary.com definition of a big word for "meaningful" in the site mission for a very real reason, and it's my personal opinion that a very large portion of the community doesn't recognize that reason... however, for the sake of site growth and musical expansion, they are welcomed and guided as well as possible (given the dismal number of detailed listeners), and that is an extremely fair trade-off
dunno if that makes any sense, but I'm at least glad you took the time to listen in a different mindset... that means a lot to me as a musician
bai
- chthonic on September 3, 2007
Not sure what you were going for with the decision to add vinyl pops and hisses throughout major portions of this. Yeah, it fills out holes in the soundsscape but at the cost of sound quality. And if it was the lo-fi thing you were after, the rest of the mix just doesn’t echo that. Meh, I’m probably biased after having heard earlier versions sans vinyl effects.
Speaking of that, I have a wip of this titled “Tetraphobia WIP v2.” Where in the timeline of WIP -> VGmix -> OCRemix does that version fall?
- Harmony on September 2, 2007
chthonic;311519 wrote: unfortunately ocr remixes aren't exactly things that can just be "taken down"
but I mean, if you listened to the greatest remix ever, like the best take on any video game theme you've ever heard in any genre in your entire life, and noticed that it's "missing bass", would that seriously be an instant turn-off for you? you need to give the music you listen to more room to breathe... it's art, whether you agree or not, it's art
like, get my point? I'm just saying you're focusing on the wrong aspects of the music
I honestly think you would enjoy this release a lot more if you threw out all the preconceptions you have about how the mix was made and what you believe it to be missing, and just listen to it in the context of "I played tetris, I recognize this song, let's see what this musician has to contribute to this"
also, I'm not arguing because I think you're wrong, I'm arguing to try and show you HOW to enjoy this remix... because I really think you're just approaching it from an awkward angle
if not, ignore me, but at least give it a shot
afk
Eh, you're right. I've been listening to it more, and it's growing on me.
That being said, I still think it's missing something, but I can't put my finger on what.
- DarkAura on August 31, 2007
Listen to it at work. (slavery job)
Makes my day go a bit faster.
Love that bas. Sounds lika a lazy bastard like my self.
Like that organic drumsection with the guitar. Lightens up abit.
Really cool.
Anyone more than me that can hear Kefka pouring out that poison at
03.16? ;)
- AeroZ on August 30, 2007
Cool to not only see it back, but as an accepted remix. I listen to the old version all the time. Guess it's time to update.
- Zipp on August 27, 2007
Liontamer;310706 wrote: But now you're going into the full-on "this is crappy" deal, which I definitely don't agree with. Solid arrangement, cool ideas.
Aye, sorry about that, I honestly didn't think as I was typing it, but tiredness isn't a good enough excuse... I didn't like the mix, and I won't, like a coward, edit the message to change the past (I am well aware it isn't truly changng the past, but take the idea for what I mean), but trust me when I say that I didn't think to mean 'crappy' so much as 'not quite as good'. But I'll stop clogging this topic with my annoying defenses, this is for reviews, not for exhibition of my inability to hold my tongue, so I'll try to end any future discussion about this with a simple rule, "INO should not be held accountable for any incompetant wording he may use, he means well, but sometimes he just can't help his inept nature and pseudointellectualist diction".
Here, just to simplify it, take what I said about this mix before this post, and add the basic idea of it all to this sentence for the major idea for my opinion:
Great Remixer, but a mix that was 'just' good.
There, I doubt there are any misintended messages here, so I shall take my leave, and hopefully have made myself look like less of an ass-hat.
- SomeCrazyGuy on August 27, 2007
DarkAura;311281 wrote: I'm sorry to say this, but...
I honestly don't see how it got onto the site. It's alright, but it's missing bass, and sounds like chthonic did this in 4 sittings (which was stated in the remix upon download).
Then again, I don't have the programs or ability needed to produce my own remixes, so just ignore my ramblings. But I say, take this down and refine it a bit.
unfortunately ocr remixes aren't exactly things that can just be "taken down"
but I mean, if you listened to the greatest remix ever, like the best take on any video game theme you've ever heard in any genre in your entire life, and noticed that it's "missing bass", would that seriously be an instant turn-off for you? you need to give the music you listen to more room to breathe... it's art, whether you agree or not, it's art
like, get my point? I'm just saying you're focusing on the wrong aspects of the music
I honestly think you would enjoy this release a lot more if you threw out all the preconceptions you have about how the mix was made and what you believe it to be missing, and just listen to it in the context of "I played tetris, I recognize this song, let's see what this musician has to contribute to this"
also, I'm not arguing because I think you're wrong, I'm arguing to try and show you HOW to enjoy this remix... because I really think you're just approaching it from an awkward angle
if not, ignore me, but at least give it a shot
afk
- chthonic on August 27, 2007
Dr. Rod;311012 wrote: it was a really raw version of something that could have become much better with refinement
I agree that this song is raw and lacks direction, but I don't agree that refinement necessarily makes something better. I think the song's fun and has a lot of character, and I think those qualities come (at least in part) from the disjointed variety of instruments coming and going, and the feeling that the song's just wandering instead of building to a climax. Further refinement might have given it a more traditional feel, but I think that would have smothered the whimsical quality that makes it what it is.
(iTunes says I've listened to this song more times than any other remix-- glad it's on OCR now)
- vindkast on August 26, 2007
I honestly don't see how it got onto the site. It's alright, but it's missing bass, and sounds like chthonic did this in 4 sittings (which was stated in the remix upon download).
Then again, I don't have the programs or ability needed to produce my own remixes, so just ignore my ramblings. But I say, take this down and refine it a bit.
- DarkAura on August 26, 2007
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