ReMix:The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time "Mamacitas in My Valley" 4:27

By Diggi Dis

Arranging the music of one song...

"Gerudo Valley"

Primary Game: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Nintendo , 1998, N64), music by Koji Kondo

Posted 2008-07-15, evaluated by djpretzel


First off, let's just take a look at the mix title, here... because, on close inspection, you'll notice that it has the word "mamacitas" in it. So, I ask you: how can this mix possibly be bad? How can any fault be found? "Mamacitas" is like a free pass to the world of awesome... it's like adding 808 claps AND orchestra hits to your mix, and throwing in RAD TIMBALE LICKS, too. Frank serves up a heapin' helpin' of hip hop urbanism wrapped in a slick 'Gerudo Valley' arrangement. The source material is fantastic - really one of Kondo's best N64 pieces - and has been arranged a variety of ways by several ReMixers, including yours truly. I actually have yet another idea in my head for arranging it again; it's really attractive compositionally as it has a catchy chorus AND verse as well, which isn't too common.

At any rate, it's easy to see why mixers keep coming back to it, and I'm sure as hell glad DD has, as his version is fantastic. Rising piano arpeggios set the stage, but when the Kill Bill trumpets and Latin percussion enter at 0'16", the real mojo kicks in, amplified by a monoglide bridge into a heavy hip-hop beat with occasional string stabs, a nice & subtle moving harp part in the background, wah guitar riffs, and Spanish guitar on the melody. I did throw some similar Latin elements into my own arrangement way back when, but this has far better production values and hip-hop in its favor, plus an unstoppable mix title. The undulating synth bass groove more prevalent in the second half of the mix is absolutely delicious, and at 4'28" you'll wonder where the time went so quickly when everything ends. I know fadeout endings have legion detractors, but I might have preferred that to the very abrupt cut out that Frank opted for instead, but he compensates with beautiful layered beats and just a fantastic sense of rhythm and mixing. Everything Frank's done so far has been fabulous, but this just might be my favorite, as it succeeds so completely at accomplishing the goal of turning 'Gerudo' into a Latin/hip-hip jam piece. We've still got a lot of summer left, people, and if you don't party with this joint in your own valley at some point, it's your loss. Excellent.

djpretzel

Discussion

Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the complete thread or post your own.
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Black_Doom
on 2015-12-02 09:52:05

Yeah, this song rocks pretty much, that's true. Dearly beloved "Gerudo Valley" mixed with flavours of jazz, hip-hop and even Spanish Flamenco - this just has to become one of OCR classics. Especially love the moment @ 2:13. Stellar work from DD as usual!

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GSO
on 2015-02-07 16:29:56

I'm not usually a hip hop person, but hip hop + Gerudo Valley=:) I friggin love this track!

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TheCorty
on 2010-09-28 16:10:12

For most of the song, the spanish guitar bored me very much. Which sucks, because I was really looking forward to it. :sad:

It picked up towards the end, though! That jumping bass synth helped it along somehow, with the way they play off each other.

The great thing about this track was the rest of the stuff. And I mean ALL the other stuff, which included many sounds that usually feel...over-relied upon: claps, string stabs, hip-hop beats. But the thing is, the ethnic elements that were added to them kept them all daisy-fresh. And it goes the other way around, too! For example, the "Kill Bill" trumpets felt a little cheesy, but once the harp started playing quietly in the background: all was good. Except the spanish guitar lead, still.

Perhaps the problem was sample quality, as OA mentioned, or maybe (my first guess) it needed some other sounds to play off of it more.

From where it came in until towards the end, it felt quite isolated as the lead with all the other elements fading to waaaay in the background for a while.

The sheer arrangement: was awesome. Yet a lot of it went unnoticed the first time I listened to it. Like, the string stabs smooth out later in the song, letting stuff relax a bit as it was getting uptight somehow.

In any case, mamacitas should stay in the valley and party ALL NIGHT (as stuff staying in "my valley" and "partying ALL NIGHT" would have a totally different meaning o__o).

Anyway, it'd be an awesome party: the kind with the hip-hop dance floor where individuals show their moves, awesome drinks and other flavors, and EVERYBODY WEARS HATS...Don't ask me why. :dstrbd:

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Benjamin Briggs
on 2010-07-17 00:08:03
How did I miss this track?

^ this

seriously stellar work, diggi

love. it

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hsram
on 2010-06-29 23:03:09

epic remix. the style change at 2:30 hits sooo hard.

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salamangkiro
on 2010-06-24 15:09:18

My very first post on here and i must say I love this song. The way you used the guitar is just superb! Thoroughly enjoy and I've downloaded.

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Cecil the Blade
on 2010-04-30 03:20:46

This is my second night listening to this site's songs, and in my opinion, this is the best mix of this song on here!

Nice Job!

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SChepulis
on 2010-03-04 02:19:22

How did I miss this track? I love the source and this is one of the best remixes of the song I've heard!

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Emunator
on 2009-12-22 02:38:43

This mix starts out as one big fake-out after another, first with the piano and then the Latin section, but once you get the hip-hop beats going this really becomes the defining Gerudo Valley mix on OCR, in my opinion. Props for pulling off the claps in a way that doesn't annoy me, that seems to be a hard thing to do :tomatoface:

I'm a huge fan of all your work, Diggi Dis, but this one feels like one of the most polished and overall quality works you've put out in a while! Highly recommended, don't let the genres turn you off if you happen to not be a fan of Latin or Hip-Hop ;-)

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OA
on 2009-12-04 12:50:33

Dios mio, this remix is pwning, great beats, nice guitars and brass, and a lot of cool arrangement ideas help this classic source track.

Really the only weakness in this is the lead guitar sample, and that abrupt ending.

Awesome work, esse.

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Pachi Risu
on 2009-11-23 18:57:18

Interesting remix. Nice job. Kudos.

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AmazinJason
on 2008-12-17 12:27:52

I enjoyed this remix, the subtle piano opening meshes well with the brass in the beginning, and even though I'm not that big a fan of hip-hop the beat was quite fascinating.

My favorite part would have to be the long bridge near the middle of the track, it's inspiring when remixers place long segments of music drawn from themselves rather than from the game.

I hate to be such a sheep here but the ending is... ookkaaayyy, when it cuts out it sounds kinda cool, but I think having a more solid ending would have been nice.

Either way, great job, excellent remix.

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42
on 2008-12-16 21:29:16

Imho, this is better than the original.

This is one of my favorite mixes; it just takes an already cool song and makes it better.

This is a definite must download.

I would love to go to this valley

Me too. :razz:

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glasfen
on 2008-10-08 16:07:54

Awesome guitar work, great rhythm and breaks, totally hot in its entirety. This one was on repeat for quite a while after I downloaded it.

Ay caramba! Las mamacitas estan enamoradas de Diggi Dis! Que suerte para el!

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dweber5
on 2008-10-08 15:51:05

Very good, has a nice beat. Kinda tiring that almost all OOT remixes have been of this tune. Would be nice to hear something new.

Sources Arranged (1 Song)


Primary Game:
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Nintendo , 1998, N64)
Music by Koji Kondo
Songs:
"Gerudo Valley"

Tags (4)


Genre:
Hip Hop,Latin
Mood:
Instrumentation:
Acoustic Guitar,Synth
Additional:

File Information


Name:
Legend_of_Zelda_Ocarina_of_Time_Mamacitas_in_My_Valley_OC_ReMix.mp3
Size:
6,499,646 bytes
MD5:
7f46a0cd388748041e1e13e6b62a320c
Bitrate:
192Kbps
Duration:
4:27

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