ReMix:Super Dodge Ball "Rove You Rong Time" 3:22

By Dhsu

Arranging the music of one song...

"Vs. Team China"

Primary Game: Super Dodge Ball (CSG Imagesoft , 1989, NES), music by Kazuo Sawa

Posted 2008-11-08, evaluated by djpretzel


Because of the recent election fever, I can't help but think of Karl Rove when I read this mix title, which is instead a reference to Full Metal Jacket, as popularized by eloquent songsmiths 2 Live Crew in their classic 'Me So Horny'... more info than you wanted, perhaps, but now you're informed. I've been a little absent lately, preparing for Anna's birthday and watching a looonnngggg campaign season finally culminate in the decisive election of Barack Obama.

I'd be remiss in not saying that I think this was a great moment for our country, and being so close to DC and seeing the machinations of the federal government up close and personal, I'm excited to see what comes next. I don't think anyone can live up to the expectations President-Elect Obama has set for himself, but if he even lives up to half of them, it'll be something. This was the first presidential election in which I voted for the winner, and the first time my home state of Virginia voted for a Democrat since LBJ. Change isn't always good, and there's definitely merit to conservatism of a fiscal nature, but I can't help feeling like we're slowly moving forward as a whole towards a more socially inclusive state, that young voters and the Internet are finally becoming more politically relevant, and that the status quo is finally shifting...

But enough of that... as administrator, I try to stay off the soapbox as much as possible, as this site is about VGM first and foremost, but I allow myself some leeway for historic events like these. Speaking of history, the Bad Dudes have been making quite a bit of it in 2008, releasing albums arranging Super Dodge Ball, Sagat's theme, and their latest opus from Symphony of the Night. That's a busy year, and they've been good about making sure some of those tracks end up here on OC ReMix. So, back to the music... this is Dhsu's entry on No Balls, No Glory, and it's smoov. Two different types of EP intro things out, with slick snapping, a nice obtrusive kick, and thick bass. The chorus/main motif at 0'44" employs a stereotypical "Asian" pentatonic riff but jazzes it up a bit, even moreso when it's later coupled with syncopated plucks circa 1'28", which is followed by some organ soloing over legato erhu. It's a seamless mix of hip-hop, jazz, and Asian elements, with the pentatonic cheese factor completely handled by smooth production and spotless arrangement. It's also far more like Morse and po! than anything David's done prior. The artist writes:

"This track surprised a lot of people (including me) because as you'll notice, it's not a piano solo. In fact, I didn't perform anything at all. The main reason for this is that I had no actual access to a piano. Add to that fact that Mustin also wanted something different this time, and I just said "Sorry guys, can't do it" and Kaijin took over. But then kwakfest happened...I sequenced my first song in years and realized it wasn't that bad. So I fired up Anvil Studio and went to work.

By this time Kaijin was pretty much finished with his track, but I just wanted to give Mustin a basic idea of what I would have done, based on a concept I got from the ingenious reworking of Chun Li's theme in Street Fighter Alpha 2. But then he was like "Finish this, we'll make it an alternate track." So I worked out the chorus, the main part of the verse, and a couple solos (which were very time-consuming but satisfying to write) and sent Mustin the MIDI, which he then proceeded to perform and pimp out to produce what you hear today. Also somewhere in the process he also decided to bump Kaijin's track to the alternates in favor of my last-minute entry which I felt kinda bad about but Kaijin was cool so I'm cool WE'RE ALL COOL."

Cool indeed.

djpretzel

Discussion

Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the complete thread or post your own.
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Black_Doom
on 2015-12-11 10:57:27

Ah, so relaxing and sooo smooth... While this track still maintains a bit of that asian atmosphere from the original, it's definitely got some jazzy stuff, like those excellent piano licks, sexy EP, a litlle of badass organ and catchy percussive elements. Even though it doesn't sound like typical Dhsu's stuff, this is a wonderful mix nonetheless!

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yosefu
on 2009-10-14 07:46:25

Very relaxing to the point i just can't help but put it on repeat.

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metalsnakejuice
on 2009-04-18 05:15:03

Love the groove of this, its so relaxing and has a zen feel. l really love it.

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JJT
on 2009-04-16 15:51:47
Each time a new set of arrangements took place, I could just feel it as if it were a woman's sexual slap across the grooves of my back. Just... ooh...

I'll come back after repeating the song a few times. Oh yeah, girl, try and super dodge these balls...

This is easily the most horrifying remix review I've seen to date.

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Dj Mokram
on 2009-04-16 15:09:55

I've just found out about this track, and I was amazed by the turn taken here.

Original tune is very catchy, and was re-interpreted here in a very clever way.

The piano solos are nice really give this piece a colorful vibe.

I luved the groove approach of this track. Reminds me a lot of the Neptunes.

Dhsu put the bar very high for anyone to pass after him...

Which puts me under pressure, since I'm doing team china for the ATW project.

Anyway, great arrangement. Recommended.

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Marmiduke
on 2009-03-24 11:05:02

This came right out of left field. I would have never picked this as a Dhsu mix. There's some real broadening of range happening with this one. Not that the expected expertise on piano isn't present here.

The original NES theme is slowed right down, which I wasn't too sure about at the beginning, because the blazing pace of the Super Dodge Ball soundtrack was what I liked about it. But I was sold on the decision by the end; when mellow music is as good as this, there's not much to complain about.

The mix may be a little too obviously oriental, but that comes with the territory. SDB wasn't the first game to exploit musical stereotypes to represent international cultures, it certainly wasn't the last. With a source like this, I'm glad the cliche was embraced and not detrimentally shied away from.

Overall, some very enjoyable work from a constantly evolving mixer. Rove it.

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42
on 2009-01-18 23:03:22

Its tracks like this that make me like NBNG; they not only turn convention on its head but also turn it inside out.

This mix, and a few others, helps balance out the more intense tracks of NBNG, and I like. Very mellow and relaxing. Great work. :-P

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Mtlbro
on 2008-12-10 11:02:14

Wow me like :) The snapping like halfway through is subtle, but made me want to keep listening all the way to the end. You know that and the soloing and other subtle elements that make this genre as sweet as this.

Great stuff 10/10

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Martin Penwald
on 2008-11-19 15:13:45

Being a sucker for this kind of music, this song is right up my alley. I love the instruments, the laid back atmosphere, and the asian influence it has, as that is something you don't see too often in this kind of remix.

My only gripe is that the remix is a quite a bit louder than other remixes, which results in some volume issues when it's played as part of a playlist.

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OA
on 2008-11-18 12:43:40

Pretty great stuff, though I almost wish the bass and backing chords took a more active approach in some of the transitions, or some rhythmic unison lines; I'm not saying that this isn't the hotness, because is really is, I was just hearing something else; maybe a little more syncopation.

Organ seems a little piercing for it's brief entrance, but it's short and not a huge deal. Beautiful rhodes solo, and the rhythm near the end gets a bit funky, I dig it. I will definitely love this song for a long time.

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Salluz
on 2008-11-16 15:15:23

The remix? Ah, my girlfriend and I loved it.

No, J/K; I was carrying on Blue Magic's joke. :lol:

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Dhsu
on 2008-11-16 03:30:28

...

:dstrbd:

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Liontamer
on 2008-11-16 01:20:28
Each time a new set of arrangements took place, I could just feel it as if it were a woman's sexual slap across the grooves of my back. Just... ooh...

I'll come back after repeating the song a few times. Oh yeah, girl, try and super dodge these balls...

Good luck trying to sleep at night, Dhsu.

avatar
Salluz
on 2008-11-15 21:58:02

OK, this sounds like some jazz-type music; a little RnB influence, but more jazz.

I was listening normally @ the beginning and felt an instant jive when the music started kicking in. Each time a new set of arrangements took place, I could just feel it as if it were a woman's sexual slap across the grooves of my back. Just... ooh...

I'll come back after repeating the song a few times. Oh yeah, girl, try and super dodge these balls...

avatar
Blue Magic
on 2008-11-13 10:50:19

I'm sorry, I just didn't know Dshu could get down like this!

Damn good mix to strip my girlfriend...umm RELAX too.

Groovy stuff.

Sources Arranged (1 Song)


Primary Game:
Super Dodge Ball (CSG Imagesoft , 1989, NES)
Music by Kazuo Sawa
Songs:
"Vs. Team China"

Tags (3)


Genre:
Hip Hop,Jazz
Mood:
Instrumentation:
Piano
Additional:

File Information


Name:
Super_Dodge_Ball_Rove_You_Rong_Time_OC_ReMix.mp3
Size:
4,135,593 bytes
MD5:
e1fa67a798695c0e552988bec680ad3a
Bitrate:
160Kbps
Duration:
3:22
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No Balls, No Glory


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Published 2008-05-13
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