ReMix:Super Dodge Ball "Go Balls Deep!" 3:56

By Juan Medrano

Arranging the music of one song...

"Versus Play"

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

Posted 2011-10-10, evaluated by djpretzel


Juan! C'mon now, this is a FAMILY establishment! We'll just claim that by "Go Balls Deep," Sixto is poetically referring to being so damn enthusiastic about playing dodgeball and/or ReMixing SDB that you become metaphorically covered in DODGE balls. Of the platonic, sporting, completely innocuous variety. I guess we should just be thankful they aren't Schweddy; Co-director Walan writes:

"Sixto Sounds was originally slated to arrange "Versus Play" for the album, but due to technical difficulties, this track was thought to be lost forever. WillRock and Level 99 joined the project later and came through with their arrangement of the theme, but Sixto rose from the ashes and rebuilt this version later, submitting it in the 11th hour to be included as part of the album. Sixto delivers on all fronts, bringing us a hard-nosed, smashed-mouth track that's filled to the brim with synths and the near-virtuosic levels of guitar work that have become Juan's staple."

So yeah, this is the same source that WillRock & Stevo covered, and it's rock+synths, but it's surprising how different the two tracks are. It's worth mentioning here that several of the source tunes on the SDB soundtrack are ineligible for posting as ReMixes because they're not original VGM - Team Japan is mostly comprised of 'Sakura Sakura,' Team Russia uses 'Katyusha,' and Team England bears more than a striking resemblance to some well-known Beatles songs. This comes up a lot in VGM, and sometimes we can work around it, but we definitely shoot for music that was written FOR games, or debuted/popularized by games, as opposed to simply used in games. Right then; of his resuscitated, rebuilt track, Juan explains:

"This remix for the remix project Super Dodge Ball: Around the World almost never saw completion. I was close to finishing it when my recording hard drive died, causing me to lose all my samples and project files. Luckily, I found my original MIDI file and was able to finally finish this at the last minute. Low-tuned guitars, low-tuned bass and low-tuned drums! Don't blow out your speakers."

Sixto's take on the theme is a bit more metal, heavier, and less synthy than Will's, I suppose making it "angrier" as a result, but the dramatic sense of epic challenge inherent in the source is still there. I love the SID-style synths and chop-ups at the end, production is thick & aggressive, and of course the soloing is classic Sixto. Does a single Super Dodge Ball album have room for two mixes of the same source, in more or less the same genre? For me, the answer's a resounding yes: regardless of it being an accident, these two tracks are superb interpretations of the same source that have more than enough differences, but share a common ground of being badass, well-executed, rockin' cuts.

djpretzel

Discussion

Latest 14 comments/reviews; view the complete thread or post your own.
avatar
Black_Doom
on 2015-02-24 13:36:15

Heavy, in-your-face, badass as always. Love the chippy synths; the mix of chips and rock seems to be really cool idea :) Tight mix, Juan! :nicework:

avatar
TillyFun
on 2014-06-27 14:44:36

Holy heck, that is one powerful start. :) 2:01 - 2:13 is inspiring.

Comes in on a high. Ends on a high.

Kick. Ass. ^__^

avatar
Bahamut
on 2011-12-06 17:09:14

Sixto is all about going balls deep!

Pretty solid stuff, different synth usage than Juan's normal stuff. Guitar playing is also good, and the production is always stellar. It's like Sixto's music is always insta-3 .

avatar
Crulex
on 2011-12-02 09:42:57

Dude, nice heavy rockin'! The synths join the ReMix pretty good and this really gets me pumped up! Lots of aggresive energy that makes this mix a damn good motivator. Perfect for a rousing game of super dodgeball. I love the arrangement that combines the synths and metal guitars together, and the soloing was amazing. Epic ReMix, Sixto.

avatar
Rexy
on 2011-11-30 15:11:31

We can definitely do with more Sixto, especially to cover a track as complex as the Vs Mode theme :D

I'm often used to hearing Sixto take things in a straightforward approach but still put his own spin on things, and yet he seemed to have taken the track apart into subsections and re-ordered them while still maintaining a sense of structure. So basically, he kept true to the source, but the pieces are placed in that much of a different order it can still be considered interpretive :P

Going beyond the source shake-up, the solo work at 2:41 plays well to his improvisation strength, not to mention the ending with the gate work and synth fade out still managed to add so much to the scope, giving more to the illusion that even if the game is over there's still more to do for the most passionate amongst us.

So yes, you didn't disappoint, and I'm glad you managed to keep on the project after all!

avatar
Monobrow
on 2011-11-06 20:56:11

Dear sixto, this song reminds me of fruit leather. It is very compact and delicious. This is not a pity review.

avatar
WesternZypher
on 2011-10-16 14:59:00

This song is ballz. To the wallz. :mrgreen:

avatar
Dark Vagabond
on 2011-10-12 23:38:07

Do I hear hints of SID metal in here?

I can't tell because my ears appear to have melted.

avatar
KyleJCrb
on 2011-10-11 17:40:18
Yeah, but your album doesn't come with a facemelting warning like HvV did. XD

No need. Just look at the artist list: it's implied. :-P

avatar
Mirby
on 2011-10-11 16:41:10
I have to admit, when I heard Juan had a hard drive crash and was dropping out of the project, I was extremely disappointed. The song was literally almost done, but not quite there yet, so I had high hopes. Luckily Juan came back and redid it at the last minute, easily surpassing the required facemelting quota for the album (I directed it; OF COURSE it had a facemelting quota!) and making me very happy. Thanks, Sixto. :-)

Yeah, but your album doesn't come with a facemelting warning like HvV did. XD

Also, great track Sixto.

avatar
Shael Riley
on 2011-10-11 16:17:51

This song is pretty fucking alright!

avatar
Csyzr
on 2011-10-10 18:53:42

great track I enjoyed it so much I didnt want to peel away from the music to write this. nice tidbits of the original strewn through out definitely has a spot on my HD.

avatar
KyleJCrb
on 2011-10-10 17:56:38

I have to admit, when I heard Juan had a hard drive crash and was dropping out of the project, I was extremely disappointed. The song was literally almost done, but not quite there yet, so I had high hopes. Luckily Juan came back and redid it at the last minute, easily surpassing the required facemelting quota for the album (I directed it; OF COURSE it had a facemelting quota!) and making me very happy. Thanks, Sixto. :-)

avatar
djpretzel
on 2011-10-10 13:48:55

What did you think? Post your opinion of this ReMix.

Sources Arranged (1 Song)


Primary Game:
Super Dodge Ball (CSG Imagesoft , 1989, NES)
Music by Kazuo Sawa
Songs:
"Versus Play"

Tags (5)


Genre:
Metal,Rock
Mood:
Aggressive
Instrumentation:
Electric Guitar,Synth
Additional:

File Information


Name:
Super_Dodge_Ball_Go_Balls_Deep_OC_ReMix.mp3
Size:
6,948,563 bytes
MD5:
f120001c170e43cd30bf73d4855b2f97
Bitrate:
232Kbps
Duration:
3:56

Promotion

8-bit Jazz Heroes - Press Start
View All

Latest Albums

View All

Latest ReMixes