Posted 2014-10-15, evaluated by djpretzel


3001 = PALPABLE!! Vinnie killed it on his last mix, a collaboration with DiGi Valentine & Bekah Jones, and now he's back with a solo vocal EDM ReMix of Symphony of the Night!! We usually have to wait a year or more between his arrangements, so this is a real treat, and he's really upped his production ante; this mix shimmers and shines with a crisp, modern soundfield that just sounds plain old great. Plus, vocals - and damn good ones! This is our first ReMix of this particular source, which is surprising as I'd consider it a highlight of an already excellent soundtrack. The artist writes:

"I've been obsessed with deadmau5's "The Veldt" for a while, so I wanted to take that style and do something darker. The similarities should be obvious. "Lost Painting" from Symphony of the Night seemed to fit it pretty well, and the major parts of the song came together quickly. The big question when creating this mix was whether I should do the vocals myself. I'm still self-conscious about my own voice, but it's a perfect song for my range, so I decided I had to sing it because if I didn't, I probably won't ever sing anything. In the end, after many takes, I was extremely happy with how it came out and I hope y'all like it too. As always, zircon provided excellent production help and ideas, and Diodes helped me smooth out some of the lyrics."

I don't want to dwell too long on the mixing & mastering, but it really does have a velvet sheen to it that sounds (buzz phrase incoming) "radio ready" - the attention to detail and the imaging are very slick. Some of that is programming/automation, too, with modulation keeping every last component feeling warm & alive. Having heard Vinnie sing before, I was waiting for him to try adding his own vocals to one of his mixes, and this is a great way to finally take that plunge. Autotuning is noticeable but not flagrant (wouldn't bother me if it were, personally, though some seem to mind), the original lyrics remain legible at all times, and while I actually think the "find" in "can't find a way out of it" stretches his range just a bit, I like the end result, because that's a lyric that should sound that way - it makes sense. Larry writes:

"Nice work, Vinnie! Props on the vocals too. Everything's tuned nicely and you have a good sound. Plus, in a nice touch, the lyrics have a loose connection to the world and imagery of Castlevania. Really creative spin on this; I've enjoyed "Lost Painting" for a long time, and it was cool hearing its various sections used throughout the piece! Respect for going out of your comfort zone and making the interpretation sound like a natural fit. No risk, no reward.

We don't get nearly enough coverage of Michiru Yamane's attention-grabbing music from Symphony of the Night. How about someone tackling "Rainbow Cemetery" or "Marble Gallery" next? ;-)"

No objections here; this arrangement does a superlative job of adapting Yamane's original into a sweet, upbeat EDM vocal pop package, with a bow on it. It's catchy, it works, and the level of polish is impressive even relative to Palpable's other mixes, which have all been varying degrees of meticulous. This is also our first straight-up SOTN mix since Morse's "Wandering Latinas" back in 2010 - crazy, eh? Vinnie's teaching English in Vietnam right now, which from what I've seen looks like the journey of a lifetime, but he took some of his music stuff with him, so hopefully he can keep at it. He's really noticeably improved his EDM craftsmanship lately, and it's starting to pay off in a major way. A great way to kick off the 3XXX series; highly recommended.

djpretzel

Discussion

Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the complete thread or post your own.
avatar
Slither2Unknown
on 2023-01-30 08:34:45

Wow! This is a fantastic song. Beautiful vocals, resonant lyrics. Nice instrumentation, with a richness of layers to rival the best kind of chill pop electronica. And it's just gorgeously put together, all the elements complimenting each other, such as the transition from vocal to layered chimes around 2m50s. When I glanced at the length a third of the way through on first listen, I worried that it might stretch on and become repetitive. It never did, but shifted away from verses into more of a dance track with repeated refrain, and very organically so.

I was also wondering whether we were going to get some unambiguous reference to vampires or Castlevania at some point which might lend this song that awkwardness that some video game mixes have of only being good in a context where you're thinking about the game. But it doesn't do that, either! I can dig the hell out of this track without feeling it has to be tied to anything outside of itself. It plays with some really resonant themes to living with depression and isolation in a way that I can really appreciate!

I suppose for someone who had actually played Symphony of the Night (I haven't; Travesty! I know...) there are probably some references that make it even better to appreciate from the perspective of a fan. "Outside the frame" hints at the interesting image of someone trapped in a portrait or something and I suspect that makes more sense to those in-the-know, but is still very poignant without context.

avatar
evktalo
on 2016-11-03 09:54:31

This is a real mellow synthelectric song. I like the bells. Nice timesignature trickery in the intro. I like the room given to the vocals in the first verse.

This could’ve been a legitimate song arrangement/structure by the three minute mark already. The extended middle section is nice to have though, with some smart arranging, a good wind-down and build-up that feels unobvious as well. Love the little pauses in the bit with just one synth. Very powerful. The prog nerd in me wished that the time signature thing was repeated in the middle section, but that pausing thing is much more appropriate and quite engaging emotionally actually.

The processing of the vocals sits a bit in the uncanny valley for me: the autotuning is very apparent, while the voice itself is very organic for the most part. I feel like going to a more processed OR a less apparent pitch correction might have felt more engaging.

The vocals feel mixed a little low and especially the verses feel a little timid. Choruses on the other hand are pretty good on all these accounts, rising the energy like a good chorus should. The organic/processed ratio also feels good.

All in all, these are clearly amateur vocals, but pulled off certainly well enough to be enjoyable, I would say they are quite palpable. Lyrics are all right too, they flow well and are easy to follow. Bits feel stretched (“cru-el”, “chi-ild”) and one part feels a little crammed in (“lost hope”) but most bits with lots of words in small space sound good rhythmically.

Gets stuck in the head like a stake in the heart too.

avatar
gyrrakavian
on 2016-09-09 02:08:46

Nicely done!

I had this playing on my MP3 player at work and my coworkers did mistake it for deadmau5.

Part way through my first time listening to this, I thought of that loop of Peridot dancing and my brain turned it into a Lapis music video the second time I listened to it.

avatar
Darksymphony777
on 2016-09-01 14:52:33

loved this song but i felt with the lyrics that this song should have been a duet. and maybe they should have been tweaked a little so it'd would have been a full song instead of stopping at 2:53 and then waiting until 4:40 to sing the same lyrics.

avatar
Black_Doom
on 2015-12-10 13:43:51

Electronica is surely the name of the game, when it comes to Palp's mixes, and this one is no exception, yeah. Solid toe-tapping beats, nice synth work and such, of course... But damn, there're some vocals on top as well! And I should point out, that they are just greatly performed. Killer work!

avatar
Chernabogue
on 2015-12-02 16:06:07

Nice choice of source, and neat concept of remix -- keeping the vocals is great here. Plus the lyrics are very interesting and well-written. Later on, the track really shines with great arrangement ideas. I swear I can hear few quotes from other tracks from SotN. Production is excellent, everything sounds very-well mixed. Not my usual cup of tea but...More please! :D

avatar
esteve7
on 2015-08-20 15:13:25

Usually I don't like a song with vocals, but this was perfect. Really well done

avatar
Gwee
on 2014-10-26 03:34:31

great original take on a favorite of mine. noticed the deadmau5 prog-house influence before being confirmed in the description lol. I'm also thinking of trying to incorporate songwriting and lyrics into some remixes coming up. good to see someone pull it off with this level of quality :mrgreen:

avatar
Crulex
on 2014-10-20 13:12:56

Nice, man. This is some strong stuff, and the vocals go well with the music and the beat. A great job on those vocals for sure. The Deadmou5 flair is in there and makes things all the better. Agreed that it does sound like it's ready to go to radio with the vibe it gives off. Cool ReMix.

avatar
CausticBleach
on 2014-10-16 23:17:58

I wasn't the biggest fan of the vocals at first, but the more I listened, the more I got used to it. I love this BGM from SotN, one of my favorite Castlevania games, the remix keeps the source recognizable while it also sounds original.

avatar
DiGi Valentine
on 2014-10-15 21:23:36

Daaaamn! Ok, yeah, you can definitely hold your own vocally! Lol, what took you so long to finally jump on the mic, man? XD

Yeah, this is nice. Definitely do more vocal stuff in the future if you can. You have my attention, for sure!! Great work!

avatar
Uffe von Lauterbach
on 2014-10-15 20:58:39

Someone would probably think this was done by Deadmau5 if they heard it playing in a club. :lol: This is certainly interesting.

avatar
OverClocked PodCast
on 2014-10-15 19:17:15

By the demonic cuff links of Dracula's finely tailored linens, this is a fun song. I didn't expect vocals to pop up, but when they did I found myself surprised by how naturally they fit. The build was really satisfying, too-- especially that rad, little solo at 4:25!

avatar
Diodes
on 2014-10-15 13:54:59

Yaaaaay! Really happy to see this here. I think this is absolutely Vinnie's best work to date, and I am so so happy he is finally singing main vocals on a remix. I have been trying to get him to do that for a long time ;)

Now I feel like I am just repeating myself, because I just said this about your previous remix, but I really like the build-ups and transitions; you have such a mastery over control of energy flow. Example: how the first chorus comes in sparse, but then builds up to the full version. These changes of energy, never staying in one groove for too long before evolving, give a feeling of forward momentum that keeps attention and interest throughout the piece.

Overall I'd say this is a technically well-done piece, not unlike artists BT and Deadmau5, it conveys plenty of emotion, and it's catchy as hell. In fact, listening to it, I feel compelled to do an acoustic cover of it, if only because it's so catchy and sing-along-able. :smile: Great job once again.

avatar
Yami
on 2014-10-15 13:00:12

I have currently Lost Paintings stuck in my head, so this was pretty fitting. Yet I'm not sure yet if I like the lyrics because I'm depressed and all and they fit too good. But the singing is great

Sources Arranged (1 Song)


Primary Game:
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (Konami , 1997, PS1)
Music by akiropito,Jeff Lorber,Michiru Yamane,Rika Muranaka,Tomoko Sano,Tony Haynes
Songs:
"Lost Painting"

Tags (7)


Genre:
EDM,Pop
Mood:
Instrumentation:
Electronic,Singing,Synth,Vocals: Male
Additional:
Lyrics > Lyrics: Original

File Information


Name:
Castlevania_Symphony_of_the_Night_Lost_in_a_Nightmare_OC_ReMix.mp3
Size:
9,825,105 bytes
MD5:
82d9d0fa455a99eadb5a8941086a0007
Bitrate:
227Kbps
Duration:
5:42

In time, you will find the world is a dark and cruel place
Built on the remains of lost hope and broken dreams
But somewhere past the shadows, there is a home for you and me
Away from the madness, all of their stares and screams

When I was a child watching the evil in this city
I heard holy voices calling across the sea
Out there was a land where we could be safe and never frightened
Now after all that we've been through, do I still believe?

We're lost in a nightmare
Can't find a way out of it
Lost in a nightmare

We're lost in a nightmare
Can't find a way out of it
Lost in a nightmare
I can't see through the grays
That someone is dreaming
But nobody wants to see
And I wonder if there's life outside the frame

We're lost in a nightmare
Can't find a way out of it
Lost in a nightmare
I can't see through the grays
That someone is dreaming
But nobody wants to see
And I wonder if there's life
Yeah, I hope that there is life
Yeah, there's got to be a life outside the frame

Yeah, yeah

Promotion

8-bit Jazz Heroes - Press Start
View All

Latest Albums

View All

Latest ReMixes