ReMix:Zelda II: The Adventure of Link "Thelonius Temple" 2:14

By MC

Arranging the music of one song...

"Temple BGM"

Primary Game: Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (Nintendo , 1987, NES), music by Akito Nakatsuka

Posted 2000-07-19, evaluated by djpretzel


Ya know, as great as techno / electronica is, it's always fun when I get a submission in another musical genre. Thisjazzy ReMix of the temple theme from ZeldaII is arranged REALLY well by first-time contributor Michael Contraveos. Just listen to some of the piano colors and tones - very slick! Especially the upright bass pitch warble at the end - a great detail! I recommend this to everyone to check out how almost any song can be turned into a Jazz mix if done well. Major kudos to Mike.

djpretzel

Discussion

Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the complete thread or post your own.
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timaeus222
on 2015-08-25 19:36:47

Wow, for such an old track, even for its absolute length, I find it a complete arrangement, and quite well-thought-out. This is a solid jazz arrangement with somewhat of a Latin feel to it, and some pretty good production.

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Tables
on 2015-08-24 09:16:24

Awww I think it's great that this theme was being mixed before Melee's Temple stage kind of made it cool again.

I love piano based mixes quite a bit, especially ones with a great deal of free-formedness, so this one hits the money in my book. A shame that it's so short, but this is arranged in a way that doesn't make me feel like I'm missing out on more song or that I got cut off before the natural end. Which is kind of rare for this era of OCR to be honest. I remember being a big fan of MC's other remixes, and this first mix makes his future seem very promising.

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timaeus222
on 2014-10-24 00:52:34
Forgive me for being a noob, but what is an updater machine?

A construct for modernization.

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AustNerevar
on 2014-10-24 00:50:13
When you look past the fact this was way back in the earliest of OCR days, I can only imagine what this would have turned into if it was put into an updater machine, because this has some great ideas, if anything. Kinda short and there is always a minor detail to pick on, but for the most part it's not bad.

Forgive me for being a noob, but what is an updater machine?

On another note, the source for this track has always reminded me of the Pokemon battle music. I wander if Junichi Masuda was playing Link 2 when he was trying to compose the music for Pokemon Red and Green.

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Crulex
on 2014-05-28 12:15:59

When you look past the fact this was way back in the earliest of OCR days, I can only imagine what this would have turned into if it was put into an updater machine, because this has some great ideas, if anything. Kinda short and there is always a minor detail to pick on, but for the most part it's not bad.

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dANGER boy
on 2011-12-13 16:18:59

This ReMix can be summed up in one word - sexy. The piano is just perfect for this and some of the little improv bits are just great. The symbal in the background is well-done and not annoying. Definitely has a dark yet jazzy feel to it with the bass in the background. Way up there on my list of quality Zelda ReMixes. Fantabulous ending too!

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ella guro
on 2009-12-02 22:45:16

I'm glad this popped up. I always really liked this one! Love the piano playing (it's very creative), especially in the intro. The backing is kinda weak by today's standards, but it still holds its own well enough.

I don't get why he changed the rhythm up slightly in the melody. There was really no reason to. It kinda gets on my nerves, even if it's a minor thing. And you know, this really could be longer!

But otherwise, awesome stuff!

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DragonAvenger
on 2009-12-02 22:28:05

This is a mix that surprises me that it has such few reviews. If it came out now, I would understand the lack of people hyping about it, but for #0082 I would think there would still be a good amount of excitement, and this one probably was pretty awesome for the day.

Bringing this to jazz is an easy step, and I find this to be pretty well done. I like the writing on the intro especially, though not as much the performance. The transition into the dungeon theme is just right.

I feel like overall this could have been maybe 8 clicks slower on a metronome, it feels just a little rushed as it is. Also, that is one very hyper hi hat.

Check this one out, some good stuff going on here.

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Emunator
on 2009-10-04 01:17:48

Hey, this was a pleasant surprise! :-) The piano felt a bit rigid at times but once you got a groove going it didn't feel that way anymore. The only real problem I've got with this is the hi-hat... the way it was sequenced in that machine gun style feels kinda lazy and very distracting.

Great take on the source material, it took me a while to figure out I was even listening to a Zelda II remix but once it hit me, it was a really cool feeling! Overall, I'm liking this a lot!

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Rozovian
on 2008-12-23 15:53:43

So many ways you could imagine this going, but it turns into some nice, conservative jazz. OA pointed out the drums, especially the hihat, being a little busy, but it just adds flavor and character imo.

I know I've heard it before, but I guess it takes a closer listen to appreciate it. It doesn't really stand out among oldies, certainly not among newer remixes, but there are oldies I never want to hear again and then there are oldies I can listen to again and again. Of the two, this belongs in the latter category.

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OA
on 2007-07-03 13:01:27

Damn, I am really impressed by this, even more so that it is such an old school track. I agree the piano is a bit thin before the combo comes in, but the playing throughout is beautifully expressive. This is one mix I missed along the way and I really regret it. Good thing I got a second chance to grab it.

I love the power when the rhythm section comes in. Very understated but nice. It seems drum programming-wise that a little too much is going on, mostly with the hi-hat.

Three armed drummer? I guess maybe the arch nemesis of Rick Allen. "Hey give that back!"

Recommended for sure.

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Radiowar
on 2007-05-27 14:25:11

the piano sounds really dry in the intro, but once the rest of the instruments come in it isn't really an issue. the drums aren't the greatest though. i am interested in hearing the lo-fi version of this that liontamer mentioned, i think the drums would sound better in that context. but for one of the earlier remixes this is really good

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Deductive Dave
on 2007-05-17 17:16:03

One of my top favorites. This simple, no-frills jazz piece sounds like something you would hear live at a coffee shop or other small venue.

It starts with a classic jazz piano style intro, then moves into a more minimalist jazz trio sound once it gets into the actual temple theme.

What more can I say? Definitely worth a download.

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Chickenwarlord
on 2006-08-08 23:54:55

This song is sexily jazzy. Seriously, pick up a copy of yours today, you won't regret it,

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Liontamer
on 2006-05-01 16:41:17

Yeah, though the piano sounds thin, this deserves more attention. Loved the arrangement; it's got tons of energy, and the execution was top-flight for something so early in the site's history. Great stuff, Mike.

I'm an even bigger fan of "Thelonius Temple Low" for it's grittier/"live recording"-type feel. Seems like most people have no idea where to get a copy of that nowadays, but my fellow Emory bro Electron was nice enough to hook me up with a copy.

Sources Arranged (1 Song)


Primary Game:
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (Nintendo , 1987, NES)
Music by Akito Nakatsuka
Songs:
"Temple BGM"

Tags (10)


Genre:
Jazz,Latin
Mood:
Happy,Jazzy
Instrumentation:
Acoustic,Piano
Additional:
Arrangement > Trio
Time > Duration: Short
Time > Tempo: Variable
Time > Time Signature: Variable

File Information


Name:
Zelda_2_Thelonius_Temple_OC_ReMix.mp3
Size:
3,846,018 bytes
MD5:
31705705d438d03e7c125a0024388d05
Bitrate:
224Kbps
Duration:
2:14

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