ReMix:Salamander "Latis Surrounded" 2:46

Thanks for the comments!! It's awesome to read you'll still listening to this track!!

Best,

Jorge.

Cool. I'm really enjoying the beat and slightly spooky sound to this one. Could have been a little longer, but I like it quite a lot. The piano and the percussion really make this ReMix. I do hear the spy bits, but it's a little more clock tower/dark area sounding to me for some reason, which is sweet.

What I like about this mix:

- it's got a Goldeneye/Perfect Dark-like vibe throughout (action/suspense), sometimes fueled by quirks like that familiar tube wind sound 5 seconds in

- in this time signature, just enough pompous emphasis is placed on every starting third (or sixth) note to get me jamming along

- those whirly, almost offbeat synths at 0:29 - 0:32, 0:53 - 0:56, and similar nooks in the melody are like cute little sirens that add to the action

- the piano arpeggio at 2:11/2:12 contrasts with previous similar moments by adding a reflective grace to this post-breakdown section

Most flavorful.

By the way: The track that 'enlightened' me is the first of 'EBP Vol.6', an album you can get here, in the download section of commandcom / Jorge Mira 's webpage:

http://www.jmira.es

or

http://www.commandcom.es

Best,

Jorge

Thanks Rozovian. I really appreciate your comments!

As a matter of a fact, this track was started before the SD Snatcher's one. It came to a point where I was happy with but it lacked something (it didn't have the 'ethnic percussion' and I hadn't neither added the voice bits yet).

As almost everything I do, I must do it quite fast due to 'time constrictions'. The first 'iteration' was done in 2 days.

Then, as I was 'just fine' with the track (not really 'feeling it') I decided to give it a try at the Snatcher one and BORROWED the same arrangement file, with a lot of instruments already 'chosen' for Salamander as a template.

So, indeed, they both share more than a 'feeling'.

But it happens that the 'Snatcher one' was done even quicker: 1 and a half day and It really worked quite well! (I was more 'fresh' with this one, and had my idea even clearer about what to do).

So I decided to submit the Snatcher's one first, as I was happy with it anyway, and shelved the Salamander one. (By the way, this was like the 4th or 5th time I have done a different arrangement of it. Maybe that's why I was so anxious about it: There was so much stuff I wanted to fit that It felt like it was never ok...)

Then, like 3 or 4 moths later, I was scoring a TV documentary about some 'climatic change' theme and I had some Google Earth images in the opening scene. I just wrote a ethereal line with 'Voices of Passion' (the EastWest voice library) over some U2s-esque guitar riffs (something like the beginning of 'Where the streets have no name' meets 'Enya' and then Hans Zimmer puts some percussion over it) and it really worked!

So, I immediately recalled the Salamander one and my 'second verse emptiness trouble'.

Tried it, it was so cool. But then, the groove was still, well... 'still'. So re-thought the bass line, added the 'ethnic percussion' and had a 15 minutes discussion with my younger brother as to why 1/ the voice can't come in sooner (it ruins the surprise) and 2/why I like dull pianos.

Everything was put together in 5-6 hours, and, finally, it worked!

Man, this is awesome. Again, very much a spy/secret agent/commando feel to it. The track overall is cool, the triplet rhythm, the brass stuff, the dynamics, the mix of instruments complementing each other so well, but it really comes alive when the voice comes in.

I was wondering why this remix gave me such a distinct 90's feeling.

There's some Pet Shop Boys here for sure, as they've been also such a big influence in my work. I think also that, the fact this one is a 6/8, brought in some 'Can you forgive her' elements in an inconcious way...

The first part of the song made me think a bit of the first Command Conquer

See, I was wondering why this remix gave me such a distinct 90's feeling. Guess I found a possible reason.

The choice and variety of instruments is great, and the vocals fit in perfectly. Just like anyone else, though, I wish this were longer.

So, what will be your next project? Penguin Adventure?

XD That would be awesome. And F1 Spirit, and Treasure of Usas, and Space Manbow, and King's Valley II, and so many Konami games unique to the MSX platform that have some of THE BEST music in videogaming history. Period.

Nevertheless, as I said in an earlier post, next will be "King Kong 2 (MSX2, 1989)", first stage.

(and final, as this is an EP of 3 tracks 'Push Space Key (A Konami Tribute)')

Hope it makes it on the site for you all to listen!

Best,

Jorge

If you've only played Lifeforce, I would really suggest playing the MSX version of Salamander as well, since it is so much better imho!

There are quite some differences between NES Lifeforce and the MSX version of Salamander, as can be read on wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salamander_(video_game)#MSX" data-cite="\"Wikipedia,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salamander_(video_game

)#MSX"

The MSX port of Salamander is significantly different than the original and any other ports. New to this port is a graphical introduction that introduces human pilots for each ship, as well as names for each stage.

The levels are notably longer than the arcade original, and the player(s) is(are) forced to start from a pre-defined checkpoint upon death of either pilot, instead of starting where he/she left off. After level two, the player can choose the order of the next three stages.

In addition, the player can collect "E" capsules by destroying certain enemies. Collecting fifteen will permanently upgrade one of the available weapons on the power-up bar.

This port also introduced two entirely new ships. Instead of the Vic Viper and the Lord British Space Destroyer, they were replaced by ships known as the Sabel Tiger and the Thrasher; piloted by human characters named Iggy Rock and Zowie Scott. The story takes place in the year 6709 A.D.

As for the remix: commandcom did some lovely work on it!

The first part of the song made me think a bit of the first Command Conquer though , though when it reached 0:50 the Salamander feeling was awesome

It would be nice if commandcom could make an extended version of the remix though, since I certainly would like to hear some more of this classic!

So, what will be your next project? Penguin Adventure?

This takes me waay back.

Lifeforce. Man, this is dredging up some great memories...

Good job on the song CommandCom. But I have to agree, it SHOULD have been longer.

*ya damn tease*

hehehe I played Life Force on my NES recently for the first time. Still not sure why the planet explodes at the end, but meh. Still, a great track. Nice sophomore effort from commandcom.

Life Force was released in Europe as well. And it's always been my favorite Gradius Installment. And this track is just amazing! the source is my favorite of the whole ost and Jorge really does it justice!

the slow tempo and the big, orchestra-in-space feel really does it for me... if it only were 2 minutes longer!!!

oh well, i'll have to put it on repeat then!

great work commandcom. can't wait to hear your next remix!

pretty good stuff, though it took me a few listens to really get into it. excellent variety of instruments with a nice clean sound and great production. nice work!

Thankyou all for your comments, really! Again, as in the Snatcher one or any other I may get into, the real genius is the original writer. Those Konami guys were (are) really talented. As the spirit of this site encourages, there's so much under rated incredible music in videogames it is hard to believe. For me it is a pleasure to revitalize some in a way it can be re-visited and re-rated so it recieves the credit it deserves.

Being said that, I allways have the a mixed feeling about what I lika passionately: I tend to be happy with what I do, but at the same time not sure if it is what I meant it to be in the first place. And in this case it is specially true, as i've tried to do this mix almost 5 times from 1992 or something. So, there was so much I wanted to transmit while being faithfull to the original that, ultimatelly, I may have failed keeping focus on the source wich, for me, is a killer one.

So I'm happy that you like what it has become in the end but please, take a listen to the original game and, with perspective, you'll find an amazing soundtrack that maybe someday gets the recognition it cries for.

Finally, I'm sorry I don't get to make them longer! I don't have all the time I'd wish for this and I must get it done as quickly as I can. Nevertheless, I'm halfway through the final one (King Kong 2's main theme, MSX2 (1989)) and that one, if accepted on this site, will be longer... a little bit longer.

Best,

Jorge

BTW, I can't believe the irony of this: As I said, for me, it has been a long trip from 1992 to make this happen and... look at the ReMix number. 1992. Spooky.