Posted 2016-10-26, evaluated by djpretzel


Drum solo says WHAT!? Don't hear a lot of those, but this delicious jazz + funk + blues arrangement of "The Goddess Appears" from Link to the Past, courtesy the singular & almost disgustingly talented Nostalvania (Markus), does indeed feature one, at 2'08". Other highlights include an active, interesting, & funkadelic bassline, some precise guitar writing, and tactile, satisfying EP solos:

"Alright, here is another Zelda jazz/funk remix by me. In one of his write-ups, djpretzel once said that he would like to hear a drum solo in some of my future remixes, and, well, here it is, my very first drum solo. Since it was the first time, i wasn't sure how to do it, so I actually just hit the record button and played it in live on my keyboard. And it sounded... awful. :) But, with some editing (lots of editing), I was able to create something decent.

It also was the first time I used a guitar as a solo instrument."

Source breakdown:

0:00-0:11 - Drum intro
0:11-0:56 - "The Goddess Appears" melody
0:56-1:19 - Interlude, guitar solo

1:19-1:41 - E-piano solo:
1:19-1:25 - Melody
1:30-1:34 - Melody in left hand of piano

1:41-2:05 - Guitar solo:
1:41-1:47 - Melody (guitar)
1:41-2:03 - Melody in piano comping

2:05-2:52 - Drum solo:
2:05-2:49 - "The Goddess Appears" chord progression in piano chords/kicks

2:52-3:14 - Melody
3:14-3:26 - Interlude, EP solo
3:26-3:37 - Guitar solo

3:37-3:50 - Ending:
3:40-3:47 - Melody

Breakdown appreciated, as always!

I'm honored that Markus not only paid attention to what I had to say, but actually considered the suggestion & moved ahead with it... if only I had that type of reception with my nearly three-year-old daughter :) Breaking the drum solo up with the EP chord progression hits makes complete sense and extends it out quite a bit, with each new set of bars trying a different fill/feel & keeping things fresh throughout. Drum solos can wax soporific if things go on too long without a melodic/harmonic reference point, at least in my opinion, so for me this totally works & remained compelling in its entirety.

Stylistically, I'm reminded of "The Goddess Gets Groovy Tonight," mostly because Garrett & Jordanius poured comparable amounts of funk & style into that mix, but this is a little more traditional/instrumental in its approach. Feels like a group of seasoned session players got together and worked out something they could all trade back and forth, in a natural & symbiotic way. Not much else to say - fantastic stuff, Markus picked the perfect source & context for experimenting with a drum solo, the performances are all top notch & soulful/groovy, and I love that he's trying new things, challenging himself, and still coming up with gold - highly recommended!

djpretzel

Discussion

Latest 8 comments/reviews; view the complete thread or post your own.
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Crulex
on 2024-03-30 12:20:18

Quite the sexy jazzy blues number we've got here, but that's no surprise for Nostalvania, who has the art of funk mastered. So smooth and enjoyable, well done.

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WesternZypher
on 2016-11-02 12:05:36

Reminds of the Pictionary remix. Def light, smooth and sweet.

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MechaFone
on 2016-10-31 10:30:09

Loved it! Very jazzy, highly enjoyable. The kind of song that I could put on repeat and zone out or do some kitchen work to.

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timaeus222
on 2016-10-31 01:31:25

I've been listening to Keyscape demos lately, and they've reminded me just how nicely a clean electric guitar lead can blend with an electric piano or wurlitzer. This ReMix exemplifies that. Slick solos (even your first-timer drum solo!). Also, I'm not at all bothered by the wurlitzer LFO panning. It's common to see that happening for an FM-y tone like that.

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eggsngaming
on 2016-10-27 09:53:51

Dat bass tho.

I think the organ panning just narrowly avoids being distracting. The guitar at 1:43 doing sixteenth notes seems a bit rushed and super slightly off time, but the second time through at 2:54 it sounds better. The drums breaks section is extensive and creative, really enjoyed that.

Nostalvania, have you considered making a LttP album in this style? Or maybe just Zelda in general? You really have a knack for this stuff

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MindWanderer
on 2016-10-26 19:45:44

Arrangement is great, as always, but... am I the only one bothered by the ping-pong panning on that organ? I know that's a thing they do, but I'm finding it literally disorienting listening to that.

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Geoffrey Taucer
on 2016-10-26 15:47:19

ooooh, this is smooth. I like it!

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Liontamer
on 2016-10-21 16:20:02

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

Sources Arranged (1 Song)


Primary Game:
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (Nintendo , 1991, SNES)
Music by Koji Kondo
Songs:
"The Goddess Appears"

Tags (9)


Genre:
Blues,Funk,Jazz
Mood:
Energetic,Funky,Jazzy
Instrumentation:
Electric Guitar,Electric Piano
Additional:
Arrangement > Extended Soloing

File Information


Name:
Legend_of_Zelda_A_Link_to_the_Past_Divinity_OC_ReMix.mp3
Size:
6,358,978 bytes
MD5:
fadb921fe774dd1beb0bbcd800d7c76d
Bitrate:
215Kbps
Duration:
3:53

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