ReMix: Mega Man 10 'Solarcoil'

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Game: Mega Man 10 (Capcom, 2010, WII)
ReMixer(s): Draconiator
Composer(s): Akari Kaida, Hiroki Isogai, Ippo Yamada, Makoto Tomozawa, Manami Matsumae, Mari Yamaguchi, Minae Fujii, Ryo Kawakami, Shusaku Uchiyama, Yasuaki Fujita, Yu Shimoda, Yuko Takehara
Song(s): 'Solar Inferno (Solar Man Stage)', 'Spring Man'
Posted: 2012-11-14, evaluated by the judges

Draconiator makes his OCR debut with this MM10 electronica mix from the GRMRB 2011:

"This is my entry for the Grand Robot Master Remix battle 2011, first round. I really didn't feel that comfortable at first when JakeSnke17 urged me to enter, and I kind of felt like I leapt before I looked, to be honest. But as it came closer, I started getting excited about it. I was so excited that I knocked this one out in 1.5 days once the contest got going. I got paired up with Prophetik, who had Spring Man.

This is in the form of a pop song. It has 2 "verses" and two "choruses" and a bridge. Each verse is 4 or 8 (depending on how you look at it) lines long, and each line is split in half as far as what robot master I used, Solar Man first, then Spring Man. The chorus has Spring Man with some original writing. The bridge is all Solar Man. I had to be creative with the interpretation because both songs are in a different key, and I wrote this in yet another key."

DarkeSword's Mega Man compos have been absolutely brilliant, not only in terms of producing tons of amazing arrangements, but also in getting a lot of newcomers on board; reiterated kudos to him for organizing these events. Justin resubmitted this mix twice based on panel feedback, but I think this final version justifies that time & effort with sweet beats (love dem toms) and funky, sliding synth lead. The formant lead synth is so slippery, resonant, and thick that it ends up dominating the track, but that's not a bad thing per se - it's distinct, unusual, and I like it. Orchestra hits add to the retro vibe, as do shimmering bell pads, and the overall aesthetic pairs well with the source tunes. OA writes:

"I think the level of detail that has been added to this is pretty remarkable, and the song feels a lot more interesting. There is a lot of new variation, some additional instruments, and some new harmony. The beats feel a lot more dynamic, and the transitions are solid. Each time the melody returns, there is a slight variation on it, keeping it feeling fresh. Pretty solid resub, nice work!"

Larry & Jesse had some criticisms, but I liked Palpable's response:

"I didn't like the formant lead at first, especially on those slides, but started to like it more as it added notes in higher octaves. I didn't agree with Larry that the added stabs and lead notes broke up the flow. Sounded totally natural to me and was a fine way to develop the mix. Not to mention, even though the patterns you use there have been used prior, that combination has not been used before - the first verse is a lot sparser. In all, I thought this was good stuff, pretty easy to pass."

I concur; I can also see people being iffy on that lead just because the sound is so specific and, as mentioned, consumes the majority of the track, but I think it's actually a differentiator that makes this mix stand out, makes it more memorable than it might have been otherwise. Great debut from Justin that fully embraces a texture & runs with it, while also doing a solid job incorporating two different sources!

― djpretzel

Discussion: Latest 7 comments/reviews; view the complete thread or post your own.

This is a really well-balanced "competitive" Remix; I didn't feel like either source was overpowering the other in terms of usage or presence, which is how most tend to make me feel. Definitely an energetic piece, in a very good way - I usually prefer chiller pieces for multiple listenings, but this is definitely an exception; I foresee many, many replays of it.
Oh, and a belated congratulations on getting posted. :350: :nicework:

- Melbu Frahma on November 21, 2012

Whoa this sounds a lot better than the version from the GRMRB 2011. I liked it then, but this version is definitely 100x better. I'm still not terribly fond of that lead, but overall I dig it. Nice job!

- SuperiorX on November 15, 2012

Proud of ya man. Like I was saying earlier, going through that many revisions and turning the tide of the panel...had to be a hectic journey. The GRMRB made a lot of us grow and expand in a very short amount of time. Learning new styles, making pieces of video game music mash up in a way that most people wouldn't have even thought of.
This remix is pretty kickin'. :D
I'm glad I talked you into joining the tournament. Here's looking out for your sophomore mix to be posted.
Best of luck. :)

- Jakesnke17 on November 14, 2012

Aww snap, Drac got mixposted! Congratulations, man!

- Flexstyle on November 14, 2012

It finally made it! Congrats Draconiator!!!
I personally loved this track in the GRMRB 2011. I can see where the judges had their reservations in passing this, although I personally think the lead is just fine. Hope to hear more tracks like this from you.

- Nonamer on November 14, 2012

I remember this mix from the GRMRB!
I seem to remember voting for this one, and you did lose against the runner up, so yeah... this was, and is, pretty good! :D

- WillRock on November 14, 2012

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

- djpretzel on November 14, 2012