ReMix: Age of Empires 'Realms of Africa'
- Game: Age of Empires (Microsoft, 1997, WIN)
- ReMixer(s): Protricity
- Composer(s): David Rippy, Stephen Rippy
- Song(s): 'Tango Alpha Bravo'
- Posted: 2003-01-19, evaluated by djpretzel
Protricity expands his sound significantly with this Age of Empires ReMix, our first from the popular series. The sheer definition of the instruments - their presence & power - in the intro alone bodes well for the rest of the piece. Loads of ethnic percussion, a variety of plucked, bowed, picked, and wind instruments can't help but lend an otherwordly, global mystique to this very transitive arrangement. The title suggests passing through various lands, perhaps sharing one or two instruments in common but having a different overall musical culture / vibe. Not to be too retentive, but most of this doesn't strike me as all that "African" - I'd say our world-weary traveler unwittingly wanders off the continent into the far east for a quick snack a couple times - but there's chock full o' pitched and unpitched percussion to give Mr. Asulin's title some weight, amongst other elements. I particularly liked the intro here - it's very broad and expansive, hinting at possibilities and creating the right atmosphere for pre-safari thoughts of potential wonders lying ahead. Or maybe I've just stopped on the Discovery Channel one too many times whilst channel-surfing :) Another kudos would be the intonation and articulation - this isn't the type of "world music" that just uses exotic instruments in an otherwise Western compositional context - Prot has some legit shtuffs going on, which results in a culturally flavored ReMix the likes of which is pretty unique to OCR and a well-appreciated deviation. Recommended.
- WesternZypher on December 29, 2010
What I think is remarkable about this mix, besides the usual soaringly high level of production quality from Protricity, is that it has a great narrative approach to its design. It's full of space and distance, which is probably not the most musically enticing thing to hear, but from a conceptual perspective, it really helps let the mix sink deeper into you.
It starts with a drawn out intro and the establishment of melody, but then crosses into a transitory bridge that stretches across the entire centre of the mix, like a massive African grassland. This section is slow, drawn back and full of stopping and starting, until finally we reach the last section; a nice driving reflection of the journey.
While not technically or superficially superior to Protricity's more celebrated tracks, I think this one is one of the more interesting. It's designed very nicely, and while not the most listenable style of arrangement out there, that hasn't stopped me from giving it many dozens of listens over the years.
- Marmiduke on August 5, 2010
- OA on December 3, 2009
- metalsnakejuice on September 25, 2009
- duskvstweak on September 23, 2009
AnotherOneBitesTheDust;8248 wrote: You really have to listen to the whole thing to appreciate it. It's one of those songs that takes you on a journey. Opens up with nice atmosphere to show what's going to go down. No distinct melody or pattern is present until 1:15. It continues in it's growth from there to 1:48 where something loud is noticable and you can get "into it".
About half way through things stop.
Another melody seems to be growing. I am reminded of various places from the game Terranigma. Things keep growing in this second half until it hits 3:35 where my favorite part comes in. A slow string guides you through the rhythm with the melody at the same time. Something very dramatic and eerie about this part. I like it a lot, same goes for any other song that successfully pulls that feeling off.
The drums vary, mostly being either absent or blended perfectly in the background, nothing techno about this at all. 5 minutes? Seems like 2.
Yeah, it does have a Terranigma feel to it. Speaking of which, we need more remixes of that game AND Age of Empires :D
- HoboKa on April 28, 2007
Thanks, Protricity.
- Kapyrna on April 27, 2007
Prophecy wrote: I have been mixing for ten years and have created 200+ songs.
OMG.
And I also love this mix. It sounds like a sad music in some transitions. The effects created by Protricity are very nice. Cool placement of percussion. Everything here is well placed. But personally the effects are my favourite thing in this work.
Excellent job.
- Txai on November 4, 2005
Very well done transitions, and the choir specifically was interesting to me.
- watkinzez on October 19, 2005
- DiamondBerg on May 6, 2005
What drew me in was defenitely the begining. It transported me to the Jungles and Deserts of unexplored terrain. Having never heard the original, the piece loses interest for me after somewhere in the middle, but it's still very listenable and gets points for simply going to so many different places, quite like the Morrowind mix, "Isle of Edges." Great work.
Zipp
- Zipp on March 4, 2005
- Vash the Stampede on May 8, 2004
- Taisuru on March 1, 2004