ReMix: Halo: Combat Evolved 'Fall from Above (You Can't Stop)'
- Game: Halo: Combat Evolved (Microsoft, 2001, XBOX)
- ReMixer(s): Arkimedes
- Composer(s): Martin O'Donnell, Michael Salvatori
- Song(s): 'Halo'
- Posted: 2004-04-21, evaluated by the judges
Arkimedes gives us this highly interpretive but also highly enjoyable Halo mix of the title theme. There's some robot voice going on here that might initially seem cheesy but gets really rather cool & trickster at 2'12" where it's mixed in with some additional proclamations as to our collective inability to stop the beat... definitely works well with the choral underpinnings, which are the clearest remnants of the original. Things intro with some percolating, oscillating synth pulses, then minimal drums and a very nice, warm analog bassline come in and kick + vocal samples join the fun. The strength and warmth of the bassline go a long way towards providing a foundation for the track, and as strings swell in and lead the way to those crazy & wild monks, they keep the lowend thumping. There's a gradual addition and succession of ingredients here that truly keep things interesting and maintain momentum, and some great details like the morphing processing applied to the "you can't stop" sample. When the beat eventually DOES stop (hey, false advertising!) it's in a tasteful denouement, stripped-down breakbeat fade fashion. The Wingless offered this pseudo-misogynistic metaphor:
"Man, I am lovin' dis song. It's about time us Xbox fanboys came out of the woodwork and started making some noise. Excellent synth work here mixed with the Halo tabernakkkul choir. I'm sure some would find the "can't stop"-age bothersome, but I like it. Great variation, dynamics, samples, yadda yadda yadda. It's like a pretty girl that knows how to cook and clean..."
Good first sub from Arkimedes, who takes a minimalist theme and turns it into a more elaborate electronica affair without being too indulgent or stretching things too far.
- duskvstweak on December 28, 2011
- Codamadius on December 3, 2011
- WesternZypher on November 13, 2010
- Liontamer on March 29, 2009
Barring that, this would be pretty good, and I really love the organic techno/biotechno vibe going on here. It's just sort of a "two steps forward, one step back" situation.
Not bad though.
- 42 on March 26, 2009
Interesting, but it doesn't quite gel for me.
- OA on March 25, 2009
Nobbynob Littlun;282558 wrote: I saved this at first, but ended up deleting from my harddrive. Every time I listen to it, it sounds... more boring. No offense, it just didn't feel imaginative, or enthusiastic. I don't have any problems production-wise, it's just bland, and the Can't Stop gets annoying. If I were a judge, I'd give this a NO... ah well.
I'm glad you're not a judge then. :-D This one is overlooked and very inspired. Just because the track has some ideas that repeat doesn't mean the track is repetitive overall. I wish Jaron would have submitted his other material; he's got some great ones that never surfaced here, especially "Ticking Clocks".
- Liontamer on June 12, 2007
- Nobbynob Littlun on June 12, 2007
Also, when the sample becomes more like a real voice at the end, there's too much treble on the S's or something.
- Audity on October 29, 2006
- Baruch, Vampire Lord on August 29, 2005
- Super Metal Mario on May 4, 2005
- Bladewind on April 20, 2005
haha its a good song.... if you listen to the origional Halo music... its alot more opera and concert etc. but (he said but!) its got a kick @$$ beat!!
- Cheeszeman_ on September 27, 2004
- Wing-Zero on June 28, 2004