Top 5 Best Remixed Rare Albums
The emergence of talented musicians who have come forward with their own interpretations of Rare‘s classic melodies is found in no short supply on the interwebs. Audiophile TitanicPiano14 has crafted a swinging rendition of what could only be described as Conker’s Jazz Fur Day on piano, while maestros Gooseworx and SigmaRidley have conducted boss battle remasterings and sweeping orchestral scores for good measure. If you love Rare as much as we do however, it’s not enough to dedicate hours of work into beautiful artistic expression – no, unhealthy obsession starts with creating an entire album of your reinterpretations for the world to hear. Listen up! These are the Top 5 Best Remixed Rare Albums.
#5. DIDDY KONG RACING: BOOTLEG CIRCUIT -BENJAMIN BRIGGS
Compressing the best of Diddy Kong Racing into a 17 minute nostalgia fueled trip was once considered a feat best suited for speedrunners, but if you lack the talent then Diddy Kong Racing: Bootleg Circuit offers an interesting substitute. Finding its niche somewhere between atmospheric trance music and pulsing electronica, this debut effort from Benjamin Briggs combines the iconic ambiance and in-game sounds produced by David Wise with his own bit of creative exploration – leading up to a crescendo of house beats, stylized instrumental solo or chirpy interjection of Diddy Kong Racing character voices. As an added treat, all of the tracks have been interwoven together flawlessly, so listening to each track back-to-back is nearly as wild as the racing adventure it’s been based on. Definitely worth a listen on all counts!
Diddy Kong Racing Bootleg Circuit Preview (Benjamin Briggs)
#4. ASTROTHSOUNDS PRESENTS: DONKEY KONG 64 REMIXES – ASTROTHSOUNDS
German composer AstrothSounds is hardly unfamiliar with the boffo tunes in Donkey Kong 64, and in honor of the game seemingly too big for a single banana yellow cartridge has dedicated five years to compose nearly 30 remastered tracks in his Donkey Kong 64 Remix compilation. From Jungle Japes‘s “Tropen Trubel” to Hideout Helm‘s “K.K. Rools Kommandantur”, each interpretation presents an unexpected foray into dance anthems, unexpected techno restylings or suprisingly serene synthesizers (as heard in “Kristall Kaveren”, a re-imagining for Crystal Caves). While the tunes are ultimately faithful to their original counterparts, the addition of his own creative mixes, unorthodox pairing and interesting instruments adds a unique spin on the established themes that any Rare fan should be familiar with.
AstrothSounds Presents: Donkey Kong 64 Remixes Preview (AstrothSounds)
#3. GOLDENEYE: SOURCE OST – BASSTRONIX, SOLE SIGNAL, GOLDENZEN
While the golden days of Bond‘s first FPS excursion may look a little aged compared to the more contemporary fare currently available, a band of dedicated gamers collaborated on moving GoldenEye: 007 into the current generation with a Half-Life 2 modification called GoldenEye Source. While the title is impressive in its own right, the GoldenEye: Source OST swept us off our feet with its gloriously updated score and suave stylings that would rival Bond himself. Clearly outdoing themselves, Basstronix, Sole Signal and GoldenZen also provided their own takes on shared themes, adding variety to the collaboration. Arguably the strangest addition is “Golden Pie!” by Anna Surento; a remarkable sound-alike of the GoldenEye film theme which features nonsensical lyrics regarding grilled cheese, among other things.
GoldenEye Source OST Preview (Basstronix, Sole Signal, GoldenZen)
#2. DONKEY KONG COUNTRY 2: SERIOUS MONKEY BUSINESS – OVERCLOCKED REMIX
Truly indicative of its title, Serious Monkey Business was the combined effort of 24 extremely talented musicians who sought to reinterpret the entire Donkey Kong Country 2 soundtrack in a variety of styles and genres. To call the resulting album eclectic is an understatement, with every genre of music supposedly accounted for including rock ballad, electronic remix, sweeping orchestral score and even full-fledged rap making its way into the collaboration. Adding to its credibility is the inclusion of three relatively established games composers, David Wise, Robin Beanland and Grant Kirkhope whom you might recall having worked at a company called Rare. While their combined efforts on the “Re-Skewed” finale is triumphant to say the least, the entire album is definitely worth treating your eardrums to.
DKC2 Serious Monkey Business Preview (OverClocked ReMix)
#1. BANJO-KAZOOIE SYMPHONY – BLAKE ROBINSON SYNTHETIC ORCHESTRA
Despite being only a single person with hardly enough limbs to perform as an entire orchestra, Blake Robinson ignored this slight setback and undertook the mammoth task of recomposing the entire Banjo-Kazooie soundtrack to fit the needs of a concert. The result is the Banjo-Kazooie Symphony, which presents itself as a grandiose arrangements of 30 tracks spanning the entire adventure and then some. Dedication knows no bounds with this fitting tribute, as each character theme and alternate arrangement has been faithfully re-imagined with as much consideration and depth as the level themes themselves. While translating an entire album to fit an orchestra is quite the endeavor in itself, Blake Robinson has gone above and beyond with his attention to detail and boundless musical talent – don’t miss this symphony!
Banjo-Kazooie Symphony Preview (Blake Robinson)
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