OverClocked ReMix

[Desbreko]

[color=#4B0082]Surely at least some of you out there already know about [url=http://www.ocremix.org/][u]OverClocked ReMix[/u][/url], but for those that don't, it's a site devoted to hosting quality remixes of video game music. Having the game music fetish that I do, I've been in love with the site for years now.

Two of game music's biggest problems are sound quality and monotony. Though the first one doesn't apply so much to modern games, it's usually obvious when you hear a track that's from the 32-bit era or older. And many times, no matter how good a track sounds, it's still repeating background music that can get old fairly fast.

The great thing about remixes is that they can solve those two problems. Even if a remix is still synthesized, rather than played on actual instruments (there's a good mix of both on the site), many of them still sound better than the original song. As well, they add variety to the tracks either by changing their style or adding to the original composition--or, oftentimes, both.

If you have any liking for game music then I'd highly recommend checking out the site. I've downloaded several hundred remixes and found a lot of great tracks that I listen to fairly regularly. Which, by the way, only scratches the surface of what's there; currently they're up to remix number 1,528.

Here's a few of my favorites:

[url=http://www.ocremix.org/remix/OCR00814/][u]dubnofantasyaloneman[/u][/url], by djpretzel
This is a remix of the track You Are Not Alone from Final Fantasy IX, which happens to be one of my favorites in the game. djpretzel is the site's admin and he provides commentary on a pretty much every remix posted as well as putting up a lot of great mixes himself. This is one of those, which really changes up the style of the song. There's a few remixes of You Are Not Alone but this is definitely my favorite.

[url=http://www.ocremix.org/remix/OCR01400/][u]It's My Turn to Dream[/u][/url], by chthonic
A remix of the Ballad of the Wind Fish from Link's Awakening, this mix turns an extremely simple melody from the game into a great almost-kinda-trance-like song that fits bits and pieces from other tracks seemlessly into the flow of the main theme. It turns the Ballad of the Wind Fish from a song I'd normally pass over (because Game Boy music just isn't that great) into something I listen to all the time.

[url=http://www.ocremix.org/remix/OCR00872/][u]thebattleofstringsandacellphone[/u][/url], by zid
This remix is crazy. There's really just no other way to describe it. It's a remix of the Battle 1 theme from Final Fantasy IX using a guitar and, yes, a cell phone. I can't help but love it.

[url=http://www.ocremix.org/remix/OCR00405/][u]SunkenSuite[/u][/url], by djpretzel
Another by djpretzel, SunkenSuite is an orchestral remix of the Dire, Dire Docks theme from Super Mario 64. By far my favorite track from the game, I absolutely love this rendition of it. It starts out with a piano gently playing the theme, then builds and builds as a violin (I think?) and drums are added. Finally it climaxes as the drums reach their peak, then the track falls abruptly back to the quiet piano before fading away. I only wish it were longer.

Anyone else have any favorites? Digging through the archives can occupy me for hours at a time so recommendations are always cool.[/color]

[Ozymandius Jones]

[COLOR=DarkOrange]I love OCReMix. Or loved, and then forgot about. I love when people remind me of things I loved but drifted away from. I predict many happy listening hours ahead now!

Lesse. I like:

[url=http://www.ocremix.org/remix/OCR01202/]Neighburgers[/url], by Protricity
I don't know where I heard it first, but this catchy little piece was the main reason I even know of OCRemix. It's just really cool, despite the fact that I've never heard of the game "Zombies Ate My Neighbors".

[url=http://www.ocremix.org/remix/OCR00980/]Assembly Line Apparitions[/url], by Protricity
I adore this song. I can't believe it's from Donkey Kong. It just doesn't [i]sound[/i] like something you would expect from a game with the name [i]Donkey Kong[/i].

[url=http://www.ocremix.org/remix/OCR01225/]Pillar of Salt[/url], by Star Salzman
This is my all time favorite song I've heard from there. It [apparently] is from Xenogears, but...yeah, you can tell how much I play video games considering I've never played that one either. ANYways. The result is a hindi/arabic/jewish sounding song, with singing in Hebrew in the middle. I believe he's singing part of the Old Testament, regarding Lot's wife being turned into a pillar of salt, hence the song's name.

[url=http://www.ocremix.org/remix/OCR01290/]Duck Blur[/url], by Star Salzman
Goofy and cheerful fun. I <3 it. There is no real deep meaning behind me <3ing it, I just do.

[url=http://www.ocremix.org/remix/OCR00988/]The Incredible Singing Robot[/url], Star Salzman
If I'm not careful, all of Star's songs are going to wind up here. Heh. It's just funny and sweet at the same time, although I don't really know the story behind the song. Again, my lack of video game edumafication may one day be my downfall. For more of Star's work, he's got a few original songs at his site; just yahoo-search Star Salzman and you'll have the right site.

[url=http://www.ocremix.org/remix/OCR00014/]Slavic Roots[/url], by djpretzel
Tetris. Remixed. I don't really need to say more.[/COLOR]

[Semjaza]

[QUOTE=Ozymandius Jones][COLOR=DarkOrange]

[url=http://www.ocremix.org/remix/OCR01202/]Neighburgers[/url], by Protricity
I don't know where I heard it first, but this catchy little piece was the main reason I even know of OCRemix. It's just really cool, despite the fact that I've never heard of the game "Zombies Ate My Neighbors".[/COLOR][/QUOTE]

Go hunt this out and play it (SNES and Genesis). It's a great game, particularly two player co-op. It's my dream that maybe Konami/Lucasarts will want to update this, stick it on Xbox Live Arcade for $10 and add online co-op.

Not to derail this thread, but it's a super awesome game. Thanks for the remix link for it. It's a nice update, particularly since the core of it is still entirely from the game itself. The game is somewhat known for its great, totally quirky music.

[Andy]

[QUOTE=Generic NPC #3]Go hunt this out and play it (SNES and Genesis). It's a great game, particularly two player co-op. It's my dream that maybe Konami/Lucasarts will want to update this, stick it on Xbox Live Arcade for $10 and add online co-op.

Not to derail this thread, but it's a super awesome game. Thanks for the remix link for it. It's a nice update, particularly since the core of it is still entirely from the game itself. The game is somewhat known for its great, totally quirky music.[/QUOTE]

[SIZE=1][COLOR=DarkRed]Yeah, I just beat the first level. This is a awesome game, very cool. I definetly like the soundtrack.^^And this site is awesome, simply because of all the cool game soundtracks.[/COLOR][/SIZE]

[Treble]

Thanks guys for the recommendations. Both [u]It's my Turn to Dream[/u] and [u]Assembly Line Apparitions[/u] are great remixes.

I'm also a fan of OverClocked ReMix. Some of the remixes on the site are unbelievable. And I like how the remixers take different approaches toward a particular videogame tune.

Although I do not have that many remixes, I do have a few remixes that I like to listen to everyday when I'm driving back and forward to school.

[color=SeaGreen][url="http://www.ocremix.org/remix/OCR01480/"]Flying Heaven[/url][/color], by zircon
An awsome electronica remix of Fei Long's stage from Street Fighter 2 thats pretty energetic throughout the whole song.
[url="http://www.ocremix.org/remix/OCR01258/"]
[color=SeaGreen] When All Hope Has Faded[/color][/url], by Tyler Heath & zircon
An interesting take on a Chrono Trigger tune called [i]The Day the World Revived[/i]. It is a fun collaboration by Tyler Heath and zircon. Together, they mixed thier styles of orchestra and techno that is blended together evenly.
[url="http://www.ocremix.org/remix/OCR01040/"]
[color=SeaGreen] 600 A.D. in Piano[/color][/url], by kLuTz
A Chrono Trigger tune called [i]Wind Scene[/i] remixed by kLuTz through piano. kLuTz does not take strive too far awat from the original tune, but his piano arrangement is pretty nice to listen to.
[color=SeaGreen]
[color=Green][url="http://www.ocremix.org/remix/OCR01427/"]Twoson Hits the Road[/url][/color],[/color] by djpretzel
This is a remix on Earthbound's Twoson done by djpretzel that is quite different from all the other fast-paced trance remixes. Unlike the others, this remix is more folk-like,relaxed, and adventurous.
[color=SeaGreen]
[/color] [color=Green][color=SeaGreen][url="http://www.ocremix.org/remix/OCR00690/"]Metal Gear May Cry[/url][/color],[/color] by Jared Hudson
The Metal Gear Solid Theme remixed by Jared Huson. This remix have a cool combination of melodramatic and heroic vibe to it. I love the cool epic feeling I get from this remix.

[The13thMan]

[COLOR=DarkOrange][FONT=Century Gothic]This is a great site, and i have to thank you for turning me on to it. The first day i downloaded like 20 songs and haven't been back since...i've been busy. But when i do get some time i'll probably download a lot of music. Seriously, i got some awesome tracks on it and i'll probably check out every song you guys posted as your favorites.

I turned my roommate on to it too, he loves it as well.

Music is one of the most important elements of a video game experience.


[/FONT][/COLOR]

[Andy]

[QUOTE=The13thMan][COLOR=DarkOrange][FONT=Century Gothic]
Music is one of the most important elements of a video game experience.

[/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE]

[SIZE=1][COLOR=DarkRed]Agreed. I mean, could you just imagine playing World of Warcraft with the old Street Fighter theme? Wait...that might actually be pretty awesome. Anyway's, I haven't been on the site in a while, but I have been trying to get on, I just keep forgetting.:p But my favorite song on there right now is probably the Street Fighter one.[/COLOR][/SIZE]

[Desbreko]

[color=#4B0082]I've been listening to a lot of Chrono Trigger remixes lately. In particular, [url=http://www.ocremix.org/remix/OCR00988/][u]The Incredible Singing Robot[/u][/url] keeps getting played over and over. (Ozy, you're officially awesome for recommending this mix.) Robo's theme is pretty catchy by itself, this remix is even moreso. And it's got lyrics! And they don't suck! It's amazing, and if you've played the game the references are amusing as well.

[url=http://www.ocremix.org/remix/OCR00889/][u]Spekkio the Brave[/u][/url], by Spekkosaurus
Simply put, this is the Delightful Spekkio theme played on bagpipes. Yes, bagpipes. When I first heard this remix I kept asking myself, "Why was this made?" It just . . . doesn't seem right. Spekkio and his theme song are entirely humorous and lighthearted, and then we have these serious-sounding bagpipes blasting it out and drums pounding away in the background. It completely clashes with the original nature of the song, so much so that I just started laughing after a bit at the complete absurdity of it all. That, along with the remix just sounding really nice in its own right, has me listening to it fairly often.

[url=http://www.ocremix.org/remix/OCR00877/][u]Crying Mountain[/u][/url], by Saiko
This mix doesn't really do a whole lot besides improve on the original, but that's enough for me. Singing Mountain is one of two tracks on the Chrono Trigger OST that didn't make it into the game and I've always wondered why. Personally, I think it would've fit in perfectly during the scene where [spoiler]Crono is revived[/spoiler], instead of Far Off Promise. But anyway, Crying Mountain is a nice techno-ish version of the song that retains all the feeling of the original.

[url=http://www.ocremix.org/remix/OCR01178/][u]Through the Dark[/u][/url], by DarkeSword
I love the peaceful nature of this remix. It takes the original Manoria Cathedral theme, makes it sound way better, and keeps it from getting monotonous by mixing in some original melodies and some bits from the Wind Scene track. The piano and flute combination present throughout most of the song is great and the guitar coming in for the Wind Scene part really sets things off.

[url=http://www.ocremix.org/remix/OCR01219/][u]Calamitous Judgment[/u][/url], by zircon
A remix of The Trial in the same sort of techno/orchestral style as [url=http://www.ocremix.org/remix/OCR01184/][u]Triforce Majeure[/u][/url] (one of my favorite Zelda remixes, check it out), the fast-paced and dramatic air of the remix is very welcome. The original, while I think it has a good composition, is just too slow and boring.

[url=http://www.ocremix.org/remix/OCR01471/][u]Chronodyne Marine[/u][/url], by ambient
This has been a long-time favorite of mine. The Undersea Palace track is great by itself and getting a nice electronica remix of it totally made my day. As djpretzel mentioned on the site, the synth guitar could be better, but I don't think it detracts too much from the remix overall.


[b]Edit:[/b]

OverClocked ReMix released another album recently. [url=http://ff7.ocremix.org][u]Final Fantasy VII: Voices of the Lifestream[/u][/url], like their others, remixes most of the game's soundtrack. I'm only a little past half way through listening to it (it's four CDs and about three hours long) but everything so far is wonderful. Any fan of the game or its music should do themselves a favor and check this out.

I'll probably make a list of favorite tracks after I'm done listening to it. For now I'll just say I never would've imagined the Gold Saucer and Cid's Theme tracks would ever fit together so well. :p[/color]

[The Spectacular Professor]

Des, I am shocked and appalled that you haven't mentioned [URL="http://www.ocremix.org/remix/OCR01079/"]Ancient Hero[/URL] yet. Seriously, this is one of the highest-quality remixes out there. Remember that prologue music from Legend of Zelda: Windwaker? This is an instrumental awesome version of that song, which was already awesome. Just listen to it, okay?

[Desbreko]

[color=#4B0082]I've heard that one. Before my hard drive got corrupted a few weeks back I had every Zelda mix on the site. :animedepr It's definitely good but not quite one of my favorites.

I also like the remix of the Dragon Roost Island theme they have up. I forget its name but I was really happy when that mix was released since it's one of my favorite themes in the game.

So far all I've redownloaded is FFVII: Voices of the Lifestream. I need to go pick up the batch torrents and get back my favorites soon.[/color]

[The Spectacular Professor]

[quote name='Desbreko'][color=#4B0082]I also like the remix of the Dragon Roost Island theme they have up. I forget its name but I was really happy when that mix was released since it's one of my favorite themes in the game.[/color][/QUOTE]

It's called [URL="http://www.ocremix.org/remix/OCR01124/"]Pirates of Dragon Roost Isle.[/URL] (
Yeah, all 3 Windwaker ReMixes are good.

By the way, why is it I can't find a good Non-vocal of the FFIV overworld theme? That's a good tune.