Posted 2011-11-18, evaluated by the judges panel

PERHAPS YOU HAVE HEARD OF MINECRAFT...



...the not-exactly-obscure indie hit that's apparently generated over $50 million in revenue to date, serving as a poster child for the huge commercial success a game can achieve from (more or less) out of nowhere, if it manages to offer something unique & compelling. The Orichalcon gives us our first ReMix of Minecraft's equally unique, evolving soundtrack, composed by Daniel Rosenfeld, aka C418. And we're posting it today, while RIGHT NOW Minecon is going down in Las Vegas, and the game's evolution from beta to final is being celebrated... no doubt with copious amounts of alcohol, since I know Danny B, BGC, Josh Whelchel AND AnSo are ALL there [/jealous]. Lee writes:

"My remix is based more on the old version than the new version. The theme is still the same, but the remix is more true to the original. The name comes from episode 50 of Coe's Quest on Youtube, named "Squishy". The mix isn't too long, since the source wasn't too long and I got what I wanted done in the 2 and a half minutes. It's just a bouncy, bubbly, happy and energetic remix intended to lift your mood when you listen."

I'll be forthcoming and confess to not actually having played Minecraft - it'd be sorta crappy to pretend - but it's more because, as with WoW and other games, I've heard it's a hella-addicting timesuck, and running OCR chews up most of my disposable free time. Now that the iOS version is out, I'll probably mess around a tad, but I've seen enough YouTubes to appreciate the crazy-intricate stuff people have been doing with it. TO's mix is a chirpy, chipper bit of poptronica that's pleasant, enjoyable, and, well... squishy. Not in the sense that it is particularly soft, yielding, and damp, but more in the huggable/cute sense. OA writes:

"I really like the upbeat piano and synth treatment of this, and gives me a sortof Yuki Kajiura/Ziwtra feeling that is super great. Nice and upbeat, it takes the nostalgic sound of the original and makes it way peppy. The added drums work well, with a lot of sonic variety, and the synths are solid. The piano keeps the melody intact, while the rest of the song molds to a new shape. The piano sequencing is a little bit mechanical, especially compared to the super nuanced original, but it fits the style so well I can't really knock it. "

Palpable adds:

"Super clean and balanced production, you did an awesome job on that end of it, Lee. The arrangement isn't a reinvention or anything, but the new instruments tastefully complement the original piano. Though the piano notes were very even, it fit the measured electronic nature of the track and I'm not sure a more humanized approach would have added."

Short-but-sweet, this adds a sugary coating to the pensive nostalgia of the source, changing from contemplative to more of a celebratory vibe. I don't think Lee wasn't shooting for an epic, involved, super-confabulated arrangement, just a simple, humble track that pays bubbly, percolating homage to a landmark game with a beautiful soundtrack. Mission accomplished!