Posted 2011-08-06, evaluated by djpretzel

Theophany writes:

"Hopefully I’m not late in submitting for the Metroid 25th anniversary, but if so it’s alright. I’ve wanted to make this for a few years, so a release date is less important to me than the fact that I finally accomplished what I set out to do. Since Relics of the Chozo, Avien’s song “Noumenon” has been my all-time favorite video game remix. It’s emotive, haunting quality is found in much of the music that has profoundly influenced me over the years and inspired me to produce. While I never knew Avien, I am thankful to have had the chance to know his music. This track is a tribute to him. Despite the dark, ethereal mood, I wanted to make something that feels the way Noumenon did for me—intimate, personal, and from the heart. The ghostly vocals in this track are the mark of a similar influence on me, a UK producer named Burial. Beyond the poetic significance, mixing their styles felt like the best possible way I could pay tribute to Avien, and the otherworldly beauty of Maridia."

For those who may not be aware, Avien (Christopher Powell) was a talented ReMixer who passed away tragically early in his life. On the 25th anniversary of the original Metroid, this amazingly atmospheric downbeat/trip-hop arrangement is a beautiful, truly haunting tribute to the original game, its classic 16-bit sequel, the entire series, and to a fantastic artist who left us too early. I'm blown away by the space this mix creates; the intro reminded me a bit of Amnesia: The Dark Descent, in terms of creating layers that extend outward into infinity and pairing them with closer, "right behind your shoulder" elements. There's JUST the right amount of sampled vocals and - later - beats to give the piece structure and make it "songlike" in terms of developing, and when you combine that with the supple, psychoacoustic details that Theophany has painted, the end result is art, pure and simple.

A striking, indelible tribute.