1. Kaleidoscopic Origin: Freedom Planet, Pangu Lagoon act 1
   Wassup Thunder
2. The Rain Won't Stop the Beat (Japan Disco-Funk Mix)
   TheVodouQueen
3. Beatfreaks (Jet Set Radio Inspired Original Soundtrack)
   TheVideoGamer

Fantastic round, not only that there are 15 songs, the shortest one was 3:08 and total length even doesn't fit at an old CD (1 hour and 20 minutes). For me a big chance to win not only 1 but 3 wooden spoons altough voting will give me 9 points this time :)

AxLR - Enjoyed the start and entire setup from the song.
Brainstar - Promising intro, nice brass-work, liked how these are varied.
Evktalo - Liked the variation with the main samples and basslines in the background, much energy in this song. Looking forward to the finished version.
Silverpool64 - Pretty funny how you combined al these sources, the slowing down around 1:53 is working great.
TheVodouQueen Cataminus.. - Nice setup. Bass is a bit too much dominating, the middle part was a highlight, nice usage of the source. The quiet part around 3:35 is a good variation in it.
TheVodouQueen Halcyon.. - The start is a bit confusing, but after a while it gets more balanced and also suiting the desription as a Mega Man X robot source altough it might be too creative for that. There's much originality in this song.
TheVodouQueen The Rain.. - The drum & bass work and stuff in the background is done in a strong way, also much variation in this song (especially in the middle part to the end). It's a long one, but it didn't bore me.
Trism - Sad news that the album was put on hold but good that this (and hopefully some more songs) will see the light of life this year. There's much orchestral goodness in the song, the song has a nice calm feeling. Especially loved the more living last part of it.
Wassup Thunder + Souperion - The violin is doing a great job, there's much stuff and creativity in the song what all goes very well together.
TheVideoGamer - Not only 1 song, but 13. Many original ideas in this song (really fitting the description, the drum & bass work is making this song.

Hoboka Secret.. - This song has something spooky, liked the weird but perfectly fitting vocals in it and the strings in the background.
Hoboka SM - Interesting start, liked the built up in the part starting around 1:00. Much good stuff in the background.

1. The Rain Won't Stop the Beat (Japan Disco-Funk Mix)
   TheVodouQueen
2. Snakemania (Mega Man 3)
   bundeslang
3. White Petal Zone = Home
   Silverpool64

TheVodouQueen, I loved the variety of sounds in this piece, I recognize Rainy Turtloid's stage! A beautiful blend of Japanese elements with funky beats and lively embellishments. That saxophone part (I THINK it's a sax...) hit me good. I also enjoyed your other entries, you've got some energetic styles this round with an eclectic variety of sounds in each.

bundeslang, both the high quality and vibes of this remix remind me of many of my old favorite OCR tracks. Its solid, clear, catchy, and very fun.

Silverpool64, I love medleys. The familiar melodies and beats dancing about eachother are both clear and blending. Excellent.

I can't gather my thoughts enough to give every other song feedback. But wonderful work all around, this round has been a real treat to listen to.

1. Beatfreaks (Jet Set Radio Inspired Original Soundtrack)
   TheVideoGamer
2. The Rain Won't Stop the Beat (Japan Disco-Funk Mix)
   TheVodouQueen
3. Catamitus Exultant Lusibus (Water-Bearer Remix)
   TheVodouQueen

1) TVG.......OMG, this SHOULD be an album for some indie game dangit. You rly gotta promote yourself and get out there mah boi. Maybe pick up some better sample packs / VSTs. I was jiving to this all day. Rofl. I'd be legit surprised if you didn't win the round with this 90's early 2000's electro album lmao.

2)Catmitus, REALLY cool beat and well produced, surprisingly. Didn't know you had this level of production quality. You might want to learn how to side-chain kick drums and maybe work that E/Q a bit, otherwise, this is pretty solid!

3) An awesome Castlevania remix. Nice Circle House Remix...that was REALLY enjoyable to listen. Cool atmosphere too. Nice rotary organs, and the samples all got a lot of depth.

4)Wassup + Soup - Lot of depth here. Was considering slotting this third, but I guess I got VodouQueen fever this round. Sorry T_T...Regardless. Great atmosphere, beat...though I wasn't a fan of the Violin, can't quite put a finger on why...maybe it's too exposed and shrill?? I'm sure that Timaeus222 could break it down better as to why. God...it really falls to petty nitpicks when you got 9-10 entries to pick from...LOL...Either way, nice work here guys! BTW, those Japanese Taiko drums are BEAST.

5) Brainstar - IMPRESSIVE. But mixed too low methinks. Articulations are sound, the brass is full of depth and life. And it is quite bombastic; good use of percussion too!

6) evktalo - Nice Glide/Portamento on those synths, makes them feel more humanized for sure. Great E/Q, pretty tight production overall. Nice and crisp!!

7) Snakemania - I liked this the most, as the Volume Levels were reasonable and didn't blow my speakers rofl. Also, the leads are NICE. Beat is nice and 90's-ified in all the GOOD ways.
7.5) Snakemania, Love the atmosphere here. The drones, pads and somber feel are nice. But a bit too loud...like a lot of my remixes...funny how we both fall into that trap. Sigh.

8) Halcyon Hare Stage (Tsukuyomi Mix) - Good production. Lots of creativity here. I actually liked the Vocal breaks used here. Sadly, I can't give all 3 of your remixes top spot rofl...wouldn't sit well with my conscious. Either way, this is some top knotch work. Great beat, catchy rhythms, so many evolving textures...it's just AMAZING. I creamed my man-panties.

9) Silverpool - this is probably one of your better works insofar. But you really need to find some other sound libraries if you're gonna go for the 1:1 cover approach. Sytrus, Poizone and Toxic Biohazard can only take you so far when you gotta compete with people who're trying harder than you composition-wise. Still, glad to have you back! uWu

1. Kaleidoscopic Origin: Freedom Planet, Pangu Lagoon act 1
   Wassup Thunder
2. Beatfreaks (Jet Set Radio Inspired Original Soundtrack)
   TheVideoGamer
3. White Petal Zone = Home
   Silverpool64

These were extremely tough decisions to make, especially because: a) everyone had such a widespread, eclectic style for every song, and I thought each of them in their own spheres were great, and b) I had 1st settled pretty cozily in my mind, but by the gods were 2nd and 3rd such a toss-up, I was pretty sad to even have to make a choice. There were about two tied for each, and unfortunately I had to settle on something. So apologies for those who didn't make the cut--you all did fantastic in my personal opinion. :)

Since there's so many songs I'll try to cut my critique down to 3 positives and 3 "negatives", so it won't be taking up half a webpage to scroll through (hopefully).

----

1) 'Kaleidoscopic Origin: Freedom Planet' - Wassup Thunder & Souperion:

Pros:

* I have heard of Pangu Lagoon before (Sega Saturn game if I'm not mistaken), but never played it because I never owned a Saturn. That said, upon hearing the original song on YT backed against this rendition of it, it really made me want to play it. :)

* The opening bars were explosive, yet pleasurable and balanced. Once again Soup shows his skills with string sections and Thunder with bassline & beat. You two make a formidable pair and it's clear to see you've had time and experience working with each other's strengths and weaknesses to make a song as good as it can be--and this is the first time I've heard a collab piece between the two of you.

* Love the flute carrying the main melody. Lite with that Chinese crisp guitar work. They are primarily what made this my first choice off the bat upon 1st and 2nd playthrough. Especially from 3:00 onwards, the Buddhist-style chanting, etc really made this song.

Critique:

* Wish some sections had more bass and that 'beatbox' feel that the original song had, maybe more-so towards the middle and end to spice the flavour up and do a bit of change-up for the ears. You got the multi-hit strums with the flute and guitar spot on, but the original had a bit more of a fluid, active groove from the bass. That said, it did not kill the flavour, as I read you wanted it to be a bit more orchestral a-la Disney's Fantasia regardless.

* I'm in-between about the tempo change. Original was a more faster pace. This isn't bad and again doesn't kill the song in any way, but maybe a shift to a faster tempo when the chanting and drums kicked in by 3:30-4:00 would've put a nice spin to the ending so the whole song doesn't 'feel' the same.

* This definitely feels more Soup than Thunder (IMO), but I could be wrong. To go along with the first critique, I feel that the string / lighter tones overtook the bass and drums. I wanted them a bit bigger, rounded, and louder (or maybe a bit heavier on hit). But only that little bit, to make it even more like a piece the Hong Kong Symphony Orchestra might play. :D

2) Beatfreaks OST, i.e. 'Illegal Bassline & Alley Trippin' (Mission 3, Parts 1 & 2) - The Video Gamer:

Pros:

* Despite this being a full OST with 13 songs (more than the 3 allotted for each person), I couldn't bear fault with that, it being a free round and all. I tried to play it more fair for myself and critique / make a decision based on the first full-length 3 songs you present (so Missions 1-3), and to be frank, it's really good. It's damned good. 'Illegal Bassline' is my favourite, next to 'Prof. Jim's Funk Machine'.

* Each mission does a unique service to different genres and styles of 'Black' music, from Funk, to Rythym & Blues, to Beatbox, to Hip-Hop, SpeedBeat, Ska, Urban Punk, you name it. Very much something one would hear from Crazy Taxi, Jet-Set Radio, Parappa the Rapper, etc. Mission 3 theme, in particular, had me bobbing my head in listening to it while I was doing something real boring (Diadem runs) in FFXIV--and it was a real joy to have on. :) I respect the hustle and strides you made in doing your homework on these variant genres.

* Not going to lie, but recognizing some of the vox samples was fun too. Everything from Family Guy, to the Simpsons, the Office, Futurama, Ren & Stimpy, Child's Play, and other sources, (like I was pretty sure I heard video game lines like from BioShock up in there as well). Was just a joy for someone like me who really likes watching cartoon sitcoms and movies to hear--and they worked well with each piece.

Critique:

* Some of the vox repeats were getting to me, in the sense I felt that some repeated too often. Personally, I try to now take vox work on a similar rule of thumb some people take for painting and drawing, working in groups of threes or fives. Since humans are real keen, pattern-driven creatures, we have a bad tendency to focus on something that happens more often than "we feel it should". To try to prevent this, artists (at least when I was classically trained in uni) seem to try and limit their subject matter or colour palettes to this rule. Beatbox, Jive, Funk and Break-Beat (stuff for street / break dancing) tends to use repetition vox (of course), but in listening to a lot of musicians who like to use repetition vox in their work (e.g. Savant, Infected Mushroom, Aphex Twins, the Prodigy, Pendulum, etc) it's used a lot but sparringly at the same time (3x or 5x repeats, with additional spacing between so our ears won't grow tired or annoyed with it). Some of your songs, it feels to me, goes more ham than others in using it, and it takes away from giving us some breath between bars to appreciate your drum & bass.

* Funny enough, in place of vox, I expected more weird SFX to pop up in the songs. Not just vinyl scratches, but stuff like cartoon noises, Batman bamps & pows, things of that nature. Just something to consider mixing in the drum & bass later, maybe, to thin out some over-use of vox. The genres you deal with want ample noise to accompany the beat. We just need to shake the noise up to keep it fresh and staying groovy. :D

* Again, you did real well, despite some rules bending. I hope the critique helps. :)

3) 'White Petal Zone = Home' - Silverpool 64:

Pros:

* Pretty short, but really sweet. I was able to hear each source pretty clearly in the piece, and I respect the hustle in being able to congolmerate FOUR different songs together into something that actually makes sense and is nice to listen to.

* You had me worried, to be honest, from the beginning up until the slow down at 1:50 that the song would sound too much like Fez / Paper Mario, but you pleasantly surprised me with the bongo work and bassline more akin to Sonic the Hedgehog. Considering you use 2 Sonic sources, it was a worry indeed, but you did well to curve things back into that favour for the ending.

* I think the little bells at the end were a darling to hear. :D

Critique:

* Song is a bit too short, i.e. I felt that you could've played a bit more with the sources to have more of a bombastic ending.

* It may be my ears, but I did still hear more Fez / Paper Mario in the song than Sonic. Sonic very much was the mid-ground tones, whereas it sounded like 'Petal Meadows' was the foreground melody and 'Home' was the backing melody. Unsure if there's a way to spice up the mid-ground more. . .but then again, it might've swamped the presence of the other songs. Never worked with more than one source, so I am unsure on that outcome.

* Very methodically done for a 'mish-mash'. :) Good job!

4) 'Unrivaled' - AxLR:

Pros:

* This was my runner-up for 3rd place.

* The techno beat is sweet as hell. Really had me bobbing and felt like something very appropriate for the rave club scene.

* Nice synth-work and real nice beat. Standard-ish beat, but again, I was grooving throughout! Especially in the beginning with that progression. Gave me goosebumps, in a good way!

Critique:

* Was saddened we didn't get any rave airhorns or SFX or deeper beatwork as the song progressed. Really felt like what was missing were darker bass and heavier drums by the mid-mark, and some break spots (or a riser-drop or two). Throughout the song I felt 'progression' a lot, like you were pushing for something more, but then it went...flat? Like...as raunchy and possibly lewd as the analogy may work, I think of progression, especially in Electronica, akin to 'edging' in a sexual way. Yeah, it's good, and it leads our wild imaginations on this sort of pleasure-seeking thrill trek till we get to the good shit, but in this, the 'good shit' or 'climax' didn't seem to fully culminate--if that makes any lick of sense. And I super wish it did.

* There's much more treble than bass here that I thought was real cool, but was too much, just that little bit. More mid-tones and bass-tones are needed, but this is more an opinionated take and may not be necessary in the long run.

* I know Techno and Rave and House tends to be repetitive for the sake of dancing to, but I felt outside of the small horn work in the background I could hear from 2:30 onwards, you could've added a few more layers to really hype up the beat. But this is a wonderful starting point to something more, and it by itself is real good. :D

5) 'Colossal Failure' - Trism:

Pros:

* This was another runner-up for 3rd place.

* My gods the opening guitar riffs were beautiful. Unsure if they were real or synthesized but Jesus, it felt good to hear. I think between the two, Collosia Chamber 1 was the strongest. I literally don't have much if any critique on the first part of this piece. It's atmospheric, the light drums do the guitar-work justice, and I love the slight echo effect.

* This piece did not feel like it was ripped from a MIDI, at all. The instrumentation sounded very realistic, and lovely. I liked it a lot!

Critique:

* What really clipped this song's wings that could've granted it that spot in 3rd compared to 'White Petal Zone = Home' is simply that huge silent bit in the middle of the composition (1:40 - 3:10).

* The atmospherics of the mid-section quietness were lovely, please don't get me wrong--however, I felt it went on too long, and sadly clipped on what could've been larger sections for Collosia Chambers 1 & 2, and would've given you some wiggle room to play around with both of them more, I think.

* The middle bit definitely could've been cut in half and still came out to the same beautiful effect leading up to Collosia Chamber 2. Collosia Chamber 2, as well, had a lovely guitar along with it, but I felt the drum-works could've been deeper and more bass-y, to reflect going further and further into the depths of Collosia. It felt a bit like more work and effort went into your opening, and I could 'feel' that when you said you gave up tweaking on the song by the end. Don't give up (well at least I hope this song is used in an album somewhere)!

6) 'Quitting at Level 8' - Bundeslang:

Pros:

* Ooo, heavy Drum & Bass. I super love this, and think it fits real well with the Blaster Master-music aesthetic, much and more than the original song did. In listening to this I could just imagine piloting Sophia 3rd through the caverns and blasting the hell out of some enemies! This is the kind of work I'd think would be perfect if they ever did a reboot or remaster of the original game (a-la 'Blaster Master Zero', which I just found out is a reboot of the original NES game).

* Did like the more techno-take on this song! Reminds me of some of the songs they did for 'Blaster Master: Blasting Again' for the PSOne.

* Made me feel like I should've been thrown in a mosh pit, haha! But this is definitely something they should've done for the final section of Blaster Master. I never finished Blaster Master for the NES (Area 6 I think was the furthest I've ever gotten), but in listening to the original on YT, it does seem a bit flimsy and weak of a song for the penultimate / ultimate final Area.

Critique:

* Way too loud throughout. :(

* The bass-sound was getting a bit clippy and blappy around the 1:30 section of the piece. Might've been because it was hitting the volume / noise ceiling.

* Your high tones and low tones were having a real good tussle with each other in this piece, not going to lie. Mid-tones were getting swamped while the opposite ends were clashing and colliding like hell. Again, might be volume or the way the EQ was played with? I'm unsure for more technical reasons, but I could hear it when they were played together in the piece.

7) 'Snakemania' - Bundeslang:

Pros:

* I like the weird 'whip it' / snake-noise and the tambourine / hi-hat play throughout this song. I dunno why it made me giggle sometimes hearing it, but it was cute and just cool 'snakey' sounds.

* Melody and beat were spot on to the original.

* Loved the synthy / echo-y chords that played the main melody. Fits the Mega Man OG aesthetic. :D

Critique:

* Sadly, I've heard a few remixes done to Snake Man's stage theme, and this, although I can hear that Bundeslang trademark Drum & Bass, didn't add too much more to the tone, melody and tempo of the original song. Closeness to the cuff isn't huge and it didn't kill the song (I grooved hard to it), but I felt like more could've been pushed out to make it more 'you', and unique, (but not loud!) :D

* Sorry if some of these critiques are now landing on opinion and bias. Unfortunately, all of these songs were so groovy I had trouble giving anybody 1st, 2nd and/or 3rd, because they were good in their own right.

* From what I've heard of your work so far Bund, I think a lot of it is just way too over-hyped in volume. This song didn't suffer it, but maybe there's a way to have your staple 'loud' and cool beats without breaking a speaker or two. It reminds me of Marty McFly from the Back to the Future series, especially I, when he tries out for the battle of the bands competition and the director told him "you're too loud," despite the band and Marty being good at what they do. Like Marty, it feels like you're trying to 1-up yourself possibly with every EQ / adjustments pass you make during the mixing and mastering stages, (admittedly I fall into that myself sometimes and need to reel it back towards the end). Just be careful--I think that's the only 2-cents I can bring to that. :)

8) Nirvana, 'Sifting' - Bundeslang:

Pros:

* ...I don't know why this song is giving me heavy Doom / Quake / GoldenEye 007 / Perfect Dark-vibes, but it is, and I like it. :D

* Light synths and groovy bass! ♥

* And then deeper bass and synths by the 1:10 mark. It's a great song for Doom-inspired level design and game mechanics. Would be defo something I'd play for the music alone!

Critique:

* Oddly, I'd lessen the bass just a smidge, and pull out the synth chords and chorus a bit more--but that's just my take on it.

* Sounds real cool by the 2:50 mark--nothing is overly blappy or peeled away or clashing. This song is probably one of the ones I've heard from you that's the most tame and balanced. Would have to (and would love to) hear more to see how your work has changed over the course of the 15-20 years you've produced music.

* Good job! :D

9) 'En Keksinyt Nimea' - Evktalo:

Pros:

* This was my runner-up for 2nd.

* Really loved the opening and progression up to the main Fire Emblem theme!

* I don't have a clue why, but this felt very...StarTropics to me. I'm guessing it's the synth and percussion work. :D Unsure if you ever played the game, but your SNES-chiptune sound for this was very playful, light and enjoyable.

Critique:

* There was no major bad reason as to why this did not make 2nd. To be honest, it was a supremely hard call to make, as I really, really loved this remix and its playfulness.

* That said, by the 2:00 mark I can hear that slight roughness, unpolishedness in the sounds you mention in your blurb, seeing as this was a WIP... More play around and polish on this, and this would've been 2nd, to me.

* That was the only major thing, unpolish with the song needing that tad bit more work. Keep it up though and finish it! I'd love to hear the final piece. :D

10) 'Zelda's Trombones' - Brainstar:

Pros:

* This was another runner-up for 2nd.

* It very much reminds me of the remix I think that's on OCR already that someone did of Dragon Warrior (Dragon Quest I) for the NES that was also an ensemble with percussion piece that I downloaded ages ago: "Overture Variations" - https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR01744. You're absolutely correct that the ending to 'A Link to the Past' is extrodinarily pretty, and aligns itself to have a big brass ensemble piece.

* I can tell this is live, and it's gorgeous. ♥ You guys worked hard on this, and it shows.

Critique:

* The trumpet / tenor trombone seems a bit too soft, unsure why. I can hear the bass trombone / tuba better. Might just be a sound-balancing issue.

* Sadly, I think what shot this from 2nd, to me, was that by the 2:50-3:00 mark I was expecting a way bigger, more bolder brass push (in depth and loudness), to get us to that precipice and over it when Link walks away from the pedestal of the Master Sword. It might have been me placing too much of my own expectation into this, but I really think that if the progression to the end from 2:30 onwards was pushed more and more for an exultant end, it would've been an even more satisfying finish.

* Also expected a few cymbal crashes and big drum bangs towards the end, but unsure how much backing percussion you guys wanted in making the piece, or if this was to be a more pure (low) brass ensemble.

----

BONUSES:

+ 'Upper Molten Depths' - HoboKa:

Pros:

* We've talked about this work in private, and I told my feelings there, but I'll reiterate what I can here. You've done Norfair some surprising justice with this piece, for a song that's quite soft, low-end, and repetitive. The brass work is superb. Love the choral accompaniment, and I can tell you tweaked it a bit to do what I suggested before and bring the drums and bass out more. :D

* Lava SFX was cool and mixed in very well.

* Loved the little doot-doot-doot-doos in the background at the beginning, that corresponded with the ambient sounds whenever Samus transitioned between areas in Super Metroid.

Critique:

* Doesn't sound nearly as 'blappy' as I said it did the first time you showed me this piece. You did very well to work on that little bit before submitting it here.

* I really don't have a lot of critique on this piece. Again, Norfair is one of those really low-key, under-appreciated pieces in the grand sphere of Metroid classic tunes that I think just becomes weird ambient background music that you don't really pay attention to in trying to run from point A to point B on the fairly small section that it is in Super Metroid--compared to both Brinstar themes that are not only iconic in their own right, but much more in your face as you explore those areas.

* That being said, you did a lot to try and bring out the subtler nuances of Norfair's sound palette, and I appreciate the efforts therein. If this was a piece I could've voted for, it'd probably be a contender, IMO. :)

+ 'Mini-Boss Remix' - HoboKa:

Pros:

* I only played 'Secret of Evermore' a handful of times, and I think I barely made it past the 2 or 3 hr mark in playing it, so I had to turn once again to YouTube to remember these songs in their original form.

* The very Hindi-sounding vocals are actually really catchy and cool, and fits the song. Was starting to feel like I was watching the movie Gladiator or some other Ridley Scott film after awhile. xD

* You played this one close to the cuff of the original, and it works. Good job! :D

Critique:

* The Hindi-vocals in some sections felt too loud, and was killing your melody a bit (e.g. around 1:30 - 2:00). But I appreciate after that section you reeled back the vocals and let the synth, bass and guitar / strings work more.

* As per usual, your handle on synths is fantastic.

* My only major complaint is that when the 'blap' horns and heavier drums came in around 3:30, I wish they were a bit louder and in the foreground rather than the vocals. By that point I felt the vocals could've been pushed to the background as a neat backing for the track, rather than making up it's melody line. (Also the voice at the end with "it burns!" is so you. I love it. xD)

1. The Rain Won't Stop the Beat (Japan Disco-Funk Mix)
   TheVodouQueen
2. Beatfreaks (Jet Set Radio Inspired Original Soundtrack)
   TheVideoGamer
3. White Petal Zone = Home
   Silverpool64

Very difficult decision this one, great quality everywhere! Tried to follow objective criteria as long as possible but somewhere the subjective liking always kicks in. (Also I could only judge by listening to headphones which also changes the listening experience.)

My final ranking and reasoning for Top 3 is:
1.) TheVodouQueen - The Rain Won't Stop the Beat (Japan Disco-Funk Mix)
...for the great overall quality, technically as well as musically while being really tight!
2.) TheVideoGamer - Beatfreaks
...for the great overall quality and the sheer amount of music. If packed into a ~10 minute remix, this would have been my first!
3.) Silverpool64 - White Petal Zone = Home
...for the overall quality and the fact that it gets better everytime one listens to it!

And now for some more or less detailed feedback:

AxLR - Unrivaled (PRC Exclusive)
I can't really give good feedback to this track, because this genre is just not my cup of tea. Sorry. ;) BUT: I really like the bass-less part starting at 01:00, this "hangs in the air" quite nicely!

bundeslang - Nirvana - Sifting (Bundeslang Remix)
I like the Metroid vibes in this one! Even though the synth leads sometimes feel a little bit artifically placed on top of the rest the tune nonetheless has a nice atmospherically fitting sound in general.

bundeslang - Snakemania (Mega Man 3)
Just like "Quitting at Level 8" I like the formal song setup. This one also has a really nice drive that keeps me running in my mind while listening! It sometimes feels a little bit empty/uneasing between the low rhythm section and the high melody, but I'm not sure if that's unintended or giving me exactly the feeling it should. Asides from that technically well crafted: good stuff!

bundeslang - Quitting at Level 8 (Blaster Master)
As with AxLR's Unrivaled this highly repetitive music style is just not my cup of tea, yet I like the formal song setup and I really like the snarling synth sounds in the bass range!

evktalo - En keksinyt nimea (Fire Emblem 1)
Really like this one! Cool intro, sounds that blend nicely together, good useage of the tune, feels like playing a classic game - gets me even some Pokemon memories, but can't say why! Minor issues I'd say are only the drums, which feel a little bit static (just a little bit more detail work here and this piece would make a leap in terms of groove!) and the ending, which just doesn't do the rest of the song justice.

hoboka - (BONUS) SM_Upper Molten Depths
Great one, really nice build up! This one could really profit from real instruments if there'd be a chance. (Espescially the horns!)
Only thing for me is the ending, which feels a little bit quick in relation to the build up.

hoboka - Secret of Evermore Mini Boss Remix (Bonus Mix)
Like that one! As you say, cool ideas but lacks a little bit of polish, but not much!
Therefore I'd only like to say one thing about the beginning, where I really like the atomesphere, that you create: Maybe you can experiment with reverb/eq and put many of the small details a little bit more into the shadow. I think, the choir part at 0:56 would strike out even better then! (Maybe some longer reverbs on some of the drums later in the piece would also help maintain this atmosphere?)

Silverpool64 - White Petal Zone = Home
Had to listen a couple of times to this one for honest feedback. Overall a cool remix that does many things right (mixing, arrangement, sound selection), but I wished it payed a little more attention to those little points where tunes collide and makes the direction of the individual tunes stand out better. (In Richard Strauss' music the performers have to deal with that specific problem all the time because it's so intertwined! This remix reminds me a little bit of it.) Except from that a cool idea and a good realization!
Appendix: Gets better everytime I listen to it!

TheVideoGamer - Beatfreaks (Jet Set Radio Inspired Original Soundtrack)
This one is just wow! Nearly forgot I should give critics while listening. Great grooves, great mixing! But for the sake of critics I will give just a few tiny things that occured to me:
-) Around 3:00 the prase feels just a tad over-repeated before the slight break
-) Part 4: The spoken words hang somewhere between having a rhythm and not, which feels - at least to me - a little bit odd, espescially in relation to the tightness of everything else. They could also stand out of the mix a little bit more.
-) I'd really like to see a remix of this album into a 10-15 minute track that omits the pauses between the tracks and maybe starts with the last track ;)

The VodouQueen - Catamitus Exultant Lusibus (Water-Bearer Remix)
Another cool remix from you! Nice formal layout, good sound selection! The snarling synth feels a little bit anti-groove? Maybe slicken some lines by taking out some notes (maybe the pickup?)
Personally I don't like the little reprise at the end, the soundscape around 3:30 would have made a much better ending in my opinion.

TheVodouQueen - Halcyon Hare Stage (Tsukuyomi Mix)
Just like "The Rain Won't Stop the Beat" I like many things in this one. There's good groove/tempo work and a ton of variety that really keeps it interesting to listen to! Espescially in the first half I really like the transitions and contrasts you create. On the other hand, the guitar part sounds a little weird to me and the ending is kind of unsatisfying. All in all a cool song I'll surely add to my playlist but it's just not that tight as others.

TheVodouQueen - The Rain Won't Stop the Beat (Japan Disco-Funk Mix)
There's not much I can say about this one except that I really like it. There's groove, harmony, depths, atmosphere, variety. If anything, the synth bass that enters at 03:36 feels just a little bit protruding from the rest, but that's so absolutely subjective. My personal favourite.

Trism - Colossal Failure
I like the proggy vibes of this remix! In the first section especially the drums stand out for me! The 7/4 is a nice touch, maybe prolonging it by one quaver up to 3/4+9/8 once in a while would break up the repetitions a little bit more.
Tha transition in the quiet part feels somewhat sudden, but the transition into the 3rd part is well done!
Really like the short double time section! Is it just me or would the ending have way more finishing touch if the final bar were to be replaced by one long note? (A 'c' I think.)

Wassup Thunder - Kaleidoscopic Origin: Freedom Planet, Pangu Lagoon act 1
This piece gives me a great overall feeling also I suppose there are might be technical issues concerning the violin. It feels there's this acoustic glue missing between it and the rest of the mix, that makes it blend greatly. Apart from that I can't say much about this one except that I like it!

1. Kaleidoscopic Origin: Freedom Planet, Pangu Lagoon act 1
   Wassup Thunder
2. Zelda's Trombones
   Brainstar
3. The Rain Won't Stop the Beat (Japan Disco-Funk Mix)
   TheVodouQueen

1 - AxLR: Nice track. Good melody. I was singing it while I was taking out the trash after the track ended. It's a bit buried though.
2 - Trism: Ooh, nice opening. Lots of changes throughout the song. Sounds kind of like non-heavy prog rock overall.
3 - Bundeslang: Whoa, unexpected synth face punch at half a minute. This is pretty groovin by the time it really gets going at 3:15.
4 - Bundeslang: I like the percussion parts coming together in the intro. Yeah, I remember this stage!
5 - TVQ: I don't recognize it. It sounds familiar but I cannot place it. It's well put together. The stabs and swirly synth really make it good.
6 - TVQ: Neat composition with good twists and turns.
7 - hoboka: Enjoyed it. The horns were especially good.
8 - Bundeslang: Oh, hah, I know this song! Wouldn't it be fun?
9 - TVG: Cool album. I definitely recognize a lot of these samples.
10 - Wassup Thunder: Nice combination of instruments and good bass. That violin is very nice. What is it?
11 - TVQ: Fun remix with a lot of different elements. Castlevania is always a great source. Since you're asking for critique, I could have used some more high instruments in the track (like high sustained strings), and to me the frequency balance at 1:50 and 3:00 is pretty hard on the ears. Removing elements like you did at those points is a great songwriting device, but what's left over with how you have it set up has an unbalanced spectrum.
12 - evktalo: Some surprising changeups in here. I like the synth "rips," if that's the right term, in the middle.
13 - Silverpool: Fun mashup. The parts flow together well.
14 - Brainstar: This is cool. This was one of the tracks I was most excited to hear based on the descriptions and it didn't disappoint.
15 - hoboka: I really like this. The lows hit very well. I know it's not a Metroid remix but it's got a pretty strong epic Metroid vibe.

1. Colossal Failure
   Trism
2. Zelda's Trombones
   Brainstar
3. The Rain Won't Stop the Beat (Japan Disco-Funk Mix)
   TheVodouQueen

Colossal Failure - Enjoyable wave of proggy mellowness!

Zelda's Trombones - Excellent, interesting concept and quite an enjoyable arrangement. The samples are a bit farty but that's no biggie.

The Rain Won't Stop the Beat - Accompaniment from the beats and synths is particularly enjoyable. Some of the leads drone on a bit and could be more expressive, the guitar-like instrument plays with steady dynamics for quite long stretches. Nevertheless, an enjoyable ride.

1. Kaleidoscopic Origin: Freedom Planet, Pangu Lagoon act 1
   Wassup Thunder
2. The Rain Won't Stop the Beat (Japan Disco-Funk Mix)
   TheVodouQueen
3. En keksinyt nimea (Fire Emblem 1)
   evktalo

15 entrants!? That is far too many! Man i had to really think for this, too many entrants to choose from lol.

After much thought i think Wassup Thunder stood out to me the most. Let's take it from the top!

AxlR - Oof this is funky. Really liking the nicely compressed beats, and the juicy synth work here. Very much reminds me of that Trance/Progressive House style, you know, the one that slowly develop over time, while keeping you interested. As a whole, it's just funky. Now if i were to point out one or two things to improve on, it's mainly the drums. The drums are a bit...too compressed. I feel like the synths are getting down with the beats, as much as it could. But other than that, i loved this idea. Well done!

Trism - Lovely ambience here. The guitar effects are just beautiful. I also love the variety especially, in arrangement. The chords were rich and dynamic, and i also really dig the change into the second half. It was very different and stood out to me. The one thing that made it odd however, was...it felt abrupt. Like we start with a rather groovy chillout guitar piece in the start, and then a minute in, we stop and do a 180 into pure ambience, no grooves. And then we stay there, until really...the end. I didn't hear enough of the first section to get into the second, if you know what i mean. However i absolutely love the guitar effects, the space and ambience is just...amazing. Well done!

Bundeslang (Entrant 1) - Sorry dude, this was just loud, distorted and full blown clipping. Needs a lot of work. Good effort though!

Bundeslang (Entrant 2) - Ok this one was more well rounded, which is a great contrast. Interesting Megan Man thar, i like how you didn't loose the feel of the original. I also dig the warbly lead, that made it almost space like. As a whole, i actually think this is well balanced, and has a lovely great range of sounds. If i gotta be honest, be wary of the end, things do start to pile up, and it gets close to clipping. Luckily though it's not loud, and the sounds were varied, and comes with a good arrangement too. Well done!

TheVodouQueen (Entrant 1) - I can feel the disco here, and boy is it funky. I will admit, i was moving the first time i heard it. I can't tell what is samples, and what are original melodies, but i can tell both aspects blend super nicely. The drum choices were excellent, and the arrangement is super on point. I also like how all the sound blends into one funky experience. To be real, i couldn't really find any flaws. The only one that i would do, is tone down the solo, to blend in a little better, but even then, it wasn't a big issue. I was tempted to put you first, because it is, a beautiful mix, however i was going up against 15 entrants here, so i had to do a lot of listening, to find the place i wanted to be at. Still though, you should be proud, this was soo good, and well produced!

TheVodouQueen (Entrant 2) - Ok this is interesting, this sounds more like a live performance. If it's me, i think you assigned a series of loops onto a launchpad like device, and live recorded yourself playing along using fingers or sticks, maybe using a metronome. I'm 90 percent sure you did, but i could be wrong. Now, from that alone, this is super creative idea, and i'm all for it, and as i listen, lots of cool textures and ideas, make this a super lovely experience. However since i think it's done using a launchpad device, i do notice a lot of timing issues with some of the samples. They don't properly fit on the grid. I can hear times, where the samples clip, before repeating, or certain moments, where there is a jarring pause, before the next section. Some parts also seem to drag forward and backwards in timing. The idea in itself though is creative, and deserves a shoutout on it's own. I've never seen this approach in PRC before. Really it's only the timing, the sounds sound lovely. I think you did a great job with this, well done!

hoboka - Ooh soundscapes. Not familiar with the source, but i do like the atmosphere here. I love how it goes from a rather spooky haunted, swamp like feel into a more uplifting, action battle like musical linings. Probably Hanz Zimmer movie magic lol. I think the overall range of sounds are good. If i have to point out some flaws, only one comes to mind. I feel like this could work with some strings. So far it's only Choir and Brass. You could really amplify the orchestration of the whole thing, with the inclusion of strings. Also a more minor one, but this could also help make the transition into the brass more smooth rather than sudden. On a good note, i love the soundscape. I think it does wonders for i believe...a metroid remix? Oh well, you've done a great job on this well done!

Bundeslang (Entrant 3) - Heh, fancy a Nirvana remix being on here. Not the kind of thing i was expecting huh. Honestly i don't have much to say here, because a lot of elements kind of cross over from your second entrant. It kind of goes in that direction. Starts of soft, with a good range of sounds, then builds up into a large ensemble of synths and drums. Towards the end, it gets really close to the edge (Not loud, but very close). Also for this kind of tune, i would go for less lead synths, and try more ambient sounds. And maybe bigger drums too, to match the heavy synths. Other than that though, i rather enjoyed this, and i think you've done a good job. Well done!

Wassup Thunder - I picked you first because wow the arrangement is amazing. I love the synth and drum combo, i actually works in this case, and doesn't clash with the orchestration. Both are in harmony, rather than one getting lost, etc. I also love how groovy you managed to make the orchestra sound, while mixing in Asian influences, electronic influences, and classical orchestration. Nothing was out of place, everything just worked. What's also good as well, that is kind of hidden, but worth while is that you managed to take the same melody, and transition it into full orchestration. So it's the same idea redeveloped To be real, i couldn't find any flaws, or if i did, they were so small, i didn't really care. I loved this one a lot, well mixed and balanced. This is why i picked you to win!

TheVodouQueen (Entrant 3) - This has some really cool sounds. I like how everyone of your entrants have been based on Castlevania, some nice continuity there. I love with this one, it's very upbeat, almost rave like. The snare is really well chosen, i love how it slaps onto the beat. It's sooo good. As a whole it's super well made, great idea here. The only issue i have, is it's a bit uneven. It needs a lot of polish to make this perfect. The sounds are not really spaced out, and as a result, there are moments where it's loud, and partially over the top, when it could be quieter. However though, it did not stop me from enjoying it, and i think this is a really nicely well done track from you! Great job!

Evktalo - Ok this is one hell of a cute source. I love how child-like it is. I didn't know this was from Fire Emblem. I thought this reminded me of Donkey Kong. I think i might be the only one that thinks of Donkey Kong. I will say i love the synth sounds, it's very bright and chiptune like. It's such a whimsical song. The drums are hot, very hot. So hot, they almost end up making the track more intense than needed. You could have gone for softer beats, to really amplify the cuteness. The drums are super heavy. Dig the intro though, what a way to start the show! As a whole amazing work, just such a joy to listen, to this. Well done!

Silverpool64 - Interesting blend of sources here. All done in a nice retro style. Not sure why you kept Sonic going...i feel it could work as a range of small mixes, rather than have Sonic going in the background, and then putting the other melodies on top. That seems less mashup, and more like, one melody onto a different remix. Still though, i have a lot of fun with this. Well done!

Brainstar - Oof not to much to talk about here, it's only really trombone playing (And the snare drum towards the end). Amazing playing though, big props to your player. I don't usually hear real players, it's mostly Kontakt vst's and such. Surprised you've only just heard of this source, I'd thought this would be a more popular pick. Anywho, i love the brass it's such a nice dynamic range, with a nice range of textures. Well done!

Hoboka - And we finish with you. Man i'm getting tired, after writing up 14 descriptions, for each one. Really like this one, has a good range of synths and orchestration. Really love the voice here, where is that from? How does it sound so good, you always come out with the unexpected sound patches, that sound amazing. I actually love the darkness in this one, it's very mysterious and horror like. The only thing i would do, to make the final polish, is probably introduce a pause, and build it up again, not because it's repetitive, it's far from it, but i think you could really heighten the tension with it, and make more use of dynamic ranges. But as a whole though, i'm impressed with this, you've done such an amazing job on this. Well done!

(Side Note: Hobo's ending was pure lols)

WHEEWWWW, i think i need a lie down. Writing on all of these, was hard work...

Well done to everyone anyways!