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David Wise, god of game soundtracks, returns to the world of men (new samples inside)

Neiteio

Member
WARNING: IF DONG EXPANDS FOR FOUR OR MORE HOURS, CONSULT A DOCTOR.


On the cusp of the release of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, let use take a moment to appreciate the new soundtrack by David Wise, a legend in the gaming community.

(This will also free up the OT to discuss the actual game!)


This list will be updated -- an OST shaping up to rival DKC2:

Samples below, mainly from the first few worlds:

Grassland Groove (never-ending musical ecstasy)

Wing Ding (one of my faves -- shifts around 3:00)

Homecoming Hijinx (Snowmads' Theme)

Crumble Cavern (note: atmospheric!)

Busted Bayou

Alpine Incline (Ground)

Alpine Incline (Mountain)

Horn Top Hop

Mountain Mania

Sawmill Thrill

Rodent Ruckus (Rocket Barrel remix)

Twilight Terror (DKC2 remix -- Stickerbrush Symphony)

Spark Ocean (DKC1 remix -- Aquatic Ambiance)

Temple I (DKC1 remix -- DK Island Swing)

Temple II (another DKC remix -- love it!)

Mangrove Cove (Underwater)

Mangrove Cove (Land)

Windmill Hills

Big Top Bop (World 1 Boss)

Mountaintop Tussle (World 2 Boss)


UPDATE #1:

Scorch 'N' Torch (oh my laaawwwd)

Frantic Fields (dat second half)

Baobab Bonanza


UPDATE #2:

Amiss Abyss (best song ever created ever)

Deep Keep (land version of above)

Cannon Canyon (dat flute!!)


UPDATE #3:

LOCKJAW'S SAGA (DKC2 remix)

Irate Eight (Beginning)

Irate Eight (Underwater) (feat. Lockjaw's Saga AND Aquatic Ambiance)

Irate Eight (Chase) (feat. Lockjaw's Saga -- INTENSE!)


UPDATE #4:

Triple Trouble (World 3 Boss)

Fugu Face-Off (World 4 Boss)


UPDATE #5:

Punch Bowl (World 5 Boss -- AWESOME!!)

Frosty Fruits (DKC2 remix -- In a Snowbound Land/Arctic Abyss)

Harvest Hazards

Fruity Factory

Panicky Paddles (Underwater)

Jelly Jamboree


UPDATE #6:

Homecoming Hijinx (Full Version)

Seashore War (MUST-HEAR!)

Aquaduct Assault

Blurry Flurry (Rocket Barrel)

Forest Folly

Frozen Frenzy (DKC1 remix -- Fear Factory)

Volcano Dome (FINAL BATTLE)

CREDITS!


STILL MORE HERE: LINK


WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT SIR DAVID WISE, DUKE OF DK ISLAND?

42-minute audio interview with David Wise (Jan. 9, 2014)

2010 interview with David Wise


Happy listening!

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Great to have him back. Love what I'm hearing. A good balance of jolly and moody. I'm sure it sounds even better with the environments in-game.

Also, I'll repeat from the OT:

I just can't get enough of "Emmentaler Stollen". Creepy as hell. The hints of
DKC's Cave Dweller Concert
make it all the more chilling.
 

Neiteio

Member
The songs mostly work astonishingly well with the levels, even if they're not immediate earworms like some classics form DKC/DKC2. I was sceptical before, but no more. The soundtrack is incredible (from what I've heard so far).
We've barely scratched the surface so far, and already the music is approaching "on par with or better than DKC2" levels of aural goodness.
 
We've barely scratched the surface so far, and already the music is approaching "on par with or better than DKC2" levels of aural goodness.

Just wait for world 4. Deep Keep, Amiss Abyss, and Irate Eight (beginning) *swoon*

Actually, world 6 might be even better.

Goddamn at this OST
 

NotLiquid

Member
I've said this before, but Donkey Kong Country 2's Ending Theme is a stroke of genius and one of the best tracks ever made to cap off a big adventure such as that.

No other song in Rare's entire catalog screams "Rare" as much as this one and David Wise graced us with something really magical. A combination of adventure, resolution and reminiscing.

Which made the fact that the big three composers of Rare came back together to remix that particular track all the more amazing and nostalgia-fueling.

David Wise you genius. I can't wait to have DKCTF's music blare from my speakers.
 

Gsnap

Member
I'm all about Alpine Incline!

I love the variety. Each world has it's own distinct style. But they all share similarities, whether it's instrument choice or certain repeated phrases.

And a lot of it is the type of music that you don't really hear in video games, so it's pretty fresh.
 
Dammit Herald of Hype, I said I'd listen to no more until I played the game and I aim to keep my very recently made promise to myself, you can't tempt me (you can).
BUT of what i've heard so far I really dig the underwater rendition of Magrove Cove, starting off with that Aquatic Ambiance fake out before turning into a chill rendition of the ground theme which by contrast is full of explosive cheer and bombastic brass.
 
It blows my mind that David Wise didn't work on Perfect Dark or Timesplitters.

I always thought those games had that "Rare sound" to them.
 
I kept hearing how good the soundtrack from these games can be, but JESUS I've finally listened and I am simply floored. I really want to play them now!
 

Gummb

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about Rayman Legends Wii U.
Grassland Groove is seriously my jam. T_T
 
Oh my that new version of the Rocket Barrel theme. I always thought that was the best new music in Returns. So glad it's back.
 

dimb

Bjergsen is the greatest midlane in the world
I'm having a hard time getting into this compared to the old DKC stuff. It feels kind of sterile and overproduced.
 

Gummb

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about Rayman Legends Wii U.
WTF the first boss fight track.

That's not Donkey Kong, that's fucking Devil May Cry.

That transition at 3:18 is so good. I love that the boss tracks are high-quality hard rock. Gives great balance to the rest of the ost.
 
It actually has a new remix every time it appears. I just linked to the one in the Bavaria/Swiss Alps-themed world. :)

I figured it'd be like that because that's how it was in Returns too. The sheer variety in this soundtrack is seriously the best I've ever heard.
 

Neiteio

Member
This one is less stand-out, heck yeah great as some others. But it's still really good. I do love the airy flute, though.
Yeah, it's good stuff. And yet more proof that if this OST had a subtitle, it would be "Fucking David Wise." And if that subtitle had a subtitle, it would be "Dat flute."
 
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