It’s October, which means it’s officially Halloween month. For the next five weeks, Arrangement of the Week will be featuring some of our favorite Halloween themed game music. This will of course include music from horror titles, but there will also be some selections from specific macabre themed sections of games. This week we will be starting out with an example of the latter.
Rare’s Banjo-Kazzoie has a good deal of variety to its levels. While the game contains your usual snow, dessert, and forest levels, there’s also a great Halloween themed level called Mad Monster Mansion. This level’s music has a light-hearted playfulness to it, much like the rest of the soundtrack, while still keeping it in a classic spooky horror genre. Today’s arrangement, “Malevolent Mansion,” is an electronic remix of “Mad Monster Mansion” from artists Sole Signal and Nekofrog.
The track starts at a steady pace and at first it feels like this will be a relatively mellow dance track. But once the main melody comes in, the piece launches into a more energetic interpretation. While the primary elements of this remix remain the electronic instruments, there’s also a healthy dose of orchestral instruments and accompaniment from Nekofrog’s guitar parts.
What makes this remix really enjoyable is the continuing shifts in pacing and energy. The arrangement jumps frequently between fast paced electronic rock and a less manic orchestral arrangement. This unpredictability in pacing and tone gives the impression of a wild and crazy haunted house ride. The overall result is a piece that remains surprising and fun to listen to all the way through. A perfect way to get into the Halloween spirit.
Have any favorite Halloween arrangements, remixes, or covers of your favorite game music? Feel free to share them with us in the comments below. You can check out Sole Signal and Nekofrog’s “Malevolent Mansion” at OC Remix.
