Part 3: Krem Quay (With Samurai Karasu)
03: Krem Quay (with scratchman apoo AKA samurai karasu) Blip
Okay so, Krem Quay. Krem quay is an interesting roller coaster of a world (which is ironic considering the theme of the world after this). As Karasu and I say in the video, this world certainly has lows. Both glimmer's galleon and slime climb are, to me at least, just boring unfun levels that are more of a slog to crawl through rather than a fun adventure. However the rest of the levels aren't that bad! You'd think the swamp levels would be bad, since a swamp is practically a sewer, but it's quite the opposite. We also have rattle battle, a top contender for ~best DKC2 level ever~ because of just... the whole playfulness of it and how well it complements rattly playstyle. We also get our first look at bramble levels which everyone love to hate, I mean, I love to love them but for most people it just seems like the music is what keeps them from going bonkers. The boss is a palette swapped kudgel that may have well been the King K.Rool fight. After we beat him up he goes back to his parents' basement to play kremlinstory for eternity.
Music
Bayou Boogie: Much like I'm a sucker for using instruments as instruments, Bayou Boogie also hits that particular heartstring except we got bug noises. Really clever use of them, and the more you listen to it the more you catch on how swamp noises are used to their fullest to make a relaxing mellow theme. It really has a lot of different melodies and stuff going on and is quite an impressive track. It's not up there all the way in me liking it, but I really appreciate how much work was put into it. May be even the most innovative track, if that makes sense.
RATTLE BATTLE: I love how this whole thing starts out. The beginning is pretty much the opening to King K. Rool's song from the last game, so veteran players expect more guitars. Instead we got a flippin sweet piano playing a ragtimey tune. The fact that almost every enemy here (and rattly himself!) are just hopping around and having a good time makes this so fitting. I mean, from an objective view there really isn't that much going on, but it fits so well and gets you in such a good mood that you'd barely notice. Too bad the kannon's are party poopers.
Stickerbrush Symphony: Alright here's the track everybody knows and loves. Now I'm not gonna be some DKC music hipster and say this song is overrated or whatever. If you look it up on youtube you'll see people playing it on so many different instruments, you'll see it on every "top 10 vgm music" list, fuck, even HAL remixed it in supersmash brothers brawl! It's all for good reason! I mean, the last place you'd expect a track like this to play is in a goddamn monkey game where you fight crocodile men, it throws you completely off guard! The song sticks to so many people that the very mention of DKC2 will bring up a reinactment of this song on the spot, shit that's how it is for me at least, and it's not even my favorite. Just the way everything flows together I guess, the simple and sweet xylophone (i think it's a xylophone??) melody that starts it, the various synths piling up on each other, the long drawn out notes in the background. All that breaks down into drum beats to tell you YO DUDE you're up high in the sky, there's wildlife everywhere and no industrialization at all. I mean there's kremlins but even they're vulnerable to nature. The song emphasises both on the danger and beauty of the brambles, and holy shit i'm going to stop now im sorry oh god