One of these days, I'm going to upload a track that isn't from the Metroid series… but not today, as I present my arrangement of SR388 from Metroid II: Return of Samus.

The Unnamed Frontier marks the fifth time I've arranged the SR388 music track. I always seem to come back to this track. It's one of the few upbeat tracks in the Metroid series, and its musical structure is very similar to the original Brinstar track from Metroid. To me, it's one of the most underrated tracks from the series. I was surprised when no one picked this track for the original Harmony of a Hunter project.

My goal for The Unnamed Frontier was to create a very electro-chill piece, where the beat would build up over time to form a catchy groove. I wanted the listener to feel like they could relax, and come to the realization that they accomplished their goals from completing an epic journey. While the length of the source tune wasn't particularly long, its melodic structure was very engaging and easy to work with. I also open with a small tribute to "The Baby Metroid", a wonderful and small anthem played towards the end of the game.

Throughout most of the piece, I used a simple Yamaha Piano virtual instrument from Logic Studio (along with a few delay and reverb plug-ins). It was somewhat simple design, but I really like how it turned out. The synthesizers were all somewhat experimental, especially the delay effects. For the second half of the piece, the decision to modulate the key signature to a minor key was somewhat of a eureka moment, as it really helped the flow of the track (giving it a bit of much needed variety). I also became a little more liberal with the melodic line. The final touch to the piece was the contribution of VikingGuitar's solo, which gave the track that great climax that it needed. This piece also marks one of the few times were I used nothing but Logic Studio's assets (excluding a few minor choral pads). 

I was mainly inspired by two things. Firstly, I've always enjoyed the relaxing electro music that's often played in lounges. It might seem like an odd thing to take inspiration in, but it's the little musical touches in my day-to-day activities that makes things enjoyable in life. Secondly, I was heavily inspired by Boards of Canada's "Dayvan Cowboy". It has such a fantastic build up, it's a track that simply inspires me to do things.

This piece is a first for several things. It's the first original arrangement I've finished that isn't a piano solo. It also marks the first time I've collaborated with someone. Like the planet SR388, this track marks new ground for me… an unnamed frontier.

The Unnamed Frontier (Metroid II: Return of Samus - SR388)

Pyro Paper Planes