Super Mario 64 LoFi album is out!

Behold! the Super Mario 64 lo-fi album by Save Point and yours truly (88bit) has dropped! Please give it a listen! Add it to your playlists!
https://88bit.bandcamp.com/album/video-game-lofi-super-mario-64

This album is for those who love the Super Mario 64 OST as well as those who may not be that familiar but enjoy VGM and lo-fi. Dire Dire Docks is my favorite on the album. I’d love to hear your thoughts!
https://open.spotify.com/album/1pfczruTAL2lfSY9mf8QrG?si=9jxQXzxCTMeDNB8kVK5T9w


Opening
The original version from the soundtrack (composed by Koji Kondo) is just a 30-second intro in the game. It plays once and doesn't loop. The melody is derived from the Bob-Omb Battlefield theme but goes in a different direction. I remember thinking, "How are we gonna make a whole track out of this little sound cue?"

I started by repeating the opening chord sequence, adding a few extensions, and then reharmonizing them adding syncopation and groove in the piano part. Save Point sets the background atmosphere with lovely white noise textures behind all of this. And right when the syncopation picks up and the harmony starts to change, we get the first drum beat. All of this is still building anticipation for the next moment when we first hear the melody played by a new instrument -- a warm, woofy synth.

If you're familiar with the OST, then you'll certainly recognize the melody but with new, lush chords supporting the melody. The effect is like visiting a favorite winter stomping ground but now it's mid-summer and near sunset. You recognize the place but are now seeing it for the first time in a new context.

Not only did we want to turn this little intro song into a full-length track, but knowing this was going to be the first track on the record, we wanted to give an overview as to what you can expect going forward -- chill grooves, tasteful and unexpected reharms, lots of piano, warm synths, soft textures and a total reimagining of the Super Mario 64 soundtrack like you've never heard before.
https://youtu.be/gZ_XCzeYR28


File Select
The File Select theme is a little ditty that plays when you’re selecting a save file to load up and start the game. I slowed it down quite a bit for this arrangement, which really brings out the simplicity and sweetness of the melody. I fleshed it out a bit on piano and threw in a new harmonic progression midway through giving it a more epic and powerful feeling, which hints both at the journey you’re about to embark upon in the game as well as this album. Save Point added a perfect groove and tasteful background synths, guitars and effects that feel like the song is constantly evolving.

Near the end, the song slowly and seamlessly morphs into a different theme that you’ll likely hear later on in the album, just like how you might find yourself in the middle of the game after loading a save file. Please give it a listen and let me know what you think of the track! :)
https://youtu.be/y90skTDFM8o


Inside The Castle Walls
Track 3 on the Super Mario 64 LoFi album is “Inside the Castle Walls.” This was one of the more difficult ones to arrange for this album. With its very chromatic and quick chord progression, I wasn’t sure how to make it fit the vibe of the album.

For the first half of the song, I settled on thickening up and doubling the chords, and changed the octaves of the slow rising, bubbly arpeggios. The second half is like a totally different song with a slower harmonic progression and a very nice winding, rising and falling melody.

Save Point switches to a half-time beat which is oh-so-satisfying and contrasts nicely with the bouncy groove of the first half. Please enjoy and let me know what you think!
https://youtu.be/mRIIHyMF_mo


Bob-Omb Battlefield
Also known as “Main Theme” from Super Mario 64, we have the song from the first level - Bob-Omb Battlefield. I honestly procrastinated on arranging this one. It’s the catchiest and maybe most famous song from the soundtrack. It’s been covered so many times. How can we make our version unique from the rest?

We stayed pretty true to the original, with just a few reharmonizations mostly during transitions and keeping the instrumentation to a simple jazz trio. And with Save Point’s production and drum beats, it really sounds like this was a lost recording from the 40’s.

What’s also unique about this track from the rest of the album is it has a full-on piano solo. I had a lot of fun with this, especially with throwing in references to previous Super Mario soundtracks. Btw, there are a total of 11 musical references peppered throughout the song. I tried to mask them so they didn’t stick out and felt like they belong there. Please do comment if you recognize them. A few are very tricky. :)
https://youtu.be/3IxvN0s5H-A


Wing Cap Mario
This is essentially the Star Theme from the original Super Mario Bros. I took that basic pattern but thickened up the chords and through a 9nth on the bass instead of just an octave. I leaned into the latin-groove that’s already built into the theme.

Normally this theme is just two chords which we used for the first iteration of the melody. I love when the percussion and sub-bass drop in. It kinda has a “Cantaloupe Island” feel. I reharmonized the chords progression which really helps drive the song forward. And Save Point’s solo in the middle as well as all the background parts and arpeggios really bring it all together. Let me know what you think of this one!
https://youtu.be/jFDXkYxiZuU


Cave Dungeon
I believe we made the happiest version of “Cave Dungeon” (which itself is just the Super Mario Bros. Underground Theme) that you’ll ever hear. This was the last track we made for the album and I was reluctant to even do this one. The Underground Theme isn’t unique to Super Mario 64 and it’s certainly been covered a lot! But we did all the other available tracks and this was the only option. I’m glad we did because it’s kinda my favorite on the album.

This was actually my second attempt at arranging this. I initially came up with an entirely different arrangement but I felt it was a bit too dancey for this lo-fi chill album. (Maybe we’ll release that version separately.)

Back to the drawing board I went. I had an idea after going to bed to keep the bass riff in the melody like Cave Dungeon does but change its relationship to tonic. So instead of starting on the tonic, the main riff starts on the fifth scale degree. The melody notes are all the same but it feels almost unrecognizable.

From there it was just a matter of reharmonizing the riff. Of all the reharmonizations on the album, this is the one I’m most proud of. :) I threw in the bass and even a little Rhodes solo. Save Point laid down such a great groove to this.
https://youtu.be/IXPbmGEbG1I


Dire Dire Docks
If I had to pick a favorite track off the Super Mario 64 LoFi album, this would be it. Dire Dire Docks may be the most beloved song from Super Mario 64 and Save Point and I treated it with all the care and respect that it deserves.

How do we take a tune that already has a beautiful melody and chill chord progression and make it even more beautiful and chill? I wanted to do more than just replay the song on piano. I experimented with some subtle reharmonizations which I feel really helps the song move forward and gives the listener a fresh take on a familiar theme. 

Soft synths and dreamy guitar support the piano, and a sloshy drum beat helps propel the music along, like taking a lazy swim in a fantastical stream. This all culminates with a looping chord progression and the melody overlapping upon itself, giving the feeling that this could go on and on and on. I hope this becomes your favorite cover of Dire Dire Docks. :)
https://youtu.be/x17QHGobby0


Piranha Plant’s Lullaby
This is the second track I worked on for the album. I changed the meter from 3/4 to 4/4 fleshed out the chords a little bit and gave it a little breakdown section. Save Point added a nice beat and threw in an entirely new section with some piano of his own. It’s a lovely track that feels like staring peacefully out the window on a rainy day.
https://youtu.be/QVzTOhAouN0


Koopa’s Road
This was a fun one to do. I stayed fairly true to the original, fleshed out the chords a bit and basically played it straight through on piano. Save Point made a hip intro by chopping up the beginning and gave it a sort of trip-hop feel with the drum groove and the sub-bass.
https://youtu.be/TqiOPUn0RzA


Bowser
Bowser is the first track we worked on and initially it wasn’t even on the tracklist. But listening to the album I immediately had an idea to take that distorted “guitar” riff make it the main melody and through some dark, unpredictable chord changes under it. It was such a vibe. I made a quick voice memo and sent it to Save Point. He loved it and gave me the go-ahead to work on this which ultimately set the tone for the whole record.

His production on this is wild too. I couldn’t have imagined what he would turn this track into, chopping it up, making an entirely new section out of the parts, throwing in a brief microtonal section. 🤯 It’s so dark and dirge-y.
https://youtu.be/cO5_BRxEhac


Staff Roll
That leads us to the final track on the album - Staff Roll. A pleasant rewarding tune with a feeling of much satisfaction that you just beat Super Mario 64r. I stayed fairly true to the original here, giving it a nice full piano treatment. Save Point even added some piano of his own during the B section. It really comes to life with the beat, the bass and all the extra sounds sprinkled throughout.

As we get to the final chord, we get a low sub bass and a slow winding piano arpeggio. For that final chord, I ended up quoting the iconic Super Mario 1-up sound 3x times in a row. Do you recognize it? Comment below. :)
https://youtu.be/iWoaxu6oUZQ

And thank you for listening to the entire album “Video Game LoFi: Super Mario 64.”  We really put a lot of love and care into this album. We wanted to give fans of the game something that would bring back the nostalgia but with a fresh take. We also wanted to make something that those who never heard the original soundtrack or played the game would also truly enjoy. And ultimately we wanted to show respect for the great music that Koji Kondo put so much of himself into writing. I hope we achieved that and I hope you come back to the album often for years to come. :) <3
https://88bit.bandcamp.com/album/video-game-lofi-super-mario-64