Review: V-RARE #5 (DDRMAX2)

For many DDR fans, DDRMAX2 was the version that revitalized the series after the relative disappointment that was DDRMAX. It contained a trove of great new songs as well as bringing back many of the old favorites. It brought back many players to the series who had pretty much given up on it after DDRMAX came out. Let's move on to the CS release's V-RARE.

1.　Kind Lady (Funk Disco Extended Mix) / OKUYATOS
Kind Lady is one of those songs whose game version is a take it or leave it affair, but I really like the remixes. I really enjoy this mix that combines some of the best aspects of the Funky Interlude with the vocals and feeling of the original. Despite its relatively long length at 7'29, it doesn't seem to get old. A great start to this compilation. ****

2.　Do It Right (80's Electro Extended Mix) / SOTA feat. Ebony Fay
This song suffers from an unfortunate case of Konamifanremixitis. It is essentially repeating the same verse over and over again throughout it's 4'49 length. But, it's forgiven because of an amazing semi-acapella beginning and excellent backing track throughout the rest. I can dig it. ****

3.　Look To The Sky (Trance Extended Mix) / System S.F. feat. Anna
Another sufferer of Konamifanremixitis with once again, the same Engrishy lyrics that we all know and love being repeated over this song's 5'58 length. But, again, like with the previous song, it keeps itself interesting with a great trance backing track that keeps the song flowing really well. Not bad at all. ***1/2

4.　Feelings Won't Fade (Extended Trance Mix) / SySF.
I believe this marks the only album appearance of this song that was in DDR Party Collection. Yes, it's as derivative as any of Sota Fujimori's trance offerings (ever notice how they all sound just like Look To The Sky?), but he certainly has a working formula. I think this song starts to wear out its welcome around the 3 minute mark, but is pretty decent, although I wouldn't have placed this track adjacent to its step-sister Look To The Sky remix.

5.　Kind Lady -FUTURE TRANCE MIX- / OKUYATOS
With all of these trance remixes, it's starting to feel like an IIDX V-RAre. That aside, I dig the hell out of this Kind Lady remix if for no other reason then that it is so completely different from any other remix of that song up to this point. It somehow manages to stay intriguing throughout its ridiculous 8'19 length and its Konamiremixitis infused vocals. I would have chopped a few minutes off this song if it were up to me, but it's still really good. ****

6.　Midnight Blaze (SySF Mix) / SySF.
Finally, the last trancified remix on this V-RARE, not that there's anything wrong with that. I really like this remix too, for similar reasons to the Kind Lady -FUTURE TRANCE MIX-. It suffers from the same shortcomings, but manages to stay interesting with a good backing track and set of change-ups throughout the song. Again, I'd chop a couple minutes off of this 6'16 song, but hey, I'd rather have it too long than too short (unless it's that In My Eyes remix from the Ultramix 2 V-RARE). ****

7.　glacial(radio edit) / Riyu Kosaka
In a typical Naoki formula we follow this recipe:
1 - Take an already existing song (in this case Hyper Eurobeat)
2 - Completely change around the lyrics (make them Japanese)
3 - Completely change around the singer (Kosaka)
4 - Bake thoroughly and serve warm

Really, don't we have enough derivatives of Hyper Eurobeat already? *yawn*. **

8.　i feel... (New Age Hope Mix) / SySF.
At first there's a "holy shit" moment as it's like, "omg a piano accoustic version of i feel...", and then as it's a piano track that sounds nothing like "i feel..." combined with nothing more than "I feel it, I feel it," being repeated over and over again. C'mon, even the original "i feel..." had more words than that. A real let-down. **

If you don't like trance, stay far, far away from this V-RARE. A huge majority of the tracks are trance remixes, but they are pretty well done. My only real gripe was that most of the songs were just a minute or two (or several in the case of Kind Lady -Future Trance Mix-) too long, and there's really no reason some new lyrics couldn't have been added to freshen up things a little. Glacial is just meh, and i feel... was a cocktease that ultimately left me limp. This is a V-RARE that you're either really going to love or hate. I think it's pretty good for the most part, but not the kind of thing I'd want to listen to over and over (just wait until we get to V-RARE 10...).