Arabesque Etoile

Starry Night

Arabesque Etoile by Yousuke Yasui

Recommended by Jessica

"This is a piece by Yousuke Yasui, who composes electronic scores with a retro vibe for video games as well as some original pieces. I really like Yasui's music and enjoy this song for its bouncy beat and catchiness."

First of all, thanks for introducing me to another video game composer. I need wordless music for my attempts at studying, and optimistic pieces like this are the best at keeping me focused and driven.

Yasui says he aspires to write music that is "playful and creative" and I would say he succeeds (x).

A lot of what Yasui does is not creating his own melodies - thought he does that as well - but rather remixing the original game soundtracks, often for the next game in a series that has been on-going for years.

This piece, which pays homage to Hong Kong etoile from the game "Knucke Heads," Yasui evokes the retro or old school gaming style of music and creates something that feels familiar yet modern.

About this "remixing" facet of his work, Yasui says:

No matter how good, a remix is never better than the original. So I changed the feel entirely in order to create something that was good in a different way. I see it as an honor to be connected to the music that I respect. (source)

I really like that quote.

There's a great deal of humility shown in that deference shown to the original, yet there's still a sense of determination and pride in the idea of making something that's "good in a different way." You've got to find a balance between doing your own thing without coming across like you're trying to fix something that isn't broken.

Overview:

Genre:
Electronic

Verdict:
pretty cool, also worth noting - étoile is French for "star." arabesque is a ballet move...but more relevant to this track, an arabesque is "a form of artistic decoration consisting of surface decorations based on rhythmic linear patterns of scrolling and interlacing foliage, tendrils or plain lines" (x)
As such, a star arabesque (arabesque etoile, if you will) would look something like this:

pretty accurate, right?