Impatient for Sinnoh remakes? Chill out to this jazz cover collection
This complete cover of the Pokémon Diamond, Pearl and Platinum soundtrack lasts nearly four hours! That’ll chew up some waiting time.
Listening to the original soundtrack of the Sinnoh games while desperately waiting for the release date of Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl? Video game cover and musician Carlos, aka insaneintherain, has you sorted. Over the course of the past year, he’s made cover after cover of the Sinnoh games soundtrack, resulting in nigh four hours of a jazz cover collection Sinnohvation – even available as a single video!
The album is focused on the jazz genre, with some variations here and there, such as a lo-fi hip hop take on Pokémon League (Night), and a classic piano rendition of the intro theme to Cynthia. It’s all worth a listen, but here are a few top picks from this humble listener.
Eterna Forest isn’t a standout pick for me from the original soundtrack, but this is an absolutely beautiful rendition. And no wonder – it’s an enhanced version of an earlier arrangement, with a full galaxy gang of musicians in a studio used for this track. There’s a lovely interplay between the saxophone (insaneintherain‘s most seen instrument), the strings and clarinet. The build up from the calm beginning to the end of the first section, which transitions to the introduction of rapid drums and saxophone (1:29), is especially nice.
Another track which made use of a recording studio included this extravagant medley of Sinnoh Trainer Battle themes, complete with a Trainer’s Eyes Meet theme to start the song, introduction and victory track at the end. Highlights include a shredding solo on an electric violin, and a percussion battle.
Rounding out the recommendations is this 7+ minute take on the sprawling Mt. Coronet theme. The use of repetition is quite well balanced, kept just on the edge of overdone through variations of different parts of the song. There’s quieter moments where the electric keyboard and drums take turns, contrasted by louder sax pieces and the EWI (electric wind instrument). There’s a fun reference to Lingus (by Snarky Puppy) in the middle as well.
As stated earlier, the whole album is worth a listen. insaneintherain is also selling a digital album version on Bandcamp, as well as vinyls of the studio tracks.
What is your favourite song from Sinnoh? Are you hoping for a certain style to emerge from the remake’s soundtrack?
Edited by Aldo, Sheep, and Zach.
