Donkey Kong Country 2 - Hot Head Hop | Reacting To Video Game Music!

[@thalesn]

I once send an e-mail to David Wise, complimenting him on his work (Tropical Freeze had just released at the time). To my surprise, he replied. He was very kind.

[@elfilinamie1326]

Aww, gpd, that's really hecking cool! ^^ Thanks for sharing! Yeah, he seems really cool!

[@Fomortiis100]

The sound effects are indeed a baked-in part of the song. David Wise does that to ensure that the environmental sfx of a stage doesn't clash with the music. And oftentimes the sounds will be subtly subdued during the chorus of the track to add more emphasis to the melody. It's a really smart way to handle environmental sfx.

[@proudlarry8225]

As far as my childhood goes, David Wise is an absolutely legendary composer.

[@Varizen87]

This is very much one of the volcanic stages. You hear it on levels with lava. You start to see the same backgrounds repeated with the same track throughout the game, but the levels do more than get harder... The background and music tell you a basic common idea of a level but no level is ever just a harder version of a previous one. They start to get their own unique gimmicks.

[@MTGHedgefund]

nailed it! this plays during a lava world. The sounds are part of the song and it's something David does in most of his DKC tracks. If you re-listen to the ones you've already reacted to you'll notice the same sorta thing. I think it adds a lot to the atmosphere.

[@Graeldon]

Great to see some more DKC2! This game is at the core of my childhood, and every track on it is a banger - can't wait for you to get to hear more from the game!

[@sammorin254]

Man, I can't wait until you get some more DKC requests done! Every song is very much welded to its stage in this game in particular.

[@zanon3362]

Speaking of rapping DK.. does he know of THE DK rap song? The intro to the N64 one. I never played the game itself, but that beat/chorus has been stuck in my head basically since it came out!

[@superbot6821]

Ngl after he's done with the snes dkc music he REEALLY should listen to the dkctf ost

[@Dlf212]

Yes, this plays inside a volcano, and (to me) it sounds so peaceful compared to other volcano music.

[@calvinospina7307]

yes the level to this song is inside a volcano. Also Grant kirkhope does the Donkey Kong series really good as well, check out Donkey Kong 64 music like Crystal caves boss theme

[@RibeiroF999]

Yes, the sound effect is part of the music. This helped to save a few bytes of the cartridge's memory, which was already not that big. Here in Hot Head Hop there is lava bubbling, in Mining Melancholy there are pickaxes sounds, in Gang-Plank Galleon there are creaking wood, in Disco Train fireworks, Jib Jig sounds of boat sailing, in Forest Interlude there are birds chirping and in others as well.

[@Home_Rowed]

1:07 this part seems very similar to that one melody in the song "Day N Nite" by Kid Cudi, guess they got it from Donkey Kong.

[@PeachBootyPoppin]

A lot of Rare games use sound effects in their soundtracks to fit the atmosphere of their levels. David Wise and Grant Kirkhope do this a lot. Banjo Kazooie comes to mind right away.

[@mechamaya]

This game has a *lot* of fan remixes, it's one of the most remixed games lol

[@Pascll]

I really hope you listen to some stuff from donkey kong country tropical freeze, it's got an amazing soundtrack as well. one of my favourite soundtracks ever, for sure.

[@kobarsos82]

You basically hop over balloons, over lava and volcanoes right! Stressful stuff! :D Ground is too hot. Nice man, I'm hoping for more donkey kong songs! Both osts from the first two games are amazing, so worth it!! This was 1995. The music from the last boss in first game is amazing too, it has stuck in my head for too long! As for David Wise he also recently participated in Yooka Laylee game osts, more recent platformers. He still has it. He is great.

[@PAPERskillord]

I've seen nobody mentioning this and I don't know if this is just in my head however his melodies sound so original to me. Every time i hear a new David Wise song in a game I start laughing out of joy and confusion asking myself: "How does he do that?", because since I'm no professional to music I have no idea why his songs are so good. I can only think of the unique melodies. There is one thing I noticed though which I really like. It's how there is a high pitch but at the same time the bass gets deeper. Thank you for reacting to David Wise' works. Seriously he is one of my three favourite composers and it's always interesting to hear from a professionals view.

[@ulisesmantilla9193]

DK music always jams while keeping the appropriate mood. Can't wait till you hear others like Aquatic Ambience or Flight of the Zinger.

[@xXFoiXx]

guys he requested Donkey Kong and hip hop He now has to listen to the DK Rap from Donkey Kong 64 you asked for it

[@tyrantravealpha]

Another great reaction. David Wise just hits a bit differently. Btw, Jesse can I make a small suggestion? Could you please include the names of the music you use during your thoughts/break downs? Thank you and I love the content you make.

[@JessesAuditorium]

Thank you. Two things: 1. I used to in my older videos at the start of the video, but people kept asking me anyway since they skip the intro. 2. In my discord, I have a channel specifically for all the songs I've used as background music.

[@tyrantravealpha]

@@JessesAuditorium Thanks for the info! Keep up the good work Jesse.

[@jordandeadley360]

YES! This makes a case for my favourite video game song of all time, it’s not number 1 but it’s certainly up there.

[@FrenzVorstellen]

Holy sheet, it's Hot Head Hop!

[@DLane814]

So heres the thing. The lava is part of the song, yes........kind of. Because the SNES had a limited amount of sound channels, if they wanted to have sound effecfts/ambient noise put into a level, from a sound design standpoint, especially if a piece of music would only play in one particular biome, the ambient noise would have probably been put on the bass channel or something open, right? For instance in this one you were only hearing the bubbling when the bass was on the I chord at the beginning of the loop.

[@TheFifthWill]

My favorite DKC2 song.

[@jelyse14]

Hot Head Bop*, btw This is one of my favorites of his. They're all pretty dang amazing. As always with David Wise music, I highly recommend PPF's cover of this song. Its my favorite rendition of the song, he does such a good job with it

[@siverwrites]

I have nothing to say that hasn't already been said, so just, DKC 2 music ❤ I've never finished the game but the soundtrack is so dang good

[@Zephhi]

I thought this song was titled Hot-Head 'Bop', but maybe it has 2 names

[@JudgeTyBurns]

“Hot-Head Hop,” the title used in this video, is the name of the first level this song plays in.

[@Zephhi]

@@JudgeTyBurns Okay, so it’s the level name, that’s why

[@aceflare2431]

This and Mining Melancholy were my favorites in the game. However I found an unexpected banger of a theme in Save the Light.. Hessonite's boss theme. Check it out.

[@Nickachuuuuu]

Hey Jesse! I'd love for you to react to the Ori and the Blind Forest music. I think it's one of the greatest OST's out there. May I suggest starting with Light of Nibel? It's the main theme of the series and in my opinion one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever created.

[@liraco_mx]

Search for these 2 remixes with words on YT: - OC ReMix 2003: Donkey Kong Country 2 'A New Place' - OC ReMix 2950: Donkey Kong Country 2 'Clouds Away' (Sorry if you got spammed, saw my messages disappear, probably because of links)

[@rodrigol7658]

DK2 has some crazy awesome songs...and it's amazing how you can relate each song with the level they are played in...listening to this, I remember Rambi jumping from balloon to balloon trying not to fall in the lava and die. Such a good game...and soundtrack

[@Eppon6]

This is one of those games in the latest stages of the SNES, (the series of 3 games came out in 1994-'95-'96 respectively) it was a game made utterly optimized to look good and sound the best that anything could on that system. So yes, they put the lava bubbling into the background music of the stage, along with other sound-effects in the stages where they could to save coding space for other things. What they did to make these games with the space and limitations of the system was utterly bonkers.

[@pointlessmanatee]

i was just checking out your melancholy mineshaft reaction again since it goes so hard and I check your channel and find this? happy birthday to me happy birthday to me and merry christmas too

[@mojojojox5043]

I've went through the whole Donkey Kong series, wasn't super impressed with much else other Country but that's just me (the other stuff is still good). I like how there's bubbling sounds going on really bringing the image of lava and a fire level. I still love the soft instruments in contrast to it like you are trying to be very careful, the bass is awesome love it. There's some really nice melodies here that feels like longing for something. I like how some of the higher pitched elements give this a feeling of danger, the percussion gives it a bit of a jungle feel since it's a DK game which is very fitting. I forgot how good this song is, I really like this one and might add it to my collection after a few more listens. I personally really like when sound effects are expertly added to a song since they can add something interesting.

[@ChristopherCraven]

Check out rebecca E tripps DKC2 cover, the full thing. It doesnt popify or add rap, it's just how it could've sounded if the game came out today.

[@CAPAE]

7:43 Get this man "Cave Dweller Concert" and "Bayou Boogie" 😏👈

[@CAPAE]

@@NuiYabuko Wind blowing in Jib Jig

[@Kniffel101]

Regarding Donkey Kong Country, I'm not sure whether David Wise did _all_ tracks for DKC 3, but it's a fact that he was not hired for DKC Returns, but obviously his compositions are in that game. DKC Tropical Freeze is David Wise though, and him at his best, without any restrictions! =D Also, it's Diddy's Kong Quest, not Diddy Kong's Quest (see the pun there? =P), but it's a common mistake. I can only assume the embedded soundeffects are due to a hardware limitation of the Super Nintendo. Rare did everything they could to get every bit of power out of the hardware! =D

[@paiz3505]

I dont get how he hasnt listened to aquatic ambience yet

[@MilanTehVillain]

It’s up to the individual requester. I’m sure it *has* been requested, but his backlog is huge.

[@ramsvelez1232]

llamenme cuando llegue a Gankplank Galleon o Crocodile Cacophony

[@clouddios7]

temazos

[@pointlessmanatee]

personally im a fan of the lost world anthem from DKC2

[@thend4427]

Hope you get some DKC 1 tracks

[@jaye5716]

Whats the music playing while jesse gives his thoughts about this track? Sounds very like a track off of Raidou Kuzunoha type vibe.

[@JessesAuditorium]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/bKfQaaCtZ8ZlasU

[@endofexistence2149]

Nope those sound effects are part of the song. That how amazing these songs are they are all atmospheric.