Ripple Star (theme)
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- This article is about the track that plays in Ripple Star - Stage 3, and should not be confused with Ripple Star: Stage Select.
"Ripple Star"[derived from Japanese] is a theme from Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, playing in the third stage of Ripple Star. It was composed by Jun Ishikawa.
Composition[edit]
"Ripple Star" is an intense and sinister jazzy track mostly set at the key of F-sharp minor, at 144 beats per minute in 4/4 time. Its four bar intro establishes a pattern of percussion and bass that is used for the first half of the track. The initial melody kicks in with strings playing long notes forming dissonant chords, eventually ending with an accentuated response from a brass section. This is repeated at a higher pitch, the strings move up chromatically, and the brass remarks become more frequent while a repetitive bell counterpoint with a sense of urgency plays in the background; the bass and percussion become even more irregular as they accompany the melody. After a short transition, the percussion and bass change again, while an unnaturally high-pitched saxophone plays a rapid improvisational passage revolving around G sharp, followed by a trumpet and then a flute. This is followed up by a frenetic drum solo, which is then joined by the brass section playing short spread out notes similar to those from the first section. The flute solo continues where it left off and gradually goes back to its original register, all the while backed by the tense string melody from the first section. The percussion and the strings are left alone for a short transition segment, as the track comes to an end and loops.
Jun Ishikawa, the theme's composer, chose to make this song a jazz piece because he felt it would surprise players who were used to the series' typical electronic musical influences. After composing most of the stage themes and determining the general sound direction of the game, he thought that a song in a style from before the days of electronic music would be unique. Along with "0² Battle", he believes that the music for the final areas of the game "formed the image of the unexpected".[1]
Game appearances[edit]
Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards[edit]
This song first originated in this game. It plays for the entirety of the third stage of Ripple Star, which consists mostly of enemy ambushes.
Kirby: Triple Deluxe[edit]
In Kirby: Triple Deluxe, a pretty faithful remix of this theme plays in the Tower of Mid-Bosses stage of this game, Endless Explosions - Stage 5, reflecting its original role in Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards. It is named "Ripple Red" in the Kirby: Triple Deluxe Soundtrack and is arranged by the song's original composer, Jun Ishikawa.
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning |
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| Japanese | リップルスター[2] Rippuru Sutā |
Ripple Star |
References
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