ReMix: Final Fantasy 'Beginning of the Fantasy'

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Final Fantasy

Interesting - really understated 'techno' from Pollard, who tends to compose flashier stuff that is more 'in your face'. This is a very subdued, melodic piece that features beautiful strings and an alluring harp sound that works very well, coupled with drums that enter and exit with little fanfare - it's almost a hybrid between a techno remix and straight ambient / instrumental, the drums are so sublimated. But it works: everything has a very dreamlike quality that would be disturbed by a more invasive loop or complicated rhythmic percussion. Ever the fan of solos, I personally would have loved something to that effect, maybe an oboe or resonant analog pulse wave. But again, the more I think about it, I like this the way it is - more like a prelude than an actual symphony, which fits with the title.

― djpretzel

Discussion: Latest 12 comments/reviews; view the complete thread or post your own.
Great tune and great production skills.

- yosefu on October 14, 2009
AnotherOneBitesTheDust;8128 wrote: There's some nice arranging going on here. The very beginning sounds so familiar, as from not a Final Fantasy game


I think that the intro comes from FF7 Anxious Hearts myself but that could simply be because the tone of the instruments is similar.

Other than that I really like the mix. It's well done and a great mixture of sounds, not to mention the mixture of bleak and hope feelings throughout. I really like the almost chanting-like sound at 1:22, probably the best part of the song.

- Evil_Cronos on January 5, 2009
I find this nothing short of brilliant.
There are at least two source tunes present: The Prelude and Prologue. The Prelude starts at 0:14, runs intermittently throughout, and is done in a relatively straightforward manner. The brilliance, as I see it, is mp's interpretation of Prologue, which comprises the majority of this remix and is either altered or subdued so much that it's nearly impossible to spot. The countermelody of Prologue can be easily heard at 1:02; and a 2x speed melody, with a good portion of the notes omitted, can be heard at the beginning. Interpretations of Prologue comprise the rest of the mix.
I can't speak to production, but I think the arrangement is gorgeous. The handoff between the cello and the piano at 0:30 is seamless, and the voices at 1:22 give an ethereal, haunting aura. The static is a nice touch - it gives a distant feeling, which plays to the solemness of the piece. The rather inspiring originals have become very somber... it is as if hope remains but is guised - shrouded by the seemingly endless path of tribulations that await. If I were to save the world, I would want to start my quest to this song.
Thank you, Mr Pollard.

- K.B. on August 4, 2008
DragonAvenger;416917 wrote: I don't think I would have recognized this as FF if I heard it without the title. I think it's too obscure. I enjoyed listening to it, and when I finally heard the 'melody' I could make out what had been done. Overall I felt that I had to look way too hard to find the remix in this, if that makes sense.
I agree with OA about the frequencies, there could have been more going on higher and lower to expand the range of the piece.
It's a nice piece, but just too obscure for my tastes.

But the theme was right in the background maybe 20 seconds in. It was understated, but it was there.

- Liontamer on June 13, 2008
I don't think I would have recognized this as FF if I heard it without the title. I think it's too obscure. I enjoyed listening to it, and when I finally heard the 'melody' I could make out what had been done. Overall I felt that I had to look way too hard to find the remix in this, if that makes sense.
I agree with OA about the frequencies, there could have been more going on higher and lower to expand the range of the piece.
It's a nice piece, but just too obscure for my tastes.

- DragonAvenger on June 12, 2008
I like this piece, and after really sitting down and listening to it for the first time in more than a year, I was actually a bit hard pressed to remember why I liked it.
I couldn't distinguish anything that resembled a Final Fantasy tune, and it was a bit boring, to be quite frank.
But, once I hit 1:22, I remembered. The break in the beat and the heavy-hitting harp in favour of something lighter is the key, I feel. It's almost a chant. I don't know anything about remixing or the programs used or anything about musical intruments for that matter, so I don't know what exactly was used or how it came about, but I do like that little section there.

-Jehy-

- GeneralJehy on January 16, 2007
Cool intro, with some very creative arrangement throughout. The production is really cluttered, as everything seems to be smashed into one tiny frequency band, which limits the mix a bit. I actually had to activly listen for the prelude parts within the mix, and they are definitely there, but it may be a few listens.
Very creative work, just wish the production was there.

- OA on January 15, 2007
Never expected that the beginning of fantasy had groovy beats. Overall, a nice, flowing mix with some strings that gives this mix that touch of orchestral that so many of us reviewing dudes adore.
But it was first at 1:22 that I actually heard the prelude, the rest was beautiful but hardly recognizing, but it may just be old fantasyless me, great work mp.

- Bummerdude on October 2, 2005
This is another one of those songs that just catches your attention
I love the feel of soft, smooth strings along with a steady kick drum
Short but very soothing

- jordex on March 8, 2005
the original was on VGmix, not by this guy, titled Imp Killing is Fun, im wanting to say it was scott peeples or russel cox, its been a long time since VGmix was up, could be wrong, nice song, wish the guy hadnt stolen it, thats all

- gamecubefreak on March 5, 2004
There's some nice arranging going on here. The very beginning sounds so familiar, as from not a Final Fantasy game, like maybe Radical Dreamers or something. Not something I listen to much because I don't usually frantically search for final fantasy prelude mixes, but that beginning will always be in my memory.

- AnotherOneBitesTheDust on January 15, 2003
Final Fantasy 'Beginning of the Fantasy'
Nice combination of heavy drum thumping with swelling and
sweeping strings. A harp covers a lot of the melody, occasionally stepping
aside for other strings to build up the theme. A shame it's only 3 min long.

- m68030 on June 5, 2002

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