ReMix:Chrono Cross "Just Chill" 2:56

By The Pancake Chef

Arranging the music of one song...

"Dilemma"

Primary Game: Chrono Cross (Square , 1999, PS1), music by Yasunori Mitsuda

Posted 2002-06-16, evaluated by djpretzel


Appropriately named deep+dirty trip-hop groove from the CC BGM by the chef of pancake (who not so recently offered some dub coverage of the same game). I enjoyed this a lot; PC gets the drums and bass right with some off-center panning, a quality hip-hop snare, and a dub-like electric bass. This forms the foundation for falling, echoed vibes, various pipe instruments, strings, accordians, pizzicato strings, synths, and more - the chef cooks with a lot of ingredients, much like Emeril, only I've never heard him annoyingly repeat the word "Bam", so it's even better. Portions of this mix actually reminded of some of Massive Attack's Blue Lines and Protection albums - primarily the backing string chords that hold on the same note and the piano intro. Check out the bass break at 1'58" too - tres phat. The uber-cool triplet on the end of the main melodic riff (see 1'03" - triplet at 1'13") is the type of detail that sets a good musical idea apart from a great one (though that's Mitsuda and not PC, he smartly retains it). Dug it - didn't have some of the clinically-clean feeling that PC's other remixes have had (they've all been great, mind you - this one just has a little more vitality). Highly recommended.

djpretzel

Discussion

Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the complete thread or post your own.
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Liontamer
on 2011-12-02 00:43:56

This was definitely one of my old gold mixes back in 2002. When I listened through each and every mix at the time, this was one of the ones I enjoyed that was from a soundtrack I wasn't familiar with.

The mechanical piano that opened things up shows its age, but otherwise I thought this had the chill aspect represented well.

The Pancake Chef is definitely a talent who I wish stuck around to realize his full potential. Hopefully, he's still making music out there somewhere.

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Ascendancy
on 2009-03-17 19:21:33

this mix is sick....the production and arrangement is really good, i love the flute that comes in ever now and then, but what is that instrument being used at 1:25? its sick.....never heard anything like it, and if it was a bad sample it sounded pretty good cause it seems to fit in so well. i guess the reason why i liked this piece a lot is because the constant change in instruments used to play different parts. i would recommend this to anyone. 9 out of 10

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OA
on 2008-04-29 11:06:53

this isn't quite mixed as chill as the name implies, but it's pretty nice work regardless, I love the little flute cameo that pops in here and there. Pretty nice stuff. When the melody comes in, it's pretty nice, and there are some super delayed bells that sound pretty good with piano backing.

The lead synth is a little too harsh for the song, and a bit loud, but otherwise it's a pretty decent quasi trip-hop excursion.

Ending was weak, but doesn't kill the song. Pretty good overall.

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DragonFireKai
on 2007-02-25 17:55:21

It's definitely got kind of a trip-hop feel to it. I could see it being used as background music for something like 96 era Bristol.

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Vero
on 2005-01-02 11:22:34

All of the instruments used in this remix go really nicely together; making it great.

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.IceWinter.
on 2003-09-04 16:46:36

This is a really "smooth" song. The beats are just right... I can tell that The Pancake Chef worked hard on this one.

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Deryck Khusial
on 2003-01-01 07:07:08

one of the finest mixes to grace OCR. the atmosphere ownz, can’t stress it enough. at times, it even seems tangible; it’s that thick. it’s the strings that steal the spotlight though. about 1:35, they come in quick and phrenetic, pleasuring my brain

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Daknit
on 2002-10-29 14:44:24

This is defentily one of my favorites. High marks.

**AWARDED one of Daknit's TOP TEN RETRO GAMER REMIXES**

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reverse
on 2002-10-28 22:38:48

This is a cool mix -- but the harmonica-type sound sometimes threw me off. Other than that, it's awesome - thanks for a great piece!

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Eden
on 2002-09-15 18:32:07

I think the title is perfectly chosen; chilling is indeed the feeling you get when listening to this piece! I love the ambient sounds and the way the song is built up. I don't know... this ReMix just *oozes* Chrono Cross ambience, or is that just me?

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MB
on 2002-08-29 13:51:58

i fell in love with this track after the first 15 seconds. i love the flute, the piccatto strings,the regular strings, the piano intro, and that weird crystal/electric piano chiming thing that goes on periodically throughout the remix. what a great remix. i believe this falls under the "must download" category.

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AlwaysAlone
on 2002-08-23 03:26:53

Another great mix by 'the Chef. I love all of his work, this being no exception. The CC OST is great in itself, and someone making a great remix like this makes the song so much better. Great work. ^^

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rebirth9283
on 2002-08-22 17:53:44

The Pancake Chef's serving of Chill Wind is definitely hot. Those who have played Chrono Cross at any length will recognize this immediately as the mood music for the Viper Bluffs, which is a suspenseful favorite among players.

The Chef's rendition is just as good. He starts by slowing the tempo down a bit and throwing in a hip-hop beat that I originally thought didn't belong there. However, as I got used to it, I figured that maybe taking Serge for a walk through the 'hood wasn't so bad an idea.

The sample of the original piano track works well blended behind the street beat and somewhat modern-age strings and synths. The exotic wind instrument that follows the original melody the first time through sounds out of place among the hip-hop, which seems intentional and quite good. The synths following the melody for the rest of the peice seem to represent almost an adaptation of the melody to the music around it.

In essence, the music itself tells the story of Serge, beginning in its own world, being thrown into a place it doesn't belong (flute in hip-hop), then adjusting to the world around it.

The only problem with the piece is that it has no climax. No part of the song really stands out above the rest.

Overall, this is a very good piece. The Pancake Chef has served up yet another of my favorites. This is a definite must, even for a non-hip-hop-fan like myself.

And one last thing, the title is a gem.

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TheWired
on 2002-08-06 23:54:03

The Pancake shows throws another masterpiece at us with this wonderfull game mix, the first i heard would be La Locura Del Kefka, and let me say that this is by the far, and hands down, the most amazing mix that has hit me in a long time.

A very risky mix of different genres here, but they were extremelly properly timed.

Here's my full song review :

-2:49

The beat starts perfectly timed, a bit roughly but the fade out would've made the song completely different in my oppinion

-2:37

The strings are beautifully rendered and mastered, its as if it was meant to hit the song just at that time, basically this is what makes the song what it is, and keeps the song faithfull to the game

-1:54

The flute/woodwind solo starts backed up some strings, it souds beautifull to mix with the hip-hop beat

-1:22

Another change of instruments, a bit risky if you ask me but gives a bit of a punch

-1:00

Neat bass solo with a chording down piano-ish style, the little bass solo sounds amazing

-0:36

We hear the riff played again, this is for the the ending part with a beat cut at -0:26 , it comes out perfect in the end

-0:16

The ending part where theres only the beat, a hint of the stroll-down piano and the flute to finish it off

This piece is what i call a masterpiece, and it ranks a well deserved 10/10, hands down.

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Zandar The Weeble
on 2002-07-24 08:26:10

Welcome back to ReMix Chef and today's Chrono Cross Battle. Fukui-san?

"Yes Zandar."

We have The Pancake Chef in the kitchen today, and we're seeing a dish called "Just Chill." Is this easily the Chef's best dish since Arab Painting?

"Yes Zandar. The key is the blending of ingrediants to complement the main ingredient, Chrono Cross. Dash of this, smidge of that, pinch of this other thing, and mix till smooth. I love this one, and it's got to be one of my personal favorites from the Clock."

Oh I agree. Fukui-san. The entire piece is absoultely hauntingly, almost painfully evocative. You can toss this into the soundtrack for Chrono Cross and you'd find a place for it. What are the highlights of this dish, Fukui-san?

"Zandar, as you said the entire dish shows balance, style and elegance. At 1:36 with the high synth brings in a snip of the opening theme of the game, Chef style. 1:58 with the bass, drums and melodic bells there for a good 20 seconds is just a staggering example of the subtle elegance of the piece. A sure winner in anyone's musical meal, I give it a 9/10."

And there you have it. We'll be back after this.

Sources Arranged (1 Song)


Primary Game:
Chrono Cross (Square , 1999, PS1)
Music by Yasunori Mitsuda
Songs:
"Dilemma"

Tags (13)


Genre:
Downtempo,Easy Listening
Mood:
Chill,Mellow
Instrumentation:
Bells,Flute,Piano,Strings,Synth,Woodwinds
Additional:
Regional > Celtic
Time > 4/4 Time Signature
Time > Tempo: Slow

File Information


Name:
Chrono_Cross_Just_Chill_OC_ReMix.mp3
Size:
3,605,286 bytes
MD5:
b9d81fccb9b6ff53e0606eb6f67c3ac8
Bitrate:
160Kbps
Duration:
2:56

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