ReMix:Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium "Wounds of the Past" 3:21

By The Coop

Arranging the music of one song...

"Pain"

Primary Game: Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium (Sega , 1993, GEN), music by Izuho Numata, Masaki Nakagaki

Posted 2003-03-31, evaluated by the judges panel


Very deliberate, somber, processional Phantasy Star 4 ReMix from The Coop. Judges unilaterally noted this could have been mastered for a bit more volume, so be ready to turn the volume knob up to 11 (Spinal Tap, anyone?) so that it matches the decibels of most other ReMixes. Judges were also unanimous, however, that this arrangement works some serious mojo on the original track, improving its tonal atmosphere and embellishing the core theme quite eloquently. Digital Coma writes: "I like what was done here. The original's abrasive upper-register synth-organs have been replaced with much more aurally pleasing, serene instrumentation. I agree that the mastering leaves much to be desired, but otherwise the product clearly reflects labor in the arrangement department. The haunting flute sometimes sounds out of key when it hits the high notes, but the sum of the means is pleasingly acceptable." - whilst everyone agreed the sampleset isn't going to give the more professional GigaStudio libraries a run for their money any time soon, the sounds used aren't bad either, and are implemented wisely and frugally. Good example of doing a lot with a little, and of decent sounds and a very solid, additive arrangement combining to form an altogether moving, reticent work.

djpretzel

Discussion

Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the complete thread or post your own.
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Kittah_Khan
on 2010-09-01 19:07:02

A very emotional piece of music.

It rather strongly reminds me of a track in master of orion 2 (

)
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Polo
on 2009-05-11 04:06:41

I respect the conscientious choices of 1) soothing instruments, 2) pulling back the tempo, and 3) highlighting mainly the first of every three notes in the source's 3/4 time signature. Together, these aspects craft some cinematic and maudlin funeral music.

The flute, bells, and strings work seamlessly together, bonded by their grief. They paint a desolate, foggy land where I remember, and say goodbye to, someone who was close to me. Halfway through, the trailing horn calls out to the departed soul, and at the end it touches the last note so poignantly it hurts. Just... hurts.

Chicken soup for the soul right here.

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OA
on 2008-02-08 11:53:28

Thought the arrangement is very simple, it's presented in such a way that it really gets into your head. Very barren and morose.

The sounds were well chosen, and though i'd have preferred the flute to have a little more life to it, it works well.

The transitions were smooth, and the different sections had enough variety to keep me interested. The melody is very haunting, and I can only imagine the level of emotion in the game itself during this scene.

Nice work, very classy.

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SotiCoto
on 2006-03-01 02:19:52
I have played PS4 many, many times, and the part when Alys dies is very dramatic, very sad.

When I heard this song, I knew it was THE remix I was waiting for about this part of the game : quite "simple" (don't take it the wrong way), with soft instruments, great transitions... If I played the first time at PS4 with this music when Alys died, I would have cried.

This is truly a great requiem, and I swear it won't move from the top of my playlist for a long, long time.

I don't really care about the technic when hearing a music (especially from this site, I have yet to find a bad quality music), and I think I have heard remixes far above this one technically speaking, but the emotion I feel when hearing this one is better than a good drum loop :)

(please don't care my weird english writing)

I DID cry there.

Only game to ever make me do that.

I laughed all the way through Aeris's death scene in FFVII, but Alys Brangwin's death in PS4 hit me where it hurt.

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Bummer
on 2006-01-07 08:55:15

Very sad remix, the strings along with the..., let's call it flute, made this arrangement sound really beautiful. It builds up by adding instrument by instrument, and the cycle repeats in the middle of it. This would fit quite well in a movie where the character thinks about his past (remix title, hint hint) and thinks about the pain he may have suffered or made someone else suffer. As I said, a very sad remix, almost makes me wanna cry.

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maestermatt
on 2005-07-10 13:57:58
I have played PS4 many, many times, and the part when Alys dies is very dramatic, very sad.
i agree i cried at that for real so this song means alot to me
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Royal Sovereign
on 2005-05-26 19:34:26

Eerie and gut-wrenching, a wonderful rendering of one of the most tender and emotional tracks in videogame history.

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Corporal Eschebone
on 2004-08-23 13:53:02

The mix seems kind of quiet, so I had to turn up my volume in order to write a reveiw of this. mreh.

This is an emotional [though somewhat minimalistic] mix. I like it, but more as background music - sometimes it feels a bit too artificial and uneventful. I'm betting you turned the volume down to hide those little flaws, eh? :P

Otherwise, you did a pretty nice job on your part. I'll enjoy this as long as I'm not thinking with a critic's mind. :)

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The Coop
on 2003-05-27 03:50:11

I know this is a VERY late response. My apologies.

Thanks for the responses... both praising and criticizing (but especially the praising :wink::lol:). I dropped the volume down as I wanted it to be a subdued, more somber piece... and I knew that by doing so, I was taking a risk with the end volume. But when I turned it up louder, some of that somber quality seemed to fade. So, for better or for worse, I chose to leave it at the volume settings you hear it in now.

Again, sorry for taking so long to reply and thank you guys for taking the time to write what you did. I'll now return you to your regularly scheduled insanity :wink:

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Elsydeon
on 2003-04-24 14:48:54

I have played PS4 many, many times, and the part when Alys dies is very dramatic, very sad.

When I heard this song, I knew it was THE remix I was waiting for about this part of the game : quite "simple" (don't take it the wrong way), with soft instruments, great transitions... If I played the first time at PS4 with this music when Alys died, I would have cried.

This is truly a great requiem, and I swear it won't move from the top of my playlist for a long, long time.

I don't really care about the technic when hearing a music (especially from this site, I have yet to find a bad quality music), and I think I have heard remixes far above this one technically speaking, but the emotion I feel when hearing this one is better than a good drum loop :)

(please don't care my weird english writing)

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Inthesto
on 2003-04-05 20:07:50

Yay! A Phantasy Star IV ReMix! Yay!

Although I don't approve of the track choice (Pain is a decent track in PSIV's soundtrack, but I think it has more interesting music), the ReMix is excellent nonetheless. It might be the PSIV fanboy in me talking, but like I care.

Three thumbs up.

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fisherman
on 2003-04-02 02:53:02

"The whole is greater than the sum of its parts." Definitely applicable here. At /least/ an 8/10. Doesn't try to do too much, which is something I always have a huge problem with in my compositions/arragnements.

Don't know what these comments about out-of-tuneness are... I can usually spot pitch clashes a mile off. Maybe it's just conflicts between the "voices" of the different parts.

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NightWish
on 2003-03-31 21:36:11

Quite nice for a somber themed remix, but there is one major complaint I have: YOU CAN'T FREAKING HEAR MOST OF THE MUSIC!

IMO, a remix is only as good if you can actually hear it.. Nice remix, low, low volume....

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Vig
on 2003-03-31 19:59:08

Very nice stuff. its simple and pretty. not too empty, good harmony.

BTW, there are no off-key notes. dont know what Gman was talking about.

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Gman
on 2003-03-31 18:52:19

Nice. :puppyeyes: Nice sounds, nice arangment. Not too repetitive. One RELLY offkey note on the choir(ish) thing. AHH! You ruined the song for me..Oh well. Ah, then gets a little more heavy on the instruments and give me the nice feeling inside. :puppyeyes:

Good Job man. Other than that wrong note(wich I cant bare), pretty awesome stuff man.

-Gman

Sources Arranged (1 Song)


Primary Game:
Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium (Sega , 1993, GEN)
Music by Izuho Numata,Masaki Nakagaki
Songs:
"Pain"

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File Information


Name:
Phantasy_Star_4_Wounds_of_the_Past_OC_ReMix.mp3
Size:
4,106,555 bytes
MD5:
936e5b15e4f4c30cac177d0026af817c
Bitrate:
160Kbps
Duration:
3:21

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