ReMix: Final Fantasy IX 'Black Magic Synthesis'
- Game: Final Fantasy IX (Square, 2000, PS1)
- ReMixer(s): Danny Baranowsky
- Composer(s): Kunihiko Kurosawa, Nobuo Uematsu, Shiro Hamaguchi
- Song(s): 'Black Mage Village'
- Posted: 2003-04-27, evaluated by the judges
SyteManiac gives us a little bit of everything with this epic techno/breakbeat/dance/industrial Final Fantasy 9 ReMix that also goes classical for a bit and features some crazy-beautiful DSP processing tricks, beat slices up the wazoo, great and very spontaneous drum programming, layered synths, and a general vibe of being willing to take some risks and transition wildly. There's also samples of "Klaatu Verada Nicto" which judge m68030 cited as being from "Evil Dead" but I recognized as originally being from "The Day The Earth Stood Still" (Evil Dead was referencing it as an in-joke - both movies are worth seeing if you haven't) - no one was really gung-ho on the usage of said samples - it wasn't on any of the judges' list of favorite aspects of this ReMix - but I suppose it works well enough to not significantly detract from the more kickass portions of this six-minute plus endeavour, at any rate. This is apparently an older submission that for one reason or another is appearing now, but it's held the test of time well. Specific highlights include the piano-and-choir break at 2'30" (love the choir patch and the way it's filtered at the end for the transition), as well as the cornucopia of effects the ReMixer uses, especially at the end. If you want to hear a variety of digital effects applied liberally but musically, this is your gig. Also, the distant, verbed synth panned right that's used for the catchy main melody is perfect, and helps the whole thing stick in your head hours after listening. Innovative, unique stuff from SysteManiac, who weaves a schizophrenic sonic landscape around the original melodies and ends up with some enjoyably mutated yet still very muslcal results.
Nice breakdown of piano and choir, and though the track went well over 6 min, it was varied enough to always be interesting.
- OA on December 22, 2009
- Dubanubiel on December 6, 2009
That amount of effect in this nearly staggering. Danny really went above and beyond with this one, especially with the synths. I love how it suddenly went quiet with the choir and piano and then, BOOM! Right back into it
The "Klaatu Verada Nicto" caught me off guard as they just popped out of nowhere. They don't quite part of the track for some reason, they're just....... well, there.
But it doesn't subtract from the fact that this mix is ten kinds of awesome! :grin:
- Sir_Downunder on December 3, 2009
- JaDE ARaN HaRuNo on July 22, 2009
Great source (I'm playing the game at the moment..), and the industrial treatment fits it very well! The actual melody is quite buried much of the time, but it's audible. Many of the synth textures are quite gorgeous (esp. with the reverb).
I'm not overly fond of the vocal snippets, I think they're mixed surprisingly up front. They don't feel "pasted on" but somewhat underworked. The piece also feels a little on the long side, but not overtly so. Good track!
--Eino
- evktalo on January 21, 2009
- Lone on November 20, 2006
Overall, nice done, liked those synths.
And by the way, it´s not Vivi´s theme, it´s Black Mage Village.
- Bummer on November 2, 2005
- Platinus on March 17, 2005
- Dragonblade on October 3, 2004
- fetusboy on September 10, 2004
As for the remix, only one word I can think of can aptly describe it. One, appropriately, made famous from [i]The Evil Dead[/i] movies. "Groovy."
- DarkPrimus on July 15, 2003
I think it's that I didn't actually pick up on the Black Mage Village music being in the first part the first time I listened that I didn't really get the title.. but when I listened more carefully I could hear it in there, and my opinion totally changed. BMV was one of my favourite tracks in FF9, and the more I listen to this remix, the more I appreciate and like it. Nice one. :D
- Berrik on July 5, 2003
- Nines on July 3, 2003
SPACE-COWBOY wrote: this is real artwork. what is added to the original track perfectly matches it, as well as the variation of the mood from industrial to ambient.
The melody is nowhere as close to the original track. It's better!!!
- A-RoN on May 9, 2003
Discussion: Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the