ReMix: Final Fantasy VII 'Fluss der Liebe'
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- Game: Final Fantasy VII (Square, 1997, PS1)
- ReMixer(s): DarkPrinceLuca, Freemind, GrayLightning, Israfel
- Composer(s): Nobuo Uematsu
- Song(s): 'Life Stream'
- Posted: 2003-08-11, evaluated by the judges
First off, let's give GrayLightning a chance to explain who did what on this multi-artist collaboration, as the roles were somewhat varied and sequential: "This concept was initially planned by DarkPrinceLuca as a new age and orchestral piece that could be worked on by DPL, Freemind and myself. DPL's role as creative director of the project entailed conceptual ideas on the flow of the mix, and the initial sound design. From there Freemind created the piano melody and base harmony (most of the new age sections). At that point, I took Freemind's midi work and orchestrated the strings throughout the piece, as well as did the initial orchestral section. I then mixed down and mastered the file. Israfel joined the project near the project's completion. His work centered around additional orchestrations to compliment my initial orchestral arrangement. I then mixed his newly added material with my previous mastered file. The result is this mix." So, that explains that. I think it's important to remember - if it's not entirely obvious - that collaborations don't tend to result in mixes that are necessarily "better" than any single one of the artists could have produced by themselves. What they do tend to be are mixes that could not have been produced at all were it not for the unique combination of talents involved - the whole certainly being more than the sum of its parts. In this case, you get a unique, divergent ambient FF7 arrangement that's quite transporting and surreal. Introing with a dark, cavernous soundscape then bringing in a melancholy piano with some BEAUTIFULLY subtle high electric synth FX and choral work, the mood established ebbs and flows from wondrous to morose, then to a more epic feel as an orchestral snare and staccato strings bring in more forward momentum. There's a bit o' brass that comes in; not too crazy about that addition. But the parts of this mix that work are very evocative of Blade Runner, and have that whole "oscillating between major and minor resolutions" thing working full-time and well. Judges were mostly positive, but I think a few shared some of my concerns, which largely center around those portions of the mix that try for a more orchestral motif (the exposed, vulnerable snare comes to mind) - regardless, the bulk of the arrangement is as mentioned quite transporting and immersive, and doesn't sound particularly like either of the artists you might already be familiar with from previous ReMixes. Good stuff, very chill, conspicuous, and those high, subtle ambient electricity fx are just perfect.
Discussion: Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the Don't get me wrong, this is still a great and well done mix and worth checking out if you like orchestral/atmospheric mixes, but it just isn't for me. :|
- 42 on January 20, 2009
It has a very lonely beginning, sounds like someone is sitting in the slums of Midgar and plays some notes on a piano that happens to stand there. When the piano then gets two-handed, the strings comes in, and then we got the feel of the Lifestream, a smooth and calm that just lets your problems melt away, a very touching remix if I might say.
Well done to all of you. :D :D :D :D
- Bummerdude on October 16, 2005
Like others, I too feel the drum to be a little out of place, but that's not enough to ruin the piece as a whole.
So yeah, like I said, very nice overall.
- benevolensaurus on April 20, 2005
zyko wrote: at about 2:30 is when israfel's contributions are most felt - need i even say that michael dover is quite adept at writing engaging orchestral accompaniment?
Well, actually... I'm surprised that I haven't commented on this mix yet. But in the interest of full disclosure, any mention of engaging orchestral arrangement in this mix should really be aimed at Gray. My involvement in this piece was extremely minimal- in fact, the mix was already considered finished when I first heard it.
All I really did was add the horn melody at 2:40, as well as little background stuff like the harp chords at that same section.
But all the same, I enjoyed working on the mix, and hope that I can do more collaborations in the future. Preferably one that I'm more involved with. :wink:
- Israfel on May 11, 2004
- robochar on September 27, 2003
I'm sorry. Really wanted to like it, but can't.
- Villainelle on September 7, 2003
there are some nice little modifications to the original theme, and a choir sound that i like, but aside from that nothing holds my interest. it's not really [i]bad[/i], but i feel nothing when listening to it, aside from faint boredom. two major nitpicks though:
-the piano is too mechanical. every note seems to have the same velocity*; it needs humanising.
-the 2:32 section is too human. every note seems to be syncopated; it needs quantising.
mm.
*despite the fact that the volume of the notes varies
- Gwilym on September 4, 2003
- GreatLeo on August 24, 2003
MC wrote:
the rolled chord at the end. I think the only time you should roll chords like that is when your hand isn't big enough to play all a chord's notes at once.
Hm....Sorry for being late at my reply but I have some jobs to do..I like very much the rolls at the end...They give a smooth ending, which I love...My opinion is that the specific sample of the piano was a bit "hard"...It had good dynamics but it didn't have the sense of a real piano.....
- Freemind on August 19, 2003
- JorJorMogBoi on August 18, 2003
i was surprised that when the piano came in, i was not caught off gaurd. freemind's contribution rings loud n clear in perhaps what is the best fitting piano ive heard in an ambient new age vg arrangement in a very long time. excellent match to the much more synthetic and overpowering pads in its background... which incidentally had a very intoxicating progression - i love the tonal structuring you guys did with the synth chords and the piano lead. you can sense graylightning's style of orchestration and chord voicings throughout the song and the tone is reminiscent of tears of a swordsman. amazing stuff, man. 1:55-2:00 is GOLD. at about 2:30 is when israfel's contributions are most felt - need i even say that michael dover is quite adept at writing engaging orchestral accompaniment? the deep strings and well written orchestral drums of that section drive the whole section to what is truly an epic climax at 3:50.
you can pick out each part of the piece per contributor very well which is one of the aspects of it that attracts me the most; its almost as if you are able to visualize each individual's contribution simultaneously... not very common in collabs.
excellent work, gentlemen.
~weed
- zyko on August 14, 2003
My advice: Unless you have a good internal rhythm, I suggest you sequence the notes one by one, as opposed to doing a live performance. This resulted in a very disjointed segment where the snare drum made an appearance. The drum should hold the rhythm together, but these drums seemed to do the opposite.
- Aureolius on August 13, 2003
I'm afraid Kamikaze Noodle was wrong in his assessment. :P
A, A': I'm a huge sucker for expression in piano parts. I didn't think this was a terribly expressive piano part. Only minimally colorful at most, which I thought to be at 2:21-2:27. Very little dynamic variation in the piano. Perhaps this was their intention, as to obscure the piano and not have it draw too much attention. Maybe that was a wise choice--I know I would brought it out quite a bit further...probably 'cause that's the only instrument I can write for... Nothing major here, but a pet peeve: the rolled chord at the end. I think the only time you should roll chords like that is when your hand isn't big enough to play all a chord's notes at once.
B: The only thing that didn't sit very well with me was the snare drum. Not a lot of dynamic variation, and I'm not sure that the snare was the best choice to use in this case (perhaps a timpani instead?). Otherwise, I did enjoy the orchestral/middle/marchlike section. It sounds like there's a bit more thought that went into layering the instruments, dynamics and color than in the other parts.
but then again, I only see in black and white. Take my review how you will!
- MC on August 13, 2003
That snare is just *bleh* and the melody is very weak. It sounds like screwing around on a violin. But at 3:50 it picks itself back up after that rather unfavorable section and works magic. Transporting me back to the cool etherreal world I was in before. And when it ends, I wanna go back. Which ends up putting me in a disposition of playing the song over and over. :P A very well made track overall, with a definite low in the middle.
- Kamikaze Noodle on August 12, 2003
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