ReMix: Xenogears 'Skyline'

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Xenogears

Well, damn. Ziwtra sent in an extensive, interesting write-up accompanying this Xeno ReMix, and I'd feel remiss if I didn't share at least part of it:

"William Hazlitt, an old time English journalist and essayist, once wrote of a characteristic in art that he called *gusto*. It has come to mean a variety of things, but originally it meant evoking feelings not immediately presentable by a certain medium. So a painting of autumn leaves may be done in such a way to remind the viewer of the feel of the breeze, the sound of dry crunchiness, and so on. That's gusto.

Hopefully this mix has gusto. At least for me, I can't help envisioning flying above the clouds. Not only that, but a kind of optimism accompanies it, one that has been released from a certain burden or weight. This is a pretty personal mix for some reason. I have always felt pretty close to the original melody of this song, and I didn't want to touch that. Only to have it convey a bit more than was in the game track.

So, gusto it is then :) There's a great blending of elements here, and it's almost overwhelming - just enough density and movement to, as the ReMixer suggests, conjure sweeping images of flight or similar transcendence of some ilk. Introing with looped, orchestral flavors, the gradual addition of sublte layered elements happens quickly, but is worth noticing - the hyperactive (but low in volume) resonant 303 synth augmenting the drums on the extreme of the stereo field, the cross-panned bells that also play off the percussion, electric guitar hits, and the various other attentions Ziwtra has become so adept at paying to mixes (and was already pretty dern good at to begin with) - drums that never get boring, several hooks for the listener to latch on to at any point in time, and watertight sequencing and programming. I especially liked the very "robust" marching-style snare rolls used in transition a couple times, and a bassline that doesn't sit on autopilot but pulls some unique - but always musical - tricks here and there. Ending pulls a nice ritard, backing down and away from the gusto towards a more sedate "landing". Transporting and quite detailed - recommended.

― djpretzel

Discussion: Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the complete thread or post your own.
This is a BRILLIANT piece of music, it's got the charm of the original but is way more emotive and airy. It really conveys a beautiful sense of flight and motion between the rapid drumbeat and the wonderful flute... gah, I'm in love with this. Have my babies :nicework:

- Emunator on October 15, 2009
This mix just makes me feel happy, so i love it. great work.

- yosefu on May 12, 2009
Possibly one of my favorite remixes ever, this is AAA material, even with the generally lo-fi samples. Percussion is incredible, the bass and backing synths are full of motion, and the transitions and flow are spot on.
Nothing less than the triple heart for this one.
<3<3<3

- OA on March 23, 2009
The sense of musical transportation is really apparent here. It's becoming rarer and rarer these days to find music that strives to be more than just be pleasing for the audience to listen to. The energy established by the drums is sort of an antithesis to the nature of the melody, however it works. While the melody is one of the most uplifting there is, it could easily be mired and grow stale. The rapid beats provided give it constant stimulation, which is why the sum of the parts can sustain vivid imagery. It's very consistent, and a great track overall.

- Marmiduke on January 5, 2009
I'm basically just posting this because Zen's post was a day short of exactly a year since the post before his.
And I absolutely love this song in it's entirety.
Very cool.

- Zellfreid on December 30, 2005
The start of this track is a huge rush - it has depth, movement, complexity and excellent production quality. I had Ormgas running in the background and when this came on I stopped to listen. Superb!
...And then the main theme started. The theme track sounds completely out of place. It sounds like it was made with a child's Casio keyboard with a poor artificial echo. It sits awkwardly onto the fantastic track and IMO spoils it. Maybe it was the choice of instrument or something - I don't really know the details of how remixes are produced in anything other than Fruity Loops.
The intro is a 9/10 and the same layers stay at a 9/10 for the duration. Unfortunately the main theme layer drags it down to a less impressive 7/10 overall once it kiks in. if I'm listening to it on my jukebox I skip past the track once the main part kicks in :(

- ZenDadaist on December 29, 2005
Whoa, a cool song. Its very energetic, and its very unique. I love all of Ziwtra's songs I've heard.

- Brim on December 30, 2004
Hands down, one of the best remixes on the site. Excellent structure, mixing, notation, and especially energy.
This is the kind of music that makes me happy to be alive :)

- big giant circles on November 15, 2004
very nice...it leaves me reminded of the track "Can you Fly Sister" from Seiken Densetsu 3....very happy, very good musical imagery...if such a thing exists. I like it.

- Aderyn on May 26, 2004
Wow, I'm impressed! :D The percussion and basslines here are especially good... definitely well-balanced, as a fellow producer (though I've yet to make an OCRemix), I can say that this is very well-arranged, and never, ever gets boring or repetitive. Very good! :D

- kirbenvost on February 2, 2004
First time I heard this, I was a little disappointed, was expecting something different. It grew on me the more I listened to it though, I like it a [b]lot[/b] now. Kinda reminds me of Gregson-Williams but with a little rock guitar. The semi drum cadence midway through and at the end rule.

- Isk on October 2, 2003
Great job Ziwtra, best damn remix I've heard of "Flight" yet, keep up the good work and do another Xeno remix! You've got talent my friend.

- TheGreatTetsuo on September 29, 2003
I feel like I can take on the world....
Good job!

- Nip on September 14, 2003
first off, awasome remix! ..... I was told to listen to this song and, it sounds nice but ... it just didnt sound as good as people told me it was. I dunno, I'll tell what I thought was average, and nothing much more special than any other average song.
something about it just seems like a midi rip(not saying it is). no special tune with the main melody, I heard you play the melody, and some real awasome breakbeats ... but you didnt offer any more .... well its just that I expected more because of what friends of mine told me about this song. and I just thought that I might as well tell you. I dunno but I kinda sound like an ass right now :oops: sorry, not usually like me. great work though. it had alot of varity and difference in it. I love hearing stuff like that.

- ffmusic dj on September 13, 2003
I think I remembered hearing this on the WIP boards, it was one among many of the new works in progress nowadays that I hoped would be passed, and voila, here it is. I do indeed felt like I was flying through the clouds as I listened to this, this is really some great work here. This is beginning to get me juiced to do a song of my own.. 8O

- Shhteve on September 12, 2003

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