ReMix: Soukaigi 'Aftershock'

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Soukaigi

Ziwtra sends in our first mix from this Squaresoft PSX RPG that never made it out of Japan:

"First of all, Soukaigi is an obscure Square game for the PSX. It had a stellar soundtrack by Hiroki Kikuta that was performed by many live instruments and had various vocalists. It should be listened to by anyone who can obtain it.

I've wanted to do a remix of Quake for a very long time. When I was still in high school I used to walk to school for about an hour in the morning. And if I'd been working on a remix, I'd hum various parts and try to figure out how I wanted to solve this problem or that problem (Desert Snowstorm and Willed Assault are both products of such walks). And during one of these walks is where this mix began...

I really tried to open up the atmospheric space--hence the deep reverbed "thunder" bass drum, and the delay applied to the bass (something i've never done!). There are some pretty interesting details here and there (perhaps I got carried away), but hopefully they'll be appreciated after the nth listen. My favorite, I think is the set of "warning" synth beeps at 2:20."

Well, Youngjin covered quite a bit, there, so my work is minimal. I personally love Kikuta's style, so hearing Ziwtra cover some of his lesser-known work is a double-treat. Introing with ambient pads and glacial, cutting, cross-panned timbres, a quick break comes in with an analogue filtered bass that pecks around the melody. This is key to the piece - the bass rarely sticks on a note too long, and instead serves as an accentuator that the groove plays over. It's even cross-panned, which is something you don't hear done to a bassline too often. Youngjin layers on the pads, glide leads, bells, and background effects, per usual, creating a shimmering world that seems a bit faster than his usual style but is none the worse for it. Ziwtra's execution works perfectly with Kikuta's general motifs, and everything clicks in a waterfall of brilliant, synthetic drops of melody and rhythm. Effervescent.

― djpretzel

Discussion: Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the complete thread or post your own.
Melodically this one doesn't grab me as much as some others on the site, but rhythmically and harmonically, this one is completely amazing. Great use of subtle stuff like accents and delays. Nice builds, constantly shifting parts, and some excellent percussion parts make this one really stand out.
Excellent work, this mix is superb.

- OA on September 28, 2009
This really is a must listen to song. Keep the good work up.

- metalsnakejuice on April 18, 2009
After listening to the source, I must say I admire how the melody hidden behind the beats and within the vocals has been brought to the fore. Here, thanks to the glistening, glittering synths, cherubic bells, and fading pads, its tone becomes nectar-sweet. The sensitive strings and the bass drum can be a little overbearing sometimes, but it's nothing major. Due to how most elements don't linger on any one note, as well as how the arrangement evolves, I'm kept in a perpetual state of wanting more, eagerly awaiting the next second/section, even during repeated listens.
Spellbinding.

- Polo on April 16, 2009
Thanks for bumping the review thread ChaosPlayer.. this one's really good!
--Eino

- evktalo on March 10, 2009
:puppyeyes: Absolutely amazing :puppyeyes:

This was really an awesome find. + Amust listen file!!!

- ChaosPlayer on March 10, 2009
What the hell man. This is the greatest freakin remix on the site. I wasn't even familiar with the source before hand. So masterfull...it just takes you on this journey. All time favorite, right here folks.

- metaphist on June 5, 2007
Wow, def one of those gems I'm glad I found. This is a rare combination of soothing intruments, calm driving beats, and excellent synth design and execution.

This is some hot stuff, it's not only enjoyable and fun to listen to it is also relaxing. Ziwtra did a wicked nice job of building the proper momentum and variation in and throughout the sections. Awesome stuff, this even sounds high quality on crappy headphones.

- avaris on January 23, 2007
Okay... everyone needs to listen to this... NOW! I've never played the game or heard the song but this remix still exudes quality. I love the smooth instruments of this mix; quite similar to the Gifts From Mana mix. Well, I really don't know what I'm talking about when it comes to remixing so I don't know how to describe it, but I can't recommend it enough!

- Genesis Blue on June 30, 2005
It's an amazing work when so many sounds follow in harmonic ways, I know how it is difficult, so I really appreciate these things.
My kudos to the drumline too, sometimes it seems faster than the rest, like it is running away and the synths and the bass are left behind, but they doesn't. Maybe because we can picture a very slow drumline onto it, however it's already good enough.
It's a great unorthodox work, I love this kind of track.

- mrjag on January 7, 2005
I've never even heard of this game, but this remix is awesome. I like it :) Good job.

- Bigfoot on December 31, 2004
Ok, I figured I liked this song so much that I should write a review for it. Just to let you know, I've never even played the game that this came from so I've never even heard the source material before (for some reason I doubt many of us have)... And this happens to be one of my favorite songs on this site. I love it how your remixes always flow very well and never come off as repetitive. Nothing sounds out of place. This remix is a true representation of Ziwtra's remixing skills. Phenomenal work!

- PlastikBag on December 29, 2004
Hey Zwitra, this is fantastic! Did you ever release this somewhere before? I [i]know[/i] I've heard it before, and there aren't too many Soukaigi remixes around.
This is one of my favorite obscure games. This piece, the second stage in Takachiho (2nd stage; track 5), the jazzy piano music in Okinoshima (3rd stage)... the whole soundtrack is excellent except for that abomination that plays in the first stage! ^^; (I once had the chance to ask Mr. Kikuta what language that song was in person; it's Malay.)
Also always liked the music at the little shrine in Nara. #9 on the CD. Under-rated greatness; tried ot remix this myself and couldn't. Somebody remix those!
This is inspring me to get back to work on my Soukaigi FAQ/Walkthrough. Gotta play this game again!
DB

- DaBubba on December 17, 2004
Like someone said earlier, I have never heard a Ziwtra song I did not fall in love with. There is so much texture, wonder, and beauty to be found in his works. Like djp said, plenty of small things to latch onto and reexperience the song fresh each time. Wonderful drumwork as usual, mindbending synths, and all coming together to paint a fantastic soundscape radiating with life.
Magnificent, my friend.

- SirRus on December 14, 2004
Great remix Ziwtra!
We featured the source material song on Song of the Week a couple weeks ago; you can find it HERE.

- Kaleb.G on December 14, 2004
although i never played the game...i do have the soundtrack. and it's a soundtrack that every gamer should listen to. it's one of those rare ost gems like radiant silvergun.
i like how you made 'silence' sound happier than it normally is with the faster, upbeat tempo. you did the same w/ desert snowstorm, and i've equally enjoyed both. =) nice work here ziwtra.

- Trepie Number 3 on December 13, 2004

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