ReMix:Final Fantasy VI "Shadows Among the Ruins" 4:21

By zircon

Arranging the music of one song...

"The Day After"

Primary Game: Final Fantasy VI (Square , 1994, SNES), music by Nobuo Uematsu

Posted 2005-03-17, evaluated by djpretzel


Hey, I remember this song :) zircon gives us his own take on "The Day After," again from FF6, which some more conventional people simply refer to as "Tomorrow". Quote mixer/judge zircon:

"Stylistically, it's just sort of a fun mishmash of genres I'm fond of. Made in FL5.. etc.. ps. I know it starts like every other mix I've done, but I promise I won't do that next time! :D"

No doubt we'll have to keep close tabs on whether that particular commitment is fulfilled, but in the meantime, zircon's latest is again solid orchestral-infused electronica (or is it vice-versa?) and again has sort of an Elfman bent to it and intros with pizzicatos and bells on the main chromatic motif, quickly adding choral elements, and using an orchestral snare to introduce immediately identifiable electro percussion and synth patterns, followed by the introduction of a synth lead covering the main melody. It trades back off to strings for a bit, does a two-tone xylo solo on the chorus, then goes back to the descending/ascending pattern but this time with some drum trickery in the form of filter cuts and what not. The xylo solo feels a little slow the first go-round, to be honest, but that's alleviated when it's brought around the second time with more supporting underlying sixteenth note patterns giving it motion. Unusual and unorthodox lead-in at 3'35", where a full-on major resolution is held for a beat - I like it, threw me a bit but works and is one of the riskier elements in a piece that is otherwise classic zircon, doing what he's proven he can do quite effectively. I think little moments like these make already great tracks more memorable and livelier; some of that same deviation could have been applied to the ending, for instance, which pulls an orchestral build and cymbal release that feels a little too deus ex machina for my tastes. That's trifling, though, and the bird's eye (ear?) view is overall very positive, as Andy's again applied clean production, shimmering film textures, and a keen ear for hybridizing the symphonic and electronic to Uematsu's magnum opus and come up with something special.

djpretzel

Discussion

Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the complete thread or post your own.
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RiverSound
on 2013-01-25 06:25:04

This has been on my remix playlist for many years now, hehe.. Even though old, I still like the soundscapearrangement so much that I find myself coming back to this. Absolute favorite part of mine, which hasn't dated at all IMO, starts at 1:25. Just so hauntingly beautiful. Of course, that's my favorite part of the original song also. I hope zircon would have used that more in this song :D

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timaeus222
on 2013-01-17 23:30:14

A pretty nice precursor to the epic madness of future zircon.

I think it would have been nice to have that first lead at 0:47 to have a little more modwheel vibrato (it's pretty subtle), but oh well. These days, that'd happen. I also would have liked that sync lead patch at 3:27 to have come earlier, but that's alright.

To me, the female vocals felt out of place and kind of fighting a bit with the lead, and choir vocals in the background would have worked better, but it's not necessary.

I liked the occasional dBlue Glitch effects and resonant filter sweep effects on the drums. ;)

For a 2005 mix, this is quite awesome! Great work, zircon. :D

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42
on 2010-12-14 20:49:51

For some reason this mix isn't doing much for me. I think it's just trying to do too much at once.

It's trying to be dark and foreboding, but there's just just too many upbeat elements to it.

It has some interesting moments, like the intro, but ultimately it just winds up being ok. Definitely an interesting period piece though.

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Keriaku
on 2010-04-16 00:21:57

This is completely amazing!

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OA
on 2009-03-23 12:17:58

I kindof wish this progressed a little deeper, because I was really feeling it for most of the duration. It got a little repetitive near the end, but not so repetitive that I wasn't compelled to hit repeat.

Nice textures and pretty good breakdowns, and some cool percussion processing and changeups, though I really think the build before the keychange would have been amazing if it was bigger, to really help sell the concept.

Overall a good mix, and a cool snapshot of Zircon before he really kicked up his game. Check it out.

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Platonist
on 2008-09-29 20:09:22

Awesomeness! still FF6 biased, but this is something extra

i had the intro of this remix as an sms ringtone for about 6 months a while ago (don't remember when but whatever)

just below Dirt Devil, this is my favorite FF6 mix my favorite zircon mix

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Bummer
on 2005-09-20 04:02:40

This is really special. A very nice techno version

of "the day after", the best parts are at 1:25 and 2:37 when the mix goes over to a more careful mood with the main melody. Like a shadow.

Nice remix zircon. 8)

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TAT_PKN
on 2005-06-11 21:48:54

This is my #2 fav song in OC_Remix website. First time I heard it, I didn't quite in love with it but I still remember its melody. So like a couple of months ago, I came here and download it again. This time, I really listen to it and it's getting addicting. Really cool remix, I'm just so envy with composers and remixers, how can they make such good musics :P! My little sister and my brothers all love this song the 1st time they heard it! :mrgreen: U can never get bored with this song =D. Hey, I rarely comment on songs unless they're real good. So this is a must-have for your FF collection! Even if you don't like FF music, you'll love this one. I let some of my friends hear it, they love it!!

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Nobbynob Littlun
on 2005-04-18 05:44:19

Agreed. 0:00-0:26 is the good stuff.

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FinalTrigger85
on 2005-03-27 22:22:48

Sweet Intro. Very nicely done. keep up the good work.

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DUCKB0Y
on 2005-03-27 12:45:48

I'm in LOVE with this song.

I don't know what it is about it, but I've been listening to this song nonstop.

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RimFrost the Tourianist
on 2005-03-24 19:49:21

This IS really good stuff.

As others had mentioned .. zircon's style has changed some, oh yes.

A nicely paced song ..highlights here and there, with a break where it's needed to build it up again. Just like we used to hear from FF6 tunes in the game.

Download it yourselves ..and enjoy 8)

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Angelus Laminarum
on 2005-03-24 17:13:36

Yet another awesome contribution from zircon.

I personally like the way you introduce the song, it's not a fade-in, but it's not an outright blast of music. It's subtle, but strong.

I particularly like your common theme of the swell of music (with rush-on cymbals and drum rolls), exploding (well, not so much in this one) into the main body of the song [0:28]. You pulled it off, once again, rather well here. I also liked how you broke off from the main body to do a small, softer, more subtle round [1:26]. I've heard you do this before in your ReMixes, particularly in Calamitous Decision, and once again, it adds a lot to the ReMix.

Then back again to the main tune, again, to fade off to do another subtle round [2:58]. Then back again [3:15]. Once again, I reiterate, these subtle intermissions add a lot to the song, as opposed to an all-out heavy beat and grinding tunes.

You use another common tool of yours when you break off [3:35] only to return with a small swell and the main tune again.

Overall, it is an awesome ReMix. I also like how it was mainly techno, but you incorporated a few orchestral aspects into the song, primarily in the beginning. The added vocals in the back also added much to the creepy feeling that you seemed to want to convey here. That added to an awesome name, and you've got yourself with an awesome ReMix.

Once again, awesome job, zircon. I'm looking forward to hearing even more from you.

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JadeAutomation
on 2005-03-21 22:08:31

Listening to this, i feel giddy. It's almost as if i was playing ff6 again and hearing this. It's a really nice take on it. I like the xylophone-like instrument in there, gives it something you dont always here in a mix.

I like it. Nice job.

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ZeaLVT
on 2005-03-21 17:59:09

McVaffe who? Zircon, this is hands-down one of my favorite remixes in the history of OC Remix. It's absolutely brilliant. It's inspiring - it's exactly what I've always thought "The Day After" should be, and more. I really hope Uematsu hears this somehow - I think he would be blown away. There aren't any particular parts in the song that stand out to me, mostly because it's all equally impressive. Please, please keep up the good work, Zircon. You get 7/5 stars.

Sources Arranged (1 Song)


Primary Game:
Final Fantasy VI (Square , 1994, SNES)
Music by Nobuo Uematsu
Songs:
"The Day After"

Tags (3)


Genre:
Mood:
Instrumentation:
Electronic,Orchestral,Synth
Additional:

File Information


Name:
Final_Fantasy_6_Shadows_Among_the_Ruins_OC_ReMix.mp3
Size:
5,583,785 bytes
MD5:
5fba185aaca536adad33e4a1dfa8e221
Bitrate:
168Kbps
Duration:
4:21

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