ReMix: Xenogears 'Torn Apart'

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Game: Xenogears (Square, 1998, PS1)
ReMixer(s): Ryan8bit, Xaleph
Composer(s): Yasunori Mitsuda
Song(s): 'The One Who Is Torn Apart'
Posted: 2007-10-13, evaluated by the judges

OLDSKOOL FLOOD! We've been a little behind in the posting lately, and since we happened to have four mixes lined up from some OC ReMix Oldskoolers, we figured we would post them in a mini-flood dedicated to these venerable and aged veterans of the scene who have aged like fine wine. Before the transition into vinegar, dammit. Back in late 1999, I started this site as a side project, with vague visions of what it could potentially become. I knew the idea was unique enough and could grow into something much larger, but I wasn't at all sure whether it would. The folks that contributed early and often in the first couple years really gave it the momentum that took it forward, and without them it may very well have remained a niche project with limited interest. Of course, the list of OCR vets is considerably longer than what's represented in this mini-flood; not everyone is still around and actively contributing, and even if they were, coordinating mixes from all of them would be logistically problematic. In this instance, however, things worked out - I've been wanting to do something like this for awhile, and hopefully this'll liven up your weekend quite a bit. The follow artists are included in the flood, and we're posting their mixes from latest to earliest in terms of when their very first mix was posted on the site. Here are some basic figures to make your lives easier:

ReMixer Name	First Mix Posted	Most Recent Mix Posted
Rayza	2000-07-15	2004-10-14
Disco Dan	2001-05-26	2004-05-24
Protricity	2002-01-09	2004-12-05
Xaleph	2002-04-11	2003-02-07
Ryan8bit	2002-06-09	2004-12-07

Very cool; most of these fellas haven't had anything posted in three years, so it's also great to see this many comebacks. There's something about doing this that, for me at least, never really loses its appeal. There's nigh infinite possibilities and challenges, and it's fantastic to see some of OCR's original participants still getting their mix on. Our first mix is a collab from Xaleph (formerly DJ Carbunk1e) and Ryan8bit. Matt and Ryan team up here for some Xenogears action, melding the former's overall arrangement and electronica with the latter's guitar talents for some danceable but edgier stuff - more aggressive than Matt's usual style, which is cool to see. The ReMixer writes:

"As far as this piece, I don't think this is probably my 'best' work, but it is certainly one of those songs that I keep going back to just to listen - it just starts getting catchy and it's much different than the original piece. I had to go back and do a decent amount of sound engineering and replacing some percussion components because well... it sounded ridiculously cheezy initially. The kick was replaced by some of my new kicks, the clap was actually recently added (yeah it adds a lot, I'm pretty content with the addition), and I replaced one of the synth guitars as the previous one was... very obviously fake (yeah the new one that is also obviously fake isn't quite as obviously fake. You'll also notice that I used a fadeout - I generally hate any kind of fadeout and feel that it's just a crappy tool for any ending. The reason I used it here, is that I'm putting together a super mix, and it actually ties into some other songs. I doubt ocr would allow a 60 minute techno mix of various songs as a single submission, so I'm doing my best to keep the integrity of the song, while still submitting it to the site."

Andy tells me this is "psytrance" - frankly, there are so many "genres" of electronica that I just end up capitulating outright and deferring to people that sound like they know what they're talking about. People get very sensitive about this issue, but I have no problem with blanket terms like "techno" and "electronica" being applied to the innumerable sub-genres that seem to spawn up weekly, if not daily; it's not a question of respecting the music properly, which I feel I do, it's a question of objecting to an ever-changing taxonomy of musical categorization that seems uniquely granted to electronica, the nodes of which bear remarkable similarity to each other and often only deviate on a few subtle metrics. Given that electronica already has difficulty being accepted as "serious" music in some circles (not mine), I really don't think being so genre-happy is wise, but what do I know? I digress, though: whether this is psytrance, acid dance, Super Paper Hard Dance Housetronica II Champion Rainbow Edition Alpha Plus HD Remix 64, or simply electronica (as I prefer), it's good. PsyZircon says:

"Props to Matt for hooking up OCR with the under-represented psytrance genre. We hardly get any subs in this style, much less actual posted remixes... Really cool track overall. Reminds me of the group "Infected Mushroom" - particularly when all the sound effects are used to thicken things up. The arrangement is rock solid and the production, while perhaps a little rough around the edges, easily gets the job done. Good to hear "DJ Carbunk1e" back in action. :)"

There's definitely a repetitive nature to the underlying structure, here, but there's a lot of textural variation to keep things fresh, with generous use of distortion (is that the "psy"? maybe...) and other edgier textural elements. Matt's last Kyrandia ReMix was also a collab with Ryan, and I think this pairing works well in breaking more edge and organic elements to Matt's solid electronica foundation. Good stuff from two good mixers who it's great to see back in action.

― djpretzel

Discussion: Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the complete thread or post your own.

MOAR Ryan8Bit. ('< . . .

Love the drivin industrial crunchy rhythmz.

- WesternZypher on November 13, 2010

This mix works a lot better once you know all of the ingredients. A first time listen can be a bit dicey, as it comes very close to selling itself as a repeating trance line. I don't have anything against that, personally. But compared to what this eventually develops into, it would have been disappointing.
Thankfully, things become much more varied and expansive about midway through and things sound nice and punchy. There's a lot of power put into the beats, which I like, and the sound effects (unmistakably from Starcraft) are adequate punctuation and bring some extra heat to the limited arrangement.
It's not the most developed mix out there, but its full of a dark sort of energy and gets fuller in diversity as it goes along. There may be some trouble in the balance of the piece, but there's plenty of traits here that excuse any misgivings.

- Marmiduke on March 6, 2010

While this isn't grabbing my attention as much as for the other reviewers in this mix, I can see a lot of good things going on here. The sound effects are surprisingly good, and I'm usually skeptical on those sorts of things. The melody keeps a nice darker tone that works with the repetitive line you hear throughout and the percussion. I would have liked some panning throughout, and I personally like a little more change up/less repetitiveness, but that's personal taste kicking in.
Nice work on this.

- DragonAvenger on December 7, 2009

l love it, the sound effects are awesome and well placed and the beat is uplifting.

- metalsnakejuice on May 2, 2009

The soundscape makes me feel like I'm at a stressfully busy air base, set in a desertous wasteland, watching jets rip and roar in a sky-to-outer-space air show. Sound effect-wise, it's thanks to the radio-garbled voice clip, the [i]Doom[/i]/[i]Starcraft[/i] machinery, and the broken oxygen tank at 0:25 that pushes the mix into full throttle. There's also the overall reverb, particularly on the lead synths, constantly emitting aural heat waves.
Even so, it's not all same-y or hectic. The leads flex their vowel enunciations, percussion players pop in and drop out, and even the raw, gritty guitars change some of their notes around to sound downcast at 2:28 and imploring at 4:27. The piano is perhaps the most influential, adding a dash of gentle reassurance amidst the chaos.
A head-bobbingly sonic boom-ish take on an otherwise mellow and mysterious source tune.

- Polo on May 1, 2009

With the voices in the beginning the track gives off a vibe like a Linkin Park song. As a remix of the source track I'm not much of a fan, but as a remix in general it is really well done and interesting. One of the better trance mixes on the site. I had forgotten about this remix. The track gives off a feel of Starcraft or another space-like game at times and has a generally unique feel. Very nice. I'm sure I hear Starcraft sound effects in there at some points...

- Evil_Cronos on January 5, 2009

This mix kicks ass until the listener is wearing their buttocks like some sort of festive hat. I love it. It's great to see two of the old schoolers to come back to the ring.

- DragonFireKai on November 24, 2007

Never heard the original or played the game, but this rocks my socks. It just never gets old; been returning to the track constantly since it was posted and looping it over and over every time and it only gets better. I may have to go so far as to say it's probably one of the top ten mixes I like best on the site. Somehow it feels like it would make a perfect soundtrack to what goes on inside my head most of the time, and that's probably why it feels so comfortable and right.
Two thumbs up, one to each of you!

- Torzelan on November 13, 2007

I can only join the previous posters in saying that this mix has a great energy. Moreover, while I'm usually opposed to vocals which are distorted to the point where you don't understand what is being said, I really like 'em in this one. Adds a lot to the atmosphere.
Nice work.

- Martin Penwald on November 4, 2007

Yeah, I freaking like this one too. As for sound effects, Like OA, I too have never been big on them, but Xaleph blew me away with his sweet choices when I heard Suffering Planet. KICK ASS! This is one the few electronica pieces that I really like. Thank you!

- The Legendary Zoltan on October 20, 2007

Oh fuck yeah. This is my type of stuff right here, Very electro-industrial.
Boo YAH! Stomp it out!
EDIT:
This has rocketed to one of my favorites. Electroindustrial minus the sometimes annoying distored vocals.

- NeOmega on October 19, 2007

I gotta jump on the "bad ass sound effects" bandwagon, and I am possibly the most anti-sound effect guy I know. They are perfectly used, with great restraint, and really get you ready to get down. Great layering of synths, and the kick especially is poundingly intense. I'd have preferred the kick rhythm to be mixed up a bit more, but there is so much going on in the rest of the song that perhaps making something rock solid like the kick is required.
Are those starcraft sound effects about 3/4 through? :-)
Guitar playing is really good with a beefy tone and nice phrasing, and it fits well with the epianos and stuff.
Kickass mix guys, I love it.

- OA on October 18, 2007

Wall. Of. Sound. There is a LOT of mix here. Somehow you managed to separate channels enough to keep things from muddling into each other. This is an extremely powerful mix, there's a lot going on. I hear at least 4 to 5 different channels at any given time. But the beat is definitely driving, very energetic. I appreciate the breather at 4:05. Oh. EXCELLENT use of sound effects. They somehow fit in with the music. This is a great example of loop layering and variations. Good work all round, and I hope to hear from you both again.

- Shadow Wolf on October 14, 2007

Oooh more psytrance from an awesome source. It was def interesting to see where you dudes took the source as it has many parts that could be reinterpreted so many ways.
The FX were well placed. Glad to see the brooding chords played on some strings. Def like the FX put on the strings it matches the feeling of the chords. Guitar was def a nice touchand blended nicely. Def the perfect element to introduce to push the piece forward structure wise.

- avaris on October 14, 2007

This is definitely a powerful trance remix...very driving and full of energy, almost to a fault. The soundscape got a little too thick and somewhat abrasive at points, but I suppose thats where a lot of the energy of the track comes from. Not bad stuff at all though, you definitely know how to make a song hit hard!

- Dr. Rod on October 13, 2007