ReMix: Xenogears 'Of Sea and Fire'

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Humans + Gears: Xenogears ReMixedXenogears

More Humans + Gears? Damn right! I think the first three mixes we've posted from this album have been absolutely fantastic... and I think the next three are just as great! Ziwtra, aka Youngjin Hahn, is an impeccable arranger who crafts every mix into a piece that bursts with energy but also refinement and detail. Beyond his musical talents, however, he's also a talented coder and designer. When I first saw H+G pimped in forum signatures, the aesthetic had a certain brown, busy look that I wasn't 110% sure would work well for the album art & site. When I saw the minimalist, elegant, red & black final art and site design that Ziwtra came up with, though, I was lovin' it; very direct, very functional, and very thematically consistent with the album itself. He also worked with me and accepted my pesky requests (I asked for the red "X" favicon, which he did a great job on and looks downright dudical to my eyes) in the final stages of getting everything prepared. So, on a completely non-musical level, major props there. Now, for the musical props: this mix rox your sox. It also roxed the director's sox - quoth Avaris:

"Ziwtra not only handled the entire website for the project but provided three creative mixes to boot. This mix absolutely blew me away with its RIDICULOUS sequencing. Even after living in Ireland for a year and being friends with some incredible irish traditional musicians this mix still kicks some serious 'arse.' It was a joy to see his tracks become more and more polished over the course of this project. This is a track not to be missed!"

I love the "warm-up" style intro and, of course, the gloriously epic violin lead... SO MANY TRIPLETS! It soars, it saunters, it jigs, and it does indeed kick arse, before handing the torch over to some cross-panned accordions. The leads here totally steal the spotlight, but damn if the accompanying bits aren't fantastic as well: piano, shuffling, syncopated drums - this arrangement truly embraces the Celtic inspirations that Yasunori Mitsuda is known for, and takes Youngjin's already formidable sequencing prowess to another level. Grand, visionary, and singular, this track alone would make the entire album worth a listen - it's that good. Seriously epic.

― djpretzel

Discussion: Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the complete thread or post your own.
Very interesting sound from Ziwtra here. More acoustic than we've heard from him in the past. I'm not a fan of the solo violin here. It's so exposed that it's just too mechanical and synthetic for me. I would have loved it to have been one of the ethnic flutes we've heard from him over the years. It's hard for me to complain too much as I know that I don't think I could have done much better! However, the accordion was fantastic. This is like a Jazz Irish Jig. Not sure how that worked, but by God, it does! The drums are where this mix really shines. The attention to detail, the syncopation, the rhythm, etc really makes the track shine. I love the Celtic feel here. Very good stuff.

- tweek on September 13, 2010
I am completely stricken with awe... I'll admit I was a bit turned off by this because of the length when I caught it as part of the Xenogears album, just because I was excited to hear the rest of the album, so my initial review may have been unfairly negative. However, now that I've had a chance to sit back, loop the track and take in just how much effort must have gone into making this all come together, I'm just awestruck. I can tell that parts of this are sequenced but it doesn't lose any of the charm - the sound effects at the beginning are a nice touch to make this feel like it was done live.
Monumental track, ziwtra! This and your other Xenogears contributions are all brilliant!

- Emunator on December 19, 2009
RAD VIOLIN LICKS!! :tomatoface:
That violin is in every sense of the work epic!
The whole is really upbeat and makes me want to get up and dance a merry little jig.

- Sir_Downunder on December 1, 2009
I love this mix, so peppy and amazing. Truly Brilliant.
However, am I the only one that notices what sounds like feedback at 3:19? It totally doesn't sound like it belongs in the song, maybe i'm just missing the instrument? But it sounds very unpleasant. I'm surprised noone else has mentioned it.

- Dramon on October 29, 2009
Really nice work on this one, some great lead programming overall, and a very good arrangement. On of the highlight tracks of the project for me. :-)

- OA on October 28, 2009
Ziwtra you are the man. This is just a great mix and that into was the best, the violin was fantastic.
Good work as always Ziwtra.

- metalsnakejuice on October 23, 2009
This might be my favorite mix on the site.

- Vortex on October 21, 2009
That violin just slays me, and it's a very, very good slaying indeed. Completely epic piece.

- Lucentas on October 21, 2009
Every so often a ReMix comes along and really tears my world apart.
This track not only drips of awesome, but it keeps it up for a solid six minutes.

- The Xyco on October 21, 2009
A very nice sea worthy mix, that i just think is brilliant.

- yosefu on October 21, 2009
The violin really makes this mix for me. Fantastic work on that! The upbeat feel of this mix and all of the movement really bring it home for me.
Great job :)

- jintoreedwine on October 20, 2009
Dave, I distinctly remember gushing and playing this for you at your house during VGL DC. I feel like I deserve some part of the fanboy credit here. ;)
Ziwtra's been a good friend and a fantastic musician and I've admired him on both levels for quite some time now. I remember one thing he said to me a long time ago in one of our AIM conversations that has always stuck, and I cite it every now and then (usually when I'm voting). But basically, it has to do with the fact that some people with very nice samples and plugins have such a hard time writing anything that is particularly moving, while others who might be using either freeware or limited and very basic/limited sounds are able to make you want to get up on your feet and dance around or go on a nice little mental flight into wonderland.
Ziwtra is definitely the latter. He can take a rough violin sample, or a saw wave, or a piano and turn it into one of the most emotionally compelling riffs you've ever heard. This has been a favorite of mine all the way since the early WIP he let me hear.
My biggest regret as far as Ziwtra goes is that he doesn't have more time than he does to make amazing music.
Specifically regarding this mix, I love the virtual warm up, the instrumental palette, and the way it seamlessly weaves in and out of the 2/3 and 2/4 (or 4/4, whatever) feel of the 6/8 time signature. Absolutely splendid stuff!

- big giant circles on October 19, 2009
I have been dreamtheatering about this mix since I first heard one of ziwtra's early WIPs. The english language lacks the capacity to describe the extent to which I love this mix. Quite possibly my favrote remix -- perhaps even my favorite piece of music in any genre -- period.

- Geoffrey Taucer on October 19, 2009
Brushfire;605318 wrote: I love the whole merry jig feel aboot the song. Aside from nearly blowing me speakers (due to Awesome, and me forgetting to turn them down) this mix be kicking some rocks. My sea shanty twill never be the same.
YAR!!

Hahaha...pirates.
This mix literally changed how I viewed sequencing the what a "lead" could accomplish in computer based music. INCREDIBLE!

- avaris on October 19, 2009
I love the whole merry jig feel aboot the song. Aside from nearly blowing me speakers (due to Awesome, and me forgetting to turn them down) this mix be kicking some rocks. My sea shanty twill never be the same.
YAR!!

- Brushfire on October 19, 2009