ReMix: Final Fantasy V 'Little Black Book'
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- Game: Final Fantasy V (Square, 1992, SNES)
- ReMixer(s): DarkeSword
- Composer(s): Nobuo Uematsu
- Song(s): 'The Writings of the Seal'
- Posted: 2010-12-22, evaluated by djpretzel
- Album: Featured on Final Fantasy V: The Fabled Warriors ~I. WIND~
It's a Happey Birtheday mixepost for Darkesword!!
The second of his tracks off of Final Fantasy V: The Fabled Warriors ~I. WIND~, this mix is inspired by the black mage, has a snazzy title, and employs a jazz/latin/electronica fusion with delicate, delayed piano in a funky-but-dark blend. It's sort of like "gothic lounge," if you will... the jaunty, minor-key syncopation of the piano melody imbues the piece with a sinister edge, as it would otherwise be a mellower, Bond-ish affair, perfect for martinis of shaken OR stirred disposition. Instead, over the smooth, quick beats and slick, upright acoustic bassline, you get minor and chromatic motifs and modulations, harp lines rising and falling, piano drawing sharp lines across everything, and some very animated cymbals keeping the rhythm sizzling forwards. Great track from part one of a five part album series that we'll hopefully be seeing again next year; happy birthday, Shariq!
Discussion: Latest 12 comments/reviews; view the The drums & beat make this a lighter song than the original,
and maybe a bit of an ethnic feel to it even. A part of the melody
itself reminds me of Sephiroth from FF7, strangely - perhaps
Uematsu chose to reuse it or I could be imagining a similarity.
Anyhow, the song is a tad on the repetitive side for me, but it is
a nifty slightly less dark take on the original.
- Bahamut on July 26, 2012
- Bahamut on July 26, 2012
This mix... no wait... this entire ALBUM fills me with joy.
The hi-hat in the back slowly becomes the sound of white noise which is important.
It makes the Black Mage's portrayal seem even more demented than it is.
This mix becomes a portrayal of a stereotype. A mysterious "dark" individual.
When the hi-hat stops to allow the horns to play, you feel let into the Black Mage's world.
It's only for a brief instant however... as the hi-hat comes back in very quickly.
All in all. This mix is so good that I spent that long raging about a hi-hat.
AWWWW YEAH
- Tuberz McGee on December 25, 2011
The hi-hat in the back slowly becomes the sound of white noise which is important.
It makes the Black Mage's portrayal seem even more demented than it is.
This mix becomes a portrayal of a stereotype. A mysterious "dark" individual.
When the hi-hat stops to allow the horns to play, you feel let into the Black Mage's world.
It's only for a brief instant however... as the hi-hat comes back in very quickly.
All in all. This mix is so good that I spent that long raging about a hi-hat.
AWWWW YEAH
- Tuberz McGee on December 25, 2011
I can almost picture a dark corridor of a castle light by touches
in the beginning (which I guess is my way of saying I agree with
the gothic lounge idea). The latin sounding piano bits were
interesting and it's kinda nice to hear something dark with some
upbeat undertones. I can see where some would see this getting
repetitive, but I think it was close and didn't see a problem with
it. I wasn't fond of the ending, cause it just seemed to trail off,
which I understand is what it was supposed to do considering the
direction of the ReMix, but it just wasn't for me. That little
thing aside, nice dark ReMix.
- Crulex on December 7, 2011
- Crulex on December 7, 2011
Definitely has the Darkesword trademark all over it, and in a very
good way; it has the perfect amount of darkness in tone without
making it sound like a bad guy's theme, fitting the theme for a
Black Mage just right. It does skirt close to being repetitive at
one or two points, but doesn't go over the line by a long shot.
Great use of the piano, too.
I will admit, this one actually took some listening for me, because at first I felt sort of "meh" toward it, but it really grew on me and has become one of my favorites from the album. Great stuff, as always.
- Melbu Frahma on December 7, 2011
I will admit, this one actually took some listening for me, because at first I felt sort of "meh" toward it, but it really grew on me and has become one of my favorites from the album. Great stuff, as always.
- Melbu Frahma on December 7, 2011
Given that the original was already kind of creepy and room-like,
it might be an expectation to look towards it when seeing the words
"gothic lounge" in the mix description. When hearing the mix though
I managed to sense something a little more frantic and exotic in
nature - definitely not a bad thing given the gentle articulations
going across the track.
I got to say I love the syncopated piano writing at 1:05 and later on at 3:08; tends to give it more of a latin jazz kind of feel to the already lounge-like soundscape. And even with the choice of instruments it manages to fit appropriately with the nature of the source while still maintaining that laid back touch that we often expect with DarkeSword's modern-day writing style.
Solid work all around, and let's see you keep up the pushing for volume 2 :wink:
- Rexy on December 5, 2011
I got to say I love the syncopated piano writing at 1:05 and later on at 3:08; tends to give it more of a latin jazz kind of feel to the already lounge-like soundscape. And even with the choice of instruments it manages to fit appropriately with the nature of the source while still maintaining that laid back touch that we often expect with DarkeSword's modern-day writing style.
Solid work all around, and let's see you keep up the pushing for volume 2 :wink:
- Rexy on December 5, 2011
This remix is sick (in a good way).
I remember when you first started this one; it's come a long way and I like what you did with the upright bass. :D
The expressive piano playing was great too.
- Neblix on December 28, 2010
I remember when you first started this one; it's come a long way and I like what you did with the upright bass. :D
The expressive piano playing was great too.
- Neblix on December 28, 2010
Since my bf is doing some December is Review Month with my
computer, not doing it too would make me look bad.
I'm totally biaised since it's one of my favorite songs from the original soundtrack. Kickass bass :3
- Vilecat on December 27, 2010
I'm totally biaised since it's one of my favorite songs from the original soundtrack. Kickass bass :3
- Vilecat on December 27, 2010
This song definitely shows Darkesword's versatility with his sounds
and still have it sound like "a Darkesword song". The song has
sublime melting pads and the majority of samples chosen sound
great, though I will admit that when that high metallic 16th note
percussion sample is used and not muffled it does grate on my ears
a bit. It also gets a tad repetitive near the end, but this song by
design isn't about brazen dynamic changes. The percussion switches,
in particular, are great and precisely executed.
It fit very well into the flow of the project, and is quite a standout mix itself. Nice one, Shar.
- Level 99 on December 27, 2010
It fit very well into the flow of the project, and is quite a standout mix itself. Nice one, Shar.
- Level 99 on December 27, 2010
The song fits the theme perfectly. A great piece to just sit back,
relax and enjoy... while smiling all over your face :)
Nice one, thanks for sharing.
- luhny on December 23, 2010
Nice one, thanks for sharing.
- luhny on December 23, 2010
The title reminds me of the lyrics to "Nobody Home" by Pink
Floyd.
Anyway, this song is great. It's nice and entracing. The piano and pad really compliment the mood set by the rest of the piece. My only real complaint is that I think the hi-hat should have been been 1/4 notes instead of 1/8. But whatever, nice song :-)
- youthboy14 on December 22, 2010
Anyway, this song is great. It's nice and entracing. The piano and pad really compliment the mood set by the rest of the piece. My only real complaint is that I think the hi-hat should have been been 1/4 notes instead of 1/8. But whatever, nice song :-)
- youthboy14 on December 22, 2010
I like how a lot of this is downplayed, and purposefully not
intense. There's no other way to describe this other than
entrancing, which fits the black mage ever so well. Jazzy piano
fits the bill for the melody just right, and the percussion really
adds a lot of spunk.
Sexy, man.
- DragonAvenger on December 22, 2010
Sexy, man.
- DragonAvenger on December 22, 2010
