If anyone came up to me and asked what song in Final Fantasy X I enjoyed the most, I'd tell them "Besaid Island." It's a random choice but one I'm very fond of. Memories of sleeping during the cold winters of Chicago, my home town I may never see again but hope to, curled up and lonely on my bed.
The television screen paused on Tidus' smiling face and the music playing as gentle as its intent in the background. I let it run for a week before I finally kept playing the game and even then I had an extra save file just for the sake of having the song to help myself fall asleep to.
To say the very least, I was anxious to see a remix of "Besaid Island" amongst ecstatic. Engulfed with hope, riddled with doubt, I hit play and let it flood my ears.
I was pleased to get a feel of smooth jazz but not strong enough into the genre to cancel it from calling it new age as well. Some may have said they couldn't hear Besaid Island's music until the 4:06 point, where it is blatantly obvious but I thought the beginning was very well presented.
It reminded me of tolling onto the start of the sand just prior to the walk toward the crashing waves and endless waters. You're walking across the concrete and dirt, and get excited to finally tread on the sand. Then your heart starts beating faster when you can not only hear the ocean but see it living before your eyes. And it's always a wonderful feeling if someone is with you to keep you company in your joy as well, thus what I felt with the wonderful vocals gracefully dancing into the music.
I do have to agree that the voice executed wouldn't work in many songs, unless you're an avid JPop listener but even then you need the proper tune (And I'm sure most, if not all of us have heard JPop/Rock once in our lives), but to this particular music, I think it's suitable, if not perfect. I actually thought midway the song,
"Her voice reminds me of Yuna." Oh, you make me enjoy singing once again. (I abandoned ten years of Chorus because I felt I wasn't good enough.)
So, just to shorten this up from what it could be, this is a -beautiful- remix and you both should be very proud. Thanks for making one of my comforting memories even moreso.