Blue_Elephant

I'm a lurker here, but still, I really think it's great what you've done with OCR (and I don't mind tons of awesome music for free either). I really think OCR has done a lot toward video game music being better respected. Happy Birthday

Hello, I've been lurking around the site now for...hmm maybe about a year and a half? I mean, I've been enjoying awesome free music for a while so the least I could do is write a review right? Ok, disk one: Perhaps I should preface this with the fact that I haven't actually played the game...so perhaps some of the nostalgia is lost on me. I do recognize some of the more famous themes though. Deliverance of the Heart: Pretty nice mellow song. Works well for the album into. I was kind of surprized though. Given that I haven't played they game, I guess it wasn't the sort of music that I associated FF:VII with in my mind. I probably should play it... Every Story Begins with a Name: Seems like more of a segwaying(sp?) piece. I didn't really get into it that much until around 2:08 and then I really started liking it around 3:05. I like a lot of the individual themes, but I usually prefer a song to have a one or two progressive theme and the song seems to have 3 to 4 maybe...or I'm crazy and have no idea what I'm talking about. Although...I don't know if that was the remixer's choice or the source. No Such Thing as the Promised Land: Even before I listened to this I was really anticipating this song...well because the Mario Paint: Intense Color song is one of my favorite songs. Very brooding...so when I first listened to it I wasn't in quite the right mood, but then I listened to it later when I was alone at night and it fit just right. Awesome. Materia Junkie: I didn't really really get into this one as much. Still top quality stuff though, just not really my style. I do like the title though. Make me think of Cloud passed out on the floor amid a pile of used needles. Frontal Assualt: I really like the drums on this one. I don't know how to describe it...but the sound has a nice "feel" to it. I'm speaking literally. That's why I can't quite describe it...hmmm. Too Much Fighting: I really like this song! Doesn't take itself too seriously and it isn't too silly either. The begining is kinda funky and then it progresses later (around the japanese) nicely. Damn Those Turks: Second fav. on this project!! Bassline is just freakin' cool. I just never heard this style before (maybe I'm musically sheltered, but what ever). I love the vocals too! I kind of wonder what the source tune was like...Just a ton of fun to listen to. Adrenyline Kick(sp?): Everything is layered really nicely and blends perfect. Foot tapper IMO, very catchy. Oh yeah! I'm listening to these as I type so sometimes I remember things that I forgot and will add them off. I was back and forth on the synth voice for a while...but now I like it. I just wish the song would've kicked off a bit harder after it (just a bit more intense)...although the song is great this way too Nomura Limit: I had pretty big expectations for this song too since Zircon most likely the remixer who's songs I like most consistantly (also Flying Heaven = My Fav. OCR remix ever (seriously)) Ok, now that I'm done being a fanboy. Got just what I wanted from this song. Intense sections mixed up with mellow bits to make the intensity stand all that much more. The end seemed a little weird to me though. It's like this really intense fight where suddenly the combatants are like "Good show old Chap" and walk away. Not bad, just surprized me. Kind of a nice little quirk actually. Son of Chaos: Here it is...my fav. song on the project! I don't know what it is about the song, but it's just epic. Makes me shiver. Vocals are awesome...songs like these make me wish that I didn't suck so bad at writing music. Lunatic Moon: I remember hearing this song in a preview if memory serves correctly...The begining part actually reminds me a lot of the intro to Spybreak by the Propellerheads. The transitions from intense to soft flute bits seem kind of abrupt...but the one at 2:18 is really cool. I really enjoy this song towards the end (after that bit at 2:18). Nice work. Onto disk two? I must say that after disk one, disk two wasn't quite as enjoyable for me. Not that I'm saying it wasn't good (lot's of excellent stuff in there). I had really just gotten into the right mood after listening to Son of Chaos and Lunatic moon and then was kind of struck by the sharp transition. When I listened to it again later I liked it a lot better. Short Skirts: A very nice laid back song. The title and the song don't quite seem to fit together to me...but we all have different word associations so it's possibly just me. Pretty relaxing. Nice to listen to while working. Valse Aeris: Waltz? Hmmm, not really my stuff. It's certainly well put together though. Everything sounds good...which is actually really impressive because it's hard to get brass especially to sound right (well at least it is for me anyway). Oh, ok I forgot about this part. I like it later inbetween the waltz sections. And after the second waltz part. I'm sorry man, I just don't like Waltzs...it really has nothing to do with your quality as a remixer. So basically the parts that didn't have the pronounced 1-2-3 I really liked. Embraced Empathy: Ha ha ha ha ha ha! I had such a funny movie playing in my mind when this song started. I just envisioned the FF:VII cast shopping at a grocery store. I couldn't help it. It's good stuff though. Serenity: I like the vibe this one has going. I really enjoy thinking about things will listening to these sorts of songs. They really lead you down an interesting thought path. Vocals fit nicely. I have to say, I usually don't like vocals...at all. But I like them they way you did them. Life Without Parole: Very dramatic. I think Dhsu did an excellent job on this piece. I usually get really annoyed with piano remixes because the melody tends to get repedative...but I didn't feel that in this song. Also, I think it's great that the song was so dramatic but it didn't get carried away. To me that's the different between...say a good film score and soap opera music. Scenes from a Memory: I just didn't really get into it. Nicely arranged and the production quality is good, something about it just didn't click with me. The melody (which is probably because of the source tune I'm thinking) just didn't seem to progress enough for what I usually like...but that's mostly personal preference. I'm sure a lot of people will like this song. Golden Fields: Very nice mellow warm sound from this one. Make you feel comfortable...or at least if make me feel at home sort of...I didn't really grow in the country though. Just has a nice vibe is my main idea here. Crystal Sermon: I wasn't all that fond of this one. Again, it really has nothing to do with quality. It's just not really a style I listen too often. Although, I did like the bit around 1:35 Chasing the Storm: I really enjoy electronica with piano like this. The begining actually reminds me of some of the Bioshock music (which I got from Overcoat's Blog thiny...thank you soo much for running that free music thread!!!!). Usually if anything I prefer the latter half of a song, but I actually like the first half better in this one. The second half is fine, I just like the feel (not literal) of the first part better. Sephiroth's Wake: Creepy stuff. Very good mood setting music. It's especially fun to listen to this stuff when your alone at night in the woods or something. Nice work. Jenova Celestial: Sometimes in the project I feel a little bit lost. From watching advent children I had the idea that Jenova was this freaky alien being thing...but this song makes me think of 80's pop music videos. Which is ok...but not really what I expected from the title of the song. It really would help sometimes if I knew what was going on in the game when these songs played. Mark of the Beatsmith (I'm assuming it was supposed to be "Beatsmith" and not "Beathsmith?"): Some great individual parts (and I love how you ended it) just I guess it seems to me that the source wasn't as strong as I usually like. I mean that the source melody wasn't that strong, not that your arrangment was to liberal...I have no idea if it was or not. Onto disk three. Or...hmmm, I'm getting hungry...I'm resume this review after I eat something. Ok, I'm not staring to death now. On with the review. Disk Three: Suco de Melancia: Reminds me a lot of monopoly. I'm not sure how or why...but it just does. I remember it for such an occasion. Daydreaming Again: I think this is very nicely done. A lot of laid back guitar songs like this overdo it and end up just being cheasy. Just relaxing. The title fits very imo. The section at 2:00 I like a lot. Alien Exploration: A bit too cheery for me. Seems like vacation music. Like the kind you see on comercials for "Come Visit ___ Island" and then you see the happy family doing fun things in the next few shots. Oh, 2:20 I like though. Yeah, from that point I like it more. Golden Feathers: I'm sorry, I just didn't feel it. Probably the source on this one? It seems very familiar...but I can't figure out why...and whatever it reminds me of makes me dizzy. Midnight at Club Corel: Another monopoly song...I don't know what it is with me an monopoly. Whatever. Not really my type of music, but you did a nice job arranging it and the production seems good too. Ahead on our Rave: Reminds me too much of happy hardcore music...which I don't really like. The steady 4/4 beat just isn't my thing. Seems like you did acheive the style you were going for though. I do kind of like how you incorporated the piano bits into the song though...but this just isn't the genre I like. Kweh: Err...seems a lot like the Golden Feathers song...do they have the same source? I guess my issue is with the source tune then. It sounds like...there is a really quiet dissonant chord playing in the background or something...or maybe that's someone else's music I'm hearing...hmmm, I'm not sure. The Crossroads: I like the begining...once the vocals get started I don't like it as much. I usually just don't like vocals in songs. I like the chorus though. It makes me wonder what the original sounded like...it must've been fairly different? Fading Entity: It's the steady beat again that I don't really care for. Really on songs like this it's just my own preference and not anything to do with the quality of the song itself. Frozen Landscape: I like the percussion here...especially the sticks clicking together. Yeah, I really enjoy how the percussion is sequenced together here. I don't really get into the other parts of the song that much...but awesome job on the percussion! Disk four. I went into disc four really expecting it to rap up the project into a nice package. I think it does so very well. Sleep my Sephy: Oh, ok, it's by the same remixer as Daydreaming again. Pretty much the same stuff I said on the other one applies here. I'm mostly talking about your style in general though...because on songs like these I don't think that the actual song matters as much because it's not as melody driven. Collision: It seemed just a little too...busy? In just a few places. I just didn't really get the arrangement in those sections. The other sections are good though. The percussion is pretty good stuff too. Ok now that I've listened to the whole thing again, there are only really two parts where it seems a little bit to much. Other than that, I really liked it. Nice work. Airships make me happy: Similar style to the chocobo song it seems to me...but I like this one. I actually already used it in a video I put on youtube. Don't worry! I gave you / ocr credit...although I doubt all that many people will be viewing it, but rest assured! I like the fusion you've got going with the slower parts and the more chiptuney sections. Hydrophone Breakdown: hmmm...the begining seems really familiar...specifically the submarine sound...hmmm...whatever. This reminds me a lot of the song in AC where cloud drops his phone in the water...although I mostly like this one better. Or maybe I'm remembering the wrong song. The only issue I have is the kind of constant crash symbol that's going on in sections. It gets a bit grating...to me anyway. But aside from that, a really enjoyable song. Omnislash: I really like the melody and harder edged guitar parts you have here...but I didn't like the percussion as much...it just seems...like it's missing something maybe? But it's not a big deal. Really strong stuff I like the transition around 2:28ish a lot too...and then when you transition back into main theme is nicely done too. (that was the one bit where I did really like the percussion for a short time). Rare Square: Really immersive. Draws you in, in a good way. Parts of it almost remind me of spy movie music...the music really conveys urgency to me...and I think it does so very well. Awesome job. Jenova Returns: Maybe I really do have the wrong picture of Jenova? Hmmm...it's just that this happy type music always plays when the song meantions her....oh, well here it's a bit darker. I'm so confused! Actually this song itself is a little confusing for me...it seems to switch around a lot...but I'm pretty sure that was intended. I kind of like it though (the switching)...sometimes. It switches a bit too often for me personally...but still a nice piece. Begining of the end: I love those bells. Has a nice upbeatness but doesn't lose the idea that drives the song. I gotta say though, the sections where the main intro theme comes back are my favorite. Black Wing Metamorphasis: I like the beginning bit and especially how you fuze the chiptune with the more real sounding strings / brass. The beginning of this song would make an awesome ringtone. Unfortunately...the (live?) choir isn't really my cup of tea...it seems a little cluttered / odd in those sections. But the rest of it is pure win. The first part after choice reminds me a lot of Nightmare Before Christmas for some reason...I like it. The first time I heard this (original) song was in Kingdom Hearts actually...so I probably haven't heard the original version. The Golden Ivories of Gaia: What can I say? The job of this song is really to rap up the project. Perfect. I don't think you could've ended the project any better. Wow...that took me a long time to type / listen. Hope my review was helpful in some way. Thank you all for working so hard on the project. Oh! If I missed something (like skipped a song or something), just let me know and I'd be happy to fix it. Or if I said something crazy and you don't know what I meant. Okay. Bye. If there's an error posting this and I have to start over I'll probably kill something.