OCR01199 - Final Fantasy IV "Phoenix Symphonic"

[djpretzel]

What did you think? Post your opinion of this ReMix.

[Nigel Simmons]

Excellent work, GrayLightning! I've never heard the original, but I really like this. This is among your best, I think. I really love that brass.

The ending is a little odd, but nothing horrible.

[Freemind]

As always a well arranged and orchestrated remix by Gray.I have noticed that this remix is more classic, than new age..It is a new Gray era??Who knows..The only thing that is for sure, is that we can hardly find a better new age remixer in this site..

[Cubie_J]

Very nice. Very nice indeed. I think it even gave me chills at one point. Great remixer, great remix. Keep up the good work!

[SasukeKonoha]

While it was nicely done, and sounds great, I just can't recognize the airship theme in it. Not until the closing seconds when the medly is actually played out =/ It's good listening anyway.

[GrayLightning]

This is a fairly liberal arrangement of the airship theme. The tempo and rhythm have been greatly altered. The structure and form has been changed around also. The melody though is actually about 80 something % the same as the original. The mix benefits from repeated listens, but I agree that someone looking for something closer to the original might want more.

Thanks for the comments everyone. I have two of my best submissions coming to OC in the near future.

[Eradicate]

My first review of a ReMix on this site, and I'd have it no other way than review this piece. I'll just start off by saying, "Very nice work GrayLightning."

All of the instruments in this song are excellently done. They come off as realistic and emotive, and get the job done perfectly. I also really enjoy the placement/panning of the instruments in this song; this is a real treat to listen to on headphones! Also, I like how the piece was arranged personally, as I enjoy the base of a melody or theme intact, but not a note-for-note translation throughout. At times that can be alright for me, though I still like to hear some "artist input" of creativity in the piece. With that said, this did that for me.

Very nice GrayLightning. I can not wait to hear your next two that you sound excited about!

[Navi]

I remember when GL mentioned this to me on AIM, and I've been looking forward to this ever since. As usual, GrayLightning fails to disappoint; in this mix, a slight turn, as Freemind pointed out, from his usual style, we have some great orchestral vibes, with some nice realistic instruments and a good progression. I love the arrangement style, andI can forgive you for the freedoms you took with the melody. Nice stuff, and I look forward to these 'best submissions'. Great stuff.

[Garde]

I was wondering when the title of this song would get the "OC_ReMix" stamp on it... Congrats on another incredible mix Gray.

As always, I need to listen to the song when writing up a review, and listening to it again has the same effect on me as when I first listened to it.

The intro is really strong, in my opinion. The flute and strings work together so well. It hits a sweet spot in me hearing those strings come in when the flute is sustaining a note at 0:16, then the strings take over... Oh man, I don't know what to say, but I love it. The tempo is slow, but it works very well as you see when the song progresses.

GrayLightning is a master of building in songs, and this song is no different from any of his others in that aspect (except for possibly being better ).

Another thing GrayLightning seems to excel at is his orchestrations. Although very unique and original, they still work incredibly well. I think GrayLightning's experimenting with unconventional instrumentation pays off.

Also, GrayLightning's drum work has been improving also, as you can see by comparing this to most of his older works.

Overall, I'd have to say this is probably my favorite of all of your mixes, Gray. It sounds incredible, and even though your newer mixes sound amazing also, this one just does something for me that the others don't. Great job, and I hope to hear many, many more mixes from you .

PS - sorry for the shortness of the review, but I have to leave now .

[Fray]

First off, I don't have a problem with the tempo change at 1:58. Works fine to me.

I absolutely love the percussion. It's beautifully layered, and sounds very organic and realistic. GL obviously worked really hard on this, and it paid off. There's a few places where realistic instruments are used almost like electronic ones would be used in techno -- and it sounds perfectly natural. I love this. One example is the really quiet high percussion that comes in after 2:05; it's used like a phased synth hihat, but fits perfectly into the classical mood.

Some particularly brilliant musical moments:

- I love the brass part that enters at 2:50. It's doing its own thing for the first measure, then picks up a piece of the main melody for a measure, but with the beat shifted over a note. Nice!

- The vocal part sneaks in nicely for a couple fo seconds at 0:22.

- Great snare part at 2:46-2:50.

The instrument ensemble is very rich. Listen closely and you'll hear a lot of subtle stuff going on. There's lots of great string work. The vox sounds fade in and out nicely from time to time. Brass sounds really great... Like a lot of GL's recent work, the musical activity is very dense.

However, in terms of tempo and style changes, I feel like it's too dense, as if a longer piece has been cut down to fit a shorter timeframe. I'd like to hear some of the moods explored more fully. In particular, the transition at 0:38 is too drastic too soon. It's hard for me to point to any other particular point where a transition happened too early; it's more of an overall feel I get.

That being said, beautiful, complex instrumental arrangement and excellent percussion work make this one you should definately check out!

[GrayLightning]

Very nice GrayLightning. I can not wait to hear your next two that you sound excited about!

The two are the Donkey Kong Country project mix which you might have heard on the site projects forum and the other is a Shining Force mix. Stay tuned.

[Rychan]

I like this alot. I have no complaints about it. I think it's beautiful.

The buildup that starts at 2:35 and has the horns come in at 2:39, just fantastic. I think that could have been explored even further, though.

[Zibouvert]

I really love this mix. It has a very refreshing feel that was very enjoyable next to all the dark/distorded I usually listen to.

The very first part reminds me of Warcraft III.

[Fyrewave]

This mix is of a very high quality no doubt but It just seems a little too much like a score for a chopper fly over shot in a Lord of the rings movie. Origional, well done but not a favorite. minute 3:22 it gets the best stuff and, well then its over.

[Crono3of3time]

This is one of thoes songs that seems to scream out quietly for a massive CG cinema to pair up with it. Scrolling from the gently flowing plains, into the air "upon the wings of an airship".

Okay.. mabye not a massive CG but any that fits the flow of the song as if its revealing a whole new world.

[Bummer]

Gray Lightning has as usual done it again, but this time he did the orchestric way, and that´s none too shabby, cause I love orchestric. It had flutes, drums, possible bells and a smooth feel of the tracks, besides the Airship theme, I think the Main theme is somewhwere into this too. Or is it my ears that plays tricks in my mind again? Anyhow, great mix, GLdude.

[DCAlexis]

Holy...

This has got to be one of the best remixes I've ever listened to. I hate the techno-beat remixes. Frankly I think they ruin the song. This reminds me of Kizukaseru (Last Blade 2), another GREAT remix, because of the orchestral effects in it, and not ruining the song by making it something similiar to Daft Punk. Thumbs up to GrayLightning! I love your style.

[Xx~~Zangetsu~~xX]

I definately agree with anyone that says this is one of the best remixes ever!!!i give it a 10!

[PumaJones]

Anybody who can take three or four songs from a particular game and get them to flow under one musical theme like this is worth admiration. The beginning makes me sort of close my eyes for a second as it builds up, just to feel it. All in all, I love it. It's one of my favorites. Anything you guys do that's real rich and symphonic like this one...I'll eat it up.

[Xx~~Zangetsu~~xX]

Gray Lightning has as usual done it again, but this time he did the orchestric way, and that´s none too shabby, cause I love orchestric. It had flutes, drums, possible bells and a smooth feel of the tracks, besides the Airship theme, I think the Main theme is somewhwere into this too. Or is it my ears that plays tricks in my mind again? Anyhow, great mix, GLdude.

main theme? ehh...no...ears are playing tricks on you..

[DragonAvenger]

Awesome interpretation. ReMixes that come up like this, where you can recognize the original but see it in a new light, are amazing. Definately reminds me why I love this site so much.

Instruments are mixed very well, volumes are great, with nothing standing out or being too far in the background. Things feel a little slow from 1:10 to the tempo change, but it's nothing that terribly bothered me.

The low end right at the tempo change feels just ever so slightly off to the drums to me. I think it's the attack times of the instruments compared to the drums, but it feels off just enough to distract me a bit. If I don't listen so closely it's not a problem at all.

Overall, definately a recommended mix, and one of my favorite FF4 tracks here.

[Lucentas]

This is the first ReMix I ever downloaded, and I only regret that I waited so long to finally compliment it.

I believe this is the piece that got me hooked on this site; I'd stumbled upon this place a few times before in the past, but had never really stayed for long.

This piece, however, was different than everything I had previously listened to.

It's beautiful, moving, and inspiring. So inspiring that the first time I listened to it, it actually made me open a sketchbook and start drawing, and when a piece does that to you, you know it's a keeper.

[SoulinEther]

Although it's one of his somewhat-(relatively-not-even-ok-enough-with-the-hyphens-already-!-)-older pieces, it's one that makes me wish that Gray were still remixing on this site. It's one of those remixes you wish were longer, that it could be grander, epickier, and bigger, but not necessarily that it could be any BETTER, because it's already real slick.

[OceansAndrew]

Pretty cool stuff, I love the alterations to the track, it gives a much more tranquil feeling. Like for a moment, there wasn't a world to save and you can just experience the feeling of flight.

A few minor issues, like the tempo transitions being a little abrupt, and some of the sample attacks being a little slow are pretty easily overlooked when the arrangement is this strong, and overall it's a beautiful and very original take on a great theme.

[Polo]

GrayLightning captured the beauty of blue skies as seen and felt from an airship. Every instrument plays a delicate but pronounced role in crafting the atmosphere*. I'm all for the relaxed pace, so neither the dropped tempo at 0:37 nor the hurried pace at 1:56 are jarring to me. 2:03+ embodies smooth sailing, plus it's chock-full of my favorite moments:

Sticky, juicy percussion - if this were candy, I'd lick it profusely and have it melt in my mouth. Let's call it ear caramel.

Brass swells - a subtle, emotive touch, like small clouds or gusts of wind.

Choral patches (2:40) - they enunciate a brief moment when the airship sails above the highest clouds.

Offhand static (2:58) - weird, but I like it there.

* the mood AND the breathable air.