Jump to content

OCR01225 - Xenogears "Pillar of Salt"


djpretzel
 Share

Recommended Posts

Just...wow...

Definately my favorite Xenogears remix, and I'd say one of the best remixes I've heard.

Ok now that I've gotten over the initial shock of that incredible work(and instantly directed my Xenogears loving friends to the appropriate page), I'm going to have to make an entirely new playlist just because of this song.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I find it funny. I am presently in Oman on Business and when I hooked my laptop up and went to OCR I saw a new mix of Xenogears (awesome game) and downloading it, not realizing that it was going to pair where I am presently. I find that very interesting and very disconcerning at the same time. I am half tempted to burn it and play it for some locals to see what the vocals are actually saying.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

At first I was sure if I was going to like this one, but when it finished downloading, I realized my doubt was falsely founded. The music it's self was great, but when the vocal's came in, it was even better.

Is this Star Salzman himself singing in Arabic and Hebrew? If so, this makes this remixer far more talented than I once thought (which was highly talented) before. If not, it's still genius of him to include such vocals.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I love how it starts off Middle Eastern(?) and then goes into a Xenogears theme (nice remix on that alone). Then both start to mix together and finally the Middle Eastern part takes over, but you realize the Xenogears theme has been hiding in the background all along. I imagine Star with a slider with original content on one end and Xenogears on the other and simply moving it back and forth to produce a blend weighted more in one direction or the other at different times. In fact it's easy to get caught up in the wholeness of the music and forget that it's really a mixture of 2 different themes.

The vocals are very impressive and well timed with the music. I could go a long time and not hear another song of this creative caliber.

I definitely would like some more Xenogears remixes from Star!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Excellent ethnic stuff goin' on here. Very impressive. Like many other people here, I too am wondering whether that was really Star who performed the vocals on this. If so, wow. That's really incredible. If not... well, this is a really nice mix, regardless.

Very transporting... feels like you've gone to Egypt (or somewhere like that) for just a moment...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
Several obsceneties of surprise come to mind when I listen to this - and I mean that in a good way.

Without reading the introduction/summary of it, I was quite surprised when I heard the vocals within the song, and how it still flowed despite them. Absolutely incredible, even if it does have a religious overtone to it. (Sorry, hardly Christian here.)

Old Testament overtones, I'd think, since the Pillar of Salt in question was Lot's wife, who looked back towards the ruins of Sodom and Gomorrah after God destroyed them against God's commands, and so He turned her into a pillar of salt. The mix fits the theme of chaos and destruction, I think. Of course, the lyrics' translation could probably change that though. Very good, very high-quality tunes from Salzman. Great work.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Star Salzman pulls off perfect execution (minor language nuances that no one really cares about aside)in a mix with such a large scope that demanded no less. Great work and keep making quality music. While not my favorite mix of yours definitely your most epic and technical best.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

This one keeps coming up in my rotation and I had to drop by and comment on how amazing it is.

This is one that makes me proud to be a part of the OCR community.

I knocked your remix of I got the Space Beam - now I realize that you did that as a joke. Sorry bout that. I now see that you are a very talented individual. Keep up the amazing work.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

This is easily one of the best songs on the site (if not the best). This song truly reminds you of one that'd be in a Bible movie or some middle-east movie. The vocals are great, and the music is also. Definitely one of my favorites.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

This remix truly does justice to what Xenogears is, a different universe. Both the remix and the game being so moving and amazing that words are unable to capture the raw emotion it invokes. Ahem...so yeah, having listened to this since I first got it last fall I felt like it was time to give my respects. I was just starting up another run through Xenogears and I had to comment on the epic feeling of this song. Just....wow.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Has anybody noticed that Star directly quotes Leonard Bernstein's "Chichester Psalms" in this mix? It happens with the Hebrew text "Lamah rag’shu goyim" and "Ul’umim yeh’gu rik." But it's not just the words- the melody, rhythm, and repetitions are also the same.

The quote happens just before halfway through the mix.

And here's the excerpt from Chichester Psalms: http://www.fayhaven.com/CS%20Excerpt.mp3

I know that there are many melodies commonly sung for different Hebrew prayers, but I'm pretty sure Bernstein composed this one himself. Very clever usage! But is it...legal? 8O

Anyway, I love the mix! Magnificently done. :D

EDIT: Apparently Chichester Psalms isn't the only thing Star quotes without due credit. According to Sir Harmony...

I just checked the website... I found it strange that the Arabic lyrics are the same as a well known Egyptian Pop song...Curious...
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

I know that there are many melodies commonly sung for different Hebrew prayers, but I'm pretty sure Bernstein composed this one himself. Very clever usage! But is it...legal? 8O

That "Lamaragashu" part (including repititions) is actually a pretty common phrasing when singing that psalm. Bernstein plopped it in his own song, just like I did.

That's not to say that bernstein doesnt kick arse. I love the chichester psalms. But if you check it out, theyre public domain, what with being non-secular and all. So even if i copied the parts that aren't common phrasing, it'd be all sorts of legal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That "Lamaragashu" part (including repititions) is actually a pretty common phrasing when singing that psalm. Bernstein plopped it in his own song, just like I did.

That's not to say that bernstein doesnt kick arse. I love the chichester psalms. But if you check it out, theyre public domain, what with being non-secular and all. So even if i copied the parts that aren't common phrasing, it'd be all sorts of legal.

Oh, good! Because I really, really, really dig this mix, and now I don't have to feel guilty listening to it. Awesome job. :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...