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OCRI-0001 - Audio Engineering: A Tribute to Cid


djpretzel
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Hey, Mirby here, and, as you can guess, I'm the director of Audio Engineering.

This album started in 2012 shortly after MAGFest ended, and was quite a simple idea. The first BadAss album had been recently released, and it made me realize that themed albums worked just as well as those based on whole game soundtracks. Much like BadAss was boss themes, Audio Engineering is Cid themes. More specifically, the themes of the many Cids of the Final Fantasy games. Of course, not all Cids have their own de facto themes, so I opened it up a bit more: themes that could be linked to that Cid, such as airship themes or area themes, were permissible. It worked quite well and, a little over two years later, the finished product stands before you.

Thirteen tracks by twelve talented artists showcasing all different Cids, in addition to a sampling of artwork by several different folks representing a small handful of those same Cids, are available for your listening, and viewing, pleasure.

- Taylor Brown (Mirby)

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These theme albums are awesome ^__^ (Although Cids are still nowhere near as cute as Eevees :P)

Especially love the chirpy feel of Skyhigh, Dreams of Glory, and Gwok! :)Progus Bunansa really stands out. As does DjjD's Devil's Lab remix, Experiments of a Fiend.

Gods and Crystals, Garden of Hope, and Al Bhed Ec Faent are nice, calm, laid back tracks. ?

And I have no idea where, but I'm getting a Secret of Mana vibe somehow from An Engineer's Republic. XD

Yeh. :3

Edited by swansdown
apostrophes!
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A Final Fantasy “Cid” tribute from OCR? Call me intrigued. No sooner did it show up on my Facebook news feed did I hop on over and download this fantastical thirteen piece project for consumption.

Track 1. "Skyhigh OR How the Sun Set on an Engineering Age"

From the moment the track picked up the waves of nostalgia crashed upon the shores. Bit it’s more than just a sound of nostalgia, it’s a whimsical, down-tempo track that I feel only gets better with more listening.

Track 2. “Above the Clouds”

An interesting mix of chip tune and punk elements, but one that melds together quite well. The drums mix so well into the other elements of the track that you can help but tap your foot along to it.

Track 3. “Dreams of Glory”

Well, now, that guitar work is what pushes this piece onwards and upwards, along with the percussion. There’s an energy in this track that shares aspects with the first two, but it manages to keep the listener enthralled throughout.

Track 4. “Heart of the Machine”

Some rough sounding percussion, industrial elements, and solid powerful guitar/bass presence. When the song kicks up at :50 or so, the song really takes on new life and just never relents.

Track 5. “Experiments of a Fiend”

Love how since track four we’ve switched from high energy chip tune and punk style to grungier, hard hitting industrial styles. The source track fits so well with those industrial elements, but this song has not only that, but some cleverly placed electro instrumentals.

Track 6. “Canon in Cid Minor”

This track has a noticeable spacy, new age feeling to it, for me, which I think fits that Cid just fine, considering the source track and how it was transformed to be hard hitting with that beat.

Track 7. “Garden of Hope”

I think this track really stands out from the last few in how it’s not only down-tempo, but it captures the theme of Balamb Garden so magically. Love the resonance between the musical pieces.

Track 8. “Gwok!”

I think the orchestral/chippy combination for this really meshes brilliantly, as there’s nothing disappointing in this track, to me. It definitely feels like gliding through the sky aboard an airship.

Track 9. “Al Bhed ec Faent”

“I dare you to not be happy while listening to this song. Seriously. It's so infectiously happy. - Mirby”; Couldn’t have put it better myself. It’s such a lively tune, you can’t help but want to get up, move, and just plaster the goofiest smile on your face.

Track 10. “An Engineers Republic”

What a beautiful intro. As someone mentioned in the Director’s and Artist notes, it sounds like The Who in the intro but quickly works its way into very solid, commanding bass and guitar work.

Track 11. “Progus Bunansa”

This track has a proggy feeling to it in how it alternates between styles and yet makes it collide so well into a sweeping track. That guitar work, though, is sweeeet.

Track 12. “Gods and Crystals”

Not familiar with Final Fantasy Type-0, but this track has a mixture of what I feel is tribal beats, chilled down-tempo progression and some very fine mixing. The oriental bits really accent the song.

Track 13. “Windy City”

Fun fact - been playing this game recently for nostalgia’s sake, and it’s funny too because it’s one of my the most relaxing tunes from that game. That voice works so well with the chilled back source track, it’s hard to not like it for being so smooth.

All in all, guys, I feel this album was one hundred percent slick gold. You guys should be proud of taking some of the more over looked sources and turning into some sweet, well thought out tracks.

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I think he does. I'm into jazz and blues vocals despite my main type of music being of a heavier sort, and he has that kind of voice.

And of course! It was my pleasure to review. :-D

Thanks for the review!

So you're saying that Cyril has a smooth voice. He'll probably be glad to hear that haha

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Oh hey! I didn't know this got wrapped up! Even more surprised to scroll down my Facebook feed yesterday and see OCR's post saying it was released.

Let me just grab myself a download real quick!

Cheers~

-edit-

I'm so glad i get that Cid Highwind 'banana' joke, regarding that piece of art by FoxxDragon! XD

Edited by DiGi Valentine
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Track 13. “Windy City”

Fun fact - been playing this game recently for nostalgia’s sake, and it’s funny too because it’s one of my the most relaxing tunes from that game. That voice works so well with the chilled back source track, it’s hard to not like it for being so smooth.

WOOO. Yea I'm glad I used my lower register for this, I'm glad I can still be smooth with my voice. I really appreciate it <3

THIS ALBUM ROCKS YEAAAAAAAAA

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I should get back into doing rock remixes. I think this was the last one I did way back when I finished it. I've still got a lot to learn about rock mixing, and I should definitely practice guitar more, but this was a fun project to work on regardless. Erryone else has some really awesome sounding mixes, great work!

Yayyy!

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  • 11 months later...

I just listened to possibly the best remix ever. I don't mind sounding audacious saying that! The musicality and production of the song takes me into a place that the original did not even compare to. Props to Ivan Hakstok for his remix of Balamb Garden (entitled Garden of Hope) i know that's saying alot, but I just feel better after listening to the song, that repetitious ad nauseum FF music cannot do. It also makes me think of the end goal of the game more clearly (beating up badass Ultimecia) It takes me to a place both spiritually and musically that the original did not go.

Also, i was wondering if anyone knew the point of the first song (I don't mean that derogatory, im just wanting to know what the focus was when writing the remix)

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  • 1 year later...
  • 3 months later...
  • 3 years later...

This is such a fun little project. I love how it starts out with fairly simple chiptune-y stuff in the opening part of the first Cid theme and just keeps adding from there. Whether intentional or not, I couldn't help but notice and enjoy what seemed to be little call-outs between the different Cid themes - the VII Cid music almost sounds like it could be right out of VI Cid's factory, and the non-guitar bits of IX Cid's music sound like they could fit right in on VII Cid's airship theme. Also, the dope guitar solo starting at right about 3:00 in the VIII Cid theme is one of the coolest on this site.

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