*NO* Final Fantasy 7 'JENOVA's Witness'

[Gario]

- ReMixer name: ANTOX

- Real name: Anthony Nemer
- Email address: 
- Website: https://soundcloud.com/anthonynemer/tracks
- User id: 18006

- Name of game arranged: Final Fantasy VII
- Name of arrangement: JENOVA's Witness
- Name of individual song(s) arranged: J-E-N-O-V-A

- Additional information about game including composer, system, etc.
Final Fantasy VII by Nobuo Uematsu for PlayStation

 

I was inspired by New Age music from the 90s, mainly Enigma for the beats with a blend of Synthwave.

 

Many thanks!

 

Edited July 26, 2019 by prophetik music

[Liontamer]

The sound design's not very sophisticated, but the tools are used effectively. Opening synths were pretty cool. Enigma/Streets of Rage style beat came in at :19, with a basic synth lead at :39 and some decent ear candy behind providing countermelody. Beat shifted a little at 1:19 for a good subtle change in the energy. The overall textures have been basic but arguably effective albeit subdued. The track's pretty low-key throughout, but there's nothing wrong with that.

Interesting rhythmic change-up at 1:59, and I liked the shift into the EP at 2:09. At 2:19 you have the melody come back, only things are even busier and darker-sounding behind the lead.

Weird shift in the beats at 2:59 very briefly, but things quickly reoriented, with some straightforward but well-integrated original writing combining with the source and continuing to vary the textures until the end.

Overall, this of course presents a different energy than the original, since there's no driving beat behind this, and you have a slower tempo and darker sound. One could argue there's not enough development or dynamic contrast, but I felt there was within a purposefully narrower dynamic curve. Having the melody vary more would have been nice, but the structure here is all about building different textures around the lead serving as a constant; that's a valid approach I respect. Solid work, Anthony.

EDIT (7/19): Just noting that I've re-listened in light of the three NO votes, but the mixing criticisms brought up don't affect my vote. IMO, the suggestions they've brought up would be nice to have, but I didn't feel the parts bled together too much and I didn't have a problem distinctly hearing the lead (or other parts) even though the surrounding elements got louder at times. As long as the part-writing's distinct enough to be made out, I'm not bothered by the balance being unorthodox.

YES

[Gario]

Ah yes, the single greatest title that I've ever seen for a remix thus far. I would LOVE to see this posted on those grounds alone.

However, I do need to question the mixing on this track throughout. The lead is often buried behind the rest of the arrangement (an issue that actually gets worse as the arrangement gets more dense as it progresses), and as the track gets more dense the mix more and more crowded/muddy. As much as I like how the vanilla synths were handled in general, the mixing is indiscriminate (with the textures often overtaking the leads, an example of which can be heard at 0:40), and the resulting soundscape is too muddy.

I like this track otherwise, but in order for me to pass this the track needs another pass on the mixing. The textures need to have their levels adjusted so they don't overtake the leads (or the leads should be in a different register so that they're not fighting for the same sonic space), and the pads that all fight for the same space must be either mixed down or made to be less dense, just so the arrangement has some room to breath.

Fun track, great title, but I don't think this one is there yet. I do hope to hear this one come back soon, though!

NO

[Rexy]

Ooh, I sense that Enigma inspiration!  I hear "Sadeness (Part 1)" on the radio occasionally, and that similar groove made me latch onto the idea immediately.

It does feel interesting to see the fast-paced nature of this source applied to a more downtempo and electronic feel.  The opening pattern of 8 notes also works as an effective arpeggio - whether solo, running alongside the melody, or even as part of the brief F minor breakdown starting at 2:10.

The source material has a lot of ideas going on, but this mix needed just the arpeggio and melody A - using them in a modest framework adding more layers with each repetition.  These layers are something as simple as changing the hi-hats to a 16-beat pattern (1:20) to adding more pads over time and introducing a countermelody near the end (3:05).  It's a mellow adaptation that works well, so sweet going there.

However, this is also one of those tracks where I feel needs more work regarding its mixing.  As more layers get added in each repetition, the smashed dynamics got worse, and it becomes much harder to hear the main melody.  It's most problematic under the additional pads and the countermelody as mentioned earlier past the 3-minute mark.  There are many ways to fix this within another mixdown, however.  Examples are EQ separation, transposing the lead or some of your pads, and weakening the limiter by just a touch.  All of these are possible solutions that I can suggest to achieve a less cluttered mix.

On its own, it's one of the most unorthodox Jenova arrangements I have heard in a long time.  But I'd love for you to clear up the mixing and send it back.  It's a close call, but I'm all for hearing this on the front page soon.

NO (resubmit)

Edited July 22, 2019 by Rexy

[MindWanderer]

Agreed with Gario and Rexy.  The arrangement is pretty cool, but the soundscape starts off a bit on the muddy side and gets more severe as it goes on.  By the end the bass backing is almost a wash of white noise.

I did feel like the original writing from 2:00-2:15 was a bit odd.  It's much brighter in tone than the rest of the remix, so for me it breaks the flow.  This is just my personal preference, though.  The issue holding it back is the mixing.

NO (resubmit)

[prophetik music]

just stamping this one in. i agree completely with the last three votes in that it's a great concept, and a fun arrangement, and ultimately too muddy. 2:20's intro of the choir pad is where it really goes off the rails. there's simply too much going on in the same range.

i am really looking forward to this coming back with more aural separation. that's the only thing holding it back for me. opening up your max beyond -3db and doing some grunt work with your EQ and gain will really make this an easy vote.

 

NO