ReMix:Final Fantasy IV "Eclipse" 4:41

As many of you shrewdly surmised, yesterday's announcement of a 3-genre classification system involving varying certitudes of a mix being "techno" had more to do with the date than anything else ;) Later this year, however, we WILL be rolling out a curated list of "terms" (formalized tags, really) that include multiple descriptors covering genres, instrumentation, mood, etc. - no joke, and we'll need help from the community to get it right! That'll be one of many changes coming to the site in 2015, so keep your eyes & ears peeled! In the meantime, howsabout a nice upbeat EDM/dance (TECHNO!) arrangement of FF4 & FF13, from Avaris? Shaun writes:

"Made this track for the Final Fantasy Crystal Clash compo. This was an insanely hard song to integrate the two themes. "Sazh's Theme" was converted from 11/8 into 4/4. There are also some complex sections music theory-wise, for example, the legato passages in Sazh's theme. I used the FFIV theme as a basis to integrate "Sazh's Theme." These integrations and ideas then had to be arranged to fit 16- to 32-bar sections of a dance track.

In the beginning, this song was difficult to write, but as it came together, I actually really started to enjoy the fruits of my labor. "Sazh's Theme" has such a catchy bassline. Its quirky melodies worked well juxtaposed to the somber melancholic themes of "Cry in Sorrow." In the end, it was a track I felt was enhanced by the integration of the two themes instead of crippled.

Thanks for your patience. Replaced all of the reverse cymbals. And tuned the kick. And a few other lil volume things. Used one of Chimpazilla's rev cymbals. The big one you hear in the track. I had to redo a few plugins, bc the old ones I used I had sold. Only effect plugins. I used other models that were the same, just by a different company."

That last paragraph is in reference to the revisions Shaun made based on panel feedback, cleaning things up a bit, resulting in a tighter track all around. Like Shariq's Mega Man compos, Crystal Clash involves pairing themes from different FF games, and it's been really interesting to see artists grapple with the challenges this presents, as so many of Uematsu's pieces have distinct time signatures, formal structures, etc. It's Chimpazilla's birthday today (happy bday!) and so a judgequote is in order, especially since she coordinated the revision:

"Shaun sent me the revised track today and WOW it sounds so much better! It was already a great track with just a few production and harmonic issues to sort out. He fixed the issues and tightened everything up too, and added a few more surprises. It is truly a dynamite track now! Very clean, very danceable and groovy, fun varied arrangement, good dynamics. Recommended! "

A thick kick anchors this track, over & around which the synth machinations Avaris constructed to blend the two themes pulse & throb with energy, with some interesting modulations here & there to level up the intensity. It's got a very swirling, active soundscape - easy to get lost in, but plenty of good details (both textural & compositional) to keep your focus. Good stuff, definitely worth checking out, and big props to Avaris for taking on the arrangement challenge of combining these themes and coming out victorious!