ReMix:Final Fantasy XII "Dream of Salikawood" 4:31

We've got not one but TWO beautiful arrangements from Rebecca E. Tripp for you today, starting with this lovely orchestral/folk take on "The Salikawood" from FF12:

"This here is my orchestral arrangement of the music that plays in the Salikawood in FF12. Another version of this track is also present in FF Tactics Advance 2, titled "Into the Fantasy." This is officially the first Final Fantasy 12 cover song I've ever made that's exclusive to FF12 in its theme. I did also create an FF series forest themes medley which contained many iterations and variations of Eryut Village among other tracks from FF5, FF6, FF7, and FF9. In this way, my remix of "The Salikawood" (originally composed by Hitoshi Sakimoto) could, in a way, be considered to be a sequel to my "Final Fantasy Forest Medley.""

Hand drums, harp, flute, something like a dulcimer, lush strings, choral elements, and a general sense of wonder & mysticism permeate the arrangement, which sticks to a single source - unusual for Rebecca! - but absolutely delivers the same caliber of engrossing atmosphere & emotion as her medleys. Sir_Nuts sums this one up well:

"This style is something we've come to expect from miss Tripp, and her mastery of this type of arrangement is only getting better with each song. One thing that I've come to expect as well is her arrangements to be a little on the conservative side. This one starts as such, but evolves pretty well over time and when we reach the second section there's plenty of interpretation going on and it all transitions very well into a cohesive arrangement. The flow feels a little static at times, and I think more work could've been done with the dynamics of the whole arrangement to give it more up and downs but this works well as it is.

Overall solid track that has a very graceful and sometimes ethereal sound."

Judges noted relative low volume, (initially) conservative arrangement, and less dynamic contrast as concerns, all of which I think are accurate, but none of which anyone felt were deal-breaking; this piece oozes with ambiance and creates a specific mood, and the blend of plucked, wind, bowed, & choral components makes for a very rich texture. Great stuff from the RET; if the FF12 remaster sounds/looks this nice, I'll be very happy!