ReMix:Seiken Densetsu 3 "A Higher Place" 4:18

It's been a mellow, meditative week on OCR, and we end appropriately with a new age/world Seiken Densetsu 3 ReMix from NoTuX (Damon Campbell), who blends Asian flavors, mixed hand percussion, and ethereal piano into a chill, reflective stew. SD3 was recently - finally - localized for international audiences on Switch as Trials of Mana, and it's truly great that so many new fans will get to enjoy both the game and its soundtrack. As a bonus, we've already got a ton of mixes AND an album ;) Damon writes:

"This is a mix that I started quite a while ago that was supposed to be on the Songs of Light and Darkness album, but unfortunately, I had to step down when I started having issues finishing it (I humbly apologize, Rozovian :-|). I found myself getting very busy with my job/relationships/etc., and I realized there was just no way I could focus enough to produce a decent song. But, I saved what I had of the old WIP and was determined to get it done. And here it is.

This ended up being a bit different from the original WIP. I wanted to go for a more peaceful/meditation vibe. So, I decided to create a soundscape that is airy and dreamlike. I wanted the song to really portray a sense of mental clarity and transcendence of thought, something I have been striving to obtain myself, hence, the reason why I named this remix "A Higher Place."

I can't really think of more to say without rambling, so I'll just say I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I did making it. More remixes to come! Peace!!!!"

Liontamer writes:

"Lots of personality per Damon's usual, with this one being a particularly liberal arrangement, changing the rhythms of some of the chorus section as well as reducing the notes there. One of the the things NoTuX pulls off better than others is having timing that can seem more locked to a grid, yet doesn't sound TOO rigid and still feels expressive; that mirrors a lot of the feelings I had of Kikuta's source tune itself as well. It's an interesting contrast with Rebecca's mix before it; whereas this is more upbeat, it still has a meditative and relaxing mood to it, just in a different style. It's too bad this didn't get made in time for the SD3 album, but I'm glad Damon stuck with it, as it makes a nice compliment for the site to tie into the Trials of Mana announcement. Looking forward to more from NoTuX! :-)"

What sounds like an erhu gets a lot of melodic play, and I love the variety of percussion and the use of negative space to accentuate each hit; soul-searching, meditative stuff from Damon that delves into the spirit of the source and offers a transcending & ascending journey!