ReMix:Final Fantasy IX "Neon Black Apocalypse" 4:59

Time for some synthwave, off of Pixel Mixers' Final Fantasy IX: Beyond the Mist:

"This is Drew Etterle (SuprMelO). I can be found at http://peribangrecords.com. I've got a couple submissions up with you guys from my band Moiré Effect. This track is a solo effort and I hope you like it. It's a synthwave/outrun style remix of "Black Waltz" from Final Fantasy IX. I've titled it "Neon Black Apocalypse."

I composed this track to participate in the Pixel Mixers' community album Beyond the Mist. The whole album is over 7 hours long and can be found here: https://pixel-mixers.com/2019/06/27/final-fantasy-ix-beyond-the-mist-tribute-album.

I don't have a lot to say about this track. I had two weeks scheduled in a Holiday Inn, so I brought my laptop, keyboard, and audio interface. The project needed a remix of "Black Waltz" and I wanted to try my hand at this synthwave/outrun/retro stuff that's really fun now. As I was doing research on Spotify about this genre while driving through Tennessee, the track I kept coming back to was "Dystopia Now" by Mental Minority. I don't know much about this artist, but when I heard this track I knew I wanted to make something like it. I thought a song about a subjugated race of powerful black mages crafted as weapons of war matched the genre pretty well. Thanks for checking it out."

While there are always details in certain genres which set artists apart, I generally feel like synthwave/retrowave are really approachable styles, where those without previous experience can still make a solid track with their first effort. That's not a knock, it's just a lower barrier-to-entry thing... synthwave still doesn't write itself, and there's still plenty of room for creativity & technical chops. As first effort OR a twentieth effort in the aesthetic, this mix from Drew is great, going a little darker & more ominous than most of what I've heard, but doing so successfully & while hitting all the staple highlights - warm pads, satisfying bass, 80's drums with iconic tom fills, etc. Judges were unanimous; Sir_NutS says it better than I did:

"Oh yes this is dope. Warm synths are the name of the game here and I love them. Strong synthwave vibes, clean and powerful mix. Arrangement wise this checks out, as the original is expanded on and most prominently, perfectly adapted to this style. Nothing here feels on autopilot, even the nuances on the filter changes for the synths, or the changes in pace accentuated by the drums changing to half time as necessary. Full of substance and flavor, a thoroughly enjoyable ride."

Seconded; great to see some of the PM album highlights submitted & featured on OCR, check out the full albums for more, and congrats/thanks to Drew for a very successful foray into synthwave!