ReMix:Final Fantasy VIII "Net Fish and Chill" 3:15

You know, for a chill track, it indavertently stressed out a lot of folks out during its evaluation & subsequent revision process, but we're here and we're chillin', as Mel Decision leads a quintet of collaborators transforming Final Fantasy VIII's "Fisherman's Horizon" into a relaxing, lo-fi bop!

• Mel Decision: arrangement, production
• ZackParrish: alto saxophone, guitar, bass, piano, mixing, mastering
• Gamer of the Winds: bass clarinet
• Emunator: percussion
• Lucas Guimaraes: effects, foley

Mel exercised some executive decision-making over the course of its development (you see what I did there, I had no choyce!):

"This track was a labor of love! When approached to see if I was interested in participating in the last-minute bonus disc for Final Fantasy VIII: SeeDs of Pandora, I jumped at the chance. What started out as a last-minute bonus track has evolved quite a bit with the addition of live guitar and bass, re-recorded saxophone, an entirely rewritten percussion section, and brand new effects to bolster the lo-fi vibe.

I love writing lo-fi music, and when I was exploring songs from the FFVIII OST to rearrange, "Fisherman's Horizon" immediately stood out to me as a track that would fit the genre with its softer, comforting feel. When I realized "Fisherman's Horizon" already had a relaxed vibe, I knew that would be the one. I felt like I could make it work in the short amount of time I had to create a track for the bonus disc on the album. With the help of Lucas Guimaraes (Thirdkoopa) and Gamer of the Winds, I was able to include some live winds on the track.

Since the release of the album, this rearrangement has gone through several iterations. Most recently, I've had the pleasure of collaborating with Zack Parrish and Emunator, who hopped in to expand on the existing parts. Zack especially jumped in head-first: he re(-re)-recorded the saxophone section, and played live guitar and bass for the track, replacing my previous virtual instruments. He also added some piano in the background to counter the winds. Emunator rethought the entire percussion section, bringing in a more dynamic beat to help move the song along while still keeping you in the groove. Finally, Lucas topped it off with some additional sound effects that brought in the right amount of ear candy. Zack hopped in on this latest version to completely redo the mix and master the track.

I can't thank these guys enough for all the work they put into the track, along with multiple rounds of feedback to get the mix balanced just right. Their expertise and advice really helped me hear where this track needed to go in order to succeed, and Zack's efforts almost single-handedly pushed this to the finish line."

Mel Decision choosing persistance & perseverance paid off, something Rexy notably did as part of her own growth process to become the proficient arranger she is today, empowering her as the judge casting the closing vote:

"Oh wow, I remember the original album version and the flaws that held it back as a direct post - but I'm glad you and the rest of the gang kept refining it, Mel. I'm pleased about that.

So, this started as a melodically conservative lo-fi take on the source, and then by 1:45, we've ended up with some improv that primarily leans into the A section melodically, all before going back into the A section and further playing around with that theme until the unusual SFX ending with the tape sounds and footsteps. There are several tweaks here compared to the album version. The beat is more engaging and meanders way less, Zach's saxophone sounds way more expressive and compliments Greg's clarinet much better, and the additional live instrumentation adds a greater sense of intimacy. [...]

It's also phenomenal to compare all three versions and see how far the performance side has gone. I was initially okay with Greg's clarinet, but Zack pushed through with the overall quality behind the other instruments and heeded critique from the first attempt to redo the sax. Everything's well positioned, and the presentation emphasizes warmer tones and less on your higher frequencies. It would've been a challenge to balance, and I would've preferred the bass to be a touch quieter because of it, but this shaping is essential when it comes to lo-fi.

I can co-sign with the fellow Js and say that you've finally hooked yourself a winner. Great going with all the feedback, Mel - let's get this on the front page!"

And on the front page we've landed! Nice work to everyone involved in helping iterate this! The SeeDs were initially planted by Mel's strong framework with GotW, and Lucas; the expansions & refinements of Emu and especially ZackParrish (the ultimate closer, as Mel proclaimed) added verve & polish to net us listeners some serious fish. :-D Let's hope they all collaborate on something chill again!