ReMix:Silent Hill "Nay Tomorrow" 5:17

By Tamimi

Arranging the music of one song...

"Not Tomorrow 1 (Lisa's Theme)"

Primary Game: Silent Hill (Konami , 1999, PS1), music by Akira Yamaoka, Rika Muranaka

Posted 2002-08-28, evaluated by djpretzel


Newcomer Tamimi sent me a really . . . interesting email. Not sure why, but for some reason he attributed the delay between him submitting his ReMix and it getting posted to OC ReMix being "racist" and anti-Arab. Rest assured, this is not the case - we may be slow, true, but not racist. One of my better friends is Afghan, so hopefully that clears things up a bit for him (sent an email tonight but no response yet). Anyway, his mix from the original Silent Hill is quite good and, unlike many mixes of this game, favors melodic content over nightmarish ambient effects. Tamimi also used an Arabic instrument called a "nay", which he plays, extensively - it's quite beautiful and lends a very important human, emotional element to this piece. Some background on the nay:

"The word nay from Persian is used to describe a single reed pipe of the simplest design whose origins go back to the Sumerian civilization. Nay is the generic Arabic name for simple open-ended reed instruments which usually have 6 holes in the front for the fingers to play and 1 hole underneath for the thumb. Fine, mellow tones are brought forth by blowing gently over the orifice of the tube while manipulating the fingers and thumbs; by blowing with more or less force, sounds are produced an octave higher or lower, and tunes in different scales can be played by utilizing nays of various lengths.

Although very simple, the nay is extraordinarily versatile. Its poetical timbre makes it especially suitable for melancholy effects expressing both joy and yearning."


This concludes your world music educational lesson for the night :) Built on crystalline electric piano and bell, you can hear the nay immediately - it wavers with an intimate uncertainty that makes it quite ideal for a lead part in this sort of piece. Synth pads and a great synth harp join into a gorgeous extended passage without the clear lead of the intro, which makes a return at 2'47". Though there's some hiss on the recording and the ending stops a little abruptly, there's phrases here that are stunning, and I do think Tamimi's done an excellent job in rendering the original theme in a new fashion, with a unique instrument that I'd not previously heard of but have quickly grown to appreciate. Highly recommended.

djpretzel

Discussion

Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the complete thread or post your own.
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Codamadius
on 2012-01-30 01:06:11

This definitely caught my emotions quickly. The nay was perfect for this remix. A lot of the remixes I hear on OCR could most definitely be in a movie and it's sad that I may never hear any from this site. I wish it were different. (No that wasn't an insult, there's more talent on here than the "stars" nowadays. And even when there was lots of talent this would definitely be good competition. I hate how people are so prejudiced against game music. Half of the reason for my inspiration to be a music producer derives on gaming music. People put heart and soul into a lot of it.)

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Kaxon
on 2010-08-24 21:23:25

This is very good. I just re-discovered this song (it came up in shuffle, I'd only listened to it once before) and moved is straight into my OCRemix favorites. I loved the first Silent Hill and this has a really great ambient atmosphere (although not one that matches the creepy mood of the game).

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FallenOne
on 2010-02-08 19:51:04

Wow, I... don't know what else to say. It's creative, emotional and well balanced. It's too bad some people are quick to think they are being judged by their ethnicity or gender. Tamimi has talent that he should cerainly develope further.

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DragonAvenger
on 2009-11-30 22:02:35

There is some beautiful playing here, and I wish that Tamimi had submitted more mixes to the site. The emotion of his playing is very present in this track, and it's hard not to want to listen to this a few more times (not that anything is stopping me).

I feel like the breaks without the nay could have been a little bit shorter, to focus on it a bit more and really let it shine as the lead instrument, but the interludes are very pretty too and stand on their own. Also, the ending is unfortunately a bit abrupt, it would have been great to have a ritardando to the last note.

The texture of the nay is beautiful and it is very nice to listen to. Check this one out.

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OA
on 2009-10-19 12:10:54

Beautiful and a bit sad sounding. The Nay is a great sound, and it's really well played. A bit hypnotic, and a distinctly human quality. I wish Tamimi had submitted more songs to OCR. :-(

An excellent remix. Check this one out for sure.

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aakapaisiiwa
on 2008-08-08 14:26:48

I will have to join in with those that love this remix. This is my favorite remix of all the remixes here. It has constantly been on my mp3 player, my phone, my psp. as a flute and clarinet player, i love woodwinds. I think this mix would have been ruined if he had added drums.

On a side note it really annoys me when people will play that 'no no I'm not a racist/bigot/etc. because one of my best friends is asian/black/latino/white/middle eastern/etc' and that's suppposed to make the whole situation better. That is such a lame come back. Was Tamimi supposed to say 'Oh you do? well that changes everything!' or something along those lines?...It diminishes his intelligence. I'm not saying this was posted late because of discrimination or that dj pretzel is that sort of person (i don't know him). but that was the lamest comeback ever. I wish he'd take that comment down from the review...

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XD Omen XD
on 2006-05-31 03:39:15

Well they played this song on the movie too now that i remember when i went to the theatres to see the movie... the movie kicked @ss... but yea... this is a mystifying tune... and its very setting for the atmosphere of some of the in-game events. 10/10 is my opinion... if i were to rate. D!

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SPFiredrake
on 2006-03-16 01:54:12

Wonderful piece of music.

There were quite a bit of times where I just wasn't prepared for what actually happened. In fact, 5 seconds into the song the piano makes a minimalist appearance (a whole 7 spine chilling notes). I was expecting another round of the intro before any other instruments joined in, but got a nice example of what to expect from the rest of the piece: minimalistic, with just a few unexpected twists to keep one interested.

The beat itself is extremely simple, repeating the same 4 measures for the majority of the piece. Not much else is really needed, as the nay provides all the dynamic/emotional aspects of the song. The occasional accompanying instruments add just enough variety to keep the piece from getting too boring.

Overall, the pure emotion present within the nay is what drives this piece. I, for one, found the ending to be absolutely brilliant. To me, the entire premise of the song is a very mellowdramatic outlook on life (call it emo, if you will). Everything is depressing, even the various moments that have meaning are still melancholy, all leading up to an abrupt end (suicide, accident, etc.). At least that's how I interpret it.

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neminem
on 2005-05-23 23:41:58

Yeah... I don't know the original, I just listened to this song on ormgas and loved it. Beautiful piece, though I obviously don't know how much of the beauty came from the original vs. from the arrangement. I just had one gripe, like everyone else - the ending. Or rather, the lack of one.

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Redslash
on 2005-01-31 19:03:46

not a bad remix but i do not share everyone elses vision in this remix i really can't tell what really sets this apart from its original and all the other remixes of other songs which are made...

not that its bad although i hate that ending

it sounds like he took the notes from the midi and failed to create an ending proerly for mp3 format

i also don't see what's so emotional about it... this song just feeds on the emotion of the orginal it doesn't really build on anything nor does it necessarily make it worse

maybe i'm just being cynical???

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Navi
on 2005-01-31 07:43:12
If anyone is interested in listening to this earlier copy of the Extended Version of "Not Tomorrow, " send me a PM.

Interesting. Thanks, for that info. I would like to hear it, actually. ;)

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^^DeusEx^^
on 2005-01-31 06:31:08

VERY enjoyable music here......calm and ethereal allmost.....great stuff to listen to while taking it easy

But I have to admit that I agree with so many others.....quite the abrupt ending.....but thats a small thing....

Well worth the download

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ifirit
on 2005-01-30 20:55:03
However, i have a minor gripe with the abrupt ending, however, it can be forgiven.

Interesting note: In the early days of in-game music ripping, someone tried to record "Not Tomorrow" in mp3 form. The purpose was to capture an extended version of "Not Tomorrow," in order to allow the fans to listen to more than what is on the Original Soundtrack. However, lacking proper editing software, this extended version was cut-off in an irregular place during the recording. Despite this, the track was promptly placed on the internet for all fans to download.

This Extended Version of "Not Tomorrow" was the first attempt at making a "Complete Soundtrack" of Silent Hill's music, mostly because the official soundtracks often lacked certain tracks or complete versions of those tracks. You might even go so far as to say it was the first available mp3 of any in-game music not released on CD. Who knows? Anyway, the point is that Tamimi's aburpt ending is a direct tribute to that first mp3 version of "Not Tomorrow," a common misunderstanding among newer fans of the series.

Since this mp3 was released on the internet, several incarnations of a Complete Soundtrack have passed through the Silent Hill circles, the most famous of which are Dustfungus' Silent Hill Media, Silent Hill Forum's Complete OST sections, and most recently The Sound of Silence.

If anyone is interested in listening to this earlier copy of the Extended Version of "Not Tomorrow, " send me a PM.

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Navi
on 2005-01-30 12:35:18

After this excellent 2002 release, Tamimi dropped off the face of the OCR earth, and I'm quite disappointed in that. Could it possibly be djp's anti-Arab (or anti-SE Asian) hate mail that I regularly recieve in my inbox? :wink:

Probably not, however I am still "expecting more" as the mixer himself so eloquently put it earlier in this thread. This mix is pure trance (not in the electronica sense) delight, with the kind of vibes I would find on a Pure Moods CD (which I do own) and the soft, soothing melancholic feeling that draws well upon the original. The live instrument recording only adds to the excellence of this piece in leaps and bounds. I have no problems with the other instruments (specifically that e. piano that is being scrutinized). In one word: beautiful. In two words: beautiful and sad.

However, i have a minor gripe with the abrupt ending, however, it can be forgiven. Please make more music, Tamimi.

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FinalGamer
on 2005-01-29 18:40:22

I never thought I would here a Nay in a videogame remix of all places! I heard one a long time ago, and loved its tune. This instrument is very haunting yet very sweetening and for this song, it works tremendously well.

The piano and nay accompany together so well for this, that this song sounds so. . .saddening, yet also hopeful.

Excellent work for Tamimi and such expert use of a wondrous instrument on a great song.

Sources Arranged (1 Song)


Primary Game:
Silent Hill (Konami , 1999, PS1)
Music by Akira Yamaoka,Rika Muranaka
Songs:
"Not Tomorrow 1 (Lisa's Theme)"

Tags (6)


Genre:
New Age
Mood:
Chill,Solemn
Instrumentation:
Electric Piano,Flute
Additional:
Time > 4/4 Time Signature

File Information


Name:
Silent_Hill_Nay_Tomorrow_OC_ReMix.mp3
Size:
5,163,581 bytes
MD5:
b218f5a758dd29ff455592988b6713d0
Bitrate:
128Kbps
Duration:
5:17

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