Posted 2005-05-27, evaluated by the judges panel


Sephfire and Fatty Acid collab in this revision of the latter's arrangement by the former. Dan was apparently digging one of Joseph's mixes and decided to rework it into something new:

"...I stumbled across his remix of the opening credits sequence for Final Fantasy X-2, "Under a Full Moon" (which I really enjoyed). The more I listened to it, the more ideas it inspired, so I contacted Mr. Liao about it and he was cool enough to allow me to re-remix his work for OCR submission."

Sustained sub bass tones, crystal-clear tine electric piano, acoustic piano, a mellow hip-hop beat, and warm strings which are at times continuous and others gated/chopped rhythmically make up the core elements. It's a pretty sparse, simple arrangement, sure, but the drums have fills where they're needed, there's structural variety enough to keep things interesting, and the afforementioned ingredients are used and reused creatively - they don't just stick in the same place, doing the same thing. The effect of dual pianos, acoustic and electric, is very smooth, relaxed, melodic, and pure. I like how zyko suggested its use as potential commute-related stress alleviation (even though I have only a ten-minute commute to work myself):

"the beat is quite simplistic and the mood is by far the greatest benefactor of the track's overall simplicity. the stutter is not overdone and gives it that new-age electronica feel to it that eludes me when i'm digging through the CD bin. i enjoy this sort of music, a lot - it is calming in an otherwise intensely fast paced world. putting this on during your rush hour commute makes all those shitty drivers disappear and nothing but the colorful trails off the paintjobs of their cars are left."

The dissenting opinion on the panel centered around the simplicity of the arrangement, suggesting that just one more element, one more section, instrument - one more "thing", in layman's terms - could have given the piece more substance. It's certainly a tricky balance when you're shooting for mellow and minimal to also make sure you work in enough "stuff" (technical term) to ensure the mix is memorable and still has a degree of weight. I'm sure there's *something* that could have helped, along these lines, but I'm also not coming up with specifics, and if done wrong such an addition could have hindered rather than helped. Hypothesizing aside, what's here is some accessible, uber-calm mood music filtered through the imaginations of two talented guys, and I think most who are into more laid-back grooves will appreciate their concoction as is.

djpretzel

Discussion

Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the complete thread or post your own.
avatar
Black_Doom
on 2020-05-26 15:07:26

I've been putting this one on repeat quite a lot recently. If I want to listen to something before sleep or just when going for a walk, this will be one of my picks, no doubt. It's just insanely good, certainly one of the best chill remixes I've ever heard. Incredibly smooth from the very first to the very last second. Like, I cannot just say how much I love this track. Especially love the call-and-response between two pianos at 1:50 - so sweet. And the overall usage of those instruments is beyond any praise. And the whole track too. Absolutely fantastic collab! Gonna loop it a few more times, I think ;)

avatar
fdesa
on 2010-06-02 14:16:39

This song is perfect to listen to at night on a balcony or under stars on a cool, light breezy night,

Or as a slow dance song w/ your significant other,

Or just in a romantic setting in general.

This song, if it's missing anything, is just the environment factor. It's relaxing and calming, yes. But compare listening to it while in the subway/train or generally in a hectic area, versus listening to it under one of the given conditions above.

That may just be the reason why the judges felt that something was missing.

Not sure exactly how the remixers intended this song to be taken, but this is how I took it and that really brought it out to the best of it's potential for me.

avatar
Emunator
on 2009-12-19 02:30:49

This is absolutely lovely, I remember how elated I was when I first listened to this... it's so bubbly, it picks you up and transports you to somewhere happier for 4 and a half minutes and then drops you back down... ultimately I'm just left wanting to loop this one so I can experience that all the time :-)

I don't usually gush like this in reviews, but this one feels a lot more about the emotion created by the sounds rather than the technical aspects of the arrangement, so I wanted to comment more on how it made me feel from a subjective standpoint. This mix is beautiful and I don't think I would be acknowledging the scope of its greatness with an objective review.

Soooo good, you guys. Make more like this! ^_^

avatar
OA
on 2009-12-18 11:22:38

I remember hearing the FF x-2 piano arrange album and was floored by the quality of some of the tracks. Melodically, this one is really nice, and the atmosphere is really chill as well. I love the panned and slightly gated synths, and the piano bits. This is a mix that really surrounds you, and though the theme is often either in the background or otherwise obscured, it flows really nicely.

This is really a sleeper track to me- the more I listen to it, the more I love it.

Fantastic work guys, this one is beautiful.

avatar
avaris
on 2009-12-03 10:02:50

While the original source is more complex in getting its "message" this track does with subtly and attention to detail. I've always really enjoyed these two dudes work and this track has been a constant on my playlist for quite some time.

avatar
K.B.
on 2009-06-12 00:40:43

This is a thing of beauty. A love song between two instruments as fine as has ever been told. As one fades, the other slides in and carries them on; then each sings its own part, which only together makes a song; and finally they intertwine and rise into twinkling chimes. I cannot help but longingly smile at the simple and honest devotion made manifest in the subtleties of this piece.

On first listen, many... months... ago, I was turned off at how upfront the drum kick and synth were in the mix. While I no longer mind the synth, the drums are still uncomfortably loud when listening at volume. But both do carry the mix, and I see why they were done as they were. If nothing else, the atmosphere becomes delicate when they dissipate, and this is timed perfectly with the more poignant sections. And, of course, the rest of the instrumentation fits beautifully.

Upon listening to the source, I cannot help be even more impressed. A very pleasant and heartfelt tune has been given an excellent interpretation, yes, but what strikes me most is how much more emotion has been infused. And I repeat myself.

This remix is the musical version of the woman you find you want to spend the rest of your life with.

Thank you, Messrs Floyd and Liao.

avatar
Adjust As Hero
on 2008-08-03 06:43:11

Amazing. Simply amazing. It's like [insert your highly addictive vice] for my ears.

avatar
ChaosofRuin
on 2006-11-13 19:29:20

I can never get tired of sephfire's work my favorite remixer

avatar
Blooe
on 2006-05-01 15:56:07

This is an amazing song. The kind of song I will never get tired of. Its wow ^-^.

avatar
Unmei
on 2006-02-04 22:07:25

The minimalistic feel to this mix works in its favor. I love how the music layers with just the right amount of beat. Great work guys! One of my faves when I'm in the mood for something downtempo.

avatar
Xx~~Zangetsu~~xX
on 2006-02-02 15:51:19

SEPHFIRE KEEP EM COMIN!

avatar
lady zelda
on 2006-01-17 00:26:34

I love listening to this driving down the freeway on a rainy day, it's so perfect. It just takes the gloominess away and puts me at peace with everything. That hip-hoppish beat and piano are amazing and they fit well together and it maintains the cleansing beauty of Eternity from the game. Keep these coming!

avatar
sephfire
on 2005-10-25 23:22:45
Message to Sephire (Who's work I'm very fond of!). Please please please may I have your permission to use this piece in an animation I am working on and submit the finished work -including music- to my DeviantArt.com gallery? It would be fantastic if you would allow me to use it since it fits the mood EXACTLY.

I love this piece, I've listened to it over and over! It's a great tune to just reminise. I liked the original too so this would naturally be really nice!

Thanks for reading!

Sorry for the late response, but you're welcome to use it however you like. I'm sure Fatty Acid won't mind either. If he let me totally overhaul his work, I'm sure he won't mind your use. :lol:

avatar
Riotance
on 2005-10-03 11:14:23

This has got to be my favorite remix of all time. Very soothing, smooth, and peaceful arrangement. Great job.

avatar
djleeroy
on 2005-09-28 16:52:12

Message to Sephire (Who's work I'm very fond of!). Please please please may I have your permission to use this piece in an animation I am working on and submit the finished work -including music- to my DeviantArt.com gallery? It would be fantastic if you would allow me to use it since it fits the mood EXACTLY.

I love this piece, I've listened to it over and over! It's a great tune to just reminise. I liked the original too so this would naturally be really nice!

Thanks for reading!

Sources Arranged (1 Song)


Primary Game:
Final Fantasy X-2 (Square , 2003, PS2)
Music by Kazuhiro Hara,Noriko Matsueda,Takahito Eguchi
Songs:
"Kuon - Memories of Waves and Light"

Tags (5)


Genre:
Ambient
Mood:
Chill
Instrumentation:
Piano,Synth
Additional:
Origin > Collaboration

File Information


Name:
Final_Fantasy_10-2_Under_a_New_Moon_OC_ReMix.mp3
Size:
5,557,346 bytes
MD5:
2f1f61c04a8585e68414a1134679c095
Bitrate:
160Kbps
Duration:
4:33

Promotion

8-bit Jazz Heroes - Press Start
View All

Latest Albums

View All

Latest ReMixes