ReMix:Secret of Mana "Azure Your Cause" 4:32

Rexy hits us with an effervescent, upbeat J-pop/J-rock style take on "The Color of the Summer Sky," working in some other themes as well & continuing our flood of ReMixes from Secret of Mana: Resonance of the Pure Land; she writes:

"It's been a while since I've played Secret of Mana, so I can't really say my feelings about the source up front, but I can say it's heard in safe havens away from the Empire's grasp particularly early on and you feel as if your remote location means harm can never befall you as you prepare for the next legs of your quest for those Mana Seeds.

Problem is, when it came to writing the mix, I had no idea what I was doing!

Even with plans written out in front of me, with many of the passages inspired by the occasional poppier and lighter-toned works of Dream Theater, the only thing that even vaguely resembled what they could do was the shift to moodier tones starting with the "I Closed My Eyes" cameo and the 7/8 breakdown near the end. Only by heavily re-working the structure, particularly near the end of the creation cycle, was when I started to see something that made such a limited source work - an audio interpretation of a visit to a small town, chatting up the townsfolk, hitting the shops and inn, and making your merry way towards the next destination.

That, and after hearing Meteo Xavier's amazing interpretation of this same tune on Esther's Dreams, I really didn't want to do anything too similar to what he did there either!

Despite the struggles, Jorito's a great and encouraging guy and helped me break out of many a slump during its creation. Between Esther and this one, I haven't had as much luck with projects that would eventually see themselves to completion and that hit my mood really hard; but if I had known he was a project director that sticks to promises in the wider picture, I could've done more with him before he took the Mana Sword from Bahamut! 10/10, would write tunes for again. :)"

Great summer vacation in anime-land vibe, here, with abundant energy. Jorito, with Mike's assistance, really has done a phenomenal job in following up with artists, coordinating with us, and getting all the details just so; major kudos are in order to this project's leadership. Of Bev's arrangement, Jorrith writes:

""Color of the Summer Sky" is, to me, one of the most iconic Secret of Mana tracks, which makes it hard to get it right and do it justice. With its uplifting vibe, it really sets the stage for the initial parts of the game. Rexy did a great job in retaining that playfulness and sense of optimism that the original did, but really gave it her own spins and twists. Despite the happy and energetic overall ambiance of the track, Rexy had a bit of a struggle to actually finish it. I had the pleasure to work with her quite closely to bring the track to what you're hearing now through quick feedback cycles, constructive thinking, and thoughtful discussions. I hope it fills you with happy feelings, just as it does for me whenever I listen to it."

I dig the movement & modulated filtering coupled with bells on the intro, then there's a soaring chip lead that runs on up, and the church bells continue into that uber-catchy & happy-feelings melodic riff. It reminds me of the "having fun at the beach" montages you'd see in 90's anime - good times. Things get slightly less exuberant as Bev works in the title theme as an effective breakdown; too much sugar is bad for you, after all, and "Fear of the Heavens" tempers the tone a bit. Fun modulations & bends on the main synth lead towards the end, and a nice semi-jazzy descending riff before holding on that final note; nice. Sweet, fun, AND made more substantive/interesting from the incorporation of additional themes - I'd say the brainstorming, revisions, and advice all paid off. Great work that shines a beaming smile & gives the album some levity!