ReMix:Final Fantasy X "A Maiden's Prayer" 3:42

Today we've got not one but TWO meditative arrangements of FFX from Rebecca E. Tripp, starting with this Eastern/Indian vocal incantation of "Song of Prayer":

"This is my vocal cover of the "Hymn of Faith" (or "Fayth," if you prefer) from Final Fantasy 10. I think this is likely my best vocal cover to date! :D I believe it's more in tune than before. I had been planning it for quite some time, but I wasn't sure what direction I wanted to take it.

In this track, I attempted to capture the ethereal, spiritual essence of FF10. I wanted to show the reverence, dedication, and hope of the Spiran people, and also the especially devout characters such as Wakka and Yuna. I was sort of imagining a temple in which shrine maidens, priests, and monks were going about their business: meditating, performing rituals, waving incense, and carrying fire through various ornate chambers. I also wanted to invoke the more positive "spirit" woven into the otherwise wounded the fabric of Spira: the truth and raw beauty which Yu Yevon and his puppets had twisted and controlled over the aeons (pun intended). I hope some of that ancient, authentic FFX-ness made it into this ethereal prayer song."

When I think of FFX, I confess that I often think of the infamous "Tidus Laugh," which is about the *least* spiritual/profound memory one could conjure, but there's definitely a vein of more serious, reflective, contemplative spirituality running throughout the game that is reflected in its soundtrack. Rebecca's done a great job with the vocal, here - it's perhaps mic'd a little close, but other than that, pitch center is strong, performance is emotive, and everything blends together well; bravo! I love the very deliberate, delicate atmosphere & instrumentation/palette, as well. Judges struggled a bit with the original submission being on the quiet side, but thankfully a louder master was provided; Jivemaster writes:

"Enjoyed the sitar intro. Vocals sound decent and complement the track well. The backing instruments while minimal over the course of the track, do provide enough atmosphere. There are a number of times during the mid point that I thought things were going to pick up, but the mood stays mostly the same. Nothing wrong with this but I imagined this going further. I think the interpretation of the original is well done here."

I agree that it *could* have picked up & developed more, but that probably would have made it more narrative & bit less like a prayer/poem; as-is, there are plenty of swells/blossoms where the vibe gets more intense, but there's also a continuous, preserved resonance that makes sense, given the subject matter. I really enjoyed hearing Rebecca's voice & also found the instrumentation hypnotic; it's an intuitive take on the source, but difficult to execute, and I think she's done a fantastic job. Enjoy!