ReMix:Xenogears "A Momentary Emotion" 2:57

By Tim Sheehy

Arranging the music of one song...

"Aspiration"

Primary Game: Xenogears (Square , 1998, PS1), music by Yasunori Mitsuda

Posted 2004-05-23, evaluated by djpretzel


Next up we've got a lovely Xenogears ReMix for you, from Kaijin in his "touching ballad mode" that he's quite adept at. Introing with piano, electric piano, strings, and a beautiful wind lead, percussion kicks in and the main melody enters. This has a very acoustic, intimate feel to it, builds well, and is reminiscent of his other work in the polished, melody-centric ballad arena. Oboe joins in for a well-executed duet with some call-and-answer (underused technique in my opinion and works especially well in this genre), and though this is a rather short piece at just under three minutes, it's a pleasant diversion and illustrates all the things the ReMixer is excellent at doing - establishing a strong melodic presence, expanding on that, and putting together an arrangement that is emotional first and foremost. I like the picture-perfect ending sans drums and the pastorale, floating pace the piece has. Good stuff from Kaijin, who's contributed a very strong selection of flowing, emotive arrangements over the years.

djpretzel

Discussion

Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the complete thread or post your own.
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Necrox
on 2015-12-21 00:57:12

The flute sounds great; it fits the melody really well. The backing is solid, nothing too exciting. The oboe also sounds good. As OA said, the piano brings Dale North to mind, which is good. Solid mix.

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Marmiduke
on 2010-08-02 03:55:46

Quite a soft mix based on a really beautiful melody. You can't really go wrong with a gentle track like this. As far as I can tell, it's primary objective seems to have been enriching the sound of the original and focusing a little, which I'm cool with. Though the arrangement takes no bold steps, I actually think it does enough behind the scenes to satisfy me. Of course, more fleshing out of the theme would have been welcome, but to be honest I didn't see the lack thereof to be a squandered opportunity.

It definitely struggles to be remarkable and there's nothing drastically impressive here, but its still very pretty with some attentive production, which has to stand for something.

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42
on 2009-12-04 14:02:31

This is such a sweet little mix, almost saccharinely so. Very nostalgic, like the theme of reminiscing of the happy times spent with a lost loved one as opposed to the remorse of the loved one being lost, if that made any sense. Still it's not bad and worth checking out.

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Degree
on 2007-04-02 12:29:55

Beautiful production. Especially considering that this remixed was created nearly 3 years ago. The arrangement is there, but it does pretty much stick with the original source.

True, the samples are lacking, but I was reading on Kaijin's site about the possibility of him remastering this track. That would be great.

This piece, no matter how old, is still beautiful. That ballad style that Kaijin is best known for is probably my favorite 'genre' of remix. The emotions that this piece creates are absolutely amazing.

Definitely worth a download to add to your remix collection.

I don't think Kaijin is around anymore, but he will always have produced songs that have changed the way I view videogame music.

Good job bro. 3 years later and it's still kickin'.

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OA
on 2006-12-26 15:21:53

A pretty close interpretation of the source, but as it was mentioned earlier, after hearing something of this quality, it's really hard to go back to the original. I like this even better than the vocal arrangement in the original soundtrack.

The piano reminds me a bit of Dale North, but the rest of the elements make it really your own. Regardless, this is fantastic work. Highly recommended.

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CasualT
on 2004-09-11 15:32:50

I thought I'd already submitted my thoughts on this remix, but I looked and realized it must have slipped my mind.

I love the down-home feel of this remix, I think it really fits in well with the mood of the piece. After listening to this, the original sounds sooo tinny and weak. Excellent job here!

I only wish you'd kept in the part around 1:20 in the original where the violins harmonize for a bit. I really liked that part, but I understand as much as a remix is primarily an arrangement of the original track, it has to combine it with different ideas and bring something new to the table. And of course that means cutting parts out as much as adding new material in.

Keep 'em coming Kaijin!

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ForumChibi
on 2004-08-02 05:11:15

Emotion of Xenogears is a sweet song in itself (one of my favorites even), but this remix of it is even more incredible. It's more laid back than the original as I recall, but the slower pace makes it seem all the better.

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Nobbynob Littlun
on 2004-06-25 17:50:20

The intro reminds me of the town music in Zelda 2. Did the original Xenogears song also do this? Is it just me hearing this, I swear I'm taking crazy pills! Obey my dog! Ok, Zoolander references aside... I like it.

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Geoffrey Taucer
on 2004-05-25 21:15:58

I'm a huge fan of Kaijin's style, and this one was definitely up among his best. Brilliant, beautiful, perfect. Not much else to say.

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ella guro
on 2004-05-24 16:44:29

The beginning caught me a little off guard. I think some kind of fade - in or more gradual intro would be nice.

Anyway, the instrument selection here is good and the piano is nicely done as always. My big problem would be the mixing: I know there's always a sound these types of mix like to achieve, but there really doesn't need to be this much reverb applied. The lower frequencies like the bass and the electronic piano tend to bleed over everything else. And it's a real shame because the flute and oboe are both done pretty nicely but need to be brought out so badly. The strings also tend to get lost in the shuffle - the sample is just generally not appropriate because it attacks too gradually, but it also should be a higher frequency and maybe making two tracks and panning them to each side at about 50% would make it a little richer and enhance the melody.

As for the arrangement, I am not familiar with the original, but my assumption (which may or may not be correct) is that this is a pretty close interpretation of it. That's not always bad, and I do think if it were mixed a little better and the dynamics were made a little clearer, it would really help the mix sonically - making it sound less like it's slogging through the original and more like a natural progression.

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Defend
on 2004-05-24 11:34:45

Not a comment on the skill itself, just my subjective opinion. This sounds very much like background music you'd hear in a modern church, and having to hear it every week, every year of my childhood, when I'm busting to go home and do something remotely fun, it doesn't sit comfortably in my ears. I really didn't like that church music.

I figure bad opinions aren't shunned away heh. Oh how I hate the drums lol, how damn annoying stupid church music let me out of here!!!! I feel like those churchy drumbeats are so fake, so slow motion and tacked in, genre-wide.

Nothing seems to be actually wrong with this mix. It just drives me insane.

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Kaleb.G
on 2004-05-23 23:57:59

This is a lot better than a your other stuff made recently. While the arrangement is lacking during most of the song, the beginning and end are well done. Of course, what makes this piece so good is the excellent production. The instrument choices are all very pleasing, but the guitar/drum rythym is rather monotonous throughouut the song. Overall, this is a nice-sounding rendition of a classic song.

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Sandman53
on 2004-05-23 22:45:48

Kaijin, never will you cease to make good remix's You always pick the best songs, and remix them nice. Bravo :!:

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Navi
on 2004-05-23 22:39:26

God, this is why I love Kaijin. And This is why I love Xenogears. With such a vast range of excellent music to mix, Gears really brings out some great, emotion driven mixes.

Kaijin has not failed me yet. His mixes are smooth like Billy Dee Williams and ice cool like a nice can of Colt 45. A nice chill song for anyone's playlist.

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DarkeSword
on 2004-05-23 22:35:02
FIRST POST ON THE SECOND MIX OF OCR4! :P

Wow, this is gorgeous. I haven't heard the original, better check that out. :D

Ugh. Please stop doing that first post garbage.

Anyway, really sweet mix here Kaijin. Really sounds nice; smooth and happy, just as music should be. :P

Perhaps a bit too straightforward in arrangement though. Nice werk over all. ^_^

Sources Arranged (1 Song)


Primary Game:
Xenogears (Square , 1998, PS1)
Music by Yasunori Mitsuda
Songs:
"Aspiration"

Tags (6)


Genre:
Ballad
Mood:
Instrumentation:
Acoustic Guitar,Piano,Strings,Woodwinds
Additional:
Arrangement > Solo

File Information


Name:
Xenogears_A_Momentary_Emotion_OC_ReMix.mp3
Size:
4,329,195 bytes
MD5:
ab92eaf3ff66ed16f64238677740934b
Bitrate:
192Kbps
Duration:
2:57

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