ReMix: Chrono Trigger 'Subterranean Opus'

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Mr. Aversa writes:

"I've spent more time on this mix than any of my other projects.. over 5 months. It really was a gigantic production for me, and I did my very best to do a fun and exciting arrangement with lots of dynamics. It's an arrangement of "Underground Sewer" which I have not heard any remixes of yet, with a little pinch of "The Hidden Truth". Enjoy!"

I remember spending oodles of time on my third Revenge of Shinobi ReMix and being so relieved when it was finally finished; I certainly prefer to work a bit more quickly, in longer continuous periods of time packed closer together, but occassionally it's nice to have something going that you refine and refine and ensure that everything is just so. This is hybrid orchestral, but mostly sticks to a classical sound palette, incorporating a gothic harpsichord and featuring quite a bit of solo woodwind work as well. Things begin with lower marcato and pizzicato strings, harp, and clarinet, with the harpsichord coming in soon after, along with bells. Accentuating percussion works almost transparently, and the tempo fluctuates fluidly into a ritardando that leads up to a latin-flavored groove coming in circa 1'26". Piano completes the Spanish flavor that's being added to the previously darker texture, and synth bass and lead come in to further hybridize the sound and up the energy. If there's one aspect of the whole enchilada that I'd have told the waiter to hold, it's the tempo change and pickup at 2'36" - too abrupt, needed a segue of some sort. I'm rarely, rarely a fan of abrupt tempo changes, though - I just feel they're to be used very selectively, and are hardly ever the best or only option. The upside of the tempo shift, however, is that Andy has more room to play and throw in more ideas, with tons of variation and exploration, before going back into a chromatic percussion-led reiteration of the introductory theme (at the introductory tempo) that features a stronger offbeat this go-round. I sorta wanted one last bass note, four octaves down, at the very ending - a deep, resonating pizzicato perhaps - for just a smidgin' more closure, but the ending is nevertheless handled tastefully. All in all, a really strong piece from Andy that again blends orchestral and electronica elements, this time with a little more attention given to altering the tempo to further humanize the strictly orchestral passages and make them more emotive. It works, and the result is a unique and distinct CT arrangement that well illustrates the time taken to create it.

― djpretzel