Secret of Mana: Resonance of the Pure Land Comments from album director Jorito (Jorrith Schaap), co-director The Nikanoru (Mike Postans), visual artist Tabby (Tabitha Ramsey), and ReMixers Album freely available at http://mana.ocremix.org Jorito: Welcome to the Secret of Mana album, a project that was started way back in 2011. Kicking life back into a project that has lain dormant for so long normally isn't easy, but when you're talking about a game that is as beloved as Secret of Mana, magic definitely can happen! Growing up, I never owned a Super Nintendo, but that didn't stop me from playing and enjoying a lot of SNES RPGs. Of course, I did play and beat Secret of Mana, and I still have "Fond Memories" of the game and its music. Especially the calm, sad songs and the whale sounds are still imprinted in my mind, and instantly bring back memories of good times and bouts of nostalgia. Even though the album restart had its fair share of hiccups/problems, I can't help but be incredibly proud of how it all turned out. Big kudos to the artists who really stepped up their game and created these very diverse and creative but still very recognizable interpretations of the world and sounds of the Secret of Mana, and also to Tabby, who really caught the essence of Mana in her beautiful artwork. I'm sure you'll enjoy listening to it just as much as we enjoyed creating it! - Jorrith Schaap (Jorito) The Nikanoru: The Secret of Mana has always had a special place in my heart -- one of my favorite games of all time. This was one of the first RPGs I ever completed and I've played through this game many, many times since then. The soundtrack for this game has always made me think of the beauty and diversity of nature and the careful balance that maintains them. To me, each track conveys an aspect of this world of Mana and since the center of nature in this world is the Mana Tree, it only made sense that the theme of our album would revolve around the sounds you might hear in the forest surrounding this world-supporting tree -- the Resonance of the Pure Land. All the remixers have brought their own resonance to this project, often taking their remixes in completely different directions than I expected -- I think this gives the album a distinctly unique flavor that still reflects the themes and values in the game itself. It has been an amazing experience to have worked with such talented and diverse musicians and with Jorrith on directing. I learned a heck of a lot from everyone, enjoyed watching this project grow, and I'm happy I was able to be part of it. I hope you will enjoy this album and hope it becomes as much as classic for you, the listener, as the Secret of Mana itself. - Mike Postans (The Nikanoru) Tabby: Alright, don't kill me but... I was a Sega girl growing up. I've never played Secret of Mana. Ahh! No! Put down the rocks! Seriously though. This was a fun but hard challenge for me. I've never drawn art from something I wasn't at least somewhat familiar with. I went into this a blank slate. I did hours of research and digging up pictures, which weren't easy to find. Then, right as I finished up, Square announced the remake with all that new, pretty artwork. THANKS, SQUARE. I hope you enjoy the artwork as much as I enjoyed making it. It's always a nice break to do something completely out of my comfort zone. - Tabitha Ramsey (Tabby) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1-01. Kylok feat. Trev Wignall, Bree - "Variations of Fear" Source: "Fear of the Heavens" Jorito: A classic of the Secret of Mana soundtrack, and probably *the* classic to most people because it's played at key moments in the game. Because it's instantly memorable and such a classic, it's not easy to come up with an interpretation that pays homage to the original but also allows for enough creative freedom to make it your own. Fortunately, the fear of the heavens didn't seep into Kylok and he was more than equal to the task. It's an excellent spin on the original, and the arrangement makes the live saxes and Trev's emotive violin performance really shine. Lovely, totally dig it! The Nikanoru: Ah, the classic aetherial theme of the Secret of Mana. Kylok's approach has definitely captured the wonder and mystery in the source and given it a life all its own. I love the way Trev's soulful violin interacts with that saxophone and those vocals really made an impact on me. Start to finish, this is an impressive remix of a beautiful source. Kylok: Secret of Mana is one of the first games that I vividly remember playing a ton as a kid. Many random details about it are permanently etched into my brain, but none as clearly as the soundtrack. My first contribution to OCR was a track from it (an acoustic rock version of "Into the Thick of It"), and when I heard this album project was in the works, I quickly committed to remixing two more tracks. "Fear of the Heavens" is the first thing you hear when you turn the game on, and its melody is one of the highlights of the soundtrack. The original 16-bit version is a classic, but I really wanted to hear that evocative melody on a bunch of different expressive, acoustic instruments. I worked it into sax, violin, and vocal parts throughout my remix, each in a different context of accompanying lines. I was lucky to get performances by both Trev and Bree on violin and vocals, respectively -- they injected these thematic moments with a ton of personality. The bassline, countermelodies, and other accompanying parts in the original track are also pretty interesting in their own right, so rather than focusing entirely on the main melody, I experiment with alternate melodies that still work alongside all those different interlocking parts. I think the end result is something that strikes a good balance between exploring the source material thoroughly and frequently changing, evolving, and switching things up. Trev Wignall: I was thrilled when Kyle asked me to perform on his arrangement of this piece. My goal was to complement the understated beauty of the arrangement and composition by mixing in both Romantic and Baroque solo violin styles. I am happy to contribute to his unique and thoughtful instrumentation choices. 1-02. Rexy - "Azure Your Cause" Sources: "The Color of The Summer Sky," "I Closed My Eyes," "Fear of the Heavens" Jorito: "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. Rexy: I joined this project in 2011 when Bahamut started it off with the intention to release it for the game's 20th anniversary. I've no idea how this instead became a release for its 25th and why the reigns got passed to Jorito, but all I knew was this: I've covered a few Secret of Mana tracks already in several online competitions and I felt happy with arranging a source I hadn't handled before. So, I felt content with going for the happy town music, "Color of the Summer Sky." 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. :) 1-03. Jorito feat. JoyDreamer, JohnStacy - "Whispers" Source: "Whisper and Mantra" Jorito - arrangement, production, lyrics JoyDreamer, Jorito - vocals JohnStacy - cornet The Nikanoru: This is another track that really captures the aetherial nature of the source; Jorrith's soundscape has such a light and easy-going atmosphere with a surface like water, complete with ghostly vocals and a super-mellow trumpet -- this is one of my favorites. Oh -- and for those of you curious, no, there are no whales in the forests of Mana. That is the call of Flammie, the white dragon. Yes, you read right, the dragon. Get over it. Jorito: Quite late in the album process, I asked my co-director Mike (who is a crazy Secret of Mana fan and can probably quote the entire dialog by heart) if he felt the album contained remixes of all must-have tracks. He mentioned that "Whisper and Mantra", while part of a WIP track, wasn't included, and since I had some time on my hands, I sat down and gave it a whirl. The source track is very ambient and relaxing, and essentially consists out of just a piano arpeggio, a choir that sings chords and the occasional whale sound. I thought it would be interesting to turn it into a kind of ambient chillout track, reminiscent of Emunator's FFX remix "Laguna Tides," and that was the style I was going for. It was a lot of fun to play around with some crazy layered chords and vocals, and it was also a perfect excuse to add a mellow trumpet solo. This style also reminded me quite a bit of Enigma's "Sadeness," and because of that, adding whispered vocals to it felt the right thing to do. And, of course, you can't have an iconic Secret of Mana track without the iconic whale sound and some more ambient sounds to set the mood. I was just finishing off work on another remix with Joy, and, since she has a lovely voice that goes well with these kind of dreamy tracks, it only made sense that I asked her to collaborate. She was immediately on board with the idea, and, despite my crazy vocal layers and a few retakes, she managed to pull it off very well. It even encouraged me to double up her performances with some of my own, because just samples weren't gonna cut it. Same goes for the mellow trumpet solo. I was just wrapping up "A Wistful Heart" with John, and since I knew he is a great brass player with access to a lot of instruments, I asked him if he could perform the part live. He managed to get a great tone on his cornet and also loosened up the timing of the part a bit to make it flow better. All in all, this came out quite different but also quite similar to the original. Hope you like this take on another SoM classic! JoyDreamer: It's always a pleasure working with Jorrith on his arrangements. So much thought, idea exchanges, and precision go into the process and it just goes to show that with so much effort, you can make something truly amazing. I was really happy to be part of the project and I think of it as a great way to show our appreciation of the good old classic games. Let's keep the music alive. JohnStacy: This was my second time to record cornet as a replacement for trumpet, and it actually work out. This time I used a French horn mouthpiece and adapter to make a much more mellow sound than I think I could get with a standard cornet. 1-04. Hylian Lemon - "A Comet's Tale" Source: "A Curious Tale" Jorito: Rumor has it Hylian Lemon is known to sneak in chiptune sounds into his tracks, and this is no exception. Opening with a chiptune-style, music box-like sound, it continues with a blend of orchestra, chiptune, and ethnic drums with lots of interesting changes along the way. It's "A Curious Tale" that Mr. Lemon is telling us here for sure, but definitely a tale worth hearing. The Nikanoru: I like Hylian Lemon's sound designs -- his choice of synth-tones always convey such emotion to me. In this laid-back remix, his gentle synths tell a tale of a warm, sunny day in Southtown. Or Northtown. Hylian Lemon: If I remember correctly, this arrangement started out more stylistically similar to the original. Bahamut wanted something a little weirder, so I decided to give it a touch of outer-spaciness. With bongos. Because why not. 1-05. RebeccaETripp - "Firedust" Source: "Secrets of the Arid Sands" Jorito: Desert areas are quite common in RPGs, and Secret of Mana is no exception. Avoiding the typical cliches like the Arabic scales and the typical instruments like sitars and ouds, Rebecca has some interesting sound choices like accordions in there. Originally, I wasn't sure if that would work for a desert-like remix, but somehow it does. It paints a vivid picture of long stretches of sand, a baking sun, and you, the nomad, traversing the endless plains. Interesting take on a desert track. Give it a spin and don't forget to bring water bottles! The Nikanoru: Such an interesting choice of sounds for this piece. Hearing the accordion at the beginning did throw me off, but, as the other sounds and percussion began to gather, I was taken in completely. The entire piece reminds me of a walk through the desert at night, heat still fresh off the sands, star shards from the Moon Shrine glowing brightly -- Kakkara Desert by moonlight. RebeccaETripp: There is something very enchanting about Kakkara Desert! Like many video game deserts, it takes inspiration from real life deserts all over the world. But somehow, this one managed to feel like a real, self-consistent place to me, rather than a pastiche of stereotypical "desert" things! I tried to do that with this arrangement also! I used VSTs from world instruments originating in Central America, the Middle East, Asia, the Mediterranean, and Africa to create a hot and (mostly) dry-sounding ensemble. The juxtaposed wetness of the celesta and marimba represents the heroes as they make their way through the desert. Their hopes, determination, and struggle. The shimmering rattles of the rainsticks and tambourines are meant to be like sands and dried-up plants caught in the wind. I also tried to include the sparkling opal stars in the mix. ^^ 1-06. Jorito feat. Smooth4Lyfe - "Masters of Mischief" Source: "A Curious Happening" The Nikanoru: Ah, the Scorpion Army, the oft-forgotten sub-villains of Secret of Mana. Jorito has taken this short, jazzy interlude and given it a while lot of pizzazz -- it's suddenly a smooth, hip landscape ready for S4L (Smooth4Lyfe) to deliver the Scorpion Army to us once again in all their glory -- even going so far as to try to steal the spotlight from the rest of the album! Jorito: Way back when the Secret of Mana album saw its second start, I had a bit of time on my hands and needed a musical outlet for it. I vividly remember playing and finishing Secret of Mana somewhere in the late nineties, but somehow I forgot a bit about the music. Going over the list of unclaimed tracks, I felt that "A Curious Happening" had a nice funky feel to it, so I went ahead and claimed it, not fully sure yet what to do with it just yet. Fast forward in time, a wild deadline appeared! Time to get busy, so I started jamming out some ideas. I ended up with this funky backdrop where I intentionally chose to go for a kind of retro FM-synth-meets-chiptune vibe, rather than the more obvious acoustic instruments, because I felt it would work better and would be easier to pull off. For climax, I added a part with messy distorted drums and screeching (bass) synths, just because it felt like the track needed a bit of extra spice. Even though it stands out when compared to the rest of the track, I love the contrast and tension it brings. Of course, I had the crazy idea early on to add raps to that same climatic middle part of the track. Since I can't rap, and the Eminem vocal placeholder vocals I put in there were funny but getting old, I reached out to Joey (Smooth4Lyfe). We quickly started working out some ideas on how we could pose the Scorpion Army (this is their theme song in the game) as the comic relief and a band of bandits whose plans always fail. Joey did a great job in writing catchy lyrics to drive home that concept and we even added some extra vocals and ad-libs to spice up the track even more. For me, this was the first time ever I worked with raps in a track and, even though it took a few tries to get it in its final form, I'm really happy with the final result. I also dig how the narrative and the arrangement work closely together to tell you what a bunch of losers the Scorpion Army are. Collaborating on it with Joey was a pleasure and his vocals really make the track shine where it needs to! Smooth4Lyfe: I really liked working on this project. It was a new experience for me coming up with lyrics with a game I'm not 100% familiar with, and working with Jorito to turn it into a finished product. Overall, I think it turned out amazing and I'm very happy with the final result! 1-07. Pablo Coma feat. Pichu's Dad - "Jema's Victory Groove" Source: "Calm Before the Storm" Jorito: So sweet, the sound of victory! After you beat a boss in the game, you will hear "Calm Before the Storm." Not just to celebrate your victory, it also also gives an indication of a conflict not yet fully resolved. Not so with Pablo's take on it; lots of jazz swing and a soothing groove instill a sense of relaxation and accomplishment and the promise of interesting things on the horizon. The Nikanoru: I love me some smooth jazz and Pablo Coma certainly did not disappoint. An easygoing shakedown of the source with that boomy sax that really reminds me of the big, old knight's voice, dancing for joy in full armor as the three claim another victory. This is how I would want to win every battle! Pablo Coma: I originally played Secret of Mana quite late, in 1998. While from today's perspective it isn't probably *that* late, at that time it was already nearly retro. I greatly enjoyed the game as well as the OST, and still listen to it at least a few times every year since then. So I'm really happy to be part of this album! For this track, I wanted to keep the feeling of lightheartedness, stay quite close to the original melody, but add in some jazz swing. I started working on this remix when the album project originally launched, back in 2011. When it went back into the light in 2016, I've been really happy to bring back my old work-in-progress from the dusty folder it has been sleeping in, and give it a new life. 1-08. Guifrog - "Secret of Mozzarella" Source: "It Happened Once" Jorito: Ah, just the kind of track that puts a big, goofy grin on your face. It's catchy, quirky, charming, and engaging. I could instantly picture this as part of a Muppet sketch or one of those animated shorts for kids. A recipe very well-produced that can't be anything else than to be consumed and enjoyed in all its glory. Bon appétit! The Nikanoru: When I first heard this track, I was an instant fan. I was caught completely off guard by the decidedly zesty and bright feel; the source is fairly upbeat in itself, but Guifrog really took that "hey, this is fun" feel, and made it amusement avec fromage. If you ever find yourself in need of a song to make you smile and laugh, listen and see if you can find the Secret of Mozzarella yourself! Guifrog: This track is a pizza recipe. No, really. The whole idea is that each section covers a different step -- from the preparation of the dough to its filling, getting things ready for a seasoned serving. Smells like Italian folk, tastes like mozzarella. In a cheesy way, you ask? Who knows; it's a secret that only your ears can unveil. 1-09. DS - "Steel and Wubz" Sources: "Steel and Snare," "In the Dead of Night" Jorito: Well, now this is interesting. A very fresh and creative take on 2 rather minimalistic sources. This screams modern-era electronic music that reminds me a lot of the work of artists like Madeon, Porter Robinson, and the like. It's an interesting mix of a chill track but also with tension. It took a few tries, with different genres (dubstep, nu-disco, future bass) and arrangements to get the track into its final form, but it really paid off. Dig the break into the chippy goodness and the drop that follows! The Nikanoru: The various stages of development on this track taught me a lot about the various sub-genres of electronic music; I found myself researching one style only to have it change as the track progressed further. It was worth it, though -- DS's take on this tense piece brings a levity, positivity, and style to an otherwise darker theme, bringing a light show and dance party right to the doors of the Mana Fortress! DS: My overall goal for this track was to make something new and refreshing, because in general when I've looked around OCR for EDM, everything I've found has been either ambient, experimental, or just old (as in pre-2010 era). Since doing modern dubstep wouldn't work (since who has time to fit a melody in dubstep?), I decided to go with something more melodic and modern with a future bass track in the style of Virtual Riot, one of my favorite all-around electronic producers. With a hint of Flume and a few "wubz" thrown in, I hope that this track will give off the chill, natural vibes that Secret of Mana is known for. 1-10. Mikeaudio - "Home from Here" Source: "Now Flightless Wings" Jorito: Ahh... the ending. So sad and bittersweet, yet so full of relief and mild optimism. Mikeaudio starts us off with a soundscape with steel string guitar, percussion, and moody cello that reminds me of Chrono Cross for some reason. In the second half, things pick up in a cheerful mood, and the happy, upbeat string section definitely makes you feel like waltzing as the credits scroll by and all your footsteps to destiny can finally come to rest. The Nikanoru: When I first heard this, I wasn't immediately sure of the source, but totally taken in by the soundscape of the djembe and guitar. The cello adds a certain melancholy to the peaceful overtone, relaxing into the string melody which finally reminds us of where the track is in the game -- and I can't think of a better way to say goodbye to a good friend. 1-11. Sir Jordanius - "No Cab, Fan Pride: Boku No Infinite Thotty Gaiden" Source: "The Second Truth from the Left" Jorito: With a title just as inimitable as the man himself, Sir Jordanius returns after a long hiatus. Sir J is one of those artists who made their remix years ago, when the album project initially started, but he sure didn't lose his touch. He takes you on a funky prog journey that is just as exhilarating as it is mad, and does it without skipping a beat. If you feel "WTF" when you read the title, wait until you hear what the maestro cooked up! If there was a sound for "craziness in a good kind of way," this would be it. The Nikanoru: Sir Jordanius was quite elusive when we took on this project and it took us sometime to track him down, but it was well worth the wait. I wasn't sure about the title, but from the first spin, I thought the title was just as crazy as the track. So many sounds, so many effects -- it's like a lightning-fast tour through the world of Mana, where everyone gets a chance to say hi as you go by. Get ready for a wild ride! Darkmoocher: I think the title should be enough of a love letter from me to the peeps. :) For once, there's no long-winded epic novel Sir J write-up for this since it's pretty self-explanatory (in my opinion). Sometimes, I let a remix idea percolate in my head for a while or I overanalyze and tend to think a little too hard about approaching stuff, but this arrangement wrote itself naturally. Bahamut's SoMana project wasn't even on my radar, so I have to give a shout-out of thanks to Guifrog for hitting me up; Guifrog and I "met" on the BK project and when he told me "Yo, this SoMana album concept seems right up your alley," I couldn't refuse such an offer. Lastly, I have to give a second shout-out to Mr. Strader: sampling ain't no joke for me, bruh. >:D Thanks to Bahamut for being patient with me on such short notice (gave him a mostly-complete WIP and then disappeared for months before finishing it), and I hope you ladies and gents have fun rockin' out with yer cocks out to this. Or not. 2-01. djpretzel - "What the Ocean Taught the Forest" Source: "What the Forest Taught Me" Jorito: Any album worth their salt needs a djpretzel track. Also, for any album with a djpretzel track, it means this track will be one of the very last things to be finished. Was it worth the wait? Definitely! Dave tells us tells a story of the joy of spring, the blessings of nature and all the good things things that be. With its well-chosen acoustic instruments, a bit of a Latin vibe, and an arrangement that keeps you on your toes until the last notes fade away, it's one lesson of nature both worth teaching and learning. The Nikanoru: I always love listening to djpretzel's tracks and this one is no exception. The theme for the Upper Land has a simplistic design with a positive tone that I found borderline eerie with its lack of percussion; djp has taken the gentle positivity and built a joyful, bouncy theme that speaks to me of a celebration of nature as seen on a sunny pasture at the edge of the forest. See what lessons you can learn as you dance through the forest to the ocean listening this track! djpretzel: I had originally planned a very different arrangement/collaboration with Harmony, who loves this theme and will hopefully one day do his own mix which will be much better than this, but the timing didn't work and I went in a different direction after seeing Disney's Moana for the 75th (or so) time. Not joking; my daughters Esther & Sarah are both huge fans, and for that matter so are Anna & I, and I can't think of another movie I've seen that many times without going clinically insane. A big part part of Moana, for me, is the soundtrack; not JUST the brilliant songs, but each individual cue... it's ALL fantastic. The story also inspires me -- maybe it's just because I've seen it SO many times, but I've started thinking of the islanders as a metaphor for all humans. We need to be voyagers, out there discovering new planets & finding our way, beyond the reef, and instead we're stuck on a single rock, beautiful though it may be. So what DID the ocean teach the forest? I love the Secret of Mana OST track names, so I figured I would play a little bit off of that. What can a forest teach us? Wisdom, permanence... temporal & vertical scale. Many other things, I'm sure. But what could a forest learn from the ocean? How to flow... how to touch many coasts, be a part of many traditions... how to be wild, dangerous, open & free. More or less. I took this idea, inspired by Moana, and worked in a pretty diverse instrumentation: piano, ukulele, balafon, bandoneon, tin whistle, koto, taiko, violin, cello, a whole buncha percussion including some frame drums & a pretty active electric bass. This type of arrangement is tough to do with samples, in my opinion, but I had fun trying, and I hope you have fun listening. Thanks to Jorito for bearing with my delays & putting together an amazing album, and mad respect & love for Hiroki Kikuta, whose Seiken Densetsu 2 & 3 soundtracks are both unqualified VGM classics. 2-02. Guifrog - "Kaleidoscope" Source: "Dancing Animals" Jorito: Prepare for a trippy experience with ethnic instruments. When I heard "Kaleidoscope" for the first time, I wasn't really sure what to expect from the first notes. The track goes seemingly all over the place (and the world) but manages to keep an interesting vibe all along. It's an interesting and very interpretive take on a very minimal source track that will catch you off guard a few times. Gotta love the flutes! The Nikanoru: This track had me at the first notes. "Dancing Animals" is a very percussive piece, like so many on the OST, but Guifrog's version gave it such movement and such a deeply tribal feel that really put me in mind of what a dance ritual of the mushroom people in Matango would really sound like. Guifrog: This one started as a very experimental mix, using a Balinese instrument in pelog scale and some distorted synths. The initial idea was to engage the listener in a trippy, schizophrenic experience, based on possible effects from eating some weird mushrooms. The whole process was mostly led by intuition, which of course, is a pack of surprises: the mix turned into a salad of things. Bali, Peru, Paraguay, technopunk, "La Isla Bonita," industrial (?) and so on all mixed into one single, kaleidoscopic mix. Not sure if that's what Matango has to offer, but that's just what a single mushroom can do to a person's already screwed up mind. 2-03. Chernabogue feat. Furilas, Kylok - "A Sunday Afternoon in August" Source: "A Bell Is Tolling" Jorito: Alex was one of the first remixers to check in after the album project was rebooted and presented us with this darker take on the pretty chill original. Not sure what genre it is in, but it reminds a bit of The Doors, sans guitars. Finishing the track proved to be quite a challenge, with a last-minute search for a saxophone player (thanks, Kyle!) and quick feedback cycles on mixing and mastering through Discord at the very last moment. The Nikanoru: The source for the Ice Palace has a very mysterious and chilly feel to it; Alex's approach has taken most of the frost off the top and added a bit more darkness to those vast halls of ice. Right from the get-go, the solid, straight piano notes of the main harmony has reminded me of vaulting pillars; the vibrato organ adds a bit of a chill in the air, and Kyle's smooth sax adding an iridescent flavor to the mix -- hinting at danger that lurks somewhere just around the corner. Chernabogue: I like challenging myself with different approaches with remixes, and this one is no exception. While it sounds relaxing, this remix's production was pretty eventful (different arrangements, recordings, lots of mixing, etc.). Nothing like finishing tracks 5 minutes before leaving for a month without your music computer and gear! Big thanks to everyone involved in the making of this remix for their help and time! 2-04. Eino Keskitalo, Jorito - "Together We Will Stand" Source: "Together Always" The Nikanoru: To me, the source for this track is a theme for the last moments of childhood for Randi before he makes the silly mistake of picking up a stupid, rusty knife at the base of a waterfall to cut some bushes down. Eino and Jorito's take on this source is a bombastic overload of chiptune, synth, electric guitar, drums, heavily modified vocals, and, yes, bagpipes. If this track was used in the same context, I'd say Randi, Elliott, and Timothy had some excellent adventures in Potos before all that trouble began! Jorito: Eino was one of the very last people to claim a track and to check in. Eino and me have done quite a few collaborations already, and, since I liked what I was hearing and Eino was quite strapped for time, I offered to help out. The whole process reminded me of the compo tracks we did, it's a very organic workflow and cranking out an enjoyable track in just a few days with a crazy deadline breathing down your neck is pretty much what we're used to. This time around, my contributions were mostly in production and making some arrangement changes, but I also was able to sneak in some extra parts to spice things up. The foundation that Eino laid was also a great bed to do some creative experiments. I mean, how often do you get the chance to act as Sage Joch and steal his lines from the game script AND get to work on that one single track where using bagpipes actually makes sense? Turned out rather fun and interesting and maybe a bit eccentric in a good way. Eino Keskitalo: I have a funny experience with Secret of Mana. My SNES-owning friends acquired the US release as an import, and sure, it was a gorgeous action-RPG, it had multiplayer, and the ring inventory UI was very neat. I got to borrow the SNES later and played the game with another friend up until a point, where the dragon swoops in to rescue the party and at that point (perhaps due to exhaustion of playing it so much), we somehow decided this turn of events was super lame and quit. I played the game through later on my own, but it still did not have the impact for me that its reputation would warrant. I guess I never really "got" the game! I'd be happy to give it another go with a friend or two at some point though, perhaps the penny would drop this time. What is unquestionably great about the game is, of course, the music. The compositions are excellent and unique, greatly adding to the game's identity. The tracks are also very craftily tailored to the SNES's sound capabilities. This music is good. Even if the game is not necessarily an all-time favourite for me, I still sing a lullaby based on the music (and plot!) to my kids in the evening. It's also so good I claimed (in various collab formations) four tracks in total during the project's long lifespan. It's also so good I was only able to finish this one (the bar is high), and when I say "I finished it," I mean Jorito did. It definitely wouldn't have been without his generous offer for help! The fun thing when I was claiming this track (thanks to nudging from Jorito), even at the end, there were still 3-4 fantastic tracks left for claiming. I kept listening for them, getting various ideas for each, and finally settled on "Together Always," not necessarily because it was my favourite of the originals left, but I just got a couple of fun arrangement ideas for it. One was to play the thing on the guitar. There was an alteration to the rhythm to the first lead riff that formed in my head quite naturally with the guitar in mind. The other was to mess with the time signature (like I often do), and in the chorus there's a small gap at the end of the rhythm I would cut shorter while keeping the flow of the rhythm still pretty natural (to me, at least). After the idea stage, the execution progressed as follows: - figure out the parts on the guitar and bass - realise its way too fast for my skill level and will require recording in tiny, tiny bits (f.e. four notes of an arp at the time) - let this affect the arrangement, f.e. split the arp between two guitars - make a mock-up of the arrangement structure with drums + chip sounds - record guitar and bass in the tiny, tiny bits - improvise some stuff - forget to record some parts - record some parts incorrectly despite first transcribing them correctly - spend 3x more time for timing and pitch fixes than recording - instead of re-recording (which I didn't have the opportunity for anyway), use the chip-style sounds to fill in for missing bits - stretch out the arrangement via good ol' copy & paste, add a chip solo to vary things up, don't quite finish the ending - send stuff to Jorito - magic happens - track is ready! The particularly fun aspect of the process was that I sent a fairly dry and minimalistic track with drums, bass, guitars and a couple of simple synth tracks to Jorito, and he gives it a total maximisation make-over, including vocoded vocals and a bagpipe. Once everything was in place, the final round of mixing (which he executed, I just opined) to chisel out the excess and decide what should be the main feature of each part was quite fun and exciting. I think what emerged is a particularly fun, even joyous track that fits the original but puts it in a crazy overdrive mode. 2-05. Jorito feat. Sagnewshreds - "Beyond the Big Infinity" Source: "Flight into the Unknown" The Nikanoru: Feel the wind off those neon skies! Jorito's high-flying synthwave take on this track takes the classic 80s synth-cheese, some heavy beats, and a little chiptune action sprinkled in to emulate the experience of being on Flammie's back as he/she soars through the air. Sagnewshreds' hair-metal style solo made my hair stand on end the first time I heard it -- the perfect addition for this blast from the past. Jorito: Originally, Sam (Sagnewshreds) claimed this track for the album, but due to time constraints he wasn't able to do a full remix in time. Since I felt that this was an iconic track we needed to have on the album, I offered him to collaborate, with me taking the lead in the track and Sam helping out with guitar parts. We started talking about his original idea, which was chiptune with guitars. I tried some things, but couldn't come up with anything good. Instead, I opted to take a different route, and after my first synthwave track "Shovel Power," I felt it would be interesting to explore the genre further. I started out with the "chorus" part from the source track because I figured that'd make excellent material for the typical Italo/synthwave staple background synth stabs. After I added some gated Linn drums, some typical bassline patterns for the genre, and messed around with the melody from the source, the rest fell into place very naturally. Of course, I couldn't resist trying to add some chiptune anyway, and that was a perfect excuse to incorporate a chiptune solo too. Since I knew that Sam is a great guitar player, I also added some guitar leads in there, and, as he requested, I reserved a nice space in the arrangement for the kickass guitar solo he cooked up. Add copious amounts of reverb for that 80s goodness, slice it until it grooves, season it with some more cheesy synth sounds, et voila: 80s synthpop cheese! Bon appétit. :) 2-06. Lucas Guimaraes feat. Furilas, Marc Papeghin, VGCellomusic, Jorito - "Down the Rabite Hole" Source: "Into the Thick of It" Jorito: "Into the Thick of It" is again one of those instantly recognizable Secret of Mana themes to me, probably because I heard it so much. When Lucas claimed it, I wasn't sure yet what to expect, not being familiar with his work. Over the course of the project, the track saw quite a few iterations in arrangement to make it flow, and in the end I offered to help out with production as well as some extra parts and arrangement changes to get it in its current form. The end result? A surprising but creative and enjoyable take on the source material with a very strong groove driven by the drums and the bass. The Nikanoru: When I heard the first version of this, it was quite an open and reflective piece; over the course of the project, this has grown into a showstopper with an almost organic fusion of metal, classical guitar, jazz, orchestral, with a fantastic, groovy flow. Even rabites would stop to groove to this beat! Lucas Guimaraes: My emotional attachment to Secret of Mana is similar to many other Super Nintendo RPG's -- I loved Square and Enix (especially Square) back in the olden days of the 4th and 5th console generation. While some of the games may have not aged as well for me, the soundtracks have always rang a special tune to my ears. Blazing on Secret of Mana is one of those soundtracks that proves itself timeless time and time again. When deciding to pick up this song, it was my first time ever feeling a sense of belonging in OC ReMix. It lead me to try as hard as I could with plenty of edits. I ended up learning both from my mistakes and my successes from this project, because even with a quick arrangement, it took several months and a bit of sacrifice to see this song through the end. My determination, as with other music groups, is what stuck out overall. To me, this particular track is about a sense of willpower. The party can't give up where they're left on. The parts like the build-up before the acoustic guitars, the blazing drums, and the ending signal that vision the best way I felt. I hope this arrangement is enjoyed by many. 2-07. Devastus - "The Ordeal" Source: "The Legend" Jorito: Time to put up your metal face for the face-melting riffs of the Legend, whom we also known as Sage Joch. Deep down, we've always known that Joch is a headbanger extraordinaire, and Devastus felt it appropriate to pay him tribute in epic riffage. Not quite what I would have expected, because the source track is relatively laid back and slow. Still, I can't help but think that "The Ordeal" perfectly would reflect my feelings if some weird bird guy sent me on a wild goose chase. 2-08. Sagnewshreds - "Eight Magics" Source: "Danger," "Morning Is Here" Jorito: "Danger" is one of the more of the difficult tracks in Secret of Mana to remix properly and it's definitely one of the most high energy tracks in the entire soundtrack. So when Sam (Sagnewshreds) told me he had an idea for "Danger," I wasn't really expecting some epic thrash metal reminiscent of bands like Megadeth or Metallica. But that's just what he did, and I have to admit it works very well with the source material. Not only does Sam shows off his epic guitar shredding skills, it's also definitely a very strong throwback to the early days of thrash metal. Maybe not everybody's cup of tea, but one can't disagree with the chops being displayed and arrangement is varied enough to keep you interested even if you don't like the genre. Sagnewshreds: In this mix, I wanted to recreate the SoM boss music in the style of Megadeth's Rust in Peace album based off of an idea that my friend Dustin (who everyone knows as Dasaten from the Shizz and DoD community) gave me. The arrangement is structured into three parts. The first third is dissonant, technical thrash metal complete with odd time signatures and heavy rhythmically picked guitar riffs. The midsection slows things down a bit and adds some more lead guitar and solos. The final third brings things back up to speed and has more guitar harmonies and shred solos. Everything is tied together with Austin's (Katamari/WASD) amazing mixing, who also humanized the drum tracks in record time. :) As a child, I was always fascinated by JRPGs. The Final Fantasy games were staples in my friend group, and I had always wanted to play Secret of Mana because the idea of a multiplayer RPG seemed so cool. But the SNES era came and went before I ever got ahold of SoM. It wasn't until winter break of my freshman year of college that I finally decided to dedicate the time to play through the game with a good friend of mine who was also on winter break. We had 3 weeks with nothing to do so we loaded up on snacks and ran through Secret of Mana, occasionally having a third player for a session or two. We loved the game so much that we would stay up all night and play for 8-10 hours at a time, beating it after a few all-nighters. The next summer, we would get back together and play through Seiken Densetsu 3. The SoM soundtrack is a regular listen for me, and, whenever I throw those tasty jams on, it reminds me of those awesome times playing through the night with some of my best friends. 2-09. Radiowar - "The Changing Pattern of Light" Source: "Ceremony" Jorito: Thanatos is a dark and evil, plotting character, and Radiowar does a great job at reflecting that through his remix. It drips evil and sinister thoughts in spades, definitely helped immensely by the dark pads with moving distortion that serve as a backdrop. A fitting sibling of Zoltan's hiding Dark Lich remix for sure! The Nikanoru: The source for this track is mostly chimes and boomy ambiance, giving it a dark and ritualistic tone to it; Radiowar has taken the darkness out of the melody and brightened the tone, giving this a more meditative and serene feel. Listening to this track will help soothe away the worries of your mind -- just put on this white mask, follow us to this altar, and say nothing. All your problems will go away. Trust us. 2-10. The Legendary Zoltan - "There's a Dark Lich Hiding in There!" Source: "The Oracle" Jorito: One of the final songs in the game, and a tricky one to remix because it's so strange and quirky. An eerie, scary, ambient, horror-style track wasn't what I would expect, but here you have it. Pulling out all the horror cliches, Zoltan tells a dark story fitting of the antagonist and his place in the game. The string quartet near the end gives you a sense of a happy end... or is it? The Nikanoru: The source for this track is one of the most unique boss themes I've ever heard -- and one of the more creepy ones. Zoltan's track takes that sense of creepiness to the extreme; the unpredictable movements and unexpected notes, and I especially like that ending. This really does sound like it would fit well in the movie Psycho; but then Thanatos was kind of a serial killer, wasn't he? The Legendary Zoltan: "Dark Lich" is a very repetitive track with lots of rhythm and little melody. It would be best remixed as a drum & bass track, but I didn't do that and I'm not sure why. But I like what I came out with. I was going for a horror-movie vibe, which is odd choice considering that I never watch horror movies. 3-01. RebeccaETripp - "The Still Night Stirs" Source: "Still of the Night" Jorito: Rebecca brings us this very soothing track that goes together very well with the overall vibe of the Pure Land. It's a lovely, dreamy atmosphere with well-selected instruments and the nature sound effects really help strengthen that atmosphere. She thought that maybe people would feel it to be a bit too new-agey, but, for me, it's a perfect fit that oozes Secret of Mana. For relaxing times. The Nikanoru: "Still of the Night" remains one of my favorite VGM themes of all time. The Pure Land is a place that is old, undisturbed for a long time, and Rebecca's painting with sound captures the feeling and atmosphere of this place very well. There are so many little things about this track I could remark on, but it's the overall flow of the arrangement that I really enjoy; all the subtle and obvious uses of dynamics, the different instruments that are distinctive in each section -- like watching dried leaves caught in the wind. RebeccaETripp: I wanted this track to take the listener on a beautiful, dreamy journey. At first, we enter these overgrown woods tentatively. Kind of timid, though perhaps somewhat intrigued! It is intentionally unclear at what point we transition out of regular wilderness and into the titular "Pure Land," yet before we know it, we are suddenly immersed within its ancient magic and florid beauty. I attempted to convey the textures, rhythms, colors, and scents of an inviting, otherworldly glade, inside which I hope the listener will feel soothed and enchanted for a brief moment. I also hope that, by the end of the track, the listener will have imagined something sublime and ethereal, whereupon they found themselves standing in that sunny clearing gazing up at the Mana Tree, relaxed and pleasantly empty. 3-02. Rozovian - "Under Cover of Night" Source: "In the Dead of Night," Cameo: "Fear of the Heavens" Jorito: Rozovian was another late addition to the album. Since he was caught up in the final stages of the Seiken Densetsu 3 album, he wasn't sure if he could finish his remix in time. It's a good thing that he did though. "In the Dead of Night" is a very minimal, very repetitive source, but Rozo managed to turn it into a 6+ minute remix that not only manages to keep you engaged, it also turns it into a more darker, brooding version with strangely also a healthy dose of spirit and energy. The Nikanoru: Rozovian's "Braincooler" was one of the first songs that drew me to OCR. His choice of source certainly wasn't what I expected but what he did with it was beyond any expectation I had. Rozo delivers a smooth, bouncy sense of foreboding, with just enough twists and bends to keep you guessing what is around the next corner. Rozovian: I *might* be overestimating my ability to remix *any* source. I tried my hand at the four-note thing from Space Invaders way back when. It made it to the panel, but ultimately didn't pass (got one resub vote, tho). So for this project, I grabbed what's essentially a six-note source. Granted, those are chords. And there's a choir bend in there too, and some other stuff. It's sparse. But you can do a lot with a good groove. So that's what I tried to do. It's a track built on a groove with recurring elements from source, more or less recognizable. A new rhythm for the six-note melody, plus notes preceding those 3-note elements of it. And then a couple of appearances of the main theme of the whole franchise, set to the rhythm I used for the main source as well. Some fun with the bass writing towards the end. A stupid amount of compressors, multiband and parallel and regular; and... that's pretty much it. Nothing fancy, but quite fun to make. 3-03. Kylok feat. Bree - "Blue Wolves and Ice" Source: "A Wish..." Jorito: So peaceful, enchanting, and reminiscent of crystals, ice, and cold, "A Wish..." is the perfect texture for Ice Country. Kylok turns it into a more fantasy-like atmosphere, but it's still just as peaceful and enchanting as the original. The sense of wonder only increases once the arrangement progresses into its middle part, lending a triumphant but also introspective and reflective quality. Excellent storytelling by Kylok, now go and enjoy the journey! Kylok: One of my strongest memories of playing Secret of Mana as a kid was wandering around a snowy forest slaughtering wolves and listening to "A Wish" repeat in the background forever. I wasn't doing it on a whim for fun -- I remember being stuck on some boss or dungeon and needing a lot more experience before trying again... but this music turned a potentially frustrating and/or boring grinding experience into something that felt much more peaceful and relaxing. (Pretty impressive, because... you know... slaughtering wolves... "peaceful and relaxing"...) After working on this remix for a bit, I realized I was falling into the trap of repeating the same thing over and over again with only minor variations... after all, that's sort of why the original works so well: it kind of hypnotizes you with its repeating patterns and ethereal vibe. I was trying to make each of these repetitions interesting and different, but ultimately I decided to break out of the pattern about halfway through the piece and create some new melodies using fragments of the original. I think this brings the track to some cool new places. 3-04. Guifrog feat. Chris | Amaterasu - "Footsteps to Destiny" Source: "One of Them Is Hope" Jorito: Even though Guifrog was one of the remixers that signed up in 2011, he also was one of the few who refined his remix after the reboot. In the game, this song plays just before the final battle, and the story uncovers a crucial decision that has to be made but with drastic consequences. "Footsteps to Destiny" is a great homage to this key event in the game, with a slow, even introspective, start before it unleashes the epicness fit for this moment. Chris's live violin really adds to the drama, and, if I close my eyes, I can totally imagine Guifrog's track in the game, telling the story that unfolds. Guifrog: Secret of Mana has a deep, meaningful story. The last moments are sad, but decisive, and you just can't fight your fate. You're made of magic; will you die by the hands of a magical beast that will destroy the world, or you'll save the world by killing it and, as a consequence, killing everything that's magical -- just like you? In "Footsteps to Destiny," the point is to recreate emotions from that tense moment, using some Irish elements, Chris | Amaterasu's amazingly warm violin and my own tap-dancing sounds to reinforce the metaphor. Chris | Amaterasu: Just a big fan on the SoM series and this sounds pretty epic, so I hope people enjoy. =) 3-05. Sbeast - "The Future Foretold" Source: "Prophecy" Jorito: "Prophecy" is the track that plays instead of "Flight into the Unknown" once the Mana Fortress has risen, and supposedly Hiroki Kikuta composed it in a mere 15 minutes. Sbeast decided to remix it with guitars and orchestral sounds, and that instantly reminds me of Nightwish and similar bands. Of course, you can't do that kind of symphonic metal without any guitar solos, and Sbeast doesn't fail to deliver those. Don't forget to check out the epic build in the middle! Sbeast: After listening to the Secret of Mana soundtrack, I decided to make an arrangement of the track "Prophecy" due to its fast, catchy melodies and its interesting use of time signatures. I went with a rock/metal arrangement, but with some added orchestral and synthesised instruments to add interest to the song. It's reasonably close to the source material in terms of arrangement, except for some added harmonies, two guitar solos, an original countermelody, and a modulation near the end. My favourite section is the part leading up to the second guitar solo around 2 minutes in. 3-06. GaMetal - "Flying Fortress Foray" Source: "Leave Time for Love" Jorito: Time for some power metal! The track that plays during the last dungeon of the game is, to me, full of hope and optimism and brings a sense of hype, of "let's do this." Jonny did a great job at retaining that sense of energy and hope, but also gave it his own spin with some excellent solo work on both synthesizer and guitar. Not too heavy or brutal, it just strikes the right vibes and it's totally enjoyable! GaMetal: My first experience for this song, outside of the game that is, was when I recorded a giant SNES medley back in 2015, which was compiled of fan-submitted entries. Until that point, I had sort of forgotten about it to be honest, haha, but since then it's always popped up in my head here and there. When I was contacted about being a part of this album, this was the first song that came to mind, and, being the rather underappreciated song that it is, no one had chosen it yet. So I had to take it! I didn't really go all-out, super-heavy or anything for this track. The original, for me, invokes sort of a feeling of triumphing over sorrow, so I wanted to keep that going here. I also dropped the key down a half step from the original, with a full step up key shift for the end of the song. The key shift sort of symbolizes the triumphant part. xD As for my connection to Secret of Mana, I loved this game! I used to be all about SNES RPGs and the like, I remember years and years ago (like, early 2000s, haha), looking up lists of top SNES games searching for ones I hadn't heard of or played, and SoM was one of them. It's easily one of the best games on the system: superb gameplay, great story, and, of course, amazing soundtrack. I always recommend it to people when they ask about old game recommendations. 3-07. Jorito feat. JohnStacy, Lauren the Flute - "A Wistful Heart" Source: "Fond Memories," "The Dark Star" The Nikanoru: This is such a hopeful and happy source, but Jorrith has taken that optimism and turned it into what sounds to me like a lament for what was. John's epic brass and Lauren's vocals turn this up into a powerful orchestral theme, then gently recede back into the lonely piano. Jorito: When listening to "Fond Memories," it instantly puts me into an introspective mood. I couldn't help but wonder what it would sound like in a more sad, lamenting way, so I converted it to minor key. I am a sucker for celestas and oboes for that kind of vibe, and, once I started that, it was very tempting to add more and more orchestral elements. In a bout of inspiration, I felt the track needed a change of pace and some more energy, so after browsing some other Secret of Mana tracks, somehow the beginning of "The Dark Star" made for a perfect fit that screamed for some epic brass. And somehow I ended up with this orchestral piece that, to me, has this nice flow to it and tells you a story through music. As usual, I felt that a good arrangement with samples is all well and good, but nothing better than live performances to take it to the next level. Of course, finding an entire orchestra isn't easy, but I was able to get some help from both John and Lauren that made the track really shine. John essentially recorded the entire brass section all by himself, and Lauren added the emotive flute parts as well as the operatic vocals. She also recorded extra vocals for the dramatic part to spice it up even more. After layering in their performances with the samples, the track ended up with this nice full, bombastic sound, and I am very happy with the final result. Enjoy! JohnStacy: This track was a lot of firsts for me, but not in the traditional sense. This was my first time to record trombone "for real." I recorded once before on my own project, but it was not a serious project. When I got the music, I saw that there weren't many parts to record, one or two trumpets, two horns, one trombone, and a tuba. Looking at the parts, I noticed that the trombone part wasn't playable on a tenor trombone without an F attachment, which I don't have. It looked more like a bass trombone part. I don't have a trumpet, but I do have a fabulous quality cornet. I also didn't have access to a tuba. So I recorded 2 cornet parts (one tuned in Bb, one tuned in A), 2 horn parts, a bass trombone part, and a tuba part on bass trombone. Listening to it, it was just like... something's missing. So I went back, and recorded 6 more horn tracks, 2 more cornet tracks, played the trombone part up an octave several times, did more bass trombone tracks, and tried that. So what started as a small brass ensemble ended up as this Hollywood massive brass section thing. Lauren the Flute: Secret of Mana has been one of my favorite games since the day it came out, and my sister and I sank so many hours into it that we managed to get the optional weapon orbs for every single weapon in the Mana Fortress. (If you aren't familiar with the game, that indicates a whoooooole lot of grinding.) As a flute player, I'm naturally obsessed with the flute-filled OST. Kikuta wrote some gorgeous music for this game. I think Jorito did a great job making something new while still keeping the melodies of the original tracks, and I'm so glad he asked me to collaborate again, especially since I was able to use both my instruments (flute and singing). I hope you enjoy it! 3-08. Fishy - "Dragon Buster" Source: "Meridian Dance," Cameo: "Fear of the Heavens" Jorito: Nothing like the hype of the final boss music, and nothing like some rockin' guitars to deliver it! And that's just what Cain (Fishy) did. The prog style with harmonizing synths and synth solos in a bed of strong rhythm is a great fit for the source material, but Cain still manages to give it its own identity too. Can't help but appreciate the seamlessly embedded cameo of "Fear of the Heavens." Good stuff, I approve. Fishy: There's a lot of prog rock influence in a lot of my favourite old Squaresoft soundtracks, and I'm just kind of playing it straight here. Initially, I was trying to imagine how it might have been covered by a sort of classic prog quartet, but ended up going a bit Dynasty Warriors on the guitar harmonies at times. I had a lot of fun learning the basslines for this, and the harmony in that last section is a real stunner. Really looking forward to playing the PS4 remaster next year! 3-09. Blake Inc. - "Shadows from the Past" Source: "The Dark Star" Mario Dederichs - vocals, acoustic guitar, arrangement Matthias Opitz - bass, lyrics Jan Vetter - electric guitar Florian Langenbucher - keyboards Jorito: I already had the privilege to work with Mario on my Castlevania remix "This Wicked Heart," where he did some awesome vocals, so I knew he would do something special when he claimed his source. Turns out I was right, but his track still blew me away. It's an emotive but powerful rock ballad that really shines because of all the great vocals and live instruments. A fantastic and highly enjoyable take on "The Dark Star." Dig it! Mario Dederichs: It's not often that you can call a video game "childhood-defining," but Secret of Mana is such a game for me. It was the first JRPG I ever laid my hands on and it would spark an interest that would turn into obsession. Like everybody, I loved the soundtrack. I would plug my SNES into a cassette recorder and make my own mixtapes. I can't recall if "The Dark Star" ever made it on one of these, but -- as one of my favourite pieces from one of my favourite soundtracks of all time -- chances are pretty high. When Jorito reached out to me and asked if I'd be willing to contribute to the project and I saw that "The Dark Star" hadn't yet been taken, I just knew I had to join it. To me, the whole Secret of Mana soundtrack has this 70s progressive rock feel to it. So that was something I was aiming for style-wise, but in the end it just became a good old rock ballad. Arranging for vocals was definitely a challenge with the source material and I ended up changing the song structure quite a bit and blending it with original parts. I wanted the arrangement to convey the same feeling the original does, which to me is strangely enough both hopelessness and empowerment -- I know that doesn't make sense. I'm happy with the result, but I wouldn't have been able to get it right without the help of my collaborators and Zero Division co-band members Matti, Jan, and Flo who brought their creativity and expertise into the remix and truly helped bring it to the next level. 3-10. HeavyViper - "Reminiscence Beneath a Great Tree" Source: "Spirit of the Night" Jorito: I just finished up a collab with Hal and, since I loved his Snatcher remix on OCR, I thought he could bring something neat for the album. With a lot of ambiance, atmosphere, and clean guitars and those big 80s drums, I really like how the track turned out. It also instills a sense of closure in me that would go very well with an end credits roll, which makes it a perfect fit to close off the album. HeavyViper: Secret of Mana! One of the only SNES games to make an instant impression on me from the moment I flipped the power switch. I can still hear the eerie cries leading into that beautiful panning shot of the Mana Tree. I had originally hoped to claim the title screen BGM, "Fear of the Heavens," for that very reason, but by no means was I disappointed to claim this one instead. It's a solemn, yet hopeful piece that really fits the scene it first plays over. The hero is cast out of his home, but, at the same time, he has a wonderful journey ahead of him... I had to think a little about how to approach the track at first. However, the answer came to me fast enough. I have long been a big fan of the outstanding Konami Battle series of rock arrange albums released in the '90s, and always wanted to try and compose something in a similar style. Soaring guitar solos and reverb-soaked drum machines, gently backed by warm synth pads -- nothing like it. :3 The bulk of my prep was spent transcribing the lead melody for guitar, and then adding my own flavour to it. Once I had that melody down, everything else just seemed to fall into place. It was a good opportunity to experiment with layering sounds, in retrospect -- the pads are comprised of three separate instruments that come in at different times, and the drums are crafted from an interesting grabbag of samples! My experimentation did cause some issues during mixing though. This piece was definitely a good way to learn that sometimes less is more. The hardest part was getting the guitar tone right, especially when it came to the high gain section. While I've been a guitarist for quite a while, I've actually spent most of my time playing clean, so it was a challenge to craft an interesting tone yet keep the wild characteristics of high-gain signal under control! It took quite a bit of doing, but I'm satisfied with the end result, and I'm happy to have some extra tools in my belt for future projects. In the end, I'm glad I tackled this track the way I did. It may not have come out exactly the way I planned it, but I think the end result captures the same mixture of sadness and hope that the original did. If anything, it was a great excuse to try and capture a sound that I've always loved. I hope all you listeners enjoy my take on this lovely piece!