ReMix: The Last Blade 2 'Kizukaseru'

download Download MP3
5,333,113 bytes, 4:23, 160kbps
Stream/preview on YouTube Play Preview
Streaming preview on YouTube
eStarland.com

YES! Word to yer freakin' mutha! Sorry, you'll have to excuse all that, but I love this ReMix. I'll come right out and say it's one of the very best first ReMixes we've ever received, which is saying a lot. It doesn't hurt that Last Blade 2 holds a dear place in my heart as being the closest gaming equivalent to a Rurouni Kenshin fighting game, with a tight engine, great tunes, and simply inspired character design. No offense to the Samurai Showdown fans amongst you (it's not bad), but Last Blade and its sequel are the tightest weapon-based 2d fighters on the Neo-Geo, and probably any other console (Guilty Gear ain't bad), and it's such a beautiful thing to see A. the game's music covered at all, B. the game's music covered WELL, and C. the game's music covered well by a first-time ReMixer, out of the blue. Yeah, so I'm pretty psyched. Maybe you'll hear it and think "eh, pretty good, but nothing to wet my pants over", but whilst my own pants are dry (really, I swear), I encourage you to check out the original and see what Unipulator has done with it. Elements of new age and contemporary jazz merge with ambient, flowing in and out of mutating forms and ephemeral arranged portions of the main melody. Fretless bass, harp, piano, church bells, both light jazz and more rock-style drum kits are utilized, a variety of synth and choral pads, a flutey calliope lead, the list goes on . . . you could literally cut pieces of this out and build full, developed ReMixes out of each, and to have them all in one track is delicious. I can listen to the original and this ReMix back to back and nod my head at every decision Unipulator (Eric Weg) made, see where he was coming from, and just appreciate what he's created. In Eric's words:

"The main character of the game is Kaede, but see, there’s actually two versions of him to play…before and after his “awakening”. This remix is called Kizukaseru (the Japanese word for “awakening in the intellectual sense”), and presents Kaede’s transition from a muddy-headed fighter to a godly-type warrior. The main theme comes in at 1:50 after an extended intro, and then works with the melody in sections until he’s finally all heavenly and enlightened and whatnot.

- yes, friends, there's even an interpretive narrative at play, and a good mix name was chosen to boot. I won't go too overboard and say this is a perfect piece of music - there's nitpicks I might usually make that I'm omitting, largely due to the overall arrangement being just very creative and well-executed. Highly recommended.

― djpretzel

Discussion: Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the complete thread or post your own.
I used to not like this mix way back when and I really have no idea why. I've listened to it many times since then. It's so delicately arranged, and every choice that's made throughout is thoughtful and deliberate. That is very, very hard to do, and requires a lot of sensitivity and attention to detail. People could learn a lot about how to arrange something with genuine feeling and a sense of purpose (especially with a very limited set of sounds) by listening to this guy's two mixes.

- ella guro on December 9, 2010
I love finding little gems like this that randomly come about through shuffle on my music player <3 <3 <3 Don't think I could have found a better fit to my night drive on the way home with snow everywhere and a starry sky. The beginning is absolutely encompassing with that sliding instrument (lap guitar, dulcimer?). I can always admire such a simple touch that's implemented so well; especially with that piano. The whole atmosphere is wonderful. That bass is exactly what I was waiting for! I dig the chimes towards the end. They bring about feelings of revelation for me.
You really know how to arrange your sections and make the transition from one to the next. Thank you for this.

- Souliarc on December 8, 2010
Our first mix from Unipulator. Amazing piano intro. Lots of verb, but not too much. Just the right amount to set the tone. The glockenspiel was a really nice addition that helped changed the dynamic. The crazy synth transition was sudden, but I really liked it. And OMG, that bass line; LOVE it! It's something straight out of Sidekicks, the old Chuck Norris film. Major nostalgia props there! This has a great mellow vibe to it. I feel my tension and stress falling away! The gated synth helps drive the big breakdown. Even tho the marcato stings that come in are high synthetic, they seem to fit into the soundscape really well. I love the church/orchestra bells. The heavier acoustic drums helped drive that section of mix even more. And somehow, he seamlessly transitions into another very soft part that ends the song wonderfully! It's like something that I would hear in Flower, but its slightly more aggressive. It creates a wonderful vibe all the way through. The awesomeness is in the details for sure. Very nice work!!

- tweex on August 26, 2010
Really excellent new-age work here, I can totally see why this is one of DJP's favorite mixes, and why a mix from a game that's this obscure has received so many positive comments. :-)
Very accomplished stuff. I'm a huge fan.

- OA on January 28, 2010
I really enjoyed this one a lot. It is really unique and I like that.

- metalsnakejuice on July 9, 2009
This is just amazing from start to finish. When it comes to the last 2 minutes this is when i found it to be really breathtaking with all thoses church bells coming in. Great job

- yosefu on July 7, 2009
Everything floats thanks to plenty of reverb applied to atmospheric samples. It's like it's illustrating the weather: rolling clouds, light rain, and sun rays piercing through. Specifically, the bell+harp slowdown (0:42-1:06) is playful and pure, like drops of water or ripples in a pond. I also get a [i]Secret of Mana[/i] vibe from the blippy, cross-panned synths at 2:32, the church bells (like in The Orphan of the Storm), and the drums at 3:32.
Kizukaseru isn't just heavenly, it IS the heavens. Graceful and serene.

- Polo on July 6, 2009
Thanks for the GREAT music!!! Really appreciate your help.

- fusedcore on October 17, 2007
Wow, sweet stuff. I'm sure a lot of people prob would never hear this since it's from a lesser known game, but damn. This is emotional, provactative, and the composition are oh so sweet and catchy.
Great synth design and soundscape, great arrangement fleshing out new ideas all the time, this is really something worth listening too. It's sad Unipulator has only had 2 remixes, but they are oh so sweet. Thanks for the music dude.

- avaris on January 2, 2007
I thought it was good until about 2:52, then I thought it was GREAT. Like some others have mentioned, it sounds like something i've heard before. Fantastic mix, im late reviewing it, so if anyone reading this still hasn't downloaded it, I'd strongly advise you do so.

- Antignition on October 24, 2005
This is, without a doubt, my favorite game remix ever. With headphones on and eyes closed, this arrangement takes you on an unforgettable journey in sound. Though this piece is sweeping and dreamlike, it never gets repetitive nor does it drag on like other "relaxing" remixes. Kizukaseru is really quite the opposite, evolving and building on its ride towards a heavenly climax, where it leaves its passengers in an elevated state. The emotions it evokes don't diminish with repeated play, which is testament to its power and polish.

- Mozutaka on August 15, 2005
Haha I wish I had the OST as well 'cause this song is just awessomee! I could listen to this for hours :wink:

- jordex on June 27, 2005
This is really awesome. Now I just need to find the OST.

- supremespleen on June 25, 2005
Pretty freaking delicious. One of those ones where you have to stop by and leave a comment. ;)

- Less Ashamed Of Self on May 25, 2005
My goodness. This is unbelievably good.

- Wanderer on January 26, 2005