ReMix: Secret of Mana 'Things We Didn't Know'
Download MP3
Play Preview
- Game: Secret of Mana (Square, 1993, SNES)
- ReMixer(s): Vampire Hunter Dan
- Composer(s): Hiroki Kikuta
- Song(s): 'Danger', 'Fear of the Heavens', 'Into the Thick of It', 'What the Forest Taught Me'
- Posted: 2010-09-29, evaluated by djpretzel
Mr. Barnaba writes:
"Hello. I'm writing to submit an arrangement/remix of mine called "Things We Didn't Know." This is an orchestral arrangement of pieces from the SNES game Secret of Mana: "Danger," "The Boy Aims for Wild Fields," "Angels' Fear," and bits of various other themes."
Very informative! So I have to take a second and reiterate that meeting Hiroki Kikuta at Otakon this year was awesome and a highlight of my ten years running the site. We actually got the chance to sit down and talk with him and Hiro, with Hiro translating, and it was clear that both of them are passionate about VGM and have respect for fans and ReMixers as well. At one point, Kikuta was talking about OCR and actually air-guitared the main riff from 'Dragon Song', and it was... rather magical. Mr. Brandon Bush flied in on his flammy and joined us not ten minutes later, so it was cool to see the two of them meet - one of those crystallizing meta-moments I couldn't even imagine fifteen years ago, when game composers were magical wizards who lived in the sky, wrote great music, but did not walk among us, etc.
I was thinking recently that, for being a pretty big name in VGM, Kikuta hasn't actually composed that many huge game soundtracks. But listening to him speak during his Otakon panel, and really analyzing what he accomplished with Seiken Densetsu's 2 & 3, it's even clearer to me that those soundtracks alone justify the praise he receives, and more. They are masterworks, I feel, that have stood the test of time, cover a huge dynamic range, and stand as singular examples of craftsmanship & artistry.
Someone should really, you know... do a Seiken Densetsu 3 project... ahem...
But on to VHD's mix... at around 6'40" in length, the ReMixer takes his time to develop this orchestral and choral opus and weave themes in with intelligence & craft. The dynamics in the intro alone establish a polished feel, with excerpts of familiar melodies taken and re-purposed as motifs, and delicate care paid to transitions and cues. Dan's moved away from using much reverb, which only works because his samples are pretty solid, and (more importantly) he wields them with control and finesse. There was a moment at 4'02" when I was afraid the transition would seem tenuous, but then an isolated church bell rings out, followed by an oboe solo, and the segue is natural. The ending comes on string and might punctuate over-enthusiastically, but it's certainly the end to a fulfilling journey that pays tribute to many of your favorite Mana themes in one coherent package that is all synergy and zero medleyitis. Excellent, epic, and beautifully orchestrated work from Vampire Hunter Dan.
Discussion: Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the - Crulex on September 19, 2012
Vampire Hunter Dan is just a special dude. The caliber of this mix is ridiculous. Damn him for being so good. Pure talent and a sublime ear for classical arrangement.
Standing ovation.
One of my all time favourites. That is all.
I hope I properly conveyed that I thought this mix was decent.
- Marmiduke on January 22, 2012
- vasudean on April 3, 2011
Secret of mana is one of my favorites to do this with.
Usually to a theme.
This is the tune I use..from the game.
I must now make my mind movie better to accomodate.
Great theme...great arrangment...great remixer.
- Faduger on October 20, 2010
2:15 onwards is particularly interesting, not least when compared to Shnabubula's Dueling consoles, i.e. an approach with very different instruments. The strings, while there only for a short time, are magnificent; I wish there would've been more of that.
One of the best orchestral pieces on OCR IMO.
- Martin Penwald on October 16, 2010
This is very much the Van Gogh of that fight, to make it clear. Rather than try to see the sources from every angle at once, this highlights the inner beauty of it, bringing that out and not getting caught up in the unimportant details. A beautiful rendition of a beautiful soundtrack!
Although, I still have to play these games through. I can never seen to get the discipline to follow them to completion...
- Master_Yoshi on October 15, 2010
djp wrote: Someone should really, you know... do a Seiken Densetsu 3 project... ahem...
Ahem, yeah, someone should. More ppl should join, actually. VHD had a great mix going a while back but unfortunately didn't have time then to finish it. Dude, when you do have the time... ;)
Anyway, impressive work from VHD as always. Easy to get lost in this track, partly because it's a bit long, partly because it's a bit awesome. Hard to think of anything else to say, as when you stop to listen you're just carried along. Excellent track, highly enjoyable, has a flavor of epic. :D
- Rozovian on October 10, 2010
Thanks for sharing this one, I really like it.
- luhny on October 6, 2010
The piece is constantly changing, almost spastic at times, but never to the point of losing focus. Very nice!
- docnano on October 5, 2010
Palpable;719039 wrote: One step ahead of you: :wink: http://ocremix.org/forums/showthread.php?t=14083Oh that's great! :)!!
I only get to know about projects when they hit front-page, I'm not exactly an avid OCR forumer. :mrgreen:
- Vitor Machado on October 3, 2010
Vitor Machado;718895 wrote: Care to explain?
One step ahead of you: :wink: http://ocremix.org/forums/showthread.php?t=14083
- Palpable on October 3, 2010
There is a lot of great music here, but for me, no other artist here is as consistently top notch. Then again, I definitely am biased in favor of orchestral pieces.
- JerrSolo on October 2, 2010
Nase;718772 wrote: hahaCare to explain?
___________
wonderful piece man.
- Vitor Machado on October 2, 2010
