Terra in Black
July 5, 2002
Many of you may be aware of my penchant for video game remixes and the web page design associated with them. However, since there are so many tracks available on the two most popular sites, casual readers probably have not had a chance to sample some of the better works in this genre. Lucky for them, I am aware of this problem, and have undertaken the burden of providing a small sampling of what I consider the best video game remixes out there to date.
Ailsean: Terra in Black: Ailsean is sort of a legend in the vgmix scene, mostly because of this piece. I'm not really sure how to compare it to more well-known works, but I'll give it my best attempt. Terra in Black is sort of a progressive rock cover of Nobuo Uematsu's classic "Terra Theme" from Final Fantasy 6 (3 in the US). I've already expressed my affection for Final Fantasy 6 as the best in the series, and the music is a good part of that. Ailsean's rendition, however, is quite good, even without the nostalgia it induces.
Bart Klepka: Happy Planet Mix: Bart himself decribed this piece as "the world the people of Deus Ex wished to live in." It takes the main Deus Ex theme, livens it up with a piano, and puts it into a major key. Instead of the dark, ominous sounds portending a world-wide conspiracy of oppression, you get a lighter, happier place of peace and happy endings. Imagine Deus Ex instead as a film by Steven Spielberg. This piece would fit nicely into the soundtrack for the closing credits.
I hope to make these highlights and reviews a regular feature of mattbelcher.com. Let me know what you thought of these two selections in the comments.