Arrangement of the Week: The Depetrification of the Submerged Forest

This week I thought we’d take a break from the electronic dance remixes and listen to something a little more relaxing. The Chrono Trigger soundtrack has a number of memorable and distinct pieces that help make it a favorite of many game music fans. One of the more relaxing tracks from the game is “Secret of the Forest” by composer Yasunori Mitsuda.

Today’s Arrangement of the Week is an ambient electronic remix of the piece, titled “The Depetrification of the Submerged Forest,” by artist Zisotto.

Right from the start the remix sets up a wonderfully tranquil atmosphere. Plenty of resonant and slow building synth effects are present to build a relaxing and otherworldly sound. The piece also takes its time building up. It’s not until the 1’25” mark that we even hear the recognizable arpeggios from the original track.

The remix is also fairly long, lasting almost 10 minutes. Part of this is a result of how long Zisotto waits and builds up the synth instruments and atmosphere. It’s not until around 2’42” that the main melody gains some prominence over the rest of the instruments. However, there’s plenty of movement and consistently fresh elements being added to the remix to maintain the listener’s interest. Most of the ambient tones remain present throughout the whole remix, providing a consistently chill vibe all the way through.

Have any favorite ambient remixes, arrangements, or covers of game music? Share them with us in the comments below. You can check out Zisotto’s “The Depetrification of the Submerged Forest” on OC ReMix.