The New Final Fantasy Remix Album: Señor Uematsu & Los Electrónico Pachos (Review)

Do you remember the F.F. Mix CD that was released back in 1994? The somewhat “silly” arrangements featured on that album (including “Mambo de Chocobo” with Señor Uematsu & Los Mambo Pachos) have been talked about among game music fans for quite some time, so I was with everyone else when I was skeptical of the Final Fantasy Remix album that was announced this year.

Despite the similar name, Remix has almost nothing to do with the F.F. Mix album, taking a completely different approach and offering up a varied collection of remixes of some of your favorite Final Fantasy standards. Remixed and produced by Ante, an electronic duo comprised of Ian Hartley and mattb, I think you’ll find this album has something for everyone. The album has recently been stocked at the Square Enix North America store for a reasonable price, so importing is not even necessary to enjoy this one.

But I’m getting ahead of myself! Hit the jump to see if this album is worth your time.

There is a lot of debate among game music fans and the remixing community as to which approach is better: having a strong foundation in the original piece that’s being arranged, or creating something that is completely new with hints of the arranged theme. Well, Final Fantasy Remix offers some of both, visiting many styles of electronic music in a successful way as I see it.

The first two tracks, “Prelude” and “Eternal Wind,” borrow quite extensively from the source material, featuring each piece’s respective melody in the traditional NES sound engine, but chopping them up to create a fresh sound with the familiar themes. The beautiful melodies and rhythmic tribal percussion in “Eternal Wind” actually lend the piece a Chrono Trigger-esque sound, reminding me of the Kingdom of Zeal.

The next track, “Terra’s Theme,” is one of my favorites, as it is literally the Piano Collections version of the song with additional bass, percussion, and synthetic touches layered over the top that add a sort of acid jazz groove to the piece. The glassy pads and delayed synthesizer melodies add a hint of icy longing, matching well with the piano track. Later, “Ronfaure” is another track that features the original song underneath newly added elements. I absolutely love “Ronfaure” from Final Fantasy XI, so the fact that the beautiful fantasy atmosphere is left intact is a plus, and the added bassline and hip hop percussion are great additions, especially when the side sticks come in at the end of the track.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, “Opening –Bombing Mission-“ is barely recognizable, with heavy bass and percussion, and simple hints of the melody that are expertly weaved into the track. While I realize this style doesn’t please everyone, I appreciate these sorts of arrangements that allow artists to reinterpret the original intentions of the music. “Zanarkand” is another favorite of mine, taking on an experimental IDM approach to the key theme from Final Fantasy X. The time signature sometimes feel off, and the bassline seems to wander aimlessly throughout the song, but I think it really works.

To mention a few more tracks, “J-E-N-O-V-A” is a fun track that takes on an 80s synth pop style with a grooving synth bassline, a mighty snare drum, and playful atmosphere. “Blue Fields” is another strong track that is a hybrid of the original piece with new electronic elements. The pizzicato strings fit in quite nicely with the new pads and snappy percussion. I found myself enjoying this track a lot. The last track I’ll mention is “Mambo de Chocobo,” which actually credits the F.F. Mix CD as a source, perhaps paying respect to the first “remix” CD. I always found the credits for this track on the F.F. Mix CD, “Señor Uematsu & Los Mambo Pachos,” to be quite humorous, but unfortunately they dropped the funny credit this time around. This time the track gets a dancey upgrade with penetrating bass and synthesized accents.

So, there you have it. The packaging for this album is amazingly psychedelic with black and white striped patterns that create an image of the bomb monster that is often seen throughout the series. The cardboard digi-pak casing is fitting for an electronic remix album, and I found it to be a nice touch. If you’re a fan of electronic music that explores new ground while avoiding the standard “boom tss” copy-and-paste drum loop stuff that people tend to think of when they think of electronic music, I suggest checking this one out. The album is currently available for $18.99 at the Square Enix North America store.

Do you have a stylistic preference when it comes to arrangements? Do you think the inclusion of both approaches was a good decision for the Final Fantasy Remix album?