Top Tracks - Path of Repentance

Time for another top track.  This time I am featuring the piece 'Path of Repentance' by Nobuo Uematsu.  A little bit older than the previous top tracks, this one comes from way back in...2001.  So it's not really that old but definitely older than most of the stuff I've posted on so far.

For those of you unaware, Nobuo Uematsu is the composer behind most of the Final Fantasy game soundtracks.  The only game where he wasn't the main composer was Final Fantasy XII.  To be sure, Nobuo Uematsu has composed a massive host of incredibly great pieces of music for Final Fantasy.  From 'One Winged Angel' featured in Final Fantasy VII to the 'Prelude' from Final Fantasy I, it's obvious that the man knows many styles and facets of music.

So, why did I pick 'Path of Repentance' over the many other pieces that he has written?  Well, to me it has some particular intrigue.  As a piece it's really clean and simple sounding.  There's this incredible tension created when shifting from a 3 beat to a 2 beat in the treble line while the bass line maintains a generally static 3 beat until later in the piece.  When it all comes together and both the treble and bass lines are in sync rhythmically, you get really strong beats and a piece that while repetitive, is almost hypnotic in nature.  Needless to say I find the piece fascinating both aurally and musically.

Additionally, 'Path of Repentance' is from Final Fantasy X which interestingly enough was the first Final Fantasy game I played in its entirety.  Overall the game had an interesting, albeit overused, 'save the world' type plot.  However, it made up for it with likable characters and very good music.  I actually don't remember the section where 'Path of Repentance' plays all that much but I just remember the music and to think that I can remember the music of a part of a game more than the actual game just is a testament to just how much I enjoy this piece.  Well, I hope you enjoyed this little trip to the slightly distant past and until next time.

--CsMiREK

Top Tracks - Setting Sail, Coming Home

Top tracks, home to many a good tune.  This time I come bearing the track 'Setting Sail, Coming Home' by Darren Korb.  To be honest I would love to do a musical discovery feature on Darren Korb but I only know one album that he's composed for.  Instead you get this post which is more than just about 'Setting Sail, Coming Home' but is about the entire album it comes from.

'Setting Sail, Coming Home' is the second to last track from the 2010 game Bastion.  In relation to the game, it is the ending theme for when you complete the game.  However, back to the music.  The male singer is Darren Korb while the female singer is Ashley Barrett.  If you previously listened to the rest of the soundtrack, you'd know that the track 'Mother, I'm Here' features Darren Korb's vocals as well and that 'Build that Wall' also features Ashley Barrett.  As a song, 'Setting Sail, Coming Home' is composed as a mixture of both of those songs along with a unique intro and percussion that is unique to the other tracks.  That fact is actually what I find really interesting as each theme is separate and distinct and yet they mesh very well with each other to create a completely different song from the individual parts.