FF song bracket: Round 1, Group 16

[Flintlock]

Pick your four favourite songs from the selection above!

If you can't decide on just four, you can vote for as many as you want, but only in one poll of the 20 in the first round. The full list of upcoming polls can be found here.

You can listen to the songs in the playlist below.

This poll will be open for three days, and at least four songs will qualify for the next round.

Other popular names for these songs include:

Anxiety - "Anxious Heart"
The North Cave - "The Great Northern Cave"
Eternity ~Memories of Light and Waves~ - "Eternity ~Memory of Lightwaves~", "KUON: Memories of Waves and Light"

For more information on this event, visit the discussion thread.

 

[Jason Tandro]

Main Theme of FF4. As much as I love FF6's overworld theme (which is really just Terra's character theme) I feel like this is probably the best overworld theme of any Final Fantasy apart from FF7, especially considering its time. Remember, they made this incredible piece of music in the early days of the Super Famicom.

Phantom Forest. May be just nostalgia goggles, but I still think this theme is one of the most hauntingly beautiful pieces in Final Fantasy.

Anxiety (Anxious Heart). I've said it before and I'll say it again, this is one of my favorite pieces in Final Fantasy 7. Chilling and serene at the same time, with a great bit of musical tension that makes you uncertain what you're supposed to be feeling. It works in so many moments because it covers so many emotions.

Tidus's Theme - Now I was going to go with the X-2 Prelude (Memories of Ice And Fire ) but I had to give the not to Tidus's theme just because I really really like it. Again I'm going with what I like over what is objectively better, which may not be very scientific but sometimes you have to do what feels good, not what is logical.

 

[ForceStealer]

Phantom Forest - Yet another great dungeon theme. VI has lots of those (although not so much Kefka's Tower, interestingly).

Anxious Heart - Always a favorite. I'm usually surprised at how often the song is used in FF7, and in how many different situations, given that it's almost always associated with Cloud, Tifa, and Nibelheim.

Zanarkand Ruins - Like most people, I think, I always gave X-2's entire soundtrack a pass. None of it seemed memorable at all to me. When I played the HD Remaster, I paid more attention and found some real gems. This is one of them. I don't know what it is exactly, but I love this song. Like Archylte Steppe, it just feels nostalgic.

The Pervert - This is a freaking awesome, terrifying song. Perfect for fighting the Lucavi demons. I'm glad Tactics has some representation in this contest, because it has a seriously overlooked soundtrack. I like Sakimoto's work on Tactics a lot more than on XII, actually. If there was an underdog track I'd love to see Distant Worlds perform, I think The Pervert would be it.

 

[Tetsujin]

Compression of Time, yo. Such a haunting song. Kind of creepy, but also kind of, I dunno. Sad?

 

[Lex]

This was tough. I had to drop Anxious Heart for Premonition, and it's only recently that I've really come to love Premonition. And I love Anxious Heart. Me so sad.

Other than that, Phantom Forest (love), Compression of Time (one of my all time faves, so weird, so quirky, so beautifully creepy) and finally Suteki Da Ne.

 

[Ghost X]

Main Theme of FINAL FANTASY IV (Final Fantasy IV)
Anxiety (Final Fantasy VII)
Compression of Time (Final Fantasy VIII)
The Pervert (Final Fantasy Tactics)

Round 1 is hard. It is only going to get harder, I imagine .

 

[RedFFWolf]

So many great ones in this, but thankfully some of my all-time favourite pieces were in here:
Premonition
Anxious Heart
Compression of Time
Tidus's Theme (both the original and HD)

(Otherwise, The Great Northern Cave and both tracks from VI & X-2 would've likely received a vote in other groups)

Premonition is, for me, the best battle music in all FF.

 

[Flare]

Anxiety - This song definitely gives off emotion; I've always found it to be somewhat sad, but mostly unsettling. Because it plays in Nibelheim, probably.
Compression of Time - Really loving this song.
Suteki Da Ne - I love this song's lyrics so much, and the tune is just beautiful.
Eternity ~Memories of Light and Waves~ - My favorite song from X-2, and possibly one of the only songs I like, but this one is a real gem. Also one of the only FF songs I can play on a piano.


~Honorable mentions go to~
Phantom Forest
Tidus's theme

 

[Channy]

EVERYONE NEEDS TO VOTE FOR ZANARKAND RUINS OTHERWISE I WILL DESTROY THE FORUM. THIS IS NOT A DRILL. VOTE FOR IT NOW.

 

[Jason Tandro]

EVERYONE NEEDS TO VOTE FOR ZANARKAND RUINS OTHERWISE I WILL DESTROY THE FORUM. THIS IS NOT A DRILL. VOTE FOR IT NOW.

If it makes you feel better, it was my #6 (behind the FFx-2 Prelude). I really like that one.

 

[Flintlock]

The poll will close in a little over 24 hours.

My top pick is Premonition. It's probably my second favourite "special boss battle" theme in the series, really epic. Anyone who listens to the podcast should know my first. (Hint: it's in group 19.)

My other votes are for Eternity ~Memories of Light and Waves~, Compression of Time and Phantom Forest, which I'm going to pretend is Shadow's Theme #2 seeing as #1 didn't make it.

Honourable mentions to Zanarkand Ruins and Suteki Da Ne (Isn't it Wonderful?), which, despite not being my favourite vocal performance, is still a nice composition.

 

[Monterosa]

My top four

Phantom Forest Atmospheric? Check. Ethereal? Check. Mellow? Check. Yeah, I like this one a lot.

Premonition Every piece associated with Edea is superb, this being no exception. This is not just some simple melody repeated; the melody is beautifully crafted. It continually rises in intensity, layer upon layer. We can hear the consideration put into this piece in some brilliantly unexpected parts, like the seven notes of flute at 0:26, and through the unusual 6/4 metre, which serves to reinforce the mysticality of the song.

Suteki da ne My vote goes to the orchestral version, which I feel draws out the emotion of the melody best. Initially I didn't like Rikki's vocal style, but I've discovered other Amami Oshima singers in the years since I first played FFX, and I've come to not just appreciate the vocals but truly enjoy them. There's a certain fragility that serves to enhance the depth of emotion. I like to sing along and attempt to emulate the style.

Eternity ～Memories of Lightwaves～ I bought FFX-2 on day one of release and was impatient to play, but hearing this melody stopped me in my tracks. I must have let it go on several times before I even touched the controller. The quietly ethereal background accompaniment is a highlight; it gives a dreamlike quality to this beautiful piano-led composition that I love.

Honourable mentions
Main Theme of FINAL FANTASY IV Stirring.

Anxious Heart The layered harmonic strings (0:00-0:34) are what make this song for me, and the arpeggios on flute and vibraphone (?) are reminiscent of "Flowers Blooming in the Church", which is a touching addition. Those arpeggios are actually from "Prelude", which I think is a brilliant choice, I could kind of do without the plodding plucked string arrangement – I don't think that style can be particularly successful without a live instrument, probably harp or even piano in this case. I have the same gripes with FFVIII's Blue Fields, and just hear how gorgeous that one is with the melody rearranged with a legato violin and xylophone).

Compression of Time Now this is how you use a harp synth. The nigh-on endlessly repeated horn sample (it's almost like a quacking sound) creates a very bleak mood, but when that horn finally breaks off and the harp takes over, the song is lifted into an otherworldly space.

Tidus' Theme Strictly the HD remaster arrangement, which is excellent. The original arrangement is so dull.

An Arrow Through Time A slice of orchestral gorgeousness, but I feel like this is mostly composed of "twiddly bits" and is over too soon to make a lasting impression.

 

[Kuroto]

Main Theme of FFIV - I'm so happy to see this piece going through, because I was worried it wouldn't. Another piece that I knew about even before I knew much about FF. Great melody and a nice atmosphere.

Suteki Da Ne - Another song that should be going through but probably won't, at least not straight away. This piece is just so beautiful with the guitar and the violin, especially the violin. Rikki's singing style isn't really the most usual, but for me it doesn't really make a difference. I can actually appreciate it and I think Rikki's style works well for the song. Love it.

Tidus's Theme - It's light, it's calm, it's nice. Reminds me so much of the beginning of the game when you're still quite unaware of what's going to happen.

Eternity ~ Memories of Light and Waves ~ - Another beautiful piano theme from the game. I also really like those sound effects in this song. I'm happy that this piece is doing well in this group, because it deserves to be in the top 100.

My honorable mentions go to Premonition and An Arrow Through Time. Sad to see that the latter has no votes at all.

 

[Flintlock]

This poll is now closed. The songs which have definitely made it into the top 100 are:

Main Theme of FINAL FANTASY IV
Anxiety
Compression of Time
Eternity ~Memories of Light and Waves~

If your favourite song isn't on this list, don't despair! It might still get in as one of the best runners-up. The songs with the best chance of qualifying in this manner are:

Phantom Forest
Premonition

Thanks for voting!

 

[Channy]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

THAT'S IT

I'M BLOWING THIS SHIT UP

 

[Monterosa]

Ruby Rose, can you tell us what you love about Zanarkand Ruins? I didn't think it was a remarkable song, but I'm curious to know why it's important to you.

 

[Channy]

I never got back to you on this Monterosa, sorry >_<.

Something about the song just has this sort of calling. The atmosphere (woodwinds?) has a sad, longing to it while it tries to have a somewhat upbeat pitch to it on the piano bits. And taking into account the moment/scenes of this song... This reverent city of the dead been reduced to a tourist attraction. It strengthens Yuna's resolve to fix things. Just tugs at the heart strings in all directions.

 

[Monterosa]

I never got back to you on this Monterosa, sorry >_<.

Something about the song just has this sort of calling. The atmosphere (woodwinds?) has a sad, longing to it while it tries to have a somewhat upbeat pitch to it on the piano bits. And taking into account the moment/scenes of this song... This reverent city of the dead been reduced to a tourist attraction. It strengthens Yuna's resolve to fix things. Just tugs at the heart strings in all directions.

Thank you for this beautiful description. I feel I can better appreciate the song knowing the story it tells.

 

[ForceStealer]

Something about the song just has this sort of calling. The atmosphere (woodwinds?) has a sad, longing to it while it tries to have a somewhat upbeat pitch to it on the piano bits. And taking into account the moment/scenes of this song... This reverent city of the dead been reduced to a tourist attraction. It strengthens Yuna's resolve to fix things. Just tugs at the heart strings in all directions.