Jazz Arrange Version: Final Fantasy VII Review
Buy Jazz Arrange Version: Final Fantasy VII
Sean Schafianski’s new album is a cool breeze on a hot summer day, an alluring slice of smooth jazz that pays tribute to one of the great video game soundtracks of all time—Final Fantasy VII. It was inevitable that we would see a lot more FFVII covers this year, but this album manages to stand apart thanks to its bold album art by iscaredspider and its smart sound design by Sean. The album breezily moves through 12 tracks, never overstaying its welcome and introducing new elements as it goes.
This is the sixth album in Sean’s “Jazz Arrange Version” series, and while I haven’t had the time to listen to the prior entries, I assume they are of a similar caliber. Compared to Sean’s Celtic Collection album (which I reviewed, if you remember), this album feels a lot more dense, yet manages to remain accessible and memorable. Indeed, this is perfect background music, and I don’t mean that in a derogatory way. This album will simply put you at ease, allowing your mind to focus on whatever it needs to as you drift through sonic bliss, courtesy of Sean and his many collaborators.
Sean is joined on the album by several familiar names including Laura Intravia, Trey Hodge, JohnStacy, and Eric L. Each collaborator lends a unique flavor ensuring that the album always feels fresh, and tracks like “Great Warrior” provide beautiful pairings of instruments that leave the listener in awe. I would compare Sean’s arrangements to Eric L and subversiveasset rather contemporaries like Charles Ritz, Insaneintherainmusic, but the true genius of this album lies in the sound design. Sean took great care in making sure that every sound was balanced to perfection. By my third listen, I was still finding new reasons to love the album, and the performances only got better with each subsequent listen.
A quick look at Sean’s Bandcamp catalogue reveals that he’s a versatile arranger, performer, and producer. It is my hope that all his albums will receive their due attention, but for now, I can say that Jazz Arrange Version: Final Fantasy VII is a good place to start.
RATING: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
(Most VGM Fans Should Enjoy)