Do you like the dubstep treatment on 'Face My Fears'?

[Neo_]

I know this topic has been beaten to death and people don't want to talk about it because it's negative, but the song at its root is not bad, but the dubstep "bass drop" treatment at a minute in is absolutely unbearable; I'm really trying to like this, but I just hate it as it's some dated fad like disco that I can't believe they had the audacity to put as the theme.

To be overly picky about it, I don't even like the percussive woodblock soaked in reverb throughout the first minute. I will admit the buildup from 0:36-0:49 is fine, but then we get that cheap digitized marching snare to let us know the song is about to suck. Let's take Utada out of the second half of the song and replace her with cringeworthy Transformers mating... that's exactly what this song is: cringe. It's just soulless robotic computer music; it's definitely possible for electronic/computer music to be good, but this is not it.

This all came about because I was just rewatching the ending of KH1 where Sora and Kairi get separated and 'Simple & Clean' plays (one of the most epic moments in the series)... that song is a perfect song, in every way: timeless and every other adjective under the sun, and it's not just nostalgia blinding. I actually don't feel any nostalgia for KH, as I feel like I was too old when it came out (8).

At the end of the day it's just my opinion; music is subjective, and it all kinda makes sense: as the plot gets more soulless, the music follows suit. This is not the Kingdom Hearts I grew up with - I am an old and bitter dinosaur. I'm not asking for sympathy or anything to be changed; just putting my two cents out there, and seeing how the community feels.

 

[UltimaXOmega]

No, it ruins the song. The first half is good.

 

[Neo_]

I'm not trying to have a superiority complex about it, but this is something that would be used to entertain small toddlers... oh, wait.

 

[Elysium]

I'd agree that it's the worst part of the song, but I still like the song, so...

 

[wolfshadow0118]

I enjoy it! And besides we haven't heard the full song, so on both the ends of the spectrum we can't fully conclude if we will the like the dubstep or not.

 

[SoulXaldin]

It’s not dubstep, it’s more like EDM. Even still, that whole drop part just ruins the song for me completely.

 

[Grono]

I actually do like it. At first it turned me off, but I've been a lot more open in my music listening lately, so I think it fits. People that don't like face my fears but see no problem with simple and clean's remix confuse me.

 

[kirabook]

The poll options don't really fit my mood.

I don't mind the song. I do prefer the beginning over the interlude we heard, but I also heard a snippit after the interlude and I quite like it. I think what could have helped it is if one of the electronic sounds sounded more like an actual instrument. The most recent remixed song we have is Ray of Hope and there are violins playing (from her song Prisoner of Love). When the violin isn't playing, there's a chime playing that sounds more like an actual instrument or at least Utada's vocals.

I think Skrillex could've worked in that intro piano throughout the song or incorporated a different realistic sounding instrument to balance out the strong EDM. I don't mind the EDM itself, I quite like Porter Robinson and Madeon's music.

Let's take their most popular collab, Shelter, as an example. Great song. Very pretty. Very sad. Very EDM. But, even during the most EDMy parts, you can hear the melodic tune of the wavy echoey piano underneath. There are also always some kind of vocals going on even if it's a very processed one.

I like where Utada's processed vocals start coming in nearing the end (right before the preview cuts off). Maybe Skrillex could've used that a bit more.

So in conclusion, I like the song but I wouldn't mind a few tweaks, those tweaks being:
- At least one "real" instrument in the super EDM parts
- More of Utada's vocals even if processed

I'm not a pro at music (obviously), but yeah. Just my thoughts.

 

[Alpha Baymax]

Oh my days, it's called EDM not Dubstep. Your analogy is like calling Utada Hikaru's music K-Pop.

 

[Sakuraba Neku]

No. The more I listen to this song, the more I love Utada's part and hate Skrillex's part.

 

[Grono]

Oh my days, it's called EDM not Dubstep. Your analogy is like calling Utada Hikaru's music K-Pop.

Except EDM and Dubstep don't have cultural ties? I'm a musician and I can't tell you the difference really. I think the only thing that makes this thing EDM is the fact that the drop is weaksauce and the lyrics are coherent.

 

[LostArtist]

It's just soulless robotic computer music; it's definitely possible for electronic/computer music to be good, but this is not it.

This all came about because I was just rewatching the ending of KH1 where Sora and Kairi get separated and 'Simple & Clean' plays (one of the most epic moments in the series)... that song is a perfect song, in every way: timeless and every other adjective under the sun, and it's not just nostalgia blinding. I actually don't feel any nostalgia for KH, as I feel like I was too old when it came out (8).

Bs, at 8 years old you can feel nostalgia, and that is not an old age.

It's not soulless, it has a different emotion to it. You compared it to a scene that's completely different, emotion wise.

The edm part we've heard sounds like it has three parts to it. But I'm not a music person so it's hard to describe it. A leadup, a semi drop, a true drop. or something Idk. But I like all of it. I can't wait to hear the full song and see the full opening unedited.

 

[Grono]

Bs, at 8 years old you can feel nostalgia, and that is not an old age.

It's not soulless, it has a different emotion to it. You compared it to a scene that's completely different, emotion wise.

The edm part we've heard sounds like it has three parts to it. But I'm not a music person so it's hard to describe it. A leadup, a semi drop, a true drop. or something Idk. But I like all of it. I can't wait to hear the full song and see the full opening.

I'm making an analysis of every KH song with an actual musical analysis, so look out for that!

EDIT: I should clarify that I mean the themes when I say that, NOT the game music!

 

[Londonbridge115]

I don’t mind it. I actually like it better than Sanctuary...*runs and hides*

 

[Rydgea]

Knowing there was going to be a remix backdrop in our opening movie, as per tradition with our numbered titles (nevermind the completely new song rather than just an translation/arrangement of Chikai), I steeled myself for possible dubstep, but I think I can breath now.

Even though Skrillex has love for Utada and KH, hearing some of his droning, warbling dubstep did make me sweat nervously and bite my nails over this new song. This doesn't seem quite in that musical vein. I actually like what I've heard from the teaser.

I don’t mind it. I actually like it better than Sanctuary...*runs and hides*

No need for that. Sanctuary remains my least favorite KH opener with Passion right behind it. Neither resonated with me as their predecessors had.

 

[Tempo]

siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh

it's. it's not dubstep

like. at all

it's just some pretty standard EDM party music

not everything with a buildup and drop is dubstep

i dont even think skrillex himself has done actual dubstep in years

can we please let him evolve beyond being a seven year old meme

 

[alexis.anagram]

I'd agree that it's the worst part of the song, but I still like the song, so...

This is about the sum of it for me, based on what we've heard so far. There is a part of me that wishes they had taken a less modern, err, "mainstream" (?) approach with the electronic instrumentation and made a song that combined the best sounds of both Hikki's sonic pop, Exodus/Ultra Blue era and whatever Skrillex has done outside of the baby's first EDM track genre. Like the song is serviceable and catchy in its own right, but I guess it just seems to lack imagination in some respects, which as as close as I've been able to get to the sentiments of those who outright don't like it. Also, it is kind of noisy. The ethereal effortlessness of the first verse is closer to what I was hoping for through the whole thing.

 

[Neo_]

Admittedly Grono and Rydgea bring up excellent points with the club remix of "Simple & Clean"; we were due for a modern "dance" treatment of a song just like "Simple & Clean" had. I am an offender of enjoying the "Simple & Clean" remix and not "Face My Fears" (obviously the first half is fine); the club remix of "Simple & Clean" puts this image in my head of people dancing in a Japanese nightclub in the early-2000s, with it being pitch black and pouring outside. I like the sampling of her voice; it reminds me of "Stardust Speedway"- to me, "S&K" is more like "Stardust Speedway", while "Face My Fears" is more like "Turn Down for What". Utada still sang on "S&K".

alexis also nailed it that it's noisy and headache-inducing.

Bs, at 8 years old you can feel nostalgia, and that is not an old age.

I think the last game I felt nostalgia over was Paper Mario (one of the last N64 releases) back in '01, so KH1 is literally a year removed from that, but PSX/N64 is the last hardware cycle I feel nostalgia for.

 

[Subzero]

I’m not a fan of it, or that type of music in general. It won’t be as memorable to me as opposed to “Simple and Clean” and “Sanctuary”.

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

I love it. It is a bop.