Every Kingdom Hearts fan knows Hikaru Utada’s classic song, “Simple and Clean.” The gorgeous, melodramatic ballad bookended the original RPG in 2001, and has since made appearances in several games in the series in the form of motifs and remixes. Today, a trailer for the Kingdom Hearts Steam release premiered a newly recorded and rearranged version of the track.
The new recording is a much more minimalist arrangement than the original song. The Japanese version of the track, Hikari, already got this treatment as part of Utada’s greatest hits album “Science Fiction,” released in April. But now those who know the English lyrics can also sing along.
You can check out the trailer and new arrangement below, but if you want to hear it without all the Kingdom Hearts audio layered on top, “Simple and Clean (Re-Recording)” is on streaming platforms, as well.
The new arrangement tickles a different part of my brain than the original song. It has a slightly ethereal vibe compared to the more dramatic arrangements Utada has put out before. The song is still an all-time vocal track in video games, and Utada’s musical contributions have been some of the most exciting parts of getting a new Kingdom Hearts game. “Sanctuary” from Kingdom Hearts II is probably still my favorite, but I surprise myself by going back to their Skrillex collaboration “Face My Fears” from Kingdom Hearts III the most.
Kingdom Hearts IV was announced back in 2022, and we don’t know much about the game, including what platforms it’s launching on and when it’s coming out. We can only hope Square Enix and Utada’s next collaboration is as life-changing as the last. For more on Kingdom Hearts, check out Kotaku’s review of Kingdom Hearts III.
