Sorcerian Perfect Collection Vol. 1

	Album Title: Sorcerian Perfect Collection Vol. 1
	Record Label: King Records
	Catalog No.: KICA-1033/4
	Release Date: July 21, 1991
	Purchase: Buy Used Copy

Overview

This Sorcerian soundtrack comes from the same people famous for most of Falcom’s music, Sound Team J.D.K.. For some, this fact is enough reason to grab the album, or cause to cast it aside. Before you make any choices, listen to a couple of important points, the first being that this is not just another J.D.K. Ys album with a different title. Sorcerian, believe it or not, has a very distinct sound that J.D.K. did well to keep quite separate from what I like to call Ysian music. I would attribute this to Ryo Yonemitsu’s influence on the compilation being secondary, unlike with most of the Ys soundtracks.

Another point to keep in mind is that the Sound Team J.D.K. is comprised of many people. This means that what you will encounter from them is hard to predict, given the conglomeration of styles that is to be found in the group of composers. I will be covering the album on a track-by-track basis, as each one deserves special attention because of the reason I just outlined. The first disc is comprised of tracks from the game, while the second hold vocal arrangements, “New Age” versions of the in game tracks, and a “Megamix.” With that out of the way, let us move on to the meat of this review: the music.

Body

Starting with the first disc, “Opening” begins with some moderately evocative piano and warm strings that try a bit too hard to make a mediocre theme sound touching. The flute that chirps in for the meat of the track is equally pretentious, but it serves its purpose. “Where We Meet” screams town theme, or perhaps a cute reunion between friends. The instrumentation is applicable, with soft electric piano and some chromatic percussion backed up by a mellow drum line. A somewhat annoying trumpet comes in to pick up the lead of the piece, but it is quickly replaced by a flute, a much better choice. Bright bells give the piece a dreamy and light-hearted feeling as it edges its way back to the looping point. “Pentawa I” is straight jazzy, my friends. A quick drum fill leads into a pleasant acoustic bass, piano, and brass combination that gives the piece a very relaxed yet high-energy feel. The lead is carried by a flute and xylophone later in the piece and it only adds to the ‘kick back’ attitude the entire track benefits from. The acoustic bass induces swaying in the listener, and the rest of the instruments and arrangement make for a very nice track. Less effective is “Pentawa II”. Opening with some vanilla 4/4 rock drums and an arpeggiating synth, this piece says everything it has to say in the first six seconds. The electric guitar fails to surprise anyone with a dosage of shredding the track could not have been more generic without.

Among the setting themes, the woodwind-focused “Desert” is a well-arranged piece that covers many registers. It takes quite a few liberties with its main melody, so that by the time it does end, you are ready for a loop. “Sandy Marimer” captures attention quickly with its haunting melody. Near the 45-second mark, other strings and brass come in to fill in the soundscape even better, along with a flute. This piece really begins at the 60-second point, with orchestral percussion and a tuba coming in to lay down the law. “Bloody River” is also something completely different! This track starts with salsa percussion and an incredibly poorly-delayed synth. After a rough introduction, a very catchy synth comes in to lead the melody, along with some fun piano work. Then the steel drums drop to makes things interesting. This piece is too much fun to throw away. “Sand Castle” is a quintessential smooth jazz and funk piece. We encounter the villainous 4/4 drums once again, but they are not nearly as grating as before, for some reason or another. Synthesizers are everywhere, panned and reverbed in an excellent manner. After a small taste of some funky jazz guitar, the track dives into a piano and what I believe to be dulcimer melody flow. The guitar comes back to funk things up every now and then, and the requisite electric guitar solo is not far behind. Good rhythm, instrumentation, and arrangement make “Sand Castle” a big winner.

“Dungeon” track made me think twice, with a melody that is only a few notes short of being a variation on “Feena,” a character theme from numerous Ys soundtracks. Despite suffering from the same 2nd- and 4th-beat snare pounding that never neglects to bore, the track has some entertaining string and brass work that helps me envision an adventurer charging down a dank hallway with his sword drawn and his head bobbing. There are two tracks entitled “Underground Dungeon”, namely tracks 10 and 13, which are used in different scenarios. The first impresses. The bassline is incredibly attractive, layering perfectly under the dynamic rock percussion to be found in this track. Leading the tune are a few oscillator synths that enjoy a great call-and-response section, adding a depth to the piece that is hard to find on the predominant amount of the first disc tracks. The second is even better. When this piece began, my jaw dropped as an absolutely beautiful acoustic guitar strummed a set of sweet chords into my ears. THe piece grows with subtle electric guitar, evolving drums, and some piano work. Chromatic percussion even enters for a short time to add its particular dynamic to the mix. Nearing its end, the piece pours out its soul in a gutwrenchingly fantastic electric guitar that ties everything together. Without question, “Underground Dungeon” is the hit of the entire collection, clocking in at four minutes and 27 seconds, a period of time that seems all too short when the track ends.

“Hydra” has a definite Megaman X feel to it. Instead of a distortion guitar, this piece leads best with its synths, but suffers from a muddy mix and overly predictable percussion. “Debitel Priest” is another rock track. The rhythm is kept with the same rock drum pattern that infects most of the rock pieces on the album, but they do stray from the norm (to great effect) in what can only be considered the chorus of the piece. The verse sections of “Debitel…” are nothing to get excited about, in general. A few synth hits and some el-guitar chugs to fill the empty space. I am not sure what kind of feeling “Traveler’s Inn” was going for. The woodwinds play an excellently arranged back-and-forth style throughout the tune, but hardly give the impression that this is any ordinary inn. The tone is very sad, evoking the idea that there is probably one tragedy or another to be dealt with. “Forest” proves annoyingly upbeat. The incorrigible bounciness of the track seems unwarranted, as if the piece wants you to feel one way, but only manages to annoy you in the attempt. Similarly disappointing is “Kraken”, which has a slightly militaristic feel, with rolling snares and a timpani that fails to grant the track any respect. The woeful string and woodwind arrangement that follows helps not. Closing Disc One is “Luwan and Gold Dragon”, a rock piece with some Asian instrumentation. The choice of woodwind was very wise (a shakuhachi, if I am not mistaken), as it adds undeniable character to the track. The brass is a bit annoying at times, but the smooth synths and strings make up for what the trumpet blasts take away.

Moving to the second disc, “Opening” initiates the soundtrack’s vocal version. Following a music box introduction, what follows is some barber shop do-whop a capella, complete with snaps and goofy facial expressions. Actually, the singing is all “do” with no “whop.” The piece is nice enough, but the lack of a good bass singer (they used an electric bass; bad form) detracts heavily from the overall feel of the piece. In addition, some variation on the words used in the harmonies would have made it much more memorable. “Born on Battlelines” proves a surprisingly good ballad. Vocal themes always put me on guard, as the wrong voice (or application of that voice) can ruin even the most infectious of themes. Luckily, “Born On A Battleline” avoids these fatal flaws and becomes a memorable (and sing-a-longable) piece. Shelly Michelle’s vocals are very tender and relaxing, while the lyrics are in English, and are surprisingly not half bad. With “Welcome Home”, I was once taken in by the singer against my will. The instrumentation is rather weak, with a few off-the-wall synths and a tinny guitar performance. The last minute of the piece pulls the piece entirely out of character, chopping up samples of some fellow saying “check,” altering the pitch to make very annoying sounds with it. Given the piece’s sugar-sweet atmosphere, the LP scratch sound effects were a bit out of place, as well. Confusing, “Welcome Home” is, but still a decent track, if only decent.

Moving to the new age version, “Traveler’s Inn” is arranged into a beautiful piece of music. It begins with slow and soothing classical guitar, accenting the mood of the original piece well, and it is soon joined by a cello for some heartbreaking duet action. The guitar carries most of the basic chord arpeggios while the cello grabs the tears out of your very eyes. Eventually, the entire texture of the track is simply overwhelming. Another powerful beginning with a string ensemble marks the start of “Underworld,” with a tremolo swell fading into… acoustic guitar and congos? Why, yes, along with some impressive acoustic bass lines and even the return of the previous strings. Simple piano chimes in every so often, but the piece is undoubtedly carried by the acoustic guitar, a rare and welcome change. A flute trills its way onto the stage to enjoy a solo over the ever-plucking guitar, with fast attacking string swells which lead into some more guitar and flute dueting. The jazzy feel of “Underworld” is amazing and unquestionable, a tight and well-contained track that starts strong and ends just as powerfully. More heavenly string ensemble work brings “Aboard Ship” to bear, but it soon gives way to some more marvelous acoustic guitar and woodwinds. The melodies and counter-melodies then begin to dance and weave around themselves to create yet another mind-boggling and staggering piece of music before drawing to a peaceful — yet equally evocative — close as those before it.

Enter progressive rock and jazz fusion with “Pentawa”. This track starts off strong with brass and electric organs everywhere. A driving drum line keeps things moving as the chord hits come a-flying. The introduction of the melody by a subdued jazz guitar grants a little peace before the organ goes into a Sakuraba-esque solo, from which there is no return. At least, not until the piece loops back into the verse. Unfortunately, this is a rather uninspired ‘arrangement’ of “Pentawa,” instead feeling more like a chance for someone to go absolutely crazy on an organ. It succeeds without doubt at this, but the original is a much better version of this track. With “Evil Shaman”, we face an introduction via a very creepy harpsichord which sets the mood for the dark track. It is difficult to catch, and becomes much more clear as the drums and bass enter, but “Evil Shaman” does something that vaulted it into its own league. The piece actually alternates between a 3/4 and 4/4 time signature. The effect is jarring, keeping the listener off balance, a skilful show of arrangement on the composer’s part that captures the tension and foreboding of the piece. A flute plays the main melody as the harpsichord, drums, and bass keep rhythm. The haunting mood is inescapable, and the synthesized solo harkens the mind back to something gothic. Choir and warm strings only increase the atmosphere. Near the closing of the piece, the drums start to have some fun, syncopating the hi-hats, snares, and bass hits. As the track fades, all of the instruments save a low and resonating bell and the harpsichord disappear, letting the piece drift away with maximum effect. In the right setting, this piece could easily send chills down even the sturdiest of adventurer’s spines. A masterpiece of gothic proportions.

And finally with “Sorcerian Super Megamix Part 1”, we have a few words from the lord of video game music synthesizers, Ryo Yonemitsu. Laying down those synthesized beats like only he knows how, Yonemitsu covers a few of the Sorcerian pieces in typical fashion. A little bit of funk, a dash of disco, a sprinkling of rock, and more than a little of freefalling Yonemitsu craziness, “…Megamix” is all over the place. The original melodies are very difficult to hear in the crush of the synthesizers, but a creative ear might be able to pluck one or two from the dogpiled themes. All in all, it is really just a fun track to end an album with. It is not very memorable, but good for a strobe light jam.

Summary

I said it before, and I will say it again; Sorcerian is not another Ys experience. Far to the contrary, Sorcerian carves a small niche of its own in the world of Falcom, and one that it very well deserves. Much of the arrangement is quite skillful, and given the limits of the time period, to be respected. However, poor music is poor music, and Sorcerian Perfect Collection Vol. 1 is far from immune.

However, on the whole, this soundtrack is very solid, with more than enough strong music to outweigh the weakness of the rest. Katsumi Kyotani is in great form with hits such as “Underground Dungeon” (track 13) and “Sand Castle.” The overwhelming success of all the New Age Version tracks all is owed to Hajime Mizoguchi, a man who knows the power of a well-arranged guitar piece. Yonemitsu makes his obligatory apprearance, but has little effect on the album itself.

Altogether wonderful in its own quirky Falcom way, Sorcerian Perfect Collection Vol. 1 will make a great addition to anyone’s video game music collection.

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