Luminous Arc 3: Wake Up World – ChiCO

	Album Title: Luminous Arc 3: Wake Up World – ChiCO
	Record Label: Universal Music
	Catalog No.: N/A
	Release Date: December 10, 2009
	Purchase: Download at iTunes

Overview

The Luminous Arc series continue with the third game Luminous Arc 3, which was released on December 10, 2009 in Japan for Nintendo DS. Once again, Yasunori Mitsuda served as the sound producer for the title and, rather than outsource to external talent like Akari Kaida, he relies entirely on the internal composers of his sound production company Procyon Studio. One of these composers, Maki Kirioka, produced the vocal single for the game, “Wake up World”, which was released digitally through iTunes.

Body

“Wake up World” is featured in its full version in an iTunes released. Composed and arranged by Maki Kirioka, it is somewhat reminiscent of her exotic works on the Zone of the Enders series. The use of orchestral strings, fast-paced electronic beats, and haunting chorus stays true to the series’ past theme songs.

CHiCO, an artist from Universal Music, handles the vocals for this theme. Her high-pitched voice and attractive tones are well-suited for the powerful yet easygoing vocals. Her vocals, especially in the chorus, are actually reminiscent of the late Eri Kawai’s work; however, they can’t reach her standards by any means. They’re still definitely above average for a pop singer though.

Thanks to the exuberant sound production of Yasunori Mitsuda, all the instruments in these theme are performed by live instrumentalists. The soaring strings, driving guitar, and subtle piano work are especially nice touches. However, it would have been nice to see some soloists being given more attention in places.

Summary

While hardly bad, “Wake up World” definitely the weakest vocal theme from the three games. It should appeal to most listeners with its uplifting vocals and refined arrangement, though still isn’t that memorable or original. Most listeners would be advised to listen to the full song within the context of the two disc soundtrack for the game, since this iTunes single only features one of several highlights from that release.

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