Shoumetsu Toshi Original Soundtrack Vol. 1
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Album Title: Shoumetsu Toshi Original Soundtrack Vol. 1 |
| Record Label: noisycroak Records |
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| Catalog No.: N/A |
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| Release Date: November 12, 2014 |
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| Purchase: Buy at Amazon Japan |
Overview
Shoumetsu Toshi is a mobile game that features compositions from Hideki Sakamoto’s noisycroak team, specifically Hiroyoshi Kato and Yasuhiro Kawagoe. The style of music ranges from acoustic to electronic, with a large focus on the latter. Split into two volumes, Shoumetsu Toshi Original Soundtrack Vol. 1 and Shoumetsu Toshi Vol. 2 include the music for the game, as well as bonus arrangements. How does the soundtrack for the first volume turn out?
Body
The album opens with “Eternity,” a beautiful piano driven piece with a strong melody. It’s a simple piece, but one that is enjoyable. Other acoustic pieces on the soundtrack include “About Us,” a lounge jazz style piece with great energy and is quite enjoyable as well. Some of the hybrid pieces, featuring orchestra and some sort of electronic component, are a bit weaker. “The noise” is a bit mysterious in nature and features some soft electronic tones while “Discord” is more ominous in its execution and features a lot of electronic distortion. These tunes are more atmospheric and as such, might not be everyone’s cup of tea. Similarly, “Boot it” is an orchestral tune with some electronic backing, but is fairly forgettable. “Fragment,” on the other hand, is a beautiful ethereal electronic piece with some soft piano that really conveys a lot of emotion.
As for the electronic driven pieces, they are also of a mixed bag. “I miss you baby” is a bright and bubbly vocal theme that is very reminiscent of music one might find in the beatmania series. The vocals are heavily processed, but the melody is superb and is quite catchy as well. “Satellite” is an energetic electronic tune, but isn’t entirely engaging. “Avalon,” one of the highlights of the soundtrack, is a fun dance tune with a great atmosphere, progression, and melodic sections, although melody isn’t the major focus on the tune. Lastly, “Wizard” is done in a 90’s rave style, akin to Shinji Hosoe’s death techno stylings back in the day. It’s full of intense energy, but might not be for everyone. Lastly, there are two bonus tracks featured on this particular volume, “Shoumetsu Toshi Special Mix,” a medley of tunes found on the album, and “I miss you baby,” a remix by Yasuhiro Kawagoe. The former has a fantastic flow while the latter is a very strange orchestral/electronic remix. It’s a creative take on the original, but it isn’t nearly as engaging, in my opinion.
Summary
In the end, Shoumetsu Toshi Original Soundtrack Vol. 1 is a mixed bag. While there are certainly some strong tunes on the album, there are also a fair share of weaker ones. Due to the focus being more on the electronic side of the spectrum, fans of noisycroak’s traditional sound might not be enticed to purchase it, but those who enjoy electronic music might find something to enjoy here.
Do you agree with the review and score? Let us know in the comments below!
2.5
Posted on April 10, 2015 by Don Kotowski. Last modified on April 10, 2015.
About the Author
Don Kotowski Currently residing in Philadelphia. I spend my days working in vaccine characterization and dedicate some of my spare time in the evening to the vast world of video game music, both reviewing soundtracks as well as maintaining relationships with composers overseas in Europe and in Japan.
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