 | Album Title: Beyond the Labyrinth Original Soundtrack |
| Record Label: Konami Digital Entertainment | |
| Catalog No.: GFCA-300 | |
| Release Date: January 18, 2012 | |
| Purchase: Buy at CDJapan |
Overview
Beyond the Labyrinth is the latest tri-Ace game to feature the music of Motoi Sakuraba. As stated in our interview with him, he took a different approach to the music than his previous tri-Ace scores. The physical soundtrack features one disc and omits 30 minutes of material included on the digital release. Is the end result a pleasing one or should one get the digital copy instead?
Body
The album opens with “Labyrinth of Mist,” a dark, brooding chiptune track that brings to life the “dark sheen” he mentioned in our interview. It’s simple, but it creates a dark atmosphere one might encounter in a labyrinth. “Lilac Mist” is another interesting theme featuring a dark tone, although not as prominent as in “Labyrinth of Mist.” At the same time, it offers the first glimpse of the fantasy soundscape Sakuraba brings to many themes on the album through his lovely use of harps, strings, and choral samples. These themes also appear in the “End-title roll” in orchestral form. The dark nature is brought to life with ominous brass tones and militaristic percussion. At the same time, the strings and tuned percussion contribute a wonderful fantasy soundscape present in many tracks. While not as strong as some of his other staff-roll themes, it is a wonderful combination of the two ideas mentioned above.
There are a few mysterious themes on the album as well. Highlights include “Hallucination” and “Stray.” The former effectively uses pizzicato strings to create this atmosphere. In addition, synthesizer tones accentuate the mysterious nature, while percussion such as woodblocks and glockenspiel give a very fantasy-like feel. The latter evokes desolation and mystery. Acoustic guitar and strings effectively create a vagrant sound, while synth and organ tones add a dark fantasy atmosphere. “Beyond the Labyrinth” is a brooding yet enchanting piano piece. Of all the themes on the album, it is the most touching, providing a warm melodic mood, while its progression conveys a sense of being lost.
Of course, there are some fantastical-sounding themes as well. “Gate of Memory,” while not the strongest composition in terms of engaging the listener on the album, is a piece that exudes a lot of atmosphere; the piano leads with poignant, heartfelt tones, but the accompaniment can be abrasive. When I heard “Premonition” for the first time, I immediately thought of fantasy atmosphere, and in many ways it reminded me of some of the ideas used to convey the fantastical world of spirits in the Ghibli film Spirited Away. “Profusion of Flowers” shares that fantastical feeling through flourishing strings; however, it also has a serious edge, as accompaniment elements like a subtle choir create an oppressive tone. Of all the fantasy-oriented themes, I think that “Triangle shines” is the most successful in capturing the fantastical air of the soundtrack. While it incorporates many elements from other themes like “Premonition” and “Profusion of Flowers,” it is more successful overall. The piano melody helps and is featured elsewhere in the soundtrack, lending itself to both a surreal and darker tone.
Of course, there are plenty of action-oriented themes as well. “Cleave” is an excellent, albeit brief, battle theme that focuses on piano and strings to create an energetic, slightly chaotic piece that captures the fantasy sound. It is one of the more effective battle themes on the album. “Illegal Hole,” “Soul to Wander About,” and “Clear Pace” also incorporate strings to produce a frenetic sound, combined with pulsing electronic beats, piano, and music box; however, they come off sounding a bit like some of the music in Kingdom Hearts in style, so they may not be for everyone. Of the three, I find that “Soul to Wander About” and “Clear Pace” leave the strongest impression. Another theme that incorporates some electronic accompaniment is “Return to Mind.” It has a fantastical sound with moments of ominous tone; the piano makes it stand out, as do the sections emphasizing electronics. It’s not the strongest piece on the album, but it is successful in creating an energetic environment.
Another theme that stands out is “Decayed Edge.” It focuses on strings and piano, creating a menacing sound; in some ways it is reminiscent of Masashi Hamauzu’s piano work in his battle themes, but it also has a distinct Sakuraba flair. It’s an extremely effective theme that conveys both the soundtrack’s darker side and its lighter fantasy moments. “Illusional Defense” focuses on militaristic percussion and strings and piano work similar to “Decayed Edge,” but, while enjoyable, it doesn’t leave as lasting an impression. Similar things could be said of “Ask for light,” which doesn’t focus much on piano, relying more on chaotic, frenetic strings with electronic accompaniment. The final battle theme, “Progresses Straight,” however, is quite different for a final battle theme. It’s a beautiful piece that, while not overtly oppressive, conveys tension. The piano is the standout, and it even incorporates some of the melody line from “Triangle shines.” Overall, this is one of the most successful themes on the album.
Summary
In the end, the Beyond the Labyrinth Original Soundtrack Complete Edition is definitely a different beast for Sakuraba. For the most part, his usual conventions are largely absent, appearing in only a handful of tracks. The soundtrack’s most successful aspect is the atmosphere Sakuraba creates through strings and piano—a fantastical sound tinged with darkness, as if one is actually lost inside a labyrinth. While it features fewer pieces, I find the physical CD to be the more ideal release, since it contains a majority of the themes and has a more cohesive soundscape overall. While it sounds more inspired than some of his Tales music, some may not like that many of the themes follow similar stylistic patterns.
