Category Archives: Album Information

Album Information

UNICORN OVERLORD Orchestral Album ~Atlus × Vanillaware Works~ (BSPE-1240~1)

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Hitoshi Sakimoto is celebrating his 40th career anniversary next year. To kick things off, Bassicape Records released 46 Sakimoto and Basiscape works up on streaming. We’ve compiled this handy aggregator to quickly find them, including three soundtracks that are being released for the first time. I start with this because one of the releases is the Unicorn Overlord Orchestral Album, which was released on CD last month in Japan. It includes a recording of a live performance, spanning two discs, and features amazing arrangements, including some by Scarlet Moon’s Osamu Kubota, as well as beautiful artwork of characters from the game and commentary in Japanese. It’s definitely a CD worth owning if you want a little more than what streaming can offer.

And the music? We wrote about the original soundtrack and acoustic album, so this is a wonderful new spin on familiar melodies. We can’t get enough of the main theme, which is weaved throughout and starts the album off with big horns and percussion in a grandiose and adventurous manner. There’s a lot of driving music with rolling snares and sweeping strings that highlight the game’s combat sections, all with brilliant melodies and orchestration, but it’s the variety of moods and sounds that struck me. From the sparse and melancholy swells of “Prologue -Dark Clouds- ~ -Beginning- Medley,” the regal fanfare of “Stage Clear,” and the incredible acoustic guitar and light strings of the reflective “Peaceful-Memory Medley” to the bustling and exotic “Drakenhold Stage -Drakenhold -Heir to the Dragonlands- Medley” and the twinkling waltz “Elheim Overworld (Day) – Elheim’s Theme Medley,” you really get a great taste of the world of Unicorn Overlord despite distilling four discs of OST material into two discs of orchestral performance. I love the ponderous “Galerius’ Theme – Baltro’s Theme Medley-,” the uplifting and sweet “Liveliness at the Dining Table,” the contemplative “Alain’s Theme” which drips with emotion, and the climactic and intense series of final battle themes that come towards the end of the album. The album closes with the healing choral elements of “Farde mal diavolo -Destroy Evil, then Come—, the reflective and stirring “Haades -Enthronement—” featuring a solo vocalist, and the uplifting and triumphant restatement of the main theme as heard in “Isle of Palevia.”

Basiscape has done a wonderful job continuing to give the Unicorn Overlord a spotlight. As mentioned, it’s now on streaming and can also be imported from Japan in CD format if desired.

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Battle Champs Original Soundtrack (BSPE-1231)

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Battle Champs is the English title for Cygames’s Little Noah, a new mobile RPG centered around leveling up your champ, building a base, and defeating your opponents. Hitoshi Sakimoto has taken up music duties, providing the iconic high fantasy sound he has become known for, and Basiscape Records has released the soundtrack on digital platforms. What sets Battle Champs apart in the context of Sakimoto’s past works are its playful nature and ethnic flair, which fits nicely with its vibrant visual style. Even the battle themes are upbeat and playful!

Right from the whimsical bells and harp and sweeping strings of “Introducing: Battle Champs,” you know that you’re hearing the music of Hitoshi Sakimoto. Listeners can consider “The Airship” to be a key theme, always contemplative, but growing more mature in its arrangement over the course of “Level 1,” “Level 2,” and “Level 3.” The battle themes also stand out for not being your typical RPG battle theme… instead, they are energetic and fun, sporting exotic instrumentation and percussion as in “Destroy it All!,” and my favorite track, “Now, Everybody!” with its ascending build and high-energy percussion. Your typical RPG trappings do appear with the adventurous rolling march, “Guild Battle,” the uplifting fanfare, “Now That’s What I Call a Victory!,” the epic and tumultuous “Winborne Dragon,” the stirring and emotional “Ooh, I Can’t Believe It!,” the solemn and deliberate, “Let’s Talk Strategy,” and the melancholy and somber “Oof, Ouch… Pull it Together!” The album ends with a series of moodier tracks, touching on everything from lumbering danger and outright terror to a searing desert theme to close things out.

If you want to hear Hitoshi Sakimoto’s latest, check out the Battle Champs Original Soundtrack on iTunes.

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Wizardry Variants Daphne Original Soundtrack (BSPE-1229~30)

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Hitoshi Sakimoto is once again contributing to the biggest RPG franchises across the industry. While not a total stranger to Wizardry, having contributed to Wizardry Gaiden: Prisoners of the Battles and Wizardry Gaiden: Five Ordeals, Wizardry Variants Daphne is his first full Wizardry score. While many fans knowhis signature fantasy orchestral sound, he actually got his start doing electronic music, and this time he is able to blend both sides seamlessly to create some really cool soundscapes, with key themes and stingers weaved throughout to tell the game’s story through sound. The two-disc collection with English and Japanese track titles, Japanese commentary, and images from the game is certainly worth your attention.

As to the music, expect dark and foreboding soundscapes. Sweeping strings, but with guttural electronic bass swells. Live folk instruments, but with crystalline synth pads. It’s a great combination of styles with a number of surprising moments. Key themes include the somber opener, “Distant Memories,” which will have Sakimoto fans feeling right at home, and the pop-infused main theme that features throughout in “Wizardry Variants Daphne.” Electronic elements are highlighted in different ways across tracks such as the otherworldly “Tales of the Abyss,” the growly “Inhuman,” and the distant and menacing “Port of Amnesia.” The orchestral/instrumental side is emphasized with the regal “Royal Capital Luknaia,” the spunky “Adventurer’s Guild,” the inspirational “Battle Cry,” the spectacular organ piece “Beginning Abyss,” the melancholy “Endless Rain,” and the folksy and somber “A Day in a Castle Town.” The two sides come together closely in “A Life for a Life,” an intense hybrid with synth arpeggios and explosive brass, “Great Calamity,” a chaotic and epic final battle theme, and “Final Destination,” a sci-fi theme with glistening synths and fantastic strings. Moods range from desolate, desperate, reflective, and downright terrifying to triumphant and adventurous. It’s really a fun listening experience.

Those who are interested can import the Wizardry Variants Daphne soundtrack from CD Japan or stream it on Apple Music.

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Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma Original Soundtrack (SRIN-1171)

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One of legendary composer Shinji Hosoe’s most famous works is the Zero Escape series. It began with Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors (2009), was followed by Virtue’s Last Reward (2012), and continued with Zero Time Dilemma (2016) as the third game in the series. SuperSweep Records was able to release the three-disc soundtrack in 2022 and I was recently able to dive in.

The soundtrack is accessible with track titles and credits in English, with some very interesting track titles provided by Uchikoshi-san, the game’s writer. Expect dark and foreboding vibes with chopped up and distorted electronics across sleek ambient soundscapes, unsettling electronic ambiance, and a smaller compilation of emotional instrumentals and grungy rock tracks.

Some of my favorite moments include the ticking clock of the opening track, “Tick Down,” the glassy and otherworldly “Iterate Anxiousness,” and the unsettling “Profound Duvulgation.” There’s a descent into madness with “Tortuous Idolum,” groovy bass in “Erstwhile Placidity,” and a beautiful and twangy electric guitar work in “Ustulate Pathos” that was reminiscent of famous survivor horror soundtracks. “Cuddly Ferrum” comes as a sweet pop tune, “Ambidex Game” features cool guitar riffs and aggressively panned percussion, and “Stygian Subterranean” gets into deep dark ambiance. The icy “Sacrificial Demise” sports a a chilly vibe with icy bells and electronic lead while the aptly titled “Cardiac Gloom” features the sound of a heartbeat and “Scattered Scare” gets equally unsettling with lone guitar notes, searing string swells, and sparse percussion. The overdriven radio-like quality of “Ustulate Pathos -Record-” provides a brief reprieve as the soundtrack closes out with screeching synths in “Unliberated Library” and the resolute and serene closer “Interminable Dilemma.”

Given the variety and quality of production, it’s no surprise why the Zero Escape series and its music are so highly regarded. The Zero Time Dilemma soundtrack can be imported via CD Japan for under $25 USD.

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Unicorn Overlord Original Soundtrack and Acoustic Arrange Album

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Basiscape teams up with Vanillaware and Atlus once again, scoring the beautiful RPG adventure Unicorn Overlord. Featuring loads of fantasy music that Hitoshi Sakimoto and the Basiscape team are best known for, the Original Soundtrack totals four discs of music, and there are separate arrange albums in the form of the widely available Acoustic Arrange Album as well as a collection of 16-bit arrangements that came packaged in with the Monarch Edition of the game.

Let’s dive in and see what the Original Soundtrack and Acoustic Arrange albums have to offer.

Continue reading Unicorn Overlord Original Soundtrack and Acoustic Arrange Album →
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ACE COMBAT 7: SKIES UNKNOWN ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK (SRIN-1162)

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Ace Combat series fans probably found a lot to like with Ace Combat 7. Early in the pandemic, I played through Ace Combat 4, 5, 6, and Zero at the behest of our graphic designer, Connary Fagen. I fell in love with the storytelling, gameplay, and music. I knew I wanted to play through Ace Combat 7 and listened through this six-disc soundtrack release several times before finally doing so, and it is an incredible game and soundtrack.

SuperSweep Records serves up the rock-infused heavy-hitting orchestral soundtrack headed up by series veteran Keiki Kobayashi, alongside DLC and other promotional music to create an expansive and complete package. It comes housed in a study cardboard sleeve with three jewel cases containing booklet text with commentary from each composer in Japanese as well as track and artist breakdowns in English. The design work throughout is impeccable.

And the music? Ace Combat 7 gets a riveting new theme by Kobayashi that is weaved throughout the score in interesting and delightful ways. The album follows the sequence of cutscenes and gameplay with all the ups and downs and drama in tow. Some personal favorites include the twangy guitar and bongo-laden “Dual Wielder,” the driving string stabs, slap bass, and big brass in “Long Day,” my absolute favorite, “Magic Spear I,” with chugging bass, wailing electric guitar, big brass stabs, and rock percussion, the tragically beautiful “Battle for Farbanti,” and epic conclusion, “Lighthouse.” The VR missions are remakes of missions from Ace Combat 4 and the arranged music is incredible, with remixes of “Sitting Duck,” “Tango Line,” and “Blockade,” all of which are a real treat to hear.

The Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown Original Soundtrack is still available to import from CD Japan and is an incredible collection of music.

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Mist Train Girls ~Kiri no Sekai no Shasou kara~ Original Soundtrack (BSPE-1102)

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Basiscape is back, starting 2022 off with the soundtrack to Mist Train Girls. Titled Mist Train Girls ~Kiri no Sekai no Shasou kara~, this album acts as the soundtrack to the popular JRPG browser game based on the novel/animation by the same name, following “train knights” who are inspired by train stations around the world. The score is directed by Basiscape’s Yoshimi Kudo with music by Kudo, Watanabe, Kaneda and Kikuchi.

Listeners will enjoy the vocal opener, “Mist Song,” with stylish orchestral and electronic elements and moody lyrics presented in both short and long versions. What follows is everything from an industrial waltz and grandiose sweeping orchestra to magical bell-infused rock and tense drum ‘n’ bass. The score is at moments ethereal or exotic, and at others regal or unsettling. The soundtrack crescendos into an epic rock and choir track that must be for the final boss before the soothing and swelling closer ends things on yet another magical note. The team does a great job of capturing the mystery and intrigue of magic throughout, and even if you may never play the game, the score is worth your attention.

You can pick import the soundtrack on CD Japan if you’d like.

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FIGHTING EX LAYER Soundtracks (SRIN-1160)

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Many are aware that Shinji Hosoe and the SuperSweep team worked on the Street Fighter EX series, but most probably don’t know just how many different soundtracks this includes. The new FIGHTING EX LAYER Soundtracks collection from SuperSweep Records compiles the arcade and console soundtracks for Fighting EX Layer, Street Fighter EX, Street Fighter EX2, Street Fighter EX Plus Alpha, Street Fighter EX2 Plus, Street Fighter EX3, and Fighting Layer in a single 7-CD collection with a bonus DVD that includes multi-track data for ten fan-favorite tracks. Contributing composers include SuperSweep’s current lineup of Shinji Hosoe, Ayako Saso, Takahiro Eguchi, and Fumihisa Tanaka along with SuperSweep and/or Bandai Namco alums Takayuki Aihara, Yasuhisa Watanabe, and Kazuhiro Kobayashi.

The original Fighting EX Layer soundtrack opens with an eclectic mix of jazz fusion, chugging metal, funk, and lots of rock with plenty of guitar solos characteristic of any fighting game. It sets the stage for what’s to come with the Street Fighter EX soundtracks, which start with the original EX arcade release. The arcade soundtrack has a dated sound compared to the console soundtrack, but most of the themes remain the same. Highlights include the Asian-flavored “Rising Dragoon,” the energetic laser-like “Strange sunset,” the sitar-laden “Arabesque,” and the industrial pumping “Cold Pipe.” “Precious Heart” is an upbeat jazz tune and “Future Objects” incorporates interesting electronic ticks and whirs, both being exclusive to the console version. Street Fighter EX2 also gets both the arcade and console versions presented, with the soaring “The Infinite Earth,” hard-hitting “Passage of Lotus,” and the explosive “Flash Train” all standing out. The console version’s icy “Digital Ignition” and dramatic pop tune, “Irene,” are also highlights. Street Fighter EX3 gets the wild west harmonica-laden “Move,” dace-inducing “Cute Mafia,” the classic rock “Temptation Gun,” the Latin-flavored “BIRI-BIRI Red Heat,” the fusion “Indra Bridge of TA-SO-GA-RE,” and the smooth “Character Edit” bringing the series full circle with the eclectic offerings of the original Fighting EX Layer soundtrack. The closing disc is dedicated to the original Fighting Layer with fast-paced arcade action heard through the explosive opening, lightning-fast character select theme, and blend of pumping rock and electronic sounds.

This is a real treat for fans of Street Fighter, fighting games, or SuperSweep in general. It’s great to hear the arcade and console versions side-by-side for the first time. The discs come housed in a cardboard cade and the booklet includes Japanese commentary from all the composers. The entire set can be imported via CD Japan.

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ESP RA.DE. Ψ Drive Waves 2019 (SRIN-1166)

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SuperSweep was tapped to provide a remixed BGM mode for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 shmup, ESP Ra.De. Ψ. Given Hosoe-san and SuperSweep’s history with this game genre, you can bet they knew just want to do. The album features two discs, the first of which are in the in-game remixes, and the second of which are extended mixes of ten of the tracks. There’s also a non-stop mix available as a bonus disc for anyone order from the SuperSweep store.

The soundtrack featured original music by Masahiro Kusunoki and Tetsuya Mizoguchi, but the entire SuperSweep team and several friends contribute remixes to the remixed BGM mode. The album opens with the dreamy “ESP Person” before the pumping and fittingly titled “”DESPERATE SCHOOL” and fast-paced “NIGHTMARE” come in. Each artist on the album takes a crack at “RAGING DEICIDE,” a synth-heavy anthem that is featured no less than six times, all by different arrangers. Takahiro Eguchi’s version is drum-heavy and glitchy, Ayako Saso’s applies less emphasis on synths and adds shredding electric guitar and octave-jumping bass, Fumihisa Tanaka’s version is more driving with epic pads and arpeggiated bass, and Atomic’s remix is searing with an increased tempo and layered synths. It’s interesting to hear so many different takes on the same theme. “ACT IN JUDGE” is more bubbly and upbeat while “WANGAN RAPID LINE 2nd” glides with some nice electric piano work. I love the Metroid-esque “FAIRIES FEAR” with guttural bass and sparse percussion, and the three-part sequence starting with the surprisingly chill “RAGE” with dreamy pads and measured drums, which morphs into “WING” with added epic choir, which again morphs into “MADNESS” with added distorted choir and screams and screeching in the background. The closing track, “SNOW ILLUSION,” brings soothing bells and closes out on a reflective note.

The album is available for import from CD Japan, and the bonus disc is available from purchasing direct from the SuperSweep shop in Japan only.

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NieR Music Concert CD -The Memories of Puppets- (SQEX-10689~90)

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Square Enix has held many NieR concerts over the years but one of the first was The Memories of Puppets tour in Japan, which I had the good fortunate to attend. It featured piano, guitar, a string quartet, and vocals by Emi Evans, J’Nique Nicole, and others. I’d previously enjoyed the Blu-ray recording, but this Tokyo Game Show-exclusive CD is the audio version of the concert featuring its intimate acoustic sound with electronic elements programmed in.

The CD kicks off with more slow and measured versions of “City Ruins” featuring J’Nique Nicole’s powerful vocals and “Amusement Park” featuring Emi Evans. “Memories of Dust” places emphasis on the guitar, giving it a strong Western film vibe, while guitar and piano team up with Emi Evans for “Peaceful Sleep,” the beautiful town theme with lovely string harmonies. “Vague Hope,” one of my favorite themes from NieR: Automata, is a piano and guitar duo with Emi’s original vocals, and is a high point on the album. “Song of the Ancients – Atonement” is a duo between Emi and J’Nique that featured lots of programmed elements in the way of drums whereas “Pascal” included a child singer and had the audience clapping along with the cheerful tune and fancy guitar work. “The Sound of the End” gets a minimalistic arrangement that is almost soothing, while “Alien Manifestation” features J’Nique Nicole, who was not the original singer, making for a nice alternate take on the theme. The string quartet shines on it own in “Mourning” while a solo piano before a foray into the original NieR Gestalt/Replicant territory stirring performances of both “Kaine” and “Ashes of Dreams.” The album closes with “Weight of the World / The End of YoRHa,” a full arrangement with programmed synths and Emi starting off before the entire audience joins in. Everyone in the room was crying by the end of it, but fortunately the audience’s wails didn’t make it onto the album.

Having attended the show and loved the Blu-ray recording, I always wanted a CD recording. Unfortunately it was an event exclusive, but the Square Enix North America store has the Blu-ray for sale and I can’t recommend it highly enough. Look for the glint of glasses on the top balcony when it shows the audience and you might just see me!