Arjuna Original Soundtrack "Into the Another World" (One CD / 21 tracks) Recognized as one of the most gifted and innovative anime composers, Yoko Kanno can now add the eclectic and adventurous 'Arjuna Original Soundtrack'... more » to her list of masterworks that includes Macross Plus,' 'Escaflowne,' 'Wolf's Rain,' 'Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex' and 'Cowboy Bebop.' For this soundtrack, Yoko Kanno teams up with Maaya Sakamoto (Escaflowne, Rahxephon, Cardcaptor Sakura), Tsuneo Imahori (composer of Gungrave and Trigun) and Keishi Urata (Texhnolyze, Akira) to deliver a sumptuous, elegantly ethnic-sounding aural regale, with tribal and celtic pieces sprinkled in. Featuring eight emotionally-stirring instrumentals and 13 must-hear vocal tracks, including the opening theme Early Bird' and ending theme songs 'Motor Bike,' 'Mameshiba' and 'Air & Stars.'« less
Arjuna Original Soundtrack "Into the Another World" (One CD / 21 tracks) Recognized as one of the most gifted and innovative anime composers, Yoko Kanno can now add the eclectic and adventurous 'Arjuna Original Soundtrack' to her list of masterworks that includes Macross Plus,' 'Escaflowne,' 'Wolf's Rain,' 'Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex' and 'Cowboy Bebop.' For this soundtrack, Yoko Kanno teams up with Maaya Sakamoto (Escaflowne, Rahxephon, Cardcaptor Sakura), Tsuneo Imahori (composer of Gungrave and Trigun) and Keishi Urata (Texhnolyze, Akira) to deliver a sumptuous, elegantly ethnic-sounding aural regale, with tribal and celtic pieces sprinkled in. Featuring eight emotionally-stirring instrumentals and 13 must-hear vocal tracks, including the opening theme Early Bird' and ending theme songs 'Motor Bike,' 'Mameshiba' and 'Air & Stars.'
CD Reviews
Yoko Kanno Fan
E. Ramos | Vancouver, BC, Canada | 09/11/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I wasn't impressed with Arjuna's soundtrack at my first listening... (Mind you that I haven't seen a single episode of Arjuna)... I thought the sounds were too weird compared to Escaflowne or Cowboy Bebop (which I truly love)... But to appreciate Yoko Kanno is to know the theme she's aiming for in the anime... So I listened to this CD once more with open ears (which is usually the case with Yoko Kanno... She creates BGM music most of the time, so usually I find that it takes about a second or third hearing of the OST to really appreciate it)...
1. Early Bird - Calm and peaceful piece sung by a girl (or a boy; can't tell)... It sounds like an out-of-this-world language--typical Yoko Kanno...
2. Awakening - I like the chanting here... Very ominous and feels like a dungeon music...
3. Clóe - My favourite peice in this soundtrack along with Mameshiba (track 18)... This song is just amazing... A must hear!... It's fascinating how Yoko Kanno was able to realize that a child singing this particular tune can make this piece 100x better; 'cuz I think it won't be as good if it's played instrumentally... Also, the harp (I think) and piano helps with the singing...
4. Time To Die - A dark song indeed... The song gets funky by the end when the electric guitar starts playing...
5. 2nd Life - Another great guitar track... Very folk-like yet modern...
6. Diving - The beginning and end seems like normal nonsense chanting... But it's probably an out-of-this-world lyrics yet again... Then there's nice guitar chords with a Spanish feel to it in the middle of the song...
7. Clone - A lot of people hate this one... I don't think they realize that the song really does make you think of clones (well at least for me)... I picture out-of-control clones while listening to this piece... Thus, I like it!...
8. Feel The Circle - A quaint yet forboding music box music with some strings blending nicely...
9. Aerobics - Nice electric guitar music... Reminds me of a car commercial of some sort... (hehe... and kinda catchy)
10. Omega Blue - This track wasn't in my listening taste for a long time... But now, it's really becoming quite a favourite Arjuna track of mine...
11. Drop Of Time - Another out-of-this-world lyric'd song... Quite short, really...
12. Earth Resonance - This piece I like... Sounds like an empowering song with some nice singing (no words)...
13. Prophet - Chanting... At first, the chanting doesn't seem to go anywhere; but there's some singing to this one...
14. Before Breakfast - Wow... A troubadour-like music with some woodwinds, fiddle, and guitar strumming... Reminds me of movies about the Middle Ages (HA!... But "ELM" from Cowboy Bebop IMO is a better troubadour-like music)...
15. Bells For Her - A peaceful yet sad piano and violin piece... I like how this piece ends...
16. Motorcycle - A Maaya Sakamoto song with a midnight club feel to it (did that just made sense?!?!)... The BGM to this song really feels like you're riding a motorcycle too... It gets better and better once while listenting to it IMO...
17. Diamond - I love this piano piece... It's simple yet it's very catchy...
18. Mameshiba - This is a great song sung by Maaya Sakamoto... It starts with guitar strums then drums... The best part of the song IMO is the bridge and the chorus of the song!...
19. Kookie - A girl (or guy, yet again) singing in the same "weird" lyrics as most of the tracks in this OST... Quite short too...
20. Aqua - "Weird" lyrics that reminds me of a certain Macross Plus piece... The chorus is the best part of the track...
21. Mameshiba (instrumental verson) - A hidden track... First time I heard this piece, I thought it sounded familiar... This is basically a piano and strings version of Mameshiba's chorus... It's very nicely done and sounds somewhat original in it's own way..."
Phenomenal
A. M. Moore | Canada | 08/18/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I've been fan of Yoko Kanno for some time now, and I know that she is amazing. But when I first heard this album I was completely blown away.
Many of the tracks are very 'tribal' sounding and use Kanno's strange unique language for flavour. It also features a couple songs by the lovely Maaya Sakamoto.
This OST is a must for anyone and everyone.
:)"
Perfect
Jay A. O'Sullivan | Brandon, FL USA | 05/19/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I can't emphasize enough how much I love this disc. The music is beautiful, moving, inspiring, and always creative. Yoko Kanno is a genius. This soundtrack is a testament to her artistic range and to her dedicated striving for perfection. She recruits top talent to help her realize her vision. The first time I heard Maaya Sakamoto singing "Mameshiba", I knew I had to know more about the voice, the composer, the arranger, the musicians. I've been watching episodes of the Arjuna anime lately, and I find that the music enhances the experience to produce moments of ecstasy. This disc also happens to be one of the easiest of Yoko Kanno's to find at an affordable price, so buy it before that is no longer the case."
Absolutely Amazing
Sam Arnold | Austin, TX | 01/28/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I've never seen the show, but there's no way it could be worthy of this amazing score, which stands alone as a triumph of composition, musicianship and production. Possibly Kanno's best. I've been a fan of her's for a few years now, but I hadn't heard of this one until i found it cheap on Amazon. Across this album, she's got psychadelic guitar rock blending seamlessly with Akira-esque percussion pieces, lush orchestral themes, choral interludes, flamenco flourishes, eastern european folk styles, and some of the lushest j-pop imaginable - sometimes in the same song (though none of Kanno's typical electronic dance, jazz, or blues music is present). Far from being the scattered stylistic tour de force you'd expect (which would be fine with me), it somehow hangs together as a coherent listening experience all the way through. Themes re-emerge with radically different instrumentation and every few moments brings a new surprise. A perfect balance of aggression and tenderness, (boldness and comfort, sympathy and style) cuts through the album and makes it a devastating listen every time. I keep finding new favorite moments."
Track Listings (20) - Disc #1