Yoko Kanno - Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
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Free Music Notes for Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
Free Music Review: From the empress of anime music, a near-masterpiece.
Hit: 5 Stars
I was first introduced to the work of Yoko Kanno via the soundtrack to Macross Plus. As with all the Macross series installments, music plays an integral part of the storyline, being a literal connection to the power cosmic, and her compositions for the holographic pop idol Sharon Apple were hauntingly gorgeous. Later, I found out that she also scored the immensely popular Cowboy Bebop series (though I've never actually seen that show).
Thus, when I heard she was on board for the television addition to the Ghost in the Shell mythos -- the Stand Alone Complex -- I was quite pleased. At Otakon 2004, I shelled out 50 bucks for the brand-spanking-new GITS:SAC Volume 1 Deluxe DVD, which came with this disc.
The OST+ is almost a piece unto itself, as most of the time these songs are heard in an incidental capacity during the series; with only the music, one is left to deeply appreciate the detail that goes into even the most sidereal parts of the cartoon series. The swan song of the disc is "Silent Cruise," a five-and-a-quarter minute epic which evokes the sweeping string arrangements of Cliff Martinez's Solaris OST as much as the hypercompressed hip-hop breaks of Meat Beat Manifesto, all with a compositional sensibility that would make Bola weep tears of joy.
Other highlights include the Bjork-inspired "Where Does This Ocean Go?" (which contains the amazingly nonsensical lyric "his head looks like a melon"); the unabashed balladry of "Beauty Is Within Us" that shares vocal kinship with newer Telefon Tel Aviv offerings; the IDM-cum-indiepop "Monochrome," as at home with Proem as it is with Sinaed O'Conner; the impossibly complex metal anthem "Yakitori" which could easily be a b-side by the Hokkaido Concern; and of course, the immensely gratifying extended mix of the series' title theme, "Inner Universe."
Though I give this disc a five, it is not in fact perfect; several minute annoyances detract from the full piece. One, it lacks several key songs which appeared on the DVD it accompanied, which was a slight disappointment. Two, a few of the songs included in place of the aforementioned missing tracks are not really up to par -- particularly, I've never really liked the end titles theme, "Lithium Flower," and some of the nu metal bits sound a bit dated (like "Run Rabbit Junk" -- though it's admittedly well-used in the series); then again, leeway must be given to the fact that this is a Japanese import series, and time and culture moves much more laterally over there; and, admittedly, this is largely a matter of personal taste.
My final complaint is that the CD track listing is mislabelled. Tracks 8 through 12 should be listed thusly:
8 Velveteen / Lithium Flower
9 Home Stay
10 Inner Universe
11 Fish
12 Silent Cruise
As I said, though, these are all minor qualms. As a whole, the disc is a solid piece, with many instances of agonizingly beautiful orchestration and an inherrent empathic understanding of the interplay between sound and emotion. I bow to you, Yoko Kanno, and pray to one day be as good a composer as you.
Free Music Review: Perfezionare
Hit: 5 Stars
Since the advent of electronic music, we've been culturally conditioned to associate techno with the future (as what I think). Yoko uses this to her advantage, combining that concept with guitar based rock'n'roll or Russian choral variations to create something familiar yet different enough to sound as thought it had originated in our future. Her production of this album is flawless !! She manages to effortlessly maintain the continuity of her particular compositional style without creating schlocky, ham-fisted house and electronica music.
Part of what keeps each track sounding fresh is Yoko's collaboration with different lyricists and vocalists. Lyricist Troy and singer Ilaria Graziano combine their talents and create other-worldly vocalizations of dreamscapes over a pulsing electronic beat. Tim Jensen works with such diverse singers a Hide, Scott Matthew and Origa to create more rock'n'roll based pieces that convey a sense of post-modern angst.
And Origa, best known for her performance on the opening track, Inner Universe. Lovely track <3 Along with Shanti Snyder, they have composed a haunting and transcendent lyric, a perfect accompaniment to Yoko Kanno's beautiful thumping electronic score. This song truly encapsulates the beauty of the animation, the genius of the storylines and the zeitgeist of the world of tomorrow. I'm mean sure the anime itself is a bit dull, but can be seen STILL as a masterpiece.
BEST TRACK
Inner Universe. Not only is this song magnificent in the way it brings the future into the here and now, it's a magnificent song with insightful chord progressions and harmonies that could make a cybernetic heart ache.
WORST TRACK
There is no worst track on this album. Yoko Kanno's compositions and arrangements are never ham-fisted. Each piece is well planned and superbly executed.
Perfect for Fans of:
Radiohead, Bjork, Lo-Fidelity All-stars, Cirque du Soliel soundtracks, or just any jpop/jrock, or even techno or genral electronica and jazz fans.
OVERALL, Yoko Kanno has an uncanny ability to capture a series in song. Her genius is evident in the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex soundtrack. Technological advances seem to charge ahead of Humanity's capacity to modify the existing ethical paradigm. This ethical lag creates a sense of alienation that is difficult to place or rectify.
Free Music Review: Wonderfully different from the usual
Hit: 5 Stars
I've been a fan of "Ghost In the Shell" ever since a literature professor at Georgia Tech recommended watching the 1st movie after we had studied William Gibson's "Neuromancer". He was (and to my knowledge still is) a brilliant professor with a great understanding of how human behavior and technological advances are intertwined. Years after graduation, I was downsized and looking for work --- then I got hooked on anime' (actually "re-hooked") watching Adult Swim on The Cartoon Network until 3:00am every night. I eventually ran across "Stand Alone Complex" and it was GREAT to see the familiar characters and their world again!
I finally got another job, got a DISH, and started using the built-in DVR(digital video recorder) to catch every episode. My wife finally got irritated at me for eating up all of the recorder's capacity on "cartoons" and I bought the whole set on DVD. It's worth every nickel. The day I got it, I watched all of the episodes back-to-back in a caffine induced eyeball-bleeding marathon; 13-14 hrs non-stop on a 52" high res TV with surround sound :o)
This CD is a great "grab bag" of alot of the best tracks from the series. It's a WONDERFUL breather from listening to the usual "Pearl Jam"/"Creed" sound-alikes. The sound is almost heavy metal, but with an exotic twist. It's familar enough to not be totally alien, but different enough to make the people around wonder what that cool music is. You'd better have a really nice sound system (especially in your car) because the sound range of the music is all over the map. It WILL test your patience with your equalizer settings to get it JUST right.
This is a CD I don't regret buying at all. From the familiar "Lithium Flower"(ending credit music) to the pumping beat and Russian lyrics of "Inner Universe"(opening music) it's all good and will keep you hitting the repeat button.
If you're a fan of GITS, this is definitely worth spending time with.
Free Music Review: Best techno-rock album that I've listened to in years
Hit: 5 Stars
I have followed Yoko Kanno's music since she created the Macross Plus Soundtrack, which was the defining element of that 4-part anime series. Although Kanno produced a lot of orchestral and instrumental music for the Macross Plus series, it was her rock music with techno and dance influences that stood out. Since then, Kanno has experimented with other musical styles, including jazz , in such musical releases as the Cowboy Bebop Soundtrack and Song to Fly.
In this soundtrack, however, Kanno returns to the rock/techno fusion that played a strong role in the Macross Plus Soundtrack. Her musical style, however, has matured over the years; this music seems much more powerful, more creative, and more artistic than previous soundtracks. The music ranges from Run Rabbit Junk, Yakitori, and Lithium Flower, with strong 1980's rock elements; to Surf and Inner Universe, with strong techno elements and fast tempos; to Monochrome, with slower tempos and quiet, haunting sounds. Although Kanno's music has evolved, she is not beyond presenting either music more in line with mainstream genres or experimental songs with unusual sounds and lyrics. The integration of multiple instrumental and electronic components gives the music a sophisticated sound rich in detail. Additionally, Kanno relies on multiple singers and songwriters, including performers such as Origa who are independent pop-music successes in Japan, to produce music with widely-varying sounds (and widely varying languages).
This music sounds exactly like what is expected for a high-quality soundtrack for a futuristic science fiction series. It's simply great rock/techno music with so many good tracks that the entire CD is worth owning. I recommend it to any music listeners.
Free Music Review: Another great addition to my growing collection!
Hit: 5 Stars
I've always been eccentric when it comes to my music. So when I have a craving for something outside of the mainstream, I get my hands on stuff that my family and friends would never buy. Anime soundtracks are a recent addition. (If I hear one more singer that's been culled from a reality show I might hurl!)
Anyway...This disc has everything I like rolled into one: rock, techno, angelic voices, foreign languages, you name it. I've been trying to wear out Track 5 - Where Does This Ocean Go (very melancholy), Track 7 - Siberian Doll House (eerie), Track 11 - Inner Universe (the opening theme for the anime), and Track 18 - Rise (which is such a tease! I wish it went on for at least 4 minutes!) Don't get me wrong. I listen to the rest too, but I don't press the repeat button for them and let them play three or four times in a row. Thanks again Amazon for feeding my ears.
To sum it up, this disc now has a slot reserved in my car (along with Samurai Champloo - Katana, which several people have tried to swipe.)
Give it a try. I hope you enjoy it.