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Falcom Unpublished Music 2007 :: Review by Chris
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Album Title: | Falcom Unpublished Music 2007 |
| Record Label: | Nihon Falcom | |
| Catalog No.: | FUPM-07AU | |
| Release Date: | September 27, 2007 | |
| Purchase: | Buy at eBay |
Overview
Falcom Unpublished Music 2007 is a compilation of miscellaneous compositions and arrangements made by Yukihiro Jindo and the new Falcom Sound Team J.D.K. The music here isn't rejected, but rather not compatible with other album releases. There are plenty of rarities here as well as some definitive highlights. Let's take a closer look...
Body
The album opens with three of Yukihiro Jindo's arrangements from the original Ys. Jindo offers a rich cinematic interpretation of "Feena", a guitar-laced rock version of "Tower of the Shadow of Death", and a triumphant march rendition of "First Step Towards Wars". These arrangements are some of the most musically ambitious and technologically impressive for the game, yet it is still clear they're prototypes. The opener suffers from an appalling woodwind lead while "Tower..." is a little too abrasive at times. Thankfully, Jindo refined many of these ideas further and presented them in the impeccable Ys I & II Chronicles Original Soundtrack.
The most expressive arrangements on the score are those from Zwei Online. "An Eternal Dream, Memories of the Heavens" is one of the sound team's most expressive works to date. In a similar fashion to "Scars of Time", it opens with some rich violin leads before transitioning into a much more percussive section. However, this is vastly superior to even the Chrono Cross classic, thanks to its dynamic timbres and Chinese infusions. "The Illusionary World of Serpentina" meanwhile provides a more surreal soundscape, blending a range of ethnic and percussive to stimulating effect.
The album also features three arrangements of classics from The Legend of Heroes VI: Sora no Kiseki classics. The highlight is certainly the acoustic guitar-based interpretation of the series' main theme, though "Silver Will" is a pumping classic as well. Finally, there are trailer arrangements for The Legend of Xanadu, Gurumin, and Ys VI: The Ark of Napishtim, some of which were used in the Falcom Special Box 2004. Each captures the essence of the game quite well and "The God of the Four Winds" is especially impressive with its heroic guitar use.
Summary
Falcom Unpublished Music 2007 is surprisingly good. The tracks from Zwei Online are particularly good fo However, many of the other pieces were created either as prototype arrangements or trailer music, so they're not always as immaculate as they could be. Nevertheless, those who want even more from the new Falcom Sound Team J.D.K. should consider tracking this album down.
