Category Archives: classical

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Rachel Zeffira – “The Deserters” Review

Rachel Zeffira

Rachel Zeffira

Recommended to me by the similar artists tab on Amazon (oh you have a lot to answer for cries my bank balance) comes the dreamy Rachel Zeffira. “The Deserters” is primarily an album about atmosphere and emotion over direct hooks. The hooks and melodies are there but its like the album takes place under a morning haze. Everything feels blurred and milky, like it’s slowly sloshing into itself.

Opener “The Deserters” showcases this well with rolling piano, pulsing tub beatings and sublime woodwind all in a mixing pool. It sounds ethereal but like it wants to break out into something more edgy – like it’s the swoop before the attack. “Here On In” then reveals a rockier side to Rachel as drums and electric guitar hide behind the mask of an intricate string arrangement. The interplay is gorgeous when the marimba’s give added warmth. It feels like a laid back psychedelia trance. “Letters From Tokyo (Sayonara)” they flits back to the more organic keyboard/piano/synth side with Rachel’s soft airy vocals really shining. It reminds me of a more haunting version of  Emmy Rossum. I love how there’s a real driving force to the track but it’s never pushed to the fore as it makes the track feel more dramatic than it ever lets on it is. “Front Door” is a sweet piano/vocal ballad with some warming subtle strings. It really is time to pause in the album and is also the most conventional track so far.

“Break The Spell” then gives us orchestral rock with a rocking drum beat, some background synths and a speedy string arrangement to push the track forward. I would describe the track as if you were taking flight in the lightest plane alive. “Silver City Days” then goes virtually classical with the clever used of arpeggios on the piano that sound like they are going at a maddening speed whilst the vocals are slowly delivered. It sounds like time was paused for three minutes. “Star” is a sumptuously warm track that is five minutes of slowly evolving melodies and lyrics. It’s spacious and milky with just the right amount of reverb and echo to make things feel otherworldly. “To Here Who Knows” is more synth-string based with a cute flute providing some great touches. The second half of the track repeats the same phrase over and over as it goes up the chords and expands – it’s a really touching moment in the album that certainly feels like an emotional peak.

“Waiting for Sylvia” turns to the harp and bells for breathy delivery before the organ heavy “Goodbye Devine” closes out the album with a complete lack of bass throughout most of the song. I’ve said it before but a lack of bass in a song always makes for a more emotive delivery if pulled off well and it is here.

Rachel Zeffira’s album is a strange beast. She’s so multi-instrumental that her rock side and her classical side go at odds with each other. She has managed to manage them both so well and created an album that’s like a space microcosm. I think you’ll need to hear samples to decide if its your thing or not but it’s frankly a beautiful work of art and I hope people “get” it.

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Shnabubula – “Fading Light” Review

shnabubulaShnabubula is more know for his work on OverClocked Remix but I wanted to draw everyone’s attention to his latest album “Fading Light” which is a sumptuous collection of piano instrumentals.

Each of the ten tracks tell part of a story and flow excellently into each other. Opening with the wistful ”Drifting Gently” which sounds like an opening of Anime things are gently put into place before “Time for a Picnic” brings in things with more gusto. There’s some beautiful motifs and twirls and this track shows off Shnabubula’s piano chops. “Turning Point” is played so timidly you can almost taste the emotion and thought in the air. “Sunny Days Again” in contrast is spirited and sprite.  Title track “Fading Light” pushes things into a more classic tone like a piano collections battle track. It’s the first time the low bellowing notes come out to play and some of the piano work is utterly amazing – surely more than two hands are work here but still! The intricate arrangements continue with “The Bewildered Swordsman” that surfs up and down the entire piano keyset as if it were merely a quick glide. The power of the track is amazing even if the recording of the piano leaves a lot of the bottom end behind. “Kittens and the Moon” is a time for reflection before “The Man From Out of Town” gives us a more rousing theme. “Last Day of Spring” evolves from a little jumpy track into a beautiful all-consuming classical piece that wouldn’t be out-of-place in a black and white films finale. The album closes with “Looking For Answers” which feels like a reprise of everything that has come before.

The piano chops of Shnabubula have to be heard to be believed. Some of the arrangements are so complex I just sat back and went “wow”. Occasionally if you are careful there’s the very occasional duff note but the fingers are going so fast there’s this real one-take emotion fits all feel to everything (even though it probably isn’t) you don’t mind them anyway. Intense, emotive, spellbinding to the pianist within. Give it a listen.

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Penka Kouneva – “A Warrior’s Odyssey” Review

Penka Kouneva, is the latest in an increasing collection of game and film composers whom have branched off to create an album of their own. “A Warrior’s Odyssey” is a 16 track narrative told through music – most of it orchestral. It feels like a game or film soundtrack, yet it’s not tied down to anything except the story Penka’s woven in her mind.

The album falls into three main sections after the dramatic opener “Waiting for the Dawn to Break”, which itself is a brooding track that explodes into strings, electric guitars and tom drums. The first collection of tracks fall under “The Battle Begins”. These include some of the big orchestral moments that burst across the speakers like a rail of gunfire. “Storming the City Heights” works perfectly to provide the tension and reflexes of a soldier, as do both sections of “A Solider’s Odyssey” and “Sniper Attack”. In between these are slower tracks of mourning that give short solace.

Section two entitled “Faraway Lands, Ancient Times” places a more Middle Eastern twist to the compositions and arrangements. “Forgotten Steeples” is an excellent mood setter, much like a Western waiting on a gun draw battle. “Chase Through Crete” also makes excellent work of using a different note and chord palette to leave Penka’s roots marked on her music. “Minotaur Battle” however is absolutely stunning, a rapturous four-minute assault of the senses with the entire orchestra working with as a mean machine to get your pulse racing. I love the fact this section uses some unusual but root driven instruments such as the tamboura, saz, oud and taiko drums.

The third and final section is entitled “The Battle Must Go On”. This section feels patriotic. The themes here are rousing from the uplifting latter half of “Fading Fortitude/The Battle Must Go On” to the militant “Farewell to the Pilot”. These really sound more filmic where as the previous sections felt more game orientated. The jewel in the crown of the album is saved til last with the sublime “Airplane Bound for the Skies”. There’s an excellent used of sound effects in this track alongside the strings, percussion and brass pounding out an excellent theme.

For 16 tracks, 48 minutes is a quick run around and no track outstays its welcome. A few require repeat listens to grind in their melodies but from the first note you are spellbound by the excellent arrangements and playing skills of the orchestra. Penka Kouneva’s first solo piece is a success because whilst it does feel like a soundtrack, there’s definitely a personal stamp placed upon it. I feel like I know her a little better after each listen and more importantly – I want to listen again and again.

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Agnes Obel – “Philharmonics” Review

Sometimes an album can be sparse and delicate and yet utterly fill up a speaker with sound. This is what Agnes Obel’s album “Philharmonics” manages to do with aplomb as all the voices and instruments seem very close to the ear despite being played softly. It’s a wonderful sound and feel that carries the albums melodies perfectly.

Instrumental piano opener “Falling, Catching” is a sombre and whimsy ditty that calms you for what’s to come before the hypnotic “Riverside” showcases the hushed but full voice of Agnes. It’s so smooth and soothing which accompanied by the soft dulled piano notes, it feels so effortless. “Brother Sparrow” brings in some acoustic guitar and minimal percussion for what is a sublime chill out swim. Of course, there’s tons of depth but its all in the feel and detail hidden away.

“Just So” turns to the harp and lots of layered vocals for what is a simple tune that slowly sways and moves into something quite uplifting. “Beast” showcases Agnes’ higher vocal register over a beautiful harp melody – it’s about as close to a catchy hook track the album has had so far with its infectious harp riffs and vocal flexes. Utterly sumptuous.

“Louretta” takes the first bit of electronica to the album as it sounds like a hybrid of a guitar strum and keyboard plink reverberate around behind a piano piece. “Avenue” then moves onto electric pianos almost like a Whirlitzer as Agnes performs a haunting waltzing ballad thick with strings and chords with the last section being particularly effective with some echoing backing vocals swaying off into the distance.

Title track “Philharmonics” opens with the lyric “Guess who died last night” as it entices you in with a playful bobbing piano tune that is built upon with strings. It’s a song that, like a lot of the album is sweet on the surface but there feels like a certain disquiet behind it all with all the minor chords and interesting flourishes. “Close Watch” has a ticking piano/bass undertow over the spacey vocal production. It’s a very bass driven track and has a certain impending doom feel over it all. It could make a snarled rock track but it’s equally as a taut with how its made by Agnes here.

“Wallflower” returns to the tune clashing piano/string instrumentals of before only instead of being beautiful, this is like a kooky baroque dance. “Over The Hill” is a very soft ballad where all the vocals, pianos and strings seemingly melt into each other due to the production and its like listening to velvet. The album closes on the more punchy “On Powdered Ground” where Agnes seems to burst into a more dramatic gear pushing her vocals forward over the eerie beauty of the main melody.

Agnes Obel’s “Philharmonics” reminds me of a much darker piano led sister to Emiliana Torrini’s “Fisherman’s Woman” in terms of its sonic radar. Everything is hushed, almost all of its acoustic but this has more of a sting in the tail. Absolutely hypnotic – I have fallen under the spell of Agnes Obel and did upon the very first listen.

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Tori Amos – “Night of Hunters ~ Sin Palabras” Review

Initially I wasn’t going to review this because readers will know that I fell in love with Night of Hunters from day one but “Sin Palabras” is an interesting take because it’s essentially the karaoke version of the album itself.

All vocals are stripped away and the arrangements are pulled to the fore. Here suddenly you can hear the stunning detail of all the strings, woodwind and piano working in perfect harmony together. Standouts are the frantic “Shattering Sea” that literally sounds like an entire orchestra is going nuts, “Fearlessness” literally playing like endless waves that wash you away and the jaw dropping “Star Whisperer” which still spell binds me now. Even the slower tracks still are beautiful and the piano carries the main vocal lines so you can still feel the entire melody anyway.

It has in fact given me and utterly new appreciation for the original album – plus some excellent string arrangements to sing over the top of. What is there not to love?

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Jesper Kyd Darksiders II Music Samples Online

Jesper’s always busy – this time with the highly anticipated Darksiders II game. I loved the soundtrack to the first game and will be hotly anticipating the second – although I really must finish the actual first game first!

All the samples, of which there are four, are available from Jesper Kyd’s YouTube Channel.

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Grant Kirkhope – “Kingdoms of Amular: Reckoning OST” Review

Kingdoms of Amular: Reckoning has been a game on many people’s radar for a while and now its out, one thing many will agree on is that it has a good soundtrack – one that’s now being released! Grant Kirkhope has a long legacy of memorable soundtracks but in the world of orchestrated soundtracks is this one of them?

“Reckoning Main Theme” reminds me of the Medievil games music with its slightly quirky/creepy b-movie vibe to it. Jots of jingling, cymbal rolls and some wonderful orchestration that is fast, flowing and proud to be bursting onto your ear drums. Tim Burton take one. “The Age of Arcana” takes the main motifs from the theme and subdues them to a mood piece, one that is built upon with “Dead’s Dead”. ”Well of Souls” concludes the opening set.

“Troll” is the first big dramatic theme with thumping strings providing the tense beat as the brass bleeds across the speakers and some fantastic wind instruments flourish in some really complex melodies. “Dalentarth” is a tribute to the xylophone to woodwind for the main motif before “House of Ballads” provides a nice regal theme to the mix. “Warsworn” is a brass heavy fanfare. “Mines and Caves” is more a background  drone and ambience piece than anything else, more akin to a haunted house feel. ”Gardens of Ysa” brings its own motif and melody which steers close to the main one but has some interesting chord choices, while “Niskaru” feels like Troll evolved.

“The Plains of Erathell” uses broad string sweeps to convey its grand scale while “Titarion” is almost claustrophobic in its production. “Scholia Arcana” returns to Danny Elfman like charms to give a quirky feel to every note and scale. “Rathir” is cinematic but too short.

It’s at this half way point that you’ll wonder where things are going. Much in the way of a film soundtrack and many of the orchestral game soundtracks, it feels like a cut-scene and battles only soundtrack and with 35 tracks, all of which using a few motifs to keep a pattern and story flowing. Its going to divide people. “Fight!” continues the Elfman charms with some real 1950′s alien horror classical music. Its one of the best tracks on the soundtrack and that’s because its given time to develop and be a full track. Instead “Adessa”, which has a lovely motif to it, is over too quickly because it doesn’t linger and manifest itself long enough.

This problem plagues the soundtrack and I have always struggled with soundtrack’s that pile in the music without giving it time to develop. Its compounded here because while the music is very cinematic, it’s not immediately accessible. “The Erathi Ruins” is one that works well because it again is given room to breathe. “Conflict” shows Kirkhope’s excellent battle music nouse once again with a track both kooky and full of tension and terror. “To War” is another good short piece as is the closing track “Tirnoch” but by the time I’d hit the end I just hadn’t connected.

There is some excellent music here buried in among a lot of short cinematic pieces and they weigh down the other pieces. I personally would have preferred more of the  locale musics or even a looped version of some tracks. Here Grant Kirkhope’s music feels a little pressurised and while it does feel like a great tribute to Danny Elfman, it’s not a soundtrack I plan to return to time and time again – until I at least get to play the game and associate the music clips with something tangible. Fans only need apply.

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Amos Releases “Sin Palabras”

In a lovely twist, Tori Amos has released in digital format only an instrumental version of “Night of Hunters”. Removing all the voice, all that’s left is piano and orchestration. It was released without fanfare today in America but strangely holds an April 2012 release for us in the UK. I think that may jump forward however. Samples are available on amazon and iTunes.

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Kate Bush – “50 Words for Snow” Review

65 Minutes, 7 songs. That’s a whole lot of epic going on. “50 Words for Snow” in many ways is anything but epic because it’s such a quiet and intimate album as a whole. Effectively a winter album, the songs weave their own patterns of weather.

“Snowflakes” is equally hypnotic as it is touching with a specific piano riff and hushed, muted and warm percussion lightly fumbles around the background. Interestingly it features (and opens with) her son Bertie singing beautifully. You can hear her nuances in his vocals and it fits together beautifully as a duet. Veering off to a jazz edge is the dischordant “Lake Tohoe” which seems to thrive in the opening few minutes with off-key moments and clashing vocals over soft piano and light dustings of electronics simmering away in the background. When the string ensemble arrives is when the song really comes together for me however with a perfect blend of humming and strings.  Kate’s vocal’s have deepened and now feel quite sultry here. “Misty” completes the piano heavy jazzier trio that open the album with a simple melody, hushed vocals and as with the previous two, a lack of urgency and a take-my-hand warmth feels yours ears and heart. It’s strange how sometimes doing less makes everything feel like much more. The strings are used sparingly, as are the electronics in the background but you’re aware they’re there. Finally the track breaks into a more climactic ending with subtle guitar and Kate finally breaking out of her hushed tones to release her full voice upon us. It’s a wonderful section.

“Wild Man” is the most commercial track on the album (which is saying a lot about the rest) and in its seven minute entirety the infectious guitar riff is just as powerful and hypnotic but the single is bookended by an atmospheric opening and an additional verse at the end. “Snowed in at Wheeler Street” has a background almost tampura like chord which instantly harks me back to Aerial’s Disc 2. Add to this Elton John popping up playing the part of a lover in what is almost like a conversation in music. It’s typically unique and as anti song structure as possible – yet it makes perfect sense. This is the first track on the album that seems particularly downcast and blue.

Going into the more wilder side of Kate is the title track “50 Words for Snow”. Kate’s vocal’s count 1 through to 50 through a filter that sucks the life out it while Stephen Fry lists off the words! Think Aerial’s title track’s song structure and you’re part way there. It’s the most upbeat of the tracks and most interesting arrangement with lots of wind samples and weird warping whooping sounds. For the chorus Kate then tells us all how many words are left to be told! It’s by far my favourite track on the album. “Among Angels” closes the album in a beautiful way almost like the closing of a season with some delicate piano and vocal travels.

“50 Words For Snow” did not hit me on first listen aside from the single and the title track. Everything else is very long-winded and although it’s full of wisdom and emotion, it lacks the immediate punch to hook you. My interest was more than piqued however and I wanted to go back and rediscover the songs again that I didn’t immediately want to place on repeat. Suddenly like sections in the songs made sense, they formed songs within songs. Then it clicks. Like Aerial, its one that you need to sit through from start to finish to completely appreciate. On their own, the tracks are beautiful, together, they weave a season of winter chills, hearty spills and the warmth of music and language combined in one of the best examples I’ve heard for a winter album.

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Tori Amos – “Night of the Hunters” Review

Tori Amos never sits still. This latest album see’s her drop band instrumentation altogether and produce an absolutely sublime orchestrated album. Underpinned by the trusty piano, vocal cameo’s from family members and some lovely interpretations of classical themes, it’s a cracking album.

Opener “Shattered Sea” is growling and dark. The low rumbles of piano thunder against the crashing string and wind instruments as they build and roll like waves of power over the speakers. What’s great about this and every other track is that they are variations of classical themes of the 16th to 18th century. I’m not one to be able to pick out the themes but then going and finding the original tracks after, it’s interesting to see how they’re woven into the track. After the fierce opener “Snowblind” introduces Tori’s daughter Natashya Hawley as a vocal where the two interplay off each other. Natashya’s vocals have a real husk to them and convey a lot of soul. Should she want to, she could have an interesting musical career from the voice alone. The two voices sit very well together as the bluesy and sprawling piano floats in and out.

“Battle of Trees” in a near nine minute epic. The strings in this song are beautifully arranged are they pluck the main melody. Tori’s vocal’s also shine here too with a lot of different ranges hit. It’s not the catchiest song on the album at all but it still has a knack of standing out and staying with you longer afterwards as a general feeling. “Fearlessness” is another track that emotes a feeling as they piano and oboes flow effortlessly. What I will say about both tracks is that upon each listen I find new instrument flourishes and appreciate them ten times more each play through.

“Cactus Practice” is a song that reminds me of Fantasia for some reason. It’s heavily wind instrument based and of all the songs, this is the one that sounds like it still is in the 1800′s. Natashya’s vocals really suit the oboes and bassoons. “Star Whisperer” is the longest track at just under ten minutes. Slow and deliberate, the track slowly evolves and has some beautiful transitions, particularly the “I heard you scream from the other side of the mountain” where Tori is able to flex her piano chops and sound utterly adorable. Tori’s vocals are on top form throughout but the instrumentation often takes the limelight. Here in this track there’s a lovely instrumental section where the track creates a frenzy before it moves into its final few minutes and it’s some of the best music I’ve heard all year.

“Job’s Coffin” is an excellent track. A simple piano riff embellished with horns and clarinets. Natashya takes the lead vocals here with Tori playing backup. It’s just a simple song that sticks in your head for a long time after and it was after Shattered Sea, the next track I stuck straight on repeat. “Nautical Twilight” is very classical with thick arpeggios and a theatrical turn of vocal display. I love how the verses build up to a specific climax which she fades away to reflection straight after. “Your Ghost” is another track that’s got a strong melody and it actually feels very Christmas orientated for some reason and sounds like it sound be on Midwinter Graces! Beautiful and quaint.

“Edge of the Moon” is a song of two halves. The first half is a downbeat and careful and the second half is a full free-flowing burst of energy. I actually thought it was two separate tracks at first but they go so well together with some great dueling vocals. “The Chase” is fantastic track that has an underlying tension throughout as Tori and Natashya dual each other with some fantastic lyrical parries. It’s just something completely different to anything Amos  has done before and so refreshing. “Night of the Hunters” introduces for just one track Kelsey Dobyns as a third voice and her vocals are sublime and angelic. A song of many faces and moods, it shapeshifts around between nostalgia, freeform and some beautiful interplaying and overlaying vocals.

“Seven Sisters” is a gorgeous instrumental between the piano and the clarinet. It really showcases Amos’ power as a composer, a performer and an emotive musician. This is also captured in the album closer “Carry” which is about as close to a single as you could get on this album. A ballad of sorts, it’s the most conventional song alongside Nautical Twilight and Jobs Coffin but holds a completely different emotion. By the time you’ve finished you feel almost like you’ve been reborn by how the previous track feels light an enlightening and Carry feels like a walking away from the wreckage piece.

I’ll make no bones about it, Tori Amos is one of, if not the favourite artist of mine musically but I can absolutely see why others wouldn’t appreciate or like her music. Night of the Hunters will not bring back old fans who want Little Earthquakes part 1,000,000 but this is generally like nothing she’s done before and deserves to be listened with fresh ears and classical lovers will find a new album that they can enthuse over. I for one am bowled over yet again.

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Hideki Sakamoto – Echochrome Concert Review

Hideki Sakamoto put on a fantastic concert on Sunday that was broadcast live on uStream. The concert, which contained a full orchestra, performed arranged renditions from the Echochrome series. Possibly the best music with the most generic names, so much so that I can’t actually remember which tune is which, the concert was absolutely perfect. Having the string quartet expanded into a full orchestra gave all the tracks extra depth and emotion while Sakamoto’s conducting gave us a character to relate to. I hope there’s plans for a release as the camera work and sound was perfect during the webcast. Here’s to hoping!

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Inon Zur Composes for LOTR: War of the North Game

Inon Zur continues to score the epic RPGs this year. Hot off the heels of a episodic release of the Dragon Age II soundtrack, Zur has been confirmed to score the new Lord of the Rings: War of the North game which will explore the North region of the world Tolkien painted. Zur’s score will be performed by the Pinewood singers and a full 70 piece orchestra at Abbey Studios. Release date TBA.

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Garry Schyman Live Concert Announced!

Garry Schyman, composer for Bioshock and Dante’s Inferno, will be having his music played live by the California State University Northbridge Media and Studio Ensemble. The concert will be on 9th May and Garry will be attending. A complete one off, if you’re about in the area – it’ll be a classical event to not be missed!

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Nobuo Uematseu – “Final Fantasy VI Grand Finale” Review

Final Fantasy VI had some stunning pieces of music in them and the soundtrack recieved a fully orchestrated arrangment album with “Final Fantasy VI Grand Finale” where it seemed no expense was spared to make things as dramatic and bold as possible. This was the first fully orchestrated arrangement album for the Final Fantasy series and.

“Opening Theme ~ Terra” sets the scene with a beautiful arrangement of the piece. The strings and brass soar and fade with gusto and beauty while the wind instruments delicately dish us the main tune of Terra with panache. There’s additional phases to the track which all slide effortlessly into the original tune as if they’ve always belonged and the track is superb.

“Cefka” is a magical arrangement and is possibly my favouite on the album. It gives the tune an evil circus feel. Its sinister but delicious and cleverly funny with it too. It reminds me of old black and white comedy music scores. “The Mystic Forest” takes the sinister part of the previous track and works it overtime in this slightly abstract arrangement of the song that doesnt get going till 1/3rd of the way through. The use of an operatic singer echoing in the distance is genius.

“Gau” uses the harpsichord with the strings to create a very regal, delicate and whimsical arrangement thats very enjoyable to listen to and remains very faithful to the original melody until the middle section gives us an almost Celtic Moon esque middle improvisational section before returning to the song one more time.

Sadly “Milan De Chocobo” really struggles for me. In essence the 5 minute song could have ten times more effective as a 2 and a half minute piece. Stretching the chocobo song into something slow and almost scary is an original take on the theme granted, but during the middle of the song it all falls apart because the track just doesn’t seem to go anywhere and loses its way. The beginning and end sections are great, but the middle loses it for me.

“Troops On The March” is a large scale orchestration that gives off all the grandure you can possibly manage with militant drums and harsh to the ears brass instruments. “Kids Run Through The City Corner” is much like Gau earlier with strings and harpsichord giving everything they’ve got. Very chamber classical and one of those songs you’ll either love or hate.

“Blackjack” is a track that has taken literally years to grow on me. Upon first listen I thought it was messy and uncohesive. However now I actually really enjoy it as its a breath of fresh air for being relatively simple in its delivery and quite chirpy. “Relm” takes the plesentness further with a surprise inclusion of bag pipes to an orchestrated piece! It’s different and after many listens I’m still not sure if it works better than say a flute, but the rest of the song is absolutely stunning. “Mystery Train” is a daring and delightful madhouse piano and viole solo that isnt afriad to let it all go and throw it about. It pays off too with some ragged, angry white knuckle playing. This is the one track where going absolutely nuts and stucking to it actually works perfectly and it creates its own mini atmosphere to the album.

The closing track is “Aria Di Mezzo Caratterre” which is the famous opera song that rounds off the album with style, class, elegance and power all in one swoop. Svetla Krasteva’s singing is emotive and well rounded and the song gains stature as more instruments join her for a sweeping finale.

Final Fantasy VI Grand Finale has to be admired for its grand scale of its music. Some songs on here are classic adaptations and deserve bags of praise. The flip side is that a couple of the arrangements for trying to be different actually fall short by being overly different (scary chocobo?) but overall and after many years of coming back to album, I’ve grown to enjoy it more and more upno each listen. The perfect companion for any orchestra lovers or for anyone who enjoyed Final Fantasy Symphonic Suite – for everyone else it may be better to find some sample clips first before you make your choice.

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Symphonic Fantasies CD/MP3 Album Released

The talented Benyamin Nuss and Arne Roth spearhead the fantastic Symphonic Fantasies concert which is now released on CD and MP3 download, strangely only on Amazon and iTunes in Germany! I will be grabbing the mp3 album probably next week but I was surprised to see a DVD quality video on Amazon page. Do we think a DVD release is on the cards ala Voices? Take a peak yourself – I’m loving the Chrono Cross arrangement!

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Anonymous 4 New Album!

Vocal angels Anonymous 4 have their 18th album on the way. Entitled “The Cherry Tree”, it contains a collection of medieval English carols and Anglo-American songs that are inspired by the Cherry Tree Carol. The album is the first in four years to contain all new material and so its a must have for all vocal ensemble enthusiasts. Also as a side note, on the notes I was given regarding the release, there appears to be another release entitled “Secret Voices” already in the pipleline for 2011! Watch this space!

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Petri Alanko – “Alan Wake” OST

Alan Wake has been a game so long in production, it could have been called Alan Will Be Awake Shortly and no one would have batted an eyelid. The score however is something a lot of people have been anticipating for a while and with Petri Alanko it looked set to be a stonker.

Opening with the title track, mysterious keyboard synths and lonely piano plinks introduce you to the isolated side of the cd. A lone string filters through the haze before the piano’s main melody picks up and leads you through the track which is particularly dark.

“A Writer’s Dream” has a falling grace quality to it. It’s very orchestral and grande with its sweeping cymbals and strings with light piano scatterings. It leds perfectly into “Welcome to Bright Falls” which follows a similar pattern. The orchestra is very sincere in its tone, and the music reminds me very much of Heavy Rain’s score, if not a bit more thriller filmic. You can almost see a candlelight voyage through an empty house, or someone rummaging through old antique chests or something. “Vacation” follows the same premise with echoing high register piano however here you can hear various layers of dulled out piano underneath it. It makes for very solomn track especially coupled with the understated string section.

“Cross That River” is more dramatic and fast paced than the previous tracks. Low brooding strings and lots of tom drum slapping and cymbal smashing as the tension is cranked up. It soon dissipates into an ambient brood before returning at full pelt for its finale. “Waking Up to a Nightmare” sounds a bit like how I’d imagine a stringed Silent Hill track to sound like, it has a certain haunted Victorian feel to it without being cheesy. “The Clicker” is haunting but because it sounds so beautiful with such  delicate playing and when its playing downcast chords and is surrounded by all the other music on the soundtrack you get suspicious of its sweetness. “Deerfest” which deserves a track name award is actually a delicate aural piece of shimmering underplayed strings and minimal harp plucks. Very ambient but quite invitingly cold at the same time. It sounds almost Enya or Elvish like!

Sitting in the middle of the soundtrack is the almost 11 minute epic “Taken by the Night”. The track itself goes through several movements. One is a quiet piano/string section which quickly descends into a distorted twisted tone with lots of pulsing ambient percussive beats and swishing metalic noises. What does strike me here, as with most of the soundtrack, is that its a very quiet soundtrack. It’s quite introspective. Even the more dramatic tense moments are still not rip roaringly nutty. This is all about mood setting and lulling you into exactly where Petri Alanko wants to take you.
“On the Run” is a six minute track that is more rousing than the previous epic as its more orchestral and intricate. It follows a pattern of building up lots of stabbing and chord raising only to lead to empty swishes. Towards the end things get a bit more frought and tense and Petri does well to keep the tension rising step by step for six minutes! “Mirror Peak” is another track with different movements in it too – switching without warning between murmuring ambience to full on drama which works well but as with some of the these tracks, sometimes it works better having played the game to associate the changes with something.

“Tom the Diver” is a lovely track returning to the piano/string ensemble that is the core heart of the soundtrack and its where the strengths lie. Ever changing and evolving, its a joy to listen to. “The Night it All Began” starts off with dragged strings being pulled up and up to tense vibrato strings and eerie piano as each time the track goes round a new layer is added. “Bright Falls Light & Power” is another beautiful track that holds a certain tragic beauty that the vast majority of the CD possesses.

“Hunters” is the first track that enters in with a real bang with all kinds of percussion and bent string sections kicking off. Even in the bits when the percussion isn’t going hell for leather it still holds a menacing tone and underlaying evil and discomfort. “The Well-Lit Room” is adorable. There’s a warm to the piece that’s not shown in a lot of the soundtrack before this number and although it’s hardly a joyous track at all, to me this piece has more hope and potential for happiness in it than the rest put together.

The final two tracks are the dramatic “Water Pressure” which again shows of Alanko’s ability to write some really tense and dramatic scores to great effect, and “Departure” which is a slow and deliberate piano/ensemble piece.

“Alan Wake” is a soundtrack that is well constructed, underplayed and finds its beauty hidden in the quieter parts of its music. Petri Alanko has made a score that manages to keep a part of it hidden and that’s why on first play you might not really appreciate all it has to offer. This soundtrack is one that improves per listen and over time. You get used to feeling the depths and trodden paths its taken. Give it time and it will certainly reward you with some intimate music for you to feast on.

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John Williams : Making of Memoirs of a Geisha Soundtrack

I absolutely adore the soundtrack (and film) to Memoirs of a Geisha. This video I found on old faithful tube, is taken from the DVD extras. I have the soundtrack and it’s beautiful and you’ll hear the main theme several times here, as well as the making of the soundtrack and interviews with John.

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Michael Giacchino To Perform Lost Finale Concert

We all know him somehow, but Michael Giacchino is busy preparing for a one off concert of Lost music ahead of the final ever episode of the show. Entitled “Lost Live: The Final Celebration” they’ll apparently be a preview screening of the second last episode straight after the concert. The concert itself will be on 13th May at the Royce Hall, LA and will also have some of the series stars there too. There’s a great behind the scenes piece of the first Lost concert Michael did on the season 4 boxset of Lost.