Review by CDC
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Sennen Joyu (Millennium Actress) Original SoundtrackSusumu HirasawaOne of my favorite Hirasawa soundtracks
In a strange way, this soundtrack score is like a 'remix' album, as it contains a number of pieces taken from the album Philosopher's Propellor, remixed into instrumentals for the album, other also it contains also music from two other Hirasawa releases: Kun Mae and Landscapes, both of which were released under Hirasawa's Shun side project and are hard to find these days (I have Landscapes but haven't even seen Kun Mae for sale), so it's great to be able to hear something from those rare releases. Aside from the reworked pieces of music, the original compositions are really great too, mostly nice ambient pieces, some using piano heavily, which is nice. My favorites are Gate Of Wish, Winds In Tandem, and Run, though I can't say there are any weak tracks. The soundtrack also is fun to listen to outside of the context of the film, which is very important I think for a soundtrack (thought that might be mostly because a lot of the music reminds me of other releases other than the film itself). My only complaint is, with so much material and melodies being available elsewhere, the album loses some of its value in my ears. I still prefer to listen to the original tracks from Philosopher's Propellor, but don't let that deter anyone from not picking this up. Hirasawa's soundtracks are very interesting, and while he does recycle a lot of material into other commissioned projects, that doesn't mean they are any less essential than his original albums (or ANY of his releases for that matter). Hirasawa is a wonderful storyteller through his music, and while the soundtracks he does may not be his story being told, he still does so with all possible effort and fortitude.
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Vartual Live-1P-MODEL Live at Roppongi S-KEN Stadio 1979
P-MODELVartual Live-1P-MODEL Live at Roppongi S-KEN Stadio 1979P-MODELA good live performance of a great albumMy favorite of the Virtual Live P-Model series, it's exciting to hear the songs from 'People In A Model Room' being performed in a slightly more 'raw' fashion. Some songs are very similar to the studio mixes, while others tend to stray toward a different sound specific to the occasion of the performance. The energy is a bit higher live than as on the original album as well, and overall a very well-executed concert. The sound quality is actually very good considering the age and is a great addition to any P-Model/Hirasawa fan. I don't actually own this particular item, but rather I have it included along with Virtual Live 2 and 3 in the Ashu-On Box Set. If you can't find a copy of the box set, I would still recommend that you buy this along with the stand-alone album releases, it really is worth it. My one complaint, however, is that it is rather short; I think Virtual Live 1 and 2 could easily fit on a single disc, which would be nice with Virtual Live 3 and a potential 4th in the series on another, that would be great, but oh well.
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BLUE LIMBOSusumu HirasawaAmazing story of symphonic electronica
This is without a doubt my very favorite Hirasawa album. It is the perfect culmination of Hirasawa's signature style of symphonic/orchestral electronica; the best known track Ride The Blue Limbo is a perfect anatomical example of the album's feel and instrumentation. What puts Hirasawa's work that combines ethnic and physical instruments with electronic programming so far ahead of others in the same field of experimentation is that he can flawlessly incorporate them together, not simply overlay styles and instruments on top of one another, seemingly organic in composition. This prospect shows remarkable results in Blue Limbo, such as Grandfatherly Wind, which makes great use of a choir as yet another instrument. Other tracks take on a more 'earthly' tone, such as The Silent Gate Of TsiolkovskyI Crater where he sings with a heavy breath over various string instruments and programming, or Limbo-54, one of his few instrumentals, which just captures your attention within seconds and takes you to some new atmosphere that only he can take you. There are also other higher tempo tracks such as The Sniper which uses similar guitar mixing techniques as the title track, and Sailing Ship 108, a song that is highlighted by Hirasawa's wonderful operatic voice. My favorite pieces from the album would have to be the title track, Cambodian Limbo, and Halo, though I can't say there is one weak track amongst them. I listen to a lot of experimental music such as Andrew Liles, Aube, and others, but I have to say that Hirasawa is FAR more progressive in his musical efforts, and doesn't get near enough credit for his work, it's a downright shame. Also, if you do find you enjoy this album, be sure to buy from susumuhirasawa dot com 'Nano-Duplication Memorials' mp3 album, which consists of various re-workings of this album's songs (plus some more surprises, very worth hearing, almost as good as the original album as in it he continues to push the limits of his amazing creativity).
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Paranoia Agent (Mousou Dairinin) - Original SoundtrackAnimation Soundtrack (Susumu Hirasawa)My favorite soundtrack score by Hirasawa
I say that for a good number of reasons. While I do love all of his other commissioned works, this one reigns over them in my ears. First of all, it's very long compared to his others, which maybe have 9-12 songs (say, for a feature length film score) but with this anime series Hirasawa created 19 separate songs including the energetic and strange theme song. Another thing is that the music is extremely varied, from high-energy electronic tracks (Escape; Sub-Usual) to light ambient music (Happiness; Reverie Hill), dark ambient music (Focus; Object Definition) or theatrical/thematic scores (White Hill; Hero) to simply strange and undefinable instrumentals (Condition Boy; Tension), the scope of the music is just amazing! The biggest reason however for why I like this soundtrack best is because you can enjoy the music thoroughly outside of the context of the show. As with, say, the Paprika soundtrack, a lot of the music centers very heavily around specific scenes to give the appropriate atmosphere, but most of the music in PA is significantly more stand-alone, and gives it a better 'timelessness'. Also, the CD comes with a bonus track of Granfatherly Wind, taken original from Blue Limbo; long-time fans already have this song, but new fans could take the song as a good opportunity to hear Hirasawa's non-commissioned style.
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SOLAR RAYSusumu HirasawaA highly polished remixing retrospective
Of all of the 'remix' albums Hirasawa has released either in his solo years or as P-Model this one may be my least favorite, but with that said still an amazing piece of work. It is essentially a reworking of solo-career songs into a more hyper electronic P-model-esque style; in some songs I can clearly hear the success of the project while others I feel fall a little short. My overall personal opinion of it reflects more on the individual tracks rather than as a whole concept. The first track, Solar Ray 2, is a fine reworking of the original but I think the new instrumentation is a bit lackluster. Aurora 2 takes music from the song Heaven, which is an interesting idea but I don't think it holds up very well compared to either original tracks. Philosopher's Propeller 3 is amazing! He uses pretty much the same instrumentation as the first but adds hyperactive electronics to it, unforgettable. I like the remix of Gemini much more than the original from Siren, this time around a get a far better feeling for the emotion behind it. As well as Gemini I like Sim City 2 over the original, for similar reasons. Another earlier solo track re-recorded in a more electronic presence; again, however, I think some of the initial energy in the composition is lost in the remix, still one of my favorite tracks on the CD. I can't say I like Gardener King 2 very much, the music is kind of dull, intentionally quieter, but I feel like it just sounds unfinished somehow. Forces 1.5 is a great companion to the original, as well as 'God Hand' version, very exciting and 'epic' in style, I personally prefer Take The Wheel, the original melody behind Forces, but this is still an amazing and very popular song redone for even more energy. From the last of Hirasawa's first trio of solo works comes Virtual Rabbit 2, a hyper 'electrofied' version that doesn't compromise the original at all, one of my very favorites. And finally, In the Square 2 is very similar I think to Vistoron's Antimonesia, very eclectic but pleasant and calm, ending the CD in a very favorable note. Overall, I like the album, I think it has some weaker spots, but it is after all a remix album, and has some of the best remixes I've heard. A necessary piece to any fan's collection.
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Grrrl, Summer Cape Kid, etc.YUKARI Fresh14 minutes you can't remember
I was really excited about this release; I love Yukari Fresh, one of my favorite artists under the category of Shibuya Kei, but I have to say that I wasn't very impressed at all. The album which is actually under the time requirements of an album (so really it's an EP) and is 14 minutes long, only three tracks break 2 minutes, but technically only 2, because the last track is more or less an instrumental of Grrrl. I could say that I feel the price of the 'album' isn't worth it for the amount of music you get, but that's not all: the music is, although pretty good, bad on the scale of Yukari Fresh's catalogue. Most tracks try to attempt some sort of Indie rock sound complete with drums, guitars and various sampling, much below the wit that Yukari Fresh usually displays in her music. And what's worse is most tracks are so bland and repetitive that if they actually were longer they'd been even weaker. I'd have to say the only tracks I do really like are the first 2 and Interstellar Kiss And Ride. There are, however, two tracks that I absolutely can't stand: The World Of Beez which is a noisy punk-esque forray that plagues contemporary rock music, and 'Edwin Blaze' which tries to sound like some vintage commercial for soda pop (Yukari Fresh usually does great work incorporating vintage aesthetics, but not here). Overall though, this release apparently wasn't meant to be much more than what it is, but even still it pales in comparison to, say, Trefoils Hat or Cityrama, or rather anything from her early catalogue. To sum it up in words, it's a pretty forgettable release, but she has enough other music for that to be okay.
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Hengen JizaiSusumu HirasawaNot as good as the P-Model remake album
Hate to give this only 3 stars, but I just can't help my disappointment. First of all, having only 7 tracks shouldn't merit having the same price as the first album. Going further with that point for me is, even though the P-Model remake album for some reason misses a few albums, this one misses 4, going up only to Technique Of Relief for some reason (I can understand why he may not want to re-record music he just released last year, but still...). Another big problem I have is that the arrangements themselves are a little less exciting than in Totsu Gen Hen I, where he cleverly fuses electronics with symphony, keeping the P-Model feel for experimentation through technology, but here is more or less similar between each tracks. Hirasawa does however do some great arrangements despite my complaint, my favorites being Island Door, The Dreaming Machine, and Venus. The rest I still enjoy, but need more time to grow on me; afterall, I haven't had this CD for long, so surely I will accept it with more listens. Either way, I am grateful for this and Totsu Gen Hen I, and that Hirasawa left the tracklisting up to the fans. I actually made a mix combining these two albums together in chronological order, which I think is even better, so try it out sometime if you're curious.
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SIRENSusumu HirasawaA very under-appreciated album
When I first heard this album I felt it was very 'soft', and I tended to stick to a few more upbeats tracks like Nurse Cafe and On-Line Malaysia, but a few more listens changed my opinion completely; now, this album is one of my very favorites. Just like all of his work, it sounds far ahead in terms of what the rest of the world is attempting (at least in North America, which has yet to truly appreciate and learn from the beautiful subtleties that Hirasawa employs along with the epic values his works embody). I feel almost foolish for not having at once begun to appreciate his symphonic style in this album, but being first a P-Model fan I had yet to accustom myself to the less energetic tendencies to his solo career, but now that I can fully embrace and appreciate all of his music for what it is, I can safely say this is among this finest achievements, as far as visionary and musically. In addition to this CD I highly recommend the Siren Interactive concert DVD. I know that the prices for nearly all Japan's imports seem pretty ridiculous for international buyers, but you're purchasing quality material from a truest form of musician. His work is timeless, and although this album is now 14 years old, it sounds fresh and exciting, never tires; my copy of the CD will likely wear out before I get bored of it, and that is money well spent.
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Eizo no Tame no Ongaku - Susumu Hirasawa Soundtrack no SekaiSusumu HirasawaNot really worth it to me
This is a fine compilation with plenty of excellent selections, not to mention a good price for an import, but the problem is simply that there isn't enough unreleased material (for me anyway), to merit a purchase; yes, I do not own this item, but I own enough of the compiled material I think to give value to my opinion of this item. Basically, 6 of the 8 tracks are relatively easy to get a physical copy of on various soundtracks and other items if you know what you're seeking, most not being out of print, while one track (Detonator Orgun theme) is very hard to find, making the purchase worth that track, along with Nation-F, which was never released before. But buying the whole price for only 1/4 of the item? Altogether Hirasawa has done work for 13 different soundtrack scores, and only 6(!) are represented here, seems pretty unfair to me. Unless if you're a major collector, this item is, naturally, indispensable, but not for me. But other than that, the material that is here is still good, not his best, but worth hearing. Still, the original and full soundtracks are a much better buy.
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TetragrammatonSusumu Hirasawa+InhVmaNIt's a good EP, but not his best
I really can't recommend this short mini-album/EP for casual fans; only really dedicated Hirasawa fans will likely find it worth repeated listens. First of all, the music is great, perhaps not his most inspired work, but his vision of dark symphony and electronic ambience measures well in the ears. For the music I would give it a four, especially for the first two tracks which are really enjoyable (the last track, No Mourn..., is nice, but rather noisy and less structured, and because of which gets a little old). My main upset are the awful vocals and lyrics, provided by InhVmaN, whose screaming about sins and darkness I just can't take seriously! Perhaps Hirasawa thought good of the vocals and lyrics because in Japan this sort of work would be considered foreign and taken more impressively, but as a US citizen, I can safely say I've had my share of this brand of caterwauling. The lyrics, too, are not actually as bad as I thought, some neat ideals hidden away amidst talk of restless spirits and dragons. For the vocals/lyrics, I give the whole thing a 3. If, however, this could've been an instrumental EP, which it easily could have become, I'd probably give it a full 5 stars, because then I'd be able to enjoy the music so much more. But at the very least, it's still a nice item to add to your collection if you have all other Hirasawa projects. I know Hirasawa takes all of his work seriously, and for that I deeply respect him; I know he doesn't do anything merely for money from fans, as many artists clearly do.
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Totsugen HeniSusumu HirasawaBest 'Remake' album yet!
Of all of Hirasawa's 'remake/remix' albums (How To Live; Solar Ray; Switched-On Lotus) this is not my favorite, but still a very strong album in its own right. Most of the chosen songs are very high-energy, like Missile, Solid Air, and others, but contain such a distinct style and high production value that they seemed to have matured greatly since their incarnations years ago. My favorite piece has got to be Goes On Ghost, and amazing version that accomplishes so much emotion and style, you really feel Hirasawa's intention. Two tracks I don't care for so much however are Another Day and Leak; the arrangement of Leak seems somewhat weak and disoriented, as though it lacks something I can't point out, while Another Day is very good, but the original did contain string arrangements, so I think its re-recording kind of defeats the purpose of the album (personally I think any other song from that album would've made a much more interesting choice). Also, as much as I like Art Blind, the new version is a little too dramatic to compete with the minimal beauty of the original, but still a great opening to the album. The one big complaint I have though is the fact that only 10 albums are represented, missing a total of 3 P-Model albums (Potpourri, Scuba, and Fune); I'd have given this release a full 5 if it could've been fuller, but I'm still glad that this album came to be, and I can't wait to receive the sequel! Another thing for which I'm thankful is that Hirasawa left the choices in the hands of his fans, showing he really is appreciative to those who cherish his art.
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Karate House [Regular Edition]POLYSICSToo obvious...
The reason I say that is because I feel Polysics simply try too hard; I have a number of their albums, and for a while I really loved them, until I got this album that I began to have doubts about them. I am a big DEVO fan, and that is how I came to know of them; I respected them for being so dedicated to DEVO's vision, but after so many years it's just a tired promotional device (a tribute is nice, but essentially basing your very career and sound on one thing is tacky and egotistical). And this album especially I find musically very diluted; virtually none of the tracks I find very memorable or exactly entertaining; the production is flat and noisy, and poses more 'shock' value than true musicianship. Of course, there are many people who'll disagree with me, and I don't blame them, but for the sake of Polysics, I hope they either seek out a more genuine sound or find another gimmick, because this one may be drying out sooner than they expect.
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Science no Yurei (The Ghost in Science)Susumu HirasawaStrangest album ever!
I was first so astonished when I listened to this whole album, it's overwhelmingly odd and eclectic but so melodic that the whole 9 tracks flow peacefully among their own chaos. Starting off strong is the incredible Sekai Turbine, which, like much of the rest of the album, takes unique percussion, samples, and synthesizers to create such a fun and questionable vision. Songs Rocket, Armor Buffer, and Dreaming Machine are much similar in that sense, but all very different. The other tracks are a bit more traditional in sound, but very unique and cohesive to the story he weaves. One song that stands out most of all is Cowboy & Indian, a weird tribute to country/western music of the US; since the CD has no english lyrics, I can only guess as to the purpose of this masterpiece (perhaps I don't want to know); and then is a new version of Fish Song, which in my opinion is one of his very best compositions, strange to say, probably the most 'ordinary' tracks in the whole set. The song FGG is a slow-paced piece with ethnic sounds and memorable melody, a great end to 8 fanatic tracks. Not to be missed by any fans!
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OroraSusumu HirasawaA very eclectic album
In speaking of chronology, this album is very important, marking his first solo album after the unfreezing of P-Model as well as first solo album since '91. While his first three solo works were very eclectic in sound and relied more heavily on 'physical' instruments than electronic ones, this album brings in some P-Model-esque electronic sound with musical ideas reminiscent of his earlier solo period. With that said, it has a sound very unlike any other Hirasawa/P-Model album. He also risks a lot in this album where most songs are very slow tempo (Stone Garden, Love Song, Ringing Bell, etc); I think some P-Model fans would be turned off by the change of pace, but there are some other more 'hyper' tracks, like Aurora and Take The Wheel, with some very strange, more experimental tracks like Snow Blind, Island Door, and The Double Of Wind, but all in all, this album has incredible melodies, memorable songs, and a vision that only Hirasawa could perfect; I think it's a shame that this album seems to be so under-rated by many of his fans, but I truly believe that this album is a strong highlight of his career, and doesn't fade with age.
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Kenja no PropellerSusumu HirasawaAn album that grows on you very strongly
This was the first Hirasawa solo album I've owned, decided to get after getting the P-Model Ashu-on box set, which I love and listen to almost daily. At first I could not enjoy this album very much. I didn't know much of what to expect from a solo album of his, and when I found the listen to be more ethnic and ambient, I was turned off; however, over the course of less than a year I would occasionally listen to the album and have now grown to love and cherish it! It really is an amazing piece of work, with a very cohesive atmosphere that doesn't tire or strain your attention during the length of the album. His songwriting is very powerful, and catchy but timeless melodies that invoke strong emotions. I have come to own many of his solo works, and I love them all, but I must say this album is now one of my favorites.