Sword Art Online (SAO: P)

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together we are awesome - great strings, pipes, melody. tick.
we meet, we part - repetitive but soothing.
mind and will - repetitive and a meh use of Bercouli :(
your soul is bitter and sweet - nothing special but ok i guess.
death angel - like the beats and chorus.
time limit - it's a silly track but so catchy xD
now the time has come - now this is an ok use Bercouli , nice.
Vassago - it's a delight to see tracks like this, so refreshing. i especially like the beginning when the beats kick in after the sax.
our war of misery - nothing special strings.
luminous sword in the sky - it's Remi version of Song of Nephilim :p not sure if I like this one. could have been better if the synth was simpler and chorus was more like a church hymn.
the final war - i especially like the middle strings section.
Shasta night ver - wow super cool. love it.
for the person you love - i know super familiar but I really like the melody so this kinda worked for me.
once there was a land of sword - wow this is quite a treat. would have been an awesome ending track for Kajiura to end her work on SAO. but haha. absolutely lovely vocal track, i love the way vocals blend toward the end and it makes me appreciate the main theme more. would love to see an FJ version of this.

I don't know if this was better than the other osts to be honest. too lazy to check but I'd say I like 50% of what's on the cd almost all the time but definitely so far SAO osts offered awesome, great and good songs. So much material for an orchestral arrangement so make it happen plz.
 
LOL maybe i had seen it "2 years ago" but forgot it since then and now that i saw it again i thought maybe i should point it out.
 
So anyways, muh thoughts n shiet.

-Together we are awesome: finally more uilleann pipes! Love the adventurous and camaraderie sound it has. I can really imagine the beginning of an adventure with it. Just wish it was longer, and maybe a bit more emphasis on the pipes while it's still upbeat. But still, delicious way to start.
-We meet, we part: sorrowful without feeling melodramatic imo. Extra points for not being super repetitive. The end the main melody sounds like Will/turn from Pandora Hearts
-Dee eye ell: love the kinda improv clarinet. Sad that it's sampled... right? The background sfx reminds me of an old SAO sfx ambiance track, but I'm too lazy to check.
-Mind and will: I always felt the intro part from Bercouli could be its own track, and now it is! I do wish it was a bit more developed into a full-fledged track, but I guess it was just for a short scene. Do like the end after the incredibly dramatic strings.
-Your soul is bitter and sweet: I really liked this motif in the previous soundtrack. Really glad that it's now been made into a delightfully evil battle theme. Was really not expecting the choir, and that guitar solo is delicious. Especially like the part when the strings come back during the guitar solo. All FBM battle themes should be like this: with a good, catchy, memorable motif.
-Death Angel: One of the standouts during the series run. Remi sounds delightfully evil here. Very chanty but still progresses and evolves. Dat high-pitched wailing just gets me. She lit sounds like a ghost.
-Time limit: I can definitely hear why it was not used in the anime. I love it. Sounds like it could be the main battle theme for an rpg. It's actually quite well developed for such a whimsical track.
-Another world, another danger: standard ambiance, but I do like it when the percussion becomes more upbeat.
-Now the time has come: Sad Bercouli theme. Pretty short, but at least it's not repetitive. Could use some brass, imo.
-Vassago - his revenge: OOF SAX! Feels like it's been so long, even though she used it in 2018 hue. Gives off an eerie, mysterious vibe without the need to be sfx. THIS IS HOW YOU DO IT KAJIURA! This is what I was expecting in PriPri.
-Vassago: The motif is just so cool but mysterious. This track is just too delicious. Sax solo, guitar solo, moar sax solo aaah.
-Bloodshed: Not much to say other than the wiiish sound was also used in I was waiting for this moment from Rebellion.
-Our war of misery: Very FBM battle theme but I quite liked the melody, and the calm middle sounds nice. It reminded me of Kantankatan.
-Vassago, his past: melodic ambiance is best ambiance. It's nice and not repetitive, so while it's not a standout, I'm oka with it~
-Luminous sword in the sky: Such a heavenly and ethereal arrangement. Remi sounds gorgeous. Why in the world wasn't this used? It was lit perfect for the scene it was supposed to be used in.
-Alice, her anxiety: I love me some Alice motif, but this one didn't really add anything interesting. Guess it's more like ambiance with bits of Alice's motif.
-The final war: The intro makes it sound like it's going to be ambiance hue. I really like that the choir and strings are each doing its own thing instead of both sing/playing the same thing. The strings are particularly evil sounding while the choir is all dramatic and epic.
-They come attacking us: rather than attacking, sounds more like an infiltration theme. The flute and bass are very spy sounding, so I'd say it would be better in Pripri hue. At least they would've actually used it in the series.
-They're coming!: Same delicious flute motif, but the e.guitar is more laid back and kewl.
-Shasta night ver: Oh god, the best part of Shasta is not it's own track hue. It's slower than the original but still maintains its exotic deliciousness. I bet George is very happy with another violin solo :ohoho:
-Good old friends: Noice, yet another really good Swordland arrangement. And it has more delicious uilleann pipes! Even though it has the swordland motif, it kinda reminds me of Kill Bill hue. Guess it's the guitar.
-Sheyta Synthesis Twelve: it starts so pretty and whimsical, but then it turns so serious. It kinda seems like it evolves into different feels throughout the whole track.
-Called to arms: Another kewl videogamey track. Love the ascending motif and the kewl guitar. Feels like Kajiura just did what she felt like here, and it works great. Maybe no for the anime, but it;s a good track hue.
-Iskahn: I think I just noticed something. The Arabian sounding FBM tracks tend to be the ones I don't care much about hue.
-You too are human: lovely fulte melody. I'm going to be honest, it sounds like it could've been a Kalafina song hue.
-For the person you love: More lovely flute. I'd say this is my favorite arrangement of this motif.
-Once there was a land of sword: Remi sounds very popera here hue, but still lovely, and it's yet another good Swordland arrangement in Alicization! I was kinda excited before listening to this track cuz someone asked if it was Shaylee. She would also sound bretty good singing this.
Final toughts.
-I get the feeling Kajiura was given a lot more freedom for both Alicization and WoU. The unused tracks in both parts just scream Kajiura doing whatever she wants. I hope it's the same in Progressive.
-Soundtracks really are more enjoyable when there are multiple tracks that don't involve the usual instruments and ambiance.
-Remi sounds delicious.
 

Lorde-Kowz said:
Vassago - his revenge: OOF SAX! Feels like it's been so long, even though she used it in 2018 hue. Gives off an eerie, mysterious vibe without the need to be sfx. THIS IS HOW YOU DO IT KAJIURA! This is what I was expecting in PriPri.
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I agree!

There are so many ways to create ambience with real instruments, and sfx are just the lazy way to do it.

Lorde-Kowz said:
-Shasta night ver: Oh god, the best part of Shasta is not it's own track hue. It's slower than the original but still maintains its exotic deliciousness. I bet George is very happy with another violin solo :ohoho:
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Sure i am, i only wish it was longer. This track proves Kajiura could successfully compose for a new videogame.

Lorde-Kowz said:
Sheyta Synthesis Twelve: it starts so pretty and whimsical, but then it turns so serious. It kinda seems like it evolves into different feels throughout the whole track.
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This is the theme of the scared / coward knight who eventually maned up so it totally fits.

Lorde-Kowz said:
Called to arms: Another kewl videogamey track. Love the ascending motif and the kewl guitar. Feels like Kajiura just did what she felt like here, and it works great. Maybe no for the anime, but it;s a good track hue.
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This was used in the "real world" segment of the anime where the enemy soldiers were storming the Ocean Turtle so i think it totally fits. Kinda like James Bond XD

Lorde-Kowz said:
-You too are human: lovely fulte melody. I'm going to be honest, it sounds like it could've been a Kalafina song hue.
Click to expand...

The melody actually reminds me of a track from Bravely default

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4su84g-dXYo&list=PLJk2mw2kvnXXQyhaISM3QRlhq7xJqTEez&index=39
 
Guess I'll share my thoughts too...
sao review.png
- your soul is bitter and sweet: I can't bear the strings, but the build, change of tempo, unexpected choir and mad E.G kept my attention. Too bad it somehow reminded me the saber v rider battle from HF3. 3,5/5
- death angel: Sick. Outstanding. Easily landed in my best music mix of 2020.
- luminous sword in the sky: Divine. Kajiura and Remi nailed it.
- the final war: I clearly dislike the strings main motif, but the choir + strings part is really interesting. 3,5/5

Overall:
- SAO Alicization was Kajiura's best and most refreshing project in a long time imo
- Thumb up for using more diverse instruments (bagpipes, saxo) and I wish that the next step will be adding a live brass ensemble (one can dream)
- Crowdfunding for Iwanami's walk of shame

5) the human empire army
4) she was sitting under the osmanthus tree
2) death angel
2) Bercouli
1) find your sword in this land
+ special mention to Deusolbert, my only 5/5 stars remaining
 
I don't know about my TOP (because I might as well just put Ocean Turtle/Underworld in all the spots even though I like a fuckton of other tracks lol) but I would like to throw a shoutout to "we have to save her!"/"you can save him!" - specifically for incorporating swordland in a way that made me actually like the theme. That was a shocker.
 
Don't remember if it was mentioned already but that final WoU Blu-ray includes that "Yuki Kajiura and Music of SAO" 10th Anniversary Special Programme. Just if you care to have it in highest quality.
 
Justisamuel said:
and I wish that the next step will be adding a live brass ensemble (one can dream)
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Seriously this. There's no brass credited and I really gotta ask why!? I'm sure the famous Yuki Kajiura got a big enough budget for something as big as SAO to get at least a couple of horns, trumpets and trombones. Didn't season 1 get real brass?
 
Lorde-Kowz said:
Seriously this. There's no brass credited and I really gotta ask why!? I'm sure the famous Yuki Kajiura got a big enough budget for something as big as SAO to get at least a couple of horns, trumpets and trombones. Didn't season 1 get real brass?
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HF2 got some experimental sampled real? brass but she totally dropped it in HF3 if I'm not mistaken. I'd say it's a good way to add balance to the sound rendition when using a lot of strings - but it may only be my opinion as a not-so-skilled-listener-no-need-to-say-that-I-have-no-experience-in-composition.

grunty said:
Nope. At least not credited.
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Fate/Zero got real brass, right ?
 
i think it's because Kajiura doesn't have the orchestra in her musical mindset.

she can and has used it but it's not her bread and butter so to speak (tmk she doesn't have the education either). this can be good and bad, Kajiura has raw talent no question there imo.

that is why it would be so cool to have an orchestral arranger buddy by her side but she likes things solo as far as composing goes.
 
Justisamuel said:
HF2 got some experimental sampled real? brass but she totally dropped it in HF3 if I'm not mistaken. I'd say it's a good way to add balance to the sound rendition when using a lot of strings - but it may only be my opinion as a not-so-skilled-listener-no-need-to-say-that-I-have-no-experience-in-composition.


Fate/Zero got real brass, right ?
Click to expand...
Yes to both.
 
wat11 said:
i think it's because Kajiura doesn't have the orchestra in her musical mindset.
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Fo sho, but she still used synth brass so there's some interest, and has used a small brass ensemble in both Fates and Hokuto no ken. Why not just go with real instruments? I'm sure the budget is there.
Forgot Hanako to Anne also had brass.
Justisamuel said:
but she totally dropped it in HF3 if I'm not mistaken.
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I think one of the Saber fights had some brass.
 
By the way, I just realized I've no booklet/credits scan for lost butterfy OST. Anyone have it maybe?

Looking around nyancats but can only see scans of the box, not booklet.
 
agree w/ @grunty that WoU ost 1 was the weakest alicization soundtrack. i had low expectations for this one just based off the first but yk has surprised me yet again. now i am cautiously optimistic about progressive….

together we are awesome - uilleann pipes, need i say more? very good choice for the ost opener
we meet, we part - this sounds like a generic sad strings yk track but it’s growing on me more with each listen. maybe bc the violins aren’t overpowering the cello/viola like usual
Dee Eye Ell - when i first listened to the rip on youtube i thought "idk if it’s just bc im starved for yk content but even the sfx tracks are good." this was one of the tracks i was talking about i think. big fan of the clarinet. i want more sfx tracks like this
your soul is bitter and sweet - god i hope we get this performed live
death angel - siren song meets el cazador? love the tempo choice here, not as much a fan of the background wailing but i suppose it fits
time limit - where was this for GGO
Vassago -his revenge - second everything @Lorde-Kowz said
Vassago - i always think i’m just repeating vassago his revenge until the guitar comes in. another track i’d LOVE to hear a live arrangement of
luminous sword in the sky - this sounds very hokuto no ken-esque
Alice -her anxiety - if you told me this was from PMMM rebellion i’d believe you
Shasta -night ver. - good solo violin track
good old friends - not the biggest fan of this arrangement and i can’t quite put my finger on why, but still appreciate the effort to do something unexpected with swordland
Sheet Synthesis Twelve - this track builds so well! what you have a minute in is not at all what you start out expecting, but the two sides of the track are interwoven brilliantly. dreamcatcher 2.0?
called to arms - this feels so old-school kajiura. like double cast/eatman era
once there was a land of sword - probably my favorite arrangement of swordland to date. gives me hanako to anne vibes

don’t quite get why they put tracks with the exact same motif back-to-back… could have helped make the ost sound more cohesive if they had been spread out somewhat
 
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