Wow, it’s been a while since I did a music review. Anyways, here’s one of my favorite anime soundtracks of all time, the .Hack//Sign OST. Composed by Yuki Kajiura, this soundtrack will be one of the most memorable to me, although the anime itself was more mediocre.
Good anime soundtracks, in the past decade or so, have become much more commonplace. Perhaps it’s because of the anime boom worldwide, or some other factor. Either ways, .Hack//Sign’s soundtrack is a relatively well balanced soundtrack, with tracks that are peaceful, energetic, dark, or downright haunting.
Where this soundtrack does exceptionally well is in it’s darker pieces. Anybody who listens to the track named Aura will be welcomed by a depressing, dark melancholic voice echoing to a heavy piano tune. It’s quite emotion evoking, and exceptionally well done. Obsession, the opening theme, is somewhat similar in tone. However, the opening is less dark and, instead uses an electric guitar and a rapid beat to give off a very chaotic feeling.
Other songs, such as Fake Wings and Key of the Twilight, are much more light hearted with a mysterious flair to them. Key of the twilight, in particular, starts off with a very calm sound to it. Then the amazing string instruments start playing, clearly influenced by a more Celtic style of music. The resulting song is quite dynamic, flows well, and is downright catchy. The World, another track in this soundtrack, exhibits the same string instruments that make the song so much more powerful and memorable.
The powerfully mysterious tones to songs such as in the track In the Land of Twilight, Under the Moon are excellent in setting the mood for this particular anime.
The ending theme, Yasashii Yoake, is equally well done, with a blend of an Irish Bouzouki, vocals, guitars, and flutes. There is a very exotic feeling to this song.
Other songs in this soundtrack, such as B.T., Say Goodbye, and Mimiru, have a Piano and violins play a more prominent role. Although not quite as memorable as other songs in this soundtrack, they are very well done, with emotional tunes that almost always hit the right sound.
Overall Score: 9.2/10
Overall, an excellent soundtrack with a unique, exotic sound to many of it’s tracks. Kudos to Yuki Kajiura for this gem of a soundtrack.
Obsession (TV OP):
Distant Paradise 