Kenji Kawai - Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Original Soundtrack Vol. 2 [2006]

First four tracks are mostly dark atmosphere, but things seem to get more interesting with "怖震" when really dark and evil strings haunt the air. This OST is much more dark than the previous. However, it's also much more repetitive... one theme in particular has come up in at least 5 songs and I'm only halfway through the album.

Rating: 7.5

http://www.kenjikawai.com/

All ratings are out of 10. Rating may not be a whole number.

Kenji Kawai - Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Original Soundtrack [2006]

I was actually expecting this to be crappy for some reason. However, if the first track is to be any indicator of the rest of the album, I may end up loving it. Album starts off with a sedate orchestra and vocal "ooos" with a calm electronic beat that is overall quite ominous yet soothing. "散策": ok, so here's the reminder that this is indeed an Anime soundtrack... gotta have the happy town music. I'm almost laughing over the monstrous extremes displayed on this album: adorable cuteness one minute, brooding evil the next. At times, things become atmospheric and soothing; this is where the album really shines for me because the atmosphere is incredible yet not boring or noisy. Rarely, there will appear a song that tickles my epic-nerve. I wish there were more of those songs on here. Overall, not bad, but not the art-house I was hoping for based on the opening track. The cute stuff is ridiculously adorable, putting a smile on my face, but it always feels a bit out of place on this album. The evil stuff, while not directly evil, is quite ominous and dark. OH FUCK!! I THINK I'VE FIGURED IT OUT: I'm pretty sure that all of the tracks with "!" in them are the cutsie ones... if this is true, I want to hug Kenji and thank him for making them easily identifiable.

Rating: 7.5

http://www.kenjikawai.com/

All ratings are out of 10. Rating may not be a whole number.

Kenji Kawai - Innocence O.S.T. [2004]

Similar, yet different. There's still plenty of atmosphere and percussion, but there is also much more variation between the tracks and some tracks (like "Attack the Wakabayashi") are just downright explosive. Maybe I'm just a little crazy, but the insane vibrato choir is a bit more grating this time around. However, I can't take any points off from the album because everything else is just so much more proficient and well-written. Plus, there is more variation in the choir.

Rating: 9

http://www.kenjikawai.com/

All ratings are out of 10. Rating may not be a whole number.

Yoko Kanno - Escaflowne Original Soundtrack 3 [1996]

Crappy first track, but then things take a leap into an amazing world of perfection. If things keep going like "Arcadia" and "Epistle", this OST will easily outshine the first two. Well, the unfortunate reality is that, in the middle of this OST, the tone and style changes drastically. There are more songs that are based on more modern band-style music with some instruments added. I can almost see the animé go by as I listen. This OST is at a point in the animé when things are getting ever-more epic and the series is beginning to wrap itself up. The problem is that there is a section towards the second third of the animé when there is a last push for the status quo before all hell breaks loose, and that is reflected in the use of more pop singers and a slightly more upbeat tone in the middle of this album. Songs like "Perfect World" and "I Recommend Instincts", while not BAD, are mostly throwaways. The end of the album feels a little better, but the absolute darkness and epic feel that I loved about the beginning is predictably replaced by songs that mark the end of the animé. Overall, it's still a damn good album, but it really got my hopes up for something even more amazing in the beginning.

Rating: 8

http://www.kannoyoko.net/

All ratings are out of 10. Rating may not be a whole number.

Yoko Kanno - Escaflowne Original Soundtrack 2 [1996]

I have pretty high expectations after the first soundtrack... hope this wont disappoint. I'm halfway through and this is shaping up to be equally as good as the first soundtrack. Plenty of variation between the songs; Gregorian, fantasy, orchestra, and whimsical cuteness. I had forgotten how many great songs were in the animé that weren't included in the first OST. This one is certainly as good as the previous OST.

Rating: 8.5

http://www.kannoyoko.net/

All ratings are out of 10. Rating may not be a whole number.

Yoko Kanno - Escaflowne: Over the Sky [1996]

First impression is GREAT. I've gone from a wonderful fantasy song ("Flying Dragon") to the epic chorus-filled god-sized masterpiece of "Dance of Curse". Now, let's hope she keeps it up... it's a long way to the end of this album. God damn, she really did it; the album is fucking great all the way through. When there is a drop-off in excitement, melancholy and beauty take over. When the excitement comes back, it slams you in the face with grand writing. There are probably only two tracks that were iffy, but that's hardly a distraction. Also, the chorus in multiple songs sings the same phrase over and over again, making it feel a bit contrived by the end.

Rating: 8.5

http://www.kannoyoko.net/

All ratings are out of 10. Rating may not be a whole number.

Yoko Kanno - Sharon Apple: The Cream P-U-F [1995]

Only two new songs, with the two others being from MPOS I and II.

Rating: 6

http://www.kannoyoko.net/

All ratings are out of 10. Rating may not be a whole number.

Yoko Kanno - Macross Plus Original Soundtrack II [1995]

A bit of an abrupt change from the first one. There's a much different sound to this album. More non-classical songs and Pop. There's much more variation in this album as well. It's not quite as powerful as the first one, but still good in its own right.

Rating: 7.5

http://www.kannoyoko.net/

All ratings are out of 10. Rating may not be a whole number.

Yoko Kanno - Macross Plus Original Soundtrack [1990]

There's no point to this review. Flawless soundtrack from start to finish. So much emotion is conveyed in the arrangements that the Animé doesn't even need to exist for this to be amazing. Beautiful, energetic, tense, and extremely organic. While it may not be the most ground-breaking songwriting in the world, there are more than enough blends to satisfy me.

Rating: 9

http://www.kannoyoko.net/

All ratings are out of 10. Rating may not be a whole number.

Kenji Kawai - Ghost in the Shell Original Soundtrack [1995]

Ambient. Percussive. Erie. Perfectly crafted. Even the nutty vibrato that the chorus performs has grown on me and adds to the creepy effect of the music. "M04 Virtual Crime" throws some cool guitars into the mix towards the end. "M05 Chant II - Ghost City" throws more of the normal tonal effects and keys behind the same chant that was in "M01". Normally, this sort of ambient music bores me, but this is so precisely crafted that everything feels like it has its purpose instead of just being a bunch of effects that are thrown together. I am, however, not a fan of the recycled chants in some of the songs. Even though the music behind them is different, I would have preferred to hear new chant rhythms and notes. The mixture of mostly ambient tracks with more beautiful tonal tracks really suits the soundtrack and the mood well; it also creates some small sense of variety throughout the album. Finally, as far as I'm concerned, this soundtrack only has 10 tracks. "See You Everyday" is an abomination that has nothing to do with anything about the OVA or the music contained therein.

Rating: 9

http://www.kenjikawai.com/

All ratings are out of 10. Rating may not be a whole number.

Yasuharu Takanashi - Naruto Shippuuden Original Soundtrack II [2009]

The start to this sequel is much stronger than the previous one, and understandably so since the events take place in a more turbulent time in the series. Though, "Critical" makes me think of 80's Synthpop until the shakuhachi kicks in. There's two realities with this album: First, it's a direct continuation from the first OST; and second, I like the heavier songs more because they're darker and more often associated with fight scenes. The writing does feel like it's gotten a bit more aggressive than it was in the first one. There's a slightly more epic feel to the heavy songs as well. However, I have noticed a slight decrease in the emotional weight of the slow and beautiful songs. So, there is some kind of trade-off, but I still think this OST eeks out it's predecessor.

Rating: 8.5

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naruto#Naruto:_Shippuden

All ratings are out of 10. Rating may not be a whole number.

Yasuharu Takanashi - Naruto Shippuuden Original Soundtrack [2007]

Naturally, this being a soundtrack, the mood is all over the place throughout the album. After getting passed the first offering of more upbeat and validating rock/ethnic Japanese fusion songs, I get a taste of the absolute beauty and melancholy that Will be spread throughout this album. The upbeat songs are a bit too happy for my taste, but they blend the rock very well with the ethnic elements. The more ominous songs go from slightly underpowered to spine-chilling and downright scary. The solemn songs are fucking incredible... absolute perfection that brings tears to my eyes. Unfortunately, the ominous songs are sparse. As the soundtrack goes on, the more upbeat and happy feeling dwindles to darkness and despair much to my liking.

Rating: 8

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naruto#Naruto:_Shippuden

All ratings are out of 10. Rating may not be a whole number.