Um. Wow. This is one of those albums I picked up a while ago, spun a bunch of times and then let settle into the depths of my iTunes music library. I knew it was good, but never really took the time to realize just how much.

I've rediscovered it over the past day or two, and hot damn! This is my favorite Yack work, by far. It has a perfect blend of light-hearted themes, wacky progressive fusion, off-tempo guitar work, catchy melodies... it just keeps on giving and giving and giving. I can see hints of his other works in here (Majokko de GOGO and some Border Down, especially), but I prefer Senko over his other CDs. Great stuff, here.

EDIT: And also, the CD itself is awesome. It has a sweet design on it and the disc is almost see-through. It's really bizarre. Typical Yack for you.

Senko no Ronde might just be one of Watanabe's most accomplished works yet. The entire soundtrack uses an electronica-fusion-rock style he and some in his circle (including Shinji Hosoe, Ayako Saso) are masters at. "Remember first rendez-vous" might just be one of his most superb compositions amongst other tracks like "Brave Heart" and it's inclusion of acoustic guitar and "Border Down" style brass. "Crosshine" retains that sci-fi futuristic feel complete with excellent synth and rockin' guitar. "Rondo of the Moon", a jazzy favorite using such synthesized expressions of actual instruments beginning with an orgel into a foray of percussions and even an accordian backdrop.

I don't think Yack has produced anything as sharp as some of what's on Senko no Ronde. The various Border Down soundtracks are just more examples of his most recent fresh composition style and sound. I'm always on the look out as he's heavily influenced by jazz and incorporating them into so many musical styles creating always eclectic, sci-fi-futuristic sounds.

I should listen this one again, because back then when it has been released, the tracks i enjoyed were the four ones already released on the "pre-"album (and it wasn't just because i had heard those already...).

It's a great soundtrack, but to be honest, I very much prefer both Border Down soundtracks over this. Mabye because I've actually played BD? I dunno. I especially like Vision of Boys and Grey Lips, and the tunes that were also featured on the Image soundtrack.

Also, I've been wanting to get something off my chest: Brave Heart sounds EXTREMELY similar to one of the styles demos used with the Band in a Box software. Style 28, sage.STY, to be exact. If you have the time, head over to http://www.pgmusic.com/styles28.htm, scroll down to sage.STY and download the midi. It's a 5 minute tune that uses almost the exact same chord progression, only taken at a much slower tempo and a different groove. What happens at 1:50, the clarinet plays a solo that's just too similar to the melody of Brave Heart to be a coincidence.

I dunno, it's just something neat I found <_<. I can't find a production date anywhere, so I don't know whether this demo came first or not.

The second soundtrack of Senkou no Ronde (Xbox 360 version) will be released in February.

http://www.grev.co.jp/magazine.html

I can't read a single word of that, but I'm guessing it roughly translates to "Holy shit".

The new Senko no Ronde soundtrack will be available on the 22nd of March.