Overview

The score for Omiya Soft's sleeper hit Culdcept Second marked Kenji Ito's first effort independently of Square and one of his few major expeditions outside the SaGa and Mana series. Responsible for composition and all aspects of sound production, Ito put considerable effort into the score and tried to broaden his horizons. The Culdcept series is a group of magic-meets-monopoly games featuring a diverse number of worlds. Each world is represented a set of three themes to represent its first half, second half, and battle screen. The music of each world in Culdcept Second is individualised with different moods or styles but continuous elements are present given the focus on an organic palette and Ito's distinctive musicality. A range of supplementary themes were also composed for the events, menus, and other components of the game. The initial soundtrack release was released shortly after the game and opted to present the world themes together and omit some additional themes. A reprint has recently been produced called Culdcept II Original Soundtrack Deluxe that is targeted for new and hardcore fans of the series' music.

Body

Unlike the other scores in the series, Ito opts to cluster the themes for each world into one track that range from six to eight minutes in length. Each theme receives a proper loop and pausing before the subsequent track is introduced like any normal track transition would do. The groupings reflect the stylistic continuity between the tracks, but can be difficult to navigate. The tone and musicianship of the soundtrack is exposed in the themes for the first stage, "Open the World". The first half is culturally inspired, opting for a light organic mix influenced by Western Europe. From a guitar-led accompaniment, a flute introduces the semi-improvised melody in a restrained but poignant manner. As the piece makes an explicit transition to the development section, a bandoneon undergoes lyrical interplay with the flute resulting in some pleasing contrasts. While the harmony never really develops, it produces a beautiful timbre for the rest of the track and is excellently synthesized. With the second half, the intensity of the music has grown due to the additions of some bearable string discords in the introductory section. Nevertheless, the style and instrumentation remains similar, the principle difference being that the bandoneon leads the piece entirely this time and the guitar is more dynamic.

Taking a tour through the stage themes, one sees Ito's core musicianship and palette stays quite consistent, though contrasts of mood and novel additions to each piece maintain interest. Looking at the light tracks first, the jazzy rhythmical structures and over-the-top orchestration of the first half of "Bomber Princess" indicate a relaxed humorous stroll, while the second half retains a cheeky persona despite leading listeners into a false sense of seriousness with rococo features and harpsichord punctuation. "Sorceress of Fate", on the other hand, blends Ito's lyrical orchestrations with harpsichord in the first half and organ in the second half. "Rabbid Dance" initially contrasts whimsical lightly accompanied woodwind line with dissonant chords before becoming a surprisingly well-developed playful parade march occasionally interrupted by car horn sounds. The other dance theme for Darhan has an Arabian influence but the conjunct melodies and ordered rhythms are still distinctly Itonian. Contrasting all this lightness are the bombastic orchestral themes for "Holding Revenge in My Heart", which are essentially written like the soundtrack's battle themes. Fortunately the "Welcome to the Colosseum" themes mostly avoid the overbearing brassy approach.

Unlike Culdcept SaGa, Ito tends to avoid opportunities for lavish experimentation. "Lost Techno" isn't the type of electronica one would expect from Ito's work on that soundtrack; instead it's a vanilla combination of tuned percussion, synth overtones, and very subdued electronic beats. The first half of "Oath of Fire and Ice" is a little different with its combination of rock-influenced bass lines and vigorous brassy melodies, but it's not as explicit as his rock work on RPG soundtracks. Similarly, while the initial combination of Asian and Western instrumentation into the first half of "Ravine of Wind and Sun" seems imaginative, its body is pleasant but much like the other pieces on the soundtrack. More interesting are the percussive tribal-influenced themes for the penultimate stage "Prayer for Destruction" that open the second disc. Ito really explores new ground and, while the melody in the second half is a little naive, the other elements of these compositions satisfy. The first half of the final stage theme "Light and Shadows" opts to explore slow scalar melodies in a somewhat epic manner with orchestra and chorus. The second half exposes the darkness spectacularly with an organ-based rendition of the underused main theme introduced in the "Prologue".

Culdcept Second's battle themes are numerous but not always as interesting as Ito's RPG battle themes. Introduced by a pompous fanfare, the rather derivative battle theme of the first stage is briskly paced and firmly articulated. Its primary melody is a simple descending crisis motif passed through strings and brass, though the tension this builds leads to quite a triumphant second passage. A clear highlight is the flamenco-influenced guitar line that, though subdued, is very active throughout the track. For subsequent battle themes, Ito tends to mix bombastic orchestral passages with elements inspired by the stage themes. There is everything from the childish lyrical woodwinds of "A Little Fool Bandit" to the ridiculous tuned percussion march of "Rabbid Dance" to the commanding emotionally charged anthem of "Holding Revenge in My Heart". A few seem to be hardly characterised, though, and most are usually quite short. Nonetheless, there are some very creative efforts distinct from their counterparts, such as the piano-infused trance of the previously unfulfilling "Lost Techno", the bustling renaissance woodwinds of "Sorceress of Fate", or the powerful melodic approach of "Prayer for Destruction". The final battle theme is a commanding orchestra and chorus theme with furious drive and emotional main theme reprises.

Moving to the remaining themes, the opening theme is a fulfilling introduction to the fantasy game despite a laborous initial few bars. It demonstrates the spectrum of emotion featured on the soundtrack with three main sections; it develops from dark initial scales to a serene and melodic oboe-led passage to a lushly orchestrated climax. A range of miscellaneous themes are present on the score such as the glimmering victory theme, a celestial organ-based chorale, or a couple of light-hearted conversation themes. There are also seven 'Brave Story' themes to document the events of the game and all but "Courage" are very enjoyable. They range from the cinematic orchestrations of "Beginning" to the striking piano-based action cue "Escape" to slow-building ambient themes like "Terror". Some help to establish the soundtrack's underexposed main theme more while the stereotypically styled "Rest", "Sorrow", and "Pleasant" have fantastic melodies of their own. Another fine melody is present in the bookmark tracks used in the menus of the game. It is explored in charming if predictable manner on dreamy music box, sentimental synth glockenspiel, and whimsical small ensemble. The three-tiered "Epilogue" concludes the dramatic arch of the score with two minutes of rich cinematic underscoring, a brassy staff roll, and a softly accompanied piano solo.

Summary

The soundtrack to Culdcept Second is hardly a superlative effort. The formulaic approach and occasional naive musicality demonstrated here means this soundtrack isn't as sophisticated as Culdcept despite most stage themes being meticulously put together. The general rejection of electronic, rock, and worldly influences means that the soundtrack isn't as diverse as Culdcept Saga despite plenty of quirk and character still expressed. Nevertheless, there will be something very endearing about this soundtrack for those who appreciate Kenji Ito's orchestral approaches. This soundtrack features some of his strongest melodies, comprehensively developed themes, and heartfelt representations of frivolity, tranquility, and darkness. It also stands out as a very competently implemented soundtrack with clean instrumental samples and fine balance. This soundtrack won't challenge the opinions on those who don't enjoy Kenji Ito's work and many will find it too consistent or generic. However, it ought to be a solid and treasured purchase for those who enjoy his works or liked the music in the game. This particularly print is difficult to get hold of, although a great reprint featuring split up world suites, bonus supplementary themes, and even some new arrangements is now available.

Overview

In 2001, Kenji Ito left Square to become a freelancer after being assigned a host of minor projects — Chocobo's Dungeon 2, Chocobo Racing, Wild Card, and Gekikuukan Pro Baseball. The score for the Dreamcast strategy game Culdcept Second is Kenji Ito's most significant non-Square work to date. Described by the composer as his best work at that point, Ito was responsible for all aspects of the production, including sound programming. The first disc holds 13 tracks, 11 of which are over six minutes long, mostly being split distinctly into three separate sections. The second disc sees a five further tracks forming the main album, and added to this, there are some 13 bonus tracks. While most adopt a traditional Itonian style, some tracks, for example "Rabbid Dance," could be described as unconventional, giving the album an interesting zest, helping to separate the score from his sometimes bland RPG soundtracks.

Body

The opening theme, "Prologue," proceeds from its minimal introduction by moving into a passage featuring an oboe melody playing against a harp accompaniment. This melody is then played by a flute in a much more buoyant way and many instruments build up below this. Dynamics build up until a point where roaring timpani beats and snare drums become prominent, as the theme becomes a lot more grandiose, vibrant, and colourful before reaching its climax. The track manages to tell its own story of grief, pride, and honour all in one. Listeners don't even have to look at the game to understand what is happening.

"Rabbid Dance" is one of a few humorous themes on this album and perhaps the most enjoyable too. The initial melody is idiosyncratic thanks to its odd rhythms and quirky chromatic ramblings. The buoyancy of the track is certainly heightened in the second section, which is a parade march; here, there's frequent car horn sounds, providing unique flair against the more typical snare drum and brass usage. The last section is absolutely superb, comprising of a wonderful xylophone melody with tombone accompaniment. Like the rest of the track, the instrumental use here is very fun and while the melodies are quite conventional, their treatment makes them highly enjoyable. The whole theme just lets you imagine a set of clowns walking down at the front of the parade. Freaky but gripping!

Ito has composed a fair selection of dark tracks for this album too, and "Prayer for Ruin" is probably the best example of this. It features a solid drum bass, immediately giving a tribal feel, and our senses are further raised through the continual beating of a gong and the entrance of some low-pitched vocal chants. Fortunately, the second part of the track is a lot more upbeat, but feelings of darkness are still portrayed due to the dominance of bass and percussion instruments. Though a cute melody occasionally appears, it is continually drowned out by the bass, almost like an innocent victim to the slaughter. The last section is the darkest part of the track, and it is once again dominated by the bass part. The melody has been dropped down an octave from what it was previously, giving it an even darker feel.

By the time the we reach the track "Epilogue," we have already seen a massive amount of diversity from Ito, though he still has more to offer with the most diverse track on the album. The first part features a suspended violin note and synthesized vocals, which create a feeling of dismay before the track transitions with an upwards spiral of glee into the next theme. In the next section, the original melody from the first section is repeated grandly on trumpets and brass instruments, and the melodies used throughout this passage are very sweet. The build up at the end of the section is superb, as the melody becomes emphatic. Soon after, the listener reach the final section of the track, which is played during the final section of the credits. This is a solemn piano arrangement of what the listener have just heard with some string accompaniment. It is a short but sweet section, which wraps off the main album well, and leads us into the thirteen bonus tracks.

The bonus tracks show a variety of nice themes which weren't included in the game. The best tracks here are the Brave Story tracks, numbered one to seven. My favourite of these is "Brave Story #2 - Escape," which is a rather fast-paced piano melody with accompaniment track. Some other good tracks are "Chat! Cepter! Chat!," "Shocking?," and "Heaven's Melody," yet they are all relatively short compared to the rest of the album. The last three tracks are prefixed by the word bookmark and all share the same melody. "Bookmark #1" is a music box arrangement, "Bookmark #2" is a glockenspiel and piano arrangement, and "Bookmark #3" is an orchestrated version of the theme. These sweet bonus tracks were definitely beneficial to the album, even if they are not as outstanding on a stand-alone basis.

Summary

Ito claims that this is his best work to date, though Romancing Saga Minstrel Song Original Soundtrack is probably slightly more worthy. Ito provides us with a wide range of tracks here, from extremely fun ones to hellishly dark ones. Initially, after listening to the track structure, it might seem like the album won't go anywhere. Yet, as one proceeds further into it, it is obvious that this immediate assumption is wrong, as the album is full of surprises. The worst thing about this album is the way that each theme needlessly repeats twice before moving onto the next section. Ito just doesn't develop his melodies enough, and although the melodies are great, it seems pointless to repeat a theme without any variation to it. Overall, this as a fine work, and one which shows the potential of Ito superbly, despite a few bland moments. It's another must buy, though the reprint may be a better item overall.