Overview

The Atelier series has seen a lot of changes in recent years in terms of the music. First the total disappearance of Daisuke Achiwa, someone who infused a hard rock style into a game filled with quirky and happy themes. Kazuki Yanagawa was introduced to us in the Ar tonelico III Original Soundtrack, and makes a return appearance in the Atelier Totori soundtrack. While our first exposure to him came with mixed feelings, he brings a slightly more serious look on his musical skills here. Joined by the ever famous Gust veteran Ken Nakagawa, the two manage to craft an extremely fitting score to complement this beautiful game. Does this album hold up against Atelier Rorona? Read on to find out!

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Mineko Yamamoto joins us again for the game's opening theme, "Pilgrimage". While the song is pretty typical for Nakagawa, it features some outstanding piano interludes and vocal layering. Nakagawa continues this pattern layering piano with his typical instrumentation in "The Waves Call My Name". Blending Brass and organic instrumentation he manages to create a very serene and bouncy theme to complement what could only be a beautiful cutscene or area. "Atelier Totori" keeps the same bouncy feeling, only layering many more upbeat sounds creating a much lighter tone.

Nakagawa doesn't keep everything lighthearted as I would have expected. "GO GO TOTORI" is his first Battle theme contribution to this album, and it packs a pretty nice punch. While focusing on his standard use of organic instrumentation for the harmonic layering, he manages to focus the entire melody on a fluttering flute passage. While this may not sound too exciting, the combination of the flute with the amazing percussion and strings takes me straight back to his golden years. "Ophiuchus" uses the same formula for part of the track, leading with a celtic flute. However, he changes thing up with a catchy techno beat and an electric guitar passage. This is followed by an Arabic sounding guitar passage and an epic string bridge. This is by far my favorite Nakagawa track on the album and shouldn't be missed by any fan!

The real star of the show on this album has to be Kazuki Yanagawa. The variation and unique style he brings to the table is well beyond perfect for the series, and I couldn't have asked for a better replacement to Daisuke Achiwa than him. The normal battle theme, "Yellow Zone", has that unique sound I keep talking about. What starts out with a typical string intro, leads into a celtic based melody with amazing percussion and piano passages rivaling anything Nakagawa could dish out. The accordion passage leading into the piano and jazzy bass line proves he is capable of taking anything and turning it into something listenable and exciting. He does the same thing in "Red Zone". This boss theme, just as in Atelier Rorona, is a direct arrangement of the normal battle theme. The focus shifts from the lighthearted celtic based melody and hypes up the energy focusing more on distorted electric guitars and the percussion. By the end of the track, everything is playing all at once and the once happy sound of the main melody is overshadowed by the blaring percussion and mis-mashing strings. One might believe this is a turnoff, but I will be the first to tell you the effect works perfectly.

Yanagawa holds up the original Atelier style quite well in a number of other tracks as well. "A Storekeeper in a Small Village" begins with a bouncy piano intro not unlike something heard from Nakagawa. The later focus on layering an accordion with the jazzy piano takes that earlier mentioned style and reforms it to something incredibly beautiful and moving. We hear the same bounciness in "Across the Wilderness". This track has a much darker tone and focuses heavily on sharp string melodies and percussive interludes. The addition of the dulcimer in the harmony and arpeggios in the piano melody proves a level of skill we don't get to see from newcomers very often (I'm looking at you Takeharu Ishimoto!).

Yanagawa also offers up the game's main dungeon theme, "Following the Footsteps", which is subject to many arrangements from both composers. The original focuses on acoustic guitar and a strange synth instrument not unlike something heard out of the famous Twelve Girls Band. Every single one of Nakagawa's arrangements focus on surreal instrumentation perfectly fitting the scenery of the area it is played in. For instance, "Following the Footsteps ~ The Plains" features airy strings and marching percussion, painting an immediate picture of wind blowing around a lone traveler's hair on a vast open plain. "Following the Footsteps ~ The Ruins" does the same, throwing echoing sound effects and a quieter focus on the melody, as if you were walking through a damp dark ruin and your footsteps were echoing. Yanagawa again takes the lead in fitting arrangements of this track. "Following the Footsteps ~ The Caves" adds a tribal chant sound effect mixed with a somber cello melody accented by "dripping" sound effects. This really is one of the most amazing tracks on the album and should be an immediate priority on first listen by anyone.

I will discuss two more highlights on the album before closing this amazing journey with you all. "One Last Point", one of the final battle themes, begins with synth choir and an epic piano decent building the tension for a celtic based main melody. It fits exactly what I would expect a lighthearted game such as this to conclude its journey with. There was an amazing hidden shocker in this track however, that sent me into immediate tears. At the height of the tension, everything just drops out, the synth choir from the intro comes back and we get an extremely serene piano and music box duet that left me absolutely dumbfounded. I never expected such a high strung track to have something so beautiful in it, but Yanagawa seems to be a king of fitting off the wall sections into places they normally wouldn't fit.

The last track worth mentioning is the ending vocal theme, "Dia", which features Yanagawa as the composer and Mao on vocals. The instrumentation is pretty typical for him, as it really has no real direction, and picks up and slows down at such odd times. I have to admit though; it works perfectly and ends up being one of the best Atelier vocal themes of all time. Mao's mature voice mixed with the violin and rapidly changing melody just bleeds perfection.

Summary

I didn't expect anything special at all when I first picked this album up. Nakagawa has been slipping as far as what I like to hear from him, and Yanagawa's first work with Gust left me confused and pretty much uninterested. What I ended up with, however, was one of the highlight RPG soundtracks of the year for me thus far. The two crafted what is, in my opinion, the perfect depiction of the game world, and will stand for me as one of the best Atelier albums out there. I suggest any fan of Gust or the Atelier series to check this one out. We are missing the riffs and hardcore battle themes that came from Achiwa, but we gained someone capable of taking us on an emotional and inspiring visual journey through this world, and I couldn't have imagined it being THIS good. Take my advice and pick this up, there is something here for every fan.

Overview

The last Atelier game to grace a home console was Atelier Iris 3: Grand Fantasm for the Playstation 2. While some people were upset over the fact that Daisuke Achiwa, who is most known for his rock based battle themes, barely participated in the soundtrack, many people found that that Ken Nakagawa's contributions made it one of the best, if not the best, in the trilogy. Fast forward a few years and we have the first Atelier game to grace a current generation console, the PlayStation 3. Part of me was hoping that the dynamic duo of Ken Nakagawa and Daisuke Achiwa would return, given how lackluster Achiwa's solo score for Atelier Annie: Alchemist of Sera Island on the Nintendo DS was. However, it was revealed that Ken Nakagawa would go completely solo this time. So, how does this compare to his last big effort for Atelier Iris 3: Grand Fantasm?

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The soundtrack opens with "Falling, the Starlight". One of the first musical samples revealed, it instantly captured my attention for the rest of the score. Sung by Mineko Yamamoto, it has a very mystical feel, reminiscent of the Ar Tonelico vocal themes. The instrumentation is quite simple, yet adds quite the complexity to the entire piece. The harmonies between the woodwinds, the percussion samples, and more Celtic inspired instruments are just wonderful. The simpler sections, featuring harp and music box, serve as a nice bridge for a stellar piece and the "lalala" melody is just stunning. This theme is also present in instrumental form. Entitled "Falling, the Starlight ~Alchemic Boy and Girl~," it features a more simplistic take on the theme with woodwinds, crystalline chimes, plucked strings, and some diverse percussion samples leading the way. The album also ends with a vocal theme, "Fushigi na Recipe". Sung by Nana Furuhara, it's a much different feel from the opening theme. Much more playful, it features some interesting combinations of sounds, such as accordion and steel drums, in addition to the standard drum pad and strings. The melody is fantastic, with a slight calypso vibe and on par with the other vocal theme, but I think the vocals suffer a bit compared to "Falling, the Starlight". There are also karaoke versions of both themes contained on the soundtrack.

The main theme for the game, "Atelier Rorona," has a spaghetti western sound, via the use of some banjo with a woodwind and accordion lead. It's a fantastic main theme that shows up a few times. "Atelier Rorona ~Celtic~" is a beautiful take consisting of some superb woodwind and accordion melody lines and some beautiful percussion usage, in the form of woodblocks and xylophone, to create a mesmerizing theme just bathing in Celtic influences. "Ghost Girl ~for Atelier Rorona~" is one of the more stunning renditions of the theme. It has plenty of instrumentation that all take the stage at one point in time, such as the strings, acoustic guitar, and piano. "Mom and Dad" is another version of the main theme that seems to combine a variety of sounds, such as the spaghetti western sound heard in the original, through the use of acoustic guitar, while the cello section gives it a bit of melancholy air, and the woodwind section lends itself to a more playful environment. It's another one of the stronger versions of the theme. "Sunbathing" is a playful woodwind version of the theme with piano and accordion accompaniment. As it progresses, the piano and accordion take the center stage. Although short, it's an awesome contrast to the woodwind section prior. The last mention of the main theme is "Atelier Rorona ~Ballad~." This version, at the end of the soundtrack, is an extremely poignant and touching theme lead by acoustic guitar and piano. It really helps stir the emotions. The inclusion of accordion accompaniment later in the theme helps unify the overall tone of the soundtrack and the crystalline synth samples also add a unique twist.

Of course, there is another theme that is played numerous times on the soundtrack. To me, this is definitely considered filler, as I don't think this many versions were needed. It's the "Shop's Jig," a very Irish sounding theme and quite festive. It receives additional versions of the theme that focus on sole instruments, such as the bagpipe, recorder, and whistle. Blah.

The whole soundtrack has quite the playful atmosphere to it. Themes like "Let's Head Out," with its combination of big brass sounds, accordion, woodwinds, and strings, and "A Stroll Through the Forest," with its focus on a variety of stringed instruments, both make for fantastic melodies and a marvelous listen. "Chow Down on the Menu" is a bit on the simpler side, focusing on strings and percussion. It's a bit on the plain side, especially in terms of accompaniment, but the chimes are a great addition that gives it a bit more of an exotic atmosphere. "When In a Bind, Talk It Out" has some fantastic percussion work that complements the woodwind and chimes quite beautifully. Although it is a more poignant theme, it manages to keep a playful air. "Sneak In! Cave Expedition," with its use of bagpipes, woodwinds, and strings, gives off a very adventurous and Celtic sound, and "Ultimate Rondo," a marvelous mixture of accordion and woodwinds with a touch of synth, are both very reminiscent of Nakagawa's work on Atelier Iris 3: Grand Fantasm and feature fairly strong melodies, with "Ultimate Rondo" being quite addicting!

In addition to the more playful themes, there are other themes that offer some different atmospheres. "A Sleeping Cemetery Underground," while not offering the strongest of melodies, does make up for it a bit with its sitar use and exotic atmosphere. "A Song by the Water," offers a beautiful dual acoustic guitar soundscape with water sound effects and subtle woodwind usage. It's a bit on the repetitive side, but does have a pleasant demeanor about it. "Lionela's Street Performance" is a beautiful combination of flamenco guitar and accordion. It's an odd mixture, but it gives off a fantastic Spanish flair and is quite a strong theme. "The Valley of Wind" gives off a nice rustic feel and includes a multitude of instruments, such as bagpipes, wood blocks, accordion, piano, synth, and acoustic guitar, but doesn't come off as the most pleasant listen. I commend the effort, but it wasn't as cohesive as some of the other themes. On the other hand, "The Silent Ruins at the Bottom of the Sea," is easily the highlight of the dungeon themes. It's a fantastically ethereal theme that focuses on a strong woodwind melody. However, the synth and piano accompaniment helps to reinforce this mystical atmosphere, especially in the latter half of the theme when sitar and piano take center stage.

One of my biggest gripes with Ken Nakagawa is his lack of strength in terms of composing battle themes. Before it starts sounding negative to you, though, I don't mean the tracks themselves are bad. On the contrary, the compositions themselves are quite fantastic, but the atmosphere each theme gives off, for the most part, is not inclined to make me think of battling. The battle theme and the boss battle theme are both quite similar in terms of sound. "Full-Bokko," the battle theme, features some fantastic instrumentation that helps to portray a magical atmosphere through the use of organ, piano, chimes, and accordion. As the track nears completion, the melody becomes much more inviting and also offers a wonderful accordion solo. "Maji-Bokko," the boss battle theme, on the other hand, while sounding similar to the normal battle theme, definitely focuses more on organ as an accompaniment and synth as the main driving force of the melody. There is a beautiful acoustic guitar section as well and the flamenco guitar solo really hits home with me. It's definitely stronger than "Full-Bokko" for sure!

"Cyclone," what I assume is the first in a set of four in a suite, is quite a fun battle theme and one that is probably closest to reaching that battle-like atmosphere. It features some string, woodwind, and synth lines that are fantastic, both in terms of melody and accompaniment, and is much more engaging than either the normal or boss battle theme. "Nose Dive," on the other hand, has a much more laidback atmosphere with a beautifully intertwining melody led by strings and woodwind. The piano accompaniment is quite pleasing, but overall, this is a bit on the weak side for that battle atmosphere. "Devil's Tango" opens with some woodwind and choir in a very calm fashion that quickly moves into a piano and accordion focused theme. It's extremely playful at times and gives off a certain French air, yet at the same time, more serious tones can also be heard, particularly in the string accompaniment. It's a pretty varied composition and one that is quite pleasing to listen to. "Eyes of the Dragon" serves as the final battle theme and definitely doesn't seem to fit the style of most final battle themes. However, it's such a strong composition that is both catchy and beautifully composed. The synth and accordion melodies complement each other wonderfully. The piano accompaniment is fantastic and bubbly, where as the flamenco guitar really adds a bit of charm. Some choir usage is also used at times and manages to give it a more melancholy sound. Overall, this is the crème de la crème of the battle themes in terms of composition.

Summary

Given this is Ken Nakagawa's first true solo score, I was hoping for an improvement over Atelier Iris 3: Grand Fantasm's score. While it is probably quite fitting for the game, I find that it contained some filler, especially in terms of the shop's theme, but nothing extraordinarily out of hand. The battle themes, aside from not sounding like most battle themes, are fantastic compositions and the main theme is quite strong. In the end, it's slightly less enjoyable than his previous major effort, but it's probably still worth picking up, particularly if you are a fan of a variety of unusual instruments for an RPG score.