Overview

Mamoru Has Been Cursed! Arrange Tracks is a re-imagining of the first solo score by SuperSweep's Yousuke Yasui. In the past, he's contributed to many Supersweep albums, such as the Nanosweep series and various arrange albums, such as the Technictix Remix albums, and is able to showcase a variety of styles ranging from hardcore industrial techno to disco-inspired synth soundscapes. This version features re-imaginings of the original soundtrack as featured in the Xbox 360 port of the game as well as two additional bonus arrangements by Hiroto Saito and Yasuhisa Watanabe. Is this the definitive version of the soundtrack?

Body

The two bonus arrangements are quite pleasant. The first, "Tribulation of Curse," arranged by Yasuhisa Watanabe, combines both "Great Tribulation" and "The Curse". It opens up with a very ambient approach that opens up with a very ethereal atmosphere before something that takes on a more menacing approach. The rock accompaniment and the various synth elements create a very intriguing combination and really bring out the best of the respective melodies. As it progresses, the track definitely gets more on the bubbly and happy side and reminisces about the atmosphere heard on the original soundtrack.

Hiroto Saito's arrangement of "Kurakami Spirits" is absolutely stunning. There is a slight electronica influence, but most of the arrangement relies on primarily Japanese instrumentation. It really gives this one a very cultural soundscape. However, the most stunning part of this arrangement is when it slows down. It conveys a very beautiful and peaceful melody that hints at sadness. Overall, it's a bubbly and fun Japanese arrangement with a nice calm break. Hiroto Saito still manages to surprise me!

The new version of this soundtrack only has very minimal differences. There is some synth tweaking that falls more in line with that used by Shoichiro Sakamoto, also of Supersweep, and many of the tracks get a rock-based accompaniment. Aside from this, there aren't many other differences on the soundtrack. However, I think the addition of rock and the synth tweaks bring the soundtrack to life a bit more, but some may disagree. Just imagine everything with a rock based accompaniment based on my review of the original score and you'll get a good idea of how it sounds.

Overall, Yosuke Yasui adopted a bouncy style for Mamoru Has Been Cursed. Themes like "One Step At a Time," "Bless You! Boy," and "Bless You! Girl," feature extremely bouncy melodies. The first theme has a bit of a futuristic backing with some semi-jazzy electronica to it. It's a bit repetitive, but I believe this is the character select screen, so this is to be expected. The other two themes are variations of one another. The former is much happier in terms of sound and atmosphere, whereas the latter manages to throw in some edge with the inclusion of some rock influences that are even more emphasised in the Xbox 360.

The grittier themes are definitely in the form of battle themes. The two boss battle themes, "The Curse" and "The Curse Again" are variations on each other as well. While both are mainly synth based and feature a bit of an Asian soundscape, "The Curse" also includes some more rock influences whereas "The Curse Again" is definitely more energetic and relies more on a synth soundscape. They are both quite fitting for their purpose. The final boss theme, "Perfect Terror," is definitely composed in more of an industrial techno style. It's pretty chaotic at times, with a variety of synth effects added in, giving it a bit of a spacey sound that blends pretty well with the industrial nature of the theme.

In addition to the grittier and more bouncy themes, there are also some synth themes that manage to exude an Asian soundscape. "Yo-kai Disco" features an interesting fusion of disco soundscapes and some Asian sounding synth leads. It's also quite bouncy and features a pretty kickass melody. Another Asian inspired theme is "Great Tribulation". This theme has a slower pace than most of the themes on the soundtrack, but the Asian sound in the melody, which is one of my favorites, is pretty apparent. It offers an interesting pace compared to some of the other stage themes, but it manages to engage at the same time.

Lastly, there are a couple other themes that I enjoy. "Will Force" is probably my favorite theme on the soundtrack. It's an upbeat piece that focuses on the use of synthesizers to create a very infectious melody. It also has a great beat and the rock influences, although subtle, help make this one a winner. I think it sounds even better with the tweaks here. "Lost Wind" is another slower paced theme that features of a jazz influence. In addition, it also reminds me a bit, at times, of the main theme heard in DoDonPachi Dai-Fukkatsu. It utilizes some interesting synth sounds as well, creating an engaging listen throughout.

Summary

In the end, this is a pretty decent soundtrack and, if you are a fan of Yousuke Yasui's work, you'll probably enjoy this as well. The tweaked synth and rock based accompaniment that accompanies most of the themes is very fitting and really helps breath new life into the originals. I also think that the arrangements by Saito and Watanabe warrant a purchase, but those with the original soundtrack already may not necessarily think this is worth the additional cash. However, for those new to the soundtrack, this is definitely the way to go.