Overview

NanoSweep is an ongoing series of original music that was initiated in 2004 by various members of NanoSounds and Supersweep. It usually features members from each of these companies and occasionally a guest composer. This is the third original album and features compositions by Koji Nakagawa, Ryo Watanabe, Hiroshi Okubo, Yousuke Yasui, Shinji Hosoe, and Ayako Saso.

Body

Hiroshi Okubo's contribution, "In the Mix," is an interesting theme that develops more as it progresses. It's fairly straightforward and features a steady beat throughout the entire piece. The percussion samples, which sound like someone hitting metal with drumsticks, also helps give it a nice touch. This one might be hard to appreciate for some, considering the development in the melody line is more subtle than in other pieces, but overall, it's pretty pleasant to me.

Yousuke Yasui's contribution is entitled "Moksha," and it is rather strange. Like most of Yasui's NanoSweep compositions, I tend to find them hit or miss. Unfortunately, this is another miss for me. While there are some engaging parts, overall, I don't find it engaging. Perhaps it's the bass beat. I do like the random sound effects and the subtle development though!

"Silence," by Koji Nakagawa, is an ethereal electronica piece with plenty of spacey synth effects. While it doesn't really develop too much, it is a rather pleasant piece to listen to and it gives off a rather relaxing feel. It's not one of my favorites, but it's easier to appreciate than "In the Mix."

I absolutely love Ryo Watanabe's contribution, "Lucida." It's a fantastic blend of electronica and jazz. While the intro is entirely electronica based, it features a nice beat. When I first heard it, I was wondering if it was going to do anything else, but once it hit the jazzy section, I was hooked. While the electronica beat shifts, it works fantastically with the piano and string led melody. It's infectiously catchy and serves as one of the best offerings on this album.

Ayako Saso has two contributions on this album, the only NanoSweep album to feature two compositions by a single artist. The first, "Your pulse," is a nice electronica piece that features some nice driving beats, some vocal samples, and a variety of synths. At times, it has a spacey sound, at others more of a club feel. In the end, it's a pretty good composition, although I prefer her other contribution on the album. "Do you play?" is a fantastic electronic rock composition. While it does feature some vocal samples, that is only a tiny part of the composition. Most of it features some awesome electric guitar work, presumably by Saso herself, mixed with some fantastic synth samples. This is easily my favorite on the entire album and she does a fantastic job at creating an exhilarating experience.

Shinji Hosoe's "Lock'n roll" is another industrial techno piece with a pulsating bass. Like Saso's "Do you play?," it features some rock elements as well, giving it a bit of a grunge sound at times. It's also quite a varied piece, with some crazy synth sections and some exotic vocal samples. It's another one of the keepers on the soundtrack.

Summary

NanoSweep 3 is just as good as the past edition. While it still features some hit or miss compositions, in my opinion, it's still worth checking out, especially considering the price. As always, Saso and Hosoe create some very interesting compositions. Ryo Watanabe was also a surprise on this album. Overall, it's a nice blend of electronic styles and compositions.