Overview

Doujin events have become a sort of various remix albums as well as original music. Following the trend of other game composers, such as Supersweep and Nanosounds’ Nanosweep series, members of the Namco sound team decided to start releasing some of their own original music, made in Fruity Loop Studios. The second volume features AJURIKA, the brainchild of the newly formed Pinokiti Records, Hiroshi Okubo, Ryo Watanabe, Haruka Tamasaki, and syatten. How does it turn out compared to the first album?

Body

While syatten closed the first album, he opens up the second volume with “Lyra.” His contribution to this particular release, while similar in style, is much more enjoyable and refined. The electronic beats are heavier, the melodic hooks catchier, the piano melody more stunning, and the overall atmosphere much bubblier. While I compared his previous tune as something that would work well as a racing tune for a night time course, I think that “Lyra” really sounds like a quintessential summer party tune.

Following syatten is AJURIKA with a track called “Loma Lighthouse.” While the opening is quite sinister, giving off an eerie sound, the majority of the tune follows along the lines of a more psytrance oriented tune. Compared to the first volume’s release, I think that this is a more successful undertaking. It has a very tranquil atmosphere in the accompaniment that works well, especially during the sections that don’t focus on the pounding accompaniment.

Hiroshi Okubo’s “TIME TO GROOVE” is more akin to his more recent Nanosweep efforts. Focusing on wobbled synthesizer, some funky percussion, and a drum n’ bass accompaniment, it comes off as a much more engaging tune compared to the first volume. Of course, there are some mellow, jazzier sections and overall, I think that they mesh quite well with the more abrasive sections of the composition. Overall, it’s a solid effort.

Haruka Tamasaki wasn’t featured on the first album. Her tune, “Conflict,” is definitely more club oriented, featuring a heavy beat that would work well in any club situation. What I really enjoy though is the ethereal, trance-like atmosphere of the accompaniment. The only downside is that it doesn’t really develop much, aside from the beautiful melodic middle section, but the overall listen is quite enjoyable.

Seemingly a counter to “RISE,” Ryo Watanabe’s contribution to this album, “FALLEN,” is similar to his more recent Nanosweep tunes. As such, I think that the quality of this tune is not up to par with “RISE.” It’s a much more electronic oriented tune and comes off as a bit repetitive, despite his efforts to meld modern and old with the incorporation of some strings work on occasion. It’s still an enjoyable tune, but it may wear out its welcome quicker than the other themes on the album.

Summary

In the end, I think that Fruited Vagabond Vol. 2 is a solid listen from start to finish and a better album compared to its predecessor. Each track is a distinct style and helps diversify the album quite nicely. Fans of any of these artists will probably enjoy their contributions and the album can be previewed via Soundcloud, although the album price is a bit steep, this could be due to the fact that it comes with a printed booklet and a jewel case, unlike the Nanosweep titles that sell for a fraction of the cost due to their CD only nature.