Across the Kosmos ~ Xenosaga Piano Collection Announced by Wayô Records

Mystic Powers, a miracle is granted! In collaboration with original composer Yasunori Mitsuda and officially licensed by Bandai Namco, Wayô Records have announced Across the Kosmos ~ Xenosaga Piano Collection. The album brings together several Japanese video game musicians to celebrate the music of Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht. The album was seeking ~$32,670 USD (converted from €30,000) funding via Kickstarter, but it has already X-BUSTERed its way past their goal! (As of this writing, the funding is more than double that.)

Similar to their Across The Worlds ~ Chrono Cross Piano Collection, the Xenosaga piano album will be recorded on a Steinway D Grand Piano and be available in digital, CD and vinyl LP record format. While the album covers select songs from the game’s original soundtrack, more will be added as stretch goals are met. The base track list is as follows:

1. Prologue
2. Shion -Kako no Koku-
3. Fuan
4. Life or Death
5. Gnosis
6. Kanashimi
7. Kokoro o Tozashita Shōjo
8. Kookai Foundation
9. Nephilim
10. Nukumori
11. World to be Born
12. Albedo
13. Kyomu no Hamabe
14. Last Battle
15. Pain
16. Kokoro

Stretch goals will unlock a bonus track described as a “massive piano medley arrangement,” “Battle Suite (piano solo).” A further stretch goal will add “Jazz’in Kosmos,” a brand-new jazz mini-album to be performed by the Endgegner Jazz Band that will cover these songs:

1. Opening
2. Nichijō
3. Battle Suite
4. U.M.N. Mode
5. Nukumori
6. Relief
7. Last Battle
8. Omoide ~ Kokoro

If you are a super fan, one of the Kickstarter rewards includes a music box that plays one of Xenosaga Episode I‘s ending themes, “Kokoro,” for the price of €450 (roughly $490 USD). Other backer rewards include a piano score book of the album, two illustrations by Kiyoshi Arai, the Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht original soundtrack (Mitsuda’s own 2004 release with re-recorded audio), and more. Check out the rewards on the Kickstarter page for all of your choices, though we also have images of these items and more right here:

Across the Kosmos ~ Xenosaga Piano Collection is expected to ship sometime during Q4 2024, though the Kickstarter notes that the music box and vinyl records might take longer due to production processes. Beyond those mentioned above, further stretch goals include Dolby Atmos quality recording and a concert in France with a recording sent to backers.

Xenosaga Episode I launched in Japan on February 28th, 2002, and in North America on February 25th, 2003. As a fan, I am super excited to see the series get more recognition these days. With the success of this album, fingers crossed Bandai Namco will re-assess their market analysis for a Xenosaga remaster. Stay tuned to RPGFan as we learn more!