KOEI Game Music Works – Yoko Kanno Collections

This disc is a compilation of selected material from every Koei CD of Yoko Kanno‘s up through 1993 (everything except Tenshouki). The intention was to obviously exhibit Kanno’s tremendous versatility, so each of the 14 tracks stand out as some of the most original and distinguished pieces from their respective albums. Among the most notable tracks are “Yellow River ~ Yangtze River,” seamlessly shifting from an Eastern traditional style koto and shakuhachi duet to a beautifully lush, impressionistic orchestral sketch of the calm flowing of water; “Portugal,” a charming cross of Latin guitar rhythms with a colorfully French accordion melody; and “Burning Mount Hiei,” a jazzy, rapid-fire piano and violin duet. The extreme quality and variety of music makes this an excellent CD for people interested in hearing paramount examples of Kanno’s game music work, as well as being a repository of tracks from original CDs nearly impossible to find. This collection is obviously a good buy for fans anxious to snap up as much of her music as possible.