Awesome. Pure awesome.
Takashi Okamoto has proven himself time and again with his work over at Flight-Plan. This time, Okamoto works with a number of other musicians to put out live, instrumental (and a few vocal) recordings for about 40% of the album (with the rest being synthesized). If there’s one thing we can say about Poison Pink, it’s that it has style. The concept art is fantastic, and so is the music.
You may ask: “what style?” At this point, we can actually get specific. Classical music on one track, rock on the next, and then jazz. Sometimes the genres blend on certain songs, but they are, for the most part, distinct. Certain songs are arranged for string quartet, piano solo, or the miscellaneous category “chamber music.” Many jazz songs appear on disc three, with flute being the lead instrument on almost all of those songs. Some of the “rock” tracks exist with electric guitar in the lead and a standard band setup in the background; other tracks take on an industrial/techno style. There’s plenty to love here.
The best thing about Okamoto’s work on this soundtrack (as well as others) is that the soundtrack doesn’t get old. Every song sounds fresh; it’s great to listen to on repeat. Every song is strong, rich, and bright; it’s clear that much time and effort was put into the production and mixing of each and every track.
“Re-Structure” is the vocal theme song for Poison Pink, and though the original recording is good, I find myself drawn to the remix (the final track of the album). Okamoto knows how to make music even more interesting, that’s for sure.
I am happy to find that Okamoto has set a standard for himself, and we can now say that he has set a tradition in excellence. Let us hope that Flight-Plan will continue to develop excellent games to match Okamoto’s excellent music. As to whether or not Okamoto’s next project will include great music, I have no doubts: the answer is yes. Here’s to whatever comes next for Takashi Okamoto!
