Note: Observant readers will note that, according to the pictures of the package provided, track 3 of disc 1 says “Magical Autumn ~ ” followed by some Korean text. It turns out, the Korean text also says “Magical Autumn”, so we decided not to be redundant in our tracklist.
I feel very privileged to be sharing this review with you. TalesWeaver’s OST is a truly special, rare masterpiece.
This soundtrack is an album I had been seeking for quite a while. Once, a fellow user on a message board had shared a link to SoftMax’s website, which had samples of the music from the game. I declined to go check it out for a while, but eventually just decided to go download them. I was blown away! Clean, crisp, refreshing, and powerful were the words that came to find. I had to have more.
Then I discovered that TalesWeaver is a South Korean game. This is great and all, except I know very little Korean, don’t know how to find Korean music, and basically was totally lost in trying to find a copy of the soundtrack. Nobody I talked to even really knew the game existed, let alone if an OST was pressed.
Luckily, Japanese fans seem to have picked up the game too, and while browsing around at Yahoo Japan, I saw a sealed copy for sale. Without a moment of hesitation, I emailed one of our beloved middlemen and told him to win it at all costs. It cost me a pretty penny (about $100) even though I was probably the only bidder, but man – it was worth it.
Ripping open the package when it came to my apartment revealed a really cool little set. The two disc soundtrack has the *best* packaging I”ve ever seen. It comes in a thick, smooth outer case that has the cool logo on the front, and a tracklist of both discs on the reverse. Inside that are two full size DVD cases, each one with a CD and a nice, informative booklet, with notes from the composers! Woah! So shiny, too.
So, let’s get to the music! Popping in that first disc was a thrill, needless to say. What followed was some of the greatest music I had ever heard. Each one of the two discs features one composer, esti and nauts. They are both terribly talented and I love both discs equally.
Disc one starts out strong with the awesome song, “Til the End of Infinity.” Beginning with a nice Asian instrument, the beat instantly picks up, and an uplifting and crisp dance number breaks out. Everything about this OST is crisp; I really can’t use the word enough to describe the sound. Super sharp and high fidelity, everything has a super clean and professional sound. This song does a great job of showcasing this high quality.
Slow it down just a bit, bring in some soul, and we get “Motivity”, another sweet song. This is one of the songs that made me originally fall in love with the soundtrack. Always the cure for a crappy mood this song is; despite its cheesiness, I dig it. “Brand New Spring is Coming” – what a fitting name, as I got this OST around April that year. Perfect light dance brings up imagery of a fresh spring Saturday morning.
Skip down to “Aquabelle,” which slows it down, soothing the listener with sweeping pads and cool synths. Kick it back up with “Steppers in Line,” which started my obsession with 2step music. This song is oozing with coolness, the laid-back electric piano chords, bouncy pizzicato strings, and the tight, smooth 2-step-ish beat.
“Dis-Apparition” is a cool techno/breakbeat number. Speaking of which, the “Apparition” theme is apparent for the entire OST, both discs. It’s a distinct arpeggio that, the more you listen to the music, the more you notice it’s imbued in almost every song, in such subtle and smooth ways. These guys are musical geniuses.
End the first disc with a cool victory motif, a bonus track, and a live orchestral performance of the beautiful “Apparition” theme, and we move to disc 2.
“Tales are About to be Weaved,” is a pretty song, and I appreciate its cute, broken English title. “Make U THE Weaver” is upbeat and fresh. “Close to the Weaver” is a favorite of mine; I can’t get enough of this song, it’s just so slick and stylish (the “Apparition” theme plays very quietly in the background of the entire song! Amazing!).
“Sweet Jungle” is another all-time favorite. This song rules in so many ways – it’s catchy, cheerful, and bouncy, and I love the drum programming in the song (and that *poing* sound on the beat!) “Song of Beach” will have you back up and grooving, as will “Yeah!” as if that wasn”t obvious enough from the name of the song.
“Dawn” is seriously one of the most hauntingly beautiful piano numbers I’ve ever heard. Simple, quiet, somber, rainy…this song helps push TalesWeaver”s soundtrack into the legendary status.
Round it out with “Delight,” “SUCCESS!” and “Not Ended Fantasy,” and you have hands-down, one of the most original, stylish, and quality soundtracks conceived.
Good luck finding it. I wish it was easier to get, because it’s such a great OST. I suggest checking Yahoo Japan like I did, asking around, searching the net, and making lots of Korean friends.
