While
not a particularly strong soundtrack as a whole by
most standards, I must attest to having always been
a fan of Sei Ikeno's work. He has a very contemporary
flavor to him, which for his time period gives his
body of work a very "classic" quality to it today. In
the instance of this soundtrack, Ikeno lends his
talents toward creating a mysterious and brooding
score that also gives the sense of the era
from which it was written. At times, the soundtrack
feels like it would be right at home in the background
of an old radio mystery serial, and certainly "Thriller
Show" (one of my favorite cues off the disc)
strives just for that. That description doesn't really
do the soundtrack full justice, though, as Ikeno
is never over the top or "hammy" in his orchestrations,
maintaining a level of class while still producing
a score that fits this type of sensation. Outside
of the more mysterious cues, the disc also offers
a variety of themes that sound perfect for a 1960's
club or dance scene, all of which belong to the "Cabaret
Daihonei" tracks and the unaltered "Transistor
Radio · Raw Material".
Overall, the score isn't particularly captivating,
yet as a whole fills a nice niche that is sure to
please soundtrack collectors who might enjoy something
a bit more aged and rustic. It's surprisingly enjoyable
as a standalone experience, although does suffer
a little from its short runtime.
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