Modern soundtrack review (under construction)

Spirit Guide
A quick introduction to the world. The sounds of flowing water really dominate this one, and it’s clear that this will be a soundtrack of nuance and trebles, diversity, and intrigue. The strings come in to finish it off with some woodwinds. 3/5

Beneath Worlds
It’s immediately reminiscent of Gareth Coker’s Ori and the Blind Forest. It’s an eastern Asian sound, and it’s lovely. You really feel like you’re exploring a wonderful garden of sorts. While the first half is slow, the second half gives you a hint of things to come. 3.5/5

Saplings
The sound is tribal in nature again, but this time light sheepskin-style drums dominate the sound. The sound is pleasant and windy in nature. It’s unlike most soundtracks out there, to be sure. 3.5/5

Shrine of Life and Death
While the sound is unique, it’s more of a meditation music sound than something that’s really cohesive. 2/5

Crossing Over
Our first real sign of typical orchestration. We heard strings to start the track off, but then a xylophone-like instrument feeds into this track more. As it exits, a typical orchestra lets this one off gently. 3.5/5

Beni & Saiya
A track that’s dominated by bell-like instruments (like a xylophone). It’s lighthearted and enjoyable, but nothing stunning. 3/5

Hidden Rot
A continuation of the lighter-hearted sounds of the previous track, it’s perfectly pleasant but ultimately forgettable. 3/5

A New Friend
This track continues right off again. Video games don’t follow a set timing; players will reach their objectives at different times, so I understand why this track is almost identical. That being said, it’s got a little more depth than “Hidden Rot,” and a more standard orchestra makes it more cohesive towards the end. 3.5/5

Befriending Spirits
This track really does feel like you’re making a friend. It sounds a lot like something I’ve heard in Spirited Away, which may be some inspiration. There are a couple of singers, Emiko Sarasawati Susilo and Dewa Ayu Larassanti, that accompany this piece. It’s light-hearted and tropical in its sound. 3.5/5

Ruins
We have a sense of emptiness in this one, with a lot of space to breathe in, but that doesn’t make it a great track. 2/5

I know your kind
It’s a much tenser sound—the darkest sound we’ve heard so far on the soundtrack. The brass is heavy, and it’s clear that there’s something either in danger or something that is close to it. 3/5

Sprout
A rapidly shifting instrument, and I can’t tell what it is, continues on with the tension that was in “I Know Your Kind.” It’s an action piece; the player must be trying to figure something out, and the clock is ticking. It’s very mission-impossible in its construction. 3/5

Rot Parade
Another whimsical track; the broader strings do come in later. It’s a cool sound, very light, and very fun, but not that enthralling. 3.5/5

Bridge of Spirits
It’s very quick, but it works fine. 3/5

Abandoned Village
It’s spooky, with shrill strings and woodwinds setting a darker tone. At the same time, it never gets to be cliché horror with jump scares built into the music. Again, as an independent listener, it’s completely fine, if a bit dull. 2.5/5

A Corrupted Village
It sounds like a structured bell or teardrop.  I don’t know what the instrument is, but it drops every second or so and then takes a 4-second pause. The song continues in this fashion, and it’s just kind of underwhelming in every sense. Yet, it manages to avoid being repulsive. 1.5/5

Village Restored
The village has returned to its original state, and the music reflects that. But it’s so short, you can’t appreciate it. 2.5/5

Village
The woodwinds play a more prominent role in creating the sound of the village. There’s a harp-like background music playing as the strings play a repetitive but affable sound. It’s clear that it’s just mood music for the video game. I’ll never seek this song out, but I also won’t fast-forward. 3.5/5

Hat Cart
There’s a little more to this piece, certainly more than you’d expect for a song called “Hat Cart.” The flutes help set that same open and gracious tone that we’ve been hearing all day. The orchestra plays a larger part here as well, with the drums serving as the backdrop. I can’t bring myself to give it a 4/5, but it’s not too far off. 3.5/5

Mask Shrine
Bells make up the tonality of this piece, and it’s disjointed and not very appealing. 1.5/5

Spirit Mail
We’re seeing some signs of real life again. On a more spurious track, it feels as if you’re running along the backdrop of a forest. Bells and teardrop-like sounds work with the flutes and drums to create a sense of urgency. But, keeping with the time, ultimately, it’s just fine, and not more. 3/5

Deadzone
The first true hint of some deeper emotion. Emiko sings something in a foreign language; her voice is neither incredible nor poor. It fits the bill by creating an atmosphere where the consistent pace of the music feels in tune with the name of the track. 3.5/5

Kurulung
A decidingly action track, beating drums with stressed strings, gives way to a sense of urgency. You feel like running, and that’s the idea, I think.  3/5

Forest Tear
It sounds like the tuning of a symphony, with all parts coming together. But it’s very, very short. 3/5

Flower Shrine
The first track truly stands out for its sound. A familiar, whimsical sound returns, but this construction is different. It’s asking questions and asking you to come forward with the way the strings beckon. 3.5/5

Sprout Captain
Another action track, but this one is very generic in its sound. Beating drums with the occasional orchestral assistance makes for a very dull experience, despite what action tracks are supposed to do. 2/5

Lost in the Storm
I think of raindrops in a cave as this track opens, and as the strings flow through it, I am reminded of light flooding in from holes in the roof. It’s fine; it’s boring. 2.5/5

Taro’s Mask
Short, disjointed, and noisy. 1/5

Trapped Spirit
After a series of really underwhelming tracks, we get something with a little more complexity here. At 6 minutes, it’s a longer piece. There’s a woodwind solo of an instrument I can’t quite place; it’s very tropical in sound. The broader orchestra comes back in and works to create a sense of loss within its scope. The pace is slow but wonderful; that’s no issue at all. After a while, the sound is almost nautical in its creation. 4 minutes in, and it’s the same thing, with no change in pace, but it begins to hint at something more. The intensity does increase, but only slightly. In the end, the song is good, but not great. 3.5/5

Breaking Through
It immediately invokes memories of Rayman, and it’s got a little fight to it. After a moderate start, the brass comes into the fray and makes it clear that there is some kind of action going on. But 2 minutes in, and it’s clear that it’s just a mediocre piece. 2.5/5

Memory
Short and almost devoid of any real sound. 1/5

Ascending the Mountain
I’m optimistic about a track called “Ascending the Mountain.” There’s almost a teardrop sound in the way that the sound loops in, and then the orchestra swells beautifully. The sound is lovely and beautiful and fully earns its rating. 4/5

The Climb
The same sound from the mountain continues on this track, but it’s more muted. Still, it’s very pleasant to listen to. 3.5/5

Sedih
It’s kind of terrible; I hate the introduction. It’s almost like white noise at this point. The flute just continues with no sense of belonging. 0.5/5

Through the Mountain
A bell-like sound permeates this piece, but it’s really more of the same boring stuff. Drums come into the fray around the halfway mark, but it’s a disjointed drum sound. 1.5/5

Kappa
A tenser affair, the unusual combination of instruments actually starts to form something a little more cohesive here. It’s almost a typical battle piece, complete with typical pauses and ceremonial rising actions. It’s a decent sound and continues improving towards the end. 3.5/5

Summit Trail
If they wanted to create a piece that sounded like a person walking, that’s what they’ve done here. 2/5

Rusu’s Counsel
It starts off with tropical drums but then quickly fleshes into something much better, with hints of a real orchestra creating something of a more normal sound. There’s not a lot to the sound, but it’s very pleasant and flows really well. Then, the last 20 seconds get to highlight what Theophany is capable of, but it’s not quite there. 3.5/5

Target Practice
It’s almost a meditative target practice song. There are good pauses, and it’s not as disjointed as some of the other specialized pieces. It’s quite enjoyable. 3/5

Branch Tossers
I don’t know what changed after the mountain, but we started getting some sense of actual themes coming through. This one isn’t great with a rapid-fire drum section, but it’s, again, not bad. 2.5/5

Wood Knight
The same rapid-fire drums show up here again. It’s a little incorrect to say the sound is generic, but it kind of is. I’ve heard the same sound several times now in the soundtrack, and I’ve got several hours to go. It’s a basic action piece. 2.5/5

Taro’s Fear
Even though it’s short, it works pretty okay as a piece. 2.5/5

Forgotten Forest
The sound is rhythmic, if again a little boring. Two minutes had passed before I remembered I was supposed to be thinking about what it sounded like. I’m running out of ways to describe the same sound that I heard above. Boring? Sure. At this point, I’ll use abstract animals. It sounds like jellyfish. 2/5

God Tree Shrine
It’s the same boring sound as before except for the last 45 seconds, which have brief spurts of actual diversity. 2.5/5

Kotekan
My patience is running thin for this forest sound of drums. Percussion dominates the scope here. But yet, it’s just a variation of the same sound that we’ve heard for the last hour or so. 2.5/5

Angin Kaulu
It’s an introduction for the next piece. It just kind of passed by. 1.5/5

Angin Kaulu II
The sound is Indian (subcontinental, not American) in its construction. Lots of flutes and a beating drum sound that’s now part of the album’s core identity continue here. 2/5

An Ancient Weapon
Fast and boring. Thanks. 1/5

Lantern Trail
How do you get almost 2 minutes of no sound at all? It’s a ghostly piece, with hints of a chorus making up the end. Still, it lacks diversity or enjoyableness. 2/5

Clearing the path
The sound from the previous track continues here as well. It’s actually a little whimsical in its construction, and there’s a hint of something greater beneath the surface. I’m actually enjoying this one. But something is wrong with its sound, literally. It’s cut off at the low end, and it’s clear there’s some compression loss. 3/5

Lantern Cave
At this point, I’m just going to stop writing summaries for tracks unless they’re unique. 2/5

Shrine Guardian
At 4 minutes long, this is clearly a battle piece. The action is diverse and actually not too shabby. Lots of bells and brass, as well as tropical sounds, play a part here. 3/5

Return the relics
2.5/5

Summoning Taro
There’s some signs of a better soundtrack here; the brass comes and gives a hint of warning, but then it just dies and goes in a different tense direction. 2.5/5

Corrupt Taro
At 6 minutes long, this immediately begins with the flutes and drums and creates the tone of another battle track. The brass quickly chimes in as well, and it’s got the makings of something pretty decent. It’s a typical brassy piece, but that’s not a bad thing. A minute in, and I’m optimistic. The good sounds continue through minute two, and I’m positively having a good time. It’s actually a really good battle piece. The action continues to ramp as the piece passes the 3-minute mark, and I’m not counting down the finish anymore. I’m really enjoying it as the brass and the tropical woodwinds create an air of what this soundtrack should have been. 4.5/5

Toshi’s Spirit Dive
A male-dominated voice starts this one off; it’s choir-like in its construction. It reminds me a little bit of Marco Beltrami’s Soul Surfer.  There are hints of a real emotional piece building up here; the orchestra tugs you in that direction but then lets you linger a little longer. Honestly, after the crap that was presented earlier, I’m okay with it. It’s another positive start 2 minutes in, and it seems like there’s some influence from more traditional movie pieces. The sound, however, is still disjointed as it moves from one motif to another. Still, I like the piece. As we finish off the track, a female vocalist comes in, and it starts lifting up the overall quality of the sound into something sentimental. 4.5/5

Gineman
1.5/5

Storehouse
3/5

Hana
At 2 minutes long, this piece seems to carry more weight than it should (given its length). A female choir starts the piece off, and a piano-like sound carries it into the breeze. It’s a really lovely sound, and I like it a lot. Where was this magic earlier in the album? 5/5

Adira’s Mask
2.5/5

Fields
It sounds almost cosmic. 3.5/5

The Ancient Well
2.5/5

Adira’s Love
3/5

Stone Guardian
It’s another cool battle piece, with an entirely different vibe this time around. Again, I’m pleasantly surprised. The brass and the bells play together nicely, provide good changes in tempo, and allow the user to take a break and reset. The action is a good mix of rising and measuring.  3.5/5

Village Heart Caves
2.5/5

Rot Eaters
The action is quick and pleasant. It’s got a good theme underlying its construction, and you feel the fleeting danger. 4/5

A Corrupted Heart
3.5/5

Adira’s Regret
1/5

Corrupt Woodsmith
3.5/5

Calmed Spirit
0.5/5

Adira’s Spirit Dive
We’ve got the beginnings of a real winner here. It starts off slow, almost melancholy, with sweeping strings and a hint of a deeper divide with some heated drums. From there, it ramps into a tenser affair with intermittent hits from the full orchestra. The brass comes out of nowhere, and it’s magnificent, with a female choir assisting in the more dull moments. It feels positively Avatar. There are issues with the track. It’s got serious compression issues. Dynamic range is really lacking here in a technical sense; you can hear the drums being curtailed due to compression. Still, though, those issues aside, I really like this piece. It really sounds like an honest homage to James Horner. 5/5

Village Leader Hall
1.5/5

Kena’s Spirit Dive
Each of the Spirit Dives has been really good. Will it continue? A deep, dark heartbeat-sounding drum starts this one off with an overbearing backdrop. But a minute in, the tone shifts, and you can hear hints of a male choir assisting. A quiet, lovely piano plays as the strings hold their notes. The piano harkens to a broader lift in the sound. The whole soundtrack I’ve been begging for is something that’s emotional, and it starts to hit here. It begins to lift and lift and lift. With a minute left, it dies, and I’m left wanting. 4/5

Mask-Maker Path
2/5

Mask Maker
We’ve got something of a more tense affair here. Clearly, there’s something going on, and you need to run to get there. It reminds me of Indiana Jones. The orchestra is playing furiously; I can practically feel the strings wearing out when the violin comes back. That being said, I thought it would be better than it ended up being. 2.5/5

Toshi’s Fear
1.5/5

Warrior Path
1.5/5

Toshi’s Love
1.5/5

Hunter Path
2/5

The hunter approaches
3/5

Toshi’s Regret
2.5/54

Summoning Toshi
There’s a lot more substance here. Gamelan Cudamani provides a female vocal intro in the first half of the song. The second half goes much more intense, with hints of danger being led by a male choir. Biting brass bits come in, and it sounds positively Howard Shore. 3.5/5

Corrupt Toshi
The same theme that ended the previous song continues on this one, with the same drum instrument creating a clear battle scene. The male choir continues on here as well. It maintains the same level of intensity throughout its entire structure. 3.5/5

Corrupt, Rot God
At 8 minutes long, it’s by far the longest piece on the track. A Hawaiian-sounding male choir works very well with terse strings and brass. Around a minute in, the tempo changes completely, and it’s clear that we’re in another battle. This time, though, given its length, I anticipate a diverse track that isn’t distractingly so. We hear hints of the main Kena theme through the strings, and the brass and drums complement the action. Halfway through the track, the motifs change again, and we get a brand new action sound that we haven’t heard before. It’s best described as the footsteps of a horse running. The action continues for several more minutes. As it closes out, the action really improves, but it doesn’t really bring it up to a level I want to listen to over and over again. 3.5/5

Taro’s Spirit Dive
As we approach the end of the soundtrack, we get one final Spirit Dive. I’ve enjoyed the Spirit Dives so far, and we’ll see if our final one lives up to the quality of its predecessors. And so far, a minute in, it’s good. There’s the emotion that’s been lacking from a lot of these tracks being brought into the fray. We have softer instruments, pianos, and chimes leading the charge. It would fit well within something that Max Richter or James Horner would compose. However, right at the halfway mark, there’s a complete shift in tone similar to Hiroyuki Sawano’s style. A couple of female singers come in and start complementing the strings. The emotional tilt continues to build. It’s phenomenal. With 2 minutes left, I can hear hints of a female choir. As we exit the song, the singer finishes it out in lovely style. 5/5

Mountain Shrine
The sound is positively soul-surfing.  Our female singers from “Taro’s Spirit Dive” return for this lovely gem of a piece. With the orchestra, they create a sense of completion upon ascension. The orchestra uses all of its instruments in this epic, swelling goodbye. It’s the best song on the album, by far, so far. If the whole album was this good, it would be the best album ever. There’s clearly talent in Theophany’s vision. 6/5

Reveal Trailer
Trailer music is always fun. You have to pack a diversity of emotions in 3 minutes or less. As a standalone piece, however, I find it utterly lacking. It’s not until about a minute in that we get a hint of something greater than its reveal. From there, the soundtrack swells in its epic construction. 3.5/5

Gameplay Trailer
A softer opening to set the tone of the world of “Kena” gives away a minute into a better sound than the reveal trailer. It provides the world to you without jamming it in your ears. As we press on through the sound, it sounds very typical trailer music, but in a very good way. It’s revealing, emotional, and charged. I like what she’s done here. As we exit the music, we get a sense of foreboding for what the game will reveal, which finishes off with a fading light sound. 4/5

Release Trailer
Another trailer, and another different sound. This one is an ascending scale after an introduction. It leads into a piano motif for the main theme, and it’s great. It flows naturally, and the drums come in and don’t feel forced at all, which has been a problem many times in this album. As the strings flow in, I love what I hear, as the rising action is perfectly done. It has a pause 2 minutes in just to let you breathe, and then flows out wonderfully. 5/5

Anniversary Trailer
For the anniversary trailer, they went with a more tribal sound—the one I despised. However, a minute in, they let the sound flow into a more orchestra-backed tone. The action then goes into a theme that’s positively enjoyable. 4/5