Comments on: The power of representation http://www.silician.com/anime/2008/02/11/the-power-of-representation/ A terminal of connections Wed, 03 Nov 2010 06:25:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2 By: Owen S http://www.silician.com/anime/2008/02/11/the-power-of-representation/comment-page-1/#comment-114 Owen S Thu, 14 Feb 2008 08:25:45 +0000 http://www.silician.com/anime/2008/02/11/the-power-of-representation/#comment-114 I think there's still much gold to be had in the second DtB OST, though, so it sucks that they're delaying the hell out of that one (then again, RxJ and TTGL just had their soundtracks out not too long ago... so one can hope.) Pieces that come to mind as particularly evocative include Hei's final sequence with all the Contractors and November 11's death scene. They struck me as being a fragment in the larger picture of things, and while I guess it's unlikely that they're going to clock in at the 4:30 mark, 4:00 to 3:30 seems perfectly plausible. We'll see. I think there’s still much gold to be had in the second DtB OST, though, so it sucks that they’re delaying the hell out of that one (then again, RxJ and TTGL just had their soundtracks out not too long ago… so one can hope.)

Pieces that come to mind as particularly evocative include Hei’s final sequence with all the Contractors and November 11′s death scene. They struck me as being a fragment in the larger picture of things, and while I guess it’s unlikely that they’re going to clock in at the 4:30 mark, 4:00 to 3:30 seems perfectly plausible. We’ll see.

]]> By: introspect http://www.silician.com/anime/2008/02/11/the-power-of-representation/comment-page-1/#comment-113 introspect Mon, 11 Feb 2008 22:16:52 +0000 http://www.silician.com/anime/2008/02/11/the-power-of-representation/#comment-113 The thing with jazz soundtracks like DtB is that 3 minutes is almost too easy. Four and a half should be a bare minimum. Given the much more improvisatory nature of jazz/latin, exposition is traded for intro where there isn't so much a theme but a chord progression and rhythmic figure. Likewise, there is a solo section, followed by an outro. One can really improv all night long, though, and the spotlight should go to more than two soloists per performance. There are several one-solo pieces in DtB and a few that have two, but nothing more than that. The thing with jazz soundtracks like DtB is that 3 minutes is almost too easy. Four and a half should be a bare minimum.

Given the much more improvisatory nature of jazz/latin, exposition is traded for intro where there isn’t so much a theme but a chord progression and rhythmic figure. Likewise, there is a solo section, followed by an outro.

One can really improv all night long, though, and the spotlight should go to more than two soloists per performance. There are several one-solo pieces in DtB and a few that have two, but nothing more than that.

]]> By: Owen S http://www.silician.com/anime/2008/02/11/the-power-of-representation/comment-page-1/#comment-108 Owen S Mon, 11 Feb 2008 12:10:32 +0000 http://www.silician.com/anime/2008/02/11/the-power-of-representation/#comment-108 Ah, Yoko Kanno. Her repertoire's barely fallen into the 2-minute category that you mentioned (her pieces in Darker than Black all clocking in at about 3 minutes average; weighty, though), but I can't see her doing much wrong with her compositions yet, if Macross Frontier is anything to go by. Escaflowne was undeniably excellent, but it's a rare thing to be seen as of late, I'll have to admit. 4 minute compositions seem to be non-existent, judging from the recent slew of soundtracks that I've downloaded. Love the distinction between "monuments" and "lesser structures", although one might argue that those lesser ones tower over even lesser structures in their right -- there <em>are</em> undeniably lacklustre and/or mediocre stuff still prevailing in soundtracks, after all. Ah, Yoko Kanno. Her repertoire’s barely fallen into the 2-minute category that you mentioned (her pieces in Darker than Black all clocking in at about 3 minutes average; weighty, though), but I can’t see her doing much wrong with her compositions yet, if Macross Frontier is anything to go by.

Escaflowne was undeniably excellent, but it’s a rare thing to be seen as of late, I’ll have to admit. 4 minute compositions seem to be non-existent, judging from the recent slew of soundtracks that I’ve downloaded.

Love the distinction between “monuments” and “lesser structures”, although one might argue that those lesser ones tower over even lesser structures in their right — there are undeniably lacklustre and/or mediocre stuff still prevailing in soundtracks, after all.

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