Customer Reviews

Ecco: Songs Of Time

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I was surprised to see this album on Amazon.com since any music associated with video games is generally looked askance at by most people, and often sold only through places like Game Music Online. Anyone who's played either of the Ecco games before knows that they are not in the least bit cutesy or childish. In my opinion, they are exceedingly beautiful and atmospheric, as is this CD. Some say that there is a lack of melody in the songs, but I disagree. It is true that some of the melodies may be a bit subtle in order to sustain a slightly subdued atmosphere, but in my opinion everything is perfectly balanced and could not be better. There is not a single track on the CD that I don't like, and I would feel safe reccomending this CD to anyone who likes beautiful and atmospheric music.

I own the Sega CD versions of Ecco the Dolphin: Tides of Time and the first Ecco. On those game CDs are perfectly playable tracks of all the games music, five tracks of which can be sampled through Amazon.

So if you're leary about purchasing this CD, you might want to consider getting both Sega CD games as they might be cheaper in total, and contain a much larger amount of tracks (29 in total, I believe..).

The music itself is excellent... The best in the world for a video game.. very atmospheric, and very creative. I could live without the dolphin sounds during the music, but at the same time it doesn't kill me.

I hope this helps.

As a parent of five children, my home is constantly barraged by cheezy music from various video game systems. Ecco: Songs of Time is NOTHING like that music. It transcends the usual, mindless video game "music" with its sophistication and beautiful textures. Spencer Nilsen has managed to compose music that sets a mood, rather than just providing a backdrop for some wild cartoon action on a television screen. I am proud to have Songs of Time as part of my CD collection. Note to video game music composers: buy this CD and use it as a benchmark!

While the Ecco games are not notable for their gameplay the graphics, atmosphere and haunting music have always enchanted, thrilled and chilled me. Spencer Nilsen's etheral music really takes you away during gameplay and puts you right in the primal, beautiful world of Ecco. This album from 1996 however doesn't do the music justice. Instead of giving us many tracks with a couple of loops before gradually fading out each track is a rather rude mash-up of many themes that don't even blend together. Instead they just suddenly jump to a new theme. It's jarring and distracting.

If you want a better presentation just by the Ecco the Dolphin Mega CD and use that instead. The CD doubles as a soundtrack album and gives you loads more tracks with better arrangement. Leave this overpriced product be.

This is by far my all time favorite soundtrack. It's really some of the best put together "watery" music I think I've ever heard. Every time I see a movie/game that has an underwater theme to it (Ecco the Dolphin for Dreamcast, Finding Nemo) I try to hear Spencers influence in them, nothing comes close to the richness and inspiration of the work he has made for these games. Also he wrote the music for the Batman game for the Sega CD as well. I can't recall if he did any others but something to keep your eye out for. Anyhow again a must have for any game/music lover.

I'm a music artist. I've always listen to everything from rock,rap,r&b,alternative, and pop. I was never a fan of classical music. In fact I couldn't stand it, But I bought the 2 ecco games this guy made music for when I was 14 years. I'm 22 now. Still don't like classical, but the 2 game soundtracks have been my favorite cd's since I got them. I eventually bought songs of time. I love this cd!

This CD is a must for any Ecco the Dolphin fan. I love to listen to it while working on the computer. It is great for background music.

If there was a word that meant fantastic, brilliant, and astonishing, I'd use it to sum up this album. The music is almost entirely synthesized, but Spencer Nilsen pulls it off marvelously. The music really "submerges" you in it's eerie-but-soothing feel. The music's style isn't easy to explain. It's almost like Enya with added percussion, then mixed up in whale sound effects, and even that description isn't really adaquate. You really have to hear the music to appreciate it. The mood changes (sometimes drastically) throughout the soundtrack; from "Abyss" with it's percussionistic at-the-beach feeling; on through "Deception," an eerie and somewhat unsettling piece; there's "St. Gabriel's Mask" with it's background guitar and great use of repitition; "The Machine" with it's desparate music for the height of the game; "Motion E" makes you feel like you going deeper into the ocean, surrounded by it's beauty;! and finishing off with "Time Forgotten" and "Sounding Echo," the most attentive and best pieces on the album. I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys both New Age and film music, since in a way it is both. Overall, a wonderous musical accomplishment.

I must be a geek. Nilsen not only composed this CD, but did the US soundtrack for Sonic CD, Sonic 3D blast, among other title. His scores are fun to listen to, even if you aren't playing a game!

The music is not something you can listen to on a road trip. This is for people who like to listen to those relaxation songs with nice blends of nature sounds and classical music. Songs of Time is like that but instead of classical music, it has what I call eerie, atmospheric music. Some of this stuff even sounds alien. The nature sounds are, naturally, whale calls. Kinda significant because whales are some of the most beautiful singers in the natural world. For those who have played the game, listen to this, and you'll feel like your swimming in the waters of Atlantis again. Unfortunately, if you own the Sega CD version, the game itself is also the soundtrack. Just pop the game in any cd player, and you can listen to the music. This defeats the need for buying the soundtrack.