Customer Reviews

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Yoko Kanno has long been one of my favourite Japanese composers since I heard the operatic splendour of 'Macross Plus'.

With GITS: Stand Alone Complex Kanno successfully fuses this same feel with the blues/rock influences previously evident from her work on 'Cowboy Bebop'.

The order in which the tracks are presented do not allow for easy listening but you could always program your CD player to
play any combination you choose.

Tracks such as 'Beauty Is Within Us' are so impossibly hard to listen to (I like to call it Kanno a-la Coldplay or Muse, depressing stuff!!). Whereas, 'Run Rabbit Junk' & 'GET9' are exciting, awe inspiring even after repeated listening. This is a soundtrack with something for all tastes. This should appeal to the more adventurous listeners among you.

I of course come to this particular conclusion because of my strangely mixed musical tastes. I'll listen to Jools Holland (check out his album with Tom Jones if you can) or Ray Charles then listen to Metallica or Black Sabbath before rounding it off with some Bach, Danny Elfman (Batman Returns, etc) or John (Star Wars) Williams.

If you enjoy this then check out the 'Tachikoma' concept album 'Be Human' also by Yoko Kanno.



This audio CD has been mastered incorrectly.

Tracks 8 & 9 'Velveteen' and 'Lithium Flower' run back to back within track 8 on the disc ('Lithium Flower' starts roughly 5:04 within the track). The next 2 tracks are one behind what is stated on the cover. Tracks 11 (labeled 'Inner Universe') and 12 (labeled 'Fish - Silent Cruise') should be one track. 'Fish - Silent Cruise is split into two halves across the two.

From 13 onward the tracks match the track listing/cover.


ACTUAL TRACK LISTING:
1. Run Rabbit Junk
2. Yakitori
3. Stamina Rose
4. Surf
5. Where Does This Ocean Go?
6. Train Search
7. Siberian Doll House
8 Velveteen / Lithium Flower
9 Home Stay
10 Inner Universe
11 Fish (Fish - Silent Cruise Part 1)
12 Silent Cruise (Fish - Silent Cruise Part 2)
13. Some Other Time
14. Beauty Is Within Us
15. We're the Great
16. Monochrome
17. GET9 [TV Size]
18. Rise [TV Size]

I bought the 'OST' and 'Be Human' as part of the Manga/Bandai Limited Editions of 'Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex' Volumes 1 & 2 respectively.

Highly recommended!!!

I have followed Yoko Kanno's music since she created the Macross Plus Soundtrack, which was the defining element of that 4-part anime series. Although Kanno produced a lot of orchestral and instrumental music for the Macross Plus series, it was her rock music with techno and dance influences that stood out. Since then, Kanno has experimented with other musical styles, including jazz , in such musical releases as the Cowboy Bebop Soundtrack and Song to Fly.

In this soundtrack, however, Kanno returns to the rock/techno fusion that played a strong role in the Macross Plus Soundtrack. Her musical style, however, has matured over the years; this music seems much more powerful, more creative, and more artistic than previous soundtracks. The music ranges from Run Rabbit Junk, Yakitori, and Lithium Flower, with strong 1980's rock elements; to Surf and Inner Universe, with strong techno elements and fast tempos; to Monochrome, with slower tempos and quiet, haunting sounds. Although Kanno's music has evolved, she is not beyond presenting either music more in line with mainstream genres or experimental songs with unusual sounds and lyrics. The integration of multiple instrumental and electronic components gives the music a sophisticated sound rich in detail. Additionally, Kanno relies on multiple singers and songwriters, including performers such as Origa who are independent pop-music successes in Japan, to produce music with widely-varying sounds (and widely varying languages).

This music sounds exactly like what is expected for a high-quality soundtrack for a futuristic science fiction series. It's simply great rock/techno music with so many good tracks that the entire CD is worth owning. I recommend it to any music listeners.

Yoko Kanno is an amazingly versatile composer, and although she sometimes borrows rather obviously from previously existing material, she seldom duplicates herself. Hence, this disc is not like the blues-jazz-themed Cowboy Bebop soundtrack, the latin-tinged "Wolf's Rain" score, or her more classical album "Songs to Fly." I suppose it most resembles the Sharon Apple pop numbers from "Macross Plus," but even that's a bit of a leap. This album is much more built on heavy metal guitars, dominating synthesizers and much more overstated, grandiose arrangements, the sort that sometimes fall on their face but in this case work to splendidly dramatic effect. The content is engaging, diverse, and often in-your-face. Unfortunately, one trait that is held over from "Wolf's Rain" is that some of the English vocal tracks feature some embarrassingly overdramatic lyrics ("Beauty is Within Us" is the most egregiously unlistenable example) and leave me pining for the quiet beauty of "Is It Real?" from the Bebop movie score. But with 19 tracks at your disposal, one or two duds won't set you back. Another mild gripe is that "Where Does This Ocean Go?" is a flagrant ripoff of Bjork's "Hyperballad," but fortunately it might be better than the original song so all is forgiven. Bottom line, this is another solid and original release that should only fuel the popularity of anime soundtrack music around the world.

P.S. I've never seen a second of Stand Alone Complex and this music is great anyway, so if you're not familiar with the show, don't let that hold you back.

As TV soundtracks go, this one is Exceptional. After getting the Wolf's Rain soundtrack and being disapointed with it, I was worried that this one might fall well short of my expectations. It did not. "Inner Universe" - the track played in the opening credits of the show, and the song I can credit for prompting me to buy the album, is a masterpiece and almost singularly warrants buying this album. The number of vocal tracks on this album are higher than I usually like on a soundtrack, but the songs are good enough and well enough performed that it is easily forgotten. In fact, most of my favorite tracks of this album are vocals. The only flaws I found is that a couple of the instrumentals suffer from repetativeness and the song "Monochrome" is a bit annoying with it's high-pitched beeps.

The style of the music is quite varied, though shows an obvious techno influence in line with the future setting of the series. The variety of music on this album captures the variety of moods that are present in the series. Many of the songs on the album are quite dramatic, a trait which I love and expect in soundtracks. It's a good compliment to the series, or a good (dare I say it?) stand alone album.

Why not 5 stars? Only because I don't believe in giving anything a perfect score unless it too is perfect, just as I don't believe in giving 1 star unless the item is total garbage.

This soundtrack is absolutely perfect in every way, shape, and form. Showcasing exceptional tracks from the lovely Yoko Kanno that shows her excpetional talent in creating epic, fun, and emotional music. This is one hell of a soundtrack.

Run Rabbit Junk 8/10
Fun, fast-paced song with fun lyrics. Great game to listen to while playing a first-person shooter.

Yakitori 10/10
A perfect song to drive to. Will be a favorite for fans of Chicago and other related bands.

Stamina Rose 10/10
I loved this song from the series and even more when I heard it on the soundtrack - even if it's a short song. The vocals and jungle-type drums are compelling and emotional. I love this track.

Surf 7/10
A good song to just relax to. Gives a rest from the fast-paced three songs.

Where Does This Ocean Go? 9/10
Another easy listening song with compelling lyrics and vocals by the stunning vocalist Ilaria Graziano.

Train Search 8/10
Fast-paced and heavy. Another good song to listen to when gaming.

Siberian Doll House 6/10
It has a intresting sound to it and easy to listen to.

Velveteen 7/10
Very intresting and creepy. Ilaria does a good job in the song as well.

Lithium Flower 8/10
I dislike this style but this song is so fun to listen to.
Home Stay 7/10
Resembles alot like Surf but a bit more fast paced. A very fun song to listen to.

Inner Universe 20/10
Quite possibly one of the best songs made for an anime. This song, to me, is the heart and soul of GitS: SAC. The song is emotional, powerful, compelling, epic, and above all - amazing. The Russian singer Orgia, who lends her beutiful voice, blends Greek, Latin, and English perfectly to lyrics that are equally powerful. This type of song only comes once in a great while.

Fish - Silent Cruise 9/10
A surprising song that evolves; changign it's tune and style during the course of the song. Very unique.

Some Other Time 7/10
Beutiful and melodic. A song that you can listen to while you sleep. The vocalist voice is beutiful as well.

Beauty Is Within Us 5/10
This is th eonly song I truly skipped in this c.d. To me, it sounded to much like Lithium Flower (proably because it's the same vocalist). It does get intresting near the middle of the song. Sad and dark lyrics.

We're the Great 7/10
A very fun song to listen to. It may not be upbeat or quirky but it's just - fun. Very Beatle-esque.

Monochrome 8/10
Another favroite track on this c.d. All the mechanic sounds are fun. It is also a very sad and beutiful song by Ilaria. Sounds alot like "Where Does this ocean Go" but sadder.

GET9 [TV Size] 5/10
Great song but wants to hear more of it. I like the Jazz and swing which is unique for this soundtrack.

Rise [TV Size] 9/10
Was able to hear the song in it's entirety and it is somehting special. Though not as good as Inner Universe, it follows the trend of greek, Latin, and English and sung on Origa.

This c.d., to be is legendary.

I was first introduced to the work of Yoko Kanno via the soundtrack to Macross Plus. As with all the Macross series installments, music plays an integral part of the storyline, being a literal connection to the power cosmic, and her compositions for the holographic pop idol Sharon Apple were hauntingly gorgeous. Later, I found out that she also scored the immensely popular Cowboy Bebop series (though I've never actually seen that show).

Thus, when I heard she was on board for the television addition to the Ghost in the Shell mythos -- the Stand Alone Complex -- I was quite pleased. At Otakon 2004, I shelled out 50 bucks for the brand-spanking-new GITS:SAC Volume 1 Deluxe DVD, which came with this disc.

The OST+ is almost a piece unto itself, as most of the time these songs are heard in an incidental capacity during the series; with only the music, one is left to deeply appreciate the detail that goes into even the most sidereal parts of the cartoon series. The swan song of the disc is "Silent Cruise," a five-and-a-quarter minute epic which evokes the sweeping string arrangements of Cliff Martinez's Solaris OST as much as the hypercompressed hip-hop breaks of Meat Beat Manifesto, all with a compositional sensibility that would make Bola weep tears of joy.

Other highlights include the Bjork-inspired "Where Does This Ocean Go?" (which contains the amazingly nonsensical lyric "his head looks like a melon"); the unabashed balladry of "Beauty Is Within Us" that shares vocal kinship with newer Telefon Tel Aviv offerings; the IDM-cum-indiepop "Monochrome," as at home with Proem as it is with Sinaed O'Conner; the impossibly complex metal anthem "Yakitori" which could easily be a b-side by the Hokkaido Concern; and of course, the immensely gratifying extended mix of the series' title theme, "Inner Universe."

Though I give this disc a five, it is not in fact perfect; several minute annoyances detract from the full piece. One, it lacks several key songs which appeared on the DVD it accompanied, which was a slight disappointment. Two, a few of the songs included in place of the aforementioned missing tracks are not really up to par -- particularly, I've never really liked the end titles theme, "Lithium Flower," and some of the nu metal bits sound a bit dated (like "Run Rabbit Junk" -- though it's admittedly well-used in the series); then again, leeway must be given to the fact that this is a Japanese import series, and time and culture moves much more laterally over there; and, admittedly, this is largely a matter of personal taste.

My final complaint is that the CD track listing is mislabelled. Tracks 8 through 12 should be listed thusly:

8 Velveteen / Lithium Flower
9 Home Stay
10 Inner Universe
11 Fish
12 Silent Cruise

As I said, though, these are all minor qualms. As a whole, the disc is a solid piece, with many instances of agonizingly beautiful orchestration and an inherrent empathic understanding of the interplay between sound and emotion. I bow to you, Yoko Kanno, and pray to one day be as good a composer as you.

The best soundtracks are those that work well on their own. Yoko Kanno does exactly that with the soundtrack for Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. Although the songs were written for the context of the TV show, this album works well by itself. I watched the whole series before buying the soundtrack. However, it wasn't until I listened to the music separate from the show that I began to appreciate just how good it is.

There is a wide variety of styles present on this album: world / new age, electronica, rock, and classical make appearances, and sometimes blend together to make something that is greater than the sum of its parts, such as the track "Inner Universe." If you need one reason to buy this album, that's it right there. Other notable tracks include "Velveteen," "Lithium Flower," "Rise," and "Yakitori." Surprisingly for a soundtrack, more than half of the tracks have lyrics, in such languages as English, Russian, Italian, Japanese, and Latin. Some of the lyrics are goofy, like in "Lithium Flower," but this doesn't detract much from the quality of the music. The only song that actively annoys me is "Monochrome."

Overall it's an enjoyable set that holds up well under repeated listening. I highly recommend this album.

Note: Earlier reviewers have mentioned mastering problems with this album. The makers have fixed the error on my version; all the tracks are how they are supposed to be.

Yoko Kanno's soundtrack to the Ghost in the Shell animated series both serves as the perfect compliment to an intriguing series, and serves as a fine CD to listen to on it's own merits. There is a wide range of beats, influences, and emotions present in this soundtrack. If you've seen the series on Cartoon Network or on DVD, you've only had the tiniest sample of the exceptional music crafted on this CD.

Yoko Kanno once again creates a real work of art with the GITS:SAC O.S.T,when I saw this in the store I had to have it. The songs go from eerily fast and pounding to hauntingly melodic and all in between. The haunting angelic female vocals will leave you mesmorized and in short the entire cd is a work of art. Having said that there is one flaw, it seems that somebody accidentily fused velveteen with lithium flower so they end up being on the same track. However this is a small problem that can be easily overlooked. My personal favorites are Run Rabbit Junk and Home stay. This cd isn't for everyone but for those who do decide to buy it I can guarantee Ms.Kanno will not dissapoint you.

I bought this album for track 11 "Inner Universe"
(which is the track from the opening sequence of the tv show),
and I would buy the album for this one track alone.

As for the rest of the album, I really wanted to like it but
the only songs I found that were good enough to stand on their own
are track 11 "Inner Universe" and track 18 "Rise [TV Size]".

If you want some albums where you can listen to the
entire album (without editing out more than half the album)
I would recommend "Cowboy Bebop" and "Cowboy Bebop: Blue";
they are both much better than this album.