ARTIST: Various
ALBUM TITLE: EX MACHINA ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK
LABEL: RhythmZone
CATALOG #: RZCM-45702/B
DURATION: 1:05:53
- perfect conflict – AOKI takamasa
- ILL MACHINE (xULTRA BRAIN) – WAGDUG FUTURISTIC UNITY
- RESCUE – HASYMO
- Test Tube – HASYMO
- LOST SECOND – TECHNOBOYS PULCRAFT GREEN-FUND
- Love Me After 12AM – mflo loves Alex (CLAZZIQUAI PROJECT)
- EX-Boy – TOWA TEI
- METALIC VELOCITY – HARUOMI HOSONO + CORNELIUS
- SEEDS – RADIQ a.k.a. Yoshihiro Hanno
- METHOD – HASYMO
- WEATHER – HASYMO
- PHOBIA – HARUOMI HOSONO
- SHIFT & ESC. – HARUOMI HOSONO
- FALSE ECHO – HARUOMI HOSONO
- ENCROACHER – HARUOMI HOSONO
- THE WORLD – RADIQ a.k.a. Yoshihirp HANNO
- TOTAL ENCOUNTERS – HARUOMI HOSONO
- HALCONIA VOICE – MIHARIU KOSHI + HARUOMI HOSONO
- PUZZLE-RIDDLE – LINA OHTA
DISC 2: DVD- REGION 2, DURATION: N/A
- TRAILER – Short Version/Long Version
- HASYMO “RESCUE” – Music Video – EX MACHINA x STUDIO4℃ version-
- LINA OTHA “PUZZLE-RIDDLE” Music Video – feat. Deunan Knute version-
- LINA OHTA “PIZZE-RIDDLE” Music Video MAKING
- INTERVIEW [HARUOMI HOSONO x SHINJI ARAMAKI]
What do you get when have an album soundtrack supervised by YMO (Yellow Magic Orchestra) legend HARUOMI HOSONO?
You get “trippy”! The best way to describe this soundtrack.
The soundtrack for the latest Appleseed film “EX MACHINA” features a soundtrack supervised by HARUOMI HOSONO and features a variety of artists from HASYMO, AOKI takamasa, m-flo, Alex of CLAZZIQUAI PROJECT, TOWA TEI, CORNELIUS, WAGDUG FUTURISTIC UNITY, rei harakami, Miharu Koshi, LINA OHTA and many more.
There is no skimping of musical talent on this soundtrack, a lot of well-known artists from the following electronica genre are on this album.
From the first song “perfect conflict” from musician AOKI takamasa known for his experimental and ambient electronic music that will either please fans of this style of music or cause some music listeners to think that their musical setup is going wacked with the electrical thumps and static. All in all, takamasa has a strong legion of fans who enjoy his productions and adds to a great lineup of artists on the soundtrack.
The second track “ILL MACHINE (xULTRA BRAIN) by WAGDUG FUTURISTIC UNITY is the latest project by Kyono Hiroshi known for his vocals and his work with the bands berrie and most notably The Mad Capsule Markets. If you are familiar with Kyono’s work, you get the punk + electronic that he’s known for. Another awesome addition to the soundtrack.
The third track “RESCUE” features HASYMO. Which pretty much is Hosono’s YMO partner and world-reknowned musician Sakamoto Ryuichi utilizing his partners from Human Audio Sponge (HAS) and the Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO) hence HASYMO. For this song and the group’s first CD single, the goal was to develop a new sound transcending both groups. HASYMO also provides two more songs with “METHOD” and “WEATHER” on the soundtrack.
The fourth track “Test Tube” featuring artist rei harakami is also another unique addition to this soundtrack. A very well-known electronic musician and producer. Harakami is known for mixing and playing with his hard disc recorder and it’s great to hear him again on this track which is literally mesmerizing.
The fifth track “LOST SECOND” features TECHNOBOYS PULCRAFT GREEN-FUND who is an up-and-coming group that is starting to get known outside of Japan. Another cool electronic song utilizing a bit of vocals and a smooth beat.
The sixth track “Love Me After 12AM” is probably the only R&B song you will find on this album. But I enjoy m-flo’s music and CLAZZIQUAI PROJECT (in this case, feat. ALEX from CP), so it’s probably the only track that is totally different from the electronic offerings on the soundtrack.
The remaining tracks on the soundtrack feature awesome songs such as the seventh track “EX-Boy” featuring world-reknown Towa Tei, “METALLIC VELOCITY” featuring an upbeat drum machine killer track from HARUOMI HOSONO + CORNELIUS.
There are also five instrumental tracks (“PHOBIA”, “SHIFT & ESC.”, “FALSE ECHO”, “ENROACHER” and “TOTAL ENCOUNTERS”) showcasing the diverse musical talent of Hosono Haruomi. As well as a cool collaboration with Miharu Koshi albeit a bit short with “HALCONIA VOICE” (1:23).
The main song “PUZZLE-RIDDLE” features model LINA OHTA singing in English and two tracks from Radiq A.K.A. Yoshihiro Hanno.
The DVD features the short and long trailer of “EX MACHINA”, a music video of HASYMO’s “RESCUE” featuring animation by one of my favorite animation studio’s – STUDIO4℃.
Also, featured on the DVD is a music video of “PUZZLE-RIDDLE” feat. the “Deunan Knute version” and four minute making of the music video which features LINA OHTA in a motion capturing suit and a behind-the-scenes of the making of the video.
The DVD then concludes with an eight minute interview with HARUOMI HOSONO x SHINJI ARAMAKI. Anime fans will know Aramaki with his work from a lot of anime such as “Megazone 23”, “Madox-01”, “AD Police Files”, “Wolf’s Rain”, “Witch Hunter Robin” and most notably his mecha designs and screenplay for the “Bubblegum Crisis” series and “Fullmetal Alchemist”. Aramaki was the director of both “Appleseed” films.
With “Ex Machina” released back in October 2007 and getting set for a Feb. 2008 DVD release in the US, I’m not sure if the original soundtrack will be released in America.
The soundtrack features a lot of well-known and up-and-coming electronic artists and definitely would be a shame if it didn’t come to the US.
With the impressive artist lists featured, this is not common to see every artist on the soundtrack to be well-known and thus, tells me that Hosono wanted to go big on this album and with HASYMO, TOWA TEI, CORNELIUS, MIHARU KOSHI, just to name a few, this album is a worthy addition to fans of electronic music and enjoy these following artists on the soundtrack.
The soundtrack features a well-balance of diversity of electronic music with the various artists represented and with the exception of the m-flo loves Alex (CLAZZIQUAI PROJECT) track which is R&B, the majority of the tracks feature more of an underground style that many fans will appreciate.
So, I can only hope that the CD does get release. Not sure about the DVD in nature but it would be ashamed because this would be twice now that music videos featuring STUDIO4℃ will not get a US release (their work with the music videos featured on “Amazing Nuts” was awesome).
All in all, a very cool soundtrack and a great list of artists featured. Definitely check it out if you have any interest in this style of music and the artists on the album.