BUY Kaleidoscope

KALEIDOSCOPE: Sakimoto and Hamauzu Works is a curious album. Rather than paying tribute to a game or series of games, Josh Barron and ETHEReal String Orchestra have instead decided to pay tribute to Hitoshi Sakimoto and Masashi Hamauzu, two iconic composers known for their work on the Final Fantasy series as well as other notable JRPGs. Titles on the album include Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, Final Fantasy XIII-2, Vagrant Story, and Valkyria Chronicles to name a few.

While I am unfamiliar with practically all of the music on this album, I have heard of ETHEReal String Orchestra from their collaborations with Fredrik Häthén on Heroes and Heartwood. ETHEReal String Orchestra is a 2-man string orchestra consisting of Andrew Steffen on violin, viola, and double bass and Andrew Stern on cello. Together with Josh Barron, they make a formidable team, and if I hadn’t known better, I would have assumed that this was a much larger ensemble. Album collaborators include Joe Zieja (of Fire Emblem fame) and Benyamin Nyuss, a powerhouse piano performer.

Without knowing anything of the originals, I can’t speak to how faithful these arrangements are, but what I can say is that these tracks stand on their own without any other context. The emotions, themes, and moments captured within this album are practically palpable, and there is such care and precision with every single instrument. Despite the staggering variety of games on display (13, to be exact), this album feels cohesive thanks to the consistency of the arrangements and the steady hand of mastering engineer James C. Hoffman. Perhaps the biggest surprise on the album is an original track called “Home (for Piano and Violin).”

While it might seem like a bold decision to place an original track on an album like this, Josh Barron is able to hold his own as a composer. According to a press release for the album, “this composition is meant to evoke the progression of a person’s life from growing up, being single, falling in and out of love, getting married, then having a family, and the cycle repeats. The piece tries to be this bridge between the music of both composers on the album adopting styles from both, while staying true to Barron’s own style.” Thankfully, the track feels right at home on the album, and I can’t think of a better way to pay tribute to these composers than to continue their legacy by crafting emotionally resonant music.

For all of its strengths, there is one major shortcoming with KALEIDOSCOPE. With a runtime of 59 minutes, the album starts to drag a little toward the end. I think the addition of a more uptempo track or the removal of a slow to mid-tempo track could have helped the album finish a little stronger, but I digress. All things considered, this is a minor quibble, and I would be the first to recommend this album to JRPG fans and VGM lovers alike.

KALEIDOSCOPE sees Josh Barron and ETHEReal String Orchestra at the top of their game. Much like its namesake, this album contains shifting moods that overlap, evolve, and resonate with the listener. It’s a beautiful display of video game music, and a true testament to the skills of the composers, arrangers, and performers.

RATING: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

(Most VGM Fans Should Enjoy)