RPGamers Network > Reviews > Game Music Reviews > Jet Set Radio OST
Reviewed by: Ersatz Sobriquet
Bangin' hip hop and rockin' tracks all up in your ear piece.
Now this is the type of music games like this have been trying to find. Trying to find that nice little matching point that everyone can enjoy when it comes to a game that host wild ideas. Games like Skate or Die didn't do the "We're rebellions and we're gonna do whatever the freak we want" theme very well when you heard the music that went along with it. This does, though.
Where to start? Let's look at the first track. Entitled "Let Mom Sleep", this starts this very hip hop'ish soundtrack on the right path. Very nicely done, bringing back all the old school flavor you remember from so long ago. Nice work here, trumpet beats (remember those?) with samples littered throughout make you wanna turn this up as loud as you can. Let's not forget about the classic "Stab" sound effect they use here. Very original song with a melody you can't go wrong with.
Track 5, Sneakman reminds you of those old Miami Vice episodes and Starksy and Hutch flicks with the trumpet toots here and there, pulling along the song while a bongo drum is played in the background in very rapid succession, matching the already fast played guitar. The fine work with the voices, especially the one that says, "I don't understand, what's going on here?" is done VERY nicely and makes the blend of old school melodies and modern hip hop influences smoothly.
The two I already spoke of were done by a man named Hideki Naganuma who has a VERY fine grasp on how old school hip hop should be done. In fact, most of the other tracks on here, seven total, are done by other artist who were all cool, albeit one. One who especially keeps up with the high standard Mr. Naganuma set is F-Fields who did Track 10, Yellow Bream. The ONLY blend of hip hop and rock I've heard so far that didn't make me cringe in horror. The guitar riff is wonderfully done and so is the little solo in the middle. The "Get out of my face" sample used again defines the rebellious attitude the game displayed. Plus, F-Fields goes an extra mile and mixes influences of Japanese in the mix.
Track 6, performed by Reps called Bout The City has to be one of the worse songs on the album. Not only does this rock song not fit along with the rest of the album, what with it being an instrumental hip hop soundtrack, with elements of drum and bass thrown in there for good measure, but even if this stood along other rock songs, it would suck royally. Reminds me of The Strokes on crack... after they died. I don't think I can fully express my disdain, dissatisfaction, and displeasure at hearing and knowing this track is on this otherwise fine album.
I'm not really sure I see the point they combined five of Mr. Naganuma's songs together in the somewhat final song, Jet Set Melody. I'd rather just listen to each song by itself. Maybe that's just crazy talk, though.
A word of warning though. The reason this game received a Teen rating when it was released might have had something to do with Track number 9, Rock It On. There's this guy that comes in the middle of it that says, "Rock that $hit, homey." Plus, they scratch the mess out of that last part, so you can clearly hear him saying it over and over and over and over... So, be weary of this track if you don't like cussin' in your music. The song rocks out on its own, though and I personally love it.
This album would have received a higher score if it the darned Reps weren't on this album, but they are. Thus, it must be less than perfect. But, for all the effort that went into this, I must say that it has finally done the hip hop genre justice when it comes to music in video games. Dance Dance Revolution, a game that revolves around nothing BUT music still can't seem to get it right.
If you’re a lover of hip hop, drum and bass or just good "Git up and move ya body" music, then by all means, listen to this album!
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| Album Information | Reviewer Rank |
|---|---|
|
Jet Set Radio OST Published by: Polydor Release Date: December 20th 2000 Composed by: Hideki Naganuma, Richard Jacques, Reps, Castle Logical, F-Fields, Toronto, B.B. Rights 1 Disc, 18 Tracks Catalog: UPCH-1048 |
93 |
Reviewed by: Ersatz Sobriquet
Bangin' hip hop and rockin' tracks all up in your ear piece.
Now this is the type of music games like this have been trying to find. Trying to find that nice little matching point that everyone can enjoy when it comes to a game that host wild ideas. Games like Skate or Die didn't do the "We're rebellions and we're gonna do whatever the freak we want" theme very well when you heard the music that went along with it. This does, though.
Where to start? Let's look at the first track. Entitled "Let Mom Sleep", this starts this very hip hop'ish soundtrack on the right path. Very nicely done, bringing back all the old school flavor you remember from so long ago. Nice work here, trumpet beats (remember those?) with samples littered throughout make you wanna turn this up as loud as you can. Let's not forget about the classic "Stab" sound effect they use here. Very original song with a melody you can't go wrong with.
Track 5, Sneakman reminds you of those old Miami Vice episodes and Starksy and Hutch flicks with the trumpet toots here and there, pulling along the song while a bongo drum is played in the background in very rapid succession, matching the already fast played guitar. The fine work with the voices, especially the one that says, "I don't understand, what's going on here?" is done VERY nicely and makes the blend of old school melodies and modern hip hop influences smoothly.
The two I already spoke of were done by a man named Hideki Naganuma who has a VERY fine grasp on how old school hip hop should be done. In fact, most of the other tracks on here, seven total, are done by other artist who were all cool, albeit one. One who especially keeps up with the high standard Mr. Naganuma set is F-Fields who did Track 10, Yellow Bream. The ONLY blend of hip hop and rock I've heard so far that didn't make me cringe in horror. The guitar riff is wonderfully done and so is the little solo in the middle. The "Get out of my face" sample used again defines the rebellious attitude the game displayed. Plus, F-Fields goes an extra mile and mixes influences of Japanese in the mix.
Track 6, performed by Reps called Bout The City has to be one of the worse songs on the album. Not only does this rock song not fit along with the rest of the album, what with it being an instrumental hip hop soundtrack, with elements of drum and bass thrown in there for good measure, but even if this stood along other rock songs, it would suck royally. Reminds me of The Strokes on crack... after they died. I don't think I can fully express my disdain, dissatisfaction, and displeasure at hearing and knowing this track is on this otherwise fine album.
I'm not really sure I see the point they combined five of Mr. Naganuma's songs together in the somewhat final song, Jet Set Melody. I'd rather just listen to each song by itself. Maybe that's just crazy talk, though.
A word of warning though. The reason this game received a Teen rating when it was released might have had something to do with Track number 9, Rock It On. There's this guy that comes in the middle of it that says, "Rock that $hit, homey." Plus, they scratch the mess out of that last part, so you can clearly hear him saying it over and over and over and over... So, be weary of this track if you don't like cussin' in your music. The song rocks out on its own, though and I personally love it.
This album would have received a higher score if it the darned Reps weren't on this album, but they are. Thus, it must be less than perfect. But, for all the effort that went into this, I must say that it has finally done the hip hop genre justice when it comes to music in video games. Dance Dance Revolution, a game that revolves around nothing BUT music still can't seem to get it right.
If you’re a lover of hip hop, drum and bass or just good "Git up and move ya body" music, then by all means, listen to this album!
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