For this site, as well as for the IFMCA, I listen to a lot of soundtracks throughout the year. If I only focused on the bigger ones and wrote only one review a week, many of them would likely go unnoticed. That is why I want to occasionally write Spotlight articles to give some of those scores the spotlight they deserve. In this article, you will find some of the highlights I have discovered in recent months.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – Lorien Testard
Having your music released on a digital platform offers several significant advantages. You are not bound to a physical medium that needs to be ordered, stored and sold, and you are also not limited by the amount of music that can be stored on that medium. For me, as a reviewer, this freedom also has its disadvantages, because the soundtrack for the game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 contains about 7 hours of music, which makes it all but impossible to write a detailed review about it. I do, however, need to discuss this soundtrack. One of the reasons is how composer Lorien Testard became involved in writing his first soundtrack. He showcased his SoundCloud library on a small video game forum, which a game director saw and was quite impressed with and asked Testard to write the music for his new game, which became Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
After listening to most of the score, I can imagine why Testard was chosen, because the 7-hour album is full of excellent tracks. The game was developed by a French studio and takes place in an alternate French world. The music reflects French culture wonderfully, often featuring just a handful of instruments. Especially the songs, sung by Alice Duport-Percier, are a delight, and Testard used their melodies for some amazing thematic ideas. When I hear a good soundtrack album that is too long, I often suggest making a more compact version with the highlights, to raise its exposure. However, after witnessing how the game gained popularity and examining the statistics on how often people have listened to the whole album, the word is already out that the music for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a fantastic score. It is a powerful debut for Lorien Testard.
Ein Mädchen namens Willow – Fabian Römer
As a soundtrack reviewer, I receive numerous emails from composers worldwide requesting that I give a listen to their latest score. I consider it my duty to try to listen to as many of them as possible, and sometimes I come across true gems, as was the case with the music for Ein Mädchen namens Willow composed by Fabian Römer. The movie is a German family film, and for the music Römer wrote a gorgeous orchestral score with wonderful melodies. It is one of those scores that you can start listening to and enjoy from start to finish, because these melodies never stop and are always unique. Römer should be very proud of this score as it is outstanding. Sadly, not many people will ever hear it, since it is not part of a high-profile international film, which is a shame. However, now you know, and you can enjoy this music like I did.
My Happy Marriage – Soundtrack 2 – Evan Call
As a member of the IFMCA, I have the opportunity to discover the music of many composers who can deliver outstanding music for media, as other IFCMA members bring these to my attention. Unfortunately, many of them stay under the radar of the general public. Over the years, for example, I have listened to excellent music from Evan Call, but I never got around to writing about him, and now is the time to change that. Call is quite an interesting composer, because, as an American, he moved to Japan after college to write music for Japanese media. He has composed many extraordinary soundtracks overseas, including one of his most recent works: the second album for the Japanese animated series My Happy Marriage.
The music for My Happy Marriage is an outstanding example of what Call is capable of: creating wonderful, uplifting melodies and using them in fantastic orchestrations. The music for this anime is not the only soundtrack you should listen to. I recommend listening to more from his discography because most of his work is quite excellent. He is a composer who deserves your attention.
