What can be said about Oscar winner (Last Emperor) Ryuichi Sakamoto, founding member of the ultra cool Yellow Magic Orchestra (Y.M.O.) composing the music for Lack of Love, cool. It's about time. Although he previously scored Gainax's AILE DE HONNEAMISE, this is his first game soundtrack. Not only did he score the game, Mr. Sakamoto is also part of the reason this game about symbiosis exists: Mr. Sakamoto and the game's designer Kenichi Nishi conceived the game.

When the first notes of the "Opening Theme" drifts from your speakers, you'll be amazed at the quality of the sound and the beauty of the melody. Beautiful and haunting are the first words that come to mind. The music more than adequately expresses the designer's message of love and finding ones place in a new world.

Not only does this soundtrack feature gorgeous melodies, but also many tracks are arguably some of the best ambient music composed for a game. The general influence of this score can be best described as a fusion of Techno and New Age. "Birth" is a new age cue that shines with electronic sounds that are wondrous and optimistic. "Artificial Paradise" is a quirky techno epic, while "Dream" and "Unity" offer the same melody arranged differently, but both have a futuristic sound. "Mission" is a delightful tune done with the accordion. "Decision" is a cool tune and while it doesn't sound like the Beatles it reminds me of their more experimental works. "Storm" is a hard-hitting techno tune that is hypnotic. Finally the "Ending Theme" features the same beautiful motif as the "Opening Theme," although arranged slightly different, and contains a few ominous elements.

In recent years Mr. Sakamoto's music has explored a wide variety of musical genres including modern opera (Life), piano music (BTTB) and film music. It is nice to see him return to contemporary electronic music with Lack of Love. This disc is a true gem; consider it a must-listen.

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