Yoko Kanno, as I’m sure you can now gather from numerous previous featurings - is a firm favourite of mine: coupled with the ability to produce great music in such a variety of different styles, she’s also linked with a lot of great projects. Today’s track comes from the Darker than Black - a science-fiction anime show about paranormal beings with special powers (and its far more complicated than that) - but there is a gentler side to the show to prove its not all scifi, and today’s track, I hope, will exemplify this quality. It is a piano piece played by “Yin” (literally meaning Silver, for her silver hair) who is supposedly an “emotionless doll” - one of the themes explored by the show. The music is touching and of real quality - as both the show and the soundtrack are. Here is “Yin no Piano”:
So, we’re taking another one of our wild changes from the current mood and swirl right into another classical soundtrack piece. This time, we’re going to my second favourite film of all time, Hayao Miyazaki’s anime production “Mononoke-hime”. It features excellent story and animation, but the soundtrack will completely blow you away. Today’s track is one of the last pieces in the movie, and centres around the two main characters of the film, Ashitaka and San. The entire soundtrack is incredibly moving, and hopefully this will give you a glimpse of what the entire collection sounds like. Enjoy Joe Hisaishi’s excellent “Ashitaka and San”:
Continuing a theme of theatrical, trailer-like music from previously featured E.S. Posthumus (check their website - there’s details and a sample of a new record coming soon!) comes Clint Mansell’s “Lux Aeterna” - latin for ‘eternal light’ - taken from the soundtrack to Requiem for a Dream, and subsequently used in several film trailers, such as Danny Boyle’s Sunshine, and an adapted version for The Two Towers, aptly called “Requiem for a Tower”. It starts of quiet, but once you hear it, you’ll recognise it and be incredibly captivated by it:
Time today for a much more relaxing new age, classical piece of music - and I couldn’t think of any better than Danny Wright’s “Spellbound”. It’s a track that really strikes me and lets me chill out. Since starting out in 1986, he has sold an amazing four million albums, and been awarded several awards for his music. Hopefully this track will strike a chord with you as much as it does with me. Enjoy “Spellbound”:
A little confession (of sorts) to make - I love soundtracks way too much than I should. And then couple that with the brilliantness of the brilliant show, Battlestar Galactica - and well, you’ll soon see why I hardly ever stop listening to this CD. Bear McCreary’s music on the Galactica soundtrack is fabulous: not only does he take influences from all over world music, but his music has such a top quality style and class. This track “Roslin and Adama” is paired to a scene where the two leaders of the futuristic society share a close moment in the second season. The third season soundtrack is due to come out later this summer.
And now for something completely different. Presenting Rob Costlow, solo pianist and composer, who has released his music under a Creative Commons license - which allows you, me, and that dude over there, to share his music, to even perform and distribute it, given we don’t make any derivatives, or use it commercially. But legalities aside, Rob Costlow’s melodic and peaceful piano is sure to set you in a relaxed state of well-being. Here is “Meant to Be” off his second album, “Woods of Chaos”:
With their songs tied on to over 20 blockbuster film trailers, such as for Spider Man, you can expect E.S. Posthumus to have that grandiose cinematic style. A blending of classical music with drums and electronic sounds creates their epic persona. The group was formed in 2000, by two brothers who shared a passion for creating music. Their first album which includes 13 tracks, all of which have been used in trailers or opening credits to television shows, was released in 2005 (albeit with a limited release in 2001 also). Rumours of a second album have been abound, and it was supposed to be released Summer 2006. That time passed, but one of the brothers has reassured fans that they are working on a second album, and hope to have it out by later 2007.
Yoko Kanno, as I’m sure you can now gather from numerous previous featurings - is a firm favourite of mine: coupled with the ability to produce great music in such a variety of different styles, she’s also linked with a lot of great projects. Today’s track comes from the Darker than Black - a science-fiction anime show about paranormal beings with special powers (and its far more complicated than that) - but there is a gentler side to the show to prove its not all scifi, and today’s track, I hope, will exemplify this quality. It is a piano piece played by “Yin” (literally meaning Silver, for her silver hair) who is supposedly an “emotionless doll” - one of the themes explored by the show. The music is touching and of real quality - as both the show and the soundtrack are. Here is “Yin no Piano”:
Continuing a theme of theatrical, trailer-like music from previously featured 
Time today for a much more relaxing new age, classical piece of music - and I couldn’t think of any better than Danny Wright’s “Spellbound”. It’s a track that really strikes me and lets me chill out. Since starting out in 1986, he has sold an amazing four million albums, and been awarded several awards for his music. Hopefully this track will strike a chord with you as much as it does with me. Enjoy “Spellbound”:
A little confession (of sorts) to make - I love soundtracks way too much than I should. And then couple that with the brilliantness of the brilliant show, 
And now for something completely different. Presenting Rob Costlow, solo pianist and composer, who has released his music under a 
With their songs tied on to