I can see why this was chosen to lead the album. The vocals are excellently matched against the long bass chords throughout in the background. Finds a new, more "mature" tone without becoming melancholy in any cliched way. Would've been great for the series finale; reminds me of the kind of music I'd like to make.

An INSANELY good debut into the world of fantasy synthwave. Massive, diverse, and fantastic (in the truest sense of the term). From huge, booming jams like "The Way Home" to quieter respites like "Memories in Shadow," Magic Sword show off range, narrative, and high technical skill in a stunning album worth hearing on vinyl. Warriors all.

So many wild and awesome ideas! RoboRob is jam-packed full of energy and so is this LP. Cut Man was so good it almost brought tears to my eyes. Boomer Kuwanger was a welcome surprise. Now and then he flirts a little too much with the "electric fart" sound of classic dubstep for my tastes, but no one could accuse him of creative cowardice—he goes for broke and leaves it all on the table with every rendition. Well done.

A concise little EP on a barebones vinyl. This album touched me very differently than their previous works; I was in a different space, but it also doesn't seem to lean so heavily on ideas about relationships, breakups, and loneliness (returning to those notably in a cover of Cher's "Believe" as the closing track). Guest Room, the title track, deals with death, aging, and adult responsibilities, which are ideas much more close to me.

A deep meditation into fathomless abyss. This is the first vinyl I ever listened to that, when it ended, I immediately wanted to turn it over and listen to it again. Stunning. I'll be buying whatever I can from these artists.

Bigger, louder, and angrier than I expected—it's beautiful, but it does SOUND like it was written by a teenager, with the crudeness, angst, and inexperience that implies, but also the passion unalloyed by broken dreams. I don't know if it would be possible to produce this [original] album in a later period of life. I'm glad Arnalds was able to revisit this record and present a definitive version. The photography and story accompanying it in the liner notes is essential.

Breathtaking debut. Cutting edge, modern jazz with a touch of menace and an abundance of driving intellect. The total absence of liner notes or commentary in the 2LP release is a little disappointing, but it's hard to argue that the music doesn't speak for itself—from the very first note.

Some of MOON's best work. "Grift" is incredible; MOON is so good at what he does that when he marries his unique brand of psycho-delic house to excellent chord melodies, he makes lunar magic. The album loses some steam in the last three tracks, "Patapon" on, as melody is replaced by dissonance and repetitive percussion, but maybe I just need to give those a few more listens. A great record.

Side I of the record didn't really grab me; it feels too meandering, without purpose. (I need to listen to it several more times and see if I "get it.") Side II really picks up steam and proves the beauty of the album as strings are introduced to the performing ensemble. Side II (starting with Rjóður) is a series of gorgeous lullabies, carrying you away to pastoral dreams.

The composer has dedicated this album to "all the people who are going through pain and suffering." It's an incredible ambient work, and does feel like a comfort to those experiencing a great depth of pain. Through the first half, Side A, we have only piano; but on Side B, we are joined by the reed organ, adding texture, weight, and cold-colored light to distant keys like a sunrise in the Arctic. This is a special work I will be returning to again and again.

Incredible project. Better than the first installment in every dimension—ambition, instrumentation, compositional complexity, cohesion and mixing. There have been so many attempts to remix and arrange Zelda music; for me, Time's End II is the apex, produced by a truly visionary composer who manages to lean hard into cinematic techniques without betraying their foundational identity or the shared, cultural impact of their atmosphere. The final track is absolutely earth-shattering.

Doesn't reach the heights of the original album, but still not bad. The voice samples on Shade Man and Air Man don't really work for me, and the extreme electric fart on Wood Man is way too much, but otherwise great work from all involved. Storm Eagle is such a crowd-pleaser it's hard to find ways to improve on it, Tornado Man is a welcome surprise, and MM4's ending is a perfect finale.

Beautiful, lovely, thoughtful, nearly flawless. Like a teardrop crystal hanging in the window casting silent rainbows. Jacob David is a rare, rare talent, even among superlative piano composers. The opening track, “Judith,” was my alarm in the morning for years. Thank you for offering it on vinyl, Jacob.

Stunning release. The liner notes, the track notes (click "info" next to each track title), the art, the completeness. The presentation here is excellent and comprehensive, the mixing is perfect (I especially love that every track is given a proper ending, rather than relying solely on fadeouts), and the soundtrack itself is a gem—I absolutely love the sound of the MT-32. Nostalgic and warm, fun and not too sprawling. Incredible achievement. Thanks to all involved!!

Spacious and flexible, Tom's score for SF2 showcases how quickly Humongous Entertainment was growing at the time. Each of their series was picking up steam in a major hurry, and this was an ambitious sequel to an unexpected success in previously uncharted territory. Tom rose to the challenge wonderfully.

"We were young, we were having tons of fun, and it was just go, go, go all the time. Who needs sleep?"

-Tom McGurk

So many good memories! I love wilder's melodies, and I love the presentation in these recordings. I'm a real stickler for this kind of thing; it's like a typewritten document, with typos directly pressed into each page, where you can see (in this case, hear) the author changing direction or figuring something out in real time. I love that. I love this music.

Jacob David is always a standout. Skagerrak has just a hint of darkness, and the recording itself is so deliciously warm. The whole EP is characteristically intimate: In Philip Daniel’s “Pioneers,” we get to hear the breath not only of the piano, but of the pianist; and the finale track Daigo Hanada and Hiroco.M sounds as if recorded in a quiet apartment on an overcast autumn afternoon.

A tasty series of thumping, deep, throbbing chillwave snacks; each one flows into the next, like movements of an opus. Tight and focused without overstaying its welcome, this EP is well worth your time from top to tip.