Catalyst Castle

I enjoyed the soundtrack to the anime Noir so much that I bought both volumes of it on CD. The musical score was composed mostly by Yuki Kajiura and is very unique in my experience with anime soundtracks. The music has a very international flavor that fits the style of the show. It features some interesting choices of instruments including woodwinds, accordions, Spanish guitar, and bagpipes. Some of the tracks are accompanied with lyrics which are sung in several languages including Japanese, English, Italian, and Latin. The musical score blends elements of techno, opera, and Paris street music to produce a unique sound.

The most recognizable tracks are on the first volume, including the songs Canta Per Me and Salva Nos, which are heard in one form or another in nearly every episode of the show. Another notable track from the first volume is Mélodie, which starts out with the simple tune of the music box stopwatch that is important to the show, and then expands the tune into a fast-paced techno track. Two noteworthy tracks from the second volume are Salva Nos II and Beautiful Emotions. The first is a foreboding reprise of the popular theme with an industrial sound, and the second is a piano version of the song from the ending credits without the lyrics.

Click on the links above to hear these tracks on YouTube.

Hear any good music lately? Please share!