💿📀 YS VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana Original Soundtrack Vinyl Review 💿📀 #Vinyl #VideoGameVinyl #VGM

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From the Wayo Records website:

The legendary adventurer Adol continues his journey on the sublime and mysterious island of Seiren! For this new collaboration with the mythical studio Nihon Falcom, we are delighted to offer the cult soundtrack of Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana in this beautiful vinyl edition!

Originally released in 2016 on PsVita, and later on PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch, Ys VIII Lacrimosa of Dana revolutionized the series with innovative and increasingly dynamic gameplay, extensive exploration in the enchanting environments of Seiren Island, and engaging characters. In just a few years, it has become one of the most popular instalments in the Ys series.

Composed, arranged and performed by the Falcom Sound Team jdk, the soundtrack for Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana raises the bar with rocking and dreamy melodies that have helped make the game one of the most popular in the series. The vinyl collector's edition includes a total of 54 tracks on 3 discs, an illustrated booklet with numerous artworks from the game.

WAYO-V017

54 tracks, 3 LP discs with blue discs

Entirely remastered for the vinyl format

Collector lift-off box containing 3 x LP into their individual illustrated sleeves

16P booklet with illustrations from the game

Composed & arranged by the Falcom Sound Team JDK

Licenced by Nihon Falcom, produced, published and distributed by Wayô Records

I was a late arrival to the Ys games, with Ys VIII actually being my first foray into the series, I originally covered it back in 2018 (when I also wrote for another publication) when it was released on Switch. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the game, and I vividly remember the music standing out, although I hadn’t revisited it since. Thanks to Wayo Records giving me the opportunity to once again return to Adol’s world, I have now discovered perhaps one of the most glorious and rich releases that I’ve yet covered on GF. If you are a fan of Ys, this triple vinyl soundtrack really feels like an essential purchase.

Presented in a ‘lift-off’ box, this triple vinyl set is one of the best-looking we’ve ever received here at GF towers. The cover artwork features two main characters posed back-to-back amidst incredibly evocative imagery that represent places in-game, in an immensely detailed, anime style rich with blues and greens. There is a silvered frame effect running around the edges, cementing that this is to be viewed as a piece of art.

Lifting off the top of the box shows the - always awesome – hallmark Wayo Records booklet. A regular inclusion with their releases, the Ys VIII booklet expands upon the box cover, showing series mainstay Adol, and Dana in full profile, cast against tropical forests and darkened spires. The inside page again shows the characters, this time in an icier landscape, with happier emotions on their faces. The next page shows the full track list of 54(!) songs. The remaining pages of this beautiful, glossy, full-colour 16-page booklet shows illustrations of all aspects of the game, from main characters to bosses, environments, symbolism, and landscapes.

The three records are housed in white anti-static sleeves (good), again in their own individual card sleeves, adorned with artwork of the same level of quality as the box art. Sides A/B feature a shadowed character gazing upwards, dwarfed by rising forests and jungle foliage leading to a rainbow-streaked waterfall. The rear of this image shows dragons in flight through crumbling ruins lit up by piercing sunlight. Sides C/D are rich with blue and purple hues, showing a character staring across a bay towards a shimmering city in the distance, with the flip of the image illustrating a water dragon swirling gracefully through sunken, underwater ruins. The final record, sides E/F have Adol on the cover – again, ensconced in shadow – brandishing his sword before an enormous, regal dragon perched on a mountaintop, wings spread into the cloud-flecked skies, and the final side on the back shows Adol again being approached by a mythical beast, but this time in a dead forest, seemingly unarmed and moments away from being gobbled by a blank-eyed, gigantic creature bearing down upon him, the image a mass of greys.

The artwork really is phenomenal, and the music contained on the sweet, sweet wax matches up with the grandiosity of the visuals, as we’ll come to see.

Track-by-track:

SIDE A

1 Lacrimosa of Dana -Opening Ver. - A sweeping, ballroom epic that glides into your ears, this soon teases the listener with bombasticism before returning to the melodic core, with violins soaring and piano embellishments, ending with a solo violin part that leads to choral vocalisations as the track peaks, it’s a track that captures the emotional grandeur of Adol’s journey, a very cinematic opening to the tale.

2 Being Slow on the Waves – Gently plucked harp and a light horn section here, as the music softens to familiar RPG territory. There’s a playfulness and joy in the melodies, beset by warmth in the cello runs and jaunty tunes, it’s a pastoral and bucolic tone that feels much more intimate and smaller in scale than the opening track, helping us get locked into the personal, human side of the story. The track plays through once and then fades out upon its looping, a trend that occurs a lot throughout this release.

3 A Modest Banquet at Lombardia – The first waltz! This is very much a village dance in audio form. Gentle stabs of violin play over glass-like percussion and clarinet tootling out mellow vibes. A dainty and pretty track.

4 Deadly Temptation – A mood change – as you may have guessed by the title. This comes rocketing in with machine-gun double bass pedal drum work, a milky guitar tap solo that then leads into a technical solo over the speeding beat. It’s definitely a change of pace into this battle theme! It’s the first time that rock band dynamics are used on the album, although they are joined with synth in the latter parts of the song. Those drums are not shy, you know the drummer would be mopping his brow after a few takes of this one live!

5 Sunshine Coastline – Keeping the rock band vibes going, this slightly slower-paced track features boxy guitar over piano and synth melodies. As the title intimates, I can very much imagine the characters running down the coastline in the blazing sun here, it’s a euphoric track that bleeds positivity from every chord.

6 Smash Up! – A track that’s very familiar to me from my time with the game, this again features pacey drums, wailing guitars and rolls galore as it ups the ante for the battle themes, some tasty guitar melodies tucked away under the energy of the track, which also features some electronic beats and snazzy keyboard work.

7 Alone on the Deserted Island – Moving away from the ‘rawk’, this track has a cave-like vibe with the karimba acting as the central instrument – an instrument I like very much! – and softly punchy bass leading the way, backed up by light violin work, a relaxing tune.

8 A Waterdrop in The Dark – A more ominous opening here is soon met by a jaunty keyboard beat and electronic samples that slowly build up and fade away. The use of electronica here really struck me, there are a lot of moods, tones and genres dancing around on the album already, and we haven’t reached the end of side A! It’s a testament to the songwriting in how the song can shift and yet still have cohesion.

9 Sound of Night – The final track of this side is also the most mellow. Pretty, glassy notes shimmer out alone, brightly. Violins join in and accentuate the main melody, which calls to mind someone gazing up at a richly starry night, alone. A pleasant and calming way to end the first part of the album.

SIDE B

1 A Footprint in the Wet Sand – The second side kicks off with a mid-tempo synth-rock song, with tight drumming and almost sampled guitar sounds creamily playing underneath the keyboard – which is the band leader here. It again calls to mind running through landscapes and exploring. There’s a lightness of touch that matches the soft production style, it all feels crisp and controlled.

2 Woods of Elevated Coral Reef – Clean, electric guitar plays a hypnotic riff as flute, woodwind and violins bring us back to the more fantastical elements of the soundtrack. There’s a warm, punchy bass tone in here, as well as a drum beat with a popping snare and a shuffle as opposed to a driving beat.  The forays away from the main melody feel light and almost sentimental in how they play out.

3 Lost in Green – Those pastoral elements return here with acoustic guitar and flute, before being joined by drums, electric guitar, and bass – another track that fits well as the soundtrack to exploring a vibrant landscape. The karimba / glockenspiel vibes return, the melodies being passed from one instrument to the next.

4 Eroded Valley – Some lovely bass, a shuffling electronic beat and a more delicate synth make this feel like we are entering a glittering ice cave, very evocative of the kind of locations we’ve seen in the cover art. It’s a bubbly and lilting track that exudes comfort and warmth.

5 Tangled Jungle Trick – The music is ramping back up to more tense scenarios here, there are still some lovely piano runs and the songwriting is littered with melodies, but the slight tonal change, more tribal drums and brass section hints that not all bodes well, is this the moment that the mood shifts?

6 Invisible Exit – This really stood out to me, the breathy ambience and doom-laden low piano notes are such a great intro, and the flute that comes in over them is so, so ‘32-bit’. Touches of Alundra and the like here, which is absolutely fine. It’s a strong and varied soundtrack, but this was the first time that I felt completely transported, it’s so evocative that I wanted to stop typing and just play the game! An early favourite.

7 Crimson Fighter – Another battle sequence, this ramps the BPM up and brings back those pounding, snappy drums, wailing guitars/keyboards and a sense of heroic melody. The middle eight still finds time for a breath before once again diving back into the fray as the instruments overlap each other in frenzied conversation.

8 Ricordo – Enveloped in warmth, luscious piano melodies overlaid with ambient touches seep through the speakers dreamily, backed up by the twinkling of wooden percussion and airy synth lines, an embrace in audio form.

9 Yesterday in Etania – The final track on this side is again achingly pretty and almost feels like a continuation of the previous track. Distant, plucked, acoustic guitar accentuates the main, breathy riff, underscored by that warm, punchy bass. It’s a nimble melody that sounds rich on vinyl, the piano really sings.

SIDE C

1 The Sibylline Road – Woodwind instruments, a rock solid, clipped beat and gently plucked acoustic make their return, as well as a warm bass with some nice licks. This has a medieval village, folky feel with a contemporary touch. The acoustic that circles the track really does sound fresh and bright.

2 Home From Home – A slower tempo beginning here, far removed from the blazing rockers of the first side. This is real folk territory, with quiet strumming of guitars and lightly orchestrated background instrumentation offering a sense of familiarity and safety.

3 Good Night – And just like that, it’s time to rock! Another up-tempo track that comes screeching out of the gate with a smile on its face and gives the drums room to fill. The use of violins and discreet organ takes the edge off – and offers variety on what could have been a pretty direct track.

4 Overcome the Rocky Path – This ramps things up even further, with a double-beat kick drum acting as a rushing heartbeat. Thick, distorted, palm-muted guitar chords sit under noodling lead riffs, still – even though this is zippy stuff, that sense of melody is always there, the baroque scales that feature in the main lead lines add a huge sense of heroics to the proceedings. One for the metalheads.

5 Gens D’armes – Bringing things back down, this is all about subtle, marching drums, mellow fanfare, and piano trills. The ringing bells that echo in the background give off stone-walled, big-city vibes.

6 Steel Myself for Battle – The soundtrack for combat returns, with pinched guitar bends and strong, driving melodies, this is a song of constant small crescendos, but there’s a lightness as if to say, “don’t worry, this is a battle that the good guys will win”.

7 Red Line -021- - Tinkling piano and swirling synth lines were giving me Pocket Tanks’ vibes (that needs to be released on vinyl).  This is a great mellow track, that feels like someone exploring a sanctuary, in how the electronic washes meet physical mystery in the instrumentation.  

8 Obscure Sentence – Milky lead guitar lines lead us into a really enjoyable rolling bass line and some fiddle centre-stage action. This feels celebratory – and there’s a moment where the music seems to almost be too quick, it’s clearly a design choice, but it feels like a beat comes in a snatch too quickly, it’s bizarre – but it’s closely followed by some saucy bass and a foot-on-the-monitor guitar solo, which certainly makes up for the unusual moments that pepper the song in terms of the flow. An odd one.

9 Next Step Toward the Unknown – there’s a bouzouki-ish instrument that beats in time with lazy toms and subtle bass here as flute melodies dance across the top of the track. From my many, many thousands of hours spent with JRPGs over the years, closing my eyes puts me in some sort of market or perhaps dock, there’s something about the music that feels sociable and yet isn’t too challenging, giving the listener time to let their mind wander.

SIDE D

1 A Slow and Deep Breath – Slow synth beats and soft electronic percussion lead us into the opening track of the fourth side of the album. Unusual runs of keyboard notes sit tastily upon that beat. I was a big fan of the melodies on the keyboard throughout this, it gives a hint of eastern flair before it opens up to a riff on the opening track of the album, that grandiosity and regality, again – a tonal shift that feels absolutely natural, as it’s handled with such care. Cool stuff.

2 Great Plains: Pan-Gaia – A drum intro accompanied by wailing guitars soon settle to a chugging riff over a beat that echoes an earlier track on the first side. There’s a sense of expansiveness here, that gives the impression of our heroes emerging from somewhere cramped, now free to explore the rugged terrain once more. It’s the energy, and technicality mixed with a grasp of a catchy melody.

3 One Dream, One Reality – Returning once more to more lackadaisical vibes, this again brings back the glass-like prettiness of the earlier tracks that evoked ice castles and the like. Chiming piano notes over silky violin, this is a song of dusk, melodies reaching high into a clear night, although certain moments in the track hint at darker purposes, accented by low piano notes. 

4 Neglected Temple – Hand-shaker percussion and thick, roomy, tribal drums blend with harp and violin that runs parallel, it’s a swooning and breathy track that evoked a dry, bright landscape.

5 Dana – The theme of the titular character, this track has keening violins that again meld with harp, a clarinet-like instrument trades soft, lilting melodies with the flute, building to a full crescendo that riffs off melodies that appeared earlier in the soundtrack, teasing, and hinting at this moment.

6 Iclucian Dance – The tempo once again darts out of the ocean and gallops across the sunset, a snare/hi-hat beat and some seriously snappy drums keep up a racing pace with emotive violin, occasionally given breaks with rolling piano, it really does feel like the instruments are dashing and weaving around each other here. Love the occasional beats of the drum with the snare turned off, cutting through the track.  A pulsing track that really stands out.

7 The Leaning Tower Baja – Back to the realms of fantasy with this, it feels like an enemy general gathering his armies for a final assault. Tribal, rumbling drums and a driving, chugging guitar underneath it all. Naturally, there’s time for a middle-eight piano break that brings washes of cymbals, guitar, and keyboard, so things don’t get too intense.

8 Crevice of the Archeozoic Era – The final side of track D is almost the ‘heroic’ side of the previous track – a sense of building tension, but this time with a positive spin in the violins and horns, it also has a fantastic ‘space water drop’ effect (that’s the way I’d describe it, anyway!) The blend of electronic beats and organic drums work in tandem as a foundation.

SIDE E

1 Oceanos – Once again, a meld of the grand and the modern as milky, electric guitar gallops alongside a thunderous march, the song opens up with horns to give a sense of majesty and momentum on this, the opening track of the penultimate side of the album.

2 Lacrimosa of Dana – A familiar melody plinks out delicately on piano, backed by the shimmering, watery violin. Opening – as before – into a swooning ballroom dance of music, the returning motif circles around, this time choosing to drop to the lower end of the piano following the intro, adding a touch of melancholy without losing the daintiness, this brief theme ending on a held note of uncertainty.

3 The Valley of the Kings – Back to the bombasticism more akin to the first track on this side, the pounding beat and sense of weight is still present but littered this time with descending piano trills and with a sense of growing menace as if a final battle is looming, or a momentous decision has to be made.

4 Garden of Celen – Piano and harp melt together in absolute harmony here, amidst the sounds of quiet ambience. A drop in tension from the preceding track, this instead opts for one of sweeping meditational elegance, calming and rich with life-affirming melodic sensibilities... until a subtle and yet distinct change takes place, as the tone shifts slightly, echoing moments of woe, backed up by a choral effect, before dropping back to that peaceful lilt.

5 You’ll See Out the End of the Tales – The rhythm of this side of the album so far seems to push and pull at the narrative, with this again harkening back to a more upbeat, driving vibe albeit with a lurch towards the electronic over the epic. Some great melodies and drum samples are on show here, adding character and variation to this returning style.

6 Corridor of the Lost Ages – Breaking away from the aural palette of this side thus far, Corridor of Lost Ages is an electronic back-beat set against alternating guitar and piano that really leans into that ’90s anime style of bright, upbeat J-rock

7 Volitional Decision – Again continuing the last three songs, this utilises the main recurring melodic motif of the game, this time playing it off energetic drums and electric guitar, tearing it away from the more operatic roots. It gives it a more intense edge and gives the impression that this is a tale that spans ages, with this the more ‘modern’ take on the aural storytelling set down.

8 Theos-De-Endrogram – Assertive strings, a light choral effect and that oh-so RPG milky guitar take this song on what feels to be a very 32-bit journey across the hills. The pace and energy is still there, but there’s a softer sound this time, it’s covering ground that’s well-trodden on the album, but with grace, elegance and that ever-present sense of warm melody. The main motif is again riffed on, the fourth or fifth time on this side and it does give the sense that the end is nigh.

9 Treasure Box  - A very familiar short tune to players of the game!

SIDE F

1 Maia – Soft piano and swelling strings combine to give a gentle introduction to the final side of the album. It’s a rolling piece that gets joined with woodwind instrumentation as well as distant bells, a pastoral, small-town tune that feels grounded and peaceful, warmth and camaraderie shines through.

2 Origine Della Vita – A huge, booming gong signals that this is going to ramp things up! All chugging riffs, galloping drums and intense single-note lead guitar lines culminating in dirty bends with some dual axe-wielding going on, this pulls influences from the ‘80s metal scene, I can imagine the guitarist standing atop a mountain in a thunderstorm here as he blazes out multiple tap solos and impressive technical runs.

3 A-To-Z – Dropping back to solo piano, this sounds like the warm-up to a concerto, soon the piano fades out to be replaced by a style present in the prior track, albeit with the guitars replaced by a violin taking centre stage, but fret not! The smooth guitar tones back an appearance as a call-and-answer to the strings. Also, If – like me - you like a closing hi-hat beat, you’ll be right at home here.

4 Everlasting Transeunt – A familiar melody sings out from the violin here, joined by others after the intro, this is a forlorn and keening version of the main theme that gives way to some really beautiful clean guitar with a chorus effect. A folky ballad that builds and builds, featuring some really nice drum ideas that add power and groove to the track, alongside some wandering bass. By the time the Spanish guitar solo comes in followed by cello, it’s clear that this is a really emotive and quite frankly, saucy track that stands out as a favourite. Also, one of the few songs on the record that has a definitive end as opposed to looping around on itself.

5 All-Out Attack! – I think the title gives you all that you need to know here, a spiky, punky return to a melody from one of the first sides of the album, albeit in a slightly edgier form. Some crunchy guitar with dive-bombs galore, enticed along by double bass-pedal infused drum action.

6 At the End of Disaster – A return to the breezier sounds of earlier tracks, this has layers of acoustic guitar over bass and drums, giving a more traditional and organic sound – albeit highly produced and polished, as are all the other tracks. The bass gets a chance to roam here and the way each instrument has a chance in the spotlight keeps things fresh. The tight pace of the track does feel like it could have mellowed slightly to let the melodies and instruments have breathing space, but it’s still an invigorating moment on the album as a whole.

7 Hope Alive – This follows on well from At the End of Disaster as it still holds the hallmarks of that track in the style and instrumentation used, but the added distorted guitar and violin feels like it’s moving up a notch as the end of the album approaches.

8 A Pleasant Moment (Unused Music) – I believe this is a special LP-only track as this music wasn’t used in-game, which I’m surprised at, as it’s a jaunty sea shanty on accordion and flute with tambourine and hand percussion. A very pirate-y moment which sets it apart from the other tracks and gives character. I’ll raise a grog to this!

9 Roda - Orgel – A beautiful, music box ending to this enormous selection of music. Mellow and peaceful, this is a sub-minute chime that brings the music to a close in a surprisingly understated fashion.

The presentation of the records is absolutely exquisite, with the rich art really capturing the whimsy of the video game that the music is taken from.

I am a casual fan of the Ys games, but the music always shines and is a huge part of the magic of the series, Wayo Records has released an impressive triple set here, with imagery for fans to really absorb and get lost in.