RPGamers Network > Reviews > Game Music Reviews > Need For Speed III: Hot Pursuit OST
Reviewed by: Ersatz Sobriquet
I played Need For Speed before, but for the life on me, I couldn't remember what kind of music played in the background. Was it techno? Was it straight rock? I just couldn't remember, so I jumped at the chance to hear a Need For Speed album, and I always liked the third incarnation.
Listening to the album through fresh ears, I would have to describe the music as being a cross of, get this, country, rock techno, drum & bass and trance. If you can even FATHOM that, then kudos to you. If someone tossed that idea out there, I would have looked at them like they lost their mind.
This is a various artist disc, meaning that... various artists did this album. All of the artist presented here are nothing, NOTHING short of spectacular, which is something that I thought wouldn't be possible. But, the one that stands out the most is Saki Kaskas. His songs, 8 minutes long, aren't boring! An 8 minute song not being boring is one of the most contradictory thing I could say, but it's true. Flimsy starts out with a nice little techno build up, that breaks into a heavy distorted guitar and bass melody. That carries the song, surprisingly all the way through, without regrets.
Matt Ragan is another artist who "breaks the molds" with his combining various styles together. Layering sounds over each other, he was able to create a very original guitar driven country sounding song with the song, Snorkeling Cactus Weasel. It even breaks into a somewhat rock laden song later on.
Rom Di Prisco is the techno/trance artist onboard this ride as he goes ahead and gives us some old-school style techno. How I miss this style. The song Hydrus 606 is a great floaty-down-the-river type of song. The melodies are catchy and the beats aren't overpowering.
Alistair Hirst comes with a rather dramatic sounding song with Warped. Love the old-school "orchestra stab" that is used in this song. Sorely miss it, though at the time, it was overused. The bass melody is poppy and the drumbeats are all nicely done.
I knew this album was going to be something very different than what I usually heard when the title track was played. Very powerful and explosive, the 1 minute long song moved along with such speed and precision that I was floored and pretty much sadden when it was all over.
I took this album, thinking I was going to review a stinker. This is one of the hottest albums that people are sleeping on to date. If you like techno, trance, country, rock, then please get this album. And if you want all those elements tossed together, listen to Saki Kaskas' work on tracks like Knossos and Little Sweaty Sow. Wonderful pieces you wonder why it escaped your notice.
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| Album Information | Reviewer Rank |
|---|---|
|
Need For Speed III: Hot Pursuit OST Published by: E.A. Promo Release Date: April 09th 1998 Composed by: Traz Damji, Rom Di Prisco, Saki Kaskas, Matt Ragan, Crispin Hands, Alistair Hirst 1 Disc, 14 Tracks Catalog: 6235 |
95 |
Reviewed by: Ersatz Sobriquet
I played Need For Speed before, but for the life on me, I couldn't remember what kind of music played in the background. Was it techno? Was it straight rock? I just couldn't remember, so I jumped at the chance to hear a Need For Speed album, and I always liked the third incarnation.
Listening to the album through fresh ears, I would have to describe the music as being a cross of, get this, country, rock techno, drum & bass and trance. If you can even FATHOM that, then kudos to you. If someone tossed that idea out there, I would have looked at them like they lost their mind.
This is a various artist disc, meaning that... various artists did this album. All of the artist presented here are nothing, NOTHING short of spectacular, which is something that I thought wouldn't be possible. But, the one that stands out the most is Saki Kaskas. His songs, 8 minutes long, aren't boring! An 8 minute song not being boring is one of the most contradictory thing I could say, but it's true. Flimsy starts out with a nice little techno build up, that breaks into a heavy distorted guitar and bass melody. That carries the song, surprisingly all the way through, without regrets.
Matt Ragan is another artist who "breaks the molds" with his combining various styles together. Layering sounds over each other, he was able to create a very original guitar driven country sounding song with the song, Snorkeling Cactus Weasel. It even breaks into a somewhat rock laden song later on.
Rom Di Prisco is the techno/trance artist onboard this ride as he goes ahead and gives us some old-school style techno. How I miss this style. The song Hydrus 606 is a great floaty-down-the-river type of song. The melodies are catchy and the beats aren't overpowering.
Alistair Hirst comes with a rather dramatic sounding song with Warped. Love the old-school "orchestra stab" that is used in this song. Sorely miss it, though at the time, it was overused. The bass melody is poppy and the drumbeats are all nicely done.
I knew this album was going to be something very different than what I usually heard when the title track was played. Very powerful and explosive, the 1 minute long song moved along with such speed and precision that I was floored and pretty much sadden when it was all over.
I took this album, thinking I was going to review a stinker. This is one of the hottest albums that people are sleeping on to date. If you like techno, trance, country, rock, then please get this album. And if you want all those elements tossed together, listen to Saki Kaskas' work on tracks like Knossos and Little Sweaty Sow. Wonderful pieces you wonder why it escaped your notice.
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