Today, we’re extremely excited to not only talk more about the soundtrack for SHINRAI Saku and finally introduce the musical genius behind it, but to also give you an actual listen to what your ears can expect! So let’s start right off with that, shall we?
This public preview may be short, but I think it perfectly conveys the vibe of Saku as a whole! Though, if you’re itching to hear more, you actually can, as the entire 01:52 minute track is available to paid supporters of both our Patreon and our new composer’s Ko-fi!
But who exactly is this mysterious music maker? Well, let me finally unveil the answer to you: her name is Crescendo and if you’ve been closely following this blog, you may already be familiar with her work, as she’s also the one who composed the soundtrack for Jun‘s adventure visual novel Neko No Sentouki, which I got heavily involved with earlier this year, regarding its English translation.
(And which is currently on sale by the way (12% off), but only for a few more days, so be sure to take the opportunity and check it out!)
- The Perfect Fit
From the beginning, the music in Neko had really stuck out to me. Right on my very first listen, it gave me a strangely nostalgic vibe.
On top of that, it’s also super catchy, with a bunch of tracks I ended up looping for hours on end during late-night drawing sessions for Saku. I still listen to the soundtrack on a regular basis and think it fits Aiko‘s and Hikaru‘s adventure to a T!
I loved it so much, in fact, that I kept bugging Jun about updates on a soundtrack release and bought it the moment I was able to, haha.
So, when it became clear that we would have to find a new composer for our next project, Crescendo was the first person to spring to my mind. Even more so due to the fact that she and Jun are good friends and have successfully collaborated before, meaning that, even though I didn’t know Crescendo personally, I felt like I could trust her. Something that’s naturally very important to someone as wary and suspicious of people as me…
But that’s still not all! During my research, I stumbled across a particular track on her Soundcloud, titled Placid Lake Town, San Morisha. If you check it out (which I highly recommend), you’ll notice that it has a very traditional Japanese sound. Which is exactly what I’ve had in mind for Saku, given its traditional Japanese ryoukan setting!
With all this in mind, it felt like the stars had aligned and that Crescendo would be the perfect fit for the project. As such, I was pretty anxious that she’d decline, so imagine how thrilled I was when she not only agreed to work on Saku, but also ended up really enjoying the original SHINRAI and told me that she herself is very excited to work on its little follow-up!
So much so that she delved into it immediately!
- The First Track
Although not intended to be the title theme, I did want this first track to essentially become the “theme” of the ryoukan itself, therefore really hammering home the “traditional Japanese inn” feel. The idea was to use it for both narrative segments about the location itself, as well as for conversations out in its corridors.
I also wanted it to encapsulate the mood of Saku as a whole. And despite some comedic moments, it is primarily a rather somber story with a lot of talking, thinking and reflecting, as the cast continues to process what they’ve been through and deal with the aftermath.
In other words, it was kind of a tricky track to start out with, but as I’ve stated in the beginning, I think Crescendo fully succeeded in delivering what I was asking for. And in record time no less! I honestly didn’t expect the track to be finished this quickly and the vibe to be nailed straight away, without the need of adjustments.
Needless to say, I am very pleased with the result and cannot wait to hear the rest of Saku‘s music!
- Beyond The Music
Now, outside of composing rad tunes, Crescendo has also made some games of her own, including a sci-fi/mystery visual novel titled Toumayhem, which revolves around a series of murders. Something I feel could be right up your guys’ alley if you’ve enjoyed what we’ve done here so far! I have yet to finish it myself, so I can’t share my own thoughts on it yet, but I hope you’ll at least give the store page a peek! It just so happens to be on sale for a few more days as well (25% off), so it’s definitely a great opportunity to give it a spin!
One project of hers that I did finish a couple days ago and that’s not only very short (around 20 minutes) but also completely free is HyperStar X Duel and let me tell you… it was quite a wild but very fun ride! The story is pretty crazy, the humor on point, it features a little card battle game mechanic and the music is, as expected, pure peak, so I’d definitely urge you to at least check this one out!
In general, I’d like to ask you guys to give Crescendo’s website a look to learn more about what she’s up to. You can also find her on Bluesky, Instagram and YouTube.
Again, I’m super happy to be working together with her on Saku and hope you’re just as excited as me now that she’s come onboard!
We’ll be talking more about Saku‘s music in the coming weeks, but for now, please enjoy this little sneak peek, have a wonderful remainder of your weekend and, until next time, take care ^w^
