The Thousands

We got reaquainted with this amazing soundtrack a few months ago by a friend of ours. The dark and atmospheric score sets the mood to one of the most powerful animes ever made – GHOST IN THE SHELL, directed by Mamoru Oshii. The Wachowski brothers pretty much lifted half of this anime when they put together THE MATRIX, but the one thing they never figured out was the soundtrack. It’s completely over the top as only anime can be but thats where its charm lies. The earnest seriousness and weighty emotional undertone is oddly placed against that unique Japanese cuteness and innocence.**We particularly like the fact that almost all the tracks derive from the same ear piercing, almost cyborg-like chant. It’s nostalgic as hell too, hitting that emotionally charged 80s soundtrack nerve every time for me in the same way Vangelis did for BLADERUNNER. We could particularly listen to the tract, ‘Ghost City’ over and over.

These sounds are as Japanese as sushi and a refreshing shift from current music. It’s been around for yonks but it’s still good to dig out every few years and remember what dramatically-charged Japanese soundscapes can do for your state of mind.