Yasunori Mitsuda is a miracle all Chrono Trigger fans are glad happened. If he hadn't put his foot down, the iconic game would be quite different than what we remember today, as the music is one of those elements that makes this game so memorable. His work on Chrono Cross was also highly praised for its beautiful melodies and eclectic style, with many fans regarding it as the most perfect video game soundtrack of all time. And though Chrono Trigger did get the occasional symphonic medley along the way, for the longest time these soundtracks didn't really recevie a proper arrangement album. That changed in October 2015.
The Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross Arrangement Album was a real surprise to me in several ways. Most of all, I was surprised I had never heard of it. Considering how beloved this music is, you'd think people would be talking all about it, but no. The other surprise came in the form of the music itself. The ten tracks selected - five from Chrono Trigger, five from Chrono Cross - are a mix of fan favorites and some tracks I wasn't quite expecting. We have Corridors of Time and Wind Scene, but we also have On the Other Side/Epilogue; we have Time's Scar and Radical Dreamers, but we also have The Frozen Flame and The Bend of Time, and so on.
The arrangements are done by various people, including longtime collaborators like Sachiko Miyano, responsible Kingdom Hearts Piano Collections and Tomohiko Kira of ZABADAK - the band that performed some of the tracks on the Xenogears and Chrono Cross soundtracks, but also very fresh faces like Laura Shigihara - Youtuber and video game music composer, best known for her work on Plants Versus Zombies. Despite this variety, the style is pretty consistent, keeping a more melancholy tone with strings, woodwind instruments, and, surprisingly enough, lots of vocals. Schala's Theme, Corridors of Time and other tracks receive vocal arrangements, with half of them sung by Shigihara. Her voice has a soft, jazzy quality to it that compliments the gentle melodies of the tracks in question perfectly. With vocals or without, however, all arrangements are very well done and can really bring a tear to your eye if you're a fan of the games. I especially liked the little touch present in Schala's Theme, when suddenly the melody from The Girl Who Stole the Stars from Chrono Cross comes in. Those who've played both games will understand why this is a very significant touch.
Sadly, this album was not released on iTunes, but you can purchase it from the official SE website here for $29.99. I highly recommend this album to all Chrono fans to remind us of one of the most important aspects of these games. The new arrangements really breathe new life into the music, letting you experience something new while still hitting you with just the right dose of nostalgia.
So far Corridors of Time is easily my favorite track. Having lyrics was a bold choice but I feel like it worked really well especially since the lyrics are just as haunting as the tune. Schala's Theme and Marbule are also great tracks. I may have to track this down in the future.
Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross Arrangement Album
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