V-Rare 8-USA (SuperNOVA CS, EB/GameStop edition)

[ANGRY ABOUT ENGLISH]

Earlier this year, there was a mild panic among DDR fans when it was announced that Wal-Mart would be getting a preorder soundtrack for SuperNOVA's console release, moreso when we found out it would be 5 songs, none of which were the usual long versions or remixes we were accustomed to. About a month or so later, though, fears turned to relief when information leaked that EB Games and GameStop would have their own, more impressive disc for reservations.
Given how most of the tracks are brief, expect nothing but blurbs on the songs until we hit the bonus tracks. (Given that the ALBUM is brief, I can do this. Yay.) For those of you who don't want to know about each song, then here's your brief review: this is a good album. Well worth the $5 (give or take) most of us laid down for the disc. If you don't own many imported Bemani OSTs (some of which are pretty obscure... Para Para Paradise?), it's worth it fully, and if you do? The bonus remixes are great as well. My number score is at the bottom, enjoy. For the rest of you, read on as I type up each review to the song (so if it ends suddenly? Blame the artist for catching me off guard).

01. ELECTRO BREAKS - Ferry Corsten - L.E.F. (Loud Electronic Ferocious) - Notable if for nothing else than being the first license to ever appear on a V-Rare, this is a pretty basic club track, something you'd expect to hear playing in a club scene as background in a film. Not bad, but not my pick of the album. 6/10

02. HYPER EUROBEAT - NAOKI with Y&Co. - CAN'T STOP FALLIN' IN LOVE -super euro version- - Hell of a lot more fun to listen to than Speedy Mix, that's for sure. If you like Eurobeat? Good track. If you like CSFIL? Good track. If you're opposed to either of those? Well, this may strike you the wrong way. I enjoy it immensely, myself. 8/10

03. EURO TRANCE - NAOKI feat. Becky Lucinda - My Only Shining Star - Pretty high energy, and a good mix of synth and vocals. I like the way it ends, especially the breakdown, but let's be honest: it changes enough that none of it can be called repetitive (a complaint I have with a track or two.) One of my highlights of the album. 10/10

04. HYPER JAPANESQUE - Tëяra - Mugen - A calmer track than anything so far. Liked Sakura? You'll enjoy this, it's basically a slower version. Has a nice Oriental sound to it, as the funky made-up genre suggests. Fun to relax to, but I don't put this album in for this track alone. 7/10

05. ETHNO DANCE - RE-VENGE - MATSURI (J-SUMMER MIX) - Uh. It's Matsuri Japan. Again. I'll be honest: I can't tell where this differs from the original, but I'm not altogether familiar wi- oh, this bit, after the breakdown. Okay, nevermind. Still, it's basically the same thing we've all played to. A good solid "meh". 6/10

06. REGGAE POP - Scotty D. revisits U1 - Flow (Jammin' Ragga Mix) - Heard Flow before? This is Flow but slower. Otherwise, think slow vocals over a beat that Bob Marley probably used at some point in his career. The original had some energy to it, the highlight of this track is Scotty D's "Heeeey, let's move on to the next song, we're done." at the end. 4/10

07. J-HAPPY HARDCORE - RIYU KOSAKA - LOVE ♥ SHINE - The token "let's all be happy and lovey and cutesy" track on this disc. (You knew there was one.) Not bad as a whole, but made kind of crappy in comparison to some of this disc. 6/10

08. HYPER EUROBEAT - NAOKI with Y&Co. - DYNAMITE RAVE -super euro version- - Dynamite Rave + Eurobeat. I'm sorry. There is literally nothing that can be said about this goddamn song anymore, it's been remixed and recycled so much. You like it or you don't. I don't, but if I try hard to ignore the vocals, the beat's nice. 5/10

09. INTELLIGENT DRUMM'N'BASS - kobo - Trim - One of my favorites on the album, I'll say it before I start gushing. Yet another track that doesn't get repetitive as it keeps changing up through the song. Imagine a chillout track with a drum solo. That's what this is. 10/10

10. CLUBSTYLE - jun - TRUE ♥ LOVE (Clubstar's True Club Mix) - And now we're into the bonus tracks. This is a rather cliched "thumpa-thumpa" mix of a song that was quite perky to begin with. Unfortunately, unlike the original, which had a nice speedup and finale, this just keeps the same plodding pace, slowing the vocals with it, even, until we have a minimalist-to-buildup-to-atmospheric finish... that then goes right back to repeating that first chunk of song for another 1:30. Except this time, a good solid minute of it is "thump". Pretty disappointing remix (and song). 3/10

11. EPIC TRANCE - NAOKI feat. Becky Lucindale - My Only Shining Star (Danceforze Dance To Death Mix) - Alright, this is how to make a trance extended version of a track. It uses the original song's vocal breaks to experiment around. As well, like the original, it continues switching rhythms, so as not to become repetitive. My single complaint is that it IS drawn out a little long, and thus ends with a slight annoyance. 7/10

12. PROGRESSIVE TRANCE - nc feat. NRG Factory - INNOCENCE OF SILENCE (The Sparky Forbidden Remix) - This song is to IOS what SEDUCTION (Vocal Remix) was to SEDUCTION: leaps ahead of the original, and fantastic for the genre. Overall fantastic trance. Really, that says it right there: it's trance, distilled. That ought to tell you if this is for you or not. It's definitely for me. 9/10

13. ATMOSPHERIC TRANCE - Scotty D. revisits U1 - Flow (Unique's Direction Remix) - Make a long version of Flow, add house beats to the song as backing track (with a dash of filler). Voila! Quite possibly the version where it's easiest to understand what the hell Scotty D. is saying on the track, but still fun to listen to. 6/10

14. HARD TECHNO - 100-200-400 - Fascination MAXX (Cally & Juice's Maxximum Overload Mix) - I said Innocence of Silence was distilled trance, yes? This really is HARD techno. Barely any of the original song is in this save as random soundbites. I recommend this only if you're a fan of the genre. REALLY repetitive without that going for you. 4/10

15. CHILLOUT - SySF feat. Donna Burke - Star Gate Heaven (Fracus' Crazy Chill Mix) - This is a nice atmospheric track. It's Sota, basically, with the synth toned way the hell down. The lyrics are also quite clear, and they make for good making-out music. 9/10

Album Summary - I wish a few different tracks were swapped in on this album, but overall, I'm glad I own this. It's got something for every mood I have, including "masochistic". 8/10

[Ben Speirs]

There isn't a Nonstop Megamix

[ANGRY ABOUT ENGLISH]

None of the V-Rare discs have Nonstop Megamixes. Only the full soundtracks do.

Rest assured, somewhere down the line, when it's released, I'll rip into the NOVA OST with just as much sarcasm.