What’s up, everyone?  Borealis here!

It’s time for the next soundtrack preview, so buckle up and get ready to enjoy the next three tracks!  Click the video below to hear them.  Here we go~

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Kanousei

The Japanese word ‘kanousei’ means ‘possibility’, and that’s what this upbeat track represents.  It’s one of the more optimistic-sounding pieces, created to accompany times when Kakeru isn’t quite so down and gloomy, and also comes in sometimes when he’s spending time with Haruka, who tends to have a slightly more cheerful outlook.  It’s one of the very few tracks in the game that feature drums, and its bright nature and title hints at the possibility of positive change that is always around Kakeru, should he make the effort to see it.

Daydream

As you can tell, this track was designed to be the perfect soundtrack to a daydreamy, slow and low-energy mood, whether it’s a content fantasy or a worried inner monologue.  Kakeru finds himself in these daydreams a LOT of the time, considering the fact that he spends most of his days analysing situations in his mind, and also that he never really has anyone to talk to in the first place.  I like the way the electric piano sound bounces from ear to ear, so if you haven’t listened on headphones yet, give it a go!  It also has some nice lo-fi style percussion, making it pretty calm, although I doubt any of the soundtracks in Kakeru’s head would make it onto one of those playlists…  “Constant anxiety and crippling depression beats to relax/study to”.  Yeah, don’t quite have the right ring, does it?!

Love’s Sorrow

As I’ve mentioned in the past, Venus: Improbable Dream features quite a few famous classical/traditional music pieces that many people will know, and they’re scattered around the game, often hidden within scenes that are only revealed if you pick certain choices or dialogue options.  However, this one is one of a small few that are universal, and will appear regardless of your decisions, and the only one that I’ll cover in these devlogs.  Love’s Sorrow is a piece by the Austrian composer Fritz Kreisler, although more well known for its piano arrangement by Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff.  Venus: Improbable Dream’s soundtrack has rearranged it for a solo flute instead, and we all know who plays the flute in this story!  The piece appears during the first day of gameplay, right at a very important moment, so it’s quite special.  Also, here’s a bit of trivia – I’m a massive fan of the anime Shigatsu Wa Kimi No Uso (Your Lie In April), and knew that I wanted to include a famous piece that would act as a subtle nod to it.  I chose Love’s Sorrow because Kaori and Kousei play it together in episode 12, and Kousei goes on to play it by himself in episode 13.

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That’s all for today!  I hope you’re enjoying these extra insights into the music side of things.  On Friday, we’ll be exploring three tracks that are VERY different from each other, ranging from tense to relaxed and even comedic!

Have a good week!

Borealis