Darker than Black OST 1 – Review
The general theme of the album completely fulfills the supposedly 80′s detective theme of the animation (which the animation sadly fails at conveying, in my opinion). Although I think the form and arrangement of the music is well done with no repetitiveness in any areas, this album suffers from bad mixing. I’m wondering if it’s a function of the recording studio, because I’ve never heard any of Kanno’s music sound like it’s drowning in echoes or too much vocal effects. Some tracks like GO DARK and Highheel Runaway sound well-mixed, therefore the echoing sound might have been a deliberate attempt to convey drowsiness. But this effect, in my opinion, ruined the album for me.
The rest of this review focuses on a track by track review of the album.
GO DARK – Probably what you’d expect from Yoko Kanno if you just listened to Cowboy Bebop. The 80′s detective movie feel that the director asked for is very much felt in this track.
HOWLING - Pretty much what you hear in the intro sequence. (but of course) It is a standard j-rock song, very energetic, and has a bit of Engrish in it.
Highheel Runaway – Again, another 80′s detective inspired track, with a hint of Latin beats which has a ballroom dancing feel to it. It fades off at the end, just like the Ragnarok OST tracks which are meant to be looped 
Tenderly - After listening to this song, I could almost feel a very smooth flowing of the music in this album. After the dancey Highheel Runaway, this song is another jazzy piece with a laid back, smooth, flowing feel to it.
Sid – This song is an acoustic piece with a very light ambiance – light rhythm, light piano, light guitars. Think of a laid back version of “Renga” from the Wolf’s Rain OST.
Was – This is the first of a number of songs in this album that I feel has a very bad mixing to it. The guitar melody is hiding behind a low, wavering echo, which I would very much like to take out from the arrangement. All in all, this is a song that doesn’t have that much attitude in it, so it may be my least liked song in the lot.
Outside – Using electronica and an electric guitar, this song is very energetic, although as was my gripe with “Was”, the melody does not rise above the rest of the arrangement, which makes it not very memorable.
No One’s Home – This song delves on feelings of loneliness and Mai Yamane’s voice is as powerful and emotive as ever.
Guy – This song reminds me of Japanese sentai 80’s shows, with the melody is played by a lead sax. It’s quite cheesy, and reminds me of pomade. No kidding.
ScatCat – Another song that is poorly mixed. I could hardly hear Mai Yamane’s voice at many points. Her singing is smoky, has emotions put here and there, but still quite flat and monotonous in many areas.
Keiyakusha – This is the fight song in the animation, which in my opinion would fit very well in Cowboy Bebop. I still could not understand why the director wanted a song like this for an animation like Darker than Black. It doesn’t fit at all. DTB should be very mysterious and louder! The context of the music aside, I think this song would fit very well in your Bebop playlist
Shadow – A very light lounge-type jazz song with the lead melody played by a very light tinkling piano and a lightly plucked guitar.
Kuro – This song starts off with a jazzy guitar. It is quite emotive, despite a lazy feel to it. At first listen, I have to say that this is the song that first struck me as beautiful.
Deadly Work – Why is the melody of the songs in this album droned out all the time? I want to re-record this song, without the multiple reverb vocal effects added to James Wendt’s voice! The effect sounded great with Scott Matthew’s “Dear John”, primarily because the background music was powerful. But with this arrangement, there was nothing powerful, so in effect, it sounds sluggish.
Tentai Kansoku – A very short piano melody, but probably one of the most memorable in the animation.
Blue Cat – Another lounge song with happy acoustic guitars this time. The droning background music is still there though. Why didn’t they take that out?
Tsuki Akari – I think this is a standard jpop song. For me, it doesn’t sound like a good song to cap off the episodes. It’s a bit too bright for a darkish animation.
Water Forest – I easily recognized this song once the first few notes were played. I think it’s one of the most used tracks in the animation, sad that the droning sounds is also present in this song!
Blend in – I’ll stop saying anything moree about the melody that keeps lying behind that droning sound, which is annoying, really. This could have been a great album if the mixing were top notch. I could hardly hear James Wendt towards the end part.
In no Piano – This is a sad, intricate piano piece probably reminiscent of Good Night Julia, which I am particularly fond of.
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July 29th, 2007 at 3:16 am
Thanks for the review, I’m currently listening to the soundtrack, and I think it’s pretty good so far. Except I agree with the ‘Was’ track for its uber amount of echos.
July 29th, 2007 at 8:29 am
I hope the second OST will not have that many echoes. I just realized, after listening once more to “Player” from Ghost in the Shell: SAC, that it also had that sound coming from it. But the melody is so defined, the echoing sound didn’t matter.
July 29th, 2007 at 12:50 pm
I agree with the weird mixing point, but I think it was done on purpose because musics from 70′s are a bit “blur” too.
But I really love the evolution of the melody in this music, which is one of my favorite one with GO DARK, ハイヒールラナウェイ, No Ones Home, Shadow, クロ and Water Forest… and ScatCat ^^.
However “was” was a good surprise for me, because first I haven’t heard it in the anime so it was a surprise, and it’s true that the guitar is not as dominant as in the usual guitar based musics (that we can especially hear in Wolf’s Rain soudtrack but also GITS SAC) but it gives a special atmosphere that I’m very fond of. I suppose it’s a question of point of view, maybe after more listening you will find this mysterious music more beautiful
So I really love ScatCat and don’t find Mai Yamane’s voice so hidden, it gives a very good impression of someone who is totally serene but don’t know exactly where he is going while he kind of knows that everything is ok, and the anime has a lot of “lost” emotions like that.
However
I am not keen of インのピアノ at all. I think the piano is very emotionless because it was the music the doll Rin played, so for the episode 13 it was needed, but here I really miss the beautiful resonance of the piano, probably because I was used to hear Yoko Kanno piano arrangements which are always recorded with warmth and intensity.
The only objective black point I have for this OST is that there is only 51 minutes of music (I don’t take in account the OP and the ED because they are not Yoko Kanno’s work)… Grrr…
July 29th, 2007 at 2:07 pm
Well, I’m actually glad that someone thinks quite differently than I do. I’d be really surprised if I hear Kanno fans praise or critique an album the same way.
That said, this album actually exceeded my expectations, after I have concluded that the music was so-so after watching about 7 episodes. The form of the music is really good, and my only gripe is the mixing. Highheel Runaway has to be my favorite in this album. Looking forward to the next one
July 31st, 2007 at 9:02 pm
I think it’s a great album. But i like it more without “HOWLING ” and “Tsuki Akari”
It’s very rare when you can listen and enjoy soundtrack without a anime, or movie. And this album is one of those. Thanks Yoko Kanno for a great work. I like her music since i heard the OST from Cowboy Bebop. I think her music is a standard of a good OST 
Can’t wait for a second one 
September 15th, 2007 at 3:01 pm
From this OST I especially like “NO ONES HOME”. I tried to reproduce it with the piano, but no luck. Anyone here by any chance got a good ear and can tell me the music notes of the piano piece (at least the first 15 sec.)? Please mail me about it.
September 15th, 2007 at 3:58 pm
Hi Ultima, I think I could try it, but I’m not really good with the bass. If anyone could do it for us, that would be great
Oh, and here is Ultima’s email:
finalfantasy_ultima at yahoo dot com
February 19th, 2008 at 9:01 am
I love the whole soundtrack, but my favorite is definitely “In no piano”, I’m waiting for a second OST.
February 19th, 2008 at 9:05 am
I forgot to mention “Tentai Kansoku”, I love it to.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:35 am
There hasn’t been any news for a second OST though, I doubt there’ll be any more.
June 16th, 2008 at 8:49 am
I really appreciate the more jazzy tracks, even if they don’t fit the anime feel very well (which I disagree about, btw, but maybe because I’m a jazz freak). And yeah, sadly there are no news on a second OST, which is very sad because many good tracks from the animation were left out. I specially like the ones that play when Kurasawa Gai (the detective) is around or in the beginning of Episode 5, when the MI-6 group is dealing with those mafia-like guys.
July 16th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Vincent know this stuff, im dying to find that track you speak of, when i realised it was one the OST i was saddened.
October 3rd, 2008 at 12:14 pm
I have a question: will there be a release for that short piano piece on Episode 19 (Softly Dreaming, Never drunk Part 1) playing during the hospital scene? That’s gotta come out, someday, somewhere!
October 3rd, 2008 at 1:21 pm
There’s no OST 2 news anywhere, and I’m not feeling positive about it.
November 5th, 2008 at 3:44 am
In episode 1 when Hei first appears ~ 2:54, where can I get that music? it is not in the OST1.
Is there going to be OST2?
May 30th, 2009 at 7:42 am
I remember a song I liked on episode 24 at 09:20 – 10:07
Its not In the soundtrack…I was wondering If you could still
get It anywhere…?
August 22nd, 2009 at 3:30 am
I’ve listened to the sound track and I have to disagree with you on something elements. The only song that the echoing and droning effects really effected was ScatCat, it was just a bit too much with the voice in my opinion. But I found the echoing and the droning noises (especially in water forest) to be quite relaxing and immersive. I don’t think it was one of her personal best, but I will say it was a damned good soundtrack for those that are a fan of the pseudo-old style. I don’t think she was going for the completely old style instead she was going for a futuristic style that mirrored an old 70′s style.