PROLOGUE
NILE (MAIN THEME) (*1)
ANCIENT OF WIND
RITUAL DANCE
WATER OF MYSTERY
TUMBA DANCE
WAVE FROM ANCIENT
SPIRIT OF HARP
GREAT PYRAMID
MYSTERIOUS TRIANGLE
ITONAMI
UNICORN
CRYSTAL SAND
DHOLAVIRA
BEYOND (END THEME) (*2)

all music written and arranged by KITARO
(*1) (*2) orchestrated by Randy Miller

additional musicians:
Slava: vocal on (*1)
London Philharmonic Orchestra on (*1) (*2)

Soundtrack for Japanese TV program "NHK Special / Messages from the Past". Musically you can hear "new KITARO music" which was quietly announced on last album THINKING OF YOU, i.e. the arrangement of each song is so simple. Don't expect rich and colourful music (which you can hear on albums like MANDALA, CIRQUE INGENIEUX, GAIA - ONBASHIRA), but "NILE (MAIN THEME)" and "BEYOND (END THEME)" is the exception. "NILE (MAIN THEME)", medley from "PROLOGUE", has a gorgeous and thick sound. This song is performed with London Philharmonic Orchestra and Slava's counter tenor voice (Slava sings typical KITARO-san-like melody and sounds so fresh!!) and the feeling is just like pop music. This is obviously one of the most pop song in whole KITARO-san's repertoire. "BEYOND (END THEME)" has a gorgeous and dymanic sound performed with London Philharmonic Orchestra (again). This is a song which has thrilling pop feeling and typical KITARO-san-like melody. Roaring electric guitar, which appears in chorus section, is a good spice.

The character of this album is... you cannot feel "KITARO-san's typical flow represented through an album". The number of both typical KITARO-san-like melody and KITARO-san-like phrase is obviously few. Usually KITARO-san's album sounds like "telling a story through the album". But mostly all the songs has no connection with both last song and next song, and it's difficult to feel the story of the album. The number of impressive strong song is also very few, and the number of dramatic song is fewer than last album THINKING OF YOU. There are some improvisations, but it never lasts long enough to make listeners feel thrills and trance feeling.

This is NOT the very first KITARO album for those who is new to KITARO Music. You better listen to this album after many other albums.

By the way, "WATER OF MYSTERY" is performed live often recently. But pay attention because usual live version and this original version is so different. It is OK to imagine that the only first quarter of usual live version is the original version. Usual live version is long, which opens quietly (as you can hear on this album) and then moving and expanding into dynamic energetic rock (what a evolution!!). Even though live album DAYLIGHT, MOONLIGHT - LIVE IN YAKUSHIJI contains "WATER OF MYSTERY", but you must remember that what DAYLIGHT, MOONLIGHT - LIVE IN YAKUSHIJI captured is NOT KITARO-san's typical live show. (check out DAYLIGHT, MOONLIGHT - LIVE IN YAKUSHIJI page!!)

"PROLOGUE" on this album and on IN PERSON albums and "PROLOGUE (ANGEL QUEEN - LONG VERSION)" on QUEEN MILLENNIA album are all different songs.

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