Review Summary: They say "begin again", but I'll treasure any fragments left behind
Of all the music-based video games I’ve played over the years,
Sayonara Wild Hearts is the one with the most original and ambitious concept. Conceived as a “pop album video game”, the game puts you in the shoes of an unnamed, downtrodden woman looking for some inner harmony in her life; all the while, you guide her through the visual representation of a synthpop album. So, in other words, you’re literally PLAYING the game’s soundtrack. Add tarot cards, Queen Latifah’s narrations, and astrological symbols into the mix, and you’re left with a truly unique piece of gaming artistry; of course, it helps that the arcade-style gameplay is addicting as hell. But as threadbare as the actual story is, its beauty lies in how much can be said with so few words. All we know is that a young woman is heartbroken and looking to rediscover her “groove”, but the musical and visual storytelling of each level always keeps things engaging – even quite endearing.
Still, when the entire game revolves around its soundtrack, you’d expect the tunes to be absolutely stellar… and boy are they ever! There’s a healthy mix of vocal tracks and instrumentals, but they’re all threaded together by a similar synth-drenched sound and aesthetic. Sugary keyboards, pulsating beats, and light airy vocals are the order of the day, as the record navigates ample musical and emotional terrain. Daniel Olsén and Jonathan Eng are the composers, and while they do a fantastic job on the soundtrack as a whole, it’s worth noting that singer Linnea Olsson absolutely
steals the show on any track that features her vocals. As the album splits up the vocal tracks and instrumentals, you’ll be primarily hearing her on the first half of the OST; here, dance-pop delights and pensive ballads reign supreme. Shades of Carly Rae Jepsen, Chvrches, and Charli XCX can all be found in the tracklist, yet the record still retains its own unique flavor. But, as demonstrated with such pop bangers as “Begin Again” and “Inside”, the secret weapon of
Sayonara Wild Hearts is its ability to combine musical sugar rushes with dashes of sorrowful contemplation.
Much of this is attributed to Olsson’s excellent vocal work, as her light, almost ethereal tone can easily teeter between lightheartedness and reflectiveness. And while several songs can serve as examples here, I’d like to highlight the OST’s centerpiece, “The World We Knew”. Easily the most melancholic track of the bunch, the ballad takes on a lamenting tone as Olsson sings about not being able to remember a time when the world was “alive”. As the lyrics continue to elaborate on this theme, you start to hear the
musical transformation going on as well. Several voices are layered on top of each other, as the song’s delicate, dreamlike vibe eventually gives way to a chasm of expansive synths and booming drums for the chorus. Absolutely beautiful tune. Still, I don’t want to give Olsson the entire spotlight here, so let’s move back over to the gents who actually composed the music; after all, the instrumental tracks are often just as impressive.
Pop stars weren’t the only inspiration for
Sayonara Wild Hearts, as the opening instrumental “Clair de Lune” is an updated version of – you guessed it! – the famous Claude Debussy piece of the same name. Being the track that soundtracks the first level of the game, it serves as a fitting introduction; it gives the listener (or player) a sense of awe and wonder, while highlighting the many emotions that you’ll feel when you embark on this journey. Joy, melancholy, hope, all that good stuff. But the beauty of these deeper cuts is the level of musical variety they can bring while still being true to the overarching style of the soundtrack. You’ve got the ominous techno-inspired “Heartbreak” tracks, the trippy ebb-and-flow of the synths on “Forest Ghost” and “Forest Dub”, the backmasked vocal manipulation on “Doki Doki Rush” and “Hearts & Swords”, and the list goes on. Olsén and Eng have a real gift for making a panoramic experience out of only a few central themes, a gift that’s exemplified in the closing medley of the album. The menacing opening, the beautiful synthpop segment in the middle, the closing ballad portion… it’s a mini-masterpiece of contrasting moods and emotions.
As our protagonist completes her journey, she returns to her room and plays her acoustic guitar – her groove back and her heart centered – bringing
Sayonara Wild Hearts to a close. During her quest, she was accompanied by one of the finest soundtracks that modern gaming could offer – a whirlwind of synthpop bangers, addictive instrumental cuts, charismatic vocal performances, and deceptively complex arrangements. If you’ve never experienced
Sayonara Wild Hearts – the game
or the soundtrack – I can’t recommend it enough. The game itself is a masterclass in strengthening the relationship between video games and music, and the soundtrack is a masterclass in demonstrating why music matters
so much in modern gaming.
From the shards of your broken heart,
the real heroine has risen.
You have restored
the lost harmony of our world;
now you must go
and find harmony in your own.
Sayonara, Wild Heart.
