Goomin “Nauts” Nam is a name I hope I see more often in the game music realm, as I greatly enjoyed his work with Monarch: Heroes of a New Age Original Soundtrack. Bar Oasis 2 Lingering Taste is no exception to my adoration of Naut’s ability to compose beautiful music. Of course, he isn’t alone, as we have the talents of Spike and E.Q.P. to add to this lovely album.
Though Lingering Taste is comprised of only 6 tracks, each of these tracks carry an emotional gravity even Doc Brown could sense. Save for Spike’s rocking, upbeat, character roll call track named “Photowall,” the rest of the album conveys a sense of dreaminess — whether blissful or melancholic — that has the power to toy with one’s heartstrings. Take “Going Home” for example, where you are serenaded with the strumming of a guitar and simple percussion. As the piece progresses, new instruments are introduced, such as the delightful playing of an accordion, which is then brightened by a glockenspiel. Some brass enters at 1:36, livening up the piece, but the real magic happens at 2:01 when a voice enters singing an “ah” sound, giving “Going Home” a very dreamy quality. Interestingly, the instruments pull back at around 2:50, leaving the guitar and trumpet playing together, which gives the impression of some sort of send off (perhaps to the audience). I’m curious if this track is used as some sort of credits/end music for the game.
The piano piece “Missed Call” is a very beautiful track that shares the same quality of dreaminess. However, this dreaminess is laden with melancholy that permeates sorrow throughout my heart. I feel it is the dissonant chord at 0:46 that creates this heaviness, and the length of the chord also adds weight to that emotion. It’s the longest chord of the track and gives me the impression of a deep, longing sigh. It’s small details like this that truly change the mood of a piece and speak volumes. A very moving piece indeed…
However, I’d like to relinquish that melancholy and bring you back to the dreamy side of Aftertaste with “Woman with Margarita.” I absolutely adore this piece, with its electric piano and acoustic guitar intro, hovering strings, and delicious synth that enters in at 1:27. The energy in this track is tingling and puts my mind at ease. I get a sort of cloud nine vibe from “Woman with Margarita,” but sadly only those playing the game know what’s happening!
With its inexpensive price and beautifully composed music, I highly recommend Bar Oasis 2 Lingering Taste. Nauts and the other artists do a spectacular job creating dreamlike music in this album, which actually makes me want to play the game to hear it in context! And once again with another album I review, the only folly I can find is its brevity in tracks! This is criminal and needs fixing right away — perhaps with a Bar Oasis 3 soundtrack?
