Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time Original Soundtrack

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time Original Soundtrack is the complete soundtrack for Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time. The soundtrack is composed by Kumi Tanioka.

From the start Tanioka set the concept based on the game's key elements, the intention of scenario writer Hiroyuki Saegusa, and her own wishes, but she struggled to achieve it. Tanioka wished to paint the world in a ethnic manner similar to previous Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles games. Although she had maintained a common atmosphere between each instalment, she had always introduced a new concept and pursued creating music that could fit each game. It was decided early in development that since the game will have ancient sites, the atmosphere of Inca or South America would be suitable, and Tanioka decided to create music focused on South American instruments, which became the basic concept for the soundtrack.

Disc 1
Disc length 65:06


 * 1) Main Theme (メインテーマ MEIN TEEMA)- 1:45
 * 2) Echoes of Time - 0:50
 * 3) Eternal History (悠久の歴史 Yuukyuu no rekishi) - 1:50
 * 4) The Everyday Life of a Village (村の日常 Mura no nichijou) - 2:57
 * 5) Forest (森 Mori) - 4:12
 * 6) Boss TYPE-A (ボス TYPE-Ａ BOSU Type-A) - 2:44
 * 7) Crystal Core (クリスタルコア KURISUTARU KOA) - 0:43
 * 8) Road (街 Machi) - 3:13
 * 9) Canal (用水路 Yousuiro) - 2:35
 * 10) Ice Mountain (氷の山 Ko'ori no yama) - 2:48
 * 11) Flame Mountain (炎の山 Hono'o no yama) - 3:00
 * 12) The Time of the Beginning (はじまりの時 Hajimari no toki) - 1:16
 * 13) Ancient Library (古代図書館 Kodai toshokan) - 3:47
 * 14) Boss TYPE-B (ボス TYPE-Ｂ BOSU Type-B) - 3:01
 * 15) Desert Ruins (砂漠遺跡 Sabaku iseki) - 4:06
 * 16) Veriaulde (ベリアウルデ BERIAURUDE) - 2:41
 * 17) Crystal Merge (クリスタルマージ KURISUTARU MAAJI) - 0:10
 * 18) Got it! (なんかもらった！ Nanka moratta!) - 0:08
 * 19) memories tomorrow - 2:46
 * 20) Forest of the Old Days (昔日の森 Sekijitsu no mori) - 3:10
 * 21) At the End of a Long Time (長い時間の果てに Nagaijikan no hate ni) - 3:41
 * 22) Sherlotta (シェルロッタ SHERUROTTA) - 4:39
 * 23) Graveyard (墓地 Bochi) - 4:44
 * 24) Mining Place (採掘場 Saikutsuba) - 3:23
 * 25) Ancient Bridge (古の橋 Inishie no hashi) - 0:57

Disc 2

 * 1) Into the Adventure (冒険へ Bouken e) - 2:24
 * 2) The Bridge Reaching to the Tower (塔へ続く橋 Tou e tsuzuku hashi) - 3:51
 * 3) Tower (塔 Tou) - 3:02
 * 4) Larkeicus (ラーケイクス RAAKEIKUSU) - 2:38
 * 5) Last Battle (最終決戦 Saishuu kessen) - 5:59
 * 6) Big Miscalculation (大いなる誤算 Ooinaru gosan) - 2:18
 * 7) The Creation of the Origin (始原創造 Shigen souzou) - 2:41
 * 8) Family Get-Together (家族の団らん Kazoku no danran) - 2:39
 * 9) Adult Ceremony (成人の儀 Seijin no gi) - 0:42
 * 10) Blessing (祝福 Shukufuku) - 0:35
 * 11) Finale (フィナーレ FINAARE) - 2:36
 * 12) Character Make (キャラメイク KYARA MEIKU) - 2:31
 * 13) Quest Together! 1st (みんなでクエスト！その１ Minna de KUESUTO! Sono 1) - 3:06
 * 14) One-on-One Duel! (一騎討ち！ Ikkiuchi!) - 4:01
 * 15) Quest Together! 2nd (みんなでクエスト！その２ Minna de KUESUTO! Sono 2) - 2:11
 * 16) Battle - (戦闘 Sentou) 2:37
 * 17) Quest Together! 3rd (みんなでクエスト！その３ Minna de KUESUTO! Sono 3) - 2:47
 * 18) Galdes Battle (ガルデス戦 GARUDESU ikusa) - 3:14
 * 19) Treasure Get! (お宝ゲット！ Otakara GETTO!) - 0:25
 * 20) Reward Competition (ごほうび争奪戦 Gohoubi soudatsusen) - 0:16
 * 21) Mog's Personal Guidance (モグの個人指導 MOGU no kojinshidou) - 2:29
 * 22) Shopping (お買い物 Okaimono) - 2:43
 * 23) Game Over (ゲームオーバー GEEMU OOBAA) - 0:13
 * 24) Stand (お立ち台 Otachidai) - 1:26
 * 25) Adult Ceremony Remix (3rdmimi 〜成人の儀 Remix〜 3rdmimi ~Seijin no gi Remix~) - 2:44
 * 26) Play riddles ~Ruins Remix~ (Play riddles 〜遺跡 Remix〜 Play riddles ~Iseki Remix~) - 2:28

Liner notes (translated from the original Japanese)
Kumi Tanioka - Composer

"Tanioka's rhythm has the vibes of Bon Odori * " "This track sounds like it is from Yukemuri Murder ** ?"

These are the comments I received when I let scenario writer Hiroyuki Saegusa listen to my tracks on Echoes of Time. Even when he occasionally praised me, it was only "Um, OK." While my brain was polluted with bad ideas like Bon Odori and Yukemuri, I said "nooo!" and shut them out. I worried whether he actually liked my music or not, but I just said to myself "nooooo!" and abandoned the worry. Still, I felt critically knocked by the comment "sounds like samba" from Yasuhiro Yamanaka, the synthesizer operator that everyone knows. Then again, I said "nooooo!"

Anyway, I will tell you about the way this soundtrack was crafted. Once I write this, you might suspect I composed it without thinking about the game, but from the start I set the concept based on the key elements of the game, the intention of Saegusa, and my own wishes. I struggled hard to achieve it. The conversation above was the result...

As for my own wishes, these were to paint the world in a ethnic manner once again. This was the fourth installment of Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles and, although I had maintained a common atmosphere between each instalment, I had always introduced a new concept. In addition, I pursued creating music that could fit each game deeply and portray each world convincingly. I had really enjoyed composing music every time with the various concepts. However, at the back of my mind was a wish to someday paint a world based on tribal music like that of the first Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles once again.

This was my opportunity. At the meeting at an earlier stage of the development, Saegusa uttered "Since there will be ancient sites, the atmosphere of Inca or South America would be suitable." How could I miss such a word? I thought "Alright! I'll create exotic music that's focused on South American instruments!" This fixed the basic concept for the soundtrack.

In the first Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, I let synthesizer operator Hidenori Iwasaki arrange the rhythm parts almost entirely. I adopted a similar policy with Yasuhiro Yamanaka on Ring of Fates. This time, however, it was me alone from start to finish. This resulted in those severe — no, blunt — comments from the two guys above.

Still, I think the world of Echoes of Time was presented with the music I created. Instead of the traditional sound endemic to the specific areas, I wanted to use them as one flavor and blend many colors just like Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles. While I used the timbres of early instruments and ethnic instruments, I often wrote the tracks that were actually impossible to perform, such as a panflute melody at murderous speed!

No, this is not my excuse! At any rate, please play Echoes of Time! I sincerely hope you have a good impression of the world of the game while playing the game and will clearly remember it. Hopefully, your impressions of the music won't ever be related to Bon Odori or samba, but oh well. Both Bon Odori and samba are, as I now realize, valid forms of traditional music.

As always, with the commitments of the development staff, the sound team, the project manager, the PR staff, the business staff, and various other people, Echoes of Time was completed. I'm really happy to be involved in the music production of the game and being able to bring this soundtrack to you. Please enjoy it a lot. I hope the music brings good memories.

* Japanese Buddhist folk dance. ** A murder mystery series in Japan.