MUSIC FROM A COLD LAND

RAHM JETHANI - Writer, 3rd Year, English

The title could not resist itself. IYKYK.

The music found within Zankyou no Terror possesses a musical distinctiveness that sets it apart from many other anime soundtracks, only comparable in flair to the chilled Western-inspired hip-hop ambiance of Samurai Champloo. Emotions evoked by these compositions span a spectrum from solitude to optimism, resonating with the listener in various ways. Noteworthy is the experimental Icelandic influence, notably drawn from artists like Sigur Ros, Bon Iver, and Jonsi, which distinguishes Zankyou no Terror’s OST from the typical anime discography.

It is difficult to talk about Zankyou no Terror’s soundtrack without mentioning the prolific musical palette of its composer, Yoko Kanno, whose Western musical influences influence each of Zankyou no Terror’s songs in unconventional ways. The music with lyrics, aside from the Japanese openings and endings, is all sung in either English or Icelandic which in the context of the anime’s setting and plot, can make listeners feel wistful and out of place. The most effective song that is able to exemplify this is the song ‘Von’. Not only does it stand out in terms of its potential to stir intense emotions, but also for its usage resonating with the anime’s core musical aesthetic.

‘Von’, meaning “hope” in Icelandic, plays the most emotionally high-stakes moment in Zankyou no Terror. In the scene, multiple lives are at risk. Furthermore the setting of the abandoned neon ferris wheel in the middle of night creates an aesthetically contrasting scene. But despite the energy and tension of this narrative and visual backdrop, the song ‘Von’ is simple in most ways. With a slow tempo and simple repeating piano loop, listeners are lulled into feelings of hopelessness and numbness. The sense of dread conveyed by this song is what makes it so fitting for this scene. This feeling is then amplified by the vocals of Arnor Dan’s soft, ethereal falsetto. He repeatedly sings ‘Vetur, Sumar, Saman Renna’ (translating to “Winter, Summer, converging”). This is in reference to Lisa’s descriptions of Nine and Twelve, and the vocal anguish used when repeating the line can be used to interpret the feelings of both Lisa and Twelve in this scene. Each further verse and added string section only serves to heighten feelings of despair and drama, as the ferris wheel scene becomes more and more heartbreaking.

The instrumentation of ‘Von’ does border on melodramatic, but the simplicity of the composition allows for the piece’s placement in the episode to feel natural. Achieving this feat despite the potential mismatch of a tense and dramatic scene with a painful, cold song is impressive, and I commend the effort put into making this choice work.

The unique atmosphere created by the song remains unparalleled by any other anime. While I recognize that “unique atmosphere” is subjective, especially in music, it is not a stretch to say that many anime soundtracks can have similar energies or musical theory. For example, while many love the works of Joe Hisaishi and Hiroyuki Sawano, one cannot deny that many of their catalog sounds very similar, both in terms of instrumentation and music theory. This is not the case for the majority of Zankyou no Terror’s OST though, and especially not the case for ‘Von’, which stands as the crown jewel of Zankyou no Terror’s soundtrack.

Aside from ‘Von’, other notable tracks like ‘is’ and ‘seele’ further contribute to the show’s evocative mood, showcasing the OST’s ability to sustain a consistent atmosphere of loneliness, which is something I believe to be a strong indication of this anime’s high quality, given its risk of boring the listener. But regardless of the individual songs, Zankyou no Terror’s soundtrack not only embraces a distinctive Icelandic musical aesthetic but also pioneers an experimental soundscape seldom replicated in anime, leaving a lasting impression on its audience.