Jam of the Day: Close to the End by Masato Koda (Rockman 10 Image Soundtrack)

The arrange albums for Mega Man 9 & 10 have some very mixed reception. I personally enjoy both quite a bit. While there are definitely some odd instrumentation choices in the albums, “Close to the End” is a track that’s hard not to love.

Masato Koda’s take on the theme utilizes a wide variety of sounds, combining electronic and acoustic instruments brilliantly. The track seamlessly goes back and forth between electronica, industrial, and jazz to name a few of the genres represented. It’s really a fantastic arrangement.

Oh, and for the super nerdy: there are several accepted spelling variations of Masato Koda’s name, so sorry if I didn’t pick the one you use.

Jam of the Day: Absolute Chill (Chill Man’s Stage) by Shusaku Uchiyama (Rockman 10: Threat from Outer Space!! Original Soundtrack)

When I first heard a glimpse of the Mega Man 10 soundtrack, it just did not click with me. I almost always like Mega Man OSTs and 10 in particular had a star-studded cast of legendary composers, so this took me by surprise. Luckily, after hearing the full soundtrack a few times, I started to really love it.

Mega Man 10’s soundtrack feels a bit all over the place, probably due to having so many contributors. But while it’s not exactly what I expected to hear, the individual songs really started to shine after awhile.

Chill Man’s stage in particular stands out as my favorite. It definitely has a strange feel to it, but it’s actually an excellent track as are many of the others on the OST.