The Ape Escape Originape Soundtracks compilation brings together music from one of PlayStation's most underappreciated franchises, and hearing these tracks again is a rush of pure late-90s nostalgia. Soichi Terada's original compositions for the first Ape Escape were groundbreaking in their use of electronic dance music for a platformer -- this wasn't the orchestral or chiptune fare most games were offering.
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Tracks like Crabby Beach, Thick Jungle, and City Park are infectious slices of house, drum and bass, and breakbeat that still sound remarkably fresh. The level variety in Ape Escape is perfectly reflected in the soundtrack's range.
Frosty Retreat shifts between cozy indoor and crisp outdoor versions, Haunted House brings spooky atmosphere without losing the groove, and Molten Lava cranks up the intensity for the game's volcanic stages -- with a special t-rex variant for that memorable dinosaur encounter.
Specter's Castle and Specter's Factory carry the menace of the game's villain, while Sushi Temple and Wabi Sabi Wall lean into playful Japanese cultural motifs. Specter Circus and Monkey Madness capture the gleeful absurdity of chasing monkeys with a net across time periods, and Peak Point Matrix delivers the climactic final stage energy this series deserves.
The inclusion of the Stage Select theme is a nice touch -- that track is burned into the memory of anyone who spent hours hunting down every last primate. Soichi Terada went on to become recognized in the broader electronic music world, and listening to this collection, it's easy to hear why.
This is one of the PS1 era's most distinctive and enduring soundtracks.