The original Lumines on PSP was a revelation in 2004, and this 2005 remix collection is where the full depth of its sound design really spills out. "welcome to the club" pulls you right in with that hypnotic loop, and tracks like "URBANIZATION" and "ROUNDABOUT" carry the kind of propulsive electronic energy that made the game feel less like a puzzle and more like a trance session.
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"SQUARE DANCE" is deceptively catchy, and "Dark Side Beside The River" shifts into moodier territory with a bass line that just floats. "Da-Di-Do" and "HOLIDAY" bring this playful bounce that contrasts perfectly with the more driving cuts.
"MEGURO" has a distinctly Japanese electronic feel that sits beautifully next to the global club sound of "FLY INTO THE SKY" and "45 degrees." The middle stretch where you hit "MORNING BEATS" into "WATER, FLOWER & LIGHTS" is genuinely meditative.
Then there are the wonderfully weird track names that only Lumines gets away with. "Please return my CD," "Automobile industry," "The SPY loves me," "Chinese restaurant" -- each one is its own little sonic world that somehow makes total sense while you're dropping blocks at 2 AM.
This is one of the PSP's essential soundtracks, no question.