Konami's pop'n music series stays chaotic and this installment is no exception. "Cocytus" drops into icy, intense electronica while "ƒƒƒƒƒ" (yes, that's five fortissimos) hammers classical fury into a rhythm game framework.
Read more
"Dar[k]wish" brings dark, moody energy, and "HypArcSin(x)" is literally named after a math function, which tells you everything about the nerd-meets-beatmania DNA here. Softer cuts like "Hydrangea Blossom" and "Spring Comes Around" offer breathing room.
"Railroad Force" chugs with mechanical momentum. "The Sun and Battle" and "Shangri-la Picture Scroll" pull from Japanese folk traditions. The genre whiplash is the whole point. If you want a soundtrack that refuses to sit still for even one track, this is it.