Jet Set Radio Future

Hideki Naganuma

For those that don't know, I play video games, a lot. So you would think that I must love game soundtracks. However, you'd be surprised to learn that I don't listen to them all that much outside the context of actually playing their respective games. Although, every once in a while, an original game soundtrack will come along that feels unique or original, and possesses a great deal of value to me outside of the game. One such soundtrack I've been listening to quite frequently as of late is the Jet Set Radio Future original soundtrack, which was composed by Hideki Naganuma and released back in 2002. The songs he contributed to this soundtrack are heavy, funky, and for the most part fall under the genre of big beat. The breakbeats are busy and pounding, the bass has a very aggressive attack to it, and there is often a bit of a rock flair with the distorted synths and guitars that are incorporated into the mix.

The tying element that makes this project stand out for me though is Hideki Naganuma's use of chopped up voice clips. These voice clips give each song its own distinct character or concept, and it makes for many fun moments. Funky Dealer features some dialogue from a casino dealer straight out of the black and white film era over a confident and cocky instrumental with some fantastic rising horns. Oldies But Goodies opens with more old-timey voice recordings encouraging the family to gather around to hear some classic tunes. The song then goes on to flip a series of 50s rock and big band samples. Like It Like This Like That has a similar vibe musically with what sounds like some 50s traditional pop vocal samples and some 50s rock guitar and saxophone, although, this track feels a little less tied to the past with some more hip-hop elements. Another incredible track is a remix of Sweet Soul Brother which appeared on the first Jet Set Radio game. I love how joyous and open this track is compared to the rest of the songs here. It has lots of space and reverb, smooth electric piano chords, and that instantly catchy vocal sample that definitely brings the soul.

The soundtrack, as released on streaming platforms, is very front-loaded, as the new mixes of previous Jet Set Radio tracks leave a little to be desired (with exception of course to the last song I just mentioned). Humming the Bassline (D.S. Remix) at its core is not a bad track. Its a nice hip-hop instrumental, but certainly grows stale long before the four minute mark. This track in particular makes me very aware that this is for a video game, something to play while the player is hovering over menus. The rest of the remixes have a little more to offer, but similarly don't keep me invested throughout their respective track lengths.

I can think of a few action sport games with a futuristic touch that had big beat soundtracks, but Jet Set Radio Future was the only one to make a big impression on me at the time. Now that I've had the chance to stream it on its own, I've come to appreciate it even more. I love how Hideki Naganuma created songs that had such distinct themes and chose the appropriate samples, be it musical or voice clips, that would serve to further enhance the song's character. The songs are lively, busy, driving, but are also incredibly fun and quirky. The only thing I wished for is that the remixes on the back end matched that same energy.