Kenji Kawai – Ghost In The Shell Original Soundtrack (1995)

Composer: Kenji Kawai

Tracklist

1. I - Making Of Cyborg 04:28
2. Ghosthack 05:14
3. Puppetmaster 04:21
4. Virtual Crime 02:41
5. II - Ghost City 03:34
6. Access 03:16
7. Nightstalker 01:44
8. Floating Museum 05:05
9. Ghostdive 05:52
10. III - Reincarnation 05:44
11. Fang Ka-Wing - Mui Tin Kin Yakkin! (Bonus Track) 03:26

"A haunting score for this Japanese science fiction Anime movie, 

directed by Mamoru Oshii, an adaptation of the manga Ghost In The Shell by Masamune Shirow. 

Composer Kenji Kawai serves up a chilled platter of deep drums, gongs, shakers, bells, 

female vocals, shimmering keyboards, and vaporous ambience. 

A somber and powerful rhythm dominates most of these tracks, but percussionist Yuhki Sugawara maintains emotional content rather than mere drum exercises, as he pounds, taps, palms, 

and skips across a wide array of instruments. At times this album is bleak and sparse, but always engaging. 

Gongs float upward from the depths like huge jellyfish, female choirs run chills down the spine, 

and keyboards breathe softly in the distance.
 According to the soundtrack's liner notes, the haunting choral song that plays throughout the film is a wedding song, sung to get rid of all evil influences that are about to follow. Kenji Kawai originally wanted to use Bulgarian folk singers, but was unable to find any, so he relied on the Japanese folk song choir he used earlier in the Ranma 1/2 Anime. The song uses an ancient form of the Japanese language mixed with Bulgarian harmony and traditional Japanese notes.
A very curious finale to the disc is an all-out pop song entitled "See You Everyday" 

also written by Kawai, with upbeat female vocals from Fang Ka Wing. 

This song breaks the spell the rest of the album has cast on listeners, and this overly sweet piece of candy seems very much out of place (it can be heard as background music at some point in the movie).

Sadly absent from the album, is a piece featured in the closing credits for the theatrical release, 

"One Minute Warning" performed by the Passengers (aka U2 and Brian Eno). 

This would have made a superior closing to the CD, by maintaining the darkness and intensity 

that makes this still such a great soundtrack."
The Memory link contains the track "One Minute Warning".

Memory