Final Fantasy, Vol. 8 was
Uematsu-san's second
soundtrack written for a CD-based video game. The obvious advantages that this allowed him came fully to the fore with this release. Four-track recordings were the order of the day for most of the previous
Final Fantasy soundtracks; here, however,
Nobou had all the freedom he required to write and produce anything from multiple-layered orchestra tracks to the most over-produced
pop songs ever. As usual, a plethora of styles are present.
Uematsu's ability to write music in a variety of genres has never been as well typified as on
Final Fantasy, Vol. 8. The
orchestral,
pop, and
rock genres are all represented, and many of the tracks are shining examples of how the genus should be done.
Final Fantasy, Vol. 8 isn't short on originality either. Tracks like
"Mods De Chocobo" are almost impossible to put into any category, being a sort of fusion of many different styles. With
Final Fantasy, Vol. 8, the veteran composer and producer
Nobou Uematsu has set new precedents for himself and others in the business. ~ Ben Davies
