There were a few pauses and rewinds whilst writing this one. My writing started really slow and I gradually picked up speed and I may have been overthinking some things. There was also some things I wanted to clarify to make sure that I was hearing them correctly, though I could’ve easily had a few repeats going to clarify what I felt I needed to clarify.
Seatbelts’ (シートベルツ) “Space Lion” is from the first of Cowboy Bebop‘s soundtrack albums released, which goes by the name of Cowboy Bebop.
I hope you enjoy.
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A low rumble, short. From there a low, calm and melancholic synth comes forward. Atmospheric and as expansive as it is narrow. Smooth. Saxophone plays over, lingering and perhaps pensive. The rumble periodically reappears, though much softer now that there is more happening. It almost feels as though it is a lamentation. There is a passion in there, but this is not uplifting; nor is it downbeat.
Steady, gentle percussion comes in and provides more of a frame and helps define the steady rhythm. The synth pulls back and gently cascades. The saxophone follows. Something grows in sound and fades away underneath everything. Soon it draws forward, then finds itself focused within a definitive and striking, yet gentle sound of piano and bass.
The saxophone has pulled away, leaving the other instrumentation to play out, though now with vocals that enhance and build on the sound. There seems to be some sort of celebration, though not necessarily in a strictly uplifting and joyous sense.
A shift back to the cascading and and saxophone returns. This almost is a pause and perhaps it is a space for reflection. Once more sounds build up, then return to the section that included vocals. Now the saxophone has joined in and this is brighter. The melancholy remains. The sense of reflection is strong, but there is a stronger sense of the uplifting. It still is not a joyous and happy celebration, but it is less weighted. The atmosphere expands and permeates and there is something that almost feels as though a sense of relief.
Eventually the song finds its way to its closing section. The instruments fade out, leaving only percussion as the song ends.
