‘Metaphor: ReFantazio’ composer Shoji Meguro wants to keep surprising you

Beloved Japanese role-playing game series Persona typically sees you dealing with everyday teenage issues by day, before battling supernatural monsters by night. It’s a full-on existence but luckily the game soundtracks are packed with the sort of urgent, high-tempo bangers that’ll keep you going regardless of what comes your way – whether that’s a tricky piece of homework or a snarling hell beast. READ MORE: How ‘Final Fantasy’, ‘Zelda’ ‘Metaphor: ReFantazio’ inspired Purity Ring’s most ambitious album yet Since working on the original 1996 game Revelations: Persona (including what would become the series’ haunted unofficial anthem ‘Aria Of The Soul’), frequent composer Shoji Meguro has given each entry an individual sonic identity. Persona 3 used sugary pop vocals and a blend of rock and hip-hop to give the dark coming-of-age tale a modern flavour, its 2008 follow-up turned to J-pop for its peaceful, rural setting and Persona 5’s soundtrack was full of Jamiroquai-inspired acid jazz. “From the PlayStation era through the early days of the PlayStation 2, there were hardware limitations so I wasn’t completely free in terms of what I could express [with my music],” Meguro tells NME v...