Castle In The Sky: Bildalbum (Import)

The vinyl itself is incredibly quiet, with zero surface noise during the quieter passages. Hearing Hisaishi’s pre-soundtrack vision for Laputa on this format really adds a new layer to the music.

The gatefold jacket feels sturdy and the print quality on the artwork is crisp, which makes the whole package worth displaying. The vinyl itself plays clean with minimal surface noise, and the image album tracks have a dreamy flow that fits the film’s mood perfectly.

I was a bit worried about the jacket’s edge wear from the photo, but the vinyl itself plays perfectly and captures that dreamy, early Joe Hisaishi sound. The gatefold sleeve is sturdy, though I wish the insert included English liner notes for the image album concept.