Yuuka Nanri - Mother land

Valrave the Liberator IN

Tracklist:

1. Mother land

1. Mother land

Opening with a very calm, serene ambiental sound, as if the track was a relaxing meditation piece, Yuuka's voice joins in to form a few oriental-styled cadences with her collected voice as louder drums and violins overlap after a time for more of a classic anison arrangement. Even though she is working on an another anime, the whole track, and especially the touching chorus feels very much like something Chiaki Ishikawa would compose, bringing a melancholic overtone although the chorus consisted of intersecting tones Yuuka is singing in a choral way displays major chord progressions. As the middle eight section returns to the same melody and silence found at the beginning, bells and a waltzing tempo appear, making a dramatic transition to the final chorus.

Rating: 8

Mother land was perhaps designed to be only a follow-up to her main single previously released, but it has plenty of independent listening worth, even more so than BLOODY HOLIC. My overall rating is: 8.

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Yuuka Nanri - BLOODY HOLIC

Blood Lad ED

Tracklist:

1. BLOODY HOLIC

2. snow wind

3. BLOODY HOLIC ~Without Vocal

4. snow wind ~Without Vocal

1. BLOODY HOLIC

Yuuka's thin voice coupled with a relaxing ambient opens the song, before several strong guitar chords interrupt and unravel into strong techno-rock with slightly gothic chord progressions. As the synthage dies down, the verse returns to a slower tempo, but we finally get to hear the vocals becoming a bit stronger and living up to the standard Yuki Kajiura set for her all the way back in FictionJunction, although the arrangement strays off that path, combining many elements from different styles, and coupling the piano with guitars and synths. Unfortunately, her voice becomes filtered once the song builds up to the chorus, but they are the needed strength since the instrumental is surprisingly absent with techno-rock, being much more subdued, and fitting into the middle eight section, which is crossed with very distorted but silent electric guitars and the piano. As the firstly unnoticeable whispers grow into a real Gregorian choir, the song slips into the serene environment from the beginning, followed by a short drum solo which returns us to the final chorus. BLOODY HOLIC is nothing especially epic, nor it strives to do so, but it's very pleasant overall. 

Rating: 7

2. snow wind

In contrast with the name "snow wind" with which we'd usually expect a seasonal ballad of sorts, after the unimposing introduction a rock-ish instrumentation is present but with it being subdued and overflown with ambiental synths, the atmosphere becomes quite melancholic, laid-back and shows the 80s retro charm all while the tempo-giving drums act as a layer present during the whole track. The B-side is actually better suited to Yuuka's vocals, as they aren't really suited to more outgoing, heavier style, and the nice, relaxing note of it ties everything together nicely.

Rating: 8

BLOODY HOLIC as a single may not stand out a lot, but it's a still a good addition and a worthy listen in Yuuka's discography. Perhaps snow wind got a higher mark purely for reminding me of the classics with its arrangement, which is rare nowadays. My overall rating is: 7 ½

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Annabel - Alternative

Rozen Maiden: Zuruckspulen ED

Tracklist:

1. Alternative

2. Ao ni Tokeru

3. Alternative (Instrumental)

4. Ao ni Tokeru (Instrumental)

1. Alternative

A quiet, impending single frequency opens the first track before dissolving into a slow, serene but a bit creepy instrumentation with the constant company of unusual pulsing synths in the background. All while Annabel is singing with her whisper-like voice, not increasing her volume even when the arrangement is threatening to overwhelm her, the atmosphere gains a more powerful violin background similar to ALI PROJECT, although still retaining the dark spirit of the Rozen Maiden anime. Even though the melody is entrancing, clear classical music influences can be heard, especially in the middle eight, pairing high violins and the deep double bass, as the song ends with a silent harp, leaving a dreamy aftertaste. Alternative is an excellent impression, especially as this is my first time listening to a song of hers.
Rating: 9

2. Ao ni Tokeru

Changing things up from the haunting ambient we've been able to hear, Ao ni Tokeru appears with a silent flute and a quirky xylophone, as it slowly achieves a much faster tempo and becomes a catchy mix of anison and J-pop in the chorus. That being said, aside the arrangement, the melody sounds too frantic, random and disharmonic the whole time, losing on the laid-back and relaxing aspect of it in the beginning, while, surprisingly, being quite boring. The B-side doesn't come near the quality Alternative had.
Rating: 5

Annabel's style, at least how I see it in this single, is very similar to Nagi Yanagi, which is perhaps brought up by the fact that they were a musical duo once. Despite the somewhat failed Ao ni Tokeru, I am looking forward to reviewing her further works. My overall rating is: 7.

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Vacation time!

During the next seven days, I'll be on vacation with little to no internet access, which, unfortunately, means I won't be able to review, tweet or check my email. Of course, as soon as I come back, I'll review everything I missed at the biggest speed humanly possible.

じゃね  (＾▽＾)

Eri Kitamura - Birth

Kamisama no Inai Nichijoubi OP

Tracklist:

1. Birth

2. Lifetime Trader

3. Birth (Off Vocal Ver.)

4. Lifetime Trader (Off Vocal Ver.)

1. Birth

A haunting, deep intro sets the ground for church bells and chanting in English, very similar to Kalafina, before suddenly stopping and unraveling into a heavy rock section. Although the verse starts off with just a piano and Eri's unusually silent voice, the arrangement kicks in with almost metal-like distorted guitars and dreamy chanting, which is spread across the whole track, creating little interludes. Characteristically for her A-side songs, we get a catchy ani-rock chorus again, except the violin is a little less noticeable and involved this time, without strong grinding of it like in re;story, which transitions to the middle eight section completely devoted to the choir and building up with an effective, strong guitar solo. I'm quite glad she's following through with her initial stance and keeps releasing somewhat heavier, more rock-oriented music than most of her colleagues. 

Rating: 9

2. Lifetime Trader

Lifetime Trader takes in the ambient from Birth's introduction, except it's much more subtle and surreal, mixed with bells and creating something that sounds like an old Final Fantasy soundtrack piece, which is ruined interrupted by Eri's whispering and turns into an upbeat rock track. Perhaps for the first time, she is intentionally trying to make her colour similar to LiSA's, but it only makes her sound a bit silly and amateurish, especially when coupled with unnecessary male shouts as to give weight to her vocals which are already giving out. Not only is her voice a copy, but the whole melody and chord progression as well, being an obvious Frankenstein-like compound of the songs Veronica and LOVE&HATE from her debut album. A very strong, headbang-worthy middle eight sequence makes me feel even more sorry for the excellent instrumentation which could have been used in many different ways to make this track better.

Rating: 6

It may seem that her title tracks are still infallible, but the composing effort is showing signs of tiredness from following the same formula over and over again, as we get to see in Lifetime Trader. Playing the occasional card of LiSA-like rock is not bad, but the impression takes a toll if it's badly done. My overall rating is: 7 ½.

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LiSA - träumerei

Genei wo Kakeru Taiyo OP

Tracklist:

1. träumerei

2. I doubt it

3. Yuuyake Nostalgia

4. träumerei (TV Size)

1. träumerei

Deep, haunting bells open the first track, with an introduction very similar to CHOIR JAIL, until the guitars and the upbeat rhythm completely take over in an ani-rock composition. Despite the arrangement consisting of only electric guitars and heavy drums, the catchy melody makes up for the variation, even after numerous listens. Unfortunately, we don't get to see much of LiSA's voice in its stunning clarity because it's filtered most of the time, aside the powerful, touching chorus where it does give the effect needed. Again in the middle eight section, the silent choir and the mysterious atmosphere appear again, slowly building up to a fast drum sequence, and unraveling into the final chorus, which is this time around accompanied by occasional background lines LiSA has sung as well. If I dare say with all those SAO fans out there, this is even better than "crossing field".

Rating: 10

2. I doubt it

Following on, restless with the waves of energy, "I doubt it" opens with a relaxing and melancholic intro, but quickly overturning the expectation of a ballad with  a few western-ish guitar chords followed by the serious and catchy verse. The second track shows off LiSA's other side, as it is much more explosive and aggressive, and more rock-oriented than anison when compared to träumerei. Likewise, her unmatched vocal colour for rock and an edgier image is utilized, along with a higher tone and great, although subtle vibrato skills. As to suit the whole track, the middle eight section is marked by an euphoric, extremely energetic guitar solo which climaxes as LiSA's soothing tone sings along to a laid-back environment before everything gets interrupted by strong chords and a chorus which is raised by an octave to achieve more momentum. It's rare to see a B-side being on the same level of quality as the title track.
Rating: 10

3. Yuuyake Nostalgia

Wrapping up the single is LiSA's singing to restful guitars in the background, being significantly slower than the previous tracks, but, don't be fooled, as the instrumentation gradually gains tempo and more of her cheerful, uplifting pop-rock taste in the chorus, Although this tries to please the part of the fanbase which finds pleasure in her cuter songs, it's not as memorable as ROCK-mode or WiLD CANDY, and the fact that it is barely 3 minutes long doesn't contribute at all. Ending with a kind of an unfinished feeling, it seems one track had to be a scapegoat. Well, at least it's not a ballad, alike to those LiSA has done in her previous single to fill up disk space, and it does serve its purpose.
Rating: 8

This is usually the place where I find myself commenting on the future of the artist in question, but all I can say is that LiSA never fails to impress me, and, if she continues like this, will be a worthy heir even to Nana-chan-kami-sama. My overall rating is: 9

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Faylan - wonder fang

Hakkenden - Tohou Hakken Ibun 2 OP

BlazBlue: Chronophantasma OP 

Tracklist:

1. wonder fang

2. Blue Sanction

3. wonder fang (Off Vocal)

4. Blue Sanction (Off Vocal)

1. wonder fang

A sudden, violent, and somewhat westernized series of chords open the first track, appearing not as dark as Faylan's usual music, and actually a bit more uplifting. As usual, her vocals are dry and struggling, having an excellent colour for aggressive rock music, and sometimes achieve great distancing effects with the creative usage of voice filters. Unfortunately, even though the arrangement is filled with only hard electric guitars and strong percussions, aside from occasional synthage in the middle eight section, the melody itself isn't anything special or memorable, and the song is actually under the standard 4 minutes, showing that the composing level wasn't exactly high this time. God FATE, the first Hakkenden opening was much better, and I'd like to see more of that, not only mild effort.
Rating: 7

2. Blue Sanction

It appears that the BlazBlue tie-ins Faylan has are always better, at least in my eyes, from the main song in the single. The powerful mix of synths and filtered guitars which opens proves that, followed by a much harder, darker arrangement which can even parry a song from the GazettE, crossing into metal. Here, her voice is a bit more muffled by the strong instrumentation, but clears up in the verse which employs only drums and a piano until the distorted guitars interrupt. More complex melodies require stronger vocal utilization, especially in the catchy ani-rock element in the chorus. A powerful guitar solo marks the transition to the final chorus along with a buildup, crossing over Faylan's melancholic singing paired with a piano until it again unravels into a techno-rock salve, followed by an unusual outro melody. The variety and a boosted arrangement make Blue Sanction a much better track than the A-side, once again.
Rating: 9

If it weren't for the anime relation, the two songs could be switched, Blue Sanction would be the main one, and nobody would even notice. I'm not worried about Faylan's future works, though, since wonder fang was just a minor setback in the chain of excellent work. My overall rating is: 8

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StylipS - Prism Sympathy

Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya ED

Tracklist:

1. Prism Sympathy

2. Tsunagu Kizuna . Tsutsumu Kodoku

3. Brand-new Style!! ~Mahou Mitai na Show time~

4. Prism Sympathy (Inst.)

5. Tsunagu Kizuna . Tsutsumu Kodoku (Inst.)

6. Brand-new Style!! ~Mahou Mitai na Show time~ (Step Two/Inst.)

1. Prism Sympathy

Silent, synthy rotations open the first track, bursting into an upbeat, technopop idol track followed by a series of cheerful voices. As expected, besides the various electronic elements, rarely any other instrument is used in the arrangement, except perhaps the barely noticeable electric guitar. Although, no matter the instruments or the genre, everybody seems to use a dubstep breakdown somewhere in the song, even StylipS, though it's well-hidden behind the filtered unison of the vocals which barely do any soloing. Usually nothing more is expected of them, as the melody is somewhat simple and easy to perform. Hyper-kawaii isn't usually my style (well, besides Yukarin) but it's not that boring, and I can get around to listening to it more eventually.

Rating: 7

2. Tsunagu Kizuna . Tsutsumu Kodoku

More like usual anison, the piano and the violin make an introduction with a strange, off-key single note hidden in the melody. The track gains some tempo with an acoustic guitars, and several solos from different members, until the touching and catchy chorus unravels, being especially effective since it's sung in unison and dreamlike bells. I haven't really expected to hear such a song from StylipS (whom I have never heard a song from before), but it seems the classic anison element is present as well. Every verse ends with a piano chord, before everything climaxes into the effective middle eight breakdown with a rocky guitar involved. How can it be possible that this isn't a tie-in?

Rating: 8

3. Brand-new Style!! ~Mahou Mitai na Show time~

Finalizing the single, a more energetic start opens, being much more idol-like and... cheerleaderly (?) with all the bright, happy, diabetes-inducing unison of voices. Like a mix of the previous two tracks, Brand-new Style uses both light electric guitars but also recurring anison elements like the violin. With, once again, almost no solo vocal usage, every member overly aims for the perfect kawaii voice, but only ends up with too much nasal usage and a sugary, unmemorable colour. For some strange reason, which very well may be the chord progression in the chorus, this song reminds me of Minorin (but, lately, everything does).

Rating: 7

If it were any other idol-pop group, I'd probably frown at the very idea of reviewing a single of theirs, but StylipS fortunately managed a good debut here at Japanese Melodia. Of course, I am hoping for more material alike to the second track, which was my favourite. My overall rating is: 7

Nagi Yanagi - Euaru

Tie-ins:

Track no. 2 - Yahari Ore no Seishun Lovekome wa Machigatteiru OP
Track no. 6 - Jormungand ED
Track no. 8 - Amnesia OP
Track no. 9 - Jormungand: Perfect Order ED
Track no. 13 - Ano Natsu de Matteru ED

Tracklist:

1. Hontou
2. Yuki Toki
3. Ao no Parade
4. concent
5. helvetica
6. Ambivalentidea
7. euaru
8. Zoetrope
9. Laterality
10. Strange Attractor
11. Kuoria
12. Translucent
13. Vidro Moyou
14. Uso

1. Hontou

A strange, impending frequency opens the album, almost like it's setting the ground for something explosive, but is interrupted by a silent piano playing a relaxing melody. Everything becomes dreamy and surreal, perfectly describing Nagi's main style, and prepares us for what's coming next, seeing that it's a mere introduction of almost 2 minutes.
Rating: 9

2. Yuki Toki

The instrumentation dies down for a moment, and revives itself with Nagi's cheerful singing. Every singer has stepped out of their usual style at least once, and Nagi's time has come now. Unlike Zoetrope or Laterality, among her upbeat tracks, this one represents an overused, generic anison style dominated by the piano and the violins. Strangely, though the atmosphere of the song is happy and cute, she doesn't try make her vocals nasal even once, which I'm thankful for, because her warm colour is very hard to achieve. Summing up, this is not bad, but at the same time nothing which hasn't been heard before. It's a real shame B-sides weren't included, because Surrealisme from the same single would do just as good as the "icebreaker" on the album.
Rating: 7

3. Ao no Parade

Surreal melodies appear again, with the single tone held by a violin while the synthy, fluttery environment unravels. As the entire ambient is fairy-tale like, it becomes very hard to describe completely, with the hypnotic, sudden style changes from the pleasant, happy one to the mysterious, enchanting one reminiscent of J-pop, and the chanting melody used in the middle eight sequence which greatly resembles one from the introduction. The track ends as if it were again to change in tempo, with a short, sharp piano chord, leaving us with a shortage of synonyms for the word "relaxing".
Rating: 9

4. concent

Leading on, a choppy, cut signal intermission starts, very much reminding like something that would be the theme of the Data Overmind from Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu, with the engulfing silence and space-like impression. As Nagi repeats the words like "concent", "concept" and "contact", the fleeing arrangement feels very thin in the ear, since everything is so silent and subdued, crossed occasionally just by a bit heavier piano chords. She doesn't make either ballads or techno, she makes weird songs in the best way possible, and that remains even when the instrumentation expands, becoming quite similar to Perfume at the end, being faster but just as attention-keeping.
Rating: 10

5. helvetica

Quietly, a serene atmosphere makes its way coupled with Nagi's very silent singing, being next to a whisper. With an incredibly relaxing and mystic charm, the ambient reveals and her singing slowly becomes a bit faster, with the rotating synthage in the background, while still retaining its calmness. Instead of adding a heavier instrumentation, the track grabs our attention with all of its little quirks, ranging from child-like chanting in the background presumably done by Nagi herself, to the sharp guitar chords which suddenly break the consistency of the track, ending with very slight and subdued dubstep. As everything becomes more silent, the single playing electronic frequency quickly rushes downwards in pitch, returning the mystique to the listen.
Rating: 10

6. Ambivalentidea

If Ambivalentidea were to progress the same way it started, calmly and quietly, it would continue the chain of peaceful, mysterious slow tracks, but, fortunately, the change of ambient is welcome. After the initial impression, the piano joins with a violin and suddenly stops, then revives itself again, in a repetitive fashion. As the track moves on, the repetitions become darker and more menacing, until the violin vibrato and Nagi's lamenting strongly evolve and gain an obvious tempo and loudness. The gothic chord progressions are crossed with the sharp, strong sighs of the ghastly background vocals, while the arrangement becomes even denser with power and subtle scares. As everything slowly dies down, the creepily orchestrated violin returns just for that single tone, and suddenly ends, making a scary but very unique, memorable experience.
Rating: 10

7. euaru

The title song is, unusually, located right in the middle of the album, and is one of her expected electronic-infused slow songs. Being quite similar to Surrealisme, the playful piano and the silent vocals create an enjoyable atmosphere, spiced up with some exotic harmonies. The chanting background fades away and mixes with the instruments, amplifying the dreamlike scenery, making the usual construction of the verses and the choruses obscured, as if it's non-existing. After a series of different musical themes, Nagi's voice returns, intentionally struggling with the overpowering chords and instruments, finishing with a mysterious end, like most of her songs do.
Rating: 9

8. Zoetrope

As the last tone of euaru becomes silent, the euphoria rises again when the violin orchestra and Nagi's wailing vocals open one of my favourite songs by her, quickly completely turning away from her usual style and becoming an extremely aggressive heavy rock song. As the tempo switches between mid and fast, the instrumentation crescends more and more until a silent, mysterious piano solo where the power of her unfiltered vocals is heard, before unraveling into a lamenting, serious and explosive chorus. Accordingly, with the quite emotional outburst, the violins sharply join in, intemperately playing a dark melody while making the church bells be even more expressed. After a series of heavy metal-like progressions, the middle eight section is a mix between the surreal harp and piano and the electric guitars, ending with the only place where the vocals are actually filtered, so much to the point where they become unrecognizable. I truly sometimes wonder how I hadn't noticed the greatness of Zoetrope right away when watching Amnesia for the first time.
Rating: 10

9. Laterality

Continuing on from Zoetrope's energy, seemingly random piano sequences overturn into a powerful, though a bit more commonly encountered, catchy ani-rock melody which is just a bit more optimistic than the previous track. For the first time in this album, Nagi's voice isn't only significantly stronger and higher, but is arranged to actually rise above the instruments, like most songs do, instead of being a part of them. Of course, no matter how rocky this may be, the roots of her music are present in the interludes, which are, just like in Zoetrope, piano-filled and there to create the mystery, alongside the jazz-like bass in the clubby atmosphere. Ending with random harmonies, just the way it began, Laterality is a great follow-up.
Rating: 9

10. Strange Attractor

A strange sound alike to a record being set appears, quickly passing into the mix of her dreamy style with added tempo and heaviness, just like in Yuki Toki, except the seemingly gothic-like second verse. Accordingly, her vocals aren't as distant and silent, but nevertheless have the same colour that would otherwise be heard. Strange Attractor is, unfortunately, the scapegoat track in the album, not being original like its predecessors.
Rating: 7

11. Kuoria

Kuoria is opened by a silent piano, which, by the usage of it across all of her songs is one of the main elements in her music. After a repetition of just two or three tones, ambiental synthage and occasional bells are added, harmonizing with Nagi's reserved, quiet voice. So little things are going on, the arrangement is so empty, yet the track is effective and attention-grabbing, even though it clocks at over six minutes. As to add quirks to the already established melodics, bells take on the piano melody, being a change and a marking sign, because the relaxing and serene element obscures the verse/chorus formation once again.
Rating: 9

12. Translucent

We yet again get a piano intro, though this time with a somewhat sadder, more rhythmic melody. This track could probably be the first slower song we could actually call a ballad, as it is pleasant and actually very simple. Quietly, Nagi's background vocals sing "translucent" in the background, and when the actual singing starts up again, it is empowered with a catchy melody.
Rating: 8

13. Vidro Moyou

Whispy background vocals and synths with bells open the track, but now with a beat to it and a significantly faster tempo, alike your average ED theme. Nagi's voice is a bit more pushed back relating to the arrangement, but only so we can hear the full strength of it, ranging from very 80s like electronic sections to a strange, repetitive bass with a modern sound, hence the quite strong transitions in the middle eight section, revealing the final chorus. Vidro Moyou was her first major release, so I don't blame it for the lack of her signature style, but it still shows some signs of it, like a spice to the standard format.
Rating: 7

14. Uso

Closing the album, we have a mute, deep, baby-like relaxing background, coupled with somewhat stronger drums and heavier piano sequences. Uso is significantly shorter than any other song on the album, being only about three minutes long, and serving as an outro, but it stills remain an interesting listen, as the occasional chanting even becomes the part of the very instrumentation, and the sections where all the tempo is lost, and bells are added, as to sum up all the quirks one can find in a Nagi Yanagi song. Surprisingly, her vocals are actually filtered, and not just supported by the choir for the first time, but they still ensure a soothing, pleasant ending.
Rating: 9

Nagi has nicely surprised me with her first major album, compiling everything good about her style, and even adding more, which the string of several songs, all rated with a 10 show. Everything is looking good so far, and I am eager for her next release.

Favourite songs (in no special order):

concent
helvetica
Ambivalentidea
Zoetrope

Least favourite songs:

Yuki Toki
Vidro Moyou

My overall rating is: 9

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