Sayaka Sasaki - Daybreaker

Tie-ins:

Track no. 1 - Senran Kagura OP
Track no. 3 - RE:LOADED CARMINE ED
Track no. 10 - Dakara Boku wa, H ga Dekinai OP

Tracklist:

1. Break your world
2. BLAZE MOMENT? Guren Jouka?
3. Tsukioku no Scarlet
4. My Dignity
5. RESETLUCK
6. Ordinary Day...
7. Ryuusei Voice
8. Eternal Wish
9. World end
10. Reason why XXX
11. Starting Again
12. Daybreaker

1. Break your world

A Chinese-themed introduction makes way for the energetic piano. Unfortunately, in contrast with the quite fast tempo, the arrangement fails to be as hard hitting, as we are greeted with generic synthy-rock anisong. Of course, nothing can save a song like her under-appreciated vocal power which shine in the dynamic chorus of the track, albeit being sometimes squeaky and having the "vocaloid syndrome" - a filtered voice that goes too far beyond its range. This track is a good album opener, but misses on the potential to be as effective as its potential allows it to.
Rating: 7 ½

2. BLAZE MOMENT? Guren Jouka?

Following is a similar arrangement to Break your world, although accompanied by much, much better performance in terms of both the instrumentation and the vocals. The track opens with several nostalgic guitar riffs, unraveling into powerful and dramatic techno-rock. Unlike in the previous song, the composition isn't empty at all, and is constantly in a loop of either guitars or Sayaka's underused vibrato. Being more significant on the rock part, with less relying on occasional, weak synths, this would give a better impression of what the composers are really capable of, and as well be a very enjoyable listen, especially with the quite touching melodic sequences in spite of the fast tempo.
Rating: 10

3. Tsukioku no Scarlet

Unsurprisingly, being a game tie-in, Tsukioku no Scarlet is trancelike and very electronic, with striking similarities to most of fripSide's songs. Although I was looking forward to another techno-rock track, the arrangement can pass as usual and generic, featuring only gliding synths and and occasional bell. At least the rhythm is something constantly varying in ups and downs, following her filtered voice. Sayaka is as great as usual, but the song can't really constitute for a unique one, even if you are only looking for a simple, energetic listen.
Rating: 9

4. My Dignity

Breaking the streak of up-tempo tracks, this song follows more of a clubby and jazzy fashion, even with the guitars sometimes reappearing. If Tsukioku no Scarlet was formulaic as fripSide can get, then My Dignity surely must be as original as Perfume, with various instruments featured (even human claps), while creating a chaotic, laid back old anime meets sci-fi atmosphere. The underlying dubstep and 8-bit synths in all their creativeness can draw attention from Sayaka's voice, which doesn't really make any special artistic stunt, but does perfectly add up to the fun surrounding.
Rating: 9

5. RESETLUCK

Pure acoustics make an entrance, only for the gentle vocals to bring some electric guitars in and make this a representative American-like pop-rock song. A mid-tempo and natural arrangement are quite needed as a rest after all the techno craziness, and the listen got from this is very catchy and enjoyable. However, only a tone or two from the strings are needed to remind that it is actually anisong, but it only brings to the infectiousness. Following the surrounding, the vocals are a bit more relaxed and sung lower, and still somehow manage to have a cute texture. It would be great if Sayaka had more pop-oriented stuff in her discography like this.
Rating: 8

6. Ordinary Day...

Well, this would be like an electrified version of RESETLUCK, seeing as it has the American country spirit to it, but wit a somewhat more exotic instrumentation. The song is very slow and simple, with just piano chords and the organ (not in a Gothic fashion, mind you). Her voice is again a grace to listen to, and substitutes for a children's song, especially near the end, where it becomes even brighter and more uplifting.
Rating: 6 ½

7. Ryuusei Voice

We are returned to classic anisong from the ventures into the J-pop realm with a vocal solo followed by a synthy ballad. Unfortunately, it is again very bland and unoriginal, although the better use of piano and guitars. Seeing that, her voice also seems lazy and needlessly high, opposed to her normally used deep colour. With something that is too conventional, the 5 minutes this track gives seem like a stretched time, and quite the boredom.
Rating: 5

8. Eternal Wish

A single violin sets up the ambiance just right for the classical arrangement with multiple violins and chello used in a relaxing fashion with the silent drums in the background. Sayaka's good voice colour returns here, being very serene and gentle, but refreshing at the same time with the heights she reaches. In the already complex instrumentation, a piano kicks in and gives even more substance to the march-like tempo which appears in the chorus, but the dreamy melody centerpiece takes the whole spotlight. As the song progresses, the impact is built up until guitars start playing silently and end with a peaceful revelation. This is how you do a proper ballad.
Rating: 9

9. World end

For such a dark title, World end is an unexpectedly light, simple but upbeat track. A mandatory amount of synths, strings and piano is present, as to make a complete full-on anisong arrangement. With the relatively tame start, the song isn't as epic or astounding as some others in the album, but it can be quite effective in more subtle ways, largely thanks to the amazing vocals and traditional cadences present. The violin-heavy middle eight finishes the track with a high note from Sayaka, and wraps up another great song.
Rating: 8

10. Reason why XXX

I'm not quite sure what to classify this song in genre wise, because if you look carefully enough, anything can be found from 8-bit synths, happycore tempo, dramatic violins and rock guitars. With the colourful arrangement and creative use of most everything, the impression also varies from epic and powerful to cute and pleasing. Even that said, the main plus here is the ability to keep an incredibly tense, restless state, not letting go from the silent, impending beginning up to Sayaka's serious lamenting which is on the verge of slipping into a cheerful whistle that ends with a final guitar riff. Also, unusual melodies are bound to occur when you have to change from melancholic to sugary in a second, and that is perhaps the best hook and addiction this track has. An instant favourite on this crazy song.
Rating: 10

11. Starting Again

In the spirit with the title, an optimistic, happy song ensues. The light guitar and synths are again a feature from J-pop, but still fun, catchy and enjoyable to listen. Sayaka is again cursed here with the "vocaloid syndrome", but, fortunately, it doesn't show much even with her using her higher voice. Perhaps this was to be called "Daybreaker", as it does reflect the feeling of hope, and a new day rising in the skies.
Rating: 7 ½

12. Daybreaker

The closing song is, very predictably, a ballad, but it also has the honour to be the titular track. Usual instruments for an anisong ballad appear, with a deep beginning unraveling in acoustics and her soft voice. Guitars drum on in a seemingly retro style, with the mysterious-sounding synths constantly being repeated, but even with all of these quirks, the song doesn't save itself from being cliched and tiring. As with several other pieces in this album, Sayaka Sasaki's vocals, and perhaps the lyrics, are the only thing memorable, which doesn't spell good for material that is supposed to promote the whole album.
Rating: 7

The main drawback is mostly the clear lack of originality, both for the new songs and for previous releases. Sayaka needs to build her own image and style, because she is just being spread all over the place with these different genres, but with that voice, she'll be able to do anything. Of course, not all songs were that bad, since hidden jewels are apparently easy to appear - I am still looping BLAZE MOMENT and Reason why XXX. My overall rating for this album is: 8

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The Best Listening Material Anisong Offers

Even though I am not exactly a veteran in the field of anime music, the endless search for more and more good music always brings some of the best material to surface. Therefore, here are the top 10 songs anime has brought up since its birth. I've tried to put together the popular view, the widely accepted classics, and some of my personal favourites. So, be free to post your opinion on this list in the comments below, and add up your own anisong favourite.

10. Hare Hare Yukai

Aya Hirano, Minori Chihara, Yuko Goto
2006

Anime: The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya

9. Rinbu-Revolution

Masami Okui
1997

Anime: Revolutionary Girl Utena

8. The World

Nightmare
2006

Anime: Death Note

7. Phantom Minds

Nana Mizuki
2010

Anime: Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha The Movie 1st

6. Paradise Lost

Minori Chihara
2008

Anime: Ga-rei Zero

5. Magia

Kalafina
2011

Anime: Puella Magi Madoka Magica

4. God Knows

Aya Hirano
2006

Anime: The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya

3. Uninstall

Chiaki Ishikawa
2007

Anime: Bokurano

2. Cruel Angel Thesis

Yoko Takahashi
1995

Anime: Neon Genesis Evangelion

1. Anno ni Issho Datta no Ni

See-Saw
2002

Anime: Gundam Seed

Luna Haruna - Kimi ga Kureta Sekai

Fujimi Hime ~ Zombie no Sainan OP (Track no. 2)

Tracklist:

1. Kimi ga Kureta Sekai

2. Tokoshie Rondo

3. Kagayaku Hoshi no Yamai

1. Kimi ga Kureta Sekai

As expected from a Luna Haruna single, the leading song is a ballad - and quite a powerful one at that. The track starts off with her unusually strong vocals (considering she is only 21) paired with a piano, but unravels in a more upbeat, classic anisong arrangement with a laid-back hint of the incoming summer. With that in mind, the instrumentation can't go without strings, which again play on my weakness especially when used in a marching fast tempo, but the beach-like synths somewhat ruin the impression in the already uneventful verses. Following the variations between the grandiose and exciting, and the relatively boring, the mood the listener is currently in will impact the light in which the song is, so the final outcome would be average.
Rating: 7

2. Tokoshie Rondo

Just as the mind rests from the previous track, utterly unexpected synths and hard guitars kick in from the start and make this Luna's first step into rock music, and maybe even metal. Her vocals are, even though filtered, quite deeper and more dominant, with her having the ability to cause subtle scares with the unexpected key changes and purposeful lack of breath at the second chorus. Accordingly, the arrangement also stands on its own regarding the gothic style, and the horror movie effects with the trance-inducing instrumentation are very effective. Ending with an old-fashioned fadeout, like in retro rock songs, this track would definitely make for a much better A-side. 

Rating: 9

3. Kagayaku Hoshi no Yamai

The final track begins with Luna showing her voice acting skills while narrating to a music box playing in the background. Of course, nothing sugary of that kind would last alongside the previous track, and so the music box slows down, losing it pitch, until we are faced with a full stop. Starting anew, the same kind of guitars and synths from Tokoshie Rondo begin drumming, but much faster in tempo differing from most of her slow to mid tempo discography. The vocals here, now vocoded, are even deeper and more skilfully used with the purpose to frighten, with her sounding like a completely different person. For the same reason I love her vocals, the opposites colliding in this track sometimes sound very morbid and unique, making me wonder who the composer is. Wrapping up this masterpiece is the sparkly music box playing again, like nothing had happened, yet the mysterious last tone reflects the message of "To Be Continued".

Rating: 10

Sometimes I just wonder who would be crazy enough to put a relatively average A-side to the loss of the other two tracks (not to mention Tokoshie Rondo is actually tied to a media). The producers of this single made Luna in a huge disadvantage promoting her with such timid and safe songs. Don't let the covers fool you, though - Luna Haruna is one hell of a Gothic Lolita under the pretense of a cute girl. My overall rating for this single is: 9

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May'n - Run Real Run

Real Onigokko THE ORIGIN OP

Tracklist:

1. Run Real Run

2. Outsider

3. Run Real Run (without May'n)

4. Outsider (without May'n)

1. Run Real Run

Mysterious, gritty synths open the actual high-speed dance track, following the trend of electro-inspired music she's been releasing lately. With the aggressive techno flying around, the guitars somewhat take the back place and silently play the (citing Tsukiyo no Hikari) "James Bond theme" and give an impact to the already very upbeat, fast in tempo track. Usually, songs like this come off as too unemotional, but the powerful chorus and May'n's great voice, along with the dramatic melody perfectly reflect the emotions of despair, fright and the unavoidable fate of one who is caught in the Onigokko game. Run Real Run is right up there with her better songs, and the PV is definitely recommended as well.

Rating: 9

2. Outsider

An impending machinery intro sets the scene for another beat heavy song, and as to replace a ballad, the B-side is quite sadder and more subtle, but at the same time does gain upbeatness in an interesting electro-ballad experiment. May'n's vocals here are fairly darker here, including the Kanon Wakeshima-like gothic tones and creepy ominousness, but they do retain the striking height and drama from the previous track. In the same way the dysharmonic melodies are used here, the instrumentals are also quite hard to define, being a merge of electronica, slight guitars and an occasional bell. Still, even though the song was interesting by pure music theory, it sometimes fails to be interesting and attention-catching, and that's probably its major flaw.

Rating: 7

This single comes really close to being my new favourite from May'n (even with Scarlet Ballet being such a masterpiece). It's a shame she has B-sides that usually erode the impressions from her releases, but I guess it's a necessary sacrifice when the big amount of time goes into producing excellent music like Run Real Run. My overall rating is: 8.

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T.M. Revolution x Nana Mizuki - Preserved Roses

Valrave the Liberator OP

Tracklist:

1. Preserved Roses

2. Preserved Roses (T.M. Revolution Only) - Regular Edition

3. Preserved Roses (Nana Mizuki Only) - Regular Edition

4. Preserved Roses (Anime Ver.) - Limited Edition

1. Preserved Roses

Mecha anime always have, and always will have the best music for some strange reason, and Preserved Roses reaffirms the rule in a very impressive fashion. Even after numerous listens, the track feels energetic and uprising, being quite synth-heavy electronic and upbeat. Two of the strongest and most dramatic voices collaborate here, and while the title suggests that both have an equal share, the reality is that most of the time Nana is leading the main melody while T.M. Revolution just serves as harmonic background. Still, the chorus almost negates any drawbacks on both of their singing roles, as the signature vibrato dominates the short but enjoyable 3 minutes. The only flaw one might find here can be the lack of complexity for something called the greatest anime song duo, but it is modeled after the mainstream flow of J-pop which doesn't necessarily imply the lack of artistry in it.

Rating: 9 ½

2. Preserved Roses (T.M. Revolution Only) & 3. Preserved Roses (Nana Mizuki Only)

Unfortunately, instead of having each artist sing the whole song, both tracks are a bit empty since the gaps T.M. or Nana are supposed to sing are just plainly left out in one song or the other. It does not make for real listening I thought we will get, and it is still not a full instrumental (which would be nice), but I imagine it would be good for maybe... karaoke purposes? Imagine singing alongside either one of them; personally, I find Nana's part to be easier. Be free to comment your preferred version.

Rating: Unrated

Seeing as an actual web site was opened regarding the two major musicians collaborating, I won't be surprised, and actually will be very happy if they announce some future work together. The question is, can it live up to the high standards Preserved Roses set?

My overall rating for this single is: 9 ½ - RECOMMENDED

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fripSide - sister's noise

To Aru Kagaku no Railgun S OP

Tracklist:

1. sister's noise

2. I'm believing you

3. sister's noise (Instrumental)

4. I'm believing you (Instrumental)

1. sister's noise

Having heard this song before, it is a pretty standard one for the numerous fripSide's tie-ins in the To Aru series. The track opens with an altered intro very similar to Level 5 Judgelight, and moves in a barrage of hard-hitting synths and guitars that merge with the occasional short piano sequences. Increasingly, Yoshino's voice is becoming much better with each of their new releases, and while it's still not especially impressive, she does manage to avoid the frail and thin tones. This song follows most of the usual formulas for fripSide, and with that said, it's not very original, but the sheer dramatic effect and catchy tune manage to save it.
Rating: 8

2. I'm believing you

A soft vocal solo with a significant amount of English opens the next track, accompanied by creatively used 8-bit synths, and after slowly gaining tempo, the result is a touching mid-tempo song. With the more serious overall atmosphere, the track is much more original than their seasonal ballads were when used as B-sides as well. The song retains the usual instrumentation also found in sister's noise, but with even more electric guitars added for impact. Appropriately, Yoshino's voice is sung at a lower pitch, with which she sounds quite a lot better than when incidentally screeching at too high tonalities, but the vocals tend to get lost in the varied arrangement, especially in the "middle eight" section. Even with the length of almost 6 minutes, I find this track to be a bit more enjoyable than sister's noise, and would serve as a much better ED theme in To Aru Railgun S than the current one.
Rating: 9

Currently, fripSide's composer is managing to bring up songs to the table with just enough changes to make it seem like completely new material, but the great similarities between sister's noise and only my railgun/Level 5 Judgelight (which have become almost a model to which everything else will be written) are already starting to be observable. The freshness is in compositions like I'm believing you, which I hope to hear more of in the future. My overall rating for this single is: 8 ½ 

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Decisions, decisions...

After this post, I am no longer going to review absolutely every anisong release, and instead just focus on the more notable ones. Therefore, the Upcoming Reviews section was also a fail, so it will be removed as well.

Next review that is coming: fripSide - sister's noise