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thekyraalexandriablog · 3 years

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Kyra’s Top Albums of 2020 🎧

Despite a tragically hectic year, some of my favorite artists managed to release some phenomenal projects in 2020. Here are my top picks (in no particular order):

Girl Eats Sun—Hope Tala • R&B

Tala’s third EP is a picnic on a Spring evening—breezy and warm. I absolutely adored her first two projects, so it’s been a joy hearing how she’s continued to develop her unique style. On Girl Eats Sun, she masterfully serenades you through the different phases of love from dizzying happiness to aching longing. The little things are what elevate this project, from the strings on the wistful Easy to Love Me to Sky’s high-pitched, flowy vocals on the chorus of Mulholland, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention my special appreciation for when Tala’s pitch dips and she’s in that pleasant moment between rapping and singing—hello verse two of All My Girls Like to Fight. Despite the title, Tala’s latest project brings the sunshine out for me every time I listen.

Ungodly Hour—Chloe x Halle • R&B

If you somehow managed to miss Chloe x Halle being the darlings of R&B this year, then please allow me to be your introduction to one of 2020’s few must-listen albums of the year. There’s no other way to describe Ungodly Hour than as a treat for R&B fans: from the variety of tempos (there’s the breathtakingly beautiful ballad Wonder What She Thinks of Me as well as the certified party bop Do It), to the timely range of topics from relationships to self-love (the lyric “I had to learn to love me lately” felt especially pertinent in a year without the usual social distractions); the album takes you on a ride. And of course, the whole time you’re wrapped in the surreal pleasure of their talent for unique harmonizations. If you’ve yet to queue this project on your streaming account, do it.

Holy Cow—All Cows Eat Grass • Electronic

Now here’s a group I’ve missed! ACEG projects always excel at layering dreamy synths with smooth beats, and Holy Cow fits right into the herd. One of their slower projects, tracks like Fly and Pillow Talk would easily fit into a summertime playlist with their simple, fun melodies. There’s also great storytelling in the lyrics of this project from the palpable excitement of the VIP section of a nightclub on About Us to the visceral shock of hearing “thank you” in response to “I love you” in a complicated relationship on Pretty Ladies—ouch. There are so many melodic gems on this 35-minute project; welcome to the pasture.

Ice Cream Clones—ROMderful • R&B

I must admit I was late to the party that is ROMderful’s music. I first encountered ROM last year via Twitter where he would post short clips of miniature duplicates of himself playing the various instruments of the track; the full videos can often be viewed on his YouTube channel. Since then, I’ve been enjoying the pleasant rabbit hole that is his Soundcloud (he’s had releases on Soulection) and production credits (he’s worked with artists like DUCKWRTH and Rayana Jay). A talented multi-instrumentalist, ROM’s music is full of fun sounds and soulful melodies, and his social media presence is just as joyful (his current Twitter name is ROMderTHICC). This project is full of very short tracks with infectious hooks. It’s a quick listen, but one I’ve returned to often.

Rumble Pack—Button • R&B

Button is the collaborative union of Allen Love and Bobby Earth—one of my absolute favorite independent R&B artists, and the reason I gave this project a listen. I’m very glad I did. Rumble Pack is brilliantly bizarre: funky synths, blazing features, all interspersed with random gaming commentary. Fans of The Jet Age of Tomorrow (Pyramid Vritra and the Internet’s Matt Martians) and ROMderful (who has a Rumble Pack feature) will surely appreciate the groovy eccentricity of this one. Thanks to this fun, soulful project, I’ve decided I may be a video game fan after all.

Cosmic Lips—Momocurly • Smooth Jazz

If the phrase ‘easy, breezy, beautiful’ were an album, this would be it! Momocurly is Japanese pianist and vocalist Momo Otani and French guitarist Christophe Pannekoucke. Together the two crafted an exquisitely mellow medley of melodies. Cosmic Lips is everything I enjoy in jazz: relaxing, mid-tempo and smooth. Otani’s voice is unique, high and light, and she glides over the tracks like Pannekoucke’s guitar. This project transports, it’s otherworldly.

with HER - EP—Crush • K*R&B

Because I believe Crush is one of the most talented R&B crooners making music right now, I was completely unsurprised to find that his latest project is smooth and soulful. Only five tracks, it’s a short one, and the concept is incredibly cute—each track is a duet with a different woman vocalist comprising a project of unique love ballads. The different vocalists mean each track has a unique sound and lyrically the project is full of heart-warming quotables and seductive one-liners. with HER is a project to fall in love to.

DPR ARCHIVES—DPR Live, DPR Ian, & DPR Cream • K*Rap/K*R&B

Ahh DPR, the eye candy that makes ear candy. DPR, initialism for Dream Perfect Regime, a South Korea-based art collective, blessed fans with this collection of both new and previously released tracks from DPR Live, DPR Ian, and DPR Cream. Though they collaborate extensively, each artist has a distinct sound that diversifies the collection overall—where I would call DPR Ian a pop artist, I’d call DPR Live a Rap/R&B artist, and then there’s DPR Cream whose contributions are purely instrumentals ranging from smooth and R&B-tinged to piano solos. For fans or those dipping their toes in for the first time, the ARCHIVES offer much to enjoy. (Also watch some DPR videos if you haven’t yet, both the men and the art are exceedingly visually pleasing.)

Peace Is Not a Dream—Senpu & ROMderful • R&B

And ROM makes another appearance! This time on a collaborative project—he has quite a few and I’ve enjoyed them all so far. Senpu, who I am less familiar with, contributes production and vocals to this project. Unlike Ice Cream Clones, these tracks feel more fully fledged out, with a verse or two in addition to the chorus. Between the memorable melodies and vocal harmonizations this project is certainly dreamy.

Rare Changes—Mayer Hawthorne • Soul

If you know anything about me, you know Hawthorne is one of my favorite blue-eyed soul artists, and Rare Changes is a lovely retro addition to his catalog. This album is from the seventies, I’m convinced: from the mid-tempo disco grooves to the doo-wop style background vocals. Rare Changes demonstrates Hawthorne’s adeptness at balancing nostalgia with the best parts of modern music, queue this one for a mellow night of slow dancing and slow sipping.

Honorable Mentions (there’s some bops here, but overall the project didn’t move me):

It Is What It Is—Thundercat • Funk

Whimsical & free-flowing as is his style; lyrically musing & haunting, the last track is an absolute clincher to the project.

The Slow Rush—Tame Impala • Alternative

If age-ripened weariness had a soundtrack you could bop to at a festival; Breathe Deeper instantly brings a smile to my face.

Shabrang—Sevdaliza • Alternative

Sevdaliza is one of the few artists who consistently leaves me breathless—her art is daring, thought-provoking, and absurdly beautiful. Shabrang is no different in its presentation and lyricism, though it is musically more traditional than I might expect.

Sin Miedo—Kali Uchis • Reggaeton

I already think Spanish is a beautiful language but Kali just makes it even more so. I’m not the biggest fan of reggaeton (I’m sorry to say it starts to sound repetitive to me after awhile) but the slower songs on this project are lovely: R&B melodies with her breathy, unique vocals. I definitely enjoyed the listen!

SLINGBAUM ONE—Slingbaum • Experimental Jazz

Voyage-19—Bilal x HighBreedMusic • Experimental Jazz

For fans of experimental jazz, get into SLINGBAUM ONE and Voyage-19, both projects are odd in the best sense: more about vibes and transitions than the traditionally cohesive album—I bought both and I’m still enjoying exploring them.

SAWAYAMA—Rina Sawayama • Pop

Future Nostalgia—Dua Lipa • Pop

Pure pop is not my usual fare, but SAWAYAMA, a fun, dance project is truly special—it is genre melting and Rina’s strong voice transforms to expertly complement each new vibe. Also, PLEASE watch the video for XS, it was one of the few things that energized me this year. And then there’s Future Nostalgia, a fun disco-inspired project. Only a couple of the bass lines & melodies caught my ear, but the visual/aesthetic roll out was spectacular.

The Album—Teyana Taylor • R&B

This was my first time sitting down to try a full Taylor project, and while I overall found the tracks repetitive, The Album has some bass lines I enjoyed and Taylor’s voice is beautiful.

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solar3lunar · 3 years

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Info.1

I have a thing for long middle names 😓 So... Yeah.... @ me.

(I have been working on this story for a while. And yes. I'm still working on it. So I hope you enjoy ☺️)

And if you don't like music or dancing this is probably not the story for you.

Also if you have any questions about this story. Feel free to message or ask me.

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

Name: Ayama, Candace Coco Tsukihana Yuri Yin Mizuki Mami Loto Ethereal Euphoria Azul Jacaranda Wisteria, Aizawa

•

Gender: Female

Status:Alive

Future hero name: Luna Lyric

Job: Student at U.A

Age: 14

*15*

Sexuality: Bisexual

Siblings:0 (1: Eri)

Birthday: October 15th

Quirks: 4

Element: Moon

|Afro-Asian

Blood type: O-

Height: 5'3

Birth place: Kanagawa Prefecture

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

Father: Shōta Aizawa

•

Pro Hero name: Eraser head

Job: UA teacher, Pro hero

Gender: Male

Status: Alive

Pro hero: Yes

Siblings: 1

Age: 30

*31*

Birthday: November 8

Quirk(s): Eraser

Children: 1(Class 1-A plus Eri and Shinso)

|Japanese

Blood type: B

Height: 6'0

Birth place: Japan, Tokyo

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

Mother: Kesshō, Amara Soleada Amaterasu Celestia Hinata Himawari Kim Nala Ipomoea Peony Nubia Rosa, Aizawa {Itō (Shigaraki)}

(Took her mother last name before marriage and so did her siblings for family reasons.)

•

Pro Hero name: Merodī

Job: Unknown

Status: Unknown

Pro hero: Yes

Gender: Female

Age: 28

*29*

Birthday: July 23rd.

Siblings: 7

Quirks: 5

Children: 1(Class 1-A plus Eri and Shinso)

Element: Sun

Quirks: Vocals, Mind eyes*, Languages, Mystical parts, and Emotions.

|Biracial(mother) African(american) and Japanese (father)Japanese.

Blood type: O-

Height: 5'8½

Birth place: Japan, Niigata Prefecture

(Brown skin)

~~~

(A little easter egg when looking up the prefecture numbers. I didn't catch it until later on making the chapters of this story.)

~~~

Ayama Aizawa Info:

Quirks: Mystical, Plunder, Vocals, Mind eyes*.

~~~

Mystical(2 intro)

(most likely to get later on in the chapters or the movie chapters)

:Tricky bunny, tricky deer, tricky cat, stars, blue and black butterflies wings, black owl wings, mermaid, and element soul (Lunaria/Lunar).

Plunder: Can take someone power using her eyes, but it's can only last for about 15 minutes. Not when she borrowing the person quirks or quirk, it can drain that person a bit. Bit when she can stop that person from using their quirk

Weakness: eyes starts to dry after those 14 or 15 minutes pass.

Vocals: Her songs/singing can make her summon things she'll need in battle. Her mind and make the beat or melody of the song she singing or she wants.

Weakness: Her voice can get tired or worn out after 1 hour and 30minute, because of how she changes her vocals when singing.

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

Mind eyes (Has a connection with Vocals)

First eyes/telling eye: Can update hers Quirk or others people Quirk. Can tell what element they have by the pupil of the person eye. Earth= leaf pupils and a half leaf.

Second eyes/pitch black eyes: Can make things that aren't harmful, harmful. (Ball of yarn into a ball of yarn that a bomb.)

Third eyes/ Glow eyes: Depends on movement of her hands and feet. She doesn't have to sing when using this one. But it does give her a boost.

Fourth/Cloud eyes: Can heal people with a cut or damage people if they already have a cut.

Fifth eyes/ Element eyes: Theses eyes can make her "crazy". Without her support item (Choker) It will be very difficult to control.

Sixth eyes/Horror eyes: If filled with rage. She will snap. It can turn out to be blood war. Her activating would be 1%. So it would be pretty infrequent for her to activate it.

Signs of weakness: When her veins start to turn black. It means she used to much of her Quirk. Any futher or if she over use her power. She'll be out for a few days.It's starts from the neck and reach to her feet. Same things goes for her mystical quirk.

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

Appearance: Brown skin, Lilac purple eyes, long eyelashes, dark/midnight blue hair, plump lips, arch straight eyebrows.

Personality: Is usually a chill and a nice person.

Bonuses(pass down from generations): Languages: knows all languages even anicent

Hair Growth: can grow her hair different lengths.

Skills: dancing, singing, and combat fighting.

Fun facts: Since her mother has emotions for a Quirk, her white pupils can change shape, but Sometimes can be unaware. For an example: tear drops pupils if she sad.

Hair texture: Ranges between 3a-4c. When she has wash days her curl pattern change. But if really sad or even depress. Her hair will turn flat until she back to her normal self.

Likes: Skating, Gaming, Music, Fantasy, Drawing, and her blue blanket.

Favorite foods: Seafood, Strawberries, Mangoes, Vanilla sweets, cookie dough, Cheesy food, and Jambalaya

Dislike: Ignorant people, tea, conflict, and plain food, watermelon, and french fries.

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

#Pets: Two

Animal: Cat

Name:Leo

Breed: Main coon

Gender: Male

Color(s): Cream or white

Eye color: yellow

Birthday:8/8

Age: 12years (cat years) Fun facts: Can actually carry small children on his back and will be fine. His fur can change from white to a cream.

/////

Animal: Cat

Name: Nebula

Breed:Bombay

Gender: Female

Color(s): Black

Eye color:Blue

Birthday:6/26

Age: 11 years(cat years) Fun fact: Likes to follow Bakugou, Jirō, and Merodī around alot.

~Luna Lyric~

~Wishlist~

~Universe navi~

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valkyrieprofilee · 4 years

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Listening Guide - Valkyrie Profile Voice Mix Arrange

“The concept behind Valkyrie Profile Voice Mix Arrange is uncommon yet simple: mixing in-game voice acting with arranged music. It has given birth to a most controversial game music soundtrack that was "epoch-making at the time", according to its composer, Motoi Sakuraba.”

TRACK LIST - (00:59:14)

Listen Here

Note: Although this guide aims to help listeners better enjoy and understand Valkyrie Profile Voice Mix Arrange, it is recommended you have prior knowledge of Valkyrie Profile’s story/ knowledge of the Japanese language to enjoy this album to the fullest extent.

READ MORE FOR GAME-OST.COM’S REVIEW

01) REQUIEM TO A PREDICAMENT ~ NEGATIVE ROOTS

The very start of the album sounds almost Baroque-oriented, with the familiar tune of "Requiem to a Predicament" played on an harpsichord. Quickly, the first voice of the album can be heard. Lenneth Valkyrie calls her companions to battle: "Shi no, saki wo yuku mono-tachi yo! / To my side, my noble Einherjar!". At first, the voice sounds distants and feeble, then, as voices from other characters start to gather around her voice, it becomes more firm and the background instrumentation grows in strength. At one point, all the energies have reached their apogee and the transition to the second part of the track is made as Lenneth commands "Ide yo! / Come forth!", unleashing the introduction to "Negative Roots".

That rush gives more room to instrumental action at first, with a solid, rockin' arrangement featuring, where a dreamy synth pad replaces the original flute, and gives the melody much more appeal. Lenneth's voice is heard from time to time, still urging the warriors to fight by her side in the middle of action. At 2:48, the "Requiem..." theme comes back to mark a pause in the middle of the fight. This time, the harpsichord is accompanied by a violin and low drums. These elements, as well as the male voices talking about death, add more gravity to the scene while Lenneth continues to summon more warriors. The drums get louder and louder, and another "Ide yo!" switches back to the dungeon theme, this time shorter, and with even more battlecries. Eventually, "Requiem..." is played for the last time but Lenneth's voice disappears, leaving two isolated voices: a man in great pain and a surprised girl.

I think this track constitutes a good, striking introduction that starts the story where it should. However, it isn't the best representative of the voice/music pairings that can be found on this album.

02) ANCIENT FANTASIES ~ A HOLLOW HEART

The pace of this arrangement has been slowed down compared to the original "Ancient Fantasies", and the leading instrument has been replaced by synth strings, so that it protrudes better. On the whole, it still sounds very similar. That same little girl's voice (most probably Nanami) is asking for Valkyrie to wait for her. The volume and reverb of her voice changes to simulate it becoming more and more distant. Freya's voice is leading, sounding as self-confident and direct as Lenneth was in the previous track. Their alternating voices coupled with fast synth percussions makes me think about the runs my party did into the game's vast dungeons.

The second part of the track starts as the first reaches its maximum level of tension. The brisk beat of "Ancient Fantasies" is maintained while the quiet mood of "A Hollow Heart" gradually sets in with Freya's reassuring voice. As the beat becomes more regular, words are repeated again and again in the background, as if Freya was trying to hypnotize us. This arranged version has a nice soothing effect that is used quite well as a break between two dungeon sessions.

The track ends with the second reprise of "Ancient Fantasies", using the very same quotes as the first one. At one point, a few words ("Waga na - Jougen no Shinri / My name - The Extend of Truth") are looped in the background while Freya continues talking. It is the beginning of the end: obsessional chaos seems to set in as layered voices endlessly repeat the same words...

03) THE CRUMBLING ID

The confusion induced at the end of the previous track couldn't have been better to introduce the ominous tone of "The Crumbling Id". A gigantic, very low noise lurks in the background, as dark sweeping pads and hard drums produce a feeling of despair. The prevailing mood here is anguish; I feel like I'm looking down at a bottomless pit, at something impossible to fathom for me as a human being.

The voices used in this track reflect that state of mind. Sakuraba illustrates "The Crumbling Id" with cries and supplications of a young man ("Ore no negai kanaete kure! / Please grant my wish!") while a girl is bursting into tears in the background. Her sobbing is emphasized by a strong reverb effect, which gives the impression that her voice is overwhelming the soundscape from all directions. The resulting atmosphere is gloomy, intimidating, and almost physically disturbing, as we don't expect the album to take this sinister turn at all after the first two action-based tracks. This is precisely where it really starts to be interesting: it's getting closer to the drama genre, but still has a strong musical dimension behind.

Note that this track is rather short and ends abruptly with a few piano notes. Was it all an illusion?

04) TO THE UNHALLOWED GROUND

By hearing the very first seconds, we know we're back into electronic action. After a few listens, I'm still wondering what the aim of this track might be. We're provided with a hardly recognizable electronic arrangement of the memorable introduction theme of the game. This version has a minimalist harmony, and focuses primarily on the use electronic samples and the building of a danceable rhythm. The impression of being in a nightclub is all the stronger as most of the voices are combat taunts of female characters. Nothing astounding here.

05) OUT OF CHAOS

"Out of Chaos" starts quietly, on a low and suspenseful tone. As Arngrim's self-confident voice introduces us to the heart of the track, warlike synth drums enter the stage to play a primitive rhythm. The voice gets distorted, and the track takes off after a final and provocative sentence ("Huh... taoreru made kirikizamu dake yo / Huh... Just a matter of carving you up till you die").

This arrangement relies mostly on sweeping synths and bass used to create a hectic and surreal atmosphere. Arngrim's reassuring male voice fits rather well in that context. After two loops, the track ends abruptly on his "special attack" taunt: "Teme no kao wo miaki ta ze / I've seen enough of your face".

Simple yet quite good.

06) BOOZE ON A MOONLIGHT NIGHT

"Booze on a Moonlight Night" is the first track of the album that has been exclusively composed for it. It's also the first track of the album to have such a nonchalant atmosphere: the four same chords are repeated from the beginning to the end, backed by slow drum loops quite similar to what can be heard in rap music. In the meantime, you can hear all the male badasses of the game enjoying themselves.

Their inebriation is simulated throughout the track by several elements: the pitch of their voice frequently deepening all of a sudden, the oneiric feel given by the sound of the main synth, the reassuring — almost effeminate — appearance of saxophone solos, the drums sounding heavier and heavier as time passes by. Sakuraba succeeds in building a thorough and realistic picture of your generic tavern, late at night, clouded with smoke and full of tired warriors looking for comfort into alcohol and women.

07) THE FIRST UNISON

There's something hypnotizing about the buildup that introduces this track. The main percussion loop seems like giant machinery put in motion. The way the motif created by all the instruments alternates between ascending and descending motif creates a sound disturbingly close to something that emulates a giant breathing. This organic aspect is reinforced by a few "fat" synth notes added at key-moments in the main loop. Behind this monstrous sound, a man — most probably Gandar — can be heard. His voice is as confident as the machinery's motion is unstoppable. He's the main character, and his laugh is the trigger to the body of this track.

The main melody is quite special: if you imagine it without the percussion, and with a slower tempo, it sounds like a very sad melody. However, forcing its rhythm to a dungeon-compliant pace makes it sound tragic and determined at the same time. According to the quotes that have been chosen, I think that's exactly how the character is like. The dramatic bridge of this track introduces a few battlecries, as well as a quote that will be heard until the end of the track: "Ore wa ore no tame ni ikiru / I live for my own sake". The mechanical drums of the beginning appear again, with this sentence looping in the background. As the end approaches, techno drums, a synth flute, and the man's voice participate in the final buildup.

I must say that "The First Unison" is the first track that left a totally positive impression on me, because it sounds more elaborated and deeper in meaning than the previous others.

08) CONFIDENCE IN THE DOMINATION

Those who already know the Original Soundtrack will quickly notice that the pace of this famous piece of music has been dramatically slowed down, and doesn't sound like a battle track anymore. It's as if it has been stretched to offer enough room to paste sentences inside. A few voice effects have also been added to the backing percussion, including male gruntings; at least that's fun to listen to!

I'm not very convinced about this one, mostly because I can barely stand its nonsensical new pace. Seriously, it's such a sluggish battle theme... *nays*

09) HEADS MAGIC, TAILS CURSE

"Heads Magic, Tails Curse" starts with a nice piano solo introducing the soothing voice of Lenneth, with chirpings in the background. I'm not sure about what the latter are supposed to represent (Birds? Shooting stars? The world of dead spirits?) but they surely add something to the serene, almost oneiric atmosphere of this introduction. It doesn't last long, however. As Valkyrie invites us — almost intimately — to follow her ("Isshioni ikimasho / Let's go together"), the dream ends... and the second part literally bursts in.

Now is that a nightmare or harsh reality? The contrast with the introduction is extremely violent, and we're surrounded all of a sudden by dissonant brass, berserk strings, and aggressive percussion. One thing is certain; what we're facing now outclasses human scale. Lenneth's last words resonate again, yet they are deformed. She sounds heartless, almost commanding. The metaphor is now much clearer; this track illustrates what happens to every character of the game, whose soul is taken at the moment of their death to become an Einherjar, a warrior spirit. From that moment on, their existence is dedicated to fighting demons along with Lenneth, hence that frightening and endless second part.

The conclusion to this track is some kind of flashback to the initial piano and chirping mood, focusing on one of the sentences Lenneth said at the beginning: "Tasuke... tasukeru towa ittai. Dono yo na koto o sase / To save... to save somebody eternally. What kind of thing do you make me do?".

Brilliant.

10) CIRCULATE ON A WINDUP DOLL

This track is a short interlude on the CD, summing up the fight with the dreadful Genevieve. The villain's taunts and laughs can be heard all over the arranged version of her own battle theme, featuring a cool organ improvisation in its second part. As expected, the track ends with a "oh no, I'm defeated!" verbose line, as well as a great organ/violin finale. I don't think it would have been better if it were longer.

11) THE NONSENSE OF REALITY

It all begins with one of these "ultimate showdown" moods: a monster's distorted voice responding to a man's determined voice, the whole being backed my a massive church organ toccata and electric guitar riffs. It all becomes weird when you realize that both voices are saying the same words.

The toccata ends at the 1:11 mark to make place for the body of the track; the fight between the man and his deformed self, incarnated by an rousing arrangement in the tradition of Sakuraba's epic prog-rock style. Battlecries and imprecations are well-integrated this time, both in terms of timing and volume. "The Nonsense of Reality" is the most energetic and epic track of the album. But while its form is very accessible, its contents don't reach great depths.

12) EVIL TALES AND OBLIGATIONS

The first thing one should notice is how the oriental flavour of the original version has been enhanced — and its boorishness put aside — to make the track actually enjoyable. The basic percussion use is still the same, but the samples have greatly improved, and the bass line can now be almost labelled as sexy. Last but not least, the Arabian flute that appears here and there adds a twisted touch to this restless atmosphere. The main character's voice is accompanied by an harpsichord, illustrating its refined cruelty. You've guessed it, the guest star of "Evil Tales and Obligations" is no less than everyone's favourite necromancer Lezard Valeth!

In this track, his evil laughs and his disgustingly confident voice are resonating through the hallways of his tower, reaching our ears as we struggle to reach the summit. A true tribute to evil!

13) THROUGH A THIN HAZE

Staying faithful to the game's spirit, the album continues on a tragic note, representing the death of a hero, illustrated by a grand orchestration of "Through a Thin Haze". More than that, if you succeed in getting into the track, the added voices will find their way to your heart, as they are cleverly used along with the intensity of the music.

A woman's soft voice enters the scene, talking to someone: "Ne, isshou ni iko yo / Come on, let's go together". At one point, her voice becomes tainted with sadness ("Koko ni kure wa anata no ibashio kanjirarerumono / This sunset is something that makes me feel where you are"), and we suddenly understand that the person she's talking to is no more. She continues to supplicate ("Shini takunai! / Don't die!") until she bursts out crying as the orchestra reaches its climax. A beautiful violin and piano interlude follows to back her silent mourning. After that, a strident noise can be heard as pain and fear rush back to her, triggering another burst of tears. Finally, church bells come in after a last orchestral climax, to add a solemn touch to this moving scene.

I'd place this track at the same level as "Epic Tale of a Holy Death" from the arranged album. However, I'm conscious of its hit-or-miss nature; these sobbings and cryings can be considered as annoying and ridiculous as I find them adequate. All is a question of believing in what is happening.

14) BLOODY PANIC

"Bloody Panic" is the second exclusive composition of this album. This one sounds like an ancestor of boorish Gothic metal songs, with its apocalyptic synths and its deep intimidating groans ("Osore, uyamae... waga na ha Bloodbane! / Fear me, worship me... I am Bloodbane!"). At one point, a piano pops in to play a few minor notes that sound like they've been directly taken from these awful 4-seconds-long loops used in cheap rap music.

A few measures later, the track switches back to distorted guitars and Bloodbane's growlings to finish on his long-awaited death. Nothing really interesting here; even if you happen to like that kind of music, I'm sure there are better incarnations than this one out there.

15) THE ROAD TO GLORY AND PROSPERITY

What would be better than the victory tune played at the end of each chapter to conclude this album? This orchestral arrangement is very enjoyable, though rather close to the original version. While the fanfare plays, a small girl's voice can be heard, encouraging us to go on with the adventure ("Watashi wa makenai / I'll never give up", "Watashi o mamori kudasai / Please protect me"). The track concludes after the last cymbal hit, with Lenneth's words "Shiawase ni narimasu yo / I wish you happiness".

In my opinion, the track is well-placed but the arranging and voicing effort hasn't been taken very far. It constitutes a decent ending nonetheless.

SUMMARY

I must say that when starting this review, I had a strong prejudice against the album, having read a couple of negative reviews. However, I hadn't gone through a real listen until I decided to review it. Believe it or not, I ended up extremely satisfied by this musical experience.

What exactly is Valkyrie Profile Voice Mix Arrange, then? First of all, its musical material consists of arranged tracks, plus two new ones that don't belong to the Original Soundtrack. But music shouldn't be the main subject of interest here. What makes this album special are the added voices from all the characters of the game. Valkyrie Profile being extremely rich and deep terms of voice acting, what you'll hear won't be only digitalized battlecries; the chosen quotes cover a broad emotional spectrum.

I think that people who listen to that album as any other work that can be played as background entertainment are quickly fed up with it because these voices don't stop begging for their attention. Indeed, it is especially difficult to focus on something else, since the voice acting is done well enough for everyone to be able to grasp the emotions of the characters. I'd say the best approach would be to "live" the album as an orchestrated series of plays, rather than a series of musical pieces with voices over them. The spirit of Sakuraba's work will appear by itself when you consider the characters as the centre of interest of each track. Note that it is not the same as a drama album either, because music is way more than background material.

Should I advise you to get it? It all depends on whether you're a speedy "background listener" or if you are patient enough to actually listen to an album without doing anything else at the same time. One thing is sure, however : the targeted audience is definitely those who are familiar with the game and its story. Having played and enjoyed Valkyrie Profile for at least a dozen hours is highly recommended before you try and listen to the album. Rated 08/10 by Reviewer ~END OF GAME-OST.COM REVIEW~ _______________________ NOTES

- Tracks 6 and 14 were not included in the original game

- Valkyrie Profile Voice Mix Arrange is the third album released for Valkyrie Profile, four months after Valkyrie Profile Original Soundtrack and three months after Valkyrie Profile Arrange Album

- Valkyrie Profile Voice Mix Arrange is the hardest to find of the three albums and is best obtained through eBay.

Alt. Track Titles: 01 – Heaven’s Requiem 02 – Long Generations of Anger 03 – Punishment Creed 04 – To an Anxious Earth 05 – Into Chaos 06 – Booze on a Moonlit Night 07 – The First Unison 08 – Confidence in the Domination 09 – Evil Mortals, Holy Divinity 10 – Circulate on a Windup Doll 11 – Responsibility 12 – An Evil Mechanism 13 – Sadness 14 – Bloody Panic 15 – To the Road of Light and Darkness

Catalogue Number: FSCA-10134 Composed By: Motoi Sakuraba Arranged By: Motoi Sakuraba Release Date: 06/21/2000 Published By: First Smile Entertainment

Cast: Lenneth: Yumi Touma Lucian: Nozomu Sasaki Mystina: Wakana Yamazaki Arngrim/Aluze: Hiroki Touchi Lezard Valeth: Takehito Koyasu Freya/Frei: Maria Kawamura Loki: Mitsuaki Madono Yumei, Celia: Hiroko Emori Aelia, Genevieve, Millia, Claire: Ai Orikasa Jelanda: Kae Araki Badrach, Surt: Mitsuaki Hoshino Brahms, Bloodbayne: Kenji Nomura Nanami: Natsumi Yanase Fuyuki: Daisuke Sakaguchi

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jmdrd · 4 years

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Mexico: An Introduction

There are roughly eight thousand nine hundred and thirty-two kilometers between Mexico City and London. England has a population of fifty-five million and Mexico has one hundred and twenty-nine million. The former’s official language is English the latter’s Spanish. The list of differences between these two nations can go on and on and on, but that is not the point. There is one very interesting similarity between these two countries: music.

According to Spotify, the number one city in the world that listens to The Beatles is Mexico City. Guess who listens to The Rolling Stones the most? Mexico City. Radiohead? Mexico City. You can add Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and The Cure to that list as well. All of these bands were born in England, and a single city filled with millions of people speaking Spanish (people that love music in a language that is hard for them to understand) is consuming their music daily.

I’ve been in London for a month now, and every-time I meet someone new I usually ask what their music taste is like. If the conversation goes well, I’ll get asked the same question back. I have not found anyone yet that knows the Mexican bands I have mentioned during those conversations. That is why I decided to take on the job of writing up a little introduction on some of the upcoming talents that sing songs in my language hoping that maybe one day it won’t matter to England if they can’t understand a few words.

Porter

Created in 2004 in Guadalajara, the band started to gain attention because of their European oriented sound. Their first single, “Espiral” showcased Juan Son’s high pitched vocals and the experimental elements that later became a trademark inside their work. The mixture of modern and classic instruments made them stand out from other independent bands in Mexico. One of the most interesting ones was the use of four-string quartets and synthesizers in the same songs.

Today, the ensemble is formed by David Velasco on vocals, Fernando de la Huerta on guitar, Victor Valverde on guitar and piano, and Diego Rangel on bass, synthesizer and electronic programming. Throughout the fifteen years that the band has excited there has been two replacements. A very important change happened in 2013 when the band issued a press release announcing that Juan Son would no longer be a part of the band. In 2017 another release came announcing the departure of drummer Juan Pablo Vázquez leaving the band with the four members mentioned above.

Porter has released four albums during their career: Donde los Ponys Pastan (2004), Atemahawke (2007), Moctezuma (2015), and Las Batallas (2019). There was a six year hiatus between their second and third album because of creative conflicts between Juan Son and the band. In Moctezuma fans were able to reconnect with the long lost band and listen to the new lead vocalist David Velasco. This album is recognized for being one that pays homage to ancient Mexican culture. The lyrics mix mayan myths with present realities. There is a very interesting mixture of electronic sounds and traditional instruments that were used in rituals by different ancient civilizations.

Last year the band announced the release of a new album with the single “Bandera”. Las Batallas arrived in two parts (two EPs): Las Batallas del Tiempo (2018) and Las Batallas del Agua (2019). The new record has a heavier synth focus mixed with various layers of guitar riffs and different voice effects. The lyrics focus on more personal events that the members have lived together and separately. Stories of love, loss, friendship, and revolution are the basis of this album. Various music videos have also been released for the songs inside Las Batallas giving the album a complementary visual element that hadn’t really been exploited by the band.

Key Tunes:

“Espiral” - Donde los Ponys Pastan

“Host of a Ghost” - Atemahawke

“Palapa” - Moctezuma

“Huitzil” - Moctezuma

“Himno Eterno” - Las Batallas

“Cuando Lloro” - Las Batallas

Little Jesus

Early in 2010, Santiago Casillas was living in Boston studying his university career. During that time he felt the need to start a band so he started playing music with two Columbian musicians he met in school. After graduating in 2012, he moved back to Mexico City where he contacted his childhood friends asking them if they wanted to play some music. Casillas was successful and his new band was formed by Truco Sánchez (drums), Fernando Bueno (guitar), Arturo Vázquez-Vela (keys), and Carlos Medina (bass).

Casillas taught the members songs he had written during his time in Boston. Soon they were playing in different parties around the city. A friend of them, Lalo Rojas, soon became their manager and played the three songs they had recorded on his online radio show. They were distinguished for being energetic, positive, and always playing for the fun of it and not the fame.

Their first album, Norte (2013), took six months to record inside a home studio and was released independently on Christmas. The record was received with great critical acclaim and soon the band was playing various shows throughout the country and internationally. A show in SXSW opened the doors for more shows in the US, and also in Asia and Europe. Norte was re-released in Japan as a deluxe edition (with four extra tracks and two Japanese renditions).

After touring, the band decided to worry about their quality instead of trying to release content constantly. Their sound is an interesting mixture of hooky indie pop and 90s rock en español. They constantly use high pitched guitar riffs and fast paced drum patterns reminiscent to tropical music. Vocally the band utilices a Beatle-like harmony for the choruses, the whole band takes part in it as well.

In 2017 they released their second album, Río Salvaje, branded as a collection of ten A-side singles. Their lyrics continued to be day-to-day tales of life as a human being that are always accompanied by melodies that make the listeners want to dance. Their latest album, Disco de Oro, arrived in 2019. The album has taken them to various festivals in the US and Mexico, and it has had a big radio exposure thanks to singles “Fuera de Lugar” featuring Girl Ultra and “Los Años Maravillosos”.

Key Tunes:

“Azul” - Norte

“Cruel” - Norte

“La Magia” - Río Salvaje

“Nuevo México” - Río Salvaje

“Fuera de Lugar” - Disco de Oro

“Volver al Futuro” - Disco de Oro

Siddhartha

Jorge Siddhartha Gonzalez known in the music industry as Siddhartha started his career early as a kid in Guadalajara. His parents introduced him to music at a young age by giving him various instruments as gifts. He decided to focus on drums and that is how he got his first exposure to the professional world. He was the drum technician for Azul Violeta, and he later played drums with the band after their drummer suffered an accident that did not allow him to play for a while.

A friend of him introduced him to Zoé’s bassist because the band was looking for a drummer. He immediately flew to Mexico City to play in some rehearsals with the band. He got the job and went on tour with them to promote their EP The Room in 2005. He stayed with them until the release of their third album, Memo Rex Commander y el Corazón Atómico de la Vía Láctea, in 2006 to focus on writing, composing and producing his first record: Why You? (2008). The album was well received and it showcased a folk/country sound with a heavy use of acoustic guitars and soft percussion. The album also has a little bit of indie pop with modern effects utilized in guitar solos and various riffs throughout the album.

Thanks to that project his solo career kicked off. So far he has four studio albums and one live album that includes songs from all his repertoire played in various shows while touring with his fourth album Únicos (2016). This year will see the release of his fifth record: Memoria Futuro. Siddhartha decided to divide this album into two volumes, each one with five songs. The first volume arrived on May and the second will in the next few months. The singer-songwriter has described this as his best work yet, and as one that is very personal. Each song represents a chapter in his life. Every chapter is accompanied by a music video that helps shape Siddhartha’s tale.

Key Tunes:

“Colecciono Planetas” - Why You?

“Náufrago” - Náufrago

“Al Aire” - El Vuelo del Pez

“El Deshielo” - El Vuelo del Pez

“Ser Parte” - Únicos

“Únicos” - Únicos

There you have it! Eighteen songs to get you started on what is going on musically in Mexico. Of course these three are not the only artists creating interesting stuff, but I wanted to start off with a little bit. Listen to the songs, take them in, try and figure out what they mean, or just listen to the melodies. Happy music-ing!

#music #indie #rock #journalism #mexico

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the-absent-writer · 4 years

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kuroshio: a short story

All eyes are on her as she glides across the stage, her sequined costume throwing rainbows and prisms on the walls of the music hall. She moves like a river: elegant and smooth, but if you look closely there is power, a force that will sweep any unsuspecting man away and pull him under the waves. They call her Kuroshio, after the current.

The soft notes of the piano melody follow her when she dances, her body the conductor and her arms the baton. The spotlight is an admirer of hers; a slave to graceful leaps and turns. Hands and fingers slowly lead the last few piano notes to their final resting place and she ends the routine, bare feet striking the wooden stage. The audience bursts into applause. She takes a bow and leaves the stage. The house lights go on and the seats are abuzz, some taking their leave while others chat about the performance.

A shadow moves in one of the private boxes on top, leaving, but not exiting, making its way towards the dancer’s dressing room. The guards outside the small room nod, opening the door. The dancer is seated at a vanity in the back, still in costume, and the figure steps behind her, illuminated by the lights of the mirror. Kuroshio whips around, surprised. He is monstrous, taller than anyone the dancer had ever seen before. Green eyes startle her, a sharp contrast to the browns and blacks she’s used to seeing. His scarred hands reach out in an invitation to her.

“Do excuse my sudden appearance, my dear Kuroshio-sama, but I simply had to speak with you,” he purrs, his voice a deep purple velvet. He moves to sit next to the girl and she turns away from him, picking up a small tablet sitting on the vanity. She taps the screen a few times and a robotic voice fills the air.

“I beg your pardon. I do not know who you are, nor your intentions, but I will not hesitate to call security if you do not remove yourself from my private dressing room.”

The man chuckles, arms moving to rest at his sides.

“So the rumors are true. You are mute.”

Kuroshio’s eyes narrow. He waves a hand, dismissive.

“Nevertheless, I do believe I owe you an introduction. My name is Touma. I run a modest organization, the nature of which I unfortunately must withhold, but you have caught the eye of many within the group. The reason for my visit today is in regards to that. I am extending an invitation to you to join our organization, Kuroshio-sama.”

More tapping, and the robot voice returns.

“Touma-san, while I do appreciate the offer, I do not know enough about you or this organization to even consider it. I am content with my current position here. I thank you, but I must ask you to please take your leave. Do have a pleasant day.”

Touma reaches into one of the many pockets of his suit, producing a business card. He sets it on the vanity and moves towards the door. He hesitates, and turns back towards Kuroshio.

“I do hope you reconsider, Kuroshio-sama. My organization will be glad to have you. In the event that you do change your mind, however, please give my assistant a call. I’m sure she’ll be delighted to hear from you.” He exits the room, chuckling. A dread settles itself onto Kuroshio’s shoulders, no doubt a result of Touma’s prediction. She picks up the card he left, turning it over in her hands. Its gold embossed edges catch the light and she squints at the simple text stamped on it:

TOUMA HIGUCHI JYUGORI +8108075032034

Kuroshio sets the card back down and scoffs, an exhale without a voice. Why would this Touma have the nerve to interrupt her? What kind of name is Jyugori? What even is Jyugori? Maybe the Internet would have the answers. She reaches for her tablet, opening up a browser andsearching for this mysterious organization. Kuroshio steels herself for the results. If Touma wouldn’t tell her the work they did, then it must be pretty bad. Her first thought is yakuza. He certainly looks the part, what with his expensive-looking suit and dramatic business cards. A small smile appears on Kuroshio’s face at that thought. The mafia, recruiting a small-time dancer. Imagine the headlines!

The tablet beeps to indicate the search is done, interrupting Kuroshio’s mafia daydreams. The second result catches her eye, an opinion piece regarding gangs in the city. Curious, she taps the link and skims the article. So Jyugori is a gang. Figures. Kuroshio is about to click backwards when she sees a picture of Touma at the bottom of the webpage. It’s grainy, most likely taken from surveillance footage from one of the cameras around the city. It would otherwise seem ordinary, as it was his gang, but the caption turns her stomach.

TOUMA-HIGOKU (PICTURED) OUTSIDE CLUB KETSU

Higoku. A criminal. Kuroshio’s eyes widen and she feels her stomach flip. A convicted felon had been in her private dressing room. She puts the tablet back on the vanity and picks the business card back up. Scowling, she tears it into two, then four, then eight, letting the pieces fall to the wooden floor of the dressing room. She shivers and scratches at the high neck of her costume, a nervous habit.

There’s a knock at the door and her manager’s face appears, stopping by to congratulate Kuroshio on the show and to tell her she’s okay to go home, there’s nothing more to do. She thanks him with a nod and the door shuts again, leaving her alone. Trying to shake off Touma’s visit, she steps over to the small closet in the corner of the room and shrugs off her leotard, replacing it with street clothes. She wraps a scarf around her neck, picks up her bag, and steps out of the room, nodding to the security guards as she leaves the building.

It’s foggy outside, the streetlights a hazy glow in the diminishing evening light. There’s a sound behind her, like footsteps, and Kuroshio steals a quick glance. Nothing. Her eyebrows knit together and she hurries her pace, burrowing herself further into her hoodie. Kuroshio makes her way to the subway station next to the theater, her dark hair stiffening as the hairspray in it meets the cold underground air when she descends the stairs. There’s an ominous air to the station tonight and it makes the hair on the back of her neck prickle. Kuroshio readjusts her scarf and glances at the schedule on the wall. She’s just missed a train, next one’s in twenty minutes. Kuroshio finds a bench near the train platform, pulls a book out of her bag and settles in. She’s barely opened it when she hears the sound again. More footsteps, but this time louder, like there’s more of them, echoes bouncing off the station’s tiled walls and into her ears. A sensation Kuroshio could only call anxiety fills her body and she freezes, hands trembling as she closes her book.

Kuroshio risks looking behind her. She swivels slowly around and is met with the barrel of a gun two inches from her face. Her heart kicks into overdrive, shooting pure adrenaline through her. Her eyes become saucers, but her vision seems to narrow, all focus on the weapon in front of her. Kuroshio inhales sharply, body paralyzed by fear. The gun clicks, bullet in the chamber, and her blood runs cold. She can almost see her body on the cold pavement, crimson flowing from her head like the Tama River.

Clapping punctures the tense silence and the gun lowers, freeing Kuroshio from the prison of her mind. She finally looks at the man holding the weapon and her only thought is confusion. He looks like a soldier, wearing the uniform of the Self-Defense Forces. She squints at the insignia on his chest, expecting to see a Japanese flag. There’s another flag there, one she doesn’t recognize, a white ring on a black background. She tears her gaze away from the strange flag, eyes drifting to the rest of the station. It’s filled with soldiers, all wearing the same emblem.The sea of camouflage parts to reveal a woman in a long red coat, the source of the clapping.

The woman steps towards Kuroshio, black heels clicking against the station floor. She stops when she reaches the bench Kuroshio’s sitting on, shoving a gloved hand in her face. The soldiers close ranks behind her.

“Sonohara. Pleasure to meet you, Kuroshio. I hope you can forgive our sudden entrance, I did think it was a bit too strong.”

Kuroshio takes her hand, stunned. This makes two strange people in a single day. It’s a new record. Sonohara smiles, moving to sit next to Kuroshio, hands back in her coat pockets.

“I bet you’re very confused right now. I’d be too if a whole bunch of soldiers appeared out of nowhere. Let me explain. I’m the current head of Shisuna. We’re a small agency within the Japanese government trying to keep the gangs in Tokyo under control and stop them, Jyugori in particular, from getting any stronger. You can probably guess why we approached you now of all times.” She places a hand on Kuroshio’s shoulder, leaning in. Kuroshio tenses.

“I don’t think I have to warn you about Touma, but just in case I will. That man is dangerous.”

Sonohara’s grip on Kuroshio’s shoulder tightens and her serious expression twists into a grimace.

“He’s a monster who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Stay away from him. Join Shisuna. We’ll be able to keep you safe. What do you say, Kuroshio?”

Kuroshio’s taken aback. Sure, Touma’s scary, but she didn’t think he was as much of a monster as Sonohara thinks he is. She thinks it’s odd that Sonohara’s recruitment pitch revolved almost entirely around Tomua while Touma’s didn’t even mention Shisuna or Sonohara. Kuroshio’s instincts are screaming at her to get away. Any woman who brings a whole army to try and recruit a dancer is dangerous. Even Touma didn’t try and intimidate her like Sonohara is trying to. Kuroshio reaches into her bag for her phone, fishing it out and starts typing her response.

“I’m sorry Sonohara-san, but like I told Touma-san, I am comfortable with my current position and don’t see a need to join any new organization. Thank you for your offer, though.”

Sonohara’s face darkens and she stands up stiffly. She signals to the soldier next to Kuroshio, beckoning him forward.

“I’m very disappointed, Kuroshio. I had hoped we’d reach an understanding, but it seems that isn’t going to happen. I’m sorry, but I can’t let you leave. I can’t risk you going to Jyugori. Goodbye, Kuroshio. Minamoto, take care of her.”

She turns to leave, the soldiers once again parting to let her though. They follow her out, boots throwing echoes over the walls. The soldier from earlier, Minamoto, turns to her and raises his gun once again. The panic sets in again and Kuroshio isn’t sure what to do. She’s back in the mental prison, tunnel vision and paralysis returning. She can’t die here. Not now. There’s still so much she has to do. Kuroshio is panting, her heart pounding out of her chest. Minamoto clicks a bullet into place, finger on the trigger. He’s about to pull it when what sounds like an explosion rings through the station. Minamoto jerks and collapses on the concrete with a thud, a bullet lodged in the back of his head.

Kuroshio wants to scream, her hands flying up to cover her mouth. She backs away from him, her back hitting the edge of the bench. He’s dead. She’s hyperventilating now, breath coming too fast and the adrenaline is making her hands tremor, like little tiny earthquakes are pulsing through her.

“Are you okay, Kuroshio-sama?”

She jerks her head up towards the voice, terrified. Touma is standing there, gun in hand, still smoking. He tucks it away and moves towards Kuroshio, who can’t back away any further. He stops a few feet away from her and extends a hand.

“I know. I’m probably the last person you want to see right now. I’m sorry. I didn’t think Sonohara would actually make contact so soon after I did.”

His voice is kind, so much different than the last time they met. His eyes meet hers, and they’re soft.

“Please come with me. We need to leave before she comes back. My assistant is in the car outside. I promise I’ll explain everything.”

Kuroshio tentatively reaches a hand towards Touma, heart still racing and her whole body shaking. Touma smiles softly and crosses the few feet to take her hand. She stands up and follows him out, feeling numb. They go up the stairs silently, and are out, the evening light having faded into the purples and blacks of night. True to his word, there’s a car and a woman standing there. Her green dress is bright under the streetlight. She drapes a blanket around Kuroshio’s shaking form and opens the car door, gently urging her inside the vehicle. Touma sits next to her, tapping the window twice to signal the driver to go.

The adrenaline starts to wear off and Kuroshio feels empty. Numb, even. There’s nothing going through her head now that she’s out of danger. Touma seems to sense this, and turns towards her.

“I’m sure you want an explanation.”

Kuroshio nods slowly.

“I should start with an apology. I panicked when I first tried to recruit you. I didn’t expect you to be so adamant about your rejection and I went full sociopath. I’m sorry. I assure you, I’m not actually like that at all. Anyway, I tried to recruit you for more than just you catching the eye of our organization. Jyugori is a gang, but we’re not the bad guys, I promise. Sonohara lied to you. Shisuna is in fact a government group, but they’re not trying to keep us from gaining power. This is going to sound like it came straight out of a shonen manga, but they’re creating soldiers. I can’t say super soldiers, but that’s the best example I can give. Those men you saw in there are only a small sample of their power. They probably wanted you because you’d make an excellent soldier. You’re thin and small and would make the perfect assassin. We got lucky and got to you first, but Sonohara came after you tonight because I talked to you. She saw me try and snatch you away and thought she needed to hurry. Jyugori is trying to keep her and her organization away from as many people as we can, but their numbers are growing. I’ll be honest, I’m getting

desperate, and sloppy as a result. Do you believe me?”

Another nod. Kuroshio isn’t getting any hostility from Touma, nor does she think he’s lying.

“This probably isn’t the best time to bring it up, but I’ll extend an invitation to you again. We’re almost at the base. Don’t worry, it’s much different than the previous one. If you were to side with Jyugori, you could keep this from happening to anyone else. I won’t ask you to leave your current position. All I ask is that you keep an eye out for Shisuna and Sonohara, and pass on any information you hear about them. Does that seem fair? What do you say?”

Kuroshio hesitates. If she were to join for real, then she could keep Sonohara away from anyone else. Would it be selfish of her to say no? Jyugori couldn’t stop it from happening to her, so what’s the point?

Touma seems to sense her hesitation, and clears his throat.

“I won’t force you to make a decision right away. You’re welcome to stay with our organization for the time being and get to know everyone. We’ll keep Sonohara off your tail regardless of the choice you make, though. It’s all up to you.”

Kuroshio shakes her head. She knows what she has to do. The panic and fear has worn off and given way to pure anger and rage. She’s angry with Sonohara and her goons for going after her, angry at the world for doing this to her. She raises her head to Touma, and her eyes are ablaze, fury lifting her up.

“I see. Welcome to Jyugori, Kuroshio.”

#theabsentwriter #writing #short story #creativewriting

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wickymicky · 5 years

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a month ago i watched every Twice video in order, some of them for the first time, because Twice was finally clicking for me and i was “getting it”. i wrote a little thing about which songs i liked and which i didnt, and i wanna expand on that cause my opinions have gotten more fleshed out over the last couple weeks of listening to them, and also some of them have changed. i just really like reviewing things, i hope that’s okay lol

so here are two or three sentence reviews of every Twice title track, in order

Like Ooh Ahh: i think this is one of their best songs, personally. it’s not as much of the bubblegum stuff they go for after this, but it’s extremely catchy lol, the “i just wanna fall in love!” and the “ha~~ ooh-ahh hage!” gets stuck in my head a lot. i just love the way this song’s instrumental sounds too, the aesthetic of it

Cheer Up: um okay so from hot to cold... this is my least favorite Twice song. i’m listening to it right now as I’m writing this, and I’ll listen all the way through, but i haven’t listened to it all the way through very often. i think the chorus feels out of place, so does the “be a man, real man” thing. i don’t like that. that ruins the song for me lol. i also don’t like the chorus much haha, it sounds like theyre saying “chore up” cause they went with 치얼업 (chi-eol/eor-eop) instead of like... even just “chireop” or “chi-eo eop”... they dont usually have ㄹ for an english r sound at the end of a word...

TT: ah okay nice we’re back on track lol, this song is fantastic and totally deserves to be their most popular song (at least in terms of music video views). when i first heard it i didnt like it cause i didnt like anything Twice lol... then when I listened to every Twice title track in order as i was beginning to “get it”, i liked everything except the “i’m like TT, ahhh, just like TT, ahhh” haha, i thought the fact that it was about the emoticon was weird and didnt fit the video, and the “ahh” was goofy haha. but now? god its so catchy lmao i always whisper-sing along to this part when i listen to this song haha. i love the echo-y reverb-y synths in the verse, and the instrumental in the chorus when paired with the vocal melody just makes it one of the best choruses in kpop lol. i think TT is their best song. the rap break doesnt feel like a rap break, it fits sooooo naturally in with the song, it’s so impressive. this song is so impressive

Knock Knock: initially i liked this song a lot, and i still do, but... this would be another group’s best song, easily, but for Twice... it’s a bit overshadowed haha. the guitar plus the synth is really cool though, its rare to hear a calming, sort of mellow, soft song with as high a BPM as this haha. one of the writers, Mayu Wakisaka, also was a composer for Loona’s Hi High and Fromis 9′s Love Bomb... and you can totally see that lol. all of those songs have high BPMs and are wildly catchy. still, idk, i like this song but i dont have a ton to say about it

Signal: this song is weird in a good way, i love really unconventional instrumentals. it sounds as alien and outer space as the music video haha. at first the “sign-eul bonae signal bonae” kinda annoyed me, but i got more used to it. i don’t listen to this song much, but i should change that, honestly. though another thing is that the music video has a lot those things where it adds sounds from the video that arent in the regular song, and has an intro i gotta skip every time lol, but like thats not a huge problem, i can just listen to the song elsewhere haha

One More Time: this song sounds like something you’d hear at a hockey game lmao. i dont even know really what i mean by that, i dont go to hockey games lol.... anyway. i like this song, but again, it’s kinda overshadowed. if i’m in the mood for the vibe this song has, there are other Twice songs that have it that i like more. it’s refreshing every once in a while though.

Likey: this song is so good!!! it didnt stand out at first, like, there’s not really a huge gimmick like some of the others... “likey likey likey” is kind of the same sort as the “just like TT” and “knock knock knock on my door” and stuff from other songs, but for some reason it feels less prominent in this song. i dont think this is their most iconic song ever, and its not genre-defining or one of the ones you’d mention first when talking about Twice, but it’s just a really solid song. one of my favorites

Heart Shaker: yeah, heart shaker is alright. it was apparently just a couple months after likey, and it feels like a similar concept? maybe it’s just the music video giving me that impression. it’s alright. the music video has the longest part with the distinctive way Twice shoots dance scenes... in that very nauseating way lol... but i don’t mind it lol i’m used to that by now

Candy Pop: so like, was this song sorta made for kids specifically? i guess i’m mostly just being influenced by the music video cause i’m watching it while writing this. i dont like the video much lmao it’s like a pokemon ripoff complete with Officer Jennies and Jin-young Brock. the song’s not bad though, it’s catchy but it’s a little too sugary sweet for me (which makes sense given the concept i guess). i like a lot of ideas in the instrumental though... because it was also written by the people who did Knock Knock, including the writer of Hi High and Love Bomb.

What is Love: this isnt their best song ever, but it’s undeniably one of their most solid. i listen to it a lot haha. the music video has a cool concept, i like when groups do this kind of thing (interpreting scenes from movies or famous music videos or popular culture). i don’t have much to say other than that i like it a lot, it’s one of my favorites i think

Wake Me Up: okay here we go, this is another one of the three Twice singles I just don’t really like. it’s a fine song up until the chorus. i just can’t get over the shift upwards in.. uhh.. scale? octave? pitch? one of those lol, or something else, i dont really know music terms like that very well haha. yeah though i just find it offputting.

Dance the Night Away: it’s alright. i’m pretty neutral on it. i was put off at first but i’ve gotten used to it. though still, i’m not that into it. i get that its a dance focused song and the choreography does look a lot more intense than their other choreos, and thats cool, but that doesnt make me like the music in and of itself. it’s a summer-jam type of song, and i’m not as into those anyway. there’ll never be a better kpop summer-jam than Red Flavor anyway lol

Yes or Yes: this is the other Twice that i don’t like haha. i just think the constant “you only one choice: yes or yes” thing is kind of annoying haha. also the chorus is catchy in a way that i dont think its especially exciting... it’s an earworm because i think it’s slightly annoying, not because it’s satisfying. of the songs that i’ve said i don’t like, this is the one i could see myself getting into the most. this might not always be in my “bottom three”. it is right now though

Fancy: this was the first comeback they had since i’ve been into kpop, and even though i wasnt into Twice at the time, i wanted to try it out just to see if it would change my mind, and it did somewhat.... sorta. it got the ball rolling for sure. it came out on my birthday, the same day as the Loona Fire dance cover haha, that was a good birthday. yeah this song is great, i think it’s better than any of their 2018 comebacks, personally. the concept isn’t all that different from normal Twice, it just appears that way cause the video is so lavish and elegant. it didnt convince me to be a Twice fan on that day it came out, but I liked what I thought made it different from the other Twice songs I’d heard. but now? what I like most about it is how very Twice it really is. the thing is, I wasn’t into Twice probably because the only songs i’d heard were Yes or Yes and Cheer Up, and those songs are still my least favorites lol. Fancy doesnt sound that out of place when you take into account their whole discography! i looove the video and i loooove the chorus so much, this song is great and i wonder if they’ll be able to top it if they have another comeback this year

Breakthrough: okay so in the last one i said i wonder if they’ll be able to top it this year, i meant in terms of Korean comebacks lol. cause in terms of just songs in general, if i include their new Japanese comebacks, they’ve already topped Fancy. this song is the one that finally won me over. this is the song that made me a Twice fan. now, this one is a little outside their typical concept, but they’re really really good at it nevertheless. i wonder if Twice is going a bit more in this direction? at least maybe half the time, alternating between the two styles now? cause Breakthrough continues a bit down the path that Fancy set for them. in any case, i love basically everything about this song, I’m so glad it got me to finally love their music

Happy Happy: so you know how I said that Breakthrough was a change from the bubblegum fun-fun style they’ve had and that move is what got me to finally be into Twice? well that made me think I’d like Happy Happy less haha, but actually I listen to it way more than I listen to Breakthrough, I like it more overall. this is a very Twice-style song, and that’s fine because it’s fantastic. this song genuinely makes me happy

oops didn’t i say i’d try to keep it to two or three sentences?

anyway yeah my favorite Twice songs are TT, Happy Happy, Breakthrough, Likey, and Like Ooh Ahh in that order i think

#twice #long post #kpop review #i'm sorry if i said anything you strongly disagree with lol #o

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leapingtitan · 5 years

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R∃/MEMBER (Individual Song Thoughts) - SawanoHiroyuki[nZk] 3rd Album

I made a review on the 2nd album, 2V-ALK a while ago so here is the next installment. This is mostly for the Sawano Discord server but I’m posting it here for convenience and safekeeping purposes.

01. Glory -into the RM- (violin: SUGIZO from X Japan; vocal: Yosh)

I really love the instrumental parts of this track. It works well as an introduction piece and is up there with ~prologue~ for me. The vocal parts with Yosh are a bit weak and turn the track from a badass instrumental piece to a stadium football game chant. The track can do without it. However, there is that one section after the chorus where Yosh whispers like he’s singing in a 2000′s alternative rock band and the vocals do this cool panning effect. SUGIZO from X Japan is on the violin and his parts are really good and have a lot of synergy with the sampled bagpipes and piano. The guitar chugs are also pretty cool and remind me of TBFworld a bit. Overall, it’s a good track despite the vocal section being a bit unnecessary. Speaking of, them lyrics. “Honor of dying alone”? Was this made for Thunderbolt Fantasy or something?

02. EVERCHiLD (vocal: Akihito Okano from PornoGraffiti)

I admit the track has grown on me a bit and I definitely like it more than I did when the first preview video of it showed up. Still, as I’ve stated many times, I don’t really like happy and bright songs too much and prefer something with a stronger emotional impact. Still, the track is nice and again I’m glad Sawano did something different with the drums for once rather than layering electronic beats over an acoustic kit. My biggest problem with the track is the last chorus and the outro. “Tiny world is so stuffed all day, but nothing’s gonna change my story” is sung 6 times back to back and gets repetitive after the 2nd one. Should have just kept it as an instrumental. Other than that, I’m not the biggest fan of Akihito Okano’s voice. I like him more in the first Bnha OP for instance.

03. never gonna change (vocal: SukimaSwitch)

One of the tracks I’ve been most hyped for since the preview has dropped and boy does it not disappoint. I love the guitar and the drums and SukimaSwitch’s voice is really nice. It honestly reminds me some of the pop-ish music I used to listen when I was younger. The “2nd chorus” in the original PV was actually the bridge, to my surprise. The 2nd verse, which is new here, is really good. Love the guitar that comes in after the first few measures. Overall, the track is great.

Lastly, that instrumental outro section with the piano and guitar was completely unexpected but it’s amazing. It sounds like it would be a track rearrangement if never gonna change was an OST piece. Really good and honestly adds a whole new dimension at the end of an otherwise great track. My favorite so far.

04. narrative (vocal: LiSA)

Now we get to some of the tracks which have already been heard before in other releases. I’d be repeating myself if I go in detail like with the other tracks so the tl;dr version would be that I don’t think LiSA’s voice fits this type of Sawano music at all. Not that it’s a surprise considering the track wasn’t even composed with her vocals in mind. The instrumental is, for all it’s worth, actually not that bad. I don’t really mind the strings, or “casio pad strings” as dante calls them and it makes the song at least a bit more interesting.

05. i-mage (vocal: Aimer)

It’s been a long time since an Aimer and Sawano collab and unfortunately I don’t think the wait was that worth it. For the record, I really love Aimer’s voice but the song composition itself is what I dislike. Similarly to EVERCHiLD, the song just doesn’t have enough emotional impact, at least for me. I can see the appeal of it otherwise but personally it doesn’t do much on my end. The intro and verse are alright but the chorus is where it gets too playful for me to take it seriously and I found myself spacing out and losing focus on the actual track which hasn’t happened with the other songs so far. The 2nd verse has some cool bass going on but it sounds really noisy in the mix for some reason. Lastly, again, same problem with EVERCHiLD where the standout English portion of the lyrics, in this case “Light and dreams that children hold tight, now you have them in your right hand” repeats way too much in the last chorus and outro portions. Same formula.

Despite all of these complaints I think if I listen to the track enough it might grow on me. Might. But other than that, a bit underwhelming and personally my least favorite Sawano and Aimer collaboration for now.

06. NOISEofRAIN (vocal: swan with nishi Takanori Nishikawa from TM Revolution)

I’m gonna be honest here, it’s really hard for me to talk about this song without any irony and memes to go with it. This song just slaps. That’s it. I listen to it on an almost daily basis and have been doing so since it came out at the end of November. Can’t really say much other than it’s my favorite [nZk] song and Takanori Nishikawa is the OG.

One thing I have to point out though is that the mix in this album’s version is slightly different than the one in the narrative/NOISEofRAIN single, specifically the start of the first verse where there’s two synths that are either made really quiet or missing. Yeah, I’ve listened to this track way too much in order to notice the smallest things like that..

OUTRAGERS DRIVE ME NUTS

07. Binary Star (vocal: Uru)

This is the one older [nZk] song I can’t put my feelings into words for. I really like Uru’s voice and I hope Sawano collaborates with her again in the future, but the song itself is just... strange. Specifically the instrumental. It’s just really weird, having the strings and piano portion at first and then adding drums later on. I just don’t know what to think. I definitely don’t dislike it and I do enjoy it but that’s it. I actually really need to listen to it more often...

You know what, Binary Star is really nice.

08. ME & CREED <nZkv> (vocal: Sayuri)

Okay... so... uhm. I guess this is it. This is the track. I’ve made fun of this song a lot back when we only had PVs to go on. I called it a lot of things and overall shared the server’s opinion that it’s not that great. But you know what? I listened to it once today, in the full album. Just once, didn’t really need to listen anymore to open my eyes.

By the way, little fun fact: It’s actually spelled Me & Creed in the original Blue Exorcist OST, or I guess if you want the full name.. “Exorcist Concerto First Movement”... something like that, don’t !songtitle me... but yeah I’m just delaying the inevitable here.

So, I have finally been able to have a fresh, reformed opinion on ME & CREED <nZkv> and express my true feelings. Because, well, the truth is...

...

It still fucking sucks.

Honestly... just.. why? First of all, out of all of the “High Pitched Jpop Vocalists That Do Not Match Sawano’s Composition Style” category members, Sayuri is by far the worst. And, you know, that might just be be for not preferring this kind of voice that a lot of Japanese singers, but I’ve listened to some of Sayuri’s own stuff and it’s not bad because the SONG ACTUALLY FITS HER VOICE.

Now, despite all of this the verse is alright. The chorus is where the harmonies really get out of hand and only make the already bad vocals worse. And it wouldn’t have been as jarring if the instrumental was decent but it’s not. Me & Creed is not at all the type of song that would benefit from overly punchy kick drums and toms and it loses its entire flavor just with the drums alone. It sounds like a below-average pre-rec demo of the original track and doesn’t even respect what kind of song the original is.

Also, this is made for a mobile game. I don’t know about you but if this was in a game as its main theme that would not give me a good impression.

Fun fact, this is the only track on the entire album that is under 4 minutes long. I guess you can say it came short in multiple departments. I give it an Aldnoah Zero out of 10.

09. Unti-L (vocal: ASCA)

After the traumatizing experience that is the previous track, I come to something that is actually good. Unti-L and never gonna change are my favorite new tracks from this album. I’ve been looking forward to this one since the first 5 second PV and I’ve been listening to the short version a lot for the past week. The song is incredible. 6/8 time signature, ballad-y sound, strings and good sound design in general makes for a solid and near flawless track. ASCA’s voice is very enjoyable and I find that it works well with the song since it was probably made with her vocals in mind unlike narrative and... the other thing.

I can’t really say much else, really. Great intro, verse, vocals, melody and overall sound. The instrumental break/bridge is also very pleasant with the simple guitar. Probably the most emotionally impacting track on the album and I love it.

10. Cage (vocal: Tielle)

The original Cage is interesting but I have to say I find it inferior to the <NTv> version from the narrative/NOISEofRAIN single. I’m not the biggest fan of the synth in the intro and the electronic drums don’t quite do it for me in terms of the overall sound. The <NTv> version is still superior in every way and has fits more with the melody and Tielle’s voice. Overall though, the composition is great but you can’t really look at the instrumental alone in both cases since Tielle’s voice makes the track what it is.

11. REMEMBER (vocal: mizuki, Gemie, Tielle, naNami, Yosh)

Should have just credited it as [nZchoir].

On a serious note, this sounds like something you would hear in a Disney Channel movie, especially the chorus. The track is surprisingly pleasant to listen to and I find it really catchy and easy to jam and sing along to. Also like the parts where there’s just one vocalist singing and the choir effect in the chorus is really nice as well. Again.. Disney movie.

I actually want to say more about this track but I definitely need to listen to it a bit more to make other comments. Other than that, it’s nice.

Conclusion

As a whole, this seems like a much more fresh album than 2V-ALK. It still doesn’t compare to the diversity and variety in o1 or how solid UnChild is, but I still think it’s at least on par with 2V-ALK despite not having all that many songs. Still, the new original tracks here (well, almost all of them) are interesting and despite my comments on some of them I do think they do their thing and make the album.. work, I guess. I definitely have some tracks I want to go back and relisten to a few of them though, which is a good sign.

I don’t have individual ratings for the tracks but in terms of ranking, a few hours after my first impressions and a few listens I would order them in the following fashion. The best is at the top and the worst is at the bottom.

NOISEofRAIN

never gonna change

Unti-L

Glory -into the RM-

Binary Star

REMEMBER

EVERCHiLD

i-mage

Cage

narrative

you know what goes here.

And that would be it. Thanks for reading!

#hiroyuki sawano #music

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gizkalord · 6 years

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no one cares but here’s my year late verdict on the english vs japanese versions of yugioh dsod:

both sets of VAs do a fantastic job, but ultimately i am always going to prefer the english VAs—those were the voices that made me fall in love with yugioh as a kid watching Yugioh DM on Kids’ WB (channel 18 baby!) after school, and Dan Green and Eric Stuart as well as the rest of the cast absolutely throw themselves into their respective roles.

Unlike the old 4kids dubs, the english translation script for the movie is quite accurate to the original japanese meaning for the most part, although some appropriate deviations are taken to preserve the 4kids-esque cheesy lines we know and love. There are a few lines where I prefer the direct japanese translations, and i think the plot-y “plana” stuff was explained a bit more clearly in the subbed version, but for the character moments, both versions of the script capture the intended meaning regardless. additionally, I actually really like the rather significant change of yugi’s last words before atem returns, as in the japanese version, he seems to lose hope in victory and internally apologizes to everyone, while in the english version, he re-affirms his belief in “the heart of the cards” (boi if i got chills with the return of that iconic line!!). it does slightly change the context of atem’s return, and honestly I prefer the english version.

In terms of soundtrack, once again i obviously grew up with and love the 4kids soundtrack, but I’ve been watching some of the japanese episodes and I like the japanese soundtrack as well. in this case, i do like what the japanese original did with the music in the movie, but my bigger problem is less with the actual music and more with the sound mixing. the majority of the time, it seems that the music is too quiet in the dub?? it doesn’t sound bad, but it just seems to hang out in the background while the sub takes full advantage of the orchestral style of the original soundtrack. i think noticed that in particular with atem vs kaiba—the subbed music is very prominent and musically sweeping, but the dubbed music seems barely present. I saw a video that edited in the japanese soundtrack with the english voices and it was fantastic, so i wish someone could do that for the movie.

however, my one big exception is that i ADORE the soundtrack for atem’s return and the epilogue in the dub. the sub music left me feeling a little flat during those scenes, but woowwww the dub!!! the classic duel theme arranged with a choir!! when it starts crescendo-ing and ascending as atem draws his card!! how it fades into this quiet melody as yugi and atem look at one another again!! and for the epilogue, that beautiful violin and woodwind melody that starts up as he shoots himself into another dimensions, and expands with brass as he walks to the palace!! it’s just so good, and because those are the most emotional moments in the movie for me, the fact that the subbed gets everything pitch perfect there, including the music, is a big plus in my book.

also, yA MU YA MU YA MU YA MU YA MOOOVE for the end credits is just a hype send off.

tl:dr I think both versions are really good and worth watching! overall i think i’m just naturally going to emotionally gravitate towards the dub, but i wish they had borrowed or at least emulated some of the music cues from the sub. if i HAD to choose one, i would pick the dub though.

#yugioh #dsod #yugioh dsod #me

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thathijabimisfit-blog · 5 years

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7 suspect Tales of Merfolk in Anime

Log Horizon Before the limited imaginary being recast seafolk as tragic romantic heroes, sirens were creatures you ne'er wished to encounter on the open ocean. recognizing one or a lot of befittingly hearing one meant you and your fellow shipmates earned a unidirectional price ticket to the frigid depths. Mermaids were much more fascinated by luring men to their doom than shacking up with them in a very beachside castle.

Formidable as they were, there ar still dozens of variations of some skilled worker obtaining wise and deciding to pressure one into changing into his better half. typically this concerned stealing one thing from her throughout a vulnerable moment, associate alternate skin or gown, that will enable her to come back to the ocean. Her agency taken, many seafolk went domestic however the story continually ends with them restitution no matter item it absolutely was and ditching their husband-captor straight off. perhaps all the sirens, selkies, and melusines were malicious in response? UN agency is aware of. however it's these legends also as Japan's own distinctive myths regarding ladies of the ocean that provide US the variability of mermaids found in anime.

Mermaid Melody: shrub shrub Pitch Michiko Yokote may be a in style anime author with credits spanning heaps of genres. She's worked on Rumiko Takahashi anime diversifications, The fatal lifetime of Saiki K., and this season's Tsurune. In 2003, she wrote a manga series for the shojo magazine Nakayoshi primarily based loosely off Hans Christian Andersen's the limited imaginary being. That manga, and subsequent anime series, was imaginary being Melody: shrub shrub Pitch. The anime is takes a number of parts|the weather} lost within the Walt Disney version (namely the mermaid's fate to show into seafoam) on the other hand adds a bunch of additional elements as anime is used to do. The heroine Lucia is already a imaginary being aristocrat in her claim however she'll have to be compelled to hone her singing powers to become associate idol with fellow imaginary being royalty if she's reaching to fend off the offensive water demon force. i'm wondering why writer did not place that half in his original story?

Muromi-san Mermaids ar caught in one amongst 2 nets: stunning nonnatural beings or terrific flesh eaters. Muromi-san managed to flee from each and dive deep into slapstick stupidity. I say this with the kindest intentions, however Muromi may be a huge ol' dummy and also the poor guy that reeled her au fait his line is cursed with her. and every one of her outrageous friends and foes. Muromi-san's world is one amongst not simply mermaids, however conjointly alphabetic character, harpies, and yetis. None of those monsters can get in between Muromi and her professed love for Takurō, the miserable guy UN agency needs nothing over to travel back to his peaceful fishing life.

In the blink of a watch, thirty thousand bemused Japanese gamers ar whisked from their everyday lives into the planet of the favored MMORPG, Elder Tale, once the game's latest update—unable to close. Among them is that the socially awkward college man Shiroe, whose confusion and shock lasts solely an instant as, a veteran of the sport, he right away sets intent on explore the bounds of his new reality. log horizon characters

Shiroe should learn to measure during this new world, leading others and negotiating with the federal agency "natives" so as to bring stability to the virtual town of Akihabara. he's joined by his unfortunate friend Naotsugu, having logged sure the primary time in years solely to seek out himself unfree, and Akatsuki, a petite however fierce assassin UN agency labels Shiroe as her master. A tale of fantasy, adventure, and politics, Log Horizon explores the weather of diversion through the eyes of a master contriver UN agency tries to form the most effective of a puzzling state of affairs.

Log Horizon EP.1

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Log Horizon EP.12

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aldreaoakley · 6 years

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THE NIGHTINGALE: ODA NOBUNAGA

(There’s a poem that students in Japan learn to remember the three unifiers of Japan from the Sengoku Era that gave me this idea along with a line from Nobunaga’s story. Basically the poem says that Ieyasu will wait for the bird to sing while Hideyoshi will make it. Nobunaga has the more frightening response of killing the poor thing. This story has a man who wants a specific bird to sing for him. That is the part that got my wheels turning. Our nightingale won’t die but will be extra special.)

Once upon a time there lives a daiyamo by the name of Oda Nobunaga. Nobunaga is not the type of daiyamo anyone will want to disobey. Because if he wants something now, that unfortunate person in charge of it better do it right and quick the first time. If all the requirements aren’t met then it’s an immediate trip to the Sanzu river bank to Hell. One day a rumor reaches the Devil King of the Sixth Hell’s ear. A rumor about a bird with the most beautiful singing voice. Gripping his sake cup to near smithereens, Nobunaga turns to his page. “Ranmaru, seek this bird for me at once,” he hisses. “At once,” Ranmaru nods obediently. While watching the speeding figure, Nobunaga hears his court members whispering and muttering. His grip tightens, forcing the cup to shatter everywhere. Rapid fire orders echo around him but Nobunaga can care less. If that bird doesn’t sing for him, he’ll find pleasure in slicing it to ribbons. A loud “NOBUNAGA-SAMA” shakes his attention back to a terrified Ranmaru. “This better be important,” he snarls at the boy. He watches as Ranmaru gestures for a maid to come forward. While a servant wipes the sake from his face, Nobunaga listens as the maid explains about the truth behind the rumors. The bird is actually a female nightingale spirit who sings mostly in his gardens. “However she loves to sing near the largest pine in the garden,” the maid adds. “I see her when I go to visit my family.” Nobunaga didn’t waste time ordering for the nightingale to be found and taken to the audience chamber. As he watches the servants scramble with the head chamberlain ordering the finest lanterns to be used for the performance. Standing, Nobunaga watches as others mill and scamper around to get everything ready. An hour later, Nobunaga seats himself in the audience chambers waiting for the maid to come back with the nightingale. A knock comes and the doors slide open to reveal them together. Nobunaga notices the bird hesitating a bit before the maid nudges her. The nightingale chirps softly then flies past the perch set in the center and changes shape. Nobunaga ignores the soft shocked voices as a young woman clad in simplistic brown kimono with buff and white feather embroidery emerges. He observes the nightingale hairpin when she bows politely to him. He looks back at the cool inky eyes when she asks: “Shall I sing for you my lord?” with his own scarlet. “Do it,” he demands. Accepting the graceful nod as a sign that she agrees to his order, he observes her transition back into her small form. Fluttering, she lands on the perch. A beautiful note soon rings out from her throat. The same repeats comes with the string of melodious pitches. Unwillingly, a tear slips from Nobunaga’s eyes. He wasn’t the only one. Throughout the performance, the entire audience let silent tears streak their faces. At the end of the song, Nobunaga stands. “Nightingale, you are staying with us.” ~*~ Months pass by and Nobunaga cannot keep a scowl off his face. From the second he declares her to be a permanent resident, the poor bird sings for anyone but him. The worst however is an automaton nightingale from the west. Standing from his office, he goes to the room where the automaton is with the nightingale. He opens it to see that Ranmaru and the maid, whom he appoint to be the caretaker, is looking sad. It doesn’t take him long to figure out why. The breathing nightingale is showing heavy signs of exhaustion while the other stares blankly with its soulless eyes. “I’ll be taking her with me,” he speaks, startling the two. “Yes Nobunaga-sama,” they both nod. As they step to the side, the maid holds a tiny pouch to him. He accepts it then turns to the nightingale. “Come here,” he orders. A tiny bow before she flits over to land rather cutely on his arm. “On my shoulder,” he corrects sternly. She hops up until mid-shoulder and settles in. Once he is sure she is there, away from both ticklish spots, he strides to the garden. He continues until he reaches the tallest and largest pine. Sitting, he opens the pouch and sprinkles the crushed seeds and crumbs to the ground. Watching her eat while chirping happily, Nobunaga somehow feels a sense of confidence. “You are free to leave,” he solemnly speaks. “Why m’lord,” she sings sweetly. “You aren’t happy here. And it won’t be long before someone chases you out. That metal automaton is earning more praises than you. So leave.” A slight rustle of feathers to kimono as she bows in the most politest form then back to feathers again. While she soars away, Nobunaga wonders if he really managed to get his message to her. Danger lurks everywhere for him and he didn’t want to see her hurt. The most important is that she remains away from him. He still recalls seeing her hopping away from him after a scuffle. The blood staining his face, hands and armor, Nobunaga cannot suppress the sorrow flowing through him at the memory. Her plumage that day wasn’t elegant or beautiful. It was dimmer and made her look smaller. “I don’t ever want to see her like that… again,” he mouths wistfully to himself. The once quiet garden slowly blooms with bird song but for Nobunaga, he can’t bring himself to draw his tānto. No. He actually can’t. ~*~ One day, Nobunaga’s nickname as the Devil King burns brighter than ever. Many whisper upon an action that frighten even loyal Ranmaru. Nobunaga storms into the nightingale’s former residence and slice not just the furniture but also the brittle automaton. The said thing is now being stomped by Nobunaga in his private chambers. The mechanical wheels and near audible whirls didn’t faithfully replicate his long gone singer. Slumping to the floor, he cradles his head sighing. Nothing he can do now can bring back the nightingale as many liked the now scrap heap version better. A sudden pain runs through him, forcing him to collapse. He faintly hears Hideyoshi and Ranmaru doing their best to help him before he passes out. A few hours later, Nobunaga learns that what happened to him wasn’t something that the doctors can fix and he has only four days left to live. The crushing judgement gives birth to only one regret that Nobunaga had but he sends everyone out. He didn’t want them to hear his regret. ~*~ The next night, Nobunaga wakes to metal across his neck. He blinks to see a Shinigami’s blade resting there like it actually belongs. As it swings up, Nobunaga keeps his eyes open until… “WAIT! You can’t have his soul yet,” warbles a familiar chirp. Fluttering his lashes, Nobunaga bolts upright to see on the balcony is his nightingale. Her human form stands defiantly as she stares down the supernatural being. “I am afraid it is his time to leave,” the Shinigami hisses. When the blade moves again… “Then let’s make a deal,” she counters, stirring sparks of admiration in Nobunaga’s chest. “For every movement of your katana, I’ll sing one song.” “Done,” the supernatural agrees as the weapon slips a millimeter. Nobunaga stifles a smile as he hears her song about a flowering sakura tree, forcing the Shinigami to stop and pay for his action. The pattern happens a few more times before a rasp signals the sword being put away. “You win,” the being sighs mournfully. “Because your songs remind me of the gardens in Hell…” “Take my nightingale soul,” she offers. Nobunaga can tell from the stance that the Shinigami wasn’t expecting this. To be honest, neither was he. “I can’t be with Lord Nobunaga as a bird forever and the heavens won’t grant me a human form,” she explains. A swift subtle shink whooshes and a small spirit nightingale lands on the Shinigami’s shoulder. A nod of appreciation is the last that Nobunaga sees of it before he dashes out of his futon. He didn’t need his singing fireball hitting her head.

EPILOGUE Nobunaga smiles while setting another scroll down. His now wife is in the same room, singing beautifully as their baby son sleeps in his futon while sewing. Two years has passed since that day where she did that exchange. Two years since making her his bride. Two years passing by to create this miracle in their room. It didn’t seem that long to Nobunaga but with Hideyoshi’s persistent protectiveness, two years was torture in order to calm the dancing monkey. With a pleased sigh, Nobunaga resumes the next bit of work while writing orders. There was no way in heaven or hell he’s going to leave his wife alone! In synchronous rhythm to her voice, his brush moves with equal grace. Brushstrokes forming kanji and katana melding along the dulcet tones morphs into a lullaby that soothes even the crankiest of demons.

A/N: Time to clear the fish tank with my knowledge of Japanese beliefs and mythology. Shintoism is a religion that believes many things on the planet has a spirit. That works since spirits can assume human or another form due to their powers. Shinigami was the only being I can use to replicate how Death appears to the Chinese emperor in the story. I had to research a tree that stands for power and strength which leads to the pine tree that I picked for the nightingale to sing from. Nightingales are beautiful singers and both genders have similar coloration. It was an easier option to make the nightingale female. Four is a terrible number in Asian culture overall. Say four the wrong way in any language, it means death. What’s the total of two and four? It’s six~ A reference to Nobunaga’s nickname~ I also used elements from the Behind the Myth ES for him. Remember what I mentioned in the beginning note and the riddle Sasuke wanted to see if it was accurate? Nobunaga said himself that he would originally kill the bird but he now won’t thanks to the chatelaine. He will let it sing of their love. And that’s what I did. The nightingale turns into his wife so she can sing of their eternal love. As for the gardens of hell… not all hells are depicted as nightmarish zones with punishments raining down on the wicked sent there. Some hells have nice gardens or elements that make them appear more beautiful to their owners. In the original story, Death gave up on getting the emperor because the nightingale’s songs remind him of his garden. And because she’s a spirit, it means she won’t age but she wants to age alongside Nobunaga in this story. @deathbyikemen for her warlords as fathers post. most helpful thing since i don’t want to stick with history for this story.

Has anyone figured out what Nobunaga’s regret was? imnottelling

#ikemen sengoku #ikemen sengoku nobunaga #oda nobunaga #serenity writes

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recentanimenews · 4 years

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FEATURE: What Are Your Favorite Musical Cues in Anime?

Hello everyone, and welcome back to Why It Works. Sometime last week, while scanning through recent anime news, I learned that the soundtrack for Cowboy Bebop, along with several other classic anime, had just popped up on streaming music services. If you’ve seen Cowboy Bebop, I’m sure you’re aware of the power of its music — but for those who haven’t, you should know that the show’s soundtrack is an incredible achievement, and easily as impressive as its writing or animation.

The soundtrack for Cowboy Bebop was written by Yoko Kanno, a brilliant artist and composer who actually assembled a band known as “The Seatbelts,” purely to record this particular show’s music. Ranging from jazz to funk to country and far beyond, I think it’s fair to say that Cowboy Bebop simply would not be the phenomenon it is without Kanno’s musical support. Every scene of Cowboy Bebop is elevated by its soundtrack, from the big band blitz of the show’s opening, "Tank!," to the moody horns of its concluding "The Real Folk Blues," to the countless uses of music both big and small throughout the series. Would "Ballad of Fallen Angels" strike as painfully without its somber use of “Green Bird?” Would "Waltz for Venus" work without the tender, fragile melody of its signature music box?

A good musical cue — the term for when a song begins to play or is "cued" up — can do more than just set the tone for a scene. It can lead a story through a major narrative shift, close the distance between audience and action, or serve as a pure emotional articulation of the drama on-screen, lingering in your mind long after the action has passed. Great musical direction can elevate narrative drama into an emotionally tangible experience, and most of our favorite shows would feel empty without the music shifting, directing, and amplifying our response to the action. But a great example is generally more useful than a rambling explanation, so without further ado, here are some of my absolute favorite musical cues in anime!

First off, if I had to pick just one musical cue from Cowboy Bebop, it’d actually be a different "Ballad of Fallen Angels" song — “Rain,” which plays as Spike approaches his confrontation with former partner Vicious. Renowned as one of the show’s very best episodes, "Ballad of Fallen Angels" has to work extremely efficiently to set up its final battle; the episode compresses reflections on Spike’s past and a full bounty investigation by Faye into its first two-thirds, meaning it has little time to reset its mood for the melancholy, nostalgic final act. Fortunately, the opening organ keys of “Rain,” combined with the violet hues of the church, instantly transport the audience into Spike’s somber headspace. Simultaneously a nostalgic reverie and a funeral march, "Rain" gracefully leads the audience into the mood of the "Fallen Angels" finale, and the episode would be far less memorable without it.

Shinichiro Watanabe is one of the most impressive directors when it comes to integrating music into his productions, but there are other directors who have an equally sharp ear for music and a similar understanding of its importance in drama. Masaaki Yuasa, for one, always manages to integrate music into his shows in a compelling, emotionally impactful way. All of his shows use music in a variety of interesting ways, but I think my favorite example is the diegetic Christmas song that one of Ping Pong’s stars, Wenge Kong, sings at karaoke.

After half a season of fruitlessly trying to integrate into his new Japanese team, the Chinese-born Kong only finds peace and companionship when his mother comes to visit. Through the process of making traditional dumplings, he bonds with his new teammates, and at last finds a source of confidence and joy apart from his victories in ping pong. That joy, along with his still-present longing for his home, is elevated into epic theater through his karaoke song, as the show pans over a medley of its stars, all bearing the loneliness of the holidays in their own way. It’s a transcendent moment, and another shining example of the power of song to elevate narrative drama.

Musical cues can do more than just set or elevate the tone of a scene, though — they can actually contribute to the narrative directly, either through discordant musical contrast, repeated musical motifs, or songs that shift from one form to another in order to illustrate the changing tides of a story. So it goes for the Monogatari franchise, where each new arc focuses on a different character, with a different opening song used to establish both that character's personality and the narrative they’ll be experiencing. In Monogatari’s first season, the introduction of Nadeko Sengoku is accompanied by “Renai Circulation” — an upbeat, lighthearted song about Nadeko’s crush, accompanied by goofy images of her prancing around, waving hello, and halfheartedly trying to study.

"Renai Circulation" is a fun song in its own right, but it actually gains far more significance in retrospect, after Nadeko’s second arc is introduced with the new “Mousou Express.” Leaning on ominous piano keys and featuring actress Kana Hanazawa singing in a menacing whisper, "Mousou Express" inverts both the melodic tone and visual imagery of "Renai Circulation," viscerally implying Nadeko’s two-faced nature and selfish desires. It’s one of the few examples I’ve seen of a character arc literally illustrated through music, and also just a really great pair of songs.

Finally, my own all-time favorite musical cue in anime comes from, unsurprisingly, my all-time favorite anime: Neon Genesis Evangelion. Specifically, the concluding film End of Evangelion, which turns the series’ slow-building exploration of isolation and self-loathing into a cathartic scream of “I am here.” And yet, when that scream erupts, it’s through the almost tender descending keys of “Komm, süsser Tod” (German for "Come, Sweet Death"). Set against a scene of intimate violence between the show’s principal pilots, "Komm, süsser Tod" acts as a stark counterpoint to the on-screen chaos, like a lullaby set against the end of the world.

The song encapsulates the feeling of transcendent surrender to the infinity that characterizes End of Evangelion’s last act, while its lyrics speak to the regrets of its cast, who only wish they could spend these moments with the people they love. Annihilation, nostalgia, loneliness, belonging, and rebirth, all at once, all captured in song — through "Komm, süsser Tod," End of Evangelion reaches a peak of emotional catharsis I have never seen repeated.

Those are my own favorite musical cues in anime, but there are countless more shows that are elevated through their thoughtful use of song. I hope you’ve enjoyed this exploration of music’s power, and please let me know all your own favorite musical cues in the comments!

Nick Creamer has been writing about cartoons for too many years now and is always ready to cry about Madoka. You can find more of his work at his blog Wrong Every Time, or follow him on Twitter.

Do you love writing? Do you love anime? If you have an idea for a features story, pitch it to Crunchyroll Features!

By: [email protected]

#Anime #News #Latest in Anime News by Crunchyroll!

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thefilmsnob · 6 years

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Glen Coco’s Top 10 Mega Man Themes of All Time!

Can you think of a game that has better music than Mega Man? You can’t because it doesn’t exist. Well, it might, but I’m not really thinking it through. Let’s just say the people who composed the music for Mega Man should all be billionaires and knighted.

Because of my love for Mega Man and the songs that accompany him on his robojourney, I thought it would be swell to list the absolute greatest 10 theme songs from the classic series. It wasn’t easy narrowing the field to just 10 tracks considering this music is better than anything Mozart put out, but I feel like I’ve chosen the best songs and supported my decisions well despite having absolutely no experience in music criticism. You’ll see.

But, that’s neither here nor there. I now present the 10 greatest Mega Man themes of all time. I’ve added links under the entries, so you can drool over the music, as well as three runners up. Omitting these three songs is torturing me, but making tough decisions like this is why I get paid so much for this job hahaha just kidding, no one gets paid to write. Here’s the list:

Runners-Up

Flash Man (Mega Man 2)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_osNdk1mKRs

Spark Man (Mega Man 3)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xP-Yjn1E05M

Tomahawk Man (Mega Man 6)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hz-3Xd43OGo

Top 10

#10. Cut Man (Mega Man)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAeIMQierX4&t=1s

Cut Man’s theme is a great example of early Nintendo music that was more chipper and grainier in a charming way. This song makes you feel excited to control Mega Man and see where the adventure takes you. It’s uplifting, yes, but with a hint of darkness that says, “You can do it, but be wary.” The opening seconds of this song are really choppy, too, which is appropriate for this choppy kind of villain. In fact, the whole song brings to mind a pair of scissors flying around chaotically, slicing the air as they go. The original Mega Man had some great tracks, but this was the most lively and, indeed, the best one of them all.

#9. Plant Man (Mega Man 6)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WN_7Wy0RT00

This song from Plant Man’s rather unique forest stage is pretty complex. It starts out as a pleasant and optimistic tune as if it’s the soundtrack to an afternoon cruise on your day off. You think this carefree lifestyle can last forever, but then reality sinks in and the song breaks down to a very different tune as if the music is telling you, “Hey, listen, it’s not all fun and games. You have work to do.” And then it starts all over again, but now you feel even more prepared to take on the challenges that await.

#8. Shade Man (Mega Man 7)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxSWjJmz1Dk

Shade Man’s theme is both scary and epic. I mean, when is something ever scary and epic? It’s almost unheard of. The song plays in a graveyard/haunted house themed level and it fits perfectly. It starts out slow and eerie, but as it progresses it becomes more upbeat, providing you with that extra boost you need to get past the monsters. If this song isn’t called ‘Mega Man Faces His Fears’ then I feel sad for the creators. You just know this is the anthem Mega Man has in his head while exchanging blows with ghouls and goblins. In an installment with mediocre music and no other entries on this list, ‘Mega Man Faces His Fears’ shines through.

#7. Flame Man (Mega Man 6)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKHVUupbqx0

For a Mega Man theme, Flame Man’s has an unusually long build up. Most of these songs sound like they were written by someone on crack; they start fast and insane and stay that way for 20 seconds until they repeat. This one progresses slowly and it doesn’t seem entirely thrilling at first. It gets a little more exciting and you start to think, “Okay, I’m biting” and then all of a sudden this magnificent chorus hits you like a punch in the face providing an immediate blissful high...much like the high the crack head composers felt while writing the music. The song also has a delightful Middle Eastern influence that matches the level and boss designs.

#6. Splash Woman (Mega Man 9)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7qcJwJfyyk

Splash Woman’s music isn’t an instant hit. In fact, its merits were really only recognized by this observer when he was doing his research for this unnecessary article. But this song gets you right in the heart and soul. It’s a rare Mega Man song that is actually gentle and soothing, but also entirely motivating. There’s even an unusual poignancy during the flute section that produces an unreasonably strong emotional response. After the flutes, the song continues in a similar fashion as the opening, but with a little more urgency. This is a perfect song for an underwater level or if you need to feel like you’re being nurtured by a dear friend or loved one.

#5. Galaxy Man (Mega Man 9)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdDbbzuq1vY

This song is crack cocaine. It’s crack cocaine in music form. It may be the most frantic song in Mega Man history. There’s just so much energy in this one short minute of sound and it takes you places you never thought you’d go. As soon as you’re accustomed to a section of the song and feel like it’s reached its prime, it switches on you instantly and becomes even more intense, constantly pumping you up to battle more spaceships in this crazy outer space level. And, obviously, Galaxy Man requires a theme that sounds futuristic, so guess what? That’s what you get, friend. Just try not moving your head to this sound cocaine. If you say you can, we’re not friends because I’m not in the business of associating with liars.

#4. Wood Man (Mega Man 2)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvAAOmoEftg

That drum solo. That drum solo that opens this song is pure bliss. This is the sound of my childhood as well as the childhoods of about 92% of North Americans and 107% of the Japanese population. If you don’t like that drum solo...you’re an asshole. This gets you pumped up to kill robot tigers in the woods before you even have the chance to move Mr. Blue Boy. Following the intro, there’s a sharp, but exquisite breakdown leading into some of the most pleasing, memorable and inspirational music of the series. Near the end of the loop, the same great melody plays but in a higher pitch with an incredibly crisp sound that feels like it’s coming from the heavens. Ya, it’s slightly repetitive, but beauty on repeat is A-Ok in this guy’s books.

#3. Wily’s Castle: Stage 2 (Mega Man 9)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_K9-SwNBMSY

Where did this song come from?!? Is this Mega Man? This is more of a symphony for crying out loud. The theme has such a different feel and is far more complex than any other song in the Mega Man catalogue, but it’s entirely welcome. A song like this could only be found in Wily’s Fortress. It’s so urgent and magical and screams Nintendo. And, whereas most Mega Man themes repeat after 30 seconds or so, this one keeps going for days and changes drastically throughout as if telling an epic story. There are so many moving parts to this anthem it’ll blow your mind. Fans might overlook the song because it’s tucked away in the ninth game in the middle of Wily’s crib, but this is one of the most unique pieces of music from the series. Who wrote this, a wizard?!?

#2. Metal Man (Mega Man 2)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7y82DgpgrC0

I’m sure many fans would agree, but I consider the first Mega Man as more of a prelude to the rest of the series. It’s a good game, but highly difficult and unpolished, feeling more like an intriguing prototype. To me, Mega Man 2 is the true start of the series and any fan who knows anything about anything knows that you play Metal Man’s stage first. Ergo, this is the theme that introduces you to the world of Mega Man. When you hear this theme, you know you’re about to go on an epic adventure and it sets the tone perfectly, especially if you’re looking forward to playing all the subsequent games. In many ways, it’s the theme that produces the most excitement. At first, it feels like a fairly straightforward tune, but then you start to notice all these delightful nuances beneath the surface. Like metal (ahem) this song is both smooth and choppy and the shifts between the two qualities work perfectly. Altogether, this is an energetic, inspirational and complex tune that’ll pump you up for what’s to come.

#1. Wily’s Castle: Stage 1 & 2 (Mega Man 2)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJRoRt155mA&t=92s

This should be no surprise to fans of the series, not only because it tops so many lists of best Mega Man themes, but because this is quite possibly the greatest song known to mankind. You’ve just defeated all eight robot masters and now it’s time to battle your way through Dr. Wily’s fortress. It’s the beginning of the endgame for the boy robot and this music adds a giant exclamation point. It’s the real deal. The music starts aggressive and maintains that relentless fast pace throughout. There are undertones of doubt in the song that threaten to surface, but the optimism within casts a shadow on any negativity and wins the day. And the frequent shifts in pitch just add to the epic nature of this musical equivalent of intercourse. This truly majestic work of art is inspirational, catchy, complex, and just plain awesome. If this doesn’t pump you up for the rest of the game or series or even life itself, you’re a shell of a human being. I want this theme played at my wedding. Would it be wildly inappropriate? You bet. But this song is so good that I’m willing to ruin my wedding and countless lives just to force it upon the people I love most.

#mega man #video games #video game music #nintendo

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