Sorry I’m a bit late to the party, I was busy and waiting for the physical album to arrive. I’ve given it one listen so my thoughts might not be super coherent but I’ll also give some updated thoughts on the songs that reappear in the track list.
Overall Thoughts:
The promo image made me think that we’d see a larger picture of Hikaru, there’d be more of that paint and we’d see the full outfit, so I’m a little disappointed with the cover art especially the regular edition.
No extra booklet coming with the limited edition is disappointing as well
While I enjoy that Hikaru branched out with composers more, I wish she kept writing more of the lyrics. I like it when artists write their own lyrics because it feels more like their song and Hikaru’s lyrics added a lot of character and a feeling of connection with her through the songs. I hope she doesn’t go down the route of continuing to only let people write lyrics for her songs.
I’m a bit let down by the new songs, I only love one of them lol.
I like the new route she’s taking, most of these songs sound different that stuff she’s done before and it’s a nice break from the samey stuff from her last few mini albums. Even though I’m sad there weren’t more dark or epic songs in this album, it’s really just my personal preference.
Altern-ate- (7/10)
This song is interesting in some ways, I really like the verses and the bridge especially. The arrangement is quite epic and I love the choir in the beginning and the strings section near the end. I like how the lyrics incorporate both lines from within the anime with 「二人で一つ」(the two of us become one) and 「この物語の集約じゃない」(I am not the protagonist of this story) as well as the actual Gleipnir norse mythology. Hikaru really did but a lot of effort into these lyrics and they’re so interesting. The main strings riff however is a little boring and the chorus is also quite bland. There are also a couple of moments in the studio recording that I go ‘okay Hikaru you didn’t want to do a second take?’ like the ‘nazo wa tokenai mama’ and parts where she was obviously straining her voice but at this point I expect this is every Hikaru song.
Rasen no Mayu (螺旋の繭) (6.5/10)
I don’t mind this song, it sends like a very generic pop-rock song. I like Hikaru’s low notes in the verses and the chorus is growing on me with each listen to be honest. The subtle additions of two harmonies is a nice touch but the chorus is honestly my favourite part. The instrumentation and arrangement is honestly kind of generic and forgettable, nothing much to say about it. I like the song fine but it’s probably the most forgettable out of all the new songs.
The Sacred Torch (4/10)
This song is just kind of... okay? I don’t mind the verses and I like the urgency of the the pre-choruses but the chorus is boring and bland. The flavour of this song isn’t really my thing and it’s definitely my least favourite A-Side in all of H-el-ical//’s single’s thus far. The final 「灯かかげ」 sounds cool but Hikaru sounds very strained in that part as well. Also why do the strings sound midi? Can they not afford actual strings?
Ambient Border (6/10)
Are those midi strings again? Ugh. I love dramatic songs in musicals and this definitely gives me that vibe. The verses are boring but I like the chorus and especially the bridge (mostly the line ノイズと残響酸性雨の中で錆び付いた) it’s very dramatic and feels like it could be in the climax of a story. Similar to Rasen no Mayu, the instrumentation and arrangement is nothing to write home about and neither is the song really. I feel like I’ll enjoy it more if I hear it in the context of the musical.
YES NO (イエスノウ) (8/10)
This song is so 80′s it’s so great. The combination of electronic sounds and the guitar phrases are very funky and I love the sound. The chorus is great but the bridge is so sexy, definitely my favourite part. Hikaru’s low notes in time with the bass and cowbell in the background and then the guitar comes back in? Sounds great. The piano solo was also great. This is a great song to dance to and it’s one of the sexiest things Hikaru’s ever sung. I have this song’s rating as an 8 because while there are lots of things I like about this song, I don’t think there’s there’s anything I LOVE about it.
Kanashii Kedamono (カナシイケダモノ) (9/10)
My favourite song in the album. The guitar riff and chill vibe caught me immediately then Hikaru’s singing in the pre-chorus successfully got me in. It sounds similar to YES NO but I feel like it’s more dramatic. The bridge though??? The melody is so good, and the arrangement and instrumentation of the lines 「震えるまま ありのままの」 is so dramatic I love it. The arrangement isn’t anything super interesting, but I like the guitar in the verses and the horns in the chorus, none of it sounds midi so I love it. The last chorus is especially great. Definitely my favourite.
Kawaisou da yo (かわいそうだよ) (7/10)
Hikaru’s singing in this song is mostly great, she conveys a lot of emotion in the lyrics, especially the line 「I hate youでも逢いたくて」sounds very raw. The breathy way she sings in most of the song makes the final chorus with its key change more impactful in my opinion. The arrangement is nothing to write home but I like the sound of the shirt it was very nice. The lyrics are nice as well, they’re more raw than anything else Hikaru’s sung and it’s a nice change. I really wanted to love this song but it just reminds me of too many other generic J-Pop ballads (in my opinion) that I can’t fall in love with it. It’s one of those songs that I only like because Hikaru’s singing it I guess.
disclose (8/10)
I remember I fell in love with this song the first time I heard this song, it was what I always wanted in a Hikaru solo song and it’s still really great. The arrangement is interesting and dramatic, I love how Gushimiyagi contrasts the arrangements between the verses. The instrumentation in this song is heavy and impactful and the addition of sound effects and occasional midi choir in the background really adds to the effect. Hikaru’s singing is very strained in the chorus but I think it adds to the desperate feeling the song is going for. Similar to other songs Gushimiyagi has composed, the chorus is my least favourite part. Repeating the same two notes over and over again isn’t really interesting to me. But overall, love this song.
clea-rly- (7.5/10)
I still love the heavy rock feeling of this song, it suits Hikaru very well. I love the arrangement of this song it’s so cool and the added electronic elements add rather than detract from the arrangement. Again though, the verses and pre-chorus are the best parts (except for the bridge cause the way Hikaru sings 「感覚を味わいたくない？」is soooo sexy) and the chorus is just boring because it’s just the same phrase over and over again like STOP. I like the idea of Altern-ate-’s single songs being from the perspectives of the main protagonist even though I hated the show. Anyway, This song is a lot of fun and I really like it, even if it can sound a bit basic.
JUST DO IT (4/10)
I actually like the chorus the best in this song, it sounds more dramatic and less cheesy than the rest of the song (even if it’s a bit repetitive). I guess I’m against the very premise of this song because I’ve heard what the anime’s about and it’s so stupid lmao. The rest of the song isn’t really my cup of tea, the technological electronic sounds fit the tone of the show but I don’t really like them. The english parts of the intro and outro are so cheesy I can’t handle them. Overall, IMPOSSIBLE LOVE is better go listen to that.
landscape (5.5/10)
I like the verses of the song, the guitar phrases are really calming and give a very atmosphere to the song, the strings in the second verse are also lovely. I don’t mind the electronic elements of the song but the chorus isn’t really my thing. I like how experimental and layered this song is, but it’s interesting but also boring at the same time. If they entire song was like the verses I would probably like the song them a lot more.
pulsation (English ver.) (5/10)
The only real thing to talk about with this version is the lyrics and some of the new arrangement choices I guess. I don’t mind the English lyrics, but the way Hikaru chose to space the syllables in the line of ‘The sky is so blue’ always bothers me, like why did you decide to speed ‘the sky’ together then extend ‘sky’ when you could just sing ‘the sky is’ evenly, like it fits... Also the way ‘anymore now’ is extended is so strange and kind of interrupts the flow of the song in my opinion. The arrangement changes are interesting if a little overwhelming and obnoxious (in the case of the bridge). This version is a nice alternative, but I prefer the original.
Favourite Songs: Kanashii Kedamono, YES NO, disclose
Least Favourite Songs: JUST DO IT, The Sacred Torch, landscape (not including pulsation (English ver.))
I THOUGHT IT WAS SOME JOINED EVENT BUT IT'S A LABEL! GO GO KANA! HE MADE HIS OWN LABEL I'M SO PROUD!
He says he wanted to support bands who have a dream and be free to do as they please with their band, without sloppy pay and the power harassment he experienced in BP Records.
I swear if Kiryu, Codomo Dragon and Royz don't switch labels now they're missing out. They got the money to do it if they so wish it. And 500万 is 5 million right? It ain't a bad capital. That's about 30-31 thousand euros. Koi/Gold fish had been cooking, ugh! <3 How do you like him now, BPR?! I can't believe the guy one would least expect to stand up and make a change did make a fucking change. First he sued the company and got his money back, then dealt with his trauma, made a new band and then made his own label. Like the fucking king he is!
Kana's new band Kaihouku gives me 2010s vkei vibes. The vocalist needs a bit of work but still, my goodness, their sound makes me nostalgic, regardless.
flumpool 「解放区」 Kaihouku
La chanson est assez géniale, j'adore l'énergie qui s'en dégage. Il y a un côté rock avec un belle mélodie derrière. C'est vraiment ne bonne chanson à écouter je trouve. Avec flumpool, c’est rare qu’on soit déçu ! Le clip est par des aspects assez étrange et originale entre les grosses lèvres, les enceintes qui bougent et l'afro sur une statue gréco-romaine. En tout cas il est quand même bien réalisé et la partie animée est badass.
