Listen to and get info about random Yuki Kajiura songs... with over 1000 compositions, there are plenty of overlooked pieces, so here's hoping to introduce you to a new one every day!
The anime itself might be a little on the not-so-deep side, but the music definitely makes up for that! This track starts off slow and deep and ominous, and moves into something dark and epic as it progresses, all because of the way the melody on the strings becomes higher and higher pitched with more and more harmony and complexity. It really shows that even in simplicity, so much can be achieved if done correctly.
On most every OST Yuki Kajiura does, there is a beautiful piano and violin piece. This is that piece for .hack//LIMINALITY, and I think it's one of my favourites of these types of pieces. It is rather melancholy in feeling, however, it also lifts me up somehow at the same time.
Title: Open Your Box From: MADLAX OST 2 Track: 3 Vocals: Fion Language: Kajiurago
Lyrics (thanks to Canta-Per-Me): ranma yavari yera rama ranma yavari yera sama ranma yavari yera rama ranma yavari yera sama
ranma yavari yera rama ranma yavari yera sama ranma yavari yera rama ranma yavari yera sama
marria perdo yora la casa adoche yama lia yora miia madala ii si canta
ranma yavari yera rama ranma yavari yera sama ranma yavari yera rama ranma yavari yera sama
ranma yavari yera rama ranma yavari yera sama ranma yavari yera rama ranma yavari yera sama
This song is quite awesome, and also a lot different from a lot of Yuki Kajiura's songs. Without the violins, without the higher pitched vocals in the main section, with the more straightforward rhythms, it gives a very different atmosphere to the compositional style we've all gotten so used to. It's a little different, and it's good.
The Aquarian Age soundtrack is not one I am terribly fond of, and I have the same feelings for the Noir and .hack//SIGN soundtracks. Why is this? I feel Yuki Kajiura's music has progressed greatly over the years she has been composing. Her choruses are richer, her instruments have more emotional impact, and the overall picture is much more coherent than on these older soundtracks.
That being said, this is an enjoyable song, considering when it was composed. In fact, it's not just enjoyable, it's good. The song starts out slow, with a vocalist (Kaori Nishina, perhaps? I can't find credits for it, but she sang the other songs, like the well known Zodiacal Sign.) singing subtlely in and out between the instruments.
Title: Human Tool From: Erementar Gerad OST Track: 6
No song link available because I don't actually put them on Youtube, hahaha.
So, since I don't have a link to this song for you, let me try to describe it: heavy piano chords in the bass clef with a dark violin melody atop it. Lots of key signature changes, yet always in a minor key. Percussion reminiscent of the El Cazador de la Bruja OST. Only 1 minute and 15 seconds long, yet still pretty awesome.
This song reminds me a lot of Love Pain from Le Portrait de Petit Cossette, yet without the heavy guitar and bass, and with a more El Cazador de la Bruja feel to it. It's a great mix of a lot of various elements, and it's both simple and complex at the same time. Simple because there's not really a lot of instruments doing a lot of different things, complex because of the key changes and the constant syncopation. Another unsettling song.
Title: We've Got to Believe in Something From: Xenosaga III: Also Sprach Zarathustra - Disc 1 Track: 3 Vocals: Tokyo Konsei Language: Kajiurago
Lyrics (thanks to Canta-Per-Me): amensa ikagaya iri ista rikagari keresta amaya ikeresta iki ita iyamane irisa ayana ime enka iri ista ikagaya irisa amaya ikeresta iki ita isayane hasa idita amari kata
amensa ikagaya iri ista rikagari keresta amaya ikeresta iki ita iyamane irisa ayana ime enka iri ista ikagaya irisa amaya ikeresta iki ita isayane hasa idita amari kata dita amari kata
dita amari esta dita amari kasa
I always forget about the Xenosaga OSTs, even though they're some of the best work I think Yuki Kajiura has done. This is a good example of that - actually, this entire OST is a good example of that. From this epic song to Godsibb, to the slower and more solemn Hepactica, the music is big and orchestral and everything that she's famous for.
What makes this song the amazingness that it is is that it starts out on the same epic scale that it ends. The orchestral compositional work is amazing from beginning to end, and when the vocals are added, it only heightens what is already an amazing piece of music.
Kara no Kyoukai movie 6 is out in Japan! And the OST is floating around the internet somewhere...
Picture being screwy and not always working.
Title: M24 From: Kara no Kyoukai movie 5 OST Track: 22 Vocals: Hanae Tomaru, Tokyo Konsei, Kalafina (at the time: Wakana, Keiko, Hikaru, and Maya) Language: Kajiurago
Lyrics (thanks to Canta-Per-Me): adiya samiya deita adiya samiya deita
saramiyi adari sora imiya
katidihara ikata tadiha ata imiya adeiha kati amiya sorti amada diya
diya amariya aya
ama samari iya ama sama iya
adiya atisama
What a way to end Kara no Kyoukai week, with an epic song from arguably the most epic of the 5 subbed Kara no Kyoukai movies. Musically, this is a remix of the ending theme, Sprinter. However, it also goes back to the main Kara no Kyoukai theme in the second half, after some amazing piano work in the bass clef. Anyway, it has great choruses, great orchestras, and is fast paced despite the slower melodies.
Starting tomorrow, back to normal, no themed weeks planned for awhile.
Title: M01+02 From: Kara no Kyoukai movie 4 OST Track: 1 Vocals: Kalafina (at the time: Wakana, Keiko, Hikaru, and Maya) Language: Kajiurago
Lyrics (thanks to Canta-Per-Me): salalimaiya kon soledia solte imiya delta salalimaiya solte idiya marti amida kuo
salalimaiya kon soledia solte imiya delta salalimaiya solte idiya marti amida kuo
estoni
ilelche imiya
hajimiya ivita
salalimaiya solte idiya marti amida kuo
estoni
ilelche imiya
mita
salamiya amia
diiya iya abita
salalimaiya kon soledia solte imiya delta salalimaiya kon soledia solte imiya delta
This is a remix on ARIA, which was the ending theme to this movie. It's actually a little funny, how much of ARIA it uses. At one point, in the actual song, the melody's line ends with "ARIA ga hibiita," and you can actually hear in this instrumental remix of it the background vocals going "ARIA ga... biita" (except it sounds like Kajiurago so it was transcribed for the lyrics as such... haha. But if you listen to it and know that the melody is that, it definitely sounds the same). Sometimes I wonder if someone could take this entire OST and make a perfect instrumental of ARIA from it. (If anyone does that I will love them forever!)
Anyway, I personally owe a lot to ARIA, for being the song to grab me back into my Yuki Kajiura obsession that has been off and on for the past few years. It taught me what Kalafina was, which got me interested in the FictionJunction songs besides Yuuka's. So anything related to ARIA... I obviously love! And as far as remixes go, this is a fantastic one, heavy on the vocals, but then switching up at places for the woodwinds or the strings. And the sound effects are really atmospheric sounding, adding a lot to the overall emotion and feeling of the song.
I could go on forever about ARIA and the remixes on the OST here.
Title: M19+20 From: Kara no Kyoukai movie 3 OST Track: 14 Vocals: Hanae Tomaru Language: Kajiurago
Lyrics (thanks to Canta-Per-Me): Esta dori Note noiye Dae vite idia sate ivia lanota dama
sate ivia no dama te ita idia aeatta ate ivia sate via via via
(Esta dori Note noiye)
This song starts out simple enough with the piano intro, and perhaps it's going to be a softer song, but then it explodes in vocals and guitar and it's a bigger piece. I'm not really sure what to say about this one, it's just so amazing that I can't really put words on why or how. Everything just works together so well, the guitar, the violin, the vocals, the piano, everything.
Title: M18 From: Kara no Kyoukai movie 2 OST Track: 17
The second movie, until the end, is a lot slower in the pacing, so it's understandable that the OST for this one is a lot of more delicate piano and orchestra based songs in comparison to the previous movie's OST depending more on the vocals and complex orchestral work. This song is a good example of that delicate feeling. It's pretty, it's slightly repetitive, and it fits the atmosphere well.
Kara no Kyoukai movie 6 comes out in Japan on DVD July 29th! This means a brand new Yuki Kajiura OST comes out on the same day - so exciting!
Title: M12+13 From: Kara no Kyoukai movie 1 OST Track: 13 Vocals: Kalafina (at the time: Wakana and Keiko) Language: Kajiurago
Lyrics (thanks to Canta-Per-Me): astiya miya sita isi mite ita
The entire Kara no Kyoukai series? AMAZING. There are no words that can express the complete magic of this entire series. Anyway, each movie pretty much has its own theme (the fourth and fifth were remixes of the melody and instrumentals of their respective ending themes), but the first movie's theme is done in bells in the M12 part of this track. The M13 part of this track is the overall Kara no Kyoukai theme, that's shared throughout the seven movies. This track is a good picture of the overall feel of the series and the music throughout the five OSTs that have been released so far. Here's hoping Yuki Kajiura does as amazing of an OST on the next one!
Despite being such an amazing collection of music, it can be said that this track's fault is the same as its strength, and persists throughout the entire collection of OSTs - not once do we get an actual song from this OST. We get snippets, we get combinations, and all in all it is little more than an exact lift of the music from the actual movie, second by second. In animes such as Mai-HiME, the main fighting theme, Mezame, was cut and remixed over and over, but the original is absolutely breathtaking. There is no "original" on these OSTs. However, if you like a particular cut of a song, you'll get that exact same cut on the OST, like this one. It's a very interesting way to do an OST, but it doesn't give much variety nor coherent tracks (some of these tracks are 10 seconds or so!)
Anyway, Kara no Kyoukai is awesome. As is its music, despite its faults. Check back every day this week until the release for more Kara no Kyoukai music awesomeness! Personal Rating: 9 out of 10
Title: Love Pain From: Le Portrait de Petit Cossette OST Track: 6
One thing I really like about Yuki Kajiura's compositions is her mix of rock with classical elements, and this song really shows that off, even without the vocals. What could have been a simple song has turned into something deep and complex with the heavy bass and guitar that's featured in this song. It evokes very dark emotions, which works very well with the crazy dark mindfrak of an anime it was composed for. The violin part breaks up the time signature well with its syncopation, and it leaves a very unsettled feeling in me whenever I listen to it. A masterpiece of sound.
Title: Salva Nos II From: Noir OST Volume 2 Track: 7 Vocals: Yuriko Kaida Language: Latin
Lyrics (thanks to Canta-Per-Me): Dominus Deus exaudi nos et misrere exaudi Dominus
Dona nobis pacem et salva nos a hostibus Salva nos, Deus
Dominus deus exaudi nos misrere Dona nobis pacem Sanctus, Gloria
dona nobis pacem et dona eis requiem inter ovas locum voca me cum benedictis I’ie jesu domine dona eis requiem dominus deus sanctus gloria
A remix of the song we all know and love from Noir, Salva Nos. This one is slower, more melancholy, and has a bit of a darker feel to it than the original. The echoing on the vocals is extremely haunting, especially when I remember the context of this anime and that it was likely played during a gunfight or, knowing Bee Train and how they handled this anime, a flashback. Anyway, it's a good remix, gives a different feel from the original song without being a different song entirely.
Title: The Place of Eternity From: El Cazador de la Bruja OST Volume 2 Track: 14 Vocals: Yuriko Kaida, Fion Language: Kajiurago
Lyrics (thanks to Canta-Per-Me): sortinu ha e sortinu ha e nestinu ha e nestinu ha e
sortinu ha e (sortinu ha e) sortinu ha e (sortinu ha e) nestinu ha e (nestinu ha e) nestinu ha e (nestinu ha e)
sit, yumera kasa deasaara yumera kasa deasora imita sora deanora
imeria yumera kasa deasaara imera kasa deasora imita sora deanora
imeria yumera kasa deasara imera kasa deasora imita sora deanora
nestinu ha e nestinu ha e sortinu ha e (sortinu ha e) sortinu ha e (sortinu ha e)
sortinu ha e (sortinu ha e) sortinu ha e (sortinu ha e)
sit, yumera kasa deasaara yumera kasa deasora imita sora deanora
imeria yumera kasa deasaara imera kasa deasora imita sora deanora imita sora deanora
sortinu ha e sortinu ha e nestinu ha e nestinu ha e sortinu ha e (sortinu ha e) sortinu ha e (sortinu ha e) nestinu ha e (nestinu ha e) nestinu ha e (nestinu ha e) sortinu ha e (sortinu ha e) sortinu ha e (sortinu ha e)
This song is absolutely gorgeous. I would LOVE to see this one done in one of Yuki Kajiura's Lives. It's almost completely driven by vocals throughout the whole thing until it switches up to the melody being played by a flute about a minute in, but then it does go back eventually. Anyway, it has the same feel as the entire El Cazador de la Bruja OST, that slight bit of a Latin feel, but it's not as evident in this track as it is on, say, "Cazador del Amor".
I can't remember much about the character of B.T., except that she had long hair and hated most people - which is a lot like me, so I really thought her character was pretty awesome. And not only was she awesome as a character, the theme music Yuki Kajiura wrote for her was amazing. I have no idea why she wrote such a dark piece for B.T., especially in comparison to some of the other pieces, like Mimiru's theme, but it works, I guess. As a song, it's brilliant, with a beautiful violin melody on top of the piano. Whenever I hear this song, I can never remember what it's from, but I remember that I really like it. Which is enough for me.
This song really makes me smile, in the midst of an anime that made me want to gauge my eyes out, with the exception of a few scenes. I can't remember when this song plays, exactly, but I'm sure this song made whatever horrible scene it was much much better. Yuriko Kaida sings beautiful harmony with herself in Kajiurago, and it's extremely calming, I think. But then it breaks down for a time in the middle at about 2 minutes in to a darker sound with the chanting that's more common of the .hack//SIGN OST. It's nice to hear a mix of all the elements that made me fall in love with Kajiura's music, the epic vocal harmonies in a fake language, the piano work, and even the darker breakdown in the middle.
