Anticipating C85
So I missed the last event or two in terms of Anticipating posts, but I’ve been busy. Now, while a bit stressed I’m a lot less busy in terms of work, and ready to get super busy in terms of C85, which will be the first event I will be going to in person. (I’ve never even been to an anime-themed event in America.)
This post will grow with time and I’ll add in XFD reviews as well.
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Music
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1. 凋叶棕 (RD-Sounds) / 薦 -susume- [*]
1. Shibayan Records / RETRO FUTURE GIRLS [*]
I’m sure you all know how I love, just absolutely love Shibayan’s noise and Nu-Disco.
Retro Future Girls, like Magico Catastrofe centers on Nu-Disco, but has even less of a noise footprint. Shibayan only arranges 4 out of the 8 tracks this time, but izna and LAZ really mix it up. After listening to this crossfade I looked them up and am going to hunt for their CDs on Day 3. Zytokine takes the final track with his hand at Nu-Disco, but while a little out of place, I love itori and I think it closes the album well.
Now for a step by step:
Super Fine Red
Breath clips are fucking sexy. Perfect for an introductory instrumental track. Listening to it’s like an energy charge.
レディメイド・シティライフ “Readymade City Life”
Arrangers like Shibayan can take tracks I think I’m tired of and make me love them. As always with Shibayan, the beat is addictive, and milka (narrowly avoids pun) ‘s vocals capture that girly sparkle Shibayan’s been good at crafting lately.
サクラ クラシュ “Sakura Crash”
Talk about addictive. I already love 死霊の夜桜, but this track escalates. It starts off relatively simple and flares up gloriously – You can’t help but want to dance.
MyonMyonMyonMyonMyonMyonMyon
Can we even call it a Shibayan album anymore without having a Myon track? Looking forward to the lyrics – they should be posted if Shibayan write them… The guitar solo’s great too. I expect a 2-3 minute lead in before the first line of lyrics. Since it’s a 3L track I also expect something crazy to happen near the end.
とびだせ！バンキッキ “Tobidase! Bankikki”
Cutesy dullahan pun overload – this is not t+pazolite right? This will be -really- fun to translate.
Spring Rouge
A good synth track – less energy than Super Fine Red, but this is hitting the calm down arc, and it transitions well.
Desert Years
I love desire drive and I wouldn’t be surprised if the full version ends up being my favorite track on this album. Let us not forget that this yana/Shibayan/cittan* combo has happened before: “Fall in the Dark”
Phoenix
Like I said I think it feels a tad out of place, but itori. ITORI. Looking forward to the lyrics for this one as well.
3. 死際サテライト (Shinigiwa Satellite) / DEAD SILENCE [*] [*]
Shinigiwa comes out with their very first full length album!!!!! This is history in the making!!!!
1. Senketsu Violence
2. [NEW] Kyoukai Dead End (少女秘封倶楽部)
3. [NEW] (上海紅茶館～Chinese Tea)
4. [NEW] Oumei Silence (死霊の夜桜)
5. Boukyaku Dracula
6. [NEW] Chinkon Concerto (幽霊楽団～Phantom Ensemble)
7. Butsumetsu Violet
8. Shousou Genocide
9. Tsuioku Disaster
10. Seijaku Last Dance
There are four new tracks and six remasters, all from from the female vocalist era on.
First of all Senketsu Violence, Butsumetsu Violet, and Seijaku Last Dance are three of Shinigiwa’s absolute best, so while I kind of wish some of the pre-female vocals tracks would show up, I am more than satisfied. Ending with Last Dance was a stroke of brilliance as well.
Let’s look at the new tracks.
Track 2:
I want to think it’s an arrangement of something I’m just not very familiar with, but I can’t be sure. I thought for a split second, Misty Lake from TH14, but it just doesn’t match up enough. HifuHifuHifuHifuHifu/// I can’t wait to listen to the whole track and pick at the lyrics.
Track 3:
I love this, and I especially love that it’s just scraping off bits of Chinese Tea and then running with it.
Track 4:
Part of me thinks this might be original, but I’m not sure. Yozakura! There are faint back vocals and I love it when Ei-seitarou mixes in with Merami/Chikage. “Take me to one last as far as I know, I … take me as far to….”
Track 6:
“As I’m walking into tragedy, so that I get so low, but I know you depend on me, so I wanted to said…
“As I’m walking into tragedy, so can I get so low, but I know you know to make sure, we know – take me away…”
Shinigiwa has the best Engrish lyrics I’ve ever encountered – I think. Half the fun is just trying to piece it together.
3. Altroemeria Records / Decade of Expose [*]
Fantastic. Tradition will hold.
4. 回路 -kairo- / So, All we have (not) created equal [*]
So, wow. Just wow. Kairo’s really moving up. I really liked their last album “Do not distract the eye in the here and now”, and this one’s in the same style, just with even more umph to it.
Just listening to the intro track makes me feel like I’m at some over orchestrated concert’s final act. I’ve taken more and more of a liking to 556t’s voice as well. There’s a good mix of clean and distorted sounds, as well as some growling and screaming where it needs to be. “Sleeping” is just beautiful. This is another album I’m looking forward to for the lyrics as well.
4. Foreground Eclipse / Stories That Last Through The Sleepless Nights [*]
Review Pending.
4. Demetori / le Grimoire De reve [*]
Awaiting XFD. I’m sure I won’t be disappointed though. IT IS AVAILABLE NOW. LISTEN!
5. 東京アクティブNEETs / 東方爆音ジャズ５ “Tokyo Bakuon’ Jazz 5” [*]
To be honest, I’m a little more interested in picking up #4 rather than #5, because I love TH6 music more than TH7.
That said, I love these guys. I’m actually going to their Jazz live after the first day of Comiket. TH7 also means Cheeennn, Alice and smooth Youmu-chan.
6. サリー Sally / バチ “Bachi” [*]
Awaiting XFD.
7. Applice / Dear Dead Doll [*]
The XFD is not exactly in line with the track list, but this is an impressive line up. Applice joined in for Pizuya’s Visitandine and there’s a similar feel here. Godwood’s guest arranging/playing for a few tracks as well.
I’m not sure if it’s the 4th or 5th track in the XFD, but favorite part of the XFD starts at 1:30 and continues on to 2:03, but I also really like the part just before it from 1:00 – it reminds me of Visitandine.
7. Adam Kadamon / サーカス “Circus” [*]
Awaiting XFD.
While we don’t have the XFD yet, we do have the entire 3rd track to listen to. コア (Core).
It’s great, but I’m not exactly sure if you could call it a representative track, as it’s mostly a Sally track with Tamari vocals – it’s the only track on the album not arranged by カミヤシロ. However, I still have high hopes for it. I like Tamari and Adam Kadmon’s last album was pretty good. (Though the TsugumixAdamKadmon one was better, I think.)
7. ZYTOKINE / I, Scream [*]
Itori, itori, itori. I was going to put this further down the list until itori started singing.
Really though, I think it’s a solid ZYTOKINE album, balanced, and it utilizes that allstar vocalist cast.
I’m still not all that familiar with TH14’s music, but I think the beat fits.
10. Pizuya’s Cell / Grand Guignol [*]
10. flap+frog / Stereophonic Remaster + Remixes [*]
I’ve always wanted to and always had trouble getting my hands on anything by flap+frog, but I’ve been addicted to their crossfades pretty much every time I run through one of these Anticipating posts, so now I’ll take this opportunity to catch up as much as I can.
It’s really good low key jazzy-electronic music.
10. Casket x 荒御霊 (Aramitama) / No Crap On Tap! [*]
Holy mother of god…
Via Shibayan link following I ended up here.
Aramitama goes way out avant garde / experiemental bordering on incomprehensible most of the time but apparently it’s him, plus Escarmew, the “Irish Pub” arranger from Casket.
By the way, that’s a Voile arrangment.
Holy mother of god…
10. Mistery Circle / [*]
14. T.Piacere / con spirito [*]
15. Riverside / Château Bleu [*] (SJIS)
16. ESQUARIA (Lydia Grave) / Reproduction [*]
17. 子猫奪回屋 “Konekodakkaiya” / Opposite ～幻想怪奇譚～ [*]
18. halozy / TOHO R&B HOUSE Party Vol.2 [*]
19. 梶迫小道具店 Cajiva’s Gadget Shop / M33 [*]
20. monochrome-coat / ID [*]
20. EastNewSound / Spectral Rejection [*]
21. Pizuya’s Cell / 金刀比羅宮弐阡四佰 (Kotohiragu 2400) [*]
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Non-Touhou Music
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1. pastyle / Break the Moratorium [*]
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kafka-fuura 