![]() The pre-chorus brings to the spotlight synths, with the dreamy lead being quite prominent in this song from this point on. This is the kind of song that makes me want to spread my arms on top of a convertible during summer and enjoy the freeing, adventurous vibe that comes with it. The guitar riffs are fun and unrestrained, something that is rare in Saito’s music. “SPACE TRIP” kicks off with a relaxing sound that is freeing and happy. There is a deeper meaning to this song, one that is uncovered in this CD, creating the perfect bridge between the pure darkness of “my beautiful valentine” and the duality of the human condition in “Yin/Yang”. But at the same time, it feels like a new beginning, the creation of a “paradise” by the ultimate protagonist in this EP (that you will find in the hidden track). The voice tone is far off alluding to “paradise”, and the music is not even there. There is still a tiny bit of surrealism left in the instrumental, remnants of “my beautiful valentine” but the nods to the past are something that throws me off in terms of interpreting this song beyond what is expressed in its lyrics. Is this “paradise” just a guise for a “dream”, a prominent concept in the past two CDs? When “Rakuen” wraps up, you’re left wondering what is that paradise he is talking about. ![]() It is hauntingly beautiful and genius of Saito with the nods to past songs as well as bringing things he’s mentioned many times he wanted to incorporate in his music – the banjo/mandolin and the accordion – while hinting at the future (or being really obvious about this being the end of a fantastic chapter in his career that includes the critically acclaimed CDs “in bloom” and “my beautiful valentine”). It’s almost as if “Genjitsu” married “Waltz” but the end sound is all about capturing the vibe that “Epilogue” has. Tension rises, and he powers his way through his gentle mid-tones until… the chorus kicks in and Saito goes all out with showcasing his vocal range and technique in the chorus completely performing it in head voice.Īs a result, he brought clarity and beauty to this performance that comes as unexpected. The lullabyish tone in which Saito is performing in the verses is no more. The performance in the verses is deliberately gentle and measured in a way that it feels like a lullaby however, what awaits you in the chorus will make you drop to your knees. It feels weird and it shouldn’t but then again, it’s Soma Saito I’m talking about… if it feels weird, that’s because it is meant to feel weird. On top of it all, the piano and accordion both greet and send you off to the next journey. The drums march their way through the song as the bassline punches its way to freedom in quite an intense way. ![]() The chorus brings a dramatic trombone and violins to form an emotional strings quartet with the viola and cello. There is drama, nostalgia, and melancholy all in the same quantity in this song from the instrumental to the performance.Ī guitar and mandolin slowly add depth to this song, being joined by a viola and cello as the song gets closer to the chorus. Instrumental-wise it has shades of The Killers’ “exitlude”. ![]() In a way, this song reminds me of Radiohead’s “Creep”, especially in the way that Saito is performing the first part of the 1st verse (and a tiny bit of the intro melody on the cello is eerily similar). It feels final although the tone should be celebratory. This is actually the end of a chapter and the beginning of a new one. If you dive deeper, everything starts making sense, and the sound gets darker and feels final. Certainly, this paradise is a guise for hell or you’ll be in for a ride that will sink your heart by the end of it.Ī dramatic cello leads the way as a melancholic piano melody embellishes the background, looping in the background, painting it with nostalgia. “Yin/Yang” opens up to the funeral-like tune “Rakuen”, song released to celebrate his 5th anniversary as a solo artist by singer-songwriter extraordinaire Soma Saito.Įmbracing the theme of “paradise” is something that sounds contradictory by Saito’s standards, at least on a quick approach. Genre: Alternative rock/Hard rock/Emo-rock Tracklist: 1 - 楽園Ħ - mirrors Track by track analysis: 1 – 楽園 (Rakuen)
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