reaching back, this is without a doubt the best ost track of 08
Diamond Crevasse
Sheryl Nome starring May'n
Macross Frontier OST1 Nyan Furo
japanese
2008
imeem
lyrics
first id like to note that the "so and so starring so and so" format the japanese use is for when a fictional character owns/sings the song. of course that isnt actually true, so the name of the person who is starring is the actual artist, with the first name being the characters. i guess its their way of being cute and paying homage to both the series and the artist (double promotional benefits?), but its something you see fairly often.
typically i like songs and themes from dramas rather than anime just because of the nature of the programs. dramas often tend to be more serious, are higher budget, involve more known artists, and overall just seem more pertinent - but ill make an exception here.
this track is from the series macross frontier, an anime given a ridiculously large budget to commemorate the macross franchises 25th anniversary. while the series is entertaining, the musical orchestration and songs (done by the legendary yoko kanno, who also composed and arranged this track) are far more impressive. the amount of effort put into the soundtrack honestly seems larger than that toward animation and story; involving at least three notable vocalists, the composition of lyrics, and orchestration.
diamond crevasse itself is put together fantastically. its your typical "reminiscent of love" theme, the lyrics are partly average and partly amazing. the words were chosen carefully to both match in rhyme and rhythm, which isnt always easy to do while preserving the meaning. also as usual the lyrics dont repeat themselves too often, and the songs overall layout isnt too rigid or predictable.
the arrangement is also another dual-element creation. its both ethereal, light, and mystical - during the opening and introductions; but also very very present at times - during the chorus and refrains, with the help of a progressive bass sequence. a key feature is that the lyrics and orchestration as a whole harmonize with one another very well.
the three things i like most about diamond crevasse? first, the three note sequence the song opens up with. the notes change but the theme continues through the track and really fits the mood well. next, the opening verse; the words are just cool. lastly, the arrangement used in the chorus (and closing development) where every other line is paired in a "6 syllables to the beat" syncopation. its actually more like 6-6-5-1, but you can listen for it if you want, they repeat themselves through the last third of the song and make it flow nicely.
lastly, id like to note that may'ns voice is unusually full for your typical japanese vocalist. especially for one that has anything to do with an anime.
the biggest pitfall of talking about a song from a series is that you usually become more emotionally attached to a tune/track because of the series itself; or at least within the context of the story, characters, and so forth. therefore its sometimes more difficult to relate to these kinds of songs, but they definitely grow on you.
Labels: diamond crevasse macross frontier best ost 08 japanese