Well, for the first time, I'll be making a detailed analysis for one of Akiko Shikata's albums, this time, for her most recent one: Harmonia.
This album has as main theme a Gaia Symphony (in comparison to Navigatoria, whose theme was the Stars, and Raka, whose theme was the Moon), divided in songs dedicated to each one of the four elements: Wind, Fire, Water and Earth. Simply put, it's a praise to all the faces of the elements, both light and dark, and their unification for the sake of the world (this last part is my own interpretation of it). Now, on to a detailed description of each track:
1)
調和～風来の調べ～ (Harmony ~ The Melody of the Breeze ~ )
As an opener for the album, and for the wind songs, we have this short but beautiful piece of music. It opens with a little chorus in an unknown language, and after it, the singing for the japanese lyrics commences, giving the image of being in a faraway place, feeling and hearing to breeze come by, and closing off with a silence. It helps a lot to relax, though it clashes a little with the beginning of the next song.
2)
遥かなる旅路 (A Faraway Journey)
Then, we go on with this song, which tells the story of a group of desert travelers. With a decidedly arabian style (complemented by the turkish and arabian lyrics, and by the instrumentation used in it), it really gives off the feeling of traveling through the desert, seeing images of an oasis, and of the towns that they visit. It's really recommended to hear it during a journey :).
3)
軌跡 (Locus)
Though I think that this song serves that purpose better. This song, with a rhythm that shifts between quick and slow, and using flutes, violins, and Akiko's beautiful voice as instruments (yes; I do consider the human voice as a musical instrument), sounds perfect for an epic movie, and its lyrics, written in Japanese and Greek describes the character of the wind, the spirits that control it, and the blessings of the seasons. Between the wind songs, this is my personal favorite.
4)
風と羅針盤 (Wind and Compass)
And bringing closure to the wind section, we have this song, which, sincerely, sounds pretty off Akiko's classical style, since it sounds more like standard J-Pop than anything, but is not a bad song either. Basically, it's a love song, though the rhythm and instruments make one think more on flying through the sky crazily while searching for something, and I think that it shows pretty well the capricious character of the wind. This song uses German and Japanese in its lyrics. Personally, I think it's a good song, but I feel it inferior to the previous ones.
5)
調和～焔の共鳴～ (Harmony ~ Resonance of the Flames ~ )
And as opening to the fire section (or as I call it: the Hell), we have this piece. Here, we begin to see a little of Akiko's "dark" side, since this song is played with a synth and electric guitars, and the instruments, combined with Akiko's semi-low voice register, it gives a quite creepy feeling, ending in an abrupt form. Like the wind part of Harmonia, this song uses Japanese and an unknown language in its lyrics. If I have to say anything, I would say that this song is basically a welcome to both the Hell and the Purgatory (you'll be seeing now what I mean with this).
6)
埋火 (Buried Flame)
And here, we actually start with the dark things. Basically is an alternative rock song, though the lyrics are quite scary: it talks about how useless are the wars that the humans wage, and that it would be better to destroy everything in the world and start over. The rhythm varies a lot during the song, and Akiko shiftes continually her voice between her medium and hard tones (though the hard tone doesn't sound as masculine as the one she uses in Sublimation ~ ee wassa sos yehar); with an small instrumental bridge near the end played with a violin, which is the only true calm part that this song has, and I feel that the song in general sounds a little like some of the songs from ALI Project. Frankly, I think that the combination of Japanese (written more in katakana than in hiragana) and German are perfect for the lyrics of this song. Really it's a song filled with dark feelings (as a fun fact, the lyrics were written by Amano Tsukino / Amano Tsuki, from Fatal Frame fame), though not as much as...
7)
レプリカール (Replicate)
This one... Between the fire songs, this is the one that has by far the most dark and depressing lyrics. The song is mostly played in a slow and paused way, using majorly an string synth, accoustic guitars and piano, though in the main choruses and other parts the instruments are electric guitars, and the rhythm shifts suddenly in them. The song is stable until the end of the second chorus, where it looks like it was ending. However, here I have to say: "If you thought that this was the end, you were sadly mistaken. The true horror is just beginning", because here is where to most creepy part of the song is located (the "instrumental" bridge): after a couple of vocalizations on Akiko's part, and a sound effect that sounds like if the entire Earth was moaning, they begin: extremely creepy choruses; and the rhythm and melody of the music really are enough to scare anyone (not to mention the lyrics). About the lyrics, they show the image of a world that was completely destroyed, in which no one survived except for one person, and Akiko's voice, shifting between her sweetest tone (sung in Japanese mainly), and her hardest tone (mostly in the Italian choruses), really shows the pain of being that only survivor, reminiscing continually the day the world ended, and how, even though there warnings to it, no one did anything to avoid it. And the final choruses sound like an indirect to some of the awful events of our world ("Replicate (repeat), why? Why do the chains of sadness never end?"). Is recommended listening to it, given that it's a great song, but careful if it's not your style of music, given that it's extremely depressing.
8)
うみねこのなく頃に～煉獄～ (When the Seagulls Cry ~ Purgatory ~)
Well, Replicare has the darkest lyrics, but this song, a remix from the main theme song of the popular murder mystery visual novel "Umineko no Naku Koro ni" ("When the Seagulls Cry"), is the one that has the darkest and most chaotic music. At first, it begins like the original version of the game (except for the lyrics): to be more exact, the initial chorus is the same as the game version, and the song itself, until the first chorus, has the same instrumentation and is played in the same exact key as the game version (except for some added distortion sounds and choruses), while the "Beatrice!" chorus is taken as it was from the single version (though it had a little chorus added, as well). The parts after this are completely new, but once here, the song turns into a complete chaos, and personally, I hardly can continue listening to it, given that the lyrics are pretty dark as well. These were the reasons I had to say that this song feel like a walk through Hell, though it's very appropiate, taking in account that this song closes off the fire section. This is the only song in the album that uses a non-Japanese language for the entirety of its lyrics (Italian). It's very good, but personally, I'll stick to the version of the single, and the original version that was on the game, since I prefer songs that have an stable melodic structure, as opposed to the chaotic ones.
9)
調和～泡沫の子守唄～ (Harmony ~ Lullaby of the Bubbles ~ )
And now, we begin with the section that is my favorite by far, the water section. From hell, Akiko transports us to the depths of the sea, with a song that really gives the sensation of being floating over, or being under the water. Extremely soft, relaxing, with a soothing chorus, and with Akiko using both her sweet and medium voice registers, it really relaxes, making it that the song actually honors its title. Plus, the lyrics praise the virtues of water, and its role as origin of all the lives of this world. Between the four Harmony songs, (not including the complete version here), this is my favorite one, and it's also one of my favorite songs from the album (and I think it was very well planned to put the water section immediately after the fire section, since the relaxing effect of the water songs is amplified after listening to the fire ones).
10)
久遠の海 (The Sea of Eternity)
And continuing where the last song took off, we have this song played with guitars and violins. Like the previous song, this one is focused in relaxing and healing the listener, and continues with the praising of the ocean as origin of the life, and requesting from it strength to face the sadness and the hardships. It evokes the image of gazing to the sea at dawn, and its sung in Japanese with an small Italian Chorus. And like with the previous song, and the next one, I can't avoid crying since the lyrics and music really move me, and help me a lot to settle down my mind. Is one of the songs I recommend the most to everyone.
11)
アオイロ缶詰 (The Blue Can)
This song has a ballad style, and is very gentle. Basically, Akiko tells you that, no matter how sad you might be, don't cry, and smile, that all the beautiful things in the world, stored in a blue can, will go and console you. The playing of the violins and piano used in this song, combined with the soft and sweet voice in which Akiko sings this song really enhances the sentimental feeling it provokes, and it helps a lot to leave sadness behind. The lyrics are completely in Japanese, and it also goes into the list of my personal favorites.
12)
追想花 (Flower of Reminiscence)
And as closure for the water section, we have a very melancholic section. Is played totally with string instruments, in a slow rhythm, with Akiko using her middle voice register, and it gives the sensation of missing a lot a person that you love a lot, but not have seen for a long time. Contrary to the other water songs, this one is not relaxing or healing, but that doesn't make it any less good, though personally, I like better the other three water songs. This song is also completely sung in Japanese.
13)
調和～大地の讃歌～ (Harmony ~ The Hymn of the Earth ~ )
And as opener for the final section of album, the earth section, we have its part of Harmonia. This one has more of Akiko's classical song style, keeping a constant rhythm throughout the song, and it uses classical guitars, and more chorus layers that the previous songs. As the other Harmonia parts, is sung both in Japanese and in an unknown language. Is pretty good, and very energizing.
14)
謳う丘～Salavec rhaplanca.～ (Singing Hill ~ The Sacrifice of Rhaplanca ~ )
And here we have the song that for many was the most expected of this album: the full-size remix of the Ar tonelico II Opening: Singing Hill ~ Harmonics FRELIA. For starters, it doesn't have anymore the opening chorus that Harmonics FRELIA had, and the similiraties between both start around half-minute after the beginning of the song, where the quintuple chorus sung in Risshizentsukuyomi starts. Then, the song follows more or less the structure of the original version, telling the story of the town of Lelentas, Rhaplanca, and her guardian knight. However, after the first chorus ends, the rhythm of the song begins to shift, reaching its climax once the choruses begin to turn violent, and in this point, the song sounds awfully similar to Sublimation ~ ee wassa sos yehar. And after an small pause, it takes again a calm rhythm again, and closes off in the same way it started. The story told in this song (in Japanese and Hymmnos, as expected) tells that Rhaplanca was chosen as a sacrifice for the God of Disaster, and that her guardian knight fought as much as he could to save her, but because he managed to do it, the protection the God of Disaster gave to Lelentas vanished away, which allowed its neighbors to invade and destroy it. Personally, I don't think that this Rhaplanca is the same one from the legends that were told in the Hymmnos songs of Ar tonelico II, and this song, contrary to Harvestasya's story, had a very tragic ending. However, that doesn't change the fact that it has turned into one of my favorite songs, and I recommend it wholeheartedly.
15)
Amnesia
And here, we have the long version of a somewhat old song of Akiko, but a not very known one: Amnesia. The lyrics are melancholic, but is very enjoyable, and the tone of the song itself it's pretty soft, and the sound of the ocarina, piano, and the other string and percussion instruments make this song somewhat emotional, but at the same time, strangely relaxing. I personally prefer the original version, although it's short, it has something that I can't determine, but that the long version has missing.
16)
調和～Harmonia～ (Harmony ~ Harmonia ~ )
And here, we have the first of the two namesake songs of the album. It begins with a soft sound, to then hear Akiko chanting the melody of the four previous songs of Harmonia combined, and a little moment later, she stays in silence, handing said melody to a trio of recorders. I personally love this part, since there is a certain medieval charm in that recorder trio, and as soon as it ends, Akiko begins to sing, sometimes strongly, sometimes softly, the song proper: a song made up from the combination of the four Harmonia songs, and that's not all: the first four blocks of lyric are also the lyrics of each one of the four Harmonia songs. After that, she alternates the melody of the four Harmonia with a new one, both praising Harmonia: the song that unifies the elements, and makes possible the existence of the world. Then, the song closes with a little of synth... though that doesn't mean that it's the end...
17)
Harmonia～見果てぬ地へ～ (Harmonia ~ To the Neverending Lands ~ )
Since the song continues here, and after an small instrumental pause, which serves as bridge betwen the previous song and this one, Akiko begins to sing again in a middle tone, giving us the image of a new dawn, and letting us hear what she calls the Song of Origins / Beginnings. Then, she continues singing, accompanied by guitars, percussions, and violins, in a middle-paced rhythm, to give the final praise to the four elements, and asking to Harmonia this: that it keeps the elements unified, and that it resounds to the ends of the world to unify the people, like it did with the elements. And with this, this wondeful album comes to an end.
Final Words:
I was expecting this album since the date when it was announced, and I'm glad to say that I have enjoyed it immensely. Even if I haven't been able to gain a complete liking for the fire songs, I have enjoyed each second, each note, and each sung part I could hear here, though I was somewhat peeved by the fact that none of the songs of this album used a harp in it (something I would have loved in the water songs). Akiko Shikata-sama has done an splendid work yet again, and I look forward to hearing her next works (especially the complete version of the teaser song she released with the first press of this album, Acqua; and whatever she might be planning for Ar tonelico III, in case it does get released).
Final Score: 10/10
Personal ranking for her comercial albums:
1st place: Raka
2nd place: Harmonia
3rd place: Navigatoria.
