はい、お待たせいたしました、カトラでございます！
Experienced the late coming "wokashi", I'm never surprised by that caTra is delayed for a month(, and even laughed out when I saw this deja vu).
Somehow, the actual songs are just like what I expected after seeing the cover image. I know it's almost impossible for me to take more explanation.
☆━:*:━☆━:*:━☆━:*:━☆━:*:━☆
To be honest, the regular booklet is totally helpless, as this entire CD is not sung in regular language. Fortunately, it has a second booklet to reveal more secret inside.
→ something reminds me "the keeper's diary", but this one is more "serious", well written and without any "nostalgic" fragments.
→ something reminds me "the keeper's diary", but this one is more "serious", well written and without any "nostalgic" fragments.
Reading this doesn't tell me much more on the songs though (the way of expressing date and time can't stop me thinking Fatal Frame 2's stone-radio). It's a good spin-off. -- So caTra is been studied as a kind of lost technology. The story begins when a researcher is sent to study a tower of some kind of historic ruins.
All stories originate from a tower, look at Ar Tonelico, "Saihate no Tou" (album by Haruka's canoue unit), Legasista, etc...
All stories originate from a tower, look at Ar Tonelico, "Saihate no Tou" (album by Haruka's canoue unit), Legasista, etc...
Except the simple puzzle and a hidden arrangement of "Rasen no Namida", the actual "liner notes" are more of my interest.
But, don't only put bpm and time information, also let us know in what key each song is written!
But, don't only put bpm and time information, also let us know in what key each song is written!
☆━:*:━☆━:*:━☆━:*:━☆━:*:━☆
I just can't write a real review seriously!
-- and there is indeed something more than simple quotation from the another booklet.
-- and there is indeed something more than simple quotation from the another booklet.
File1 : ヒト型式PF試奏例α
The true introduction. It made me laugh immediately. A capella sung in nothing but note names (someone, or when I have time, should transcribe it into a full score because I don't see any intention from Akiko to publish them as sheet music). Would be superb if being performed on a pipe organ!
So far I've mostly only listened to Noriko's crystal clear a capella. Akiko's is definitely of a different style, which brings my mind to nowhere but the Classical and Baroque eras -- especially the second half, when the tempo begins to raise (I tried to move my fingers, and a simple conclusion is, impossible.).
This song captured my heart and is my top one.
So far I've mostly only listened to Noriko's crystal clear a capella. Akiko's is definitely of a different style, which brings my mind to nowhere but the Classical and Baroque eras -- especially the second half, when the tempo begins to raise (I tried to move my fingers, and a simple conclusion is, impossible.).
This song captured my heart and is my top one.
Concept: the most caTra-ish song.
The subtitle is "気が狂うまでドソミソ / The Do-sol-mi-sol that drives you nuts".. lol
Accidentals aren't sung the same as their corresponding naturals (a human being just can't do it under a high bpm).
The subtitle is "気が狂うまでドソミソ / The Do-sol-mi-sol that drives you nuts".. lol
Accidentals aren't sung the same as their corresponding naturals (a human being just can't do it under a high bpm).
File2 : エルーシア
"Elshia(?)" has a meaning of "Release", indicating that from the material to the spiritual world → Ar Tonelico 2!!! (# ﾟдﾟ)
To emphasise such between two worlds, and even errors during signal transmission, there're quite a lot of mismatched chords, that the mixing engineer even worried about it. But after learning everything is well plotted, he "happily" added more "dangerous" effects.
File3 : 螺旋の涙
Once was planned to be included in "Haikyo and Rakuen", but was released in orgel version in "Petits Fours".
"Petit Fours" is almost my second Akiko album after "RAKA" 9 years ago! So I have special love to it. "Rasen no Namida" is for sure one of my favourite piece, and I always wished it could be longer (not so much desire as how I wanted vocal version of "otoshimono" though).
And here, an even more gorgeous vocal arrangement arrives!
"Petit Fours" is almost my second Akiko album after "RAKA" 9 years ago! So I have special love to it. "Rasen no Namida" is for sure one of my favourite piece, and I always wished it could be longer (not so much desire as how I wanted vocal version of "otoshimono" though).
And here, an even more gorgeous vocal arrangement arrives!
Concept: Opera house with no or invisible audience; a lonely-playing antique gramophone behind the screen, under the spotlight.
The ending is arranged to introduce the next "kiokaito" (which means something outside of my recognition...).
The ending is arranged to introduce the next "kiokaito" (which means something outside of my recognition...).
File4 : キオカイト
In typical Akiko style that I can't have much "new" thoughts. .__.
But I like the middle part, when it gets more powerful.
But I like the middle part, when it gets more powerful.
Concept: the "reflection" of caTra. Memory from the past, energy of the nature. Near the end's out of memory energy -> end of playback... Reading more of the text just leads my mind to the dusk world, from Atelier series. orz
And I have no idea what the researcher is claiming during 1:18~1:38 -- 普通の言葉で喋てください！！（笑）
File5 : 試想/想起/起動
Nice Shiritori!
Seeing the title, I tried to continue it right away. Although I can't recall what words I used, I soon ended it up with a wording ending with "n".
This song was based on motif of the ocean, from an illustration by the same person who drew for caTra. While "Rasen no Namida" was the piece derived from the same illustration → they're paired songs.
Seeing the title, I tried to continue it right away. Although I can't recall what words I used, I soon ended it up with a wording ending with "n".
This song was based on motif of the ocean, from an illustration by the same person who drew for caTra. While "Rasen no Namida" was the piece derived from the same illustration → they're paired songs.
☆━:*:━☆━:*:━☆━:*:━☆━:*:━☆
Another "Rasen no Namida"
I do prefer this version for no reason!
Accessible until May-10, 2016. A puzzle-solving is required (can't be more straightforward though).
Accessible until May-10, 2016. A puzzle-solving is required (can't be more straightforward though).
☆━:*:━☆━:*:━☆━:*:━☆━:*:━☆
It's obvious based on how much text I had, that "alfa" and "spiral" are my impressive favourites.
But is that only me who thinks "catra" and "rosta" are super suitable names for your cats?
-- but too late mine have already been named.. I'll use them for my future cats (right, my dream is to have 4 cats!)!
-- but too late mine have already been named.. I'll use them for my future cats (right, my dream is to have 4 cats!)!