The Saboteur Script
I'm taking a tiny tiny tiny step tomorrow. It's time to stop wallowing in my little clay hole!
I need a new script
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Monday, September 8, 2008
found you!
Following the melody of this song is like chasing butterflies.
It goes along different threads all over the place, but leaves a pretty yet somewhat vague impression. It's the kind of song that takes you forever to remember the tune, but you know it's a beautiful song and you can recognise it whenever you hear it again.
But after that, you forget what it's like again save for a sketchy idea that it's - erm, well, a nice song.
Or is this the case only for me, what with my goldfish memory?
Erms, anyway, I discovered this song on FM93.3.
P.S I guess this proves me wrong - 93.3 IS not all about Fahrenheit x)
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
And you ask about my obsession with languages?
Honestly, the role of language in songs is understated.
I've never thought much about lingoes until I bought my first CD, which had an "ultra-stylised pop idol with multi-coloured hair which looks oh so pretty that I just had to buy it". Which was a Japanese CD. But, being young, I just listened to it anyway and thus started my (ex)obsession with Japanese. I listened exclusively to J-pop - acts like Ayumi Hamasaki, Utada Hikaru, Otsuka Ai and the like. When I said exclusively, I meant exclusively. I absolutely dissed all Chinese or English or Korean songs. When I hear a new song, once it established itself that it is no Japanese song, some part of my brain filters the rest of the piece out indiscriminately. Until today, I can't explain my (ex)obession. Perhaps it was the three-part formula that nearly all J-pop songs faithfully follows. Or the fact that the chorus NEVER EVER EVER fails to be catchy. Somehow, the language itself just makes the song sounds appealing.
Then I discovered Yoko Kanno (music composer, film scorer, and the likes)
Okay technically she's still Japanese. BUT she absolutely adores foreign languages, it seems. So far, she has French, Italian, Russian, Brazillian ... ... and an overwhelming assortment of made-up lingoes in her works.
On to a live demostration!
This song is composed by Yoko Kanno for Ghost in the Shell (an anime I've never heard of).
Sung by Origa, otherwise known as Ольга Витальевна Яковлева (xD). Honestly, I've never had a liking for electronic/urban songs, but this one is an anomaly. The grungy/mechanical sounds set the mood for a gritty, somewhat uncomfortable tension, which is nicely juxtaposed with Origa's clear and piercing voice. And of course, in Russian! It is a nice choice - the fricative consonants, and just the right amount of nasal sounds~ I can't imagine if Yoko Kanno picked Ilaria Graziano to sing this instead. I think it will sound more like a tea party over the din of construction men (no offence to French - it is a pretty language lalas). I think German or English would have worked too, but Russian is ultra-foreign to me, and that gives it sparkles!
Speaking of Ilaria Graziano ...
This one was for Wolf's Rain. Ilaria Graziano is another vocalist that Yoko Kanno works with a lot, singing in both English and French (which is the case here). French has always sounded to me like a mouthful of hazelnut praline, with all the words flowing into the next in one continuous, smoooth stream. And often interspersed with the stereotypical Frenchy sibilant sounds, like how Fleur goes " zere isn't much to do 'ere, unless you like cooking and chickens!" (credits to gownie for diggin' it out of her seaweeded HP book 6) I think French gives e song this whimsical, quaint quality. Just very, very pretty. Like a tea party in Lalaland.
I've never thought much about lingoes until I bought my first CD, which had an "ultra-stylised pop idol with multi-coloured hair which looks oh so pretty that I just had to buy it". Which was a Japanese CD. But, being young, I just listened to it anyway and thus started my (ex)obsession with Japanese. I listened exclusively to J-pop - acts like Ayumi Hamasaki, Utada Hikaru, Otsuka Ai and the like. When I said exclusively, I meant exclusively. I absolutely dissed all Chinese or English or Korean songs. When I hear a new song, once it established itself that it is no Japanese song, some part of my brain filters the rest of the piece out indiscriminately. Until today, I can't explain my (ex)obession. Perhaps it was the three-part formula that nearly all J-pop songs faithfully follows. Or the fact that the chorus NEVER EVER EVER fails to be catchy. Somehow, the language itself just makes the song sounds appealing.
Then I discovered Yoko Kanno (music composer, film scorer, and the likes)
Okay technically she's still Japanese. BUT she absolutely adores foreign languages, it seems. So far, she has French, Italian, Russian, Brazillian ... ... and an overwhelming assortment of made-up lingoes in her works.
On to a live demostration!
This song is composed by Yoko Kanno for Ghost in the Shell (an anime I've never heard of).
Sung by Origa, otherwise known as Ольга Витальевна Яковлева (xD). Honestly, I've never had a liking for electronic/urban songs, but this one is an anomaly. The grungy/mechanical sounds set the mood for a gritty, somewhat uncomfortable tension, which is nicely juxtaposed with Origa's clear and piercing voice. And of course, in Russian! It is a nice choice - the fricative consonants, and just the right amount of nasal sounds~ I can't imagine if Yoko Kanno picked Ilaria Graziano to sing this instead. I think it will sound more like a tea party over the din of construction men (no offence to French - it is a pretty language lalas). I think German or English would have worked too, but Russian is ultra-foreign to me, and that gives it sparkles!
Speaking of Ilaria Graziano ...
This one was for Wolf's Rain. Ilaria Graziano is another vocalist that Yoko Kanno works with a lot, singing in both English and French (which is the case here). French has always sounded to me like a mouthful of hazelnut praline, with all the words flowing into the next in one continuous, smoooth stream. And often interspersed with the stereotypical Frenchy sibilant sounds, like how Fleur goes " zere isn't much to do 'ere, unless you like cooking and chickens!" (credits to gownie for diggin' it out of her seaweeded HP book 6) I think French gives e song this whimsical, quaint quality. Just very, very pretty. Like a tea party in Lalaland.
(And don't get me started on Italian. With all the wonderful rrrrrrrrrrrrrrolling Rs.)
So convinced yet? But wait! Don't go away with the idea that Germans must sing outlandish rock songs, and French are stuck with sweet numbers o_____o My point is, while each language has it's intrinsic qualities, this DOESN'T mean that they are confined to their niche area. Why else would we need creativity then xD
To prove it, Bratja from Full Metal Alchemist:
German is infamously regarded as a vulgar and uncouth language. But here, the strong sounds of German actually complements the song wonderfully. (if you allow me to be mushy, it shows the unbreakable bond of brotherly love between Al and Ed. Awwww~ xD)
So that! German might not be all about shouting big.
And I haven't got to Asian languages yet! So here I'll have a nifty conclusion: Language does maketh the song~
... ...off to master my rolling Rs ~
P.S the main point of this post was to emphasise that I am over Japanese, but I kinda lost that thread after I started browsing through my Yoko Kanno collection xD
P.P.S ah well you get my point. I'm over Japanese.
P.P.P.S Anyone wants to play bridge with me?
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