Kaya - Glitter

By Jinx_Gemini

Artist: Kaya
Release Date: 12/27/2006
Type: First Solo Album

My Rating

Music 8/10
Clean vocals 8/10*
Length 7/10
Songs 8/10

Overview

*Kaya uses his voice very different here than from his early work. Maybe I sometimes think that his songs can become abit "eurovision-like", but he does have a good voice.

I’m so "inlove" with this artist and have been awaiting songs from him for 2 years! All in all there are 9 tracks, where 3 are re-mixes. None of them instrumental which surprised me abit after the Another Cell release, but really thrilled me!

The theme of the album seems to be a mixture of masquerades, mystique, beauty and of course decadence. Which seems to be the most important factor in Kaya’s portration of his art right now.

The album is built up very well, and if you care to really, really listen to it. It does take you through a nice journey. But I think it’s to short. It’s almost only a couple of songs away from being a maxi.

The sound might be abit "compact", you sometimes struggle abit to separate the various sounds and instruments.

Review

My first real critisism with this album is that they include only the remixed version of the original single songs. I understand that if the songs weren’t different, that everyone would be waiting for the album and not buy singles, apparently. However, I do believe singles can include other things to make them attractive, so that they can include the real songs on the albums. With that said...

Track Listing

1. Kaleidoscope -glitter mix-
Kaleidosope...as it says on the album, lol, I presume he means Kaleidoscope as it says on the website. Anyway, this song was a hughe disappointment to me. I loved the original version so much. I was amused that they seemed to have picked up some inspiration from Edvard Gried’s classic piece "Dovregubbens Hall" from the theater picece "Peer Gynt" from 1867! Maybe unknowingly, but still. In the original version it starts out with violin (by Asuka Muraoka), which I think the japanese artists are amazing to include in both electro and rock, and it sounds awesome. However, In my opinion, the album version sounds "cheaper" than the single version. But the song is really catchy and Kaya is one who knows how to find a "hook" in his songs to make you go and hum on them for the rest of the day.

2. Walkure
Hora strikes his genious over this song and it starts out with kinda "heavy" synths, which I really like. I find that electro should work your pulse up and make you want to dance. Hora knows the recepy way to well. The chorus is great! And I sung it out loud long before I knew what it meant, so I’m glad it wasn’t anything naughty. The beats drives all the way through this song, up-tempo and is therefor one of my favourites.

3. Paradise Lost
Kalm is behind the music here. He seems very found of violins and uses it regularly. I think this compliments Kaya’s voice and his theme very well. This is one of the songs where Kaya prooves he has one of the better voices. It goes really high and is clean. I would love to hear this man sing live!

4. Psycho Butterfly -Nightmare mix-
This track is one of the remixes, by Kalm once again. A catchy song, but has some dead bits which many appreciates, just not me. I haven’t heard the version on Nightmare so I unfortunately cannot compare them.

5. Masquerade -fabulous night mix-
Violinist Asuka Muraoka makes a guest appearance in this song as well, music is by Kalm. This is one of the more different songs on the album. It’s like this song breaks with the athmosphear so far on the album. It has a swing beat to it and I have respect for the different way of melody here. It’s daring and amusing. Abit Twin Peaks-like, mixed with Las Vegas show style.

6. Rose Jail
This is one of the most hot songs on the album, in my opinion, it’s sad but beautiful. And I could hear that it was Hora who was behind the music when I heard it first time. And it’s abit amusing that apparently Kaya was quick to get this song of Hora before anyone else did. It starts out fast, intense and uses repetition in a way that makes you wish you were in the middle of a steaming dance floor in Tokyo, or better...at Kaya’s One Man Show. One of my favourites, Hora never seems to fail me.

7. Silvery Dark
Music by Kei Suzuki. After Rose Jail’s intense ending, beautiful piano leads you gently into this gourgeous BALLADE! I was abit surprised with that. Once again Kaya proves the amazing range he has to his voice. It’s one of the longest songs on the album, so if ballads aren’t your thing, you might get abit bored. But me, I really do love Kaya genuinly! (I make you a little nautious now, don’t I)

8. Glitter Arch
This is a good up-beat song that gently wakes you up from Silvery Dark. Although, this is one of the songs that really can remind a european of the Eurovision Song Contest. Kaya does not really put his voice into any particular challenges here. But it’s a really happy song and should be appreciated for what it is. I would imagine it’s a fun song to have towards the end of a concert to see the fans faces. It surprised me that Hora is behind the music, but I think this song has really good lyrics.

9. Hydrangea
Because if the nature of Glitter Arch, this track almost becomes like an extra-number. It’s not a ballad, nor a real dance number. But, once again you’re lured into that masquerade like world Kaya has created and you might feel longing or haunted, depending on your mood. Me, I felt like a marionette doll, haha. The effect put on the voice to make it sound like eccoish and hollow, creates a feeling of being in someones dream. Kaya proves how clear his voice is once again and certainly makes japanese into one of the prettiest singing languages in the world.

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