J-Pop idols may be dime-a-dozen, much like any country’s pop stars. But, get the right composers, performers, and producers involved, and you’ll occasionally make something with enough appeal to make it worth talking about.
The Crest of Knights album from vocalist Ayane that I’m reviewing is actually more a “triple” than a single. There are no b-sides. At least, not in my opinion.
The first track, “Crest of Knights,” is the theme song for Chevalier Saga Tactics, imageepoch’s PS3 RPG. Excellent percussion and secondary/harmonic vocals are found throughout. This is just a tight, tight bit of polished pop-rock. If you’re okay with super-manufactured stuff that still manages to sound awesome, you’ll like this one. Lo-fi elitists stay away (that’s sort of a rule for J-Pop).
The second track, “GO->Love&Peace” is the ending track for Neptune Mk. 2, Compile Heart’s RPG that manages to take consoles and game developers and turn them into girls. Or robot girls. I didn’t quite follow that part of it. But I know Ayane’s song is very catchy. Put it in a rhythm game (DDR or DJMax Fever being my preferences) and it’ll get played way more than the latest remix of “Butterfly” or “Max 300.” I can get my nerd-dance on to this piece.
The third track might be my favorite, though it’s for the game I know least about. Ore no Kanojo wa Hito de Nashi (“I don’t need your boyfriend” is my rough stab at a translation) is a digital novel / graphic adventure from Whale. The song Ayane provides for the game, “Fullmoon Rhapsody,” is terribly catchy. The fast tempo, the semi-predictable melodies, the wild synths running circles around the percussion, and the epic chorus—that’s how you build a hit, my friends!
I’m not saying you should run out and buy this single, but if you’re interested in any of the three aforementioned games, it’s worth your while to pick up this disc. You’ll get two more fun, spirited songs with it. And if you seek out the Limited Edition, you also get a bonus DVD with two tracks: a video for “Crest of Knights” and a preview trailer for Neptune Mk. 2 featuring “GO->Love&Peace” as the backing track.
