Shine, Bright Morning Light

This is Fake Wings by the outstanding Yuki Kajiura, composed for the anime series .hack/sign, and usually heard when we see Subaru back in Carmina Gadelica. It's one of those tracks that, once heard, will never be forgotten, especially the vocals with their simple but evocative lyrics.

Here it is presented simply, with just an image of the Fiction album cover, wherein the song is featured. Someone really ought to do a compilation of Subaru scenes (minus sound) to this as a backing track. It ought to be brilliant...

Twilight's Key

It's now February, it's twilight as I write this, so I think it's fitting that we should have a different video of the heart-achingly beautiful Key of the Twilight (by the musical genius Yuki Kajiura, featuring Emily Bindiger's main vocal) from the .hack//sign anime series.

This compilation of (mostly new to this 'blog) images and scenes includes the upside down castle and the special Chaos Gate that leads there, some good Aura (now awake!) moments, that excellent close-up of Subara turning her head in the breeze, and Macha sacrificing herself (quite an emotional moment in the story) to the Guardian/Morgana...

The World – Live!

This is the highly evocative scene-setting intro for the gaming world of the .hack//sign anime series, followed by the glorious song that goes with it, here performed live. It's yet another of the amazingly talented Yuki Kajiura's excellent compositions, with the lady herself on piano, and her four-lady singing group Fiction Junction performing the vocals.

Although I don't think the ending is done as well here as it could have been, overall this is still another of those powerful yet haunting themes from this series, all thanks to Yuki-sama...

A Stray Child

Another haunting song, once again featuring Emily Bindiger as vocalist, that comes from the .hack//sign anime.

Just right for the evening of Boxing Day, I think...

Gentle Dawn

That (Yasashii Yoake) in Japanese)  is the title of the closing theme to the .hack//sign anime episodes, and here it is in a 'clean' form – without the credits or anything else, so no English words this time.

That omission, though, doesn't matter this time: just enjoy this original performance of the song by See-Saw and the closing sequence, which – though relatively simple visually – is highly effective in its context, and rounds out each episode very well...

Key Of The Twilight

If you enjoyed (or were simply amazed by) the first .hack//sign offering, here's another 'twilight'-related song in the same vein but distinctly different as well, with multi-part vocals by Emily Bindiger.

This song is featured in the background of parts of the first and second episodes, by the way...


Here are the words, again by Yuki Kajiura...

Come with me in the twilight of a summer night for a while
Tell me of a story never never told in the past

Take me back to the land
Where my yearnings were born
The key to open the door is in your hand
Now fly me there

Fanatics find their heaven in never ending storming wind
Auguries of destruction be a lullaby for rebirth

Consolations, be there
In my dreamland to come
The key to open the door is in your hand
Now take me there

I believe in fantasies invisible to me
In the land of misery I'm searchin' for the sign
To the door of mystery and dignity
I'm wandering down, and searchin' down the secret sun

Come with me in the twilight of a summer night for a while
Tell me of a story never never told in the past

Take me back to the land
Where my yearnings were born
The key to open the door is in your hand
Now take me there
to the land of twilight

In The Land of Twilight, Under the Moon

This anime theme comes from .hack//sign (yes, that is its actual title, including the dot at the start!) and is truly amazing, here accompanying some powerful scenes from the anime.

The multi-part vocal is, I believe, by Emily Bindiger, as for the next of these I shall be posting (this evening), who performed a total of ten songs for the series. There are also several others not featuring her, by See-Saw alone.

Do share these journeys with me, and play these anime-related videos: you are probably in for a brand new experience – or several. This one is even better in headphones, I found...


Here are the full song's words, by Yuki Kajiura...

in the land of twilight, under the moon
we dance for the idiots
ring-around-the-roses, jump to the moon
we sing with the castanets
 
Who will sing for crescent moon
dancing with the castanet
as the end will come so soon
in the land of twilight 

I will sing for crescent moon
dancing with the castanet
as the end will come so soon
in the land of twilight

now you are watchin' us outside the circle
wanna be in the company
boy, but you are lonely
dance with nobody
run away child, to your hiding place

high and loud, the sound of your bell of the twilight...ringing..
all alone, it rings and echoes in the twilight

in the land of twilight, under the moon
we dance for the idiots
ring-around-the-roses, jump to the moon
we sing with the castanets