Beyond the Sea

ALBUM REVIEW
KOKIA - The VOICE

1. Odoyaka na Shizukesa
2. Follow the Nightingale *
3. Ave Maria
4. Todokimasu You ni
5. song of pocchong ~Shizuku no Uta
6. Gomen ne.
7. Lacrima
8. Nani mo Kamo ga Hoshi ni Natte
9. il mare dei suoni
10. everlasting
11. Chiisa na Uta
12. “Watashi ni Dekiru Koto” / Japanese edition bonus track
say good & good day * / European edition bonus track

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Note: Songs with a (*) at the end of their titles have already been reviewed. Click on the links to see their reviews.
Songs in bold are new tracks and will be reviewed.

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This is KOKIA’s 6th album and it was released in Japan on February 20, 2008. A European edition was released later on March 5th. This album reached #42 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it sold 4,653 copies in its first week.

The album quickly begins with the opening acapella vocals of Odoyaka na Shizukesa, an ambient song with a quiet atmosphere and an ethereal arrangement. The music sounded very “new age meets enka” to me because of how abstract everything sounded next to low key strings. The piano felt very eerie next to the hush hush sequences and the presence of the oboe was interesting.

Follow the Nightingale, the only single to appear on the album, is probably one of KOKIA’s most outlandish tracks. Filled with a wide array of vocals and instruments, the song is very complex. The chorus stands out with its reversed lyrics that are sung a very fast pace and bridge shows off the amazing range of her voice which appears in later tracks.

Track 3 is KOKIA’s rendition of Ave Maria, the popular aria composed by Vladimir Vavilov. This is an absolutely spine tingling song that’s solely performed in KOKIA’s opera voice, but without the lyrics and just the melody. This makes it different from the other cover versions. The song definitely focuses more on her voice since the instruments are pretty laid back, save for some piano and ambient beats.

Following Ave Maria is Todokimasu You ni, a slow acoustic based song. This track shows the more vulnurable side of KOKIA’s voice. She sings very gently and there is only a little emphasis into the vocals during the chorus, but even then it still remains calm.

The next track is my least favorite on the album. I found song of pocchong ~Shizuku no Utato be really annoying because of the vocals and repitition. I know that they were meant to be playful but she repeats the same phrases over and over. The song gets faster near the end and I was REALLY annoyed at this point, especially with all the vocal layering going on. So for me, this was the only “bad” song on the album.

I thought track 6 was really pleasant. Gomen ne. is another calming song with minimal instruments like soft drums and acoustics. It mainly focuses on the lyrics which are the about the concept of forgiveness and the vocals. The chorus is excellent because of the high notes that KOKIA easily reaches.

The next song is another ballad. Lacrima (Latin for “tear”) features only an acoustic guitar next to KOKIA’s saddening vocals. Even though this song is a little on the boring side, it’s sung beautifully and it just sounds so emotionally driven.

Finally, an upbeat song! Nani mo Kamo ga Hoshi ni Natte has a nice band arrangement and KOKIA’s vocals sound a little more lower pitched this time. The pace of the music is brisk and I liked that this song gave some life into the album after all of those ballads. Don’t get me wrong, this album contains her best ballads, but I was getting a little bored.

The next track is stunning and an incredibly spellbinding. il mare dei suoni (”the sea of sounds”) is sung in Italian and the only song on the album to contain the electric guitar alongside whipping beats. KOKIA switches from her normal voice to her opera voice at different intervals, showcasing her vocal range. I’m even more amazed the she wrote and composed this song.

Continuing where the previous track left off, everlasting is a calmer, yet gorgeous song that’s performed in English. This has go to be KOKIA’s best English song ever because the lyrics are so heartwarming and uplifting. The music is beautiful too, comprising of tolling bells and sweeping strings. The song is also on the religious side, as she speaks of thanking God.

The next track is also quite positive and uplifting. Chiisa na Uta features an upbeat and cheery piano with some really light percussion. My favorite thing about this song was the chorus, where it had overlapping vocals of the opening phrase. This was another high quality track.

The differences between the Japanese and European editions are slight and depending on what edition you have, a different song closes the album. “Watashi ni Dekiru Koto” is the final track on the Japanese edition and I didn’t really find this song to be all that interesting. It’s an upbeat piano track that’s dedicated to the victims of the Niigata earthquake disaster. I really liked the message of the lyrics though. This song was released as a special tribute single along with Lacrima (track 7) as the B-side on September 16, 2007.

For those with the European edition, you get the MUCH better say good & good day, the B-side from the Follow the Nightingale single. This is one of my favorite songs from her and I find it really catchy with its simple chorus. The electric guitar and drums are excellent too, adding flavor to the music.

The VOICE is a remarkable album and it contains KOKIA’s most unique songs to date. There are some truly insightful songs on here and for the most part, almost all of them are excellent. What the album accomplishes is showing the range and variety of her voice. I could sense this right away from the title. Sure, the music isn’t as complex or involved as in previous albums, but I believe that this was intentional in order for her to perform the various experimental vocal styles heard in many of the new tracks. What can I say? She has the voice to prove it.

Overall Rating

5 stars

SINGLE REVIEW
KOKIA - Tatta Hitotsu no Omoi

1. Tatta Hitotsu no Omoi
2. Umaretate no Shiro
3. Tatta Hitotsu no Omoi (inst)
4. Umaretate no Shiro (inst)

This is an anime single by KOKIA and it was released on January 23, 2007. This single reached #38 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it sold 3,207 copies in its first week. The title track was used as the first opening theme song for the anime GUNSLINGER GIRL -IL TEATRINO-.

Since this was an anime single, it wasn’t released on KOKIA’s normal label Victor Entertainment, but on the anime music label Marvelous Entertainment instead. Neither of the songs on the single will be featured on her latest studio album The VOICE as well.

I liked the dark sound of Tatta Hitotsu no Omoi, a mid paced track with several underlying instruments. There is a dominant string arrangement that flows quietly throughout the song, but the additional sounds like the piano and electric guitar add ambience and more depth into the music. All of these elements come together during the dramatic chorus. KOKIA’s vocals are constantly in motion and never slow down as well. However, I wasn’t really feeling this song after multiple listens. It’s quite underwhelming compared to the powerhouse that was Follow the Nightingale though. The song is still generous to the ears, but not all that memorable.

The B-side is much calmer and uses instruments like the harp and guitar. Umaretate no Shiro has a very natural feel to it, as it makes use of more traditional singing styles and elongated notes. I also sensed a folkish, almost earthy atmosphere in the music when a serene flute came in.

Overall Rating 

3½ stars

SINGLE REVIEW
KOKIA - Follow the Nightingale

1. Follow the Nightingale
2. say goodbye & good day
3. Follow the Nightingale (Original Karaoke)
4. say goodbye & good day (Original Karaoke)

This is KOKIA’s 16th single and it was released on November 21, 2007. This single reached #33 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it sold 4,644 copies in its first week. The title track was used as the opening theme song for the video game Tales of Innocence while the B-side was the ending theme. 

Follow the Nightingale is a wonderful and absolutely mesmerizing breath of fresh air after KOKIA’s somewhat lackluster album aigakikoeru. She utilizes all of her unique characteristics as a singer, songwriter, and composer and puts them all into full effect. The music is very dramatic and it ranges from fast paced string sections to slow, ethereal woodwinds and piano. The music has many faces and portrays several different emotions, all complete with fluent transitions. The chorus is the most striking feature of the song because the lyrics are sung backwards: ATTAMIJAHAHIRA TAGONOMARAKIKOTA is an example of this. She certainly loves to use this unique writing style since it was also used in Cyouwa oto ~with reflection~ and KOKIA is her real name, Akiko, when the katakana is backwards as well. For those who didn’t know, she is trained in opera and it’s huge a surprise that she actually sings using her alto (I think that’s right) voice during the bridge, something that she rarely does. The overall presentation of this song is mind-blowing and can be a little intimidating if you’re not fond of KOKIA or her music.

The B-side is a little more user friendly as it contains a strong band arrangement along with calming strings. say good-bye and good day is a gorgeous song that’s very relaxing, but also has a nice pace. I loved the laid back electric guitar and drums because they just compliment KOKIA’s gentle vocals so well. The music and vocals really reminded me of past songs like Kawaranai Koto ~since1976~ because of a more prominent use of the electric guitar. She still makes everything sound fresh thanks to a catchy and upbeat chorus.

Overall Rating

5 stars

SINGLE REVIEW
KOKIA - Ai no Melody / Cyouwa oto
                              ~with reflection~

1. Ai no Melody (original ver.)
2. Cyouwa oto ~with reflection~
3. Ai no Melody (soundtrack ver.)
4. Ai no Melody (instrumental)

This is KOKIA’s 14th single and it was released on January 1, 2006. This single reached #30 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 9,142 copies. Both A-sides were used in the movie Giniro no Kami no Agido, the first track being the ending theme and the second being the opening theme.

I’ll begin this review with the original or ’single version’ of Ai no Melody. It is an incredibly pretty song that mixes the piano, strings, and several synthetic sounds including a light percussion beat. Even though many of these sounds are synthetic, they sound quite natural and ambient. KOKIA’s vocals are beautiful throughout the entire song, especially during the acapella sequence during the bridge.

The 2nd track is a new version of a song that appeared on her 2nd studio album trip trip. Cyouwa oto ~with reflection~ is a very odd song, but in a good way. KOKIA sings the song using the shima-uta vocal style, which involves a ‘breaking’ of the voice. Shima-uta is a vocal style that you normally hear in traditional Japanese enka songs. The song becomes even stranger around a minute and a half into it when KOKIA begins to recite the numbers 3, 25, 15, 21, 23, and 1. The numbers correspond to the English alphabet and they form the Japanese word ‘cyouwa’ in Romanji. At this point, the Japanese lyrics are sung backwards. It’s an unbelievable song and definitely worth a listen.

The next track is the soundtrack version of Ai no Melody. The biggest difference are the longer instrumentals and a redone bridge (which also contains more lyrics), so it is more than a minute longer than the original. This version of the song appears during the ending credits of Giniro no Kami no Agido as well as its soundtrack.

Overall Rating

4½ stars

SINGLE REVIEW
KOKIA - time to say goodbye

1. time to say goodbye
2. Shiawase no Hanataba
3. time to say goodbye (”duet KOKIA & PIANO”)
4. Yuukyuu no Mori ~My Home Town~

This is KOKIA’s 13th single and it was released on July 21, 2005. This single reached #54 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and charted for 2 weeks.

KOKIA gives one of her best vocal performances in time to say goodbye and the song has one of her best piano arrangements as well. The melody is incredibly bittersweet and full of sadness. Her vocals are the strongest aspect of the song and like I said before, her vocal range is astounding, especially during the chorus and the bridge.

The first B-side is the cheery and uplifting Shiawase no Hanataba. It’s pretty much the complete opposite of the previous track because it is upbeat and features festive percussion and acoustics. KOKIA’s vocals sure are enthusiastic as she yells “YAY” at the end of each chorus.

The next track is the very haunting piano version of time to say goodbye. The original version was already piano dominated but this new version is a little different because the piano chords are stronger.

The final track was used in the NHK children’s program Minna no Uta. Yuukyuu no Mori ~My Home Town~ sounds very mystical and almost has a storybook quality to it. The music is ambient as it relies on more surreal, realistic sounds and it just flows beautifully.

Overall Rating

4 stars

SINGLE REVIEW
KOKIA - dandelion

1. dandelion
2. Boku no Kimochi
3. dandelion (Instrumental Version)

This is KOKIA’s 12th single and it was released on February 23, 2005. This single reached #84 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and charted for 3 weeks.

dandelion is one of my favorite KOKIA songs because it combines modern pop and traditional Japanese enka to create a very unique sound. The opening of the song is a perfect example, where there is a light beat in the music plus a gorgeous low key string arrangement. KOKIA’s vocals in the song are simply amazing. Even though she has a gentle voice, her ability to hold it for long periods of time is staggering.

The B-side is a simple piano ballad. Boku no Kimochi has a very pretty melody and KOKIA showcases the versatility of her voice. I thought this song was very well done and pretty much another example of what KOKIA excels at.

Overall Rating

4½ stars

ALBUM REVIEW
KOKIA - Remember me

1. Prologue “Remember me”
2. Watashi no Taiyou
3. Different way
4. Kawaranai Koto ~since1976~ *
5. Happy birthday to me
6. with music
7. Anshin no Naka
8. Sora
9. The Power of Smile *
10. Clap your hands!
11. I believe ~Umi wo Soko Kara~
12. Daiji na Mono wa Mabuta no Ura
13. ?
14. sigh
15. Remember the kiss (duet “KOKIA & Piano”)

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Note: Songs with a (*) at the end of their titles have already been reviewed. Click on the links to see their reviews.
Songs in bold are new tracks and will be reviewed.

♦ ♦ ♦

This is KOKIA’s 3rd album and it was released on November 12, 2003. This album reached #15 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 45,195 copies.

The album opens with Prologue “Remember me”, a short 1 minute introduction in English spoken by KOKIA. She has a cute English voice in my opinion and her words are really thoughtful and poetic: There is no better song than the one you sing for someone special.

The next track is the laid back Watashi no Taiyou. The chorus is beautiful and KOKIA fully showcases her impressive vocal range. This song was used as the 3rd ending theme for the anime Hungry Heart: Wild Striker.

Track 3 has a nice alternative rock feel to it because of the light electric guitar riffs in the background. Different way features fast paced vocals and this one of her more unique songs.

Track 4 is probably my favorite song on the album. Kawaranai Koto ~since1976~ was my first KOKIA song and I absolutely love it.

The next track opens with somewhat creepy English vocals but aside from that, this is a REALLY good song. Happy birthday to me has gentle vocals and KOKIA’s voice is really serene during the verses. The string arrangement plus the background percussion beat is amazing too.

I was really surprised that track 6, with music, was completely in English. KOKIA’s English is pretty good but you can still hear her accent at the same time. This song was a nice surprise and the piano solo at the end is really good.

Track 7, Anshin no Naka, is another pretty song with a nice piano arrangement, but that’s pretty much it.

Track 8 features a very relaxing harp arrangement and this is probably the slowest song on the album. Sora is almost like a lullaby but much more.

The next track is one KOKIA’s most well known songs because of its TV endorsements. The Power of Smile is really upbeat and the English lyrics are rather cute.

Track 10 has very exotic vibe and this is actually a fun song. Clap your hands! stands out because of its use of Arabian strings and muffled voices.

Track 11 is the epic ballad I believe ~Umi no Soko Kara~. The chorus features excellent vocals and song doesn’t really pick up until the end, where things start getting really good. KOKIA hits the high notes really well and I really enjoyed the background vocals. KOKIA is one of the few artists that can pull off good background vocals.

Track 12 opens with a nice string arrangment and then with a light beat. Daiji na Mono wa Mabuta no Ura seemed like an more ubeat version of the previous track to me.

I REALLY liked track 13. First of all, the song is simply called ? and the chorus is fast paced with catchy vocals. The background electric guitar riffs are back once again and they are as good as ever.

The next track didn’t really do much for me but sigh has a good beat and acoustic guitar arrangement. The end of the song also features nice percussion.

The final track on this album is a complete piano version of Remember the kiss. The opening piano keys are different from the original version but the rest of the song is pretty much the same. KOKIA also starts the song by saying “remember the kiss”.

Remember me is definitely not your typical mainstream J-pop album. In some ways, this album is similar to the material found on Rie fu’s debut album because it has a mix of dramatic ballads and upbeat folk pop songs. Some might find this album to be a little too boring for their tastes but KOKIA has a beautiful and unique voice and that more than alone makes up for it.

Overall Rating

4 stars

SINGLE REVIEW
KOKIA - The Power of Smile
           / Remember the kiss

1. The Power of Smile
2. Remember the kiss
3. The Power of Smile (Instrumental Version)
4. Remember the kiss (Instrumental Version)

This is KOKIA’s 9th single and it was released on September 24, 2003. This single reached #15 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 32,359 copies.

The Power of Smile is definitely upbeat folk pop at its best. This is a cheerful song with uplifting lyrics and it makes really good use of the piano and percussion. I also enjoyed the playful manner of KOKIA’s vocals.

The other A-side, Remember the kiss, is a beautiful piano ballad. KOKIA really shines in this song because she showcases her versatile vocal range.

Overall Rating

4 stars

SINGLE REVIEW
KOKIA - Kawaranai Koto ~since1976~

1. Kawaranai Koto ~since1976~
2. tell tell Bozou
3. Kawaranai Koto ~since1976~ 
    (Instrumental Version)
4. tell tell Bozou (Instrumental Version)

This is KOKIA’s 8th single and it was released on May 21, 2003. This single reached #47 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 25,721 copies. The A-side was used as the theme song for the drama Itoshiki Mono e and the B-side was the 2nd ending theme song for the anime Hungry Heart: Wild Striker.

Kawaranai Koto ~since1976~ was my first KOKIA song and I instantly fell in love with it on the first listen. Her voice has this distinct purity to it and it’s very gentle to the ears. As for the music of this song, it combines piano and small beats with some calm electric guitar riffs and background vocals during the chorus. This is a very beautiful song and it’s a great introduction to the unique music and style of KOKIA. The year 1976 in the song title refers to the year she was born on.

The B-side is the rockish tell tell Bozou. This is a very upbeat song with a fast paced chorus and nice, brisk vocals from KOKIA. I didn’t like this song as much as the first track, but it’s still pretty good.

Overall Rating

5 stars