Newsgroup: it.arti.musica.rock.progressive
Titolo: akira?

hallo to everybody
sto da poco approfondendo questo meraviglioso genere musicale, quindi in
pratica ne so poco o niente. se sarň off-topic, non l'avrň fatto apposta
quindi scusatemi.
AKIRA il cult anime-movie di katsushiro otomo ha una stupefacente
soundtrack, qualcuno l'ha mai ascoltata? si puň definire prog???

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E' la Akira Symphonic Suite, di Geinoh Yamashirogumi (spero si scriva
cosě). 
Anche a me piace molto, e penso che la si possa tranquillamente
ritenere prog; infatti ricordodi aver letto il nome  Geinoh
Yamashirogumi su una lista di gruppi prog giapponesi su questo ng.
Io non so altro, tempo fa ho provato anche io a chiedere informazioni
ai guru del  newsgroup, ma senza risultati :-((
Ciao


Ho ascoltato la colonna sonora di Akira perchè me l'ha proposta un mio amico
amante degli Anime e che possiede il CD; oltre al fatto che mi è piaciuta
moltissimo sono d'accordo pure io che si possa definire prog.
Anzi il mio amico me l'aveva proposta dicendomi che assomigliava al genere
che di solito ascolto io (ogni tanto ai miei amici propino un po' di prog,
non fa mai male) ed effettivamente aveva ragione.
Il pezzo che preferisco è quello finale, Requiem: veramente molto bello.
Marco Squonk
(togli PROG dall'indirizzo e-mail)


cut
in che lingua è cantato sto disco?
DP

 ha scritto nel messaggio
news:3mKP7.88$X_3...@twister2.libero.it...
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E' praticamente strumentale, ci sono un paio di pezzi cantati da un coro, ad
esempio il requiem: poche frasi, un po' in latino un po' in giapponese.
P.S. scusa se non mi sono fatto riconoscere alla prog night, colpa del fatto
che hanno chiuso la sala durante le prove per poi aprirla poco prima del
concerto quando c'era già ressa e del fatto che è finito tutto molto tardi e
siamo scappati subito.
Non sono riuscito nemmeno a guardare il banchetto di Raul.
Cmq scommetto che durante le prove tu eri dentro :o)
--
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 Cmq scommetto che durante le prove tu eri dentro :o)
ehm ehm......dovevo relazionare matthias su certe cose.....diciamo così :-)
DP

tnx...etichetta? si trova in italy?
SM Records. Un po' di tempo fa lo si trovava nei negozi, io l'ho visto
alla Virgin, ora non so...

 ha scritto nel messaggio
news:ift01u8d54r6p1ij8...@4ax.com...
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Confermo.
Akira - Symphonic Suite O.S.T. (Cd audio - TW - 1989)
Sm Records
Codice: Cdakira1
Anche io l'ho vista al Virgin Megastore della mia città, inoltre la si può
trovare presso i negozi specializzati che trattano anime e manga, dovrebbe
costare sotto le 30.000. Il mio amico possiede la versione di una etichetta
americana, che però ormai è introvabile.
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Comments:
This a unique and special album. The soundtrack for the Japanamation film
Akira (which I will not pretend to be an expert on) was commissioned to
Geinoh Yamashirogumi, a vocal ensemble first organized in Japan in 1953.
With this album, their classical/traditional/ experimental stylings were
fused with modern electronics ... and the results are quite impressive.
Moreover, the album also incorporates quite a bit of a Balinese gamelan
influence, thereby causing the merger of styles to become even more
pronounced. For those interested in mergers of style, this album is
essential.
The songs on the album cover the development of the Akira narrative, wherein
the tragic hero, Tetsuo, is transformed into a diabolical monster by the use
of mind-altering drugs and various previously latent powers, eventually to
to destroyed out of necessity by his former allies. One need not be familiar
with this narrative, however, to appreciate the music on the work.
The album begins with "Kaneda", featuring the sound of "deep urban thunder"
as the rival factions of Neo-Tokyo prepare for battle. This is followed by a
gamelan development, electronic drums, and vocals appearing in chanted form.
These vocal lines shifts regularly in a pre-established pattern, creating a
curiously balanced approach to the scene at hand. This piece is not very
long, however, and is merely a preamble to the primary narrative.
"Battle Against Clown" is very much in the tradition of Balinese gamelan
works, featuring very fast percussion merged with martial vocal chants;
while this piece was probably intended for visual accompaniment, the music
itself is still quite impressive (though not necessarily easy to listen to).
The melody which emerges as the piece develops is surprisingly gentle,
creating a very unusual contrast to the primary sounds featured around it.
Even more curiously, the piece is able to radually and subtly shift to a
more atmospheric tone, which eventually comes to dominate the piece -- for
such internal diversity at a very high musical level, it would be difficult
to grant the work anything other than the highest possible rating.
"Winds Over The Neo-Tokyo" is perhaps the least good track on the album, if
only by virtue of being the least developed track on the album. The track
begins with an atmospheric introduction, as well some very high notes on the
percussive scale; reversed drum sounds soon follow. The intent of this work
is obviously to convey a feeling of bleakness, and it quite succeeds -- the
only problem is that, from a purely musical standpoint, the stark nature of
the piece doesn't allow for terribly much in the way of development. This is
still an excellent piece, but not quite as musically impressive as the
others.
The same may certainly not be said of "Tetsuo", one of the easy highlights
of the album (detailing the protagonist's transformation into the primary
antagonist). The track begins with a very unusual percussive lines and
"dark-majestic" keyboards in intervals -- the sounds are quite impressive,
as is the musical construction around them. Certainly, no fan of progressive
music would have too much difficulty with this track. At a certain point,
the heavier drums become more prominent; then, some truly frightening voices
emerge through the music (even though the lyrics may be only phonetic, they
are no less terrifying as such). Following this, a curious detour occurs
wherein the music adopts a more peaceful, Javanese style of gamelan music;
then, the Balinese theme returns, the voices return, and the music becomes
much more intense once again. This is the portrait of a nightmare, and a
very successful depiction as such.
"Dolls' Polyphony" is another brief piece, and is mostly a capella. The
track begins with mock-children's voices singing in a mock-gentle manner,
obviously preparing for the dissonance which is bound to shortly occur.
Indeed, when the rather harsh polyphony begins, it is far from surprising;
foreboding adult voices soon appear in the foreground to negate the original
innocence of the piece. It's a bit too brief to be a complete triumph, but
it's still fairly good.
"Syohmyoh" consists of the prayers of Miyako, a new religion of sorts. The
chanting is at first somewhat restrained, accompanied by shaker sounds and
some horns. Eventually, a polyphonic means of chanting appears in this track
as well, and sampled instrument (including keyboards and guitar, the latter
of which is responsible for an absolutely incredible section towards the
end) take a much stronger role. The effect of this lengthy piece is quite
hypnotic when taken as a whole, particularly in the humming sections towards
the end. Very well done.
"Mutation" begins with bass voices, accompanied by a very ominous, odd-beat
musical line; drums and hypnotic voices quickly come to dominate the piece
(reminding one somewhat of "The Promise Of Shadows" from Peter Gabriel's
Passion). The demented voices of other characters appear in this song as
well; after a period of silence, the initial mode of the song once again
returns. Not quite a highlight, but still good.
"Exodus From The Underground Forest" is a more deliberately upbeat number,
with higher-end voices dominating (though a few lower lines are thrown in as
well, and both vocal lines shift on occasion). The music on the piece
features perhaps the most equal balance of eastern and western traditions on
the album, sounding rather like an Earthworks number at times despite
retaining a consistent gamelan rhythm throughout. The guitar solo is overtly
progressive, and the keyboards are quite bizarre; this is a highlight,
though mostly for reasons unrelated to the narrative.
The final two tracks are extremely good as well. "Illusion" is constructed
in the tradition `Noh' style, a Japanese theatrical structure which in this
case sees Tetsuo remembering his earlier life. The work begins with
atmospheric keyboards, with the percussion making an eventual appearance as
well; the work has a somewhat "misty", maritime feel to it in its early
movements. The high flute pitches and vocal appearances are fairly good as
well. The fourth section of the work sees the character of Tetsuo
describing, in English (??), his transformation; after this, a chanting
emerges wherein the other singers lament the destruction of his persona in
the transformation. The climax of the work sees all of the instruments
involved making an appearance, and is also notable for a very fast, intense
tempo. A very dark background sound soon emerges as well.
"Requiem" is perhaps the best composition on the album. It begins with some
drum effects, some gamelan background music, and some very quiet chanting,
the latter of which very slowly gains in volume. Some truly beautiful vocal
harmonies then emerge, and the keyboard presence which emerges performs many
of the same melodies as the singers had previously featured, to a great
effect. All hyperbole aside, this is a very powerful and moving number, a
lament for Tetsuo after his tragic destruction. A series of heavy drums
signify the final send-off of the work. This is a very, very strong work,
and a perfect manner in which the album to be concluded.
Those progressive fans who wish to expand their horizons could do worse than
to check this album out.
The Christopher Currie
(review originally posted to alt.music.yes on 27 August 1997)


Sayonara !! (NP: Luciano Berio, Points on the curve to find...)
--
Gabriele Orlando ---> 
p...@libero.it
<<There's a chaos of visions and voices
  The moon is down
  Sad is the laugh of the clown
  now the old moon is down.>>
[Gentle Giant, The Moon is Down]

americana, che però ormai è introvabile.
Per curiosità, è quella con Kaneda in copertina e la scritta "Neo
Tokio is about to explode" ??