Amano Tsuki - Sora no ki

In 2011 Amano Tsuki took some time to revisit and re-release some of her old classic tracks from her major label days and put together an original mini-album. In 2012, she finally gives us her first original full length album since ZERO in 2008, the last one recorded as Amano Tsukiko. Entitled Sora no ki, it also contains her fourth theme song composition for the newest installment in the video game series, "Project Zero", which played no small part in raising her international profile back in 2003.

This album consists of 10 tracks, and in them we can hear elements from her works over the past few years. EUPHORIA, the opening track, incorporates the classical strings and pounding rock combination that she has used before for a fun, upbeat rock track with an extra layer of class. It features a typically loud chorus, where Tsuki musters all she can to belt out the notes. Title track Sora no Ki has a very exotic sound, with its sonorous drum beat, xylophone and rich lone cello accompanying Tsuki’s expressive vocals. It has a similar sound to Yogoreta Inu from the album Licht in arrangement, and also the same 3/4 time signature which gives it a light, fantastical feel. Sora no Ki has a greater air of sophistication to it; however, it also makes good use of the old-fashioned rock instruments in the latter half for an uplifting ending. The pop tracks CANDYMAN and SUN DORION no banken see the return of her cheeky, playful style and are on the lighthearted end of the scale.

The track Kurenai was written by Tsuki especially for the horror game "Zero ~Shinkuu no Chou~". Tsuki first worked with the video game’s production team on the original version of the game, "Zero ~Akai Chou~", producing what is still one her best ever songs - Chou. Fans may be likely to draw comparisons between that and her new song. Kurenai is another string-heavy track with a slow burning verse that erupts into an emotional, climactic chorus. As it was written as a "sister song" to Chou, the two do sound related. In contrast to the older sibling's power and anguish however, Kurenai appears to have a sense of resolution, of catharsis.

A few may recognise DROPKICK - it was written by Tsuki for her young protégé mai's album, distance. It's even more cutesy than the original, full of cheesy synth and performed in a high, sing-song style with even higher, sugary backing vocals. Tsuki obviously had a ball recording this track. It is very much a "love it" or "hate it" track.

Tsuki doesn't appear to have lost her vocal projection over the years. In NIWAKA AME's strong chorus, she does a fine job of belting out the melody in the slower rock track. Final track SORAGOTO also has her making full use of her dynamic and vocal range. The song itself is softer, old-fashioned pop-rock, which is more subdued than one would expect from her. Her other "old school" style track, the more exciting TOKYO TOWER suits her better with its mix of jazz and funk elements and rock.

Amano Tsuki herself has said that Sora no ki is a "huge tree" made up of different songs which form its various branches, each with its own atmosphere. If that's what she set out to do then she definitely achieved it, as her long-awaited full length album is packed with every style she has ever experimented with. She has shown that she can still write deep and personal songs but also inject a dose of fun, and with this album she seems to have cemented her new love of variety.