The young artist Sakina, an outspoken video game and anime fan who’s said she loves to sing as well, released her debut single Discover! on February 25th this year. On May 15th, an extended version of Sakina's debut was released in the US. JaME went on a tour of discovery and listened to her music.
The single’s and album's title track starts things off. This song is pretty catchy and entertaining due to Sakina's powerful voice and the fast, intricate bass and guitar work. Various synthesizer melodies aren't rare within this pop-rock track, but never feel forced or misplaced. The leisurely-sounding Dreaming the Sun only begins this way; the track soon speeds up and becomes a more playful piece of music.
With the third song, titled Dawn of Destiny, you're hearing the only ballad of the releases. Later on, an electric guitar joins in, but this number is dominated by an acoustic guitar, the rhythm section and Sakina’s passionate voice. Next up is an acoustic version of Discover!. The percussion and acoustic guitar are stronger than in the previous ballad, and a choir and piano also feature. Compared to the original, this version is a pretty leisurely listen.
The three tracks that follow are exclusive to the US version of Discover!. The first of the three track is the rocky, energetic Silent Ability, theme song of the videogame "SA7". Due to its attractive synthesizer melodies, this title has something of a futuristic quality. Dive into the Future is similar in style, but its focus doesn't lie so strong on the electric guitar but more on Sakina's vocals.
The last of the three tracks should be familiar to fans of classic anime, as it’s an outstanding cover version of Thesis of Cruel Angel, the famous opening theme of "Neon Genesis Evangelion". Sakina's version sounds catchier, however, and surprises with electrified violin chords, which could have been played by star violinist David Garrett. The alternating solos of violin and electric guitar allow this classic piece to shine in a new light.
Both releases (single and album) includes off-vocal versions of all featured tracks. Naturally, Sakina’s presence is reduced to some background vocals here and there, but her absence allows listeners to fully focus on the arrangements and entertaining instruments.
With Discover!, Sakina delivers an entertaining debut that quickly arouses the interest in hearing more from her. Nevertheless, fans of pop-rock music can easily make a grab, and it might even create a few new ones.
You can catch a quick glimpse of the music videos for Dawn of Destiny, Dreaming the Sun and Discover! below:
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