Satsuki - AWAKE

In May of 2009, Satsuki’s first single as a solo artist, AWAKE, was released in Japan. Only a month later, he performed in the United States at Anime Expo in Los Angeles, showing American fans a new side of him that was quite different from the music of his previous rock band RENTRER EN SOI. No doubt fans of the now disbanded group will find solace in the highly cherished, familiar vocals gracing this release.

The single opens with the light, guitar driven La Lune, which is so captivating it will be difficult to listen to only once. Though the track starts slowly, it develops into a strikingly lovely number from the first notes of the chorus, which is hopefully inspiring and enchanting. Much lighter and more optimistic than much of RENTRER EN SOI’s music had been, this introduction to Satsuki is a strong number and an excellent way to begin the album. It also suggests this single will offer listeners a different side of the vocalist.

Veil of MARIA opens mysteriously with eerie chimes and Satsuki’s angelic soprano singing. His haunting melodies are supported by a modern digital beat, giving the song an electronic, new age feel. It isn’t the most catchy or immediately accessible song, but it possesses a mystical, bewitching quality and beauty you can easily get lost in. The vocal lines are beautiful and otherworldly, and fans of electronic and synthpop in particular are sure enjoy it.

Combining pop and classical music, AWAKE makes use of violins and bass to alternate between a soaring and grounded feeling. Satsuki’s melodic vocals follow an optimistic melody laced with a bittersweet poignancy, and combined with a driving but feel-good beat, this track establishes itself as a real success for the new solo artist.

The final song, In a Lucid Dream, opens with a soft piano and more of Satsuki’s soprano singing. More along the lines of Veil of MARIA in its electronic beat, the piano also lends it a classical air. The song is short at around two minutes and forty seconds, and it feels more like background music. Its charm lies in its hauntingly mysterious and ensnaring atmosphere, made all the more beautiful by its classical elements.

For fans expecting the heavier, darker rock music more associated with RENTRER EN SOI, AWAKE will come as a surprise. The first song is the most catchy and is easy to enjoy, and it would make a fine ending for an anime, or theme for a drama. The haunting digital songs on the release present a mystical facet of the vocalist that balances quite well with his pop, rock and classical sides, and assures this artist is anything but cliché . Overall, this single establishes Satsuki first and foremost as an exceptionally trained vocalist, as he demonstrates ease and fluidity even in the upper registers. Offering optimistic pop-rock as well as an otherworldly sensibility, this single is sure to gain the vocalist new fans while showing more of himself to longtime RENTRER fans.