Amano Tsuki - Licht

To all her fans' horror and disappointment, singer-songwriter Amano Tsukiko announced that she was retiring after seven years on the major music circuit in 2008. The good news, however, is that she decided to come back as Amano Tsuki in 2010 with a new look and a new sound, after returning to her original indie label OTOKURA. Following the release of concept album PEEK A BOO back in May she brings us Licht, which could be considered her first "proper" album.

This release is more of a mini-album as it only consists of seven tracks. The first track, Hikari no CIRCUS Licht Ver., would also be the most well-known as it is the only track to be publicised in its entirety on Youtube by the record label. It begins with a simple, staccato piano introduction that reminds one of a nursery rhyme with its cheerful major key. The more staple rock instruments join in after a couple of bars, and Tsuki's unmistakable smoky vocals begin quietly. The dynamics of the song follow her autobiographical lyrics: she softly describes rising up and reaching for the top, and as she takes flight into the string-filled chorus the emotion takes over as she awakens once more to show the world as her very own "circus." It is an appropriate choice to open this album as it is a celebratory fanfare of Tsuki's return and clearly details her emergence from a rocky end to her major career. It doesn't really resemble the music from her old life, being more along the lines of pop rather than the edgy rock fans remember. Her vocals also don't seem to be back to top form on this number and come across as quite flat in the verses. Despite this, it is still an uplifting track.

A more familiar sound presents itself in Utsukushiki mono Licht Ver.. A mock harpsichord introduces the track, but after that it is a soft rock piece that sounds more like older material from the Tsukiko days. The verse is not very memorable, but it has a chorus with more oomph, although it sounds interchangeable with the Hikari no CIRCUS chorus. It isn't outright cheerful but comes across as more hopeful and determined. Tsuki belts out the refrain wholeheartedly, and it is easy to tell how much it means to her. Again, it has a full string backing to soften and fill out the chorus.

CLOVER CLOVER is a departure from all these instrumentals and consists only of piano and some barely audible percussion and violin. It is quite uptempo and written in a major key and given a slight swing with the off-beat piano backing. It is a sweet piece that brings to mind an innocent child exploring the woods or a forest, looking for elusive four-leafed clovers. Appearing quite unimpressive upon first listen, it feels more nostalgic each time it is revisited.

A livelier sound has been used in PULCINELLA no namida - with its harpsichord, tambourine and fiddle it transports you back to a renaissance fair or an old-fashioned circus. The "Pulcinella" clown of the song can be pictured dancing to its gentle beat, and through the comical appearance nobody would notice the tears beneath the mask. The following track Strawberry on the Shortcake is much more jovial and is an eccentric piece of light pop complete with hands clapping recorded live at Shibuya. A faux flute synth adds to the track, and the inclusion of puns and some innuendo make this a cheeky addition to the album.

It seems like 1 + 1 ga 2 ni naranai is the only downbeat song on the album as the heavy string intro and verses are much more subdued than in the other songs. The happy musicality of the chorus is like a children's song, however, which contrasts with the atmospheric strings after each chorus. Tsuki ponders over arithmetic in this song and how 1 + 1 does not always equal 2 in real life. Depending on your outlook, you may get more than you put in, and, as she likes to think: 1 + 1 may make 3.

The dream-like Yogoreta inu is the final track. It has an exotic start, with a balafon xylophone sound playing a repeating phrase in diatonic scale. This is then copied by an electric guitar before fading into the background, and the main body of the song is comprised of the rock instrumental/string combination. The lightness of the waltzing melody hides the pain at its core: the subject proclaims that she is "a dirty thing," the filthy dog of the title, and asks someone to wash her clean; during the bridge an angelic chorus pleads "bestrafe mich" (punish me). However, in the end she is cleansed and the foulness deep inside disappears. Altogether, it is a thought provoking, moving and a profound composition.

Tsuki has been much more experimental on Licht, but she hasn't lost any intensity or passion in her writing. The title of this album, meaning "light" in German, sums up the overall impressions of it in so many ways. The arrangements are much brighter and more positive in tone than anything she has written before. It could also describe Tsuki's revival. In her latest blog post she has said that she is "very happy," and now that she has the opportunity to write and perform the way she really wants to, the listener can't help but also feel happy for her. Some Tsukiko fans may be disappointed and unable to adapt to this change in musical style, as it doesn't resemble the heavy rock sound that they've grown to love. This is a complete rebirth and fresh start and should be thought of as coming straight from the heart of not Tsukiko, but Tsuki.