ShiinaTactix-Sana.K
I just realised that the releases of TWO-MIX member Nagano Shiina’s side project ShiinaTactix, (which is a bit like the FictionJunction project, featuring different vocalists) has been available on iTunes since October – the songs are also purchasable on Napster. Previously, the physical CD was only available for order on the ShiinaTactix website.
Since I still hold an account on iTunes UK, and with the Malaysian ringgit-British pound exchange rate improving over the last few months, I decided to splash out on the stuff that had Sana.K aka Kobayashi Sanae (Allen Walker on D.Gray-man etc) on vocals. TWO-MIX’s style has never been my cup of tea, but I have been a loyal Sanae fan since Hikaru no Go so uh… supporting her all the way, like I would do Nana or Minorin!
The two releases are imaginatively titled BPM151Tactix 1 and BPM151Tactix 2 EP. Tactix 1 has eight… well seven (since there are two versions of Rhythm Dimension) original tracks and they mostly tread the familiar electropop format, which I guess is not a bad thing if you were into Nagano’s music in the first place. Actually it’s not all that bad – Thrill Vanguard is a supremely catchy song with a nice piano line, and Silent River Light (hilariously mistitled as Silent Liver Light on the track I downloaded) is a lovely mid-tempo piece devoid of those annoying superfast techno beats, hurrah. Get Back!! and Resonance With You are also fairly listenable but there’s still lots of nonsense Engrish liberally sprinkled around though, something that has always bothered me about TWO-MIX.
Tactix 2 is a three-track single of cover versions – TWO-MIX’s IN the NAME of LOVE and JUST COMMUNICATION as well as a reworking of Sousei no Aquarion (Sanae voices Reika in the anime). They’re passable I suppose. I can’t say I prefer these versions to the originals, though Sousei is still much, much better than that horrendous Gattai one done by the three seiyuu… well Sanae was OK on that, but Terashima Takuma and Kakazu Yumi were hideous…
The other two seiyuu participating in the ShiinaTactix project are Tamura Mutsumi and Hikasa Yoko, both signed to I’m Enterprise. After having a go at all the samples on iTunes, I also decided to buy the Tamura tracks – she definitely sounds like the strongest singer out of the three. I wonder how much further the ShiinaTactix project will go – it’s obvious Sanae got to make a full CD (the others only have 1 or 2 songs) because she’s more ‘well-known’ than the other two.
Gotta say I liked the songs more than I thought I would though. Interesting stuff, and worth spending a couple of dollars/pounds on if you can spare the cash.
Check out:
ShiinaTactix website
ShiinaTactix on Myspace
Kobayashi Sanae’s official website
Kobayashi Sanae’s blog
ShiinaTactix blog
Listen to Sousei no Aquarion tactix[R]type on Youtube
*looks into my empty wallet and sighs* Canadian dollar exchange rates are depressing…
I’ve always liked Sousei no Aquarion, and the remix doesn’t sound too bad! I’m actually rather impressed with Kobayashi Sanae’s singing, since she didn’t sound that impressive in the few lines she had in the original version with Kakazu Yumi and AKINO.
>I would do Nana or Minorin!
I would too!
;P
I think just about everyone here would.