Inner Universe - Yoko Kanno
May 16th 2008 23:39
Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex Soundtrack by Yoko Kanno
Our "inner" odyssey continues with Inner Universe from the spin-off anime series Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex. This time, we are faced with an experimental (both lyricswise and melodically) piece belonging to Japanese composer/arranger/musician Yoko Kanno who is a respected and renown artist with a discography including major scores for spectacular series such as Cowboy Bebop (worth mentioning because it is famous for its use of music in particular), Macross Plus and Wolf's Rain. The song features Russian singer Origa, who also wrote the lyrics with Shanti Snyder, as the female lead vocals. Another featuring artist is the boy soprano Benedict Delmaestro who is known for his contribution to Lord of the Rings soundtracks.
Aside from the uniqueness of its composition and arrangement, Inner Universe derives its power from the strong performances of its vocalists. Delmaestro's heavenly accompaniment entwines Origa's distinct, clean vocals. The female voice represents the struggle to obtain balance and happiness and to find hope and above all love while the voice of boy soprano represents ethereal innocence and the eye of the storm.
"Nalybuites' nalyubuites
Aeria gloris, Aeria gloris"
Aeria gloris, Aeria gloris"
sound very much like Latin but lacks definitive meaning. Some claim that they sound like Latin but are actually Russian and mean
"Watch in awe, watch in awe
Heavenly sky, heavenly sky"
.Heavenly sky, heavenly sky"
However, this is still a debate and has not been concluded officially, all of which make the song more interesting. "Aeria gloris" simply sounds like a heavenly phrase in Latin and instead of pursuing a meaning, we should perhaps admire the sound of it and no more. Even better, one can attribute their own meaning to the phrase which greatly individualizes the piece and enhances its peculiarity.
The lyrics open with a chaotic picture painted in Russian,
"Angeli i demoni kruzhili nado mnoj
(angels and demons circled above me)
Rassekali ternii i mlechnye puti
(swishing through the hardships and the Milky Way)
Ne znaet schast'ya tol'ko tot
(the only one who doesn't know happiness)
Kto ego zova ponyat ne smog
(is the one who couldn't understand its call)"
(angels and demons circled above me)
Rassekali ternii i mlechnye puti
(swishing through the hardships and the Milky Way)
Ne znaet schast'ya tol'ko tot
(the only one who doesn't know happiness)
Kto ego zova ponyat ne smog
(is the one who couldn't understand its call)"
With that, the song actually pays tribute to its title, Inner Universe, by putting forth the fact that the unreachability of happiness is nothing but a human illusion. Personal contentment is always there for humans to cast their hands on yet they tend to look for it in all the "wrong" circumstances/places thus, end up deaf to its actual call. An infinite universe of possibilities for happiness lies within but humans look for it in the finite world and think themselves without it.
Hence the part,
"I am calling, calling now, spirits rise and falling...
Calling, calling in the depth of longing..."
Calling, calling in the depth of longing..."
which emphasizes the fact that it is time to "hear the call" by calling for it from the depths of loneliness and longing. This brings us back to the concept of hope that is beautifully woven into the track with the following verses,
"Beskoneshnyj beg . . .
(Endless run. . .)
Poka zhiva, ya mogu starat'sya na letu ne upast'
(While I'm alive, I can try not to fall while flying)
Ne razuchit'sya mechtat' . . . lyubit' . . .
(Not to forget how to dream... how to love...)
. . . Beskoneshnyj beg . . .
(. . . Endless run . . .)"
(Endless run. . .)
Poka zhiva, ya mogu starat'sya na letu ne upast'
(While I'm alive, I can try not to fall while flying)
Ne razuchit'sya mechtat' . . . lyubit' . . .
(Not to forget how to dream... how to love...)
. . . Beskoneshnyj beg . . .
(. . . Endless run . . .)"
Although life is a never-ending race against indefatigable time, hope is the only guard mankind possesses through the darkest moments. Although sun tends to hide behind a cloud, it always comes from behind that cloud to brighten and warm the day.
Thus, as their lives continuously darken and lighten, humans keep watching the heavenly skies in awe...
Ink Blots
Browse music online at IMEEM
Buy Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex O.S.T. online from Amazon
Meet the artist Yoko Kanno at Wikipedia
Read the entire lyrics and translation at Anime Lyrics dot Com
Browse music online at IMEEM
Buy Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex O.S.T. online from Amazon
Meet the artist Yoko Kanno at Wikipedia
Read the entire lyrics and translation at Anime Lyrics dot Com
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