Contents
1. Lydia~Fairy Dance
2. Song of Pocchong~Shizuku no Uta
3. Kanashikute Yarakirenai
4. Black is the Colour
5. Sushou Yakyoku
6. Siuil a Run
7. Sono mama de ii~be as you are
8. Taimse im Chodladh
KOKIA is one diverse artists. After singing in Italian, reversed Japanese and gibberish, she also gave Irish folk songs a try in this album, Fairy Dance with the fitting subtitle ~KOKIA meets Ireland~. It’s her first official mini-album, with only eight songs this time, and they contain covers of Irish songs as well as some Japanese ones in Irish sounds. The album begins with Lydia~Fairy Dance, which immediately sets up the atmosphere for the Irish sound. There are no actual lyrics, and KOKIA is mainly accompanied by string instruments. After two minutes or so, flutes are added and the song gets a bit more playful.
We’ve met the second song, Song of pocchong~Shizuku no Uta before on The VOICE. This time, it has received an Irish treatment, and it really sounds as if the song is in a better place on this album. The playfulness of the gibberish mixes well with the flute and drums. There’s an extra instrumental part leading up to a climax, followed by merely drums before KOKIA starts singing again. It has lost the feeling of rain dropping down, but got a really Irish feeling in place.
Next is a calmer song, Kanashikute yarakirenai. It’s in Japanese, as one might expect after the title, but still has the Irish atmosphere. It’s not as upbeat as the previous tracks, but rather calming and KOKIA sings in what I like to call her more tender voice. The string instruments and the flute really ‘flow’ in the instrumental parts. Overall, a wonderful composition in which everything works together.
The next song is completely in English: Black is the Colour. A striking thing is how KOKIA changed the text – she sings it from a male perspective. The ‘he’ is replaced by a ’she’ in the lyrics. Personally, I love how she lengthens the final note of some couplets, especially near the end, which adds something to the song as a whole. The end gets stronger, rather than weaker, and holds the lengthened notes as I mentioned, until it all comes together nicely to wrap up the song.
Then we have Sushou Yakyoku, another Japanese song, which starts of as an Irish one, followed by some calmer lyrics. Until we reach the end of the couplet – this is followed by an upbeat instrumental part, which really surprised me at first. It creates a lovely contrast, giving this song something extra. It makes a nice mix of Japanese words and Irish sounds.
Siuil A Run is next, and one of personal favourites. KOKIA sings this folk song in a mix of English and Irish here, which is very cool (and surprisingly well pronounced too). KOKIA uses her deeper voice here. The beginning is almost a capella, until it gains a bit of tempo and instruments. Personally, I really adore the chorus in this song. What also struck me upon listening it again is how, halfway the song, KOKIA seems to have a conversation with the instruments. She sings, then the instruments seem to answer. KOKIA only accompanied by drums is haunting in a good way too. Yes, I really love this song in KOKIA’s way.
Sono mama de ii~be as you are is next, the third and last Japanese song of the album. This one sounds like a ballad in the beginning, but gains more beats as it develops into the chorus. When the last minute is reached, the instruments take over and make it an upbeat ending with KOKIA repeating ’sono mama de ii’. Once again, a song with a lot of development.
The final song, Taimse ‘Im Chodladh, which is almost completely a capella – you hear very softly bagpipes on the background, but it’s mostly KOKIA and backing vocals. It’s completely Irish, and KOKIA pulls it off really well. The middle is instrumental, to keep you awake from slumbering with this song translating as ‘I sleep’. And yes, it gives off a sleeping song feeling, preventing the album from ending too suddenly.
Overall, I only have one remark on this album – it’s too short! I don’t care if it’s a mini-album, I wish I could have heard more of KOKIA’s Irish adventure. Once again, she’s shown just what an artist she is, being able to pull off so many different styles and languages.
