Hora's new album "REIGN"

desqui

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And I present to you the tracklist!

REIGN
Hora

01. GENUINE
02. DESCENT
03. REFLECT
04. PULSE
05. VC
06. WITNESS
07. PREDICT
08. HAZE
09. THE ANSWER
10. CONNECTED

I JUST received it, so I can't make a review.
I'll pop it in right. now.
::squee::

edit: Everytime I get one of his releases, the case is broken in some way. I think it's funny how I expect it ::kisaki::
 

Daedolon

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Damn, I received it just a half a minute ago but you managed to post first ^^

EDIT: Currently listening to PREDICT and I'm really loving this album, it comes off as much more unique and, dare I say, epic than VENOM or ICEBOUND.

EDIT2: Listening to THE ANSWER, wow, this must be my new favourite track from Hora.
 

Lardeen

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I received it today as well ^___^
And luckily no cracks anywhere XD

I'm not through with listening though. Actually I'm just at Descent D=
 

ansem

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Okay, i have the album now and all i can say wow this is the ::k:: PREDICT, VC, HAZE, THE ANSWER... very fresh sound, i love "whistling" in HAZE. This is something new
 

Haku

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>_> Wow... if it's getting these kinds of reviews, I think I should buy it, ie. downloading is insufficient this time.
 

desqui

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I stopped after Pulse because I wasn't ... feeling it x: The first few sound like a computer is trying to communicate with me in a language I am not comprehending. techno?

After my break I started again and thought (I think it was) VC down were nice but not epic ~ but really, nothing is sticking to me right now. Like, I don't even know if I listened to the whole thing or not, and nothing is actually making me care to rush back. Some songs have similar sounds to previous works, but that seems to be the case with every album, and I'm not a serious listener/comparer of his works to say more about that.

I would probably have a better outlook on this (but not That much) if I hadn't received the cd 5 min after I got hooked on a song,
and everyone knows you need a couple days to get off one of those ::erm::
 

Moizer

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desqui wrote:
The first few sound like a computer is trying to communicate with me in a language I am not comprehending. techno?

Techno? That's really bizzare/surprising for a hora release.
 

Demanufacturer

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since the word techno has been brought up:
does thsi release have more danceable tracks this time?
like, you know, 4/4 beats and stuff like that? :P

tracks like Inner Universe, Modulate God, Ignition and the old Schwarz Stein stuff, that sorta things
 

Daedolon

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At least PULSE (which is alot like TEMPEST) and PREDICT should be pretty danceable. Also REFLECT and THE ANSWER have a nice beat to dance if only you can dance a bit slower.

Damn I love this album<3
 

desqui

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oh sorry sorry guys
don't take my word for anything, i dont know music genres
its just the first time i listened to it (out of.. my twice) it reminded me of this typing game i played when i was little where you could change the bkgd music, and it had 3 clips of what it called techno.

so i'd say, listen to mushi.

also the album isn't bad. i still do recommend those who didn't purchase it to do so,.... so that your discog will be compleetee!


edit: nevermind, I like this album :grin:
 

Decadent_Irises

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i thought it was pretty good, but i don't really mind techno, so maybe i'm biased xD
 

Garnet

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Got it today..and been listening to it all day^^" <it seem that this time customs house kept it a little longer and I think even opened it:/ there was their adhesive tape near the opening of the envelope...but nevermind, good that get it as always in excellent condition;)>

...I love this album:] It really has, as Hora said, more agressive songs.
I was surprised that the first song wasnt the standard "intro" song...yeah return to the basis xD
As for the songs...Pulse, Haze, The Answer - top 3 at the moment.
Can't wait for the sleeping time today:> Hora's songs are just perfect lullaby for me;)

I recommend this album to all electro fans.
 

K-kun

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I'm in love with this album!!!

Usually, when Hora release new album, I just lisnet to it a couple times. The only exception is Euphoria (and remix) wich I listen sometimes (a couple times around New Year). As for REIGN, I'm listening to it for two days! I can't choose any of songs (all songs sounds very similar to me), but I like overall mood and style of the album.
 

Garnet

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Yeah, this album has such specific mood~ All the songs are nearly connected between each other, it really seems that Hora has some idea for this album...good idea xD

Listening to it now...in school library;)
 

Decadent Child

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Little review.

My favorite tracks are:

Genuine: Is a fresh song, I like and enjoy listening to it. It's not like the songs I can't even listen for 10 seconds. And the "chorus" part is great, as a nice feeling.

Haze: Excellent song. Very Hora-like. I like the mistery and the dark blue colors I imagine when listening to it XD. I like it when all the sounds are gone and just the synthesizer plays.

Predict: I absolutely like this song. The intro is amazing, and when it turns more "aggressive" is the best. I am reading LOtR and this song matches perfectly with my imagination XD.

Reflect and The answer: My top favorites songs of the kind. I adore the 80s beat on these songs. As some of u said, these songs are absolutely danceable, just watch yazoo lives on youtube and you'll see how the people dance "nobody's diary"!. I think some of you think it's no danceable because nowadays it's kind of more aggressive and speedy sounds the ones you can listen.

VC: This is like genuine, I like it so much, It's fresh and I enjoy listeing to it until the very end.

Witness: It sounds like Haze in the intro but turns different later. It's a dark and very Hora-like song. I can picture something black and green in my mind when listening. I also would like this song to be in a game like Unreal Tournament, well, all the songs.

---------------------------------------

I don't like Connected and Pulse so much. The first one is a very plane song and Pulse sounds exactly like Modulate God to me. I thought Hora would start singing again the music of that song.

The end.
 

flowersofnight

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I just got my copy - miraculously undamaged :grin:
I wonder if Hora got another cat - he thanks "Kojirou" as well as Kotarou in this one XD (same kanji except for the middle)

I'll, uh, post something with content when I actually listen to the album XD
 

flowersofnight

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Here's my review, mostly written down live during my first listen.

GENUINE - nice lo-fi synths, with a sort of Sega Genesis vibe to it. The "Hora fog" has been cut way back and I approve. My only complaints are that the lead instrument is just a tad too piercing and overbearing, and the song itself is about a third to a half too long. He should have gotten right to business with that key change earlier.

DESCENT - one of the most sophisticated motifs I've heard from Hora, plus good techno instrumentation. We've got mid-tempo Mortal Kombat going on here.

REFLECT - This album keeps getting better. Shades of DUSK with more energy and assertiveness. We're seeing some real musical motion here, possibly more so than any of Hora's previous work. Minor quibble: as before Hora doesn't seem to know quite how or when to end a song.

PULSE - This is droning boredom from the old Hora. Belongs on another album.

VC - A strange and dynamic hook, but it doesn't really lead you onward. Nice atmosphere, but this isn't quite A-material. ... and the ending is a comical little musical tweak of the nose XD

WITNESS - Is this the first time Hora used organs? XD Again, nice little bit of music, but it lacks motion. And LOL at the breakdown in the middle. My enthusiasm is starting to wane at this point in the live review.

PREDICT - We're back on track with some actual verse/chorus musical interplay happening. The subtle verse segments work just right to maintain the energy. But Hora dropped the ball partway through - I don't like the fogginess of the end third of the song.

HAZE - I like the "whistling" effect - it gives the song a unique voice. Some nice harder-edged techno backing here too. Needs perhaps a tad more unity though; it's a bit too much of a "jolt" when the whistling quits out. One of Hora's more innovative song endings but drags out just a bit too long.

THE ANSWER - Hora adds some grandeur to liven up his old formula. This is a song that cries out for vocals; without them it feels incomplete. I kind of want to reserve judgement, but what we have here's a solid effort.

CONNECTED - A little throwaway instrumental at the end. Even Malice Mizer was guilty of a couple of these, so I'll look the other way.

Overall thoughts - after panning ICEBOUND as "anti-music" I'm pleasantly surprised to see Hora's most musical efforts yet on this disc. He's still got to tighten up his composing a little but I definitely approve of this new techno direction and Hora's experimentation with more complex song structures. What I want to see is more music like the first three songs on the disc.
 
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