Schwarz Stein - Recurrence of Hallucination thoughts

[Daedolon]

Schwarz Stein - Recurrence of Hallucination

The back cover is a mirrored, more zoomed in and darker version of the cover art. The CD print is actually the cover image of Rudolf Steiner demotape Perfect Garden.

What can I say? I was expecting a bit more than a mini-album but hey, at least we got something. Here's the tracklist and track lengths.

01. REMIND 3:07
02. PREDICT -Rosen Clarion 4:28
03. HYPNOS 4:28
04. GENUINE -Recurrence- 4:37
05. SIRIUS -Hallucination- 4:55

All tracks except REMIND have vocals by Kaya.


I'm terrible at describing songs but I'll try anyway.

REMIND is a long instrumental track in vein of Hora's PROMINENCE, AINS5, ON FALLING, PULSE and other fast paced tracks. It's that style of Hora's which I personally really love. Not much to say except I really love this track.

PREDICT -Rosen Clarion- I don't know how I should describe this track. It's pretty much the original PREDICT with really fast paced vocals on top of it, quite an uplifting song. The vocals are really reminiscent of some previous Kaya songs that Hora composed.

HYPNOS is the second of the new tracks. Atmosphere-wise it kind of reminds me of Kaya's Hydrangea with, but the music is like a mix of Hora's older tracks when it comes to the beat but his new tracks when it comes to the synths, if that makes sense. It has some nice dark piano on the back which I'm glad to say reminds me of Schwarz Stein. It's got that bouncy "going forward" type of beat on it. Very soothing vocals as well, one of the better tracks I've heard Kaya in recently.

GENUINE -Recurrence- uses the weird shamisen instrument's lines as the base for the vocals, totally giving that vibe of Kaya's Japanese style tracks. I just keep thinking Ouka Ryouran for some reason (even though the original track had that trad. Japanese feel to it), not sure how else I'd describe it. There's a nice new trick in the bassline later in the song which totally surprised me positively.

SIRIUS -Hallucination- Oh boy. This track got a complete uplift. Wow. Actually I'm writing this as I'm listening it to now so, yeah, wow . This track also has vocals. There's this very cheap sounding drumbeat (in a good way) and a weird new synth sound, it's very hard to explain but this track sounds very unique. It comes with nicely soothing and deep vocals. There's a beautiful synthesized piano melody added to the song as well. It does quite have that closure type of feeling to it that reminds me of New vogue children and dare I even say a little of Last Hallucination (just a little! )?


All of the old tracks have been pretty heavily remastered, notably PREDICT with much more treble based overall sound and GENUINE with a deeper bass.

Even though the length (it's only 21:35 total) and the lack of new tracks is quite dissapointing, I really love the songs. The biggest letdown as is, I think, is how little GENUINE feels different from the original version. It's still a great track but what can you do, I wanted more new stuff.

For Schwarz Stein, I guess it doesn't come as a surprise that most of the songs have more of a Hora+Kaya feel to them, rather than that specific Schwarz Stein feel. But you can definitely hear that they tried to spice it up with some piano in the background. I kind of feel like some of the new synth are definitely more Schwarz Stein.

While one can't really help with their expectations, all in all I really love it. I guess I'll be listening to REMIND, HYPNOS and SIRIUS a lot these days

 

[flowersofnight]

I would post something insightful here, but you're apparently the ONLY one who's gotten the CD yet XD

 

[Daedolon]

Well I guess you could ask specifics, unless you really want to hear it yourself first.

Is faith still around? I'd love someone to translate the lyrics.

 

[flowersofnight]

Did Hora write any of the lyrics? That I'm curious about XD

 

[Daedolon]

It says lyrics by Kaya and there's no separate mentions under each of the song so I guess that would mean no.

Tracks 2-5 have printed lyrics but all in kanji.

 

[ansem]

Received the CD and ooh i really like it, especially HYPNOS and SIRIUS. My only concern is the lack of material and artwork, i mean they could've done so much more with it. After listening it, you are left with a feeling "where is the rest?!?" But it's a fact that Kaya and Hora complete each other!

 

[BoOH]

Cool! Is there any picture of Hora that you can upload, please? I'm really curious of how he looks like now... you know, it's been years!

 

[Daedolon]

There are no new pictures at all.

 

[Xanadu]

Okay, after giving this a listen finally, I think I'll post here as well.

REMIND is really cool, but I really would have liked vocals for this as well, that could have been pretty awesome. (or really really terrible, who knows?
But I really like the "fading" sounds at the end, as if he's hitting the same two keys on a piano, while you're moving away from him.

PREDICT-Rosen Clarion- : Call me insane, but for now, this is my favorite on the CD. I really like the energy in Kayas singing, and of course the overly theatralic organ in the background.
And Daedolon was right, it is really upbeat, and very energetic.

HYPNOS: This has to be my least favorite, but I am one of those strange individuals who don't really like the studioversion of "Hydrangea" either.
This track starts out with a really happy and light melody, without being and "in your face!" happy as some of Kaya's solo tracks. But the singing is really somewhere along the lines of Hydrangea, and that isn't going to impress me that much, unless seen live.
It's not a BAD track, I like all other tracks on this CD better.

GENUINE-Recurrence- I don't think those shamisen lines are strange at all, I really like them. It doesn't really remind me of Ouka/Ryoran, but it definately has this "Japanese/Asian" feel to it. Kaya isn't really using his deep vocal range here (and hasn't been doing it for all songs before this one on the CD), but it works for the song.
Oh, and I really like his singing when he starts a new verse - he starts out really soft as if telling something.
And it thankfully is more energetic than HYPNOS.

SIRIUS - Hallucination. Wow. This is really an impressive closing song. Really deep vocals from Kaya, and very soothing, without feeling as "low power" as HYPNOS.
This really is like a goodbye... and very fitting for the end of the CD. (or a lullaby, but the thought of Kaya singing lullabies like that to little children is REALLY strange.)

But I really wished this CD would have been longer, just like Daedolon. There's nothing I can do about it, but it's really a pity it wasn't longer.
I think I will be listening to this entire CD for quite some time, while occasionally skipping HYPNOS.

Oh, and Flowers, you would have known who did the lyrics without having to look at the booklet - roses, dream, blue sky and white flowers: There can only be one Kaya.

And on a site note: I think one reason while this feels quite "different" from the "old" Schwarz Stein might be Kaya's vocals, since his singing style has really changed, compared to back then.

 

[Phantom Pabulum]

And on a site note: I think one reason while this feels quite "different" from the "old" Schwarz Stein might be Kaya's vocals, since his singing style has really changed, compared to back then.

I agree with this very much, otherwise I find this release almost like a time capsule.. Hora's writing hasn't changed at all.

 

[Moizer]

Upsetting, I figured kaya would be switching back to his more darker side of vocals for the release, instead of his happy tranny mode.

on a side note; how long does it take the CD to hit you guys in america? i said mine was shipped on the 20th, so, are we talking one week? two?

 

[Manneking]

To sum it up, it was a mixture of good and bad; Hora's remastered stuff was quite interesting but Kaya's vocals were disappointing. In another cell he held his notes quite long and his singing was something more reminiscent of Schwarz Stein. It just felt like a Hora&Kaya album. If they had named this another cell v.2 I could have understood but calling this Schwarz Stein is a bit misleading.

 

[~Z e n c h o u~]

I liked Hypnos.
Everything else was good too.

I wasn't expecting much in the first place, so I wasn't disappointed.

 

[MissUMana]

You guys made me curious, so I borrowed the CD from my daughter, and wow, I am in love with SIRIUS - Hallucination. Very fine achievement.

 

[Lempicka]

I just gave it a listen. I like the first track, I'm not really blown away from the rest... I'm also disappointed by Kaya's vocals

 

[Madmoiselle_Silk]

I just gave it a listen. I like the first track, I'm not really blown away from the rest... I'm also disappointed by Kaya's vocals

Agreed. What happened to Kaya's charming, angry, bitchy, Schwarz Stein voice?

 

[Daedolon]

Now that you guys mentioned it, I totally agree that what distances it from older Schwarz Stein material the most is Kaya's new singing style, it's definitely not as dark or brooding as it used to be.

It just seems he took upon it as "just another singing job" instead of actually thinking Schwarz Stein when recording it.

 

[flowersofnight]

Finally got my copy, and as is traditional, I "live-blogged" my first listen in Notepad.

1. REMIND
This is what Hora's music sounds like when he's actually trying, I think. You know, what we heard in the "INNER UNIVERSE"/"THE WORLD" days that made us say "The potential is there". On the other hand while it doesn't fall below that level it doesn't transcend it either. As an intro though, I have no complaints.

2. PREDICT -Rosen Clarion-
This sounds very much like the up-tempo bits and vocals were bolted onto a chassis not really suited for it. At least in this song, I don't see any basis for the complaints about Kaya's vocals not being like the old style, for what they're worth they sound fine to me. Is the vocal line for the verses lifted from somewhere though? Sounds extremely familiar.
The verdict: never really became anything more than the sum of its parts. It's OK.

3. HYPNOS
First reaction: what is this? :/
I didn't really come here to listen to Kaya sing over nothing more than a backbeat. For one of the two new songs, this is a huge cop-out. Musically this is really nondescript - if I didn't know it was written by Hora I wouldn't have any reason to suspect it.

4. GENUINE -Recurrence-
Not so much a remix as an overdub. Interesting choice to have Kaya's vocals essentialy replace one of the melody lines, but I think the music sort of suffers for it. In minimal music like Hora's you can't just swap a part out like that. I also feel like the close-packed repetitious phrases which work fine as an instrumental line sound somewhat silly when being sung. Makes it feel like a nursery rhyme or something.

5. SIRIUS -Hallucination-
The "Donkey Kong Country 2" vibes have been cranked up for the remix - I approve, others may not While something this laid-back is definitely not what I think of when I hear "Schwarz Stein", I think I'd put this as the best track on the disc. The vocals and music work together here for once, to create a mood of alert meditation.
Onward, Squawks! In search of the DK coin!

General Thoughts:
We never really got one solid anthemic Schwarz Stein-esque piece out of this disc. "PREDICT" was maybe best vocally - after listening to the other tracks I think I see what the complaints were about since the others were much less assertive. "SIRIUS" was best overall, and while it would have been interesting to see Schwarz Stein start incorporating this style into their work back in the day, coming 7 years later it just kind of makes you hungry for the main event that's never coming.
In general I didn't see too much synergy between music and vocals. Some of that I suppose is due to the music mostly not being written with vocals in mind to begin with.

Also: I have no idea what you guys are talking about with the supposed shamisen track in "GENUINE"

But yeah, there you have it, I suppose. The final judgement: if you're a fan you'll probably find something to like here but not everything. If not... you probably haven't heard of this disc to begin with

 

[Lempicka]

after several listens, I guess I like "PREDICT -Rosen Clarion-" and "SIRIUS-Hallucination-". (and the intro).
Not "blown away", but they are nice to listen to <3

 

[oasis19]

My thoughs :
Remind was a nice intro, reminds me much of Hora's solo work. The predict remix didn't quite excite me, though i thought kaya did a fabulous job at adding lyrics to genuine.
Hypnos is by far my favorite track from this release, i fell in love with it for beginning to end. Sirius was good, but not the best either. The aggressive atmosphere of SS isn't evident in this cd, and kaya's lyrics sounds like his solo work. Of course im displeased with the lack of material but i am thrilled have new material which both share credit equally.