Ironic Clown

Track list:
1. Odoyaka na Shizukesa
2. Follow the Nightingale
3. Ave Maria
4. Todokimasu You ni
5. song of pocchong ~Shizuku no Uta~
6. Gomen ne.
7. Lacrima
8. Nani mo Kamo ga Hoshi ni Natte
9. il mare dei suoni
10. everlasting
11. Chiisana Uta
12. Watashi ni Dekiru Koto

The VOICE is KOKIA’S 6th studio album and was released on the 20th of the February, 2008. It reached number 42 on the Oricon Weekly charts and sold a total of 7, 765 copies.

It seems like KOKIA has finally found the genre that she belongs to. KOKIA was never destined for the pop roots of her past. Her previous albums Remember Me was decent, however it never felt like she truly belonged, because KOKIA was just a bit too alternative for the “pop” genre.

Then KOKIA comes along with The VOICE that begins with an experimental song Odoyaka na Shizukesa which sounds natural and organic, KOKIA’s voice is better than ever before, and that’s evident from the beginning note of the album, which is adlibbing. KOKIA carries on this experimental edge with possibly her best single yet Follow The Nightingale which starts out as a peaceful song, but soon becomes a full blown forte, experimental song.

After the first burst of energy KOKIA decides to take a softer approach with Ave Maria, the cover of a famous well known song. The first two energetic songs on the album have been a success, but does KOKIA deliver on softer songs? You bet! Ave Maria is a fantastic cover. KOKIA varies her amazing voice this time and uses an operatic voice. Things stay laidback in the gentle and carefree song Tokdokimasu You ni. Besides song of pocchong ~Shizuku no Uta~ and il mare dei sunoi songs are soft throughout the rest of the album. Where others would get boring KOKIA succeeds. Why? Well because of her amazing voice. I have already stated many times throughout this review KOKIA has a truly amazing voice and she uses every bit of it to assist her in her songs.

Soft arrangements suit KOKIA, and unlike a lot of artists she does not have to rely on the arrangement of the song to make the atmosphere interesting. KOKIA’s vocals have improved immensely since the beginning of her music career and even since her previous album Remember Me. KOKIA has chosen soft, European arrangements to compliment her voice, which is a clear success. And it seems that KOKIA likes the European edge, because she even released a European version for fans in Europe.

KOKIA’s English is improving too. This is evident in everlasting which is a song that is sung entirely in English. KOKIA loses that cute English pronunciation and this time opts for a more serious voice, however she does come back to her cute English speaking in the bridge where she says heartfelt lines “Our father in heaven, I truly thank you for giving me a feeling of love. From the bottom of my heart, I wish this word to be wrapped with eternal light.”

KOKIA provides a breather from the ballads with a Nani mo Kamo ha Hoshi ni Natte which is a raw song consisting mainly of percussion and a keyboard. Even though this song has percussion, KOKIA has made the percussion soft and subtle, so it still retains the gentle sound which is present throughout the entire album.

Guitar and piano both share a generous amount throughout the album. In the middle of the album Gomen ne and Lacrima show KOKIA’s guitar arrangements and towards the end we get to hear her piano arrangements. KOKIA gets personal with the last two tracks which is just her the piano, and some percussion thrown in for extra stability. These songs never get boring, because the rawness of the piece really adds an emotional touch to the album and once again KOKIA’s voice never fails to impress. The VOICE starts on an energetic side, and ends showcasing a softer side of KOKIA.

The VOICE is appropriately named, as all of the tracks on the album showcase her strongest gift. Arrangements are minimal compared to her other albums, and lose the pop feel about them and venture into alternative areas, which is perfect for KOKIA as she was never destined to be a pop star, instead she was destined to be an artist who relies on her voice to convey a message. In The VOICE KOKIA finds herself and the music that she was almost meant to make. KOKIA’s voice is showcased amazingly through The VOICE and in my opinion KOKIA has released the perfect 6th album.

_______________

Hits:
Odoyaka na Shizukesa | Follow the Nightingale | Ave Maria | Todokimasu You ni | song of pocchong ~Shizuku no Uta~ | Gomen ne. | Lacrima | Nani mo Kamo ga Hoshi ni Natte | il mare dei suoni | everlasting | Chiisana Uta | Watashi ni Dekiru Koto

So-so:
N/A

Misses:
N/A
_______________

Overall Rating:5 stars