Akiko Shikata

Yes, another hit for me! I think I prefer this more than Laylania, The arrangements are gorgeous and the songs have a lot of personality. It's consistently good. My least favorite is 花鳥風月, because I'm not a big fan of the vocals or the electronic-ish tracks, but it's still fun. My favorite is undecided.
 
just imagine Kenji Kawai working with Akiko Shikata on a traditional Japanese genre cd.

favourites: Kaguya, Otoshimono, Kaze Kaoru, Kago no Tori
 
I'm a week late but there's a new Concept Vocal Album coming out on March 6 April 10 (another unsurprising delay, lol). Unfortunately if I'm seeing correctly Animate is once again getting an exclusive special CD with 4 extra tracks (which is kind of BS since the main CD is only 5, unless they are all going to be orgel arranges).

http://shikata-akiko.com/product/catra/

No samples yet.
 
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`Sure is bump galore from me.

Opening for Hataka no Psychedelica game by Shikata. No word on a single release but the game is coming out September 29, 2016.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKgQhllSNXw
http://www.otomate.jp/psychedelica/

灰空の雫 Haizora no Shizuku(?)
Composed/Arranged: Akiko Shikata
Lyrics: Yoshie Isogai

I'm okay with the repeated parts in the refrain but other than that... super MEH. Faint vocals and that fake vibrato that I hate at the end, too. Doesn't really have anything that excites me and It sounds really low budget...

Compared to Kokia's and Kaori's songs for new Otomate games... I have to say Shikata might want to try harder.

Edit:
Also missed that she contributed vocals to this documentary's theme:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McYcCynY9QA&t=1m55s
 
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She's doing the ED song "Kakureoni" for Ao Oni THE ANIMATION movie coming next year.
http://aooni-anime.com/movie/


She apparently also worked on some BGMs for Tohken Ranbu online.
http://www.dmm.com/netgame_s/tohken/

Someone ripped them on youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9JBOf2_7Uo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlsIp2POiBE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVUz-jefFQc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1y6etJKDZo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HW8mogHeaA

Edit:
Ao Oni trailer with song clip: https://youtu.be/kC4cXdOycV8

And after this song sample I've decided to stop bumping the thread. At least until Shikata does something that actually excites me again.

Edit:
I guess I don't dislike the full version (as heard in the movie).
 
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Bumping a very old thread! :D

I have so many favorite songs by Akiko Shikata. Love almost all of the Hymmnos songs she sings for Ar tonelico series, love almost all songs in the Harmonia album, and some others here and there. It keeps going there since then. I didn't particularly enjoy Istoria and Turaida album. I think I've tried both several times, but none really caught my interest like her past works did. I mean, when she can create something like Sorriso and Akakakushi, I seem to always expect more, lol.

Any suggestion to revive this old flame?
 
Sadly not. From released stuff, caTra has 螺旋の涙 which is very much a hymmnos song but it also feels derivative of her older works (not a surprise considering it's based on an orgel track she did waaaaaaay back) and is probably the weakest on caTra now that I'm thinking about it lol.
https://youtu.be/LSs9TZeh9wQ?t=4m30s

I'm in somewhat of a similar boat. I loved Istoria~Kalliope but starting with Turaida my reactions were mostly "meh", "okay", "great" and nowhere near the extatic happiness I've had before... and I hate that goddamn Turaida vibrato. Another thing that's been bothering me is the mastering on her CDs released through Frontier Works... it's just terrible.

Having said that I still like her stuff and am following what's going on...

She has a new album coming out in 2 weeks. (Assuming it doesn't get delayed again, cause there's literally no news.) It's called Ayashi and is her second Japanese inspired concept album (after Wokashi from ?2? years ago). I probably liked Wokashi the best from her Turaida&beyond output so I'm hopeful this new one isn't worse...

I think the Touken Ranbu Online OST is worth listening to but it's not the greatest soundtrack ever by any means. Also features tracks by Haruki Mori from Elements Garden.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epeBjuizHAE

PS. I think I edited this post 51 times, lol.
 
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Ya. 10 tracks (no idea how many vocal; Wokashi had 1 instrumental out of 7 tracks). And then there's the usual Animate exclusve bonus disc which might have an additional song.
 
Here's a tracklisting that I found.
Cover: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DVu-vyIUQAASx3H.jpg
https://www.melonbooks.co.jp/detail/detail.php?product_id=342841

PS. Also why do they keep mentioning the shikata shop on her site/twitter when it's been down for years for me... Is it actually working for anyone else? http://shikata-shop.com

Edit: Ok, the shop finally went up for me.

Fully detailed tracklisting. Seems like all are vocal.
http://shikata-shop.com/?pid=127145753

Ayashi
Code: 
01. 童謡綺譚～序～　さくらさくら　　　　(作詞・作曲：不詳　編曲：志方あきこ)
    douyou kitan ~jo~ sakura sakura
02. 夢神楽　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　(作詞・作編曲：志方あきこ)
    yume kagura
03. 蝶よ花よ　　　　　　　　　　　　　　(作詞・作編曲：志方あきこ)
    chou yo hana yo
04. ヨモスガラ停留所　　　　　　　　　　(作詞・作編曲：志方あきこ)
    yo mo sugara teiryuujo
05. 恋ヒ数え　　　　　　　　　　　　　　(作詞：篠田朋子・作編曲：志方あきこ)
    koikazoe
06. 月夜にモラトリアム　　　　　　　　　(作詞・作編曲：志方あきこ)
    tsukiyo ni moratorium
07. 御停め心　　　　　　　　　　　　　　(作詞：ＫＯＫＯＭＩ・作編曲：吉田穰)
    gotodome kokoro
08. ゆめのあと　　　　　　　　　　　　　(作詞：波乃渉・作編曲：志方あきこ)
    yume no ato
09. 天地開闢　　　　　　　　　　　　　　(作詞：波乃渉・作編曲：志方あきこ)
    tenchi kaibyaku
10. ここんがこん　　　　　　　　　 　　(作詞：波乃渉・作編曲：中河健)
    kokongakon
11. 童謡綺譚～結～　　　　　　　　　 　(作詞・作曲：不詳　編曲：志方あきこ)
　　通りゃんせ ほたるこい
　　ずいずいずっころばし かごめかごめ
    douyou kitan ~ketsu~ tooryanse hotaru koi zuizui zukkorobashi kagome kagome

Animate Edition Special Mini-CD: Yume no Ato
Code: 
01. ヨモスガラ停留所～Instrumental～
    yo mo sugara teiryuujo (instrumental)
02. ゆめのあと～Instrumental～
    yume no ato (instrumental)
03. 春のかたみ
    haru no katami

Music&Arrangement by Akiko Shikata, except:
#01,#11 Composer unknown; (traditional?)
#07 Music&Arrangement by Minoru Yoshida (吉田穣)
#10 Music&Arrangement by Ken Nakagawa

Lyrics by Akiko Shikata, except:
#01,#11 Lyrics by unknown; (traditional?)
#05 Lyrics by Tomoko Shinoda
#07 Lyrics by KOKOMI (? of Asriel?)
#08-10 Lyrics by Wataru Hano
 
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It works now that they updated it with AYashi. It didn't at the time I originally posted. (At least for me.)
 
http://shikata-akiko.com/product/ayashi/

Website open if you want the gigantic artwork (4074x1770 for the full layout art). Not much else that wasn't already revealed earlier except links to all the shops (Amazon included). Samples coming soon maybe?

Edit:
For the full layout pic add the following to the URL:
Code: 
img/visual/desktop_landscape_Full.jpg

Edit2:
Also from twitter, collage of the whole package:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DWJg8wLV4AABPbS.png
and animate disc:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DV6xVmRVwAA-46j.jpg
 
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Thanks so much for the update @grunty ! Much appreciated. :3 I see that she keeps the magical, ethereal kind of atmosphere for her releases. The art images remind me so much of her old works. I can understand that it's hard for this kind of music genre to compete because it's not for everyone. It does work better for specific platforms like games or fictional works.

I hope to listen to Ayashi soon. Next week sounds like something to look forward to with Aimer and Shikata releasing new works. Time to repeat the Harmonia album like crazy until the release day comes. xD
 
Oh wow, I pasted the wrong URL for the layout picture in the last post, lol. Fixed it.

@uta93 I'm really interested in track #7 going by the credits. I mean, an Akiko Shikata song composed by a GUITARIST with lyrics from KOKOMI (of Asriel)? That just sounds fascinating, lol. (inb4 it's the biggest turd)
 
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