M3-30 Review Part 1

Happy Halloween! I haven't done a proper review in ages, so I thought I'll do that this year. Please don't ask me about posting the actual release just yet.

Carnaval Papillon - Yume, Uruwashiku Yami wo Kanate
A gorgeous, glamorous vocal quartet featuring a vampire tragic love story as the theme, even though there's only 1 vocal song in the preview CD. There's harmony between Hatsuki Yura (Girl Alpha) and Tsukiko (Girl Beta), plus Konori's bass (The Earl of Darkness) and Nagi Kaiji's baritone (The Viscount). The tease is killing me, and I couldn't wait for the actual album itself to be released next year.

Sally in the room - Sally in the room
This CD features Fukami Chie on vocal and iyuna on composition. The music is on the refreshing, girlish pop side, but not too sugary or fluffy. The music also retains Chie's whimsical charm.

Hatsuki Yura x Okka - BABEL
Mamyukka's Okka composes this album, and BABEL would not sound out of place in Mamyukka's repertoire. The perfect treat for Hallowe'en. Unlike the heavy Gothic atmosphere in "Yume, Uruwashiku Yami wo Kanate", this album is more playful and also more wicked in its child-like cruelty. It begins with a carnival-esque ambience and ends on a vaguely unsettling note.

Shirakaba no Kai - Cherries
Mutsuki ("Muzzo") and Murasaki ("Murataro") sing as men. Mutsuki has released something of the like awhile back, but this is the first time I hear Murasaki sing in a guy's voice. The style of the album is quite diverse: hard-boiled (?), Arabian, cabaret in the early Showa era, the more Gothic-like style reminiscent of Queen of Wand, and denpa-kei (...).