Shinshoku Dolce [CD]

Kanon Wakeshima | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: CD
• Label: Maru Music
• Run Time: 40 minutes
• ASIN: B002EL60YI
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #55,053 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Kanon Wakeshima is destined to be a musician. Since she was a very young child she has been studying music. However what makes this story so different then hundreds of classical musicians are the twists and turns that fate has brought to Kanon's career. At still a very young age of 19 years old, Kanon has become an icon for a generation of young girls who dream of beautiful fashion, music and style. A major twist in Kanon's fate was that the famous and reclusive producer Mana decided to take Kanon under his wing. Mana-sama not only produced Kanon's album, but also oversees her art, fashion and music videos. This influence has molded Kanon in to a much more mature artist then her contemporaries. Mana-sama is the leader of the ultimate goth-art-rock group Moi dix Mois and was the leader of the cutting edge group MALICE MIZER. He is renown throughout Asia, Europe not only for his musical projects but also his fashion label, Moi-même-moitié. However, Kanon's music destiny started long before Mana came into her life. Her parents named her Kanon, after the Japanese phrase "Sound of Flowers". She first gravitated to the cello at the age of three. She played her first solo performances during Junior High. At around 16, Kanon started to rebel. She developed an unconventional cello style, and started singing while playing the cello. Mana used his influence to debut Kanon 's song "Still Doll" as the theme to "Vampire Knight" the highly popular anime shown throughout the world. This debut album includes 12 original audio tracks and a second DVD disc featuring two music videos "Still Doll" and "Suna no Oshiro". Tracks: 1) Sweet Ticket 2) Shinku no Fatarythm 3) Kagami 4) Still Doll 5) Maboroshi 6) Ennui Kibun! 7) Suna no Oshiro 8) Monochrome Frame 9) L'espoir~Manho no Akai Ito 10) Kuroi Torikago 11) Skip Turn Step 12) Shiroi Kokoro 13) Sweet Dreams

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great CD, August 6, 2009

By 

Jenny Aldrich (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shinshoku Dolce (Audio CD)

This is a fantastic Cd if you enjoy Jpop/techno pop and classical crossover music.
the music is sweet, slightly dark, slightly childlike and beautifully unique.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Goth Lolita, December 11, 2010

By 

Datura - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shinshoku Dolce (Audio CD)

Shinskoku Dolce is goth-lolita heaven: lush music, dark lyrics, with more than a splash of fashion. Kanon Wakeshima didn't get to write the music this time around (her producer wrote all the music), but she did write the lyrics. I look forward to when her producer gives her more creative freedom, because she's clearly got the talent. I recommend looking up lyrics translations; it makes the songs much richer. Songs I normally wouldn't have liked on this album I've come to appriciate after understanding the lyrics.

Sweet Ticket: A short intro into Shinku No Fetarythm.

Shinku No Fetarythm (Rythmn of Fatalism): Wakeshima-san sings in a lower register, easier on the ears of Western listeners, and enchants with flourishes of her beautiful cello playing. The low rapid beat is hypnotic. 5/5

Kagami (Mirror): Sparkling bells give way to rich cello and darkly merry percussion. Wakeshima alternates between softly girlish tones and desperate wails in an ominous take off Snow White. 5/5

Still Doll: Gets the award for creepiest outro to an anime. The entire song gives off a creepy vibe, especially when Wakeshima-san nearly hisses "Hi Miss Alice." Awesome cello solo. 4/5

Maboroshi (Illusion): Not my favorite song on Dolce. Lighter, at least musically, than the intro songs. The weird rythmn and cadence of this song just doesn't work for me, especially the chours. It doesn't have the same fluid grace of the previous songs. 3/5

Ennui Kibun! (Feelings of Ennui!): An intro of bits of sound--cats and telephones and running water, with Wakehima-san whispering something. It sets the tone for an off-the-wall song about Wakeshima-san's dissatisfying day that involves a cat, ringing machines, and her new shoes. Cute, weird, funny. About that order. 4/5

Suna No Oshiro (Castle of Sand): If you haven't heard of this song yet I'm not sure how you wound up at this page. (Second outro for the anime Vampire Knight.) In any event, an intense, epic song with operatic vocals and an amazing intro. 5/5

Monochrome Frame: An understated, melancholy song. The violins are particularly beautiful, and Wakeshima-san shows off her lower register again. 5/5

L'espoir -Mahou No Akai Ito-: Aaaand back to the high-pitched nasally voice. On a more interesting note, she sings the intro and outro in French. 3/5

Kuroi Torikago (Black Caged Bird): In this song the complex beats work well, with some beautiful violins gliding over the top and under Wakeshima-san's vocals. 5/5

Skip Turn Step: Dreamy lighthearted song with poetic lyrics. You can almost see Wakeshima-san skipping ahead as the orchestra follows after. I didn't appreciate this one until I read the translation. 5/5

Shiroi Kokoro White Heart): Melancholy song, like a rainy summer afternoon. Wakeshima-san's cello work isn't as elaborate as in other songs, but it gives the song a wonderful rich undercurrent. 4/5

Sweet Dreams: Outro.

If you like it dark with a generous dose of sweet, pick this one up.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful cello!, August 4, 2009

By 

Miim (Nowhere land.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shinshoku Dolce (Audio CD)

I'm so glad I bought this CD. Kanon's music is truly wonderful, and the CD is a great buy whether you like japanese music and anime or whether you're simply a cello fan. Her cello playing is AMAZING. (She's a prodigy too, started playing at age 3.)

If you're a "Vampire Knight" fan, the CD is a MUST BUY, it has the ending themes of seasons 1 and 2 in it, and it's the much longer versions of the songs.
I was delighted by the longer intro to "Still Doll" as well, it's lovely and was quite a pleasant surprise.