Sora no Woto OP – Hikari no Senritsu – Review

Review: As someone who has been following Kalafina since their debut, I was actually a little hesitant about this single. Those who have been paying close attention to Kalafina may find that their earlier works such as “Fairytale” and “Oblivious” are truly ingenious in terms of composition but recent works like “Lacrimosa” and “Progressive” tend to disappoint. Especially after the “Progressive” fiasco, I wondered what could possibly redeem them.

If your thoughts tally with mine, fear not! Hikaru no Senritsu reaffirms that Kalafina is still going down the right track! However, there are two possible interpretations on this single.

From the point of view of someone new to Kalafina, or simply a die-hard fan of Yuki Kajiura, this single offers something wondrous to listeners. The folk feel of “Hikari no Senritsu” really brings out the best in the vocalists’ voice. This song makes me reminisce on why I fell in love with Hikaru’s voice from “Natsu no Ringo” and “Gloria:” its sweetness and purity.  Hikaru’s performance is the most outstanding point of this track, since the light quality of her voice fits the folk-ish style perfectly. Another great point in this track is the call and answer sequence between Keiko and Hikaru from 3:20 to 3:40, which is expertly executed and draws one into the music.

As with any Yuki Kajiura single, it is impossible to not mention the instrumental track. From the instrumental version of “Hikari no Senritsu,” listeners really get to appreciate the vocalists, since they breathe life into the piece. Another noteworthy point is the elaborate flute solo, where we hear things we seldom associate with flutes, such as trills which make that segment one of the best parts of this single. The instrumental is a great listen on its own, but without the vocalists, one just cannot feel the vibrancy and life pulsing from it.

However, the second take on this single is that though the music sounds good, nothing sounds original. It does not take a genius to spot the resemblance between “Storia” and “Hikari no Seiritsu.” The main disappointment was “Sapphire,” since it sounds like a simple arrangement of some of Kalafina’s earlier ballads. It is worrying since one can’t help but wonder if Yuki Kajiura is out of ideas for this group.

In “Sapphire,” Wakana’s higher notes are also substantially weaker than what we expect from her. However, people who listen to a lot of FictionJunction or Kalafina will notice that Wakana’s expression is definitely improving. Though she belts out the chorus of “Hikari no Senritsu” in her usual ‘lamentation’ style, we hear definite efforts from her to express herself more in the second stanza.

Even when both views are taken into account, the fact remains that this is a solid single through and through. Perhaps to those who are familiar with Kalafina, it leaves much to be desired. However, to those who have yet to hear their beautiful songs, start now!

Rating: Good

Sora no Woro OP – Hikari no Senritsu