True Tears OP Single – Reflectier – Review

Review: My experience with eufonius’s music had been pretty limited up to this point. “Koisuru Kokoro” from Kashimashi ~Girl Meets Girl~ didn’t initially catch my attention (though it did grow on me after awhile) and as a result, I didn’t really give them serious consideration until I listened to “Mag Mell” (Clannad). “Mag Mell” was pretty much the song that put eufonius on my personal radar and as I listened to more of their works, I found that their music made for an enjoyable listening experience. Now, with “Reflectier’s” release, eufonius has outdone themselves by delivering a solid album that stands as arguably their best work to date.

It’s really hard to place my finger on why I enjoy “Reflectier” so much. The beginning gives off a mellow vibe that stays somewhat soft as riya’s voice enters the picture with a melody that starts off subdued, but then builds up to the point where the piece will inspire action and movement, almost like a dance that speeds up with time. This becomes apparent as the song builds up to 0:54, where its tempo begins speeding up as riya delivers a rather forceful, but energetic refrain that catches your attention and carries you all the way through until the end of the first verse. It’s not a stretch to say that this piece is just flat-out beautiful in the way imparts upon the listener the feeling of limitless possibilities brought about by a freedom to go wherever, and do whatever the listener wants. Riya’s voice is completely clear and does an excellent job of carrying the melody in a way that’s technically well-done while being able to express emotion. The harmony, too, should be lauded for doing an excellent job of complementing her voice, like the use of the electronic beat that emphasizes the lyrics at the right moments to the piano that helps establish the mood, whether it’s at a slower, introspective segment, or during the faster, more energetic segments. Every facet of this song is just cohesive, yielding a result that just outshines most OP/EDs in its elegance, pacing, and enjoyability.

“elekto” begins softly with a solo piano that sets up for a more subdued atmosphere when riya enters around the 20 second mark, with an equally soft and subdued melody. From the way the piece is flowing, you can definitely feel a few layers of buildup as they add more instruments to the harmony. After a few retreats, back-peddling, and a strange transition that feels just slightly jarring around 1:38 the song brings everything to bear around 2:22 with a percussion and a more pronounced piano segment that takes charge of the melody. Riya’s return after the interlude has a yearning, but mellow feel to it and it meshes really well with the piano harmony in the background. The piece then takes a turn back to the beginning, albeit with a fuller harmony to back her up including a full set of percussion that sets the tone for the rest of the song until it fades out slowly, letting riya close the piece out beautifully. All of this praise comes with a caveat, of course. While this song is actually very decent, it’s marred by a thumping electronic beat that makes its presence while riya is singing. While I don’t mind an electronic beat that serves to add some rhythm to the piece, I do mind when it stands out so conspicuously as to interfere with my enjoyment of the song, turning what could have been an enjoyable piece into one that’s merely above average. Needless to say, that sole aspect of the song made it somewhat aggravating to listen to, and this song would have been much better off without it.

Although “elekto’s” execution was a bit of a turnoff, everything else about the track was a competent effort even if it doesn’t have the impact that “Reflectier” has. Together, these two tracks do an excellent job of complementing each other as “Reflectier’s” shift from being introspective to being energetic serves as a great opener while “elekto” works as a competent mellow piece to close out the album rather nicely, making it one of the better OP/ED singles that you should take a look at.

Rating: Very Good