Comiket 94 will be held from August 10th to 12th, 2018. The first day is dedicated for Touhou only.
Another event has come! The crossfades really bring a lot of surprises. Based on what I found, there are many new circles with interesting works. Some circles have their debut in this event. There are some comebacks as well!
Things go differently in this time roundup post. I won’t be specifically comment in every album because I’m overloaded with real life events. I don’t want the post to be too short, so I make a table contains some albums I found and enjoyed listening to their crossfades. You could go explore to yourself and have your own thoughts about them. I actually want to write them all like I did in the previous post, but my real life doesn’t allow them. I’m really sorry about that. I don’t know if I should go with this way in the upcoming post. Please send me feedbacks about this.
1) イノライ (inoray)
ツナガル セツナ (Connected Moments)
イノライ (stylized as ‘inoray’) is ACTRock’s brand new circle with the support of kaztora from ShinRa-Bansho! ツナガル セツナ (Connected Moments) is their debut album! I’m quite excited with this album based on its tracklist since it had many themes I like. We have Ayaponzu* as the supporting vocalist. A new duet is formed here: cheluce x Ayaponzu*. The second track highlights cheluce’s low and warm vocal tone. (I like it a lot.) Guest vocalists are Meramipop and 謎の人物Ｋ (Nazo no Jibutsu K). imagination ミライ is based on the Oni Trio. ACTRock has done a song like this back in C88. cheluce really did a great job in imagination ミライ.
I think the selection of the themes is intended. ACTRock picks mostly the themes we are familiar most. I think that’s the way to approach more listeners. This is a good way. So great job, ACTRock!
Let’s hope for this debut album will be a successful start for ‘inoray’.
- Highlighted track(s): ツナガル セツナ, Smile Smile Drive!, 冥界線-Nightmare-, オワリナキ紅蓮
Official Site || XFD
2) 音屋彩図堂本舗 (Otoya Size-do Honpo)
A full FGO arrangement album? I can’t believe in my eyes and ears anymore.
The first thing I want to say about this album is that its staff list is full of familiar faces from Touhou doujin music. Things work different in FGO because not all characters have their own theme songs. However, 音屋彩図堂本舗 (I’ll call them Otoya for short) makes use of the battle themes and develop them into image songs. In case you don’t know what “image song” is, it is a song that portraits a character by their background, thoughts, ideals, etc.
The crossfade is pretty short for a six-song album. I wish it was longer for me to truly know the potential behind it. Overall, I think it’s good for the concepts in each song. Personally, I like the Guda Guda track most. Because it’s folk arrangement, a rap song and a duet from Uten Kekkou (from Tamaonsen) and Murasaki Hotaru (from EastNewSound). Check me in for the list!
I want to see how this circle goes from here, so does the doujin music in FGO.
- Highlighted track(s): Hate or Love, てーぶるとーきんぐ！, ぐだぐだ珍道中
Official Site || XFD || Hate or Love (Full Size)
3) Feuille-Morte
ゲキノウタ (Song of Drama)
When I first saw this album, I was like: “Oh boy, this is a start of something pretty dramatic so I’d better fasten my seatbelt.” Have a think. We had “Tabi no Uta” in C92. Later on C93, we had “Wandaria”.
We have a fresh new vocalist for Feuille this time!! Her name is Haruka Yoritsune. Based on her performance in the crossfade, she has a deep voice. Pretty similar to Kushi but lower than that. But what I really hope that her voice is versatile enough to express all the story-telling contents from RD. The crossfade basically gave me that hope by somehow. The second track credits Haruka as “Starring”, so it might be something out of the blue. I’m pretty sure that it would not be a vocal track. But let’s wait and see.
Official Site with 名前の無い男(Short ver.)
4) Sound Lodge
Second Step
I accidentally found this circle and its C94 on Twitter. It seems that Sound Lodge is a new circle with a debut album in 2016. The first track, “My Second Step” is so good. I suggest you to have a listen to this album. 結良まり (Yuura Mari) leads me to the first song and the rest of the crossfade. I fell in love with her vocal tone already. nayuta also features in this album as a guest vocalist. What I get from this album is that it portraits a soothing, cloudy summer day. (quite contrast to nayuta’s 夏空オーケストラ last year.)
- Highlighted track(s): My Second Step, Only Flower, 気楽にいきたい
Official Site || XFD
5) ABSOLUTE CASTAWAY
ASTRO=FILM
This album is the continuation of the fantasy-themed album from ABSOLUTE CASTAWAY. The lastest album in this series is ASTRO-GRAPH which was released in M3-41.
I have listened to ASTRO-GRAPH and found that it was pretty good. I could only say it based on the music. I want to check out the contents too but the scans of ASTRO-GRAPH is no where to be found. Anyway, ASTRO=FILM seems more cheerful than ASTRO-GRAPH. ASTRO-GRAPH is more acoustic and softer. The song titles are formed like this: “(something) of (a constellation name)”. The album cover looks stunning. The tracks sound great. I’m adding this album to my wishlist.
- Highlighted track(s): シリウスの遊園 -Hacka-, スピカの約束, アルタルフの銀幕
Official Site || XFD
6) 7uta.com
サイセイの物語 -who sings in white- (Rehabilitation Story)
I’m starting to love nayuta’s voice more so I’m adding her album here.
nayuta really fits with the fantasy-themed concepts. I like her performing solo more than in a duet. Her voice is warm and soft. Anyway, this time, 7uta.com collaborates with M.Graveyard. So far, the songs are equal and similar to each other. There aren’t any hightlights in the overall crossfade but I’m curious with the concept behind it.
- Highlighted track(s): クロノウタ, トリシア・ブルームローズ
Official Site || XFD (Vocal / Instrumental)
7) Yonder Voice
ヴァイス・シュヴァルツ (Weiß Schwarz)
This time, Yonder Voice goes with something not so grand like usual…
Okuu is featured on the album cover… which means we’ll have a track based on her theme! ヴァイス・シュヴァルツ (Weiß Schwarz) means “Black and White” in German. The Okuu track is called “Black and White”. So, I guess we have a relation here? We also have a “Lullaby of Deserted Hell” arrangement. Honestly, the second track is better than the main song. I really don’t like how Yaoshan’s voice being autotuned in some first seconds of the crossfade. She did better in the second track, 赤煉瓦の国. We have Jell from GET IN THE RING for the lyrics in 赤煉瓦の国 (I was expecting some Anzu’s lyrics there but Jell should be fine). On the other hand, Anzu is in charge of the last track based on Hina’s theme.
For more information of the term “Weiß Schwarz”, please visit here.
- Highlighted track(s): 赤煉瓦の国
Official Site || XFD
8) 森羅万象 (ShinRa-Bansho)
ネタミニティ (Netaminity)
shinova is the illustrator for the album jacket! And it does give me chills and makes me think of the contents behind it.
To be honest, I was paying more attention to the sixth track, 無間嫉妬劇場『666』. ‘666’ is the Number of Beast” in Australia (thanks Rinki). It was based on Subterranean Animism’s Stage 2 Theme, with the album jacket above, we can easily guess that it’ll related to Parsee. Also in the tracklist, there is Medicine, Yukari, and Alice. Alice. A straw doll on Parsee’s hand. Well, that’s already been a hint.
ACTRock continues to support kaztora. We have more lyricists participate in this album too. Seiji and azuki are back. A new lyricist named An also contributes lyrics for the first track.
- Highlighted track(s): 深層トワイライト, テセウスの匣, 運命線上のアリア, 無間嫉妬劇場『666』
Official Site || XFD
9) ORANGE★JAM
ORANGE★JAM COMES BACK AFTER 2 YEARS!! AND I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS FOR TOO LONG!!! I was hyped when Renko announced this on her Twitter.
This is their first collaboration album with Babbe from Frozen Starfall. ORANGE★JAM usually goes with something simple but quality. I really love Renko’s lyrics and vocal tone. The tracklist contains good songs. Shinmyoumaru’s theme, Ten Desire’s Stage 4 Theme and Bad Apple! I mean, it can’t get any better than that. I’m excited to have a clearer look at Renko’s lyrics in this album.
- Highlighted track(s): Resolution, More Than You See, The Choice You Made
Official Site || XFD
10) 紫咲ほたる (Murasaki Hotaru)
荊棘涙 (Thorns’ Tears)
I personally love Hotaru’s album concepts. Flower-themed and a little bit of tragedy. The visual of the album jacket is purely well done. The album only consists of three tracks so I guess I won’t be saying anything much. Overall, it’s a soothing album to calm down your life for a while.
- Highlighted track(s): 伝承, 荊棘涙
Official Site || XFD
Other albums (in random orders)
| Album Jacket | Circle / Artist |
External Links |
 Moon |
魂音泉 (TAMAONSEN) | Official Site || XFD |
 Chaldea Jazz Club 2 |
Tomato Gummy | Official Site || XFD |
 Love, Smile & Blood |
発熱巫女〜ず (Hatsunetsumiko’s) | Official Site || XFD |
 REUNION |
発熱巫女〜ず (Hatsunetsumiko’s) | Official Site || XFD |
 Darkness Brightness |
FELT | Official Site || XFD |
 Rosethorn |
Releska | Official Site || XFD |
 POP|CULTURE 9 |
Alstroemeria Records | Official Site || XFD |
 10th Anniversary Bad Apple!! feat.nomico PHASE 3 |
Alstroemeria Records | Official Site || XFD |
 玉響咲いた背後の永久 |
幽閉サテライト (Yuuhei Satellite) | Official Site || XFD |
 秘神は背中で燃えている |
少女フラクタル (Shoujo Fractal) | Official Site || XFD |
 大富豪 (Grand Millionaire) |
豚乙女 (BUTAOTOME) | Official Site with XFD |
 少女煉獄第四巻 (Maidens’ Purgatory Vol. 4) |
豚乙女 (BUTAOTOME) | Official Site with XFD |
 “Activity” Case:08 -Midnight Syndrome- |
GET IN THE RING | Official Site || XFD |
 東方爆音ジャズ１３ 紺 (Touhou Jazz Explosion Vol. 11 Ultramarine) |
東京アクティブNEETs (Tokyo Active NEETs) | Official Site || XFD || Pure Furies (Full ver.) |
 東方フィルハーモニー交響楽団８ 地 (Touhou Philharmonic Orchestra 8 -Earth-) |
響アクティブNEETs (Koukyou Active NEETs) | Official Site || XFD || Hartmann’s Youkai Girl (Full ver.) |
 逆 -sakasa- (Reversal) |
凋叶棕 (Diao ye zong) | Official Site 1 with XFD || Official Site 2 with XFD || Translated Announcement |
Petalite Yuu 