Daisuke Ono “Orion no Yoru” (Review)

daisuke ono

As most of you must know by now, “オリオンの夜” (Orion no Yoru) is out. Daisuke Ono makes his comeback one year after his last release “Hero” with a release that really took him to a completly different level. This is really OnoD at his best.

orion onoD

Title: "オリオンの夜" 
Label: Lantis
Release date: 30/11/2016
Genre: J-Pop

Tracklist:

1. オリオンの夜
2. supernova
3. 月夜の円舞曲 ワルツ
4. オリオンの夜(off vocal)
5.supernova(off vocal)
6.月夜の円舞曲(off vocal)

Track by track analysis:

1.  オリオンの夜

Led by a delicate piano melody, オリオンの夜 is a sweet ballad with a really robust and warm instrumental. The first couple of acoustic guitar chorus and its slow pace are enough to know that we’re in for an emotional performance. Dramatic strings, melodic guitar riffs and a simple bass line add depth, enriching the instrumental. The guitar solo in the bridge and the choir add a melancholic touch to this performance, keeping the listeners’ emotions in check. Ono penned the lyrics to this song, which means that we’re in for an emotionally imbued performance that will touch the listener. The melancholy and gentleness in his vocals make this song an instant must listen. With such a delicate and well crafted instrumental, Ono‘s vocal performance was the cherry on top of the cake. You can’t help but to be swayed by this beautiful and powerful performance.  5/5

2. supernova

supernova” is by far Ono‘s best dance song to date. It’s modern and classic at the same time. It really has all the good elements some of his previous dance songs had but that, for one reason or another, weren’t fully explored. Strings, brass and sax, elements well present in the “Mission D” era, mix with some modern dance elements from the “Kiss Kiss Kiss” era – but these are basically in the background –, and funkiness (without all the cringe) from the “Netsuretsu Answer” era. All these elements really made this instrumental shine without being overwhelming or cheesy. We can vouch for this instrumental: it really has everything well laid out so don’t worry about we mentioning “Daisuke Ono” and “dance song” together and having people laugh at your statement. This performance takes everything to a completely different level. The vocal performance is leaps and bounds better than any of his performances in dance songs. As if this wasn’t enough, he makes good use of his mid-to-low vocals, delivering each and every single one of the verses in a rather seductive way. Another great song included in this release. 5/5

3. 月夜の円舞曲 ワルツ

To complete this single we’re presented with a stunning mix between jazz and traditional oriental elements. So to sum this up: grab a measure of jazzy piano, mix it with a longing biwa melody that really sets the mood in this song, add another measure of acoustic guitars and splashy, slow tempo drums and you get what? This masterpiece of an instrumental. 月夜の円舞曲 ワルツ mixes waltz with jazz and enka in a final product that will leave you begging for more. Ono tackles this song carefully but adding the necessary emotion to it, that soulful but yearning vibe that the biwa was already hinting from the start. In this end this is a masterpiece of a song. 5/5

Final rating:5 stars

What a release! OnoD manages to once again outdo himself. Not only his vocals are rock solid at the moment, but he also carries way more emotion in them. And what happens when his vocals sound on top of their game? The whole song benefits from it, especially if the songs/instrumentals by themselves are already something eye/ear catching. And that’s just what we’ve been presented with. Good vocals, impressive, well thought instrumentals that have a matured vibe on them – something that has been carrying over since 2015. One of the highlights for us was definitely the mix between jazz, traditional oriental elements – the blessed biwa -, and even a little bit of classy waltz. We’ve had never heard such a mix and it came across to us as something so refreshing in the middle of this slow tempo ballad single. In fact, as we take a look at all songs in this release we notice that, more directly or with undertones, this single is ballad driven, that’s the mood you get from listening to all these songs despite the intermission with the funky “supernova“. No one would have bet that OnoD actually sounded better as a ballad since rather than a dance pop artist.

We can only say that “Orion no Yoru” is a fabulous release, a highlight in 2016 that somehow was overshadowed by other releases in the last quarter of 2016.

Orion no Yoru” is available for purchase for all overseas fans.

 

Vanessa Silva
Vanessa Silvahttps://www.handthatfeedshq.com
The Hand That Feeds HQ founder, content creator, and music reviewer. Basically, the only person managing everything at The Hand That Feeds HQ. Stumbling upon Mamoru Miyano's "Orpheus" in 2011 was the start of this journey. If music is thought-provoking or deep, you may find her writing almost essays (not limited to, but it happens a lot with Soma Saito's music). She's the producer and host of the male seiyuu-centric podcast, SEIYUU LOUNGE (see Spotify link in this profile).

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