His first main solo album in three years following a period where focus was directed on the Defrosted P-Model, Aurora, which Hirasawa has said can be considered a second solo debut,[1] is a turning point in his career. Unlike the previous solo albums, Aurora doesn't feature guest musicians, with almost all instrumentation handled by MIDI-compatible devices.[2] The music was composed with the AmigaThe Blue Ribbon SoundWorks programs Bars & Pipes Professional, which he started using for "more natural orchestration",[3] and SuperJAM!,[4] whose "Bartok" style he modified by inputting data from his own songs, irreversibly turning its patterns and variations into "Hirasawa" style ones.[5]
Aurora was created to appeal to the instinctual side of the listener as opposed to the logical, in likeness to tales and myths,[6] emphasizing vocals and melody. The songs were written so that the album would lack any inherent story or concept, inviting the listener to create their own reading.[3] However, as he wrote the lyrics out, seven of the album's ten songs ended up having to do with "you" (キミ, kimi), which accidentally created undertones of a story about two people. Hirasawa wanted to avoid that if at all possible, but felt that was just the way the language worked and left it as is.[3] Many words representing natural phenomena were included in an attempt to resolve complaints about the lyrics being opaque. Hirasawa chose words that were easy to understand and had a large impact, the word Aurora came from this decision as well.[3]
The album's booklet is adorned with Buddhist imagery. Advertisements for Aurora used the phrase "The Greatest Music of All" (至高の音楽, Shikou no Ongaku).[7]
Remastered by Masanori Chinzei. Disc 4 of the HALDYN DOME box set.
November 5, 2014 (2014-11-05)
Universal Music Japan
SHM-CD
UPCY-6930
Part of Universal's "Project Archetype" (supervised by Osamu Takeuchi & Kasiko Takahasi). Remastered by Kenji Yoshino (supervised by Chinzei) with both original liner notes and new ones.[8]
"Love Song", "Aurora", "Song of the Force" and "Snow Blind" are included in the NEW SONGS FROM AURORA promotional sampler.
"Love Song", "Aurora" and "In the Square" are included on the Archetype | 1989-1995 Polydor years of Hirasawa compilation.
"Island Door (Paranesian Circle)" is included in the vinyl release of the Ruiner Original Soundtrack.
References
^Hirasawa, Susumu (2012). "Disc 01－07". Haldyn Dome (PDF file included on Data Disc) (in Japanese). Chaos Union, TESLAKITE. p. 37. CHTE-0057.
^ ab アーティスト研究 平沢進 [Artist Study － Susumu Hirasawa]. Sound & Recording Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 4. Rittor Music. April 1994. ISSN1344-6398.
^ abcdTakahasi, Kasiko (2010) [1999]. 改訂DIGITAL復刻版 音楽産業廃棄物 [Music Industrial Wastes Rev.2.4] (PDF) (in Japanese). Vol. Hirasawa Side — 卓上のウロボロス [Desktop Ouroboros] (3rd ed.). Fascination. p. 21.
^"Interview 平沢進". Keyboard Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 10. Rittor Music. October 1998. ISSN1344-6371.
^Inoue, Takako (March 1994). 目を閉じて犬になり、雲になり・・・・・・ [Close Your Eyes, Then You Become a Dog, or Cloud......]. Rockin' on Japan (in Japanese). Vol. 82. Rockin' on Inc. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
