Kanon Wakeshima's Debut Album - Shinshoku Dolce

Kanon Wakeshima just released her debut album in France and Germany (it will be released a bit later in Japan!). The album is entitled Shinshoku Dolce and is produced by Mana from Malice Mizer and Moi Dix Mois. It features her 2 ED songs from Vampire Knight and Vampire Knight Guilty. Kanon performed at a special showcase here in Paris on the 11th of February and then did a free concert the 12th!! I'm so sad I missed it...

TRACKLIST

01 - sweet ticket
02 - Shinku No Fatalism
03 - Kagami
04 - Still Doll (Vampire Knight ED)
05 - Maboroshi
06 - Ennui Kibun!
07 - Suna No Oshiro (Vampire Knight Guilty ED)
08 - Monochrome Frame
09 - L'espoir -Mahou no Akai Ito-
10 - Kuroi Torikago
11 - Skip Turn Step
12 - Shiroi Kokoro
13 - sweet dreams

8/10 If you're a fervent reader of this blog, you probably know how much I adored her two Vampire Knight theme songs, Still Doll and Suna no Oshiro. So it comes as no surprise that I have been waiting for this album for quite a while now. I was so happy to get my hands on it even after reading not so great reviews (such as this one). My overall impression is on the contrary a very good one... How can you go wrong with such a talented artist? She not only has a beautiful voice, but is also a skilled cello player (just like my sister, hehe). It's so rare to have a young J-Pop singer who plays the cello!

Mana's gothic and mysterious style is a great addition to Kanon's talent. A lot of the tracks on the album feature haunting melodies with amazing vocals. Beautiful string arrangements can be heard in almost every song and they feature not only a cello but also violins... There's even a beautiful song sung entirely in french called L'espoir, even though I couldn't understand a single word she was singing!

I hope you will like the album as much as I did...