Of Day the Eighth and Muchly More Musics!

After a brief interlude (and a brief bout of Blogger being down), I'm happy to resume with another very musical post, full of clicky links.

Day 8~
10 songs that inspire you for lolita.

1. Let's start with the obvious one: Lolitawork Libretto by Kanon Wakeshima. When I listen to this song, I get a sense of...completion, or maybe of an exciting, ongoing journey. This song really seems to express what lolita means to me, or what my world as a lolita is. It's not just on an individual level, though. Lolitawork libretto gives me a sense of being part of a massive global community of lolitas, all with our unique version of a fairytale world.

2. The Little Fugue in G Minor for the organ is my favorite classical piece ever. It sounds so haunting and unearthly. It reminds me more of my characters' world than of my own 'lolita bubble,' but the world of my stories is in many ways a part of my own internal dreamscape, as is lolita. (And on the occasions when breaking of the fourth wall is had, my characters and I all live together in a lovely gothic mansion, dancing in the ballroom or taking tea at midnight.)

3. Futatsu no Kodou to Akai Tsumi (or, Two Beats and Red Sins) is the opening song of Vampire Knight, my favorite anime series. Like the above-mentioned fugue, for me this is one of those songs that makes a perfect soundtrack to my idea of a gothic dreamworld (if that made sense). I love the sense of forward movement in this song, juxtaposed with the nostalgic haunting loss that fills the lyrics and melody.

4. Seishoujo Ryouiki, the second opening of the Rozen Maiden anime, is one of the few songs in this list that reminds me specifically of lolita. For those who don't know, Rozen Maiden follows the story of several Victorian style dolls who have been magically brought to life.

I love the way the words and melody express the thoughts of a doll (or maybe a maiden that dresses to look like a doll). To me part of the message is that a yearning for beauty and wonder can coexist with more down-to-earth fears and worries, and even petty jealousies. It's a fascinating juxtaposition. And a beautiful song besides.

5. Let me introduce you to my favorite vocaloid song, Trick and Treat ("Reborn!" version). This song fits perfectly my idea of spooky whimsy. It's mysterious, lighthearted, and a bit melancholy all at once. The two characters in the video remind me very much of my fae characters--it seems like the sort of thing my faeries would do.

6. Lacrimosa by Kalefina, better known as the second ending of the anime Kuroshitsji, is so beautiful and haunting it gives me chills. I love it when songs or stories--or...just anything, really--do that. This song has a very eerie beauty--it's filled with sorrow and some amount of internal conflict, and yet very serene and untroubled. This was my "themesong" for my NaNoWriMo novel, last November.

7. Versailles (whom I had to include sooner or later in this list) helped me "find myself" again, when their music first came into my life. They made me remember my love for the roses and the moon--in short, the internal dreamscape I've been wittering on about. By doing so, they paved the way for my entry into lolita fashion.

So I almost feel as though Aristocrat's Symphony is "our song," referring to my own experience with the band and their music, because it was the first song I listened to over and over when falling in love with Versailles. It tells a story of bringing someone into "the world of roses"--which is what they did for me. So by watching this music video I'm reminded strongly of my own story of coming into Versailles' world.

8. Versailles has another song and video I absolutely fell in love with (more than usual I mean). The passion, drama and yearning of Ascendead Master resonates with me in a way I can't really explain. The storyline, a combination of antique and modern worlds, is one I find quite fascinating. And the music is not only gorgeous, but pretty exciting too!

9. Last time I didn't get to show you the song that might be my favorite of Nana Mizuki's, Dancing in the Velvet Moon. (There's no live action music video to showcase her style, so sadly it didn't fit with the style post.)  The ending song of Rosario + Vampire, this song centers on my favorite character, Inner Moka--the title vampire.

For those confused by my referring to "inner" Moka--Moka has two selves, courtesy of a magical seal (the "rosario") that keeps her true powers (and ferocity) bound. I like her "outer" self pretty well--she's cheerful, sweet and idealistic--but I'm practically in love with the fierce, aloof, and downright cool vampire princess she becomes when the seal is removed. I don't know what this has to do with lolita, except that while in my dark frills I'd like to have the same confidence and mysteriousness as she does. Plus she grew up in a gothic castle. Which is totally cool.

10. Time for more vocaloid. Another of my favorites is Cendrillon, which has a few references to Cinderella. In addition to the fairytale references (which are always nice), I love how this song is filled with idealism yet also with a haunting poignance.

Well now, it seems almost all of my songs are in Japanese. I suppose it's no surprise, knowing me! A lot of symphonic metal can be found on my lolita soundtrack, as well as many pieces from the gothic instrumental band Nox Arcana (which I highly recommend). But that's a post for another night.