I've been going on and on lately about the works of Shunji Iwai, namely [All About Lily Chou-Chou]. One of the best points of that film was the soundtrack, filled with the atmospheric stylings of "Lily Chou-Chou". In actuality, Salyu was the voice in question, and she's now my new favorite chanteuse.

The soundtrack album by "Lily Chou-Chou" is 39 minutes of heaven, bringing the best of UA and Bjork to bear. It's extremely languid and ethereal, written and arranged by Takeshi Kobayashi, but enlivened by Salyu's remarkable essence. It's both melancholic and invigorating, and a testament to how deep Iwai-san's vision went. The most important part of his movie was that the music had to be a transcentental force bringing together disparate souls, and amazingly this album does just that. Check out Lily's "home page" for the full extent of the beautiful fiction.

Of course, Salyu is her own real-live woman, existing as a performer beyond the mask of Lily. This year has seen her releasing 3 maxi singles, the first [VALON] with Ilmari. [VALON] is basically 2/3 Salyu with bookending raps by Ilmari, and her voice cuts through the crap of the world, so silky smooth and pillow fluffy, yet with a comfortable edge. I recommend this for Salyu fans more than anything else, and the included remix is surprisingly unique.

Her first solo maxi single is [VALON-1], a variant of her earlier collaboration, only with maximum Salyu amazingness. The second track, [Niji No Saki] (I hope that's the right romanization, the title involves rainbows), is just as great, with a nice melange of organ, guitar and "beat". I highly recommend this single as a cheap place to start the Salyu experience.

[Dialogue], her most recent single, is a bit more forceful in its slow and steady attack, and has a catchy chorus suitable for most any sonic occasion (as long as you don't mind Japanese, which is her language d'art). I really like this song, and hope it catches on with the public at large. [Hikari No Taba] (who's title evokes a bouquet of light) is slower and guitar stitched, with pleasant backing overdubs and the sort of feeling that staring at clouds while hiking could potentially provoke. I also find it quite swell, making this maxi-single another best bet.

Salyu is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with, so be sure to check her out.