Hanenone: Haibane Renmei Official Soundtrack
Even by anime standards Haibane Renmei is a very unusual series. The timeless, serene setting of the story required an equally unusual accompanying soundtrack, and songwriter Kow Otani was chosen for the score’s composition. The album Hanenone is a compilation of the songs especially written for the show, and demonstrates the eclectic range of musical styles that were used while providing an atmospheric and relaxing listening experience.
The album is largely classical with strong hints of various Celtic and early European folk sounds and even a jazz number. What is immediately apparent is how closely the music matches the atmosphere of the animation that inspired it: relaxing, tender with an underlying feeling of mystery and melancholy, the extensive use of piano and strings conveys the emotional themes of the series with knee-trembling effectiveness.
The opening tune, Refrain of Memory, sets the tone for the rest of the album with a delicate piano line, a folk-tinged flute melody and background strings. The signature theme Free Bird follows (in full, which is something of a pleasant surprise for those of us familiar with the shorter TV edit), then comes the somewhat dark Toga that is probably the most oriental-sounding track on the whole album (as with the show itself, the OST does not have a very oriental feel to it, despite it being Japanese in origin). The songs are mostly instrumental, consisting of atmospheric orchestral harmonies and the occasional appearance of acoustic guitar or accordion. The Start of the World has a more upbeat, folkdance-vibe while Little Plate’s Rondo is a baroque-sounding piece played at a measured pace on a harpsichord.
There are two vocal songs on the album: the traditional sounding Wondering performed in a very operatic style by Donna Burke and Julianne’s Love Will Light the Way. The former stays with the classical European theme, but the latter is a cool and relaxing jazz song; on its own it is a great piece but alongside the rest of the record it does sound rather modern and out-of-place. Nevertheless it is equally as restful as the rest of them, and especially highlights Otani’s abilities in song arrangement. Ethereal Remains however is outstanding in its haunting otherworldliness with half-heard background vocals that are guaranteed to send shivers up the spine.
The album ends on the beautiful Ailes Grises, which echoes the melodies and atmosphere of the opening song and concludes the collection on a suitably emotionally-charged note. Performed almost completely as a piano solo, it sums up everything that makes Haibane Renmei so magical without the use of words and is devoid of affectation and eloquent in its simplicity.
In Summary
For those who are fans of the Haibane Renmei animated series, Hanenone is a fitting accompaniment that captures the atmosphere and includes all of the best songs that were included in the episodes. Even for those not familiar with the show, it is a stunning stand-alone record that blends the unlikely combination of classical orchestral and folk styles with ease. The sleevenotes also include a short written interview with Otani himself, which will no doubt be of interest to fans.
Tracklisting
- Refrain of Memory
- Free Bird
- Toga
- Breath of a germ
- Starting of the world
- A little plate’s Rondo
- Silent Wonderland ~REM sleep~
- Song of Dream, Words of Bubble
- Rustle
- Shadow of Sorrow
- Blight
- Wondering
- Fading
- Ripples by the drop
- Someday,Lasting,Serenade
- LOVE WILL LIGHT THE WAY
- Ethereal Remains
- Ailes Grises
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