All About Salyu

You know all about lily chou-chou. Here comes 'all about Salyu'

Lily chou, a singer idol borne out of shunji iwai's youth-angst movie does exist in real life. Her name is Salyu. She doesn't wear ghostly paint or mumble about 'ether' yet that familiar hypnotizing voice makes you blink: am I back in the movie?

Salyu's singing is a hodgepodge of pop, new age and gospel(probably influenced by her choir training...). Her slightly coarse voice sounds weirdly abstract and laid back(the old elements of 'lily chou chou'). It might be my illusion that her lazy singing's always quarter of a beat behind melody. Still, the gluey voice drags on & on like this sunny winter afternoon, bathing your limbs your organs your nerves in a numbing comfort. Meditative or dangerously self-indulgent?

Mini Biography
adapted from here (Chinese)

Salyu (real name Suzuki sth) played piano since young and joined the choir where she sang mostly hymns and carols. She used to frequent live house and watched her friends perform. Occasionally she would sing on stage as well. In 1998, Takashi Kobayashi (composer for "All About Lily Chou Chou", "Swallowtail Butterfly") was greatly impressed by Salyu's live house performance and asked her to sing in shunji iwai's movie. The vocal album of the movie was released under the title 'Kokyu'(Breathe). Riding on the popularity, Salyu embarked on her solo career and has been actively invoving herself in live shows. Takashi Kobayashi writes and produces most of Salyu's solo projects. - so there you have lily chou's voice and the same composer from the movie. Welcome back!

Discography
2001.10.17 - 1st Album
Lily Chou-Chou: Kokyu (Breathe)

01. Arabesque
02. Ai no Jikken Experience of love
03. Erotic
04. Airship
05. Kaifuku surukizu Wounds that never heal
06. Houwa Saturation
07. Tobenai Tsubasa Wings that can't fly
08. Houwa(Kukyo na ishi) Saturation (Empty Stone)
09. Glide

2004.4.21 - 1st Single
IImari x Salyu - VALON

01. VALON
02. VALON（～mold mix～）
This's a collaboration between IImari(solo artist from the rap group 'Rip Slyme') and Salyu. 'VALON' in Finland (IImari's birth place) means 'to light'.

2004.6.23 - 2nd Single
VALON 1

01. VALON
02. Niji no Saki (the end of rainbow)
VALON 1 is the rearranged, less acoustic version of VALON and is Salyu's first solo.

2004.10.27 - 3rd Single
Dialogue

01. Dialogue（ダイアローグ）
02. Hikari no Suku (Rays of Light)

2005.3.24 - 4th Single
Peaty

01. Peaty
02. 砂 (sand)
Meaning of the word 'peaty' - partially carbonized vegetable tissue due to partial decomposition in water of various plants. Goes well with Track 02...

2005.5.11 - 5th Single
Suisei

01. Suisei(comet)
02. Taion (body temperature)

2005.6.15 - 2nd Album
Landmark

01. Landmark
02. AIAMU I am U)
03. VALON-1
04. Niji No Saki End of Rainbow
05. Peaty
06. Taion Body Temperature
07. UEE
08. Dramatic Irony
09. Dialogue
10. Suisei Comet
11. Pop

2005.10.26 - 6th Single
Kazeni Norefune

01. Kazeni Norefune
02. Saisei(replay/rebirth?)


Links
1. Salyu Official Site
Discography section contains PV clips. (really interesting, reminds me of surrealistic paintings)and you'll find journas from Salyu (with photos).

2. All About Lily Chou-Chou : Salyu
Chinese fansite dedicated to the movie 'All About Lily Chou-Chou'. There's a special column 'about lilychou/salyu' under which you'll find detailed reviews and CD scans for Salyu's released singles.

3. Liquid Voice - Salyu/Lily chou-chou Fanlisting
fanlisting, discography in eng

4. Cori's Lyrics Translations
Romaji lyrics & review

5. Days of Salyu
Japanese fan site dedicated to Salyu

6. Junk Magnet: Salyu
English review site, disco, review & links

Song of Week
Salyu - Houwa(Saturation)
[#6, 1st Album Kokyu(Breathe)]
- Translation(by me, so please close one eye)

I miss you,I miss you
to the end of a hundred million light years
I miss you,I miss you
400 thousand miles away the moon is smiling
I miss you,I miss you
if only i could return to the tropic of capricorn
I miss you,I miss you
leaning close to your lips
1mm distance away from the gate of saturation