{ w i n t e r f a l l } . . . seeing in monochrome;

recommendations

read before downloading

Since I'm providing these goods for direct download (right click to save the file), my server's bandwidth is what will suffer as a result. Just a quick reminder before you start leeching:

1. Download one file at a time. This prevents the server from crashing as a result of too many simultaneous downloads.
2. Support L'Arc~en~Ciel by buying their music. Under law, you're required to delete these files within 24 hours. Don't blame me if the coppers come after you D;

If the bandwidth overloads, I'll have to take this section down and this site will [temporarily] die for the 137th time D; I don't expect that to happen anytime soon though. SO ENJOY THE DOWNLOAD SPEED and lack of waiting time 8D

the weasel's favorites

ibara no namida (‚¢‚Î‚ç‚Ì—Ü) by L'Arc~en~Ciel
1999 (Ray) || 5:22 || 4.91 MB
This was the first L'Arc~en~Ciel song to ever grace my ears, and to this day, it still has the ability to give me chills. Pleasant chills. Ibara no namida translates to 'Tears of thorns,' and oh man, I feel the tears and the thorns (and lots of flames, too, but whatever that's me). Deceptive at first with the steady plucking of strings and the haunting vocals, the song erupts at the chorus into a volcanic explosion of intense passion and pain; to me, this is music capable of igniting flames. Hyde's voice reaching falsetto, he belts the wretched words of his heart almost hopelessly, as if self-expression was simultaneously a liberation and a torture. And oh man, the crazy train just keeps going from there.

Voice by L'Arc~en~Ciel
1994 (Dune) || 4:52 || 6.70 MB
What a free, liberating song. It makes me feel like the doors to the skies have opened for me! Images of the clouds and the sky vivldly pass through my mind, moving at insane speeds. As if I'm on hallucinogens, man, that's the feeling. Hyde used a different vocal style back in these long curly-haired indie days; he almost sounds in pain. I think it's a nice touch, but hey, not everybody agrees. Regardless, this song is beautiful, liberating, EPIC, and at the same time, a bit melancholy, as if the movie we're all in is ending.

Fate by L'Arc~en~Ciel
1998 (Heart) || 5:40 || 5.19 MB
The lyrics to this song, craziness. I've never considered myself too much of a romantic sap, but the love described in these words and in this music... it makes me shiver. And yet, ladies and gentlemen, it's one of the songs that merits Hyde's signature hip-swaying (oh yes!). Dance moves aside, though, the heartache is still all there and the delivery is amazing. Hyde expresses such extreme emotion in this song, his voice sounds sometimes on the brink of breaking. It sounds to me like a song about the willingness to endure anything for love despite your uncertainty of your ultimate fate. But enough deep analysis! This is a beautiful, painful love song. And yes, I have a tendency to like songs where Hyde sounds as if in pain; it's just his emotions, man!

Twinkle, Twinkle by L'Arc~en~Ciel
2005 (Awake) || 5:12 || 7.14 MB
This song has that synthesized 80s flavor. Now I know to some, that doesn't sound very appealing but oh, it works so well with this song! It's so uplifting, it just makes you smile. My favorite point in the song is definitely at 2:00 with the line, "Changing, nothing gonna changing." So beautiful, even with that engrish (the message gets across anyway, right?) Hyde's vocal transitions, in addition to the echoing effects and multiple layers of sound, and of course the wonderful instrumentation that makes me think of the stars in the sky, really, the combination of all these elements produces such a hopeful, beautiful feeling that you just lose yourself in the happiness that results (oh man I'm a clever one, almost incorporating the song's line 'lost yourself in happiness' in my sentence right there).

comment

If you want to say how much love/hate any of the songs, then just... leave a comment here! Also, if you'd like to ask something to be reuploaded - or if you want to request anything (I have many Laruku and Hyde music and videos), then drop a line also.