You all know this one – probably. It is best known when played with a piano, of course, but this timeless melody is one of the most famous in French music. In our arrange, we decided to play this sweet Gymnopedie with an airy keyboard, to make the melody even softer and lighter, like the cloudy wings of a butterfly floating around a dream. We have our own story that goes along with the song – which may well be told in vocal form someday. In the meantime, enjoy this time at the bring of earth and space to make up your own dream.
Jun 28 2016
Japan Expo 17e Impact Presence
In less than 2 weeks from now, the two members of Raven’s Jig will be present at Japan Expo 17e Impact, during 7-10 July 2016 in Paris, France! We’ll have lots of things for sale at our amateur ‘doujin table’ called AKHTS&redtails, located at booth N647. As for Raven’s Jig, we will have available our album Better Together, and our single Bratja! Fortunately it all worked out fine and we were also able to have artwork, postcards, posters, small prints, buttons and a couple perler crafts. We’re looking forward to it!
Jun 18 2016
Bratja Single Release
In addition to our album, Better Together, we have also put together a single featuring Bratja. We’re really happy that our hard work came together this way. The single will be released next to our album at Japan Expo 17e Impact, 7-10 July 2016 in Paris, France. Afterwards, the entire single will be made available online. See you then!
May 25 2016
Better Together Album Release
We did it! We finished our first album! We will release the album formally on Japan Expo 17e Impact (7-10 July 2016), in Paris France. All songs have been retouched and remastered, and the whole album will be placed online after the 10th of July! We’ll keep you updated!
Mar 07 2016
Raven’s Jig – Be of Tranquil Cheer (on-vocal)
This soft, bossa-nova-like arrangement of Rin Kaenbyou’s stage theme, from Touhou 11 – Subterranean Animism, is the first piece of what would eventually become Enfants atomiques, a Raven’s Jig EP dedicated to a strange Touhou cat and a strange Touhou bird. This was played with very peaceful thoughts in mind, blue skies and soft grassy fields, and the French lyrics followed suit. Like this arrange, they praise carefreeness and the pleasure of enjoying the simple things in life with a person you love.
Feb 20 2016
Raven’s Jig – Be of Tranquil Cheer (off-vocal)
This soft, bossa-nova-like arrangement of Rin Kaenbyou’s stage theme, from Touhou 11 – Subterranean Animism, is the first piece of what would eventually become Enfants atomiques, a Raven’s Jig EP dedicated to a strange Touhou cat and a strange Touhou bird. This was played with very peaceful thoughts in mind, blue skies and soft grassy fields, and the French lyrics followed suit. Like this arrange, they praise carefreeness and the pleasure of enjoying the simple things in life with a person you love.
Dec 14 2015
Raven’s Jig – Unicorns (Solitude by the Window)
You might recognize the melody for this one. A long time ago, we played it as a French song that kept its own name, “Solitude by the Window” – originally from 2001 anime Noir. Just like our French version of Solitude by the Window, this song is about personal aspects of Agathe’s life… But we spiced it up a bit by tackling yet another aspect this time. Unicorns is meant as an tribute to those people who do not experience romantic or sexual attraction – what do you mean they don’t exist? Well, let’s agree that some believe they exist, some do not. Just like unicorns. Either way their life seems peaceful.
Sep 17 2015
Raven’s Jig – Cantina Band
This song, released in-between the 2014 and 2015 Star Wars movies, was played by Onne, in his own words, for his personal fun. Actually Agathe has had to write comedic lyrics to it since forever (get to it, Agathe). In the meantime, we hope you can enjoy our fun-packed, drum-and-brass-rich rendition of this timeless classic which might bring a tear to all the nostalgics of the original Star Wars film. This wonderful alien band shall not be forgotten.
Sep 06 2015
Raven’s Jig – Gnossienne no. 1 “Lent”
To each their own, but most will agree that French composers between the late 19th century and the early 20th century produced real highlights in terms of piano music. Case in point: Erik Satie, who tackled such a large varieties of atmosphere and musical colors in his uniquely creative music. Here with Gnossienne no.1, we tried honoring the eerie, dark atmosphere, plunging the listened in a horror story-like, seemingly empty home, with black cats and grandfather clocks lurking in the corners. Disturbed yet?
Aug 10 2015
Write it all again
First, a little background behind the featured image : last July, we attended Japan Expo in Paris as visitors, and luckily for us, the great utaite Kanipan (かにぱん。) was part of the guests this year. In late 2013 and early 2014, Kanipan was kind enough to do two collabs with us, which are now part of our dearest memories, so of course, we just had to come and say hi. Not only did Kanipan recognize us and greet us warmly, but she was also kind enough to draw both Raven’s Jig members in her amazing drawing style!
Thank you so much, Kanipan. We well never forget this meeting!
During the past few months, Raven’s Jig has been looking back on their lives and their previous achievements in hopes to take it as an incentive to move forward. First demonstration up to illustrate this fact is our new, improved version of “Armstrong”, probably one of our oldest arranges at this point, a cover with unchanged lyrics of a song by Claude Nougaro. Incidentally you might recognize the melody from somewhere else : Nougaro’s song itself is an arrange of the classic known as “Go Down Moses”. A cover of a cover? Covers intensify!
Next up is an arrange of another song by Ludovico Einaudi (see previous post for further information), because once you’ve become hooked on his music, you cannot turn it off. To this song, “I Giorni” (literally “The Days”), we wanted to add lyrics particular to our very own Onne’s personal story. Onne’s moved away from his home for the first time last year, something I myself have become quite used to at this point, but it’s always a tough turn to take… It did give us inspiration to write something about it, though. What happens when you lose your previous home and possessions along? How do you move forward? With our arrange of “I Giorni”, we tried to tell a little story to suggest an answer.
(Side note : I really like how the voice effects go hand in hand with the different mood switches within the song. Thank you, Onne!)
We have been working on more projects and more songs in varied styles should come soon enough, but for the time being, the latest arrange we have completed is a glorious mockery which I loved working on : “Teddy Bear” by Elvis Prestley, with new, more realistic lyrics which offer to expose the reality of being somebody’s teddy bear. It’s not as fun as it sounds. (But boy was it fun to sing.)
We are now all the more motivated to move forward and keep you updated with new arranges as soon as we can. Until then, thank you for your patience.