chronostasis // 8686m

Goodbye, 8686m. It was fun. I think this song is fitting for a last one.
You can look up what chronostasis is here, also knows as “stopped-clock illusion”

Title: chronostatis
Circle: 8686m
Album: TAKE TOO, TAKE TWO

やわらかに光差す道のおわりに
きっといつまでもいられないから
足跡だっていつかは風が掻き消す
それでもそんな証が欲しかった
yawaraka ni hikari sasu michi no owari ni
kitto itsu made mo irarenai kara
ashiato datte itsuka wa kaze ga kakikesu
sore demo sonna akashi ga hoshikatta

Surely, I cannot remain forever
At the end of the road, illuminated with a dim light
One day, breeze will erase those footprints
But still, I wanted to see that proof

瞬いた瞬間にあなたは何も変わらず
いつまでもそのままで笑っていてほしくて
matataita shunkan ni anata wa nani mo kawarazu
itsu made mo sono mama de waratteite hoshikute

In this moment, as fast a blink of an eye, you haven’t changed a thing
I wish we could laugh like that forever and ever

歩く速度も意味も紡ぐ言葉も
きっと全部同じではないから
静かに重ね合って刻んだ時を
巻き戻したいわけじゃないから
aruku sokudo mo imi mo tsumugu kotoba mo
kitto zenbu onaji de wa nai kara
shizuka ni kasaneatte kizanda toki wo
makimodoshitai wake ja nai kara

My walking speed, meanings, and even the words I spun
They’re surely different that they were before
The time ticks away peacefully
And it’s not like I’d want to go back

瞬いた瞬間にあなたはそっと笑って
戸惑ったわたしの手を優しく包んでくれた
matataita shunkan ni anata wa sotto waratte
tomadotta watashi no te wo yasashiku tsutsunde kureta

In this moment, as fast a blink of an eye, you were laughing softly
As I was bewildered, you gently took my hand

やわらかに光差す道のおわりに
きっといつまでもいられないから
足跡だっていつかは風が掻き消す
それでもそんな証が欲しかった
yawaraka ni hikari sasu michi no owari ni
kitto itsu made mo irarenai kara
ashiato datte itsuka wa kaze ga kakikesu
sore demo sonna akashi ga hoshikatta

Surely, I cannot remain forever
At the end of the road, illuminated with a dim light
One day, breeze will erase those footprints
But still, I wanted to see that proof

歩く速度も意味も紡ぐ言葉も
きっと全部忘れてしまうから
ざらつく心臓のまま刻んだ時を
巻き戻したいわけじゃないけれど
aruku sokudo mo imi mo tsumugu kotoba mo
kitto zenbu wasurete shimau kara
zaratsuku shinzou no mama kizanda toki wo
makimodoshitai wake ja nai keredo

My walking speed, meanings, and even the words I spun
I’ll surely forget them eventually
The time ticks away in my rough heart
Even so, it’s not like I’d want to go back

時計の針が少し止まって見えた
きっとそんな永遠なんてないから
足跡だっていつかは風が掻き消す
それでもそんな証が欲しかった
tokei no hari ga sukoshi tomatte mieta
kitto sonna eien nante nai kara
ashiato datte itsuka wa kaze ga kakikesu
sore demo sonna akashi ga hoshikatta

It looked like clock’s hands had stopped for a second
But surely, such an eternity doesn’t exist
One day, breeze will erase those footprints
But still, I wanted to see that proof

canon // 8686m

Title: canon
Circle: 8686m
Album: TAKE TOO, TAKE TWO

畦道の花が咲く、見たこともない色
祝うように、笑うよに、誇るように
影よりも濃い黒が群がった白は
そうまるでイレギュラー
研ぎ澄まされ過ぎている
azemichi no hana ga saku, mita koto mo nai iro
iwau you ni, warau you ni, hokoru you ni
kage yori mo koi kuro ga muragatta shiro wa
sou marude iregyuraa
togisumasare sugiteiru

Flowers of a color I have never seen, grow between the rice fields
It’s as if they were congratulating me, smiling at me and boasting
Blackness, darker than a shadow, swarmed over the whiteness
Yes, almost as if it was irregular,
Way too much sharpened

窓際の花が咲く、見たこともない色
夢の中を描いた絵のような
今よりも濃い今を掻き消した今が
ありふれた永遠をただ眺めていた
madogiwa no hana ga saku, mita koto mo nai iro
yume no naka wo egaita he no you na
ima yori mo koi ima wo kakikeshita ima ga
arifureta eien wo tada nagameteita

Flowers of a color I have never seen, grow on the windowsill
Just like in the image I saw in my dream
Even darker than now, in the present that is being erased now
I am just staring at the simple eternity

「錆びつく牙はそれでもあなただ」って優しく笑った
‘sabitsuku kiba wa sore de mo anata da’ tte yasashiku waratta

“Even with your fangs covered in rust, it’s still you” I kindly laughed

ざわつく空は雲ひとつも見えやしない
ざらつく恋は機械仕掛けなんかじゃない
錆びっく牙はもう何も奪えないから癒えない
旅立つ声にさよならとさえも言えない
zawatsuku sora wa kumo hitotsu mo mie ya shinai
zaratsuku koi wa kikai shikake nanka ja nai
sabikku kiba wa mou nani mo ubaenai kara ienai
tabidatsu koe ni sayonara to sae mo ienai

A noisy sky, with not a cloud to be seen
A rough love, which is not just a mechanism
Rusted fangs cannot steal anything anymore, so they won’t recover
I couldn’t even say my goodbyes to the voice that soon departed

About TAKE TOO, TAKE TWO

The translation of the article from here. Happy New Year everyone!

• 退屈 (Boredom)

The Japanese pronunciation of 退屈 (taikutsu) sounds somewhat similar to English “Take too”.
Originally we had no idea on how to execute this whole album, but thankfully Okayama-san did a great job on this one. Since there’s so much going on in here, with the whole concept of living, things beginning and ending, we found it rather hard to somehow channel all of this clearly, but this album is full of songs like that. In the end, each time we listen to this album, we’re glad it worked out this way.

• canon

Whenever I think about this song, a picture of a ballerina standing on her toes pops in my mind.
I really like the feeling of a 2A bass throughout this song.
The composition of this song began with the concepts of “eternity” and “present”, but that “eternity” we’re speaking of, if seen from the “present”, is, as a matter of course, the “present” too. Which is why the “Even with your fangs covered in rust, it’s still you” line is both what you’d want to hear as well as say to someone.

• marshmallow

The melody of this song is very good, especially when accompanied by the usual carefree style of Fujiko-san vocals, with the distinct prolonged “n” sounds.
Though it’s not visible at the first sight, deep down Patchouli has a more feminine side we’ve tried to shown. Maybe if she instead of “standing confused” could “shake the confusion off” it’d be better for her.
As much as I wish it wan’t true, every time I write it in Hiragana, I’m reminded of Shinkansen

• chronostatis

A phenomenon, where the hands of a clock seem to have stopped.
It was the 1st song we made demo for, so it was rather memorable.
We made this song with a thought in mind that it’s supposed to be a song to which you can just dive in, without bothering with reading the lyrics or whatever, even though the song’s right in the center of the CD.
The part not written in the booklet is “In just a brink of a moment, I will disappear, but even then, keep smiling as you did”, but I remember it was sung.

• f(take2)

I really like this song, Okayama-san did a wonderful job!
I find the letter “f” a rather important letter for me.

• tangent

There’s a proverb called “It takes two to tango”, which basically means you cannot dance tango just by yourself.
So, we created “It takes two to tangent”, which means “you cannot touch each other just by yourself”. This is also motif for the whole album.
This is also where the “simple”ness, scattered throughout all the song, began.
It carries a vibe of something being forced at you, just like the “boring eternity”, that in the end became nothing but forced.
Let’s dance.

• 手紙 (Letter)

We really liked one of activity’s albums called “homesick”. Mainly it was the way this album was made, but here, we tried to make a song that would contrast with it, and our starting point was exactly their arrangement of U.N. Owen.
The motif of touching from “tangent” is also present in this track.
A calculated, from the top to the bottom, dance.

• TAKE TOO, TAKE TWO

With the 2017 already coming to its end, I’ve decided to write this little message to you.
Throughout this whole work, we have used a lot of poor wording. Writing all of that down, the only word in our heads was “shame”… But even so, right now, we are glad that we could make this album happen more than anything.
From now on, we still want to keep trying our best.

tangent // 8686m

This is the first time I publish a translation all by myself, meaning that no one more knowledgeable than me didn’t check it before posting, so if you spot any mistake, please tell me!!

Title: tangent
Circle: 8686m
Album: TAKE TOO, TAKE TWO

“I said hallo”.
合言葉はそれだけで
だってこんな美しい日は
もう二度と来やしないから
I said hallo
aikotoba wa sore dake de
datte konna utsukushii hi wa
mou nido to kiyashinai kara

I said hello,
I greeted you with those words alone
After all, it’s not like
Those beautiful days will come back once more…

運命だ、と愛他もない言葉遊び
あなたはそう誇らしげににっこりと笑顔のまま
”人は皆、生きたいから”なんて嘯いたから
抱きしめるように祈るように消えてくれない
unmei da, to tawai mo nai kotoba-asobi
anata wa sou hokorashige ni nikkori to egao no mama
“hito wa mina, ikitai kara” nante usobuita kara
dakishimeru you ni inoru you ni kiete kurenai

“Fate” is nothing but a childish wordplay
You said proudly, with a grin on your face:
“All people want to live” – you were bragging like that
As if you were hugging me, as if you were praying, you wouldn’t let me go

瞼閉じる速さで今を走ってゆく
呆れるほど正しくこの世界を愛してしまっていた
mabuta tojiru hayasa de ima wo hashitteyuku
akireru hodo tadashiku kono sekai wo aishiteshimatteita

I start running with a speed of the blinking eye
It surprised even me, just how much I fell in love with this world…

降りしきる雨はもう止んだから
踊りましょう踊りましょう、優しい幻
furishikiru ame wa mou yanda kara
odorimashou odorimashou, yasashii maboroshi

The down-pouring rain has already stopped
Let’s dance, let’s dance – in this nice illusion

突き刺さるように咲いた
ざらつく花は夜にとけた
tsukisasaru you ni saita
zaratsuku hana wa yoru ni toketa

The rough flower, blooming as if piercing through,
Has melted into the night.

永遠に触れた今さえ置き去りにしてゆく
呆れるほど正しくこの世界は廻ってく
ありふれた永遠はただここにあって
風が少し冷たいのはただあなたが生きていたから
towa ni fureta ima sae okizari ni shite yuku
akireru hodo tadashiku kono sekai wa megutteku
arifureta eien wa tada koko ni atte
kaze ga sukoshi tsumetai no wa tada anata wa ikiteita kara

Upon touching eternity, you left the present behind
It surprised even me, just how much this world goes round and round…
This simple eternity is something that only exist here
Though the wind was a bit cold, only you here were alive with me…

手紙 // 8686m

This might be my favorite 8686m song.
Flan’s story often hits my heartstrings.

Title: 手紙 (Letter)
Circle: 8686m
Album: ワンルーム・パレード/TAKE TOO, TAKE TWO

眼を閉じても眼を開いても　怖くて
間隔が不揃いなまま10を数えてる
me wo tojite mo me wo hiraite mo kowakute
kankaku ga fuzoroina mama juu wo kazoeteru

No matter if I open or close my eyes, I am afraid
In uneven intervals, I count to 10

吐き出す言葉　あなたの名前はない
唇を噛む合図で生活は色褪せてく
hakidasu kotoba anata no namae wa nai
kuchibiru wo kamu aizu de seikatsu wa iroaseteku

Among the words I spew out, your name cannot be heard
I bite my lips, as a sign of a fading life

心を見せ合うことはできないから
誰もいない優しい記憶の中で　叫ぶ
kokoro wo miseau koto wa dekinai kara
dare mo inai yasashii kioku no naka de sakebu

Since we cannot open our heart to each other
In my nice memories, by myself, I scream:

「目を逸らさないで」
‘me wo sorasanai de‘

“Don’t look away from me!!”

綺麗なものだけ抱き締めて
どうか壊れないでと願った
kireina mono dake dakishimete
douka kowarenaide to negatta

Only clinging to what’s beautiful
Praying that somehow I won’t destroy it

そんな些細なことで
今日を昨日に変えていくことができたらな
sonna sasaina koto de
kyou wo kinou ni kaeteiku koto ga dekitara na

If only such a trivial thing could
Change today into yesterday…

揺り籠　溺れる姿
気の触れ合うまで　落ちてく
yurikago oboreru sugata
ki no fureau made ochiteku

A figure drowning in the cradle,
Before we made each other lose our minds, it fell down

大事なものだけ抱き締めて
いつか壊れてしまうとしても
寂しい事だなんて何一つないと思えたんだ
daiji na mono dake dakishimete
itsuka kowarete shimau toshite mo
sabishii koto da nante nani hitotsu nai to omoetanda 

Only clinging to what’s important
Even though I know I’ll end up breaking it
I managed to never, ever think that it would be sad

銀の匙で掬った明日に私の居場所はもうないから
景色は解け始める
もう何にもなれることなく微笑んでいて
gin no saji de sukutta asu ni watashi no ibasho wa mou nai kara
keshiki wa tokehajimeru 
mou nan ni mo nareru koto naku hohoendeite

There’s no place for me in the tomorrow scooped up with a silver spoon
The scenery begins to blur out
Even though I wasn’t able to become anything, in the end, I smiled

退屈 // 8686m

The magical girl Flandre is no longer magical…

Title: 退屈 (Boredom)
Cirlce: 8686m
Album: TAKE TOO, TAKE TWO
~

割れた爪先に血がにじむ
左手の中に心臓はない
wareta tsumasaki ni chi ga nijimu
hidari te no naka ni shinzou wa nai

Blood drips from my broken toes.
There’s no heart in my left hand anymore…

枯れない花さえ枯れてゆく
銃声は夜に響き渡る
karenai hana sae kareteyuku
juusei wa yoru ni hibikiwataru

Flowers that shouldn’t rot start to do so.
The gunshot echoes in the night.

再現性さえなくしてしまう夢なんて
愛しすぎて壊れてしまいそう
saigen sei sae nakushite shimau yume nante
itoshishisugite kowarete shimaisou

My dreams, which cannot be relived anymore
Are so dear to me I feel like they’ll break soon…

嘘ひとつもつけないのならせめて
同じ色の景色を描けないのならせめて
エンドロールを掻き鳴らしてみせて
uso hitotsu mo tsukenai no nara semete
onaji iro no keshiki wo egakenai no nara semete
endorooru wo kakinarashite misete

If you cannot lie to me anymore
Nor paint a scenery with the same colors
Then just play the credit rolls…

marshmallow // 8686m

Do I sense some PatcheRemi in here?

Title: marshmallow
Album: TAKE TOO, TAKE TWO
Circle: 8686m
~

左胸、奥底がざらつく音が告げるのでしょう
ただそんな瞬間さえも針は進んで
hidari mune, okusoko ga zaratsuku oto ga tsugeru no deshou
tada sonna shunkan sae mo hari wa susunde

I could hear a sharp sound coming from the left side of my chest
But even then, the clock kept ticking

取りとめない言葉を重ね合わせ
ふたり向き合う隠れんぼ
傷つけやすくて傷つきやすい形は
優しい嘘さえつけないままで
toritomenai kotoba wo kasaneawase
futari mukiau kakurenbo
kizutsuke yasukute kizutsuki yasui katachi wa
yasashii uso sae tsukenai mama de

The unstoppable spout of words kept overlapping
It’s a hide and seek game where we face each other
Being like this, when it’s easy to be hurt and to hurt others,
I can’t even tell one nice lie.

不意にふれた左手なんて戸惑うあなたは
それでも困ったような顔をして笑った
fui ni fureta hidari te nante tomadou anata wa
soredemo komatta you na kao wo shite waratta

I suddenly touched your left hand, and you, rather bewildered,
With a troubled expression on your face, still smiled at me

左胸、奥底がざらつく音が聞こえるでしょう
ただそんな瞬間さえも針は進んでた
hidari mune, okusoko ga zaratsuku oto ga kikoeru deshou
tada sonna shunkan sae mo hari wa susundeta

I could hear a sharp sound coming from the left side of my chest
But even then, the clock kept ticking

取りとめない言葉を書き連ねて
ひとり佇む斯く恋慕、煙に巻く
優しい嘘さえつけなくてごめんね
手に巣食うのぞみが星空駆けてゆく
toritomenai kotoba wo kakitsuranete
hitori tatazumu kakurenbo, kemu ni maku
yasashii uso sae tsukenakute gomen ne
te ni sukuu nozomi ga hoshizora kakete yuku

I wrote down your unstoppable spout of words
A romance where I stand by myself, confused
Sorry I couldn’t make any nice lies
The wish you hold in your hands ran towards the starry night sky

左胸、奥底がざらつく音は静かに掻き消されてく
ただそんな瞬間さえも針は進んでく、そのまま
hidari mune, okusoko ga zaratsuku oto wa shizuka ni kakikesareteku
tada sonna shunkan sae mo hari wa susundeku, sono mama

The sharp sound coming from the left side of my chest fainted away
But even then, the clock kept ticking, as it did

ありふれた永遠なんてわからないあなたは
それでも優しい人になろうとしてた
arifureta eien nante wakaranai anata wa
soredemo yasashii hito ni narou to shiteta

Even though you don’t know anything about simple eternity
You still tried to become a nice person