Few bands are more enigmatic than Koenji Hyakkei (written in Japanese 高円寺百景… Read Full Bio ↴Few bands are more enigmatic than Koenji Hyakkei (written in Japanese 高円寺百景). Though firmly grounded in the Zeuhl style of Magma, they have taken it to new and unexplored places. Fronted by drummer Yoshida Tatsuya, of Ruins fame, their lineup shifts as rapidly as their style does. However, two things remain constant in their music- lyrics in a made up (and probably nonsensical) language, and an exotic, almost folk feel to the music. The combination of the two gives a sense that you're listening to the music of a culture that exists only in minds of a handful of creative people.

Until recently, their ensemble has consisted of drums, bass, guitar, keyboard, and female vocals (Nami Sagara, ex-The Eccentric Opera). With their latest album, Angherr Shisspa, they have replaced the guitar with reed player Komori Keiko (mainly on soprano sax). With this change in instrumentation, their style has veered into a new direction to match the change in tone color.

Through their evolution of style, their rhythmic and formal complexity have expanded greatly, incorporating polyrhythms, asymmetrical time signatures (i.e. not all beats are the same length), as well as more complex and varied sections, often containing polyphony and counterpoint. However, through all these impressive technical feats, they have managed to keep the overall feel very simple and melodic, to the extent that most other music feels hideously normal after listening to Koenji Hyakkei.

Formed in Tokyo, Kantô, Japan in 1991. Note that there is no official way to romanise the band's name, which accounts in part for the wide variety of tags across last.fm. Koenji Hyakkei and Koenjihyakkei have been used most commonly by official sources, but KoenjiHyakkei, Koenji-Hyakkei, and others have also been seen. 高円寺百景 is the Japanese tag for the artist, and a more accurate romanisation for the name would be Kōenji Hyakkei or Kōenjihyakkei, although these are rarely seen.

Studio discography:
1994 - 高円寺百景 (Hundred Sights of Koenji)
1998 - 弐(II) (Viva Koenji!)
2001 - Nivraym
2005 - Angherr Shisspa

Live discography:
2002 - Live at Star Pine's Cafe
2006 - Live at Doors
2008 - 070531
2010 - Live at Koenji High

Quivem Vrastorr
Koenjihyakkei Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Tristelfong Paraidde Ferrdo Tristelfong Paraidde Ferrdo
Dyustaflam Krebo Plingdo Dyustaflam Krebo Plingdo

Quivem Vrastorr Hozhai Heddinica Hozhai Heddinica Plemdoh
Kahval Sonnica Lassai Hillidica Lassai Hillidica Yahrgoh

Flisscam Dhong Pillendhai Ressteng Parrodai
Flisscam Dhong Pillendhai Ressteng Parrodai

Quivem Vrastorr Hozhai Heddinica Hozhai Heddinica Plemdoh
Kahval Sonnica Lassai Hillidica Lassai Hillidica Yahrgoh

Pahjom Hillidica Pahjom Hillidica
Bortza Guarnizo

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Koenjihyakkei's song Quivem Vrastorr are both abstract and introspective. The words are in a language that is not known, which could indicate that the meaning lies beyond any particular cultural context. The repeated phrases "Tristelfong Paraidde Ferrdo" and "Dyustaflam Krebo Plingdo" are chanted in a hypnotic fashion that creates a sense of rhythmic unity.

The title of the song, "Quivem Vrastorr," is used to repeat the song's central section. This can be interpreted as a suggestion that the song is circular and that the meaning is elusive, always just out of reach. The lyrics are filled with non-sensical words, that serve more as sounds than as actual language. They are effective in conveying a sense of urgency and importance, however, as if the singer is trying to express something that cannot be put into words.

One interpretation of these lyrics could be that they serve to express the inner turmoil of the human being, straddling between the known and the unknown. The abstract language can be seen as a representation of the unknown, and the chant-like repetition of certain words could be seen as expressing the human desire to enter this unknown realm. It could be interpreted as a call for transcendence, a yearning to escape the boundaries of the rational mind and enter a different kind of consciousness.

Line by Line Meaning

Tristelfong Paraidde Ferrdo Tristelfong Paraidde Ferrdo
Repeating the nonsensical phrase 'Tristelfong Paraidde Ferrdo' twice.

Dyustaflam Krebo Plingdo Dyustaflam Krebo Plingdo
Repeating the nonsensical phrase 'Dyustaflam Krebo Plingdo' twice.

Quivem Vrastorr Hozhai Heddinica Hozhai Heddinica Plemdoh
Speaking about a location called 'Quivem Vrastorr' and using various made-up words to describe it.

Kahval Sonnica Lassai Hillidica Lassai Hillidica Yahrgoh
Using more made-up words to describe the location 'Quivem Vrastorr'.

Flisscam Dhong Pillendhai Ressteng Parrodai
Speaking about various imaginary creatures or objects.

Quivem Vrastorr Hozhai Heddinica Hozhai Heddinica Plemdoh
Continuing to talk about the fictional location 'Quivem Vrastorr'.

Kahval Sonnica Lassai Hillidica Lassai Hillidica Yahrgoh
Adding more made-up words to the description of 'Quivem Vrastorr'.

Pahjom Hillidica Pahjom Hillidica
Repeating the invented phrase 'Pahjom Hillidica' twice.

Bortza Guarnizo
Ending the song with two more made-up words.

Contributed by Jordan B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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