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

Tziidall Raszhisst
Koenjihyakkei Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Pissthakfom Tilli Zhomna Mighaira Fadda
Pissthakfom Tilli Zhomna Mighaira Fadda
Pissthakfom Tilli Zhomna Mighaira Fadda
Pissthakfom Tilli Zhomna Mighaira Fadda

Knuzeng Mokchilgha Knuzeng Mokchilgha
Fharangha Soymeng Fullgha
Knuzeng Mokchilgha Knuzeng Mokchilgha

Fharangha Soymeng Fullgha
Fharangha Soymeng Fullgha
Fharangha Soymeng Fullgha

sihmell Guarddo Tziidall Raszhisst
sihmell Guarddo Tziidall Raszhisst Arht

sihmell Guarddo Tziidall Raszhisst
sihmell Guarddo Tziidall Raszhisst Arht

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Koenjihyakkei's song Tziidall Raszhisst are a bit difficult to interpret as they are in a fictional language created by the band, but there are some possible meanings that can be gleaned from the sounds of the words themselves. The repetitive chanting of "Pissthakfom Tilli Zhomna Mighaira Fadda" could possibly represent a summoning or invocation, with the words serving as a kind of incantation. The following lines, "Knuzeng Mokchilgha" and "Fharangha Soymeng Fullgha," also have a rhythmic quality to them and could potentially represent some kind of dance or ritual.

The closing lines of "sihmell Guarddo Tziidall Raszhisst" could be seen as a conclusion or culmination of whatever is being summoned or invoked by the earlier lines. The repetition of "sihmell Guarddo" could serve as a kind of punctuation, emphasizing the importance of the final phrase "Tziidall Raszhisst," which could possibly represent the name of a deity or some kind of powerful force.

Some possible interpretations of the lyrics could be that they are invoking an otherworldly entity, possibly for the purposes of spiritual guidance or protection. The use of a fictional language adds a layer of mystique and allows for interpretation to be more open-ended, as the listener is not bound to any traditional linguistic meaning.

Line by Line Meaning

Pissthakfom Tilli Zhomna Mighaira Fadda
Repeating this incantation multiple times to activate a particular force or summon a specific entity

Knuzeng Mokchilgha
Chanting with fervor and conviction to build up energy and increase the potency of the spell

Fharangha Soymeng Fullgha
Drawing upon the power and influence of spiritual beings and natural forces to amplify the effect of the magic

sihmell Guarddo Tziidall Raszhisst
Invoking the name of a powerful deity or spirit to lend their power and support to the spell

sihmell Guarddo Tziidall Raszhisst Arht
Strengthening the invocation by appealing to the spirit of the earth to receive their blessing and direct their power towards the desired outcome

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

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