Friday, April 7, 2023

Racing Into the Night (Yoru ni Kakeru / 夜に駆ける ) Song Analysis


Yoasobi is the artist behind the song "Racing Into the Night," which was published in Japan in 2019. It is based on a short tale written by Mayo Hoshino and named "Thanatos no Ywaku" (The Temptation of Thanatos). In it, Hoshino describes the story of a young man who runs away from his harsh family and meets a mystery girl who asks him to race with her into the night. The film is based on this narrative.

The beginning of the song is known as the prologue, and the first verse, the chorus, and the ending of the song are known as the epilogue. The protagonist's miserable existence and his burning desire to flee from it are introduced in the story's prologue. The opening line of the song describes the girl who suddenly appears in front of him and gives him the opportunity to alter the course of his life. As they speed through the city late at night, the chorus vocalizes their feelings of liberation and elation as they leave their worries and concerns in the rearview mirror. The revelation that the girl is truly a personification of death is made in the epilogue, and she is the one who leads him into the fatal accident.

The gloomy and bright portions of the narrative are contrasted through the song by utilizing a variety of musical elements in order to accomplish this. Both the prologue and the epilogue are performed in a deep and solemn tone, with very little accompaniment and a deliberate pace throughout. The first verse and chorus are both spoken in a bright and high tone, and they both feature cheerful electronic noises and a quick speed. In addition, the song shifts between major and minor notes, which is meant to symbolize the protagonist's shifting emotions and internal turmoil.

This song is a well-known example of Vocaloid music, a kind of music that creates vocals by synthesizing the sounds of human voices. Hatsune Miku and GUMI are the two vocaloids that are featured in this song. While Hatsune Miku takes on the role of the girl, GUMI is responsible for the main character's singing duties. Through the pitch, tone, and expression of their voices, the vocaloids can transmit a wide variety of feelings and subtleties.

The topic of escapism and the repercussions of that choice are powerfully and tragically portrayed in this song. It examines the mental condition of someone who feels imprisoned and hopeless in their circumstances, as well as their attraction to death as a route out of their predicament, and it does so via the lens of suicidal ideation. It also demonstrates how death may seem to be a friend or a lover, and how it can entice people with false assurances of happiness and freedom. Both themes are explored throughout the play.

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