Difference between Shimotsuki & Shikata

Ever wonder what is the difference between Shimotsuki & Shikata?
Why not between Shimotsuki, Shikata, & Mitose?
Simple, Mitose doesn’t compose a song.

If you have listened to their songs, their own songs i mean, the one they composed by their own, you’d know the difference right away.
As example, listen to ‘Haikyou to Rakuen’ album then try to listen ‘Sacred Doors Another Tale’, the two of them has two different feelings to each others.
Or the simple one, ‘EXEC_over.METHOD_SUBLIMATION/~ Omness Chs Sos Infel’ and ‘Hartes Ciel, Melenas Walasye’, they are both different, but what? What is the different between their musics?

One would say; “Shikata has this dark and mysterious feelings and her voice is mysterious!”, well, i’d say right, even tough the title of ‘mysterious voiced singer’ goes to Rurutia, the first one is right. But then, Shimotsuki also capable of making dark feelings in her song such as ‘Schwarzz ~ Soshite Shoujo wa Mori no Naka’. “Shimotsuki’s song is mostly filled with happy feelings!”, true, but what about ‘Erato’?

“Shikata’s song is like…a war song, a background of a war!So…so…war-like!” *sorry duh, i can’t explain it well -_-*, yes, but have you listen to Shimotsuki’s ‘Mamoribito’? I’d like to call it a song of curse/destroyer/omen if i’m allowed to. “Shimotsuki’ song is usually soft and slow in tune!”, try to listen to Shikata’s ‘Contarsto’, they’re soft and slow in tone, nee?

What i’m talking about here is, the most basic difference between Shimotsuki & Shikata’s song, what makes the two of them so different yet so much similiarity? How could the two of them becoming on of Ar Tonelico’s main composer? What is so special about their song? Why you didn’t count Mitose in? *duh, Mitose compose nothing, it’s not because i forget her or what, her main job is lyricist here*

First, let’s go to the second question, why the two of them and Ar Tonelico.
Let’s remember what is Ar Tonelico’s main theme? Musics
So why Shimotsuki & Shikata? Why not more popular artist like Koda Kumi or Angela Aki like Final Fantasy? They’re far more popular than the two of them, right? *actually the four of them, but again, this is about composing -_-*
Then let me ask you this, “Do you think a pop, even sometimes rap, dance, or retro love song could match the very title and theme of Ar Tonelico?”, let’s just push away the subject that GUST isn’t big enough to ask big artist to sing, and focus on my question here, do you think those kinds of song could match?
I’m not talking about they can’t make song like how Ar Tonelico composers can, so don’t blame me and don’t think i’m insulting them.
Ar Tonelico’s music, as we know, dominated with thise very very fantasy, very game, very very…a music which makes us remember about the tower and the magnificent world of Ar Ciel. Again, i can’t describe them very well because i know you can imagine it yourself, what kind of feelings you get whenever you listened to Ar Tonelico images and what images you got.
No matter how mysterious Rurutia’s songs and voice, i can’t get the image of the beautiful grass land, the blue sky of singing maiden like how Ar Tonelico’s songs can.

Yup, that’s, i think, the main reason why they choose Shimotsuki & Shikata on the first place. Shikata with her fantasy music and Shimotsuki with her own style of ethnic musics. They’ve been working on those kind of musics since the first time, they need nothing to change their musics to fit Ar Tonelico, their music already fit Ar Tonelico or another fantasy RPG game even before they even get contracted with the game developer.

What so special about their songs?
Again, let’s recall typical Japanese songs these days…
Love songs, rapper-wanna be songs, pop song, modern enka, pop song again, rapper-wanna be again, again, and again.
Have you ever listened to their kind of music these days? On Japanese world of musics?
No, even if it’s yes, they’re rare.
They’re special in that way. Their song is different with others. And you might come with, “But, what about some of Shimotsuki’s song?Like…like…Kazahane or Fractal Azure? Oh, and Hoshizora no Sakamichi!”
Now, please chech who composed the song, totally not her, right?

Sooo, let’s welcome the main question, what is the difference between Shimotsuki & Shikata?

You have noticed it by now, i’ve mentioned them, yup,
Shikata’s music is more to fantasy or i’d also say, has heavy Medieval times influences, and Europes influences.
Shimotsuki’s music is more to ethnic and folk with some fantasy influences [judging by how she's actually an otaku & fans of Tales series ^^, we might now where the heaviest influnces come from XP].

You will understand fully what i mean by listening Shimotsuki’s ‘Thindaria no Tane’, which she composed all by herself, and Shikata’s ‘Raka’ with this arrangement :

1. Daichi no Kodou
2. Shouso
3. Kinkashou
4. Inori no Tane
5. Haru Tsuge ~ Raggi di Primavera ~
6. Hiroi Sekai no Kakera
and on, and on…

At the moment you finished listening to it’s very detailed part, you will understand in instant, the difference between them and their awesomeness.

And you’d raise this question; “How come musicians as wonderful as them isn’t very popular in Japan?”
My answer upon this question is because Japanese people nowadays cares about appearance more than talents and ability in the industry of music.

Seriously, i remembered the conversation between two of my friends regarding Johny’s Jimusho concert, about KAT-TUN or Arashi or whoever they’re…

“But the song is great right?”, one of them said
“Yea, but i don’t care! They looks pretty ridiculous in that clothes!”, the other answered.

Yea, talk about shit and your admiration to their voices, in the end, all you care about is their looks.

Sorry if i seems so offended towards Japanese boyband because…i just hate them like that. I’m fine if they’re only working as model or actors, but…darn, i should seal my inner self [L.I.L.I.M] before i let those wonderfully forbiden words out -_-

Haaa~uuu~h, it’s been a long time since i write long serious post, i guess i’m satisifed and glad ^^

Back to Persona’s ranting….

I WANT YOSUKE, DAMN IT!!!

*is bricked and attacked by Yosuke’s Garudyne*

Now, now, i feel bad for Mitose & Ishibashi for not mentioned them, sorry -_- *it’s not my fault you never compose a thing*