to kill a living book - mili

the soundtrack of library of ruina has always been one of the standout features of the deckbuilding card game. while the instrumental tracks shine on their own merit, mili is often the takeaway most listeners come out of the game with. founded in 2012, the japanese indie group ha a more than impressive setlist. boasting game osts like ender lillies, albums like millenium mother, and a dedicated fanbase, mili sits quite squarely as one of my own favorite personal musicians.

to kill a living book is the 4th album released by mili. with an 8 song tracklist, it's a rather quick listen. despite the short runtime, the album itself is an incredibly diverse eclectic set that can't quite be defined as one genre. tracks like "string theocracy" falls into the electro swing genre, while "gone angels" is a somber ballad about love and loss. since the songs do belong to a video game, this diverse setlist makes sense, but on its own it can be slightly jarring to go from the soft piano piece "and then is heard no more" to the loud "iron lotus." it's not a bad thing, per say, but rather something to simply keep in mind.

despite all this praise i have for this album, i didn't enjoy it on my first listen. i'm not sure what about this album makes a first listen a bit difficult, perhaps it's the high pitched vocals which i did not vibe with at first, or the fact the first half of the album is significantly weaker than the last half. either way, i didn't enjoy it. on a second listen, however, i decided to sit down and listen to it and then i was able to fully appreciate this album for what it was.

string theocracy jumps out a signature track, the trumpets and groovy piano tugs you into a fun, jazzy opening. cassie wei's vocals on this track are one of my favorite perfomances by her, the quick jumps from specific notes and quick tempo lets her sharp and high voice shine. the trumpets in this song are incredibly quick and punchy, and it leads to a generally lovely piece with a great aesthetic.

from a place of love is... not my favorite track. it's my least favorite in the album and nine out of ten times i simply skip it on listens. cassie wei's vocals are a little bit flat, and the piece is simply boring. it has a kind of sound that i've never really been a fan of, and while the rest of the slower songs on this album are still enjoyable, this one isn't. the bridge is nice, but other than that i don't find myself changing my negative opinion on this track.

and then is heard no more is an incredibly poignant track centered around the layered vocals and quiet piano. the choir of the same voice sends home the somber tone of the entire song, and the harmonies are beautiful. despite this praise, i don't have a lot to say. it's a straightforward piano ballad about regret and cowardice.

iron lotus is my personal favorite track of this entire album. the upbeat, fast tempo and punchy instrumentals do an amazing job hitting the listener with a beautiful fiery sound. not a single second of this track goes to waste, hitting you with the incredibly strong melody out the gate. the erhu's signature creamy, lovely string sound shines as the main melody. despite the classical instrument being in a completely different genre from the electronic beeps and boops featured in this song, it blends well with the thick drums and guzheng-like sounds of the song. i find myself listening to the instrumental of iron lotus often, simply for the composition of it. my favorite track by a landslide.

children of the city is another amazing track, the electronic synths of the instrumentals fit the almost robotic vocals of the introduction, being more of a spoken word poem than a melody. however, it shifts into a quiet verse. the singer reminisces on being a child of the "city." its an incredibly beautiful track about feeling stuck in a system that won't let you go, and it's a feeling most people can relate to. being a cog in the machine that only takes and takes- "it takes my heart being broken and broken again to know i am the reason why the sufferings never end-" and having to come to terms with that. it's an incredibly lyrically dense piece with a beautiful sound. what more could you want?

gone angels is another piano ballad, but whereas then is heard no more is a quiet surrender, gone angels is this angry song about revenge and loss. cassie wei's vocals in this piece is some of her best work, her strong voice dipping into her lower register. the piano itself is a beautiful backing track to the angry lyrics that are displayed in this song. something about humanizing the person you hate- "your desires convince me you've always been a human"- makes the anger and rage even more raw. you know how it is. that's that, and this is this.

poems of a machine is another soft character-piece. starting with a more electronic piano, it serves as the foil to gone angels. poems of a machine is about the singer being inhuman, and craving to be a human. the lyrics are really my favorite part of this song, as it references books like catcher in the rye (with the themes of dreams and childhood and whatnot) to the determined message of "i will be better." the singer learns to be content in her imperfection, as it's finally her becoming human. its a piece that's resonated with me deeply during some rough times.

"only this time im smiling at your side/
to know that i would someday be gratified/
so here i lie in our imperfect paradise."

salt, pepper, birds and the thought police... is... a track on the album. it feels a bit out of place, and it's a weak ending to an album that would've been better ending on poems of the machine. it sounds closer to string theocracy than the one after another ballads on the last 3 songs, and i don't have a lot to say. i don't like it much, and i don't have a reason for it other than it's kind of an awkward way to end a strong last few songs.

to kill a living book is an incredibly beautiful album with really only one (and a half) misses, but when it hits it really does hit. with some songs that touch on themes that i haven't heard explored in music, it's a huge recommendation for me.

favorite track: iron lotus
least favorite: from a place of love

string theocracy: 4/5
from a place of love: 1/5
and then is heard no more: 3/5
iron lotus: 5/5
children of the city: 5/5
gone angels: 5/5
poems of a machine: 5/5
salt, pepper, birds and the thought police: 3/5


numerical rating: 31/40
overall rating: 5/5.