Rin'

The official Rin' logo, as a whole, depicts its name in the Chinese character(Kanji) 凜, simultaneously in the bottom right corner, its name is concealed in English.

Rin' was a Japanese pop group which combines traditional Japanese musical instruments and style with elements of modern pop and rock music. It is a female trio of Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music alumni who graduated in 2003. The band made their performing debut in December 2003, at Meguro Gajoen, and in April 2004, their first single, called "Sakitama," was released by avex trax.

Chie Arai and Mana Yoshinaga play koto, sangen, and jushichi-gen, while Tomoca Nagasu plays biwa and shakuhachi. All three perform vocals.

According to the band's website, the name Rin' comes from the English word 'ring', the Japanese word Wa (和, meaning both 'ring' and 'Japanese-style'), and from the trio's hope to create a 'ring', or circle, of music.

Since their debut, the band has performed in many venues around the world, and have released four singles and several albums. A number of their songs have been used as themes for anime and movies, most notable is Fuhen used in the Samurai 7 anime. .

Their chief international album, Inland Sea, was released worldwide: in Europe and the United States on April 25, 2006 and in Japan on August 30, 2006,^[1][2] featuring guest performances by Leigh Nash ^[3] and Lisa Loeb.^[3]

According to the band's website, as of 13 February 2009, Rin' had put an end to their activities and decided to disband.

Members

Discography

Singles

1. Sakitama (Sakitama～幸魂～) (7 April 2004)
   1. Sakitama (Sakitama～幸魂～, Sakitama: Lucky Soul)
   2. Jikū (Instrumental) (時空(Instrumental))
   3. Sakitama (Instrumental) (Sakitama～幸魂～(Instrumental))
2. Yachiyo no Kaze (八千代ノ風) (30 June 2004)
   1. Yachiyo no Kaze (八千代ノ風)
   2. Release
   3. Yachiyo no Kaze (Instrumental) (八千代ノ風(Instrumental))
   4. Release(Instrumental)
3. Sakura Sakura (サクラ サクラ) (20 April 2005)
   1. Sakura Sakura (サクラ サクラ)
   2. Sakura Sakura (instrumental with shakuhachi and shamisen) (サクラ サクラ(Instrumental with 尺八・三味線))
4. Yume hanabi (夢花火, Dream Fireworks) (31 August 2005)
   1. Yume hanabi: Rin' Three Pieces (夢花火: Rin' Three Pieces)
   2. Yume hanabi (夢花火)
   3. Flashback: Rin' Version
   4. Yume hanabi: Instrumental (夢花火: Instrumental)

Albums

1. Jikū (時空, Space-time) (12 May 2004)
   1. Jikū (時空, Space-time)
   2. Sakitama (Sakitama～幸魂～, Sakitama: Lucky Soul)
   3. Yachiyo no Kaze (八千代ノ風)
   4. Fuhen (普遍, Ubiquity) (featured as the ending theme to the anime series Samurai 7)
   5. Miyabi (雅, Elegant)
   6. weakness
   7. Dōshin (道心, Moral Sense)
   8. Smile On: English ver.
   9. Will
   10. Sai no Kami (サイの神)
   11. Eternal
2. Asuka (飛鳥) (29 September 2004)
   1. Asuka (飛鳥, Flying Bird)
   2. Bibō no Kuni (美貌の國, Land of Beauty)
   3. The Grace
   4. Kamen (仮面, Mask)
   5. Kurenai (紅, Crimson)
   6. innocence
   7. Kochō no Yume (胡蝶之夢, Dream of Butterflies)
   8. Nomado
   9. Kagami Tsuki (鏡月, Mirror Moon)
   10. Tenka (天華, Quintessence of Heaven)
   11. Hanafubuki (花吹雪, Flower Storm)
   12. Asukagawa (明日香川)
   13. Sarasōju (沙羅双樹, A Couple of Sal Trees)
   14. Hanging in there
3. Rin' Christmas Cover Songs: Seiya (～Rin' Christmas Cover Songs～聖夜) (14 November 2004)
   1. Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
   2. Last Christmas
   3. Rin' Xmas Medley: Silent Night / 赤鼻のトナカイ / I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus / Jingle Bells / We Wish You a Merry Xmas / Silent Night
   4. Koukyōkyoku Daikyūban (交響曲 第九番)
   5. Christmas Eve (クリスマス・イブ)
   6. Merry Christmas Mr.Lawrence
   7. White Christmas
   8. In My Life (※初回限定版のみボーナストラック)
4. Utage uta/Sakura Sakura (宴歌（うたげうた）/さくら さくら, Party Song /Cherry Blossom) (Live album, 30 March 2005)
5. Inland Sea (released in U.S./Europe on 25 April 2006, in Japan on 30 August 2006) ^[1][3]
   1. New Day Rising (feat. Leigh Nash)
   2. Solemn
   3. What the Rain Said
   4. Never Knew What Love Meant (feat. Leigh Nash)
   5. Moss Garden
   6. Anti Hero (feat. Lisa Loeb)
   7. Inland Sea
   8. Sea of Tranquility (feat. Leigh Nash)
   9. Superflat(Part II)
   10. Past Imperfect
   11. AA170
   12. Niji Musubi (虹結び) (Japan-only bonus track)
6. Genji Nostalgie (源氏ノスタルジー, Genji Nosutarujī) (5 December 2007)
   1. Murasaki No Yukari, futatabi (紫のゆかり、ふたたび, Belonging to the purple, once again)
   2. Genji
   3. Sennen No Niji (千年の虹, Rainbow of A Thousand Years) (feat. alan)
   4. Ranka (乱華, Chaotic Beauty)
   5. Na Mo Naki Hana (名もなき花, Nameless Flower)
   6. Asaki Yume Mishi (浅キ夢見シ)

DVD

1. "Utage: Rin' First Live Tour 2004 Jikū" (歌宴: Rin' First Live Tour 2004 "時空") (17 November 2004)

Other

1. Rin' featuring m.c.A・T "Flashback" (31 August 2005; used in Kamen Rider Hibiki & The Seven Senki)
2. Crossover Japan '05 CD/DVD (28 September 2005)
3. Provided traditional instrument sounds to the backing track for the single "Samurai Heart" [侍 Heart] recorded by Japanese pop group "AAA". Released December 2006 by Avex Trax music as part of a double A side single package called "Black and White", which featured the tracks 'Samurai Heart' and 'Winter Lander'. (Rin' only play on 'Samurai heart' and track is credited to 'AAA', not as a Rin' single).
4. In 2008 Rin' collaborated with Japanese composer "Conisch" on the soundtrack to a Japanese TV drama series called "Hana goromo yume goromo"　「花衣夢衣」. This resulted in an album of this music being released through EMI Music Japan (4th June 2008). Although this work is not acknowledged on the Rin' websites (as it is released by a record label different than their usual Avex Trax), the group get equal title credits, appearing as "Rin' & Conisch". The album has 34 tracks, lasts 69 minutes and mixes Rin's traditional Japanese instruments with a full western orchestra.

References

External links

• Rin' official website at Avex
• Rin' official website at Domo Music Group
• Rin' MySpace