To give you a general idea of how much I love Claris, I used to check iTunes/Amazon every other day or so to see if SME Records had finally uploaded their other albums. For quite some time, their Party Time album has been available, but many of their best tracks - including their iconic OP themes for Madoka Magica and Oreimo - had been glaringly absent.
But no longer. Swiftly following its Japanese release, the duo's Greatest Hits compilation has been added to UK iTunes. Rejoice!
Why does this matter? Four years ago, Claris broke through with a swift one-two of singles, 'Irony' and 'Connect' - from Oreimo and Madoka Magica, respectively - seeing them land a duo of Top 10 hits. The two tracks offer up something of a template for the two sides of the coin that represent Claris' sound - Irony opting for a deliciously whistful, glossy futuristic dance-pop sheen, whilst Connect plays to a more organic blend of strings, acoustic guitar and piano.
Bringing the two together is an incredible command of melody and clarity - some of the best I've ever heard on OP themes. Whilst the current trend seems to be for feisty pop-rocker stormers, Claris take a prettier, bubblier approach - the perfect match to the brightly coloured aesthetic of shows like Madoka.
With the band's members remaining a mystery, hidden behind constructed personas - an extra dimension is added to the band's feel and tone; a kind of blank slate projectionism similar in vein to Hatsune Miku and her vocaloid pals. We have their voices, and a vague artistic impression, but beyond that, Claris can become anything we want them to be - a pretty, enchating mystery in line with Madoka and her magical girl chums.
Offering a third take on the Claris aesthetic, there's also the Supercell-penned Naisho No Hanashi (Secret Conversation), which served as an ED theme for Shaft's Nisemonogatari. Opting for a more straight-up rock vibe, it falls neatly in line with Supercell's other famed Monogatari composition Kimi no Shiranai Monogatari (The Story You Don't Know).
Three elements, then - three disparate sounds brought together with a perfect sense of melody. Through the virtue of being a Greatest Hits, Claris' 'Best' collection has a lot to recommend it - although if you're looking for the veritable cream of the crop, I'd start off with Irony, Connect, Reunion and Click - here, the duo reach their deliriously catchy peak.
I've had the album as my commute listening for around the past month now (partly because I've been trying to save money and avoid downloading too much else) - and it still doesn't feel like it'll get old anytime soon. If there's anything better than walking out the door in the morning with Connect blasting on your headphones, I'm yet to find it.
Claris ~Single Best 1st~ is available on UK iTunes now, via SME Records.
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