#screen mode

Bungo Stray Dogs [2] (Bones, 2016)

Reason Living - SCREEN Mode (Opening 1) Nobutaka Yoda (Director)

BSD Official announced both OP & ED for the upcoming season. Both singles will be released on January 25th, 2023.

OP: SCREEN mode - TRUE STORY

and like, i’m sure that part of this is just coming from my own musical biases as well as the obnoxious music student urge to dissect every piece of music i hear — but like, SCREEN mode’s songs just have the tension, drama and flair and snappiness that just fits so well for BSD. and there’s even kind of a desperation in it, too, which lines up so well with the series’ themes. and there’s the grit, too, which openings 1 and 3 excel at —

but the way that SCREEN mode’s instrumentation choices (like the absolutely delectable piano writing in their songs, choosing when to use flourishes at the right moments. it gets me every time), harmonic and rhythmic elements combine to create this kind of rushing, tense grit and sparkle to their songs, just feels very stray dogs-esque. and their sound for the openings is modern and also… not antiquated, but there is a certain classiness to their music that gives it this elegant, bygone-days feel which is, and i cannot understate this, perfect for the series and its setting and aesthetics.

and to be fair, it doesn’t just apply to the openings. wright left which we hear in S3 E12 is sublime. the style and drama is just… very BSD. the jazzy piano (especially that solo section), the guitar riffs, soaring synth string melodies, push and pull of the drums in the refrain before it truly settles into a groove for the verses — it all works together in organised chaos to create this classy, sharp, dynamic sound which feels very characteristic of the show. and it’s a similar thing for season 2 and season 4’s openings.

and you know, these things are not necessarily revolutionary nor unique — it’s just that, in my humble opinion, the show offers the perfect backdrop for this kind of music to really shine. like, SCREEN mode somehow perfectly encapsulate what makes BSD… BSD in the music they’ve written for the show, which, honestly isn’t an easy task, given just how spread all over the place the series is. and for that, they have all my praise and respect.

TRUE STORY - SCREEN mode

St//rayride

FromARGONAVIS NEW BAND introduction video

St//rayride (pronounced “Stray-stride”) is a new band that was introduced at the Franchise anniversary event on may 2023.