Tokyo skramz/blackgaze trio Cissné simultaneously charm and let out cascading melancholy on the gracefully explosive debut EP Awake children under the moon.
Release date: April 10, 2026 | Lauren Records | Official Website | Bandcamp | Instagram
I’ve been following Cissné closely ever since vocalist hikage’s previous solo project swancry and her December 2024 release 幾つもの祈りへ. The blend of frantic skramz, punchy post-hardcore, and lush post-black metal on that album is reminiscent of envy, Respire, and ostraca – a mix of sounds and bands that I’m just a sucker for at this point. Because of this, it didn’t take much for me to become a fan of it, particularly hikage’s earnest expressions through both cleans and screams.
On a recent interview, she explained how the name of the project is inspired by the term ‘swan song’ and the accompanying belief that swans sing a beautiful song right before their death, but given her heavier musical inclinations, she thus deemed fit to go with the swancry moniker. Now, hikage enacts another interpretation of a swan song in the form of Cissné, joining alongside composer and guitarist Hiiro (sunsetinfall, to overflow evidence) and bassist Ai – both who have previously contributed to swancry – to further expand their take on blackened skramz as a trio. With five tracks and a decently-sized runtime of 22 minutes, Cissné‘s debut offering Awake children under the moon serves as a natural progression that honors the previous project’s stylistic framework while simultaneously offering a new look into the band’s current sonic chapter.
“home” is a great opener insofar as showcasing Cissné opting for more straightforward grooves on this EP. The instrumentation is looser in its pacing while tastefully draping in a punchier production – the guitar tone has a hefty crunch and is further anchored by basslines that pulsate with much presence. The vocals, meanwhile, retain the fervor displayed on the previous project, though the delivery is more methodical this time around. This stylistic change is moreover prominent on “water lily”, whose Alcest-esque reverb-drenched swaying flow gracefully carries the infectious interplays between mesmeric vocal melodies and spine-curling shrieks, especially on the chorus.
It’s for sure a welcome change for me – the songwriting is expertly refined making for stronger and thus more impactful tracks, though admittedly this sacrifice made me miss swancry‘s frenzied outputs even if just a little. Still, the chaos is not completely out of the question: the driving shouts on the verses for “straysheep” pair wonderfully with the somberness abound that’s supported by pretty exhilarating drum work. Similarly, the piano-led “will” emanates unfiltered anguish through a haunting post-rock soundscape where theatricality coalesces with noisy catharsis; a beautiful snowstorm in motion (or so I think – I don’t know, I live on a tropical island) that satisfyingly ends on the emotional, string-kissed balladry of the EP’s closer “doors”, which highlights what I believe to be hikage’s trademark cleans that emanate childlike whimsy with extremely wistful undertones. Truly, this two-song run is one of the finest moments of the trio so far.
The record label’s website describes the EP as a dedication to ‘anyone who learned how to endure the night before learning how to sleep‘ and that is very much so accurate – it’s simply nocturnal embrace in its most unfiltered form. Awake children under the moon is a strong debut for Cissné, presenting itself with an improved sense of craftsmanship and a sincere appeal to emotions; each track is equally vulnerable, impassioned, reflective, and urgent, and it all pays off in grand fashion. Although the EP comes to fruition with some trade-offs in the sheer volatility found in swancry, it regardless shows how the trio is comfortably capable of engaging in both musical leanings. Whatever direction Cissné might go with in the future (and I sure hope and vouch for there being one for them!), I’m sure it’ll be well worth the wait.
