(For the optimal experience, have a copy of the song up and ready to play!)
The cool thing about the revue songs is that they have long stretches of instrument-only melodies built in to complement fight scenes where the dialogue may come in as the priority. That said, they’re crafted so that they maintain the flow of tension and “narrative” in the music even when they’re taking a background atmospheric role to the animation—so much so that even without the animation, they work as standalone music.
‘The Star Knows’ starts off with almost 2 minutes of instrumental that sets the tone for the revue to come. The percussion is light, soft cymbals that set up the time signature. 4/4 time is very orthodox, arguably one of the simplest and most common time signatures, fitting Junna’s classical nature. The piano and cello repeat the same phrase – four notes in rapid succession, an unwavering rhythm, with a melody of ti-do-la-mi that feels uneasy or incomplete because it doesn’t return to the tonic chord, creating a sense of urgency. Meanwhile, the violin and chimes provide a countermelody that soars but ultimately comes back down: Junna is reaching, but never quite reaches her goal.
Revue Starlight Song Analysis: ‘The Star Knows’, Ep 2