Ayumi Hamasaki
Ayumi Hamasaki (浜崎 あゆみ, Hamasaki Ayumi?, also 浜崎歩) (born October 2, 1978) is a Japanese singer-songwriter and former actress. Also called Ayu by her fans, Hamasaki has been dubbed the “Empress of Pop” due to her popularity and widespread influence in Japan.[3][4] Born and raised in Fukuoka, she moved to Tokyo at fourteen to pursue a career in entertainment. In 1998, under the tutelage of Avex CEO Max Matsuura, she released a string of modestly selling singles that concluded with her 1999 debut album A Song for XX. The album debuted atop the Oricon charts and stayed there for four weeks, establishing her popularity in Japan.
New Album : Next Level
J-Pop diva Ayumi Hamasaki returns with her 10th full-length album “NEXT LEVEL”. Her new album would contain her 44th double A-side single “Days/Green” and her 45th CD single “Rule/Sparkle” which the song “Rule” was used as the international theme song for the film “Dragonball Evolution”.
As with most Ayumi Hamasaki album releases in Japan, there are several versions released. A CD only, CD+DVD and a 2 CD+DVD version plus a USB Flash Drive album version as well. The version that I am reviewing is the CD+DVD version.
The album kicks off with “Bridge to the sky”, a short track that features a deep bass groove (ala U2 “With or Without You” style) with cool synth and beats courtesy of Yuta Nakano and Ayumi humming and singing a bit. The song then leads into the album title track “NEXT LEVEL” with music by D-A-I and arrangement by HAL. A catchy, addictive pop song!
The third track features another short track featuring music and arrangement by CMJK that had a retro style feel with the 8-bit musical beats. The song leads into the fourth track “EnergizE” featuring music by Yuta Nakano and arrangement by CMJK. Another fun, enjoyable dance track utilizing synth and retro style sounds.
The fifth track is “Sparkle”, the latest single featuring music by Kazuhiro Hara and arrangement by CMJK. Dance club oriented, deep in synth and overall, a cool dance track and almost a Bloodshy & Avant musical style. The song was used to promote the Honda Zest Spark.
The sixth track “rollin’” features another collaboration with Yuta Nakano for music and arrangement by CMJK. Synth-driven with cool beats but 8-bit style programming in the background.
The seventh track “GREEN” is another CD single track which features music by Tetsuya Yukumi and arrangement by tasuku. The ballad is more mellow but musically upbeat with string arrangement courtesy of Gen Ittetsu. The song was used as a CM track for Panasonic.
The eighth track “Load of the SHUGYO” features an instrumental track by CMJK showcasing synth and electric guitar and clanging electric beats. The track leads right into the ninth track “identity” featuring music and arrangement courtesy of Yuta Nakano. Upbeat rock track featuring Tim Pierce on guitar.
The tenth track is a rock driven track titled “Rule” released as a single and is the International musical theme to the “Dragonball Evolution” film. Music is by Miki Watanabe and arrangement by HAL and showcases the cool electric guitar playing courtesy of Takehito Shimizu.
The eleventh track “LOVE ‘n’ HATE” features a rock track with a beat. Music is by Yuta Nakano. The 12th track “Piecesof SEVEN features an instrumental by HAL and leads into the ballad “Days” featuring music by Kunio Tago and arrangement by HAL. A beautiful, romantic ballad and a single track which leads into another beautiful ballad which is more piano-based titled “Curtain call” featuring music by Kazuhiro Hara and arrangement by Yuta Nakano.
Source: http://www.nt2099.com/J-ENT/news/world-groove/ayumi-hamasaki-next-level-a-j-ent-world-groove-album-review/
Playlist of New Album Song:
Watch Other Collection Here:
Thanks for posting the article, was certainly a great read!
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