Review: AIMYON Shunkanteki Sixth Sense

Does AIMYON have the Sixth Sense? Let’s find out!

AIMYON is a Japanese pop singer-songwriter who got her start in 2015 and made her major label debut in 2016 with the single “Ikite Itanda yo na”. However, today, I will be breaking down AIMYON’s second major label album Shunkanteki Sixth Sense, which was released on February 13, 2019 and includes one of the most groundbreaking songs “Marigold”. Shunkanteki Sixth Sense peaked at number 2 on the Oricon charts and stayed on the chart for a total of 81 weeks. This album was a huge impact on AIMYON’s career pushing her into the Japanese music spotlight. I am going to dissect this brilliant album track-by-track. Let's get started!

1. “Mangetsu no Yoru Nara” - A nice relaxing way to start off this album. This track shows off AIMYON’s powerful vocals. The guitar plays a big part in this song and helps bring out her vocals with the melody. The music is very relaxing and is the perfect fit with AIMYON’s vocal capabilities.

2. “Marigold” - This is the track that put AIMYON on the map and it is glorious. Marigold is the perfect spring/summer track. The guitar work, composition, and AIMYON’s soothing voice brings this song together. The lyrics make it easy to follow along to and sing along with. The guitar break is a nice compliment before it gets to the final chorus.  This was one of the best songs of 2018 and it continued into 2019 and still lives up to it in 2020. 

3. “Ra, no Hanashi” - This song starts off with the guitars and adds in the piano and drums. The composition with the guitar strume flows so perfectly. It has a nice flowing feel that AIMYON takes you through it like a walk in the park. Her vocals aren’t heavy and that is the reason why this track flows perfectly with the tune of the song.

4. “Futari dake no Kuni” - A slower melody compared to the first three tracks. AIMYON does the perfect job of matching her vocals to the beat of the guitar. Once the song enters the chorus, the song picks up along with her singing. The chorus is the highlight of this track while the verse builds up to it with their slower pace. The composition switches are fantastic.

5. “Purezento” - This track starts out with an upbeat air to it displaying the nice composition which includes the guitar, piano, and drum work involved. AIMYON’s vocals are beautiful as she matches it with the composition giving it an upbeat note. She shows off her vocal range in many ways, such as how she can pair her voice with the composition. This makes for the perfect easy listening track especially with the composition.

6. “Hikari Mono” - This is another easy listening track although carries a slower composition than the previous song “Purezento”. Due to this being a slower track, AIMYON matches her vocals with the composition, showcasing that she can lower her voice quite nicely.  This is a tune that makes you want to sway back and forth to and is an easy one to sing to as well.

7. “Koi wo Shita Kara” - This track has a very simple composition that contains only a guitar, AIMYON’s beautiful voice, and brings in a violin.  Once the violin starts up, you can feel this is going to be a peaceful ballad. The melody enhances this beautiful ballad and AIMYON’s powerful vocals bring it out, especially with the final verse. A beautiful love song and ballad.

8. “Yumeoi Bengaru” - This track starts out with a bang due to its fast pace and amazing guitar work. The very fast paced composition and vocals make for a memorable track. The composition makes for a cutesy track as well, especially when you hear “Hashiru Hashiru”. Once that chorus hits, it gets stuck in your head. This song consistently stays upbeat throughout and does not slow down.

9. “Konya Kono Mama” - This is a mid-tempo pop tune with a nice composition. The guitar work is very nice and mixes perfectly with AIMON’s voice. This is another track that is easy to follow lyric and vocal wise.  AIMON utilizes her compositions to the fullest as she knows how to match her voice with them and this is no expectation. “Konya Kono Mama” is catchy, has great vocals, and a magnificent composition. The mid-tempo beat makes you want to sing along.

10. “Ashita Seka ga Owaru Toshite mo” - This is another easy listening pop song that shows off AIMYON’s utilization of her voice with her composition.  I love how the guitars comes up then it stops and switches to just AIMYON’s voice and it goes between that several times. This is another nice relaxing track by AIMYON.

11. “GOOD NIGHT BABY” - This is a very interesting composition and it stands out more than her usual songs. This is a more mid tempo track and it is not as catchy but it has a great flow vocally. It’s an easy track to listen to and stands out on the album.

12. “From Yonkai no Kadobeya” - AIMYON does something very interesting with her singing on this one. Its not her usual smooth vocal style, they are more urgent.  The electronic guitar screaming helps push this sense of urgency in her singing style. It’s a very short track but it stands out as it sounds more experimental and new for her.

Since AIMYON was first introduced to me through the Oricon charts with the track “Marigold”, I was hooked. When the impending release of Shunkanteki Sixth Sense was first announced, I immediately pre-ordered my copy. This was one of the most anticipated albums of 2019 for myself and it did not disappoint. Shunkanteki Sixth Sense includes your expected mid-tempo tracks, a wistful ballad, and unexpected high energy ones. AiMYON shows she is no one trick pony and that she has the immeasurable talent to rise as one of the Reiwa’s leading Japanese pop artists.

Luna’s score: 4 out of 5

★★★★☆

Concert Review: Cinderella switch Vol 4

VR company VARK and popular V-Tuber idol company hololive are back again for a second season. Not long ago the two companies banded together to bring the Cinderella switch live concerts starring two members per concert in a highly immersive 3D virtual reality atmosphere. Season One brought the pairs of Kanata Amane and Marine Houshou , Towa Tokoyami and Roboco-San, and Flare Shirakami and Watame Tsunomaki. This time the adorable pair of Luna Himemori and Matsuri Natsuiro looks to kick off Season Two with a bang.

I wanted to mention that since the high success of the previous season, the virtual “crowd” artificial intelligence has been upgraded with several new reactions including laughter and a bit more of a lively reaction.

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Luna Himemori

Luna Himemori took to the stage first, with Matsuri taking the crowd stage side. As someone who’s knowledgeable of Luna’s previous antics, I was really excited to discover which songs she would be choosing due to her very cutesy vocal style and range. Oh, and the banter between Matsuri and Luna served as a nice intermission while Luna was taking a break.

Onto Luna’s songs. She started off with a banger of a track with “Wai Wai World” which really showed off the real, raw side of her along with that “princess” style of vocals which the character is known for. Watching this did make me worry, though, as she does push herself very often, especially with this being a 3D live. However, Luna really held herself together with her cutesy aura. She kept the party going with a more dance style track with “Ugoku, Ugoku”, which really showed off the amazing stage presence she had throughout the performance. That along with the mix of impressive camerawork the team has improved on since Season One was really refreshing. She stuck to her guns with a bubbly style of composition with an amazing finale in the song “Luka Luka Night Fever”. This one showed off Luna’s vocal range, though it might be a bit much for some; it paired well with this track, though. Overall, Luna did an incredible job with her performance and I can’t wait to see what she has cooking up next.

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Matsuri Natsuiro

Then Matsuri Natsuiro was on the grand stage and Luna was crowd side. Now what’s interesting was the positioning of Luna at times, since she was facing more toward the camera. This gave the illusion of her streaming so fans of hers would be able to interact more with her through things like virtual high fives and such. She was also a great crowdside with her added sound effects such as clapping at the right time and she cheered on Matsuri when needed. I was very intrigued having Matsuri at this venue as I wasn’t too knowledgeable about her singing before this performance; however, if it is anything like her singing here, I’m gonna have to start paying attention to her a bit more closely. What was really enjoyable was that she started off with “Shiny Smily Story”; and it was very refreshing. This track is usually sung in a group setting, so for Matsuri to be able to sing it solo was a great way for fans like myself, who don’t keep up with other members, to be able to hear how an iconic song from hololive is done. Her follow-up song was nice as well because it was “S(mile)ING”, a track Matsuri really likes, which in turn really helped to bring up the quality. While it was a bit of a mid-tempo track I ended up liking her rendition of it, and the way she acted several times was very cute. Matsuri then kicked it up a bit with the high energy song “U & I”. I absolutely loved her rendition of it as it matched her vocal style so much. It in turn made me want to listen to the original again as well. Matsuri finally left fans wanting more with “Fansa”, another amazing rendition, and she really got the crowd involved. The amount of energy “Fansa” emanated was incredible and really left an impression on me. I just loved Matsuri’s performance and it was one of the most enjoyable acts compared to the previous volumes, believe it or not.

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After-talk Segment

Like the previous seasons, Volume Four also included an after-talk segment and the duo started by talking about how enjoyable the performance was. The conversation was very fun and really showed that the duo are very close to each other. The girls also went into the crowd for the usual fan service, and it was very humorous when Luna was trying to show off her design for head patting and Matsuri tried to block her by making a T-shaped pose. This one moment was hilarious and one of my favorites of the performance. The pair also announced that they will be holding a Volume Five which will take place on April 24. It will star Fubuki Shirakami and Mio Ookami.

Overall, Season Two of this collaboration between VARK and hololive started with a bang with great performances by Luna Himemori and Matsuri Natsuiro. Matsuri really surprised me with her singing style and vocal range and left me wanting more. While Luna’s performance was also very strong, I enjoyed my time with Matsuri a bit more. Just from watching these two alone I can’t wait to see how Volume Five will stack up against them and this makes me hyped for the upcoming duo.

Review: Aina Aiba Lead the way

Leading the way to the start of something new!

Popular voice actress Aina Aiba made her long-awaited re-debut as a solo act with her single “Lead the way” this past week--but was it worth the wait?

Aiba originally made her debut with their track “夢の光、君の未来“ (“Yume no Hikari, Kimi no Mirai”) back in 2016. It was used for the theme of popular trading card game anime Cardfight Vanguard G. Aiba has since been attached to BanG Dream multimedia project as Roselia’s lead singer Yukina Minato and has been using her luxurious vocals for that project among others which have been under Bushiroad. “Lead the way” is currently attached as the opening theme for the current season of Cardfight Vanguard and is a return to form, with Aiba calling this her “0th single”. 

The single released with three tracks along with the instrumentals and dropped with both a CD-only standard edition and a CD + Blu-ray limited edition. While the Blu-ray only included the music video for “Lead the way” and making-of for the music video, this review shall only focus on the single’s standard edition.

With dulcet chime ringing in the intro, thus begins our lead track “Lead the way”. Aiba’s softer vocals might come as surprise to fans who discover her through her time with Roselia, for her voice comes off as higher and at a more earnest vocal pitch. The compositions by Agematsu Noriyasu of music creative team Elements Gardens is on point, as his electronic and uplifting compositions work wonders, elevating Aiba’s vocals to places she hasn’t been able to reach before in previous works. One of the only blemishes to this track is that it spends most of its time building up to a major crescendo with a softer outro to follow—until it flat out ends. This in turn brings it to such a jarring halt of an otherwise amazing song and leaves listeners feeling empty and craving resolution.

Switching gears to the dance floor, Aiba leads us to her track “Everyday’s Evidence”. Keeping to a highly rhythmic beat, this is such a surprising departure from everything she has done before. This track bears a heavier dance influence with high paced compositions and Aiba shows off just how much her vocal range has improved with her time with Roselia through her ability to match the arrangement beat for beat. The track is fairly solid overall and I won’t mind if this is the style Aiba will continue with for future work.

Last but certainly not least, Aiba channels her intensity with “ParodoX”. This piece tests the more extreme points of her vocal range. While this is stunning, the composition was lacking, featuring unnecessary pitch switches constantly throughout the track. While some might think these switches might be vital because they do allow “ParodoX” to stand apart from the other two songs, others might find it distracting, thieving the limelight from Aiba’s vocals.

Overall, “Lead the way” is a solid re-debut as a “0th single” with several big pluses and a couple minuses. While some tracks aren’t doing anything groundbreaking for the voice actress-turned-singer genre, this a great base for Aiba’s next single.

★★★★☆

Ken’s rating: 4/5

Order your copy of “Lead the way” in the links below!

Standard edition

Limited edition

Review: Miliyah Kato I HATE YOU

Is MILIYAH's I HATE YOU as strong as it sounds? Lets find out!

★★★☆☆

I HATE YOU is the first physical mini-album release by Miliyah Kato (I specify “physical” as she did release a digital mini-album in 2014). It was released March 21, 2018. Unfortunately, it did not make it onto the Oricon Top 10 but instead claimed the 27th spot the week it was released. Before I dive into a breakdown of this album, allow me to provide a little background on Kato for those who are unfamiliar with her.

Kato is a Japanese R&B singer under the Sony Music record label. She made her official debut in 2004 with the single “Never let go”/”Yozora”. This was a big hit for her as it reached #15 on the Oricon chart. And Kato is still going very strong today. 

I am going to dissect this album song by song and also discuss the promotional video for title song “I HATE YOU”, as I bought the limited edition version from CDJAPAN.

1. “I HATE YOU”. I love, love this song--from the first melody of the intro I was hooked. “I HATE YOU” has a catchy beat and I love Miliyah’s vocals with this song; they fit it so well. My only gripe is that she is slightly autotuned at the beginning of it, but once you watch the video this decision makes sense. This is a mid-tempo R&B tune but it still has a beat that you can dance to, and the lyrics are good. I actually like the lyrics quite a bit; “I HATE YOU” is about loving someone who doesn’t love you anymore and questioning yourself, asking yourself “Why and how can I still love them?” and “Why did I waste time on them?” This is a song I can relate to because I have had similar experiences in the past. This is the best song on the album--as it should be, being the title song.

2. “顔も見たくない” (“I Don’t Want to See Your Face Either; Kao mo Mitakunai”) feat. JP THE WAY. So, I didn’t know what to think of this song when I first heard it. To me, it is your typical R&B song. It has got a mid-tempo beat with autotuned rap; it starts off sounding like it could be a ballad then jumps into mid-tempo R&B. It is more of a head-bobbing song. JP THE WAY’s rap is lightly autotuned; I’m not a fan of autotuning so this turned me off a little bit, but I really like Miliyah’s vocals and I love her side of the rap. She does a decent job at rapping and it works with this song pretty well, as it fits with the tempo. This is a song many a girl (or guy) can relate to, for it is about having an argument with your significant other and not wanting to see their face or talk to them afterward.

3. “二人の関係” (“The Relationship Between Two; Futari Kankei”). Another mid-tempo R&B tune. I like the beat of it but I have a problem: there is not much that sticks out in this song. I like the lyrics, but I find nothing catchy or unique otherwise. To me, this is just a generic R&B song, and I don’t dislike it but I don’t love it.

4. “Interlude -the world-“. This is an interlude to the next song and it spans twenty-eight seconds. I found it very unneeded. However, it gives you a taste of what the next track will be about.

5. “世界” (“The World; Sekai”). Another mid-tempo/slow R&B song; I really like it. I love how the melody and the song flow together very well. My only complaint is that it doesn’t stand out like it should, as all the other titles on this album have a mid-tempo beat. But it is a very enjoyable tune, especially if you are trying to wind down to something relaxing.

6. “Don’t let me down”. This is my second favorite song on here; I loved it the first time I heard it. It is a mid-tempo R&B song (what a shock) but there is something unique about it that sticks with you. It also has the perfect beat to match Miliyah’s voice, and I love the lyrics. I highly recommend checking out “Don’t let me down”--it certainly didn’t let me down.

Now, speaking of the DVD, it is my favorite. I love the video for” I HATE YOU”; it is a throwback to all of those late night 90s commercials of the 1-800 numbers asking viewers to call single girls when they're lonely. I remember all of those commercials so it was a fun throwback for me. Miliyah’s outfits were awesome, too. Definitely check out the music video! It is so much fun and has to be one of my favorite videos I have watched in awhile. Unfortunately, the video is not available on YouTube, as Miliyah is under Sony Music Japan’s sublabel Mastersix Foundation.

I am a huge Miliyah fan, but I will say as a first mini-album, this was a little disappointing for me. I felt that it started off strong with “I HATE YOU” and also ended strong with “Don’t let me down”, but the in-between tracks are lackluster. They are forgettable and all blend together, honestly. If you are a Miliyah fan, I would pick I HATE YOU up if you can snag it for a reasonable price. Or you could just pick up her Femme Fatale album, as the best songs off of this mini-album are also on her newest studio album that dropped this past June 21. I am still glad I bought I HATE YOU, though, since mine came with stickers and the DVD (I got the first press edition as seen below).With that being said I give this mini-album a 3 out of 5.

Review: BoA 私このままでいいのかな？

With BoA’s return to the Japanese market, can she still prove that she is the Queen of K-pop?

★★★★☆

It’s been almost four years since BoA’s last Japanese album, Who’s Back, came out. BoA is now back with 私このままでいいのかな? (Am I Okay Like This?). This album includes twelve tracks and three different editions: a CD + DVD version with four music videos and a documentary; a CD + DVD version with excerpts from Billboard Live; and a CD only version. I will be reviewing both of the CD + DVD versions. Let’s see if BoA is truly “okay like this”—or even better!

BoA, for those of you unaware, is a Korean singer who has been very popular in both the Korean and Japanese music industries since early 2000. One of her biggest songs is “Every Heart”, featured in the anime series InuYasha. BoA used to be very active in both Korean and Japanese industries but lately has been practicing acting as well, so she has not been as active musically as she used to be. Her last Japanese album came out in 2014 and her last Korean album in 2015, so seeing a new album released this year was a great treat.

“Where am I now”

The title caught my eye right away, as that is literally what I thought when I read news of BoA releasing a new album. This is a mid-tempo song, not the type you’d think to start off the album, but it works very well and gives you insight into this album’s overall sound. I, personally, really like this song; it’s not my favorite on the album, but it has a catchy chorus and a great tempo.

“ありがとうサヨナラ (“Thank you, goodbye”)”

This is an upbeat tempo song. With a title like “Thank you, goodbye”, one wouldn’t think it’d be upbeat, but it has a super catchy beat. This song seems to encourage you to forget about your past love and bid them farewell. It teaches to let go. I enjoyed the lyrics and beat in this song very much, so much so that it’s up there as one of my top songs on this album.

“Crow”

When I first heard this song I thought she was saying “Crawl” at first (I don’t know why, but I guess “Crow” and “Crawl” do sound similar to me). This is another fun and upbeat song. If you are wondering why there would be a song called “Crow”, this song seems to be about sticking together like crows in a flock (or “murder”, if you wish to be that specific or macabre) and looking out for each other. That's probably the best way to describe it. It is a particularly fun, catchy song as well. Not a top favorite on this album but very enjoyable.

“Jazzclub”

“Jazzclub” is very jazzy, just as the title implies, and was one of the songs used to promote this album. The first time I heard this, I didn’t know what to think--I wasn’t officially sold on it until I saw the video. Regardless, this is a song I would love to swing dance to! It makes you want to put your dancing shoes on. And I love hearing the trumpet in this song.

“FLY (album version)”

This is the first ballad on this album; you can say it’s more of a mid-tempo ballad, as I don’t consider it a full-out BoA ballad. This is a favorite of mine. I absolutely LOVE this song! It is gorgeous and the lyrics really speak to me, and it’s a song I feel a very personal connection to. I highly recommend it. It’s one that really sticks out on the album. It also was a previous single, but I like the album version better than the single version.

“Right Here, Right Everywhere”

This is an official BoA ballad; you know it is when you first hear the piano at the start of the song. And this ballad is a beautiful one, although it doesn’t feel like a typical BoA ballad to me; this one has more of a mellow ballad feel to it. Perhaps a spring ballad feel is the best term. BoA’s winter ballads seem to stand out for me a little more than this one. However, this is a beautiful song and I highly recommend listening to it.

“Manhattan Tango”

This is an interesting song, another with a case in which I wasn’t sure how I felt about it upon first listening. It has an upbeat tempo with a 1940s-esque sound to it, definitely a song to tango to. Now that I’ve listened to this album several times, I can say this song has really grown on me. Its beat gets me right into a dancing mood and I believe her vocals mesh with this song perfectly. There are also tidbits of BoA rapping, to boot.

“Make Me Complete”

This song is entirely in English-- yes, you heard me, English! BoA’s English is fantastic, and she definitely showcases it in this song. This is a typical ballad, a beautiful one that I very much enjoy. It’s one to remember, as the lyrics are what got me to enjoy it. I think it is a song everyone can relate to.

“Lookbook”

This is my favorite song on the album. I loved it upon my first listen. It is an upbeat dance song, one that would probably incite anyone to dance and sing to it. And, oh man, as soon as I hear the chorus I have to get up and starting moving if I’m not already. Although “Lookbook” was released as a single in December of 2015, I didn’t listen to it when it came out. Too bad I didn’t, because this song is HOT. I highly recommend it.

“Mannish Chocolat”

This is my second favorite song on the album and another with an upbeat tempo, As soon as I heard it I fell in love with it. The beat is great, as is the chorus, and I love when she says “Mannish Chocolat”. This is another song that I want to dance to and it makes me want chocolate!!

“Kiss My Lips”

This is a Japanese version of “Kiss My Lips”. This song stands out the most on the album as it doesn’t fit the overall style of the album, for it’s a mid-tempo R&B sounding song. This is a personal favorite of mine as I love both the Korean and Japanese version—both are amazing. I honestly can’t decide which one I like better. Even though this song does not fit in with the rest of the album, it is a favorite of mine and I highly recommend listening to both versions. The Korean version is on the album Kiss My Lips, released in 2015.

“私このままでいいのかな?” (Am I Okay Like This?)

This namesake song is nothing short of amazing. It's a beautiful ballad about breakups, but don’t let that fool you: there appears to be much more beneath its surface. This song made a personal impression on me. The artist explores the common fear of getting hurt and encourages listeners to ask themselves “Are you okay like this?”. “私このままでいいのかな?” is a ballad I recommend to everyone; heck, it had quite an impact on me. The vocals and, well, everything about this song are beautiful and I would consider this one of my favorite ballads.

The DVD
 

I bought both CD + DVD editions; each DVD came with a different track listing. One DVD came with four music videos that led up to this album: “FLY”, “Lookbook”, “Kiss My Lips” (Japanese version), and “Jazzclub”.

It also comes with the “Documentary of Jazzclub”, a 24-minute glimpse detailing the making of Jazzclub and also her photoshoot for the album. I loved the documentary, as one gets to see BoA interact with all of the cast and crew. The documentary is mostly in English but features Japanese subtitles since it was filmed in New York.

The music videos run for about 20 minutes. I personally enjoy watching BoA’s music videos and can’t choose a favorite off of here; I loved them all, honestly. “Kiss My Lips” was the sexiest, while “Jazzclub” and “Lookbook” were the most fun-filled. “FLY” was beautiful and serene.

The second DVD came with live CLIPS from Billboard Live Selection. Unfortunately, this was not long (15 minutes), which was disappointing. That being said, the live songs were amazing, as BoA had a live band behind her. I also enjoyed seeing “Jazzclub” sung live. It is worth mentioning, however, that I feel like there could have been more live videos in this edition, as it felt a little lackluster compared to the other DVD.

Overall, I think BoA’s Japanese comeback is a success. 私このままでいいのかな? delivers, to both fans and listeners who are just tuning into BoA. Unfortunately, this album did not chart on the Oricon as well as I had hoped. I think it deserved to chart higher. This is a great album as a whole, one with many memorable songs. The lyrics are solid and I especially appreciate the meanings hinted within this album: the societal pressures women face. One can hear this underlying theme in the songs and I am glad, being a woman, that she is addressing these issues in a tasteful manner. 私このままでいいのかな? has just the right mixture of songs, from its easygoing, earworm-inducing dance tunes to its most heartfelt ballads, and I look forward to seeing what BoA has in store for us in the future, both in Korea and Japan. I give this album a 4 out of 5 stars.