I'm always impressed about how good she sound even with that heavy choreography in Vogue and Hung up^^

the best pop voice in the world. and you will deal

really hoping TA will be translated soon :(

^^girl you are insane

Nobody can say I ignored miss Spears






Not amazing, but good... better than most people expect

Sorry, I just NEED to do this

I think its amazing in terms of how pleasant it is. Its so sweet, sugary and adorable.

this is so off topic.

Why don't we all post videos of our favorite artist except for ayu?

To stay on topic and not **** around;

I wonder what they will be shooting next. Maybe the actual cover art for the music album. OH *drools*. :laugh.

LOL we're in serious need of something new to talk about :rolleyes

^
lol :laugh at least is funny offtopic.

anyway I'm waiting for a official annoucement T_T I need more info, at least the date.
Or maybe a fake tracklist lol so we have something to talk.

we need new info guys! LOL! eventhough it's offtopic but it kept our mind away from Ayu's new album for a couple of post~~LOL

My prediction, ayu will released her newest album on February or March ~___~

and... she will released 'A BEST 3' on October, LOL

just my prediction! ;P

^ Maybe she will release A BEst 3 Next year with CDL Live like A BEST 2...

Wondering how many format she will release for the new album.

they're from her one of latest TA entries ;)

Please don't bring madonna, britney or lady gaga in this thread !!!

I'm expecting the new album in february !!

tho she has enough material for A BEST 3 i hope she dont release it in the next three years...

Yes! A new album full of wonderful ballads. Keep them coming, Ayu.

could be cool if she release "A BALLADS 2". :)

I think Best albums are pointless. They serve their purpose if the artist is popular, but I generally dislike compilations. Songs sound better when they're in their natural habitat, i.e. the album they originally come from.

I don't think Ayu herself would want to release a compilation album. If it happens it'll be avex's decision.

Yeah, I do NOT want a Best album :/ I already have an iTunes playlist with what I believe are her best songs to me anyway.

I want something raw like count down or memorial address or fated, plz.

Best albums are not pointless, they are the perfect release for casual fans as they prefer one album full of popular songs over 5 individual albums with 2-3 singles each. It's the reason best albums sell so well.

i'm getting tired with fans want "this & that"....but in the end...do we really able to buy the release physically?...instead of downloading it illegally...just my thought~

As long as you don't try to buy EVERYTHING I don't think that's a big problem unless you're really poor or have never worked in your life.

Yes, I am able to buy the release physically.

What's wrong with a little wishing anyway? If I didn't get what I want, it's not like I'll throw a tantrum. I'll just wait and hope the next release would do it for me. No biggie.

Compilations tear conceptual works into pieces. The purpose of a Best album is to promote the artist by compiling the best of their works into one record and attract more attention. It's not an artistic effort; it's strategy.

Of course it's strategy. It's answering to the public's demand. Not the fans' demand, the public's demand. That's why it's not pointless, it's just often pointless for fans.

Really weird statement over there. What's wrong with people speculating, demanding and downloading an album? Maybe some of the people here just don't have enough money to spend on ayu's cd's, especially this time of the year (December- February; which I assume she'll release the album in). I for one am planning to buy this album, no matter how high the price is. There are people who cannot say the same, therefore I don't see how your comment contains any kind sense...

It's been a while reading such a comment :laugh.

It would make my day if I logged in and saw some awesome album news. If it could be preorder links, I would immediately head over to CDJapan and place my order. Because I highly doubt iTunes USA would digitally release anything from Ayu now.

atlast~~~it was just a thought, nothing more. but maybe it sounded kinda harsh. i'm sorry to all of AHS community with my last post.

in the end, just buy the original to support Ayu. peace yo!

I'd prefer a new studio album more than a compilation. Compilation albums are ok but only if there's really something new in them. And I think there might not be enough songs to be put on A BEST 3 anyway. A BALLADS 2 would be awesome though but not necessary either. Studio album with lots of experimental music like what RnRC is for example. :) It would even more awesome if she pulled another (miss)understood too. *____*

every day I wake up hoping to find news T_T not today :'(

same here.... maybe the title, tracklisting, covers... something like that

I wouldn't expect that before she goes back to Japan + at least 10 days or so. I don't think they are in any kind of rush so who knows.

It's strategy, but Ayu and her Avex co-workers pay their bills with money, not with concept...

I don't think I'm ready for A BEST 3...

nooo don't crush my foolish dreams XP

We have to wait a lot, remember:

1st Title and release date
2nd Covers and tracklist
3rd Chaku utas
4th Short pv's
5th Album
6th Full pv's

FIVE didn't have the Short PVs on TV, maybe avex stopped using them on TV for Ayu. Since on youtube the FIVE PVs(released after the EP I think) are short versions.

One of the photographers said on twitter that while they was shooting(i think the cover) it was snowing and it was cold (and ayu kept smiling ^_^) So,if they had chosen that wintery ambient i think the album is going to be a winter release.
Just my opinion :P

I'm never disappointed with ayu, and BRILLANTE was easily #1 track for me on FIVE. I adore it.

I have faith in here, but I'm worried that now everything is just going to have Timmy. Sometimes diversity is good. However, Love songs had pretty much all komuro and that turned out to be a masterpiece for me.

Yes im curious what else Timmy will compose, considering BRILLANTE was a master piece but we shall wait and see XP

that sounds promising! all these small details! wow. Maybe it does mean the release will be earlier than later. I kinda hope she does do it without singles...she has nothing to prove with the charts, and if it doesn't get #1, who cares. I love the idea of a new full album. So many new tracks!

I'm not ready for A BEST 3!!! Maybe that's for 2013, I suppose? A BEST released in 2001, and A BEST 2 in 2007...

I remember when I first discovered Ayu, I thought it was strange she had released so much music in her career (I was used to albums coming out every 2-3 years for an artist). I think I need to rediscover some patience when it comes to Ayu's album in the making. I hope the time in London was well spent and I will do my absolute best not to listen to leaks or watch pvs until the album is in my hands!

^^We truly are blessed to love an artist who spoils her fans with so much music. I feel like she has to do...she has a driving force, not only for her fans, but for herself. As she said, music is her life.

I'm still thinking a March release. January is not going to happen, there would have been an announcement by now. I don't think the album will be completly finished until she comes back to Japan. She might record the last songs for the album, mix it and maybe another PV.

And this time she might not announce the release date until the album is finished - she has no reason to rush. As long as its out before the next tour starts which could be up to half a year away.

And yes to no singles. She doesn't need them, there's really no point. But maybe releasing a PV early to create some buzz.

Don't forget she's going to have to do some prep for her CDL shows, will probably put the album-making process on hold for a few weeks.

@isthisLOL? you're right, and now i can remember, they show the FULL pv's for FIVE after the release date of the album on TV

And i like the idea of the full album without singles, the album can get a cool concept, but i hope she can do singles in 2012

Yeah, as much as I love Timmy, I don't want her to go her usual route and use him up...

Diversity is always the best for artists like her.

^I think it depends on the taste... I prefer albums with less composers, cuz they tend to be more cohesive...

Quick question.

I remember reading ayu's logic behind recording in LA, but why does she prefer London recording recently to Japan or LA or NY? I wonder what environment she's looking for..

January release is plausible. On average, how albums are announced 6 weeks in advance. Tracklist is announced 4 weeks in advance with covers.

unless she's doing it like YUI's newest album (November release), YUI just released new single, and after she secured #1 weekly, she's announce new album that's released 3 weeks after the announcement, along with covers and tracklists, all of them was announced in just one day.

the sooner the better X) hehe I love me some ayu but I still like singles, just the idea of singles are so pretty :3 and I get to buy lots of versions XP but I guess ill do the same for her album gunna be epic an album not being heard any of the songs on it! :O

This sounds so cozy~~
Man I can't wait for this release..

Let's see what ayu pulls off this time, I'm actually much more excited for the blu-ray set, then for a new album.

Really? 6 weeks in advance? How did you figure that out? I think its generally a little longer than that. A few of her albums have been announced quite close to their release date but that's the exception, not the norm.

You can hope, but I don't think January is going to happen. Feb/March, to coincide with a tour date announcement starting April/May.

No singles and no rush. This album is being done differently.

This. A million times this. Just make sure that she picks one new composer and not like...HAL or, far worse, Timmy :puke

^
lol I wouldn't mind another HAL's composition and Timmy seems pretty talented. Imo.

Anyway I couldn't agree more with Andrenekoi. Cohesive albums are the best.

^I'd like to see some more compositions by Timmy, which we might considering he's been seen with Ayu recently.

Well I love just about everything HAL did with Ayu, but it's just that they've done a lot together and I'd prefer someone new. Timmy I really don't want to see again because I think BRILLANTE is awful. I'd probably like it more if people didn't talk about it like Ayu was blessed with a perfect composition that came down from the heavens, but I still don't think it's anything to rave about, at all.

Agreed so much!

I always die a little inside when people say that BRILLANTE is ayu's best song ever! Timmy should stay out of this, I listen to ayu for ayumi hamasaki, not for Timmy [, Urata or JUNO]. The arrangements have always been fine to me tbh so I would prefer it if she just choose the people she was familiar with.

Songs like Free & Easy, Depend on You, Sparkle, M etc. are trademark ayu songs, not resembling other artist's songs; lyrics and arrangements are superb. DREAM ON however didn't sound original and more 'sucky' than all her other songs, though that concept was overused already and Urata didn't help either. I don't hope she's going that direction either. Oh I'm going way off topic with this... Sorry!

I think it's funny how people complain about songs like Dream ON being generic and nothing special, but when she releases another generic winter ballad(You Were..., Together, When..., Days, No Way To Say..., CAROLS...............), pretty much the most generic thing you can release in Japan, she gets tons of praise.
While Dream ON in Japan isn't very generic at all, in the US it would be, not in Japan.

I agree, but for me generic doesn't have to be bad.
When someone says I don't like a song because it's generic it's like saying this song is pop/rock/electro/japanese/americanish/put style here so I don't like it.

Generic is a definition of something from a certain group, not a reason of disliking so I always think it's a wrong use in these terms, even though it's popular to say I don't like this song because it's "generic" :laugh

For example I think it would be better to say for example "I don't like x (e.g. glitter) because e.g it's too happy or too poppish or similar to a lot of past songs and I don't like y (e.g. Days) because e.g I don't like the light arrangement, or the melody or it's too similar to other songs so it's boring" or instead of generic, I don't like pop songs or such songs.

I like the idea of an album without singles, like others said here, all the songs will be new, so the entire album will be a surprise. :D

PD: AND is less expensive to us, just the album without the 1000 versions of each single

we always disagree about what's cohesive :P you know that :laugh


I do find the generic comments interesting...maybe people just have a soft spot for ballads lol We used to talk about sometimes how people always felt her sadder songs were more meaningful than the upbeat ones and stuff...idk.

I agree! Though I would probably still buy the singles anyway.

That's true, both meaning of Love and beloved are ultra generic, yet I still think meaning of Love was damn amazing. Generic doesn't have to mean bad. It's never really a reason why I dislike something though I guess it could add up on the pile if a song is really bad and make me dislike something even more.

Me neither. Generic is an argument for a song being less special from it's composition and arrangement. I love beloved. It's still generic as hell.

BRILLANTE >>> all of HAL's works combined tbh
Can't wait for more Timmy tracks.

I'm just curious, but what other songs has Timmy composed? Like for other artists and such~

I don't really care who are the composers she's working with as long as the album comes with memorable ear-candy songs (preferably rock) + nice photos for booklet and a 40-page photobook. :D

Somehow I don't think Timmy has done much producing. BRILLANTE is a great song but it has an ametuer-ish feel to it, a little rough around the edges. Hopefully he polishes up for Ayu's album if he's going to be producing a large number of songs.

I hope TK does a huge part of the album - Love songs was one of Ayu's strongest releases and he was a big reason for it being so good. I love CMJK's stuff as well, if she's doing another electronic album, he did most of the arranging on NEXT LEVEL's electro songs.

Nothing. Ayumi is the one that discovered him(or someone from Ayumi's staff)

I don't really want TK doing a lot - I loved loved loved Love songs, but I don't want another one. Love songs is kind of unique and I want to keep it that way.

Maybe it's not a good thing this much into her career, but the CREA-era was defined by that same sort of rough style. Even M is a bit spastic. I think BRILLANTE is a lot more polished than those earlier works, but like many have said, it was really reminiscent of that side of Ayu that has been basically gone for the past several years.

I liked "BRILLANTE" well enough, though not as much as some other members seemed to like it. I think it benefited from being on a record without any other stand-out tracks more than anything else.:shrug Even if I hated it, it's the only song he's written for her; I don't see why we can't give Timmy another chance... I think the true test will be how his songs stand on a "normal" Ayu album.

I, I think I agree. "Love song" especially was so good and so very different from anything else she's done... I'm torn between wanting more and wanting it to remain special. /csb

I actually hate "Love song" - I found the chorus very boring and her vocals too awkward and Peco / Princess-esque. The only thing I liked about Love song was the intro. Lol.

Love song was IMO epic in every single aspect. It was fresh and new, hands down one of the best Ayu tracks.

You are so perfectly right.

omg, Love song gives me chills like every timeeee. Ohhh.... Its so fierce, emotional, raw!!

Agreed.


Just to remind everyone that Hal as far as I can remember never composed any songs for ayu though, except a few interludes. Hal has been responsible for a good proportion of her arrangements though. Timmy so far hasn't arranged anything, it's a pretty weird comparison.


Likewise, yuta nakano probably has to take some of the blame or praise for how FIVE turned out, being the sole arranger. I don't want more than a couple Yuta arranged tracks for the next album and I would def rather have HAL than yuta.

I don't think HAL as we remember them even exists anymore, so I think HAL is a no-go unless they reform.

Too each his own but I seriously just loathe Love song more due to so many people liking what I truly feel is such a mediocre and dull track! Cannot compete with the best rock tracks or even the best mid-tempo Ayu.

I think Love song was one of Ayu's better lyrical efforts for the past 2-3 years, I also like the fact that there isn't almost a single line that she repeats and the way the song progresses is just perfect! That combined with an amazing arrangement and the fact that it actually samples Last angel during the bridges just makes it more epic!

agree!

thanks to octocoffee, who found this ↓ information
http://nigelruwende.tumblr.com/

So last week I got work with the amazing Cynthia Lawrence-John on a project for japanese artist, Ayumi Hamasaki

I was unaware of he her status in Japan, but when I got told we to prep for 3 music videos back to back, I got scared lol

This is day 1 of 3 prep days. I had to get clothes for 25-30 boys…

http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/5536/46350882.th.png

Prep day 3 & then 1st shoot day.

Location for the 1st video was an apartment in East London, house party!

http://img805.imageshack.us/img805/7001/40043587.th.png

Shoot day number 2. Location, Battersea Power Station

Possibly the longest shoot day I’ve ever worked, 7am-3am…
I was finished lol!

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/8895/80909042.th.png

3 & final shoot day. Location, Fabric club in Farringdon

http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/2536/53076436.th.png

Omg thank you! This is too epic!! I can't wait for
This to
Be released I wish she'd just announce it already cp
Hehe looks really great man this guy is so lucky to have styled for an ayu pv :p wish I coulda done that :( :) looks amazing either way! :)

totally. to me, its one of the best songs i've ever heard :) honestly. it's just so different (as with mirrorcle world)..piano, guitar, strings, kickdrum..yet raw in some parts and smooth in others.

omg club sets.i hope it's not just a having fun MV like Lady D (which was pretty whack)...but i remember there's weird characters in the MV isnt it? and punk stuff...etc? and is that filming in a factory??? ALTERNA-ish???? HOPE'S IT'LL BE AWESOME!

Man, I love all these spoilers. Ayu should probably do things overseas more. It's so easy to get info! XD

:thud: I was so so near that big building when I visited London! It's awesome to see it in the other side of the river <3

Haha, on the second pic I can see an Ikea bag, I guess everyone has at least one. :mgrin

I'm getting a Rock'n'Roll vibe from the set photos, but I suppose that might just be from the location. I really hope lightning strikes twice!

Well, clearly we can never be friends. :P

Yes! I'm more anxious everyday with these spoilers xDD

alterna-ish concepts going on!~

She looks incredibly stunning in that first day of shooting! I wonder if that is from the PV for "Shake It".

For some reason I have a feeling shake it is going to be something were are not used to at all, something really j-pop/r&b mainstream unlike ayu style, It's just giving me that vibe, hopefully if it is something like that it's good and if not thats awesome XP

I smell Real me here, don't know why

I think people have already said it's a rock song. I hope she will never ever touch mainstream rnb again as that'll definitely stop me from purchasing her albums...and while the last time was influenced by her working with Urata, I am hoping she knows better.