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K, never mind, it's so good I had to review it all now.
songs in no particular order. Feel the love 7.5/10 The production and mixing of this song are nice, Ayu's vocals are what get to me. As much as Ayu will be my queen forever and as much as her high "iiiiii"'s are a bittersweet love all Ayu fans have for her I couldn't hate them more than I do now in this song, they're scratching my brain. This song has grown on me, first listen I gave it about a 6, there is something strange to this song to me that makes me not like it more and I can't put my finger on it. The instrumental sound effects and mixing just aren't to my taste I think, they're a little too funky for me. I like listening to this song but it'll never be a cult favorite for me. Terminal 9/10 I can see why many were disappointed with this song, it does sound like a typical club / trance song, but I feel there is more to this song if you really listen to it. It is really dark in a way and the length of the instrumental parts add a loneliness to the song that is powerful and unique to me. Add lyrical translations to this mix too. I feel like this is what anguish would sound like if it could sing or be a song. This song brings me down to a level of pain. Not an Ayu masterpiece like BRILLANTE or M but it's awesome to me. I like the ambient and lengthy feel to it. This sounds like if Ayu would compose a remix for an Onitsuka Chihiro song. Angel 9/10 Super addicting, the melody and vocals remind me of something Beyonce would do, it reminds me of her song Halo only Ayu-fied and better than Halo. The "angel" lyrical parts are unique and beautiful, purely depending on musical and vocal unison. The beat, vocals, and timing of this song is unlike anything else Ayu has done, a true original. I love it, it brings tears of joy to me! Lelio 9/10 A bit repetitive but that is sort of its charm. The "Lelio" parts were mixed perfectly to suit Ayu's semi nasal singing style, because those parts are so well mixed you could listen to the "lelio, le-le-lelio" parts forever without getting bored. Even though repetitive in vocals the music layers and stacks intensifying the song, great stuff! Merry-go-round 7/10 The rap parts ruin it… every time… No matter how many times I listen to it. I liked it in NaNaNa but in this song it's so bad. At least in NaNaNa it suited the song better. This song is more ambient and spiritual so it sounds more thrown in there. In some parts Ayu's vocals are nice and in other parts they are sort of bad. I feel like this song could have been so much better. If they had got rid of the rap, layered the music, and spent more time recording better vocals this song would have been gold. XOXO 7.5/10 The lyrics are corny and thus so far I can't get over them :( I feel like the beat and melody are more typical and "been done" than Terminal, I feel like I have already been listening to this Ayu song for years (in a bad way). That said, I still like this song, it just isn't catching my love an attention like the other 5 songs. This is a fun song and it makes me happy, I know it will grow on me over time. It's those damned lyrics... ugggg... Ayu needs to be more careful with her English... sorry Ayu. The mixing and vocals are well done, nothing is annoying about this song, it's just a bit lacking in originality and substance. Pray 7/10 Lovely vocals and over all a beautiful song, I just feel like this is soooooo "been there done that" for Ayu. But it has this hint of uniqueness to it and charm that makes it a bit better than her average typical ballad. The melody and vocals are like "how beautiful you are ~episode II~" what is forever love 7.5/10 I really love the spoken whisper parts, it takes me to the sensual things Madonna used to do. I just really wish this song wasn't a duet. I've never minded him in the past and still don't mind, but I think this song would have been better solo. This song isn't terribly original in style but still original and not too typical of Ayu. The piano and vocals are gorgeous. I think the song is the best from the beginning of the vocal break till the end, the first half lacks a bit. I know I'll love this song more over time however it doesn't win my heart right away like Angel. NOW & 4EVA 8/10 This sounds like a typical Ayu song, but in a good way, this is the one song Ayu has in every album of hers, a song that "sounds like an Ayu song" It's the intensity, layering, chorus, instruments and background vocals. This sounds like a lost track to the Duty album. Not terribly original but very satisfactory. This is the "classic Ayu" style song that needs to be on every Ayu album. This has the same feeling of "M" "reminds me" "Missing" "Key ~eternal tie ver.~" and "my name's WOMEN". Hello new me 6.5/10 Too cutesy and very forgettable, this sounds like a bad leftover from Love again or Love Songs. Her vocals could be much better, this is obviously for her younger cutesy Ayu loving Japanese fans. I will probably only listen to this song when I'm on Ayu shuffle. |
Angel - 1.5/10
Hello new me - 2/10 NOW & 4EVA - 6/10 Pray - 7/10 XOXO - 7/10 What is forever love - 7.5/10 Feel the love - 7.5/10 Terminal - 9/10 Lelio - 9/10 Merry-go-round - 9.5/10 Angel and Hello new me are barely listenable to me, but other than that, the album is pretty good. It sounds fresh and fun and it's a nice change for Ayu. |
Terminal- 8/10
Quite nice but a bit too long. XOXO- 8/10 Good but chorus is repetitive. Love the verses. Lelio- 10/10 Perfect. One of her best songs IMO. Now & 4Eva- 8/10 Typical but nice. What is forever love- 7/10 Not a fan of the guy but i like the song. Their best duo so far. Angel- 8/10 I love her voice in it. Instrumental is beautiful too. Hello New Me- 4/10 That chorus... I can't. Pray- 10/10 Reminds me of Paris meeting. I was so obsessed with that song at its release. Feel The Love- 7/10 Catchy beat and the chorus is often stuck in my head. Merry Go Round- 8/10 I love it but i can't stand VERBAL rap in it. I only listen to the edited version without him. |
XOXO - 5/5
Angel - 4/5 Lelio - 5/5 Terminal - 4/5 What is forever love - 5/5 NOW & 4EVA - 4/5 Hello new me - 5/5 Pray - 3/5 Feel the love - 5/5 Merry-go-round - 5/5 It' so perfect *O* My favorites are : lelio and XOXO <3 |
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Feel the Love - 3/5
I've been listening to this since I downloaded this. It's really catchy song though it wouldn't be my fave song. Merry-go-round - 4/5 I love this song although there's a rap part within the song. Though the melody is repetitive, it's OK. XOXO - 3/5 So western / K-pop electro pop kind of song but this is Ayumi Hamasaki so she nailed it! Who doesn't want to have fun? Terminal - 2/5 I'm a "Connected"- type of Trance fan. Angel - 2/5 A new kind of Ayu, again. But not my cup of tea. NOW & 4EVA - 3/5 Just a typical Ayu song. It's good though. What is Forever Love - 4/5 Probably my most favorite track in the coming new album. Melancholic, simple and ear-friendly. :) |
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Feel the love 10/10, still couldnt stop listening to it until now
Merry go round 8/10 Pray 8/10 Hello New me 6/10 What is forever Love 9/10 Now & 4EVA 9/10 Lelio 5/10 XOXO 9/10 Angel 10/10 Terminal 5/10 Great album, can wait to buy |
Feel the love - 6/10
Merry go round - 9.5/10 (Ayu's best song in recent memory) Pray - 4/10 (boring, generic, uninteresting) Hello new me - 5/10 (also boring, generic, uninteresting) Leilo - 8/10 (great beat, catchy chorus) Angel - 9/10 (so, so good, what a chorus) XOXO - 8/10 (also catchy) Terminal - 2/10 (strongly dislike this song, Ayu's vocals save this from a 0 rating) NOW & 4EVA - 8/10 (also generic sounding for Ayu, but far more interesting than Pray or Hello new me because it's what Ayu does best - rock) Haven't listened to what is forever love yet, waiting for HQ. |
Feel the love [3,5/5]
Wasn't really impressed when I listened to it for the first time and unfortunately watching the PV didn't make it any better (...) But the song is growing on me now (in a "You & Me" kind of way) Merry-go-round [5/5] Probably my favorite track on the new album. It's sad, I like the instrumental arrangement and the PV gives the song a special and cold, but pure atmosphere. Pray [4/5] Well it's a solid ballad. It reminds me a bit of "Voyage" (though they don't really sound alike). Hello new me [1/5] Actually I like these kind of "good mood" songs, but her voice sounds really strange during the chorus. I don't know if it's just me, but it really bothers my ears. I wanted to like it, but it will end like "Thank U" in the depths of my forgotten pc files. XOXO [4/5] It's a fun song, nothing special in my opinion, but in this case it doesn't really matter. I feel enjoyment by listening to it and I also like Ayu's pronunciation of "that's all weee~ need". Angel [3/5] I'm kinda bipolar about this one. The instrumental arrangement does a lot for this song and the "koko ni... koko nii~iiii..." part gives me life. I like her voice, but it will probably sound like uncontrolled howling to a non-Ayu fan in here. What is forever love [4/5] It's really beautiful and I feel huge sympathy for Naoya, eventhough I really disliked "ANother song" and "Dream On" (also his version of "Why..."). I just can't enjoy collaborations in general, no matter who it is. Anyway it works this time. NOW & 4EVA [4,5/5] Pretty cool and I like the rock/pop sounds, which bring along diversity and complexity. Although it can not keep up with similar recent tracks like "Tell All" or "Bye-bye darling" in my opinion. The ending is very cute though. Lelio [5/5] That beat is sick and I'm not ashamed to admit, that I love every second of it. Terminal [5/5] This song is awesome as well, although I can see why it does not appeal to a lot of people, due to its heavy instrumentation and rare singing parts. But I believe Ayu wouldn't choose a song for her album that is "just a remix". It shows another part of her and I think she wanted this song to turn out, like it finally does. |
Terminal - 10/10
What is forever love - 7/10 Lelio - 9/10 Merry-go-round - 8/10 XOXO - 6/10 Hello new me - 6/10 Pray - 7/10 NOW & 4EVA - 10/10 Feel the love - 8/10 Angel - 8/10 |
01 Feel the love: 5/5 Great song with a nice arrangement that plunge me in a zen attitude. The sound is fresh.
02 XOXO :3/5 Well, when I heard the previews I thought that the song would be funny and dancing in spite of the chorus that are totally generic. Now that I heard the full version, I find it weak. There is a lack of energy. This song is far away to be as good as Wake me up for example. Maybe, it'll be better in live. 03 What is forever love: 5/5 Really wonderful. It's how a song that is elaborated by differents artists should be. This song is Ayu-ish but you can hear the signature of Naoya and Daishi Dance too. The balance between the piano and others instruments are really well-done. The whispering gives a plus to the song. The dialogue in the lyrics are well done. 04 Hello new me: 5/5 Pretty ballad as Ayu can do it. The arrangement is fresh, light and radiant. I particularly like when the guitar punctuate ayu's sentence in the verse. This song is like a sunlight that warms you after a hard blow. 05 Pray: 5/5 A splendid ballad with a true strength. It's really hard to find words to describe the beauty of this song. It's more than a masterpiece. 06 Angel: 2/5 Well, the full song is better than what I thought when I listened to the preview. The verse is nice but the chorus...omg it's just boring and too repetitive. It's surely the less inspired song that Ayu wrote in her career. Seriously, she couldn't find someting else then those words for the chorus? Moreover her voice is too modified in the chorus and too unnatural. Near the end of the song during the last I wanna be an angel, she just sounds as a haywire robot. 07 Terminal: 1/5 I never thought that one day I would said that for an Ayu song. Of course there are songs I like less than others but it doesn't bother me to hear them when I play my cds. Terminal is not only the worst song of this album, it's the worst song of all her discography too. The arrangement is awful, amateurish and old as time. The sounds are rambling. The only thing that saved this song from the bubble is the melody that Ayu sings. Yes, this melody is really nice and It's a Shame that it received that kind of arrangement. I really hope that Ayu'll do another version as she did for Ladies Night in the past. A progressive rock arrangement could make this melody epic! Or I just hope that she'll choose it for her next classical album and will give the arrangement that this melody deserves. 08 Merry-go-round: 2/5 Well this song is ok but I really miss the Ayu sound. So generic and impersonal. And m-flo/VERBAL should go out with its bad rap. 09 Lelio: 3/5 not good not bad. The song is ok to let your hair down. However it becomes quickly tedious and somewhat repetitive. It's why I can't play it again and again. Sometime I don't really like the way she sings. As for Angel, her voice is sometime too modified. 10 NOW & 4EVA 5/5 perfect light pop-rock song from Ayu with beautiful and meaningful lyrics. The arrangement is meticulous with piano violin and guitar. Overall this album is really weak mainly because of the generic edm western songs. For me, it's even weaker than NEXT LEVEL. I was proud that Ayu didn't jump in edm train and now I'm sad. It's really a genre she doesn't know to take over. Or maybe she should work with people who are really able to collaborate with others without move aside the style of the other. After all, what is forever love is a good collab in which you can hear the signature of the three artists. I'll also ask to all american singers to go out of Ayu's body. I'm really thankful that Ayu got a realisation in Paris and that she decided to give us song as Hello new me, NOW & 4EVA and what is forever love. Those songs save the album a little for me. |
Old songs:
Feel the love: 2/5 Merry-go-round: 4/5 Pray: 5/5 Hello new me: 3/5 New songs: XOXO: 4/5 Terminal: 3/5 Angel: 2/5 Lelio: 4/5 What is forever love: 3/5 NOW & 4EVA: 3/5 |
Feel the love: 3/5
Merry-go-round: 4/5 Pray: 2/5 Hello new me: 4/5 XOXO: 4/5 Terminal: 4/5 Angel: 4/5 Lelio: 5/5 What is forever love: 5/5 NOW & 4EVA: 4/5 I actually think terminal is the track that compliments her voice the most, but the song is too long for my taste and there's too much of the instrumental parts. I think Terminal is the best executed song off this album though. As much as I like lelio, the vocals are perfect with the song throughout... same goes for xoxo. love the talking parts in what is forever love. |
5/5 Lelio, Merry go-round - I love them
4/5 XOXO, Feel the love, Hello new me - Catchy and i like the chorus of Hnm. 3.5/5 What is forever love ?, NOW&4EVA - Not bad, I like them. 3/5 Terminal - It was really promising, but the full version killed the preview 2/5 Angel, Pray - Pray is so generic and long. Angel is so repetitive and awful. |
XOXO - 3/10
it's catchy so hopefully people like it but i find it to be soo annoying. and her damn engrish its very lol-sy Angel - 6.5/10 not bad! the engrish thing sort of bugs me and it was a bit bland at first but it kept getting stuck in my head. can't believe darkchild produced this. but ya not shabby at all Lelio - 7.5/10 this is one of the songs i take with me after an ayu album comes out and listen to it regularly. so catchy and pleasing to the ears. i like her weirder sounding stuff like this Terminal - 5/10 not bad but ya like a lot of people are saying it's not as catchy as I thought it would be What is forever love - 8.5/10 wow i'm so shocked at how good this song is. that ANother song with this guy was terrible. it's a good r&b/pop song but her engrish really bothers me. it's not a big deal but it makes the sound of the words so akward when you hear it. im sure ayu will find some poetic way to justify the answer to the question: what IS forever love? NOW & 4EVA - 6/10 this song, like identity and other similar songs, sadly get lost in the heap. not bad though, doesn't have much replay value though Hello new me - 6/10 i like it as much as now and 4eva. a bit too happy for me, and i always crack a smile at the chorus cause of her engrish. i think her album goal was to try and prove some people wrong about her english speaking skills... Pray - 7/10 very pleasant. kunio tago is my bae so i always hope he comes through well with the ballads. i just wish the chorus was catchier Feel the love - 1/10 this song is so cringeworthy. ive already voiced my harsh opinion amongst you all, but for the love of god how does anyone listen to this without smashing their head into a brick wall Merry-go-round - 4/10 an alright song. nothing special to me overall a few nice surprises. there was a lot of love/hate. why da truck does she keep trying to sing in english. someone needs to bye felicia to ayu about this topic |
going through this thread, terminal must really be a love it or hate it song.
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Feel the love - 5/5 (+1) XOXO - 3/5 (-2) What is forever love - 5/5 Hello new me - 5/5 Pray - 3/5 (+1) Angel - 4/5 (-1) Terminal - 4/5 (+1) Merry-go-round - 5/5 Lelio - 3/5 (-1) "achoo!" "bless you" NOW & 4EVA - 4/5 (+1) Seems like the novelty factor of the repetitive songs is wearing off pretty fast. XD And I can't with hearing "earl" instead of "girl" in XOXO omg. |
I actually stayed away from listening to any previews before the entire album was out/leaked, so these are all equally "fresh" to me. Idk if that in any way alters my opinion of them, but I like to think it makes a difference that they are all new to me.
- Feel the love I'd heard beforehand that this album was a bit of a dance-off. As this song opens, my head snaps up and within a minute, this album has already kicked off with a very catchy, dance-pop beat and Ayu's voice clearly singing 'feel the love - we can dance all night'. And there ain't nothing wrong 'bout dat shit, tbh. While I'm not blown away, I find nothing about this track I dislike. Ayu's vocals are strong, not over the top screechy-strained as they've been before and the melody's just above average. 5.5/10 XOXO It doesn't slow down with this next track. A synthy-pop track starts, with Ayu's voice fading in - more catchy, upbeat english. "Girls just wanna haaave fun". Oh, gosh. Didn't dislike it in the 80's when Cyndi jumped around with that same message (in her thirties then, too) and I'm not about to dislike it now either. It just makes you happy, hearing something lighthearted like that to a catchy beat. It works. The japanese portion of the song really saves it from becoming overly repetitive - honestly, it would've done very well with more of her native language. Yet again, it's unremarkably catchy and fun. 6/10 What is forever love Feels like roughly the same BPM, but this is a different genre - pop. Ayu is joined by a male voice in this duet and they do compliment each other very well. If not for the extra vocal in this track, I fear it would've fallen very flat. The melody is average, and honestly I'm very bored by the end of it. Ayu's english is cute in this track - "what is forever love" does make me chuckle a bit though. 5/10 Hello new me I wish I liked this song, I really do. There's little to no build-up, but the chorus just still doesn't do it for me. Lovely message and her voice is fine (although not struggling per se, I really don't like it in the more high-pitched parts). This has both brought down the tempo and flow. 4/10 Pray Sounds interesting as it begins, but it really starts to shine when the chorus comes along. There's no mistaking that feeling. This is a genuine, future concert tear-jerker. It sounds so bittersweet, it's slightly heartwrenching, and sure, I've heard melodies like this from her so many times, but...it has that unnamed Ayu-quality that makes it go straight to the repeat-list. The emotion in this is very reminiscent of a past Ayu, and I even think I can hear her peaking through at about 3:40 in this song. She proves that her voice still is strong here. 7.5/10 Terminal Oh, goodness. We're in da cluuub again. This beat really is something. I'd say a tad more fierce that the dance tracks. It's like this holds an even bigger promise of awesomeness. I'm happy to hear her sing in a mellow-low key japanese that beautifully transforms into a higher pitched song. Starts to sound a lot like Last Angel, then has a beat drop like none other. Holy crap. Dat melody. Yeah, might actually drop my laptop if I keep rocking like this while sitting. There's a limit to how much she actually sings in this, but it's a good call; the melody speaks for itself. Wow. 9/10 Angel This song starts and the dub-step influenced melody and her voice really could have worked. But it doesn't. The song is great. Her voice isn't bad. The way she sings just doesn't get this track up to where it belongs. It's like I can hear where she wants to go with it. I remember dancing my ass off to similar tracks where the artist really nailed the voice, but she falls flat here. It's a shame, because it's the one missing key factor that would've made this song amazing. 7/10 Merry-go-round It's all slightly boring pop until the chorus where some male vocals makes it stand out a bit from some of the other tracks. It still doesn't quite get up to epic heights still, but nevertheless, a good song. I think the different elements could've been mixed together a bit more seamlessly. 5/10 Lelio Isn't this Singlish for 'radio'? Ok, screw that thought, because this shit is fantastic. Repetitive, engrish, silly or whatever, I don't care - it sounds effin' great. So many different elements are in this song that were all present in previous ones, but this is perhaps the only one where it all blends together and really works. Yeah, I'm still not annoyed by this. In fact, I want more. Can I have a Lelio pt. II please? 10/10 NOW & 4EVA a pop track - a genre which I don't feel like she's done too well on this album, yet this begins and immediately catches my attention. That's nothing compared to my very audible 'ohgodyes' by the time the chorus kicks in. There's just power and conviction to it. Plus is sounds nostalgic. The good kind of nostalgic. And yaaaassss, the guitar riff. Isn't an Ayu pop-rock track without the riff. Ok, my day is now complete. 8/10 |
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