just downloaded AI's Final Distance cover and i'm impressed. Love it. Waiting for the rest of the tracks.

I'm eager to hear Final Distance.

So RedOne did movin on without you for ayu? This has the potential to be spectacular

Sakura drops could not even be any more Japanese than this wow :laugh It's got all their "this is so novel" with a traditional voice concept going on. lulz. Culture so lulzy.

Keep Trying is cool. Fun, very very mellow arrangement. Vocals are not for me, but they remind me a lot of the indie bands I try out every now and then.

Letters is better than hikki's version lol


And yeah, remember that these are supposed to be like hikki songs remade into the style of these artists. It's traditional to do tribute albums that way.

You're not supposed to just make a cover. Anyone can make a cover or a remix. The special thing is the artists that are participating, and the idea that they're paying tribute to hikki by using her songs. The songs are supposed to sound like them lol


Anyway. These are good so far. They're exactly what they should be.



oh damn this Final Distance. <3 Versions better than the originals. Officially excited af

It's not japanese, it's latin music, specifically salsa, it was done by a latin orchestra

Where are these previews at??

ITunes, but they're not all available yet.

Long-ish previews of the tracks that have been released so far are on Hikki's YouTube.

lulz.

Yes, the *style* is latin, but it's still ridiculously Japanese.

Japanese people since forever have long loved taking musical styles, especially really "big" styles like this one, with loud instruments and upbeat tempos, and putting their own traditional vocals with them. Down to the way he says every word.

It creates a dissonance that is very culturally, Japanese. It goes back to the 60s, and maybe even before.

^ Actually you're right. When I heard the preview I got a feeling of the old Japanese style with that latino vibe, especially when sung by an old artist. His voice fits the arrangement really well.

I disagree that Letters is better than the original version tho, emi. The original one is a masterpiece with one of the best arrangements hikki ever had. I can imagine hikki sitting at the beach reading those heart breaking letters. For ringo... well she makes me think that she's holding a bloody knife while reading them, and it really fits her image lol.

Ah you're right :yes. People can dance salsa with the new sakura drops :happy1:.

Mmm yes, that is what I love about letters. I always enjoy the environment sings create and that one very perfectly creates this ideal, relaxing beach, similar to the ones back home for me. That arrangement with that composition will forever be love. I do love Shiina's take though too it's so her and wonderfully so.

I also think that final distance is very beautifully arranged and creates this sad mystical world. That is lost in AI's version obviously because it's not hikki anymore. It sounds like a standard r&b ballad or something. And those have to be really outstanding to impress me or just make me want to listen, so I'm not really a fan because nothing about it just clicks with me. It's well done I guess for her though and suits AI best. You can miss me with that though.

I like the Sakura Drops cover....I can vibe with it somehow. Same with Keep Tryin. So I'm excited for the rest.

I hate the sakura drops one ç-ç

The vocalist on letters is just horrid. Why would anyone subject themselves to that? Forgive me cause I couldn't really tell but if the third is Sakura drops then that also is a bomb - too bizarre for me.

Excuse you, that is the divine goddess Shiina Ringo.

I totally agree with Zeke on that Letters cover, sounds horrible. I actually liked Salsa Drops a lot more.

The only preview I liked a lot was AI's version of FINAL DISTANCE, tbqh.

Well thanks to her, my ears are a "ring"in'and a bleedin'

totally agree about letters. atrocious.

I'm new on listening to Shiina Ringo, her cover is nice but I wanna ask a question for those who has been listening to her for a time. Is her high pitch voice always sounds like that? Because I love her deeper voice like when she did the chorus or at 1:05 for Letters that's really good imo.

I really like shiina ringo and I couldnt sit through the whole song. She shouldve picked something else to cover to suit her new voice better

Giving me asfxx ayu teas.