See, I don't agree with this AT ALL lol. I listen to ULTRA BLUE and all I hear is synths and generic ethereal-ness and someone singing. And HEART STATION just sounds like it was made in FL Studios and melodically mundane to boot. But most of all I think these albums would be REALLY easy to replicate if someone wanted to. They're just... a lot of synths lol.

Mind you, I LIKE both those albums. But I don't think they're anything special or more than really listenable synth-heavy albums.

or maybe... 'beautiful world' ?!!

aarghhh... can't wait this 'fantastic' album !!! very excited !!!

This argument is made a lot in art. "Is it art - I mean, anyone could do it?" but the defining factor is often, "yeah, but it's the fact that this person chose to do it."

I mean, synths have been around forever. Hikki didn't invent that. But, I have always had a huge love for synthesizers and the fact that Hikki was able to put it all together and produce something so different than anything that was being presented at the time (or rather, being presented in her element of Japanese pop music) really caught my attention.

Same here. Hikki has about 10 songs I really love. There are a lot I like. But I don't get the hype as well. I don't have a problem with her and she has talent for sure. Besides she seems to be a nice person. I guess I just can't stand the attitude of her fans... a lot of them are acting as if she is the only artist with talent out there.
And one thing she isn't good at at all: singing. She has a beautiful voice, but her vocals... When I think about it, that's what really bothers me: her fans always claim that she has the best vocals out there, when it's simply not true. Especially live her vocals are sometimes really bad.

That said, I like her and I think it's nice that Ayu will contribute to a cover album! Hikki achieved a lot and even if I find her overrated as hell I don't see a reason why I should begrudge Hikki her success. It's not like her music is bad in any way.

^my thought's exactly, there's artists way better in vocals and composing/arranging. She's not bad but.... i could never get into her music. I only have 5 songs from her that i enjoy the rest bores me to sleep lol i always thought she was a bit overrated in the pop scene, so i am really not hyped on this.

more auto sync blah :P, though Hikaru can sign amazingly good live. Here's a hit to anyone who's like 'its auto synced', ALL songs and albums gets this treatment. Its a standard procedure with the music industry to fine polish there music before release. Just enjoy the music.

I want to jump on the arguing bandwagon of ayu vs. hikki but I'll hold my peace. I'm not sure I can say what I want to say gently :laugh

OMG that would be lovely :luv2 I can figure ayu singing "it's only love-a-a-a-a-a *insert mega vibrato here*"

The entire thing reeks of a PR gimmick. They were considered "rivals" at one point and this is the one thing that would build hype for a tribute album that would have otherwise had a boring lineup of performers.

I hope Ayu knows what she's doing and doesn't make a fool out of herself. The part in the Sanspo article about her changing her vocal style concerns me. Part of Ayu's appeal is that she DOESN'T follow Western conventions of vocal stylings/technique.

This is not an Ayu VS Hikki ! This is just people who express what they think about Utada no one is speaking about Ayu so please don't make this thread another war XD ;)

It's not even an Ayu vs. Hikki debate! :weep

Oh yes I thought about it too ...

I guess her time in the US is changing her, she may try to release something in the west eventually, but she doesn't say with one style for long. We may get an album which sound more western but that will probably change with the one after that, like her other album. Like she said, she's always changing and evolving her music. The rivalry with ayu and hikaru was more for publicity by avex, and who knows, maybe hikaru asked ayu to do a cover

I wouldn't say Hikki "isn't good at all" ; it's called a "technique." Ayu has a technique as well, and has always been said as to 'not have the best vocals' but her style is distinct. That's what makes a good musician - you don't have to be a powerhouse belter, you just need to have something distinct about you - something that sets you apart and makes you recognizable. Hikki has that airy, soft, and breathiness about her which can lend itself really well toward the music she releases. I enjoy her technique (not so much in English, that stuff can get rather horrid) for the most part. In Sakura Nagashi, she does this faint and suttle "stuttering vibrato" when she holds the notes that just makes me melt.

Regarding the PR move, I don't necessarily view that as bad. They saw an opportunity and went for it.

AMEN! I agree with all of this 100%

Sorry, Tom Punks, if you felt like I called you out for the wrong thing, I only quoted you because you quoted another person...Which may seem like illogical reasoning... XD

Everyone's going to have different opinions and there's a lot of people who would never budge on theirs. I think Utada is magnificent in her ability to create music. Will everyone think that way? No, but whatever.

http://imageshack.com/a/img661/6403/0EKlFM.gif

The only "rivalry" I saw from hikki and ayu was when they released an album on the same
day but even so that wasn't even ayu's choice. Other than that I never hear anything that
they were rivals and how can they be? ayu does pop and ayu does more R&B.

I love both of them sometimes one more than the other when they release bad music.

Yeah they even had a conversation in MS back in 2004-2005, the rival thing was just made up from their labels

I wasn't talking about Hikki's style of singing. I never thought there is something wrong with that. But when singing live most of the time Hikki even isn't able to hit the right notes. She just isn't a good vocalist. It's not that I'm bothered by it that much. I just can't stand her fans claiming she has the best vocals ever, that's not true at all. She not even comes close to being a good vocalist. I have nothing against Hikki, but I truly hate most of her fans... xD

I don't keep up with Utada, did she retire or something? I'm wondering what warranted this release in the first place...

Well I won't deny that. I was never a fan of her lives. I downloaded utada United once and got bored even before I was halfway through.