Ayumi Hamasaki Sekai - View Single Post - [News] LOVEppears / appears -20th Anniversary Edition-
View Single Post
  #193  
Old 12th October 2019, 01:18 AM
Norrel's Avatar
Norrel Norrel is offline
Daybreak Initiate
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 2,686
Main differences I've noticed so far:
- OVERALL, many elements/instruments of songs now have more clarity or presence. I'm hearing that I never knew were there, or could hear well, until this remaster. Boys & Girls is probably where this is most apparent. Introduction's opening synths also have noticeably more bass in the synths

- I'd also say that the overall mix is very even. Songs never get too loud or abrasive, which might have something to do with the fact that the bass levels are a bit more conservative. Not to say this album lacks oomph, but now the songs are just more comfortable to listen to. It's most noticeable in Who... when the chorus kicks in.

- Vocals also sound like they have a bit more reverb/echo in certain songs, such as Fly High and TO BE.

- High notes in Ayu's vocals also never become uncomfortable. This has always been my biggest pain listening to her, no matter what kind of sound system/headphones I'm listening through, her high notes in songs are sometimes unbearable. This isn't the case - the remaster balances her vocals so that they more or less never overpower the mix.

Going through the album right now, and I feel like Boys & Girls has the most apparent difference in sound, which doesn't surprise me.

I also feel like the drums in Trauma are clearer. I always wished there were a release of the drum loop track, every time it plays in her lives I get so amped, but the mixes of Trauma up 'til now have always buried the drums in the opening guitar.

kanariya also is noticeably longer. Perhaps I'm not familiar with the version used as the "secret track" at the end of Who..., but it would seem the runtime is about a a whole minute longer.

My fear was that they were just going to make all the songs louder and slap "remastered" on this release, but this is definitely not the case

Last edited by Norrel; 12th October 2019 at 04:13 AM.
Reply With Quote