The NEXT LEVEL era concepts analysis thread!

[Andrenekoi]

Overall guide-lines:

-The intention of this thread is discussing the concepts of Ayu's several releases, analysing the lyrics, the music, the visual, the videos and the tour concept.

-Everyone's insights about the concept of an era is welcome!

-Please, let's avoid the "this era rocked"/"this era sucked" stuff.

-And remember, when it's about the interpretation of a creative work, there's no right and wrong, just different impressions. Offenses towards another member discussing the subject will be reported.

Other Threads:
GUILTY
Rock’n’Roll Circus
Love Songs
FIVE
Party Queen
LOVE again
Colours
A one
M(A)DE IN JAPAN


NEXT LEVEL (you can download it here)




1. Bridge to the sky
2. NEXT LEVEL
3. Disco-munication
4. EnergizE
5. Sparkle
6. rollin'
7. GREEN
8. Load of the SHUGYO
9. identity
10. Rule
11. LOVE 'n' HATE
12. Pieces of SEVEN
13. Days
14. Curtain call

NEXT LEVEL was Ayu's 10th studio album, released in 2009 after a turbulent 10th anniversary year. Unlike Guilty, it's predecessor, the album wasn't as dark and had a lot of influences of the electropop trend from 2008-2010 and of 8-bit sound. It's biggest hits were Days, considered by many as Ayu's last classic single, and Rule, the theme-song for the atrocious Hollywood adaptation of Dragon Ball.


LYRICS (from here, but you can also get another take on here)

Bridge to the sky

Spoiler:

* I smile softly
Tears roll suddenly

* (repeat)
* (repeat)

NEXT LEVEL

Spoiler:

We keep walking
Moving towards the the next stage

We keep shining
On this road that continues on forever

We're starting again
From here
I wonder how we should do it

When I looked up at the sky
Smiles came floating down
Don't be scared
It'll be all right, I heard
When I looked up at the sky
Suddenly tears spilled down
Even the scars left behind
Seem lovely now

Our eyes meet
As a signal rings out heralding the future

My heartbeat races
I wonder what I should choose
What sort of map we'll make

When we feel the breeze
Let's squeeze each other's hands
We don't need
A lot of words
When we feel the breeze
Let's start walking forward
Viewing the same scenery
At the same speed

When I looked up at the sky
Smiles came floating down
Don't be scared
It'll be all right, I heard
When I looked up at the sky
Suddenly tears spilled down
Even the scars left behind
Seem lovely now

When we feel the breeze
Let's squeeze each other's hands
We don't need
A lot of words
When we feel the breeze
Let's start walking forward
Viewing the same scenery
At the same speed

EnergizE

Spoiler:

Put your hands up together!!
Keep your heads up together!!
Let me sing forever!!
Dala dala dala dala...

Lately I feel like I just can't get a handle on things
And I'm not at my best

I feel like everything just
Keeps backfiring on me

But that's not why
And it's not just carelessness
But I don't want to sacrifice
Joy to sorrow

No matter how uncool
You feel today
No matter how down you are, how chagrined
The sun will still rise

And the thing is, I'll accept you
When you're like this or when you're like that
'Cause in the end I love you however you are

Put your hands up together!!
Keep your heads up together!!
Let me sing forever!!
Dala dala dala dala...

What did I think adults were like
When I was a kid?

These days are all so different
From my dreams and predictions

But that's not why
And it's not just carelessness
But don't ever forget
That you only live once

When you smile at me and say
You'll be happy tomorrow
I feel like
I can do anything

It doesn't matter if there's no guarantee that it'll be okay
Just nod and agree
'Cause that's our courage

Put your hands up together!!
Keep your heads up together!!
Let me sing forever!!
Dala dala dala dala...

No matter how uncool
You feel today
No matter how down you are, how chagrined
The sun will still rise

And the thing is, I'll accept you
When you're like this or when you're like that
'Cause in the end I love you however you are

Put your hands up together!!
Keep your heads up together!!
Let me sing forever!!
Dala dala dala dala...

Put your hands up together!!
Keep your heads up together!!
Let me sing forever!!
Dala dala dala dala...

Sparkle

Spoiler:

Come on, you cute smouldering
Boys over there

Just for tonight, you and the girls
Put away your bravado

Let your body feel it
Follow your heart

You always prioritize
The logic in your head

But just let the beat
Take control of your body

(Let your body feel it)

If you just look, nothing'll ever happen
You'll never get it
Are you just gonne stand there
Biting your nails forever?

No no no... No no no...
No no no... No no no...
No no...

Don't go on the defense
You've gotta attack

Who decides
What's possible or impossible?

Be bolder
To the point of shamelessness

Don't do the usual thing
Of regretting it afterwards

If you just follow the beat
You can't go wrong

(Be bolder)

Half-heartedness won't cut it
You'll never know unless you touch
Are you just gonna stand there
Scared forever?

No no no... No no no...
No no no... No no no...
No no...

If you just look, nothing'll ever happen
You'll never get it
Are you just gonne stand there
Biting your nails forever?

Half-heartedness won't cut it
You'll never know unless you touch
Are you just gonna stand there
Scared forever?

No no no... No no no...
No no no... No no no...
No no...

rollin'

Spoiler:

I can't believe
What I'd hoped for turned out to be a mistake
Don't just stare and look at me indifferently
When you tell me

I know
But I can't accept it
I knew this would happen

The world turns
At the speed of rebirth
The world turns
At the speed of rebirth
It's getting chaotic
Despair and desire are coming in waves
I can't keep living
Like I have been

What the hell
Did we waste all this time for?
The moment I start wondering
It all become so much garbage

Rather than talking about ideals
I pretend to stop
The dangerous flow

Times are changing
Speeding towards the end
Times are changing
Speeding towards the end
Crossing boundaries
Disappointment and hope are warring
I can never go back
To where I was before

The world turns
At the speed of rebirth
The world turns
At the speed of rebirth
It's getting chaotic
Despair and desire are coming in waves

Times are changing
Speeding towards the end
Times are changing
Speeding towards the end
Crossing boundaries
Disappointment and hope are warring
I can never go back
To where I was before

GREEN

Spoiler:

In the bright light, the stark trees
Lose their color as if to hide themselves

Everything hopeful grows distant
Fearing warmth, just like me

His smile
Is so bright and too kind
And I feel like I'm about to show my weakness
About to cry

I knew it was love ever since that moment when it felt
Like my emotions were about to spill out from my fingertips

Why is it so difficult
For people to follow their hearts?

I'm sure I always
Really knew
But I averted my eyes from reality
And denied the truth

Right before me is my beloved
Maybe when the wind changes, I'll tell him my feelings

I knew it was love ever since that moment when it felt
Like my emotions were about to spill out from my fingertips

Right before me is my beloved
Maybe when the wind changes, I'll tell him my feelings

When the trees begin to change color and bud once more
I want to be able to smile more honestly

identity

Spoiler:

Hey, you over there, sharing time and space
With someone to bury your loneliness
Having meaningless conversations
That just make you feel even more lonely

No matter how cleverly you dress it up
It can't compare to the truth
You know that, right?

I persistently and earnestly face things head on
That's my ID ID (oh) ID ID (oh oh oh)

It's not important how people see me
What I need is to know how I should be

Hey, you over there, saying "I was just thinking of you"
While trying to force your opinions on others
You think you did a good thing
But really you just want to be self-satisfied

No matter how cleverly you dress them up
Your motives are totally transparent
You realized that, didn't you?

I don't handily agree to everything
That's my ID ID (oh) ID ID (oh oh oh)

It's not important how I want people to think of me
What I want is to protect is how I want to be

I persistently and earnestly face things head on
That's my ID ID (oh) ID ID (oh oh oh)

It's not important how people see me
What I need is to know how I should be

I don't handily agree to everything
That's my ID ID (oh) ID ID (oh oh oh)

It's not important how I want people to think of me
What I want is to protect is how I want to be

Rule

Spoiler:

We don't need rules
That someone else made up
'Cause we are the rules
And we won't stand down

"Where the hell
Is there any hope in this world?" you ask

"Can you believe in something
You can't see or touch?" you ask

I don't say anything, just nod
And silently close my eyes

'Cause I can feel right now
That there's definitely
A connection between us

We don't need rules
That someone else made up
'Cause we are the rules
And we won't stand down

There are still parts of this world
That aren't half bad

I think there's value in giving others a chance
No matter how scared we are

I take a deep breath
And scream out loud

'Cause you're the one who taught me that day
That nothing is coincidence
It's all meant to be

I don't want some stupid rules
Forced on us
So first you and I
Have to break the rules and start from there

In the instant
When strength becomes tenderness
And tenderness strength
There's nothing left to fear
At least that's how I feel

We don't need rules
That someone else made up
'Cause we are the rules
And we won't stand down

I don't want some stupid rules
Forced on us
So first you and I
Have to break the rules and start from there

LOVE 'n' HATE

Spoiler:

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven
"Zero"

(Hahahaha) nono nono
(Hahahaha) nono nono

I always knew
It could never happen
But still

For just one moment
I wanted to dream that my dream had come true
That's all

I wanted (you) to love me
So (I) bravely approached you
And I don't want (you) to hate me
So I decided to leave

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven
"Zero"

They say you shouldn't do
Things you wouldn't normally
I guess that's true

This wound is so much deeper
Than I thought it would be
Even I'm surprised

It's because I love (you)
That it's best (I) disappear
If I could just hate (you)
It would be so much easier

The countdown echoes ruthlessly
Heralding the beginning and the end
Your answer
Is too kind
It's sad and painful

I wanted (you) to love me
So (I) bravely approached you
And I don't want (you) to hate me
So I decided to leave

It's because I love (you)
That it's best (I) disappear
If I could just hate (you)
It would be so much easier

(Hahahaha) nono nono
(Hahahaha) nono nono

One, two, three, four
"Three", "two", "one", "zero"

Days

Spoiler:

Each word
We so casually share
Is such a treasure
To me

But even I find it
Kind of embarrassing
If you found out
You'd probably laugh at me

I miss you, I miss you
So I call you for no reason
Just to hear your voice

Your very existence
Warms my heart
I have only one wish
Can I stay like this forever
Always loving you?

I've known for a long time
That you already have
Someone special
I can see it in your smile

It hurts, it hurts
And there are nights
When my heart aches

Just loving you
Gives my heart a reason to live
I don't want anything from you
So just tell me
Is it okay for me to keep loving you like this?

I miss you, I miss you
So I call you for no reason
Just to hear your voice

Your very existence
Warms my heart
I have only one wish
Let me love you forever

Just loving you
Gives my heart a reason to live
I don't want anything from you
So just tell me
Is it okay for me to keep loving you like this?

Curtain call

Spoiler:

I can hear your voice
Calling my name

I can see you
Smiling at me

Can you hear my voice?
I'm calling your name

Can you see me?
I'm smiling at you

I still can't say
The words, ooh, I want to say
They won't come out right

But I have no doubt this song...

To you, my beloved
I send a love song from my heart

I can hear your voice
Calling my name

I can see you
Smiling at me

Can you hear my voice?
I'm calling your name

Can you see me?
I'm smiling at you

To you, my beloved
I send a love song from my heart

BOOKLET (from here)

Spoiler:

PV's

Spoiler:

ARENA TOUR 2009 A ~NEXT LEVEL~ (you can download it here)