[Utada Hikaru] ʕ•̫͡•ʔ Upcoming 2018 Album and Tour in the 57th thread ʕ•̫͡•ʔ - Page 17

~angel*ayumi~ · #1 26th June 2018, 07:10 PM

First listen it´s moderate, I never was a fan of that ever slow songs, must listen to it a few times more to catch my favourite songs.

amorphose · #2 26th June 2018, 08:14 PM

I love this whole album but I must say that Nokoriga especially blew me away. Only the Queen can turn funeral music into a bop. Anata is still one of the best tracks, imo. I love the big band vibe. I wanna hear more music from Hikki with natural instruments. The full version of Chikai is everything I wanted. THOSE BACKGROUND VOCALS. Ugh. Hikki never disappoints.

summerain · #3 26th June 2018, 08:20 PM

She released two videos in her official YouTube channel.

The first one is a rework of Pakuchi no Uta made by a british band called Superorganism.

The second one is the documentary of "Hatsukoi" PV shooting, buuuuut, guess what, Sony made it an Japan-exclusive video

voltron · #4 26th June 2018, 08:57 PM

I'm still working through the album, so won't make any major judgments other than - it sounds like a Fantome 2.0 There are a lot of interesting things going on musically, but overall it's background music to me.

But what I do think is interesting is that I didn't really think much of forevermore before, but after 4 songs that had more airy vocals that were starting to grate on me, I was SO pumped to hear something with full, rich vocals. It's amazing how placement can really make or break a song, or make you look at it in a different way!

RealLight · #5 26th June 2018, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by voltron

I'm still working through the album, so won't make any major judgments other than - it sounds like a Fantome 2.0 There are *a lot* of interesting things going on musically, but overall it's background music to me.

*some, in my case, but I agree with what you said.

bluegie · #6 26th June 2018, 10:13 PM

Besides DEEP RIVER, it seems like hikki loves to make similar types of music for two albums. First Love and Distance were R&B, ULTRA BLUE and HEART STATION were sync instruments, and now Fantôme and Hatsukoi are mainly real instruments. The funny thing is that UB and HS are quite polar opposite, and now Fantôme and Hatsukoi are polar opposite as well.

mi|kshake · #7 26th June 2018, 10:34 PM

Thanks for posting your thoughts guys. I can't wait to hear the album when I receive my copy, in like 3 weeks, lol!

hayasaki · #8 26th June 2018, 11:16 PM

TOO PROUD IS MY JAM LAIK UGHHHHH. HIKKI CAN MAKE FULL BLASTING DISTANCE 2.0

Michan · #9 26th June 2018, 11:16 PM

Still listening to the album, but she could have deleted Play A Love Song. What a useless song that does nothing to introduce the album and does nothing to prepare for the next track.

Baco__ · #10 27th June 2018, 12:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michan

Still listening to the album, but she could have deleted Play A Love Song. What a useless song that does nothing to introduce the album and does nothing to prepare for the next track.

I disagree 200% haha I would rather not have the rapping part in too proud.

When the choir sing hold me tight and never let me go, everybody needs sometime alone (of that's what they're singing lol) I feel like crying haha

Michan · #11 27th June 2018, 12:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baco__

I disagree 200% haha I would rather not have the rapping part in too proud.

When the choir sing hold me tight and never let me go, everybody needs sometime alone (of that's what they're singing lol) I feel like crying haha

I hated Too Proud too. The rap part makes me cringe.

Akutenshi · #12 26th June 2018, 11:31 PM

I read that someone on twitter pointed out that the chanting at the end of Yuunagi resembles the carrying of the mikoshi in traditional Japanese festivals, but more mournful than how it is usually performed. This just makes it even more beautiful imo.

hayasaki · #13 26th June 2018, 11:51 PM

^It surely does feel like it. The whole image i get from the song feels like Hikki is scattering her mom's ashes in the sea. This song is so sad

Akutenshi · #14 27th June 2018, 12:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hayasaki

^It surely does feel like it. The whole image i get from the song feels like Hikki is scattering her mom's ashes in the sea. This song is so sad

Exactly. I almost feel like this song specifically should have been on Fantome because of how it would have fit brilliantly with it's theme and mood.

Zeke. · #15 27th June 2018, 12:34 AM

I can’t see this album having a lot of replay value. At least for me.

Whenever I put on her other albums, it’s usually proceeded by a thought such as “I want to go to that place.” This album doesn’t construct something unique enough for me to want one travel there.

hayasaki · #16 27th June 2018, 04:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Akutenshi

Exactly. I almost feel like this song specifically should have been on Fantome because of how it would have fit brilliantly with it's theme and mood.

Yes it does feel it'll fit nicely in Fantome. The lyrics has gotten me sad all morning. There's a part where she sings like "as to not drop it, i embrace it tightly. You're body that has become small."

ShiniTakashi · #17 27th June 2018, 12:27 AM

This is a really solid effort all around! It doesn’t grab me the same way Fantome did at first listen, but I can see it growing on me! The last half of the album is where it’s at!

summerain · #18 27th June 2018, 04:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahtka-chan

It seems Nariaki helped in Pakuchi no Uta.

Kept listening to Too Proud and Hatsukoi all day long <3

Makes sense, that brass section in the end is all about Nariaki.

prussian blue · #19 27th June 2018, 06:36 AM

Hatsukoi is so grand and majestic, the melody is so melancholy and contagious, and the orchestra strings really exaggerate the whole emotion of the song. Unfortunately, putting the song on the third track is kinda overshadowed by the other. I feel it should be put on the last with an interlude in front of it (just like how eclipse and passion).

PS: and the fake orchestra in Play a love song's chorus, is... urrggh i hate it so much

why can they let a real orchestra do the part? I'm sure it will sound much deeper with real strings.

The album track on the other hand has not grow on me yet, I feel they are kinda bland and too much murmuring, just exactly like Fantome, which I agree with the other that it is more like a funeral music. I hope she will make some dreamy and catchy songs like in ULTRA BLUE and STAY GOLD.

Meat Pao · #20 27th June 2018, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prussian blue

PS: and the fake orchestra in Play a love song's chorus, is... urrggh i hate it so much

why can they let a real orchestra do the part? I'm sure it will sound much deeper with real strings.

Haha I know what you mean

Many times the presence of synthesised instrumentation in Hikki's songs gets really jarring for me, especially with drums — the ones in Nokoriga and Fantome's Kouya no Ookami sound like generic Garageband drum loops straight out the box lol. Some of her older works sound like Garageband instruments that had at least been tampered with in some way.