The NEXT LEVEL era concepts analysis thread! - Ayumi Hamasaki Sekai
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Old 4th July 2014, 08:35 PM
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The NEXT LEVEL era concepts analysis thread!

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)




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Last edited by Andrenekoi; 8th August 2018 at 03:44 PM.
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  #2  
Old 4th July 2014, 11:02 PM
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Thank you for making the Thread! I'm really stocked to find out and reveal what ayu and her team thought (or close to it) when they made it.

We shouldn't forget the interludes as well! =)
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  #3  
Old 4th July 2014, 11:22 PM
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I hope this series of threads mark a new era for AHS where new fans are being attracted.

My analysis of NL lyrics:
rollin' - ayu's awareness towards younger generation who live in an ever-changing world ("The world turns /At the speed of rebirth"), surrounded by superficial conception and tempted by a lot of "desires" ("Despair and desire are coming in waves" - this may refer to addictions: drugs, alchool, sex). We are truly afraid to try changing the sick mentality but we pretend to try (Rather than talking about ideals /I pretend to stop /The dangerous flow). Essence starts to reveal itself from the surface : all of us want more and more, to build more, to see more, to hear more, to have more (we start to become alienated) but at the end we realise that we are left with nothing but our own bare hands, that all those things we think we "own" are without importance. We finally find out that we lost precious time, precious moments (What the hell /Did we waste all this time for? /The moment I start wondering /It all become so much garbage )
The world itself is a trap, especially in the 21st century. We evolved really fast in so many areas but at the same time the lack in communication and understanding between people will bring our downfall.
Conclusion - a worldly-type of message.

I'll update later

Last edited by Surreal17; 4th July 2014 at 11:36 PM.
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Old 5th July 2014, 01:39 AM
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rollin' is definitely the best in terms of lyrics for the album.

I mentioned this 5 (WOW) years ago when the album just came out, about the "link" from

LOVE 'n' HATE - Pieces of SEVEN - Days

1) in LOVE 'n' HATE she counted down "1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0"
symbolizing the 7 years she had with Nagase Tomoya before it went down

2) the Pieces of SEVEN interlude is well "pieces" of 7 years together, all leading to...

3) Days. could be general lyrics, or what she felt when she first saw him, then in the PV we get some hints like the clock (I haven't watched it in a long time but the 2nd part when she discovered ShuYa had a gf it was 07 00 I think)...

EDIT: sorry it was 06 00 at the beginning, and 08 00 at the end. the missing hour is 07 00. again symbolic of her 7 years. at 06 00 (the 6th year) she was happy, in love and blissful. at 08 00 (the 8th year) she was depressed, crying, supported by friends (fans?).
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Old 5th July 2014, 02:41 AM
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@Surreal17
rollin' is my favorite song from the album, and I really loved your take on it! So, the technology savy youth talk (or sing) like robots? Troll Ayu <3

@waterballoon
Never had noticed that!


So, about NEXT LEVEL... I always found it odd that such an up-beat album had TVs as the main visual theme (I mean, even the color pallet for the album is based on the color bars test, mainly because if I learned something from Ayu, is that everytime she uses TVs as a visual theme, shit gets dark, or weird, or both.

Not only she is posing with what may be the most recurrent symbol she links with bad stuff, those TVs are wrecked, they all have messed up colors and granuled images... Those messed-up-TV effects are repeated during the whole booklet, whose colors are getting darker until it's end with only static TVs. NEXT LEVEL was released right after GUILTY, a very dark album released during a very complicated time (end of relationship, death of friend, deafness, complicated career moment, harder challenges), and when we take a look at the NEXT LEVEL tracklist, even the songs are rather dark, aren't they? I mean... Sparkle, rollin', identity and Love'n'Hate are pretty dark songs sound-wise IMO, even if Rule is not as dark, it's far more agressive than what her releases tended to be at the time (the same applies to Sparkle) and GREEN and Days and Curtain call are all very bittersweet. So, even if it's her electropop colourful album, we end up with 2 happy songs... What is less than what we have in Secret, (miss)understood, MY STORY, RAINBOW, Love songs and Rock'n'Roll Circus, haha! I also find it interesting that Curtain call lyrics are basically she thanking her fandom for giving her strenght.

Noidea commented once she was posing with wrecked TVs like she was one of them, another wrecked entertaiment media... I though his take on it was pretty interesting.
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Last edited by Andrenekoi; 5th July 2014 at 02:45 AM.
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Old 5th July 2014, 08:48 AM
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@waterballoon - nice finding!
@Andrenekoi - never noticed the gradation of the tv's colours!

I always loved the rollin' - GREEN (the transition point) - Load of the SHUGYO part because it covers the two main parts of the album (electropop/8bit from track 1-6 and rock section from 8-12).

In the first section (electronica section), ayu tries to say that we should take action to obtain what we want (in NEXT LEVEL - "When we feel the breeze
Let's squeeze each other's hands/ We don't need/ A lot of words"
, in EnergizE - "It doesn't matter if there's no guarantee that it'll be okay /Just nod and agree /Cause that's our courage", in Sparkle - "If you just look, nothing'll ever happen /You'll never get it /Are you just gonne stand there /Biting your nails forever?". The light musical choice (electropop, 8bit) fits perfectly the note of optimism of starting something new.

GREEN marks the transition point, the doubt, the insecurity of starting a new way - "Why is it so difficult /For people to follow their hearts? ". The traditional vibe of the song - a quiet, meditative place in which we start thinking if it's good to take a new path or not.

The second section of the album (the rock section)
is the place in which we are determined to take action and this is exactly what we are going to do. It's natural that every courage comes with fear but it's time for a change - in Identity - "I persistently and earnestly face things head on / That's my ID ID (oh) ID ID (oh oh oh)/ 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 how I want to be ", in Rule - "We don't need rules / That someone else made up / 'Cause we are the rules / And we won't stand down ", in LOVE 'n' HATE - "And I don't want (you) to hate me / So I decided to leave".

The final section (the ballads) is made by tracks 13 & 14. The conclusion of the whole idea with a bit of nostalgy in Days for the old good days - "I miss you, I miss you / So I call you for no reason / Just to hear your voice" and with ayu thanking the fans in Curtain Call for supporting her in this long, long journey - "To you, my beloved / I send a love song from my heart".

Last edited by Surreal17; 5th July 2014 at 08:52 AM.
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Old 5th July 2014, 10:21 AM
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This thread

My take on the covers - It's important to mention that except for the color scheme, the covers has ayu with all versions of TVs from oldest box to modern LCD TV.
I think that it might symbolize the advancement through the years of ayu and every aspect of her work. I wonder if there is a slight difference between what each cover conveys, if it's generally the same message.
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Old 5th July 2014, 02:01 PM
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I think how she's also out of the TVs as an actual being states her "surpassing" traditional media into the "next level" media (digital etc).. her acknowledging that physical sales are a thing of the past, digital downloads/recochoku are the "in" thing and a digital/online life is what we have

Proved by Days being a wild success in downloads, and her getting very active on Twitter from about 2009 onward.
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Old 5th July 2014, 03:01 PM
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Regarding covers - ayu's wearing all those extravagant colors to give a futuristic edge to the visuals of the albums. Like she also said in an interview, she wants to try new things because the unknown is what makes life so entertaining.
The futuristic theme is also continued in Arena Tour 2009, the accompanying tour of the album with 3D effects, lasers, funky costumes etc.

So, she tried to speed things up a little by entering the trends of the time (electropop, digital era like waterballon also mentioned etc.) mash-uped with her own unique style and the result became NEXT LEVEL - an album intended more towards the youthful generation and her first truly electronic-vibe album.

I loved how she managed to show 'teasers' from all the album sections through the singles (Days/GREEN - ballad & transition song ; Rule/Sparkle - rock & electronica). Also, how she tried to keep the main style of the album (the techno/electro one) even through the singles.
e.g. - techno - Rule (Remo-con _tech dance_ remix) / Rule (80kidz's _No More Rule_ mix)
8bit - Days (8-bits of tears YMCK remix)

Last edited by Surreal17; 5th July 2014 at 03:07 PM.
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Old 5th July 2014, 03:51 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Surreal17 View Post
an album intended more towards the youthful generation and her first truly electronic-vibe album.
hmmmmmmmmm...

gonna disagree a little here I think LOVEppears was her first electro-pop album. I am... had a bit of the electro sound in it, and RAINBOW brought it to a more ethereal trip-hop feel (reminiscent of Madonna's Ray of Light)
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Old 5th July 2014, 04:09 PM
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After writing about NEXT LEVEL covers being darker than it seens at first, I decided to check on the ultimate source to know if an Ayu piece of work was meant to be positive or negative!



About the overall concept and sound: It's very interesting that when Ayu decides to jump on the electropop train, she does that by taking a very japanese take on it, the 8-bit. The album's title + the art + the arrangment of some tracks + the concert gives it all a strong video-game feeling.

About the tracks themselves: A lot of people complained about rollin' being followed by GREEN, saying this ruined the flow, but I loved how the song about the need of change on our fast times and (as Surreal17 said) how overwhelming technology can be being followed by the most organic song on the album besides its closing track.

Does anybody else feels like the opening to AT09 is Ayu coming out of the TV to perform live for the audience?
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Last edited by Andrenekoi; 5th July 2014 at 04:14 PM.
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Old 5th July 2014, 04:10 PM
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This thread is so interesting, I had never noticed the Nagase hints waterballoon mentioned!
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Old 5th July 2014, 04:40 PM
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Originally Posted by pimenta View Post
This thread is so interesting, I had never noticed the Nagoya hints waterballoon mentioned!
You mean Nagase?

I like reading analysis! I am myself pretty bad with interpreting lyrics and PVs tho, these analysis helps me a lot and I absolutely feel the amazingness of Ayu more than ever!
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Old 5th July 2014, 04:59 PM
J0nB0yH88 J0nB0yH88 is offline
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I love this album! There are a lot of themes I pick up on when I listen to it, they'll probably seem pretty obvious but I shall list them anyways! XD

colour this clearly is ayu's most vibrant and colourful looking album! the entire photo-shoot from this album is very bright and colourful, the box that the CDs come in are even coloured! how awesome is that!

electricity whereas I would identify GUILTY as having a very 'gritty' theme, NEXT LEVEL, for me at least, has a very electric theme! Listening to songs like EnergizE, Sparkle and rollin' (and interludes like Disco-munication) there are a lot of sparks and digital bursts and other electronic/digital sounds (especially in Sparkle, it really should be called SPARK I feel haha!) if you check out the album art inside the booklet you will also see ayu with wires attached to her arms/hands, her hair is very frizzy in every picture (shocker! ) and the title of the album itself is wrote in a very digital-looking text...also she poses next to a lot of digital screens! also the album (particularly the songs mentioned) features quite a bit of auto-tune, giving it that further robotic feel.

GREEN I always associate the colour green with this album, I have the CD-only version so my box is green and the booklet itself with the 'a' logo on it is green...and then of course there is the amazing song GREEN, other people who have the red/blue/yellow box may not agree with me on this. (random I know but i'd count this as a 'theme' lol)


seven/7 the number seven seems to crop up a lot too, she counts to 7 in the song LOVE 'n' HATE and there is an interlude 'Pieces of SEVEN' it seems she wants us to recognise this number, some think it's symbolising the number of years she was in a relationship but I don't know about this.

overall the album is brill! it's one of my favourites, from the light j-pop DAI songs, to the electronic feel, to the extraordinary and cultural GREEN and Load of the SHUGYO, to the awesome j-rock sounds I adore, to the lovely ending ballads! a wonderful album and great themes! <3
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Old 5th July 2014, 05:02 PM
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hmmmmmmmmm...

gonna disagree a little here I think LOVEppears was her first electro-pop album. I am... had a bit of the electro sound in it, and RAINBOW brought it to a more ethereal trip-hop feel (reminiscent of Madonna's Ray of Light)
agree
I sometimes find myself thinking that NEXT LEVEL is LOVEppears (excepting the overwhelming nostalgy) Upgraded Ver. in terms of sounding.

@Andrenekoi: Agree about the video games theme. I fact, it's being used in quite a few songs such as Dis-comunication, EnergizE, rollin', Pieces of Seven and also in fragments such as the intros of Sparkle, Load of the SHUGYO, Identity & LOVE 'n' HATE.

I just noticed something while listening to the album today. Sparkle, rollin', Identity & LOVE 'n' HATE all have a short intro that somehow isn't related to the rest of the song. And coincidence or not, these songs have the most clear and powerful messages from the entire album.

@J0nB0yH88: love the electricity idea

Last edited by Surreal17; 5th July 2014 at 05:06 PM.
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Old 5th July 2014, 09:27 PM
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I actually never noticed that a lot of songs from the album has 8 bit games music going on or games music in general. Actually, even Days has it at the beginning (the synth before the strong part starts).
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Old 6th July 2014, 08:31 AM
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Beside all the messages and images that ayu is trying to convey with this album, she's also portraying a fierce woman with a sexy & provocative image.
For reference, we have the Sparkle PV + Lyrics ("Let your body feel it/ Be bolder
To the point of shamelessness /You'll never know unless you touch"
) , GREEN PV (that sensual dancing with the woman and all those provocative hey-I'm-watching-you scenes), identity from Arena Tour 2009 (ayu is flirting with SHU-YA), also LOVE'n'HATE from Arena Tour 2009 (ayu surrounded by men, even if she mostly has a rejection attitude) and even Rule PV (ayu's moves, clothes and her overall look). Load of the SHUGYO Special Screen from AT 2009 can also be interpreted as being sexual with all those men being held hostages by some women, with ayu trying to help them escape.
Let's not forget about the booklet ( e.g. Dis-comunication page reminds me of Sparkle PV with the tight costume & violet shiny cap ayu's wearing, and also her position) which again shows ayu in a sexy mood.

So, looking from this angle, NEXT LEVEL may signify ayu's change towards a more sexualised image (although she started using elements since 1999).

Last edited by Surreal17; 6th July 2014 at 08:47 AM.
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Old 6th July 2014, 03:49 PM
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Which kinda makes me wonder if her use of sexiness itself has its own meaning - the 1 LOVE video was before this era, but it could be a prelude to this. I'm wondering if her use of sexiness is a comment on image manipulation, male gaze/audience gaze, being vulnerable in the public eye etc. as much as it is a comment on just plain sexiness?
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Old 6th July 2014, 04:06 PM
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Which kinda makes me wonder if her use of sexiness itself has its own meaning - the 1 LOVE video was before this era, but it could be a prelude to this. I'm wondering if her use of sexiness is a comment on image manipulation, male gaze/audience gaze, being vulnerable in the public eye etc. as much as it is a comment on just plain sexiness?
Hmmm..I think that this sexy image has a purpose. I think it's more in the sense of self-acceptation because most of the songs are implying that we should start accomplishing the things we want by taking action but with the condition of staying true to ourselves (eg. rollin). So, I don't think it's like this just to be because in the first place she doesn't have this kind of overall image, or not until 2009.
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Old 6th July 2014, 04:48 PM
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I think you're on to something there! I think she's always been sorta insecure about how much of herself she shows to the public (not just physically, but personally & emotionally as well), which would corroborate both ideas - that the sexiness is basically a show of self-acceptance, so she's okay with being vulnerable in front of the cameras.

Looking back at this thread, I never really realized how consistent her use of TVs has been. It's similar to her use of clowns over the years, I think, as sort of representative of her career... where clowns are more a symbol for the industry & its executives, the TVs are more a symbol of the Hamasaki Ayumi product & image.
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