I always play on a level above where I should. Always. So true to that attitude, I am starting the 100 days with some recordings that are completely irrelevant. This 'album' is called Moon and is nothing more than a collection of demos and whatnot. I say "whatnot" because I totally saw a video of Ayu performing one of these songs on a TV show in 1995. She would have been 17 at the time.
Being snippets and demos, the quality of the actual recordings varies between each song. As does the vocal quality. The actual music quality doesn't, however - it all sounds like it was taken from either a karaoke bar or an early 90's anime. Seriously, this stuff would be right at home in my 4-disc Japanese Transformers theme music collection.
Moon is a song. It probably could have been an OK song, had it been recorded better and Ayu's voice was better. She's not awful, but she sounds young and still learning to sing.
Get Out of My Life is actually really fun. Kind of disco. Ayu + disco = good times.
Raspberry Dream is a cool song title
Dance Dance Dance is not a cover of Fall Out Boy's Dance Dance with an added Dance for more dancing. It is instead some sort of latin-sounding boogie number. Picture Miami Sound Machine. But picture it with ears instead of your eyes, because music is for listening - not for drawing.
Roppongi Shinjuu has an awesome intro and some badass electric guitar
Mizuiro no Koi (Love is Blue) is a fun little ditty. I think pitch it up a few notches and it would have been more fun.
Stranger Tonight is just kinda here. I honestly don't know what to say.
Jingi Aishitemoraimasu is legit great. I wish the whole song was on here. Or Ayu had gone on to re-record it circa 2001. Hell, I'd be happy if she made it now, given she hasn't released anything in 2017.
Hold On Me is also kinda fun
Heart De Shoubu honestly sounds like the theme song for a game show. Picture a Japanese man in a bright coloured suit, wearing thick-rimmed glasses, running on a stage and acting hilariously while his mild-mannered female co-host giggles politely.
I decided to use the interwebs to find more information on these recordings and it turns out this is just a collection of old performances on Idol Stage or something. The videos can mostly be found on YouTube - minus the actually worthwhile songs. But this now explains the differing quality of the recordings. I feel like Ayu needs to buy the rights to this entire show and release a full DVD set of this so I have something to watch every weekend.
Then we move on to the Nothing From Nothing EP. This was Ayumi Hamasaki's first legit release - though this was not with Avex (it was released by Columbia Japan) and is more of a collaboration with a hip-hop artist. I believe she was also credited as "Ayumi". Because most of the time just having one name makes you more awesome. Luckily she realised that simply being her full Ayumi Hamasaki was even MORE awesomer.
Nothing From Nothing [Single Version] is an old school hip-hop jam totally what you would expect from 1995. Just in Japanese. And with squeaky little girl Ayu rapping as well singing the hook. I love old school hip-hop - the late 80's to mid-90's is the golden age and quite frankly soothes my soul in a way no other genre can - so this single gets a solid thumbs up from me.
Limit is the kind of summertime R&B groove that makes you want to cruise through your neighbourhood in the sun. Or groove in the backyard with a cold glass of orange juice. Or watch some Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Paper Doll is another R&B slow jam. Ayu getting her South Philly on!
Gut-it-pez is like listening to a baddass classic Arrested Development jam crossed with De la Soul but all busted out in Japanese. Ayu's rapping is cool, and the other dudes on this track have serious character as well. Also, where else could you find Ayumi Hamasaki spitting "A-Y, U to the M to the I"?!?!
Nothing From Nothing [Album Version] seems to be somewhat darker than the single version. Either way, it's a cool song. This is EP is cool. Ayumi Hamasaki is cool.
Nothing From Nothing is genuinely much better than I anticipated. Fun little way to start 100 days of Ayu's awesomeness.
Being snippets and demos, the quality of the actual recordings varies between each song. As does the vocal quality. The actual music quality doesn't, however - it all sounds like it was taken from either a karaoke bar or an early 90's anime. Seriously, this stuff would be right at home in my 4-disc Japanese Transformers theme music collection.
Moon is a song. It probably could have been an OK song, had it been recorded better and Ayu's voice was better. She's not awful, but she sounds young and still learning to sing.
Get Out of My Life is actually really fun. Kind of disco. Ayu + disco = good times.
Raspberry Dream is a cool song title
Dance Dance Dance is not a cover of Fall Out Boy's Dance Dance with an added Dance for more dancing. It is instead some sort of latin-sounding boogie number. Picture Miami Sound Machine. But picture it with ears instead of your eyes, because music is for listening - not for drawing.
Roppongi Shinjuu has an awesome intro and some badass electric guitar
Mizuiro no Koi (Love is Blue) is a fun little ditty. I think pitch it up a few notches and it would have been more fun.
Stranger Tonight is just kinda here. I honestly don't know what to say.
Jingi Aishitemoraimasu is legit great. I wish the whole song was on here. Or Ayu had gone on to re-record it circa 2001. Hell, I'd be happy if she made it now, given she hasn't released anything in 2017.
Hold On Me is also kinda fun
Heart De Shoubu honestly sounds like the theme song for a game show. Picture a Japanese man in a bright coloured suit, wearing thick-rimmed glasses, running on a stage and acting hilariously while his mild-mannered female co-host giggles politely.
I decided to use the interwebs to find more information on these recordings and it turns out this is just a collection of old performances on Idol Stage or something. The videos can mostly be found on YouTube - minus the actually worthwhile songs. But this now explains the differing quality of the recordings. I feel like Ayu needs to buy the rights to this entire show and release a full DVD set of this so I have something to watch every weekend.
Then we move on to the Nothing From Nothing EP. This was Ayumi Hamasaki's first legit release - though this was not with Avex (it was released by Columbia Japan) and is more of a collaboration with a hip-hop artist. I believe she was also credited as "Ayumi". Because most of the time just having one name makes you more awesome. Luckily she realised that simply being her full Ayumi Hamasaki was even MORE awesomer.
Nothing From Nothing [Single Version] is an old school hip-hop jam totally what you would expect from 1995. Just in Japanese. And with squeaky little girl Ayu rapping as well singing the hook. I love old school hip-hop - the late 80's to mid-90's is the golden age and quite frankly soothes my soul in a way no other genre can - so this single gets a solid thumbs up from me.
Limit is the kind of summertime R&B groove that makes you want to cruise through your neighbourhood in the sun. Or groove in the backyard with a cold glass of orange juice. Or watch some Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Paper Doll is another R&B slow jam. Ayu getting her South Philly on!
Gut-it-pez is like listening to a baddass classic Arrested Development jam crossed with De la Soul but all busted out in Japanese. Ayu's rapping is cool, and the other dudes on this track have serious character as well. Also, where else could you find Ayumi Hamasaki spitting "A-Y, U to the M to the I"?!?!
Nothing From Nothing [Album Version] seems to be somewhat darker than the single version. Either way, it's a cool song. This is EP is cool. Ayumi Hamasaki is cool.
Nothing From Nothing is genuinely much better than I anticipated. Fun little way to start 100 days of Ayu's awesomeness.
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