I've heard songs from Hikaru Utada before and have been meaning to dig in to their discography but never got around to it. This is the first album of theirs that I've listened to in its entirety and I am absolutely floored. I will definitely be doing a deep dive now.
The album is equally incredible and ridiculous in the sense that... how are you gonna be over 20 years into your career and still find ways to outdo yourself like this? They did it again. I'm so happy.
I was in the same boat so I started listening to the first three songs on this album and I ascended immediately.
I'm just going to say it, 'Find Love' is genuinely one of their all time best songs. The second half when it fades into that super inspired mid 00's synth...it brought be to tears today. They are genuinely one of the most special artists to me, they have healed me at seriously rough times in my life over and over again. A legend. "Gonna find out if the hard work was worth it I know it's somewhere in me, I'm just tryna find love"
The nerve, the cheek, the gall, AND the gumption of them to not only create a throwback to the 1999-2001 golden era of Naked Music NYC soulful house, to not only combine it with a classic acid house bassline, but to also make it nearly TWELVE MINUTES LONG, I-
You mean the physical version? https://www.cdjapan.co.jp/ https://www.yesasia.com/global/en/home.html
It's remarkable how much they sound kind of like Madonna in some parts of these songs? Like the "Hey how are you, how has your day been" parts in 'Not In the Mood'. There's some other parts too in the album where I thought this. Again, legend shit.
We've had them for the longest but Time and Darenimo Iwanai hold up so well against the other material. Darenimo is so delicate and sensual. The lyrics speak to what I feel like is a particularly queer experience too. Seriously BAD MODE is giving magnum opus.
Yes to the Madonna comparisons! I think they use vibrato in similar ways, too. It’s really striking at points.
