So here goes a list of my favorite J-pop albums that I have found enjoyable throughout my Japanese music listening experience. Of course, there are probably better albums than what is reviewed here. According to Google, one of the best Japanese albums is Kazemachi Roman released in 1970 by the band Happy End. I’ve never heard of that band or listened to their albums. Maybe I’ll give it a shot on Spotify someday.
These are my choice of albums because of how they made me feel when I first listened to them and the emotional reaction I always get when I continue to listen to them. I put these albums here to summarize my experience in exploring J-pop to finally finding a balance of what I like and dislike. This list outlines my exploration of J-pop from the beginning when I knew nothing of the musicians, styles, or even language. I admit the list is a bit of a mess, but I enjoyed looking back. I feel these albums have aged well and will age well.
For me, a great album is a great album if it makes me cry, makes me sing, and makes me wonder. When I listen to the artist’s vocal performance in tune with the instrumentals, I’m in tune with everything it offers. To others, a good album is a good or great album based on genre, popularity, or prestige. It could be that the music composition surpasses the pop music of that generation and it astounds the audience. I’m pausing for a second. I want to listen to “Wind City Romance”….. Okay. Despite singing in Japanese, they sound like all the rest of the hippies singing rock during the 1960s and ’70s. Moving on…
I have listened to these albums through many life experiences and they have always made me love J-pop more than American pop music. All these albums represent the talent, emotion, and innovation within Japanese pop music. They all have a distinct quality to them. Not only that but given that most of them were released at the turn of the new millennium (around the same time I started developing my individuality) the songs on each album truly define a changing time. I believe this era around (2000-2012) is when J-pop’s peak was at it’s highest. Now K-pop rules the world, and J-pop has hidden in the bushes somewhere. Don’t know what happened to it. Today the mainstream music industry around the world is dying, with hardly anything popular that is good to listen to unless you do deep deep searching.
Most Japanese music listeners might not agree with the albums I have chosen for this list, but all of them have a sense of tone to them that gets you listening deep. The vocals along with the instrumentals lifted me during the darkest times of my early twenties. I am now in my late twenties and love all these albums and have played them I don’t know how many times. All the albums are a great listen that if I owned a CD player, each disc of every album would have been scratched and unplayable to their final song. That’s how much I have been listening to Japanese music.
Since all the albums and artists on this list are kind of old now, it acts as a stepping stone to explore newer music as I look back on my journey through J-pop. May whoever reads this post enjoy the albums too and may they impact your music listening experience! In the coming posts, I will review the “best Japanese albums” listed on Google (maybe). If you have any suggestions and already listen to contemporary Japanese music, post a comment below!
15. Namie Amuro, Sweet 19 Blues (1996)
Here, the iconic Namie Amuro in the early days. Before all the flashy costumes and background dancers. Sweet 19 Blues is her debut album as a solo artist separate from the idol group Super Monkey’s. With Sweet 19 Blues, Amuro makes a name for herself in a very bold way. The album practically represents Amuro’s way of saying goodbye to her youth and moving on to a more mature sound. And I listen to this album and immediately get a ’90s R&B throwback. No doubt Sweet 19 Blues follows the late ‘80s to early ‘90s dance trend of music, Japanese style! Practically every song has a gospel choir in the background, giving some soul to Amuro’s persona. While most would compare Amuro’s success and music to Madonna and Janet Jackson, I would say her departure from Super Monkey’s resembles the act of Beyoncé with Destiny’s Child. I see a tiny little bit of Beyoncé’s vibe in Namie Amuro.
The first song I ever heard from Namie Amuro was Contrail through a Japanese TV series back in 2013. It is one of my favorite songs ever. So looking back I notice a lot of development in her voice and music style.
On the track PRIVATE, you listen to Amuro strut her stuff while she raps fluidly, and I Don’t Wanna Cry showcases Amuro’s young, but powerful singing capability. It needs some growth, but it still has potential.
With Interlude-Joy It’s obvious she’s trying to set the trend of western music in Japan. Sometimes you get a feel of disco and funk such as with Chase the Chance, and I’ll Jump. You see Amuro’s artistic strength on the song I was a Fool, which is my favorite track on the album. It is a jazzy tune and though young, Amuro sounds so mature and beautiful.
Sweet 19 Blues offers remixes of the original singles released for the album. While I like the remixes, the Latin-House mix of Body Feels Exit seems out of place and I think that the Original mix would have been better suited for the album.
For the most part, Sweet 19 Blues was a pioneer for setting the trend of R&B and Hip-Hop within Japanese music. And for a young female artist who can hardly speak a word of English, it was not a bad endeavor at all. I don’t know what to say about Sweet 19 Blues other than to give it a listen. You get Namie Amuro in her “indie” days, young and innovative. Sweet 19 Blues sets itself apart from other Japanese albums of that time. It has gone down in history as one of Japan’s greatest albums ever released and it’ll continue to be looked up to as such. Thank you, Amuro.
14. Do As Infinity, Break of Dawn (2000)
I listen to Do As infinity, and I reminisce on my youthful days of listening to Japanese pop. Break of Dawn brings back so…much…nostalgia. Also, It was the first Japanese album I heard with English lyrics and I got so excited!
The album is soft rock, with the cover giving it a dark tone. Break of Dawn is a very unique album that gets you in a transient state of contemplation. In the first track, Break of Dawn, Tomiko Van sings in English:
Mind you, Tomiko’s English is not perfect, but that’s okay since it still somewhat gives a rough outline of the album’s theme. And thus listening to it, I found a type of pattern. It’s as if an adventure starts at the break of dawn, and as we go through each song, the lyrics tell a story of getting lost and reaching another place, like in the track Another. The tracks visualize getting around in a new surrounding, and walking the paths of a timeless state, following dreams, moving forward and having good wishes. Eventually coming to a state of acceptance with the closing song Yesterday & Today. The one’s drinking beer never found their way back (silent laugh). My favorite tracks on this album are the singles, Oasis, and Tangerine Dream.
While composition-wise, Break of Dawn is not a strong debut album since most of the tracks sound similar, it’s a good introduction to Do As Infinity and their style. Also, it was one of the first full-length Japanese albums I listened to, so looking back I see how much my taste of music has developed over the years. Their third album Deep Forest (2001) is more refined and less experimental than this one. Fukai Mori (Deep Forest) from Deep Forest was the theme song used for InuYasha. I also find Tomiko Van stronger as a solo artist rather than with Do As infinity. Her solo debut album Van. is a very good listen.
I don’t know how I stumbled upon Do As Infinity. It could have been through the anime Inuyasha, it could have not been. Being that the internet is so vast, when I first stumbled upon Do As Infinity, I found them to be a very interesting band and Break of Dawn a very interesting album. This is an album that reflects a transitioning time of the early 2000s. It reminds me of youth, of adventure, of InuYasha (haha).
13. Ayumi Hamasaki, Duty (2000)
Ahh… Ayumi Hamasaki as a leopard. Released early in her career, Duty is probably one of her most well thought out albums. Mostly pop-rock with a dance vibe, this album starts with an English intro with words spoken by a male voice: “People searching for what they can’t see…” with Hamasaki humming in the background. All Hamasaki albums start with an intro, and I’ve gotten used to it by now. The album then plays the title song Duty which is about figuring out who you are in this world. I suppose we all have that task to go through. But especially for Hamasaki, as a performer, she has to know who she is and present that to the public. And Duty explores Hamasaki still figuring this out, hoping that she will find her footing.
While the songs are upbeat, the lyrics send out a message of loneliness, confusion, and isolation. The rock melodies of all the songs are really beautiful, and Hamasaki sings with a voice that wants to purge feelings she has been keeping inside for a while. The music video and lyrics for Surreal expresses her dilemma of the person she is when she is alone sleeping, and the person she is in front of the public eye. It can be so strange, so unreal, and I think with the whole album, Hamasaki is conveying that she is still learning how to deal with that aspect of fame.
12. Ayumi Hamasaki, I am… (2002)
I am… is one of Ayumi’s most successful albums ever released. Finally realizing her role as a singer and entertainer, Ayumi has found grounding in her self-image. I am…reveals Goddess Ayu for the very first time. Compared to her previous album Duty, her album I am… is a more enlivening experience. It is more techno-pop, with themes of satisfaction, inner strength, peace, love, and moving forward with new beginnings. While sometimes you will lose track of when each song ends, they all blend in very well. The song Naturally picks up the pace of the previous tracks as Hamasaki sings her heart out for her inner strength of all she’s been through. Endless Sorrow has to be my favorite song on I am… mainly because finally, Ayumi sings with so much realness and ferocity.
Under the pen name CREA, Ayumi Hamasaki takes control of both the lyrics and composing all instrumentals for this album. There is a sense of being energized when listening to I am… as each song creates a feeling of hope, and of striving for happiness for all. Ayumi’s lyrics are sometimes hard to interpret but you get the feeling of fulfillment on her side communicating with her listeners. Hamasaki’s sense of creativity is at its highest point on I am… You can tell she put great effort into creating this album, and you can feel her energy, her passion, and her determination. Young Hamasaki blooms very beautifully both vocally and instrumentally, and the album cover portrays that message perfectly. Hamasaki is pleased with who she has become and looks toward all her struggles with courage.
11. Mariya Takeuchi, Expressions (2008)
Now, to give ’70s and ’80s pop music a fair chance, I’ll put Mariya Takeuchi on this list. I recently heard that City pop was regaining popularity and that Plastic Love was the world’s greatest pop song on YouTube in 2018. I honestly had no clue. I first heard of Takeuchi through a 2016 J-drama called Hayako sensei, kekkon suru tte hontou desu ka? (Hayako-sensei, is really getting married?). One of the title songs for the drama (which I enjoyed very much) was Takeuchi’s love song Let It Be Me, an English duet with her husband Tatsuro Yamashita. Takeuchi works side by side with her husband often, composing lavish love songs that make you want to just chill and be happy.
I listen to this greatest hits album Expressions with its forty-two tracks and I am simply happy for the simple things. Takeuchi’s singing takes me back to simpler times when I never existed (haha). Therefore, I am grateful for her simplicity. While I find ’70s music somewhat boring, Takeuchi’s take on it makes the experience rejuvenating. I don’t particularly know why, but maybe it’s because it sounds as if her songs could be released today under a type of new wave genre. Or maybe because her songs are constantly being used for modern Japanese TV dramas so that makes her work up-to-date and sounding fresh.
With Takeuchi singing in both Japanese and English fluently, you are not bombarded with mispronunciations of “l” and “r” and you’re not left asking why with a voice that is trying too hard to sing. Ms.Takeuchi’s voice is clear and very crisp. Takeuchi also studied university abroad way back in the day so that does help with her international influence.
Unlike these days where music is indulged with techno beats and auto-tunes, listening to Plastic Love, Fushigi na Peach Pie, Honki de Only You (Let’s Get Married) among other of her tracks is refreshing. I’m glad I discovered Takeuchi, a popular classic in the Japanese music industry, and that I enjoy her too, because these days, modern Japanese pop is making me fall asleep. My favorite songs on the album are Genki wo Dashite, Plastic Love, Koi no Hito Koto (Something Stupid), Let it Be Me, Eki, and Fushigi na Peach Pie.
10. Kato Miliyah, Ring (2009)
Ring, Kato Miliyah’s 4th studio album, is her best selling album to date. To those who know her, Kato Miliyah is known for her depressing face and her depressing lyrics. Miliyah is known to look and sound miserable. One might then think, why even listen to her songs? Well despite her depression-esque music style, she is very talented. Her sad expression is her art; it’s what makes her unique. I related to most of Miliyah’s songs during my early twenties and still listen to her work from time to time. And for me, Ring is a piece that fully demonstrates Miliyah’s strength in creating and writing content.
the songs on Ring allow Miliyah to shine confidently in her artistry. Her voice sounds more positive, revived, and ready for life. The lyrical content of most of the songs focus on love and heartbreak, but they all have a unique style to them. I first listened to Love Forever when I was 22 years old and thought I found pure gold. It is such a catchy J-pop song alongside the rest of the album tracks. Kato looks so young in the MV. Even though Ring is a long album, with fifteen tracks, the pace of the album is mostly pop so you don’t lose interest. The last song, People, is like a vow to love. For Miliyah, it seems like a vow to keep on going even with the unknown waiting.
9. Sailor Moon, Memorial Box -Disc 3- Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon R Song Collection + Movie Edition Theme Song Collection (1997, 2001-Out of Print)
So Sailor Moon has to be my favorite show, manga, animation, whatever you wanna call it—out there. Haha, you just gotta love it. And the song Ai no Senshi is so uplifting together with all the other theme songs on this album that I just had to add it to the J-pop category. I admit this song is awesome to sing to karaoke!
Most will consider this just a soundtrack of songs from the Japanese version of the show, but to me, that doesn’t take away its musical quality. This show will forever be at the forefront of modern Japanese culture along with its musical composition. And what makes it great is the fact that it’s a show about girls with superpowers! Girl power for life! So whenever I wanna get into my magical goddess GENKI power mode, I always listen to the songs on this album.
The songs, which are themes based on mostly the six main characters (including Tuxedo Kamen; mask) are fun, romantic, and truly empowering. Even though lyrically the songs focus on each character’s personality and identity, they do not sound as if they were made only for a child audience at all. The composer, Arisawa Takanori, did a great job arranging the power and symbolism of the Sailor Moon world in music.
8. Garnet Crow, First Soundscope ~Mizu no nai Hareta Umi e~ (2001)
This album, by a band named Garnet Crow, was one of the first albums I listened to that wasn’t necessarily pop. The lead singer, Yuri Nakamura, has such a deep voice that blends so well with the instrumentals I felt as if I was transported into some mystical dreamland. It is so calming and so peaceful I give a listen to this album so many times to this day. The title song, Mizu no nai Hareta Umi e (To the Sunny, Waterless Ocean), is basically about a white mermaid arriving on land, and finding pure silence. I would categorize this album, including all Garnet Crow’s other ten studio albums as dream pop-rock.
Listening to them for years, Garnet Crow gives off a spiritual vibe with their lyrics. The song above, Natsu no Maboroshi (Spirit of Summer) is one of the more upbeat tracks on the album. It gives a mellow mood through the acoustic guitar and drums. Garnet Crow disbanded in 2013, and whenever I listen to their albums I always think back to my early twenties, listening to J-pop music that wasn’t so “popular”.
7. Dean Fujioka, Cycle (2016)
I don’t remember how I found out about Dean Fujioka. No, wait… I do. It was in 2016, with another J-drama called Happy Marriage?! He was the main actor in the web series, based on a manga of the same name. I looked him up and…boom! there he was. Born in 1980, from Fukushima, Tatsuo Fujioka is like an internet sensation. He’s an idol all over Asia (particularly in Hong Kong and Taiwan) and speaks 6 different languages fluently; Japanese English, Mandarin, Indonesian…I don’t know the other two. But anyway, he can act, rap, sing, compose, look good in Armani…you name it, the talent list goes on for Fujioka.
On Cycle, Fujioka sings in English, Japanese, and Mandarin. It is his debut album so there are some inconsistencies and flaws. Yet for the most part, it is a fresh album from a Japanese male in an industry where they are known to be Genki pop idols for fainting females (not that Fujioka can’t make girls faint). But stumbling upon Fujioka was a different experience because I rarely find male Japanese singers who speak English and appeal to a wide audience! Fusing pop, metal, rock—he sings with a little rap here and there with such energy you that you can’t help but play the album again and again. The album is very experimental and released during the time he was rising to fame in Japan. It sounds like an indie album, with only ten tracks, but regardless, I think it deserves recognition for its fusion of different music styles and languages. His acting is pretty good, I would say, but Fujioka’s true talent in music is found with his composition on Cycle.
All and all, Fujioka certainly is a 21st-century boy, and Cycle is an album for 21st-century listeners. His most recent release History in the Making (2018) is more pop-infused, and you can notice an arrangement that is appealing to a general Japanese audience. Whereas Cycle you get Dean Fujioka as an international artist making a name of himself without fear of taking risks, History in the Making is him taking a hold of that title in a very safe mainstream way. You always get artists playing it safe the second time around. So between both albums, short but sweet Cycle is the winner for me.
6. Chihiro Onitsuka, Insomnia (2001)
Insomnia is Chihiro Onitsuka’s debut album. The content of the album expresses a lot of suffering but healing at the same time. The genre is mostly pop-rock and a majority of the songs are sung to the piano. Onitsuka’s voice along with the instrumentals convey a feeling of pain and sadness, somewhat like reaching a dead end. When listening to the album, I got a feeling of that pain and wanted to sing my heart out with her, which was actually very relieving (haha). Through the mid-to-end of the album, the songs get a little lighter, yet the lyrics still have an angry aura to them. But Chihiro doesn’t sing as if she’s angry as if it were a grunge album. Maybe she sings as if she were in a situation of crying out for help, with nobody there to save her from her isolation.
Life is like a storm, a very harsh storm, and we all have sleepless nights (hence the title). The song Back Door is about the long hard journey of reaching who you want to be but never arriving. We Can Go (track number 8 on the album) is my favorite song on Insomnia. It is very uplifting and has a message of hope, freedom, and forgiveness. After listening to this album over and over again, it heals a type of depression in me. Knowing that we will go around and around in cycles during our life, the only we have by our side is ourselves in this time, body, and space. Insomnia’s mood is a great musical expression of that. It is a top-notch J-pop album representing J-pop in its strongest years.
5. BONNIE PINK, Chasing Hope (2012)
I would have to say, Chasing Hope, Bonnie Pink’s most recent album, is a very peaceful album. Bonnie Pink’s voice sounds very peaceful, the tunes sound very peaceful, and the lyrical content is all about peace. Bonnie Pink sings with a voice that calls for hope. Well, the title says it all. Bonnie pink is singing with dreams and ambitions; singing for love and singing for this struggling world. It has a very Zen vibe to it.
When I first heard this album, I got a sense of maturity from Bonnie Pink especially from the English track Mountain High. Most of her songs in previous albums are fun and upbeat, with the lyrics being complex and hard to interpret. But with Mountain High and the rest of the tracks on Chasing Hope, there is a lot of simplicity; something has shifted within her.
If I could categorize the whole style of this album, art direction and all, I would call it minimalistic pop. The melodies, while beautiful, are not in your face. You feel more Bonnie Pink rather than instruments. It’s a type of album you would play on a warm summer’s day sipping lemonade, looking out to the blue sky as you contemplate on your life. It’s like you’re listening to Bonnie Pink tell you a story that calls you to question life. But the songs are meant to motivate you. As she gets older, Bonnie Pink wants to live life fully, flaws and all, she wants to look at love unconditionally, and she wants to see the world and all its species calm and harmonious.
With Chasing Hope we’ve stood up, cleaned our room with Feng Shui, walked the road alone, played with animals, smelled tiger lilies, prayed to our angels, and eventually soaked ourselves in the chilly rain (as usual). And while it’s easy to envision a beautiful life and world peace through instrumentals and lyricism, the journey has to end eventually. The album begins with an enthusiasm for life, and the last song Change, with a soft melody, then asks the question, “Did I really change?” Through our life, as we look back—would your past self look at your present self thinking you’ve changed? Or do we keep on with the same foolish behaviors? With Chasing Hope, you get a timeless album that looks at the past, present, and future with all its antics. You get Asada Kaori’s truth and how much she has grown throughout her career.
4. BONNIE PINK, Present (2003)
Bonnie Pink’s Present has to be on the top of my list as one of my favorite albums. Filled with heart, filled with soul, Bonnie Pink presents her stronger self on this album unlike ever before. This album is almost 20 years old but still timeless and enjoyable for anyone who is into music regardless of genre preference. Even the album cover gives off the appearance of something released in the early 2000s—a simple, yet complex time tinged with many different shades. It even looks as if Bonnie Pink is going through somewhat of a cleansing process for the new millennium. Who knows. With Bonnie Pink, you get full-on randomness. It could be a starter album for anyone unfamiliar with her work.
With an urban touch, Bonnie pink sings with such emotion, so much feeling that it gives me shivers listening to her sing. Especially while listening to the songs Losing Myself and the title song Present, I feel a rush of something throughout my body. I listen to the tracks on Present from beginning to end with a sense of tranquility.
The power of lyricism and music is expressed so beautifully throughout this album. Each song is like a piece of poetry being conveyed from the heart’s present emotion. It’s full of melancholy, but not without faith. In the song Present, you feel Bonnie Pinks rawness, with the words “I keep giving you, I keep emptying me, but I keep giving you my true self.” And you feel the sweet-tempered and tender side of Bonnie Pink through the English songs Rope dancer, Over the Brown Bridge, Home, and Wildflower. And the struggle of love? it is real with the song Chronic Vertigo.
Overall, the experience of Present allows a listener to see Bonnie Pink’s passion and love for her work. Her voice is smooth, though a bit sad, yet relaxing that even without the instrumentals, each song would sound elegant and beautiful. Even without the lyrics too, the music would be a great album in and of itself. I find this evident in the song Passive-Progressivism and April Shower ~Shigatsu no Arashi~. When the album ends with this song, you feel refreshed, as translated, healed by the April shower. Therefore as Bonnie Pink sings, “So cry for me April shower…” ending the album to the acoustic guitar. Let the April rain come; let it pour on me, and remedy my sorrows.
3. Crystal Kay, VIVID (2012)
VIVID was my first exposure to Crystal Kay. One of its singles, Superman, was most likely the first Crystal kay song I ever heard back in 2012. And by then, she had already released 9 studio albums. So I was a little late in the loop with Kuri-chan. I had known of Crystal Kay, but I never really put in the effort to listen to her songs. And I found out about Superman yet again, watching a J-drama. I enjoyed listening to Superman so much that I just had to keep track of her. Then the full-length album VIVID dropped a couple of months after Superman and I was blown away. I’ve played VIVID so many times that the songs feel like a mantra for me now. Every time I feel the need for pop, I listen to VIVID. The tracks Take It Outside, What We Do, Come Back To Me, and Fly High are my jams.
Taking some time to steer away from her ballad R&B vibe, Crystal Kay sounds alive on VIVID. She sounds as if she has broken free from what people are expecting of her. She’s having fun singing pop, and she doesn’t care. You see, Crystal Kay in Japan is known for her R&B style of music, and VIVID is her first high jump into the “pop” arena. It is such a solid Japanese pop album that I wish all Japanese music listeners can get a taste of it. Crystal Kay’s vocal performance behind the beats, drums, synths, whatever—sings so energetically it makes you want a VIVID Part II. And while I did enjoy Shine and For You, and appreciate Crystal for her work, something just felt off with those subsequent albums.
When I sat to listen to Crystal Kay’s catalog before VIVID, I was having a bit of a hard time adjusting. VIVID is such a great pop album, that hearing Crystal Kay sing slower-paced songs or ballads is still something I just haven’t gotten used to yet. Most people are used to hearing her sing R&B and ballad. They aren’t used to hearing CK in her pop element with VIVID. The most R&B you get from this album is Come Back To Me, and the most ballad you get is Memory Box and Rising Sun. So it’s different. Here, Crystal Kay is different. And while I would say it’s a good type of difference that would develop her music style and career, fans in Japan would say otherwise. Japan still loves the Kuri-chan who sings the slow love songs for them on the radio.
VIVID is unlike any other J-pop album out there. Vocally, musically, lyrically, it’s very well put together. And Crystal Kay taking a risk with it makes it even more of a great album since it’s not what she’s used to. This girl is not given enough credit in Japan. Seriously. I won’t go into the reasons why, but I will continue being an avid listener of Crystal Kay. If ever you choose to select an album of hers to listen to or any J-pop album for that matter, let VIVID be the one.
2. Mr. Children, BOLERO (1997)
What do you get when you have a male Japanese rock band make an album about love? Mr. Children and BOLERO of course! The term “bolero” refers to slow-tempo Latin music accompanied by dance and orchestra. It is prominent in Cuba and its main focus is on love. But for this post, it is Mr.Children’s 6th full-length album. And a really good one in fact. While I don’t have the urge to dance to BOLERO, I feel the love and the riding of emotion on this album. The tracks are enjoyable and something of a different nature than most albums I’ve heard. The lyrics focus on love as most songs in this world do. But what makes this album refreshing is that when I think of rock, I don’t think of love songs. However, on BOLERO, they blend very well together.
Sakurai Kazutoshi’s lead vocals draw attention in a rather enticing way, which is different for a male vocal group in Japan. I find male idol groups in Japan rather boring. But with Mr. Children, I can feel their soul in their music. Their name reflects that deep nature; male children. And very well, on BOLERO, the lyrics carry a deeper meaning to them, a simple spiritual disposition. The song [es] ~Theme of [es]~ talks about the ego-self and in See-saw Game Kazutoshi refers to karma and the natural order of things. The song Alive, has a very melodic somewhat mysterious tone to it, touching on the chaos of this world and the cycle of life.
While listening to BOLERO, you are reminded that love is a natural occurrence we cannot control. Singing about love is common in music, but here, Mr. Children gives you somewhat of an awakening about it, in a rather sweet and attractive way that pulls your heartstrings. The album is rather long, but it flows by very quickly. The second to last song, Bolero, is symphonic and slows the album down with the realness of love. And finally, the album ties in with a song that has a calming melody, Tomorrow Never Knows. Through this long journey of love, regardless of who we live for, tomorrow never knows… my feeling is that Mr. Children’s called their song and album Bolero to signify the power of love. And Kazutoshi sings with the voice of a young man, lovesick to his kore. I was only seven when BOLERO was released but whatever, I can still enjoy it today 😊. It is a compelling album that everyone should take the chance to listen to.
1. Utada Hikaru, Fantôme (2016)
After Heart Station and releasing a Greatest Hits album before going on a 6-year hiatus, I never really knew what type of content Hikaru Utada would release. While we do get a depth of her growth and sense of looking back with Heart Station, Fantôme (“Ghost” in French) is a completely different scenario. Coming back as a mother and a woman with a vision. The album cover, along with all its songs has a very mystical feel to it. Many say the album cover is meant to resemble the looks of her deceased mother, as a homage, with the title referencing Hikaru’s reemergence into the music industry. Like a ghost, she reappears with new music to have all other singers and songwriters in Japan shaking in their boots.
Throughout Fantôme, Hikaru’s emotions are naturally expressed unlike ever before. We go a depth never gone before. It is a top-quality pop album that is expected from an artist who was practically born into the music industry. You get Hikaru’s signature trembling voice, as well as arrangement and composition talent at a level that keeps fans and new listeners more than satisfied. And the lyrical content reaches way beyond just talking about love and heartbreak. In a painful yet beautiful way, we see Utada coming to grips with loss and death. We see what’s within Hikaru’s heart such as friendship and loneliness. We get a look at her deepest fears, questioning life, sexuality, including her dreams, with complex metaphors. And we get grief in all its shapes and sizes, and a step towards healing. Fantôme is the first album of Hikaru’s that doesn’t have a title song and it is also the first album with all Japanese titled songs for her. Because of this, I always wondered what the song “Fantôme” would sound like. Probably the closest I can come to is the track 忘却 (Boukyaku; Oblivion) with hip-hop artist KOHH.
With Fantôme, Hikaru is finally making peace with her roots. She is facing what haunts her, and the fact that she will forever be an integral part of the Japanese music world. Going through a lot of despair, we feel a sense of hope with the closing tracks, 人生最高の日 (Jinsei Saikou no Hi; The Best Day of My Life), and 桜流し(Sakura Nagashi; Floating Cherry Blossoms). Thus, Hikaru wants to express that she is capable of surviving in that world.
Overall, Fantôme is an intricate album. Intricate, yet very straight-forward and simple. Intricate because while listening to it, you feel as if pop music in general, has reached a new dimension. With many featured artists and composers, it is a new sound that surpasses genre. It is straight-forward and simple because we get what is expected. A high-quality album from a talented artist. It is tough to categorize this album as “pop” because it is Utada. And with Utada, you get all types of feelings just in one album. But I’ll put it under “pop” for the sake of being popular. And if that is the case with Hikaru Utada, I don’t mind at all.
