I really miss songs from CREA, DAI, HAL.

What happened to HAL?

I think they've disbanded? Or changed members? I know that as a "group" they disbanded but I don't think Halna had anything to do with the compositions. But I'm not sure about the two other guys haha.

They were probably some of the J-poppiest composers around, it's a shame they're not really doing much now.

Bounceback as well. Though I believe they're still active.

Why is it Komuro again?
I really miss other composers :(

Yuta Nakano will most likely be arranger. Or tasuku.

I think two members are still in HAL, and the others are working solo. Ayu's still working with Yuta Nakano (who used to be one of the members) for the arrangements regularly...

I miss D.A.I as well.

I'm super excited for a beautiful wintery ballad, but I'm so sad that Ayu is pumping out so much music nonstop, in all honesty she's kind of digging a hole...I've read a lot of articles lately about why her popularity has diminished and she needs to take a break, clear her mind, and have people miss her a bit, then come back with something amazing.....meh........

I don't think that will happen. Ayu has stated several times over her career that she intends to continue releasing one album for every year of her career because it's the "professional" thing to do. She stated this a few times when asked back during the Duty days, and again reiterated this when she announced she had lost hearing in her left ear.

I commend her for sticking with the regular releases. I may not enjoy every one, but I can always trust that Ayu is still here.

It's also important to note that "missing an artist" is rarely a good thing in Japan. I haven't seen a single case apart from Utada where a multi-year break or hiatus was positive for their career. I think Koda continuing to release new work during her pregnancy is evidence that fans will fill one artist's absence with someone else.

But I do agree. I wish Ayu would take a weekend or two to go through her discography from 1999-2006, LOVEppears through (miss)understood, and analyze what the differences are between her career then and now. I'm sure she'll see what we all see: That Ayu seems quite lazy compared to when she worked more closely with avex in her early career.

All I hope for is Ayu not taking the route of Seiko Matsuda, becoming a boring entertainer who recycles the same themes over and over.

(Secretly, though not so much now, I wish Ayu would evolve to a new genre. I would like to see her transition out of her current sound, only revisiting it for the occasional album track.)