Yep I heard that Toyota has problems as well, not Honda. ^^

huh? it's very ... un-ayu~~~

Oh my gosh, I am so excited!! That preview is AMAZING. It starts like a rock NEXT LEVEL-y style song but ends up very kiss o kill?! Awesome. I'm so excited for this album. I keep playing it, and it annoys me that the part at the end cuts off!

but the title really doesn't fit this preview, when I saw the title I was expecting something... not epic. XD

ooo... i just can't wait for the new album!! >__<

I have mixed thought on this one.
But I have to say, I don't hate it and I really hope we get the HQ version soon. It sounds very promising though :yes

Yeah! New song!!
Hmm. so the rock image from the recent london PV shootings may be meant for the Microphone PV!!

it sounds so cool. Sounds like talkin' 2 myself and Marionette with a dark cynical mad organ player. the video (if there is going to be one) will be mad epic!

Like a mixture between identity and kiss o'kill, with a touch of 1 LOVE to add to the scramble. I'm really looking forward to it.

For once, I have to agree with you. I LOVE the title, I can't really explain it, I just do <3

Unlike some people I really don't like the idea of create new songs from past works. What an horrible idea :p.
I love ayu because she knows (knew?) how to create brand new sounds, keep on creating and not recycling. I don't want this album to turns out like another BEST OF.

What's wrong with using the old sounds to create new ones, which is what she's doing? If you're going to get mad at recycling then you need to stop listening to music, cause that's what music always is, someone is always recycling someone else or themselves

Sounds interesssting. I'm exicided for the whole song!

Create new sounds using old ones? Maybe I don't get what you mean.
I didn't say I was 'going to get mad'. If it was the case I should have quit being a listener a long time ago.
Music is not only recycling. What a sad conception :shakehead!

But if you look at it, everything anyone's ever done has already been done by someone else :yes it's not a bad thing, they take the sound and make it new. That's what I think Ayu is doing, taking her old sounds and making them new :yes Which I think is a huge sign of growth as an artist.

Although I can't really see how this is recycled, she used an organ ONCE. If using something once makes using it the next time recycled, then every one of her songs that uses synths is completely recycled

I like the title. Just simplicity.
I really can't judge songs from 15-30s previews... I'll be waiting for full song unpatiently. One thing that I can say is: organs in it are freakin' amazing :heart

omg I'm TO BE initiate <3333

the organ is a synth anyway.

some people like completely original stuff. some like old stuff 'reinvented'. it's not even discussionworthy. as everyone pleases is alright.

Ok. I don't agree with the first part. Some people (maybe it's not the case anymore) made brand new things in the past. I don't think it's always a matter of taking old things to create new ones. But yeah, it may be the case nowadays.
For ayu, you're probably right. I didn't really get what you meant by taking old stuff.
I usually make a distinction between "taking inspiration" and "recycling". If she's taking inspiration I really don't mind, that's what an artist do. But for example I don't want a Kiss o' Kill part 2 (like Fairyland = BLUE BIRD and glitter IMO).

For "mircophone" I really don't have any opinion. I don't want to make one before a better preview comes out. I don't feel it is necessarily a Kiss o' Kill part 2 (that was an example above) just because there is organs. :)

completely original stuff doesnt exist because humans are humans, we can't be original, everything we do is inspired by something we know

I can;t hear anythin OMG

you needn't apply that hardliner definition to everything.

That connection with old songs sounds nice, but I prefer new stuff.
I agree, completely original stuff almost doesn't exist anymore maybe she can do different songs like Sparkle.
That, was really original from her :yes

btw I'm looking forward the long preview (or the annoying ringtone parts meh) :heart
Hoping to won't be disappointed like with Sunset lol.

Mhh I do'nt know... I think you can take inspiration while you're creating original stuff.
One example : Bold & Delicious might not be really original in itself, but in ayu's discography, it's Unique.
That's why I loved (miss)understood for example, it's not really cohesive as an album, but when I listened to it I was really amazed. It sounded so original. Sparkle is another example. There is inspired things like that which are original (to some extent of course).

But I also think that you can create brand new things, with inspiration or not (that's what I'm trying to do right now). Yet, it is really difficult, and it is more difficult as time goes on.

No, that' impossible for a human, we can't do what we don't know yet, it's the way our brains work. You can combine things you know, but it will never be brand new or completely original, it can be different from what you have done before, but that's about it.

I agree with you for all kind of art. Human music was inspired by bird music by example. Anyway, the only things they could invent by themselves is weapon and some stuff as needle to do clothes.

So... you can create original things?
I don't share this conception of art. It's a matter of inspiration, of course. But inspiration can lead to originality. If this concept doesn't exist, why is it it used so often? Why this word even exist?

When the first humans drew on rocks with animal blood, don't tell me that was not original... :no

I don't want to go off topic that much, but I think it's interesting to talk about such things.

^ they knew that blood leaves traces, the knew the traces were left on stones as well and they knew how things looked, all elements were known, they only combined them

The word "original" is just a little wrongly defined, completel originality isn't possible, only something that is near being it. You could already say for music it's impossible because music consists of notes and that's something every single song out there has in common.

interesting talk of human originality from a 15-sec preview of a new Ayu song... :laugh

well, reinventing is itself another form of "originality" if you look at it, so...

Yeah, I completely agree...

So in fact,it is the conception of "originality" that is questionable. We seem to don't have the same conception of it. Being inspired can lead to creating original things for me.
So I just hope this album will turns out to be original (to some extent yes).

Haha yeah, I know ^^. but isn't it better than "this song seems good/bad" on 12 pages ? Haha.

I agree!

This is exactly what I believe. All originality is really reinvention, and that's what I think Ayu means when she says the album has a feeling of the old :yes!

Indeed. However I don't see the need for Ayu to re-invent herself :innocent She isn't an average pop star and imo, she doesn't need to follow the trends just so she could be hip and poppy with the kids :yes

that pretty much sums it up

Now I'm really really really anxious about the new album. I already was before but now because it feels a bit closer I'm getting more and more excited about it.

The song sounds really cool; I have a feeling this album is going to have a hint of a rock element to it, maybe something like MY STORY. It'd be great if it was because MY STORY was the first album I fell in love with. I really look forward to this; the song kinda reminds me of kiss o' kill but something about it reminds me of GAME also.

I have loads of hope for this album, go Ayu! :vbhappy

She could always reinvent herself so she would improve... or at least that's what I feel lol. Staying in the same spot all the way wouldn't help in anything and that is unfortunately I've been feeling from her ever since 2007.

This new year, however, is spelling new directions (in a way) for her music so I'm really excited i.e. announce the new album already!

^ well for me, NEXT LEVEL was kinda new and different, at least compared to GUILTY. Sunrise was something fresh as well. I wouldn't really want her to change musical directions, as I am really fine with her being influenced by rock music :) as besides GACKT and her, no other jpop artist does it so well.

^ different musical styles and genres but almost everything else has been similar/stagnant, no? :P

and she doesn't need (nor do I want her) to go for a drastic change as well... R&B/Hip-Hop Ayu... :no lol

Reinvention is the difference between an average popstar and an amazing popstar. An amazing popstar is able to reinvent themselves, and Ayu's done that almost every album :D

Omgomgomg I love the song name!!! *_* I am sooooooo excited for this new album now!!!!!!! *squeals*

I don't think Ayu will ever do that. If she cared about that, I'm sure she would have done it a long time ago. And reinvention doesn't have to mean "going mainstream to impress poppy teens," it could be redefining herself and creating something different from within herself. You know, progressing and growing as an artist. I think (or I hope) she's bringing all of the elements throughout her career together to make this album. What some may see as "recycled" could really be elements from songs coming together. Some say Microphone sounds like T2M, Marionette and Kiss 'o Kill. What if it's all of those elements together? Or Sunrise being elements of all of her summer songs, BALLAD being elements of all of her oriental etc etc etc. Some people are ALWAYS complaining that they want Ayu to return to her old style of music. She might be actually doing it this time. Incorporating old with new! I don't know about you all but I'm super excited! :D

^ I guess ^^. Well I sure am excited as well and can't wait for more news on the new album.

@GRACE - well I don't think she has re-invented herself truly with every album, but with every 2 albums or so, she sure did (I mean Memorial Address/MY STORY could work well as one and it's almost the same with (miss)understood and Secret), so yeah, I do agree to a certain extent. I guess the fact that she releases so often is to be blamed.

Well I don't think GUILTY's and NEXT LEVEL's lyrics had similar themes? GUILTY was more about life and death xD While NEXT LEVEL had a more positive and straightforward note to it. I am not even sure what CAN she change :thud

I like what I hear from the preview. :)

she can change her touring style, which is what she's doing (I think), so :D

amen to that :D

NEXT LEVEL was definitely new and fresh, but I can't say I loved it. To be honest, I suppose I'm more of a rocker at heart, so certain songs on NL where a little too different to what I'm used to. I think most of it was a genre that I don't particularly like and will take time getting used to. Basically what I loved from that album were the singles, NEXT LEVEL and Bridge to the sky, and I fell for rollin' after I saw the live of it, despite the slip up at the beginning which I found cute.

I enjoyed GUILTY a little more, but a lot of the songs on there touch me in such a deep way that I find myself listening to it at only the most appropriate times.

Though I do agree; GACKT and her are the only jpop artists that manage to delve into different genres, especially rock, and do it well. At least this is what I feel.

There's obviously something very special about her; I don't listen to jpop artists aside from her. Though I do listen to a bit of GACKT but then there are debates about whether he's actually considered 'jpop' lol

I'd love for Gackt to write Ayu a song or vise versa! I've always wanted to see them collaborate musically more often after seeing them sing live together... They are both so talented!

The preview is a bit too LQ but I like what I'm hearing.
Can't wait for a clearer / full version <3

That would be great, Gackt is a brilliant composer.

It certainly would be a pleasant twist on things; GACKT's compositions tend to be rather beautiful. It would really be interesting to see what Ayu could do with something he'd composed.

Hard to judge >< the end sounds really good, the broken words and the violin =)

Well, even if ayu has some songs that sound similar at least you can tell all of her songs apart so her albums don't sound like one long song (ie GIRL NEXT DOOR). That pisses me off so much.

Gosh!!!! Now I wish I had written that in my letter to her!


DEAR AYU, ASK GACKT TO WRITE YOU A SONG, K? THANKS! HAVE A NICE DAY!


- me xD;

That sounds horrible x_x...

Lol would've been a good idea, ne? While I love most of the compositions she's had, and the composers she has are quite excellent most of the time, getting GACKT would be different and a bit of a pleasant surprise. Just to have something really new, you know?


I don't know who GIRL NEXT DOOR are, and by the sound of it, I wouldn't want to know. I like Ayu's albums for the progression there is in the album itself, like it's always moving on to greater things, or like the story is still going. It makes it interesting, otherwise if there wasn't this sort of change and progression in the album then it really just feels like you're standing in the same place. I'm expecting the same from her next album =]

sounds pretty good, but I want the full leak

OMG I love it! At least judging from the preview ;)
When I first saw the name, I thought I'd hate it but it's wonderful :love Especially the part at the end *__* Just wondering, what the lyrics are about xD
Please Ayu, announce the album now~

I think I'm really going to like this!!

Squaids Awareness!
Anyways sounds good.

i like what i hear ^^

Though his singles tend to be more rock and less pop sometimes, his ballads and album tracks vary from pop, acoustic and classical to rock (not to mention his latest electro pop/rock songs), so I've always viewed him as a pop singer with heavy rock accent. Seeing him collaborate with Ayu would be indeed amazing~

i`m liking the accordion sound~.

Yep, you explained his styles perfectly :)

I hate how many people can't even hear which instrument is playing the end part. It's an ORGAN, dammit! It's not an accordion, it's not a piano and it's no violin!

^Really? I though it was an organ all along. But an accordion, piano, and violin--lolz.

so.....happy.....need....new.....album...single... ..GIMMIE AYU STOP BEING STINGY!

Omggggggggggggg.....it's like kiss o' kill + Because of You..or something!! The sexiest, greatest two songs to mix, ever!

Only AHS can create seven pages of NOTHING based on a 15-second preview of a new song. Some of you need to chill. lol

... It's a song?
It sounds like ... eh, well. Dunno. But yeah, that's when you hear things with bad quality. I will wait until a better ver.

^^
Actually, fourteen pages now xD
I like what I heard so far :yes

It's name sounds... well a bit strange, but song sounds Great!
I wonder what's this song about.

okay now that sounds different
love it thanks for the news ^^

Sounds pretty sweet, but the quality's really bad, lol. Can't wait for an HQ preview.

Yeah it sounds good from what I hear, but it at leas sounds like all of her Rocksongs.
There is no reason that people here say " oh it's so unique it sounds totally different from her other stuff ".

But I like the name "Microphone" it's a cool name that's easy to remember and its more creative than "You were..." or "BALLAD" lol

I'll judge the whole thing when the full HQ Song is out.
But I wonder when we will get the album announcement

Since when did anyone say it was one of those things?!

Honda has airbag problems and there's a recall because of that, but yeah, that's kind of offtopic.

The power of dreams~

-has looped the track 450+ times-

SO EXCITED!!
sounds like a promising pop song!!!
Such a unique title as well...
wow.... <3
I hope those who haven't liked her recent works will be impressed (:

i wonder if a cm mix of this will be released on the honda site like Sparkle was...

thats why i love ahs! :heart

At least we could hear Sparkle..lol..Microphone is really hard to hear only its end.

I learnt from Kuu that chorus previes do no justice to songs. heh.

Sounds somewhat similar to Sparkle, which I love very much!
I hope this version is not the final mix, so that we may hear a much "enhanced" version when it comes out - which I hope soon

This sounds waaaaaaay awesome! the organ part sort of makes me think of halloween. Cool!

I don't exactly know what people expect...

It's a new song, and regardless of how long the preview clip is, people are going to be talking. Do people think that only like 4 people are gonna say "Oh, I listened to it..." HECK NO EVERYONE IS GONNA GO CRAZY OVER IT~ Any Ayu forum with a large number of members would have at LEAST 4-5 pages when something new comes out, like a title or a release date, especially a preview of a new track after a month or so of anticipation.

^yep, and thats why i love this forum. if it weren't so active i'd have gotten bored of coming here years ago.

kind of like how i probably wouldn't have liked ayumi so much if she hadn't released so frequently.

i would LOVE another song like sparkle. its easily one of my favorite ayumi songs ever and by far my most played in itunes. :yes

I like the title too :). It's interesting. You know, I always think that ayu's titles never sound like her(well, some of them) but after a while, they sound so much like her XD Like, they're ayu's property :3

wow it's sounds so cool and gothic ^^

imo, i don't think there's enough of the song to justify any "love" for it yet.

as of now, no opinion.

but i'm eagerly awaiting more news on the song :)

yeeesss. I'm glad they're keeping up the Honda tie-in with her. I think it's pretty cool. I wish they would film something new instead of reusing the hawk thing, but honestly I don't care (eh-eh-eh-eh-eh, I don't care-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh)

It's a new song! I have little to say, other than I like the tone the preview seemed to set. I hope the actual song keeps the feeling I've got in my head about it. And Microphone = amazing title.

Wow that sounds awesome!! The pipe organ at the end caught me totally off guard, I love pipe organs!!!!

Seriously can't wait to hear the whole version now

LOL some people thought the beginning of mirrorcle world was a violin. :thud

:roflmao

but don't take it so seriously man... some things about music culture are an acquired taste. Schumann it's not as easy as Kesha for instance :laugh heard about the experiment with Joshua Bell on washington's subway?

:roflmao they did.

anyway... i don't like the title... but i said the same thing about ballad and i loved the song :laugh the preview looks promising though :yes

Looks like someone attempted to transcribe the chorus:
私である意味も
存在する意味も
与えて教えてくれる
のはいつもあなただから

watashi dearu imi mo
sonzai suru imi mo
ataete oshiete kureru
no wa itsumo anata dakara

It seems to translate pretty weirdly...

Heard this the other day, can't wait for it! I love the preview, and LOVE the ending!

Lovin the idea of the organ! Sounds like it's got potential :)

sounds like it'll be a nice & dark song, love the organ part!
so excited for this album now!<3

oh and Microphone is a cool title

thx for posting!!!

i wasn't expecting the same cm...

don't know what to say about the song,but i'm happy that it sounds like a rock song :)

OoO! I like it! The organ rocks!

Microphone is the title ?
So.. different
And it doesn't sounded bad

listened the preview!!

catchy rock song! It sounds really promising :yes

still doubts in the title >3<

An odd, interesting title and it sounds (well, from whatever I can hear) rather good. I can't wait to hear more news about the new songs!

You know, at first, I was too excited and read really fast which turned out that I thought the title was "microsoft" XD LOOOLL


I like the preview though~ Really excited to hear it in better quality!

No, it's not really weird.

What it means to be me
What it means to exist
The one who taught me that
Was always you

Hm, can't hear that much, but it sounds darker again... that's promising!

Microphone is a weird title, don't like it (reminds me of Telephone/Videophone from Gaga/Beyonce, don't like these titles as well). I mean, what does this title suppose to mean? But it's just a title. Hopefully the song rocks!

^^Oh I like that. Even though the "you taught me this and that" thing is getting pretty old I really like the first two lines. :yes