It's kinda funny that some say that they would prefer a beach PV. I wonder how many of those would have complaint if "glitter"
was a beach PV...
As to ayu's recent music: Maybe she found her style.
ayu wasn't interested in music before her avex debut and even after it she hadn't much interest in it. It evolved sometime around Duty/I am... I guess that since then she tried to find her style, found it and now just enjoys making music.
Maybe this evolution is the reason why her first, say 5, albums differ from one another in style more than her recent releases.