[Northerner]

Okay! Now that I've listened to the album more than a few times, I think I can give my honest thoughts on each track.

Bridge to the sky: A nice way to start the album, though it sounds like a lot of other intros/interludes she's done before with the dreamy, trancey sound. Overall, it does its job as a way to get things set up. (3/5)

NEXT LEVEL: I actually think this song is really good. I like how she's incorporated more of an "Asian" sound into it, and the way she sings the chorus sounds different than her other upbeat songs. It seems more "chanted" rather than "sing-songy," if you get what I mean. (5/5)

Disco-munication: Why isn't this a full song?! I've wanted her to do Ami Suzuki-like electrpop for a long time, and it really suits her. Maybe this interlude hints at a growing interest? Bonus points for the weird noises at the beginning and the 8-bit game sounds. (5/5)

EnergizE: Ah, the token deranged cutesy pop song! I normally skip past these, but I haven't really felt the urge with this one. The snappy arrangement saves it, plus she sounds so happy and into it that you can't help but sing along. It's still one that you have to be in a certain mood for, though. (4/5)

Sparkle: This was, hands down, my favorite song she released as a single before the album came out. She really went back to her (LOVEppears) roots for this one, and I love the explosive bridge and chorus. I'm so happy to see her making songs like this again that I'm almost willing to forgive that horrifying PV! :p (5/5)

rollin': Here we have more of the electropop that "Disco-munication" hinted at! Unfortunately, I'm not too thrilled with the melody or how she sings this (especially on the chorus). I really like the music, though, so I'll give the composer some credit. (3/5)

GREEN: Here's the opposite problem: I absolutely love the melody and how Ayu uses her voice on this, but I'm not that into the composition. When I first heard this, I got excited about all the "Chinese" influences in it, but the arrangement sounded a bit too similar to other songs she's done lately. (3.75/5)

Load of the SHUGYO: Awesome title, though it's not my favorite interlude on this album. It's a bit loud, and it seems like a space-filler. (3.75/5)

identity: This song is crazy, but I love it. The fast singing on the chorus is awesome, and the "hip-hop" part toward the end is definitely my favorite moment on this album. I'm sure that this song will be performed on the upcoming ARENA TOUR and that it will be a standout for sure! (5/5)

Rule: It's an enjoyable enough song, but I don't think it really stands out much when compared to some other tracks on this album. I can't really complain about it, though. (4/5)

LOVE 'n' HATE: This was one of my favorites the first time I listened to NEXT LEVEL, and it's still up there. The aggressive string arrangement is new for Ayu, and parts of it remind me of Namie's "Violet Sauce." I'm into it! (5/5)

Pieces of SEVEN: My favorite interlude! I really like the nostalgic feel this one gives off, especially at the beginning with all those 90s-style synth sounds. I'm also impressed with how it goes through a few different "stages," and thus sounds more like an instrumental track that can stand on its own rather than just an interlude. (5/5)

Days: I never liked this one much, since it sounds like every other post-MY STORY rock ballad she's put out. There's not much that stands out about it, and it's a shame to put it after the awesomeness that is "Pieces of SEVEN." (2/5)

Curtain call: Also a rather typical Ayu ballad, though I enjoy this one a lot more than "Days." Her voice sounds crystalline and delicate on the verses, but the chorus has a lot of power. (4/5)

Overall rating for NEXT LEVEL: 4.5/5

NEXT LEVEL, unlike Secret and even GUILTY, really seems to work as an album. What I mean by this is that although some songs stand out as better than the others, most of the fun in listening to this is hearing how well each track fits together into the whole. I was a little scared about how this album would turn out after hearing Ayu play it safe and repeat lots of her own cliches on singles like "Days/GREEN," but I'm glad I was proven wrong. I hope she continues to experiment with her future work and that she won't be afraid to step outside the box of what people expect from Ayumi Hamasaki.

Personally, this might be my favorite album from her since MY STORY.