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I've been thinking...
The way the music industry is right now, I think it's harder than ever to have a "fresh" sound. The fact that what's stylish at the moment is a sound that's rather homogenous and simplistic (not from song to song, but within each individual song) makes it really really hard to develop a new sound that's actually likely to sell.
Music industry professionals are more interested in triage and stitches than growth these days, so they're less likely to hire musicians with anything new to contribute. They're gonna hire musicians with good track records, with solid past success.
Ayu doesn't have the clout she once did to bring on promising newcomers (which was by NO means a rare occurrence for her between 2000 and 2003 - it's shocking how many of her old collaborators got their start with her), and now collaborations with longtime successful musicians both within Japan and outside of it have proven relatively fruitless because those people do song styles that are nothing special in the context of the current music world, or that are outdated altogether.
Given Japan's current love for nostalgia, tribute albums, and its own music history, going with the outdated sound is a smarter move than it might outwardly appear. That sound may be outdated, but when you hear it you feel warm & fuzzy and comfortable, and those songs use melodic tropes and aural cues that make the songs easier to remember and understand.
I truly believe that the 90s melodic style that TK provides is probably the best course of action for Ayu to take until & unless avex takes chances hiring fresh blood with new production styles and songwriting ideas.
I also think Ayu does just need to, like.... listen to music again, see what gives her tingles, and try to emulate that and improve upon it. Her past work was covered in the influence of stuff like Smashing Pumpkins, Pink, Madonna, Sweetbox, and various classic rock, and I think she just needs music that she likes to inspire her again.
I'd actually love for her to ask fans & friends "What albums are you listening to these days?" to get some recommendations - maybe she'll find something that inspires her. Cuz whatever she's listening to right now, she probably enjoys it but I doubt it makes her tingly the way an influence should.
A ONE was a step in the right direction, bringing Ayu back to the sound that she's best at for sure - but it's not quite there yet, as solid a sound as it does have. I hope she realizes that she's sticking her toe into the right waters, but she needs to find some pool toys & a swimsuit that really push her to cannonball in, you know?
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