Styles that Ayu has previously used and that you miss...

[CHE.R.RY]

So Ayu's music has varied quite a bit, even though pop/rock seems to be the most frequently used. So what unique styles of Ayu's do you miss?

I myself really liked the material on LOVEppears...I thought it was very fun and different from Ayu's later releases. Songs like 'Monochrome', 'too late', 'kanariya', 'WHATEVER' -those were all very interesting IMO. I also thought 'connected', 'I am...', and 'still alone' stood out as well (and it's no wonder since they were CREA-produced).

So what do you guys think?

[criminal]

I have to agree with the LOVEppears comment - I love the sound of WHATEVER, Fly high [HAL's/PV mix] and appears. It's really mainstream-sounding, but the melodies are also very thought-out and dark in a way, which is the best mix you could have.

I also miss the backing beat/drum that was present, for example, in SURREAL, evolution and UNITE!

[RadnasticReggie]

I miss her really electronica sounding music.
Examples like LAdies night, STEP you, and those sort.
They were soo amazing.
And I really loved Pride and Whatever and such songs like that

[*Petit*]

I wish her songs now would be a little more "extreme" and experementive than they are currently. Most are well within the genres of regular "pop" with few exceptions such as mirrorcle world. I miss stuff like

1) pure classical pieces like voyage (instead of the more traditional pop ballad pieces like untitled for her which has a beautiful melody),

2) the true"euro" dance stuff from LOVEppears (in place of bland dance pop stuff for glitter and BLUE BIRD and fairyland.),

3) the more experimental album tracks in terms of arrangements with long, mood setting intros (like everywhere nowhere, no more words, still alone etc) instead of more schematic arrangements that give a song-to-song feel rather than a certain mood,

4) more catchy hooks, esp instrumental album tracks.

5) DAI (+CREA as well)


All in all I feel like she untill memoriall address was more out of the normal range of pop from time to time, making it just a little more interesting. She still presents good melodies, listenable arrangements and from time to time a pearl that has it all, but keeps it much safer in general. It's not as haunting, desperate, surprising, stunningly beautiful, happy overall as it used to be, the general feel is more "pretty" "nostalgic" "noisy" (not a good thing for a long time) or "uninteresting". That being said I think she does nostalgic better now than she ever did. Even the SWEETBOX stuff is very traditional even if the songs are different for ayu herself.

[sugarbasil]

When I really think about it, I don't miss any of her previous styles. There's not a single one that I would like her to do over again, even though I love some of her older albums. And even though Rainbow is my favorite album, I would not want her to go back to that style.

I don't really want her to continue with this style, either. I absolutely love it, and it may even be my favorite style from her; but I'd like to see where she can evolve to. I want to see a new style, what she can do next. I'm not expecting something entirely different, I just want to see what next will come from Ayumi Hamasaki. Her current style is what I love the absolute most, and it's most my kind of music; but I want to see her evolve. She's done the same style of music for about 3 albums now, and that's longer than she's ever done. I want to see the next direction that she goes. I'm very anxious and excited to see where she goes next.

I'm another that misses the LOVEppears era. Some of those songs were amazing.
I want her to do more traditional sounding songs like Will, for me, it's just so beautiful.

[ownsarai]

I miss CREA.

I miss urban-ish songs like "Duty" and "In The Corner". She really needs to delve into the urban world, I'd be so happy.

[CHE.R.RY]

^ I think B&D was also a bit urbanish/R&B, but I agree. Oh and @ sugarbasil, that's an interesting way of looking at this whole topic.

[Chibi_Venus]

Originally Posted by *Petit*

1) pure classical pieces like voyage (instead of the more traditional pop ballad pieces like untitled for her which has a beautiful melody),

3) the more experimental album tracks in terms of arrangements with long, mood setting intros (like everywhere nowhere, no more words, still alone etc) instead of more schematic arrangements that give a song-to-song feel rather than a certain mood

*raises her hand* Same here!

Originally Posted by KaoriNeko

I miss urban-ish songs like "Duty" and "In The Corner". She really needs to delve into the urban world, I'd be so happy.

Omigosh, I was going to say the same thing! ^^

[milky_way]

I miss the ethereal/fantasy-like sound from the RAINBOW album. So relaxing.

[zoomzoom]

Originally Posted by ~ayu-cake~

I want her to do more traditional sounding songs like Will, for me, it's just so beautiful.

I agree with that, I wish she'd do more of those too.

I'd also like more electro-pop songs like Ladies Night.

[stickyrice]

Originally Posted by milky_way

I miss the ethereal/fantasy-like sound from the RAINBOW album. So relaxing.

yes! I miss that as well! It was just so beautiful and therapeutic.

And I'm also another one that misses the LOVEppears style songs.

I also would like at least ONE CREA song for her upcoming album whenever that may be.

[kirei_ayumi]

I miss the style she used in the song RAINBOW...

[Lanz16]

I miss the CREA era days(of course!), plus the techo-eletronica of LOVEppears days and the REAL classical style like Voyage and LOVE ~Destiny~ on ballads.

[kirei_ayumi]

Originally Posted by Lanz16

I miss the CREA era days(of course!), plus the techo-eletronica of LOVEppears days and the REAL classical style like Voyage and LOVE ~Destiny~ on ballads.

you're right. I have to agree with LOVEppears' style. it was so nostalgic and I love every single song on it *pops in cd*

[KarenPang]

I want her to bring back those songs that she used those sweeping haunting orchestra melodies as evident in Voyage

& also those samples that she used in (m)u too , I think she did a great job doing so despite the risks that she undertook

[Lora-Ayu]

I miss the "LOVEppears" and "I am..." era, like the style of Evolution, Unite!, M and Whatever... I love those songs...

[Kikaru]

I agree with Sugarbasil. To be honest, I'm one of those rare fans that sees LOVEppears as a totally overrated album (but that's mostly because I don't like electro-pop or trance). I mean, they're catchy, but I dunno, I prefer instruments.

With that said, I totally love her combination of rock with classical instruments like in Marionette and Kiss o' Kill. But I'm willing to see what way she'll go.

[AyUta]

Originally Posted by KaoriNeko

I miss urban-ish songs like "Duty" and "In The Corner". She really needs to delve into the urban world, I'd be so happy.

Exacto Totally agree there KaoriNeko