Next Level [Jacket C]

I really didn't know what to expect when Ayu said she'd be taking it to the "NEXT LEVEL." But when I finally got to listen to this album, I was oh-so-pleasantly surprised! NEXT LEVEL is something new yet familiar to Ayumi Hamasaki. It's got sort of a heavy dance feel to it, yet it also has the traditional rock and pop elements that make up her music. (And techno-styled music is certainly not out of her league, if you remember LOVEppears, a brilliantly made classic!) But to get to the point, NEXT LEVEL truly has something for every music lover out there. You've got Rule, the main catchy rock track. (Oh, and don't be discouraged by the fact that it was in the Dragonball movie! Trust me, this song is a hundred times better than that thing could ever be!) And then if you like rock, but you'd rather have something a little more poppy, there's identity, an abosolutely AMAZING, unbelievably catchy non-single track. Of course, if you want to go full out pop, EnergizE is a very upbeat, lighthearted track. The title track, NEXT LEVEL, is a very calming, summery sounding song. And GREEN is truly a unique, experimental track filled with great percussion. Now lastly, for the ballade lovers here, we have Days and Curtain call. If you haven't heard Days yet, you are really missing out on a beautiful story about a love that can't be. (And don't forget to check out the video--one of her best in a while!) Last, Curtain call is a very soothing ballade, using only piano. It's quite simple, yet near perfect. Ayu's vocals fit so wonderfully with the surprisingly emotional tone to the song. Perfect song to end the album with! Overall, this is a very experimental album. Even though Ayumi takes several elements she has already tried out in the past, they have been put together to create a totally new experience for hardcore fans and casual listeners alike. I like to compare this album to a cross between LOVEppears and (miss)understood. Like I said, it has a techno feel to it, of course, but it is just as experimental as (miss)understood is. Like the latter, NEXT LEVEL's flow seems to be a bit off, but when you listen straight through with the interludes in place, it makes much more sense. (Oh, and please don't be turned off by the amount of interludes. Every one of them is very enjoyable. [Much to my surprise, since I'm not big on them!] They work brilliantly with the vocal tracks.)

I'm always looking forward to Ayu's releases and 'Next Level' was no exception. In my opinion, every new album is better than the last. 'Next Level' has instantly become my new fave album of Ayu, the music style fits my taste just perfectly. The songs I'd recommened to anyone are, strangely enough, none of the previously released singles but album-only tracks: 'Next Level', 'EnergizE' and 'Love 'n' Hate'. Not to forget the instrumentals in between, they are pretty addictive as well.

Despite there being some mixed reviws on this item I thought it was a great work by Ayu. She's gone back to her old techno-pop styles, but still keeps a heavy rock influence. It works as a great follow up to Guilty even though it isn't as heavy. Songs on here that I enjoyed the most would be Love n Hate, Identity, Rule, Sparkle, Green and Days. Songs like the title track Next Level, and the songs Curtain Call, EnergizE and rollin at first may seem nothing compared to the rest of the track listing but they are all great songs and grow on you the more you hear them. all the instrumentals are creative and fun to listen to and the inrtoduction, Bridge To The Sky is beautiful. The only thing I disliked is that for some reason Ayu has become much too thin, it's somewhat hidden in the booklet but obvious in the music videos. either she is sick or...But the actual album is 100 percent fantastic and will please any Ayu fan.