7 seven [w/ DVD, Initial pressing only limited release]

An excellent entry from Aikawa Nanase - one of her best albums to date. Her music is somewhere between J-Pop and J-Rock, and this album is the epitome of the blending of those two styles. Songs "Ai no Uta - Magenta Rain" and "Daria" really show off her voice and the talents of the composers/writers/arrangers behind her. There are a couple songs on this CD that harken back to early Nanase, including the single, "R-Shitei." These cuts sacrifice melody for a driving beat that feels artificially fast. And it's those tunes that keep me from giving this album a solid 5 stars. The DVD gives a well-produced visual interpretation (with long intro) to "R-Shitei," but the real pleasant surprise is the cover of Yutaka Ozaki's "Oh, My LIttle Girl." A wonderful, "acoustic" version that's simply her in the studio singing the song with the band. It's an excellent rendition that I haven't found anywhere else and makes the DVD set even more valuable. Overall, a highly recommended CD and a must-have for Nanase fans.