J-POP

Ayumi Hamasaki's Duty is easily one of my favorite albums of all time and stands out as a definitive peak in her discography. While mainstream hits like "Vogue," "Far Away," and "Seasons" are undeniable crowd-pleasers, my personal highlights are deeper cuts like the title track "Duty," "End of the World," "Teddy Bear," and "Key ~Eternal Tie Version~." Listening to it now, it is clear that she was incredibly ahead of her time, both in her profound lyrical themes and her visionary musicality.

Love INI's 8th single PULSE so much! The single contains four tracks depicting the theme of "youth" and as always, INI delivers it beautifully. The title track, All 4 U, is a catchy, easy-listening EDM tune with deep, meaningful lyrics. One of the member, Rihito Ikezaki, participated in the lyrics making and he seriously did a splendid job in it. This song might not sound like a "typical" INI songs, but it proves just how INI can adapt to any kind of theme and music genre, and pull it off amazingly. The second track, OURS, sounds more band-like with its guitar intro and stand-out drums sound. It's another bright, beautiful song about youth, and this time, two members Hiromu Takatsuka and Hiroto Nishi participated in making the lyrics. It talks not only about how youth could feel so worrying but also how having trusted friends to navigate through all those anxieties makes life worth living. The third track, DUM, has entirely different vibes from the two previous tracks though it's still talking about youth. It's a playful, slightly cheeky but charming track that can easily get stuck in your head (in a good way, of course!). The "du-du-du-du-dum-dum" part is so addictive that you'll find yourself humming the melodies after you listened to the song. Two members, Shogo Tajima and Hiroto Nishi, also showed their briliant creativity by participating in the lyrics making. And don't forget to check out their recently released performance video for DUM—the dance and the performance will make you fall even more with this catchy tune! The last track, EAT UP, gives off similar vibes to DUM. A cool, hip-hop tune carrying the message of young people who are ready to boldly take on anything life throws at them, just like INI. It showcases many aspects of the members wide-ranging vocal, and the member Rihito Ikezaki once again participated in the making of this song's lyrics. Overall, PULSE is another solid single from the 11-piece global boys group. For those who just knew about INI, it's a perfect choice to start knowing them better. And for those who are already in love with INI, it's a prove that INI never disappoints and one of many other reasons to love them even more.