Stuff No-One Cares About

So, firstly, I wanna talk about "NEXT LEVEL" which is Ayu's tenth original album.
Yes, this means I'm going to try my hand at reviews. You lucky people. :P

So, the album starts with the song "Bridge to the sky" which is a calm intro with a slight rock-edge, it's semi-instrumental and really sets the mood for the next track.
(Composed by Nakano Yuuta who also composed Mirror(cle World), talkin' 2 myself, decision, and Marionette -prelude-).

Track two is the title track "NEXT LEVEL" and has a distinct summer feel reminiscent of BLUE BIRD, personally this is one of my favourite tracks of the album because the lyrics are really sweet. Although it's a pop song it still retains an original melody.
(Composed by D・A・I who is a personal favourite, he's composed many of Ayumi's songs including BLUE BIRD, SEASONS, Boys & Girls, Real me, Trauma, and monochrome).

The third track which is titled "Disco-munication" is actually pretty disco-sounding, it has a hard bass, synths, and (maybe) electric guitar. It's the first interlude of the album and it's completely instrumental, setting the techno-inspired scene for the next songs: EnergizE and Sparkle.
(Composed by CMJK who composed other interludes for Ayumi including The Judgement Day (GUILTY), Are You Wake Up? ((miss)understood), and a few songs: until that Day... and Over).

The forth track: "EnergizE" also carries off a techno sound, with an equally heavy bass and electronic sounds with harmonious synthesizers (I know nothing about music, obviously) it's a pretty good song even though it may take some getting used to as it is pretty different from Ayumi's previous songs, this also was composed by Nakano Yuuta.

"Sparkle", the fifth track of the album, is definitely one of my favourite Ayumi songs, fitting in with the previous two songs, it's clearly inspired by techno and infused with a dash of rock. Ayumi's vocals here are akin to Kumi Kouda's. So, yes, I have to say I'm slightly biased because I love it so much, if I was rating songs, this would easily get a 8. ;)
(Composed by Hara Kazuhiro who also composed Marionette, glitter (both GUILTY), STEP you ((miss)understood), Born To Be...(Secret), &c.).

"rollin'" is the sixth track and in my opinion one of the strangest (also the best). Starting with a keyboard intro that for some reason creeps me out as it reminds me of clowns it suddenly stops to introduce a beat (yet another bass heavy song), her lyrics in this change between natural and computerised, which is pretty cool in my opinion. For some reason this really reminds me of the 80s, I guess I can't really put my finger on it, but the chorus is amazing, I love it.
(Also composed by Nakano Yuuta, Nakano really comes into his element on this album imo）.

GREEN is yet another favourite and comes at track seven. GREEN has a vibrant spring feel to it and comes jam packed with Chinese instruments and reminds me of many of Ayumi's other 'Chinese' sounding songs such as Moments, Will, and vogue. I think this is yet another really original song from Ayumi.
I guess for me it marked a new era, her last album GUILTY seemed to be almost entirely dealing with loss and pain, then along came GREEN which literally reminds me of a budding flower.
(Composed by Yukumi Testuya who also composed (don't) leave me alone (GUILTY), Life (Mirrorcle World single), ((miss)understood).

Load of the SHUGYO is the eighth track and is the second instrumental, getting away from the disco elements (almost) this has some really heavy guitar riffs along with a beat which actually reminds me of the Australian didgeridoo. I don't know why, so it's best not to ask. This instrumental really helps take you from disco to Ayumi's rockier songs including identity and Rule.
(Composed by CMJK).

The ninth track is called identity and is Ayumi's first "rock" song of NEXT LEVEL, it's a good song in all, it reminds me of (don't) leave me alone a lot, especially in the chorus.
(Composed by Nakano Yuuta).

The tenth track and third single from the album is Rule, which is also the international theme for the new Dragon Ball theme. Rule is also a heavy rock song.
A running theme in NEXT LEVEL seems to be heavy bass, liberal usage of computers (as in voice masking and synths).
(Composed by Watanabe Miki who composed is this LOVE ((miss)understood) she also composed Kuu's song Butterfly).

LOVE 'n' HATE which is the eleventh track is also a strange song, I think from this album it is the rock song which stands out the most. The intro to this song is really really epic, and the first part of it kind of reminds me of STEP you, but then it quickly changes into something unique.
I absolutely love this song. :)
(This was also composed by Nakano).

The last instrumental of the album is Pieces of SEVEN which is track twelve. This also has an unusual sound, it reminds me somewhat of a rainy day, I don't know why I get that feeling from it, but it has a really nice calming effect to it which nicely links the rock songs to the ballads even though it does speed up a little to the end.
(Composed by HΛL who also composed some other interludes such as LABYRINTH (Secret), reBIRTH (GUILTY), &c.).

The thirteenth song is Days which to me seems like a wintry love ballad, a really sweet song but not one of my favourites sadly. I think that it's not a favourite due to Ayumi's preference to performing it live. :P
(Composed by Tago Kunio who seems to compose soley ballads including untitled ~for her~(GUILTY), Key (DUTY), Together When... (GUILTY), and SCAR (DUTY)).

The final song is called Curtain call which is a fitting title for the last track, this song is also a ballad, the lyrics are incredibly sweet and it's possibly the best ballad of the album. This song's lyrics remind me of Who... and the melody is also pretty simple. To my ears it sounds just like a piano and maybe a backing choir. I think that the simplistic sound is a wonderful way to go to the proverbial NEXT LEVEL. :P
(Composed by Hara Kazuhiro).

In all, I think this is possibly one of Ayumi's most original albums and also one of her best. I particularly like NEXT LEVEL, Sparkle, rollin', GREEN, LOVE 'n' HATE and Curtain call.
The singles from this album were GREEN, Days, and Rule. Although Sparkle, Curtain call and NEXT LEVEL also have PVs. I was glad to hear a more refreshing sound from Ayumi and also glad to know that Mirrorcle World was NOT on this album. ;)
Out of ten, I'd give this album about 8/10.
Nakano Yuuta really did fantastic in composing the majority of the songs and keeping the sound original. :)

~owari~

In other news!
Rurutia's new album Seirios is fantastic too.
But, I have a maths exam tomorrow (today?) so that should be FUN!

I finished reading The New Girl, the ending was a total anticlimax, seriously, rubbish. I was really disappointed. But I am now (re)reading Jane Eyre.
So yeah. Now I'm gonna go and finish some things! :D