Described as a fight song that reflects one's passion for a match , Zero Kara Ichi e was used to promote NTV's Going! Sports & News and DRAMATIC BASEBALL 2022 programmes .
Zero Kara Ichi e was written & composed by Ikimonogakari's Mizuno Yoshiki . On the collaboration , Mizuno commented , "At the end of a long journey which lapsed over a decade , I am happy and honoured to become involved through song .
2 B-sides were released digitally alongside with Zero Kara Ichi e :
Into The Light ; promoted NTV's Going! Sports & News and DRAMATIC BASEBALL 2022 before Zero Kara Ichi e
Winter Brightness
KAT-TUN have released individual songs digitally before but this's the 1st time they released a single digitally . I would have like a physical CD single release but it's better than nothing .
I was surprised when I 1st heard Zero Kara Ichi e as not only it doesn't sound like a song that promoted sports programmes , it's also something I wouldn't have thought Ikimonogakari came up with even though I don't listen to their music but I still have a rough idea how their music's like .
Music style wise , Zero Kara Ichi e reminded me of KAT-TUN's past Latin inspired songs such as KAT-TUN III -QUEEN OF PIRATES-'s SHOT! & CAST's DIRTY , SEXY , NIGHT .
B-sides wise , I actually like Into The Light as I felt this instead of Zero Kara Ichi e should have been the main A-side given how uplifting Into The Light is while for Winter Brightness , it would have been nice if it's more festive inspired .
With Zero Kara Ichi e assumingly the last new set of KAT-TUN songs they put out this year , it will be interesting to see their next music release if will they go back to their music roots or continue to experiment as their 10th album Honey divided a lot of longtime KAT-TUN fans & I'm sure the same sentiments apply to their latest digital release too .
Only time will tell . For now I'm just glad that KAT-TUN continue to put out music given what they & the fans have gone through over the last few years so for that I shouldn't complain .
1) Kono Chikyu no Tsuduki wo
2) Days
3) Ren Ai Kansoku (LIVE ver. from KOBUKURO LIVE TOUR 2011 "Ano Taiyou ga, Kono Sekai wo Terashitsudukeru Yoni.")
4) Kono Hoshi no Tsuduki wo (Instrumental)
5) Days (Instrumental)
The duo's last physical CD single release was last July's Ryobu .
Prior to the physical release , the A-side was 1st released digitally on 19th July .
Kono Chikyu no Tsuduki wo was chosen to be used as the official theme song to promote Expo 2025 , that will be held in Osaka from April to Oct 2025 .
2 B-sides are included in Kono Chikyu no Tsuduki wo . The 1st B-side Days was 1st released digitally in March while the 2nd B-side is a live version of Ren Ai Kansoku that was recorded from KOBUKURO LIVE TOUR 2011 "Ano Taiyou ga, Kono Sekai wo Terashitsudukeru Yoni." .
Kobukuro's 34th single Kono Chikyuu no Tsuzuki wo is the official theme song for Expo 2025 . Featuring a simple melody that everyone can hum along to , the song drums up hope & anticipation for the opening of the world expo in 2025 .
Describing Days & Kono Chikyu no Tsuduki wo is like night and day as both songs are completely different from each other . While Days is more classic Kobukuro , Kono Chikyu no Tsuduki wo reminds me of their previous single Ryobu where both tracks' music styles are not something I expected from Kobukuro .
In some way , Kono Chikyu no Tsuduki wo follows in the same music vein as OsakaSOUL . Both songs are upbeat peppy numbers which also showcased how vocally talented Kobukuro is , even after being in the business for so many years .
Aoyama's latest new song offering features SoulJa & this's the 1st time in 12 years since both of them last collaborated together in 2010's Hanasanaide yo .
SoulJa wrote & composed Itsumademo .
Soba ni Iru ne is Aoyama's best known hit for better or for worst . So it's not entirely surprising that Itsumademo has elements of Soba ni Iru ne as SoulJa created both songs .
Still , it's quite surreal to know it has been so long since both of them work on something together & Itsumademo is kind of a fitting release as in a way without Soba ni Iru ne it wouldn't have propelled Aoyama to the limelight .
JASMINE digitally released her new album Re:Me beginning of this year but I decided not to review it as I do not like the album's contents as it included songs that were already in her previous digital releases which felt so reductant for her to re-include them .
Despite this , I do like STAY as this shows what JASMINE is good at vocally . 1 of the reasons why I still support JASMINE after all these years is how effortless she handle almost any different kind of music genre but it's ballads & mid tempo songs such as STAY is evident that less is more .
CD
CD + DVD A & CD + Blu-ray A
CD + DVD B & CD + Blu-ray B
1) MASTERPIECE
2) Sandersonia
3) Negative Fighter
4) Gyomu☆Superman
5) Fate or Destiny
6) a r e a
7) OH MY BUDDY
8) Gunjou Runaway
9) Otoko Hanabi
10) Bitter Chocolate
11) Kimi ga Mita Hikari
12) Change the world Y2K
13) Haru Tsubame
14) Sing-along
15) Koi wo Surunda
Bonus tracks ::
- CD only version bonus track -- Jinryoku Hikoki
- CD + DVD A / CD + Blu-ray A bonus track -- Get Out Of My House
The group's last studio album release was 2020's Fab! -Music speaks.- .
FILMUSIC! does not feature member Yaotome Hikaru who's currently on hiatus due to health issues .
With the theme music × movie , FILMUSIC! portrays various situations that will take fans' breath away . The ambitious album is like an audio movie that covers different scenes & genres , from a sad and romantic love story to a fast-paced action movie to a heartwarming drama .
In addition , FILMUSIC! is the group's 1st album release to get Blu-ray version(s) aside from DVD version(s) .
4 prior released singles are included in FILMUSIC! :
- Negative Fighter
- Gunjou Runaway
- Sing-along
- a r e a / Koi wo Surunda / Haru Tsubame
2 bonus tracks are included in different versions of FILMUSIC! :
- CD only version bonus track -- Jinryoku Hikoki
Jinryoku Hikoki was written by Akimoto Yasushi & composed by Makaino Koji . This song is commemorate the group's 15th anniversary
- CD + DVD A / CD + Blu-ray A bonus track -- Get Out Of My House
Get Out Of My House is the answer call song to the group's 10th single Come On A My House
Track 2 Sandersonia was used as the opening theme song for the 2nd season of TV anime Love All Play .
Sandersonia was written & composed by sumika's Kataoka Kenta , who also wrote the lyrics for Haru Tsubame (used as the anime's 1st opening theme no.) . The members commented , "It's a Rock number with Kataoka-san's unique & comfortable melody and meaningful lyrics that suits the blue skies of Summer ."
Fate or Destiny serves as the lead album promo track & it's the only song from FILMUSIC! that has a video made which's included in the physical release of the album .
Promo wise , Fate or Destiny was used as the theme song for Fuji TV drama Junai Dissonance starring member Nakajima Yuto .
Junai Dissonance revolves around a high school music teacher named Nitta Masaki (Nakajima) & his student Izumi Sae (Yoshikawa Ai) which both of them fall in love after being involved in a disappearance case .
Fate or Destiny is described as a song that portrays the strength of 1 facing their fate or destiny . Producer Moriyasu Aya commented Fate or Destiny as "powerful , delicate & emotional . A wonderful song that links perfectly with the drama ."
5 additional videos were made for album tracks but none of them are not included in the DVD/Blu-ray of FILMUSIC! :
- Track 4 Gyomu☆Superman ; members Chinen Yuri & Inoo Kei (cameo appearance) are featured in the video
- Track 9 Otoko Hanabi ; members Takaki Yuya & Chinen Yuri (cameo appearance) are featured in the video
- Track 10 Bitter Chocolate ; members Inoo Kei & Arioka Daiki (cameo appearane) are featured in the video
Bitter Chocolate was written & composed by Yuuri with the theme love story movie
- Track 11 Kimi ga Mita Hikari . Only member Arioka Daiki is featured in the video
Kimi ga Mita Hikari was created by Sukima Switch . With the theme heart-warming story , the boys sing about the love between people such as family & lovers + also about the bond between the group & their fans
- CD only version bonus track -- Jinryoku Hikoki
This year is Hey ! Say ! JUMP's 15th anniversary in the music business & in comes the release of their latest studio album offering FILMUSIC! .
Except for their 4th album JUMPing CAR , the group's studio albums generally have been good & this's no exception for FILMUSIC! which I really enjoy from start til finish .
FILMUSIC! on whole is a very musically diverse album & most of the new album material was able to stack up on par if not are better than the prior released single songs which's not an easy thing to do but somehow Hey ! Say ! JUMP managed this quite well .
This's 1 of the rare times I feel that Fate or Destiny shouldn't have been the main album track that had a video made & I thought it should have gone to MASTERPIECE instead as it's such a great album opening no. which really set the tone for what to expect from the rest of FILMUSIC! .
Not that Fate or Destiny is terrible but the considerable amount of English lyrics in the song is a bit of a turn off to me .
Another album track that had potential to have a video made is Change the world Y2K which I didn't expect samples of their previous released single songs such as Your Seed & Weekender to be utilied in the song's melody . That's something I rarely see from happening & if a video was made for Change the world Y2K , I'm sure it would have been a really cool nostagia trip down memory lane .
Also in another 1st , I never thought I see the day that the group made an answer call song to 1 of their past prior released single song & to say they flip the switch or rather script from Come On A My House to Get Out Of My House is an understatement .
As to the 5 additional videos that were made for album tracks but none of them are not included in the DVD/Blu-ray of FILMUSIC! , it reminds to be seen if any of them will be included in a future physical release but considering this's the 1st time such a marketing tactic was used to promote their album , it's hard to tell for now .
Despite a few hiccups , I overall enjoy FILMUSIC! & unlike other artistes who have celebrated their 15th anniversary , for Hey ! Say ! JUMP not to release another best album to mark this milestone of theirs , it's something I'm ok with .
Hey ! Say ! JUMP is 1 of the few artistes I've supported them from the beginning & it's heartening to see how far they've come and that said , belated happy 15th anniversary to them !
