:+: No Music No Life :+:

Monday, June 30, 2025

CD Review :: Shota Shimizu - Pulsatilla cernua

1) Bad Karma
2) DON'T FORGET MY NAME
3) Syrup
4) Hikouki Gumo
5) KAGEROU
6) tomato
7) Sick of u
8) Naimononedari
9) PUZZLE
10) Epilogue (Instrumental)

Pulsatilla cernua is Shota Shimizu's 11th album & it was released on 18th June .

Shota's last album release was 2023's Insomnia .

Pulsatilla cernua is Shota's 1st album release to get a CD + Blu-ray version alongside with his 1st ever fanclub version of a release pertaining to his latest album release .

Shota's new album has 10 songs , inclusive of :

- DON'T FORGET MY NAME

This's the lead album track which was 1st released digitally on last month 28th May & it has a video made

- Syrup ; released digitally in April

- tomato ; released digitally on 11th June

- PUZZLE ; released digitally last Oct

I enjoy Shota Shimizu's last 2 album releases HOPE & Insomnia so naturally I was curious to see if I would like his latest album offering Pulsatilla cernua which luckily I do to a certain extent .

Autotune is still present in Pulsatilla cernua but thankfully this has been kept to a bare minimum and instead the majority of Shota's new album allowed him to let his vocals shine & not having auto tune to conceal his singing to the extreme .

The strength in Pulsatilla cernua is no doubt the mid tempo driven numbers & also ballads . Both music genres showcase what Shota vocally excelled in the best , such as the album's new material ie. Hikouki Gumo , KAGEROU & tomato .

If there's 1 thing to nit pick on Pulsatilla cernua is that I wished Shota would have included a bit more new material as the album overall felt a bit too short .

In addition I don't think DON'T FORGET MY NAME should have a video made . Instead this should have been given to KAGEROU as that to me is the standout new song in Pulsatilla cernua .

Aside from that , Pulsatilla cernua is overall quite a worthy follow up to Insomnia and most of the new songs in the album I enjoy especially the 3 songs I singled out (Hikouki Gumo , KAGEROU & tomato) .

I look forward to see what Shota Shimizu will release next & if he were to release another song like PUZZLE I'm up for it as this's the type of song he should be releasing a lot more often & in return people will and have responded to it positively .

Saturday, June 28, 2025

Hey ! Sɑy ! JUMP - encore

CD + DVD & CD + Blu-ray A

CD + DVD & CD + Blu-ray B

encore is Hey ! Sɑy ! JUMP's 35th single & it was released a month ago on 28th May .

Promo wise , encore was used as the theme song for the drama Parallel Fufu: Shinda Boku to Tsuma no Shinjitsu starring member Inoo Kei .

4 B-sides are included in encore :

- SUPER CRUISIN' 1st released digitally on 26th March & it has a video made

Described as a funky upbeat track driven by lyrics from Saya & a groovy beat produced by Sakiura Shin .

Lyrically SUPER CRUISIN' is all about motion , momentum & swagger . This isn't a cruise for the calm , it’s a wild ride of highs , spins & unexpected turns .

- Love Letter (CD Only Track)

- MATSURI☆FEVER (CD Only Track)

- Step by step (CD + DVD & CD + Blu-ray A Track)

- Miraisen (CD + DVD & CD + Blu-ray B Track)

Hey ! Say ! JUMP's 35th single encore is the theme song for the Fuji TV drama Parallel Fufu starring member Inoo Kei . The refreshing love song makes you want to sing & dance along with its rhythmic pop melody .

The single's B-side track SUPER CRUISIN' that was penned by Laland's Saya is an upbeat hip-hop number that expresses the strengths & charms of Hey ! Say ! JUMP, who have cruised from Heisei to Reiwa at their own pace as a group .

In all honestly I'm not really a fan of Hey ! Sɑy ! JUMP's previous single UMP as I felt it was a bit un-necessary for them to redo their debut single where they could have chosen not to perform Ultra Music Power any longer .

Luckily I do not have the same opinions towards encore as I do like the song the moment I 1st heard it .

As for the B-sides in encore all 4 of them are equally enjoyable & different from each other in a good way even though I personally feel Love Letter should be the 1 that gets a video made & not SUPER CRUISIN' .

Hey ! Say ! JUMP LIVE TOUR 2024-2025 H⁺ DVD + Blu-ray will be released next month on 30th July .

Saturday, May 31, 2025

Shota Shimizu - Syrup

Syrup is a song by Shota Shimizu which was released digitally last month on 16th April .

Described as a love song , Syrup samples Yellow Jacket that was produced by Shaun Martin , who was one of Shota's musical influences & who tragically passed away last August .

A video was made for Syrup . The song reflects everyday conflicts & moments experienced by couples .

Shota's 11th album Pulsatilla cernua will be released on 18th June & Syrup will be included in the new album as track 3 .

Wednesday, April 30, 2025

Koda Kumi - LIVE IN METAVERSE ~THE BEST~

2 CDs + DVD

2 CDs + Blu-ray

Disc 1

1) LIVE IN METAVERSE -2093.12.06-
2) UNIVERSE
3) IS THIS TRAP?
4) Lippy
5) LIT
6) Crazy 4 U
7) LOADED Feat Sean Paul
8) Poppin' love cocktail Feat TEEDA
9) SWEETEST TABOO
10) POP DIVA
11) HUSH
12) MONEY IN MY BAG
13) XXX
14) Vroom

Disc 2

1) UNICORN
2) Bow Wow
3) Crank Tha Bass Feat OVDS
4) HAIRCUT
5) show girl
6) Shhh!
7) PARTY
8) Dance In The Rain
9) Step Into My World
10) BLACK WINGS
11) ECSTASY
12) ESCALATE
13) TABOO
14) Ultraviolet

LIVE IN METAVERSE ~THE BEST~ is Koda Kumi's latest best album which was released last month on 26th March .

The release of LIVE IN METAVERSE ~THE BEST~ is to celebrate Koda's 25th anniversary this year .

Concept wise , LIVE IN METAVERSE ~THE BEST~ is based on a future concert to be held on 6th Dec 2093 . Unlike Koda's past best albums , LIVE IN METAVERSE ~THE BEST~ captures the realism of a live performance put up by Koda & allows fans to feel cheers + excitement from it .

All the songs in LIVE IN METAVERSE ~THE BEST~ were selected by Koda's fanclub members . In disc 2 of the release , UNICORN is the only new song included & it's the full version of UNICORN [Introduction] ie. track 1 of Koda's 19th album UNICORN .

BLACK WINGS also made the cut in the 2nd disc of LIVE IN METAVERSE ~THE BEST~ & this song was 1st released digitally on July 2023 .

These 3 songs are not included in LIVE IN METAVERSE ~THE BEST~ :

- Dangerously
- Jump to the Breeze
- This weekend

Celebrating 25 years in the industry , Koda Kumi released a special best album , LIVE IN METAVERSE ~THE BEST~ . Unlike a conventional compilation , this collection is designed as a “future best-of concert” set in the year 2093 . Listeners can immerse themselves in the live atmosphere , complete with the energy of a cheering audience .

LIVE IN METAVERSE ~THE BEST~ is Koda's overall 5th best album that she released & already right off the bat it's very different from her last best album BEST ~2000-2020~ .

While I don't agree with some of the songs that made the cut in LIVE IN METAVERSE ~THE BEST~ I thought the songs flow well from start until the end .

The 1 song in LIVE IN METAVERSE ~THE BEST~ that I surprisingly like a bit more than the original recording is LOADED as rapper Sean Paul's rappping appearance is expanded slightly in the new updated version .

For once I actually don't mind how different of Koda's latest best album release is . I'm sure if she did not release any best albums prior Koda could have included all of her past single song releases in it instead which's something I might not be keen on .

That said with this year being Koda's 25th anniversary in the business I hope LIVE IN METAVERSE ~THE BEST~ will not be the only new release she will put out to mark this landmark milestone of hers .

Monday, April 28, 2025

ayumi hamasaki - mimosa

mimosa is a song by ayumi hamasaki which was released digitally on 8th April , on the date of ayumi's debut anniversary .

Promo wise , mimosa was chosen to promote the 3rd season of Fuji TV's Saigo Kara Nibanme no Koi drama .

The last time an ayumi song was used to promote a Fuji TV drama was 2000 / 16th single SEASONS .

A video was made for mimosa .

Song wise mimosa is very much like SEASONS 2.0 which in a way is not surprising . Video wise I like the concept but I thought ayumi should have saved it for her impending 30th anniversary , perhaps she would utilise the same concept but with some twerks for future ideas .

I feel very nostalgic the moment I heard mimosa & also when I saw the video because it's literally a walk down memory lane for both myself & ayumi .

And hopefully other longtime fans of ayumi like myself also had almost the same opinions towards mimosa .

Monday, March 31, 2025

Aqua Timez - OLDROSE

OLDROSE is a song by Aqua Timez which was released digitally on 22nd March .

Aqua Timez created OLDROSE to celebrate the 20th anniversary of both the band & the BLEACH anime series .

Some of the best songs Aqua Timez created up to now were used to promote BLEACH such as Sen no Yoru wo Koete & Velonica so it's not surprising OLDROSE has now joined in the list .

OLDROSE has a lot of great musical elements from past Aqua Timez songs that promoted BLEACH but OLDROSE managed to stand out & have its own unique identity which made this mid tempo emotional ballad another wonderful song Aqua Timez created after they reformed temporarily last July .

With Aqua Timez going to disband once again year end I do hope that they would release a new best album to celebrate their landmark 20th anniversary milestone but prior to that I wouldn't mind even more new songs from them before their eventual 2nd disbandment .

Saturday, March 29, 2025

CD Review :: flumpool - Shape the water

CD + Blu-ray

1) Keep it up!!
2) Arashi no Yoruni
3) Love's Ebb and Flow
4) Just stand by me
5) Hallelujah Lady
6) Hourglass
7) SUMMER LION
8) Yuuhi ni Some Rarete Kimi wa
9) Hoshizora Cycling
10) Meikyuu Shinapusu
11) puzzled
12) Sugarsong
13) Kimi ni Koi Shita Ano Hi Kara

Shape the water is flumpool's 6th album & it was released on 5th March .

flumpool's last album release was 2020's Real .

Shape the water includes 13 songs , including :

- Keep it up!! ; released digitally on 19th Feb

- SUMMER LION ; released digitally last July ; opening theme no. for the TV Tokyo Drama NEXT drama Hidamari ga Kikoeru

- Meikyuu Shinapusu ; promote the Yumia no Atelier ~Tsuioku no Renkinjutsushi to Gensou no Chi~ RPG

- puzzled ; 10th anniversary theme song for the Houkai Gakuen video game

- Kimi ni Koi Shita Ano Hi Kara ; released digitally last March ; ending theme no. for NTV's DayDay.

Shape the water does not include Ikidzuku that featured Matsushita Nao but a self cover version of the song is included in the fanclub version of the album .

A video was made for Arashi no Yoruni but it's not included in the physical release of Shape the water .

It's hard to believe it has been so long since flumpool last released Real but Shape the water is frankly worth the wait .

Shape the water is flumpool's 1st album not to include any prior physical CD single songs . Despite this the album on whole is pretty good & I think it flows well from start til the end , no pun intended .

After listening to the new album material it's quite easy to see why Arashi no Yoruni had a video made as it's 1 of the more memorable yet stronger songs in the release .

Not all the new songs stood out on 1st listen but the more I listen to Shape the water the more the weaker new songs start to stand their ground against the others .

I've been a fan of flumpool for a very long time & with the release of Shape the water it's heartening to see how far they've come musically .

Shape the water is a worthy successor to Real & I look forward to even more new music from flumpool in the near future .