Track Listing
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Mirror
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(don’t) Leave me alone
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talkin’ 2 myself
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decision
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GUILTY
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fated
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Together When…
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Marionette -prelude-
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Marionette
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The Judgement Day
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glitter
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MY ALL
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reBiRTH
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untitled ~for her~
1. Mirror
Quite a surprise when we open the album like this. Starts with the imfamous online connection sound before we enter to this beat-forward opening. Ayu sounds so strong and powerful through even though it’s a short intro. Luckily, to our hopes it gave birth to the longer version “Mirrorcle World” where she entirely resang the song. Definitly, a song to pump ur excitement with.
2. (don’t) Leave me alone
Keepin’ up with the rock mood, this track actually really is good. Combining synths this time the song has quite the force it needs. Ayu sounds great singing thru the verses and even better in the chorus. I love how she ends the song ending with her final word and then the music shoots itself back in for the last moments. Awesome new track.
3. talkin’ 2 myself
What an angry track talkin’ 2 myself is. Furious guitar riffs and some strings playing you’d think I’m listening to “(don’t) Leave me alone” but obviously the difference is that the song is so much darker and more along my style. The most memorable thing is the chorus, where she shoots fast lyrics and then ends on a long note. I do question myself when I thought (why does this song remind me of “Because of You”
4. decision
Our next track was also from the same single as “talkin’ 2 myself” so I still feel that it pales being after it still. This time starting a piano opening leading into another rock track. I think she sounded a little stuffy singing through the chorus, but the music was pretty cool.
5. GUILTY
Title tracks from Ayu are usually good, but there’s some that aren’t so good and this would be the track to do that. I mean it’s a very dark track at heart, but I didn’t think it came out very strongly when compared to her other title tracks. Ayu sings the song very mysteriously and the music is calm until the chorus where I think there should have been more of a presence from the music side of things.
6. fated
Part of the glitter/fated single. I also think like “decision” that it paled in comparison to “glitter”. Even though this is her rock ballad, I did like a few things about it. Mostly I really enjoyed the chorus a lot. It was definitly an song that’ll split you if you like it or not.
7. Together When…
Released as an online single, Together When… is the first true ballad on the album and it’s so beautifully written and played. Ayu sounds really nice singing this as well. There’s also something about it that sounds quite dark about it for some reason, but I love this song.
8. Marionette -prelude-
We have a interlude which is so creepy. Like Kanon creepy. There’s a music-box playing a melody until someone has to twist it and then strings, clarinet, and some random sounds enter the fray. Though the song ends on a happy sounds until…
9. Marionette
Possibly her best song from this album, Marionette is definitly a haunting track in its own right. I actually praise Ayu full-heartedly with this track as she emotionally gives her best performance and the tweaks with the rock vein made the song sound pretty damn epic. Imagery played another part for me as the PV was so cool and freaky at the same time. Way to go Ayu!
10. The Judgement Day
Wait, another interlude? It starts pretty ominously because of “Marionette” and all. Then Ayu starts to ad-lib as well organ starts to play. As the time passes by the song gets louder and synth enter the fray. Odd that the song transforms into a happy dance track before ending into our next track.
11. glitter
The first single of the era pops up and I agree that this and the next track seem totally out of place on the album. I mean being all happy and this being the summer track it is, really puts a sore image on the album. It still is as catchy as ever and one of her better summer tracks.
12. MY ALL
Our next track, is also upbeat and sort of happy, but I didn’t quite connect with this song. I found myself after time passing by that the song is a little catchy but it isn’t “glitter” catchy. I also though the song reminded me a little too much like “Life” which is not the best thing to be reminded of. Still, it’s an OK pop track.
13. reBiRTH
What is up with all of the interludes? I actually think this is my least favorite interlude of the album, since all it is, is the piano and strings playing some dissonant chords. I guess you can say it’s ethereal, but w/e it just leads into our last track.
14. untitled ~for her~
This song is dedicated to a close friend of hers who died prior to the album and I thought the was a nice thing for her to do. So obviously, it’s a ballad but there’s rock twinges in it, which is a surprise. It’s like “fated” but this one actually hit the spot with me. Definitly a grandiose way to finish this album.
Tracks Recommended
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Marionette
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glitter
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talkin’ 2 myself
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(don’t) Leave me behind
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untitled ~for her~
Even though it didn’t hit No.1 on Oricon doesn’t mean this album is really good, cuz it is. Most of the new tracks were really good and beat out some of the tracks already heard from single prior, everything seemed well made. I still think there was too many interludes and the happy tracks seemed out of place. I’m really happy that Mirror was elongated into “Mirrorcle World” does it mean it’s a recut single however?
