Track Listing
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appears “99 Greeting Mix”
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appears “Scud Filter Mix”
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appears “Dub’s Eurotech Remix”
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WHATEVER “Ferry ‘System F’ Corsten dub mix”
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appears “JP’s SoundFactory Mix”
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appears “HΛL’S MIX”
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immature “D-Z DUAL LUCIFER MIX”
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WHATEVER “Ferry ‘System F’ Corsten vocal extended mix”
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appears “Keith Litman’s Mix of Truth”
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immature “JT Original CM Version”
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appears “99 Greeting Mix” -Instrumental-
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immature “JT Original CM Version” -Instrumental-
1. appears “99 Greeting Mix”
Basically, this is the version that was used for the PV. It’s got a nice wintry sound to it. Just like “monochrome”, appears is a combination of a darker dance track mixed with the rock style that the era has been putting out most of the era. It still doesn’t really make an impact on me as much as “monochrome” did. It’s funny onto its transition to the album, it lost the jingle bells.
2. appears “Scud Filter Mix”
What we have next starting on the multitude of remixes, the first one for appears has a heavier beat and a pretty cool startup with all the jingling and heavy beats. It’s one of the rare remixes that I don’t mind the cut n’ paste method to get through the song as it is quite bouncy and chill for an electronica track.
3. appears “Dub’s Eurotech Remix”
That’s why I also don’t like this remix as well. It seems to be a watered down version of the last track…I mean I can see why this is a eurobeat track and then all of a sudden I hear strings playing a major role in the song, but that’s shortlived because it goes back to the synths and beats soon after. It isn’t as boring as the last “Dub remix”, this isn’t the best.
4. WHATEVER “Ferry ‘System F’ Corsten dub mix”
So yes, I am a big fan of Ferry Corsten works and seeing this as his first delve with Ayu, I was expecting what he was going to do since his music is electronica and a bit ambient at point as well. It does have a slow pickup time, but the arrangement here is quite what I expected from Mr. Corsten. It does kind of suck that Ayu barely gets any time in the remix itself and it’s basically here just for Ferry to mess around with.
5. appears “JP’s SoundFactory Mix”
We get back into the appears remixes and I’m noticing that she’s bringing a lot of new ideas with this single. This remix baically focuses on a more deeper and darker trance beat here and well once again….takes too long to get to Ayu. When it does though it gets better because of the use of latin acoustic guitar. If you cut out that beginning, this turns out to be a good remix.
6. appears “HΛL’s MIX”
Wow, A HΛL mix that doesn’t pass 5 minutes how strange is that? Why is is that these remixes sound so damn similar to one another (I know it’s HΛL, but this was just a carbon copy from last endeavors). I felt this was a lazy remix taking ideas of past songs and sticking the lyrics from appears on it. Even worse is that is way too slow to make any sense from the original. My least favorite track off the single.
7. immature “D-Z DUAL LUCIFER MIX”
We’re gonna get a remix of a B-side before the main version? I guess I can’t say much because “Boys & Girls” had the same treatment as well. Out of the 2 previous remixes from D-Z, this would be my least favorite of them since it didn’t sound as energetic and it actually sounded quite messy and not together for a remix. I do like the synths of course and Ayu has singing parts here so it’s alright, just not amazing.
8. WHATEVER “Ferry ‘System F’ Corsten vocal extended mix”
Basically it’s a more friendlier version of the earlier Ferry remix. This time it’s not majorly focused on the music as much and shortens the length up making it more easier for the listener (minute shorter actually). Ayu’s parts are more frequent as well which is great. Now this is the Ferry Corsten that I like and WHATEVER is the first of many Ferry’s works that I’ve come to enjoy.
9. appears “Keith Litman’s Mix of Truth”
Another remix from Keith Litman. He really had to make up for that boring remix of “monochrome” and once again he fails with appears as well since the song suffers from huge repetition in the arrangement and how he cut n’ pasted Ayu across the track. Like last time things do get a little better the longer you listen, but for me by that time I’m ready to move on. Oh well.
10. immature “JT Original CM Version”
So the B-side of the single is immature if you haven’t guessed already. It also carries a wintry beginning just like “appears” did, but this song sounded grittier and filled with eurobeat love. Now the difference between this and the album version is that the beginning is wintry here and this has a more guitar-filled sound instead of the albums full on dance sound. I actually enjoy this version moreso than the one found on the album.
appears ends off the “LOVEppears” era with a pretty cool synth/wintry track and immature was clearly the stronger track off the single and still is when both get “album version” tagged when they appear on the album. The remixes were still more miss than hit for me though I do love Ferry’s contribution to the single so hmmmm…
