Daichi Miura – Flag December 14, 2009

Track Listing

1. Flag
2. Super Star

1. Flag

I thought the opening for Flag reminded me a lot of “Delete My Memories” because it’s just synth love and it almost sounds just like it.  While it isn’t like the later released A-side because it’s got some funky piano riffs and Daichi’s vocals are louder and has more BKGD support as well.  The remix found on the album did make this song a bit stronger, but damn the original isn’t half bad either.

2. Super Star

The B-side of the single, Super Star is a bit more deeper in sound but unfortunately I’m not liking Daichi’s vocals in the song.  Why does he sound stuffy in the song?  I do love the bridge where he slides his notes in a sexy way.  Definitely an interesting B-side but I’m happy it didn’t make the album.

 

 

Beginning the “Who’s The Man” era, Flag actually kickstarted the era in a good way.  I like how his songs makes it easy to get a groove into and he sounds pretty good.  Super Star is a bit weaker of course, but that track is a good urban dance tune as well. 

Daichi Miura – Who’s The Man September 19, 2009

Track Listing

1. Who’s The Man
2. Inside Your Head
3. Delete My Memories
4. Your Love feat. KREVA
5. Stay with me
6. Baby Be Mine
7. Crazy
8. SHINE
9. Hypnotized
10. HOT MUSIK feat. COMA-CHI
11. STOP… feat. Chiharu
12. You & Me
13. Flag -BACHLOGIC REMIX-
14. Magic Remix (KREVA × Daichi Miura) Katte ni Remix Series Vol. 2 (bonus track)

1. Who’s The Man

Ahhh, the title track and promotional track for this album, Who’s The Man sounds pretty damn fly and the flow is aggressive and amazingly catchy.  I don’t know why, but this beat is very hot and Daichi carries himself smoothly across and there’s snippets of English as well.  I love when they whisper his name after the chorus, it just adds that sex appeal to the song.  Very strong opening track.

2. Inside Your Head

Another track produced by Nao’ymt, Inside Your Head was the era’s 3rd single and you can really hear his arrangement as it does sound like some of his previous made tracks.  Unlike the kickass album opener, Inside Your Head focuses more on the sound rather than Daichi which is a little on the unfortunate side, but he does try to keep it hot as much as he can.  Not as good, but I’m alright with it.

3. Delete My Memories

Out of the previous released singles, Delete My Memories was once of the best tracks released this year so far.  Unlike the previous Nao’ymt produced songs, this has the most electronica influence and I loved every second of it.  I think the best part was that bridge that just pulsed with life.  Like I said before, Daichi does slip up on the English because he cannot say ~delete~ for the life of him.  It’s still an amazing song though.

4. Your Love feat. KREVA

Jeeze, are we trying to get rid of the old tracks first?  It seems that way because Your Love was the 2nd single of the era and has a collaboration with rapper, KREVA.  We also end with the final Nao’ymt production of the entire album.  Your Love is a smooth R&B track and even though he’s done so many previous, this doesn’t stand out in his discography.  I’ll admit his English is better here….weird.  KREVA reminds me of a certain American rapper that loves auto-tune WAY TOO MUCH *cough* Lil’ Wayne *cough*.  Made a nice A-side.

5. Stay with me

We get even calmer with Stay with me (too many artists using this name).  So far on this album, this is the track that’s the softest on both music and Daichi’s vocals.  It flows nicely and his vocals are nice enough, but it’s one of those tracks that’d bore you’re not a big fan of these kond of soft R&B tracks.

6. Baby Be Mine

~hey, you know what’s on my mind girl?~  That line made me chuckle, especially how he said it.  Sadly, it also doesn’t sway me much because of its light R&B sound.  It’s a bit less fantasy-like, but besides Daichi’s good vocals, the song is just as boring as “Stay with me”

7. Crazy

I’m starting to get myself sidetracked by the time I get into this track and unfortunately it continues to not to impress me one bit.  It does seem this kind of R&B song fits him more, but then he whips his falsetto and things go from meh to bad pretty quickly.  Boring track again.

8. SHINE

At least we’re getting back to the more upbeat stuff.  SHINE isn’t quite there, but it’s already so much better than the previous songs.  The only problem that came up was that annoying chick voice that ad-libbed every so often in the song.  If I ignore that, this song can be enjoyable, but it isn’t fully danceable.

9. Hypnotized

Now Hypnotized is where things gets better.  The arrangement is dance-like and there’s more synths here.  It sounds like something Chris Brown would release because it has that smooth feel and Daichi’s vocals are presented a whole lot better than his previous tracks. I really liked the beeps and clicks of the arrangement, something that brought me back into the album.

10. HOT MUSIK feat. COMA-CHI

 Hey, this track is pretty damn awesome as well. Continuing to use a great electronica arrangement, HOT MUSIK is an energetic party feel and it shows with Daichi’s fast vocals and the inclusin of COMA-CHI who’s also sounding great.  Actually, she stood out from the song moreso than Daichi which is embarassing but I liked it.  Her rapping is a bit weird, but she’s got enough fire to get through it nicely.  Towards the end it does get repetitive, but it’s not that bad.

11. STOP… feat. Chiharu

Another rapper featured?  While he is better than KREVA, I can’t help that Chiharu doesn’t add much to this song if he wasn’t in it.  STOP… just sounds like another typical R&B track from Daichi and that’s unfortunate.  Seems to be the album’s throwaway track.

12. You & Me

Strange enough, You & Me is probably the closest thing to a ballad that we’ll get on this album.  Sadly what killed the song was adding an R&B beat to it.  It sounds like it would’ve been fine without it.  I really do like his vocals through this song and besides the meh beat, it’s actually a really nice tune.

13. Flag -BACHLOGIC REMIX-

Instead of putting the original mix (which was the era’s first single) Flag gets remixed by BACHLOGIC which last time heard, did an alright job with Meisa Kuroki’s “Bad Girl”.  Their remix of Flag has a disco-style sound going and that’s a fun sounding remix.  I haven’t heard the original, but this remix has a sweet feel to it and is energetic.  What a cool remix.

14. Magic Remix (KREVA × Daichi Miura) Katte ni Remix Series Vol. 2

As a bonus, we get a remix of Magic which was found as a B-side on “Inside Your Head”.  Once again, I haven’t heard the original, but I doubt it started with waves crashing and then an acoustic guitar coming in.  KREVA once again is under auto-tune which is meh, especially at how natural this sounds.  While it’s not showcasing Daichi’s vocals, the music is pretty and calm.  Nice song to add on the album.

Tracks Recommended

• Delete My Memories
• Who’s The Man
• HOT MUSIK feat. COMA-CHI
• Hypnotized
• Flag -BACHLOGIC REMIX-

Daichi’s sophomore album is actually not as good as I was hoping to be.  It seems his main forte for me is his more danceable tracks and anything that has to do with Nao’ymt.  Besides that, the arrangements found in other songs (mainly the slow songs) are typical R&B arrangements that are overly used and hence why I find myself terribly bored.  I think he should move away from this and get towards a harder sound as I think it works better.

Daichi Miura – Delete My Memories May 30, 2009

Track Listing

1. Delete My Memories
2. Damn
3. Knock Knock Knock -Piano Ver.- (CD only)

1. Delete My Memories

For being an R&B track, Daichi actually hit it pretty well with the A-side of single because the track is heavy on the synths and what’s good is that Daichi isn’t under any vocal changers which is pretty cool.  Daichi’s vocals are pretty sweet because he sings good, but ~Derete~?  Oh, talk about failing Engrish harshly.  Still, it’s a great dance track from Daichi for sure.

2. Damn

I was expecting Damn to be just as heavy in the dance style, but we just get a bit of a slow R&B track which is used for to showcase more of Daichi’s vocals which works here because he shows a good sense of emotion and smoothness throughout.  I really like how he tackled the chorus in English and for the most part it was sung pretty well.  Good B-side.

3. Knock Knock Knock -Piano Ver.-

Knock Knock Knock was originally a track from his debut album, “D-ROCK with U”.  Now I’ve said this to many reviews, but I haven’t heard the original so I can’t form a true opinion of the song.  It does have Daichi singing pretty loudly and his accent kind of shows when he says ~nuck nuck nuck~.  I have to say that he really sounds confident even through the higher notes.  I don’t know, but I wonder if the original is faster than this.

 

 

Daichi Miura’s 4th single of the era, Delete My Memories was a great J-urban dance track because it shows a great feel to it and it’s easy to dance to, so I like it alot.  Damn though did him well, especially with all that singing going on with the R&B feel to it.  The piano version also put his vocals over the music which is good, though risky….Gotta say, great single overall.