SAWA – Soprano Rain March 13, 2013

Track Listing

1. Good day Sunshine
2. Mysterious Zone
3. Try Again!
4. Happy Birthday
5. NoLimit
6. Soprano Rain
7. Kokoro no Hitomi (Dokushou)

1. Good day Sunshine

Opening the mini-album is the main digital single SAWA released back in May of 2012.  I was wondering where she would go considering her various styles she had and Good day Sunshine is kind of like “Ai ni Iku yo” and “I Can Fly” but with smoother vocals.  I didn’t think much of it when it first came out, but listening it to it now, I kind of find myself enjoying it quite nicely.  I mean I love electro SAWA but it’s nice to see something a bit more bright.

2. Mysterious Zone

People seem to say that she performed this a long time ago and now finally gets a studio release.  Mysterious Zone I was picturing would be a darker song but it’s kind of a strange hybrid of bright pop like “Good day Sunshine” but with blips and weird synths.  I think they could’ve left out the latter stuff and I would be fine, but those parts kind of ruin the song or me honestly.

3. Try Again!

Used as the promotional song for the mini, Try Again! is definitely a lot like “Ai ni Iku yo” and to be honest, is probably the best track she could chose because it’s the more cutesy electropop that we’ve gotten quite used to from SAWA.  It’s kind of quirky in its entirety so that works.  Not bad of a song and not too much of a departure from her last promo song.

4. Happy Birthday

At first when I heard this song, I kind of figured the song would be a ballad, but as soon as I quickly learned, the song actually became ANOTHER cutesy pop song from SAWA.  This is probably the cheesiest song but it has SAWA singing at her best which is nice and her English is getting a lot better for some reason xD.  Not bad.

5. NoLimit

I kind of wish SAWA would move away from the cute stuff.  This one does have a certain Tommy sound but it’s mostly sugary cute.  I mean I had hoped the song would’ve been heavier but I do appreciate the amount of synths found here and they sound REALLY good.  It might be my favorite of the mini-album which is strange.

6. Soprano Rain

Then we get our ballad of the mini with the title track with lonesome piano and SAWA’s OK vocals.  I love her voice being thrown into filter land because it feels so dreamy and floaty to listen to even though she adlibs a lot in the song.  It’s a pretty sad sounding song and is quite a nice change of pace from the previous five songs.

7. Kokoro no Hitomi (Dokushou)

As this is a cover of a Miu Sakamoto song, I wasn’t unsure how it’d turn out because well it comes after another ballad and all.  It’s very simple however with just SAWA and piano and I really don’t think SAWA has a voice that works well with just piano IMO.  Appropriate way to finish the mini but after all the tracks before, this seem to be REALLY plain.

It’s been over two years since we’ve last seen SAWA with her awesome album and since then she’s switched labels to KING RECORDS (AKB48 and Nana Mizuki’s label) and released her first mini there.  Soprano Rain isn’t a bad mini-album, but this isn’t one that’ll make me go OMG YES.  I’m happy she’s returned but this wasn’t a good way to begin her KING RECORDS career.

SAWA – Welcome to Sa-World July 8, 2010

Track Listing

1. Opening Ceremony ~Sa-World e Yokusou~
2. MerryGoRound
3. Stars
4. NightBus
5. Chocolate Zone ~Yasei no SAWA~
6. Throw him away!
7. ManyColors
8. I’m a president
9. Danger Zone ~Nigero! Ayaushi Sa-World!~
10. Swimming Dancing
11. Friday Night
12. Planet-T
13. Eat It All ~Live in Sa-World~
14. I Can Fly
15. Ai ni Iku yo
16. Dream about…
17. Thank you for visiting ~My name is…~

1. Opening Ceremony ~Sa-World e Yokusou~

Beginnig this rather long album, SAWA pulls off the beginning quite like the cover art.  It sounds like a damn circus theme going on and I think she makes it sounds joyous.  During the entire time, poor SAWA is talking, but what she says mostly goes over my head, but it’s mostly the introduction to the album itself. 

2. MerryGoRound

Getting to the first new song off the album, MerryGoRound really comes off as a stylish song, kind of like how “ManyColors” sound which is kind of cool since they’re both upbeat and has some nice stuff going on.  I think the ad-libbing during the chorus and after-chorus sounds heavenly and it really sounds pretty to listen to.  Already a good start for the album.

3. Stars

Really, do we even have to talk about how amazing this tune is.  I’m actually surprised SAWA was able to have her indies songs featured on the album since most of the promotion of the album is for her major songs.  Stars was of course, under RAM RIDER’s eyes and he picked a great artist to unleash this J-tek tune for us.  I think mostly everyone loves this song and it is to me SAWA’s breakout song and I think everyone’s first taste.  So this song is a special one.

4. NightBus

I wonder if there’s a connection between this song and “NightDesert” from her “I Can Fly” mini-album.  I really like the piano melody for the song since it’s classy and pretty much interesting to hear something that doesn’t sound similar to anything else.  I noticed that SAWA’s voice has been steadily getting better and her high notes aren’t as terrifying as they once were.  There’s one point she stayed up on the higher register a little too long, but this song is pretty cool for a club-like tune.

5. Chocolate Zone ~Yasei no SAWA~

As the first of three interludes on the album, Chocolate Zone sounds pretty damn creepy at first…and then becomes so damn funny.  It’s kind of like a nature program and we’re supposed to be quiet because SAWA is writing lyrics for a song and in the background there’s these funny anime-ish tunes…It’s the most bizarre interlude.  BTW, the song in question she’s writing is unknown to my eats, but I bet bigger fans will pick it up.

6. Throw him away!

I thought that this song would have had some connection to the interlude, but I guess I was wrong.  Throw him away! seems to funnily be the throwaway track even thought the acoustic drive it has sounds rather pleasant but damn SAWA is singing way fast for me to keep up with her and I don’t know how she can do it. 

7. ManyColors

Her debut song!!!  Back then, I used to hate this song with a passion of a thousand suns because it just didn’t sound like what “Stars” was.  I was expecting something hardcore, but ManyColors is I like to call a very fashionable song since well, it’s roughly about colors.  Since, my initial hate when into instant love so quick, I do admit her voice when she began her career isn’t as steady as it is today, but it’s still great she included this fun song.

8. I’m a president

Back to the new songs, I’m a president sort of leaves the electropop for a little bit and features something real instruments like bass and guitar and I thought it was nice.  I do think it might be a little too slow for me, but I do like the natural sound this has and it does sort of have a Shibuya-kei feel to it so I also give points to that.  I do feel as though drags near the end, but whatever hahaha.

9. Danger Zone ~Nigero! Ayaushi Sa-World!~

Yay!  Another interlude!  Anywho, I’m guessing SAWA had something to do with this interlude because there’s some strings playing and she did say she did some with a few songs.  I kind of hear the awesomeness that’s building up in the song and I hear some of the lyrics of “Swimming Dancing” in the background and THAT MADE SENSE!  This is a build-up done right.

10. Swimming Dancing

If there was one track that can defeat “Stars”, I think Swimming Dancing would definitely be that song because not only it was produced by Taku Takahashi, it’s fuckin amazing and it’s PV was just as hardcore.  I can’t stop talking about how I love the fluttering synths and heavy club beats that flew through the song.  If there was one thing that was a little off, I think it was SAWA’s singing, but that still has a charm that left the song embedded in my head.  Best song hands down!

11. Friday Night

I’m surprised that SAWA took a rather R&B kind of sound for the next new track because it was kind of funny.  I also think the violins are from SAWA herself and I thought that was clever.  I don’t think she’s had a song set in this genre and I actually enjoyed the heavy beat and flow altogether.  Who knew she could pull this off with flying colors.

12. Planet-T

The closest and edgiest of the new songs, Planet-T has a slight D-Topia sound to it and I’m not put off by it because it’s got some cool synth parts and SAWA actually sounds good in the song.  It’s definitely got some great production behind it and can keep me dancing the entire time.  Might be one of the best of the new songs.

13. Eat It All ~Live in Sa-World~

As the final interlude, Eat It All definitely is the interlude that was made to dance to since it’s actually got beats and a lot of SAWA spelling going on.  I’m surprised this wasn’t a full track because just like “Planet-T” this one makes me get up and dance since it has a pretty heavy beat and cool arrangement behind it.

14. I Can Fly

To be honest, of the main promotional songs from the mini-albums, I have to say that I Can Fly is the weakest for me because it’s just a little annoying for me.  It might be the background vocals or SAWA’s lack of keeping herself in pitch for most of the song that did me in like that.  I just never connected with this song at all.

15. Ai ni Iku yo

Then we get into the last mini-album released in the era and Ai ni Iku yo sounds so strange after going through the album because SAWA’s vocals sound so different and more cuter than normal.  I really did enjoy the song as time went by because the video was pretty darn cute as well.  It’s not as good as a bunch of other songs released in the era, but it’s SAWA’s “cute” song and it worked at least.

16. Dream about…

As the final full song, it seems that Dream about… is the closest thing we’ll get to a ballad.  To me it feels like she’s yelling again like she did in “Swimming Dancing” but it doesn’t work here for some reason.  At least she calms down a bit for the verses, but it still doesn’t feel comfortable to me.  Has a slight Christmas-y feel to it, and it sort of fit the circus theme the most of the new songs.

17. Thank you for visiting ~My name is…~

As we do get an outro, it sounds really pretty and closes the album as a perfect little bow.  I just like how she’s saying that we’ve found something amazing and how she’s telling us to bring her chocolate…and we find out that SAWA’s name is actually Suzy Brown….that right there made me laugh so damn hardcore XD

Tracks Recommended

• Swimming Dancing
• Stars
• Planet-T
• NightBus
• Friday Night

Song of Avoidance

• I Can Fly

Yes, with Kalafina’s “Red Moon” and school food punishment’s “amp-reflection” they both produced great songs from amazing artists which the idea of having these new ideas and sounds to make a cohesive album and it worked since I loved them.  SAWA though has made it known that she can do amazing songs with a touch of humor to make it hilarious to wonder how she was able to string these songs together in a fashion that it makes me smile.  I’ll say it, I want to stay in Sa-World for a while since it’s filled with different angles to SAWA for one thing and her songs are fun and easy to listen to *RECOMMENDED*

SAWA – Ai ni Iku yo April 15, 2010

Track Listing

1. Ai ni Iku yo
2. JetCoaster
3. Cider
4. SuperLooper
5. Samba de Mar -NAKATSUKATAKESHI remix- (Limited edition only)

1. Ai ni Iku yo

I’m not sure why we’re still on this rather rollercoaster of main songs.  I mean bad, good, bad, good and at least Ai ni Iku yo is for me in the middle because it’s catchy as all hell, but I don’t think SAWA is really meant to be a “cute” type of a singer.  I like that it is a bit slower than previous songs and the chorus is omg good,  but cute is definitely not her style at all.

2. JetCoaster

Hey!  A latin track coming from SAWA?  Ok she’s delved in the past in this genre that’s for sure like “Sing It Back” or even “green”.  I actually really enjoyed this tropical tune and makes me wanna move with it since it flows nicely and the random English lines she pulls are done quite nicely as well.  I was definitely surprised by this and this is also a style I’d like to see more from SAWA.

3. Cider

I love how the opening is just cracking open a can of cider and pouring it in a glass as the sound rushes to open.  Once again, we’re back to cute SAWA, but the song has changed a bit here and I love the rather joyous arrangement and the added strings were a nice touch.  It’s funny that the song comes off more like a disco song than electropop.

4. SuperLooper

Finally, a new RAM RIDER song, even though this song existed for quite a while (about the time “TIME&SPACE” was released).  Once again though I think SuperLooper is the stand out on the mini-album even though it feels a little more lazy than “Stars” which is definitely not a good thing in this case.  I do like how RAM RIDER did make the song a bit more cute for SAWA without going overboard, but “Stars” is still the best.

5. Samba de Mar -NAKATSUKATAKESHI remix-

Most people wouldn’t know this but Samba de Mar was a song SAWA covered last year for Takeshi Nakatsuka and on here it was remixed for the mini-album.  Just like the title implies it is a samba and a pretty exciting style to because there’s a lot of deep drums and a lot of colorful brass as well.  Being a remix worked out as well because there’s synths available and put in the right spots. Very good remix!

 

 

It does suck that Ai ni Iku yo turned out to be meh when compared to “Swimming Dancing” for sure because of the less interesting arrangements found here and my sort of mehness at her being cute in her songs.  The two latin tracks and SuperLooper were what made the single listenable, but the other two tracks are just a little ehhhh.

SAWA – Swimming Dancing November 24, 2009

Track Listing

1. Swimming Dancing
2. World-Wide Tea Party
3. Swimming Dancing -RYUKYUDISKO Remix-
4. World-Wide Tea Party -Kentaro Takizawa BIG ROOM Remix-
5. ManyColors -Yukihiro Fukutomi Remix-
6. Stars -Jazzin’park 31 good night Remix-
7. Swimming Dancing -Extended Club Mix- (Limited Edition only)
8. Stars -Jazzin’park 32 good morning Remix- (Limited Edition only)

1. Swimming Dancing

When I read the news that Taku from m-flo was going to produce SAWA’s next single, I thought it was farce and totally out of his way, but then came the covers and I was wondering where he was going to take her.  Honestly, Taku has a thing for making his women scream in their songs with the exception being Rie fu (weird huh?).  Still, I have to say I’m in LOVE with Swimming Dancing.  It’s a great electronica track that fits in with the other Taku songs that were amazingly shown off this year.  The best thing though, is the PV that went with the song.  I’ve never seen SAWA look so serious and yet sexy at the same time.  What an amazing song.

2. World-Wide Tea Party

The lone other track, World-Wide Tea Party starts off with a lone piano before the synths kind of mesh in with it.  SAWA starts off the song pretty nice and it kind of rubs off as a darker song.  When the chorus comes in the song gets more digital and darker and sounds a little like Sowelu’s “MATERIAL WORLD” but, more focused on the piano and less on the synths.  It’s interesting, but it’s not “Swimming Dancing”.

3. Swimming Dancing -RYUKYUDISKO Remix-

The first of the many remixes on this mini-album, is rather experimental for sure.  Instead of the loudness of the original, it seems things have been taken down a level and SAWA’s vocals has definitely been toned down in volume and filtered out as well.  It’s a more naturistic take of the original, and while it feels more like what the cover was expressing, it’s not bad.

4. World-Wide Tea Party -Kentaro Takizawa BIG ROOM Remix-

Unlike the originals darker route, the remix for World-Wide Tea Party feels right and even better than the original take of it.  It’s got an awesome beat going and SAWA’s vocals didn’t seem so out of place.  I have to give props to Kentaro for making such a great remix.

5. ManyColors -Yukihiro Fukutomi Remix-

Hmmm, I’m actually surprised she’d dive back and bring ManyColors back to be remixed.  Now my initial complain for the original was because of her vocals were ear-piercing.  Well, she didn’t resing this at all, but I feel like ManyColors isn’t too bad given the right arrangement and luckily Yukihiro redid the arrangement to not be so jarring.  In other words, good remix.

6. Stars -Jazzin’park 31 good night Remix-

Yep, the other indies lead song, Stars is an amazing song when you look at it.  I mean seriously that was electronica genius from RAM RIDER.  On here, it’s been remixed twice by the same guys and yet they differ from each other quite a lot.  The good night version is a great remix since it represents the night side quite nicely (and even throws a guitar solo)

7. Swimming Dancing -Extended Club Mix-

Yeah, its a club mix, so everyone should know how they start up.  Since it’s not really that much longer than the original, there’s nothing much to really note about the song…well there is.  I’m prolly not the only one who hears this but it seems the music is less loud and full like the original and SAWA’s vocals aren’t as refined.  Still, Swimming Dancing is a great song, but I’ll take the original’s flow IMO.

8. Stars -Jazzin’park 31 good morning Remix-

On the other side of the coin, the good morning remix of Stars feels like waking up for sure.  Then again, can you see stars when you wake up in the morning?  I really like the energetic latinness of the song and it’s fun and simply easy on the ears. 

 

 

Hands down, this entire single is the best thing she’s released in her career.  Swimming Dancing in nothing short of amazing and ranks up with “Stars” as her best song.  World-Wide Tea Party is rather unusual for both SAWA and Taku….not the usual fare.  Honestly, the single really took off with all of the remixes.  They were so far apart from the original and yet sounded so much better than other remixes.  It’s rather awesome *RECOMMENDED*

SAWA – I Can Fly July 24, 2009

Track Listing

1. I Can Fly
2. Sing It Back
3. NightDesert
4. I Love You Always Forever
5. My Sunny Days
6. Sing It Back -Extended Club Mix- Japanese ver. (limited only)
7. Sing It Back -Extended Club Mix- English ver. (limited only)
8. Sing It Back -Extended Club Mix- Instrumental (limited only)

1. I Can Fly

Ok, so the main promotional track for SAWA’s 3rd mini-album, it’s actually quite a departure from what her last promotional track, “Stars” was like.  Instead having a harder edge, SAWA is a bit more lighter, in the synthpop sound.  Sadly, the song didn’t really do anything for me because of it’s lighter image and the annoying girly vocals saying ~I Can Fly & etc.~  SAWA herself sounds a bit more refined here which makes up for some of the problems, but the song itself isn’t anything special.

2. Sing It Back

Sing It Back is actually a Japanese cover of a Moloko track.  Really though, you don’t actually hear the cover until the chorus comes in.  I actually find it a bit more nice compared to the stale “I Can Fly” as it sounds a lot different than her last release as well.  I mean the light dance beat and the acoustic guitar here, it’s pretty cool.  SAWA still is a bit sketchy on her English, but she sounds really good, especially in the slower part in the song…wow.

3. NightDesert

At first, NightDesert has a pretty ethereal background and SAWA’s ad-libbing filtering through the track.  It’s funny that the arrangement has like Tourette’s syndrome because these deep synths just seem to pop in and out of the song in the most inappropriate of times.  SAWA sounds good here as well, I’ve just been noticing she’s been getting better as a singer so that’s good.  I like NightDesert, but the random synth parts make it hard to like it fully…

4. I Love You Always Forever

Another cover track, this one from Donna Lewis’ biggest hit.  I love the original, don’t get me wrong, it’s like one of my “MUST HAVE” songs on the iPod.  Sadly, SAWA just took the song and butchered horribly with such an empty arrangment and Engrish up the know-how.  It really makes you wonder how she’s an English teacher.  After the empty opening, the song gets a funky kind of sound going on, but c’mon, why did you slow things down and mess it up lyrically?

5. My Sunny Days

My Sunny Days is probably SAWA’s happiest tune she has right now.  It has a light club feel to it, which is a nice change and her vocals are back to normal.  It sounds like a more better and happier version of “I Can Fly” and thank god.  SAWA in the chorus is a bit weird, but it’s not enough to really persuade me away from the song.  I actually think it’s a pretty good song.

6. Sing It Back -Extended Club Mix- Japanese ver.

Basically almost 2 extra minutes of song, Sing It Back got extended and is only on the limited edition of the single.  Other than various instrumental parts in the song, and it’s not all crowded in the front of the song or the back.  It’s still danceable and the latin sound is ever so nicely placed in the song.  I thought it was a good extension.

7. Sing It Back -Extended Club Mix- English ver.

I think the more important extension was the English version.  It’s the same length as the last track so don’t worry about that and the arrangement is the same as well, so another thing to not worry.  The new addition is SAWA using English here and even though she still is terrible at singing our language, she did a good job to not make it so horrible like she did in her Donna Lewis cover. 

 

 

SAWA, like immi debuted under a major label as well and I Can Fly isn’t as good as her “TIME&SPACE* mini-album.  I do know that’s it’s better than her first for sure.  It sucks that she had to pick “I Can Fly” to represent this release as it’s so bland.  She did win me over with Sing It Back and My Sunny Days so that’s good right?  NightDesert was a little erratic for me, but it’s ok.  the extension as well were alright and gave the song more life and well I Love You Always Forever is pretty bad as a cover IMO…..Average release, but I do like she’s keeping dance as her main style.  immi vs. SAWA?  immi had the better A-side, but SAWA didn’t have remixed to plague the single, it’s hard, but I think SAWA had a slightly better release.

SAWA – TIME&SPACE December 11, 2008

Track Listing

1. Stars
2. Discovery
3. Metropolitan Museum
4. Are You Ready For Love
5. Space Travel

1. Stars

Already hearing this, this was so much better “ManyColors”.  Produced by RAM RIDER this song was definitly perfect for him since his songs also have a J-tek sound and spacey qualities.  SAWA’s vocals also have gotten better since her debut and thank god because the chorus is so awesome.  A very cool beat that seemed totally different from what we usually are use to also helps out.  The only thing that threw me off was the freak ad-libbing near the end, I think it would’ve been better without it, but still one of the cooler songs I’ve heard.

2. Discovery

Discovery was released as an online single after the release of “COLORS” So it kind of bridges between the two mini’s which isn’t exactly the best thing to actually do.  The softer synth sounds made me question if this was a House style-like tune, but whatever SAWA also sounds good here as well.  I wish there was more variety though because the chorus sounds pretty empty and not like it was important. 

3. Metropolitan Museum

What a strange track this is.  It’s pretty strange through the first part of the song because SAWA is like using staccatos in her vocals which kind of annoy me after awhile.  I mean this is the verse I’m talking about here.  Music seems to be in and out of the song until the chorus where everything sticks together, which made the tune so much better.  Use of strings also helped out mostly during the interlude where there’s sounds of what I think is kids playing, but I could be wrong there.  Interesting track.

4. Are You Ready For Love

So she decided to cover one of Elton John’s big hits and surprisingly is devoid of all the House and J-tek stuff.  It’s also quite nice to hear her sing in English.  She obviously has an accent through it, but it’s actually really good.  I’m quite taken with how powerful her vocals can get.  Sometimes she sounds a little nasally, but damn was this a good track.

5. Space Travel

We come to our last track, Space Travel and actually sounds like something Nakata would actually cover.  Sadly, that comes at a price, because SAWA doesn’t exactly sound too good here.  The BKGD vocals also aren’t super either.  Musically, it sounds like it should’ve been on “COLORS” 

 

 

SAWA definitly improved by this release.  Stars was an awesome promotional track and prolly one of the cooler PV’s this year.  Though I do question some of the tracks, mostly Space Travel and Discovery, but the other tracks totally took her to a new level of admiration.  What blew me away was her cover.  Maybe J-tek isn’t for her, but she can sound really good handled by the right people.

SAWA – COLORS November 28, 2008

Track Listing

1. ManyColors
2. blue
3. yellow
4. pink
5. green

1. ManyColors

The lead track from the mini-album welcomes us with a repitionious synth line which pretty much is the song XD.  Anyway, there’s more sounds that do come in and it’s very 80′s like in sound, maybe New Wave perhaps.  Sadly that’s where the good stuff stops.  SAWA’s vocal’s are so bad it even puts MEG to shame.  Like I really despise the high squeaks in the chorus and how she says ~COLORS~ is so damn annoying.  She does have pretty good English skills which is good….most of the time. 

2. blue

This would be the first I actually want the beats to be more aggressive in a song.  There’s definitly some potential in the song because SAWA does sound pretty good and how happy sounding the synths are.  It’s just that the beat sounds too subdued to make an opinion in the song.  So far this song is one of the better tracks.

3. yellow

yellow to me is the one with the most pop-influence on here.  Now to say that the song is very cute, it’s destroyed by SAWA’s ear-piercing vocals.  I mean it’s pretty bad here as well.  Like I don’t wanna hear you wailing out of tune majority of the song.  Even worse is how minimal the song really is especially in sound.  It’s quite a borefest and a bit painful to listen to.

4. pink

pink has a nice piano line and the beat seems pretty cool.  We actually hear SAWA singing in English again and a lot more clearly which she shows off a lot more skills and she doesn’t sound terrible.  I actually love the chorus here as well because she’s controlling her voice more better than in “ManyColors”.  Loving the fantasy sound as well.

5. green

Ending us, is SAWA ad-libbing into our final track here.  She does it a little too much, but I do love the latin feel the song gives off.  Maybe the song does come off a pretty forgettable, but at least it doesn’t make me cringe.

 

 

SAWA’s debut kinda was shadowed by how bad ManyColors was.  There’s a good selection of tracks and to know that she does English well also adds the interest factor for me.  Sadly, I don’t want her to go near the the higher register anymore…it’s terrible.