Nanase Aikawa – REBORN

Track Listing

1. Yumemiru…
2. Keep Singin’
3. I love my way
4. PRISM
5. Come Closer
6. REBORN
7. GOODBYE YESTERDAY
8. Dark & bright
9. Glorious Night
10. “Sukidayo”
11. Circle Of Life (Bonus Track)

1. Yumemiru…

You know it’s bad when you take about 4 years to put out a friggin album and the first track is a reworked version of your debut single…Oh no you didn’t GIRL!  I do like the fact that she redid her debut because that song is just effin amazing.  You can really tell her vocals have matured since then which is cool and the whole rock/dance combination is so cool.  You got to remember though that this isn’t a direct cover of “Yumemiru Shoujo ja Irarenai”.  For one thing, the chorus is totally different except the last stanza which is from the original, everything else is brand new.  Music-wise, it’s also from her debut so hmmm.  Worst thing is how she did the “resonance” thing with her PV as well….WTH…

2. Keep Singin’

Keep Singin’ has some dark chords and I love how that her vocals are tinkered with as it sounds a little robotic fitting with this song.  I do wonder how much better if this song was sped up, because that’d be epic right there.  I love how she belts out the chorus with the whole ~Sha-la la laaaaa~.  So cool!

3. I love my way

I really thought this opening was crazy and the guitar+synth riffs was just awesome.  I do question the songs arrangement because the verses seem really dark and creepy and the chorus is all happy and hopeful….It’s just a strange way to go about the song, but luckily this song a good listen and the bridge is awesome.  Nanase seems to have a good rocker chick voice IMO.

4. PRISM

The only song that actually got to be a digital single last year, People were fangasming at how long it’s been since she’s released something.  PRISM does sound a bit different to the earlier tracks as it’s mostly happier and showcases a more powerful Nanase.  The problem is that she is doing a bit of yelling here and there’s other good tracks, but thank god she gave us something before this album.

5. Come Closer

After the string of highly upbeat tracks we get our first ballad in Come Closer.  With just the piano + strings backing Nanase up, this was just a big mood twist because it is so soft spoken.  I really love Nanase’s vocals…she knows when to be soft and be loud.  The percussion just seemed random at first but when the guitars came in through the chorus, it just made the song so much more powerful.

6. REBORN

 Our title track appears next and from the starts it was hard to picture where it was going exactly.  Adding a bouncy synth beat and clapping beats didn’t exactly help, but then the beat sped up so fast for the chorus.  It’s not what you call a good thing to do and then it just stops and goes back to the mid-tempo clapping verses….Srry, but I just didn’t really thought this track had any good flow….

7. GOODBYE YESTERDAY

Organ starts up GOODBYE YESTERDAY and then it turns into a rock track.  The verses have a ethereal kind of sound to it also with Nanase’s subdued vocals also making it feel surreal, but the chorus was so loud and in your face.  Definitly a westernized track, I could imagine this being on the radio in the states, givin if it had an English version LOL.

8. Dark & bright

Whoa, Dark & bright has the freakiest opening on the album.  Then the song turns into a fusion of dance and western-themed guitar.  I was like this is just awesome right from the start.  Just like “Yumemiru…”, this has just the right amount of energy and including some cool BKGD synths, this is another one of my favs from this album.

9. Glorious Night

I love how she accented the beginning parts of Glorious Night, and then it turned into a happy track.  The arrangement is just blazing with synths and guitar-work.  Sadly, the music can be too much for Nanase and cover her which forces her to yell real loud.  There are some awesome parts, mostly in the after chrous after going through the 2nd one. 

10. “Sukidayo”

Of course, a way to finish an album off is with a ballad.  Just like “Come Closer”, she’s more emotional and soft.  It doesn’t even have a trace of drums or anything.  All it is, is a full orchestra, making a stronger impact to the song.  I’ll say it, this is a way an album should end and this was the right example for me.

11. Circle Of Life

Surprisingly, the album has a bonus track on it and it’s not a cover of that famous tune from Lion King.  I love the harder guitars and basic angry singing, but I felt that the chorus was just quite too happy and didn’t sound right with the verses.  Not my kind of track, but I guess it was good to hear it.

Tracks Recommended

•  Yumemiru…
• “Sukidayo”
• Dark & bright
• Keep Singin’
• Come Closer

Song of Avoidance

• REBORN

Wow, for being on this hiatus for so long, you sure did make a comeback with this album.  I had such a good listening experience with this because Nanase can really do high-octane music, but she can also do some great ballads as well.  I just hope she returns to music for now because she is somewhat underrated at least what I see….