Namie's 12th studio album _genic is still a month away from release. But given there are no singles to precede it, an album preview has made its way online to whet fans' appetites until June 10th rolls around.
To release an album in Japan with no singles and all new tracks is a risk given that it goes completely against the modus operandi in Japan when it comes to album releases. But if anybody can get away with this, it's Namie Amuro. And if the album sampler is anything to go by, recording an album as a complete body of work has done her wonders, because _genic is sounding like one of Namie's most consistent offerings.
If upon seeing the track list for this album you were crying over the loss of "Neonlight lipstick", "Ballerina", "Sweet kisses" and "Brighter days", dry your tears chile. Namie has given you some new-new that trumps every single one of these songs.
Namie seems to have struck a nice balance between the sound she began to cultivate with Queen of hip pop and Play, the Engrish laden songs she debuted on Uncontrolled, the heavy EDM focus of Feel and also the tinges of rock she touched on with songs like "Wonder woman" and "Damage". It's the all-round Namie many wanted from her past 2 albums and then some. I don't need to hear any more to know that _genic is / will be a much better album than Uncontrolled and Feel.
I am beginning to miss Namie singing in Japanese though. Her English doesn't sound a great deal better than it did on Feel, but as was the case with Feel this could vary from song to song. On some songs it was difficult to make out what she was saying, where-as on others you could make her out perfectly. Let us throw it back to Namie's last studio album - where she was unable to pronounce the word 'Heaven' on the song of the same name (♪ Hair-booon is where we arrrrrr, where we arrrrr!♪), yet could pronounce 'stratosphere' perfectly on "Stardust in my eyes". I would love the evolution of Namie doing these albums (because I can't see her stopping) to be that the special edition releases feature versions of the fully Engrish songs sung in Japanese. Or that she at least makes the Japanese versions available for download.
So far it's sounding like Namie has nailed the sound on this album. The production sounds strong and nicely varied. If she manages to deliver with the music videos, then this could well be one of Namie's better albums.
I have been listening to this album preview for days and have even gone as far as to put the damn thing on my iPod. Below are some of my song-by-song thoughts thus far.
■ Time has come
The is some Janet Jackson type shit and I love it. Every time I listen to this snippet I have visions of Namie starring in her own version of Top Gun. Don't ask why, I just do.
■ Golden touch
This shit has me lying on my rug spritzing Paco Rabanne 1 million every time the chorus drops. SUMMER JAM.
■ Birthday
Katy Perry can take her "Birthday" jam and shove it in between her titties.
■ Scream
The Eurobeat, Para-Para realness is giving me everything. It's like Namie threw my ass back to her Super Monkey days with no warning and I love her for it.
■ Fashionista
Play Namie in full effect. The changes from the verse up to the chorus are magic.
■ Fly
Rock Namie has gone through some messy patches in the past, but she does good here. I love the lyrics. It's pretty much her telling Ayu and Kumi, 'Bitch. I've completed Earth. I'm on the bonus stage called 'Sky'. Gurl bye!".
■ B who I want to B
I'm intrigued, as this is the only preview in which we do not hear Namie sing. This has the potential to be an absolute banger if the beat heard in the preview carries throughout the song or if it becomes more of a beast as the song progresses.
■ Stranger
EDM Namie. Grab your glowsticks folks.
■ What I did for love
This is Namie reaching for Madonna's cape and dragging her off a flight of stairs, through the crowds and to the back exit door of the venue. Rebel-what? Living for-what now bitch? This song is a cover of David Guetta & Emeli Sande's "What I did for love", which was only released as a single in February, prior to which it featuring on David Guetta's album Listen which was released in November of last year. I like how Namie sounds on this though, and it fits nicely within the soundscape of the album as a whole based on the previews.
Ayu and Kumi can consider A one and Walk of my life respectively shitted on. We all knew Namie would use Ayu and Kumi Koda's current state careers as target practice, but I wasn't prepared for just how badly she would do it. Come June 10th, Namie will snatch Ayu and Kumi's wigs and leave their edges looking like burnt crops.
I don't know about you guys and girls, but I'm sold. Namie can have a couple thousand Yen from me.
So, what are your favourite tracks based on the previews?
To release an album in Japan with no singles and all new tracks is a risk given that it goes completely against the modus operandi in Japan when it comes to album releases. But if anybody can get away with this, it's Namie Amuro. And if the album sampler is anything to go by, recording an album as a complete body of work has done her wonders, because _genic is sounding like one of Namie's most consistent offerings.
If upon seeing the track list for this album you were crying over the loss of "Neonlight lipstick", "Ballerina", "Sweet kisses" and "Brighter days", dry your tears chile. Namie has given you some new-new that trumps every single one of these songs.
Namie seems to have struck a nice balance between the sound she began to cultivate with Queen of hip pop and Play, the Engrish laden songs she debuted on Uncontrolled, the heavy EDM focus of Feel and also the tinges of rock she touched on with songs like "Wonder woman" and "Damage". It's the all-round Namie many wanted from her past 2 albums and then some. I don't need to hear any more to know that _genic is / will be a much better album than Uncontrolled and Feel.
I am beginning to miss Namie singing in Japanese though. Her English doesn't sound a great deal better than it did on Feel, but as was the case with Feel this could vary from song to song. On some songs it was difficult to make out what she was saying, where-as on others you could make her out perfectly. Let us throw it back to Namie's last studio album - where she was unable to pronounce the word 'Heaven' on the song of the same name (♪ Hair-booon is where we arrrrrr, where we arrrrr!♪), yet could pronounce 'stratosphere' perfectly on "Stardust in my eyes". I would love the evolution of Namie doing these albums (because I can't see her stopping) to be that the special edition releases feature versions of the fully Engrish songs sung in Japanese. Or that she at least makes the Japanese versions available for download.
So far it's sounding like Namie has nailed the sound on this album. The production sounds strong and nicely varied. If she manages to deliver with the music videos, then this could well be one of Namie's better albums.
I have been listening to this album preview for days and have even gone as far as to put the damn thing on my iPod. Below are some of my song-by-song thoughts thus far.
■ Time has come
The is some Janet Jackson type shit and I love it. Every time I listen to this snippet I have visions of Namie starring in her own version of Top Gun. Don't ask why, I just do.
■ Golden touch
This shit has me lying on my rug spritzing Paco Rabanne 1 million every time the chorus drops. SUMMER JAM.
■ Birthday
Katy Perry can take her "Birthday" jam and shove it in between her titties.
■ Scream
The Eurobeat, Para-Para realness is giving me everything. It's like Namie threw my ass back to her Super Monkey days with no warning and I love her for it.
■ Fashionista
Play Namie in full effect. The changes from the verse up to the chorus are magic.
■ Fly
Rock Namie has gone through some messy patches in the past, but she does good here. I love the lyrics. It's pretty much her telling Ayu and Kumi, 'Bitch. I've completed Earth. I'm on the bonus stage called 'Sky'. Gurl bye!".
■ B who I want to B
I'm intrigued, as this is the only preview in which we do not hear Namie sing. This has the potential to be an absolute banger if the beat heard in the preview carries throughout the song or if it becomes more of a beast as the song progresses.
■ Stranger
EDM Namie. Grab your glowsticks folks.
■ What I did for love
This is Namie reaching for Madonna's cape and dragging her off a flight of stairs, through the crowds and to the back exit door of the venue. Rebel-what? Living for-what now bitch? This song is a cover of David Guetta & Emeli Sande's "What I did for love", which was only released as a single in February, prior to which it featuring on David Guetta's album Listen which was released in November of last year. I like how Namie sounds on this though, and it fits nicely within the soundscape of the album as a whole based on the previews.
Ayu and Kumi can consider A one and Walk of my life respectively shitted on. We all knew Namie would use Ayu and Kumi Koda's current state careers as target practice, but I wasn't prepared for just how badly she would do it. Come June 10th, Namie will snatch Ayu and Kumi's wigs and leave their edges looking like burnt crops.
I don't know about you guys and girls, but I'm sold. Namie can have a couple thousand Yen from me.
So, what are your favourite tracks based on the previews?
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