To help differentiate this release from the original First Love , the album cover will feature a previously unused / unreleased photo from the First Love shoot. Every damn time we think weâve seen every shot from this shoot, another one surfaces.
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Hikaru Utada - First Love / Hatsukoi | © 2022 Universal Music / © 2018 Sony Music Labels Inc. |
For those of you who are wondering âWhat is the point in this release?â. Money. Teruzane looks out for his child and makes sure yen stays flowing into that bank account. But the marketing reason is Netflixâs Japanese drama First Love; a series inspired by Hikaru Utadaâs song of the same title, which releases in November.
When I first posted about this show mere days ago, I said that I didnât think there would be an official new version of the song, and that weâd just get re-arranged instrumental versions of the song (which we may still get). But it turns out the show will feature a new version of âFirst Loveâ after all. As I post this, there is no information on what this new mix features or what makes it different to the original.
I shoulda known Teruzane wouldnât let a whole Netflix series inspired by his daughterâs songs go out, without there being SOME form of new release. Teruzane is âbout that business.
âFirst Loveâ wonât be getting just one new version though, it will be getting two. Well, kind of. âFirst Love (2022 Mix)â and âFirst Love (Remastered)â will be released digitally across all streaming services. And Apple Music will get exclusive Dolby Atmos versions of âFirst Love (2022 Mix)â and âHatsukoiâ, which were mixed by Steve Fitzmaurice. Steve is notable for being a part of Hikaruâs inner circle of music talent ever since their move to London. Steve has mixed all three of Hikaru Utadaâs last albums, in addition to engineering, recording and providing additional programming for each of them. For those of you who watched Live Sessions from Air Studios, heâs the guy in the hat you would occasionally see behind the mixing console, looking out onto the session itself.
The First Love / Hatsukoi vinyl releases on December 9, and pre-orders are already open at Amazon Japan, Tsutaya, and all the major online music retailers.
đż Singlekaru Reviewtada: Pink Blood | One Last Kiss | Dare ni mo Iwanai | Time
đż Albumkaru Reviewtada: Hatsukoi | FantĂŽme | This is the One | Heart Station | Ultra Blue | Exodus | Deep River | Distance | First Love
đ§ Spotifykaru Playlistada: Slaykaru Queentada | Hikaru Utada: R&B | Hikaru Utada: Ballads | Hikaru Utada: Bops | Hikaru Utada: Remixes