Again (Ayumi Hamasaki EP)

Again
EP by Ayumi Hamasaki
Released	December 8, 2012
Recorded	2012
Genre	Pop
Label	Avex Trax
Producer	Max Matsuura
Ayumi Hamasaki chronology
Love (2012) Again (2012) A Classical (2013)

Again (stylized as again) is the fourth extended play by Japanese recording artist Ayumi Hamasaki from her fourteenth studio album Love Again (2013). The EP contains the songs "Wake Me Up", "Sweet Scar", "Snowy Kiss" and "Ivy", alongside remixes and instrumental versions of the original tracks. Produced by longtime collaborator Max Matsuura, Again is a pop EP.

Again was released as the second part of Hamasaki's fifteenth anniversary celebration on December 8, 2012 by Avex Trax. It received mixed reviews from music critics; some critics commended the songs "safe" composition while some criticized the production and delivery. Charted as a single on the Japanese Oricon Singles Chart, it reached number seven. All tracks from Again received an accompanying music video and was included on the DVD version.

Background and release

In September 2012, Hamasaki and her label Avex Trax confirmed that they would released five new music releases from November 2012 until March 2013 to commemorate Hamasaki's fifteenth year in music business on April 8, 2013.^[1] Avex confirmed the releases of two extended plays; Love (November 2012) and Again (December 2012), and announced plans to release the compilation album A Classical and a live DVD Arena Tour 2012: Hotel Love Songs.^[2][3] Love was released first, reaching number four on the Japanese Oricon Singles Chart and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for exceeding shipments of 100,000 units.^[4][5] Hamasaki announced plans on releasing a new studio album, and revealed that the recordings from both EP's would be included on the album. Again contains four original tracks; "Wake Me Up", "Sweet Scar", "Snowy Kiss" and "Ivy".^[6] Again was released on December 8, 2012 through Avex Trax on two formats; a stand alone CD and a CD and DVD package.^[6][7] The music videos to "Wake Me Up", "Sweet Scar" and "Snowy Kiss" were featured on the DVD version of the EP.^[7]

Composition

All lyrics to Again were written by Hamasaki herself, while the album was produced by long-time collaborator Max Matsuura.^[6] The album opener, "Wake Me Up", is a "glossy 1980s" electronic rock song that was compared to the work of British group Duran Duran.^[8][9] The second track "Sweet Scar" is a pop ballad that features violin sections, piano riffs and woodwind instruments, which was noted as a musical departure from her signature "big orchestrated strings and stadium drums".^[8] The third track "Snowy Kiss" is an uptempo dance-pop song that lasts six minutes long, and "Ivy" has Hamasaki singing in higher octaves with a slower tempo.^[9] Again features an acoustic remix of "Missing" and "Melody" that appeared on Love, one remix each for "Wake Me Up" and "Snowy Kiss" and the original instrumentals.^[6]

Reception

The songs from Again received mixed reviews. Random J from Asian Junkie reviewed "Sweet Scar" and "Wake Me Up" individually. For "Sweet Scar", he commented "The past four years in J-pop have been dire on the ballad front, but Ayu manages to come through here with “Sweet Scar“, exhibiting the only moment of the album where she changes gears from her quotidian norm when it comes to ballads." He concluded on the song by stating "Ayu can deliver a nice ballad without musical theatrics, and that her voice is at its most emotive when she isn’t screeching like some demon ho of the underworld."^[8] For "Wake Me Up", he highlighted it as an album stand out track, saying that it was a "banger".^[8] CDJournal.com reviewed each song individually. For "Wake Me Up" and "Sweet Scar", they praised Hamasaki's vocals for being "powerful" and "strong". For "Snowy Kiss", they praised Hamasaki's songwriting and commended the production, while they commended Hamasaki's subtle vocals on "Ivy".^[9]

Charting as a single, Again reached number seven on the Japanese Oricon Singles Chart and lasted ten weeks in the chart.^[4] Again sold over 53,000 units in Japan, her lowest charting and selling EP to date and her first EP not to achieve a certification by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ).^{[10][upper-alpha 1]}

Track listing

All lyrics written by Ayumi Hamasaki. 

CD
No.	Title	Music	Arranger(s)	Length
1.	"Wake Me Up" (Original Mix)	Hiten Bharadia, Philippe-Marc Anquetil, Bardur Haberg	Tasuku	4:05
2.	"Sweet Scar" (Original Mix)	D.A.I.	Yuta Nakano	4:12
3.	"Snowy Kiss" (Original Mix)	Tetsuya Komuro	Yuta Nakano	6:10
4.	"Ivy" (Original Mix)	Tetsuya Komuro	Yuta Nakano	4:39
5.	"Missing" (Orchestra Version)	Kazuhiro Hara	Yuta Nakano	5:13
6.	"Melody" (Acoustic Piano Version)	Yasuhiko Hoshino	Shingo Kobayashi	5:20
7.	"Wake Me Up" (Remo-con Remix)	Hiten Bharadia, Philippe-Marc Anquetil, Bardur Haberg	Remo-con	4:54
8.	"Snowy Kiss" (Shohei Matsumoto Remix)	Tetsuya Komuro	Shohei Matsumoto	7:02
9.	"Wake Me Up" (Instrumental)	Hiten Bharadia, Philippe-Marc Anquetil, Bardur Haberg	Tasuku	4:05
10.	"Sweet Scar" (Instrumental)	D.A.I.	Yuta Nakano	4:12
11.	"Snowy Kiss" (Instrumental)	Tetsuya Komuro	Yuta Nakano	6:10
12.	"Ivy" (Instrumental)	Tetsuya Komuro	Yuta Nakano	4:39

DVD
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Wake Me Up" (Video Clip)
2.	"Snowy Kiss" (Video Clip)
3.	"Sweet Scar" (Video Clip)

Credits and personnel

Song credits Ayumi Hamasaki – vocals, background vocals, songwriting Max Matsuura – producer Hiten Bharadia – composer Philippe-Marc Anquetil – composer Bárður Háberg – composer Dai Nagao – composer Tetsuya Komuro – composer Kazuhiro Hara – composer Yasuhiko Hoshino – composer Tasuku – arranger Yuta Nakano – arranger Shingo Kobayashi – arranger Remo-con – arranger, remixer Shohei Matsumoto – arranger, remixer

Visual and video credits Masashi Muto – director Wataru Takeishi – director Takuma Noriage – art direction, creative direction Kazutaka Nakamura – photographer Takuma Noriage – design

Credits adapted from the EP's liner notes.^[6]

Charts and certifications

Charts Charts (2015) Peak position Japan Weekly Chart (Oricon)[4] 7

Certifications Region Certification Sales/shipments Japan (RIAJ) N/A 53,913*[10] ^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone ^xunspecified figures based on certification alone

Notes

1. Sales provided by Oricon database and are rounded to the nearest thousand copies.

References

1. 浜崎あゆみ、「毎月8日」に5ヶ月連続新作発表 (in Japanese). Oricon Style. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
2. Love (Extended play). Namie Amuro. November 8, 2012.
3. "浜崎あゆみ 5ヶ月連続リリース記念特集". mu-mo Shop. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
4. 浜崎あゆみのリリース一覧 [List of Ayumi Hamasaki's Releases]. Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved August 17, 2014.
5. ゴールド等認定作品一覧　2012年11月 [Works Receiving Certifications List (Gold, etc) (November 2012)] (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. December 10, 2012. Retrieved February 4, 2014.
6. Again (Extended play). Namie Amuro. December 8, 2012.
7. Again (Extended play and DVD). Namie Amuro. December 8, 2012.
8. Random J. "Review – Ayumi Hamasaki – Love Again". Asian Junkie. Retrieved July 4, 2015.
9. "Ayumi Hamasaki / Love Again". CDJournal.com. Retrieved July 4, 2015.
10. "オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」" [Oricon Ranking Information Service 'You Big Tree']. Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved May 21, 2014. (subscription required (help)).