Colours (Ayumi Hamasaki album)

Colours

CD+DVD and digital download editions' cover
Studio album by Ayumi Hamasaki
Released July 2, 2014 (2014-07-02)
Recorded 2013-2014; Record Plant Recording Studios, LA, Prime Sound Studio Form, Avex Studio, Avex Studio Azabu[1]
Genre
Label
Producer
Ayumi Hamasaki chronology
Love Again
(2013)		 Colours
(2014)		 Love Classics
(2015)
Singles from Colours
  1. "Feel the Love" / "Merry-Go-Round"
    Released: December 11, 2013
  2. "Terminal"
    Released: October 1, 2014
  3. "XOXO"
    Released: October 1, 2014

Colours is the fifteenth studio album by Japanese recording artist and songwriter Ayumi Hamasaki, released on July 2, 2014 through Avex Trax in Japan. Written solely by Hamasaki herself, the album sees a return with Max Matsuura as lead producer alongside several different Western producers including Armin Van Buuren, Rodney Jenkins, RedOne among others, making it her first effort be produced by Western producers. Musically, the album is a electronic dance album.

All songs on the album were released as singles; two physical singles, one PlugAir single, two digital singles and the rest promotional. Lead single "Feel the Love" / "Merry-Go-Round" was released in December 2013 and became a moderate success in Japan, reaching the top five on the Oricon Singles Chart, but becoming her lowest-selling single at the time. Follow-up single "Terminal" became her lowest charting single to date, missing the top twenty and selling over 4,000 copies. The rest of the songs from the album were released as promotional singles.

In promotion of the album, Hamasaki embarked on her Ayumi Hamasaki Premium Showcase: Feel the Love tour. Commercially, the album charted in several Asian territories but peaked at five on the Oricon Albums Chart in Japan, her lowest charting album in her career and became her first album to not receive a certification from the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ).

Background and recording

Colours was recorded in Japan and California while on her 15th Anniversary Tour in 2013, her first time recording in the latter; she would continue recording on her sixteenth studio album A One (2015).[1][2][3] She recorded the album at Prime Sound Studio Form, Avex Studio and Avex Studio Azabu in Japan while on tour and finished recording the album at Record Plant, California in early 2014; mixing and mastering was handled in California and New York City by Dave Kutch.[1]

Although the entirety of album was produced by long-time collaborator Max Matsuura, it became her first album to be co-produced by several different Western producers including Japanese producer Daishi Dance, Dutch producer and disc jockey Armin Van Buuren, American producer Rodney Jenkins and the production team for Moroccan-Swedish RedOne, among other producers.[1][4] Van Buuren had worked with Hamasaki previously on several of her single for German remix releases; His last production credit was her 1999 single "Appears" for Hamasaki's 2001 remix compilation Ayu Trance.[5]

Composition

Colours features six tracks on the album featured both Japanese language and English language; "Pray", "Terminal" and "What Is Forever Love" were recorded in Japanese.[1] "Lelio" was recorded in English lyrics with excerpts of Japanese verses, her second recording since her cover of the 1937 song "Someday My Prince Will Come" to be recorded primarily with English lyrics.[6] Musically, the album has been described as a "Westernised" EDM album that has been noticed as a musical departure from Hamasaki's previous J-pop releases.[7] The album opener "Feel the Love" was produced by DJ Hello Kitty, who also remixed the song on the physical release, and is a dance-pop song.[8][9] A dance song produced by De Paris and Rush from RedOne's production team, "XOXO" has been compared to the work of American recording artist and producer Lady Gaga.[8][10] "What Is Forever Love" is a duet with Japanese recording artist Naoya Urata and is produced by Daishi Dance, while "Hello New Me" and "Pray" were described as musically "mundane".[8] "Terminal" is produced by Van Buuren and is a trance song while "Angel" is a dubstep song that was produced by Jenkins and his production team.[1][10] "Merry Go Round" features a rap segment by Japanese rapper and producer Verbal, "Lelio" is a "blaring" EDM with prominent English language use and "Now and 4Eva" is a pop rock song.[1][8]

Promotion and release

On April 8, 2014, Hamasaki made an official announcement through her website that the album would be released on July 2, and would include the digital singles "Hello New Me" and "Pray". The announcement also confirmed the collaborations with Jenkins, Daishi Dance, RedOne and Van Buuren.[11] That same day, she confirmed a nationwide tour in Japan to promote the album, entitled the Premium Showcase – Feel the Love Tour. She stated that three separate double a-side singles would be given as a free gift for who attend the shows in Nagoya, Osaka and Tokyo; these turned out to be "XOXO" / "Terminal", "Angel" / "Lelio" and "What Is Forever Love?" / "Now and 4Eva", respectively.[12] In May that year, members from Hamasaki's official fan club TeamAyu received the opportunity to download six new songs from the album; "XOXO", "Terminal", "Angel", "Lelio", "What is Forever Love" and "Now & 4Eva".[13]

On June 16 that year, Hamasaki announced through her website the official title and five cover sleeves of the album. The five cover sleeves attributed to five different editions; a stand-alone CD and digital cover, a CD and DVD bundle, a CD and Blu-ray bundle, and a CD and DVD/Blu-ray bundle that featured two custom made candled by Milena's Boutique.[14] She announced the following day a special mega mix entitled EDMA, a seven track non-stop mix of the album tracks and was released on iTunes and Japanese retail store Rekochoku.[15][16] Hamasaki confirmed the DVD would feature music videos and making of them of "Feel the Love", "XOXO", "Angel", "Merry Go Round" and "Lelio".[17] One day before the album's release, Hamasaki promoted the album at an album launch at Tower Records in Shibuya.[18]

Premium Showcase: Feel the Love Tour commenced on May 30 throughout Nayoga, Osaka and Tokyo, and finished on July 6. The tour featured eight tracks from the parent album apart from "Merry Go Round" and "Pray", and the concert was recorded at Tokyo's National Yoyogi Stadium; it was released through Avex Trax on October 22, 2014 as a DVD and Blu-ray disc.[19] The DVD jacket peaked at number two on the Japanese Oricon DVD Chart and sold over 16,000 units in Japan.[20][21][upper-alpha 1] "Now and 4Eva", "XOXO" and "Lelio" were promoted on her following New Years countdown live concert tour Ayumi Hamasaki Countdown Live 2014-2015 Cirque de Minuit: Midnight Circus".[22]

Singles

On November 22, 2013, Hamasaki released a teaser of the song "Merry Go Round" on her official YouTube channel, followed by short music videos of both the song and another song titled "Feel the Love" on November 27.[23][24][25] Released as a double a-side with an accompanying cover sleeve, "Feel the Love" / "Merry-Go-Round" was released as the album's lead single on December 11, 2013 digitally,[26] On December 25, it was released as her first physical single release in three years since L (2010).[27] The single was produced by DJ Hello Kitty and Taku Takahashi.[1] "Feel the Love" / "Merry-Go-Round" entered and peaked at five on the Oricon Singles Chart, her first single top miss the top spot since L and her lowest charting single. It sold 38,000 units in Japan, her lowest sales for a single at the time.[20][21]

On October 1, 2014, "Terminal" and "XOXO" were released as recut singles from the album.[28] While "Terminal" was released physically as a CD single, "XOXO" was released in a limited edition PlugAir single, and became the first single in history to be released in this format.[29][30] "Terminal" peaked at twenty-four on the Japanese Oricon Singles Chart with 4,200 units sold as of January 2015, marking it her lowest charting and lowest selling single in her career.[20][21] "Terminal" was released in Germany by Van Buuren's label Armada Music.[31]

Other songs

On January 27, 2014, she digitally released a new song "Pray", which was used as the main theme song for the anime film Osamu Tezuka's Budda 2—Owarinaki Tabi. Another new song, "Hello New Me", was released digitally on May 4, 2014. The song was used as the main theme song for the television drama Zoku—Saigo Kara Nibanme no Koi. "How Beautiful You Are" was used as theme song for the series' prequel. The album's title was announced on June 6, 2014, through Hamasaki's official website.[32] The album covers were photographed by Alvin Goh; they were revealed on June 16, 2014, on her official website.[33]

Three double a-side singles; "XOXO" / "Terminal", "Angel" / "Lelio" and "What Is Forever Love?" / "Now and 4Eva" were released as promotional CD singles and limited to 30,000 units each.[34][35][36]

Commercial performance

Colours debuted at number five on the Oricon charts with first week sales of 39,295 units, lower than her previous album Love Again with first week sales of 56,348 units, and her first album not to debut within the top three on its first week of release.[21][37] On its second week, the album dropped to number 16 with 6,122 sales, her first album not to stay in the top ten for three weeks straight.[38] Colours stayed in the chart for ten weeks, her shortest spanning studio album in Oricon to date, and is her second lowest selling studio behind A One according to Oricon; it is ranked at forty one.[39][40] Despite this, Colours became her 47th record to chart within the Top ten on the Oricon Albums Chart; Hamasaki became the second artist in Japanese music history to achieve this after Yumi Matsutoya.[41]

Colours charted in South Korea on their Gaon Albums Chart, peaking at seventy-five on the standard albums chart and sixteen on the International albums chart.[42][43]

Track listing

All lyrics written by Ayumi Hamasaki. Rap lyrics in track 8 written by Verbal. 

CD
No. TitleMusicProducer Length
1. "Feel the Love"  Tetsuya Komuro
 5:19
2. "XOXO"  
  • Matsuura
  • De Paris(RedOne Production)
  • Rush (RedOne Production)
 4:19
3. "What Is Forever Love"  
  • Matsuura
  • Daishi Dance
 4:14
4. "Hello New Me"  Kunio Tago
  • Matsuura
  • Yuta Nakano
 4:14
5. "Pray"  Tago
  • Matsuura
  • Nakano
 6:17
6. "Terminal"  
  • Matsuura
  • van Buuren
  • de Goeij
 5:42
7. "Angel"  
  • Matsuura
  • Jerkins
  • Kautz
 3:44
8. "Merry-Go-Round"  
 5:07
9. "Lelio"  
  • Fedde le Grand
  • Robin Morssink
  • Thomas Hagenbeek
  • Ross Palmer
  • Maruja Retana
  • Matsuura
  • le Grand
 3:36
10. "Now & 4Eva"  Kazuhiro Hara
  • Matsuura
  • Nakano
 4:34

Personnel

  • Mastered by - Dave Kutch
  • Recorded by Naoki Yamada, Yuichi Nagayama, Koji Morimoto, Hiroshi Sato, Hideaki Jinbu
  • Second Engineers: Bradford H. Smith, Dustin Capulong, Ryan Kaul, Yujiro Yonetsu, Yuji Tanaka, Ryota Gomi, Shuhei Shimizu, Yushi Iwata
  • Mixing: Jaycen Joshua (1, 3, 7), Trevor Muzzy (2), Naoki Yamada (4, 10), David Reitzas (5), Robin Morssink (9)
  • Additional vocals: Naoya Urata (3), Verbal (8)
  • Background vocal arrangements: Yuta Nakano (1-3, 7-9), Jordan Sapp (track 2)
  • Additional background vocals: Yumi Kawamura (2, 10)
  • Programming: DJ Hello Kitty (1), Yuta Nakano (4, 5), Taku Takahashi (8)
  • Acoustic guitar: Tomoki Ihira (4), Ryota Akizuki (10)
  • Electric guitar: Takehito Shimizu (10)
  • Strings: Juko Kajitani Strings (4, 5)
  • Strings arrangement: Yuta Nakano (4, 5)
  • Oboe: Takayuki Mogami (5)

Credits for Colours adapted from liner notes.[1]

Charts and certifications

Charts

Chart (2014) Peak
position
Japan Daily Chart (Oricon)[20] 5
Japan Weekly Chart (Oricon)[20] 5
South Korea Albums Chart (Gaon Albums Chart)[42] 75
South Korea Overseas Albums Chart (Gaon Albums Chart)[43] 16

Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
Japan (RIAJ) 53,000[21]

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone
xunspecified figures based on certification alone

References

Notes
  1. ↑ Sales provided by Oricon database and are rounded to the nearest thousand copies.
References
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Hamasaki, Ayumi (July 2, 2014). "Colours final page". Colours (CD single). Ayumi Hamasaki. Tokyo, Japan: Avex Trax. p. 21–22. AVCD-38967.
  2. ↑ A One (liner notes). Ayumi Hamasaki. Avex Trax. 2015.
  3. ↑ 浜崎あゆみ、「毎月8日」に5ヶ月連続新作発表 (in Japanese). Oricon Style. Retrieved June 15, 2014.
  4. ↑ 浜崎あゆみの新アルバムに、レディ･ガガのプロデューサーら参加! (in Japanese). Excite. Retrieved 4 July 2014.
  5. ↑ Cyber Trance Presents Ayu Trance (liner notes). Ayumi Hamasaki. Avex Trax. 2001.
  6. ↑ "Snow White"
  7. ↑ "A One: The Best album since Abbey Road". Kpopbreak.com. April 7, 2015. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
  8. 1 2 3 4 浜崎あゆみ、「毎月8日」に5ヶ月連続新作発表 (in Japanese). kkbox.com. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
  9. ↑ Hamasaki, Ayumi (December 25, 2014). Feel the Love / Merry-Go-Round (CD single). Ayumi Hamasaki. Tokyo, Japan: Avex Trax. AVCD-48775/B.
  10. 1 2 Random J (June 30, 2014). "Album review: Ayumi Hamasaki - Colours". Random J Pop. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
  11. ↑ "July 2 (water) original album release decision!" 浜崎あゆみ、「毎月8日」に5ヶ月連続新作発表 (in Japanese). Ayumi Hamasaki official website. April 8, 2014. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Ayumi hamasaki PREMIUM SHOWCASE ~ Feel the love ~" celebrates its debut 16 anniversary in 2014, premium Showcase Live held decision!" ayumi hamasaki PREMIUM SHOWCASE ～Feel the love～"デビュー16周年を迎える2014年、プレミアム・ショーケース・ライヴ開催決定ayumi hamasaki PREMIUM SHOWCASE ～Feel the love～"デビュー16周年を迎える2014年、プレミアム・ショーケース・ライヴ開催決定 (in Japanese). Ayumi Hamasaki official website. April 8, 2014. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  13. ↑ 浜崎あゆみ、新曲をファンクラブ会員限定で先行配信 (in Japanese). Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  14. ↑ "Release NEW ALBUM "Colours" jacket photo published!" (in Japanese). Ayumi Hamasaki official website. June 16, 2014. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  15. ↑ "EDMA by Ayumi Hamasaki". iTunes Store. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  16. ↑ "EDMA by Ayumi Hamasaki". Recochoku. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  17. ↑ "NEW ALBUM "Colours" DVD · Blu-ray prior to the CD release of the music video all five of the July 2, which is included on the digital release!" (in Japanese). Ayumi Hamasaki official website. June 26, 2014. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  18. ↑ "Ayumi Hamasaki NEW ALBUM "Colours" launch! Ayumi Hamasaki × Tower Records Shibuya Special collaboration decision!". Ayumi Hamasaki official website. June 23, 2014. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  19. ↑ "LIVE DVD & Blu-ray "ayumi hamsaki PREMIUM SHOWCASE ~ Feel the love ~" jacket photo published!". October 2, 2014. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 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.
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 "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)).
  22. ↑ "浜崎あゆみ、3年8ヵ月ぶりにオリコンDVDランキング首位！". YAHOO!ニュース. April 15, 2015. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  23. ↑ "Merry-go-round (先行short ver.)」をYouTube official channelにUPしました！" (in Japanese). Ayumi Hamasaki official website. November 22, 2013. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  24. ↑ "浜崎あゆみ / Feel the love (short ver.)" on YouTube
  25. ↑ "浜崎あゆみ / Merry-go-round (short ver.)" on YouTube
  26. ↑ "浜崎あゆみ「Feel the love」MVでDJ Hello Kittyと初共演" (in Japanese). F.B.Communications. November 19, 2013. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  27. ↑ "約3年ぶりとなるシングル「Feel the love / Merry-go-round」、Xmas発売決定！DJ Hello Kitty ＆ m-floによるサウンド・プロデュース！！" (in Japanese). Ayumi Hamasaki official website. December 25, 2013. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  28. ↑ "浜崎あゆみ、ニューシングル ＆ PlugAirモデル、2タイトルを同時リリース". Yahoo! News Japan. The Page. September 10, 2014. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  29. ↑ "浜崎あゆみ CDシングル＆初のPlugAir形式で2タイトル同時リリース". Billboard Japan. 10 September 2014. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  30. ↑ "浜崎あゆみ、史上初のPlugAirシングル「XOXO」を触ってみた". Yahoo! News Japan. Barks. 7 October 2014. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  31. ↑ "Terminal (Dub Mix) by Ayu". iTunes Store. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  32. ↑ "浜崎あゆみ　7月2日オリジナル・アルバム「Colours」発売！！" (in Japanese). Ayumi Hamasaki official website. Retrieved 4 July 2014.
  33. ↑ "7/2 Release NEW ALBUM『Colours』ジャケット写真公開！" (in Japanese). Ayumi Hamasaki Official website. Retrieved 16 June 2014.
  34. ↑ Hamasaki, Ayumi (May 30, 2014). "XOXO / Terminal booklet". XOXO / Terminal (CD single). Ayumi Hamasaki. Nagoya, Japan: Avex Trax. p. 1–2. YYYY-00122.
  35. ↑ Hamasaki, Ayumi (June 12, 2014). "Angel / Lelio booklet". Angel / Lelio (CD single). Ayumi Hamasaki. Osaka, Japan: Avex Trax. p. 1–2. YYYY-00123.
  36. ↑ Hamasaki, Ayumi (July 3, 2014). "What Is Forever Love? / Now & 4Eva booklet". What Is Forever Love? / Now & 4Eva (CD single). Ayumi Hamasaki. Tokyo, Japan: Avex Trax. p. 1–2. YYYY-00124.
  37. ↑ "6/30～7/6 CDアルバム 週間ランキング-ORICON STYLE ランキング" (in Japanese). Oricon Style. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
  38. ↑ "6/07～7/13 CDアルバム 週間ランキング-ORICON STYLE ランキング" (in Japanese). Oricon Style. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
  39. ↑ "Ayumi Hamasaki album sales ranking" 浜崎あゆみ売上ランキング シングル売上ランキング. Oricon. August 20, 2015.
  40. ↑ "Colours – Ayumi Hamasaki – Oricon Style" (in Japanese). Oricon Style. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  41. ↑ 浜崎あゆみ、松任谷由実と並び歴代1位に「アルバムトップ10獲得数」記録で. Yahoo Japan News (in Japanese). Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  42. 1 2 "2014년 31주차 Album Chart 종합". Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). Korea Music Content Industry Association. Archived from the original on August 21, 2014. Retrieved August 16, 2014.
  43. 1 2 "2014년 31주차 Album Chart 국외". Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). Korea Music Content Industry Association. Archived from the original on August 21, 2014. Retrieved August 16, 2014.
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