Miyavi is known to all visual-kei fans as an icon of the genre, having been a member of well-known groups, as well as a solo-artist. He has made his reputation as the ‘guitar samurai’, with his crazy techniques (and equally crazy attitude) demonstrated in most, if not all, of his music. He may have toned down the VK elements in recent releases, particularly as he is more influenced by Western music, but hopefully his latest eleven-track, self-titled album (released on June 19th) won’t disappoint.
The beat of the drum brings in the first track, ‘Justice’, changing into an electronic beat as the bass and guitar join. Miyavi’s vocal is calm and understated, slowly building in harmonies, until a first chorus comes in. However, the track quickly grows in volume and impact with some impressive guitar in the solo moments and constant tension keeping the listener on the edge of their seat. It may lack the big climax of some of his other songs, but as an opener, Justice is ideal, and it leaves us begging for more.
And that makes ‘Horizon’ a perfect second track. From another relaxed opening, there are frequent breakdowns that allow a real focus on Miyavi’s voice, but this track contrasts the last with a much more exciting and energetic beat, finally giving the listener the excuse to get up and move with a ridiculously addictive chorus. The melody is fairly mainstream and somewhat predictable, but the instrumentals, which are divided between funky electric guitar and pumping synthesisers, save it from being dull. In fact, Horizon has something of a summer anthem feel to it, and I have no doubt it will continue to be popular after being released as a single not too long ago.
‘Chase It’ opens with electric guitar and a slightly unsettling low voice telling us “there’s no way out”, but lapses into another catchy rhythm accented by Miyavi’s guitar skills. The song builds from the verse into the bridge, with a consistent beat and a perfect synthesis between digital and non-digital instruments. A breakdown in the middle gives way to a polished solo before the bass and voice return for more. As ever, Miyavi’s English is practically flawless, and the simple lyrics make it memorable- perhaps a little too much so! Like many of the tracks on this album, Chase It will get stuck in your head, and it won’t go away.
Track four is called ‘Secret’, and yet again meets listeners with a strong beat. The guitar and drums seem to be in conversation with each other, while the sleek harmonies complement Miyavi’s flirtatious lead vocal. The instrumentals are simple but spot-on, and yet another irresistible chorus provides the high point. That said, the lyrics are far from being ‘secretive’- just a warning for younger listeners!
More funky, gently-paced guitar introduces ‘Cry Like This’, and an equally chilled drum part beats away underneath. The verses are bursting with his usual motivational words, and the chorus is just as positive, with a straight-forward tune. The only issue with such a relaxed atmosphere is that this track could easily be overlooked. Even the decent instrumental isn’t quite enough to bring Cry Like This up to the level of tracks like Horizon.
‘Guard You’ opens with a similarly slow rhythm, but with more of a Spanish-guitar sound. Charming this song may be, but it has such sparse instrumentation that without the pace of Miyavi’s earlier work the song overall lacks impact- and this is a shame, as the lyrics are very touching.
However, from the opening notes on the bass, and gradually increasing electronic beat, any fan will know what to expect from ‘No One Knows My Name (Slap It)’. The ‘slap it’ refers to the guitar part, which displays Miyavi’s characteristic playing style. Twisting around complex patterns and going from acoustic to electric sounds, this is one of the stand-out accompaniments for the album. The only criticism I could make is the slightly jarring effect of the heavy repetition. Luckily, the sections that are being repeated are likeable enough that this remains a strong track.
‘Hell No’ is the eighth track, and Miyavi is right back on form with an upbeat track full of close harmonies and unison backing vocals, pounding dance and rock style rhythms and of course fantastic guitar. Multiple guitars hit us from all sides, and exotic drums and sound effects give this song a typical Miyavi-style. It’s a shame that it barely breaks the two minute mark, but Hell No has all of the attitude it could need to pick the album back up- the instrumental is the peak, preparing us for the energetic final tracks to follow.
‘Ahead Of The Light’ is another track previously released as a single, and fits unsurprisingly well within the track list. There is much heavier emphasis on the electronic elements, with the bass line led by synths and the bridge sounding like typical club music, but the guitar samurai refuses to be outdone, strumming and slapping away throughout the entire track. Following the middle eight, the quiet chorus is a shock, and leads perfectly into the final, fist-pumping explosion of sound, with a great solo to finish off.
Second to last, we have ‘Day 1 (Album Version)’. Having been a huge fan of the original, I was looking forward to hearing what Miyavi had done to alter the song. The changes are immediately noticeable- the introduction blends elements from the original introduction, verse and even chorus, in a space-age, atmospheric mixture of sounds, before the iconic main riff begins. The verses reverberate increasingly, and the bass feels stronger. I was pleased to hear that the addictive chorus was almost unchanged. In fact, most of the main elements of the track are only moderately affected by the remix, keeping all of the best bits intact.
Miyavi’s album draws to a close with ‘Free World’, another electo-influenced track that sees this release out with high-paced exuberance. The chorus is possibly the best on the album, making it the perfect final show of his expert song writing. The verses are cheerful, with a clash between slow guitar chords and a faster guitar riff that continues underneath throughout most of the three minutes and fourteen seconds of happy-go-lucky music. A final guitar riff sees Free World out.
Once again, Miyavi has proven his talent both for writing and recording. MIYAVI is possibly the most laid-back album he has released so far, with some unusually slow songs. However, his experience shows both in his polished performance and well-organised track list. It may not be the best album for first time listeners, but for die-hard fans it is yet another success for one of the leaders of the visual-kei scene.
Words by Lauren du Plessis
