SQUARE THE CIRCLE is Mami Kawada's 4th full length studio album released this August 8, 2012 under Geneon Entertainment. The album contains her previous singles No buts!, See visionS, and Serment.
As the long-awaited successor to her quite disappointing album LINKAGE, SQUARE THE CIRCLE has to do good. Actually, such is expected now that Mami is the main I've utahime. So, how did it fare?
Tracklist:
1. SQUARE THE CIRCLE
2. No buts!
3. my buddy
4. Don't stop me now!
5. Clap!Clap!Clap!
6. Usual...
7. See visionS
8. live a lie
9. Midnight trip // memories of childhood
10. Rasen kaidan
11. F
12. Going back to square one
13. Serment
1. SQUARE THE CIRCLE
Lyrics: Mami Kawada
Composition and Arrangement: Kazuya Takase
We start off the album with the titular track, this time, eh? SQUARE THE CIRCLE shows us once again the dark trance style all I've Sound fans came to love from the group at their early career. It was indeed reminiscent of such early works as FUCK ME or Lament, perhaps.
Seeing Takase on both composition and arrangement may ward off any initial interest on the song, however, fortunately, by some magical means, the I've King seemed to have time warped back onto the 2000's and pulled of some more creativity unapparent on his previous works with Mami Kawada.
The lengthy intro was great, catchy, and gave enough time to establish this dark, heavy aura. Then Mami's soft and whispery voice kicks in with a mysterious tone, and it suits the mood of the song perfectly and elegantly, almost eargasmic. The chorus, thank goodness, is climactic enough and Mami's voice stands out even moreso.
Some parts of the song were great, some caused a bit of downfall. The refrain showcased a lot more Mamibrato than we're used to that it's not so comfortably listenable. Some parts here and there sounded as if Mami's voice was strained. On a brighter note, the vocals does not sound overly filtered unlike the tracks from her previous album LINKAGE. It was as raw-sounding as possible.
On the whole, SQUARE THE CIRCLE is a pleasant treat to I've Sound fans. Very trance-y, very techno, very nostalgic. It was a unique and captivating way to start off the album.
2. No buts! (Single Review)
And we go on full hyper mode with No buts!. It was great as part of a single. And now, as part of the album, the No buts! magic still shines through. It fits this techno/trance album perfectly and it gives a nice, energetic punch after the slower, more soothing titular track. After about two years, the hype and kick still lives on and does wonders on the album.
3. my buddy
Lyrics: Mami Kawada
Composition: Tomoyuki Nakazawa
Arrangement: Tomoyuki Nakazawa, Takeshi Ozaki
We went low and steady with SQUARE THE CIRCLE and hyper actively high with No buts!. The album then offers us with an upbeat techno pop song which takes us midway between the two. Still trance-y but minus the grit and the rough edge. Another clean work from NakaZaki.
The song is perfect. The length's just fine, the instrumentals are not overpowering, not too loud but not too bland either so as not to keep the listener's attention. Mami's vocals are deep and lower than how it usually is, which gives us a nice change of pace.
The melody is nice and hooking, the instrumentals and the vocals blend well in perfect harmony, and the chorus is full of energy in its own way. my buddy proved yet again how a NakaZaki and Mami Kawada song could almost always never go wrong.
4. Don't stop me now!
Lyrics: Mami Kawada
Composition and Arrangement: Maiko Iuchi
The techno ride never ends there. Four songs into the album and we're given a dance tune. Maiko's signature gritty guitar riffs and messy arrangement worked its wonders. The abrupt stop and go rhythm breaks were one of a kind, unique, innovative, and managed to make its way onto one of the song's defining moments.
The only downside to the song was the weaker chorus, but the rest of the song makes up for it. Electro-poppish in style, Don't stop me now! shows yet another side of Mami we've rarely or have never seen before. The vocals fit the song and, in general, it managed to give the listeners both memorable verses and harmonies. Thumbs up!
5. Clap!Clap!Clap!
Lyrics: Mami Kawada
Composition: Takeshi Ozaki
Arrangement: Takeshi Ozaki, Tomoyuki Nakazawa
The song dubbed as the summer song. Indeed, Clap!Clap!Clap! gives off a summery and cheerful vibe, away from the darker aura the first part of the album exudes. The arrangement is a bit more laid back, making the song very listenable.
The song is all right, not too bad yet not a stand out either. Nothing wrong with the vocals, but as a whole, the song tends to be monotonal, bland, and there may be moments when it just seems to drag on and on and on. A mediocre song that can get the listener easily bored of with. In the long run, Clap!Clap!Clap! will only be forgotten and masked by most songs Mami Kawada came up with in the past.
6. Usual...
Composition and Arrangement: Tomoyuki Nakazawa, Takeshi Ozaki, Mami Kawada
Oh, an instrumental-only track halfway through the album. And we have Mami Kawada herself with NakaZaki on both composition and arrangement! Interesting? Yes? Of course, yes. Now listen to it and see that interest die down fast.
Usual... is, by far, the worst among the instrumental tracks on Mami's previous albums basically because it features the same tune, the same melody all throughout the track which is considerably as long as a vocal song. With no lyrics to help make it memorable, the track tends to be really forgetful. It may have the ethereal humming voice of Mami Kawada near the end, but it's nowhere near a tool to save the track itself, unlike that of SEED's roots.
It's not utterly horrendous. It's just that it isn't as catchy and well-made as her other instrumental tracks are. For her first try or let's say her second (counting CARPE DIEM as her first), Usual... is not so bad.
7. See visionS (Single Review)
And we enter the latter half of the album with See visionS. We all know this song is great, right? RIGHT? It's moderately energetic and relaxing at the same time. Guitar riffs here, violin tunes there, drum beats here and there. There is so much going on in the song but surprisingly, it never goes out of control. Easily one of the best songs by Maiko Iuchi. It also serves to be a perfect repose from all the ups and downs on the first half of the album. But don't take a rest just yet. There's still more to come.
8. live a lie
Lyrics: Mami Kawada
Composition and Arrangement: C.G mix
Haunting chants and synths open up live a lie and we're back to the dark progressive trance style once again. Something a little bit different for a C.G mix song but like Clap!Clap!Clap!, it also suffers from a monotonal, anticlimactic feel that just seems to drag on for eternity. Not too bad but the tune is extremely repetitive that it hardly keeps the listener's attention. Plus, it's the longest track on the album. A recipe for disaster.
The song could use some adjustments. Perhaps more energy, punch, or a defining moment. But there was none. live a lie was a disappointment, as expected of a C.G mix song. Boring, forgetful, mediocre. At the very least, the song can be remembered for its mysterious feel.
9. Midnight trip // memories of childhood
Lyrics: Mami Kawada
Composition and Arrangement: Kazuya Takase
Oh goodness, a Takase song right after a bland C.G mix song? If it is as good as SQUARE THE CIRCLE, then, why not? But no. By all means, no.
It's all over the place, the melody sounds so cluttered. However, we have to commend Takase for, once again, dumping over his signature and making a climactic chorus. The chorus have all the good things, if any, on the song: the intensity, the harmony. The rest of the verses just sound so underplayed.
The way it is, it seems Takase gave it all he's got for the titular track, leaving so little a creativity and originality for this song.
10. Rasen kaidan
Lyrics: Mami Kawada
Composition and Arrangement: Maiko Iuchi
So, are we bound for more disaster? Fortunately not. Rasen kaidan offers a change of pace, a breath of fresh air. A very light song analogous to Mami's eroge themes. The atmosphere and the mood of the song are refreshing, breezy, happy, and smoothly flowing.
The vocals and the instrumentals blend well and are both so light. It may sound too cheesy or pop-ish, but the whole package turned out a lot better than expected. Finally, a song on the album with more heart into it.
11. F
Lyrics: Mami Kawada
Composition and Arrangement: Tomoyuki Nakazawa, Takeshi Ozaki, Maiko Iuchi
The album keeps up the momentum with F. The first and only ballad on the album! To put out the negatives first, the song is overly accentuated probably because of the involvement of three producers, and that it could stand alone and do better even without some of the techno-electronic influences.
Beyond this, F is a solid ballad reminiscent of Mami Kawada's early works in her SEED era. It is apparent that her vocal quality is showcased at its best when singing a ballad. The vocals was indeed emotional, heartfelt, and tear-jerking. Once again, she gets the message and the feelings across with such a wonderful voice. It has been tried and tested through the years how well a Mami ballad can fare, and F is yet another proof of that.
12. Going back to square one
Lyrics: Mami Kawada
Composition: Takeshi Ozaki
Arrangement: Takeshi Ozaki, Tomoyuki Nakazawa
And we go full circle with Going back to square one, the full-pledged rock song on the album. With blazing guitar riffs and drums, an intensely hooking intro, and powerful vocals, the song shows us once again the rock diva within Mami Kawada that we all came to love.
What sets the song apart from her other rock songs was the alternating, wavy rhythm throughout the song. The ironically fast melody prior to a slower chorus gives the song a unique touch, a rough attitude. Clearly a stand out track.
13. Serment (Single Review)
We're down to the final track on the album, and Serment proves to be very much fitting for the job. The toned down instrumentals and the emotional feel served as a perfect cool-down from all the lows and hype along the way. A great song for such a perfect end, Serment seems to give that satisfying feeling at the end of a journey well-trodden.
As a whole package, SQUARE THE CIRCLE album is a consistent, if not the most consistent, I've-produced album. The feel and sound of the tracks are coherent, the flow is great and spontaneous, and not a single song seems out of place.
The stand out tracks (except those released in singles) are SQUARE THE CIRCLE, my buddy, Rasen kaidan, and Going back to square one. On the contrary, the worst tracks are live a lie and Midnight trip // memories of childhood.
Though there are a couple of mistakes here and there, it is probably inevitable for an album to have its hits and misses. The I've Sound producers deserve to be duly commended for their hard work on this album, for the couple of risks, innovations, and creativity, which all paid off in the end. The most notable character of the album is the perfect mix of rock, trance, techno, and pop elements on basically all the tracks.
SQUARE THE CIRCLE is a great album from the ever evolving Mami Kawada. It is easily better than LINKAGE but still not as good as SAVIA or even SEED. She showed us her balladeer side on SEED, her rock side on SAVIA, her contemporary and progressive music style on LINKAGE, and finally, her techno/trance side on this album. Through the years, Mami Kawada has been trying her best to not stick to just one genre, she has been constantly improving her vocal prowess, and her growth as an artist ever since has been tremendous and apparent. Just shows how worthwhile a journey it has been for her and for the fans following her career.
The album debuted at #10 on the Oricon dailies and #22 on the weeklies, with 4, 784 copies sold on its first week. Not bad for an I've release, and actually better than how LINKAGE did back then.
Personally, me liking F and Rasen kaidan more than I have expected, seems to show how much I miss her SEED era, the time when her songs have been nothing but of pure heart and emotions, when her songs have been light and soothing. It's not that her more energetic and loud and trance songs are more inferior, it's just that it is nice to see Mami Kawada and I've coming up with such an album as SEED once again in the future.
What's still in store for us fans is, of course, uncertain. Mami Kawada's releases have been generally pleasing and satisfying. She does rarely release anything within a year but then again, she also rarely disappoints. With 7 years in the anison industry, the Mami Kawada magic and spark is far from diminishing. We can only hope for the best for her career.
As a whole package, SQUARE THE CIRCLE album is a consistent, if not the most consistent, I've-produced album. The feel and sound of the tracks are coherent, the flow is great and spontaneous, and not a single song seems out of place.
The stand out tracks (except those released in singles) are SQUARE THE CIRCLE, my buddy, Rasen kaidan, and Going back to square one. On the contrary, the worst tracks are live a lie and Midnight trip // memories of childhood.
Though there are a couple of mistakes here and there, it is probably inevitable for an album to have its hits and misses. The I've Sound producers deserve to be duly commended for their hard work on this album, for the couple of risks, innovations, and creativity, which all paid off in the end. The most notable character of the album is the perfect mix of rock, trance, techno, and pop elements on basically all the tracks.
SQUARE THE CIRCLE is a great album from the ever evolving Mami Kawada. It is easily better than LINKAGE but still not as good as SAVIA or even SEED. She showed us her balladeer side on SEED, her rock side on SAVIA, her contemporary and progressive music style on LINKAGE, and finally, her techno/trance side on this album. Through the years, Mami Kawada has been trying her best to not stick to just one genre, she has been constantly improving her vocal prowess, and her growth as an artist ever since has been tremendous and apparent. Just shows how worthwhile a journey it has been for her and for the fans following her career.
The album debuted at #10 on the Oricon dailies and #22 on the weeklies, with 4, 784 copies sold on its first week. Not bad for an I've release, and actually better than how LINKAGE did back then.
Personally, me liking F and Rasen kaidan more than I have expected, seems to show how much I miss her SEED era, the time when her songs have been nothing but of pure heart and emotions, when her songs have been light and soothing. It's not that her more energetic and loud and trance songs are more inferior, it's just that it is nice to see Mami Kawada and I've coming up with such an album as SEED once again in the future.
What's still in store for us fans is, of course, uncertain. Mami Kawada's releases have been generally pleasing and satisfying. She does rarely release anything within a year but then again, she also rarely disappoints. With 7 years in the anison industry, the Mami Kawada magic and spark is far from diminishing. We can only hope for the best for her career.
Ah, here the awaited album review is! Thank you for taking the time to do it. I really enjoyed reading your thoughts on the album (I always enjoy seeing opinions on music I like), even though I may not agree about everything.
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts on the individual songs are pretty similar, but I'd say I like Clap!Clap!Clap! and Usual... way more. I really love Clap!x3's melody and how the bright instrumental contrasts with Mami's vocals to give the song a slightly bittersweet yet sunny and warm air. I also enjoy having a nice song with a slightly slower tempo after the upbeat start of the album and I think Clap!x3 is integral to the album's flow - just like Usual... . I do agree that Usual... doesn't live up to Mami's previous instrumental tracks, but I still find it interesting to listen to and enjoyable to sit through. It's also a nice breather before the second half of the album and nicely shows some off the album's key elements. However, I can definitely see why other people wouldn't like these tracks as much - they can both really feel like they drag on.
However, my thoughts about the album as a whole - or rather, in comparision to the rest of her discography - are completely different. I find SQUARE THE CIRCLE easily Mami's strongest album precisely for the reasons you also stated: consistent sound and production, perfect flow, a good number of stand-out tracks and a small number of bad songs. But unlike you, I think SEED is clearly her weakest album - perhaps I just don't like her "balladeer side" as much. :P But care to elaborate on why you think so highly of SEED? It might help other people see the album in a new, better light!
That said, I also don't quite get everyone's huge blooming love for SAVIA. Sure, it's a nice album with many good songs and even has the best song of Mami's career (portamento) but personally, I find it kind of dull compared to SQUARE THE CIRCLE and even LINKAGE. But to each their own! Good for SAVIA that it gets all the love it gets.
Also, wonder when Mami will finally release an album that doesn't have an all-caps title. :P
Why I think so highly of SEED? That's a nice question. :D And sorry if I have not elaborated why in the blog post. I guess I should just say it here.
DeleteHmm, first of all, it's the highest ranking and best selling album from Mami, based on her Oricon profile. But aside from that, the tracks from SEED are among the best ballads or midtempo songs she's done by far. Not to mention that the singles included in the album (radiance and Hishoku no Sora) are equally perfectly brilliant.
The primary reason though why I love SEED is because all the tracks sound better and better at each listen, the type of songs that grow on you in the long run, a trait that is not so much but still apparent on SQUARE THE CIRCLE. I really value these types of songs because I listen to Mami a LOT. So much that some songs I get bored with and some not so much. And with SEED, I've came to love the tracks through time.
Mami's vocal prowess is also shown at its best on SEED. The weakest track is not as weak as those from her other albums yet the strongest track may not be stronger than those on such albums. However, all the songs on SEED are almost equally great.
Also, my love for SEED is probably because of my growing bias for ballads and midtempo songs recently. I can listen to them anytime, at any mood. Maybe I just like to show that ballads can still steal the show and be on the spotlight, not just the faster ones all the time.
I know I'm probably one of the few, if any, who think Mami's SEED is not her weakest album but I hope that justifies the argument enough. XD
Anyway, I think most people's love for SAVIA is mainly because of JOINT, her notable Shana stuff, and the other rock songs in it. I guess I do understand why most would say that it's the best Mami album. XD
And, OMG, thank you so much for reading this very lengthy post and for your lengthy comment as well. I, too, enjoy reading reviews of music I like. :D