Review: Ayumi Hamasaki, A BEST

                With only three albums under her belt at the time, Ayumi Hamasaki’s record company decided to cash in on her success with a best of compilation. Surprisingly, it works well. It works very well. Pulling tacks from A song for xx, LOVEppears and Duty, A BEST presents a snapshot of Hamasaki’s early career showcasing her remarkable ability to adapt to various musical styles and her admirable lyrical honesty.

                A BEST borrows most of its content from her widely successful sophomore album LOVEppears with seven of its sixteen tracks appearing from that record. Interestingly enough, these songs vary greatly in genre. The piano ballads “LOVE ~Destiny~” and “TO BE” are fairly standard. They are restrained in their simplicity and are perhaps a little too predictable. Where LOVEppears’ material shines is not in its ballads but in its up-tempo songs present here. The rock-infused dance hit “Boys & Girls” is arguably one of Hamasaki’s most infectious records and is perhaps one of her most well-known songs with its bouncing rhythm and Hamasaki’s poppy vocal execution. “Trauma” and “Fly high” take a similar approach but are more synthesized in their delivery. “Trauma” follows “Boys & Girls” closest in its formula and construction which works both for and against it. It is catchy and lively. “Fly high” goes a step further and stands out as the most energetic track on the compilation with its light rapping by Hamasaki and its jumping beat. Where Hamasaki flexes her muscles, however, is on the material from Duty. She experiments with Asiatic sounds on “vogue,” mixes rock with electronica on “Far away,” and renders one of her most well-remembered ballads with “SEASONS” yet it is “SURREAL” that remains strongest of the tracks from the Duty-era. “SURREAL” is a multi-genre song taking elements from pop, rock and electronica, ultimately serving as a precursor to the material found on her fourth studio album I am…. Hamasaki also provides a special treat in the form of the re-recorded tracks from A song for xx – “A song for xx,” “Trust,” and “Depend on You.” She eschews the original recordings in favour of newly mixed versions that serve to illustrate her growth as a musician and vocalist. They are marked improvements over the originals as her vocals are more polished and emotive.

                It is important to remember that A BEST is not a greatest hits but rather a best of, providing a cross-section of Hamasaki’s early work. It is not all-encompassing and there are quite a few omissions – the most glaring being the crowd-pleaser “AUDIENCE” from Duty. Additionally, it includes the then-new song “M” which seems slightly out of place as it is the sole track from the I am… era. Nevertheless, A BEST is a brilliant collection and is an excellent primer for those interested in being introduced to Ayumi Hamasaki or J-pop in general.

Recommended Listening: “A song for xx,” “Boys & Girls,” “Trauma,” “Fly high,” "vogue," “SURREAL,” “Who…”

Grade: A