Buy @ HMV Japan | Buy @ CDJapan
Buy Limited Edition @ Official Site
It’s been almost a year since we heard anything from Mr Jones (although he has been remixing some of the biggest tracks this year too as well as recording this little offering) but now his latest album, UPGRADE 1.0 is available.
Opening with a new version of Down In Tokyo (with the aptly tag Upgrade Version) originally featuring on his album Finally Free. Moving on from this is the collaboration with Japanese singer May J and Curtis Young in the form of Who.Am.I?. Next is a track that we can only describe as having a rebellious hint about being yourself (Sexy People). Slowing the tempo (but not the sound) is the beautiful Ready To Be Loved before upping the tempo again with Boys And Girls
Another beautiful track is The City Of Angels that has a bit of an 80s feel to it, yet still feels relevant today.DizKonnekt 〜Touchscreen Segue〜 serves it’s purpose providing a nice joining point between the last track and the next, Touchscreen. Invincible is another collaboration with another Japanese artist (SHUN) but whereas Who.Am.I? was sung completely in English, this track does feature a mix of English and Japanese, with a chorus not to unfamiliar (think Britney Spears Til The World Ends).
Another track with a familiar sound (depending on what circles you used to travel in) is Let Me Be With You which again is a track that if unleashed on the radio today, wouldn’t sound so out of place. Tokkata sees Bentley sample Bach’s classical piece Toccata in what we believe is a first for him and for the most, sees the lyrics built around the sound of the piece. Another joining interlude follows this (Emersion 〜Intermezzo〜) before we have 理由〜Give Me A Reason〜. To finish the album off we have two happier tracks the first being Joyful ~Upgrade Wynter Ver.~ (the original version appeared on his Entourage EP) and finally Just For You.
Bentley himself describes these tracks as chapters of his recent life and we think that it does manage to convey that without being too in your face about it. Yes the tracks will mean something to him but at the same time, there is space to allow the listener to make their own decisions about the tracks. Great to have Bentley back. A definite buy for any fan!
Rating: 4/5
No comments:
Post a Comment