Review: UA - 11

Released: Oct 23, 1996

Buy it here More Buys

Artist: UA

Other songs you might enjoy: Spleen - ACO Kazoe Tarinai Yoru no Ashioto - UA Kuon - bird

Since her 1995 debut, Kaori Murakami, better know as UA, has secured her spot among Japan’s eclectic elite, creating albums that span a wide range of genres. In a market filled with idols and girl groups, UA has managed to stay afloat with her, powerful, earthy, voice and beats that range anywhere from jazz, reggae, trip hop, dub, and pop.

Her first full length major label release, 11, hit record shelves in October of 1996 and introduced the world to an artist whose creativity knows no bounds. Produced by Shinichi Osawa, the album covers everything from soulful grooves to UA’s signature style of trip hop, gripping fans with each wonderfully produced track behind UA’s powerful vocals.

The album starts of with Rizumu, (Rhythm) a deliciously laid back soul tinted track. The song is down tempo in nature and doesn’t boast the more colorful styles UA is known for, which may be a good thing for those who want to try her out. This amazing track features an outstanding array of horns, 70’s guitar riffs, bass lines and drums which cushion UA’s soft vocals and the vocal styling of her background singers.

Another excellent track, Zerii, (Jelly) was my first UA song. The trip hop influenced track boasts a drum, trip hop keyboards, and a light baseline. UA’s vocals are once again soft and melodic, creating a laid back mood that is sure to get you hooked on the song. Her amazing ability to create moods with her voice is present on this track as well, leaving you with the feeling of being transported to a trippy, otherworldly, dimension.

Mizuiro (Light Blue) is decidedly different from the rest of the album. Though it carries the album’s laid back mood, it forgoes the trip hop sounds for a more traditionally themed song. The main melody comes from the shakuhachi, the tradition Japanese flute, and is backed by a soft piano, baseline, and drums. The light tones of the song and UA’s voice help this track fit in with the album nicely, again creating a relaxed mood that fans will enjoy.

Her fourth single, Jounestu, (Passion) is my favorite song on the CD and is the most vibrant and upbeat of the album’s 12 tracks. The song draws on the same soulful influences as Rizumu, but radiates in its own light. Exciting parts played by guitars, horns, a keyboard, a drum and a baseline combined with UA’s uplifting vocals are sure to get you dancing. The song also carries a decidedly live feel to it, making this the perfect song to brighten up a bad day. The background vocals add a nice depth to the song, creating an immensely enjoyable experience.

The album isn’t without its flaws however. Rock flavored songs such as Kurenai Hana (Deep Red Flower) kill the laid back mood with somewhat overbearing arrangements. UA sings the song beautifully, but it just doesn’t fit the overall tone set by earlier tracks on the album.

The King Wada Dub remix of Jounetsu is another issue for me. The remix features a reggae flavored baseline and is backed by a keyboard, drums and various sounds throughout the song. The song’s largest issue is the overall fit of the music against UA’s vocals. The music is mediocre at best and doesn’t seem to compliment UA well. At certain points it seems as the music is lost in her voice, leaving a sort of unnerving feeling. The background vocals, which added depth to the song, were taken away leaving an emptiness that the music fails to remedy, largely to the fact that is doesn’t play on UA’s vocals very well.

Overall this is a great CD. It shows off UA’s unique talent very well among the mainstream sounds of the Japanese music scene. UA has proven herself time and again, and her 11 album is no exception. I would recommend this album to anyone looking to branch out into something new.