Review: Hikaru Utada - One Last Kiss
J-Pop has had a really, really sleepy month. Daichi Mirua gave us a good song, and Kat-Tun had a great comeback too (which I really need to review). Enter J-Pop legend Hikaru Utada.
One Last Kiss does not feel like a monumental release by a legend. Instead, it feels like a perfect song to dance to in your home while looking out at the rain. It has a sort of DIY feel increased by the MV.
Anyway, the song stays in eternal growth. The song starts out as a whisper, driven by a bobbing synth beat and Hikaru's voice. These two seem out-of-sync at first. Thankfully, it is clear by the first chorus the song will build.
Surprisingly, the song packs no surprises. There is no one moment where the song will suddenly jump up in tempo or momentum. Instead, it works on slowly building, and hear is its strength.
While I often complain that synths don't pack the emotional punch that real instruments have, One Last Kiss is an exception. The synth line beat grows tense as if behind the apparent calmness, turbulence from loss of love hides right behind.
Let me also praise the lyrics. Heartbreak is a common emotion for songs but rarely has it felt personal like this. Utada's delivery works great here, with it feeling like a river in the rain.
One Last Kiss makes no sense if listens to in bits and pieces, but stands strong when heard in whole. It is a puzzle piece of art best appreciated as whole.
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