Double Review: Ryuji Imaichi - Future Lovers and Highway to the Moon
Hello everyone, it has been a while! Sorry for the unannounced break, but I kind of needed it, both busy and exhausted. That said, I am glad to be back, and Future Lovers and Highway to the Moon both are really the perfect songs for the return, and some of the best this month. Exile Tribe as a whole has been having a crazy great year. Fantastics have just jumped from peak to peak, Generations and Rampage have released some great singles, and I still love EXILE's Paradox. Ryuji Imaichi now joins this long list of quality now.
Future Lovers
Future Lovers really is not even trying to hide the fact that it is inspired by The Weeknd's mega-hit The Blinding Lights. In fact, I'd argue it is a like-for-like sequel to the song. The biggest difference here is that the synths here are a lot more squishy, blending together. On the other hand, Ryuji's voice has a distinct timbre, with a sharper, icy edge compared to The Weeknd's more smooth voice. These two perfectly blend together to create the sought, futuristic atmosphere.
Lyrically, Future Lovers is about a broken and distant relation, despite them needing one and another. The analogy used for this is love with an android, which is supported by the MV, and the futuristic synths.
Easily the centerpiece of Future Lovers is the chorus. Opening with a call-and-response, before Ryuji gets a single line between phrases. These lines are a great place for Ryuji to sing some interesting harmonic melodies. Overall, this is one of the best songs this month and a true beacon of quality in a sleepy month.
Rating: 9/10
Highway to the Moon
Highway to the Moon, on the other hand, is quite different from Future Lovers. It has a retro 80s groove, with City Pop elements galore. I have noticed that City Pop never really took off for male artists, but at least we have one here right now.
One thing Highway to the Moon does which you don't see in traditional City Pop, is that it is drowned in strings. The strings are nice and strong but don't really do too much essential to the tone.
If there is one thing Highway to the Moon nails, it is the chill vibe. Very few other songs from this month are this calming. The chorus sounds like a car drive, which is clearly intended, from the lyrics. Even if it does not live up to Future Lovers, it is pretty strong.
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