Review: Miyavi - New Gravity
If you have been reading my blog for a while, you may already know this, but I am a bit of a Miyavi fan. And if you are a Miyavi fan, you know he had an incredible 2020, arguably his best year since 2013. Bang was the second song ever reviewed on this site (and easily one of the best reviews in the first few months of this blog), and I listed it as my second favorite song of 2020, only surpassed by Higedan's incredible ballad Laughter. Bang was also the first song I felt as 10/10-worthy on first listen since 2014, and that is a long time. Bang basically made this blog, but the rest of Miyavi's 2020 was no slouch, with his fantastic Holy Nights album ending up on my end-of-year-list, and Miyavi himself being my top artist of 2020.
If it is not clear, Miyavi is clearly a major musical influence of mine. Thus, his upcoming album in September is one I am extremely hyped for. Thus, it would be an understatement that I was extremely hyped for his pre-release New Gravity. However, these high expectations can often harm otherwise incredible songs. Had I never heard of Miyavi before, I think New Gravity would be a favorite of mine for the end-of-month-list. However, as a Miyavi song, I felt a little confused upon first hearing it. That said, it is now fantastic.
Indeed, don't enter New Gravity expecting a new Why You So Afraid to be Cool, Ahead of the Light, Horizon, or Bang. That said, each listen has made New Gravity better. The song captures the high-octane electronic slap guitar rock skills that made Holy Nights fantastic.
Once again, strong percussion makes a Miyavi song. The stunning drum beats create a sense of unadulterated high-octane adrenaline. However, it is the Miyavi rock solos that make the track into itself. Minus the occasionally goofy post-chorus rock pieces, the instrumentation in this song is pure gold.
I have not got into all the variations the song utilizes later throughout the song. From choir-like synths to EDM scratches, everything is fantastic. Of course, no Miyavi song is complete without a world-ending electric guitar riff that defines the year. If this was any other artist, I'd call this a career-defining moment. But for Miyavi, this is just the expected norm.
Of course, Miyavi's vocal performance adds some needed grit to ground the track's ambition. His drawn-out hooks in the chorus provide a base to build on, and he does not do anything really wrong through the song's runtime, though he has many better performances.
How does a song like New Gravity manage to be both disappointing and incredible? That is the fascinating mix Miyavi brings to the field. Indeed, New Gravity deserves your listen, and at the same time, it stands as an amazing piece, while being disappointing. Oh, and that end-guitar riff is epic.
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