Hamasaki Ayumi - INSPIRE

author: Tessa

In July of 2004, Hamasaki Ayumi released the single INSPIRE. It was her second single to be released that year and the songs from the CD were also featured on her MY STORY album, which came out at the end of 2004. Next to the CD-only version, a CD+DVD version was also available. It came with the PVs of both songs.

The title track, INSPIRE, starts with an energetic beat, and the entire song has a bit of a battle or fight-like atmosphere to it. Ayumi's voice sounds a bit calm and soft at first, especially compared to the music, which has much more energy. During the chorus though, her voice picks up energy and flows perfectly with the music. The weaker points of this song are definitely the verses, but the chorus is catchy and will give you energy for the rest of the day. Once you hear the song a few times, you will mostly likely sing along to the chorus. There is a nice guitar solo towards the end, followed by Ayumi's powerful voice.

GAME starts slow and might seem like an intro for a ballad, but don't let the start fool you. The music picks up quickly and the track turns into a very danceable song. At certain parts Ayumi's voice is distorted, creating a nice effect. Again, it's a song with an energetic and catchy chorus. The music makes you want to move, and it's difficult to sit still. GAME is a good track for dancing in a club. With the guitar riffs, it also has a slightly rock feel to it.

The single also includes the instrumental versions of the previous tracks, though the background vocals can still be heard.

Fans of Hamasaki Ayumi will love this single. It contains two energetic and very dancable songs that seem to match great with Ayumi's voice. She follows the melody and hits the beats perfectly.