Ken Hirai - Bye My Melody

Ken Hirai’s career has been going strong for over 10 years and he has impressed the world with his unique sound and soulful hits. His current sound is a mixture of various genres such as 70s funk, contemporary R&B, Jazz and hip hop. This new single maintains his usual style and sounds just as fun as anything he’s ever released.

01- Bye My Melody
This one feels like it’s straight out of the 70’s. It’s pure disco/funk, pups. A nice tune for a grim day, simply because it exudes positivity. You also get some funk-a-licious guitar throughout, which is always a great “plus”. Watch out for the solo, it’s sure to give you goose bumps.

Yes, this song is a definite “two thumbs up!” Now… where did I put my leisure suit? I want to DDR!

02- Hug
Ah, the pop ballad. Can’t have a pop album without a love song! That’s a cardinal rule! This one has all the hooks necessary to make it a winner: the acoustic guitar, the finger “snaps” and the background “ooooooooohs”. It sounds almost like Boyz II Men around 3:10, which is when the “oooooohs” turn into full-fledged boy-band-sounding background vocals.

A nice relaxing song that doesn’t break any boundaries, but gives the genre a good name.

03- Bye My Melody INSTRUMENTAL
Cool for collectors, but pointless otherwise. Filler. A remix of another track would’ve been better.

This single is a must-purchase for Hirai fans, simply because it manages to make you feel like a million bucks. The title track is fun, simple and catchy; characteristics that pop songs must have. Sometimes these three basic things are omitted in pop releases and said releases suffer because there is no hook for the listener to grab onto. Luckily, Ken has no need to worry as the song will sell itself. The ballad is typical stuff, but gets by simply because the song knows it’s limits and doesn’t go overboard like other pop ballads that like to pump out lots of cheese.

Stay wild, pups!

OVERALL RATING: 7.5/10 for being a solid pop release. Nothing groundbreaking but still manages to make you feel good about your purchase. Loses some points because the third track is filler, which leaves the listener with only two tracks. An extra remix or an exclusive track would’ve spared those points.