Ami's third album under Avex is cheeky, fresh and sparkles with life.
The album cover of DOLCE already has Ami looking pretty, innocent and fresh. However, the cover could be misleading to the listener because Ami presents cheeky pop music that is spiced with rock and other musical styles.
Starting with the first song, FREE FREE, you meet this mix of styles and you fall in love with it quick. This mix remains, sometimes varying slightly, until the first ballad, Bitter.... This ballad captivates with its emotional piano chords and the strings within the refrain. Even when the tempo rises from slow to mid-tempo, the relaxed character remains. With the following SWEET DANCE, the tempo picks up a bit more. The song asserts itself quickly as a lighthearted, joyful pop anthem. Afterward, two absolutely lively party hits hit the deck: THe WeekeND and SUPER MUSIC MAKER. Both songs are amongst the longer tracks on the album at 6:27 and 5:03 respectively, but because of the strong electronic distortions to the vocals and the hot rhythm, they’re very entertaining.
It's a pity, then, that the following song MUSIC isn’t as well-rounded as its predecessors. Ami’s vocals doesn’t quite fit to the very fast beat; the melody itself is a bit old-fashioned when taken as a whole. The sugar-sweet, almost kitschy Stereo Love is a nice chaser though. The mid-tempo pop anthem with its full bass sound captivates through Ami’s changing pitches, and it is pretty entertaining as well. With the next two songs, you will recognize a collaboration in the vocals; in Ai no uta, YOU THE ROCK delivers the dynamic rap vocals while Ami is responsible for the harmonic parts. The song focuses on the theme of “Love & Peace.”
Similar, but not as well-rounded and somehow displaced, is Futari wa POP. It seems pretty childish, and the strong electronic distortion to the voice of Ami's partner is definitely a reason for this impression. If they hadn't chosen such vocal styling, the song would have been nicer because it tries to please with its lively beat and the slight Caribbean vibe. The last song is a mid-tempo ballad with strong country overtones, but the song creates a homely mood with its interplay of acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano and Ami’s pleasant voice.
Although the album is nice, many of the songs are similar to each other in style. However, DOLCE does feature a few gems, such as THe WeekeND and Potential Breakup Song. The album is, when you think of it in total, pretty entertaining and invites repeat listening. It is also a good recommendation to all those who have never heard anything from Suzuki Ami before.
