Following her successful mini-album
The Soul Extreme EP which was released in May 2011, pop and R&B artist
Fukuhara Miho gives us a bit more soul in
The Soul Extreme EP II, released October 12th.
As with the predecessor to this album, things start off with a bang provided by the explosive
Get Up!. This is another of
Miho's collaborative offerings, this time with legendary singer
AKIKO WADA. Borrowing some 70's funk and mixing it with modern R&B beats, it merges past and present for a classy and catchy result. The deep, strong vocals from
AKIKO WADA partner
Miho's soulful voice perfectly, and she throws in some gutsy "heys" to remind you who's boss. Full of jazzy trumpets, infectious funk bass and dynamic ad libbing from both artists, it's bursting with attitude. Check out the
music video to see
AKIKO WADA owning the club.
The funk tour continues in
Bad Thing, a slightly less feisty track but still one full of fire.
Miho's powerful voice is given the scope to run wild and free here. It has more of a jazz swing that suits her style - she doesn't usually cover a large vocal range, but makes the most of what she does with numerous trills and frills without going overboard.
Better Than Love is an English self-cover of her song
STARLIGHT, which was featured on
The Soul Extreme EP. The bass in this version is ramped up to the max and
Miho has altered her vocals so that they are deeper and more open, making it sound somewhat rougher and less moving than the original. The tempo has also slowed to make it more of a soulful ballad. As always,
Miho's English is impeccable, allowing the song to stand by itself rather than being just another English translation filler song.
A couple of covers have been included on the album as per the previous EP. The first is a very decent redo of
Maroon 5's relaxed single
Sunday Morning. It has been given more of a funk twist and is quite percussion heavy, making it a very groovy affair. The vocal harmonies are clean yet rich, providing the broad layers of sound that the original has but with a softer, more feminine touch. The second cover is of the
KUWATA BAND classic
One Day. Like with her cover of
Stevie Wonder's
Lately on the first EP,
Miho has decided to keep her version of the sorrowful ballad toned down with just piano and guitar backing. In this piece she shows how she isn't just a vocal powerhouse by delivering the soft notes with great delicacy. It is interesting that she has, in both this and the last EP, chosen to cover only songs that were originally performed by men. With her flexibility and good music sense she makes the song her own in every way, despite leaving the male perspective lyrics unchanged.
The Soul Extreme EP II is a colourful insight into
Fukuhara Miho's trademark sound, consisting of the type of music she loves and performs well. It's a short but accomplished work and is a good in-between listen for those eagerly awaiting her next full length album.
