To those who said KOKIA should release a whole length album, and that she should leave aside these short releases, I must say them that they are wrong!

Ai no melody is a GREAT single, with a spectacular Chouwa version and a beautiful Ai no MELODY version for the film Agito.

Ai no melody has the beauty of KOKIA ballads. It is a long song, in the mood of Akai Carnation (Okasan live), with different stages within the song as well. You can appreciate an improvement in her vocal and compositional abilities (perhaps this is not so, as she always offers us nearly perfect lyrical tone, but I feel this way... (perhaps Time to say good bye was well sung but it was not so beautiful ballad and now her voice gets me deeper). Nevertheless, you cannot forget the childish feaures that sometimes KOKIA uses.The song links itself with the second track (Chouwa - with reflection-) with an interlude (rairaira...). It also reminds me to “a gift”, the last track for “trip trip” album; as we can see, this album is present all along her last single.

The single contains the OST version, which is different. It is not a simple one, but more elaborated indeed. It is a bit longer, more instrumental parts and at the end, KOKIA finished with her extremelly nice a capella voice.

As a small note, I would say the first notes of Ai no MELODY remind me to the cover version by Sammy Cheng, Arigatou. This has to be a coincidence, as I suppose she did not compose that cover version (I will try to investigate).

Let's go with the other A-side (because according to her official site, this song is an A-side), Chouwa (oto -with reflection-). The first changes that draws your attention is the piano. Linked with the beginning is obviously the change in her voice, more even if you have previously listened to Ai no MELODY. KOKIA's voice has grown more self-confident, elaborated and mature.Chouwa gives you the sensation of being in a special place, of assisting to an important spiritual event.The new arrangments express an even more arabic-hindi accent, mixed with a Japanese feeling. We cannot forget she sings some parts in another language (real or not). If real, this language could be easily a north-central Europe one (Romanian, I haven't listened to this language but I feel that way). This feature is reinforced in a new interlude added to this version (around 3'36'' until the last stance). Whatever the nguage is, it gives you the sense of a very distant place.

Another difference would be how she says the list of numbers (3, 25, 15, 21, 23, 1); better pronounced, with the accents in the right place, and with a more mature voice.

Just at the end of the song you get again something like that nice and childish KOKIA voice. This is so because the whole song has that feeling of maturity, and at the end it is a bit more relaxed.

At the beginning of the song you may appreciate some “out of keys”; I don't think they are real mistakes, but some licenses she has permitted herself, as the song starts with an old japanese song feeling.

To finish with this song, I will add the last difference I have found. Although the first Chowa version in “trip trip” album was relaxing, this one is invigorating. The trance feeling in this song is more powerful. This version has definetely more strength. I'm not saying one is better than the other. I think they are two different versions and both are good.

On regards which track in this single is better, I will say they cannot be compared, they have very different styles, and I think both A-sides are VERY good. If I would have to chose between te versions for Ai no MELODY, I would chose the OST version, it has a little mor of variery, and the capella is so nice!



For all these, I recommend everyone to have a listen to this single and even to buy this or the new “Pearl” collection, that will be avable on 1st February. If you like Asuca Hayashi (because of the powerful voice), traditional Japanese music or other KOKIA releases, this would be a good choice. Don't forget that this compilation has been anounced to be sold in France and Spain, news that have been welcomed by European fans, and have been hope to other fans.



e-hime / Ayesha

Ai no Melody is a great single I agree with you on all the things that you're discribing here. KOKIA is one of the few artists that I'm really into. (and some from my own country). She sings so high also in the single. And I like the "rairai" thingo:)