7th album 「tears cyclone -Kai-」

Prepare yourselves!

According to NBCUniversal, KOTOKO is going to release a new album in June, in total collaboration with I've Sound × Kazuya Takase (there's no info yet on if C.G mix and NAMI will get involved or not).

The concept of this album is "returning to the origin". Sounds very cool! XD

Details will be announced later.

That's cool, it's been over four years since Kuuchuu Puzzle was released. I'm looking forward to the new album.

Thanks for the information. I would love it to include some self-covers.

Minoru wrote:

Thanks for the information. I would love it to include some self-covers.

Super agree! I'd like very much to see a "-2018 version-" of Re-sublimity, agony and Suppuration -core-.

Wow, exciting news! It's been so long since KOTOKO released an album, can't wait for this one! I wonder why it's being released through Universal when all her releases for the last many years have been with Warner (right?). I guess this means songs from her latest singles won't be included.

I wonder what the concept actually means for the album. Self-covers would be nice. But I wouldn't be mad if they went all the way back and did a whole album in the style of hane.

ERIK wrote:

Minoru wrote:

Thanks for the information. I would love it to include some self-covers.

Super agree! I'd like very much to see a "-2018 version-" of Re-sublimity, agony and Suppuration -core-.

Actually, I was referring to songs that she has written for other artists, like "Sign" by Ray, but a new version of some classic song would be great too.

Kacku wrote:

Wow, exciting news! It's been so long since KOTOKO released an album, can't wait for this one! I wonder why it's being released through Universal when all her releases for the last many years have been with Warner (right?). I guess this means songs from her latest singles won't be included.

I wonder what the concept actually means for the album. Self-covers would be nice. But I wouldn't be mad if they went all the way back and did a whole album in the style of hane.

Usually, the songs are ported from one label to another as it happened with "Loop-the-Loop" and "Restart" in the album "Kuchu Puzzle". However, if it was not confirmed that the songs of this album will be composed only by Kazuya Takase, "TOUGH INTENTION" and "ZoNE-iT" would have been ported as well.

I was actually really interested if KOTOKO is still with Warner or not after being so quiet for the last few years. I bet with the loss of Mami and Ray and the lack of new Artists they signed, Universal was offering her a great Deal to come back to them. Hopefully she stays there and joins I've fully in the near future. I'm extremely excited for this Album!

Kacku wrote:

I guess this means songs from her latest singles won't be included.

Small anison labels have a fairly good track record of working together for the common good. Serment was on Mami's Square the Circle album despite the fact that it was orininally released via WHV. If the last two singles are not on the album it will be because this is a new beginning for KOTOKO, not because of petty ownership disputes between record labels.

Finally a new album! I'm so glad it's going to be produced by I've, the only songs I liked on Kuuchuu Puzzle were the ones produced by Kazuya anyways. I know it's hard to happen, but I'd like some songs like Asura or Retrieve again.

zil wrote:

Kacku wrote:

I guess this means songs from her latest singles won't be included.

Small anison labels have a fairly good track record of working together for the common good.  Serment was on Mami's Square the Circle album despite the fact that it was orininally released via WHV.  If the last two singles are not on the album it will be because this is a new beginning for KOTOKO, not because of petty ownership disputes between record labels.

I wasn't assuming the singles would be omitted because of ownership disputes but rather because the sudden change in label and the concept and collaboration with I've being advertised seem to imply that this will be a bit more special release. But that doesn't really come across in my previous post, so fair assumption.

Album title is "tears cyclone-廻-" (dunno if mawari or meguru).
She'll also be touring. News here.

A page on NBC Universal shows a bit more info on the album. It seems that the "廻" is read as "Kai".

The release date is June 27th. There will be 12 tracks total, 10 of the tracks are new. "Sign of Suspicion" will be included in it, and KOTOKO will do a self-cover of Ray's song "a-gain".

>KOTOKO will do a self-cover of Ray's song "a-gain".
Interesting. Makes me miss Ray to be honest (who if rumors are to be believed is now working as a maid in a maid cafe in Sapporo).

It'll be really interesting to hear KOTOKO's versions of sign and a-gain. I can't picture either with KOTOKO's voice, but I'm sure they'll be great!

I wonder what the album will sound like as a whole. I kept picturing songs like hitorigoto, Lament, Collective, Retrieve, hane, asura, UZU-MAKI, etc. But a-gain sounds nothing like these. I guess it'll be more like the songs Takase has been creating recently.

Treize wrote:

It'll be really interesting to hear KOTOKO's versions of sign and a-gain.

It's not sign, but sign of suspicion, already one of her songs

Kane wrote:

Treize wrote:

It'll be really interesting to hear KOTOKO's versions of sign and a-gain.

It's not sign, but sign of suspicion, already one of her songs

There is going to be a bonus CD included with the album that has another self-cover of a Ray song, which is "sign".

Sekka wrote:

There is going to be a bonus CD included with the album that has another self-cover of a Ray song, which is "sign".

I'm interested to hear KOTOKO's self-cover, I wonder what she and Nakazawa will do with it.

The album description on the NBC page and Amazon seems to mention something along the lines of this album being the first half of a two-part work. Can someone with more Japanese proficiency clear up what exactly the description is saying?

"sign –KOTOKO Ver.-(Tomoyuki Nakazawa Re-mix)" confirmed. 

There's a preview for the main track, "Kai-Ro-tation" (廻-Ro-tation). KOTOKO's written comment on it showed a "カイ" above "廻", so that's how I got the title.

Wow, I'm surprised they released a preview so early! I can't say I particularly like this song so much, but there'll be a lot of new songs to look forward to. This song will probably grow on me too when listening to the full version.

Treize wrote:

Wow, I'm surprised they released a preview so early! I can't say I particularly like this song so much, but there'll be a lot of new songs to look forward to. This song will probably grow on me too when listening to the full version.

It was released exactly on her 14th major debut anniversary.

Just to start the hype, today some tweets and an update on her blog suggests that there will be a "devilish song" on this album. 

KOTOKO tweeted today that the recording for all the songs is done now. Pretty exciting. 


https://twitter.com/KOTOKO_Dwarf/status/996367826259660800

NBC tweeted the cover for the album :)

The cover is cool, I really like it!

Revealed the tracklist and credits:

01.nonfiction～Akuma ga Sumu Wakusei～ (nonfiction～悪魔が棲む惑星～)
Lyrics: KOTOKO
Composer・Arranger: Kazuya Takase

02.Hibari (雲雀)
Lyrics・Composer: KOTOKO
Arranger: Kazuya Takase

03.Natsukoi (夏恋)
Lyrics・Composer: KOTOKO
Arranger: Kazuya Takase

04.Onyx
Lyrics: KOTOKO
Composer・Arranger: Kazuya Takase

05.effacer
Lyrics: KOTOKO
Composer・Arranger: Kazuya Takase

06.Sign of Suspicion
Lyrics: KOTOKO
Composer・Arranger: Kazuya Takase

07.a-gain
Lyrics: KOTOKO
Composer・Arranger: Kazuya Takase

08.Kaiten Mokuba (回転木馬)
Lyrics・Composer: KOTOKO
Arranger: Kazuya Takase

09.Muguet no Hanataba wo, Kimi he (ミュゲの花束を、君へ)
Lyrics: KOTOKO
Composer・Arranger: Kazuya Takase

10.dusty days
Lyrics: KOTOKO
Composer・Arranger: Kazuya Takase

11.SA*KU*RA Hakusho (SA＊KU＊RA 白書)
Lyrics: KOTOKO
Composer・Arranger: Kazuya Takase

12.Kai-Ro-tation (廻-Ro-tation)
Lyrics: KOTOKO
Composer・Arranger: Kazuya Takase

Also, now there's a short MV for Kai-Ro-tation:

Just noticed they're all arranged/composed by Kazuya Takase. Here goes diversity lol.

I think it's interesting that KOTOKO composed some of the songs. And the theme is going back to her roots, so I doubt there will be a lot of "new" sounding songs. In her recent interview, she even compared several of the new songs to being similar to older songs.

I hope we get previews of the songs soon!

The MV is looking good. They could have put real-reality for a bit of diversity. But I'm looking forward to the songs, I believe finally we'll get some dark ones.

NBCUniversal's put up a video with previews for all the tracks on the album.

I'm so conflicted. I feel like these songs don't really return to her roots at all. But some of the songs do sound pretty nice. I'm most excited for nonfiction, dusty days, and SAKURA Hakusho.

I agree, I'm not hearing much roots in these songs. Most of the songs sounded quite promising though, so I'm excited for the album release next week.

http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm33394141

You can listen to the full version of Kai -Ro-tation at 10:35, but she talks over the second half.

It's also nice to hear an instrumental version of P◇lyG△n.

I know it's only previews, and a 1st listening for me, but I was more enthusiastic for Kuuchuu Puzzle :-/

http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm33403436

You can listen to a-gain at 8:54 but she talks over the second half again.

They have the first 45 seconds of each song for previewing on amazon now.

https://www.amazon.co.jp/tears-cyclone-%E5%BB%BB-KOTOKO/dp/B07C2WF38C

The opening of Hibari is amazing.

Treize wrote:

They have the first 45 seconds of each song for previewing on amazon now.

https://www.amazon.co.jp/tears-cyclone-%E5%BB%BB-KOTOKO/dp/B07C2WF38C

The opening of Hibari is amazing.

Wow, agree! That intro is so good! The opening of Onyx too! 

http://sp.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm33428907

You can listen all the songs at 39:57 except "sign"

I forgot to mention the Oricon Daily Album Chart ranking for the album yesterday. It appeared at 20, and it went up to 17 today. The Weekly Chart ranking (next week) will show how many copies it sold for the week.

katkichi wrote:

http://sp.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm33428907

You can listen all the songs at 39:57 except "sign"

Thank you!

Sekka wrote:

I forgot to mention the Oricon Daily Album Chart ranking for the album yesterday. It appeared at 20, and it went up to 17 today. The Weekly Chart ranking (next week) will show how many copies it sold for the week.

It went down to #27 today.

You can listen the full album here!

https://soundcloud.com/kotokointheworld/tears-cyclone/s-iiJND

Thank you so much!

I'm kind of conflicted. I think most of the songs are at least average or above average, but I was hoping for more stand out songs since it's been so long. Most of the songs sound like album songs and not really stand out songs or single material.

But I'm glad it's selling so well without any anime songs. It's kind of amazing, I think!

The album seemed to have done better than I thought it would. Didn't expect it to be in the Top 30 on the dailies.

The album charted at #29 on the Oricon Weekly Album ranking, solding 3,037 copies.

You beat me to it.

Link, for anyone who's curious.