“YAY!!YAY!!” is an addictive, high-quality listen that perfectly balances glimpses of A’’s chaotic original sound with his new, more stable headspace.
Review
Title: Dear Vocalist HEADLINER Entry NO.6 NSFW
Label: Rejet
Release date: 23/10/2024
Genre: Pop-Rock
Tracklist:
1 - YAY!!YAY!!
2 - featuring ALICE
Track by track analysis:
1 – YAY!!YAY!!
NSFW kicks off this CD with “YAY!!YAY!!”, song that brings a pop-rock sound to the spotlight with electric guitars leading the way, slowly welcoming the deep, bassy drums in a comfortable downtempo.
When the chorus kicks in, two guitars shred through the instrumental as the steady drums and punchy bassline add a nice tonality contrast to the high notes going on in one of the guitars as well as A”s vocals (CV: Ryohei Kimura).
This song is completely different from anything NSFW has ever released, lacking any of the chaos and unpredictability of their previous releases. Is this a good thing? Story-wise, it is, believe me.
In the outro, listeners will find an emotional guitar solo as legato riffs play in the background before most of the instrumental fades away. This creates a wide soundscape in which A”s vocals echo, demanding your full attention.
2 – featuring ALICE
And wrapping up this release is “featuring ALICE”. Fancy synths and a really punchy bassline create an addictive intro to this tune.
The intensity and power in the intro, fade away to let the bassline serve as a backdrop to A”s vocals.
In the pre-chorus, electric guitars go low and aggressive as A’ (CV: Ryohei Kimura) raps his way into the addictive yet brief chorus.
As the song progresses, new elements are added to the instrumental. By the time the second pre-chorus kicks in, the song slows down and embraces trap elements, bringing hi-hat triplets to lead the way. That results in quite a surprising yet stylish transition into the chorus.
When the bridge arrives, I love that you get glimpses of his original chaotic sound – with the bubbly, polysynths playing in the background – alongside the violence that some of his songs have – with those dirty, low guitar riffs. But then you have that happiness and grounded vibe in the steady beat and bassline showcasing where A’ is now in his mind space – this is heavily influenced by the developments in the drama CDs.
I feel this is a genuinely nice touch to this song, making “featuring ALICE”, the highlight in this release.
Final considerations
This new release – “Entry NO.6 NSFW” – marks a refreshing and mature evolution for NSFW. Trading their signature chaos for a more grounded, emotional sound, the single feels like a rewarding payoff for the character’s journey so far. A’ has changed and healed, and the music has vastly reflected that in this entry.
Ryohei Kimura’s performance is the clear heartbeat of the record—ranging from commanding high notes in the rock-focused “YAY!!YAY!!” to sharp, stylish rap in the standout track, “featuring ALICE.”
“YAY!!YAY!!” is an addictive, high-quality listen that perfectly balances glimpses of A’’s “dirty” and “chaotic” original sound with his new, more stable headspace. For me, this isn’t just a great single; it’s a powerful new chapter that shows exactly how far he’s come.
“Entry NO.6 NSFW” is available for purchase at CDJAPAN and Amazon Japan (they ship internationally).
