Review | Shouta Aoi “DETONATOR”

Shouta Aoi DETONATOR profile

“DETONATOR” tries so hard to be and sound “edgy” that it forgets to put Shouta Aoi’s angelic voice and singing skills in the spotlight.

Shouta Aoi DETONATOR regular edition
Regular edition
Title: DETONATOR
Label: King Records 
Release date: 08/11/2023 
Genre: Rock/Dance/Ballad

Tracklist:

1 - Freestyle Lover
2 - Eclipse
3 - BAD END
4 - J-E-A-L-O-U-S
5 - PSYCHO:LOGY
6 - Key to My Heart
7 - Tone
8 - 8th HEAVEN
9 - Harmony
10 - Alright
11 - give me ♡ me
12 - 巡

Track by track analysis:

1 – Freestyle Lover

Shouta Aoi brings a unique brand of electro-rock with “Freestyle Lover”. The intro is overflowing with energy and that is because the focus is more on the electro side of rock than on rock itself.

The tension can be easily felt coming from those muffled and heavily modified vocals in the background but as the veil is removed from them and Shouta Aoi’s vocals become clear, expect a powerful performance.

The chorus opens the curtains to a wide soundscape in which the reverbed piano melodies beautifully paint the background as the bass + bassy beat combo pounds its way through.

The second verse is heavier than the first one with the guitars shredding their way through the instrumental. I feel like this part – with the synths going ballistic as well as the beat and bassline – sounds a bit overwhelming on a first listen. A lot is happening in the verses with the synths and guitars sounding ever so slightly dissonant.

In an interesting contrast, I love to bits the guitar riffs in the pre-chorus, adding a melodic yet strangely rough twist to this song.

When it comes to the bridge, I’m not really feeling it. Yet again, there is too much happening and while the piano melodies in the background – to your right – are beautiful and Shouta Aoi’s notes are yet again crystal clear and the perfect way to ease all the tension in the instrumental, there’s no way around the fact that this mix is too ambitious for its own good. 

Too much happening, not much time to have a breather, no specific detail given to any instrument, just a relentless focus on having an uptempo beat and intensity to the instrumental in which guitars and electronica blend. The best parts in this song are the – apparently – quieter ones in which Aoi has time and the stage uncluttered to showcase his outstanding vocals.

But other than that, there’s a massive lack of clarity and direction in the instrumental that makes it feel like a lot happened but, simultaneously, nothing happened.

A slight change in the mixing and this song could have been amazing.

2 – Eclipse

[As previously reviewed] Eclipse takes Shouta Aoi to rock territory once again, however, this time around not bring traditional Japanese elements into the mix or add electronica. Raging guitars, bass-driven drums, acoustic guitars, and a powerful bassline are the heart of this instrumental. However, even though its verses are exciting and the chorus is powerful and addictive, I have mixed feelings about this instrumental.

I can’t help but instantly identify that Elements Garden has its hand on it and that isn’t necessarily a good thing.

Bright piano melodies and those same old string melodies that we find on all songs produced by Elements Garden sure seemed to take away that whole “dark” vibe the instrumental was trying to set. The strings felt particularly out-of-place at all places less the chorus. The piano parts – the bright ones, not the melancholic part in the verses (that one was a great addition) – felt overused and far from sounding new.

The guitar solo is forgettable and only the chorus makes a mark on the listener. Other than that, the instrumental felt generic and bland.

The same can’t be said about Aoi‘s vocal performance. His performance not only fits the rock genre but he owns it with every note and flourish he adds to it. This song didn’t demand him to put his higher register to use, yet he still managed to dazzle us with his falsetto and high notes.

3 – BAD END

[As previously reviewed] BAD END brings fancy synths and screaming guitar riffs to this album. The intro is powerful but it slowly tones down, creating a delicate and elegant sound courtesy of strings and harpsichord melodies.

One thing I love about this song is how deep the snare and bass drum are in this track. That deep sound really stands out, making the song shine even further.

Another interesting point is that this is pretty toned down when it comes to the synths. Toning down the synths and giving the spotlight to the live band elements made this track flourish into one of its highlights.

Shouta Aoi absolutely destroys it on the vocal end. The control over his high notes, the amount of emotion throughout his performance… You can feel the tension in his vocals and it is impossible not to get hyped when the chorus develops its dynamics. Pretty flawless job on this end.

4 – J-E-A-L-O-U-S

J-E-A-L-O-U-S” follows up with a dancefloor-driven sound that is intense and… powerful. Believe me when I say that this feels like going to a club. It is intense, with a relentless, danceable beat and with quite the close – or, should I say, small – soundscape. 

The verses are overflowing with energy with atmospheric synths setting the twisted and passionate tone for this song while the beat steadily pounds its way through the instrumental.

Polysynths make their way to the pre-chorus, preparing you for a hard-hitting and addictive chorus, as Shouta Aoi shows what being “J-E-A-L-O-U-S” feels like. And it is in this specific part that he closes in and gets to your ear (please listen to this song with headphones) as he gets close to whisper to you.

This song features a bridge that is more like a dance break – that, honestly, Shouta Aoi will nail on a live show.

Once again, “intensity” is the keyword here as everything, from the vocals, approaching you and even whispering in your ear, to the instrumental has that vibe. This determination and passionate vibe are rare in Aoi’s music but I’m all for it as it is oddly refreshing.

5 – PSYCHO:LOGY

PSYCHO:LOGY” changes the tone around, going darker and more intense on those cyberpunk vibes. Shredding guitars join in the instrumental alongside deep, muffled drums.

There’s a lot to unpack in this one. The beat is dark and dirty, with a massive focus on bass. At the same time, Shouta Aoi’s vocals are muffled in the background, bringing a lot of distortion to the performance. This distortion will make the verses fairly hard to understand or even enjoy. Even if that distortion makes sense in the song’s concept, there is too much pure noise going on in the song to actually find it enjoyable.

But wait. There is a curveball in here. Yes. Shouta Aoi has a good surprise here. When his vocals echo in the background in a dramatic fashion in the pre-chorus, the instrumental brings a sitar into the mix. The vocals are dream-like yet haunting at the same time.

The bridge distorts the synths and cranks up the shredding guitars before quieting down and an oddly refined sound led by strings takes over momentarily. Bringing an orchestra bit only added more fuel for this song to sound like a fever dream.

When it comes to the vocals, Aoi is all about power and precision however, resorting his performance to a comfortable tone, seldom tapping into his high notes. Yet again, those high notes – almost ethereal – appear in the pre-chorus as well as in the bridge.

And while the brunt of the instrumental is a bit too much to take in, the outro, however, is amazing, with that echoing piano melody before bringing distorted synths and wrapping up unusually.

“PSYCHO:LOGY” feels like a dystopian fever dream and while the concept is quite refreshing, its execution makes it so that is not appealing at all to listen and dive into it.

6 – Key to My Heart

Key to My Heart” changes things completely around, ditching the whole heavy electronica going on until now and embracing a warm pop-rock sound.

The song starts big but quickly tones down and creates a pleasing soundscape for you with strings in the background (on your left) as a beautiful piano melody plays (on your right), comfortably leading you to the emotional chorus.

Electric guitars are subdued in the verses, giving the spotlight to the thunderous bassline and the snary drums. Slowly, as you approach the chorus, strings make their entrance.

Tension builds up and you reach the chorus in which Shouta Aoi shows what he’s best known for – those crystal clear high notes and falsetto. The gentleness and warmth in his vocals will put a big smile on your face.

And for fans of rock music, the bridge provides us with a 15 second guitar solo that feels so good, easing the tension up until now in the song and carrying the song over to its final chorus. But that’s not the last you will hear of the guitar as we get yet another solo in the outro, wrapping up this song in style.

7 – Tone

[As previously reviewed] Tone is an electro-pop tune with tropical influences in the mix. The pacing is comfortable, balancing sweet strings with tropical elements, creating a pleasing sound.

Despite this song having the touch of Elements Garden’s composers, the song sounds refreshing and strays mostly away from the sound we are all overly familiar with from this producing and composing team.

Aoi’s vocals bring a peppy touch as well as energy to this song. He is a fun, engaging performer who always shines, no matter how weak, or generic an instrumental might be.

8 – 8th HEAVEN

Ethereal and chill, “8th HEAVEN” is a song like no other in Shouta Aoi’s repertoire. Downtempo and with R&B influences, the song has a shuffle-like beat, sweet acoustic guitars panned to each side of your headphones, and beautiful backing vocals.

This song feels like a dream. When what should be considered a “chorus” arrives, you are left with Aoi’s ethereal, echoing high notes in the background accompanied by a beautiful piano melody.

If you are expecting a normal pop structure to this song, you will be surprised. The verses take up most of the song, the chorus – if you consider it – is only 10 seconds long and it is not sung, instead, there are echoing vocals in the background fleshing out that dreamy, ethereal vibe that has been wrapping its arms around you.

As far as the new songs go,”8th HEAVEN” takes the crown as the best song. Completely different from usual, with a performance that is full-on R&B style – which Shouta Aoi usually doesn’t use – and with a structure that is nothing like what he has done before. While unusual at first, this song gets under your skin in a way that you want more and more of it.

9 – Harmony

[As previously reviewed] A delicate piano melody and Aoi’s gentle vocals create the perfect intro for this song. The song quickly opens and introduces more dynamics, picking up its pacing through the bass-drum-driven drums, upbeat piano melodies, and simple guitar riffs.

The song counts with simple verses that put the spotlight on Aoi’s vocals whereas the chorus has him sharing the spotlight with the addictive instrumental. The piano solo in the intro and the addition of strings add nice touches to this song.

On the vocal end, Aoi delivers a comfortable performance with some instances of falsetto, subtle high notes, and a lot of enthusiasm to match the pop-rock instrumental.

10 – Alright

“Alright” has a sweet intro in which Aoi’s vocals echo in the stripped down soundscape. However, as the intro goes away, it gives way to an upbeat pop tune in which the focus is on putting a big smile on your face.

The verses ride on a comfortable tempo, with all instruments panned to the sides as Shouta Aoi’s vocals take center stage to deliver a heartwarming performance.

The chorus brings timpani accents in the background, adding an extra bit of oomph to the beat while the strings and bassy beat create a warm soundscape for you to enjoy.

This is a song that feels grandiose however it has a rather small soundscape that is fully focused on making your day.

11 – give me ♡ me

[As previously reviewed] The energy is high for “give me ♡ me” with the song kicking off with an upbeat intro and managing to keep that tempo and intensity throughout.

The verses are brief and ride on a punchy bassline that will have you dancing along to the song in no time. The electronica elements in this song are strong with a mix of synths shaping the soundscape for this track.

The chorus is explosive, with the tempo slightly increasing and introducing a delicate or, should I say, refined element into the mix: strings. The addition of strings to this downtempo dance track adds a completely new dynamic to “give me ♡ me”.

I absolutely love the break in this song, with all elements toning down and leaving an open space for Shouta Aoi to go absolutely bonkers with head voice and ethereal long notes. A lot of energy is on top of a simplistic dance track and Aoi makes it work incredibly well.

12 – 巡

Wrapping up this album is “Jun”. The song starts with a dramatic piano melody, creating a beautiful yet fickle soundscape. You can feel that this song is going to be emotional from the way the piano is being played – in minor key – as well as from how Aoi approaches his performance.

This is a song to make you cry, at least I believe so. And, at the same time, this song makes me wish we got an acapella performance of his in the future. 

The emotion he carries in his voice, the way he carefully, almost like lullabying you, carries you through this song is impressive. Then you have those ad-libs of his, the high notes and the way he changes his volume to increase the drama to his performance showcase a performer in absolute control over his performance.

With just a piano accompanying his voice, Shouta Aoi delivers an outstanding performance albeit an anti-climatic one seeing as the album was, up until now, a rollercoaster of emotion and energy.


Final considerations

It’s been a long time since Shouta Aoi released a full-length album but comparing “DETONATOR” to “0” makes “DETONATOR” completely pale in comparison, which is not a good thing.

So what went wrong in this album and what worked really well and we could have had more of?

For starters, the focus on “DETONATOR” is on having an “edgier” sound, and as such, rock music takes the brunt of the vibe and sound in it however it wouldn’t be a Shouta Aoi album if it didn’t have EDM music in it so rock and EDM blended for more than a couple of songs, to mixed results.

Freestyle Lover”, “Eclipse” and “PSYCHO:LOGY” had everything to impress if their sound had been clearer. It seems, with these songs, that there is no clear focus on what Aoi wanted to achieve with the odd mix of EDM and rock each got. Yes, songs have a focus and should have one, otherwise, listeners won’t connect with the songs on a deeper level.

In this case, while I fully enjoyed Aoi bringing rock to the spotlight – he does have a voice that fits rock music and has an unmatched power that makes him an interesting wild card even for rougher or more dramatic performances – the focus on having a lot of distortion and synths took away the focus from the guitars and put it in the synths. 

So what happens when the guitars are loud and aggressive and remain so but the synths are even louder and more aggressive? You get messy sound mixes in which you can’t understand what you should be paying attention to, what is the story about, or even what the artist wanted to achieve with those songs. 

I know for sure that Shouta Aoi has the talent to dazzle – he does show that in this album with “8th HEAVEN” and “Jun” and has done that in the past with songs like “I am” – but the way his composers approached rock music, making it almost obligatory to have EDM in there made it so that all those 3 songs are way below the quality they should have. 

Lack of clarity in the mix – direction and even in the mix itself – is a big issue I find in this album.

I was expecting much more from those songs in which rock was prominent – seeing as, even in 2D music projects, Aoi is genuinely amazing – but this was not a good outing for him.

A big positive for fans of EDM music is that the dancefloor-driven tunes in this album are many. From those including rock to bubblier ones or even just pure EDM tunes, you get a lot of variety in here. If you’re looking for a shot of energy, for sure Shouta Aoi provides it in “DETONATOR”.

Another positive in this album remains with 3 new songs donning completely different styles. 

“J-E-A-L-O-U-S” is an intense and oddly alluring dance tune with quite an aggressive delivery. I found this the most enjoyable of all EDM-driven tunes in this album.

“8th HEAVEN” is in a league of its own. This is a song that capitalizes on the fact that Shouta Aoi has an angelic voice.

The soundscape is dreamy, and I love the unexpected R&B twist, showing yet against the versatility that Aoi has – and making me wish he would perform R&B music with more frequency.

This song is a unique experience that deserves to be listened to with headphones and eyes closed. It feels otherworldly and honestly, I am all in for it.

And “Jun” is yet another song that puts the spotlight on Aoi’s singing skills, showing that he doesn’t need any noise or busy soundscapes behind him to dazzle. His vocals do the talking and impress as he delivers an emotional performance that had me wishing he’d bring more than 1 ballad per album. 

One thing that I feel was missing from this album was a song self-penned or composed by Shouta Aoi. Those always end up being the best tracks in his albums alas, there was not a treat for fans of a more intimate and personal style of performance.

All in all, looking at this album and taking into account how long of a wait fans had, “DETONATOR” is underwhelming. I was expecting a much, much better album – in terms of cohesion in sound, tone, and tempo – as well as in the way the composers made sure Shouta Aoi’s vocals shined. However, most of the songs seem to have not been tailored to capitalize on Aoi’s strengths and, instead, ended up either sounding generic or too much to deal with.

Still, as it is, as it is with all reviews, take this with a grain of salt. First listen to the album, then check reviews. As I said early on, in comparison with this album, I feel like “0” is vastly superior in quality. 

If you didn’t like that album that much and wanted more electronica with an edgy vibe in it, then, you will love this one. However, if you have the same opinion as I, and want Aoi to have songs suited to his vocals and singing skills, maybe “DETONATOR” will sound a bit rough around the edges to you.


DETONATOR” is available for purchase at CDJAPAN.


DETONATOR” is available for streaming on Spotify.


Do not support piracy. Remember to support Shouta Aoi by streaming via official outlets.

Vanessa Silva
Vanessa Silvahttps://www.handthatfeedshq.com
The Hand That Feeds HQ founder, content creator, and music reviewer. Basically, the only person managing everything at The Hand That Feeds HQ. Stumbling upon Mamoru Miyano's "Orpheus" in 2011 was the start of this journey. If music is thought-provoking or deep, you may find her writing almost essays (not limited to, but it happens a lot with Soma Saito's music). She's the producer and host of the male seiyuu-centric podcast, SEIYUU LOUNGE (see Spotify link in this profile).

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REVIEW OVERVIEW

Freestyle Lover
Eclipse
BAD END
J-E-A-L-O-U-S
PSYCHO:LOGY
Key to My Heart
Tone
8th HEAVEN
Harmony
Alright
give me ♡ me

SUMMARY

Looking at this album and taking into account how long of a wait fans had, “DETONATOR” is underwhelming. I was expecting a much, much better album - in terms of cohesion in sound, tone, and tempo - as well as in the way the composers made sure Shouta Aoi’s vocals shined. However, most of the songs seem to have not been tailored to capitalize on Aoi’s strengths and, instead, ended up either sounding generic or too much to deal with.

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Looking at this album and taking into account how long of a wait fans had, “DETONATOR” is underwhelming. I was expecting a much, much better album - in terms of cohesion in sound, tone, and tempo - as well as in the way the composers made sure Shouta Aoi’s vocals shined. However, most of the songs seem to have not been tailored to capitalize on Aoi’s strengths and, instead, ended up either sounding generic or too much to deal with.Review | Shouta Aoi "DETONATOR"