New album release from Ayumi Hamasaki

In an attempt to bolster her flagging career, Ayu is taking it to the “next level” by releasing her 10th memorial year new album in a brand new format !!!

Due out on the 25th March is the new album “Next Level”, and it will be available in 4 versions …

• 2xCD + DVD (Jacket A)
• CD+DVD (Jacket B)
• CD only (Jacket C)
• USB Memory Stick (Jacket D)

The standard album with Jacket C will have 13 tracks, and I assume will contain the singles “Mirrorcle World”, “Green/Days”  &  “Rule/Sparkle” (which is due out February 25) that were released since her last album “Guilty” “Ayumi Hamasaki Asia Tour 2008 10th Anniversary Documentary Book” (164 A4 pages)

The CD+DVD version with Jacket B will include the standard CD above plus a DVD with PV’s of 6 songs, as well as making-of footage.

The 2xCD+DVD version with Jacket A will include as above plus an extra CD which includes 14 songs from her “Premium Countdown Live 2008 – 2009 A” live shows. The songs will be …

GREEN
Will
End of the World
Heartplace
POWDER SNOW
HOPE or PAIN
Over
SCAR
SIGNAL
Hana
too late
everywhere nowhere
Days
For My Dear…

The “new format” release will include the 13 songs, 6PV’s plus song lyrics on a USB Memory Stick in the shape of her logo, and it includes a chain so you can wear it as a pendant. Along with this non-erasable data, the rest of the stick will have around 1.3 GB of usable memory, so I assume it’s total capacity is 2 GB.

As always, these details are subject to change.

Also due out in March are 2 books …

• “Ayumi Hamasaki Asia Tour 2008 10th Anniversary Documentary Book” (164 A4 pages & includes a DVD)
• “Deji Deji Nikki 100 Kai Kinen! Ayumi Hamasaki Bon”– 8 years of “Ayu no Deji Deji Nikki” articles from “ViVi” magazine (168 B4 pages) 

So it seems that Ayu is trying to put her horror year of 2008 behind her and reclaim her “Queen of J-Pop” crown from Kumi Koda 🙂