An Cafe - AROMA

AROMA was released just before An Cafe embarked on their impressive world tour which is taking them throughout Europe and the Americas. Now in their seventh year, it seems their music, while maintaining its original sparkly and danceable energy, has matured into something more complex and weighty on this latest single.

The first track, AROMA, is a heavy, fast-paced rock number laden with guitar driven attitude and intense, serious emotions. Along with some head banging sections, the refrain is lighter in sound though still driven by Teruki's rapidly pounded drums, which take on some entertaining variations as the song progresses. Romantic with dark undertones and piercing lyrics, AROMA more than fulfills expectations.

Best Apart is a relaxing, poignant ballad that moves away from the band's typical dance rock style, though it's kept interesting with some unusual keyboard sounds and voice distortion in the bridge. Most prominent are the piano and vocals, and while the melodies are fairly simple, Miku sings them so wholeheartedly, they will draw you right into the world of the song.

365days Quasar has a very different feel: it's fun, but with considerable gravity. Upbeat and danceable, it also conveys a surprising, wistful passion. Spotlighting guitar melodies, the song picks up emotional intensity in the refrain with an undercurrent of violins that rise in pitch. The synth strings and takuya's guitar deliver an intense duet that spirals upward to finish off the number. Certainly a dance rock track, 365days also conveys an epic romantic feel that we don't immediately associate with An Cafe.

Ultimately, this single aptly explores the various styles of An Cafe. It demonstrates their evolution and more mature feel, but also captures their original charm and playfulness.