AYABIE - Merry go round

AYABIE’s success has been on the rise since its major debut in July, with one original single after another. Merry go round certainly does not deviate from this trend.

Merry go round begins with an adrenaline-filled intro with rich bass from Intetsu and fresh-sounding guitar from Takehito. Yumehito’s unencumbered, clear voice cuts straight through any distractions with somewhat cheeky lyrics which match well with his personality. The rhythm picks up pace with more guitar work and emotional singing. The song then makes a transition into a ballad with long, powerful notes from Yumehito and dramatic music, completely switching from the previous rhythm. As quickly as the song changed, the music reverses back to its original pop energy, taking the listener by surprise. After the music slowly increases in depth, both the song’s emotion and energy reach their height in a catchy guitar solo that captures the questioning nature of the lyrics and the power of the music

The ending of Merry go round is slightly poignant, ignoring any depth or feeling of the choruses to leave the carefree cheerfulness of the verses to—with an almost meaningless sense of repetitiveness, alongside the lyrics—hint at the humour and mocking with which life spins before us.

Blind starts off in a similar cheerful pattern to Merry go round, with a very strong-sounding bass and a fast rhythm. Yumehito’s voice is calmer and more laid-back than in Merry go round, and it suits the song very well. Both the music and vocals build up into a slightly more soulful chorus which does seem a tad bare in comparison to the pop-rock beginning. In all, Blind could be thought of as being quite similar to Merry go round, but has a less hurried feel to it.

AYABIE mixes fast-paced pop and soulful rock in Merry go round, with great success. Some may find this mixture sounding stilted, but it also adds depth and complexity to an otherwise tried-and-tested formula. Merry go round has the catchiness and originality to grab one’s attention and become a firm favourite. This single really shows AYABIE has not lost its edge and will continue to set the standard for other visual kei bands.