EXILE - Michi

Michi is currently ranking high in the Japanese Oricon Charts, having enjoyed a brief period at number one in the weekly charts and now enjoying number seven in the monthly charts and has been the February opening theme for popular music show 'MUSIC FIGHTER'. This single features a host of variations on the title track, Michi and with accompanying instrumentals there are six tracks to this single.

EXILE seem to be following the route of Hirai Ken with pop-ballad, Michi. Their RnB influences are not overtly obvious, instead Michi is a slow generic ballad that, despite being fairly enjoyable while listening to it, it is equally quite forgettable. Michi begins with quietly with a soft rock base that gradually adds layers of sound as the song climbs to its climax and becoming more orchestral and grand en route. It is a little odd though, that for such a large group that only a couple of vocalists are anywhere near noticeable. The leads manage the falsetto parts adeptly and neither seems out of their depth. The harmonies are also good, but it does not present anything new.

Michi -Piano Version- is essentially the same song, as its name might suggest, but with a piano and strings replacing the whole pop-rock and orchestral sound. It feels more sincere in this version and the introduction of the spanish guitar near the middle makes for a nice addition.

Gasshou Michi is a rather curious addition. It is another version of Michi but replaces the voices of EXILE with a full chorus. It all sounds rather church-like to be honest, but the sudden change of both voice and vocal style marks a sufficient difference to make Gasshou Michi seem like a completely different song. The choir is accompanied by the piano alone, and fittingly so - any further instrumental accompaniment would make the composition too 'busy'. It is all right, although one would have to be a fan of choral music to properly appreciate it. That being said, it is a refreshingly different approach to a 'remix'.

Michi offers only one original song, although 'redone' in two further ways. The differences between Michi and the Piano version are hard to discern, although the Piano version is slightly better - the instruments seem to work more effectively than the overdone orchestra thing. It is an interesting arrangement of variations on the same theme, certainly but may not be to everyone's tastes.