Juka - Seventh Sense

The Complete Collection would be a more appropriate title for this CD than Best Album. Except for two tracks from the live only single Suimenka, it contains every song Juka has released during his short solo career, from its beginning to its premature end.

In terms of musical style, the songs on Seventh Sense can be divided into three categories which are spread fairly evenly throughout the CD: pop rock with classical influences, hard rock and ballads. They are not presented in the chronological order of their release dates; instead, the CD begins with the newest, previously unreleased song Zephyrus, and ends with the oldest, Aravesque, which was taken from Juka's debut single of the same name.

Let's take a closer look at this single, since it established a pattern that would characterise Jukas entire repertoire. The title track is a melodic pop rock tune accompanied by piano, which begins quietly but becomes more and more lively as HIZAKI's guitar joins in. Juka's smooth, operatic vocals shine both in the slow, contemplative passages and in the dramatic chorus. aimless has a slightly French vibe, courtesy of an accordion, and is reminiscent of the cheesier works of LAREINE, or of Malice Mizer's Claire. Again, Juka gives an enchanting performance and for the first time the comparison with Gackt, which has haunted him since he made his debut as vocalist for Moi dix Mois in 2002, seems justified. In S, however, he reaches his limits, as he only manages a thin squeak instead of the required growling.

It is possible that KAMIJO (Versailles, ex-LAREINE) and HIZAKI (Versailles, HIZAKI grace project), who composed nine of the eleven songs on the album, chose three very different musical styles in order to show Juka's versatility, but it should have been obvious to them that his voice isn't suited to growling, just like it wasn't suited to the death voice in Moi dix Mois. Unfortunately, they continued the pattern of the debut single on all his other releases, so while Jewel ~todokanai omoi~, Kakusei no jukai and fall of leaves show off his voice to its best advantage, brilliancy and Baby Doll are as unflattering as S.

Juka himself is responsible for all lyrics, as well as two compositions. SAINT CROIX is dominated by brass and the harpsichord, which give it a strangely Christmas-like atmosphere. Kudos to him for the unusual instrumentation, but given his inexperience he should have chosen a less complex arrangement, as it sounds awkward and cluttered. Zephyrus, with its playful piano and passionate chorus, is more impressive - until Juka tries his hand at falsetto, and fails.

The overall impression of Seventh Sense is that of a missed opportunity. No doubt, Juka has a beautiful voice, but that isn't enough to base a solo career on; a charismatic personality, clear concept and consistently strong performance are equally important. However, that's where Juka falls short.

It is difficult to form a picture of the image that he wants to convey as a solo artist. Who is Juka and what does he have to say? His lyrics are no more insightful than his interviews, which only reveal that he enjoys lure fishing. Even his compositions seem to copy those of HIZAKI. Compare this to someone like Kaya, who employs five different songwriters and, despite the resulting diversity, still manages to project a strong, coherent image, and it becomes clear that Juka doesn't have enough personality to make his mark as a solo artist. He is at his best when he lends his voice to the strong personality of another, as he did in Moi dix Mois and HIZAKI grace project.

Hardcore fans of Juka, KAMIJO or HIZAKI need Seventh Sense to complete their CD collection, but casual fans and newcomers will find Juka's work with Moi dix Mois and HIZAKI grace project more rewarding.