“m.o.v.e returns to their synth pop, electronica roots with another ‘Initial D’ related theme song for their 29th CD single ‘DIVE INTO STREAM.’”

ARTIST: m.o.v.e

CD SINGLE: DIVE INTO STREAM

LABEL: avex tune

CATALOG #:  AVCT-30129

DURATION: 26:09

RELEASE DATE: July 2, 2008

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

1. DIVE INTO STREAM
2. KEEP ON MOVIN’
3. 蒼穹のflight
4. DIVE INTO STREAM (Instrumental)
5. KEEP ON MOVIN’ (Instrumental)
6. 蒼穹のflight (Instrumental)

The pop trio m.o.v.e and the manga/anime series “Initial D” has a long history together as music of m.o.v.e has been featured on the anime and video game series based on street racing and drifting.

m.o.v.e’s 1998 CD single “around the world” (their second CD single) was used as a theme for the anime series and from that point on, seven more songs would be used as an opening or ending theme for “Initial D” and ten years later, they are back with another theme but this time for the Playstation 3 video game “Initial D: EXTREME STAGE”.

This CD single returns the group to their original roots by featuring more synth-based electronica pop courtesy of member t. Kimura, rap by Motsu and vocals by Yuri.

“DIVE INTO STREAM” features that original style captured by songs such as “around the world” or even “DOGFIGHT” with the fast synth-based music and fast uptempo beat.

The coupling track “KEEP ON MOVIN’” is another upbeat track, vocally almost like a ballad that incorporates more synth-based music but almost in a ballad style way, t-kimura utilizes an electric piano style of playing in the background.  Overall a cool track!

The second coupling track “蒼穹のflight” is another song reminiscent of their past works.  Upbeat, synth-based and utilizing electric guitar.

The CD single features the lyrics to the tracks and a mini-flyer that contains information on other m.o.v.e recent releases.

Fans of m.o.v.e, especially their original style of music and fans of “Initial D” will no doubt enjoy this CD single.  It’s full of that synth pop, high-energy music that you would expect from an “Initial D” related song.

For me, the song was alright.  It didn’t hook me like “DOGFIGHT”, “Blazin’ Beat”, “Gamble Rumble” or even “around the world” has done, where I simply fell in love with the balance of the music, Yuri’s vocals and Motsu’s hip hop.  Everything just melded together right.  It’s not that “DIVING INTO STREAM” didn’t, I just found it good, not great.  But I really did enjoy the musical arrangement for “DIVE INTO STREAM” and actually listened to the instrumentals quite a bit.

I did enjoy “KEEP ON MOVIN’” and it’s hard to call it a ballad but I can see t-kimura or even motsu remixing this track, especially making a ballad version of it and could see the guys pulling that off.  It’s a very cool song and enjoy t-kimura’s inclusion of the piano playing and I enjoyed “蒼穹のflight” a lot as well.

I do have to say that I am a bit disappointed that there is not one remix on this CD single.  It’s one thing I tend to look forward from the group is some sort of remix of their songs on the single but there are none.

In fact, I was surprised there is no CD+DVD release as well.  Would like to see some promotionals for the new video game at least.

But enough of my nitpicking.  All in all, it’s a pretty good CD single.

Check out more of our reviews at J!-ENT’s World Groove

Buy this CD Single:

Dive Into Stream

m.o.v.e

The following is a parody of the anime/manga series “Initial D” with the song “Around the World” by m.o.v.e (used in the anime series) playing in the background.

DISCLAIMER: youtube videos are courtesy of youtube.com and are not on J!-ENT servers

GROUP: m.o.v.e

ALBUM: m.o.v.e 10 YEARS MEGALOPOLIS TOUR 2008 - LIVE CD at SHIBUYA CLUB QUATTRO

LABEL: avex tune

CATALOG #: AVCT-10167

DURATION: 55:51

RELEASE DATE: March 19, 2008

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

1. platinum (10 Years Anniversary mix)
2. DOGFIGHT
3. DISCO TIME
4. Medley (around the world-Rage your dream-words of the mind - brandnew journey~)
5. REALITY
6. GHETTO BLASTER
7. Romancing Train
8. come together
9. SUPER SONIC DANCE
10. Gamble Rumble

With m.o.v.e celebrating their 10th Anniversary earlier this year with a new CD single, new best album and DVD release, the group also celebrated their anniversary with a live performance back in Feb. 2008 at CLUB QUATTRO in Shibuya.

That live performance is now available on CD and DVD and a limited edition special Choro Q CD version (bonus tracks + Choro Q car). For the normal CD version, you get nearly an hour of live concert footage from an energetic audience totally into the concert and at times singing with the group.

The songs were definitely sung well as yuri actually sung the songs well, didn’t sound tired or breathy, and the same with motsu as he sounded as he was on top of his game for his concert.

Musically, sounds great with t-kimura leading the band.

Definitely live rock band feel and all in all, with the audience really into the concert, definitely an energetic feeling for this live album. The CD insert booklet is a 16-page booklet with photos from the concert and production credits.

Live albums are albums that are pretty much created for the fans.

Personally, as one who does enjoys the music for m.o.v.e and owning a lot of live albums by music artists, it’s always great to see a group release them, I see it as more of a thank you to the fans and hearing the fans reciprocate their passion for the group by their screams and singing along with the song.

So, you do get good fan participation in this live album and fans of m.o.v.e who are hardcore fans wanting a live album, here is that opportunity.

All in all, a pretty cool live album released during the group’s 10th Anniversary. Check it out!

m.o.v.e 10 YEARS ANNIVERSARY MEGALOPOLIS TOUR 2008 LIVE CD at SHIBUYA CLUB QUATTRO

m.o.v.e

GROUP: m.o.v.e

ALBUM TITLE: 10th Anniversary MEGA BEST

LABEL: avex tune

CATALOG #: AVCT-10163~4/B

RELEASE DATE: October 3, 2007

DURATION: [CD 1] 1:10:41 [CD 2] 1:09:02

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

[DISC 1 - Thank you for the fan -]

1. Gamble Rumble
2. DOGFIGHT
3. ANGEL EYES
4. Romancing Train
5. DISCO TIME
6. Blaziin Beat
7. Painless PAIN
8. Blast My Desire
9. around the world
10. SUPER SONIC DANCE
11. Systematic FANTASY
12. Good Day
13. SPEED MASTER
14. Key Ring
15. Sugar Sugar Rain

[DISC 2 - Thank you for the music -]

1. platinum (Drum n’ Bass REMIX) / Remix by Takashi Kimura
2. Raimei -out of kontrol- (Reggaeton REMIX / Remixed by motsu
3. Noizy Tribe (Rave REMIX) / Remixed by Takashi Kimura
4. How To See You Again (Jungle REMIX) / Remixed by Takashi Kimura
5. BURNING DANCE (Glitch REMIX) / Remixed by Takashi Kimura
6. BREAK IN2 THE NITE (Mashp Remix) / Remixed by motsu
7. FREAKY PLANET (Disctoque REMIX) / Remixed by Takashi Kimura
8. come together (Bangladesh ‘Mid East’ REMIX) / Remixed by Takashi Kimura
9. !WAKE YOUR LOVE! (Hardcore REMIX) / Remixed by Takashi Kimura
10. WORLD’S END (Old School REMIX) / Remixed by motsu (motsu Select)
11. GHETTO BLASTER (BigBeat REMIX) / Remixed by Takashi Kimura
12. over drive (Electro Mix) / Remixed by Takashi Kimura
13. words of the mind -brandnew journey- (Dream House REMIX) / Remixed by Takashi Kimura
14. Disinfected Generation (Hard House REMIX) / Remixed by Takashi Kimura (yuri Select)
15. Rage your dream (Dance Pop REMIX) / Remixed by motsu
16. sweet vibration (italo House REMIX) / Remixed by Takashi Kimura
17. ROCK IT DOWN (High Eenrgy REMIX) / Remixed by motsu
18. FUTURE BREEZE (Psychedelic REMIX) / Remixed by Takashi Kimura
19. FLY ME SO HIGH (Trance REMIX)/ Remixed by Takashi Kimura
20. SUPER SONIC DANCE (Hyper Techno REMIX) / Remixed by Takashi Kimura (t-kimura Select)

DVD - Non Stop VJ Mix -: Region 2, 4:3, 51 minutes, VJ: D-SK Non Stop Mixed by T-TASHIRO

NOTE: 27 music video clips remixed. Short video clips remixed from first CD single “ROCK IT DOWN” up to their 28th CD single “SPEED MASTER”

The trio known as m.o.v.e celebrates their 10th Year Anniversary and to celebrate is the group’s third best album titled “10th Anniversary MEGA BEST”.

What I enjoy the most about m.o.v.e best albums is that they try to introduce something new with each release. Things that you will not see with other artists with the exception of probably Hamasaki Ayumi.

“m.o.v.e super tune BEST SELECTIONS” back in 2002 featured a CD and DVD release. The songs non-stop, thus it seemed like one big remix (FYI - there are chapter tracks), then in 2004 was the release of “REWIND - singles collection +” featuring nearly all the CD singles from m.o.v.e and complete music videos.

With “10th Anniversary MEGA BEST”, on the first disc you get a total of 15 tracks featuring the top 15 fan selections from their 10 Years as a group (so, in other words, if you want a true set of all of m.o.v.e’s songs, you still need to buy all three best albums as the cheapest alternative).

The second disc features 20 remixes by m.o.v.e members Takashi Kimura (note: t-kimura has gone back to using his full name) and motsu.

And then to top it off, there is a DVD which features a remix of 27 of their music videos (video clips about 2 minutes long) but done in a way that it’s like a DJ remixes music, in this case, a remix of a VJ mixing videos. So, when you hear scratching, the video goes along with the scratching and if you hear a transition to a new song, you get a college of that segment and so forth.

The CD-insert features all the lyrics to the songs featured on the album. Inside the case are photo clips of all of m.o.v.e’s CD singles and albums.

Also, to be released on the same day is “10th Anniversay GIGA BEST” which features the full music video clips from the group.

I personally feel that all m.o.v.e best albums are must-buy albums if you are a fan of their music. With each best release, there is no skimping. Multi-CD’s, DVD’s, etc. you can’t go wrong with what they jam pack into their best releases.

With “10th Anniversary MEGA BEST”, it’s definitely an awesome album worth getting because you get 15 awesome songs (selected by fans) but there has not been a collection of their remixes from their Hyper Techno and “TropicanTrops” albums until now.

Also, the non-stop VJ mix is such an awesome idea. When “m.o.v.e super tune -BEST SELECTIONS” was released, I thought it was good to get a non-stop release and how everything melded together, despite the songs being full tracks was a novel idea. But to see it done with 27 of their music videos and to watch them flow so well and mixed together was more than I can ask for from a m.o.v.e album.

m.o.v.e’s “10th Anniversary MEGA BEST” is truly a definitive 10th Anniversary album and again I’m impressed with what is bundled in this album.

If you are a m.o.v.e fan, this best album is highly recommended!

ARTISTS: m.o.v.e
CD SINGLE: SYSTEMATIC FANTASY/Good Day Good Time
LABEL: Avex Tune CATALOG: AVCT-30123
RELEASE DATE: June 20, 2007
DURATION: 26:41

Tracklist:
01 SYSTEMATIC FANTASY
02 Good Day Good Time
03 SYSTEMATIC FANTASY -Electro Baggy pants mix-
04 Good Day Good Time -Indian Holiday Remix-
05 SYSTEMATIC FANTASY -instrumental-
06 Good Day Good Time -instrumental-

It has been nearly two years since the last CD single from m.o.v.e (”Angel Eyes”, Dec. 14, 2005) and since our last interview with the trio, I was excited to hear about a CD single that would be released in the Summer.

Their latest CD single “SYSTEMATIC FANTASY/Good Day Good Time” marks the return of m.o.v.e which is the theme song for “Gekiso GT” (a racing show on TV Tokyo).

“SYSTEMATIC FANTASY” is a song that is filled with digi-pop goodness that m.o.v.e is known very well known for. You have the electronic music master t-kimura composing, arranging and playing the guitar and bass. You have motsu who contributed to lyrics, rap and vocals and of course the smooth vocals of yuri.

Where “SYSTEMATIC FANTASY” is more of a digi-pop song, “Good Day Good Time” is a catchy song with blaring electrical guitar that shows that the group will continue to embrace the digi-pop with rock music.

Both songs are very catchy and enjoyable and as far as other tracks are concerned, what m.o.v.e CD single would not be complete without remixes.

“SYSTEMATIC FANTASY” (Electro Baggy Pants Mix) is remixed by Daft Punch (which is t-kimura) giving an 80’s alternative digital spin to the song.

“Good Day Good Time” (Indian Holiday Remix) is remixed by Motsu Nicormy which strays away from the electric guitars of the original song and incorporates a South Asian Indian musical vibe.

The CD single rounds off with the instrumental tracks and completes a very cool CD single from m.o.v.e.

It’s great to hear from m.o.v.e again! Definitely check this CD single out if you are a fan of their music.