SPEED – Yubiwa (指環) (a J!-ENT World Groove CD Single Review)

1. 指環 (Yubiwa)
2. Tracks
3. 指環 (Instrumental)
4. Tracks (Instrumental)

For nearly 16 or 17 years, I have followed the Japanese female pop quartet SPEED. A group which consists of main vocalists Eriko Imai, Hiroko Shimabukuro and supporting vocalists/background dancers Takako Uehara and Hitoe Arakaki.

Purchasing singles, albums and videos when I was a college student and raiding Kinokuniya stores for any new release and then in Japan as I searched all over Tokyo and Yokohama for releases that I never owned and recording every performance from their earlier years on “The Yorumo Hit Parade” and seeing them grow up and mature before they called it quits in 2000 and to see them reunite once again in 2008.

Their latest, 18th single “Yubiwa” (指環, which translates to “Ring”) features two songs produced by nishi-ken and JIN. The first track “Yubiwa” is a beautiful pop ballad from the group. SPEED has had solid ballad singles in the past with “White Love” and “ALIVE” and for those who enjoyed those ballads will find “Yubiwa” to be another beautiful song.

Unlike the previous two tracks which they released back in the ’90s when they were teenagers, this time around, the ballad showcases the member’s maturity as women and you’re not going to hear Hiro’s high-pitched voice, instead you will get a more lower vocals which leads into the uplifting chorus.

And like previous SPEED singles, there has to be an upbeat track and in this case, the coupling song “Tracks” features a more synth-pop dance track arranged by nishi-ken. And it’s another coupling that probably could have functioned easily as a single release. It’s well-done and definitely like the musical arrangement with the beats and the overall energy of the track.

The remaining two tracks are the instrumental versions of “Yubiwa” and “Tracks”.

The CD insert comes with the lyrics and production credits to the two songs and comes with mini-inserts promoting SPEED’s upcoming live concert DVD to be released in November and a Vision Factory insert promoting the group’s website.

Also, released simultaneously with this single is a CD+DVD version which includes the music video for “Yubiwa” plus two other tracks.

Overall, another solid CD single from SPEED and showing us that they can continue to produce awesome music. Definitely worth checking out!

BUY THIS CD SINGLE from cdjapan.com:

Yubiwa [Jacket B]

SPEED