~Tracklist~
01. Mirrorcle World (Original Mix)
02. Life (Original Mix)
03. YOU (10th Anniversary version)
04. Depend on you (10th Anniversary version)
05. Mirrorcle World (Instrumental)
06. Life (Instrumental)
07. YOU (10th Anniversary version -Instrumental-)
08. Depend on you (10th Anniversary version -Instrumental-)

~Single Review~
On April 8, 2008, Ayumi Hamasaki will release her 43rd single "Mirrorcle World" in celebration of her 10th anniversary of her debut. The lead track, "Mirrorcle World (Original Mix)" has already reached the top five on Japan's largest mobile downloads chart, Chaku-Uta. Although the NINKI ranking (a popularity poll) was not very high for "Mirrorcle World," the song's download success suggests that physical sales will still be high for the single.

"Mirrorcle World" is an amalgamation of Ayumi Hamasaki, morphing different aspects of her music into a killer rock tune for her 10th Anniversary. The song is based off of the one minute interlude, "Mirror," from Ayu's album, "GUILTY." The interlude originally featured hard rock riffs, which disappear under a layer of synthetic editing in "Mirrorcle World," probably to ensure the song is pop. Although the harder rock in "Mirror" is better, the new chorus is not necessarily bothersome. Ayu does an excellent job giving the new chorus plenty of flair with her vocals. And when Ayu isn't singing her heart out, the song gives the listener great variety, from grand orchestral arrangements to sound of a synthetic march. This variety is not limited to solely the instrumental aspect of the song, either. Ayu pulls elements from many eras of her career, using her recent material and sultry voice combined with rock, "woah yeahs," contrast, and a variety of synthetic and more traditional instruments to give her song the feeling of summing up her 10th Anniversary. And let's not forget the strength of the lyrics, which are similar to the introspection Ayu presented in her song, "evolution." Although you may be reluctant to embrace "Mirrorcle World" because the song borders on a rehash, Ayu successfully made "Mirror" into a song that can stand on its own. It is truly impressive.

"Life" is a much more laid back track, with a distinctive B-side feeling. "Life" is much different from anything Ayu has recently sung, using verses that sound reminiscent of SEASONS and ending background vocals that sound like they belong in the era of "RAINBOW." These elements create an excellent guitar based track with plenty of feeling. The only downside to mention is that the chorus is lackluster in comparison. Still, it's hard to complain when "Life" incorporates such great sounds that remind one why Ayu is the Queen of J-pop.

Both "You" and "Depend on You" have been redone before, but these are perhaps the most drastic remakes we have seen of them. "You"'s new version features new production, courtesy of HAL, that doesn't sound very new. "YOU" ends up sounding as dated as the original was, which isn't good. There's not much to make the song sound contemporary enough to belong on this 10th anniversary single. "Depend on You," however, was crafted with care. Ayu's producers updated the song, incorporating her more recent rock sound seamlessly. The new vocals are strong, and even if they're not as high as they once were, they do get high at some points. At other times, though, the vocals are deeper than the composition of the song calls for. Even so, the new contemporary sound of "Depend on You" makes it the superior song out of the remakes.

Over all, Ayu released a single with higher quality than many of her recent releases. With great songs, amazing direction, and beautiful covers, "Mirrorcle World" is a single that Ayu fans and casual listeners alike are sure to love.

94% A