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Kana Nishino – I
Tracklist:
01. I
02. In Stereo
03. Just a friend

Kana Nishino is quite a recent debut artist currently under Sony Music Entertainment. She was first publicized with a digital release of her English version of the song I called I don’t wanna know. The image on the left is a promo picture, and not the actual cover of the single. However, because I couldn’t find the cover in decent quality, this is good enough.

I is Kana Nishino’s debut single, released on 20th February, 2008. Apparently, the title track of this single has been released in 7 different versions (and for a debut artist, that’s quite a lot).

I was expecting quite a bit from the title track given the hype that has resonated around the J-pop communities. And also the point that it has been released in seven different versions, so even when I try not to, I feel a growing standard created for this single, even prior to listening it. And surely, I was a little underwhelmed by I, because I was expecting a bit more from it, even if it is a debut single. I do like Nishino’s voice though, she sounds like a YUI who can pull off a half-decent vibrato, and in fact the song itself isn’t that bad.

Only fault is that it feels like it was written, composed and sung hurriedly without any attention to the details. It feels so choppy and rushed as if no one really gave the flawed parts of this track any thought. The verses are great and Nishino sounds amazing there, but as soon as the chorus arrives, the whole song is ruined for me, because again, it feels incomplete. Not to mention irritating after a while, I’m sure having it on repeat for half an hour, some blood must have leaked out of my ears. It’s not Nishino’s voice that’s at fault, it’s just a flawed track, is all.

The first b-side on this single is In Stereo, a whole lot a grungier track as compared to I. In Stereo is a lot more Western sounding, even, and reminds me a bit of a those more recent solo American artistes with obscure, surreal music videos. I really like this track a lot better than the A-side, it’s just more in tone and sounds ‘complete’ unlike the title track. Nishino’s vocals sound great and more definite, but I wish she wouldn’t do the vocal trill which she can’t seem to be able to pull off very well. The chorus sounds amazing, though!

The second b-side and third track, Just a friend is just as good as the previous track. For one thing, it’s not pretentious – it’s a straight off R&B ballad with a distinct style, and I like that honesty in it. The chorus is great because Nishino puts a lot of emotion into her voice, and the verses are pretty cool too. The one thing that bothers me in this track is Nishino’s overuse of tremolo. It sounds like she’s more nervous about singing at points and it’s a little bit of a put-off. Still, by the end, her vocals start to pick up again and become a lot stronger.

I is a good single. It’s not mind-blowing, neither is it awful. It’s good. There’s room for a lot of improvement for Nishino, and I do see a good future if she can hone her skills better. I hope her voice matures by time and experiences, and most likely it will be. Definitely another artiste to look out for. Sore dewa, gambatte, Nishino-san!

Overall grade: B+
(credit for the single to Nick of Highway Chance)