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Next Stage with You

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"Next Stage with You"
Song

"Next Stage with You" (stylized as "Next Stage with YOU") is a song recorded by Japanese girl group Perfume. It was released as the group's first promotional single by Universal Music Japan and the group's self-titled subsidiary label in November 2015 from their fifth studio album Cosmic Explorer. It was fully written, composed, arranged, and produced by Japanese musician and the group's primary collaborator Yasutaka Nakata. Musically, "Next Stage with You" was noted by critics as a return to the group's previous music releases such as Game and Triangle, incorporating elements of electropop and dance music, and features instrumentation of synthesizers and keyboards.

Upon its release, the song was critically acclaimed from music critics. Majority of the critics selected it as the album's strongest track, alongside them commending the composition and production. Some critics have even listed it as one of the group's best track throughout their discography. Despite the track not entering any record charts in Japan, it was heavily promoted in the country for the Japanese launch of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class; it also received a short animation music video by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto and an mobile app for the song. The song has been performed on the group's 2016 world tour promoting Cosmic Explorer.

Background and composition

Perfume begun recording their new studio album in mid 2015, and released additional tracks including "Story", "Relax in the City", and "Pick Me Up".[1][2] Then on November 26, the group released the second and final promotional single titled "Next Stage with You"; the single was released as the theme song to the Japanese launch of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class.[3] It was released as the group's second promotional single by Universal Music Japan and the group's self-titled subsidiary label from their fifth studio album Cosmic Explorer (2016). It was fully written, composed, arranged, and produced by Japanese musician and the group's primary collaborator Yasutaka Nakata; he had also created all the tracks from Cosmic Explorer.[4] Although there is no official artwork of the single, the mobile app in which the song was included on at iTunes Store features the Mercedes-Benz logo.[5]

Musically, the song is an electropop song that incorporates elements of mid-tempo dance music and dubstep, as described by J-PopGo.co.uk writer Paul B.[6] According to Ronald Taylor at The Japan Times, he believed that the song, particularly it's bridge section resembled the group's previous music releases such as Game and Triangle.[7] Shreya Aiyar, writing for the Daily Bruin, compared the songs composition to the work of French electronic music duo Daft Punk.[8] Erin Smith at HelloAsia.com.au described it as a "very synth driven track, and uses effect-laden voices as instruments in their own right with lyric-less voice lines."[9]

Critical response

Upon its release, the song was critically acclaimed from music critics. Paul B. from J-PopGo.co.uk was positive in his review, labelling it "unabashed electropop goodness...".[6] Whilst reviewing the album, a member at Selective Hearing noted that "Next Stage with You" and three other album songs presented a "lighter flair" than majority of the album's remaining tracks; the member found it an "evolution" in the groups sound.[10] Ronald Taylor from The Japan Times enjoyed the song and complimented Nakata for transcending Perfume's "classic" technopop sound into the song.[7] Taylor then talked about the album on AramaJapan.com, and found that the song and another track "Hold Your Hand" were the only material from the album that didn't show a "loss of quickness in favor for Western EDM music."[11] In a similar review, Shreya Aiyar, writing for the Daily Bruin, enjoyed the song but found it complimented another album track "Miracle Worker" better for its composition.[8] Ian Martin, who contributed in writing reviews and the extended biography of Perfume through AllMusic, selected the song as one of the group's best recordings in their discography.[12]

Promotion

To promote the single, the group selected "Next Stage with You" as the theme song for the Japanese launch of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class in November 2015. A short music video commercial was directed and designed by Japanese anime director Yoshiyuki Sadamoto; it features digitised versions of Perfume dancing in a spacey-atmosphere, and ends with the them driving in a Mercedes-Benz with a male robot.[13] It premiered on the Mercedes-Benz Japan YouTube channel on November 25, 2015.[14] A further presentation promoting the single and vehicle was held in Tokyo, Japan,[15][16] with an extended version of the commercial video being shown and Perfume appearing in a silver Mercedes-Benz; the entire project was titled "Mercedes-Benz X Perfume". It was uploaded on their YouTube channel two days later.[17]

A special edition of the Mercedes-Benz A180 model, which was titled the "Perfume Edition", included triangular vinyl stickers that matches the color scheme of the group's outfit that was performed in the commercial. A total of 30 cars including these vinyl stickers were manufactured in Japan, and were only available through online purchase.[18] Then on January 6, 2016, a mobile app was released and distributed on iTunes Store by Mercedes-Benz Ltd. in Japan; the application includes the original demo version of "Next Stage With You", and a camera function where the customer can take a photo of the Mercedes-Benz A180 model and use specific parts of the car as the stage for the digitised Perfume (that was used for the commercial video) to dance in.[5] A special website was then created to host several different versions of the digitised Perfume members dancing in different backgrounds and stages.[19]

Track listing

  • Digital download[20]
  1. "Next Stage with You" – 4:39

Personnel

Credits adapted from the CD liner notes of Cosmic Explorer.[4]

Recording and management
  • Recorded in 2015 at the Universal Music Japan Studios.
  • Universal Music Japan, Perfume Records, Amuse Inc., Wrassle Records – management and record labels
Credits
  • Ayano Ōmoto – vocals, background vocals
  • Yuka Kashino – vocals, background vocals
  • Ayaka Nishiwaki – vocals, background vocals
  • Yasutaka Nakata – programming, producing, composing, arranging, songwriting, mixing
  • Masahiro Kazumoto – executive producer
  • Yoshiyuki Sadamoto – music video director

Release history

Region Date Format Label
Japan[21] November 25, 2015 Promotional airplay
April 6, 2016 Digital download[A]
Australia[22]
New Zealand[23]
United Kingdom[24]
Ireland[25]
Germany[26]
Spain[27]
France[28]
Italy[29]
Taiwan[30]

Notes

  1. ^ The single was not released as a separate digital-download track (apart from Amazon.com), and the links referenced to each country direct to the Cosmic Explorer album on iTunes Store.

References

  1. ^ Vanhemert, Kyle (March 25, 2015). "Hot Damn, This Concert is straight out of the Future!". Wired.com. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
  2. ^ Relax in the City/Pick Me Up (CD and DVD Single; Liner notes). Perfume. Japan: Universal Music Japan, Perfume Records. 2015. UPCP-9011.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  3. ^ AramaJapan Staff (November 26, 2015). "Perfume promotes Mercedes-Benz in Next Stage With You campaign". Arama Japan. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
  4. ^ a b Cosmic Explorer (2xCD and DVD Box Set Album; Liner notes). Perfume. Japan: Universal Music Japan, Perfume Records. 2016. UPCP-9013.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  5. ^ a b "Next Stage with You – App – by Mercedes-Benz Co. Ltd. Japan". iTunes Store (Japan). January 6, 2016. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
  6. ^ a b B., Paul (April 26, 2016). "Perfume – Cosmic Explorer (album review)". jpopgo.co.uk. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
  7. ^ a b Taylor, Ronald (May 15, 2016). "Perfume's back with 'Cosmic Explorer,' but I still miss them". The Japan Times. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
  8. ^ a b Aiyar, Shreya (April 10, 2016). "Album Review: Cosmic Explorer". Daily Bruin. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
  9. ^ Smith, Erin (March 26, 2016). "Album Review: Perfume – Cosmic Explorer (Japan, 2016)". HelloAsia.com.au. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
  10. ^ Greg (April 6, 2016). "Perfume – Cosmic Explorer (album review)". Selective Hearing. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
  11. ^ Taylor, Ronald (April 2016). "Perfume Explores Mediocrity on Cosmic Explorer". Arama Japan. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
  12. ^ Martin, Ian (April 6, 2016). "Perfume – Songs". AllMusic. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
  13. ^ Tokyo Girls Update Staff (November 28, 2015). "Perfume ascends to the Next Stage with You in Mercedes-Benz A-Class commercial". Rocket News. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
  14. ^ Mercedes-Benz Japan (November 25, 2015). "The New A-Class. Next Stage with You┃30秒CM". YouTube. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
  15. ^ Autoc-One Japan Staff (November 30, 2015). "【動画追加】今度は「Perfume x 3Dアニメ」！ 新型「Aクラス」がマイナーチェンジ【発表会レポ】 (2/2)". AutoC-One.jp. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
  16. ^ Natalie Staff (November 26, 2015). "Perfumeがメルセデス・ベンツのキャラクターに、デザインは貞本義行". Natalie.mu. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
  17. ^ Mercedes-Benz Japan (November 27, 2015). "新型Aクラス発表会 オープニング". YouTube. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
  18. ^ "Mercedes A180 Customized Version x Perfume". Mercedes-Benz Social Website. November 28, 2015. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
  19. ^ Mercedes-Benz Japan (November 27, 2015). "Next Stage With You". A-Class; published through Mercedes-Benz Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved July 11, 2016.
  20. ^ "Next Stage With You: Perfume MP3". Amazon.com. April 6, 2016. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
  21. ^ "Cosmic Explorer – Album – by Perfume". iTunes Store (Japan). April 6, 2016. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
  22. ^ "Cosmic Explorer – Album – by Perfume". iTunes Store (Australia). April 6, 2016. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
  23. ^ "Cosmic Explorer – Album – by Perfume". iTunes Store (New Zealand). April 6, 2016. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
  24. ^ "Cosmic Explorer – Album – by Perfume". iTunes Store (United Kingdom). April 6, 2016. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
  25. ^ "Cosmic Explorer – Album – by Perfume". iTunes Store (Ireland). April 6, 2016. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
  26. ^ "Cosmic Explorer – Album – by Perfume". iTunes Store (Germany). April 6, 2016. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
  27. ^ "Cosmic Explorer – Album – by Perfume". iTunes Store (Spain). April 6, 2016. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
  28. ^ "Cosmic Explorer – Album – by Perfume". iTunes Store (France). April 6, 2016. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
  29. ^ "Cosmic Explorer – Album – by Perfume". iTunes Store (Italy). April 6, 2016. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
  30. ^ "Cosmic Explorer – Album – by Perfume". iTunes Store (Taiwan). April 6, 2016. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
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