Ali project

[CloisteredFlame]

I don't know if Arika was sick or maybe it's her age catching up to her but she really had no presence

 

[grunty]

but to be fair I feel like I say that about every sampler and then end up enjoying the actual album when I get it...

Yep. No different here.
I'm only one full listen in and I enjoyed myself as usual. I don't know what it is about those samplers that make me worry when it usually ends up with me liking the album, lol.

"ZAZOU" is definitely my favorite as expected and the way the track evolves from beginning to the part from the sample is delicious. Other standouts for me would be #3 "Ankoku IDOL", #5 "DUNGEON Kara Ai wo Komete" and #2 "Nippon danshi, Shishifunjin" (sic? on all romanizations).

I don't think I disliked any single track out the gate but I do think that #9 "Ningyo no ie" is that one track (or two) that's on every album that I wish they kept until their next strings album. I got the regular edition so I will also say that, while Parasol 2025 isn't the most exciting remake and could've also waited for an orchestral album (I definitely prefer "Mori no Saiten" and "Strawberry Pie" remakes on previous albums), I love the way it starts after "out of the blue (instrumental)".

After this one listen I do think there could've been some more switchups/surprises in some tracks, because once you get in the zone of each track they kind of stop surprising you. But that's after one listen.

I don't know how I would rank it in the grand AliPro discography (sometimes albums grow on me...) but I think I can say it might be my favorite from the post-Belle Epoque releases.

 

[CloisteredFlame]

I'm only one full listen in and I enjoyed myself as usual.

As it should be.

After this one listen I do think there could've been some more switchups/surprises in some tracks, because once you get in the zone of each track they kind of stop surprising you. But that's after one listen.

I would imagine that multiple listens of the album unearths more hidden gems that make for re-listenability.