Artist: May'n
Album: HEAT
Label: Victor Entertainment
Release Date: 3/21/2012
# of tracks: 12
Buy: $34.78 (CD)

Exploding onto the scene as Sheryl Nome in Macross Frontier, May'n is carving her own niche in the world of Japanese pop. With her rich sultry voice, you can instantly tell her apart from most singers. The lower register of her voice is a refreshing change of pace to the normal high pitch j-pop singer that pretty much dominate the j-pop scene, which, by most standards, would appeal better to a foreign audience. Speaking of, she made her American debut at Anime Expo in Los Angeles in 2010.

Here are the list of tracks for this album:

01. Brain Diver (TV Anime "Phi Brain -Kami no Puzzle" Opening theme)
Lyrics: Shouko Fujibayashi, Music: Tomokazu Yamada, Edit: CHOKKAKU
02. GET TOUGH (New Track)
Lyrics: Yuuho Iwasato, Music: Akimitsu Honma, Edit: Shougo Oonishi
03. Giant Step -May'n ver.- ("Kamen Rider Fourze" Ending theme)
Lyrics: Shouko Fujibayashi, Music & Edit: Shuuhei Naruse
04. HEAT of the moment (New track)
Lyrics: Akio Inoue, Music & Edit: Akimitsu Honma
05. Scarlet Ballet (TV Anime "Hidan no Aria / Aria the Scarlet Ammo" Opening theme)
Lyrics: Akio Inoue, Music & Edit: Daisuke Asakura
06. Kagami (New track)
Lyrics: Yuuho Iwasato, Music: Hidenori Tanaka, Edit: Hiroaki Yokoyama
07. SPIRIT (New track *First performance at May'n LIVE TOUR 2011 "WE ARE side-A")
Lyrics: Yuuho Iwasato, Music & Edit: Kiyoshi Ikegami
08. DOLCE (New track)
Lyrics: hal, Music: Kazunori Watanabe, Edit: K-Muto
09. Number One! (Included in "May'n 1st ARTIST BOOK LIVEALIVE" from Kadokawa Shoten Publishing, Co. Ltd.)
Lyrics & Music: May'n, Edit: Kenji Ueda
10. WE ARE (New track *First performance at May'n LIVE TOUR 2011 "WE ARE side-B")
Lyrics & Music: May'n, Edit: Kenji Ueda
11. Koi (New track)
Lyrics: Anju Mana, Music: Kiyoshi Ikegami, Edit: Kiyoshi Ikegami
12. Jewels (New track)
Lyrics: Shouko Fujibayashi, Music & Edit: Shirou Sagisu

As you can see, we have a mixed array of songs on this album. From anime openings, to the Kamen Rider Fouze ending theme, to all new original tracks. The way I listen to an album is normally from the beginning to the end. At least, the first time through. What I kind of go through in my head is that I am at the concert of said artist and this album is the concert set list. So what will make this album great is that I can listen to the whole thing without hitting the skip button. Which, in this case, I can.

The album starts off strong with "Brain Diver," getting you pumped up for the rest of the album. This up-beat rock continue on till about the sixth track, where it brings it back by just a little bit. By the time track eight hits, you have calmed down just a bit. Then on track eight, you find yourself revved back up, only to come back down again by the next track. Not a far jump back but a small one none the less. Track eight is the only one I feel is a little out of place in the flow of the entire album. It's not something I would condemn it for, but something that I personally picked up on. Your results will vary. Heading to the last three tracks, we find everything is slowing down. These slower songs really accent May'n's vocals in my honest opinion. It's kind of a wonderful way to end the album, especially the last track "Jewels," something I can definitely see ending a big concert.

This is one of the better overall albums I have heard in a long time. From beginning to end, I don't really have any complaints. I highly recommend this to just about anyone to take a listen to. I believe that May'n has mass appeal for her vocal style and range. This album is a wonderful example of that and I know that I will be listening to this for a long time.

9.0 Supreme -- You would be foolish not to pick this up and listen to its lovely bouquet of sounds.