Distance

Following the staggering success of their debut album under their own name, 1999s First Love, the biggest-selling album in Japanese recording history was preceded by four number one singles. To say that Utada Hikarus 2001 follow-up, Distance, was hotly anticipated would be a huge understatement. Their debuts R&B-influenced sound evolved with little significant stylistic change, yet Distance stands out from other Japanese pop albums of the period with its rich production providing stark contrast to the cheap, tinny sound that characterized much Japanese pop of the previous decade, with "Wait & See" and "Addicted to You" both featuring the production talents of Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. Elsewhere, "Can You Keep a Secret?" remains a landmark in Japanese R&B both in terms of the sophistication of its songwriting and in its production, "Drama" shifts slightly from that template by introducing heavy, multilayered guitars and a darker, more rock-influenced sound, and "Kettobase!" mixes Hikarus usual R&B with more rock guitar and a techno-influenced sequencer pattern. Despite arriving relatively early in their career, Distance stands as one of Hikarus most consistent and inventive albums, and comes across as a far more convincing example of R&B by a Japanese artist than their later attempts to crack the U.S. market. ~ Ian Martin