Next Stage with You
{{Infobox song
| name = Next Stage With You
| cover =
| alt =
| type =
| artist = Perfume
| album = Cosmic Explorer
| released = November 25, 2015 (Promotional airplay)
April 6, 2016 (digital purchase)
| recorded = 2015
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = {{hlist|Electropop|dance-pop}}
| length = 4:39
| label = {{hlist|Universal Music Japan|Perfume Records}}
| writer = Yasutaka Nakata
| producer = Nakata
}}
"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 a 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".{{cite news|author=Vanhemert, Kyle|url=https://www.wired.com/2015/03/hot-damn-concert-straight-future/|title=Hot Damn, This Concert is straight out of the Future!|work=Wired.com|date=March 25, 2015|accessdate=July 11, 2016}}{{cite AV media notes |title=Relax in the City/Pick Me Up|others=Perfume|year=2015|type=CD and DVD Single; Liner notes|publisher=Universal Music Japan, Perfume Records|id=UPCP-9011|location=Japan}} 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.{{cite news|author=AramaJapan Staff|url=http://aramajapan.com/news/music/perfume-promotes-mercedes-benz-in-next-stage-with-you-campaign/52490/|title=Perfume promotes Mercedes-Benz in Next Stage With You campaign|work=Arama Japan|date=November 26, 2015|accessdate=July 11, 2016}} 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.{{cite AV media notes |title=Cosmic Explorer|others=Perfume|year=2016|type=2xCD and DVD Box Set Album; Liner notes|publisher=Universal Music Japan, Perfume Records|id=UPCP-9013|location=Japan}} 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.{{cite news|url=https://itunes.apple.com/jp/app/next-stage-with-you/id1054649195?mt=8|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160402191813/https://itunes.apple.com/jp/app/next-stage-with-you/id1054649195?mt=8|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 2, 2016|title=Next Stage with You – App – by Mercedes-Benz Co. Ltd. Japan|work=iTunes Store (Japan)|date=January 6, 2016|accessdate=July 11, 2016}}
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.{{cite news|author=B., Paul|url=http://www.jpopgo.co.uk/perfume-cosmic-explorer/|title=Perfume – Cosmic Explorer (album review)|work=jpopgo.co.uk|date=April 26, 2016|accessdate=July 11, 2016}} According to Ronald Taylor at The Japan Times, he believed that the song, particularly its bridge section resembled the group's previous music releases such as Game and Triangle.{{cite news|author=Taylor, Ronald|url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2016/05/15/music/cd-reviews/perfumes-back-cosmic-explorer-still-miss/#.V4L9pbh97IV|title=Perfume's back with 'Cosmic Explorer,' but I still miss them|work=The Japan Times|date=May 15, 2016|accessdate=July 11, 2016}} Shreya Aiyar, writing for the Daily Bruin, compared the song's composition to the work of French electronic music duo Daft Punk.{{cite news|author=Aiyar, Shreya|url=http://dailybruin.com/2016/04/10/album-review-cosmic-explorer/|title=Album Review: Cosmic Explorer|work=Daily Bruin|date=April 10, 2016|accessdate=July 11, 2016}} 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."{{cite news|author=Smith, Erin|url=http://www.helloasia.com.au/reviews/albums/perfume-cosmic-explorer-japan-2016/|title=Album Review: Perfume – Cosmic Explorer (Japan, 2016)|work=HelloAsia.com.au|date=March 26, 2016|accessdate=July 11, 2016}}
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...". 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 group's sound.{{cite news|author=Greg|url=http://selective-hearing.com/perfume-cosmic-explorer-review/|title=Perfume – Cosmic Explorer (album review)|work=Selective Hearing|date=April 6, 2016|accessdate=July 11, 2016}} Ronald Taylor from The Japan Times enjoyed the song and complimented Nakata for transcending Perfume's "classic" technopop sound into the song. 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."{{cite news|author=Taylor, Ronald|url=http://aramajapan.com/news/music/perfume-explores-mediocrity-on-cosmic-explorer/58821/|title=Perfume Explores Mediocrity on Cosmic Explorer|work=Arama Japan|date=April 2016|accessdate=July 11, 2016}} 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. 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.{{cite news|author=Martin, Ian|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/perfume-mn0001574684/songs|title=Perfume – Songs|work=AllMusic|date=April 6, 2016|accessdate=July 11, 2016}}
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 them driving in a Mercedes-Benz with a male robot.{{cite news|author=Tokyo Girls Update Staff|url=http://en.rocketnews24.com/2015/11/28/perfume-ascends-to-the-next-stage-with-you-in-mercedes-benz-a-class-commercial%E3%80%90video%E3%80%91/|title=Perfume ascends to the Next Stage with You in Mercedes-Benz A-Class commercial|work=Rocket News|date=November 28, 2015|accessdate=July 11, 2016}} It premiered on the Mercedes-Benz Japan YouTube channel on November 25, 2015.{{cite news|author=Mercedes-Benz Japan|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qv7PodxyyWs|title=The New A-Class. Next Stage with You┃30秒CM|work=YouTube|date=November 25, 2015|accessdate=July 11, 2016}} A further presentation promoting the single and vehicle was held in Tokyo, Japan,{{cite news|author=Autoc-One Japan Staff|url=http://autoc-one.jp/mercedes-benz/a-class/launch-2474135/0002.html|title=【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)|work=AutoC-One.jp|date=November 30, 2015|accessdate=July 11, 2016}}{{cite news|author=Natalie Staff|url=http://natalie.mu/music/news/167201|title=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|work=Natalie.mu|date=November 26, 2015|accessdate=July 11, 2016}} 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.{{cite news|author=Mercedes-Benz Japan|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltc32dYRAVw|title=新型Aクラス発表会 オープニング|work=YouTube|date=November 27, 2015|accessdate=July 11, 2016}}
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.{{cite news|url=http://social.mercedes-benz.com/clipping/mercedes-a180-customized-version-x-perfume/|title=Mercedes A180 Customized Version x Perfume|work=Mercedes-Benz Social Website|date=November 28, 2015|accessdate=July 11, 2016}} 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. A special website was then created to host several different versions of the digitised Perfume members dancing in different backgrounds and stages.{{cite news|author=Mercedes-Benz Japan|url=http://app.aclass-next-stage-with-you.jp/|title=Next Stage With You|work=A-Class; published through Mercedes-Benz Japan|date=November 27, 2015|accessdate=July 11, 2016|language=Japanese}}
Track listing
Personnel
Credits adapted from the CD liner notes of Cosmic Explorer.
;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
Notes
{{notelist-ua}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- [http://app.aclass-next-stage-with-you.jp/ "Next Stage With You"] at A-Class Mercedes-Benz website. {{in lang|ja}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20160402191813/https://itunes.apple.com/jp/app/next-stage-with-you/id1054649195?mt=8 "Next Stage With You"] at iTunes Store. {{in lang|ja}}
{{Perfume (Japanese band)}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Perfume (Japanese band) songs
Category:Song recordings produced by Yasutaka Nakata