Maps of Music

ULTRA BLUE (2006)

Where the lyrics of ULTRA BLUE take you, and where it was really made.

Utada's first Japanese-language album in four years sold over 500,000 copies in its first week, yet it became the first Utada album to fall short of one million in total sales.

Key places

Recorded at Bunkamura Studio, Tokyo (2006)

Recording site Bunkamura Studios — The source lists Bunkamura Studio in Tokyo as a recording location for Ultra Blue. The point is set at the building-level coordinates of the studio. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recorded at Conway Recording Studios, Los Angeles (2006)

Recording site Conway Recording Studios — The source lists Conway Recording Studios in Los Angeles as a recording location for Ultra Blue. The point is set at the building-level coordinates of the studio. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recorded at Saffron Hills Studio, London (2006)

Recording site Wild Bunch Studios (London) — The source lists Saffron Hills Studio in London as a recording location for Ultra Blue. The point uses the city-center coordinates of London, not the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recorded at Studio Terra, Tokyo (2006)

Recording site Studio TERRA — The source lists Studio Terra in Tokyo as a recording location for Ultra Blue. The point is set at the building-level coordinates of the studio. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recorded at The Hit Factory, New York City (2006)

Recording site The Hit Factory — The source lists The Hit Factory in New York City as a recording location for Ultra Blue. The point is set at the building-level coordinates of the studio. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Ultra Blue: sixth studio album by Japanese-American singer Hikaru Utada
• Released 14 June 2006 by Eastworld
• First original Japanese-language album in four years, following Deep River (2002)
• Thirteen songs, including six singles released between 2003 and 2006
• All but one song written, composed, and arranged solely by Utada, who also did the programming
• R&B elements from the debut further reduced; most songs have an electronic flavor with an emphasis on synth sounds

Background

• In 2002, Utada signed an exclusive contract with Island Def Jam
• Soon after the single "Colors" in 2003, work began on an English-language album under the Utada name
• Meanwhile: Budokan tour Hikaru no 5, the hit "Dareka no Negai ga Kanau Koro" (theme for the movie Casshern), and the first greatest hits album Utada Hikaru Single Collection Vol. 1
• Autumn 2004: first English album Exodus released under the name Utada
• 2005: Japanese activities restarted with the singles "Be My Last," "Passion," and "Keep Tryin'"
• Utada said that after Exodus they came to prefer "simple" sounds and arrangements

Recording

• Synth sounds programmed by Utada give the album varied tones
• Studios listed in the source include Bunkamura Studio (Tokyo), Conway Recording Studios (Los Angeles), Saffron Hills Studio (London), Studio Terra (Tokyo), and The Hit Factory (New York City)

Cover

• Cover details are not given in the source

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Born January 19, 1983 in New York City to Japanese parents; mother Keiko Fuji was an enka singer, father Teruzane Utada a record producer.
• Began writing songs at age 10 and moved to Tokyo at age 11; performed as Cubic U from 1996.
• Signed with Toshiba-EMI; English debut album Precious (1998) under Cubic U.

Members

• Solo artist, known mononymously as Utada; later performed under the name Hikaru Utada.

Career

• Japanese debut First Love (1999), Japan's best-selling album of all time.
• Distance (2001) sold three million copies in its first week; Deep River (2002) followed.
• Exodus (2004) marked an English-language push in North America under the name Utada.
• Returned to Japan with Ultra Blue (2006) and Heart Station (2008); This Is the One (2009) followed.
• Long hiatus after 2010 Wild Life tour; returned with Fantôme (2016) and Hatsukoi (2018).
• Wrote theme songs for the Kingdom Hearts series, including Face My Fears with Skrillex.
• Bad Mode (2022) was the first bilingual album; Science Fiction (2024) celebrated 25 years since debut.
• Over 40 million records sold; came out as non-binary in 2021.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Ultra Blue received mostly positive reception from music critics.
• Hiraga Tetsuo of Hot Express gave a glowing review, stating that everything about the album is new and stimulating.
• Daniel Robson of The Japan Times was generally positive, calling it a "top-notch pop record."
• CDJournal said the album is a cut above the rest of J-Pop, but that the lyrics and vocals had lost some of the vibrancy of the debut album.
• Pinjun of MTVChinese.com gave the album four out of five stars, saying it shows a more mature Utada.

Reappraisal

• The source gives no separate later reappraisal.

Records

• Sold 500,317 copies in its first week and debuted atop the Oricon Albums Chart
• Ranked seventh on the Oricon Yearly Albums Chart with 882,343 copies sold in 2006
• Cumulative sales reached 909,113 copies, Utada's first album to sell less than a million
• Over 4 million digital downloads of the album's songs
• Ranked fourth in the annual iTunes album ranking that began in 2006
• "Keep Tryin'" topped the singles category of the same chart for the year
• Certified million by RIAJ
• About 1,150,000 copies sold globally by July 2008

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The lead single "This Is Love" was never retailed as a CD single and was released digitally only.
• "This Is Love" was also used as a jingle for a Nissin Cup Noodle TV commercial.
• Utada chose the song "Passion" as the closing track, describing it as a "blue sky" and a "light of hope."
• "Eclipse (Interlude)" is an instrumental piece placed between "Be My Last" and "Passion."
• "Keep Tryin'" includes a child's toy piano that Utada bought from a toy department store clerk.
• The album was Utada's second concert tour of Japan after the Bohemian Summer 2000 tour, the Utada United 2006 tour.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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