Release Date: June 24, 2015
Track Listing
- Never Ever (TJO & YUSUKE from BLU-SWING Remix)
- Never Ever (Original Mix)
- Never Ever (Royal Mirrorball vs. MODEWARP Main Mix)
- Never Ever (Royal Mirrorball vs. MODEWARP Dub Mix)
- Never Ever (Instrumental)
- Never Ever (TJO & YUSUKE from BLU-SWING Remix Instrumental)
- Never Ever (Original Mix) – Instrumental –
Review
Never Ever is Tokyo Girls’ Style’s 19th single and was used as the ending theme for the anime FAIRY TAIL. In the continuation of not being idols, TGS offers another 90’s R&B/Pop hybrid with a slight Latin twist.
Style wise it’s not exactly a deviation from their well-established formula except adding some of that Flamenco-like guitar to spice things up. It’s business as usual for Tokyo Girls’ Style.
I make it sound like this is the least exciting release this group has done. And if you think about it, then yes, they are pretty much sleepwalking through another solid single. What is exciting about this release is that some love is given to the DJs with a vinyl release.
Side A features the remix of Never Ever by TJO & YUSUKE from BLU-SWING, and Side B features the dub mix by Royal Mirrorball vs. MODEWARP. And if you get the CD versions of Never Ever, you get the vocal version of the Royal Mirrorball vs. MODEWARP remix.
Dance music enthusiasts will most likely gravitate to these two different takes on the song. The TJO & YUSUKE remix is the more listener-friendly of the two, going with a pumping EDM production to bring TGS into club land. If throwing your hands in the air and waiting for the bass to drop is your thing, give this a go.
The Royal Mirrorball vs. MODEWARP is less listener-friendly and can probably be considered a little weird and boring with its droning beat and heavy effects on the vocals.
It will be an acquired taste in the vocal version. The dub version does a lot to correct the monotony, but it still won’t satisfy those who have little patience to sit through this kind of track. Creative DJs will likely find it a useful tool to transition between tracks in a set but probably not to play out entirely for fear of losing the crowd and/or the listener.
For those who find all that four-on-the-floor dance stuff foreign to their ears or don’t like remixes, you’re kind of S.O.L. since those makeup most of the single. So skip the songs or buy only the original version from iTunes Japan.
For the most part, this is a great package of songs and perhaps is an indication that not being classified as idols anymore was a good career move.
