Аюми Хамасакинің "H" EP-сі

2002 EP by Ayumi Hamasaki

H is an EP by Japanese recording artist Ayumi Hamasaki, featuring songs later included on her fifth studio album Rainbow (2002). The EP contains the songs "Independent", "July 1st" and "Hanabi", all written and co composed by Hamasaki (under the alias Crea), alongside composer Dai Nagao and producer Max Matsuura. Hamasaki had written and recorded the three songs when she was still hurt and influenced by the events of the September 11 attacks and the completion of her fourth studio album I Am (2002). The attacks influenced Hamasaki's lyrical and musical direction, and had made her decide to create more worldly inspired music. The EP utilizes dance and pop music, with each song being influenced by pop rock, electronica, and trip hop music. Like Rainbow, it contains ambient influenced sounds such as handclaps and cheering. The lyrical content deals with freedom, fun and sadness, continuing themes seen on her previous album. The EP received mostly positive reviews from music critics, who commended the production value. Many critics praised it as being one of Hamasaki's career highlights. The EP was commercially successful in her native Japan, peaking at number one on the weekly Oricon Singles Chart. It became the only single in 2002 to sell over one million units in Japan in the same year, and was certified Million by the Recording Industry Association of Japan. No music videos were created to promote the EP, which makes only one of three single or extended play releases by Hamasaki to lack videos (A (1999), "Unite!" (2001) and "Terminal" (2014)). However, the singles did have commercial endorsed videos by product companies that featured Hamasaki. The songs have been performed several times on her domestic and nationwide tours including A nation and her stadium tours Ayumi Hamasaki Stadium Tour 2002 A and Ayumi Hamasaki Countdown Live 2002–2003 A.

On New Year's Day 2002, Hamasaki released her fourth studio album I Am from Avex Trax. The album saw a new direction for Hamasaki, whose first three studio albums was dominated by a pop rock sound, and lyrics based on loneliness, confusion, sadness, relationships and individualism. The result was not well received from critics, who felt the effort was "unassuming", particularly on her debut release A Song for ×× (1999). After being affected emotionally by the September 11 attacks, Hamasaki quickly changed the album's planned musical direction, and updated the album cover to support world peace. This effort was Hamasaki's first album to focus on lighter themes, such as faith, humanity and serenity. I Am became a success and sold over 2.3 million copies in Japan, and was certified triple million by the RIAJ. Hamasaki begun work on Rainbow the same year, and intended to focus on the same themes again. At the ceremony, Hamasaki felt that by only writing Japanese lyrics, she was not able to bring her "message" to other countries and decided to write in English. Despite this, none of the three songs on H feature English lyrics. Three months before the release of H, Hamasaki released her first single from Rainbow, "Free & Easy", on April 24, 2002. The song received positive reviews from critics and was a commercial success, peaking at number one on the Oricon Charts and selling over 400,000 copies.