Bad Mode

Bad Mode
Digital and standard cover
Studio album by
Hikaru Utada
ReleasedJanuary 19, 2022
Recorded2018–2021
Genre
Length73:36
Language
Label
Producer
Hikaru Utada chronology
One Last Kiss
(2021) 		Bad Mode
(2022) 		Hikaru Utada Live Sessions from Air Studios
(2022)
Singles from Bad Mode
  1. "Face My Fears"
    Released: January 18, 2019
  2. "Time"
    Released: May 8, 2020
  3. "Dare ni mo Iwa Nai"
    Released: May 22, 2020
  4. "One Last Kiss"
    Released: March 9, 2021
  5. "Pink Blood"
    Released: June 8, 2021
  6. "Kimi ni Muchū"
    Released: November 26, 2021
  7. "Bad Mode"
    Released: January 19, 2022

Bad Mode (Japanese: BADモード, Hepburn: Baddo Mōdo) is the eighth Japanese-language studio album (eleventh overall) by Japanese-American singer-songwriter Hikaru Utada. It is the singer-songwriter's first bilingual album release, with songs recorded in both Japanese and English. The album was released on the Sony Music Japan sublabel Epic Records Japan digitally on January 19, 2022, the day of Utada's 39th birthday, and was released physically on CD and limited CD-DVD-BD format bundle on February 23. It marked her first album release in four years since Hatsukoi (2018).

Six previously released songs were confirmed for the album, including title track "Bad Mode", the Shiseido commercial theme song "Find Love", the Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time theme song "One Last Kiss" and the Kingdom Hearts III theme song "Face My Fears".[7] The album includes collaborations with a variety of producers, including Skrillex and Poo Bear, A. G. Cook, and Sam Shepherd.[8] Describing the record's themes, MTV wrote that Bad Mode is largely about growing up, self-love, self-partnering, and acceptance". It utilizes various musical styles including pop, jazz, electronica and R&B.

Bad Mode received critical acclaim from music critics, with The Japan Times calling it a career highlight.[6] It was named one of the best albums of the year by various music publications including Pitchfork and Slant Magazine, while "Somewhere Near Marseilles" was ranked within the top 10 on both publication's lists of Best Songs of 2022. Commercially, the album received a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) within a month of its release with over 100,000 copies sold.

Background and packaging

The CD + DVD + Blu-ray release comes with the regular audio CD, five music videos ("Time", "One Last Kiss", "Pink Blood", "Kimi ni Muchū" and "Bad Mode") and the full recorded concert "Hikaru Utada Live Sessions from Air Studios".[9] The concert was recorded at London's Air Studios, with bassist Jodi Milliner as the bandmaster. Sound engineer Steve Fitzmaurice worked in sound recording and mixing, and David Barnard in the video direction.[8] Hikaru Utada's son, who is six years old at the moment of the album's release, participated in the album, having violin credits in "Bad Mode" and vocal credits in "Not in the Mood" under the name The Artist's Son. He also appears on the album cover.[3]

Composition

In contrast to her past albums, Bad Mode revolves around Utada's relationship with herself.[10] She states that most of the songs were written during the COVID-19 pandemic and containing reflections on being a mother, surviving through difficult times, and working to improve her own state of being and relationships with other people.[11]

Promotion

Despite having no tour to promote the album, Utada performed for the first time in the famous Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 17, 2022, being a part of the 88rising label block, singing some old hits and "Face My Fears" from Bad Mode, and a new song called "T", released after the concert ended for streaming, in the 88rising's EP Head in the Clouds Forever.[12] Due to fans request, the concert Hikaru Utada Live Sessions from Air Studios was released on June 9, 2022, for streaming in Netflix and as Utada's first ever digital live album.[13]

In September 2022, Utada performed "Somewhere Near Marseilles" live at the Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise zoo. An accompanying video of the performance was released exclusively to Spotify in part of their five-year anniversary celebration of the service launching in Japan.[14]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
The Japan Times[6]
Pitchfork8.0/10[2]
PopMatters8/10[4]
Sputnikmusic[15]

Accolades

Bad Mode on critic lists
Critic/Publisher List Ranking Ref.
Beats Per Minute Top 50 Albums of 2022 37 [16]
Gorilla vs. Bear Top 50 Albums of 2022 19 [17]
NME The 25 best Asian albums of 2022 8 [18]
NPR (Lars Gotrich) Top 10 Albums of 2022 Placed [19]
NPR (Sheldon Pearce) Top Albums of 2022 Placed [20]
Pitchfork The 50 Best Albums of 2022 31 [21]
The Skinny Top Albums of 2022 17 [22]
Slant Magazine The 50 Best Albums of 2022 9 [23]
Tokyo Weekender Top 10 Best Japanese Albums of 2022 9 [24]
Songs from Bad Mode on critic lists
Critic/Publisher List Song Ranking Ref.
Gorilla vs. Bear Top 50 Songs of 2022 "Somewhere Near Marseilles" 5 [25]
Pitchfork The 100 Best Songs of 2022 10 [26]
Resident Advisor The Best Tracks of 2022 Placed [27]
Slant Magazine The 50 Best Songs of 2022 6 [28]
The Fader The 100 Best Songs of 2022 42 [29]
NPR The 100 Best Songs of 2022 "Bad Mode" 32 [30]
Pitchfork The 100 Best Songs of the 2020s So Far "Somewhere Near Marseilles" 18 [31]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Hikaru Utada except where noted.

Bad Mode – Standard edition
No.TitleProducer(s)Length
1."Bad Mode" (BADモード) (written by Utada, Jodi Milliner)
5:03
2."Kimi ni Muchū" (君に夢中)
4:18
3."One Last Kiss"
  • Utada
  • Cook
4:10
4."Pink Blood"
3:17
5."Time"
  • Utada
  • Obukuro
4:58
6."Not in the Mood" (気分じゃないの)
  • Utada
  • Shepherd
7:28
7."Darenimo Iwanai" (誰にも言わない)
  • Utada
  • Obukuro
4:40
8."Find Love"
  • Utada
  • Obukuro
4:38
9."Face My Fears" (Japanese version) (written by Utada, Skrillex, Jason "Poo Bear" Boyd)
  • Utada
  • Skrillex
  • Poo Bear
3:38
10."Somewhere Near Marseilles" (Somewhere Near Marseilles -マルセイユ辺り-)
  • Utada
  • Shepherd
11:55
Total length:54:05
Bad Mode – bonus tracks
No.TitleProducer(s)Length
11."Beautiful World (Da Capo Version)"
5:58
12."Kireina Hito (Find Love)" (キレイな人)
  • Utada
  • Obukuro
4:38
13."Face My Fears (English Version)"
  • Utada
  • Skrillex
3:39
14."Face My Fears (A. G. Cook Remix)"
  • Utada
  • Cook
5:22
Total length:73:42

Personnel

Musicians

  • Hikaru Utada – production (1–13), writing (all tracks), vocals (all tracks), keyboards, programming (1–5, 7, 8, 10, 12); piano (1), additional drum programming (9, 13), additional keyboards and programming (11), shaker (10), Korean WaveDrum (10), vocals recording (1–3, 6–8, 10, 12)
  • Nariaki Obukuro – production, keyboards (5, 7, 8, 11, 12); programming (5, 7, 8, 11, 12), vocals recording (11)
  • Sam Shepherd – production, keyboards, programming (1, 6, 10); Rhodes piano (1), piano (6)
  • A. G. Cook – production (2, 3, 14), keyboards (3), programming (2, 3), remix (14)
  • Skrillex – production, programming (9, 13); writing (9, 13, 14), mixing (9, 13)
  • Poo Bear – production (9, 13), writing (9, 13, 14)
  • Jodi Milliner – writing (1), bass (1, 4, 6, 11, 13), synth bass (2, 3, 9), Moog bass & Juno pad (5)
  • Ben Parker – guitar (1, 6, 7), acoustic guitar (11)
  • Reuben James – Wurlitzer piano (4), acoustic piano (9, 13), piano (11)
  • Will Fry – percussion (1, 7, 10)
  • Leo Taylor – drums (1)
  • Ash Soan – percussion (6)
  • Freddie Gavita – trumpet (1)
  • Soweto Kinch – saxophone
  • Chris Dave – percussion (9, 13)
  • Yuta Bandoh – string arrangement, conducting (11)
  • Ensemble FOVE – strings (11)
  • Darren Heelis – additional drum programming (5)
  • Tom Norris – additional drum programming (9, 13), mixing (9, 13)
  • Nobuaki Tanaka – additional programming (11)
  • The Artist's Son – violin (1), vocals (6)

Technical

  • Steve Fitzmaurice – recording (1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 11), mixing (1–8, 10–12), additional instrumental recording (9)
  • Masahito Komori – vocals recording (4, 5, 9), strings recording (11), vocal tracks editing (4)
  • Yuya Saito – vocal tracks editing (1–8, 10–12)
  • Darren Heelis – additional recording (5), vocal recording assistance, additional engineering (7)
  • Marek Deml – recording, additional vocals recording (4)
  • Matt Jones – additional engineering assistance (7)
  • Randy Merrill – mastering

Charts

Sales and certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ)[39] Gold 166,698[38]

Release history

Release dates and formats for Bad Mode
Region Date Format Label Ref.
Various January 19, 2022
[40]
February 23, 2022 CD
April 27, 2022 LP

References

  1. ^ a b c TOMC [in Japanese] (February 23, 2022). 宇多田ヒカル『BADモード』 "越境"するベッドルーム・ソウルを読み解く [Hikaru Utada "Bad Mode": [I will] read the bedroom soul that "crosses the border."]. Nikkan Cyzo (in Japanese). Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d Kim, Joshua Minsoo (February 15, 2022). "Hikaru Utada: BADモード Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  3. ^ a b Stern, Bradley (January 19, 2022). "Hikaru Utada Returns, With 'Bad Mode' & A Better Sense of Self". Billboard. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  4. ^ a b Piatkowski, Peter (January 27, 2022). "Hikaru Utada's 'Bad Mode' Is an Energetic Homage to Millennium Disco-Pop". PopMatters. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  5. ^ a b Russell, Erica (January 19, 2022). "Hikaru Utada Looks Into The Mirror". MTV. Archived from the original on January 19, 2022. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  6. ^ a b c St. Michel, Patrick (January 29, 2022). "'Bad Mode' delivers some of the best songs of Hikaru Utada's career". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on February 13, 2022. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  7. ^ "8th Studio Album BAD MODE Available Digitally on January 19 and CD Releasing February 23". Hikaru Utada Official Website. Sony Music Labels Inc. December 9, 2021. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
  8. ^ a b "Hikaru Utada Will Release 8th Studio Album Bad Mode Wednesday, January 19 From Milan Records". Anime News Network. January 11, 2022. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  9. ^ "Utada Hikaru Releases Information on Their New Album". December 8, 2021. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
  10. ^ "Utada Hikaru Twitter Account". Twitter. May 5, 2021. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
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  12. ^ "Hikaru Utada Makes Festival Debut at Coachella With 88rising: Interview & Recap". Billboard. April 26, 2022. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
  13. ^ ""Hikaru Utada Live Sessions from Air Studios" Coming to Netflix on June 9"". Billboard. June 10, 2022. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
  14. ^ ""「Somewhere Near Marseilles ―マルセイユ辺りー -LIVE at Sea Paradise」 Spotify 「Go Stream」パフォーマンスビデオ として自身初の縦型映像作品本日公開"". Hikaru Utada Official Website (in Japanese). September 16, 2022. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  15. ^ "Utada Hikaru: Bad Mode". Sputnikmusic. January 19, 2022. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
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  17. ^ Chris (December 1, 2022). "gorilla vs. bear's albums of 2022". Gorilla vs. Bear. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
  18. ^ "The 25 best Asian albums of 2022". NME. December 23, 2022. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
  19. ^ Gotrich, Lars (December 21, 2022). "NPR Music 2022 Staff Picks: Lars Gotrich". NPR. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  20. ^ Pearce, Sheldon (December 9, 2022). "Sheldon Pearce's Top 20 Albums of 2022". NPR. Retrieved December 11, 2022.
  21. ^ "The 50 Best Albums of 2022". Pitchfork. December 6, 2022. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
  22. ^ "The Skinny's Top Ten Albums of 2022". The Skinny. December 8, 2022. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
  23. ^ "The 50 Best Albums of 2022". Slant Magazine. December 7, 2022. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
  24. ^ Kahan, Kim (December 28, 2022). "Top 10 Best Albums From Japan Released in 2022". Tokyo Weekender. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
  25. ^ Chris (December 4, 2022). "gorilla vs. bear's songs of 2022". Gorilla vs. Bear. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
  26. ^ "The 100 Best Songs of 2022". Pitchfork. December 5, 2022. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
  27. ^ "The Best Tracks of 2022 · Feature ⟋ RA". Resident Advisor. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  28. ^ "The 50 Best Songs of 2022". Slant Magazine. December 6, 2022. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
  29. ^ "The 100 best songs of 2022". The Fader. December 15, 2022. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  30. ^ "The 100 Best Songs Of 2022". NPR. December 15, 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  31. ^ "The 100 Best Songs of the 2020s So Far". Pitchfork. September 30, 2024. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  32. ^ "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2022–03-07" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  33. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot Albums | Chart". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). March 2, 2022. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
  34. ^ "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  35. ^ "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2022-02". Oricon. Archived from the original on March 9, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  36. ^ "Oricon Top 100 Albums: 2022". Oricon. Archived from the original on December 22, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  37. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot Albums Year-End 2022". Billboard Japan. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  38. ^ オリコン週間 アルバムランキング 2022年02月21日～2022年02月27日 [Oricon Weekly Album Ranking February 21, 2022 – February 27, 2022] (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on March 2, 2022. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  39. ^ "Japanese album certifications – 宇多田 ヒカル – Bada Mode" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Select 2022年2月 on the drop-down menu
  40. ^ "BADモード". Hikaru Utada Official Website (in Japanese). Sony Music Labels Inc. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022. Retrieved December 12, 2021.