Crystal (Double album)
Crystal is the debut album by Japanese sister duo Double, released on June 02, 1999 by For Life Music Entertainment.[1] The first press edition of the album came with the CD case with a clear background, and a back insert with the duo posing with the track names on the left side. Inside the case comes with a photobook with different pages consisting of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and pink spelling Double letter by letter. The RIAJ has certified it 2x Platinum, recognizing over 600,000+ shipments throughout Japan.[2] On the Oricon charts, the album's peak position was #2.
| Crystal | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 02, 1999 | |||
| Recorded | 1998-1999 | |||
| Genre |
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| Length | 54:26 (CD) | |||
| Label | For Life Music Entertainment | |||
| Double chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Crystal | ||||
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History
Double had previously released two singles without much success. Their debut single, For Me was a commercial failure, and their follow-up single, Desire failed to make a big impression with sales.
Their third single Bed gained some recognition in Japan and their fourth single Shake was their first successful single selling 100,000+ copies, becoming their only single to sell more than 50,000-100,000 copies. It would be their final single as a sister duo before Sachiko's death two months after the single's release.
On May 21st, 1999 Sachiko suddenly passed away from a subarachnoid hemorrhage at the age of 25 just two weeks before their debut album was released. Takako was devastated by the loss of her sister and took a break from her music career.
Track listing
All lyrics are written by Sachiko.
| No. | Title | Music | Arranger(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Intro ~ Crystal Clear" | Tatsuya.N | 0:52 | |
| 2. | "Free Style" | Ryosuke Imai | Takako, Sachiko | 5:09 |
| 3. | "Little Things You Do" | Jett-Edwards | Aaron G, Sachiko | 5:25 |
| 4. | "Make Me Happy (More Mix)" | Takako , Sachiko | Taku | 5:43 |
| 5. | "Desire (Cool Groove Mix)" | 福富幸宏 | Sachiko | 4:53 |
| 6. | "Interlude (If My Sister's In Trouble ~ Joy)" | David Barratt | William Cliff, Double | 0:20 |
| 7. | "Shake (Original)" | Ryosuke Imai | Ryu, Double | 5:31 |
| 8. | "Sweet Time" | Ryosuke Imai | Takako, Sachiko | 5:12 |
| 9. | "For Me (Live Style Mix)" | 福富幸宏 | Sachiko | 5:36 |
| 10. | "Bed" | Maestro-T | K. Matsuo, Double | 5:17 |
| 11. | "Shake (Another Squall Mix)" | Zeebra For T.O.P | Ryosuke Imai | 5:01 |
| 12. | "Bed (Doubles)" | Maestro-T | D. Sakama | 5:21 |
Personnel
- Double - lead vocals, lyrics
- Sachiko Hirasawa - bass, chorus
- Ryosuke Imai - chorus
- Takako Hirasawa - vocal direction
Production
- Produced by Ryosuke Imai, Ryosuke Imai for For Life Music Entertainment
- Co-produced by Takako
- Executive Production by Maestro-T
Charts
- Oricon Sales Chart (Japan)
| Release | Chart | Peak position | Sales total |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 2, 1999 | Oricon Daily Albums Chart | 2 | |
| Oricon Weekly Albums Chart | 636,440 |