Next Stage with You

Perfume begun recording their new studio album in mid 2015, and released additional tracks including "Story", "Relax in the City", and "Pick Me Up".[1][2] Then on November 26, the group released the second and final promotional single titled "Next Stage with You"; the single was released as the theme song to the Japanese launch of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class.[3] It was released as the group's second promotional single by Universal Music Japan and the group's self-titled subsidiary label from their fifth studio album Cosmic Explorer (2016). It was fully written, composed, arranged, and produced by Japanese musician and the group's primary collaborator Yasutaka Nakata; he had also created all the tracks from Cosmic Explorer.[4] Although there is no official artwork of the single, the mobile app in which the song was included on at iTunes Store features the Mercedes-Benz logo.[5]

Musically, the song is an electropop song that incorporates elements of mid-tempo dance music and dubstep, as described by J-PopGo.co.uk writer Paul B.[6] According to Ronald Taylor at The Japan Times, he believed that the song, particularly its bridge section resembled the group's previous music releases such as Game and Triangle.[7] Shreya Aiyar, writing for the Daily Bruin, compared the song's composition to the work of French electronic music duo Daft Punk.[8] Erin Smith at HelloAsia.com.au described it as a "very synth driven track, and uses effect-laden voices as instruments in their own right with lyric-less voice lines."[9]

Upon its release, the song was critically acclaimed from music critics. Paul B. from J-PopGo.co.uk was positive in his review, labelling it "unabashed electropop goodness...".[6] Whilst reviewing the album, a member at Selective Hearing noted that "Next Stage with You" and three other album songs presented a "lighter flair" than majority of the album's remaining tracks; the member found it an "evolution" in the group's sound.[10] Ronald Taylor from The Japan Times enjoyed the song and complimented Nakata for transcending Perfume's "classic" technopop sound into the song.[7] Taylor then talked about the album on AramaJapan.com, and found that the song and another track "Hold Your Hand" were the only material from the album that didn't show a "loss of quickness in favor for Western EDM music."[11] In a similar review, Shreya Aiyar, writing for the Daily Bruin, enjoyed the song but found it complimented another album track "Miracle Worker" better for its composition.[8] Ian Martin, who contributed in writing reviews and the extended biography of Perfume through AllMusic, selected the song as one of the group's best recordings in their discography.[12]

To promote the single, the group selected "Next Stage with You" as the theme song for the Japanese launch of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class in November 2015. A short music video commercial was directed and designed by Japanese anime director Yoshiyuki Sadamoto; it features digitised versions of Perfume dancing in a spacey-atmosphere, and ends with them driving in a Mercedes-Benz with a male robot.[13] It premiered on the Mercedes-Benz Japan YouTube channel on November 25, 2015.[14] A further presentation promoting the single and vehicle was held in Tokyo, Japan,[15][16] with an extended version of the commercial video being shown and Perfume appearing in a silver Mercedes-Benz; the entire project was titled "Mercedes-Benz X Perfume". It was uploaded on their YouTube channel two days later.[17]

A special edition of the Mercedes-Benz A180 model, which was titled the "Perfume Edition", included triangular vinyl stickers that matches the color scheme of the group's outfit that was performed in the commercial. A total of 30 cars including these vinyl stickers were manufactured in Japan, and were only available through online purchase.[18] Then on January 6, 2016, a mobile app was released and distributed on iTunes Store by Mercedes-Benz Ltd. in Japan; the application includes the original demo version of "Next Stage With You", and a camera function where the customer can take a photo of the Mercedes-Benz A180 model and use specific parts of the car as the stage for the digitised Perfume (that was used for the commercial video) to dance in.[5] A special website was then created to host several different versions of the digitised Perfume members dancing in different backgrounds and stages.[19]

• Digital download[20]

1. "Next Stage with You" – 4:39

Credits adapted from the CD liner notes of Cosmic Explorer.[4]

Recording and management

• Recorded in 2015 at the Universal Music Japan Studios.
• Universal Music Japan, Perfume Records, Amuse Inc., Wrassle Records – management and record labels

Credits

• Ayano Ōmoto – vocals, background vocals
• Yuka Kashino – vocals, background vocals
• Ayaka Nishiwaki – vocals, background vocals
• Yasutaka Nakata – programming, producing, composing, arranging, songwriting, mixing
• Masahiro Kazumoto – executive producer
• Yoshiyuki Sadamoto – music video director

• "Next Stage With You" at A-Class Mercedes-Benz website. (in Japanese)
• "Next Stage With You" at iTunes Store. (in Japanese)