As previously reported, Arashi’s newest album Japonism will be released on October 21.

A preview of the album’s lead song Kokoro no Sora was recently aired on radio. The music and lyrics for the song was done by Hotei Tomoyasu, who is based in London. Setting the album theme of expressing the “wonderfulness of Japan”, the song takes a tense Hotei sound along with Japanese instruments. Sakurai Sho wrote the rap lyrics for the song.

According to Sakurai, meetings for the new album began straight away in the New Year. Back in May, Hotei Tomoyasu wrote the song. As he was in London, the meetings between the members and him took place through video conference. Sakurai would like to thank Hotei as the song fully conveys the members’ thoughts and concepts.

Check out the song preview, covers and album tracklist below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziMwwReNcJ0

[First-run limited edition]
☆Lyrics photo booklet enclosed (84 pages)

Tracks
(CD)
<DISC 1>
1. Sakura
Lyrics, Music: eltvo/Arrangement: 佐々木博史

2. Kokoro no Sora
Lyrics, music, arrangement: Hotei Tomoyasu/Rap lyrics: Sho Sakurai

3. Kimi e no Omoi
Lyrics: wonder note, Macoto56/Rap lyrics: Sho Sakurai/Music: 石塚知生

4. Don’t you love me?　Vocal: Jun Matsumoto
Lyrics: wonder note, paddy/Music: takarot, wonder note/Arrangement: 石塚知生

5. miyabi-night
Lyrics: Macoto56, AKJ & ASIL/Music: AKJ & ASIL/Arrangement: A.K.Janeway

6. Mikazuki
Lyrics: youth case/Music, arrangement: A-bee

7. Bolero!
Lyrics: SAKRA/Music, arrangement: Slice of Life

8. Mr. FUNK　Vocal: Masaki Aiba
Lyrics: youth case/Rap lyrics: Shigeo/Music: Ricky Hanley, Daniel Sherman/Arrangement: metropolitan digital clique

9. Akatsuki　Vocal: Satoshi Ohno
Lyrics: s-Tnk/Music, Arrangement: 三留一純

10. Aozora no Shita, Kimi no Tonari
Lyrics: wonder note, s-Tnk/Music: Gigi, wonder note/Arrangement: metropolitan digital clique

11. Rolling days Vocal: Sho Sakurai
Lyrics, Music: Octobar/Rap lyrics: Sho Sakurai/Arrangement: pieni tonttu

12. In the Room
Lyrics: 小川貴史/Rap lyrics: Sho Sakurai/Music, arrangement: Jeremy Hammond

13. Masquerade
Lyrics/Music: HYDRANT/Arrangement: 船山基紀

14. MUSIC　Vocal: Kazunari Ninomiya
Lyrics: AKIRA/Music: 古川貴浩/Arrangement: 吉岡たく

15. Tsutaetai Koto
Lyrics: ASIL, s-Tnk/Music: Fredrik “Figge” Bostrom, Susumu Kawaguchi/Arrangement: pieni tonttu

16. Japonesque
Lyrics: MiNE, R.P.P./Music: sk-etch, MiNE/Arrangement: ha-j, sk-etch

(DVD)
Kokoro no Sora (music video + making of)

[Yoitoko edition]
☆Lyrics booklet enclosed (32 pages)

Tracks
(CD)
DISC 2 (※DISC 1 has the same content as the first-run limited edition)

1. Nihon Yoitoko Makafushigi covered by ARASHI
Lyrics, Music: 野村義男/Arrangement: 佐々木博史

○Original talk track Arajapo Tooku

[Regular edition]
☆Lyrics booklet enclosed (36 pages)

Tracks
(CD)
<DISC 2> (※DISC 1 has the same content as the first-run limited edition)
1.Bokura ga Tsunaideiku
Lyrics: SQUAREF, John World/Music: Pippi Svensson, Josef Melin/Arrangement: BJ Khan

2. the Deep End
Lyrics: 100+/Music: STEVEN LEE, Drew Ryan Scott, Andreas Oberg/Arrangement: A.K.Janeway

3. Make a wish
Lyrics: いなむらさちこ/Music: sk-etch, Shu Kanematsu, BERT, ROLF/Arrangement: 佐々木博史

4. Furusato
Lyrics: 小山薫堂/Music: youth case/Arrangement: 宮野幸子

(via Jnet)