長尾大
After the success of Hamasaki's January 1999 studio album "A Song for ××", she began writing songs for her next studio album. However, her record label Avex Trax decided to release a remix album titled "Ayu-mi-x". The record marked the beginning of the incorporation of music elements outside of her pop rock sound, including trance, house and electronic music. This transition into mainstream dance music made Hamasaki recruit new composers and producers for the then-upcoming studio album, including Japanese dance band HΛL, Do As Infinity member and composer Dai Nagao, and Kazuhito Kikuchi, amongst others.