Talk about underratedness. Nine Muses are the epitome of underrated, with their stunning choreography, incredible vocal ability, breathtaking cohesiveness and mesmirising looks, yet with such shamefully lukewarm chart performances. I love them. I loved 'News', 'Ticket' and 'Figaro' all for the fact that they share commonalities in that they mirror K-pop when they actually aren't.
Well, they are technically Korean pop music, but their sounds are so much more sophisticated than pretty much any other girl group out there, with their music staying true to the fun essence of K-pop while taking a more mature spin on it. The purpose of the group originally was to create a 'supermodel' group of mature ladies, a concept quite fresh during their debut that ultimately wasn't very appealing to the general Korean public. I for one particularly enjoy this concept.
Many a time, the girls are depicted as very submissive characters, feeling jumpy even at the slight mention of a boy. On the other hand, Nine Muses are depicted as mature women, women who are confident about their style, a difference I feel particularly relieved at hearing. Since their debut, they have yet to disappoint me, producing songs with incredibly high levels of maturity and sophistication and in a myriad of genres. Disco? Figaro. Latin? Ticket. Techno-blues? News.
With 'Dolls', they have tried out another direction, this time dabbling into the field of jazz-inspired music. And need I say, it works!
The song starts with this weird mystical, glassy feel to it before rupturing into this sophisticated yet delectably smooth trumbone-trumpet hybrid instrumental beginning. It actually is a very short transitional element, one that takes listeners by surprise and starts the song on a really nice high, laced with powerful jazz undertones. The introduction begins its second half by winding down gradually, alternating between short trumpet peaks and drawn-out bass grooves, for a really upbeat continuation of the pace.
The first verse abides the same jazzy guidelines but it has a more classical feel to it. The sudden drawbacks in breath at the end of the lines, culminating in the faux highnote at the end are really nice touches, as they really mirror the coolness and complex sophistication and dexterity that jazz has on the soul.
The next verse follows a similar pattern of variation and ups and downs. This unpredictability makes us rather nervous as to what to expect for the chorus. At this stage, anything could happen really. It could blow up like 'The Chaser' into this retro-jazz fusion, or it could turn generically peppy and catchy like 'Volume Up'.
Instead, 'Dolls' sucks everything in with a pause in pace. This is a very clever move as the chorus is not as explosive as that of the verse or the intr even. But the pause allows us to go back to square one, making the mellow chorus appear explosive relatively.
The chorus is light-hearted and playful, almost teetering on the facetious side of musicality. Laced with trumpets and horns, the jazzy undertones are still very much audible and it almost seems like the chrous would break out into a climax, yet it never does, only breaking out at the end in the form of emphasised instrumentals, akin to a slew of invectives spewing out from the mouth of a pipsqueak.
This is where I must bring in a very conclusive yet key element of the song that makes it such a success. Its reliance on instrumental is incredible, not taking anything away from the stunning vocals of the girls, with emotive intonations that flesh out the essence of jazz. The instrumental really complements, but not in a way that it is in the background, but in that it is on the same level as the vocals themselves. They work together, the vocals amplifying the trumpets, the horns enriching the vocals, to produce a majestic piece of musicality, in every way reminiscent of the mysteriously emotive rollercoaster ride that is present in jazz progression.
A great representation catered to mainstream tastes, albeit not becoming generic or trashy (look at Taylor).
Great job to the celestial nine.
Friday, 8 February 2013
Friday, 18 January 2013
[Single Review] Girls' Generation- "I Got A Boy"
The (unofficial) queens of K-pop are back with a completely new concept and honestly, a song quite unlike anything we've ever heard classified under the 'K-pop' label.
Let me just first say, that I am definitely not one of the biggest Sones out there. In all honesty, while I loved some of their earlier releases, their recent lacklustre singles and seemingly unchangeable girl-next-door image have really put me off. In summary, I just guess they weren't as interesting as the other groups, like T-ara which experimented wildly with many genres or 2NE1 who stayed far from the aegyo concepts, while providing quite a few twists on the R&B-dance pop hybrid genre.
I never really thought SNSD could break out of the mold. Especially not from a mold which had brought them such incredible success for 5 years since their debut. A part of me just thinks that SM was scared that people would not believe in the credibility of the new image, or that they would lose their fanbase.
Still. A risk has to be taken once in a while. In 2012, SM has taken numerous new dabbles musically (*though not in their eternally dull music videos). TVXQ played with dubstep and electronica, SHINEE toyed with a more operatic style, f(x) deviated from their past bubble-gum pop for some nice club-banger-dance pop and BoA took a plunge into the R&B ballad genre. What style was left for SNSD?
I really didn't hope for the scraps. I didn't want a lazy single to just undermine their potential, which I feel has not been fully fleshed out often enough.
The thing is. How do we flesh out EVERYONE'S POTENTIAL? Every member has a certain style which they seem more comfortable with, like Taeyeon with bluesy tracks or even Yuri, Yoona and Sooyoung with quicker-paced hip hop beats to mask up their relatively light vocals. A song would need to have everything, wouldn't it?
Thus, 'I Got a Boy' was born.
Let me just say that I love it. And I hate it.
I love the audacity, the kills beats, the overall awesome track that it rightfully should be lauded for. Yet I just hate the fact that the intention of the song is just so lost.
In the beginning, Sooyoung and Yuri team up for an introductory rap. The raps are more on the sultry rather than hard-hitting aggressive type, with their cheerleader-esque chants serving as more of rising actions and teasers, rather than climaxes barreling at 100 miles an hour. I stated before that the introduction sets the beat. A good introduction creates the narrative.
Yet, this introduction seems so isolated from everything else in the song. It never quite fits in, theoratically. Yet, when I heard it, I began to see how the teasing aspect, as performed in 'Talk That' really shone here. The key is that slight pause between the end of the rap and the beat of the main verse.
The pause is like a breather, incredibly quick and sapping, before plunging back into business. It is exciting and exhilarating to be brought on such a ride, and the weaker introduction is able to make the main verse seem like a bombast of emotion, that really set the tone. The intro isn't an intro, but it's a faux. A teaser to the true energy upcoming. In spite of not being musically incredible, the fact that it channeled a multi-sensory experience and made me really think about song progression, I'd say it is deep and truly amazing.
The first act is a foot-stomping anthem-like chorus with a very nice blend of diva vocals and interesting talk-raps. This is a brilliant opener, really setting the pace and shooting up the adrenaline instantly.
You may notice how I use 'act' as if comparing this to a musical, because it somewhat is. I will not go into the analysis of individual portions but more of an overview of how everything works together.
A dubsteppy verse ensues where the real chorus comes in. The chorus is quick-paced and tintillating. Taeyeon and Sunny interject with a few lines that actually contrast the actual beat, with drags and retards that throw off the pace. Not in a bad way. But in a variation way, as the beat returns to normality, staying true to the identity. This is the second act, quicker-paced and more emotive.
The third act is a slow, diva like ballad portion where Tif and Taeyeon show off their chops. The notes are punctuated by more chants, with show that whist they move out of the way, a true spirit still lives which is a very confident mode of conveying a song's narrative, for they know what it is.
Why do they work? Identity. The frequent interjections keep moving us back to square one, and every beat is like a new interpretation on a common narrative and emotive theme. This truth and raggedness in sticking to one's roots is exceptional and makes 'I Got A Boy' a masterful production.
The narrative is there with a clear purpose which suits the energy of the song's vibes.
Stunning.
Let me just first say, that I am definitely not one of the biggest Sones out there. In all honesty, while I loved some of their earlier releases, their recent lacklustre singles and seemingly unchangeable girl-next-door image have really put me off. In summary, I just guess they weren't as interesting as the other groups, like T-ara which experimented wildly with many genres or 2NE1 who stayed far from the aegyo concepts, while providing quite a few twists on the R&B-dance pop hybrid genre.
I never really thought SNSD could break out of the mold. Especially not from a mold which had brought them such incredible success for 5 years since their debut. A part of me just thinks that SM was scared that people would not believe in the credibility of the new image, or that they would lose their fanbase.
Still. A risk has to be taken once in a while. In 2012, SM has taken numerous new dabbles musically (*though not in their eternally dull music videos). TVXQ played with dubstep and electronica, SHINEE toyed with a more operatic style, f(x) deviated from their past bubble-gum pop for some nice club-banger-dance pop and BoA took a plunge into the R&B ballad genre. What style was left for SNSD?
I really didn't hope for the scraps. I didn't want a lazy single to just undermine their potential, which I feel has not been fully fleshed out often enough.
The thing is. How do we flesh out EVERYONE'S POTENTIAL? Every member has a certain style which they seem more comfortable with, like Taeyeon with bluesy tracks or even Yuri, Yoona and Sooyoung with quicker-paced hip hop beats to mask up their relatively light vocals. A song would need to have everything, wouldn't it?
Thus, 'I Got a Boy' was born.
Let me just say that I love it. And I hate it.
I love the audacity, the kills beats, the overall awesome track that it rightfully should be lauded for. Yet I just hate the fact that the intention of the song is just so lost.
In the beginning, Sooyoung and Yuri team up for an introductory rap. The raps are more on the sultry rather than hard-hitting aggressive type, with their cheerleader-esque chants serving as more of rising actions and teasers, rather than climaxes barreling at 100 miles an hour. I stated before that the introduction sets the beat. A good introduction creates the narrative.
Yet, this introduction seems so isolated from everything else in the song. It never quite fits in, theoratically. Yet, when I heard it, I began to see how the teasing aspect, as performed in 'Talk That' really shone here. The key is that slight pause between the end of the rap and the beat of the main verse.
The pause is like a breather, incredibly quick and sapping, before plunging back into business. It is exciting and exhilarating to be brought on such a ride, and the weaker introduction is able to make the main verse seem like a bombast of emotion, that really set the tone. The intro isn't an intro, but it's a faux. A teaser to the true energy upcoming. In spite of not being musically incredible, the fact that it channeled a multi-sensory experience and made me really think about song progression, I'd say it is deep and truly amazing.
The first act is a foot-stomping anthem-like chorus with a very nice blend of diva vocals and interesting talk-raps. This is a brilliant opener, really setting the pace and shooting up the adrenaline instantly.
You may notice how I use 'act' as if comparing this to a musical, because it somewhat is. I will not go into the analysis of individual portions but more of an overview of how everything works together.
A dubsteppy verse ensues where the real chorus comes in. The chorus is quick-paced and tintillating. Taeyeon and Sunny interject with a few lines that actually contrast the actual beat, with drags and retards that throw off the pace. Not in a bad way. But in a variation way, as the beat returns to normality, staying true to the identity. This is the second act, quicker-paced and more emotive.
The third act is a slow, diva like ballad portion where Tif and Taeyeon show off their chops. The notes are punctuated by more chants, with show that whist they move out of the way, a true spirit still lives which is a very confident mode of conveying a song's narrative, for they know what it is.
Why do they work? Identity. The frequent interjections keep moving us back to square one, and every beat is like a new interpretation on a common narrative and emotive theme. This truth and raggedness in sticking to one's roots is exceptional and makes 'I Got A Boy' a masterful production.
The narrative is there with a clear purpose which suits the energy of the song's vibes.
Stunning.
Monday, 31 December 2012
[Single Review] Secret- "Talk That"
I must first mention and send out my wishes for Secret's recovery. As many should know, they were involved in a horrific car accident recently, and Zinger was injured. From recent updates, I'd say that they have coping pretty well, and I hope they recuperate and pump out some awesome tracks for 2013.
That being said, about Secret. I love Secret. Every single song of theirs have been awesome, maybe with the exception of Shy Boy, but they have been pretty flawless. Madonna, Magic, Starlight Moonlight, Poison were all really different, yet really powerful and attention-grabbing. And need I say, their dancing is incredible.
About this song, I have a hard time classifying it as a genre. It is like a mishmash of a dark, pop-ballad and an R&B track, which isn't a bad thing I must add. It certainly is quite different from most of Secret's more powerful, lively tracks, but hearing this song over and over again, I still feel like it's uniquely Secret.
Secret's sound is very lusty, and each member fits their own special role in accordance to their incredibly assorted vocal ranges and characteristics. Jieun's voice has the traits of a powerhouse vocalist, with her soaring notes and occasionally stunning runs. Hyosung's voice is a lot more simplistic, and hit the surface with impact. Her pronunciation is clear with clear distinctions between each octave or note. Sunhwa's supporting vocals are a lot weaker and lighter than the previous two's, focusing less on raw power but more on emotion or pace-setting an emotional template for the rest of the song. Zinger's raps come in short, but intensely stuffed bursts, and her vocals are either used as airy notes for transitional purposes, or simply higher notes to fill in gaps (if any) in their vocal repertoire. Combined, everything sort of complements, yet one can easily distinguish each person, which I think makes Secret unique. You just know its them, when musical harmonizing between almost jarring elements fit almost seamlessly.
"Talk That' is the epitome of such incredible complementary difference.
The song starts off sweetly enough, with the girls barely getting their voices out, before a quicker beat and monotonous chanting of 'Talk That'.
Sunhwa kicks things off with a nice introduction. She doesn't use much tonal variation and sticks to the lighter, more emotional support vocals as she is more used to. It is actually quite a beautiful opener, with the high note at the end almost seemingly like it could go over-the-top, yet being reined in at the last moment, providing an overwhelming sense of mystery. Progressively, the song starts on a quite a high. From the first line to that longer note, the pace and emotions grow subtly yet evidently stronger, like a teaser, being forced back down again. The background bubble-like, electronica synths also complement the song well.
Zinger's next line is actually one of my favourite parts. It is very airy and serves not only as an emotional amplifier, but as a transitional vocal. Almost like Seungri's parts in 'Blue'. It separates the cool vocal of Sunhwa and the hard, more solid and expressive wails of Hyosung, and serves as an apt transition. Without it, the movements would fall apart for they would be jarring but Zinger's line is like a mix of both; soft but fierce in its expression.
That being said, Hyosung's vocals, too, do not disappoint, with the immense soulfulness and really loud but controlled pipy sound she is able to create. At one listen, one can realise that her voice is actually quite one-dimensional, but it is very solid and powerful, making it a really good complement to pretty much any song.
The chrous comes soon. Before reaching here, Jieun has a long note which transfers to the first beat of the chorus. The chorus has a bit more kick to it, with slightly louder bass booms. It is a very sensual sound, with rather European sounding influences. The pattern of high-tease-soft, is repetitive and really gives the song an identity. The importance of the pattern is further amplified in the chorus, where emotions run high before being reined in, giving a successful illusion that the next high was bigger than the preceding ones. Dropping into the tease is actually exciting rather than boring, for instead of going down to a ballad-style vocal, they simply lower the speed and pace, not sacrificing their progression or emotion in the process.
The second half of the song mirrors the first, with the pattern evident and the post-chorus riling away till the forthcoming verses. This is really brilliant song progression, and the usual slow bits are handled brilliantly, with Secret opting for a richer tone to their slower portions, never really letting any bit go to waste. Also, all 4 voices are very different and clearly highlighted in the song; each person has a role and a gap to fill, all of which provide a sense of completion to the song.
In all, a great song, with incredible harmonics between 4 distinct, yet utterly stunning vocalists.
Great comeback.
That being said, about Secret. I love Secret. Every single song of theirs have been awesome, maybe with the exception of Shy Boy, but they have been pretty flawless. Madonna, Magic, Starlight Moonlight, Poison were all really different, yet really powerful and attention-grabbing. And need I say, their dancing is incredible.
About this song, I have a hard time classifying it as a genre. It is like a mishmash of a dark, pop-ballad and an R&B track, which isn't a bad thing I must add. It certainly is quite different from most of Secret's more powerful, lively tracks, but hearing this song over and over again, I still feel like it's uniquely Secret.
Secret's sound is very lusty, and each member fits their own special role in accordance to their incredibly assorted vocal ranges and characteristics. Jieun's voice has the traits of a powerhouse vocalist, with her soaring notes and occasionally stunning runs. Hyosung's voice is a lot more simplistic, and hit the surface with impact. Her pronunciation is clear with clear distinctions between each octave or note. Sunhwa's supporting vocals are a lot weaker and lighter than the previous two's, focusing less on raw power but more on emotion or pace-setting an emotional template for the rest of the song. Zinger's raps come in short, but intensely stuffed bursts, and her vocals are either used as airy notes for transitional purposes, or simply higher notes to fill in gaps (if any) in their vocal repertoire. Combined, everything sort of complements, yet one can easily distinguish each person, which I think makes Secret unique. You just know its them, when musical harmonizing between almost jarring elements fit almost seamlessly.
"Talk That' is the epitome of such incredible complementary difference.
The song starts off sweetly enough, with the girls barely getting their voices out, before a quicker beat and monotonous chanting of 'Talk That'.
Sunhwa kicks things off with a nice introduction. She doesn't use much tonal variation and sticks to the lighter, more emotional support vocals as she is more used to. It is actually quite a beautiful opener, with the high note at the end almost seemingly like it could go over-the-top, yet being reined in at the last moment, providing an overwhelming sense of mystery. Progressively, the song starts on a quite a high. From the first line to that longer note, the pace and emotions grow subtly yet evidently stronger, like a teaser, being forced back down again. The background bubble-like, electronica synths also complement the song well.
Zinger's next line is actually one of my favourite parts. It is very airy and serves not only as an emotional amplifier, but as a transitional vocal. Almost like Seungri's parts in 'Blue'. It separates the cool vocal of Sunhwa and the hard, more solid and expressive wails of Hyosung, and serves as an apt transition. Without it, the movements would fall apart for they would be jarring but Zinger's line is like a mix of both; soft but fierce in its expression.
That being said, Hyosung's vocals, too, do not disappoint, with the immense soulfulness and really loud but controlled pipy sound she is able to create. At one listen, one can realise that her voice is actually quite one-dimensional, but it is very solid and powerful, making it a really good complement to pretty much any song.
The chrous comes soon. Before reaching here, Jieun has a long note which transfers to the first beat of the chorus. The chorus has a bit more kick to it, with slightly louder bass booms. It is a very sensual sound, with rather European sounding influences. The pattern of high-tease-soft, is repetitive and really gives the song an identity. The importance of the pattern is further amplified in the chorus, where emotions run high before being reined in, giving a successful illusion that the next high was bigger than the preceding ones. Dropping into the tease is actually exciting rather than boring, for instead of going down to a ballad-style vocal, they simply lower the speed and pace, not sacrificing their progression or emotion in the process.
The second half of the song mirrors the first, with the pattern evident and the post-chorus riling away till the forthcoming verses. This is really brilliant song progression, and the usual slow bits are handled brilliantly, with Secret opting for a richer tone to their slower portions, never really letting any bit go to waste. Also, all 4 voices are very different and clearly highlighted in the song; each person has a role and a gap to fill, all of which provide a sense of completion to the song.
In all, a great song, with incredible harmonics between 4 distinct, yet utterly stunning vocalists.
Great comeback.
Friday, 7 December 2012
Random Post- Song Progression 1: The Intro
I'm starting a series of posts regarding some technicalities I consider when reviewing.
This post is not a review, so please do not expect one. It's going to be a clarification of sorts, a cogent piece explaining some stuff which I say quite often in my reviews. It's about progression. I've mentioned this many times before, and why? Because I firmly believe that a good song should be one that draws you in to an emotional experience, a narration where one is able to really feel something from it.
Take a song to be a story, with climaxes, falling actions, build ups, the works. The introduction of a song should serve a clear purpose in the song. It could be used as an artistic effect, like a slow beginning that contrasts with the rest of the song (Eg. I Will Show You by Ailee), that actually melds in with the build-up, resulting in a longer, more drawn out buildup that intensifies naturally. Take note, while I bashed Boyfriend for their dull introduction, my main gripe was not merely that it was really boring, but actually taken into context with the portion after, it really didn't do anything. After the slow and slightly cheesy opening, the pace drops even lower to this awkward rock-piano hybrid which well, I guess only adds negatively to the progression of the song.
Looking at progression, the introduction, by right, should start of on a low key, before the dramatic build-up climaxes into the chorus that should be the explosion of emotion worthy of everything before it. But can an introduction start out high? If it did, wouldn't the pacing have to be held way up throughout?
Well, no.
This is actually where pacing sets in. With a booming intro, to sustain a narrative would be Herculean task, but one can overcome it with consistent, or better, livelier pacing. With a beat to stick to, or an emotion which we could tag upon for a long duration, one would never feel empty even with a slower track.
Looking back at Janus, the beat after the introduction really dies and seems almost of an alien genre. The emotional transitions are too quick, and comprehending or devoting oneself to the emotions in the story would be perplexing and downright cluttering to musical soul. 'The Chaser' on the other hand, starts really strong and manages to sustain the pace to the chorus by means of drawing the listener to the emotions of being in a chase; the fear, the anxiety, the excitement, all mushed up into a fiery ball of soulfulness that the listener can grasp and attach to. In this case, song progression in the introduction at least, would have the potential to be sustained and developed for the rest of the song.
This is it for the intro, and other sections of the song will be up soon.
This post is not a review, so please do not expect one. It's going to be a clarification of sorts, a cogent piece explaining some stuff which I say quite often in my reviews. It's about progression. I've mentioned this many times before, and why? Because I firmly believe that a good song should be one that draws you in to an emotional experience, a narration where one is able to really feel something from it.
Take a song to be a story, with climaxes, falling actions, build ups, the works. The introduction of a song should serve a clear purpose in the song. It could be used as an artistic effect, like a slow beginning that contrasts with the rest of the song (Eg. I Will Show You by Ailee), that actually melds in with the build-up, resulting in a longer, more drawn out buildup that intensifies naturally. Take note, while I bashed Boyfriend for their dull introduction, my main gripe was not merely that it was really boring, but actually taken into context with the portion after, it really didn't do anything. After the slow and slightly cheesy opening, the pace drops even lower to this awkward rock-piano hybrid which well, I guess only adds negatively to the progression of the song.
Looking at progression, the introduction, by right, should start of on a low key, before the dramatic build-up climaxes into the chorus that should be the explosion of emotion worthy of everything before it. But can an introduction start out high? If it did, wouldn't the pacing have to be held way up throughout?
Well, no.
This is actually where pacing sets in. With a booming intro, to sustain a narrative would be Herculean task, but one can overcome it with consistent, or better, livelier pacing. With a beat to stick to, or an emotion which we could tag upon for a long duration, one would never feel empty even with a slower track.
Looking back at Janus, the beat after the introduction really dies and seems almost of an alien genre. The emotional transitions are too quick, and comprehending or devoting oneself to the emotions in the story would be perplexing and downright cluttering to musical soul. 'The Chaser' on the other hand, starts really strong and manages to sustain the pace to the chorus by means of drawing the listener to the emotions of being in a chase; the fear, the anxiety, the excitement, all mushed up into a fiery ball of soulfulness that the listener can grasp and attach to. In this case, song progression in the introduction at least, would have the potential to be sustained and developed for the rest of the song.
This is it for the intro, and other sections of the song will be up soon.
Monday, 26 November 2012
[Single Review] B1A4- "Tried To Walk"
B1A4 is a guilty pleasure of sorts, for me at least. They remind me of Orange Caramel in a way, and ever since their debut (as well as Orange Caramel's), I think they have really been taking a spin on K-pop as it is. Why? Well, personally, I find B1A4 and Orange Caramel to be forms of parody. With their over-bearing (yet awesome) cute style, I think they not only performed the aegyo which people have grown tired of, but they exploited it, being just so ridiculously crazy and loony that one really begins to understand the fine line between forced cuteness and true imagination.
Imagination, of course, is the more desired one. B1A4 do not really portray themselves as just cutie boys, rather they portray themselves as comics. Their forced cuteness as seen in their earlier videos were just another medium in which they could bring forth the parody and satire of the overly common aegyo style, and also a tool in which they could establish themselves as these adequately crazy, fun and just guilty-pleasure-ish artists. If everyone could just understand the purpose for their image, I really don't think there would be any other reason to hate on them.
Their music is fine. Really catchy and playful, with really poor English which just add tenfold to the fun count. Their style of music, I'd say, haven't really deviated much from electro-dance pop which is perfecty acceptable if they want to set an image for themselves in stone. However, since dance pop has literally swamped all music charts, I could only foresee B1A4 having a harder time making their music stand out from the rest. Yes, they could add more crazies into their music videos, which by themselves threaten 'PONPONPON' and 'Balloons' as one of the wildest, imaginative videos ever in the Asian music market.
What I was hoping for them was to break from the mold. Try something new and different. Look at Brown Eyed Girls.
When they first debuted, the style they wanted to go after was a sort of vocal group style, primarily focusing on dull ballads and dry, cliched summertime pop music. Naturally, they didn't garner much success. That was, until they decided to go bold and indulge in the dark side of music so rarely tapped upon. With 'Abracadabra', 'Sign' and 'Sixth Sense', they firmly cast their roles as one of the premier groups in Korea.
B1A4 has so much potential. Jinyoung is a fantastic songwriter and singer. Baro is a phenomenal rapper, with mellow, deep and rich tones that almost mirror that of TOP's. Sandeul is a stunning vocalist, as is C.NU. And Gongchan bears all the charms of a innocent maknae, that just make fangirls swoon. But if they were to stick to their usual style, going the safe route of dance pop, I would be satisfied just the same, but it would be such a waste of their abilities.
What was their true, defining style?
Thus, 'Tried to Walk' was released to much of my personal interest. Just the first listen got me really hooked, and thanks to the heavens, it was different, and to my enjoyment, a welcome change. It veers away from the fun dance pop style, instead opting for a more muted Europop ballad, somewhat like 'Blue' if you want an example. In fact, I'd say it sounds quite reminiscent to Bigbang's style of music. That sort of bluesy, souful, rich vibrato-ey music. It's lush and really soothing, and is quite an impressive track overall. Now, let's break it down to analyse each section.
First, the introductory verse. It starts out slow and raspy, with chopped up verses delivered with a softness, that just bring forth this gentle vibe to start us off. It is slow, but unlike 'Janus', isn't dull or overly-stretched out or even cheesy sounding. Janus' background track was all grand and everything, almost pleading for a gregarious roar of emotion, yet only this frail, weak pleading tone spurted out instead, which resulted in a failed introduction. In B1A4's case however, the background track is barely even there, only appearing as little strums or teases, really allowing Jinyoung's and Sandeul's sweet vocals to shine. Then comes an electronic breakdown, into the main melody, a foot-stomping, bass synth-heavy Europop groove.
Though heavy with all sorts of clashing melodies, the product is surprisingly light to the ear and serves as a very upbeat and fun way to start of the song. The first verse follows the introduction somewhat, albeit with a louder, quicker beat and cleaner electronica rhythms and synths. The pacing of the song while aurally, may seem slower, actually becomes livelier and serves as a progressive build-up.
The bridge diverts the beat right back to old school pop. The first couple of notes of each bar hit the surface quickly, yet with an airy, spiritual quality. These lines are delivered soulfully but somehow keep an almost casual, overly-relaxed tone throughout. Hearing them, I don't feel overwhelmed or emotional, instead I am piqued. I feel curious, the song drawing me into a narrative, establishing the song's identity. Some lines, like these, have anthropomorphic qualities, and are just stunning to the ear and soul.
The chorus then kicks in, with a crass burst of raining electronic beats. Falsetto is used in abundance here, in addition to a couple deeper, richer wails. The blend is really amazing to hear, and the beat somehow manages to add another layer to the lyrics, adding a core to it, and also sustaining the pace. From the intro to the chorus, although the lines themselves have undergone significant variations, from choppy syllabic lines to airy runs, the pace never lets up and the pulsating bass beat keeps our feet tapping. Jinyoung's interjection in the chorus, brings us back to the start with the choppiness, and makes the chorus seem almost like a tease at what the song can be, before reining it back to its humble, indigenous roots.
This brings us to the rap. Oh how much I love the rap. It's deep and really mellow. The rap itself is split into 2 sections. The first is a portion in which Baro barely gets his voice out, letting a lot of air burst through his words, and also adding a melancholic, almost heavenly quality to his lines. The pacing here doesn't drop, and the rap intertwines around the main beat to make things work.
The section part is more fierce, and the lines are delivered with a more cocky bite that I really adore. The raps aren't empty, they are versatile and teeming with emotion, unlike those empty, hollow, rap-for-rap's-sake type of breakdowns. The rapidfire is really cool, and the overall rap sequence serves as a brilliant flip side of the song, albeit with a similar beat and pace.
On a whole, I'd say, that this song is a lot more complex than it seems. While appearing to be a one-off sad song, I think the stark changes and differences between each section, be it the way it is delivered or how it meld around the synths, really gave the song such variation which kept me really hooked and intruiged. The style and progression of the song really mirrors the concept of creativity, which as I mentioned really enabled B1A4 to have the success they've been having. Though each section, to the ear sounded unalike, they were all rooted by the same beat, the same core and the same emotions.
Maybe creativity is complexity? Creativity is maturity?
If creativity can come across as forced cuteness, totally unappreciated and flat, how can it be such a rich, deep concept simultaneously? An immature maturity? Maybe that's what really describes B1A4's defining style; the bombastic perfection, the playful abider, callous obedience.
These may not seem to make sense but who cares.
It's creativity, give me a big dose of it.
- Kpop Philosopher
Imagination, of course, is the more desired one. B1A4 do not really portray themselves as just cutie boys, rather they portray themselves as comics. Their forced cuteness as seen in their earlier videos were just another medium in which they could bring forth the parody and satire of the overly common aegyo style, and also a tool in which they could establish themselves as these adequately crazy, fun and just guilty-pleasure-ish artists. If everyone could just understand the purpose for their image, I really don't think there would be any other reason to hate on them.
Their music is fine. Really catchy and playful, with really poor English which just add tenfold to the fun count. Their style of music, I'd say, haven't really deviated much from electro-dance pop which is perfecty acceptable if they want to set an image for themselves in stone. However, since dance pop has literally swamped all music charts, I could only foresee B1A4 having a harder time making their music stand out from the rest. Yes, they could add more crazies into their music videos, which by themselves threaten 'PONPONPON' and 'Balloons' as one of the wildest, imaginative videos ever in the Asian music market.
What I was hoping for them was to break from the mold. Try something new and different. Look at Brown Eyed Girls.
When they first debuted, the style they wanted to go after was a sort of vocal group style, primarily focusing on dull ballads and dry, cliched summertime pop music. Naturally, they didn't garner much success. That was, until they decided to go bold and indulge in the dark side of music so rarely tapped upon. With 'Abracadabra', 'Sign' and 'Sixth Sense', they firmly cast their roles as one of the premier groups in Korea.
B1A4 has so much potential. Jinyoung is a fantastic songwriter and singer. Baro is a phenomenal rapper, with mellow, deep and rich tones that almost mirror that of TOP's. Sandeul is a stunning vocalist, as is C.NU. And Gongchan bears all the charms of a innocent maknae, that just make fangirls swoon. But if they were to stick to their usual style, going the safe route of dance pop, I would be satisfied just the same, but it would be such a waste of their abilities.
What was their true, defining style?
Thus, 'Tried to Walk' was released to much of my personal interest. Just the first listen got me really hooked, and thanks to the heavens, it was different, and to my enjoyment, a welcome change. It veers away from the fun dance pop style, instead opting for a more muted Europop ballad, somewhat like 'Blue' if you want an example. In fact, I'd say it sounds quite reminiscent to Bigbang's style of music. That sort of bluesy, souful, rich vibrato-ey music. It's lush and really soothing, and is quite an impressive track overall. Now, let's break it down to analyse each section.
First, the introductory verse. It starts out slow and raspy, with chopped up verses delivered with a softness, that just bring forth this gentle vibe to start us off. It is slow, but unlike 'Janus', isn't dull or overly-stretched out or even cheesy sounding. Janus' background track was all grand and everything, almost pleading for a gregarious roar of emotion, yet only this frail, weak pleading tone spurted out instead, which resulted in a failed introduction. In B1A4's case however, the background track is barely even there, only appearing as little strums or teases, really allowing Jinyoung's and Sandeul's sweet vocals to shine. Then comes an electronic breakdown, into the main melody, a foot-stomping, bass synth-heavy Europop groove.
Though heavy with all sorts of clashing melodies, the product is surprisingly light to the ear and serves as a very upbeat and fun way to start of the song. The first verse follows the introduction somewhat, albeit with a louder, quicker beat and cleaner electronica rhythms and synths. The pacing of the song while aurally, may seem slower, actually becomes livelier and serves as a progressive build-up.
The bridge diverts the beat right back to old school pop. The first couple of notes of each bar hit the surface quickly, yet with an airy, spiritual quality. These lines are delivered soulfully but somehow keep an almost casual, overly-relaxed tone throughout. Hearing them, I don't feel overwhelmed or emotional, instead I am piqued. I feel curious, the song drawing me into a narrative, establishing the song's identity. Some lines, like these, have anthropomorphic qualities, and are just stunning to the ear and soul.
The chorus then kicks in, with a crass burst of raining electronic beats. Falsetto is used in abundance here, in addition to a couple deeper, richer wails. The blend is really amazing to hear, and the beat somehow manages to add another layer to the lyrics, adding a core to it, and also sustaining the pace. From the intro to the chorus, although the lines themselves have undergone significant variations, from choppy syllabic lines to airy runs, the pace never lets up and the pulsating bass beat keeps our feet tapping. Jinyoung's interjection in the chorus, brings us back to the start with the choppiness, and makes the chorus seem almost like a tease at what the song can be, before reining it back to its humble, indigenous roots.
This brings us to the rap. Oh how much I love the rap. It's deep and really mellow. The rap itself is split into 2 sections. The first is a portion in which Baro barely gets his voice out, letting a lot of air burst through his words, and also adding a melancholic, almost heavenly quality to his lines. The pacing here doesn't drop, and the rap intertwines around the main beat to make things work.
The section part is more fierce, and the lines are delivered with a more cocky bite that I really adore. The raps aren't empty, they are versatile and teeming with emotion, unlike those empty, hollow, rap-for-rap's-sake type of breakdowns. The rapidfire is really cool, and the overall rap sequence serves as a brilliant flip side of the song, albeit with a similar beat and pace.
On a whole, I'd say, that this song is a lot more complex than it seems. While appearing to be a one-off sad song, I think the stark changes and differences between each section, be it the way it is delivered or how it meld around the synths, really gave the song such variation which kept me really hooked and intruiged. The style and progression of the song really mirrors the concept of creativity, which as I mentioned really enabled B1A4 to have the success they've been having. Though each section, to the ear sounded unalike, they were all rooted by the same beat, the same core and the same emotions.
Maybe creativity is complexity? Creativity is maturity?
If creativity can come across as forced cuteness, totally unappreciated and flat, how can it be such a rich, deep concept simultaneously? An immature maturity? Maybe that's what really describes B1A4's defining style; the bombastic perfection, the playful abider, callous obedience.
These may not seem to make sense but who cares.
It's creativity, give me a big dose of it.
- Kpop Philosopher
Sunday, 18 November 2012
[Single Review] Boyfriend- 'Janus'
The two-headed Janus. The god of beginnings, transitions and changes, with two heads guarding both the future and the lost eras simultaneously, predicting the ending of time in itself. Such profoundness and almost complex simplicity in the depiction of such a character; everything makes sense with two heads overseeing two points, yet the power in it actions far supersede the superficial meanings of the duplicate heads, the power to alter existence.
Just the thought of all that in a song slays my very existence, and overwhelms all my senses. Would I believe there is an added pressure of having to abide by historical accuracy and mythological understandings by naming a song after a certain god? Yes, I would think so. A title serves two purposes in a song. First, to simply state out the catchiest line and/or second, to serve as a satisfactory, conclusive phrase to encapsulate the meaning of the entire song. Just thinking about the titles of some songs, the shallowness, the irrelevance, simply induce rapturous forced coughing from me.
With this said, having a Roman god of such admirable impact to our very existence as a title for Boyfriend's latest track simply adds some pressure for a song with a message perfectly symbolic of everything that the legendary bipolar Janus stands for. The splits. The hidden sides to people. The message that things have layers of depth to them, and that simplicity is complexity in disguise. Hearing Boyfriend's latest single, I would have to say that they have done a pretty decent job at doing just that.
Let's analyse the song in little sections. The start of the song honestly, doesn't really do it for me. I'm not sure why. Even after reviewing the song over and over, some part of it just seems a bit to weak for me. It doesn't exactly draw me into the song as quickly as that of quite a number of other songs. Look at 'Beautiful Night', it starts with some hard-ass, slightly pitchy wailing from Gikwang, and it gets me on my feet, squirming to the beat frantically. As for 'Janus', well...it starts of well enough with a mixture of sad violin squeals, but then it jarringly moves on to these odd shooting sounds and the singing portions in here are really not that great. They seem a bit too melo and slow to start the song.
When the electric guitar riffs drop in, it just adds more of this superfluous complexity to the song, which I not only underappreciate, but I also think it just adds this sort of cheesiness to the intro that I really do not like. Some may argue that some songs start slow as well and that I'm probably speaking poppycock. But look at 'Cleansing Cream' for example. The start is just dripping with emotion and backings that really complement the feeling of the song really well.
As for Janus, they don't work. And the lines delivered just seem really 90s, Westlife to me. Just a little dull and boring in my opinion. The next verses follow the same, syllabic style, with frequent pauses and a mass of orchestrals in the background. An orchestra depicts grandeur, right? So why utilise such brassness to describe stories of such shallow, heartless, soulless, trivial matters?
The pre-chorus however turns the whole song around.
After a break from the rock tracks, the electric guitar kicks in again, by this time instead of serving as an unnecessary side, it serves a start, a beginning of each line, a kick of adrenaline before each syllable is uttered. It really lifts the song from the previously melondramatic feel, almost like an elephant previously jogging in molasses to one skidding on grease. It slowly builds up pace with the notes getting stronger, richer, longer and the background pace getting more and more frantic. It IS a frantic build up to the chorus that I thoroughly appreciate, and serves as a foreboding sense of danger and mystery for the chorus that lies ahead.
The chorus is brilliant. An intense explosion of emotion, completely worthy of the stellar build-up before it. The emotion is now a lot more evident. One can sense anger, confusion and slight sadness, all of which delivered brilliantly throughout everyone's long notes and sharp yells. It's also really really catchy, another plus point.
The rest of the point use raps as interesting fillers and thankfully make do without the boringly slow introduction. The verses are all really masculine and meaty, with tons of feeling oozing out of each line. The raps, while not the best top-notch, do a decent job of ensuring the pacing of the song doesn't slip, also making sure the feel and the beat of the song continue abiding by the progressively booming orchestra track behind the vocalists, ensuring a continually strong progression to the end.
In conclusion, this is a really great song by Boyfriend, a great change from their previous songs and image. If they could focus more on a strong beginning, but keep the intense progressions, I am very certain that they could create some pop magic. In all, disappointing intro but shocking amazing build-ups.
Fantastic song.
Sorry, for not posting in a while. To make up for it, in a couple of days, I'll be posting a review of that new, rawesomely sick B1A4 song! So please suscribe! And share this with your friends!
Just the thought of all that in a song slays my very existence, and overwhelms all my senses. Would I believe there is an added pressure of having to abide by historical accuracy and mythological understandings by naming a song after a certain god? Yes, I would think so. A title serves two purposes in a song. First, to simply state out the catchiest line and/or second, to serve as a satisfactory, conclusive phrase to encapsulate the meaning of the entire song. Just thinking about the titles of some songs, the shallowness, the irrelevance, simply induce rapturous forced coughing from me.
With this said, having a Roman god of such admirable impact to our very existence as a title for Boyfriend's latest track simply adds some pressure for a song with a message perfectly symbolic of everything that the legendary bipolar Janus stands for. The splits. The hidden sides to people. The message that things have layers of depth to them, and that simplicity is complexity in disguise. Hearing Boyfriend's latest single, I would have to say that they have done a pretty decent job at doing just that.
Let's analyse the song in little sections. The start of the song honestly, doesn't really do it for me. I'm not sure why. Even after reviewing the song over and over, some part of it just seems a bit to weak for me. It doesn't exactly draw me into the song as quickly as that of quite a number of other songs. Look at 'Beautiful Night', it starts with some hard-ass, slightly pitchy wailing from Gikwang, and it gets me on my feet, squirming to the beat frantically. As for 'Janus', well...it starts of well enough with a mixture of sad violin squeals, but then it jarringly moves on to these odd shooting sounds and the singing portions in here are really not that great. They seem a bit too melo and slow to start the song.
When the electric guitar riffs drop in, it just adds more of this superfluous complexity to the song, which I not only underappreciate, but I also think it just adds this sort of cheesiness to the intro that I really do not like. Some may argue that some songs start slow as well and that I'm probably speaking poppycock. But look at 'Cleansing Cream' for example. The start is just dripping with emotion and backings that really complement the feeling of the song really well.
As for Janus, they don't work. And the lines delivered just seem really 90s, Westlife to me. Just a little dull and boring in my opinion. The next verses follow the same, syllabic style, with frequent pauses and a mass of orchestrals in the background. An orchestra depicts grandeur, right? So why utilise such brassness to describe stories of such shallow, heartless, soulless, trivial matters?
The pre-chorus however turns the whole song around.
After a break from the rock tracks, the electric guitar kicks in again, by this time instead of serving as an unnecessary side, it serves a start, a beginning of each line, a kick of adrenaline before each syllable is uttered. It really lifts the song from the previously melondramatic feel, almost like an elephant previously jogging in molasses to one skidding on grease. It slowly builds up pace with the notes getting stronger, richer, longer and the background pace getting more and more frantic. It IS a frantic build up to the chorus that I thoroughly appreciate, and serves as a foreboding sense of danger and mystery for the chorus that lies ahead.
The chorus is brilliant. An intense explosion of emotion, completely worthy of the stellar build-up before it. The emotion is now a lot more evident. One can sense anger, confusion and slight sadness, all of which delivered brilliantly throughout everyone's long notes and sharp yells. It's also really really catchy, another plus point.
The rest of the point use raps as interesting fillers and thankfully make do without the boringly slow introduction. The verses are all really masculine and meaty, with tons of feeling oozing out of each line. The raps, while not the best top-notch, do a decent job of ensuring the pacing of the song doesn't slip, also making sure the feel and the beat of the song continue abiding by the progressively booming orchestra track behind the vocalists, ensuring a continually strong progression to the end.
In conclusion, this is a really great song by Boyfriend, a great change from their previous songs and image. If they could focus more on a strong beginning, but keep the intense progressions, I am very certain that they could create some pop magic. In all, disappointing intro but shocking amazing build-ups.
Fantastic song.
Sorry, for not posting in a while. To make up for it, in a couple of days, I'll be posting a review of that new, rawesomely sick B1A4 song! So please suscribe! And share this with your friends!
Monday, 5 November 2012
[Single Review] Lee Hi- '1.2.3.4'
YG almost never disappoints. I use ‘almost’ lest some SM
stans come screaming at me, berating about the ‘countless’ flaws that YG and
its acts have. I have had my disappointments with YG before, many in fact; I
hate their closed-ness to their fans, their secretive ways and I was definitely
disappointed with a couple of their songs. (‘I Love You’, ‘Ugly’, ‘I Need A
Girl’) Not to mention, they have not been first-timers with controversy, with
the marijuana and sex scandals whatnot.
However, while they have hit some lows, their ability to
just bounce back and blow everyone’s socks off have been nothing short of pure,
remarkable perfection. 2NE1 have still remained epically swaggy and confident without
being overly-brass, BIGBANG time and time again have reminded us why they are
indeed the true kings of the K-pop industry, and perhaps the most important
achievement of all of YG’s countless, Gangnam Style!!
Thus, when I heard about Lee Hi’s upcoming debut, I was
excited. I had seen her on Kpop Star before, and she was pretty damn good a
singer then. So, I know she can sing, but all of YG’s acts have had a sort of
unique stage presence about them. Could a young barely legal teenager pull off
a head-turning, confident performance, being the junior of legends in a highly
dog-eat-dog industry? I wondered and hoped.
‘1.2.3.4’ is very much like a bluesy, soulful song, with
hints of Duffy and Amy Winehouse injected into many portions of it. The
slowness of the song, coupled sometimes with the lack of background music
really enable Lee Hi’s incredibly mature and rich voice to shine, though at
points I think I would hoped for more intonation variation, as certain sections
were really one-dimensional, and really soft, like the verse before the chorus.
I won’t really be going on a full breakdown of the song, because there really
isn’t that much for me to talk about (on a whole, they sound fine) but I will
be putting some input about the chorus.
The way she says ‘1 and 2 and 3, 4’ is so catchy and I’ve
been repeating it in my head for days since listening to it. She is really deep
when she hits this section, which makes her reminiscent of those 1960s
trot/blues singers. Her voice is really well-developed I’d say, very mature,
and I especially like the tiny tinges of vibrato which sometimes penetrate. It
is bluesy not because she is raspy, but because she is serious in her voice.
The serious quality of her tone really adds a lot to the feel of the song. The
way she delivers her lines are composed and in their own way, emotional.
Despite this emotion, her acting in her music video is cringe-worthy, such
irony.
On a whole, a solid debut track, though not the best female
solo K-pop debut I’ve ever heard, the honours of which are tied between G.Na
and Ailee, for ‘I’ll Back Off So You Can Live Better’ and ‘Heaven’, but
nonetheless, I will be looking forward to what direction YG will be taking her.
I hope they can
continue developing on the soul route, as it is a genre seldom used or heard in
K-pop which should give Lee Hi, and her voice, a chance to shine. Please YG,
don’t botch up her career like how Cube botched G.Na after her debut (still a
fan of hers, don’t get me wrong).
I will be looking forward to what lies in store for Lee Hi
next.
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