BEAST / 이럴 줄 알았어
Quite enamored with BEAST’s new single “I Knew It”, which is just the right mix of mellow rock, hip-hop, and warm soul for the cold winter months. These boys continue to step up their vocal game. I was extremely impressed by how good they sounded on their Fiction & Fact album last year, and this new track only further showcases their growth.
After School / Rambling girls
“Rambling girls” - After School’s latest Japanese single - could very well be the anthem for Asian pop as a whole. A world that’s full of ‘rambling girls’. At least to me as an outsider. You never fully understand what’s going on, but you’re still entranced by their la la la. And so often, suspending belief is the biggest part of truly ‘getting’ Pop.
“Don’t think, just feel it, la la la”
A simple statement that says so much. An exclamation of freedom - from language, from understanding, from thinking. The best songs often don’t make you think, but feel (as mentioned in a recent post). It’s hard to capture, but they do it here. Latin “On The Floor” style production cranked up times 100 and rolled in sugar meets jingly hip-hop beats sung in Japanese by a Korean girl group, resulting in this oddly “world” sounding song that just couldn’t exist in America or Europe. Even if it sounded the same, it just wouldn’t feel the same as After School’s take. This is an exuberant celebration of life.
The quality of the audio here in the (tacky) video doesn’t fully do justice to how immense this sounds through headphones. The detail in the production during the second verse especially is cracking.
Kris Allen / Vision Of Love
We found BPM in an unexpected place - who knew Kris Middle Of The Road Allen had it in him? He was never a boring guitar player, just a dancefloor diva in disguise! European duo Maison & Dragen remix Kris’ upcoming single “Vision Of Love” into something absolutely epic. You’ve never heard Kris go in on a song like this. When that falsetto hits… sweet baby Jesus, I just can’t.
It’s so god damn determined.
“WHEN A HEART BREAKS
AND THE WORLD SHAKES
WILL WE STAND FOR THE VISION OF LOVE????”
Like it’s the most important question in the world. WILL WE stand for the vision of love?? Yes, yes Kris, we will in fact STANd for the Vision Of Love. This is a worldwide hit in the making. His label would be stupid not to give this version an international release. The UK and Europe would rinse their radio stations with it, even if the USA has to endure the (soon to be released) original version, which is said to be more in-line with his pop-rock roots.
Someone needs to call StarGate immediately. Get Alex Guadino on the phone. Ring David Guetta. Make a call to Calvin Harris. Put the batman signal in the sky and alert Rusko. THIS MAN IS A DANCE ARTIST. Kris puts out boring man-with-a-guitar stuff for a living, but he could have a serious side-hustle going on overseas with this beautiful thing we like to call Pop.
Sunday Jan 1 @ 09:50pmLe Kid / Human Behaviour
The first properly HUGE pop song of 2012.
Nine Muses / NEWS
“NEWS” is really what I always imagined Nine Muses would do. Sexy, adult, modern, fashionable K-Pop - a high(er) end version of the Girls’ Generation mold. And at last they live up to their ‘supermodel’ status. Not only do they look like supermodels in the video, they sound like them as well, with all the too-cool, disaffected attitude to match. It’s produced by SweetTune (KARA, Rainbow, INFINITE) though, so it doesn’t take itself too seriously. All the toy-sounding effects in the verses balance the chorus and keep it fun.
A strong start to K-Pop 2012 and Nine Muses’ best single to date.
Nicki Minaj / Stupid Hoe
Everything that’s needed to be said about this has already been said, but seriously, is it too soon to declare the worst song and video of 2012? Woeful. It will be interesting to see how she recovers from this. She’s still struggling with her identity, musically, which might actually be a really interesting topic to cover / place to come from, but she hasn’t embraced that yet, or even recognized it.
At least she’s still in her prime. There’s hope yet. Hype Williams, however, needed to have had the camera pried from his dead, derivative hands years ago the minute he started having seizures in the editing room.
Elva Hsiao / 我愛我
One of the hottest new releases of late last year / early this year that’s absolutely addicting - C-Pop star Elva Hsiao’s ”Wo Ai Wo” (“I Love Me”). Another case of “if it were in English everyone would love it”. In fact it doesn’t sound very far off from where the American charts are heading at the moment. Super dancey and ultra-lightweight, this flies by in a breeze. All the vocal distortions in the chorus are right on trend, if not slightly ahead of it. Watch for that to get big when Rihanna finally unleashes “Where Have You Been” this summer (hopefully). That one sounds like the vocals have been put through a shredder.
I really like that effect though. When you hear the chorus you’ll know what I’m talking about. It makes the vocals a part of the production - “I know you want me-e-e-e-e-e-e”. Of course this is nothing new, but like everything it’s come back around again now.
Unrelated but related - one of my musical / blogging goals this 2012 is to keep a better track on C-Pop / Mandopop. There’s so much good music in China these days it’s ridiculous. Possibly even more than Korea or Japan right now, it’s just a lot harder to keep up with. I can’t seem to find many places that cover Chinese music to the extent I really want. Any suggestions would be welcome!
Well, here we have it. The final 10 songs on my K-Pop countdown. The best Korean singles of the year. I find when doing lists it gets harder to talk about the ones near the top. Do you guys think so too? The ones you love the most are so often the hardest to put into words. I believe that’s because amazing songs are usually amazing because they reach a place beyond words. They have the power to move you, for whatever reason, and that’s the magic. It can’t be captured, only experienced.
In a way that’s also very true of K-Pop, or music in any other language than our own. We might not understand what’s being said, but somehow the message gets through. Be it via production, vocals, melody, rhythm, tone - there’s so much that goes into an amazing song outside of lyrics, and all of the below have reached a place that transcends words.
Of course, no words don’t make for very good reading, so I tried my best with the remaining songs.
I think they’re quite good.
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10. Jay Park / Abandoned (feat. Dok2)
The meatiest tune of 2011 - “Abandoned” is entirely centered around the chorus. The chorus goes on forever, but it’s brilliant. A winding R&B sex session of a song - the first chorus alone takes an entire minute to unravel. Each time you think you’ve hit the peak; it tricks you, crawling just a bit higher.
A workout of the best kind, and surprisingly elegant.
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9. f(x) / Pinocchio (Danger)
No song in 2011 fit an act quite as well as “Danger” fit f(x). Cleverly playing to the group’s quirkiness, the most eclectic, two-headed song there ever was emerges. It wants to act cute, but the production is too badass for that. It likes being laid-back and cool, but the chorus is too big, and too Pop. It can never quite make up its mind, but it’s brilliant for that reason. A testament to K-Pop’s overarching ‘why can’t I be two things at once?’ attitude.
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8. 2NE1 / I AM THE BEST
2NE1’s statement piece. In a year where the group increasingly became the international face of K-Pop, “I Am The Best” served as a short summation of their short but already illustrious career to everyone just catching on. The production’s framework borrowed from “Fire”, the domineering fuck-you attitude of “Can’t Nobody”, and the hip-hop laden ‘swagger’ from “Clap Your Hands” - all tightly compacted into a shiny, metallic package. In no way a step forward for the group, but it doesn’t have to be when you’re the best.
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7. After School / Shampoo
Sure, nothing lasts forever (as Girl’s Day so famously put), but if any song made me appreciative of the time we do have, it was this. It was an odd parallel, then, that fan-favorite member Bekah departed from the group soon after the release of this single, but that just made it all the more poignant.
“Shampoo”, in all its wondrous, dreamy melancholy, was the perfect goodbye. It’s sad, but resilient, and hopeful. No one likes saying goodbye, but it’s nearly impossible not to find happiness in the beauty of the moment that After School and Japanese producer Daishi Dance so lovingly provide. I’m already a sucker for happy-but-sad songs like this, but “Shampoo” walks the line between the two with more poise and effortlessness than most.
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6. GD&TOP / Knock Out
One of the excitements of K-Pop is watching the development of Korea’s ‘sound’. Or rather, what makes Korean Pop sound different from Pop in other places of the world. What separates it from just ‘copying’ American or European Pop (a common charge against much foreign (non-English) music). Perhaps no song embodies that evolution more than the bubbling, tumbling, rap boxing match known as “Knock Out” by Big Bang resident rappers G-Dragon and T.O.P.
Hip-Hop is arguably the hardest of all genres to localize. It’s such a uniquely American creation. But GD&TOP succeed. Not because there’s anything in the song I can particularly point to and say ‘ah, yes, that’s a huge breakthrough’, but rather, because I can’t think of anything in American music which sounds quite like this. It’s crafted by Diplo, an American producer, but the whole thing just feels so Korean. Whether it’s the fun, stupid, playful-ness which American hip-hop seems to have lost along the way (and that K-Pop has in spades), or the mix of Korean and English that’s so exciting to these ears. There’s something to it, and they’ve found it, and more importantly, it’s theirs.
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5. KARA / STEP
No song in 2011 felt as joyously and exuberantly K-Pop-with-a-capital-K as “STEP”. No song period felt as joyous or exuberant.
“Such trivial worries, with a smile, bye bye”
If that isn’t a summation of Korean Pop, then, well, the bonkers rap break in the middle 8 sure as hell is.
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4. Gummy / I’m Sorry (feat. T.O.P)
I keep calling this the Asian response to “What’s My Name”, though the 2 songs hardly sound alike, and T.O.P handles his role better than Drake could ever dream. Nonetheless, the same bones are there. The breeziness, the grace, the sweet combination of male and female voices - it’s got the magic and the effortlessness. That might not say much about this song in particular, but there’s not really much to say when a song makes the job this easy for the listener. K-Pop so often goes big, but this worked by going in the opposite direction.
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3. SISTAR / SO COOL
There were certainly party jams this year that had more tact, intelligence, class, and intrigue than SISTAR’s “SO COOL”, but none of them moved me, or got me moving, the way this did.
If After School’s “Virgin” embraced the human side of the dancefloor, this one fully lavishes on the glamorous end. Thematically that’s nothing new of course, but I appreciate this one’s super-bluntness. It’s stupidity, even. They’re not bothered with witty metaphors. Who has time for that anyway when you’re so cool?
But this isn’t so much because the people saying it are supposedly cool, but rather, because they say it, it’s true. You don’t have to be cool to be cool. Once you own it, it’s yours. It’s not about posturing, it’s about being. SISTAR aren’t SO COOL because they are in fact ‘cool’, they’re cool because they say so. There’s lots of songs like this which are meant to make the listener feel special, but few of those skip the bullshit and get to the point (or the party) as quickly
(Plus that’s just one hell of a booty poppin’ beat, isn’t it?)
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2. After School / In The Night Sky
“In The Night Sky” - I shouldn’t like this more than “Shampoo”, but I do, and I just can’t help it. There’s something about the simplicity of this which wins me over every time. What can I say? I’m a sucker for some good “eh eh“‘s, and I can hardly listen to the opening piano notes, coupled with Kahi’s forlorn “I don’t wanna love“‘s without getting at least a bit hazy-eyed. Sometimes the best songs don’t have to be groundbreaking to be great, and this is the best example of that
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1. Brown Eyed Girls / Sixth Sense
A lot could be said for “Sixth Sense”. High-flying vocals, dramatic production, and off-the-wall attitude speak for themselves. When I think of why this is my single of the year, above all else it excels because it has the spirit of adventure, iron-clad determination, and reckless abandon that so often makes K-Pop the most exciting and unpredictable kind of Pop. You have to have some kind of bravery to even think of anything like this. Disco-tango-hip-hop-gospel with crazy diva vocal retorts, soaring high notes, and a rap break? Political commentary with a side of pussy popping? Only Korea. And that’s exactly what makes it the best single of the year.
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So we’re now on to part 4 of my 2011 K-Pop singles. The ones that were REALLY amazing, but just not amazing enough to make the the Top 10.
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20. Dal★Shabet / Shakalaka
Candy coated rugrat Pop from E-Tribe (Gee, U-Go-Girl) which feels like all the toy pieces are constantly being thrown against the wall. A variety of wacky and unexpected sounds ensue - from the jingly 808 beats that make up the core of the production, to the smaller details, like the hand-claps in the chorus, or the fatter synths which emerge in the second verse. Even those ever-so sexual “uhhh“‘s during the post-chorus break become a part of the music. There’s no telling where the singers end and the production begins.
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19. e.via & Mini / Mirro of My Soul
K-Pop’s roots in 90’s Hip-Hop and R&B are no more apparent than on “Mirro of My Soul” - a funky (and bluesy, and lazy) singer-rapper collaboration between soul songstress Mini and critical darling e.via. Famed for her lightning quick skills on the mic, here e.via slows it down to a pace the rest of us can follow, though she loses none of her trademark cool in the process.
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18. LeeSsang / You’re The Answer To A Guy Like Me (feat. Harim)
The sung-rap collaboration from a male perspective - between long-standing Hip-Hop duo LeeSsang and soul man Harim.
Foreign rap is often hard to get into as an outsider, if only because the crux of most hip-hop is the lyrics themselves. Without that vital piece of information it becomes a challenge. Emcees Garie and Gil, however, flow nice enough to where understanding the lyrics isn’t so much of an issue - the meaning pours out of their delivery, and is tirelessly and lovingly apparent in every bit of their inflection. The way this makes me feel - the beautiful, overwhelming sadness, but with glimmers of nostalgia - transcends language (as does all good music, it should be said). Harim’s note just past the 2 minute mark - a simple, extended ‘oh’ - sums up meaning more than words ever could.
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17. 2NE1 / LONELY
Few do pop pyrotechnics quite like 2NE1, but “LONELY”, at least in style, was a welcome breath in between the relentless pace of club behemoths like “I Am The Best” and “Can’t Nobody”. In content, though, it was just as weighty, if not more so.
“Baby I’m sorry, even when I’m with you, I’m Lonely”
Now there’s a devastating thought. The idea that even in a relationship you could be lonely. That sometimes love isn’t enough, and that true loneliness comes from within. Depressing, actually.
Only 2NE1 could have pulled this off, or, at least, are the only ones ballsy enough to release a guitar driven ballad as a first single. Unexpected and brilliant. A major moment for this group.
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16. BEAST / Fiction
A thing of beauty in that the production alone could probably make you weep even before any of the vocalists open their mouths, though once they do it’s all but over for anyone still trying to hold on. This again excels where most of the best of K-Pop does - seamlessly blending rap and sung bits and getting the most emotion out of both.
Also - if the Orchestral Version of the song isn’t the prettiest gosh darn thing I’ve ever heard, then I don’t know what is.
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15. Rainbow / TO ME
A song that’s breathtaking beauty is only outmatched by its astonishing power. Constantly winding and unwinding - the piano groove just fluttering round and round in circles endlessly as the vocals rise and fall. The glamorous strings ducking and weaving in between the chorus’ verbal punches - those “EH! OH! EH! OH!” bits, punctuated by the endlessly saucy “COME COME COME COME TO ME” is enough to lay the listener out flat (is it any coincidence they’re in a boxing ring in the video?) More hard / soft contrast as the song goes on - the gorgeous, billowy middle 8 followed by Woori’s blazing rap break.
It leaves you no room to breathe, but by the end you’re so in awe of the gorgeous swirl of beauty that you can’t wait to do it all over again.
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14. CHI-CHI / Longer
Another one of those ‘if it were in English by an American or European artist everyone would love it’ types.
Inherently catchy with its title wave of a chorus, though I also can’t help but feel how dangerous and sexy this sounds, especially in the verses (this, of course, contrasted with the fairies in a winter wonderland image of the above single cover - oh K-Pop, never change). These girls aren’t from any of the major companies, only helping to heighten the sense of trashiness that makes this such a fun, summery romp.
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13. Girls’ Generation / THE GREAT ESCAPE
In a perfect world all songs would be as seamless and joyful as this - and it would be GRAND.
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12. BIG BANG / TONIGHT
As Maddie puts so perfectly in her yearly K-Pop roundup, “TONIGHT” is the sound of the biggest band in the world. It’s spaceship pop - forget earth, once that beat hits liftoff at the 16 second mark you’re on Mars. All parties sound confident and have perfect handle over the various controls. You’re in safe hands - and even if you’re not exploring the outer reaches of space, it’s high-flying all the way.
Also, how fucking gorgeous are the lyrics? Taeyang, during the first line of the chorus:
“I look for you, oh-eh-oh, below the moonlight that illuminates me”
The view from Mars is beautiful, isn’t it?
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11. Kahi / Come Back, You Bastard
Ladies,
Gentleman,
Calvin Harris,
World,
THIS is how to put an instrumental break in a Pop song.
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Thursday Jan 1 @ 09:55pm
Moar K-Pop! Read on for 30 - 21 of my yearly K-Pop countdown.
30. MY Q / Frozen In Time
It’s as though this man’s entire life has fallen apart, and no one can hear it. All his rage, passion, desperation, pain - just bubbling under the surface. He sings so tightly it sounds like the entire human struggle is caught in his throat.
Supremely elegant.
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29. Sunny Hill / Midnight Circus
It may have only been a distraction while we were all waiting for new Brown Eyed Girls material, but what a fun distraction it was.
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28. T-ara / Cry Cry
As if K-Pop 2011 didn’t already share enough parallels with U.S. Bubblegum Pop circa 2001 - T-ara goes and channels Oops! era Britney. And it’s glorious. Tango breakdown and all.
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27. Seungri / I Know (feat. IU)
Quite simply the prettiest song there ever was.
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26. TVXQ / Why? (Keep Your Head Down)
(^We only chose that version of the cover because it was more homoerotic)
Pop has become so feminized in 2011 it’s gotten to the point that ‘male pop’ is basically an extinct species. (Which may, in fact, not be a bad thing!) But that’s not the case in Korea. Forget boy bands, TVXQ came back as MEN.
Hard. Strong. Masculine. MANLY!!!
Yet of course, in true K-Pop style, dressed just as flamboyantly as they want to be. But then, in a way, doesn’t that make it even cooler, and more of a grown man thing to do? (This is getting into bullshit territory right now I know).
Anyway, I mainly just love all the ‘UH!’s and ‘HUH!’s and ‘WAE! WAE! WAE!’s and how the production sounds like the football team ran into the marching band and then fell off a cliff into a pit of lava and then became one big, hot, flaming ball of epic noise and amaze.
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25. KARA / GO GO Summer!
The maximum of everything in every way possible. Too many guitar breaks? Add more! Too big a chorus? Throw in some ‘oh oh oh’ bits while you’re at it! And did you say it was too girly? Put ‘em in a pink van and call it a beach!
Electrifyingly exhausting in all its gaudy excess.
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24. MBLAQ / Your Luv
It’s the kind of song and the kind of video that people who aren’t into Asian music would think an Asian boy band sounds like and looks like. And it’s all the better for it.
“I GIVE YOU MY LUUUUUUUUUUUUUVVVVV!!!!!!”
*CRACK OF THUNDER FROM THE HEAVENS*
Tremendous.
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23. SISTAR19 / Ma Boy
This Dream-esque delight doesn’t exactly hit you over the head at first listen (SISTAR’s singles have an odd habit of doing that), but the subtle groove will get you in the end. There’s something so simple and youthful about this, the innocence in how they deliver the line, “Don’t let me down boy” - so naive and bare it’s devastating.
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22. Girls’ Generation / you-aholic
No one expected the Girls’ Generation album to be amazing.
Especially not in Japan.
Especially not from Girls’-filler-is-our-middle-name-Generation.
But then it was.
And we all loved it.
And the only thing left to say was:
Psycho
Sexy
Super
Magic
Ta.
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21. SISTAR / Follow me
But we’re not done with SISTAR just yet! Because you know who else had an amazing album this year? Yes, you guessed it, SISTAR.
The record company was too stupid to release this little gem as a single, but we here at Totally Amazing HQ couldn’t have possibly missed it.
It’s so immensely happy. Stupidly happy. When they say “until the day we die” you really just have to believe it. That it sounds like a lost No Doubt single re-done for 2011 with a K-Pop twist (and actually still manages to sound amazing after all that ciphering) is all the more reason to fall head over heels.
Tuesday Jan 1 @ 09:28pm