Are you ready for yet another installment of our Best of the K-Pop B Tracks series? It’s been almost a year since our last article, but no worries; we’re back with a fresh and manly list, consisting of some older and newer songs for the latest installment of our series!
Artist: GOT7 Album: “Just Right” Song: “Nice”
It can easily be said that 80 percent of GOT7’s albums usually consist of dance tracks. They’re young guys bursting at the seams with explosive energy, so why not, right? Straight from the get-go, “Nice” had a hypnotic beat with semi sensual lyrics. Not only have the members of GOT7 grown physically, but their voices have also matured a great deal since debut, with member Youngjae being the most noticeable with his honey-like voice. With the release of each mini album, there always seems to be that one track — how should I put this? — that puts you in the mood, makes you feel some sort of way, and “Nice” just so happens to be that particular song.
“Nice” is filled with what has a sophisticated level of ecstasy and has a contagious chorus and yet I can’t seem to wipe off this smile from my face, unable to take them seriously because I’m already so used to them acting like silly kids. I wonder what it’s like having these guys in the recording studio; it’s hard trying to image their level of seriousness when they’re always acting so goofy. Am I the only one that feels this way about GOT7? Regardless of all that, take a listen and I promise you’ll be singing bam bam bam bi dam bi da bi dam bam for the remainder of the day. Read more
https://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/B-Tracks.jpg7681024Tam Huynhhttp://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngTam Huynh2015-09-02 15:55:482015-09-02 16:17:06Best Of The K-Pop B Tracks Pt. 4
August is just about over, but we’re still listening to a lot of the songs that came out from the K-pop world. Popular K-pop acts likeWonder Girls, SHINee, Big Bang, Girls’ Generation, HyunA, T-Ara, and B1A4 all released new songs, but so did a lot of other artists. Here are seven songs we think that everyone should have heard in August and maybe didn’t take note of.
SG WANNABE “Love You”
After a four-year hiatus, the vocal trio SG Wannabe came back with the dual singles “Love You” and “Good Memory.” Keeping with their usual evocative ballad style, SG Wannabe didn’t disappoint. Both songs are perfect representations of the group’s style, but “Love You” climbed up Korean music charts with its bright, building sound.
Cheetah won the first season of “Unpretty Rapstar” and released her first post-win song at the beginning of the month. “My Number” is a hybrid of pop and hip-hop that showcases Cheetah’s skill and feelings about becoming a celebrity. While the song isn’t as heartfelt as some of her raps on “Unpretty Rapstar,” it’s highly personal and has one of the most intriguing Korean music videos of the year, featuring drag queens, intense dances, and Cheetah herself in all her glory.
Primary “Hello” feat. Lena Park
Primary is arguably one of South Korea’s most up and coming producers and all of his latest songs are a reason to get excited. His latest, “Hello (I Got My Nails Done)” is a bright song with a steady beat and the powerful vocals of Lena Park. The song takes the talent of the Korean fairy of R&B and combines it with Primary’s producing skills and creates a fun summer jam all about nail polish. (And really, everyone needs a song about nails walking).
FTISLAND “Puppy”
This song is ridiculous and cute and a gift to their fans, but FTISLAND’s humorous search for their “Puppy” can’t be overlooked. It’s like the Internet got rolled into one, with cute boy band members looking for puppies and pizza, with the talent of FTISLAND and vocals of Lee Hongki thrown in just for good measure. FTISLAND is one of the most underrated acts in K-pop today, but this over-the-top song and music video are just too adorable to overlook.
Baechigi “Shut Up” feat. EXID’s Solji
Combine Solji’s sultry vocals with Beachigi’s distinct rap style and you get one of my personal favorite songs of the summer. The song is about being used by people and the hardships of both general life and romantic relationships But rather than being a depressing tune, “Shut Up” is all about getting over things and doing what is good for you, even if others don’t understand you. “Shut Up” has a lot of soul, saxophone, and self -assertion, so what more is there really to ask for?
If you ever thought that you’d fall in love with a promotional song for a baseball team, then you must be a big sports fan. But that’s exactly what “Blazing” is — the absolute perfect pump up, sports anthem created by the members of MFBTY, Tiger JK, Yoon Mirae, and Bizzy, (although it is officially a song by Tiger JK.) The song is a passionate tune based on the anthem of Korean baseball team Hanhwa Eagles, “I’m The Eagles,” and both the song and the music video offers the fiercest inspiration to pursuing your dreams that you will ever see.
Simon Dominic “Simon Dominic”
Simon D came back this month with several songs, including the self-titled “Simon Dominic.” Like Cheetah’s song, it’s a personal take on what the singer wants to say those around him. “Simon Dominic” is a hook-filled song about Simon’s attempts at making it big in the Korean music world as part of the duo Supreme Team and continuing to make his way in the hip hop world. The song’s style and story led to “Simon Dominic” taking over Korean music charts.
What is your favorite lesser-known K-pop song from August? Share your thoughts in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.
https://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/cheetah.jpg640960Tamar Hermanhttp://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngTamar Herman2015-08-31 12:55:472015-09-01 15:47:33August K-Pop Releases You May Have Missed
As another month comes to an end we can safely clock August as another great month for K-pop. To celebrate I’m going to look back at some b-sides that might have unfortunately gone unnoticed. With another slew of high profile releases there’s plenty to discover. This month we have lots of retro goodness, with influences coming from all over the world giving a new lease of life to K-pop.
Primary feat Sunwoo Jung-A and Gaeko “Paranoia”
If there is one artist continually releasing great work this year it is Primary. He’s had songs out nearly every month since the start of the year and there has always been something interesting amongst them. These have culminated in the fantastic album “2” and my favourite from it “Paranoia”.
“Paranoia” is a wonderfully slow and restrained piece of trip hop. Primary has never been afraid to show off his parade of influences within the genres he has worked in. He invigorates these with a new modern life while never forgetting what made them special in the first place. This time he takes on that very British style of trip hop. The echoey drums recall Portishead and give the song its gloomy feeling. What really makes it though is Sunwoo Jung-A’s mournful voice and Gaeko’s energetic rap.They seem to be directly referencing the British artists of that time like Thom Yorke of Radiohead and rapper Tricky. It lends an authenticity but mostly makes the song work totally.
More 90s alternative influenced music here with B1A4’s “You Are A Girl, I Am A Boy”.
Okay that may be a bit of a stretch this time but it was the first thing that came into my head when I listened to this track. The reverb laden guitars immediately brought Sonic Youth to mind. This thought was quickly dispelled but that doesn’t lessen the effect of the guitar. It’s an entirely new sound to be found within K-pop and is why this song is on the list. This use of the live band sounds are what set apart B1A4 for me. Amongst many samey hip-hop influenced boy groups they stand out thanks to this and their distinctive voices.
SHINee “Chocolate”
Retro was certainly a major theme for august. SHINee as always delivered an amazing throwback with the whole of the “Married to the Music” album. Jonghyun’s effortlessly sexy “Chocolate” stands out.
“Chocolate” goes for retro synths in a big way. They sound almost 8-bit and hit with a strong but smooth force. There’s layers to them that feel almost physically tangible. The verses that change tempo and general intricacies of the song make it something more than your average album cut. It’s clinically sexy yet has delicate touches that elevate it above other sexy sounding songs.
Speaking of retro, I don’t think any K-pop group has ever pulled it off as well as Wonder Girls have with “Reboot”. With that “Reboot” and “I Feel You” they have released probably the best album and song of the year all while also learning and playing instruments for it.
With an album this good it’s hard to pick just one b-side. So I’m just going with my mood right now which means “One Black Night”. Ever since I first listened to “Reboot” I felt like it was a soundtrack album to some amazing 80s movie that never existed. If so then “One Black Night” would play when the main character is at their lowest point so they go out to get totally wasted for one black night.
The song starts off slow with a plodding piano and stripped back drum beat. It recalls member Yenny’s solo work as HA:TFELT, mixing solemn piano melodies in the verse with crashing electronic sounds in the chorus. The emotions are also similar, ones of pent up angst finally being released in cathartic acts. In this case drinking and embracing.
Girls’ Generation “Bump It”
Girls’ Generation came back again before the summer officially ended with their album “Lion Heart” and there’s a lot to get stuck into. Most may have assumed that with a double single release there wouldn’t be much left of interest. They would be wrong.
Album closer “Bump It” is the highlight as it cleverly walks the line between the Girls’ Generation we know and love and the Girls’ Generation many want to exist. By that I mean it starts off like a fairly standard sweet ballad before turning urban pop at Tiffany’s request. With the singles being a great signifier of what Girls’ Generation can be, this is the perfect song to close out the album.
What it does really well is using both styles within the song. Once the ballad part at the start ends it would have been easy to leave out but the piano remains and reinvigorates the song at the chorus. Similarly towards the end when Taeyeon is about to begin her crooning, Sooyoung cuts in with a rap to make sure one style does not win over the other. Girls’ Generation are at their best whee unpredictable like this.
Is there any other August K-pop B-sides you loved? Share your picks in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.
https://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/collage-bsides.jpg12001200Joe Palmerhttp://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngJoe Palmer2015-08-24 11:18:352015-08-24 11:31:59August’s Best K-Pop B-Sides
When we think of K-rappers, the usual soloists comes to mind – Jay Park, Tablo, Verbal Jint, San E – and for good reasons. Their sick flow and quick wit are second to none, so I suppose that’s why they are featured as judges in rap competition shows such as this season of “Show Me the Money.” But rarely do we consider the Korean idol rapper line in our musings, and when we do, it’s the well-known Zico’s, G-Dragon’s, and Rap Monster’s of the K-pop world. With an association with their boy band images, Korean idol rappers certainly have it tough and are not taken seriously enough. Fortunately for them, this Kultscene writer is able to look past the “idol rappers aren’t real rappers” stigma in order to give them the recognition they deserve. Here are just five talented yet underrated male Korean idol rappers entitled to some more loving.
BTOB’s Jung Ilhoon
Many may remember him as the guy who started the whole Gwiyomi player trend, but one listen to BTOB’s Ilhoon’s spit-fire raps and listeners might divorce him from his iconic aegyo (cute display of affection). Like his Cube Entertainment label mate Yong Junhyung of Beast, Ilhoon has been featured in numerous tracks, including HyunA’s latest single “Roll Deep,” where he turned up the swag, and G.Na’s hit “Oops,” where his smooth as silk raps made G.Na sound like his back-up singer.
As one of the most versatile rappers in the K-pop industry, it always baffled me that his rap skills are not acknowledged more often. He’s got the speed, rhythm, and emotions to make it as a soloist so why not, Cube? And after he had the honor of closing his group’s first full-length album with his lulling outro “Everything’s Good,” it only proved that he has the competency to.
BTOB seems to be really popular in the rap department because their other rapper also made the list. Also known by his pre-debut stage name Heota, Lee Minhyuk has a style similar to Ilhoon’s, especially when it comes to some of his more aggressive works. His deep voice when he delivers his raps betrays his boyish, good looks; he is a man more about the power than the agility. So perhaps it should not come as a surprise that Minhyuk/Heota used to collaborate with Block B’s rappers Zico and Kyung during their underground rapper days.
Recently, Minhyuk returned to his roots as Heota when he featured in Postmen’s track, “I’m Ok,” which also marked his first time lending his voice on another artist’s track since debut. Besides complementing the ballad with his bold raps, he also demonstrated his talent by writing his own lyrics.
Block B’s Kyung
Speaking of Minhyuk and his fraternization with Park Kyung, the now Block B member is yet another rapper that deserves more props for his artistry. Although leader Zico often steals the limelight as main rapper, thereby overshadowing his role as the lead rapper, Kyung actually captivated me slightly more with his familiar rap style that is a bit reminiscent of Jay Park’s. The two may not have the gruffest of voices to suit the genre, but their wordplay surely makes up for it. I mean, just listen to his song “Energizer,” off of his pre-debut mixtape with Zico, where he low-key disses Jay Park’s former group by declaring that he’s “not a 2PM fan, but [he’s] the Hottest.” With clever lyrics such as these, Kyung is one rapper that fans should continue to look out for.
BTS’s Suga
BTS’s Suga is still another case of what happens when your leader is usually regarded as the group’s best rapper instead of yourself. This is a bit puzzling seeing as how Suga’s raps are just as dynamic as Rap Monster’s. His deep voice and his haughty flair when he spits out his verses is a match made in rap heaven, and if you’ve ever given his old predebut stuff a listen, where he does not have to share the spotlight with six other members, you’d understand. Still unconvinced? Check out his self-produced track “MIX Final” below where he gives listeners secondhand swag with his confidence that is only comparable to American rap legends such as Kanye West. As someone who has consistently contributed his song-writing and producing ability to his group’s albums, Suga is a powerhouse of his own.
When it comes to idol rappers, SM Entertainment definitely has the worst end of it. They’re a company mostly known for their visuals and friendly pop music, so what would real rappers be doing under SM? Well, if anyone recalls, the company also once housed the now popular Block B’s Zico and Big Bang’s G-Dragon, and is about to once again break the preconceived notion that they can’t produce any authentic rappers with EXO member, Park Chanyeol. He might be an unlikely candidate for this list, but given his meaningful rap that he wrote for and absolutely slayed on his group’s song “Promise (EXO 2014)”, he easily rises to the forefront of SM rappers in my eyes. Even today, I still can’t get over the surge in his voice and how much it was overly wrought with angst.
Moreover, Chanyeol’s bassy voice falls into the same vocal range as K-rapper Simon D, which is why the idol would naturally cover some of his works. Whether it’s bringing the mood up with his rendition of Supreme Team’s “Dang Dang Dang” (poor fellow member Kai never stood a chance against Chanyeol’s booming voice) or bringing it back down with the sultry “Lonely Night,” Chanyeol is able to cover all bases. Even Simon D has commended the EXO member on his execution of his songs. Without a doubt, Chanyeol is the savior of the rapper line within his group and, arguably, his company.
Who’s your favorite Korean idol rapper? Share your thoughts in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.
https://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Untitled-design-2.png7681024Shelley Foohttp://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngShelley Foo2015-08-22 13:16:232015-08-22 13:16:235 Underrated Male Korean Idol Rappers Who Caught Our Attention
I don’t know if it’s just me but Girls’ Generation seem to have been slightly forgotten this year. Maybe off the back of Jessica leaving and other controversies people don’t see them as the sweetest girls in Korea anymore. Maybe people are just bored of them being sweet. This is all despite releasing some great music. “Party” was underrated, lots of fun and totally suited to the summer. “Check” is their sexiest song to date, yet no one took notice of it. Even generic banger “Catch Me If You Can” was revitalized by the live stages. They are still successful of course, but the excitement for new material from them is slowly dying.
The release of “Lion Heart” and “You Think” comes a pivotal moment then. It’s a statement of intent as to who these girls, or more accurately women, are. It’s an answer to calls for them to grow up. I, for one, am still excited about what they can still do.
Songs
“Lion Heart” takes a straightforward structure to work in and clutters it with many elements. Girls’ Generation can pull off almost any type of song you throw at them, and this is no different. It is perfectly pop and sweet while still maintaining some more difficult aspects.
The song is built on a simple but weighty guitar riff. It grounds the song in its retro settings and allows it move around lots of vocals without disrupting the rhythm. Instead of the traditional drumbeat for the verse, “Lion Heart” has hand claps and finger snaps which are pushed as one of the loudest elements. They resonate really well giving the song a strong acoustic sound. Musically, the song stays quite simple throughout allowing the vocals to really shine.
If I were to ever have anything bad to say about Girls’ Generation it would be that their vocals are not that diverse. They have never really had a song to burst out of their comfort zone, continually relying on Taeyeon, Tiffany, Seohyun, and Jessica, when she was still around. “Lion Heart” completely dispels those worries. They don’t just push their ranges as far as they can though, the song is more clever than that.
By using only Taetiseo and Yuri in the chorus, the producers make sure that it always bursts with as much life as possible. The transition from verse to chorus creeps up on you and makes the hook even more effective. It’s a genuine outpouring of joy that makes me smile every time. It gets even better though, as the post chorus brings in the a cappella moments which will become vital to the song. These moments are a rare use of the collective voice in K-pop, where we are used to one dominant voice even in choruses. They give a great sense of unity and depth to a song.
The bridge, as well, uses their voices well as members swap out quickly. Hyoyeon’s deeper kind of rap contrasts especially well against Seohyun’s high pitched part. There’s a lot going on here, but never goes off the rails thanks to the quality of vocals. It also allows the chorus to remain the climax of the song as the bridge is more of a comedown as it leads into the most beautiful a cappella part of the song to lead us out.
What was that about vocals? “You Think” goes hard too.
“You Think” marks Girls’ Generation’s first full foray into the ever popular hip-pop territory. Like “Lion Heart,” it has hand clap beats except this time in the trap sense. Musically, it’s actually quite simple with these beats taking up most of the runtime. Horns come in every now and then, but there’s little deviation. This is a technique rappers have been using since they started, taking out the middle melody of a song to replace with their raps. Here, it’s to let the vocals of the girls shine once again.
This is why Yoona, Sooyoung, Hyoyeon and, Yuri barely get a look in. It’s one of those times where unequal line distribution is important for the song. In place of them, Tiffany, Seohyun, Taeyeon and, Sunny wail and shout in all manner of ways. Sunny especially surprises with a great energy to her voice, she sounds genuinely angry at the silly boys she’s singing about. It’s a great display of talent but doesn’t save the song. Everything in it works but still, it doesn’t get past being generic. It’s no better than the equally safe “Catch Me If You Can,” but people will like it more because of the bells and whistles.
Women’s Generation
What all this really says to me is that Girls’ Generation still have a lot to offer. They are still in the process of becoming women and it can be seen in their music. These last three releases have shown a wide variety of sounds and looks. They have done this while always sticking to what made them the great group they are today. They are still the sweet, feminine girls we know from “Gee” yet they can be sexy, classy and, fierce too. Girls’ Generation are exploring what is to be a woman performer.
This is seen not only in the visuals but the lyrics too. “Lion Heart” is about a girl who is so obsessed with a guy that doesn’t notice her. “You Think” is about a girl who has had a boy obsessed with them and the girl knows she’s too good for him. Obsession works both ways. Girls’ Generation are seeing things from different sides and refuse to come down one side. They will not be pinned down.
Overall
These two songs show the girls have still got it. You have absolutely no reason to lose interest in Girls’ Generation. More than anything else the girls have matured vocally in impressive ways. With both songs we get belters and interesting new techniques.
As for the songs themselves, I prefer “Lion Heart” over “You Think”. While tonally completely different, they are similar in structure. “Lion Heart” wins out here thanks to its wonderful a cappella. Most of all, I continue to be excited for what Girls’ Generation can produce in the future and I hope they can continue to mature and show us even more new sides to their ever growing personalities.
What do you make of SNSD’s new songs? What kind of song would you like to see them perform in the future? Share your picks in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.
https://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/original.jpg14281428Joe Palmerhttp://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngJoe Palmer2015-08-18 16:06:212015-08-20 15:51:25Girls’ Generation’s “Lion Heart” and “You Think” Song Review
K-pop may be crazy about “Harry Potter.” The most popular work of fiction in the past era has been, without a doubt, the “Harry Potter” book series. The popular book and film series inspired some of Korea’s top musicians to write songs featuring “Harry Potter” tropes.
XIA Junsu “Tarantallegra” (2012)
When one of the best singers in K-pop tells you to dance, you do just that. The title of Junsu’s “Tarantallegra” is taken from the spell that makes people’s feet dance uncontrollably. The song was Junsu’s first as a soloist, and the title of his first solo album. It’s a dramatic song and music video, with a rap by Flowsik, and Junsu lives up to the name of the song by putting on one of the best dance performances in the history of K-pop.
The song makes it very clear that music is everything for Junsu, as shown by the repetitive question, “what music would you listen to?” and “tarantallegra, be intoxicated with music.” The lyrics were written by Junsu’s twin brother Juno, giving it a deeper personal touch for himu. And as for the music video, well, there’s a magically beautiful woman who makes an appearance when Junsu decides to change things up. Without a doubt, “Tarantallegra” is a piece of wizard art.
A fast paced, techno dance song from the leader of 2AM was the total opposite of the group’s usual vocally expressive songs. However, the ever flamboyant Jo Kwon is a perfect fit for the bright dance song. Although it wasn’t the title track on his “I’m Da One” album, “Wingardium Leviosa” is built around a “Harry Potter” spell.
In “Harry Potter,” “Wingardium Leviosa” is a levitation spell that helps objects fly. And to Jo, that means an opportunity to play around. “I will make you fly” and “Let’s fly over there, follow me, let’s try, memorize this spell” are pretty straightforward lyrics, but Jo goes above and beyond and turns the spell into a verb, “The mood is wingar.” Whatever that means, we love it and want to be feeling it.
IU “Obliviate” (2013)
Soloist IU is as great as usual in a Latin inspired song “Obliviate.” With whispers of the memory removal spell, the meaning of the song is clear from the very beginning; the singer would like to remove her memories of a past relationship after it is over.
IU takes a bitter take on the spell, singing, “In the end, I cast the nonse spell of making bad memories disappear and having good memories stay” in a tone of voice that implies that it’s an impossibility. “Head, obliviate, heart, obliviate,” she sings. While other artists use “Harry Potter” for inspiration, IU’s song is the epitome of all of us “Harry Potter” fans out there, who wish we could use our favorite spells in our daily lives.
Crucial Star’s song is about working hard and being a pioneer to inspire others. and not quite as obviously based on “Harry Potter” as the previous songs in this list. But with a line like “I cast a spell like Harry, ”Aparecium, Alohamora, there’s no doubt that the lyrics take inspiration from “Harry Potter.” According to Harry Potter Wiki, Apercium is the revealing charm “that forces invisible ink or other hidden messages to appear,” while Alohamora is one of the first spells introduced in the Harry Potter series and is used to unlock locks. http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Revealing_Charm
And, as a fun bonus, even though it’s not a song, here’s Super Junior-M’s Henry getting yelled at on “Strong Heart” for mispronouncing Hermione’s name.
Which K-pop act do you want to make magical songs with? Share your picks in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.
BIGBANG finished off their “MADE” series two weeks ago with their latest singles, “Let’s Not Fall In Love” and “Zutter” (G-Dragon & T.O.P). As usual, they achieved international success in both album and digital sales. Amidst the rave reviews for the songs though, netizens and VIPs (BIGBANG fans) were quick to point out the inequality in the line distributions, especially for “Let’s Not Fall In Love”. This issue is not a new one in the world of K-pop or even for BIGBANG, but the fact that G-Dragon & T.O.P had a single of their own this time around highlighted how the other vocalists in the group (namely Daesung and Seungri) are seemingly unfairly treated.
The accusations are not unfounded, “Let’s Not Fall In Love” is indeed dominated by the other three members and Daesung and Seungri have a mere three lines each. They also seem to get the short end of the stick in their first single of 2015, “Bae Bae”, with their meagre number of lines. Why are the members constantly short changed in this manner? To say that their voices simply do not fit the mood and emotion of the songs seems a bit far-fetched to me, especially since this pattern can be seen in several of their releases. They certainly are not lacking in terms of their vocal ability either, as their successful solo debuts in both Japan and Korea can prove.
You may wonder why line distribution is such a big deal to netizens and artists, but the number of lines a member gets is almost directly proportional to the amount of screentime he receives on music shows or television broadcast performances. With more lines he is able to showcase more of himself, which at times can be integral to an artist’s ego and individual growth. When a member gets more lines, he also has more pressure to perform well and up to standard, which will automatically result in him practicing more and consistently improving himself.
INFINITE’s L is the living example of that. Back in the “The Chaser” days, he used to get a mere two lines in the entire song and as a result his vocal abilities remained rather stagnant. In the past few years however, his parts in each release have gotten longer, and he was even given the opportunity to be a lead vocal for his subunit INFINITE F. His confidence in singing has obviously grown by leaps and bounds and his improvements can be seen and heard.
(Skip to 3:30 for his high note)
Equal line distribution maintains a balance between the members and their unique abilities in the song. In BIGBANG’s case especially, every member brings something different to every song that they sing. For example, T.O.P’s speciality is his deep voice, which makes him a very charismatic rapper and singer. Classic BIGBANG releases such as “Haru Haru” would definitely be very different without his low accompaniments and raps.
via youngbaebae on tumblr
However, members such as Seungri and Daesung also have their own charms which remain a big part to BIGBANG releases. Take for example BIGBANG’s “Loser”, which was released along with “Bae Bae” earlier this year. Seungri and T.O.P sang the chorus together, and his higher voice contrasted nicely with T.O.P’s voice, creating a perfect balance in the song. This balance was lost in “Let’s Not Fall In Love” however, where G-Dragon sang the chorus of the song. Although G-Dragon certainly has the vocal techniques to pull this off, he sang it in a rather low key and flat manner, causing the chorus to sound rather boring as compared to the rest of the song. T.O.P did the same thing in the later chorus as well, although Taeyang’s high notes and ad-libs were brought in towards the end. If Seungri had sung along with them, just like he did in “Loser”, I have no doubt that the resulting effect would be very different. Seungri’s voice may not be as polished or smooth as Taeyang’s and G-Dragon’s voices, but it is melodious and projects a certain calm that the other members don’t seem to possess. In his quiet ways, he is enhancing the songs through every part that he has.
Just like Seungri, Daesung’s voice is unique and instrumental to BIGBANG songs, even if he is often underappreciated. As a soloist, he is also very famous in Japan, so it’s a pity that he isn’t given more lines. His style of singing might not be popular in a mainstream sense, but there is no doubt that he sings with all of his heart. Every note is interjected with tons of emotion, and he sings with more feeling than anyone else in the group, no matter how small his part. “Loser” just wouldn’t be as melancholic and passionate without his heart-wrenching vocals, and Daesung makes up for the lack of emotion that is sometimes evident in the parts of his group mates (i.e T.O.P).
Maybe it’s a YG Entertainment thing, but BIGBANG’s labelmates 2NE1 also face this problem. Despite the fact that there are only four members in the group, the lines of their songs have always been extremely skewed towards CL and Park Bom. Dara, on the other hand, never gets more than ten lines in a song and at times, and occasionally even gets only two lines. It is a well-known fact that Dara’s weak vocals do not match up to her groupmates, and even in her small number of lines her voice is almost always heavily edited. However, I still believe that Dara can bring something special to 2NE1’s songs, if her voice is used in the right way. Although her voice is soft, it is also sweet, and she can comfortably balance the rough and loud edges CL sometimes brings in her voice, adding more emotion and depth to the songs.
This skewed line distribution does not just affect the member with the least lines, it also places a heavy burden on the other members who are given more lines, especially in small groups like 2NE1. “If I Were You”, a track from 2NE1’s 2014 release, “Crush”, is a good example of this. CL ends off the ballad in a quiet and emotional way, and it sounds fine in the track, but not so in live performances. During 2NE1’s performance on “Yoo Hee Yeol’s Sketchbook,” CL was out of breath by the time she reached the end of the song, and understandably so, because she had to carry several high and long notes throughout the song. This unfortunately lessened the sadness and emotion of this piece. If Dara was the one singing this portion (she only got about one line in the whole song), CL wouldn’t have had to exert herself so much in the performance and Dara would have been able to nail it with her gentle vocals.
(Skip to 3:11 for the ending)
I’m not criticizing BIGBANG or YG for the unfair line distributions because many other K-pop groups also face these problems (especially big groups such as EXO and Girls’ Generation). However, I do believe that each member (this applies to every music group out there) has a special part to play, and if their talents are harnessed properly, the group will be able to create music like never before – music that can highlight every single member’s strengths.
https://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Screen-Shot-2015-08-14-at-6.54.36-pm.png461463Anna Cheanghttp://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngAnna Cheang2015-08-14 05:57:512015-09-10 03:58:50Unappreciated Singers: Equality Of Line Distribution In K-pop Songs
Sometimes I think I’m not harsh enough on K-pop releases. Nearly every one of my reviews has been overwhelmingly positive. Those were all genuinely great releases, though, and I don’t think any differently now. Maybe K-pop is not as perfect as I thought it was, and I was adjusting my opinions to fit that. Then this week happened. Three titans of K-pop SHINee, Wonder Girls, and T-ara released equally exceptional new songs. As the kids would say, what a time to be alive.
These vanguards of K-pop are also a good example of a few different sides of the genre. Wonder Girls and SHINee deliver perfect 80/70s throwbacks in different ways and T-ara pull off the best generic Brave Brothers track since AOA’s “Miniskirt”.
SHINee “Married to the Music”
SHINee already showed us that they had the 90s sound and look down to a tee, and this time they take on the music of the 70s. Michael Jackson’s style in particular can be heard, which isn’t a surprise given his clear influence on Taemin’s solo and SHINee’s concept in general.
The first thing you’ll notice about “Married to the Music” is how wacky and fun the video is. It takes most of its inspiration from the 1975 cult classic, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” It shows the boys from SHINee drinking some weird drinks that change their disposition (alcohol! gasp!) and having a wild time in a creepy house. Heads are chopped off, eyeballs popped out as events get stranger by the second. It is by far the most fun video of the year so far. It’s great to see SM actually trying with their videos as well. When they actually put effort in, and take SM artists outside of boxes, SM Entertainment makes the best video they have ever done.
It’s disappointing then that the lyrics don’t match up with the video at all then. They’re pretty standard, about loving a girl. Even the music metaphor isn’t interesting as it’s always about the girl and not actual music, which could have been cool and unsurprising given SHINee’s seeming love of music, especially Jonghyun.
This disappointment doesn’t last long though as the song more than makes up for it. “Married to the Music” continues the retro theme with funky aplomb. The thing I really like about this song is the wide use of actual instruments over electronics. Apart from the drums it sounds like an actual band could have played this. The wandering bass that carries the song is particularly satisfying and reminiscent of Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust”. The slick guitars provide the funk like no synths can. That’s not to say it’s devoid of electronics though, they are used sparingly to good effect at louder parts of the song like Minho’s rap. The song is a blast and has no trouble keeping up with the outrageous video.
Wonder Girls “I Feel You”
The throwbacks continue with the return of the legendary Wonder Girls. I got into K-pop in late 2011 so missed most of the Wonder Girls mania. So, they never really meant a lot to me apart from having some good songs. However, when the teaser came out for “I Feel You”, the single for their new rebooted band lineup, I fell in love. The MTV inspired video and 80s synth-pop sound appeared so perfectly realised. With the release of the video, this love turned out to be complete.
Like SHINee, it’s the dedication to being retro that really sets Wonder Girls apart. So often recently we have seen groups tack on the most obvious elements of 80s or 90s pop to make their song a retro throwback. The general sound and look of these songs are usually still quite modern, though, so it tends not to work. What Wonder Girls have done is transport the 80s to today and given it modern production values and edgy sexiness. Even with that, “I Feel You,” still sounds like it could have been from the actual 80s.
This is clearly evident in the synth hook that introduces the song. It’s an intoxicating riff that doesn’t outstay its welcome and eventually becomes the hook of the song. This is why the actual chorus comes across as quite flat at first. Sunmi’s softer, kind of talk singing over the chorus doesn’t inspire you to sing along but allows the synth riff to shine once she’s finished. It also works to carry over the sensual feeling of the verse which features similar sexy, whispered vocals. The addition of rapping that can sometimes make a retro K-pop track quite jarring doesn’t even stop “I Feel You” for a moment. Yubin’s deep, sensual voice fits perfectly with the rest of the vocals making her rap more a slightly faster verse than a whole new part.
The music video also completely nails the 80s retro feel. The attention to detail in some of the images is brilliant and quite funny at times. If you ever thought the video was kind of cheesy at times, don’t worry: That’s the point. The opening is probably my favourite where Sunmi turns to the camera, smiles then zips down her shorts to reveal the group on stage. For whatever reason the turn before she smiles makes it for me; it seems unnecessary but works so well. I also love the shots of the girls as they rap the post-chorus part. They have two of the girls in each shot and pull focus as they rap. It’s the type of shot that would never be seen today and is the kind of detail that makes this song and video one of the best of the year so far.
T-ara “So Crazy”
For better or worse, Brave Brothers has become a mainstay of the K-pop environment. His safe but effective music has been increasingly popular in the last few years making him the go to guy for a hit. So his pairing with the once loved T-ara is an appropriate one. Ever since their scandal in 2012, T-ara have had a hard time regaining their popularity in Korea. Instead they have mainly focused on promoting in China where they have had unprecedented success. They, of course, have not given up on their home country though and are teaming up with Brave Brothers for “So Crazy” their new single.
While “So Crazy” stays true to the Brave Brothers form in structure and use of sounds, it is still an incredibly exciting track. It moves at intense speeds. The song doesn’t quite explode until the first chorus but the opening verse is deceptively quick and full to the brim with different sounds. Bouncing horns and layered vocals build anticipation before the song takes off. Its a sound that fits T-ara like few other groups. Their vocals lend to the high-pitched layers especially using the slightly weaker Jiyeon with a stronger vocal like Hyomin’s or Soyeon’s.
“So Crazy” is Brave Brothers at his absolute best. Of the three songs I’ve talked about so far, it is probably the least interesting and yet it remains the most exciting and listenable. His ‘oh oh oh’ hook once again works its magic. The song has an unhinged quality that is usually absent in Brave Brothers songs. It hits all the same beats as any recent AOA song yet there is always so much going that it never bores and feels like it could lift off into the stratosphere at any time.
What do you think of these three songs and of the current state of K-pop? Share your thoughts in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter,Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.
They may not know it, but most K-pop fans owe their soul to Marcan Entertainment.
If you’ve ever heard SHINee’s “Lucifer,” U-KISS’s “Neverland,” or EXO’s “Love Me Right,” then you’ve heard a song that Marcan Entertainment had its hands behind. As a music production company that brings foreign producers and music writers together with South Korean musicians, Marcan Entertainment works closely with many Korean entertainment agencies. In particular, the company has a long-lasting relationship with SM Entertainment, and many of K-pop’s most popular groups have sung songs put together by Marcan Entertainment.
Marcan’s managing director Mark Yom spoke with me to discuss what the company is doing within the K-pop world.
So what is it that Marcan Entertainment does exactly?
“We facilitate music,” Yom said, as we sat in a cafe in the heart of Seoul, less than 100 feet from K-pop powerhouses SM Entertainment and FNC Entertainment.
“We have tons of writers and producers consistently sending us music, and we filter them and we see what will be good for SM or any other label,” he explained, describing the first way that Marcan Entertainment connects K-pop with songwriters. Marcan also works with Warner Chapell, which helps the company access thousands of musicians.
Foreign producers send their demos to Marcan, and Marcan decides where to pitch it. “We pitch songs that they [the agencies] don’t even ask for,” said Yom. “They’re always looking for something that is different.”
Marcan Entertainment began in 2009, with Ryan S. Jhun as the creative producer and Yom as the managing director. Almost before things were underway, Jhun had already closed a deal with SM Entertainment, and the two have honored their loyalty to the Korean agency ever since.
“A mutual friend happened to know one of the staff from SM, and that person introduced Ryan [Jhun] to the A&R team leader,” explained Yom. “Lucky for us, he was able to close a deal and when he came back to New York, that’s when he asked me to work together with him, to partner up and I said ‘sure, why not?’”
Since then, the “sure, why not?” attitude has gotten Yom and Jhun working with a variety of K-pop agencies. Marcan Entertainment has produced songs for JYP Entertainment (15&’s “Somebody”,) B2M Entertainment (SPICA,) NH Media (U-KISS,) and more. According to Yom, YG Entertainment and FNC Entertainment have their own sounds and in-house producer that Marcan Entertainment doesn’t usually tailor to.
Regardless of the other agencies, though, Marcan works closely with SM to the degree that they provide music writers for multiple songwriting camps run by SM each year, the second way that Marcan generates K-pop songs.
“Every month, songwriters from all over the world come to write songs for them. We do anywhere from three to five song camps with SM per year. So the last one we did was March. This one [in July] is not as big, but normally we have 20 different songwriters and producers from all over the world for anywhere from 2-3 weeks.”
Marcan chooses producers and songwriters that they think will be able to tailor songs to SM Entertainment’s tastes and invites them to Korea.
“At the beginning of writing camps, SM A&R’s gives them leads, gives them reference,” Yom told me. “’Hey, these are the kind of songs that we’re looking for at this moment. These are the artists that we’re aiming for.’”
Those songwriting camps have resulted in some of SM Entertainment’s latest hits, including SHINee’s most recent single “View,” and EXO’s “Love Me Right.”
According to Yom, the songwriting process can take anywhere from a few hours to two weeks, but forcing the producers and songwriters to produce hundreds of songs during the songwriting camp isn’t what Marcan is there to do. “It doesn’t make sense for us to make 10-15 songs a week if they’re all – excuse my language – shitty songs. If it’s shitty, it’s shitty. … Sometimes they [the songwriters] can work on one song the whole day or a few hours, or a few weeks, cause that’s how long it takes to make a song.”
So what happens exactly when an agency like SM Entertainment hears a song at the songwriting camp that fits their image? “Love Me Right” is a good example, even though it took a bit longer than usual to create.
“As soon as they heard the hookline ‘love me right uh huh’ while we were having this songwriting camp, they were like, ‘we want to use this as a single so can you build more upon it?’” Yom recounts SM Entertainment’s interest in the song. “So we had iDR [the producer] working on just that song for two weeks, we had him do nothing else. We had other writers working on other songs, like Adrian [Mckinnon, who wrote SHINee’s “View] and other guys working on stuff for SHINee, with a lot of other stuff going on at the same time.”
For his part, Mark Yom is mostly involved with the business and legal side of things, but his relationship with Jhun is like to two hands attached to one body. One hand is better at doing one thing, while the other is good at another, but they still have to know what the other is doing and where they are at all times.
”I’ve learned that just because I’m on the business side of things doesn’t mean that I have to close my ears and can ignore what’s going on. Even though I’m not part of songwriting or producing, I’m there just to give them [the creative side] support.”
Working so closely with SM Entertainment, Yom has a good idea of what the company is angling for, and highlighted SHINee’s latest album, “Odd,” as SM’s ideal sound for the foreseeable future.
“They don’t want too much going on from the production side. They want something light and minimal, but with very catchy hook lines and melodies…For the last two or three years, trap and EDM style music was in but now they’re trying to phase that out. The recent single that we had with SHINee, the song called “View,” it’s very light and a mix of dance, R&B, and pop sounds. We did their song “Lucifer” too, and that was very electronic, EDM heavy, but that was almost four years ago.”
The deep house song became a huge hit in South Korea. If there’s more where that came from planned for SHINee, every music fan in the world should be excited.
So what exactly happens to all of those songs that they create that don’t get accepted by SM Entertainment or wherever they think they should go? They sometimes go unproduced, but Marcan Entertainment will re-pitch. “Just because it [a song] was rejected doesn’t mean it’s bad quality, but it’s not what they’re looking for or not in their musical direction,” explained Yom. “There were songs that were supposed to come out with SM but didn’t. For example, U-KISS’s ‘Neverland,’ was pitched for Super Junior but for some reason it didn’t get cut on time, and went to U-KISS.”
Even though that didn’t work out, Marcan Entertainment has worked with Super Junior on other projects, such as their single “No Other.” Marcan has worked with just about every top SM Entertainment artist in the past six years. Marcan Entertainment’s latest song for SM Entertainment was “Champagne,” a solo track by TVXQ’s Yunho prior to his enlistment in the Korean military.
Next up from Marcan are two of the biggest K-pop comebacks of the year.
“We have Girls’ Generation’s [comeback]. One of the songs, “You Think,” was produced by us and the songwriter, SAARA. She’s a Finnish artist. We brought her over, she’s working with Marcan, and she wanted to meet Girls’ Generation so she met Tiffany yesterday.”
“You Think” is one of the two follow up tracks to the hit single “Party” that Girls’ Generation will release later this summer. SHINee’s repackage album is also expected to be released soon, with a few Marcan Entertainment songs.
Marcan Entertainment is one of the only companies doing what it’s doing, and hard work has truly paid off.
Six years ago, when Yom and Jhun began their work, Yom admits that it was a bit more difficult to convince producers and songwriters to get on board the K-pop train. That’s not the case now. “We don’t even have to convince songwriters or producers to work with us because they’ve already heard about the K-pop market so we don’t have to sell them as much as we used to, because they didn’t know about the market.”
While Marcan Entertainment is a relatively small agency, Yom and Jhun have big dreams, and have around 30 songwriters signed to their company. “There’s a lot of other areas that we’re interested in getting into, for example having our own artist someday, and we’re going to continue producing music for K-pop. Clearly, we’re open to working with US writers. That’s eventually what we want to do and we’ll keep on pushing to reach that level. We want to not only be K-pop music producing team or company but we want to be able to produce all sorts of music, for anyone.”
What do you think of Marcan Entertainment’s work in the K-pop industry? Share your thoughts in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter,Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.
https://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Marcan-Ent2.png7681024Tamar Hermanhttp://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngTamar Herman2015-08-02 09:14:202015-08-02 09:14:20K-Pop Sound, American Style: Marcan Entertainment Is The K-Pop Production K-Pop Agencies Turn To [INTERVIEW]
July was an extremely busy time for K-pop. Most of the biggest names came back in some form, creating a strong battle for song of the summer. Naturally, they overshadowed a whole bunch of smaller groups who were debuting or still trying to build a fanbase. Some of the more well known rookies like GFriend and Sonamoo made their first comebacks, managing to build on their past successes. I want to look at some of the other even smaller girl groups that released songs this month beneath the avalanche of their seniors’ material.
Also to be honest, I’m only looking at the girls because I took no notice of any rookie boys this month if there even were any. It’s a bias but I can’t help it, sorry boys.
WANNA.B “Attention”
WANNA.B are a group that only came to my attention recently. On further investigation, I learnt that they debuted in late 2014 with the underwhelming “My Type.” I gleaned little else from searching them online, but all you need to know is that their recent comeback song “Attention” is great.
Like a lot of rookie songs, “Attention” has a not-so-distant retro cheap feel to it that treads a thin line between endearing and excruciating. It works for WANNA.B, mostly because it fills a significantly large After School-sized gap in the current K-pop world. “Attention” offers an assured mix of After School-like sounds from their early career given a hip-hop revamp. The drum lines feel at times militaristic thanks to the “Bang” influenced chants and at other time more cheerleader like coming from the vocal influences of other After School songs like “Ah” and “Diva.” This all comes together really well with the drums leading the song just like fellow rookies’ Oh My Girl’s incredible “Cupid.”
The clear highlight is the joyous chorus. The sparse verse and pre-chorus, which feature only the pounding drums and the odd wobbly synth build to it well, allowing a surprise kick when the group vocals come in. It’s this group vocal which makes it so great. It’s a rare example of not favouring one voice as dominant over the group for a chorus and it works to great effect.
Some of you may know POTEN by their previous moniker 4ten. They were plastic and fantastic. For July, they decided to change things up though by dropping two members and recruiting three new ones with the new name. Luckily for us, this also corresponded with a big jump in quality.
The first thing that I noticed about “Go Easy” was just how slick it sounds. It sounds like a lot more money was pumped into this comeback. It also doesn’t tread on familiar rookie EDM or dance pop ground, going for a more funky production while still being danceable in a club setting. Guitars twang and strings flow over a simple structure. This gives time to the great new vocals on show for POTEN. This came at a price of having lesser rappers than previously, but it works for this song at least.
Also one of the new members is a Son Dambi look alike, which is always a good thing.
D.Holic “Chewy”
Whenever there’s a breakout success of any kind we can expect copycats of that success to pop up very soon after. This time it’s EXID who have provided the blueprint to D.Holic (I would have loved to been at the meeting where they decided that name) for their first comeback single “Chewy.” That’s them in the iconic photo at the top of this article.
Both the video and song come across as the cheaper versions of EXID’s “Up and Down.” That’s definitely not a bad thing though, as that song was one of the most interesting productions of 2014. Here it’s looser and more volatile. The synths bounce and wiggle, ready to explode at anytime. They even go at laser speeds in the second part of the verse. It lends to an unhinged feeling where “Up and Down” was more assured. Like WANNA.B though, the chorus comes as a surprise and goes in a lighter direction than expected. It’s what saves the song from going off the rails and becoming nothing more than a clone.
Crayon Pop’s little sisters Bob Girls were half resurrected in the recent debutants LoveUs. Their debut “Tickle” is a surprisingly good and sexy slice R’n’B. It’s synth lead, yet doesn’t sound too cheap and flourishes thanks to the good vocals off all the members. That’s what having only four members can get you.
Awesome Baby ‘‘Why Should I?’’
Now we come to that time of the rookie talk where we meet the group with the gimmick. This time it’s Awesome Baby who debuted with a ‘beatpella’ concept which, of course, is a mix of beat boxing and a capella. It’s immediately interesting since it’s a musical gimmick and not just a visual or conceptual one like we are used to. They do not stray too far from the trends, though, as they used this gimmick with a thoroughly 90s sounding track. The 90s are all the rage lately, if you hadn’t noticed.
Vocally, it’s impressive. Each member adds their own distinct reason to be there and harmonically this works so well. The song itself though is derivative. It offers nothing that hasn’t been done by TLC et al before. Not even rapping can distinguish K-pop there.
What’s your favourite of these songs? Is there anything even better we missed out on? Let us know in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.
https://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/maxresdefault.jpg7201280Joe Palmerhttp://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngJoe Palmer2015-07-31 09:14:232015-07-31 12:19:48Best Rookie Girl Groups of July
