The best Kpop walks the line between the relatable and total, utter chaos - offering an alternative and respite from direction-ality in general, balking at consistency and continuity, rewarding an all-over-the-place sonic palette and attention span. In Korean Hip Hop there is very little surprise. Rappers traditionally rap forwardly. Journey as a specific vector, tickling words apart as they flow by. Emphasis authentically. Below are two who gave me a start:
T.O.P. - Doom Dada
"Haku-nama-ta-ta"
T.O.P. comes with cred, but his stoic suit and tie baritone has always been part of the totality that is Big Bang, a mainstay backdrop for the whiny bling of GD. Everyone in Big Bang dropped something last year: Well received and well made, GD's flow has been setting the standard for what Korean hip hop sounds like in the now/future, but Coup D'etat was not a big evolutionary jump for him personally. Daesung belted ballads. Sungri soothed with lounge dance. Taeyang took on a completely new identity with Ringa Linga - his ghost-rapping unsatisfying, but the song garnering much attention.
It's hard to imagine an audience for T.O.P.'s Doom Dada. Girls swooning for candlelit flow? Nerds nodding to (mostly) boring canonical authenticity (here's the Primer)? Certainly, the West - fed on the gimmick of Gangnam style - might be a little confused. Uniquely Korean, Doom Dada follows the trickster prog formula of Kpop but translated into rap. T.O.P. dives off cliffs into different registers, styles, speeds. Continuously. Deliberately. A spooky melodic callout is interrupted by a hypnotic doomsday chant. Deep space synths and pings slide over cavernous beats, a minimal maximalist composition.
The video and the beats are touched by a weird that his public appearances only suggest. Kubrick references, nuclear cauliflower flower. Digs at T.O.P.'s Big Bang persona, namely a salivary monolith of handsome, are more sly than soapbox. In Doom Dada, T.O.P. suddenly unleashes an extroverted, aggressive energy. Nothing else sounds like him, but he finally sounds like Him. A grown up gorilla, drinking champagne and snarling - an angry, dark, nimble and hard thing.
Tae Woon - Focus
Forget his risible group, forget forward motion, because Tae Woon raps in 3-D.
Pick your references: E-40 comes to mind, Deltron, the entire SF scene, Ludacris, southern, club bangers, the legit underground. Tae Woon of boyband Speed is an anomaly. He has more skillz than average. His repertoire is broader than expected. Perfect enunciation punches syllables into submission - an enunciation which eviscerates lines. Details cluster between and inside the mundane. Phrases syncopate and scatter into the aether like atoms. Growls and yelps are exclamations - more convicted. Delivery, vocally, both are heftier than usual - more convincing. Convincing at all.
These two really make me wonder how many other talented Korean boyband rappers are repressed.
T.O.P. - Doom Dada
"Haku-nama-ta-ta"
It's hard to imagine an audience for T.O.P.'s Doom Dada. Girls swooning for candlelit flow? Nerds nodding to (mostly) boring canonical authenticity (here's the Primer)? Certainly, the West - fed on the gimmick of Gangnam style - might be a little confused. Uniquely Korean, Doom Dada follows the trickster prog formula of Kpop but translated into rap. T.O.P. dives off cliffs into different registers, styles, speeds. Continuously. Deliberately. A spooky melodic callout is interrupted by a hypnotic doomsday chant. Deep space synths and pings slide over cavernous beats, a minimal maximalist composition.
The video and the beats are touched by a weird that his public appearances only suggest. Kubrick references, nuclear cauliflower flower. Digs at T.O.P.'s Big Bang persona, namely a salivary monolith of handsome, are more sly than soapbox. In Doom Dada, T.O.P. suddenly unleashes an extroverted, aggressive energy. Nothing else sounds like him, but he finally sounds like Him. A grown up gorilla, drinking champagne and snarling - an angry, dark, nimble and hard thing.
Tae Woon - Focus
Forget his risible group, forget forward motion, because Tae Woon raps in 3-D.
Pick your references: E-40 comes to mind, Deltron, the entire SF scene, Ludacris, southern, club bangers, the legit underground. Tae Woon of boyband Speed is an anomaly. He has more skillz than average. His repertoire is broader than expected. Perfect enunciation punches syllables into submission - an enunciation which eviscerates lines. Details cluster between and inside the mundane. Phrases syncopate and scatter into the aether like atoms. Growls and yelps are exclamations - more convicted. Delivery, vocally, both are heftier than usual - more convincing. Convincing at all.
These two really make me wonder how many other talented Korean boyband rappers are repressed.
Focus - Hamburger Concerto
on 8-Track
The Doobie Brother - What Were Once Vices are now Habits
on Vinyl
on Vinyl
OMG...
Described alternately as...
Musical "Space Opera:
Music of the Universal Might.
Avant Prog Rock sun in the language of Kobaian
Hits the spot...
HEADLINES
+ What? What? Two artists show up on the red carpet wearing the same dress. "Shadow" is on trend.
+ Gothy, smoldering, horror inspired music videos bring the pain.
+ YG takes it for the WIN!
+ Fans blinded by SHINee blitz
+ Vixx gets briefly romantical after Jekyll and Hyde incident, but then the lady gets revenge on Voodoo.
+ East Coast Hip Hop beats infuse kpop with urban gravitas!
THE SKINNY
f(x) - "Shadow"
Beast - "Shadow"
"Give me the light light light
You are my my my sunrise"
B.A.P - "Hurricane"
"The Loof ees on Fire!"
Vixx - "Hyde"
"Just Follow!"
The producers were not afraid of letting the boys sound cheap vocally to express the theatrical narrative in Hyde. Couple with fantastical themes, bipolar contrasts, feverish climaxes, and Ravi's comic slur, the overall effect is a charm unique to only Vixx - that of light fleeing the darkness. All in all, it was a salutary year for fans, with huge singles and a satisfying first album.
Listen up to:
"On & On" (truly fantastic harmonic minor/major elevator to the stars. "I need therapy..."), "Voodoo Doll" (throbbing Vixx penny dreadfull in the footsteps of "Hyde"), "Only U" (east coast beats under mid tempo r&b and Santana-esque riffs), "Beautiful Killer"(check out the phrasing of "final fantasy" in the chorus)
G-Dragon - "Window"
Mentions
BtoB - "Thriller"
Exo - "Growl"
Odd Eye - "Too Busy Imitating"
WTF?? w/Rozen Maiden
IN REVIEW
Shinee - "Evil", "Beautiful"
+ What? What? Two artists show up on the red carpet wearing the same dress. "Shadow" is on trend.
+ Gothy, smoldering, horror inspired music videos bring the pain.
+ YG takes it for the WIN!
+ Fans blinded by SHINee blitz
+ Vixx gets briefly romantical after Jekyll and Hyde incident, but then the lady gets revenge on Voodoo.
+ East Coast Hip Hop beats infuse kpop with urban gravitas!
THE SKINNY
f(x) - "Shadow"
featuring Munchkins and stalkers!
A fantastic album that is sonically all f(x) electricity and SM sophistication. Mature without resorting to a lot of skin, f(x) is aging well, and blessed with a fierce individuality that no one else can touch. This album is sxixxors' top pop of the year. See also: "Step" (kismet of pop and euro-tech house that never loses the dance floor logic), "Rum Pum Pum", and "Airplanes".
A fantastic album that is sonically all f(x) electricity and SM sophistication. Mature without resorting to a lot of skin, f(x) is aging well, and blessed with a fierce individuality that no one else can touch. This album is sxixxors' top pop of the year. See also: "Step" (kismet of pop and euro-tech house that never loses the dance floor logic), "Rum Pum Pum", and "Airplanes".
Beast - "Shadow"
"Give me the light light light
You are my my my sunrise"
B.A.P - "Hurricane"
"The Loof ees on Fire!"
Vixx - "Hyde"
"Just Follow!"
The producers were not afraid of letting the boys sound cheap vocally to express the theatrical narrative in Hyde. Couple with fantastical themes, bipolar contrasts, feverish climaxes, and Ravi's comic slur, the overall effect is a charm unique to only Vixx - that of light fleeing the darkness. All in all, it was a salutary year for fans, with huge singles and a satisfying first album.
Listen up to:
"On & On" (truly fantastic harmonic minor/major elevator to the stars. "I need therapy..."), "Voodoo Doll" (throbbing Vixx penny dreadfull in the footsteps of "Hyde"), "Only U" (east coast beats under mid tempo r&b and Santana-esque riffs), "Beautiful Killer"(check out the phrasing of "final fantasy" in the chorus)
2Ne1 - Missing you
"I know I've been there before..."
G-Dragon - "Window"
"Look into my eyes. Let it Rain., Let it Rain."
Coup d'Etat felt like a compilation of powerhouse singles rather than an album, but those singles were BIG and the b-sides weren't shy either. Some of those East/West collabos were unnecessary, but "Niliria" felt like a gift. See also: "Black", "GO"
Mr. Mr. - "Do You Feel Me"
"Touch me more..."
Coup d'Etat felt like a compilation of powerhouse singles rather than an album, but those singles were BIG and the b-sides weren't shy either. Some of those East/West collabos were unnecessary, but "Niliria" felt like a gift. See also: "Black", "GO"
Mr. Mr. - "Do You Feel Me"
"Touch me more..."
Aftershock bass, zappy synth, weepy mentasm in a contrasting blazer of suave moodiness.
Mentions
BtoB - "Thriller"
Exo - "Growl"
Odd Eye - "Too Busy Imitating"
WTF?? w/Rozen Maiden
IN REVIEW
Shinee - "Evil", "Beautiful"
Holiday Meal inspired by...
4 lbs of prime rib - generously salted and peppered - with a rub of Coleman's mustard and flour.
Vegetables coated in olive oil and tossed with thyme and rosemary.
Aus Jus of beef stock, pan drippings, red wine and a dash of Worcestershire sauce
Horseradish, paprika, turmeric, sugar, garlic and onion salt - folded into freshly whipped cream.
Brown onions in Gravy with herbs - sage, rosemary, thyme. No salt needed.
Green salad. Garlic Loaf.
Baked apple with butter and sugar.
Spiced apple cider.
The Long Versions
Playtime
Playtime is a late work of French director, Jaques Tati, who is known for playing the beloved character of Monsieur Hulot. The film is a situational comedy filled with clever sight gags and Tati channels Chaplin albeit with less mischievousness and more clumsiness.
Each scene is presented as a discrete theme - the fascist banality of the corporate office, the common man in his home, the freewheeling chaos of a dinner club - linked together by Hulot's attempt to make sense of them. We follow Hulot as he wanders around the city encountering, and baffled by, lamps and serving platters.
Modern architecture becomes a resonant character, signifying a wide scope of social mores and attitudes. Underneath the impersonal clockwork of modernity, is a melancholy sentiment of people trying to make connections in a world that is a bit overwhelming and nonsensical. As a depiction of the urban environment, the film muses on the emotional space available for daily life.
The complexity of the direction is amazing on a technical level - composed a bit like an old Hollywood musical - where all the disparate pieces vector in all directions with an energetic synchronicity. There is very little plot or dialogue in the movie, so the spectacular imagery works as a kind of ballet, interjected with light handed commentaries from moment to moment, full of meaning. Each small interaction is a gift. And the film asks you to observe. In that way, Playtime is an arty movie, but instead of being dour, gritty, ugly and inexplicable, it is funny, joyful, and celebratory and universal.
Short Versions
Playtime
A situational comedy where the main character, Chaplinesque, explores the "modern" city. If you are OK sitting back and observing, then you will find the film funny and joyful. If you don't mind very little dialogue or plot, then the imagery will tell its own story.
Dune
A science fiction cult classic where a guy takes drugs, can see the future, and rides a giant worm. Sting is in it. He's one of the bad guys.
Playtime
Playtime is a late work of French director, Jaques Tati, who is known for playing the beloved character of Monsieur Hulot. The film is a situational comedy filled with clever sight gags and Tati channels Chaplin albeit with less mischievousness and more clumsiness.
Each scene is presented as a discrete theme - the fascist banality of the corporate office, the common man in his home, the freewheeling chaos of a dinner club - linked together by Hulot's attempt to make sense of them. We follow Hulot as he wanders around the city encountering, and baffled by, lamps and serving platters.
Modern architecture becomes a resonant character, signifying a wide scope of social mores and attitudes. Underneath the impersonal clockwork of modernity, is a melancholy sentiment of people trying to make connections in a world that is a bit overwhelming and nonsensical. As a depiction of the urban environment, the film muses on the emotional space available for daily life.
The complexity of the direction is amazing on a technical level - composed a bit like an old Hollywood musical - where all the disparate pieces vector in all directions with an energetic synchronicity. There is very little plot or dialogue in the movie, so the spectacular imagery works as a kind of ballet, interjected with light handed commentaries from moment to moment, full of meaning. Each small interaction is a gift. And the film asks you to observe. In that way, Playtime is an arty movie, but instead of being dour, gritty, ugly and inexplicable, it is funny, joyful, and celebratory and universal.
Dune
Originally a science fiction novel by Frank Herbert, the film Dune was directed by David Lynch - he of the weird and grotesque. The narrative revolves around Spice, a substance which extends life, enables space travel, and gives supernatural powers to the humans that consume it. The Spice drives and enables the political, economical, and cultural existence of intergalactic systems. Unfortunately it can only be harvested on one planet, and "he who holds controls the spice, controls the universe." Alliances are made and broken in an effort the gain control of the Spice. But proclaimed messiah, Leto Atreides (who can see the future) upsets the natural order of business.
Herbert was interested in fundamental issues of ecological balance, investigates resource scarcity, and proposes a thought experiment by which he examines human evolution. The premise is complicated and admittedly difficult to represent visually. Plus, there a lot of hidden variables at cross purposes in the novel, a la Game of Thrones. Lynch makes parsing them even more difficult than need be with unnecessary bravura and a loose hand where fidelity is concerned. The depiction of each political faction is perplexing. The translation of superhuman powers from book to film is non-existent. However, each "alien" culture is contextually well- defined, with the Harkonnen are particularly salacious. The production is rich, with baroque flourishes that are a visual, textural pleasure - hinting at Geiger's creatures and the aesthetics of steampunk. Unlike Playtime, the grandeur of the spectacle is rather empty, but, nevertheless, deeply satisfying. The obtuse nature of the film, from the mystical to epic, signals a cult classic and by it's own logic, is utterly unforgettable.
Originally a science fiction novel by Frank Herbert, the film Dune was directed by David Lynch - he of the weird and grotesque. The narrative revolves around Spice, a substance which extends life, enables space travel, and gives supernatural powers to the humans that consume it. The Spice drives and enables the political, economical, and cultural existence of intergalactic systems. Unfortunately it can only be harvested on one planet, and "he who holds controls the spice, controls the universe." Alliances are made and broken in an effort the gain control of the Spice. But proclaimed messiah, Leto Atreides (who can see the future) upsets the natural order of business.
Herbert was interested in fundamental issues of ecological balance, investigates resource scarcity, and proposes a thought experiment by which he examines human evolution. The premise is complicated and admittedly difficult to represent visually. Plus, there a lot of hidden variables at cross purposes in the novel, a la Game of Thrones. Lynch makes parsing them even more difficult than need be with unnecessary bravura and a loose hand where fidelity is concerned. The depiction of each political faction is perplexing. The translation of superhuman powers from book to film is non-existent. However, each "alien" culture is contextually well- defined, with the Harkonnen are particularly salacious. The production is rich, with baroque flourishes that are a visual, textural pleasure - hinting at Geiger's creatures and the aesthetics of steampunk. Unlike Playtime, the grandeur of the spectacle is rather empty, but, nevertheless, deeply satisfying. The obtuse nature of the film, from the mystical to epic, signals a cult classic and by it's own logic, is utterly unforgettable.
Short Versions
Playtime
A situational comedy where the main character, Chaplinesque, explores the "modern" city. If you are OK sitting back and observing, then you will find the film funny and joyful. If you don't mind very little dialogue or plot, then the imagery will tell its own story.
Dune
A science fiction cult classic where a guy takes drugs, can see the future, and rides a giant worm. Sting is in it. He's one of the bad guys.
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| Voila |
