That awkward moment when Digital Bounce is in your faves
I'll post mine when I get home and can get through my iTunes. It's gonna be a good-ass top 10. Old school, new school, even mediocre middle of the road school.
That awkward moment when Digital Bounce is in your faves
I'll post mine when I get home and can get through my iTunes. It's gonna be a good-ass top 10. Old school, new school, even mediocre middle of the road school.
What's awkward about it sis? that **** goes HARD !!! I was blasting it on my way home today.
And those aren't my all-time faves, they're my current jams. Looking forward to your list btw...
Oh damn, I didn't realize we were doing current jams rather than all-time. Well, let me just go ahead and make a general 10 w/little descriptions and whatnot. I'll try to make it things I don't always ***** in this thread but no promises
Oh damn, I didn't realize we were doing current jams rather than all-time. Well, let me just go ahead and make a general 10 w/little descriptions and whatnot. I'll try to make it things I don't always ***** in this thread but no promises
1 - Love Love Loveless (Epik High, from the album Remixing the Human Soul)
I was thinking about posting the original version, and while it is cute and has a MV, something about the synth in this one is just a bit more enjoyable. Epik High's earlier work definitely did a good job at bridging the gap between hip-hop and pop, partially because they used hook singers but also because they had a way of formulating a song in a way that's understandable but not bland. We've seen plenty of kpop/rap collaborations that have really just been run-of-the-mill "Oh this girl loves me and I'm going to play up our charisma on stage" or "Yeah let's get it crunk," but this song actually has a story to it. Even if you don't look up the lyrics, the way that the emotional delivery ping-pongs back and forth between Epik High and Yoongjin is very clear. Cool track - danceable and sophisticated.
2 - The House You Live In (the gorilla himself, Park Jin Young aka JYP!)
Let's take a second and consider the current state of sexy slow jams in kpop. They're basically non-existent. The current generation of idols is far too busy doing some confused combination of crotch-thrusting and crying to master the kind of sexiness, smoothness and overall swagger of Park Jin Young in this song. Ignore his monstrous forehead in the MV and just get into everything you hear. Those Stevie Wonder style keys. Those deep sustained chords. That falsetto that could make a nun soak herself. This song is one of the sexiest in kpop, and it reminds people that JYP has always had it, even before he spread his magic to groups like Wonder Girls, miss A and 2PM. Bop to this if you're not too busy putting out the fire in between your legs.
3 - Space Majah (2PM, from the Don't Stop Can't Stop Mini Album)
I think this song is overlooked, and that's just wrong. This might not even end up being the only 2PM song on here because something about that group just consistently clicks. JYP knows what he's doing, to say the least. Space Majah is a remix that was casually thrown in among the darker sounds of this mini album, but its importance to defining 2PM as a group is huge. It's all the best aspects of their sound in one record. It's danceable with smooth rhythm vocals. It's catchy as all hell. And it's got Taecyon's signature cracky-voice rap style that remains one of the strange magical mysteries of kpop to this day. Sure, he can be called out for being like TOP, but he sort of does it in his own way. You can't help but want to sing along. I don't even know what a majah is or why they're singing about it (or why it had to be the space variation), but I can slip this song in most kpop playlists seamlessly.
SM doesn't always get it right with albums, but when they do, masterpieces like this happen. Lately, only SHINee has been lucky enough to get more than 3 strong tracks at a time - the thing is, it's happened literally every time for them. Listen to any of their K-Pop projects end to end and you'll be pleased, even with the occasional "JoJo" thrown in. This song is pure R&B, but the modern elements help drive it home. The autotune is dissonant and conveys emotion, rather than just hiding flaws. Other than that, little can be said - it's just a damn good SHINee song. They happen to actually have quite a few of those. There's a good reason I stanned for this group since debut and still pull hard for them.
5 - It Hurts (Slow)...I shouldn't need to say who this is by. The queens.
Obviously, it wouldn't be a Belle list (or remotely appropriate) if 2NE1 wasn't representing. More than just blackjacks can appreciate this song, though - feel free to peep that viewcount. Although Dara remains essentially useless through the duration of this ballad, it doesn't really take away from the power of it. This is a torch song at its finest. I practically want to break down when CL starts going off on her chorus. Minzy proves that she has vocal prowess as well, something that I hadn't realized until this point under the haze of Park Bom's epic power-choruses that she'd always bring to the stage. There's no doubt that 2NE1 has strong performers with confidence and charisma, but this song immediately put to rest the "autotune as a crutch" rumours. Plus, that breakdown? The "you're not mine anymore" part? Trance-like. It will take you to a higher state of being. Give you life, so to speak.
6 - You're My (Taeyang of BIGBANG, from the album SOLAR)
Let his vocals do the work. And if that doesn't cut it, let his body do the work. Stop at the video switch because "I Need a Girl" is not the point I'm trying to drive home at all. Enjoy those chocolate abs, gerls Can't really say much else that Taeyang doesn't say for me. If you don't see his talent, you're stupid.
Yes, it's a live performance. There's a good reason though, and you'll hear it in the insanity of the crowd. Since lip-syncing was still the norm during this time, you can basically sync the original version of the track once the vocals start, which is just fine - the track itself knocks. It's funky hip-hop with meaningless acronyms galore, and each line is delivered like the most passionate pumps of love to a sweet *****. Yeah, that was a ridiculous description and probably makes less sense when you've got an Asian guy saying that "nigguhs betta know," but the song still is sex. You think music show crowds are crazy today? You've no idea. That's only the beginning...
8 - Outside Castle (The legendary H.O.T.!!!!!! KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH~)
Your fave has never, could never, and will never. Deal. This is what made fans so attracted to early kpop - it's oozing with empowerment, desperate for reaction and refined to the point of near robot-precision. Look at how these boys MOVE! Nevermind their moves though, let's consider the stage itself - has your fave ever whipped out an orchestra of that size? It just screams "epic performance." Call these guys try-hards or dated as much as you may, but nobody else did it quite like them. Even TVXQ struggled to reach a similar level. The song itself is probably a bit too serious for most of you, but just let it hit you at the right time. Those synth punches in between lines give life even a decade later.
9 - The Leaders (G-Dragon with CL, the one and only baddest female)
Now, let's straighten one thing out. There is no company better than YG entertainment. Get it? Got it? Good.
Some of you may have missed this firebomb of a track because you weren't into kpop yet, but let me tell you - this is about as explosive as it gets. You have GD talking his **** and working that endless charisma, then you have Teddy (I don't think he's in this performance) bringing his old-school power to beat his chest rightfully, and then...the true queen. CL absolutely annihilates this verse. If you're not a fan of her already, this will convert you to full-on-stanmode. Even live, she keeps up with the syllable-packed lines, displaying versatility and true talent in delivery. YG Family doesn't just understand hip-hop, they understand music in general. They know how to make something memorable. That's why I'm bumping this song with its thundering bassline 2 years later while these rookie groups still struggle to catch up.
10 - Over the Top (Girls on Top/etc)...also shouldn't have to explain this one.
If you think MAMA is good now, you really don't understand. This performance - and this entire year's performances, as you'll see in the honorable mentions - really just *****. BoA is truly special as a performer and artist. She has extremely strong vocals, good appeal, flawless charisma, and has matured without any issues even after spending all of her adolescence under the spotlight. She's one of the last true solo superstars in kpop, because she's always done it her way. If you don't know what this song is about, give it a read - the performance makes a lot of sense. Even if you don't read up, by the time she's on her victory lap, straddling a man on the shoulders while still hitting those notes, it's pretty clear. BoA isn't just on top, she is the top. She's the line for comparison. I know Lee Hyo Ri is great, CL is great and HyunA is coming, but they're all very different kinds of performers. BoA is a true entertainment goddess. Watch and learn.
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Super Junior, TVXQ and CJSH's legendary MKMF 2005 performance, including Rising Sun and a cover of I Yah by H.O.T.
Tired of Waiting (2PM)
Fanatic (Epik High's reworking of the controversial "FAN")
U-Go-Girl (Lee Hyo Ri)
G-Dragon and Taeyang's absolutely FANTASTIC and powerful 2009 MAMA performance (get into that live MPC beat machine use! Nobody could ever! Should have included this on the main list but....I don't know)
What I aimed to do with this list was just make people stan hard for kpop. It's not particularly recent, but also not particularly old. I think it's pretty balanced. Get into it all, especially the MKMF performances. Enjoy it!
I must say, it's kind of hilarious that some of the YouTube links that I used were the same ones from when I first watched the videos. Memories all coming back...hopefully you can all have some nice ones, too.
Since I'm too lazy to post my current jams I'll just comment on yours
Quote:
Originally posted by Belle
6 - You're My (Taeyang of BIGBANG, from the album SOLAR)
YES YES YES! Taeyang is king. I don't use BIGBANG in any way shape or form(sorry VIP's) but I stan for Mr.Youngbae. He is one of the most talented people in K-Pop.
Unrelated to music. HE IS SO FIIIIIIIIIIINE. I need of taste of that before I die
9 - The Leaders (G-Dragon with CL, the one and only baddest female)
Even though I don't use GD this song knocks. Only song I liked on Heartbreaker and Teddy and Queen CL's verses
10 - Over the Top (Girls on Top/etc)...also shouldn't have to explain this one.
Best performer in K-Pop period. Tell me when is anybody else doing what she did on that stage? Luckily Girls on Top doesn't really showcase her vocals cause if it did then every other performer there could have packed up and left.
And for those that don't know SNSD Hyoyeon is the little girl who dance with her in the beginning and shes also the silhouette thing.
