Annyeong~~ Start wagging your tails to a song by a group
named after the famous black-and-white spotted canine, Dalmatian~!! Some of you
may have read a previous article of mine on Dalmatian’s latest comeback E.R.
This song however is their very first debut song in September 2010. Managed
& trained under Monkey Funch Entertainment (self-established by MC Mong),
Dalmatian does exhibit a similarity sense of style to MC Mong’s – a fun, upbeat
song with mixes of raps & singing. Sadly, Dalmatian faced quite a hard time
gaining popularity. If I may say so, MC Mong’s case with the military issue
could be part of it (he is the head of the company). A short intro to Dalmatian
(some of you may feel confuse at the different members shown here and E.R):
there were originally 6 members in the group (seen in the first 2 comebacks of
the career) but on 7 May 2012, Dalmatian announced DayDay(rapper) leaving the
group due to personal reasons. Although DayDay is one of my favourite rappers,
I’m not exactly worried for his career because he in fact use to be a JYP Rap
trainer(!!) before, having worked with Wonder Girls, Secret, Miss A & more
so he’s got a solid job there. Dari (rapper) has taken a
military-service-hiatus right after “The Man Opposed” promotion period so don’t
fret, Dari has not left the group! On the side note, Daniel was formerly known
as Drama, only having it changed during their E.R comeback. Simon replaced
DayDay as of now. Below are pictures of
each member (ex & current):
Confusions cleared, I now move onto the MV. The whole feel
to it is definitely having fun & enjoying the perks of being famous; with
all the paparazzi clicking at you, sleek cars & loving fans (too loving I
might say :P). The MV shows quite a fair amount of the choreography which I
find great because it’s not one to be missed. Individual & group shots
portray them having fun & playing about, giving us future-fans a taste of
their aegyo(cute) charms and quirkiness. The song is about the journey
travelled to arrive at this very destination (debut day) in which the MV
expresses through clips of possible training moments. Check out below:
At the beginning, we’re introduced to the group arriving at
the “red carpet affair” in their obviously-decorated car. As everyone poses for
the camera, a random fangirl suddenly ambushes them, planting a kiss on some
lucky members (anyone envious?). Inati, lucky or not, got more than just a kiss
:P haha~ buuuuuut it turns out everything was just a dream (dreamt by Inati
& Daniel) ^^ this is quite a cute-yet-cilche intro of a trainee having
dreams of being famous.
Dari & Jisu's face is just *gasp* hahaha~
That's gotta be one slobbery kiss :P
Other shots relating to popularity are Daniel’s (the scene where
he gets garbage thrown at), unlimited shoe supply (look out for DayDay’s
over-the-top reaction) & the magazine cover feature.
DayDay is just jumping in excitement!!
OUCH! that's gotta hurt :X
Overall, the MV does give a fresh feel to viewers without overdoing
the sugary aegyo-ness. I think Inati & DayDay’s tough look gives a balance
to the cute, sweet smiles of Jisu, Daniel, Youngwon & Dari. If you’re a fan
of playful, fun MVs, do check out Dalmatian’s “Round 1”.
MV:
For the lyrics, the storyline is quite simple & straightforward,
talking about what they’ve gone through to reach this victory but with smiles
& playful fun instead of fierce& hard way (which in reality is how a
trainee life is). The choice of words emit the aura of boys-turned-to-men such
as “heavyweight champion”, “uppercut jab” & “charged 100% automatically
operated” with a touch of softness in “singing love songs”, “give us love, hug
us”. The song also tells listeners Dalmatian’s desire to be given a chance in
expressing their music after “6 years a trainee”. As Dari raps, “you don’t need
a ticket....just listen to our music”. Fitting to their name, there are inserts
of dog barks just before the chorus. During live performances, the barks are
done live(!!) by the members. Dalmatians are known as the active type of dogs,
having abundant of energy to play around. Similar to it, the boys portray
themselves having the same energy & playing/fooling around (boys are
boys~). The melody, as I said before, is similar to MC Mong’s fun style but
Round 1 has more melody & singing in it. The constantly-moving background sound makes you groove to the song semi-unconsciously. The raps provide movements
while the singing (Jisu’s falsetto notes are daebak~) creates an easy-going
flow. Vocal wise, Dalmatian may not be hallyu-star-famous but their live skills
are one to admire. Check out their live performance, both on stage(a-must-look-out
for their choreography!!) & during radio shows below (listen to their LIVE
vocals, it’s quite clear. Especially the barks :D):
Phew~~ that’s all for Dalmatian’s “Round 1”. Sorry if I left
out more features of the song/MV >_< Hope you give Dalmatian a chance
because I know I did not regret doing so~~ Have fun barking & bouncing to
Dalmatian’s first song!! Annyeong~~
PS: I’ll always have extra pictures to be shared ^^ no MV is
complete without these candid(mostly cute) moments!!
Yes Inati, we checkin' you out~
Do not be fooled by the smile. He's a fighter inside (*__*)
Dalmatian car anyone~~?
I think Inati looks best with his hair ruffled ^^
This is what happens if you mess up a step. Uh-Oh~~
Moshi Mosh~~~ I'm back with a whole new group in which I
myself am not familiar with yet but a chingu of mine requested for them to be
reviewed....and here I am!! Haha~ To start off, here’s a collection of each
member’s screencap from the MV to help you recognise who is who (took me a
while to distinguish among the paints). The name of the group – an mentioned in
the title – is CHAOS, consisting of 5 members. Here they are:
Faces now recognised, we move onto the MV. This song/MV is
part of their 1st mini album, released on 27/7/2012. On first watch,
I was taken back at the intro. COOL~ it’s like the opening to a dramatic scene
or something buuuuut.......then I see paints EVERYWHERE. Watching on, each
member is seen playing(?) around with all forms of paint (tins, spray, brush,
punching bag!). Being quite an artistic person myself, I found it quite amusing
to see the different ways paint was used to decorate (hey, anything can be art
^^) the floor/tyres/mirror/window/bicycle/guitar. On a whole, I don’t really
see a plot to the video. To me, the intro stood out the most with the short
narration & stunts which is good if you wanna pull people into watching the
MV. If I’m not mistaken, at the end of the video, the background is an actual
painting done by SOPHIA KIM. Check it out below:
Next, the lyrics. Honestly, the lyrics helped a lot in
understanding the MV better. The song is about a guy singing that he is in a
race & the girl he’s aiming for is the finishing line. Quite a creative
& versatile way of chasing a girl~ There is one line in the song where the
love felt is “like a blockbuster”, probably explaining the fierce stunts done.
The guy claims he is different from other “common guys” & thinks “it’s
unusual” for him to admire the girl so deeply. In the MV, the guys are not
dressed to perfection, instead smeared with paints & smoky eye-makeup,
giving a messy yet aggressive aura in an artsy way. Definitely different ^^ At
the last few minutes of the MV, you can see Taeyang smearing black & white
paint onto the screen.
This can be interpreted as the finishing line (black
& white checker flag commonly) reached, symbolising his success in getting
the girl (“...my mission would be complete”). Overall, knowing the lyrics gave
a fresh outlook on the MV so I suggest you to look up at the lyric first before
watching the MV.
I can’t say much for the dance because at this moment, I
have not watched the live performance. In the MV, only some parts of the
choreography is shown (mostly the chorus) & it seems quite easy although I
can’t relate it to the lyrics :P to those interested in the dance, check out
the live performances! If we’re lucky, they might release a dance
version/practice video ^^
The melody is quite catchy for a normal idol-pop-song but the intro really gave it a whole new twist. I read some comments asking why the rhythms kept changing. In my opinion, the different-tuned intro acts as the beginning of the race. The heavy dramatic background music sorta gives the suspense & thrilling start to a battle. I can't say the song is something out of the ordinary as you can see - among the coming idols this year - contemporary/out-of-the-norm beats are a trend so ChAOS are just a part of it. I don't easily fall for idol songs but this song does have its addictive element to it~ need something to nod-heads at?? Give ChAOS a try & they might paint your ears with a splash ^o^
That’s all for CHAOS today. Hope its a good basic
introduction to this song. If you have any personal request on an MV I have not
done, let me know but I can’t promise I would do so. Enjoy both a song & an
artwork in motion~!! :D
MV:
PS: here are some shots of the arts being made & extra
pictures of the members ^^
Finally, the very first post on my highly-favourite-much-loved rookie group, B.A.P (Best Absolute Perfect). In this post, I'll be talking about their most recent comeback (3rd round) song+MV titled "No Mercy". Now, BAP made their debut on a very strong image in "Warrior" & continued on with "Power". This made us fans expect possibly a similar concept this time round but BAP has surprised us with a twist in it. Rather than the tough, spike-studded look worn in "Power" & "Warrior", BAP came out with a more trendy (definitely colourful) look which - termed by TS Ent. - the pop boy look. Some fans were a little sceptical with it but when you watch the MV & link it to the whole meaning of the lyrics, it actually makes sense.
Stepping into the lyrics first. The style & choices of words are definitely BAP's way. Ever since their debut, most of their songs are about smashing the constricting & fake image of music, coming out with their on originality & character. This song is no exception of course. In fact, this song talks the most obvious on what they perceive of the music society is now. Yong Guk starts off his verse with a statement of music not being a joke & if you're playing the fool, just scram. Zelo then follows up with quite a bold verse (I have to say) in criticising his "sunbaenim" (seniors) who are not acting like men. This fits in with his position of the younger generation (he's only 17!). Both Daehyun & Youngjae speak of breaking the borders & separating themselves from the "parrots" (all talk but no action/repeating what is told of). The chorus then announces BAP's arrival & having no mercy to anyone, be it fans (yup, they definitely have no mercy on us spazzing fans) or enemies. The repetition of "Boom...Clap" lines create a sort of chanting+marching atmosphere, in sync with their announcement of arrival in the chorus as well as Zelo's line "We'll be back". Overall, the lyrics symbolize BAP's orginal character, sticking to what they sing for but at the same time, aiming at a change of targets.
Next step is the MV. On first view, I was A LITTLE disappointed at the variety+setting of scenes in the video. Apparently, the director this time round had also produced SJ's mv which could explain the decorated-indoor-rooms. This style contrast greatly to their previous MV "Power" which had an outdoor scene. The creativity of the rooms was a bit of a let down. I mean, how can these merely-decorated rooms compare to the inners of a space ship! Hopefully, BAP makes a future comeback with better settings. Below is the 3 settings used in the MV. The settings change with their outfits. I can't really explain the changes so see it for yourselves:
As for the plot of the MV, rather than creating a scene, BAP acted out the lyrics & displayed items relating to what they're singing. For example, Zelo raps about his "hyungnim" & acts it out by bowing to Yongguk who looks down at him (not exactly possible considering Zelo's super height). I find it really cute to see both of them together in role play (including Bang&Zelo sub-unit) because Zelo usually follows & listens to Yongguk for guidance ^^.
Hyungnim~
Throughout the MV, many items were quickly shown (similar to TOP's "Turn It Up" MV). I was confused at first on what these things mean but when you watch the MV with the translation, you understand that the items match to what their singing/rapping. Below is the comparison of lyrics to the items:
"We fly here BAP"
"Leggo"
*many were confused on what this meant or the connection of item to lyric. apparently, one of the definition of LEGGO is an expression used to portray excitement/readiness for whatever is about to go down. Well, BAP is obviously excited to bring it down :P its also a slang used by rappers. The headphones symbolised music in which BAP is aiming for*
"...badmouthing bad guys..."
"I will break apart the paradigm trapped in a border"
"Don't compare yourself, who is like a parrot. to me"
"Yo, want me to kick your butt?"
*Jongup, your butt's good enough without anyone kicking it :P
"..music is a fun game"
"..we makin' classic"
*a whistle is sort of BAP's trademark sound in all their MVs. Fans would use it as part of their fanchant during live performances. Worth checking it out!
*I'm not exactly sure about the skull but in the "Warrior" MV, skulls were also part of the props. My guess is the expression that BAP has leveled up to whole new "skull" which is now in flames & ready to go :P
If you listen/watch carefully, BAP has inserted a very out-of-the-norm element into the song & dance. What it is? Its the traditional instruments & dance moves (dance break part). I didn't notice it at first, thinking it was just something electronic but.......wow, I am impressed. The traditional sound beat gives complements the sound to another feel. Check out BAP's comeback performance on music shows. You'll see the inclusion of real traditional dancers in the performance. This twist I like :D There's also a few minutes of "game sound" during Yongguk's second rap verse which is commonly used in gaming. Again, a twist I like. Hahaha~
To conclude, I find this MV & song a fresh comeback from all the anger & hate in "Power" & "Warrior" but still maintaining the badass feel to it. The dance this time is not as intense as before but BAP stills pulls it off with a swag (not to mention a slight wrong interpretation). Need something to move your beat? This song is top for my recommendation *double thumbs up*
MV:
PS: here's some extra shots I took ^^ enjoy~
Which do you prefer? Zelo's innocence or badass face.
Daehyun's version of the Grinch smile.
Zelo acting as the Grinch. He's even got the horns!
Daehyun & Himchan rocking the suits.
Leave it to Himchan to swoon the Babys~
Watch out for Jongup's swagger look + moves in the MV. He's got it.
Daehyun's changed into a cute yet mischief player look ^^
