Review: Secret Number - Got That Boom
Secret Number's debut was not for me. I know many people loved it, but it was too 2015 K-Pop for me (and I know many people love that too, I do too, but not as much as most). But then again, I was curious to see how their follow-up would be. And I am quite surprised.
The verses have a fun disco bass feel. While the girls' vocals were something I disliked in 'Who Dis?', they work great here. Especially in the solid pre-chorus. I just wish they would reduce their reliance on bass.
The chorus is a gem, recalling Nine Muses' 'Figaro' in the best of ways. I love modern funk and disco, and the chorus has this. It is a surprisingly great chorus. I am not sure what to think of the post-chorus (and its ridiculous "tic tac toe"), nor some of the bass in the track. But 'Got That Boom' is a big surprise for me. I should not like it, but I love it, it reignites that feel of fun in disco based K-Pop, while not being a throwaway and keeping girl crush elements. Due to this, I am willing to gamble with a higher than normal score.
On a side-note, this song is a pretty good example of pre-recorded 'live' K-Pop tracks. Over half the track sounds pre-recorded to me when live.
Absolutely agree! Who Dis is by far one of the worst K-pop debut tracks this year. Well they definitely delivered on this one! Amazing structure, and the chorus, I might be over exaggerating but an awesome one. Yes, I am very hungry for tracks that have this kind of power. I know have a quote to say. 'It is easier to make a song, but making a masterpiece is obnoxiously harder than what it might seem to sound when finished.'
ReplyDeleteBy the way don't forget to check the Golden Tune Nominations 2020: https://youtu.be/yRuyronAwdw. And please, please tell me what you think by then, on my think piece that will be released tomorrow, 9PM EDT. What do you think should've been nominated and who should and will win? Thanks a lot!
DeleteYou really have got lots of quotes don't you :)
DeleteI do not know what songs (or is it albums?) are eligible for the Golden Tunes, but if it is the best songs of 2020 critics based, I expect to see BTS's Dynamite and/or Black Swan, Oh My Girl's Nonstop, Itzy's Wannabe, and Zico's Any Song.
Well the media says it, but again they actually lean more critical this year. Maybe the media will think critically. Let us see...
DeleteLet us hope they think critically and objectively...
DeleteIn a few moments, we'll announce the winners! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SY4qnohNDRI
DeleteWow! Those are some good picks actually! Also, thanks for the shout out (not sure what I did though).
DeleteSurprised ON won ROTY, not surprised at all that MOTS7 won AOTY (not the best this, year, but one of the best). Happy that MC the Max's Bloom won rock (great track, deserves better appreciation in the west), but I would be lying if I gave it to anything other than Scream for me. Funny how ON won ROTY but lost Hip-Hip OTY
Thanks for the list StillBantgan (Also, where can I see the prevous Golden Tune winners?)
Hello, I'm StillBangtan. Sorry for using another device since its already late out here. Thank you for your patronage and support for my project. I added you since I thought maybe a promotion of your blog would help and also as a thanks. I'm planning to release the full list of the previous winners tomorrow morning (November 9 evening in the US). See you! And also I have a request, can you vote for the upcoming Music Critics' Circle Awards in Friday. Well the voting will be done tomorrow at 6AM PDT. So I'll send you a link. Thanks!
DeleteThank You StillBangtan!
DeleteI will try to vote, tomorrow is busy, but I will try to vote if things do not get to out of hand :)
Here is your request! I'll be doing more later.
Deletehttps://deforestedmusic.wordpress.com/2020/11/10/award-retrospect-the-golden-tunes/
Thanks StillBangtan!
DeleteNgl, surprised by some of the winners for the MV category (and how Psy's Gentleman was counted as a pop song), but agree at least mostly for most of the SOTY winners :)
The Chaser, Good Day, Miroh and Overdose are all classics :)
Yes 108, pretty weird that Gentleman was Pop and it beat Growl but Growl won ROTY. Just like how Back Door won Hip-Hop and lost to ON in ROTY. The NIA has of course a different taste than the Golden Tunes. I'm going to post it later. Also you might not know how many award shows are left! There are plenty I had created! We still have the Guilds (Korean producers, songwriters, artists, composers, etc.), KMPGA, PSK, CSA, SSA, MIXMAST. After that we proceed to the Academe-established awards like the Independent Noise (for artists not in the Big 3) and the National Insider Awards (the GRAMMYs of K-Pop).
DeleteWow, you have tons of award shows, looking forward to seeing them! The NIA seems the most interesting (Are you counting Big Hit for the independent noise?)
DeleteEligibility rules:
DeleteAll artists from any subsidiary affiliated with SM (Woolim and Mystic is exempted since SM acquired it in 2013 and 2017, respectively), YG, JYP, FNC, CUBE are automatically disqualified from the Independent Noise (basis: this were the Big 5 in 2010 when the Independent Noise started awarding). KakaoM and CJ E&M is partially banned (only solo artists with not more than 1M downloads; 10M streams; and 250,000 album units sold are allowed). Any label with a corporate stake held by SK Telecom, Korea Telecom, Samsung and LG are disqualified. BELIFT Lab is disqualified since ENHYPEN is an idol group and CJ E&M is 51% of the company.
Big Hit is not exempted since there are no by-laws in the Academy of Independent Music of Korea (IMK) saying that a certain threshold is mandated.
Wow, that is a long list of companies that cannot make it in, but deserved. I hope to see some indie artists there :)
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