Review: Ninety One - Qiyalman
Ninety One have slowly grown to be arguably the most influential artist in modern Kazakh history. My personal favorite song from them is probably Mooz, and for good reason. Mooz is a blend of trendy and classic, with strong lyrics and an excellent melody, it gets better each time I hear it, even to this day. It has comforted me when I felt down, and also motivated me to move on. I have little doubt that in 25 years, Mooz will continue to be considered one of Ninety One's best songs. The end result? I view each of their new releases with heavy expectations. Expectations that none of their new songs can match. Still, the group is charismatic, and many of their trendier and weaker releases end up growing on me.
Qiyalman opts for a more rock style. This style was most prominently used in Asian idol-dom by K-Pop legends Bigbang. BAE173 outright copied this style a while ago, and now Ninety One opt for this style. Unlike said two acts, Qiyalman is much more fun than emotion. And at less than 2 and a half minutes, along with the phone-friendly MV, it is likely the group is aiming for social media and tik tok virality.
The pre-chorus provides a strong shot of melody, something this song normally lacks. The guitar also provides something to catch on to. The first verse really set up some groove, which does not repeat nearly enough. The chorus is pretty strong as well, though I really can't say the same for the more hip-hop inspired moments. This is strange as hip-hop is Ninety One's strength.
In the end, Qiyalman is not the strongest Ninety One release, but it is good enough to keep me interested until their next major return.
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