Sunday, March 01, 2015

#NOWKPOPPING: Shinhwa & 4minute Return to Smash the Scene

Too often with KPOP, I get bogged down and overwhelmed with the sheer number of artists crowding the dancefloor. That's why I tend to stick with my faves and just go forward from there.

While iconic boy man band Shinhwa were never one of my obligatory faves, their sheer longevity in a marketplace rife with turnover is not just impressive -- its downright rare.

Their latest offering, "Sniper", is a slick mid-tempo with a sparse, ever-so-slightly dark whistle-beat and just enough falsetto for good measure. If teenage boys aren't your thing, rest easy knowing these grown ass men still know how to do it well.


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Haters quick to spew ridiculousness at the ladies of 4minute need to take several seats. There's a lot that's kind of hilarious about their latest comeback, "Crazy", like the attempts at twerking and excessive close-ups. That being said, there's a lot that's super catchy about it, too.

As much as I love 2NE1 (and worship at the alter of Ms. CL), they don't own the concept of being "the baddest". If "Crazy" is guilty of ripping off anything, it's Beyonce's current attempt at pop-ratchetry. And they do it well. With HyunA at the helm, 4minute shine brightest when they are a little bit hood and a lotta bit sleazy (yeah, I said it). I'm docking some points here because not all of the girls look totally comfortable in this concept (unlike during the What's Your Name or "Is It Poppin'?" eras) but even still, it sounds like a smash to me.


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