Kpop: Dal Shabet - Someone like U (너 같은)

The talented girls of Dal Shabet is back and this time they've got a song from the successful Brave Brothers. Doing 80s retro is quite popular at the moment in kpop, but what makes me like SOmeone like U is that it actually try to hold back slightly and make the sound a little more complicated and, by doin that, creating a more interesting sound. Still, it's a song to be enjoyed here and now, while the retro wave haven't peaked this time around.

• Dal Shabet - Someone like U (너 같은)

Kpop: Dal Shabet - Joker

Dal Shabet is back with a Poker/Card game themed video with some Batman referensed thrown into the mixer. The song is honestly just so-so, but the card playing inspired theme and fashion is quite fun to watch.

• Dalshabet - Joker

Kpop: Rainbow Blaxx (레인보우 블랙)

As seen in earlier kpop releases this winter, the "sexy" style is being explored to its fullest (?) right now with better (Girl's Day, Dal Shabet) and  not equally good (AoA, Gary) results, but I wonder if not the new Rainbow sub-unit from LOEN Entertainment, Rainbow Blaxx, is maybe an even better example that, like all other choices of styling, it may be both good and bad depending on the aestetical and promotional choices made. Quality shine through, you could say. Rainboq Blaxx debut track is musically neither good or bad, just bland, but the video is just what I'd have to call tacky. To be slightly ironic,  even though it circles around eating, "Cha Cha" is somewhat lacking in the tasteful department. It doesn't add anything to the genre and is easily forgotten.

• Rainbow Blaxx - Cha Cha (차차)

Kpop: Dal Shabet - B.B.B. (Big Baby Baby)

While Dal Shabet's "Be Ambitious" in 2013 was something of a disappointment, they have done several really nice songs before that ("Have, Don't Have" being the best), so I was glad to see their comeback coming up. It is now here, with "B.B.B (Big Baby Baby)" and it has a 80s retro/electro sound combined with sharp and crisp visuals that tries to join the current trend of "explicit sexiness" in kpop that groups like Sistar, Girl's Day and 9Muses have been successful with. I am interested in the song, but it is a song which sprouts in several directions in its execution, and therefore may not work as well as for example Girl's Day "Something" from this week. First, I honestly think the visuals of B.B.B is more interesting than the usual offers of the competing groups, but they are also somewhat quirky at times, which may disturb, at least if the intention is to be seducing.

Second, the sound with its flirting with older soundscapes is quite charming but there is also odd things like the often misplaced chanting of "Big Baby Baby" in the background, which for me detracts from the enjoyment somewhat. Yes, that ranting is actually the thing that irks me, everything else is fine. It is to bad as there are many inventive and fresh approaches to mainstream kpop.

In total, this is a song I want to like, but that most probably won't be played so often. But time will tell.

• Dal Shabet - B.B.B. (Big Baby Baby)

Oh, if this is not retro, I don't know what is...

"Oppa!"

"Mind Deseased"? The english text is crude at times...

Is all the plastic hair a play at Girl's Day's old song Tilt My Head ? ;-)

And here comes Brown Eyed Girls's Narsha. ;-)

Yeah, Heavy Metal Rocks. ;-P