Hi there, the name's Kelsey and welcome to KNPOP!(Kelsey and pop if you're wondering!)
This is a little place where I can blog about my life.
I'm also up for posting reviews and things about music and style.
I'm really interested in the culture of Japan and Korea and I'm very influenced by the fashion and the pop culture (Jpop and Kpop).
I'm also known online for covering Jpop and Kpop songs on youtube, you can check me out here!
http://www.youtube.com/kimonotime
I hope you enjoy KNPOP!
If you don't know what Gangnam style is, you obviously live under a rock! It's the song by South Korean Artist PSY which has taken the world by storm and is currently the 5th most viral video on youtube.
With it's catchy beats and hilarious dance routine, there's no reason it's gone viral! Even I made a video to it around London!
Is this just a one off Kpop hit in the U.K, or is this the start of something?With 2NE1 working with Will.I.Am, Radio playing them and I've seen various U.K pop blogs feature them too and praise them! What do you think?
During my auditioning and filming for Kpop star, I was very lucky to be given a signed 2PM 2nd Album Hands Up CD!
Not only was it my first ever Kpop CD, it's the first CD I've owned for a very long time thanks to music downloads. But, I must say, it feels so great to have a CD in my hand! I was very impressed by the packaging. It has over 20 pages of pictures of the smouldering band members, which if you are a huge fan would be a very good reason to buy the CD instead of just downloading it. I think it's a great way to present CD's and I've noticed in Kpop that a lot of CD's are like this.It's such a nice touch! If artists here in the U.K did this too, I would definitely consider buying the CD.
So, I have heard of 2PM and the first song I think about when someone mentions them is the song "Hands Up." Which is the title track of this Album. It also opens up with this song.
As you can see from the video, this song is a party song! Well, it gets me in the mood for partying! The chorus is incredibly catchy and easy to sing along to, and I can't help putting my...hands up (ew cheese!!). It has a synth riff that seems to carry on all the way through the song, but it doesn't get annoying at all, in fact, I think it really works in helping the song stick in my head. I can understand why this is the title track.
We then get onto track two "Electricity" which starts off with hypnotizing RnB type synths, with a shout of "JYP!!!", well, you know it's standard from this label, I would be wondering what's wrong if it wasn't there. This is more down tempo and not as busy as hands up. It feels very laid back and I can't help myself from nodding my head to it to try and look cool. It doesn't really go anywhere the song, but I like the chanting chorus and it still adds to the party vibe like hands up.
Next up is "Give it To Me". Again, this is laid back and has a lot of hip hop and RnB influences, with guitars and synths. This song doesn't really stand out to me, and to be honest I would probably skip it. However, I do like the "Every day, every night" in the pre chorus, it's very easy to sing along to.
Then it's 영화처럼 "Just Like The Movies". When I first heard the intro, I thought, no, not another down tempo song! I think the album had me fooled with the first song, getting me ready to party! However, I really do like this song. I love the little flickering sounds, the strings and the military drum beats in the chorus. It shows of their voices a lot more, and I could actually see this being a title track in a film! It's very, soundtrack like. If I knew Korean, I would definitely be singing along to this, it's a beautiful ballad.
Then comes along 모르니 "Don't You Know". Now, it's time for something more up tempo. And they deliver! With a kind of 80's synth intro and hook it's very catchy. I love the rapping before the last chorus and this song really is something that is easy to dance along to. However, I do feel again that it's nothing very special, just a catchy song that doesn't really go anywhere.
"Hot". This is on fire. I love it! It has attitude and shows an edgier side to the album. With rapping and fierce add libs it really adds to the song. I love the waaaaay oh's! After listening to it a few times, I noticed myself unconsciously singing along to them. Like "Hands Up" it very easy to party and dance along to.
"Without You" starts with thunder, rain and a whisper of "JYP", so I know I'm in for a more, down low and heart felt song. The piano sounds really add to the atmosphere of the song. I really love the chorus, I found myself singing along to it on the first time listening to it "I'm gonna be OOOOOOOOOOOOK, without youuuuuuu!". They are incredibly good at rapping and it seems flawless. But, the key change at the end, I'm not sure about. Maybe it will grow on me though, because I really do like this song!
Next is "I'll Be Back". Now this song really draws me in. It's a classic pop song. It starts of with "I'll beee back" I really cannot think of anything I don't like about this song. This is one of my favourite tracks on the album and it has been in my head non stop. It feels like a ballad with synths and pianos. It has some great hooks and really shows off their voices. The rapping in the middle 8 is perfect and actually adds edge and emotion to the song. I can't help joining in on "I'm your boy, you're my girl" and pretending I know the whole rap, although it's in Korean. I just, love....this....song!!
"I Can't" starts with a beautiful guitar. Most songs have started off with a kind of synth and hip hop feel. This one's different. Again it's down tempo and it's a ballad. The vocals are much more softer and emotional, which I love. The drum beats that kick in after the intro are perfect and I love the harmonies and add libs. It's a really beautiful song. It feels very romantic!
Track 10 is a "Hands Up" (east4A mix). Not really much to say about this apart from, let's party! It's a very good mix, but I prefer the original song on it's own.
Track 11 is also a mix by 220v of "Electricity". Now, this one! I prefer this to the original, it really does have a party vibe and I love how it filled out the song more. I am a dancer, so I love anything that makes me get up and move. This ticks everything! It really add more atmosphere to the song, I think.
"Thank You" is another ballad hip hop feeling, heartfelt song. It starts off with a piano riff and it flows greatly behind the lyrics. This, song...it feels a bit...meh. The vocals are good and again, the chorus is very easy to sing along to. However, after hearing songs very similar throughout the whole album, I just feel it's all getting a little same-ish...I don't know, maybe I just want to party today or something!!
The last track of the album is "Don't Stop Can't Stop". It starts with a "YO!" Another "JYP!!" and then a shout of "STRONGER THAN EVEEEER!". This song has more umph to it, and it's a great ending track. I like the chants in the chorus and again they show off their great rapping skills!
So, that's it. Do you know, even if I hadn't got this free, I think I would have ended up checking this album out anyway because of "Hands Up". I'm very glad I own this and it's not something I will just listen to once. The songs are extremely catchy and easy to sing along to, however, I do feel they could have added a little bit more variety into the album. But, I do love all the songs and I can't wait to nod my head to them on the London underground!
I give it KNPOP! Rating of 4/5
By all means, I don't really know much about music, but I like to add my own 2 cents in. You know, just a normal persons opinion. I love music!
Well, this is the ever awkward first post where I'm not quite sure how this is really going to work, or if I will keep it up. It was an idea in the middle of the night when I couldn't sleep and it sounded like a fun idea, so I thought, why not?
I love style, music and the internet culture, so this kind of thing is right up my street.
Blogging, well I've never really done it properly before. I'm an avid tumblr user, but I just reblog cool pictures and gifs that make no sense to people on the outside world! If you want to have a nosey at my tumblr, here you go: My tumblr
I've also started doing daily vlogs on youtube, but I've not really kept it up, out of no fault of my own! My internet is here is terrible and whenever it rains or is windy, it goes down. I live in the U.K, so that's like, every bloomin day! Whenever I go to upload my internet cuts out. Not fun. But I am still filming and doing it, so if you really are bored and want to see my life you can check it out here: Daily Vlogs
Actually, you know, here are all my links! I'm known on youtube for covering Jpop and Kpop songs too under the name KimonoTime >.< My Youtube My Twitter My Facebook
But anyway, this blog. Yeah. I just thought it would be cool to have some posts about my life, music I like, reviews on stuff and things about style. I like style. Styyyyyyyyyyyyyyle. As you've probably guessed, I'm really into Japanese and Korean culture and I'm interested in the fashion and music, so you probably see those influences on this blog.
If you haven't read the about section on the main page:
My name's Kelsey!
KNPOP! Stands for Kelsey and pop. I couldn't think of anything cool really, so you know, I like pop music and Kpop and Jpop, so it's Kelsey and Pop.
Oh, I didn't add this into the about section, I live in London.
I am also a robot.
So, maybe you guys want to know what I look like...
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