In honor of Kis-My-Ft2’s complete videography being uploaded to YouTube (in edited form, of course…), I can’t resist writing about each single. To put this in context for Bias List readers, Kis-My-Ft2 (or Kisumai, as they’re often known) are my J-pop version of Infinite. That’s how much I love them and their discography.

Yet, I rarely write about them because finding online links to their music was so hard… until now!

Shake It Up (2012)

Shake It Up is part of a double a-side with Wanna Beee!!!, and offers a contrasting vibe. This is one of the group’s strongest party tracks. It’s about as catchy as pop music gets, taking influence from the glitchy electro hip-hop sound popularized by groups like LMFAO. Like many of these early Kisumai tracks, its exuberance could easily be mistaken for novelty. But, these hooks hold up. You can’t ask for a better workout song than this. It just makes you feel good.

Come to think of it, Kis-My-Ft2 tend to rap more often than a lot of Johnny’s groups – particularly in their early days. It’s a somewhat goofy, exaggerated form of the genre. But, that approach injects tons of character. Even so, Shake It Up stakes its biggest claim on that excellent chorus and jagged synth hook.

The music video is wonderfully awkward and dominated by the song’s catchy choreography. I need to get to this dance club asap.