As I’ve lamented several times already, 9-rated songs have been few and far between this year on the blog. Even many of my “buried treasures” haven’t quite crossed that threshold.
I don’t often feature buried treasures for J-pop songs. There’s only so much music I have time to cover, and I know the Bias List audience is much more interested in reading about K-pop. But in the past few weeks, there have been three new J-pop tracks worth gushing over. Rather than give them all their own post, I thought I’d bundle them together for a triple strike of goodness!
JO1 – Move The Soul
JO1’s Born To Be Wild was my favorite song of 2021, so I’m delighted to see the guys revisit that sound. Move The Soul isn’t quite as potent as its predecessor, but its ebullient funk-dance energy makes me so happy. It just sounds so massive, especially when its commanding chorus drops. The beat-heavy dance break is another standout, building to a knockout finale. This song will be part of the group’s upcoming album, but I’m more likely to play it right after Born To Be Wild for a double shot of serotonin.
Dumb is the b-side to Miyavi’s equally-excellent Strike It Out, released late last month. So many current songs opt for beat drop choruses, but ladies and gentlemen THIS is how you do a beat drop! The instrumental is so hulking and full that you’ll feel it in your gut. Meld rumbling synth with searing guitar and you’ve got the recipe for a Bias List favorite. Miyavi’s punky vocals add an idiosyncratic touch, bringing extra texture to an already tactile track. Honestly, Dumb is everything I was hoping Stray Kids’ Maniac would be.
First off, I hate the YouTube edit of this song. It removes part of the chorus, much of the point choreography and makes it seem like the song crashes into a second verse tempo shift (it doesn’t). Second, I may eventually count this as a single since the guys have been promoting it and this dance video might as well be a proper mv. Third, I’m bound to love anything Snow Man releases at this point. Refresh is the group at their upbeat best, injecting a ton of fun into a catchy electro dance track. It’s a little silly, a lot catchy and best when the volume is turned all the way up.
