Top 5 Recommended Music Videos

"Mr.Heartache" by SEKAI NO OWARI
With every PV release, I keep hoping this group gets more recognition because they really make some unique stuff! This PV shows even further how diverse this group can be. Some may know them for their more gloomy visuals or sound, but they also have this bizarre, upbeat side to them as well. This PV perfectly describes the group's sense of humor and natural chemistry, while they dance around in fruit, vegetable, and animal costumes or watch cartoons. Sure, the song is about dealing with a broken heart, but the lighthearted and real approach to it instantly puts a smile on your face, mending all wounds. It's really hard not to enjoy this PV completely.


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"Nokoriga" by MORE
I never was much of a Sugar fan, but I did enjoy them live and their music is not that bad. Nonetheless, it was exciting to see another active (at the time) ex-Sugar member and, for me, Tomoyuki from 12012. The music does remind me of Sugar and Moran, which is a good thing in my opinion. It's a very jazz lounge rock sound that suits Loki's voice very well. The visuals aren't overly produced and mostly feature Loki interacting with a woman or flower petals. The shots of the whole band are just as interesting as you can really see them get into the music and move along as they play their respective instruments. It's gonna be difficult finding new music with such a band name as "MORE", but I am looking forward to more.



"DOPE" by BTS
Have I mentioned that BTS is truly killing the kpop scene lately? Well, they are! When this music video came out, I was super excited to see such a fun concept and even more fun of a song. The song gives each member a chance to show off their talents and gives us a glimpse of their personalities in each of their respective scenes. The costume concept with the pseudo-one take feeling with the camera really makes the video move along smoothly and makes it all the more interesting compared to the usual formulaic approach with some vague story and choreography laced in between. I do have to admit that the vibe I get from this video is very Block B and I mean that as a seriously good compliment. It's just nice to see the members let loose, show their passion through their delivery, and don't forget that ridiculously tight choreography.



"Oasis" by Crush feat. ZICO
If this was not your summer jam of last year or even one of your current jams, then you need to hop on board! This video utilizes location better than most Korean acts and makes you want to be there with Crush enjoying the beauty and space. He looks like he's feeling himself and admiring this beautiful lady from a far. I believe the chemistry without them being in the same shot. I even enjoy the indoor shot with the vibrant colors and beach set pieces. The song is easily enjoyable and has a very catchy chorus and bridge that makes you want to bop and sing along to. Even though ZICO has a "Keith Ape" moment, but somehow he pulls it off better than Keith Ape, he doesn't ruin the essence of this party track. Also, the brief appearance of Zion.T is very much welcomed. Looking forward to jamming to this in summer 2016!



"Bad" by INFINITE
As much as I love this group, their music has been a bit hit and miss for me lately, which is a little depressing as a casual fan. When this video came out, I was ecstatic! It felt like another growth spurt for the group and showed an elevated dark side to them. They've had dark concepts before, but this suited their style more than certain tracks previously. I enjoyed the polished, subtle dark, and abstract imagery. There's so much to look at and makes me want to look at more to see all that effort they put into these set pieces. The song has a very catchy chorus and has a lot of dimension in the melody and vocal arrangement. Sure, it's not the best song the group has put out in all their years, but it's a breath of fresh air for me compared to some of their more recent stuff around that time.

Top 5 Recommended Music Videos

"Zero For Conduct" by BASTARZ
I was really curious how this Block B sub-unit would go and I was happy my other favorite member from the group was getting more face time. The video has a very tough and mature style to it, but still maintains that fun energy that Block B is known for in their songs and videos. The choreography is both fun and a bit aggressive and their delivery matches that. I enjoy the dark and slightly neon color scheme throughout the video. I hope this isn't a one shot effort either, because I had a fun time watching this trio.



"Crazy" by Infinite H feat. Sanchez (Phantom)
I was a little surprised to see this duo releasing a follow up mini-album, but I was happy about it (especially since I'm very fond of Dongwoo). This is definitely a more mature direction compared to their debut as a duo. I enjoy the R&B vocal arrangement mixed with the slightly minimalistic beat and trap sounds. Sanchez's vocals effortlessly work very well with theirs. They picked the right person to take care of the chorus and bridge. As for this nearly black and white video, it has some great dramatic moments with the members individually in their own scenes and even together. The choreographed shots don't seem disruptive of the slight story either and it's no surprised that it's cleanly executed.



"TELL ME ONE MORE TIME" by JINUSEAN
Old school kpop fans might recognize this iconic duo and some now might know them more for their appearance on Show Me the Money 4. I have heard of them before, but I've never listened to their music. Even now, this is really the only song I've heard by them and only because I heard it had lots of American hip-hop visuals in it. The music video kinda presents a game, for me, to see how many of these visual musical moments I recognize from each year like Run DMC and Puff Daddy and Ma$e. The song is pretty enjoyable as well, following the visuals by mixing different musical elements from different eras of music into the song. Easily fun and danceable for sure!



"ANTI-HERO" by SEKAI NO OWARI
Since getting into this band this year, I just assumed all their videos would be colorful and full of fun. This video is quite the opposite. It's dark, cooky, and almost a bit unsettling visually. The song is quiet, cool, and sounds like something you could listen to around Halloween time. The vocal delivery is very calm and confident, while the music is smooth and laid back. Apparently, this is the theme for the Attack on Titan movie, which I heard is terrible, but hearing this song, it seems too mellow to be a theme to anything, especially Attack on Titan, but I could be wrong. I simply enjoy this band and their unexpected and sometimes unusual videos and music.



"Speed and Friction" by amazarashi
I really like the opening theme to Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace and the music video is just as mesmerizing and chaotic as the song. It's an unusual concept, having a girl dance in a bathroom stall while the lyrics of the song light up around her. It's like an interpretive dance in places or even an act of possession, but it works very well with the distress and panic of the song. As I said, very mesmerizing. I enjoy the rough vocals of the song and the various transitions of the music quieting, exploding, and bouncing about chaotically.