The Koda Kumi Rate: Part III, COMPLETE. See you in Q1 2020
- Thread starter evilsin
- Start date
Hi, hello, how are ya?
Sorry I didn't post any eliminations yesterday.
Just as I started typing the write-up, my internet connection started acting up and I couldn't finish.
But hey, it looks like it's all good now.
It's also my birthday.
Yay!
Guess it's a good thing that I couldn't do the write-up yesterday, as @vague (oh, I'm sorry, I mean "vah-geh") sent in commentary for the remaining tracks! What a lovely birthday present, thanks, boo.
Yay!
So let's finally enter Top20.
Is this trap?
This is trap
Let me know
You are my dream
Is this trap?
I don't know
20
IS THIS TRAP?
Average: 8,19
Highest scorers: 10x5 (@Weslicious, @Remorque, @RUNAWAY, @Music Is Life and @me!), 9x1 (@Ana Raquel)
Lowest scorers: 5x1 (@Yeziirl), 6x1 (@abael)
My score: lookie above
Sorry I didn't post any eliminations yesterday.
Just as I started typing the write-up, my internet connection started acting up and I couldn't finish.
But hey, it looks like it's all good now.
It's also my birthday.
Yay!
Guess it's a good thing that I couldn't do the write-up yesterday, as @vague (oh, I'm sorry, I mean "vah-geh") sent in commentary for the remaining tracks! What a lovely birthday present, thanks, boo.
Yay!
So let's finally enter Top20.
Is this trap?
This is trap
Let me know
You are my dream
Is this trap?
I don't know
20
IS THIS TRAP?
Average: 8,19
Highest scorers: 10x5 (@Weslicious, @Remorque, @RUNAWAY, @Music Is Life and @me!), 9x1 (@Ana Raquel)
Lowest scorers: 5x1 (@Yeziirl), 6x1 (@abael)
My score: lookie above
5 voters: #27, 7,80 avg.
10 voters: #26, 7,80 avg.
15 voters: #19, 8,13 avg.
18 voters: #20, 8,19 avg.
10 voters: #26, 7,80 avg.
15 voters: #19, 8,13 avg.
18 voters: #20, 8,19 avg.
My 10s keep on falling even on my birthday, I see. And it's the last extra track of the rate. Good for it managing getting into Top20. Written by Kumi and produced by T-SK (BoA's "Not Over U"), Henrik Nordenback (AFTERSCHOOL's "Dilly Dally" !!! a.k.a. their best Japanese song) and Christian Fast (Amuro Namie's "ONLY YOU"), the track was a b-side on the summer single "Summer Trip". Even though this remained a true b-side in a sense that it didn't get a music video, it more than deserved it. Financial reasons or others aside, this is a grade "A" banger, hence I'm really pleased that Kumi loves this and still performs this all the time. The synthwork here is immaculate. The way that main "turuturuturuturuturu" synth goes in and out throughout the hook is so damn catchy even without the "wow oh"'s. This combo makes it so undeniable it's near impossible not to hum the melody after listening to this. Moreover, Kumi brings her ace performance to the table and some delicious melodies in all parts of the song. The hook, the verse, the pre-chorus, the chorus, the middle 8: they all have very clear and distinctive vocal runs that are to die for. My favorites are the pre-chorus, where Kumi goes lower and there is that bass-y layer underneath that makes her sound so succulent it's mouthwatering, and the middle 8, where everything else drops and this David Guetta-esque / Flo Ride-ish synths appear and whisk me away. Lyrically, this seems like about partying with someone you like:
Only those who've touched
the dissolving, humid reality understand
That's why I thi-i-ink of you
Midnight Tokyo. Let's get the party show
We'll burst all night long
Though I know that it's a sweet trap
The reason it got like this, yeah, is all because of you
(c) @otenkiame
Or maybe she's the proponent of the ideology that we are all leaving in a simulation...
@Yeziirl (5) just keeps kicking the parent album, "A fitting bon voyage reject!" Shush.
For @abael (6) it was standard, "Promising start, but a pretty worn out sound on this one." Sounds pretty exquisite to me.
Meanwhile @otenkiame (8,5) asks the right questions, "Why in the world did she not put this on an album!? I will never understand. ANYWAY! This grower is such a great party banger! So many synths and dance beats to go along with a really great melody for the hooks! And I just love the "whoa oh~" sections after the hooks!" This deserved to be a proper a-side.
It grew on @vahgeh (8,5) since the start of the rate, "i shoulda gave this a 10. issa bop" What kind of @Remorque experience is this?
My fellow Kumi stan @Weslicious (10) wants to have a word with Kumi's manager, "Should have made an album, but she treats it like a hit live wise anyway so I’ll forgive!" It sure does look like it would be a total blast to experience in the flesh.
And @RUNAWAY (10) was as dumbfounded as the rest of us, "I must have missed the memo. Why was this awesome SINGLE completely excluded from the album release?! This makes me about as mad as Hashire not getting a spot on Universe. This song is fqn amazin."
For @abael (6) it was standard, "Promising start, but a pretty worn out sound on this one." Sounds pretty exquisite to me.
Meanwhile @otenkiame (8,5) asks the right questions, "Why in the world did she not put this on an album!? I will never understand. ANYWAY! This grower is such a great party banger! So many synths and dance beats to go along with a really great melody for the hooks! And I just love the "whoa oh~" sections after the hooks!" This deserved to be a proper a-side.
It grew on @vahgeh (8,5) since the start of the rate, "i shoulda gave this a 10. issa bop" What kind of @Remorque experience is this?
My fellow Kumi stan @Weslicious (10) wants to have a word with Kumi's manager, "Should have made an album, but she treats it like a hit live wise anyway so I’ll forgive!" It sure does look like it would be a total blast to experience in the flesh.
And @RUNAWAY (10) was as dumbfounded as the rest of us, "I must have missed the memo. Why was this awesome SINGLE completely excluded from the album release?! This makes me about as mad as Hashire not getting a spot on Universe. This song is fqn amazin."
I love how Kumi basically performs this on every summer festival ever since the release of the single. Let's watch the performance from "Bon Voyage Tour" though.
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Thank you, hun. It's only 12pm here, so the festivities haven't started yet.
Ooh, I didn't hear about this, but I love this meaning.
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Average score: 7,30
81 Make It Bump feat. Koda Kumi / Far East Movement
78b ENGAGED
74 For you
71 faraway
67 Alone
55a Inside Fishbowl
55b Hashire!
54 Stands Up feat. Koda Kumi / Clench&Blistah
51 darling
46 Say Her Name
45 Outside Fishbowl
44 Good☆day
43 Black Candy
41a Whatchu Waitin' On?
38b XXX
36b Got To Be Real
21 IT'S SO DELICIOUS
20 IS THIS TRAP?
Highest scorers:
@Music Is Life 9,48 damn
@evilsin 8,44
@vague 8,41
@RUNAWAY 8,27
@Remorque 7,66
Lowest scorers:
@Coming Century 5,61
@Yeziirl 5,66
@abael 6,16
@Cutlery 6,50
@Osiris 6,77
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PINKU SUPAIDA-! PINKU SUPAIDA-! PINKU SUPAIDA-!
PINKU SUPAIDA-! PINKU SUPAIDA-! PINKU SUPAIDA-!
19
Pink Spider
Average: 8,35
Highest scorers: 10x2 (@Eskiath, @Ana Raquel), 9,5x1 (@Music Is Life)
Lowest scorers: 7x3 (@soratami, @abael, @otenkiame), 7,5x2 (@mi|kshake, @Yeziirl)
My score: 8
PINKU SUPAIDA-! PINKU SUPAIDA-! PINKU SUPAIDA-!
19
Pink Spider
Average: 8,35
Highest scorers: 10x2 (@Eskiath, @Ana Raquel), 9,5x1 (@Music Is Life)
Lowest scorers: 7x3 (@soratami, @abael, @otenkiame), 7,5x2 (@mi|kshake, @Yeziirl)
My score: 8
5 voters: #24, 8,00 avg.
10 voters: #14, 8,40 avg.
15 voters: #17, 8,37 avg.
18 voters: #19, 8,35 avg.
10 voters: #14, 8,40 avg.
15 voters: #17, 8,37 avg.
18 voters: #19, 8,35 avg.
Whew, I never expected this to do so well in the rate. It never had an average lower than 8 during the voting period. Just... wow. Written and produced by hide, the guitarist of the rock band X JAPAN, the song was first released in 1998 by hide with Spread Beaver, hide's side project. The song came out 11 days after hide's tragic death, that shocked the nation. It was a massive hit reaching #1 on Oricon charts and selling over 1 million copies. Kumi recorded her rendition for her second cover album "Color The Covers". Her version would later appear on a tribute album "hide TRIBUTE VI -Female SPIRITS-". It received a music video directed by Ninagawa Mika, who is known for her super colorful style. The video's story was based on the manga "Buffalo Gonin Musume". Too bad for the native American headdress though... The original version was very different to Kumi's, as it was a visual kei song, while Kumi gave it a modern EDM coat of painting. I remember people were against her version, as it was such a drastic change from the original. Personally, I disliked it for some time due to the vocal effect that made Kumi sound like she was in a bathroom or something. What made me change my mind and give this a higher score, was her live performance from "JAPONESQUE Tour", which basically erased the vocal effect and made the song a lot more digestable. Thank god they released this version in audio format, albeit as a music card. Elsewhere this is a pretty superb EDM banger that hits hard and fast. The lyrics are about a spider who wished to fly and asked a butterfly for wings. Some people speculated that this was sort of a suicide note from hide:
"You can use my wings, spider.
You don't know the pain of flying endlessly,
but one day you'll realize it...
That you can only fly into the hands of someone.
And that you dared to call that freedom..."
(c) @otenkiame
@otenkiame (7) appreciated the new arrangement quite a bit, "Hear thee, hear thee. Another song I wrote off initially. (Mostly because I don't like the original, whoops). But, yeah, Kuu adds her own twist to the song marvelously. The whole electro pop vibe works so well for the song in ways I didn't think it would."
While @abael (7) saw what others might not have liked about this version, "Production verges on noise territory quite often, but not enough to irritate."
@Yeziirl (7,5) had the same complaint as me, "why do her vocals sound so muffled, it’s very unfortunate, cause it had potential…" Listen to the live version, hun.
@vague (7,75) had a confession to make, "hate bugs AND bug advocates, but this is okay or w/e i gueth" But what if they're cute and pink?
@Cutlery (9) didn't mind all the changed, he actually enjoyed them, "So bombastic. An unabashedly EDM club mix autotuned bop" I don't think it was really auto-tune, but yeah.
@Music Is Life (9,5) made me go back and listen, "Oooo more video game-esque production in this one. Another total bop." And surely enough, those blips and bloops do sound very video game-like.
@Eskiath (10) loves a package, "One of my favourite songs of hers and the video is Iconic!" The video was definitely very pretty, yes.
While @abael (7) saw what others might not have liked about this version, "Production verges on noise territory quite often, but not enough to irritate."
@Yeziirl (7,5) had the same complaint as me, "why do her vocals sound so muffled, it’s very unfortunate, cause it had potential…" Listen to the live version, hun.
@vague (7,75) had a confession to make, "hate bugs AND bug advocates, but this is okay or w/e i gueth" But what if they're cute and pink?
@Cutlery (9) didn't mind all the changed, he actually enjoyed them, "So bombastic. An unabashedly EDM club mix autotuned bop" I don't think it was really auto-tune, but yeah.
@Music Is Life (9,5) made me go back and listen, "Oooo more video game-esque production in this one. Another total bop." And surely enough, those blips and bloops do sound very video game-like.
@Eskiath (10) loves a package, "One of my favourite songs of hers and the video is Iconic!" The video was definitely very pretty, yes.
Since we already mentioned the performance from "JAPONESQUE Tour", we have to watch it. Not her basically doing a Beyoncé with the screens, but adding magic tricks to boot.
Oh, yeah, the original, of course.
Oh, yeah, the original, of course.
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Oh, I totally forgot to mention that I waited for this song to fuck off for more than 20 eliminations now.
You know what, the next one could have fucked off 10 eliminations ago as well.
Not these two ousting so many of my 10s, dddd.
Mo!
One mo!
One mo!
18
ESCALATE
Average: 8,38
Highest scorers: 10x5 (@Remorque, @Weslicious, @Ana Raquel, @Cutlery, @vague), 9,5x1 (@Music Is Life)
Lowest scorers: 6x2 (@Eskiath and @me!), 7x3 (@otenkiame, @RUNAWAY, @soratami)
My score: lookie above
You know what, the next one could have fucked off 10 eliminations ago as well.
Not these two ousting so many of my 10s, dddd.
Mo!
One mo!
One mo!
18
ESCALATE
Average: 8,38
Highest scorers: 10x5 (@Remorque, @Weslicious, @Ana Raquel, @Cutlery, @vague), 9,5x1 (@Music Is Life)
Lowest scorers: 6x2 (@Eskiath and @me!), 7x3 (@otenkiame, @RUNAWAY, @soratami)
My score: lookie above
5 voters: #33, 7,60 avg.
10 voters: #19, 8,00 avg.
15 voters: #21, 8.05 avg.
18 voters: #18, 8,38 avg.
10 voters: #19, 8,00 avg.
15 voters: #21, 8.05 avg.
18 voters: #18, 8,38 avg.
Ugh, finally. This was my lowest scored song left. Written by Kumi and ARIA (!!!) and produced by the latter, the track was one of the newer album tracks on "JAPONESQUE". It got a music video, like the rest of the songs on the album, where Kumi served some Sarah Paulson as the Supreme realness. A dance electronic R'n'B number produced by ARIA of all people? Sign me the fuck up! Alas, something went wrong. Hear me out. I won't deny that the production slaps, because ARIA, duh. Still this is just sorta there. It's so limp and stale in terms of energy and the melodies, I almost cried with the disappointment when I first heard this. The chorus in a song like this should have been like a freaking explosion everytime and not just some ripple on a puddle. It baffles me that you've let it go so far in the rate because of, I don't know, reasons, but what can I do... #Justice4My10s. The lyrical content is about the escalating passion or something:
I don't think it's too much
It won't end, escalate more and more!
Take it no mo, 'cause I know know, gotta know all
Mo! One mo! One mo!
Hanging out till morning every day
Feelings escalate more and more
Take it no mo, 'cause I know know, gotta know all
Hey, from my fingertips again tictictic, I wanna confirm it, taptaptap
(c) @otenkiame
Y'all better hurry chop, chop, boom, boom and explain yourselves.
It's more likely with each elimination, that @otenkiame (7) is my long lost twin, "Not my favourite. In fact, I was actually disappointed with the end result, honestly. It's grown on me over the years as often happens with me. I still find the transition from verse to hook to be a bit of a let down in some ways. I dunno, the hooks aren't as bombastic as the verses led me to believe they'd be." Thank you.
Once again you can ignore @Yeziirl (7,5), cause who knows what this guy is on, "You would be happy that after 8 tracks of snoozefest, something is finally happening!"
@abael (8) praised the production, "Could be slightly monotonous but the production team really go that extra step to keep your interest."
@Music Is Life (9,5) heard some marching influences, "The boppy production is really enjoyable! The drums especially are a highlight, they feel almost militaristic, and I always enjoy songs like that." Yeah, usually I like those as well, but they don't really help here.
At the same time @Cutlery (10) loved the whole shindig, "The beat and her delivery go hand in hand setting the perfect mood for some killer choreo and an explosive chorus that implodes in itself. Really, the energy in the production is crazy" Not really, but okay.
It looked like @vague (10) got me at first, "another song where i find the verse melody infinitely stronger than the chorus'. but that still doesn't take anything away from what a great track this is tbh." But he lost me in the second half.
Once again you can ignore @Yeziirl (7,5), cause who knows what this guy is on, "You would be happy that after 8 tracks of snoozefest, something is finally happening!"
@abael (8) praised the production, "Could be slightly monotonous but the production team really go that extra step to keep your interest."
@Music Is Life (9,5) heard some marching influences, "The boppy production is really enjoyable! The drums especially are a highlight, they feel almost militaristic, and I always enjoy songs like that." Yeah, usually I like those as well, but they don't really help here.
At the same time @Cutlery (10) loved the whole shindig, "The beat and her delivery go hand in hand setting the perfect mood for some killer choreo and an explosive chorus that implodes in itself. Really, the energy in the production is crazy" Not really, but okay.
It looked like @vague (10) got me at first, "another song where i find the verse melody infinitely stronger than the chorus'. but that still doesn't take anything away from what a great track this is tbh." But he lost me in the second half.
Kumi performed the song during "JAPONESQUE Tour".
Let me cleanse my ears with a superior ARIA bop though.
Let me cleanse my ears with a superior ARIA bop though.
Take U, break U, make U mine
And U gonna love it, U gonna, U gonna love it
Lay down, lay down, and I'll lay down the law
17
Lay Down
Average: 8,40
Highest scorers: 10x3 (@Coming Century, @Ana Raquel, @Weslicious), 9,5x1 (@Osiris, @Music Is Life)
Lowest scorers: 7x3 (@Yeziirl, @Eskiath, @RUNAWAY), 7,5x2 (@Remorque and @me!)
My score: lookie above
And U gonna love it, U gonna, U gonna love it
Lay down, lay down, and I'll lay down the law
17
Lay Down
Average: 8,40
Highest scorers: 10x3 (@Coming Century, @Ana Raquel, @Weslicious), 9,5x1 (@Osiris, @Music Is Life)
Lowest scorers: 7x3 (@Yeziirl, @Eskiath, @RUNAWAY), 7,5x2 (@Remorque and @me!)
My score: lookie above
5 voters: #13, 8,70 avg.
10 voters: #13, 8,55 avg.
15 voters: #16, 8,47 avg.
18 voters: #17, 8,40 avg.
10 voters: #13, 8,55 avg.
15 voters: #16, 8,47 avg.
18 voters: #17, 8,40 avg.
Would you look at that, another lowest scored track of mine vacates. How convenient. It looks like I only have the scores that are 8,5 and higher left. Written by Kumi, Matthew Tishler (Amuro Namie's "Finally"), Adam Royce (Tohoshinki's "Force") and Kat Lucas (toured with P!nk as a back vocalist) and produced by the latter three, the track appeared as an album track on "JAPONESQUE". As the rest of the songs on that release, this got a music video, where Kumi looked as hot as it gets, Jesus. So the song... It's aight. It also took a long time for it to grow on me. I like the whole electronic soundscape of this and yet even with Kumi's attempts to change it up here and there, this is kinda one note. I mean, it is intentional, sort of a schtick, still it didn't work for me. The chorus is definitely a highlight, although I wish the muddy bass was a little more crisp or something. I still bop, albeit reluctantly. Also, despite my lukewarm opinion on this, it would totally pop the fuck off in a club. The lyrics are all over the place and I guess they are about the guys trying to score with Kuu and her girlfriends, but Kumi having an upper hand:
Above you, booties shakin' like we want it
You want this, right? Ecstasy, how you want it
Buying your technique
Thank you♡, can you handle this?
Games, oh well, do as you like
Don't thank you. Can you handle this?
(c) @otenkiame
So did y'all handle this?
First up is @Eskiath (7), who thought it was somewhat faceless, "It's kinda cool but feels like anyone could've sung it."
@vague (7,75) liked the hook, "i kinda dig the bratty, almost snotty vocal delivery of the "lay down lay down~" lines, but otherwise this ain't a fave." You know she does lay down the law and we're gonna love it.
Meanwhile @abael (8) would have preferred the production to be a little more subdued, "Production went a bit OTT here, busying what could've been Japonesques best track."
@otenkiame (8,5) used to stan, "At one point I stanned this song so hard. I just love how in face it is, and how Kuu totally takes charge of this sexual encounter. The moment the beat drops and really kicks things up is my favourite part every time I listen. Someone on another forum also said it sounded like she was saying something else inappropriate instead of "break you", and, yeah, I can't get that out of my head even now." Thank god I never heard that so I don't suffer the same way.
Another one bites the dust in the face of the hook. It's @Cutlery (9) this time, "TRASHY! I have decided to stan. The repetitive "Lay down, lay down, and I'll lay down the wall" hook is infectious"
@vague (7,75) liked the hook, "i kinda dig the bratty, almost snotty vocal delivery of the "lay down lay down~" lines, but otherwise this ain't a fave." You know she does lay down the law and we're gonna love it.
Meanwhile @abael (8) would have preferred the production to be a little more subdued, "Production went a bit OTT here, busying what could've been Japonesques best track."
@otenkiame (8,5) used to stan, "At one point I stanned this song so hard. I just love how in face it is, and how Kuu totally takes charge of this sexual encounter. The moment the beat drops and really kicks things up is my favourite part every time I listen. Someone on another forum also said it sounded like she was saying something else inappropriate instead of "break you", and, yeah, I can't get that out of my head even now." Thank god I never heard that so I don't suffer the same way.
Another one bites the dust in the face of the hook. It's @Cutlery (9) this time, "TRASHY! I have decided to stan. The repetitive "Lay down, lay down, and I'll lay down the wall" hook is infectious"
For some reason Kumi decided to exclude the track from "JAPONESQUE Tour", but it did reappear in a medley during the 15th anniversary concerts "The Artist" and in full form during the fanclub tour "Let's Party Vol.2". This one had some added sounds like a bell before the hook, due to the theme being all Halloween-y and stuff.
He/Him
It's mine isn't it? I guess I'm ready, it got much farther than I was expecting.Who's ready to lose their precious 11 next?
Also, happy belated birthday @evilsin! Hope you had a great day!
And it's so random that Kat showed up here! I didn't know she wrote songs. But she's iconic on P!nk's tours.
...ly correct, yes, I agree.
There are opinions and then there are opinions.
My lips are sealed.
Thanks! It was good.
Weirdly enough it's her only writing credit on Discogs.
C'mon, it's not that bad.
Thank fuck it didn't go any further.