The Koda Kumi Rate: PART IV. All things come to an end, WINNER announced

Which short track / interlude if your favorite / deserves a full version?

  • Introduction ~WALK OF MY LIFE~

    Votes: 6 75.0%
  • Interlude ~Dance~

    Votes: 1 12.5%
  • Introduction ~My music is designed from my DNA~

    Votes: 1 12.5%

  • Total voters
    8
motto Bouncing hip
Hot shaking hit
Head banging trip
Give me ya boody smash
Baby (ooh-ooh)​



























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22d
MONEY IN MY BAG

Average: 8,39
Highest scorers: 10x2 (@Remorque, @cookiedough), 9x2 (@Music Is Death, @Ana Raquel)
Lowest scorers: 7x2 (@Sprockrooster, @RUNAWAY), 8x5 (@Yeziirl, @otenkiame, @Weslicious, @Cutlery and @me!)
My score: lookie above

Oh wow, look at all those 8s! It's been 10 eliminations since the last "WALK OF MY LIFE" song went, guess it was about time for another. Produced by Bardur Haberg ("LOL", Amuro Namie's "It') and written by him, Hayden Bell (Lena Katina's "Never Forget"), Sarah Lundback Bell (Girls' Generation's "Trick"), Ylva Dimberg (Red Velvet's "Jumping", "Jumping" and "Body Talk") and Kumi, the track was a b-side on the "HOTEL" single and, unlike "TURN AROUND", it got a music video to its name. A pretty uneventful one at that, but still. This elimination also makes "MONEY IN MY BAG" the highest rated song of that single overall.

I quite like this, to be honest. The energy of the whole thing is so engaging you definitely want to move to this. I appreciate how it starts with this big chorus and basically never lets up. It might be a bit to the track's detriment as well, since the song is so short and mostly only chorus due to the verses and the middle 8 being so incospicuous. Anyway, we are here to talk about that chorus so let's do this. Those trumpet like synths, or whatever really those sounds are, are definitely the highlight of the whole thing. There is now such a funny image of this urban track performed live with the live band in my head.

The song is about all that mula and partying.

Tonight's uproar's a secret
Give me the vodka with that memory erasing effect
I've guaranteed it on the internet
Regrets in my bag

(c) @otenkiame

It's still a kii, that apparently Kumi doesn't drink.

The song didn't really click with @RUNAWAY (7), "this was never a fave b-side of mine, so to have it make the album tracklist was kind of a letdown to me." Still a 7, huh?

@Weslicious (8) gives a concise description of the song, "Short, sweet and sassy as." As what?

@Yeziirl (8) is... I... What? "Kinda naughty, but makes me irritated for some reason, I guess there is something grating about “i want that ding ding digiding che che chekaching cheng” thing." You of all people cringe about this? HA! That's funny, tell another one!

The track gave @otenkiame (8) everything he needed, "One of those trashy tracks where Kuu just throws in every urban dictionary word she can find to try sounding hood...And I honestly like it a lot. It's fast, aggressive, and edgy. Plus, the track's length - merely two and a half minutes - keeps it from getting overly annoying."

Don't forget your @Cutlery (8), when you get into your getaway car, "When I listen to Money in My Bag I feel as if I’m in a car chase up and down the highway and streets. The hook drills its way into your head rather easily" The hook indeed gets you hooked hehe.

@Music Is Death (9) just wanted more, "A banger that I kinda wish would also go harder? I don’t know, I feel like the energy to this isn’t cranked up to 11 the way it should be. Or maybe it’s my energy that’s not cranked up enough for this. I love the handclaps though." Ah, yes, the handclap connoisseur himself has given his blessing.

This was performed live quite a few times more in comparison to the single's a-side. Here it is in a medley during "W FACE" tour, where my dream of real trumpets playing the synth part wasn't realized. Oh well.
 
I honestly thought I gave it a 6 and was gonna bitch about being excluded but then I see I gave it an 8.5? I must’ve been on something or I rated it by comparison to “HOTEL” and the other b-side.
 
One by one, they all fall down, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
One by one, they hit the ground, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah







































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21
insane

Average: 8,43
Highest scorers: 10x4 (@Weslicious, @Sprockrooster, @Music Is Death, @Yeziirl), 9,5x1 (@RUNAWAY)
Lowest scorers: 6x1 (@lalaclairi_), 7x2 (@cookiedough and @me!)
My score: lookie above

About time "outside" lost some more songs. Produced by Che Pope (Christina Aguilera's "Accelerate"), Rewan Riko (???), Claus Holm (???), Ronny Svendsen and Anne Judith Wik with the last two being of the DSign Music fame (Taeyeon's "Spark") and written by them and Kumi, the track was used for promo and thus got a music video, which isn't much to talk about, considering the budgeting, dddd.

Whew, this one is a lot, isn't it? It has so much going on and it changes so much all thoughout, it's certainly not subtle, I'll give it that. Starting out as a sort of urban hip-hop oriented track, it morphs into a rock one with guitars over the chorus and then it has the chutzpah to bring in strings in the middle 8 and the outro. Wild. It's a track that can definitely show off what Kumi is all about, since she is a genre chameleon, so why not put all of them into a blender, right? I've never truly connected with the track mainly due to Kumi doing the most vocally. Like the pre-chorus' delivery is superb, while the chorus' shenanigans is a bit over the top. I see a lot of potential here and perhaps it would grow on me in the future. After all I do like it now that I'm listening to it for the write-up on loop.

The lyrics? All over the place.

We won't a ruckus, swaying on the floor
We won't a ruckus, howl and roar
Drinks in the tub, party, party like a boss
We don't, we don't give a fuck. Don't falter, shout out louder
(c) @otenkiame

Is this about partying? Being the best? Haters gonna hate? You decide.

@Cutlery (7,5) couldn't really fork this one, "That thing they did to her voice when it sounds like a duck… I pretend I do not hear it. But for the most part I enjoy this." Anatine chanteuse.

The final product was to @otenkiame's (9) liking, "So the opening totally hooks me, though the track takes an unexpected turn. Kuu's experimenting with her vocals in all kinds of ways, making for an exciting listen. Plus the song itself is a mix of all kinds of genres! It's a track that could've been messy, but comes together so nicely." What this so is definitely not is boring, yes.

@Yeziirl (10) has some nitpicking to do with this one, "Epic overdramatic piece of music and it sounds dope. I really like verses with rap and singing, a lot of dynamic subtlety here! The only thing I don’t like is the sheer vocal faggotry in the chorus which kinda ruins the whole crazy/strong momentum, but to be honest it’s not that bad. It’s Yet another song preview which I really loved. “Yamanu riot akeru bottles, bottles / Atashi wa LION mi na yo models, models” tell them girl!!!!!!" And yet it recieved a perfect score, hmm.

And lastly @Sprockrooster (10) thinks that the beat is sick and Kumi works it nicely, "THAT BEAT IS SICK. She works it so damn well." Indeed.

The song was performed live during "W FACE" tour. It was the track where Kumi was suspended in the air, you know, the one they used for the cover art of the tour DVD, that you can see below.

 
TOP20



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Dance In The Rain
Lippy
Mercedes
Like It
House Party
HOTEL
Gimme U
You can keep up with me

MONEY IN MY BAG
PIECE IN THE PUZZLE
Fake Tongue
Sometimes Dreams Come True
LIFE so GOOD!!

WALK OF MY LIFE
03/14


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BRIDGET SONG
Bring It On
Yorokobi no Kakera
Stand By You
Suki de Shite
Kimi Omoi
On my way
What's Up
Promise you
My fun

00/10


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W FACE
Ultraviolet
insane
Damn real

Heartless
Bassline
Shhh!
Bangerang
Wicked Girls
Cupcake feat. AKLO
07/10


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PARTY
SWEETEST TABOO
GOT ME GOING'

WHO
OUTTA MY HEAD
NEVER ENOUGH
ALL RIGHT

LIT
BRAIN
IT'S MY LIFE
02/10


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HUSH
Dangerous
WATCH OUT!! ~DNA~
ScREaM
CHANCES ALL
Aenaku Naru Kurai Nara
HAIRCUT
Guess Who Is Back

HOT HOT
Kokoro kara i love u
Work That
Pin Drop
03/12


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DO ME
GET NAKED
STRIP
k,
Rich & Famous feat. Sean Paul
again
Merry Go Round
Eh Yo
GOLDFINGER 2019 / Livin' La Vida Loca
Put Your Hands Up!!!
Summer Time

OMG
SHUTOUT
02/13


EXTRAS

TURN AROUND
SO FEVER
NEVER GIVE IT UP
EX TAPE
HURRICANE
NO ONE ELSE BUT YOU
Wanderin' Destiny
On And On
NO ME WITHOUT YOU
Soba ni Ite

puff
03/11
 
Yeah, I think I should have given insane 9.5, don't know if that would change much, but it is super overdramatic towards the end, haha.

I am so happy that WHO and EX TAPE made it to top 20! My bops stay winning!
 
I wanna love
I wanna kiss
I wanna happiness​


































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19a
puff

Average: 8,46
Highest scorers: 10x2 (@Remorque, @RUNAWAY), 9,5x2 (@V3RYP05H, @Music Is Death)
Lowest scorers: 5x1 (@cookiedough), 7,5x1 (@Sprockrooster)
My score: 8,5

Anybody else tired of these ties? No? Just me? Okay. Now would you look at that, the lastest release at the time of the start of this Part of the rate made it this far. Produced by Alyssa Ayaka Ichinose (GFRIEND's "Eye Of The Storm"), Carlyle Fernandes (SuperM's "So Long"), Gionata Caracciolo (Red Velvet's "With You") and Sofia Ahlang (???) and written by Kumi, the track was released as the digital single in commemoration of Kumi's 20th anniversary on stage. Funnily enough, for some reason the official sources, like uta-net.com, also list these people as producers - MO-NO feat. SARA CRUZ & FLO RIDA, dddd. Someone definitely made a mistake typing those credits in. Also we thought that Kumi's son once again graced us with his vocals for the "1, 2, 3, 4, puff, puff, puff" line, since he was running around singing it in one of Kumi's Instalives, but apparently it's just an altered voice of Carlyle Fernandes, one of the producers. The track received a music video with lots of energetic dancing, and it was stylized as if you were watching it on your phone. Cute.

Since it's all cream of the crop now, would it be too on the nose if I said that this is good? The overall sound is reminiscent of Kumi's older pop-rock songs and if we are to draw parallels, then I do hear some "Inside Fishbowl" and "LIT" in this one. Kumi's delivery is very charismatic here and the atmosphere is very bubbly and positive sounding. You do want to move to this, so I guess the track managed to do what it was supposed to do.

Segueing into the message of the song, it's about working out and striving to keep in shape.

A dangerous
trap
Lazying about
NO NO!
Preparations OK??

Come on (Aha)
Come on (I got it)
For now say goodbye to calories
Gotta (Come on)
do it
with power

(c) @otenkiame

So, you see, it's not about smocking pot as some of you assumed.

@otenkiame (8) mentions another track with a similar sound, "Gives me a lot of "k," vibes, which is a good thing, though not as infectious. I like how she went with this inspirational workout tracks in the face of a pandemic; definitely makes you want to get on your feet. It's also so cute that she let her son record the "1,2,3,4 puff" part. All in all, I think this is a strong enough track in her huge discography." Not her son, as we found out, but yeah, quite good.

@Cutlery (8) is held up on the title, "Vaping queen!" More like a workout queen.

@Yeziirl (9) hear more than I do, "I like the subtle chiptune elements in the song, it’s quite fun even with those annoying 1,2,3,4 puff things. It reminds me very much of LIT for some reason, it’s like western/jpop mix and it works very nice." Don't hear any chiptune myself, but the guitars are really nice.

And @RUNAWAY (10) is in cahoots with @Cutlery, "working out weed smoking queen anthem!" Y'all.

Being only 3 months old, the song already managed to get both a TV performances and a tour one during "MY NAME IS..." tour. How can she sing dancing like this is beyond me. Queen.
 
I didn’t even think it was her son, I thought it was just Kuu’s voice altered #flopfan

I do love “puff” but it’s message landed on deaf ears because I haven’t worked out once since it was released (legit, I remember playing some RingFit Adventure before it came out and then I just didn’t).

Also, will it’s inclusion in this rate cause a bit of a hiccup in the next part now that it’s part of an (mini-)album?
 

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