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
evilsin

evilsin

Oh wait, forgot to post the results for "AND".


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Average score: 7,91

72b NEVER ENOUGH​
57a GOT ME GOING'
57b BRAIN
47a ALL RIGHT
45 SWEETEST TABOO
42b OUTTA MY HEAD
28a LIT
22b PARTY
15a WHO
8 IT'S MY LIFE​


Highest scorers:
@Music Is Death 9,65
@RUNAWAY 9,10
@Yeziirl 8,75
@Ana Raquel 8,60
@Remorque 8,35

Lowest scorers:
@Sprockrooster 6,20
@cookiedough 6,25
@lalaclairi_ 7,15
@otenkiame 7,50
@Weslicious 7,60​
 
evilsin

evilsin

Tic, tic, tack...​
Tic, tic, tic tack...
Really, really, want?...
Really, really, really want?... But​




































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5b
EX TAPE

Average: 8,93
Highest scorers: 11x1 (@Yeziirl), 10x3 (@V3RYP05H, @otenkiame and @me!), 9,5x2 (@Music Is Death, @RUNAWAY)
Lowest scorers: 7x2 (@Ana Raquel, @mi|kshake), 7,5x2 (@lalaclairi_, @Remorque)
My score: lookie above​

Oof, that's one painful and "extras" are now holding to their dear life with one track. Produced by UNIK (SF9's "Fall Down"), consisting of Kim Rapatti and Tomi Koskinen and written by them, Katerina Bramley (Girls' Generation's "Everyday Love" and "Show Girls") and Kumi, the track was used to promote the compilation "SUMMER of LOVE". The gorgeous music video for this depicted gorgeous Kuu with her gorgeous friends in a gorgeous mansion having good time.

This was my another 11 contender and probably the closest one to take over the title from "Like It". It's just such a great chill track. Relaxing mid-tempo, but make it a bop as well. Even Kuu's vocals were onto something, since she doesn't really go higher or lower and there are no overtly emotional lines. It's simply a smooth ride from start to finish and it's of a luxury variety. I think I could have repeated my write-up for "Like It" for this, since it all works so nicely together here. The tight production doesn't have even an ounce of filler, as every single detail is fine tuned into perfection. It's just a lot of joy to listen to, as it also always lightens my mood.

Lyrically this is about the wonders of memories and that it's totaly fine to reminisce.​

Everyone will tell you, "Forget it",
but that time is also
one part of you, right? Yeah
They're memories you don't need to erase
The regrets and failures too
will make the present you stronger, oh oh
(c) @otenkiame

How insightful of her, huh?

@Cutlery (9) has a theory, "Ddd is the title a tongue-in-cheek double entendre for sex tape and like actual voice memos of her ex? I initially wrote this off, but it grew on me with more listens. I appreciate the quirk of having the energetic production and then some strings and slowdown in the bridge." I think it's more self-reflective though.

@otenkiame (10) is completely enamored with this one, "I LOVE THIS SONG. That smooth urban sound with Kuu's voice makes this sound so cool! I don't care if the English lyrics are a bit iffy; I just cannot get enough of this! The hooks are absolute earworms and get even better when the disc-scratching gets introduced. So freakin' good. I could listen to this song for eternity! "EX TAPE, EX TAPE, LISTEN TO YOUR VOICE~"" I adore this kind of mid-tempos that just envelope you in a warm cocoon of feelings.

And @Yeziirl (11) wrote fucking paragraphs for this favorite song, "The song that got me into Kumi! That is the masterpiece of music. Bach, Mozart and other bitches got shook on heavens when Kumi released this! It’s heavenly, sexy, catchy, outstanding, perfect, beautiful, melodic, sonically harmonic, down to earth, a little slutty, mesmerizing, self-reflective and many other cool words I can’t remember now! I can listen to it all day all night in the sleep, in the toilet, in my grave, everywhere! If I’d ever have a baby I’ll make it listen to EX TAPE in it’s womb! I strictly avoid listening to it in a bad mood, so I don’t ruin my experience with it! Hell, I even know some piano chords to this song and play it for myself from time to time in a piano room at university.

It is so simple, it doesn’t have any vocalfaggotry, rap, nasally shit, cute shit, some high ass notes no one cares about, it doesn’t have any cringe elements, no yolosweg, it doesn’t have anything messy in the backing track, production is perfect, it sounds perfect! It is very cohesive and towards the end climax, you are just engulfed in this sweet melody. The last part that is probably the catchiest is my favorite, it doesn’t just end with fade out, it brings every element, every percussion of the song together to create a harmonic music art!

EX TAPE ends with rewind rewind rewind and you just fucking rewind, okay? The queen has commanded to rewind, so you should! If you look at my last fm, I have 1200 scrobbles on my last.fm, but it’s for like 1 year only, I think it’s about 3000-4000 in to total, considering Apple Music doesn’t have this function.

Besides that, music video is very sexy, she looks fucking stunning, on fleek, out of this world, goddess! That hair suited her so much and those white pussy shorts are godsend! If I would ever become a transgender and do a plastic surgery I will show them EX TAPE music video.

In this music video Kumi herself invented chess, oranges, champagne, cassette tapes, twins (or perhaps bipolar disorder) and pool swimming. That lazy ass dance is everything, very chill and matches song perfectly. One day I hope Kumi will release EX TAPE successor called SEX TAPE, so we can get that Kenji legacy! Meaningful lyrics explore her two sided life, so that Hannah Montana can get jealous.

It’s such a shame that she performed it like 2-3 times since it was released. And we only got like 1 footage of it, where she sings it incorrectly in the first chorus and probably doesn’t give a fuck about this song anymore because there are many more popular songs in her repertoire. But I still hope one day it will become at least a TikTok hit like Megumi no hito and people will brace this masterpiece. All in all, EX TAPE will forever be my favorite song, so please play it when I die! (I swear no one will give it 11/10 lol)" A bit too much at times, but it surely shows you how to properly comment on your 11s, dddd.​

As @Yeziirl just mentioned, this one is seldom performed live. Hopefully the link works.
​
 
cookiedough

cookiedough

Having (barely) just recovered from last page’s eliminations, some observations:
- I love ‘Like It’ (huh) and the video makes the overall package A+ Kumi material. Those white heels live in my head rent-free.
- Glad to see my fave track from AND be the highest from that album overall. Love how the track seamlessly switches between sounding mysterious/ominous and uplifting. And plus points for great vocals.
- It was my 11 so no surprise there but ‘HUSH’ is everything.
- ‘EX TAPE’ - what a nice catchy track. The title is a big part why I love the track. Now will we get SEX TAPE for Part V?

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evilsin

evilsin

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeyyy
yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!
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Whew, okay.

































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3a
Shhh!

Average: 8,96
Highest scorers: 11x1 (@Cutlery), 10x5 (@otenkiame, @V3RYP05H, @Music Is Death, @Yeziirl and @me!), 9x4 (@Ana Raquel, @Remorque, @Weslicious, @Sprockrooster)
Lowest scorers: 6x1 (@cookiedough) 7x1 (@lalaclairi_)
My score: lookie above​

Facking ties! So it's 3 categories in Top3 and it's anyone's game at this point. Produced by Jamie Sellers (Tohoshinki's "I Just Can't Quit Myself") and written by him, Nicole Simpson (???) and Kumi, the track was first previewed during the final "The Artist" concerts and then released as 59th single along with "Kimi Omoi", which crawled its way out of the pachinko compilation "FEVER KODA KUMI LEGEND LIVE" due to the fans' demand. For some reason the track never got a music video despite the single status.

I completely and utterly adore this. It's a quintessential Kumi track for me. Like, who else could have pulled off a track like that? No one, period. Kumi's DNA is all over the thing and it's overflowing over the bouncy and robust instrumental. That iconic intro alone deserved at least an 8 for a score. Ugh, her mind. It's kinda funny that she's telling us to keep quiet with a track like that, because I can't stop screaming at how good this is. And then again if somehow I managed to shut up, that beat would have my hips swaying and my head bopping anyway. Elsewhere the production marries the quirky synths with big band-eque instuments to create a unique soundscape. At the time of the release I played this non-stop by putting it after every song on All Saints' "Red Flag" album, which came out around the same time, and I still think that I will never get tired of it. It's just so damn good.

I actually can't really discern what this song is about.​

You can't stop, you won't stop, it's that kinda routine
One step ahead...
Oh, like a dark hole, I'm falling
Everyone envies this beat & party!!!
(c) @otenkiame

Perhaps it about Kumi's ability to command the masses? Let's go with that.

It's a fucking catchy heaven for @Yeziirl (10), "Fucking catchy heaven. Songs like this either fail or sound fucking amazing, because in verses there is no real melody only beats and Kumi’s voice becomes a main instrument. It sounds straight out of Street Fighter video game, but too bad there is no music video. I also remember it being a cash grab on concerts where you had to collect a picture of her and then you earn like nothing but her face from some weird photoshoot, or something like that. Queen of promotions." Ooh, those synths do sound very Street Fighter like, now that you say it. A little bit more and it would have transformed into Chun Li's theme, dddd.

@otenkiame (10) mentions a potential cover artist for this piece, "I remember being blown away by this and completely on my seat to get a high quality version. It's such a fun and sassy 60's-like track with a killer opening and Kuu channeling some Christina. Love me the handclaps and overall oldies feel to it. Plus how she keeps telling that boy to shh!! Kiiii!" Ooh, ooh, ooh, yes, Christina could do this justice.

Lemme polish my @Cutlery (11) tonight, "Oh this is a hit. The processed traditional melody making a sick beat, Kuu belting for her life and catching her breath, the shh-ing! The playful and almost nonsensical lyrics. It's something that I can picture as part of a film soundtrack. Truly stands with her very best." I'm so happy you gave your 11 to this. It's an amazing track.​

So far the track has been performed live only once during the opening of the "Best Single Collection" tour. Sad, but what an opening! The live arrangement brought out different sound, so it sound quite nice.
​
 
evilsin

evilsin

I really wanna love you
I really wanna kiss you





































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3b
HOT HOT

Average: 8,96
Highest scorers: 11x1 (@otenkiame), 10x5 (@Cutlery, @V3RYP05H, @Yeziirl, @Music Is Death, @Ana Raquel), 9x3 (@Weslicious, @RUNAWAY and @me!)
Lowest scorers: 7x2 (@lalaclairi_, @mi|kshake), 7,5x1 (@Sprockrooster)
My score: lookie above​

And right on the cusp of Top2 "DNA" has to bid its farewell. Produced by the all-female group of Maria Marcus (Girls' Generation's "Only One), Frida Molander (???), Anna Alerstedt (???) and Freja Jonsson Blomberg (Adam Lambert's "Lucy") and written by them and Kumi, the track appeared on the album as one of the newer tracks.

What a highlight! Considering how Kuu dipped her toes in almost all of the genres at this point, it was only a matter of time until she tried her hand at Europop akin to the likes of Stromae, Inna and Alexandra Stan. What can I say? The attempt turned out to be more than successful, as the track is clearly a standout all on its own. It's such a fun track. I appreciate how all of the elements of the instrumental, i.e. the piano, the beat, the guitars, the synths, work together here. Kumi glides along all of those flawlessly whispering and cooing propellering the track to its climax where added ad-libs help it all go over the edge. I'd say the repetitive nature of the delivery is both a blessing and a curse, since it could do with a bit more variety, but at the same time it just works for a track like that.

I believe in the lyrics Kuu tries to say that both her and her partner are hot, or at least something to this extent.​

I really wanna love you
Letting loose perfume
What I wanna do, everything
Come here quickly. Close to, ah

I really wanna kiss you
baby, I'm so into you
oh baby boy I miss you
I'm falling, it's true
(c) @otenkiame

Well, she is one hot individual, so it was finally a time she acknowledged it herself as well.

@Cutlery (10) didn't think there was anything more to add to an already perfect song, "This «flamenco but make it pop» sound and Kuu's evergreen ability to convincingly deliver a great love song, sultry whispers included. What more can I ask for?" True.

@Yeziirl (10) remembered an iconic moment, "Wow that’s just very sensual and sexy, moaning kinda calls back to Ko-so-ko-so days and I love it. That a-nation stage with Kumi sitting on a fan is a dream come true and I wish I was one of them. Can you imagine the size of your boner when your icon does it, even if you are gay?"​
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And lastly @otenkiame (11) flaunts the fact that he witnessed this song live and I have not, which has definitely affected his choice of an 11, I bet, "Possibly my favourite track of hers in years! "HOT HOT" sounds like an updated and more playful version of her previous sexy tracks with some guitars thrown in to spice things up. And there's that piano(?) bit that I'm told is ragtime - that's what I'm talking about! Love the way she doubles up on the English words for the verses! "Atashi hot hot / anata hot hot" - YES! I can also attest that it was super fun to see live!"​
​

Kumi performed the track mainly during the "DNA" tour, where she used it to ride the lucky fans, who where chosen to be taken to the stage. Later the track would reappear in the remix form during Kuu's set for a-nation '19, as it was mentioned by @Yeziirl .
​
 
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evilsin

evilsin

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YourLeadSinger

YourLeadSinger

“EX TAPE” and “HOT HOT” were both 11 contenders for me so to see them place so high is great. “Shhh!” wasn’t one but it was a solid 10, still don’t get why it wasn’t given a video and that irks me.

Though I’m surprised “HUSH” did the best out of the AND/DNA singles since I never took to it and felt it was the weakest.
 
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