(Single from album, “PSY 6 (Six Rules), Part 1”)
What the hell? A question, initially, asked by many. That is until they succumbed to the mad dance frenzy of PSY's latest output and, with the largest YouTube view count ever, a quick 3 week journey to UK #1, and one 'freakin' weird' video, can you blame the Korean electro genius for his success?
The initial synthy fade in is unexciting, totally normal and unquestionably dull and unimaginative. Then you get crazy Korean rap, fired at you at unholy decibel levels and (if you're lucky enough to be watching the video, a frankly essential viewing aid to this otherwise confusing track), with very random imagery to coincide with the later screams (bizarrely in English) of, 'hey, sexy lady!"...very strange indeed...
Musically, as I said, very little is going on here. It's got that Japanses electro finish that you so commonly see ripped off in the UK now, and the keyboards are all using YAMAHA preset 052 "lead synth". It genuinely stinks of dull production and unintelligible lyrics.
However, as viewers of the video will also note, the dance is incredible phenomena of choreography. A genius piece of visual design in itself, the childish side-to-side hop, incorporating hip thrusts and the classic 'yo-s'up' rap-finger-swishy-thing, is a piece of publicity genius; so much so, that this song would NEVER have been UK #1 without it's visual accompaniment.
There's not much to say really, hence the brevity of this review. This song has three main focal points; the actual audio (which is very, very odd), the hilarious and comedically beautiful video, and the skill of the listener's attempt at dancing 'Gangnam style'. I have to say, people's opinions of the greatness of the song combined with their incorrect belief in themselves as genius dancers is often wasted on by-standers, ruining the song in the process...
...which is why I thank friends of mine for executing their take so well. Guys, the memory of this track will live forever in your home video, in true, and undisputed, 'gangnam style'...
★★
Versions of "Gangnam Style"
Album/Single Version - 3:39