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Rating: What a fun Japanese dance-pop album!
To recover from the latest self-titled work by Suffocation, what could be better than a bunch of carefree and danceable "songs" like those contained in the essential "Super Euro Party feat. Korikki"?! The answer comes naturally: nothing!
Keika, Asuka, Hikaru, Rina: these four lively ladies that make up the amazing Hinoi Team are most likely stars in their homeland, and who could blame the agreeable yellow faces for their actual entertaining talents… My only personal note is that they are fourteen-year-olds (and I assure you, you'd never guess!) so admiring them in their plastic poses and miniskirts, everyone will feel a bit like a pedophile. What a joy…
The party starts off great with the single that made them popular, "Ike Ike", boasting a really dance-powerful keyboard sound deep to its core. Cute but nothing compared to the succeeding "Night of Fire", a small masterpiece of discotheque aggression, whose chorus, even in Japanese, is irresistible, and you can't help but sing it in the shower or while waiting for the bus. The third, "Yeah", introduces a cheerful electric guitar riff reminiscent of the splendid '80s cartoon themes I grew up with, healthy, strong, and full of ideals. The following "Hey Mr. DJ" is equally exceptional, embellished by a crazed keyboard similar to the subsequent "Sing Na Na Na" and "Emoticons", two more delightful gems.
Unfortunately, the track-list also includes some less impactful episodes, like the title track itself and "Sticky Tricky and Bang", whose less engaging choruses tend to be forgotten without much regret. But with such a rich lineup, asking for only masterpieces would have been rather pretentious.
The main characteristic of the various tracks is the pulsating beat in the background, hinting at the dance environment to which they are devoted, but there's also a more "silly", if I may use the term, and cartoonish air compared to European dance (of which I am neither a fan nor an expert, though I have had to endure it against my will). A small discovery was that the music, words, and arrangements are the work of Italian artists, a fact explained with ease, as (and here Wikipedia comes to the rescue) it seems that the so-called "Eurobeat" was born in Italy in the late '70s and early '80s. Fascinating, isn't it?!
Of course, regarding the content of the lyrics, I reserve the right to take an accelerated Japanese course to grasp the undoubtedly profound messages that will be conveyed.
I conclude the review by inviting you to watch the music videos on YouTube to get a more precise idea of it all, and I wish you a good end of the year and a new beginning of the year full of more executed dictators, world hunger, wars, and obviously "Super Euro Party" blasting on the stereo!
Sayounara!!!
Tracklist and Lyrics
15 KING KONG (04:06)
* dakishimete KING KONG Do it Right
Kono machi wa janguru All Night Long
kimi dake o sagashiteta
kono koi o zettai tsukamou
tatta hitori no KING KONG Hold Me Tight
hajimete no Love Chance dakara
furimuite onegai yo
ima sugu ni Ding Dong My KING KONG *
Let's Go Out
yozora o meguru ano ryuusei
kokoro ni ochita no kimi no sei
machi de wa dare mo ga koe kakeai
garasu ni utsuru Lonely Eye
koi no risou wa bijo to yajuu
hanareta tte itsumo muchuu
tobidashitai hontou sa
doko datte tsuite iku
** dakishimete KING KONG Do it Now
mayoisou janguru All Night Long
nani mo ka mo kaetai yo
futari nara zettai kanau
kitto watashi no KING KONG Only You
itsu datte jitto shitenaide
omoikitte saratte yo
kokoro kara Ding Dong My KING KONG**
doko ikitai nani ga shitai
shiranai umi mo mite mitai
hayasugiru tte iwarete mo
ha-to wa kyuu ni wa tomaranai
rakuen motto betsu no basho
deguchi kitto mitsukemasho
koete mitai hontou sa
soko kara saki wa soutou ii
* dakishimete KING KONG Do it Right
Kono machi wa janguru All Night Long
kimi dake o sagashiteta
kono koi o zettai tsukamou
tatta hitori no KING KONG Hold Me Tight
hajimete no Love Chance dakara
furimuite onegai yo
ima sugu ni Ding Dong My KING KONG *
** dakishimete KING KONG Do it Now
mayoisou janguru All Night Long
nani mo ka mo kaetai yo
futari nara zettai kanau
kitto watashi no KING KONG Only You
itsu datte jitto shitenaide
omoikitte saratte yo
kokoro kara Ding Dong My KING KONG**
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