#8: July 2021
#8: July 2021
the best Mandopop of the month from Julia Wu's heartbreak R&B to fifty-seven assorted rappers to sunset idol pop
Didn’t you hear? Retro is back! Synthwave has been at the front of the trend, but it’s not just about sound: vinyl sales are up in Canada and the US and the cassette format seems to be making a resurgence. Mandopop has always felt like a genre that’s been stuck in the past—both in production and its reliance on nostalgia—and as the retro finds its place in the market, it begs the question: when’s it karaoke’s time?
There’s been a long history of Mandopop and its relation to karaoke, but even in the early 2000s, Taiwanese karaoke TV (KTV) had a huge influence on the market: Jay Chou and other big artists were cutting tracks meant for KTV—KTV was just more profitable than relying on CD sales. They were a slice of escape, ballads that packaged big emotions into simple melodies letting every person have their own little Mandopop star moment. With nostalgia increasingly used as a marketing tool, it definitely feels like a good opportunity to bring KTV out from the privacy of small rooms and into the public mainstream.
So enter Julia Wu, whose 1994 依舊舊事 felt like a direct attempt to capitalize on nostalgia. You’ve got two tracks that recall new jack swing, the retro synths of “Gameboy,” and perhaps one of the best rewrites of Tamia’s “Officially Missing You” in “星海.” But one of its biggest moments is when Wu launches into her karaoke moment “萬年.”
“萬年” (“10,000 Years”) is one of those perfect karaoke songs. It’s instantly memorable in its biggest moments but still simple in melody. Its lyrics border on melodrama in the best way and lines like “she doesn’t love you as much as me” are able to be read differently depending on mood—heartbreaking if you just got out of a breakup or joyous if you’re simply drunk at the KTV bar. It’s so good that producer Terrytyelee recycled it two years later for co-writer Kimberley’s “L.O.V.E.S.H.I.T.”
But one of the best parts about “萬年” was that Julia Wu never shied away from the nostalgia. Its music video is classic KTV music video style merged into something that makes sense for a real music video: there’s the fuzzy video quality, that font for the lyrics highlighted in blue, and those randomly spliced scenes of nature. But you’ve also got Wu painting the lyrics into a story of heartbreak, of attending someone else’s wedding and never getting over it.
Ballads are still pretty common in Mandopop—more often more intimate than this style of power ballad—and with the rising interest in retro and Mandopop’s favourite form of nostalgia, it feels like a great opportunity to bring KTV back and shove it straight into the mainstream. More Mandopop artists should engage with KTV in the full aesthetic: karaoke lyric videos, fragments of foliage and water, and big emotions in even bigger ballads. Until then, check out the best of July:
Albums
Various Artists - The Rappers, Vol. 1 & Vol. 2
The Rappers are a pair of unconventional albums—a product of the same-named rap competition, that’s been slowly chipping away at its 66 contestants to find the region’s best rapper. It’s different to Western competition series, where art often feels like a dream secondary to a contestant’s current profession, with many contestants having releases that span as far back as five or six years. There’s prize money, sure, but opportunities feel primary: new collaborations and a fresh attempt to launch into the public conscience. The fact that rap competitions are even airing on TV in both Taiwan and China shows how rap and hip-hop have been slowly migrating into the Mandopop mainstream.
Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 of the series’ projects are taken from the show’s second round, a series of 11 cyphers, where contestants were grouped together in groups of 5-6 members. Across 56 minutes, it’s 57 contestants trying to prove themselves, a constant unrelenting stream of changing flows over simple beats as membres attempt to showcase themselves. This month’s newsletter thus also a bit unconventional, instead of thinking about the album as a whole, we’ll look at each cypher individually and highlight a single from someone you should be paying attention to in the future:
Watch the performances here: Episode 3 // Episode 4
SheATH, Basso, Young/Lee, Petter & lil karbi - “Drunken Players”
Does it work? “Drunken Players” is a bit of a middling start. Its G-funk actually manages to capture the youthful and joyous spirit of West Side Story the group aimed for. Young/Lee sets it up to sound like a drunken frat party, but SheATH and lil karbi are best: boastful yet fun. The chemistry between the group plays in their favour, letting them set each other up for something better, but the other moments more often take away from it. Basso comes across like a creepy uncle when he raps “who’s your papa?” and he often feels like it’s setting up for something bigger only for the entire track to come to a screeching halt, while Petter sings a hook so flat it detracts from the rest—his verse isn’t much better.
Who to watch for? SheATH and lil karbi are the highlights, but neither seems to have any solo releases on their own. Until they do, check out SheATH on the “NONSTOP remix” from the Multiverse label, which manages several other artists in the show.
wannasleep, VigozChen, Black MIC, Allyson, Frog & Way Jamrock - “Migrant Bird”
Does it work? In “Migrant Bird,” the six rap about leaving home, overcoming something to achieve their dreams. It’s a bit cliché, but even when the rappers lean into the clichés they tell something about themselves—Allyson flips a line about being homesick into a commentary on the price of living that runs back into her own struggles. It connects, thanks in part to a boom bap beat, which makes it actually feel like there’s something to push beyond. There are occasional issues, like the pitch problems when Allyson jumps to the higher register or how Way Jamrock seems to fall off the beat, but no issue remains so large that it derails the performance.
Who to watch for? Frog’s verse is the most spirited, but as one of the youngest of the group currently doesn’t have much to his name. VigozChen also makes interesting things happen with his opening, pushing hard on the ends of his lines to add dynamics and variation, without breaking the beat—so check out “Loser,” which takes a more defeated tone the same idea.
PiNkChAiN, Gil G, DaBao, Sinner Moon & Lil Happy Lif3 - “Demons at Play”
Does it work? Lil Happy Lif3 unfortunately starts the track in a way that’s too boxed-in, and you can hear the words being clipped to fit inside. The three following verses flow better, especially compared to Lil Happy Lif3. But PiNkChAiN goes all over the place, one second sung, the next unpleasant squawks and clunky English rhymes. It never lands, yet still manages to make everything else sound one-note.
Who to watch for? Sinner Moon released a couple of tracks this year with producer Gunta, who, together, have explored seemingly disparate spaces: “BAZOOKA!” drowns Sinner Moon’s rap out in noise, while “Rolling Loud” and “CLOUD 9” sound like emo-rap songs with melodic component amped up as high as possible, but it’s “BLEED IT” that remains the most exciting—heavy bass rumbles and manic chirps, the pair are a hop, skip, and a jump away from expanding the Taiwanese hyperpop scene.
Yappy, K!ddingboi, Jason, MC Double 8 & Cocky Boyz - “7P”
Does it work? Yeah!! “7P” feels the most like a track rather than just a performance out of all the cyphers. The dubstep background never takes attention away from the group, but bounces them higher to give some of the most dynamic performances—electronic drops further animate verses by Yappy and K!ddingboi.
Who to watch for? K!ddingboi’s “Dear, Rosie!” is still one of the best emo-rap songs of the year, but Yappy might just be making a place for himself in Taiwanese rap by bringing UK drill into the scene.
Melo Moon, FRαNKIE, BG8LOCC, 8lak & Hanson - “Golden Age”
Does it work? Both 8lak and Melo Moon are pop-rappers who tend to lean more onto the pop side. Without a hook, “Golden Age” fails them, their sing-song rap feels completely untethered, moving absolutely nowhere. It doesn’t help that their verses are played side-by-side, right after FRαNKIE launched into something that resembled hook. Hanson fares a bit better, but the cypher feels too weightless to bring the party and too adrift to deliver on the promise of its dreams.
Who to watch for? Check out FRαNKIE and BG8LOCC on “Empty Room,” which leans into the free side of the cypher and showcases just how much having a hook—even as simple as this one—could have helped these pop-rappers. Anchored by that chorus, the verses have more room to explore without worrying about where the track leads to, drifting into producer GreenTed’s thoughtful haze.
C.Hao$, Outlander, CLB, JY & Banyan Gang - “Where You From”
Does it work? No. Truly feels like every rapper is completely disconnected from the beat and while the hook is chants of “where are you from? / where are you going?,” none of them do any work to answer either question.
Who to watch for? While Banyan Gang deliver a pretty uninspired opening, last year’s vernalization did a better job at displaying their talents—its blend of boom bap and jazz makes vernalization the perfect soundtrack to sitting and staring at house plants.
Macdella, Popo J, Punk B, KI & Gambler - “The Same Road”
Does it work? Yeah!! “The Same Road” is perhaps the most explosive of all cyphers. It’s background highlights rather than distracts, with the instrumental growing only when each rapper wants to hammer a particular line. Slight issues come up with pacing from Macdella and KI, but it’s the most hard-hitting of all the cyphers—near-constant streams of syllables from Gambler and Popo J and even a growled hook from Punk B. The group isn’t just great separately, but boasts the best chemistry of the bunch, and when the group raps about being “in the same crew,” it’s truest of all cyphers.
Who to watch for? Swinging in the opposite direction, check out Popo J’s Poportfolio, which brims with summery pop-rap: check out the cheeky and joyous “(L)over” or the bouncy “Carousel (feat. Professor H & A1J),” featuring a verse in Vietnamese from A1J.
PIZZALI, Dr. Beauty, A-Cross, 7LING & BR - “Dream Team”
Does it work? “Dream Team” look the part. While they don’t really have the same chemistry that allowed Gambler and Popo J to trade verses so smoothly and easily, each rapper’s verse is met with background hoots and ad-libs, supporting wherever the focus lands. “Dream Team” also has the most fun, the five rapping like its good sport, and they turn it into their own playground, autotuned effects and stumbling raps make it one of the more entertaining cyphers.
Who to watch for? Can’t really go wrong with anyone here, but Dr. Beauty’s “My Name is Dr. Beauty (feat. Dawson.C)” is one of both the funniest and funkiest releases by any contestant so check out that and “Bad Daddy,” which continues the same path, featuring a nice bass solo and Shi Shi on background vocals.
Litzangboy, Kung, Shi Shr, Peatle, XIN & Owen - “Doesn’t Matter”
Does it work? “Doesn’t Matter” is an example of something that’s “fun” but where the artist doesn’t seem to be “having fun,” which is all a roundabout way of saying that it never sounds as fun as it should be. Each rapper looks like they’re enjoying themselves individually over the dance-pop synth beat, but unlike “Dream Team,” it feels a bit scattershot, the lack of chemistry making it short of the sum of its parts. The party—however enjoyable it may be—never lives up to its hype.
Who to watch for? XIN’s “NORTH$IDE GANG” might feel a bit structurally similar to a cypher: a simple looping beat in that heavy bass and each rapper taking a turn on the track. But “NORTH$IDE GANG” feels like an actual song where “Doesn’t Matter” didn’t thanks to the differences: the hook that connects each artist the propulsion built into the instrumental that keeps the song moving.
EyeballRay, Chrisflow, Suhf, 8IG8A8Y & Jabber - “No Cap In My Bag”
Does it work? Chrisflow is no stranger to collaboration or throwing a great hook—just check out his work with Julia Wu and within the rap group CHING G SQUAD. Perhaps we have him to thank for why “No Cap In My Bag” coheres so well, each verse is punctuated that simple but memorable hook written by 8IG8A8Y. Or maybe it’s because of how malleable each rapper is, particularly how Chrisflow and Suhf so casually switch between rapping and singing. It’s not without its energy either as EyeballRay and Jabber pair up to give some animated performances of the series.
Who to watch for? Both Jabber and Suhf are well-worth keeping an eye on but haven’t really released anything officially in the past year or so, so check out Chrisflow’s latest release, the malleable “Only Me,” his pop-rap over a bubbly beat.
Sowut, San Xiao Shang, ZENBØ, BADBOYRACOG & QM1 - “Bounce Back”
Does it work? Sowut sets this up really nicely, a hook that’s simple and catchy and a nice verse, and then everyone else just squanders his entire set-up. On a song about change, about coming back bigger and better, QM1 comes too manic to promote change, San Xiao Shang comes too monotone to promote, well, anything, and BADBOYRACOG ends it with a constant barrage of a rhyme that feels overly repetitive, especially considering Sowut already started it with a better hook.
Who to watch for? With techno producer Diskonnected, Sowut has two of the best rap singles of the year on his hands, with “JOY” and “Benjamin.” “JOY” might be the more impressive for how well the instrumental works with Sowut: right as you think the track is ending, Sowut turns around only to rev himself up even further, the stage filled with mechanical sighs and shadowy whispers.
So do The Rappers work as a set of albums? Despite its lows, it feels fairly consistent, but it works better like the show, as a way to explore some of the newest of Taiwanese rap scene. Mandarin rap is constantly morphing, even within an artist’s catalogue, but the 11 tracks represent a nice starting point if you’re looking to better understand the emerging scene in Taiwan.
Find it on streaming here: Vol. 1: Spotify // Apple Music / Vol. 2: Spotify // Apple Music
Find the playlist of solo selections here: Youtube
Singles
Yao Chen - “莫比烏斯的日落”
There’s been a lot of movement in the Produce-style idol groups in the past few months. INTO1 announced their lineup to fanfare with their first mini “released” last month (according to QQ music, songs are still trickling out) while the top contestants from Youth with You 3 quietly debuted as IXFORM after the premature cancellation of the series. BONBON GIRLS 303 celebrated their first anniversary with a track that at one point turns into a cool drum line.
R1SE disbanded, releasing their members to new solo careers. Former member Yao Chen, released his debut single-album, 不必回答, but the B-side is the more enjoyable track. “莫比烏斯的日落” (“Mobius Sunset”) rolls sweetly like the end-credits, Yao Chen’s voice blurring into the setting sun through the autotuned chorus. “莫比烏斯的日落” lives in its own bubble, constantly wishing for time to rest in its infinite loop, bathing you in the pinks of blues of the fading rays of the sun. It’s sweet nostalgia—Yao finds the perfect way to say goodbye to his former group while moving on to his own solo career.
see also: Sunnee - “Want To”
Queen Suitcase - “When The Mist Is Passing Away”
Keeping with nostalgia: “When The Mist Is Passing Away” sounds like an older ballad but in the reverse way of what “萬年” was: bigger emotions packed in a smaller, more fragile, container. “When The Mist Is Passing Away” ruminates on the same kind of sadness, on a love once lost where sorrow now bleeds into the past happiness. But unlike “萬年,” everything isn’t quite so explicit, the scariest parts in the words unsaid, and midway through, Queen Suitcase leave you to contemplate the past in the track’s misty reverb.
Julia Wu - “better off without you (feat. E.SO)”
Back in December, for an interview with Taiwan Beats, Julia Wu talked about her upcoming fourth album. The hope was to release it that month before the end of the year and well, that didn’t happen. Instead, we got “混亂的台北,” a stately R&B ballad about how the world looks a little different without that one person, and the promise of an album out this year. Now, it looks like Wu is finally making good on that promise, with her fourth studio album out at the end of the month and riding off “better off without you,” she couldn’t have picked a better time.
Previous singles “Paris” and “Floaty Shit,” explored break-ups with the same tragedy of “混亂的台北,” but “better off without you” moves past the sadness, viewing an ex only with bitter intensity, a brief detour who wasted your time. There’s joy in it, but not from an ex, merely in the way she and rapper E.SO celebrate themselves. The hook seems to take after her collaboration with Kunda Hsieh from earlier this year, “I really wanna see u now,” celebratory where the other was needy, but still retaining the same bubbliness even when flipping it from dependence to independence. “better off without you” also manages to be funny: Wu’s feigned sadness in the second verse quickly turns into a snide joke, and when she sings the line “not that kind of Instagram models, no, don’t got that body,” she flaunts what she has, flipping the bird and pushing up her chest. E.SO also gets the last laugh, rapping “you forgot one thing, I’m a fucking rap star,” without a trace of humility, merely derisive. The pair find the joy of truly moving on, and the empty space that sounded daunting in “混亂的台北” now simply sounds like having a slightly bigger bed. On its coda, Wu sings “once there were two pillows,” yet where you expect the sadness to arrive, she follows with “both were mine” and a satisfied little trill—a final giggle before tossing the trash. There’s something healing about accepting the space in “混亂的台北,” but “better off without you” feels invigorating, that perhaps there’s something more fulfilling in getting wine-drunk and stabbing a dressed-up pillow with your best friends, joy in truly moving on.
Find the Mando Gap playlist on Spotify here and me on Twitter here.