Are you ready to embark on an auditory journey where melodies transcend language barriers? We promise to take you on a musical adventure that will shake your impression of Japanese music. Today, we have some special treats - the understated but impactful "Mainstream", the dreamy R&B track, "SOS", and the nostalgic yet contemporary "Grow Up" from the talented BE:FIRST. These aren't just songs; they're stories packed with emotion, longing, guidance, and growth.
The title track "Mainstream' has an intense yet subtle driving force keeping you riveted throughout its varying music stylings. If you're a fan of smooth beats and soulful lyrics, "SOS" will leave you floating in a dreamy reverie. We also take a trip down memory lane with "Grow Up", its infectious rhythm and reminiscing 90s vibe will undoubtedly transport you back to your clubbing days. Together, we scrutinize the track's production value, harmonious vocal ranges, and cleverly interwoven rap segments. Tune in as we celebrate the power of music and its capability to magically connect us all, irrespective of geographical borders.
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OK ASIA
Are you ready to embark on an auditory journey where melodies transcend language barriers? We promise to take you on a musical adventure that will shake your impression of Japanese music. Today, we have some special treats - the understated but impactful "Mainstream", the dreamy R&B track, "SOS", and the nostalgic yet contemporary "Grow Up" from the talented BE:FIRST. These aren't just songs; they're stories packed with emotion, longing, guidance, and growth.
The title track "Mainstream' has an intense yet subtle driving force keeping you riveted throughout its varying music stylings. If you're a fan of smooth beats and soulful lyrics, "SOS" will leave you floating in a dreamy reverie. We also take a trip down memory lane with "Grow Up", its infectious rhythm and reminiscing 90s vibe will undoubtedly transport you back to your clubbing days. Together, we scrutinize the track's production value, harmonious vocal ranges, and cleverly interwoven rap segments. Tune in as we celebrate the power of music and its capability to magically connect us all, irrespective of geographical borders.
BE:FIRST info:
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Please help Music Elixir by rating, reviewing, and sharing the episode. We appreciate your support!
Follow us on:
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DJ Panic Blog:
OK ASIA
Hello, this is Tannick and this is Sarah and you are listening to Music Elixir a podcast between two friends discussing their favorite Asian artists in music. Hello everybody, welcome to another episode of Music Elixir. I'm Sarah, and with me is I am DJ Tannick, the dynamic opening. Okay, yeah, that's good. Well, did you like how I you know? The dynamic opening.
Speaker 1:As you can tell, sarah and I have taken some time off Because there was an episode this week, right? Well, you know, there was an episode in a week, correct? So yeah, so I took some time off, which I'm not gonna discuss on this episode we're gonna discuss it on our Ransom Rambling.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:Which we have some story to tell for each of our trips. So, yeah, we took some time off and with our families.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, Much needed, much needed time off, I think I just said that the same time Much needed.
Speaker 1:Even though we're apart, we're still the same. The twincies, the Pisces twinsies.
Speaker 2:The great connection Starting to share a brain. This is crazy. Always my favorite word crazy. I gotta move on from that one. Why, I don't know. I say insane a lot too.
Speaker 1:You know what I've been saying a lot lately? What this shit show, yeah, oh my god, I'm saying that on everything. I'm like I need to stop. I need to say something else.
Speaker 2:Well, you know what I actually found? A pair of socks that say Grandmaster of the Shit Show.
Speaker 1:No, yes, no.
Speaker 2:Get out Totally. I love them. They're awesome. Oh, now I want a pair, or is it Ringmaster? Ringmaster of the Shit Show, maybe Nice?
Speaker 1:Hey, we're supposed to be the Pisces villain, right? Yes we are, which you know it's been happening. I know I have been causing chaos somewhere for some reason. I don't know about you. How about you? Have you started chaos, Probably?
Speaker 2:Without your notice, I leave a wake of chaos wherever I go.
Speaker 1:You're like oh, it was a really nice day. I'm behind you, Something's happening. You're like do-do-do, oh jeez.
Speaker 2:Oh jeez.
Speaker 1:Anyways.
Speaker 2:We keep doing that. We keep doing that. We're both like, oh my god.
Speaker 1:Anyways, today's episode is a special request by a very loving fandom, one of the many loving fandoms that are behind us, and we appreciate them so much. Yes, we do, so I'm just going to shout out the fandom name. All right, so this is for our besties. Yeah, yay, thank you, besties, for supporting us and not only just being subscribers, because you know we have a being subscribers of Musical Lixer, which is thank you, it's so important. We appreciate that. You know you're keeping us on a move, you know, yes, going forward, exactly Helping us go forward.
Speaker 1:We have a goal and you know if, when you become a subscriber, you're helping us to reach that goal. So, with that being said, please become our subscriber. You can find, actually, that on our website, which is musicallixerbossproutcom, you can find the link on actual the show notes from wherever you're listening to, from whatever platform.
Speaker 2:You're listening to.
Speaker 1:I can't even talk. I was trying to talk properly, but I just backfire. I just suck, the way I always do. You can find it on the platforms, on the show notes. All the information is there. So please, please, please, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, because it's everybody out in Japan, so thank you.
Speaker 2:Is it on? Yeah, I guess it is only the besties in Japan.
Speaker 1:Yeah, besties in Japan. We're trying to reach out also some global besties, which is, you know, that's one of our goals that we have here for Musical Lixer is to push those, that information, to other countries about awesome artists in Asia. Exactly, yes.
Speaker 2:As well as reach everybody with all of this great music.
Speaker 1:Yes, and, of course, you don't need to know the language. You can go by the feel of the music. That's what I always say Music is a universal language.
Speaker 2:Crosses all borders. Exactly, there are no borders. In fact, when it comes to music, everybody can feel it, everybody can. You know vibe to it. I mean not everything's your vibe, but give it a listen, you never know. I've had some surprising things where I was like I don't know, I don't know if I'm going to like this, and then I do. But we're music addicts, so yeah, it's hard to find something we don't like.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:Well, there was one episode that we poo poo the lyrics but Right, that's different, that's different, you know, and if and if you don't, well, it was all in English. So I was going to say if you don't understand the words, you can just appreciate the sound. Oh yeah, you know the group's vocals were.
Speaker 1:They're amazing. I do love the girls. Well, this is a girl group that we talked about on a past episode on the singles. You should know, because at the end my disappointment was like please go check out that episode.
Speaker 2:And you.
Speaker 1:I don't want to say too much because I want to concentrate on B first, which I know they dropped this album back on September 13th, but hey, we wanted to give some time to actually just listen to it. Plus, of course, we were on vacay and you know it was a request and of course, yay.
Speaker 2:So here we go, we're going to talk about this.
Speaker 1:Will you call this a Maxi EP?
Speaker 2:It's only three songs. So yeah, it's not even a mini album, it's, it's a Maxi CD.
Speaker 1:Yeah, right, like a Maxi. It just is only three songs. But oh, let me tell you, it might be three songs, but they're all amazing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, it's, it's awesome. I was listening to it everywhere.
Speaker 1:It's amazing.
Speaker 1:And of course, from this album of this Maxi, you know, EP mainstream was the one that actually just came out first from it and we're going to start talking about mainstream, all right, all right, you want me to start or you want to start, you can go ahead. All right, mainstream. Well, like I will say, it's a strong comeback for the group.
Speaker 1:The song might not have those strong dance beats if you listen to it, but it has like a. It's hip hop, but like minimalistic, because it's not even like like we always hear the very heavy bass you know the fat bass that we love, yeah, but you can hear, hear that hip hop tracks that are just like they're in the background, because I'd best to showcase the group's vocals. What I'd be noticing on this song is the vocals ability, the rap, to the melodic. This and also, I think, because of the message that also this song has, I'm glad that the the composition of the music is very minimalistic because with the song it's just they want to project more with the lyrics as how they are creators and then, of course, and the voices. Please, yeah, please.
Speaker 2:Amazing? Yes, they are. I agree with you. It's very, very minimalistic, to sort of. I think it's sort of backs up the idea of creation. Because when I was listening to that like every time I listened to it I sort of had a different impression of it, because that that digital dude, dude, dude I was like what is this reminding me of? So first, first thing that came to my head was like a situation room for like military operations. They've got all these little electronic sounds and they're making a plan. And then I was like wait a minute, nope, this time it sounds like medical equipment, like taking your vital signs, and again, this is tracking something, trying to figure out a pattern or where something's going. And then that led me to say, oh my gosh, this is like a creation thing, like Frankenstein, this is. And so when they're talking about creating a trend, and we're going to make a trend, they are creating themselves, basically. So it's just, it was so cool. And so I had all these different things like just going through my head and I was like, wow, so they're creating their own trend. Basically they're, they're making themselves into mega stars, right, cause they talk about that we're going to. And so that ties into.
Speaker 2:I listened to it a lot first and then I watched the video. Very post-apocalyptic sort of future sci-fi video. They start underground like time machine. You know, with the everybody has to live underground and then they slowly come up to the surface and then they move up to the top of a high rise and they've they're reaching the pinnacle of what they're doing. So it's really really cool to see the transitions through the video and they're dancing in. That is so awesome. They looked so great doing that cool. Cool video too. I don't. You must have watched the video.
Speaker 1:I have not seen the video yet. Oh my God.
Speaker 2:Oh no, it's. It's again same sort of like the music. It's minimalistic in many ways cause it's very monochrome the color. There's no bright colors happening, except for one of the members hair.
Speaker 1:Oh, is it the one of them? Yes, oh my God, I love his hair. When it came out for this, the promos for this EP, I'm like, oh my God, I love this, love this. This is the one that he just has a crew cut, right, right, buzzcutting. It's red Like cherry red. It's awesome.
Speaker 2:I'm like yes, yes and one of them has, like the silver white hair. That's cool too, yeah, but that's just over done.
Speaker 1:But I'm so happy about this. There was one member who was just there enough to actually cut crew cut their hair.
Speaker 2:Yeah no, it's like a buzz cut. It's seriously like right along his head. Love it.
Speaker 1:Which of course I fell in love because I'm like I'm feeling like Sarah when she sees hair. They're like I love you. I'm like, well, you only think of her hair. But now I'm like, dang it.
Speaker 2:Yes, thank you, sarah.
Speaker 1:Now I'm like, I like that boy. I love the hair. No, he's an amazing artist.
Speaker 2:Yes, you should definitely check out the video because it's really cool how it goes, again with that sort of idea of building up like creating something amazing, which they did with this song. It's so cool. But I have to say, every time I listened to it there was one line that I was like what are they? Did they just say? I looked up the lyrics because I was like what are they saying there? And it's like super busting or busting car.
Speaker 1:But the way they say oh, yeah, yeah, I know I'm almost like a super put what? Yeah, yeah, I know I'm like. I know they're not saying that, I know it's not saying that Exactly.
Speaker 2:I was like because what does that got to do with anything? But I was like I can't not hear it. No, I know. So when you listen to the song you'll know what I'm talking about?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I know.
Speaker 2:But other than that, yeah, no, everything. This was so well produced.
Speaker 1:Yes, of course, guy Hi.
Speaker 2:I know right, but it is. It's danceable enough that like you feel it and you do, you do need to sort of do a little. Do do do To yourself, wherever you're sitting, if you're driving, whatever.
Speaker 1:So no, it's an attitude song. Definitely the two songs that we love, mm? Hmm, definitely. Okay, all right. Next song.
Speaker 2:Are we going in order? Yes, all right. The next one is SOS. I love this. It's got nice, smooth beats, their voices are beautiful, great harmonizing and it's counterbalanced with some of the like auto tune and wraps, the falsetto, I mean, like they really they go all across the board with this song and it's just, it's nice and smooth and relaxing. I got the feeling out of it that it's exactly what you would think. They're sort of asking someone to like help them, save them. I don't know if they're you know, fixing a relationship or they feel like they're drowning in a relationship. You know, but they're you do you get the overall sense that this is like almost an intimate moment? Not necessarily, again, a romantically inclined, but it's. Two people really start trying to talk and say I just I need you to help me. I'm sending out my S-O-S-T-U and so it's just all the vocals and the way they intermix the various sounds with it. It's just awesome. It's awesome.
Speaker 1:Yeah, this is this. For me, this is an R&B song that goes from the classic to modern sound within the genre of R&B. You know, I love dreamy songs and this is a dreamy song, you know, and it has that vibe. Those vibes are just just prominent in the song, just the dreaminess, the seductiveness, woo, please.
Speaker 1:It's so charming. The vocals are just perfect. They're just perfect. But yes, even though, like you said, the autotune or the slight distortion on, maybe on some of the parts, not heavily, because you have been seeing a lot of groups, that being the production, they have been putting it heavily. There's one song from another group that I'm like why are they doing this, but not on this one? This was just an accent.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it would be used as an accent which?
Speaker 1:I appreciate because the group does have amazing vocals. They are great vocalists and this right here again showcasing their range, showcasing their seductiveness. I'm having chills because I love this song about that. But yeah, this is like you were saying. I agree with you that this is more a conversation between somebody that you have an attract, you're attracted to, and this is not. I don't feel it like they're being lost. It's just more like they want to be with this person and you're just like seductively or charmingly telling them how they feel about them, about them and hopefully they feel the same way about them. It's beautiful. It's just a very chill track as well. It's one that you need to be the fireplace couch with the comfy blanket, you know maybe whatever drinky, alcoholic or non-alcoholic, but something very even. The song just makes you relax and just so smooth.
Speaker 2:Well, it is, and I was going to say again. I looked up the lyrics and it's just some of the things they say in English you want me to lead all night, all night. I'm about to lose it all. So this is again. Someone talking about is swamped and doesn't know what to do, and it's like losing, losing your mind, losing all of your you know worldly thoughts and whatnot. You know, you're like I'm just, I'm going crazy. It's almost like it's a back and forth, but we're only hearing one side because of the way they're presenting it and, like you said, yeah, it is, it's totally dreamy and it is just when you say, oh, so s you're asking for help, but I don't think it's helping the way of like, absolute lost. Just help me understand what do you want, what can I do and what I need from you. I think they're also sort of getting at like, well, you want me to lead, but what do I? What do I need to do?
Speaker 1:Oh, you know what I mean, sos, I'm thinking I don't want to lose my mind because you, you know I love you, you know I like you so much, or I like you know I love you so much. That don't make me lose my mind, sos, I'm in danger. You know these are my emotions, just some proposing to you my love right.
Speaker 2:You know. Well, that's what I was when I was listening to it. I was trying to think I was like either they feel like they're losing control of the relationship, or that they're, they're drowning in it and they need to know what to do to fix it. Yeah, it was. It's sort of a mixed thing, because either way, the way the vocals are, the emotion of it is very much sympathetic. Really they're. They're like I want to understand, I want to know what to do, but you've got to help me. You know you want me to lead this, but I need. I can't do it alone.
Speaker 1:It's definitely not a torchy song.
Speaker 2:No, no, we have heard the torch. Oh yeah, no, it's not, or no?
Speaker 1:this is just letting you know. You know this, my, our feelings. It just feels like I'm letting you know how I feel about you, right, you know? And please help me not drown in my sorrow, and not my sorrow, but in my love that I have for you. I hope you have the same feelings about me.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So when they say you know you want me to lead, but like we need to be in this together, so you got to help me. So I'm sending you an SOS because the struggle. Yeah, yes we got to work together here I. Love you, boo Like come on, yeah, no it's a very sweet, sweet song and just relaxing mellow yes.
Speaker 1:Definitely the Fire Police song yeah, grow up, which is my fave. It's so funny. That is is the last song on the maxi and it's just. It's my fave. It's my fave is my fave. I I Like sky-high's production. He knows what. He knows what he's doing.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, all the time.
Speaker 1:He knows why I like Look at me, he's doing it for me. Besties are like besties. You know I'm only joking, please.
Speaker 2:Our sarcasm.
Speaker 1:Also Americans and British people are. Sarcasm is awful.
Speaker 2:You know, please. Yeah, sometimes it's like the sense of humor is a little misplaced. Oh yeah, People don't get it yeah.
Speaker 1:We do not take this my heart. I'm being sarcastic, all right, but yes, grow up. Whoo, this is dance club. It's giving me 90s vibes. There's like Euro feel with this composition. Oh, love the pump, pump, pump, hey, love it. Their vocals again, sweet harmonies. Hmm, chills again, whoo. As well as the rap segments. Mmm, I like it. They're not all on your face, but it is just like it's enough, you know, to give you, to get your attention. Yeah. I was just gonna say to grab your attention right.
Speaker 1:This is more what I see. This. This is more of a conversation with besties and the audience and holding with this also attack another attack, attract Future, future besties. With this song Love. It is danceable. All I want to do is dance, and I had it on repeat for a long time. I think I have gave them at least 10,000 blitzens Because it was constant. It's just a dance that hold it 90s vibe dance. I love that sound. Well, hello, that was like my club era, our club era, yeah, so you know, it just feels nostalgic for me. So I love it. So that's why I love this song so much.
Speaker 2:Well, I was gonna say, plus saying, grow up. Yeah, you know they're. They're talking about Sort of like with mainstream, moving, moving forward, moving along. What I like is, with this, that sort of gentle organ that starts in yep and then the, the vocals, another they got a lot of falsetto going on in this then it transitions into sort of this jazzy like Upbeat dance tune and then even more into a techno dance, so it's really again Production value from sky high is just amazing. Right, there's also, I think, what adds to the nostalgia is a part of this. There was this like little tinkling synth sound. Yeah, that made me think of a music box.
Speaker 2:Mm-hmm in a music box is nostalgia and it's something you grow up out of you know as more as girls than boys would but it was sort of funny to me because I was like, oh, this reminds me of my child. You know, you open to the box a little band arena spinning yeah.
Speaker 1:I have to lose so.
Speaker 2:So I was like that's, you know, and it's got this sort of magical, sparkly feeling to it and you're like, oh, and they're talking about, though, you know, the sort of coming through the stages of your life and reaching a certain point. You know you're always growing, you're always moving forward. So they're just like, yeah, let's all grow up together. They want the audience to move forward with them. So this could actually lead into the, you know, mainstream. Yeah, it's sort of like the precursor to mainstream. Yeah, like here we are. So, but it's just I sort of felt like they were talking about their journey, growing as a group, where they've started from, where they're going to. And you know they're just like, yep, gotta grow. I can't do a falsetto.
Speaker 1:No, but it's like we'll leave it to the group.
Speaker 2:But you know what I mean. It's just, and even you know, that sort of had some flashback to like 70s. You know earth, wind and fire. They're one of my favorites to refer to because they were huge.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And it's got that sort that, that tone to it. So, it's again the moving through the past to the present and looking to the future. Just, it's a great song. I do agree with you, but I think of all of them, mainstream is. I was like I always wanted to hear that one.
Speaker 1:I don't know why, mainstream I do want to agree that one also, as well as is very, very good, really grabbed me Fave as much. The whole thing is my faves.
Speaker 2:It's, it's, no, it's great.
Speaker 1:It's one to leave on a loop. The whole maxi is the one to leave for a loop. Now I do I don't know, it's just grow up have that vibe that I needed. You know it's always a song that is just like I need to hear that one. You know, like it gives you a peaceful zone that I don't know why it was giving me that peaceful zone.
Speaker 2:So I like because it did, it had a lot of elements to it that were very much reflective. You, you look back on things and you're like, oh yeah, and you know it makes you review everything that was going on. But I think it was because mainstream is so different than the other two. I think that's why it sort of stood out to me and I was like I really like this yeah, is that minimal hip hop? Yeah, you know it's so attractive it was great, it's not.
Speaker 1:You know you have your in your face rap. You know this was just minimalistic, it was perfect. You know it's very easy to listen to Right. You know it's not scary.
Speaker 2:It didn't interfere with what you were doing. It just sort of propelled you along, kept you, kept you going in that like a conversation it was good. It was nice steady motion through the whole thing. That's so awesome. But the whole album, everything, everything had its own vibe and everything has its own moment that you need to listen to it.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:It's.
Speaker 1:I. Overall the EP is, for me, heavily focused on the group's vocals. The music composition was minimal for that purpose, which I appreciate. So that's my take on this album mainstream for the group and I love that. Love the showcasing, the group's vocals.
Speaker 2:Now, I agree that it's definitely they were trying not to overshadow with the music. Like a lot of groups, artists rely on a lot of, you know, complex background and I I love that too, I really do. But there's a time where you need to just focus on the sound of the voices and what they're trying to project. Right, and I think that's what they're doing with this, because we've covered some B-first stuff before and we always enjoy their music. But this definitely stood out more to me as a whole, the whole set, because even though mainstream is so completely different than SOS and Grow Up, it still works as a whole maxi album.
Speaker 1:You know what I mean? The whole album that vibe is yeah, amazing.
Speaker 2:And every song showcased their voices in a different way. They focused on different aspects of vocals in each song, so I think that that was very purposefully calculated, of course, and again, that's why Sky High is a genius, right, of course that's why Sky High is a genius, exactly.
Speaker 1:And, yeah, I can't wait for an album which I think the group is working on.
Speaker 2:Like a full length. Yeah, oh, you know we should throw in now too, because it's early enough. Yes, they're going to be part of a festival in November, november 5th yes, I'm waiting Did you heard yeah, they want to live stream it. Yes, girl, which would be awesome, because international fans are so ready for this.
Speaker 1:Oh, my god yes, so ready.
Speaker 2:Yes, and in this I think as much as the pandemic sucked. This is one of the great outcomes of it it's a lot of artists realized they could still perform, they could still do a concert, live streaming, and even now that people get to go in person, it's a great way of bringing music to everybody, because we can't travel to Japan to see this. It's going to be a Yokohama arena for anyone who's in the area and doesn't know yet.
Speaker 1:I don't know how you can't know.
Speaker 2:but so November 5th, Yokohama arena, and we are so hoping that they do this international live streaming because they've talked about it. I saw that tweet, so if they, can make it work.
Speaker 1:Yeah, the ex tweet. I'm calling it a tweet and I'm like, yes, please, thank you, I'm so happy, Even families. I'm like they're like I want to, I want to, I want to see, and I'm like, don't worry, because I do want to see. So we'll, you know, we'll share the cost and then we'll, we'll be watching. We're like we'll take the day off.
Speaker 2:Well, that's because you and I should watch it together, actually.
Speaker 1:And then we can do a talk about it, because we've done that with other groups that live stream Exactly. And be first, definitely, we enjoy that.
Speaker 2:I don't even know know the whole lineup of artists. I just know they're going to be there and that's oh no girl.
Speaker 1:There's some other group in there too, that is like I think Novel Core Core is going to be also be there, yes it's going to be all of BMSG.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, current live artists yes, yes, Talent. That is already out there.
Speaker 2:Like I said, I think I looked quickly at a couple of names of people that were, but I was mostly focused on. I was like wait, be first. Yes, live somewhere.
Speaker 1:I know girl, I know girl, I'm so happy.
Speaker 2:Yes, definitely. So we can't wait for that. Well, I'm sure besties are happy too.
Speaker 1:Oh my goodness, yes, international besties. Yes, I've been seeing them. Let me send the comments. I'm like sky high, bring it out to the world.
Speaker 2:Absolutely Love you.
Speaker 1:I love him. I love him because you know he's like there's talent here and I'm bringing it to the world. Hey, yeah, all right.
Speaker 2:Definitely.
Speaker 1:Anything else.
Speaker 2:No, just definitely people check it out the album's on Spotify, so you can find it On streaming services?
Speaker 1:Definitely yes. So thank you, besties, very much for your love and support and your request to actually talk about this amazing Maxi by be first yes, so please rate, review and share, share, share. Give us five stars because we love our constellation. Yeah, yeah, yeah, and please become a subscriber. We will appreciate that a lot. Yes, please help us out. We appreciate and appreciate the besties who have become subscribers. Thank you, thank you. Thank you. Yes, definitely, all right, until next time, bye, bye, yeah.