Tag Archives: electropop

Song of the Day: Information High (by Yoko Kanno)

Posted on by Arleigh

“Information High,” by Yoko Kanno for Macross Plus, is a track that’s as electrifying as it is fitting for the anime’s sleek, futuristic vibe. From the moment it kicks in, you get caught up in its propulsive beat and layered electronic sounds that perfectly capture the sense of speed and technological buzz that define the series. It doesn’t just sit in the background but actively drives the energy forward, mirroring the fast-paced aerial dogfights and the intense emotions swirling underneath the sci-fi setting. There’s a hypnotic quality to it — like the perfect soundtrack for a world where human experience and digital overload collide.

What really strikes about “Information High” is how it balances mechanical precision with a playful, almost funky undertone. It’s not simply cold or robotic; Kanno brings in just enough warmth and groove to humanize the electronic pulse, making the song feel alive and vibrant rather than sterile. This duality works beautifully with Macross Plus’s themes—characters caught between their human desires and the artificial worlds they navigate. The track feels like a bridge between those realities, capturing both the exhilaration and the subtle unease of living in an over-connected, data-saturated future.

Beyond its role as a background piece, “Information High” stands on its own as a distinctive expression of Kanno’s genius. It’s got that catchy, infectious energy that sticks with you, yet never feels repetitive or shallow. It’s clear that Kanno tailored this song to complement not just the visuals but the emotional currents of the show, subtly enhancing moments without overpowering them. For anyone familiar with Kanno’s work, this track is a perfect example of her skill in blending genres and moods into a cohesive whole that elevates the experience of the anime itself.

Information High

You know how to get eternal life
In the center of the lightning-speed waltz
Feel your soul cut by a rusty knife
As you head down for the self-destructive edge

Our satori is just floating in the core
Where we can spiritually go through the door
We’ll know how to get eternal life
While we catch the pulse from unknown satellites

If we get the transient facts
Then we’ll feel the info high
If we get the transient facts
Then we are really free
To fly high
In space

We know how to get eternal high
In the center of the lightning-speed waltz
See our soul struggling to survive
As we head down for the self-destructive edge

Sayonara to intrusive noise
No more childish play and no more toys
We know how to get eternal life
While we feel and sense mother nature’s strong might

If we get the transient facts
Then we’ll feel the info high
If we get the transient facts
Then we’ll feel the info high
If we get the transient facts
Then we’ll feel the info high
If we get the transient facts
Then we are really free
To fly high
In space

If we get the transient facts
Then we’ll feel the info high
If we get the transient facts
Then we’ll feel the info high
If we get the transient facts
Then we’ll feel the info high
If we get the transient facts
Then we’ll feel the info high
If we get the transient facts
Then we’ll feel the info high
If we get the transient facts
Then we’ll feel the info high
If we get the transient facts
Then we’ll feel the info high
If we get the transient facts
Then we are really free
To fly high
In space

Song of the Day: Kill Bill (by Brown Eyed Girls)

Posted on by Arleigh

BEG Kill Bill

This is not the first time I’ve featured the K-Pop girl group Brown Eyed Girls. Their 2008 song, “Abracadabra,” was featured as a song of the day. It was really that song that first introduced me to K-Pop. While my interest didn’t skyrocket after that song, it did simmer for a few years before I was finally fully on-board.

The latest K-Pop Song of the Day is from B.E.G. and it’s their 2013 single release from their 5th studio album, Black Box. It’s a song titled “Kill Bill” and the song and accompanying music video is a homage to the 2003 Quentin Tarantino grindhouse mash-up. Even the music video literally lifts sequences and camera shots from the film.

Some have called this a loving tribute to the film of the same name which inspired the song. Others have called it a blatant rip-off. No matter which side one is on the song showcases the group’s ability to remain relevant in a music industry that either caters to the cute, bubblegum pop scene or to the overtly sexual (at times way too sexual) aesthetic.

B.E.G. continues to show that they can still bring a more mature visual that toes the line between the two extremes of cute and sexual. This is not to say that the song is just all about the visuals. “Kill Bill” is a catchy tune that  shows it’s Western-infused sound of acoustic guitars, bluesy electric guitar riffs and the ever-present whistling of past Spaghetti Western scores.

Song of the Day: Lion Heart (by Girls’ Generation)

Posted on by Arleigh

Girls Generation Lion Heart.jpg

The latest Song of the Day: K-Pop Edition comes courtesy of the girl group who has helped usher in the worldwide success of the genre beyond just the borders of South Korea and the surrounding region. Girls’ Generation (aka SNSD) has been one of the biggest K-Pop girl groups since they debut in 2007.

Girls’ Generation originally had 9 members, but since 2014 has been promoted as an 8-member group after one of it’s original members, Jessica Jung was removed from the group due to conflicting schedules. Yet, despite this the group never lost a beat and continued to crank out hits after hits.

Their musical style was typical of the K-Pop groups which has been heavily influenced by dancepop and electropop. This made their earlier releases and accompanying music videos to be very high-energy with the bubbly, sugarpop aesthetics of other girl groups of the time.

Things began to evolve with each new album release and while the group still retains their high-energy dance and electropop origins they’ve also added hip-hop and punkpop to their repertoire. They remain cute and accessible, but now with a nice edge to round them out.

This could be seen with their “Lion Heart” release and especially with their msuci video for the song. The song itself has basis on bubblepop with some soul infusion to give it a retro sound. The video itself conveys a 60’s-retro aesthetic mixed with the candy color palette of past K-Pop videos.

And as the image above shows, the video also shows a bit more of the group’s ever present sultry side as choreographer Tony Testa and in-house choreographer Shim Jaewon get the ladies to provocatively get low with their hip sways and rolls.

It’s definitely a nice bit of dance move that’s hypnotic and catches the viewer’s eye. It’s especially surprising in contrast to the glittering, Flapper-style fashion the group wears in the video during the song’s breaks.

Girls’ Generation is one group from the previous generation that I would recommend for those new to the K-Pop scene. While the group itself is now down to 5-members, they still continue to make an impact on the K-Pop music industry and have cemented their legacy as one of the first K-Pop groups break through beyond Korea and the surrounding region and be successful globally.

 

Song of the Day: Miniskirt (by AOA)

Posted on by Arleigh

AOA Miniskirt

We may be seeing a pattern now when it comes to the K-Pop Edition of the Song of the Day feature. While K-Pop has been typically known for the cutesy and bubblegum pop that has made them a worldwide sensation, it’s worth noting that K-Pop girl groups have been expressing their sexier and more mature side.

This side of the K-Pop scene has it’s own followers and fans just as the high-energy and cute side has it’s legions. I will even suggest that some contributors to this site have a personal preference for the latter. I, for one, prefer the sexier, sultry side of K-Pop though I’m not averse for some sugar-high once in awhile.

The group AOA, consisting of 8 members (Choa, Jimin, Chanmi, Youkyung, Yuna, Hyejeong, Seolhyun and Mina), and their 2016 release, “Miniskirt,” is today’s latest Song of the Day. It’s a good combination of sexiness and enough uptempo to the song’s melody that it should appeal to the dancepop crowd. While it doesn’t have that bubblegum pop energy it showcases a much more flirtatious mood with the theme of high-heels and thigh-high stockings.

Even my fellow co-founder, who is probably learning about K-Pop through these K-Pop postings, will enjoy this song and video if just for the sultry dance choreography, the fashion and, most especially, the surprise star of the video who appears in the end.

AMV of the Day: Sexy and I Know It (NSFW)

Posted on by Arleigh

To say that 2010’s Highschool of the Dead was the hit anime series for that season would be an understatement. It’s a series that about a bunch of Japanese highschool students trying to survive the sudden onset of the zombie apocalypse. You’d think that would be enough to pull in the audience, but no the Japanese anime studios needed to really hook the audience and they did so by turning it into an ecchi-fest that’s just a couple steps lower from turning into hentai.

What better way to mark the latest “AMV of the Day” that makes perfect use of LMFAO’s “Sexy and I Know It” song than using an anime that’s got an overabundance of sexy in your face. There’s nothing else to say other than just sit back and enjoy the finished work of Mystic Shaek.

Anime: Highschool of the Dead

Song: “Sexy and I Know It” by LMFAO

Creator: Mystic Shaek

Past AMVs of the Day

Song of the Day: Abracadabra (by Brown Eyed Girls)

Posted on by Arleigh

The latest “Song of the Day” comes way out from left field. I’ve posted many metal of different types, hard rock, blues, classical, film scores and even some video game scores, but I still haven’t moved into the realm of pop music from Asia. To start things off I decided on a very catchy tune from a Korean all-girl K-Pop group: Brown Eyed Girls.

Their song “Abracadabra” is a megahit with the otaku crowd and those who follow Asian pop music. I came across the song through a video that was recommended by Youtube to me. I have no idea how that happened but after watching the video I was quite thankful that it did.

I have no idea what the ladies are singing about other than what I’ve read on-line. The song is about blind love and the danger that comes with it. Sounds like a song tailor made for those of the yandere stripe. What I do know is that the group (comprised of Ga-In, Narsha, JeA and Miryo) and this song with its unique brand of hip dancing actually one of the more popular videos on-line. I guarantee that listening, or watching this video, will get it hooks into people and get them to subconsciously do the very hip dance even while sitting down.