RM - Indigo Album Thoughts(K-rap/pop)

     

   RM or Rap Monster is an artist that needs no introduction from me. He's apart of the worldwide famous South Korean Boyband; BTS. He's the group's leader and sometimes "translator". He's also the only member of the group that speaks English on a fluent level. His mother gave him tapes of the episodes of friends and he learned to speak English by constantly watching the episodes over and over again. Indigo is the rapper's very first album after releasing a mixtape. 

Tracklist:
1. Yun (With Erykah Badu)
2. Still Life (With Anderson .Paak)
3. All Day (With Tablo)
4. 건망증 (With 김사월)
5. Closer (With Paul Blanco & Mahalia)
6. Change pt.2
7. Lonely
8. Hectic (With Colde)
9. 들꽃놀이 (With 조유진)
10. No.2 (With 박지윤)

     This album wasn't what I wanted it to be. I'm going to say that right out the gate because I'm not one to sugar coat just because he's apart of a mega popular group. Indigo is more of an indie slow jam effort with ballads and mind tempo jive tunes. The collaborations really carry the album since RM doesn't sing nor does he really know how to write a catchy bridge to solidify his songs. All the charm really comes from the artists that featured here, Which is kinda sad because RM really is one of the top ten South Korean rappers. It just seemed like the hardcore hip hop side of him was dumbed down for the mainstream. His label probably didn't see the stock in him including a few hip hop tracks on his album. Fans instead get tracks that feel like expensive Starbucks on an early morning. In fact, a big chunk of the album vibes in the cafe tunes category.  Still Life is a pop soul number that carries Anderson .Paak and RM's wittyness well. Erykah Badu's feature sounds like she did it from her bed and sent it to RM..... Wild Flower is the most standout track only due to the vocal performance. 

   RM's rapping isn't without mention here. It's just that he never really "went off" like I was waiting for him to do. His word play between English and Korean is very good. Some examples can be heard all throughout the album. 

   Indigo isn't an album that I would have on constant repeat. I'm just going to be honest. The album does however have some standout moments that should be noted. 

Polin(柏霖) - The Wilderness 野蛮之荒 Album Thoughts (mando-pop)

 

  Polin originally was a dancer that has danced in Taiwan as well as the United States. He is most known for dancing in a stage production of Cats in Taiwan. I didn't even know the he was a vocalist too but I should have. Cats has a lot of musical numbers in it. The Wilderness is lin's debut into the Taiwanese music scene. 

    Out of all the Taiwanese artists that are new to the scene, Polin's music sounds the most polished. His debut doesn't feel like he is new, instead the album gives off more of an already established vocalist kind of tone. Lin plays around with a lot of styles here. He weaves through each style like he is dancing number on stage: with grace and professionalism. Obsession is a track that grips you with the its mid tempo beat that lays in between an electric guitar and a backup chorus. Purge is the opposite with an Soul/RnB undertone that supports Polin's vocal performance. I enjoyed some tracks more than others. Pop Rock is more to my tastes so you will be able to tell the tracks I liked the most. A couple of the ballads weren't too bad either surprisingly. 

     I wasn't a big fan of Polin's voice at first.... He's singing has grown on me a lot. He sings in a high register that ca either captivate or annoy.  I was leaning more toward the annoying side of things until I started to really take in his technique. 

   The Wilderness is a good album that fits right in with the Mando-pop era of today. I'm glad that I stumbled upon his music. I'm a year late now though.... 

Lighting Up The Stars(人生大事) Chinese Film Thoughts

 

  I want to call this film Lighting Up The Stairs sooo bad. [Insert me laughing] I'm not sure why I keep reading the title like that. Anyways, This film is a 2022 film that was directed by Liu Jiang Jiang and stars Zhu Yilong, Enyou Yang, Chun 'ai Li, Janice Wu, and Chuang Chen. Zhu Yilong won best actor for his performance in the film, while the film received high praise for the story direction.  

   An ex prisoner wants to works as a mortician as he runs across a little girl after the passing of her grandmother. The girl makes him have a more passionate view on life..... 

   Lighting Up The Stairs has a pretty simple storyline that deals with family problems mixed together with social problems. The film also tries to add a humor feel to the dark subject matter of giving people a final resting place. Some of the jokes hit then others don't but laughs don't surprisingly take you out of the film. A lot of the plot reminds me of Yojiro Takita's 2008 Departures without the little girl. Here in this plot, the girl represents a lot of the deep meanings about life and how the main character learns how precious each day can be. You would think that he's profession would teach him this but nope. He has to go through tribulations before he sees the real value in life. The actress that plays the little girl is cute, funny, and annoying all at the same time. Their relationship makes the film as a whole all the more meaningful. 

    I thought the acting was great. I've decided to watch this film a second time because I want to really take in the acting. My first time watching this film had me more focused on the story than anything else. Yilong defiantly lights up the stage here. 

   If you're the a person who likes meaningful films about light and death with a bit of Chinese culture mixed in then, Lighting up The Stairs is probably for you. Be mindful that the process of getting bodies ready for their funerals is one of the focuses of this film. 

 

Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom film thoughts

 

   Lunana is a 2019 film that was directed by Pawo Choyning Doriji. This is his first directorial film and it was met with rave reviews from critics. The film was also chosen for best international film at the 94th Academy Awards but didn't win. Dzongkha is the native language used in the film.  

   A men studies for four years to be a teacher but his heart isn't in it. He is one day asked to go up to the mountains to teacher students who want to learn the english language. The experience changes his life forever. 

       Lunana is a film that has a humble atmosphere from beginning to end. Something about the way the film is shot using minimal cinematic edits or effects just lets the shots stand for themselves. One scene has the teacher coming to the mountain village and having dinner with his guide. While the have dinner, the electric all of a sudden goes out..... then comes back on. It's such a humble scene because the people in this village are used to not having normal capabilities that people in the city might have. As the film goes on, the teacher finds that the children don't have a board to see the teacher write on or paper that's created using easier means. Still, these people find pride in the simple things in life such as singing songs and taking care of a cow like animal called a Yak. I enjoyed the cultural look into a culture I don't know much about. The teacher also had an awaking about his past outlook on life. Lunana's ending scene showcases this fact well. 

    All the acting was well done. The film is very much a cultural showcase for all who decide to watch this film. You wonder if you need all the technical stuff to truly be happy.

check out the trailer here: