2012 Open World Music Dance Party

As with last year, this year Open World Music is having a dance party in my newly renovated dance hall - "The Geyer Palladium" (aka my family room).  A new sound system is installed.  New lighting has been turned on.  All we need now is a playlist.

Well, here it is:

1)  Blumio (Germany): Intro
2)  Carly Rae Jespen vs. PSY (USA/South Korea):  Call Me Gangnam
3)  Fettes Brot (Germany):  Kontrolle
4)  Irie Révoltés (Germany):  Explosion
5)  Malik Adouane (Algeria):  Get Up I Feel Like Being a Sex Machine
6)  Boris Grebenschikov and Aquarium (Russia):  Shumelka
7)  Scandal (Japan):  Shojo S
8)  2NE1 (South Korea):  I Am the Best
9)  Marteria, Yasha, and Miss Platnum (Germany):  Feuer
10)  Dendemann (Germany):  Stumpf ist Tumpf 3.0
11)  Paula (Germany):  C'est comme ça
12)  Rachid Taha (Algeria):  Rock the Casbah
13)  Laing (Germany):  Neue Liebe
14)  Culcha Candela (Germany):  Schöne Neue Welt
15)  Nosliw (Germany):  Heiss und laut
16)  Mexican Institute of Sound (Mexico):  Yo Diga Baila
17)  Seeed (Germany):  Seeeds Haus
18)  Plastilina Mosh (Mexico):  Naranjada

This playlist has been test marketed by my 7 year old daughter, and she gives it two enthusiastic thumbs up.  I hope you enjoy it too!

Merry Christmas from Open World Music!!!!

Music Video: 2NE1 - I Am the Best

Let's just get this out in the open:  I generally don't like corporately manufactured music.  In my mind, music should have elements of spontaneity and should represent an emotional connection between the musician and the listener, not be seamlessly prepared by committees and manipulated to sell "product".  Unfortunately, much of what is coming out of east Asia falls under the corporate music umbrella, which is generally why I don't profile much of it here.  There are, of course, massive exceptions like Joyside from China, or ZukunaSisters from Japan.  But unfortunately acts like those are seldom ever heard outside of their home countries, while female Korean versions of NSync pack Madison Square Garden (true story).

That brings us to today's band, 2NE1 and their song I Am the Best.  They are typical of the current crop of Korean (aka "K-Pop") groups.  The group consists of several young attractive women, who are flawless dancers, and who have probably never even met the musicians (well, programmers) who play the music to which they sing along.  It's all so commercial. . . and soulless. . . and empty. . .

. . . and. . .

. . . well, dammit, so catchy!  I want to hate I Am the Best and everything that it represents.  And I will - I promise - as soon as I stop dancing along.