Review

Reviewing Every KIS-MY-FT2 Single: Shake It Up

shake it upIn honor of Kis-My-Ft2’s complete videography being uploaded to YouTube (in edited form, of course…), I can’t resist writing about each single. To put this in context for Bias List readers, Kis-My-Ft2 (or Kisumai, as they’re often known) are my J-pop version of Infinite. That’s how much I love them and their discography.

Yet, I rarely write about them because finding online links to their music was so hard… until now!


Shake It Up (2012)

Shake It Up is part of a double a-side with Wanna Beee!!!, and offers a contrasting vibe. This is one of the group’s strongest party tracks. It’s about as catchy as pop music gets, taking influence from the glitchy electro hip-hop sound popularized by groups like LMFAO. Like many of these early Kisumai tracks, its exuberance could easily be mistaken for novelty. But, these hooks hold up. You can’t ask for a better workout song than this. It just makes you feel good.

Come to think of it, Kis-My-Ft2 tend to rap more often than a lot of Johnny’s groups – particularly in their early days. It’s a somewhat goofy, exaggerated form of the genre. But, that approach injects tons of character. Even so, Shake It Up stakes its biggest claim on that excellent chorus and jagged synth hook.

The music video is wonderfully awkward and dominated by the song’s catchy choreography. I need to get to this dance club asap.

Hooks 9
 Production 9
 Longevity 9
 Bias 10
 RATING 9.25

4 thoughts on “Reviewing Every KIS-MY-FT2 Single: Shake It Up

  1. I wasn’t feeling this one as much. I think the LMAO-ness of it is what makes it hard to get into. I like the chorus though and the video was T-ara if they ever found a club with no zombies lol. Seriously though, I really appreciate how organic jpop groups feel. They seem to have an approach of having fun over worrying about being completely insync, It’s a lot more inviting in my opinion

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  2. In my opinion, This is my least favorite single of theirs SO FAR. I just feel like this doesn’t have the unique campy qualities which their past singles have and the melodies are a little weaker around this time.
    Still extremely good though, and it might even grow on me.

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    • That’s so funny because I remember not loving it for a while either, but it worked its way up the ladder with more plays and more familiarity. In fact, that’s the way a lot of these songs have gone for me.

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