Not many people can rebound from the pressures of creating huge hits, but PSY reaffirms his first and foremost priority goes to creating music he’s happy with. The “Gangnam Style” star has returned to the music scene with his explosive 8th full length album, PSY 8th 4×2=8!
New singles “I Luv It” and “New Face”, which lead the 10 song album, are accompanied by infamously hilarious music videos, so let’s jump right in and check them out!
It isn’t PSY if it isn’t deliciously over-the-top and he opens the music video for “I Luv It” with some horns announcing the king’s arrival and the star of our show comes into the screen with huge grin on his face, the kind of grin that makes you sit uncomfortably and wonder how PSY is going to prank you.
Unlike a typical video produced by YG Entertainment, the company behind PSY and other big names from the scene, this one conveniently enough has subtitles, which is nice because the foreign fans who have been complaining about disappointment since “Gangnam Style” shook up the world in 2012 can grasp the wit and quirk in his lyrics.
PSY might be forty now, but he’s definitely still got the moves and the flashiest fashion sense. He employs a similar video style as in his previous music videos and switches from scene to scene, each one more ridiculous than the next. For “I Luv It”, he’s recruited DJ Piko-Taro (the man behind the infectious PPAP song) and top Korean actor Lee Byung-hun (who you’ve seen in several big Hollywood franchise films!).
Musically, the song feels reminiscent of both “Gangnam Style” and incorporates some of the stylistic features of his previous album’s title track “Daddy”. Paired with the carefree lyrics of “Even if you’re a hater, I LUV IT so much!” and scenes where the music video zooms out to reveal it’s racking up views, PSY satirizes his critics and the pressures behind avoiding the dreaded title of “one-hit wonder”.
PSY meets the Grand Budapest Hotel in second lead single “New Face”, which features the classic storyline of PSY going after the girl.
The leading lady, as previously announced, is Apink’s Na-eun and like the song’s title and concept suggests, we get to see a “new face” to Na-eun (who’s known in South Korea for her beautiful figure and delicate beauty) as she and PSY dab to the addictive melody and beat over the subtle bass.
I particularly like the variation at the final chorus, where PSY implements a sort of European-pop style chorus of voices all cheering to a “new face”.
While the music videos are crazy (per usual for PSY) and are sure to bring home the views and worldwide interest, the b-tracks do an excellent job of showcasing PSY’s skills and diverse range of music styles and it doesn’t hurt that he recruits the help of labelmates BIGBANG’s Taeyang and G-Dragon, iKON’s B.I and Bobby, Epik High‘s Tablo, and actress Lee Sungkyung.
Don’t miss out and be sure to download PSY 8th 4×2=8 on iTunes here!
#Peace.Love.PSY
