This is a must-see – and must interact with – music video! Just press play and get ready for fun.
(Word to the wise: if you’re viewing this on the YouTube iPhone app, tapping might pause your video. That’s okay – just pantomime it without touching your screen.)
I’m thoroughly impressed by the style, whimsy and insane level of creativity in this video. In the past thirty-ish years, there have been many innovative music videos, but I’m just going to say it: this is the most original and modern music video since Peter Gabriel’s iconic “Sledgehammer” music video.
“Golden Touch” matches the unpredictability of “Sledgehammer”, but is a good deal less unsettling. (Am I the only one who was scared by that video as a child?)
If there’s an award for excellence in music videos (do the MTV Music Video Awards still count?), this should win, hands down. It handily beats – need I say it again? – “Bad Blood”.
I’m no J-Pop expert, but it’s hard not to notice Japanese pop music’s obsession with youth (or at least novelty) is stronger than in the U.S., where thirty, forty and even fifty-something artists on the pop charts are hardly a rarity.
In spite of Japanese pop music’s insatiable thirst for newness, Amuro’s career has spanned twenty years.
The fact that she doesn’t look nearly 37 doesn’t hurt.
But it’s also easy to hear why Queen Namie is still on top. With its dance-pop beat and bright-and-shiny synth hook, “Golden Touch” is the perfect soundtrack to the magic happening in its music video.
Namie Amuro’s new album, _genic, is set for release on June 10th. _genic is described as having 80s dance and 90s R&B influences, but the teaser tracks available on the album’s official website seem totally modern and radio-ready. The teaser music videos suggest themes of high fashion, the art of photography and dance, dance, dance.
Try the teaser for “Stranger” on for size:
The people behind _genic are a worldwide who’s who of songwriters and producers: Zedd (Russia/Germany), David Guetta (France), Diplo (U.S.), Hook N Sling (Australia), Erik Lidbom (Sweden), Joacim “TWIN” Persson (Sweden) and SeventyEight (Sweden again) and SOPHIE (UK).
As a bonus for all of you reading this page in English (as opposed to through Google Translate) the lyrics of the songs on this album seem to be about half in English, half in Japanese.
You know, maybe Namie’s taken a page out of the Robyn playbook. Like Namie, Robyn was a pop star in the 90s – you probably remember “Show Me Love” or “Do You Know (What It Takes)”. You may not have realized they were different songs until now.
Then, at least in the U.S., Robyn disappeared in a sea of blonde pop stars…
…Only to re-emerge, years later, as THIS:
BOOM! Girlfriend totally came into her own. It ruled, she ruled and she continues to rule.
Somehow I can’t see Namie wearing Robyn’s dance outfit, but I get the feeling that like Robyn, she’s blazing her own trail and loving it, and listeners are going to love it too.
Bottom line: Namie Amuro’s “Golden Touch” will make you want to press that button, and then press the “repeat” button.
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