Behind the Song: VIXX 'Dynamite (다이너마이트)'

[88-pea.livejournal.com]

Song: "Dynamite (다이너마이트)" by VIXX
Album: Zelos
Composer: Simon Janlov, Andrew Choi, Melodesign
Lyricist: Misfit, Ravi
Arranger: Simon Janlov

KPN: How did this song come together?
SJ: We had a song camp here in Sweden last spring. We were just finishing up the camp, when Andrew and I decided to write one more song together. I thought it would be an interesting concept to write something more colorful and fun for VIXX, since their past songs have been more serious. So, I drafted up a track that incorporated a saxaphone riff on top of a funk-style dance beat.

KPN: What other Kpop songs have you produced?
SJ: It hasn't been very long since I made my Kpop debut, but I wrote Chocolate for SHINee's Married To The Music - The 4th Album Repackage album, Spider for VIXX's Chained Up album, and ALCOHOL FEELING (Feat. 정인) for Gary's 2002 album.

KPN: The chord progression in Dynamite is a little more complex than most pop songs. How did you come up with those chords?
SJ: I've been inspired lately by a band called Dirty Loops. For those who don't know, they infuse popular mainstream songs with colorful jazz chords. I'm also very into the Asian pop scene, so I'm familiar with the level of complexity in Kpop and Jpop chord progressions, compared to the US pop scene.

KPN: Are you formally trained in music? And does that help you come up with these more complex chord progressions?
SJ: I studied jazz guitar for 8 years, so I have the jazz knowledge. I don't think about the musicality too much these days, but having the background definitely opens up a lot of options for different chords.

KPN: What major differences are there between the original demo and the final released song?
SJ: The original demo was called, "Do What You Like." With the Korean lyrics, it changed to "Dynamite." We also added the hook in the intro and more brass in the chorus to help it stand out more. I was really happy with the final product. It turned out really cool — especially the vocals.

KPN: How do you feel about VIXX winning their 2nd #1 this week?
SJ: This is my first single, so I wasn't sure what to expect, but I'm really glad it's doing well. I don't write songs and think to myself, "This song is going to go #1" or "This song isn't going to do well." I just make music that sounds good to me and my co-writers. But the reception from fans has been phenomenal and I'm very grateful.

KPN: Are there any artists that you'd like to work with in the future?
SJ: Since I've mainly been working with male acts so far, it'd be really fun to produce songs for Korean girl groups in the future. I think there are a lot of really talented Korean female artists right now.


I would really love to be a fly on the wall at one of these song camps. They sound really neat.

KPop Nerd: Behind the Song: VIXX 'Dynamite', Dynamite, VIXX, Zelos, Ravi, Chocolate, SHINee, Married to the Music - 4th Mini Album Repackage, Spider, Chained Up, Alcohol Feeling (feat. Jeongin), Gary, 2002

Comments

[sub-divided.livejournal.com]

Super cool, especially the connection to Dirty Loops! Thanks for posting :)

[88-pea.livejournal.com]

Thank you for enjoying it! ^^