Omona's picks: f(x)'s ten best older tracks

[timetobegin.livejournal.com]

omona's picks: f(x)'s ten best older tracks

Amongst international fans, f(x) is probably the most respected girlgroup. The band is known for being hella neglected by SM, but more so for their fantastic repertoire. The Pink Tape and 4 Walls albums in particular have gained legendary status for all the right reasons. Well produced and with great visuals to boot, these two releases regularly pop up in talks about quality Kpop records.

f(x) has, however, been around since 2009 and their discopgraphy consists of many more jams. OP, being the bitter Kpop granny that she is, wishes to bring back a little attention to the girls' earlier work. In this post I list 10 tracks - singles, b-sides, cf songs, ost's - that were released prior to Pink Tape and that also deserve a spot on everyone's f(x) playlist!

1 | LA chA TA

Music and Lyrics: Kenzie

The girls had a strong debut with this one. I've always liked how this track/concept combined a youtful playfulness with something more dark and sleek.

+ Bonus

One of their debut teasers featured an awesome LA chA TA remix:

2 | Chocolate Love

Music & lyrics: Pontus Winnberg, Christian Karlsson, Henrik Jonback

Released for an LG commercial they did together with Girls' Generation. What probably makes it so enjoyable is that it's a sped up version of Rachel Stevens' amazing Sweet Dreams my LA Ex (produced by the same team).

+ Bonus

f(x) performed the original English languaged version of this song, Topbillin' Love, in France in januari 2010:

3 | Step by Me

Lyrics: Lee Yoonmi, Jean T. Na, Priya Jayaram
Music: Jean T. Na Priya Jayaram

One of the besides on the Chu~♡ single. Their earlier releases contain many of these lighter, fluffier electro inspired tracks and I love it. This one in particular is really nice. As always, Luna's vocals add a magic touch.

4 | 어렵고도 쉬운 (Hard but Easy)

Lyrics: Kim Eana
Music: Park Geuntae

It's easy to forget but f(x) has actually participated in a few OSTs. This was for the soundtrack of the 2009 series Invincible Lee Pyung Kang. Never realised it was written by the Kim Eana.

5 | NU ABO

Lyrics: Yoo Youngjin
Music: Cutfather, Jose Aguirre Lopez, Thomas Troelsen, Engelina Larsen, Yoo Youngjin

Quite frankly, nothing with ever top this.

6 | Surprise Party

Music and lyrics: Shim Eunji

I could have included any b-side from the NU ABO mini album because all of it is so. good. but I went with this. Another softer song. Always envisioned a music video for this with alot of glitter and cake.

also @SM PUT THIS ALBUM ON SPOTIFY WILL YOU

7 | 빙그르 (Sweet Witches)

Lyrics: Kim Boomin
Music: Hitchhiker

Remember the time when every album from an SM artist contained a Hitchhiker track? The synth he used in this sounds quite harsh: it's rather crude and chunky. Almost like the sound a steamengine makes. That makes it so mesmerizing though. Drink it, drink it, power uuuuuup!

8 | 아이 (Love)

Lyrics: Han Jaeho, Kim Seungsoo
Music: Han Jaeho, Kim Seungsoo, Hong Seunghyun

A Sweetune track. That should speak for itself.

9 | Electric Shock

Lyrics: So Jieeum, Joachim Vermeulen Windsant, Maarten Ten Hove, Willem Laseroms
Music: Joachim Vermeulen Windsant, Maarten Ten Hove, WIllem Laseroms

I know this era came with that weird plastic-animal-headgear photoshoot, but did we also need so supress the memory of how hard this track goes? I'm like TT. The choreo is great too.

10 | 훌쩍 (Let's Try)

Lyrics: Misfit
Music: Niara Scarlett, Pete Martin, Im Kwangook, Jeong Suwan

The kind of track you jam to on a summer day when it's 6 in the afternoon and you've had too many drinks already and you're kinda crying because the music is so good?

+ Honorable mention +

Hot Summer

Lyrics: Kenzie
Music: Thomas Troelsen, Mikkel Remee Sigvardt, Kenzie

I know us Europeans were like "This is a COVER sm why you so LAZY" and consider it quite a generic track, but it's a jam and y'all know it. As someone who's usually very meh about Amber, I would have to admit I loved her 4.5 bit here though.

SMent 1 2 3 | Sunnyaddict | Arcadiandragon | Ai | SMent 4 | iamphee | Pure Love f(x) 1 2 | SMTown | Gummybearstakeover16

Omona, have you been around Kpop long enough to remember anything that happened prior to Pink Tape? Any particular feelings on what I should have included or should have left off of the list? Feel free to fight me in the comments.

Comments

[pikapika217.livejournal.com]

'Love' might be their best non title track. I also really love Dracula-la la la la, Wish List, Airplane, Butterfly and their stalker anthem Shadow.

[yoonjeonghan.livejournal.com]

yesss i especially love let's try!

i'd say luna & krystal's "sorry" should be on here too but everyone i know seems to not like that song lol

[mamamoos.livejournal.com]

i like it! f(x) have some great ballads

[ah0000.livejournal.com]

The first time I actually heard f(x) was when Anna Kendrick did the Funny or Die video for Electric Shock. I don't remember kpop being in my life before that tbh

[mariaslamb.livejournal.com]

Electric shock was my first exposure to kpop. As such, I don't think anything will ever top it in my mind. Even when I like a few of the new girl groups more than f(x), the music is just not as good.

[mad-nux.livejournal.com]

where is fxs best song Mr. Boogie

[timetobegin.livejournal.com]

In all our hearts

[frantastic.livejournal.com]

This is absolutely perfect. It's only missing this timeless masterpiece

[cosmopudin.livejournal.com]

omg yes good choices

[xxhna.livejournal.com]

fx has so many good songs! their album releases have always been overall hits for me.

[redgreendress.livejournal.com]

YAY thanks OP! I'm so happy to see an f(x) post T_T I was starting to think it would never happen again except for bad news

Electric Shock was the concept that really made me fall for them. Tbh I didn't quite get what the fuss was about when they were promoting NU ABO, Chu etc. And then when they came out with Hot Summer I hated it so much I was ready to write them off. I thought they were bouncing back and forth between ~edgy and sweet/quirky, like SM didn't know what to do with them or smth. But after Electric shock they slayed me over and over again with Rum Pum Pum Pum and Red Light and Milk, so I went back to listen to their older songs. By the time 4 Walls came out I'd had to revise all my opinions about them lol. I still don't like Hot Summer, but how could I have not liked NU ABO? And how did I ever overlook La Chata and Pinocchio? Forgive me f(x), I was young and stupid.

I know Dracula is from the Red Light era but I've watched this performance like 10 times and I still can't get over it, it's sooo good. Might be one of my all time favorite kpop stages. It's so well put together, they look so good, the song sounds so good, I genuinely couldn't care less about the lip-synching.



Also, the Red Light performance from the same concert with Luna taking over and singing the entire bridge live :O I would've given an arm and a leg to go to one of those Docking Station concerts.

[coyote-revolver.livejournal.com]

Thanks for posting this! Dracula is one of my fav f(x) songs and I had never seen this stage before.

[otraera.livejournal.com]

Mr.Boogie should have been on this list !!!

[coyote-revolver.livejournal.com]

IA!

[kyrli.livejournal.com]

NU ABO and Electric Shock are probably my fav title tracks of theirs!

As for b-tracks and other singles, honestly, Airplane!!!! also Goodbye Summer.

Honorable mentions: songs which are produced/composed by Peppertones (Stand up!; 1, 2, 3) are my all time faves.

[kyulkyung.livejournal.com]

mr. boogie, love, jet, let's try and beautiful stranger (as grating as amber's rap is) are their only really good pre-pink tape b-sides imo. i also like gangsta boy but i know objectively it's not a good song and kinda embarrassing lmao.

i stanned them almost exclusively for their title tracks until pink tapesus.

[fallendaydreams.livejournal.com]

Amber's kidzbop raps are sometimes too much for me and I have to skip it

[bob-dabuilda.livejournal.com]

One of the coolest Kpop girl groups because of their quirky concepts and music. If you were to look up the definition of "kpop" you should see one of their photos as an example.

[carazhan.livejournal.com]

even tho f(x)'s early b-sides were p inconsistent i still love all of them, even the really bad/cringy ones. i think my top 5 is jet, dangerous, beautiful stranger, beautiful goodbye, and love hate.

tbh i'm going to listen to their whole discography back to back now, i havent in a while. thanks op!

[dryadinthegrove]

Their whole discography for me, too!

[audiograms.livejournal.com]

Chocolate Love is the mist underrated track

[fallendaydreams.livejournal.com]

Gdi when was this voted on I missed it

[sodapab.livejournal.com]

there was no voting, this list is based on OP's own personal taste

[torontok.livejournal.com]

Um where are the eternal jams Jet,and Beautiful Stranger? And lollipop was fun too

[daikokudanji.livejournal.com]

Beautiful Goodbye is one of my favorite songs from them, i just love it so much <3
If we are talking about before Pink Tape... My picks also include So Into U, Lollipop (with SHINee), Sorry and Mr Boogie~

[kyulkyung.livejournal.com]

omg i completely forgot about lollipop (and i can't believe no one else mentioned it!), it's one of my favorites as well.

[minasketchup.livejournal.com]

No Mr. Boogie or Dangerous

[mspopstar.livejournal.com]

Her skin...

[dynamite-state.livejournal.com]

I've never listened to their pre-Pink Tape music (barring some title tracks) so I don't belong in this post.

La Cha Ta sounds great though, I should have got into it way sooner.

[jewelry-flower.livejournal.com]

I love this post! I actually forgot how much I love "Hard but easy" OST from Luna and Krystal.

And La Cha Ta <3 The girls were really perfect in the debut era: youthful, energetic, strong and quirky.

Where is Paper Heart :( I just love that song's lyrics.

[lemonadetea.livejournal.com]

Seconding Paper Heart! It's in my top five of their songs.

[volume1995.livejournal.com]

Where are Mr. Boogie and Zig Zag!!!
Great list though OP, hope they aren't over and keep on releasing great music :(

[mspopstar.livejournal.com]

Nu Abo is kpop in its purest form, from the outlandish outfits to the earworm chorus to the flawless choreo with the iconic "cushion makeup move". Criminally underrated.

Chu is a fave too. Early F(x) songs always got me moving my butt and singing Luna's parts. But tbh, for me their top is Hot Summer. SM killed the summer of 2011 with this lbr (it truly was the summer of glory, with Bubble Pop, I Am the Best and Roly Poly being out at the same time lmfao, we were #blessed)

[lostintheechoes.livejournal.com]

i only know Electric Shock.

[broadcities.livejournal.com]

i looove love and nu abo!! but i'm really missing mr boogie, dangerous and i also really love my style. and airplane and jet. the jet live performances are so cute.

imo f(x) had a really good overall choreography.

[mspopstar.livejournal.com]

Also thanks OP for omitting their trash title tracks (looking at you Pinocchio)

[iskerplunk.livejournal.com]

lol i forgot about that. i actually don't mind pinocchio, what don't you like abt it?