#Befirst

[syncoflove]

[📷] 240706 | BE:FIRST TWITTER UPDATE

BE:FIRST X ATEEZ 'Hush-Hush'

[mmapop]

Like kids in the park

[yuuana]

Music Monday #252: BE:FIRST x ATEEZ - Hush-Hush release: July 2024 genre: Jpop cw: flashing, cyberpunk surrealism

It may or may not even be Monday any more by the time you read this (probably not), it's been one of those days, but I am determined, dammit. XD Or maybe just exhausted. Or both? Could be both...

As is all too common in Jpop, we didn't get a whole lot of lead time on this release, though looking back, it's pretty obvious this was one of the things ATEEZ was working on earlier this year and why they seemed to be spending extra time in Japan during NOT OKAY promotions. I knew it was going to be something special, because ATEEZ always bring innovation to the stage, but I wasn't prepared to be completely blown away.

I feel like I should start with the caveat that a lot of collaborations coming out of Kpop right now tend to feel less like a cooperative project and more like someone doled out lines and even if there is an MV, there's very little interaction between collaborating groups. Combined with the trend starting in late 3rd gen of lines being treated like the sole property of one member at a time, and that ability to interact gets even smaller. It's never zero, there's always the chorus (in theory), and the Japanese idol system has its own expectations ... that I am, admittedly, not as current on for reasons, so I was coming to this with that Kpop experience and expectation.

In hindsight, that was a complete mistake because of course ATEEZ brought Edenary with them to this project to co-produce at every level alongside the BMSG team. From the first line, we get a genuinely collaborative vibe that flows through the whole song where the rapping sections are the majority of the solo lines, traded between the two groups equally. BE:FIRST and ATEEZ share such similar tone and range that until the video came out, other than the raps and Jongho's signature high notes, I spent a lot of time being very unsure who was singing what. And surprised and pleased at how often it was at least two voices blending together. And don't think I didn't catch that line about the underdog who now wears the crown. ;) The lyrics are pretty meta, actually, talking about working hard and not backing down but also not looking to fight about who's the best because they already know the answer and don't feel the need to argue it out with anyone.

Speaking of the music video... look, I stopped counting how many times I've watched this days ago and I'm still stunned and amazed and picking out little things. Obviously this was a whole lot of green screen ... which actually makes it even more impressive in some ways because any time you have to green screen in an element (or two or ten), the artist is acting against a blank. At best, they might have had some early animatics to give the artists some idea of what would be going on around them, but a lot of the video was filled in after the fact. And yet all fifteen of them sell it like they really are in grand sweeping spaces.

For obvious reasons, I'm not ticking this as lore, but if you told me it was, I would believe you. Between Z-team's history of cyberpunk aesthetics and A-team's history of dreaming... I could easily buy this as the start of an alliance - eight men can't save the world all on their own, after all.

2024 is definitely shaping up as the year ATEEZ takes on world domination with a vengeance. BE:FIRST are still relatively new to their career, having only debuted in November of 2021 (plus their youngest is an '06-liner, oh god, the babies are taking over) and are already dominating in Tokyo and see this as a first step onto the world stage. Which is both fair and wise. ;) This one-track single is available now for streaming and/or digital purchase on most of the major platforms, as is a remix by m-flo's Taku Takahashi.

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[bamboobibi]

IG​ : andteam_official​

[versatilealienlady]

[emeraldbabygirl]

THIS FUCKING HAPPENED AND ALSO BEFIRST AND &TEAM HAPPENED IT’S LIKE THE D.U.N.K THINGY WAS A CROSSOVER EPISODE PLEASE I NEED MORE KPOP X JPOP IDOL INTERACTIONS I CRAVE I WANNA SEE SNOW MAN ANS EXILE TRIBE AND AND MY FAV AND LIKE AHHHH I LOVE THIS IT’S SO COOL

[lovetune]

[manaplog]

ビファちゃん最高ですこと🥹

[mio34miu]

[nerdyshy]

The live arrangement of boom boom back is so breathtaking. I love it so much. They are musicians! I love collabs like that as it shows they are willing to challenge themselves as artists 🥰😍

https://youtu.be/U4NDUFzJVTs?si=0rF3nNFJZjP2iv8R

[mmapop]

世界中が Playground

[soundberr1es]

BE:FIRST / New year's party playing " BE:FIRST Karuta" [You're My "BESTY" #45]

subtitles/cc are available!

[bamboobibi]

IG : andteam_official​

[sakura-mochi0417]

BE:FIRST Glorious

[kstarvibes]

Anime series ‘Baki Hanma’ opening and ending themes ‘Sarracenia -Anime Size-’ by SKY-HI and ‘Salvia -Anime Size-’ by BE:FIRST are now streaming! Opening/ending videos with credits removed also out now!

  Coinciding with the August 24 release of the new season of father-son face-off anime series ‘Baki Hanma’, the opening theme song ‘Sarracenia -Anime Size-’ by SKY-HI and ending theme song ‘Salvia -Anime Size-’ by BE:FIRST have been released on download and streaming services around the world. ‘Baki Hanma’ is the latest instalment in the beloved ‘Baki’ anime franchise.   SKY-HI ‘Sarracenia -Anime…