Gangkiz return with “MAMA”
After debuting as the most hated and unsuccessful girl group of 2012 with their underrated single “HONEY HONEY” (which peaked at No. 167 on the GAON chart — ouch!), Gangkiz are back, just one month later, with their second single “MAMA”.
Yes, it’s really called “MAMA”, just like the EXO-K hit. I see their agency is still using the tactic of copying other acts to promote the group, and I love it. It’s fucking hilarious and makes Gangkiz stand out more against other new groups, even if it just for the jokey trash factor.
Now, for anybody like me that whored out that leaked Jonte Moaning rehearsal footage of “MAMA”, the first thing you’ll notice from the final version is that it’s a little different from the Jonte video. The production isn’t quite as hard hitting as you’d expect, and the vocals aren’t as powerful. Whether the song playing in the Jonte version was just a demo or just sounded different due to the poor audio quality is unclear, but it doesn’t really matter, because both versions are fantastic and the differences between them are minor.
“MAMA” sounds a lot like an old Spaghetti Western gone K-Pop. It’s built around a catchy cowboy whistle, with a crunchy, synthetic beat and a dramatic vocal delivery from Gangkiz. It’s pretty amazing, and should impress people who refused to recognize the flawlessness of “HONEY HONEY” due to the whole ripping off T-ara thing.
The music video is super cheap and utterly basic, but I can’t help but love it. It looks like your typical ‘Dance Ver.’ MV, alternating between Gangkiz performing Jonte’s expressively feminine choreography in two different outfits, and that’s it. But for those who want a little more than just lanky Asian broads twerkin’ it in skintight leather, Gangkiz have already filmed another version of the video in Europe, so this definitely isn’t it as far as the “MAMA” visuals are concerned.
Now that Gangkiz have switched up their image and sound, I hope more people give them a chance so that the group can at least chart somewhere in the top 100. They’re not the most talented act around, but their constant copycatting, mature image, and all around tragic likability has snagged me hook, line, and sinker.
