Billboard names f(x)’s Pink Tape as #1 of “25 Greatest Kpop Albums of the 2010s: Staff List”
1. f(x), Pink Tape (2013)
When f(x) released this grand pop opus, the market for full-length albums among idol groups was small. Most acts opted for a more streamlined single or EP release, and most LPs acted as a mish-mash of random tracks and previously released singles. Pink Tape proved the power of a full, sonically cohesive album, as a truly ambitious collection of experimental cuts.
The lead single “Rum Pum Pum Pum” acts as the perfect centerpiece of this quirky pop feast. The samba percussion and funky guitar blend together with the “Little Drummer Boy” sample, while the bizarre lyrical metaphor of relating love to wisdom teeth is delivered with alien-like harmonies from the ladies. And that’s just the first track. Proving K-pop’s belief that one song needn’t stick to a single sound or mood, and the unexpected is the only thing that can be routinely expected throughout the LP. "Airplane” blends euphoric EDM with a sing-talk chorus, “Signal” tempers borderline-saccharine melodies with a sleek disco sheen, while “Shadow” is the sound of a creepy doll come to life with a waltzy-pop swagger. It’s all remarkably eccentric, but somehow works under the guise of f(x)’s bright Pink Tape concept.
Idol albums are often underestimated on a critical level, but an album like Pink Tape proved that even the most mainstream of pop could be a place for advancing art and pushing creative boundaries. A cornerstone of the scene is represented here: Pink Tape represents K-pop as a fully conceptualized statement of music. – J.B.
Full Article / Source: Billboard