All Those Eurodance Weirdness part 1

PART 1
Prologue and Scandinavia is just weird like that.

Electronic music has always been my interest. Programs are downloadable, magics of midi, no honor needs to be paid, and you can arrange your music in whatever you like. That is the simplest thing, good things can turn even better and how many artist use electronic music nowadays and their music is still goodly enjoyable.

Ur example.

Begins sometimes in the 80s, technology helps the development in music company then comes the dance genre music, electronica, disco, and everything. Oh! Also the cute chiptune genres that gets you wanna do the Mario jump.

Ur earliest example of Electronic Music. God save the Queen of Disco.

Oh the cute 8-bits of YMCK. Only consisting three members for vocal, music, and video.

And they even invent this girl... Who's interestingly becoming as successful as human singers....

Patron Goddess of electronic vocal and internet music... MIKU HATSUNE.

They also invent THIS:

He started it. Well not being the first one using but using it excessively...

Everyone follows... I mean EVERYONE...

Explained.

Miku... I think you having the title "Patron Goddess" of the internet music has a bit of a threat...

With using autotune aside, there are so many musician, singers, and all those who uses electronic music and I can mention endlessly about them. Well, I kinda prefer mostly Kylie Minogue and Sophie Ellis Bextor for the mainstream ones (though Kylie still has some general pop-ish on her albums, but her house musics are enjoyable). Oh! Also BT! He's a genius on mixing things. Japanese ones also good. I've's Eiko Shimamiya and the all cute Perfume. Okay, now I'm getting to the "endless" part of it.

One of my preference. YES! I'M QUITE RACIST because they use gamelan and Balinese percusion... But one of Shimamiya's track I adore.

Forget the video clip. Listen to the song. BT may look random here, but he is still a genius.

Anyway. Yeah, since electronic music is that enjoyable they make games from it. Yes, Konami created a shrine called "BEMANI" and produces those arcade games you know like "Dance Dance Revolution", "Beatmania", and "Pop n'Music"--which localized too late I suppose, and I even prefer the unlocalized one =___=

You know how successful "Dance Dance Revolution" is riiiiiite??? But Bemani Original aside (which I think also one of the genius creation on electronic music), DDR is notoriously known for using the album Dancemania as their songtracks for the game.
Well, yeah. It's a Japanese album but guess who contributed most.

Yes. It's Eurodance. All the weirdness of Eurodance.
How weird is Eurodance?

U-u-umauma!

U-u-ineine!

Yep. It's that weird. Weird enough to infect everyone and turn into a meme.

Apparently Eurodance weirdness is almost the same as Japanese weirdness, no wonder the Japs like 'em.
But being someone who is raised with DDR with most of her life, comes the bad implications from it. I get used to Eurodance. By get used to it, I mean, I hear Eurodance as a daily basis and treating them as enjoyable as usual mainstream songs. Until I realize how weird they are, but still enjoy them nonetheless, hence the "Guilty Pleasure". Well, my history of Eurodance actually didn't really started from DDR but way back to this.

So what's a 7 year-old girl who still likes playing barbie at the time seeing this?
CUTE! That's it!
The first time I saw this I was like "Whoa, catchy! Cute!" and it constantly played on MTV back then so yeah. Even the local TV stations played the video as well. The pinkish set and Lene Nystrøm's interestingly cute voice attracted me quite well. And this poor girl didn't realize the lyrics' innuendo back then. So yeah, that was how Eurodance occupying my life. Starting with this Danish band...

There was also this Eurodance band back then as well...

But the sexual theme is waaaaay blatant than Aqua's. So poor 7 year old girl thought "Okay, this is way cheesy. Over the top. Songs I would hear on rural discotheque. And... LOOK AT THE MALE MEMBERS! They wear weird costumes and DANCE!!! And that guy with mustache looks gay..." Apparently 7 year old girl is not as naive as we thought lol. Later on, a friend of mine tell this Boom-Boom-Boom song appears to mean... Doing it. I don't know where she got that information but really. We were SEVEN at the time. And I didn't really pay too much attention to the lyrics. Then again, I even interpreted "Barbie Girl" too literal.
Oh, Vengaboys is a Dutch group by the way.
But still. The music is a GUILTY PLEASURE! So Bee and I used to watch their videos back on junior high whenever I had a ride with her car home -- Despite the fact we were wooing over Muse at the moment.

But Aqua pretty much stays with me during my childhood. I basically remember most of their videos. I do admit though... Most of them ARE cheesy... Back then, I also had this recurring thought of "Why is the girl always paired with that bald guy? But seriously, I mean, those two guys there looks more suitable than the bald guy. And that bald guy's voice sounds creepy, hee..." Yeah. So 7 year old me describing the members of Aqua as "The Girl, The Bald Guy, and Those Two Guys". Yep.

One of their videos I really really remember. See how those poor two guys looking as flat as the background...

Okay, random.

Also one of them because of the school scene, one of their most random video, I guess. I dunno, I just can't forget the school scene for some reason. But speaking of Lene (The Girl, lol) being a hot teacher here...
Try to look at this one.

And I suddenly wanna shrug off having vocal lesson upon listening to Sissel or Helene Bøksle. I'd prefer having her teaching me instead... Woo-hoo, everyone bows to Norwegian female sex-appeal! XD

Err...
Forget what I've said just now.

Anyways they actually have good videos or songs with no cheesy-ness or innuendo whatsoever like "Turn Back Time" and "We Belong to the Sea". I think their music was quite good enough back then as a commercial band by not only going on the bubblegum-eurodance genre. AND RECENTLY I SAW THIS.

And the song is also WIN!!!! Even winner since someone still cannot let go CSI:NY Season 5 finale lol. Still the first thought upon seeing this video clip was "That guy (Rene) hasn't even grow a single hair!?" But anyways, their new released "Back to the 80s" and "Live Fast, Die Young" seems throwing the cheesy-ness away. "Back to the 80s" video was... I dunno. Looks waaay better than their other "Aqua Scope" videos I've seen.
I realized that after listening to their 3 new songs on their "Greatest Hits" album makes me fangirling over them. I did grow up with them and enjoy their performance, but not much of a fan. So after I looked back to find their videos one day and found out they released these three new songs, I feel they really do bring "Those Days"--even better. I ended up fangirling to Hej Matematik as well lol. I mean, where else would you find a Daft Punk like duo--Uncle and Nephew duo, also sings, looking sophisticated, TWO GOOD LOOKING GUYS IN SUITS, and doesn't act much to look cool on their performance.
Squees: UNCLE RASTED, I WANT YOU!! AND YOUR HOT NORWEGIAN WIFE TOO!!!!

So yeah, while we're on the happiest country in the world, why not having a little bit of an exploration on Eurodance musicians on Denmark? Aqua is worth mentioning, and let's see what other things they got there. Surprisingly, all those memorable (for me) songs from Dancemania happens to be mostly generated from Denmark. Once, when I was in the peak infatuation of Hetalia's Denmark, Yuu asked me "What's with you and Denmark?" now I begin to ask myself "What's with me and Denmark?" as well -- apparently after I found Kierkegaard's philosophy to be similar to my way of thinking and discussing Lars Von Trier as my essay subject.

"I'm Alive" by Cut n' Move. Featured on Dance Dance Revolution Extra Mix.

One of my favorite back then. I only have the DDR version on my mp3 when I was able to download it at the first time. I do consider this song as a "song that persuades you to make love with the singer" at the very first time I hear it. But still like it anyway. The thing is the first verse of the song didn't really sexually blatant so you can interpret it in a more decent way. Until I got the full version and here the second verse, which happened to be after I was researching about Marvin Gaye's music.
"Let's get it on".... I can't help but ROTFL.

There is also this lady who sings cute too. Presenting Miss Papaya~

Papaya's "Hero". The weirdest thing I can find.

I picked this song because I'm into this version of it. The video happens to be even weirder than I thought. Actually her "Pink Dinosaur" is even more random. I mean, really. What's with a pink dinosaur? It's just someone adoring her pink dino and why it has to be pink? To appeal to the kids? I prefer "The Land Before Time" better. Or "Dinosaucers"
But I don't know if "Pink Dinosaur" refers to any sexual innuendo at all. But as far as I hear (repeatedly), I think it's cute enough to be enjoyed by little girls.

Still on Denmark, there is this teen bubblegum pop, Creamy. Their songs are quite cute actually, since it's really a teenage (or perhaps pre-teen) thing rather than adult singing in a childlike manner like other bubblegums. The thing is this song was our theme song back in junior high.

So Yuu had a crush on this boy codenamed "Morpheus" (either because I was obsessed with "The Matrix" at the time or the boy happens to have a nickname with the first letter "M") and all of us used to hit arcades a lot after school. DDR was our favorite of course. Yuu found this song describing her and that "Morpheus" guy a lot. Your "soundtrack of your life" that's what we call it. So she played and sang that song quite a lot (with her first favorite being "Crash"). Later on, Tea and I parodied the song in honor to Unggul and made it into "Unggul, unggul, unggul, gul-unggul-unggul~"
And after attending college, I found that Creamy is from Denmark. Watching Hetalia made your more sensitive to country origin of things apparently. Also I found out that one of them sings a Danish version of "High School Musical"'s song. I think it was "You are the Music in Me". Too lazy to search it lol.

So yeah, we have the cute and innocent image of Creamy then let's compare it to Toy-Box...

Certainly not a song I would sing to my best friend I have a crush on...

My jaw drops even lower than seeing Aqua. You just gasp. Really. GASP.

I hope you still made it right there coz we got a better one right here. Hope this vision could heal a little bit.

Me and My, "Dub I Dub"

Well, hello nurse! I also prefer their version of "So Many Men" because it's more relaxing than the original electro version. Though it's more pop-ish rather than electronic...

But the thing is, the video kinda gives you shudder...

Their songs also pop-ish and quite enjoyable compare to those other weird cheesy things. And a pop girl duo. You take it from there.

So let's go north a little bit. This country seems to have good deals of imports in international mainstream music. Perhaps ABBA is the one that stays in most of our hearts (mine too lol). But still... They have doses of weirdness of Eurodance as well. Hej, Sverige! We've seen caramelldansen, so I bet we've seen this.

Aiyaiyay~ I'm your little butterfly~

Despite from Sweden, I don't know why they put ".dk" instead of ".se" behind. But yeah. They're the patron trope of Eurodance galore that goes big in Japan and eventually brainwash me as well... THEY EVEN DO COLLAB WITH NAOKI MAEDAAAA~~~ D:
But I guess that's it. They got so big on Japan finally accepted better there instead since it appeals to the Japanese adoration to Eurodance, drawing back the line from their ParaPara Culture. Smile.dk's songs are getting even more Japanesque than ever, which is weird but catchy at the same time.
Reason to ship Berwald and Kiku, anyone?

Good attempt at speaking Nihongo, Svensks.

Everyone who do DDR on their lives must know Smile.dk. They album also got into Indonesia once. But never seen it again since. I think it was back on 2000 or around that.

But if you squirm when seeing Smile.dk instead of squeal (I squealed. I know...). Even this infamous song-meme is actually from Sweden as well.

I don't wanna put the music video. It's gay. Features the men dancing and the singer's ass. Now you get the picture.

Most of his songs are as weird as this thing. That "Teeny Weeny Bikini" thing and I don't know. Fail attempt at porn, yes. But this is like so bad it's hilarious that everyone seems to remember this song quite well. Bee and Unggul make reference to Gunther's "You touch my tralala". A lot. One point, Bee protested randomly when we were having our big karaoke event; "Why it has to be 'My Ding Ding Dong'? Why not 'Syalala'? 'Syalala' and 'Tralala' rhymes!"

Another example on Swedish weird Eurodance is this. You know how elegant ALI Project do gothic theme on their songs and performances right? All those antiques, morbid, glamorous things, harpsichord, orchestra, references to Louis' France? This band does it too. But as glamor as ALI Project... I'll leave that to you.

Doesn't the opening reminds you to SpongeBob's "Dumped" episode?

Behold the Army of Lovers. They seem to love this antique-gothic idea a lot too. Combining it with some crossdressing habits. So weirdness got a plus.

"Crucified"

The fact that, they use this Louis' French Gothic-esque thing before ALI Project does. Army of Lovers also combining it into drag-style and one of their members is actually a French descent, so it's different to one another. But anyways, if you rule their queerness apart, their music (for me) is qualified as good music. They also don't rely on their "queerness" image on their music (like selling it to either the LGBT community only or selling it for infamous reaction). Their "Obsession" is quite good. The video also play with the theme "insanity" which is interesting and not many band do this kind of style at the time.

Move a little bit left from Sweden, we got Norway. We discussed Aqua since the female lead vocal is Norwegian. But then, we got Bambee. Her style is somewhat similar to Papaya or Tiggy from Denmark. No wonder. I guess her well known DDR featured song is "Bumblebee". (Yeah, I got lazy embedding...)

Well yeah. I think we get the picture how weird the Scandinavian weirdness is. I also mention the Dutch Vengaboys and wonder if the rest of Europe is as weird as the northern part of it. Next post will be the rest of 'em and the conclusion of the Eurodance wierdness!

Finland? Oh no. I don't forget him :D
We'll find him in the next chapter of all this Eurodance madness!!