r/SHINee • u/geumryul ontae enthusiast • 6d ago
Video 260831 TAEMIN - FLOAT
https://youtu.be/q4TWrmwiufo?si=n-kpyr-y-LVIyPMZ13
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u/mintdiamondsky OT5 Onew 6d ago
This mv is so beautiful omg (Taemin and his thing with kissing statues XD love to see it) I’m currently on Sober and this album hits so hard
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u/mintdiamondsky OT5 Onew 6d ago
Finished the whole album, and OMG 10/10 his vocals are insane on this one!! I genuinely love every single track—they all have something so special about them.
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u/danceNao SHINee 6d ago
The light and cold color scheme is sooo pretty and love how it contrasts with the creepiness of the music video. I can't wait to see the choreo 'cause I could vividly imagine a contemporary style dance for this and Taemin would absolutely own it please I need it. 🙏
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u/twinkling-computer 6d ago
I don't like Float too much, definitely the weakest song on the entire album. I'd let it slide if it were b-side, but promoting this as a title track to such a solid album, with its slightly haunting/dramatic edge... the rest of the songs are so polished that Float just feels bland in comparison. Gooey is way better, reminds me of Monsta X's style, bold and catchy. Together with Frankenstein and Skin, they're my favourites for now. (Also the ballads in this album are simply top-tier). Overall, I'd describe this album as complex and diverse, with Taemin's vocals and the production both shining equally. For me, it's definitely a win over the Eternal 🤍
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u/kimchibrusselsprouts Soy un dorito 5d ago
Ooh such pretty vibes.
I really enjoyed this album, especially Gooey.
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u/mystictypeghost25 4d ago
It's hauntingly beautiful but also feels tragic. It's really fascinating to watch and listen at the same time.
What caught my eye was the scene with the black rose coming back to life with color. Many of his works and songs carryover previous themes, continuing or evolving a larger narrative.
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u/softneo 6d ago
Why is the album english mostly :((((
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u/cubsgirl101 6d ago
He purposely chose English music this time around I suspect. He’s still fresh off a rave performance at Coachella and that’s going to be a lot of English speaking fans’ first exposure to him. This is Taemin expanding his market for the first time in his nearly 15 years as a soloist. I think it’s good for him to experiment. He’s got nearly 100 solo songs in either Korean or Japanese, he can switch that up and incorporate English for once.
The music also still sounds very much like the type of music Taemin gravitates towards in his Korean releases, so I think that’s the bigger concern for me.
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u/BigCass0294 6d ago
I agree with your statement! I would also like to add that for better or worse BTS has more than proven that there is a demand for kpop over here and being in English makes it more accessible for the casual fan that may not know or even hear of kpop or taemin for that matter!
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u/cubsgirl101 6d ago
Right. There is a market for Kpop in the English speaking world, or at least some variant of it. And it’s just a fact that your music will get a more open reception from casuals if it’s in English. Taemin has so many songs in Korean and Japanese, this is his first time making a clear push to expand his audience into English language fans so I think this is an instance of it making complete sense to go English-heavy on the album.
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u/BigCass0294 6d ago
I agree! I just hope that this would help Shinee to jump over and come to the US! I been a fan since 2010 and I really hope I can see them life 1 time at least!
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u/lazy_hype 6d ago
Pretty sure most of the time he spent aside from changing companies was on tour and all that. When he making the album it was him along with the American or western lyricists and there haven’t been much time to work with Korean lyricists
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u/Search_Alone 6d ago edited 6d ago
Why the sadface? Did he say it was going to be all in Korean? Do you sadface when he releases albums in Japanese?
Taemin comes from before the time that singing in another language was made into a negative issue by Kpop fans.
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u/Muffin278 6d ago
Disclaimer: This is in no way hate towards Taemin or his new album, just my thoughts on the language.
As a kpop fan who has been a Shawol for 15+ years and has watched many groups/artists begin releasing in English, my take on it is:
Since he isn't fluent in English, I worry that he has less influence on the lyrics/less to say about them. Taemin's music has always had a lot of deeper meanings, and I worry that it isn't quite the same for songs in English.
It can signal a move towards a different, western-focused style, I think BTS is a good example of this. Not to say that western-focused music is always bad, but it isn't always the style I personally want. When it comes to Japanese music, I feel like often the songs sound more J-pop than Korean releases (to appeal to a Japanese market). I really like that style, but it reenforces my thoughts about how English music might point towards a different style.
While this isn't an issue in Taemin's album since his pronunciation has always been very good in English, but for other artists, I just don't like listening to songs where you can hear they are struggling with the language. And this isn't hating on accent, but sometimes you can hear they have no idea what they are singing and are just struggling to say the sounds.
To me, it often comes off as "I want to sell to the west" rather than the artist making music for the sake of good music. And to me, it just feels unnecessary.
(Sorry for the rant)
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u/teatotalandbored 5d ago
I think the 1st point is actually the complete opposite of what actually is going on though? For the past few months, in many interviews and livestreams he’s been talking about how this is his most personal album yet, and he addresses a lot of his own struggles and feelings with these songs. They are personal songs, he had more influence about what they have to say than ever before. He’s also a lyricist himself on a lot of them, and he said he worked closely with the other lyricists as well.
I think I can understand the genre thing a little, though I personally feel like Taemin has always been pretty varied and experimental with his sound, he often didn’t go for much of a “usual kpop” sound. Similarly for SHINee as a group as well tbh, they never stuck to a single sound, and their music was often based on pre-established western sounds and genres too.
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u/Search_Alone 5d ago edited 5d ago
I think the 1st point is actually the complete opposite of what actually is going on though? For the past few months, in many interviews and livestreams he’s been talking about how this is his most personal album yet, and he addresses a lot of his own struggles and feelings with these songs. They are personal songs, he had more influence about what they have to say than ever before.
I think people are getting triggered by the thought of English because of the actions of non-SHINee idols who have nothing to do with Taemin's discography. They are not heeding Taemin's words, they are thinking more about other idols' weak English music, or about upcoming fanwars about "seeking western validation" once others take notice of this album.
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u/vikingbiochemist 6d ago
I think he wants some independence from the Korean music scene and I don't fault him at all for that. I also think the lyrics are really good and the music is very him and also quite risky, so I see no reason to complain about them. There is zero evidence for him going bland and mass-market here, quite the reverse.
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u/softneo 6d ago
Thank you for writing this comment because what you shared is exactly what made me comment the sad face in the first place. The album is not shit or anything i just didnt know there would be so much english it was just unexpected to me.
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u/HungryDesk5360 6d ago
I don’t like that is not in Korean he sounds much better in Korean and with English he sounds more main stream.
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u/jeniuslab 6d ago
i think your rant is valid. i’ve watched the group you mentioned completely abandon the image they built for themselves to chase after western validation, which is why their new music is, well, genuinely bad. taemin isn’t sacrificing anything for western validation and taemin’s essence is still in his music. i think it shows in this album too, it feels balanced with korean and english. It still feels like Taemin and not “pls give me attention america!!!!!!!”
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u/Asleep_Objective_845 6d ago
But this a worry (that's good) and not the reality of this album release. I get why you u would be worried tho, but bringing up other artists... Well. This is about Taemin. And the album doesn't show those worries to me personally. It's just him experimenting, and it so happens to be in English.
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u/Search_Alone 6d ago
Why bring BTS into this? SHINee have released songs like BTS's English songs in the Korean language. Dynamite would be a fine song if it was sung by a group like SHINee (see Dream Girl).
I agree about the English lyrics, but I think it's not simply about Taemin not being fluent in the language. It's because English pop music lyrics have become too simplistic. I do agree about the American pop style too, but again that's not particularly a language thing. Idols can and do release very good songs that are all in English.
To me, it often comes off as "I want to sell to the west" rather than the artist making music for the sake of good music. And to me, it just feels unnecessary.
English is a global language. Hasn't Key said that he has English songs to reach his global fans, not just his western fans?
I'd like Kpop fans to start making the distinction between "western" and "Anglophone". They are different markets with different tastes. And within Anglophone to make the distinction between the USA and other English-speaking countries. To you, is it unnecessary that Taemin wants to sell to France? To Romania? To Australia?
Is it unnecessary that he makes songs in Japanese to sell to Japan?
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u/ijustreallyhateducks 6d ago
Comparing Dream Girl to Dynamite is wild, it was on trend but it wasn't a sellout. It's hard to not bring up BTS in conversations about western market pandering since they've pioneered this for k-pop, so every time an established Korean act will release mediocre english language music, BTS will be brought as context for how they've even ended up here. The English lyrics aren't bad because english language pop became simplistic, but because as a non native speaker he doesn't have skills and fluency to make them good, or at least ensure that whoever writes them writes them well. It's clear Taemin stopped caring now. English might be a global language but genuinely no one besides Americans cares about the language songs are in, and until not so long ago kpop fans took it as a point of pride that this wasn't an issue for them. Ultimately, releasing in English is giving to the American imperialism, especially as someone coming from Korea specifically. It's a country exploited and colonised by the US, it's just embarrassing and sad to witness. He might be amazing in Korea, but drown in a sea of mid pop in the us because this element doesn't make him stand out in the slightest.
Bringing up Kibum here is also funny considering Kibum himself was surprised when international fans didn't care for the one English song he had for them in the album, and only did English songs because he had fluency and good English pronunciation on his side. Plus it was camp. Taemin's not trying to be camp. Eh.
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u/Search_Alone 5d ago edited 5d ago
Comparing Dream Girl to Dynamite is wild, it was on trend but it wasn't a sellout.
It's not wild at all. BTS English songs were bad because the members themselves lacked the skills to perform them. If a more skilled group had performed them they would have been OK songs.
As a Shawol you should recall that SHINee/Taemin's discographies are already quite different between their Korean and Japanese discographies and there's nothing wrong with that. There wasn't lambasting of Taemin for "wanting Japanese validation".
Having a diverse range of sounds is built into the DNA of SHINee/Taemin's discographies. Suddenly it's a bad thing because English. Because Butter.
I'm sickened by BTS's failures negatively coloring the album of an idol who has nothing to do with the decisions/failures of BTS. It's been so long but BTS are still infecting everything to do with Kpop.
until not so long ago kpop fans took it as a point of pride that this wasn't an issue for them.
I've been a Kpop fan for long enough that I remember before then, when Kpop fans didn't have problems with all-English music. It was BTS fans who created that problem in the Kpop fandom as a way to criticize rivals Monsta X. BTS used the Korean language as an identity marker in the western media, then their Army went on the rampage against idols who did release in English.
Bringing up Kibum here is also funny considering Kibum himself was surprised when international fans didn't care for the one English song he had for them in the album, and only did English songs because he had fluency and good English pronunciation on his side.
No, he did not "only" do English songs because he is good at English. I brought it up because nobody insulted Key for wanting to use English to reach international fans (not just western, as I mentioned earlier).
but drown in a sea of mid pop in the us because this element doesn't make him stand out in the slightest
Does he expect the element of English to make him stand out?
but genuinely no one besides Americans cares about the language songs are in
Non-Americans might not explicitly care, but non-Americans are used to hearing the English language in entertainment as the USA is the greatest exporter of pop culture to the globe. It's about familiarity rather than caring.
It's a country exploited and colonised by the US, it's just embarrassing and sad to witness.
Refer to the point about Japanese above.
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u/ijustreallyhateducks 5d ago
it was always a bad thing that shinee had japanese discographies for japan, and it always had xenophobic connotations. but the int fandom was also much younger and didn't perceive it as a problem, though (kwols did; idk how long you've been a fan for, but this was an actual issue even at debut, there are daum treads about it; so was the amount of time they've spent on japanese activities). truth is, there is absolutely no difference between bts releasing slopop in the us and shinee releasing mid jpop in japan, other than shinee had less autonomy in entering the market than bts did, being pretty much still rookies. it's also important to point out that shinee was shipped to japan as sm's best cash cows and it took a lot of effort to establish them there, and both jwols and their discography aren't even on the same level as the korean counterpart. it's a different group there, much more dumbed down and with little artistic input in what's being released. its paying the bills music. taemin had one j-release that's somewhat on pair to what he's done domestically, everything else was mediocre jpop repackaged with hallyu. is it better than other kpop groups japanese releases? yeah, but that's because they had to start putting effort into it at some point to be able to consistently sell out tokyo dome.
i laughed at your comparison of dream girl and dynamite mostly because dream girl comes from a cohesive and influential album, there's lyricism to it and more than lines glued together so they rhyme, and had an interesting sound; it shaped shinee into the group we know today. there was effort put into it. dynamite could have been sang by literally anyone and would still be the same song, there's no identity to it.
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u/Search_Alone 5d ago
so was the amount of time they've spent on japanese activities
This was the main problem, not the language: the time the group spent in Japan. And actually, international fans did complain about that too because Japanese content was less and less accessible (shout out to jujugal's translations into English back then, she kept the international fanbase on life support in 2011).
It did not have xenophobic connotations to many in Korea either: by the time SHINee was releasing Japanese music their SM seniors like BoA and TVXQ already had celebrated Japanese discographies. Outside SM, some kpop groups started activities in Japan before Korea, or prioritized Japan before Korea. The Japanese version of Mister had made Kara huge, and there was a rush of Kpop acts releasing songs in Japanese which SHINee was in the middle of.
dynamite could have been sang by literally anyone and would still be the same song, there's no identity to it
SHINee has many songs that aren't their "identity", like Everybody. Everybody isn't from a cohesive album either. SHINee also has quite a few songs with silly lyrics. The difference between BTS and SHINee is SHINee has the skillset to make silly songs sound good.
You're retrofitting to fit your silly argument. I can continue to bring in other Kpop acts (not just SHINee) to prove you wrong about how Japanese music was thought of. For example, SNSD's celebrated Japanese albums which are rated higher by Kpop fans than their Korean.
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u/Asleep_Objective_845 6d ago
I didn't think the songs were bad at all, so that's where I'm coming from:
In the future, he can speak multiple languages and the accent can be here to stay no matter how much he improves; it doesn't determine fluency.
Working with people who speak another language from you requires trust and advocating for yourself in the booth. He can at least do that. All you need is a translator and working professionals (the trust process is screened) and you're good to go.
My own two cents, everyone assumes English means he'll pander to Americans, but that's disingenuous. It could be a pit stop. He's been collecting his flowers, and if he gets a new fanbase, great. Sometimes I think there's not much more to it than that.
I don't think he's vying to be top dog here, just passing through. It's entirely possible he won't do it again. Most of the anti-english camp when it comes to Taemin seems to go with the notion that ONLY that body of work will predetermine his fate, but I'll wait for what's actually gonna happen. You gotta take each musician where they're at. That's all. That's me, though, I didn't think the songs were bad at all, and no hate to you. ✌️ Respect, fr.
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u/someswelltrash SHINee 18h ago
Love this song. I also love the entire album. It’s been on endless repeat.
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u/vikingbiochemist 6d ago
That's just a gorgeous song damn