Shadow (f(x) song)
| "Shadow" | |
|---|---|
| Song by f(x) from the album Pink Tape | |
| Released | July 29, 2013 |
| Format | Digital download |
| Recorded | 2013 at S.M. Studios, Seoul |
| Genre | Alternative pop |
| Length | 3:30 |
| Label | S.M. Entertainment |
| Writer | Jun Gan-di |
| Composer | Sophie Michelle Ellis-Bextor, Cathy Dennis, Rob Fusari |
| Pink Tape track listing | |
| |
"Shadow" (Hangul: 그림자; alt: 미행; lit. tailing) is a K-pop song of alternative pop music genre performed by Korean-Chinese girl group f(x). It was included as the second track in their second studio album Pink Tape released on July 29, 2013.[1]
Composition and background
According to the album description on the South Korean music portal site Naver Music, "Shadow" is an artsy song that belongs to the music genre of alternative pop and features a few non-traditional instruments, such as xylophone chimes, to produce its unique sounds.[2] The song was composed and arranged by a team of songwriters that included the British singer artists Sophie Michelle Ellis-Bextor and Cathy Dennis, and the American music producer Rob Fusari. Dennis, who is famous for composing Kylie Minogue's "Can't Get You Out of My Head", Britney Spears's "Toxic" and Katy Perry's "I Kissed a Girl", made her debut production in K-pop with "Shadow".
The lyrics of the piece were penned by Jun Gan-di who also wrote the title track "Rum Pum Pum Pum" from the album. He had also collaborated with Girls' Generation on song "Look At Me" from their fourth album I Got a Boy and with Shinee on "Dream Girl", "Punch Drunk Love" and "Girls' Girls' Girls'" from their third album Chapter 1. Dream Girl – The Misconceptions of You.[3] The lyrics talks of a girls' story about developing a crush on someone she cannot face or confess her feelings too.[4] The 'sweet, young and innocent' dreamy nature of her love, could [potentially] be misinterpreted by some as stalking.[5]
Art film
On July 17, 2013, a vintage-styled 'art film' was uploaded on S.M. Entertainment's official YouTube channel, that signaled the group's comeback. The teaser video featured a preview of "Shadow" along with poetry narrated by the members of f(x). It also included edited clips of the behind the scenes showing the photo shoot for the album jacket of Pink Tape.[6]
Critical reception
"Shadow" gained generally favorable reviews from various K-Pop news sites and critics. Allkpop remarked the song being in line with its 'stalking' concept with its creepy, distorted and 'cartoonish' singing in the background along with music of 'eerily cute' xylophones. "The calm vocal delivery over a sanitary disco instrumental only further's the track's sinister tones, ultimately giving us one of K-Pop's most unexpectedly frightening songs..." the online critic elaborated further.[4] In a review of the album for the Kpop blog website Seoulbeats the author praised the song as one of the best on the album. They regarded the concept of the piece as the innocent 'super sweetie teen love' that "[you] become absolutely infatuated with but are too young to understand as love." The reviewer dives further in-depth by commenting that the song barely scrapes the idea of 'full blown romance' and rather floats the listener in airy tune that is "just gushing about the butterflies in the pit of your stomach."[5]
Chart performance
| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Gaon Gaon Singles chart[7] | 6 |
| Gaon Monthly Singles chart[7] | TBA |
| Gaon Streaming Singles chart[7] | 27 |
| Gaon Download Singles chart[7] | 3 |
| Gaon Mobile Ringtone chart[7] | — |
| Gaon Karaoke chart[7] | — |
| Billboard K-Pop Hot 100[8] | 25 |
References
- ↑ "f(x) The 2nd Album 'Pink Tape'". iTunes. July 29, 2013. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
- ↑ (Korean) "Jun Gan-di". Naver. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "[Album Review] f(x) 'Pink Tape'". August 7, 2013. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Popping In F(X)'S "Pink Tape"". Seoulbeats. August 1, 2013. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
- ↑ (Korean) "에프엑스 컴백, 몽환적 아트필름 공개 ‘기대UP’". unionpress.co.kr. July 17, 2013. Retrieved August 4, 2013.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 (Korean) "Gaon Search – f(x)" (in Korean). Gaon Chart. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
- ↑ "Billboard Korea K-POP Hot 100 2013.07.20". Billboard. July 29, 2013. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
External links
- Pink Tape "Shadow" art film at Youtube (Korean)
- f(x)'s official Korean website
- Pink Tape at Naver (Korean)
- Pink Tape at iTunes
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