In the 1970s, when hip-hop culture was in its infancy in New York City's South Bronx, the subways were terrifying.
Covered in graffiti inside and out, straphangers taking the dimly lit trains did so at their own risk.
Big Bang's G-Dragon channels the terrible predicament faced by the era's commuters in his new solo video "MichiGO."
The surreal, nearly four-minute video was initially planned for release on the global mobile messenger LINE and to be played during G-Dragon's world tour, according to his record label YG Entertainment.
The "MichiGO" music video was released online on Friday, due to fan demand.
It is not hard to understand why G-Dragon followers clamored for the video's release. "MichiGO" is an undeniably interesting video clip, creating a surrealist landscape for several G-Dragon personas to come together and dance.
G-Dragon's face has the expressiveness of a silent film actor, selling visual effects that otherwise might come off hokey, like when a futuristic gunman fires a laser at the video's school boy protagonist (both roles played by G-Dragon, of course).
Another appealing part of "MichiGO" is the innovative directorial decision not to rely on green screen technology.
The choice gives G-Dragon's new video a retro, cinematic quality is boldly dark for K-pop.
"MichiGO" special effects are achieved with low-fi techniques like lighting and even actor masks, a revolutionary concept in the age of wall-to-wall CGI.
The result is something that at moments even resembles the 1979 gang film "The Warriors" that depicted the same era of frightening New York City subways and violent city streets mentioned above, mixed with a heavy dose of off-kilter surrealism.
Musically, "MichiGO" sounds like it came from a little further south.
A nod to Southern rap artists like Ludacris and Juvenile, the song definitely gets your head bobbing.
And although the track mainly lingers on one groove, it is a strong one.
One standout moment is when the rhythm turns around in the break to a house-infused quarter note bass drum beat.
After the stutter step production on the rest of the track, the effect is sonic vertigo in the best way.
Although "MichiGO" might not be among the most innovative songs in K-pop right now, it does stay with you like all good pop music should.
And G-Dragon, who recently sold out tickets to a pair of Hong Kong shows in minutes, has a certain charismatic star quality that could eclipse his Big Bang band mates, if he hasn't already.
See the G-Dragon video for "MichiGO" RIGHT HERE:
M/s : kenvilthomas@kpopupdates.com
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