The Mid-Week Music Video Mini-Reviews Youtube Round-Up – 4/9/14

Hello, dear friends! We skipped a couple weeks but we’re back with the mini-review round-up and this one is a little heftier than normal. We are playing catch-up after all! But we’re bringing you nearly a dozen new music videos along with some brief commentary which you’re more than welcome to agree or disagree with and voice your own opinion! Enjoy.

DANakaDAN x Priska – “Don’t Go Where I Can’t Follow”

I wasn’t quite sure whether to peg this as a remix or an original that samples/borrows heavily from Rihanna’s “Stay”. I’ve opted to lean towards the latter – not that it matters though because either way this is a strong collaboration between Dan & Priska. Dan has always had an unconventional flow that is better suited to different genres of music other than straight Hip-Hop. So he definitely played to his strengths with this one – plus it’s set against an emotionally charged video that is pretty well made.

G.R.L. Featuring for Pitbull – “Wild Wild Love”

Even though Pitbull has been impossible to escape in Top 40 music the past couple years, this is one case I actually don’t mind too much. First and foremost, it has a lot to do with Emmalyn and her group, G.R.L., being prominent guest features on the track video. Secondly, it’s kind of a catchy song – and not in an annoying way. Video is standard Pop fare but everyone’s looking sharp.

AJ Rafael – “Matchmaker”

AJ & company make great use of a space to bring distinctly unique feels to this music video. It’s a fun watch set to the Pop/Rock tune and though it may not be as lavish as some of his other work – it gets the job done nicely. It almost reminded me of classic footage from American Bandstand from decades ago.

Kina Grannis & Friends – “Dear River”

Kina’s next project, Elements, ain’t too far away and with promotions ramping up we have this lyric video for “Dear River”. But what’s especially notable is the number of special cameos who help bring a little extra fun to the festivities. Ryan Higa, Kevjumba, Wong Fu, Sam Tsui, David Choi, Marie Digby, and Clara C all make appearances – and that’s just to name a few. I’m definitely looking forward to the album.

Hana Kim – “Caravan”

Hana Kim is an artist whom we are just starting to follow and get acquainted with, but so far we’ve only come away impressed. This is a new take on one of her songs from her album, Exodo. She opted to give this one a more live feel, performing this decently produced video against a lush, green backdrop. Not bad at all.

D-Pryde – “Nightmare”

Pryde’s Canal & Richvale was a strong EP when it dropped last year, but I felt like it could have used some more promotion. That’s exactly what we’re getting with this MV. It’s one of the moodier tracks from the project and the MV has a similar tone. It’s a sharp watch but for some reason I prefer to just renjoy to this joint without the visual. Either way, great to see more of Prizzy.

Marie Digby – “Nature”

I dunno if I’d fully consider this a music video though it features some spoken narrative by Kina and an instrumental and video all bound together under the inspiration of Nature. Is it mind-blowing material? No, but it’s an ethereal and soothing experience that serves as a fair switch up to the average playlist.

Dia Frampton – “Money Back”

We’ve seen a few of these H&R tax sponsored videos by now, and I’m always a bit weary of what to expect. Thankfully, Dia kept things upbeat and creative in this musical-inspired song and video. It prob wouldn’t be something you’d hear on the radio but for being a glorified commercial, it definitely did what it could to maximize it’s entertainment value.

Trus Real (as part of The Coalition) – “9MM”

Trus and his crew (The Coalition) are back and like any posse track worth it’s weight, this is filled with non-stop, high-octane flows from a myriad of rappers. Overall, it’s a strong listen with a typical indie video – though it’s hard to deny the talent of many of the artists. Trus does not fail to deliver either and you can hear him lay into it towards the latter half of the track.

Toestah x Sean Brown – “Switch Up the Flow”

Toesteeeezy takes up a guest spot on Sean Brown’s track and though there ain’t a whole lot to see in the video, this is still a track that hits pretty hard. Botch emcees balance each other out fairly well with complementary styles. Those looking to expand their Hip-Hop playlists wouldn’t really go wrong by adding this one into the mix.

Ruby Ibarra x Bambu – “DANCE (The Movement)”

The constant focus issues (likely from low-lighting) were a bit distracting, but otherwise this is exactly what you would expect from a Ruby x Bam collabo. Both are conscious rappers with a penchant for bucking the status quo and using their talents to express themselves thoroughly. I wouldn’t have minded if they used more bboys to illustrate their point though, given the title of the track.

Jessi Malay – “Do Not Disturb”

Jessi Malay is back with a new song and visual, and this one is a little bit steamy. It would fit right in for your “after-hours” playlist… you know, for certain activities behind closed doors if you get my drift. No, but seriously, Jessi wasn’t afraid to kick things up a notch on screen though the song wasn’t quite as memorable as I’d like it to be. Perhaps it’ll grow on me after repeated listens.