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Popworldcupjustice: Ivory Coast vs Japan

  • June 15, 2014
  • Brad O'Mance

worldcupthing2header

IVORY COAST V JAPAN

Guest referee:
Owen Myers — Deputy Editor, Dazed & Confused

Cote_d'Ivoire32 Abou Nidal 2 Geneve — 'Dialogue Direct'

“According to Wikipedia, Abou Nidal is the ori­gin­ator of the movement 'the shoe that speaks'; at 2:58 in 'Dialogue Direct', he holds up a silver pointy number and proudly declares 'la chaussure qui parle'. In embel­lished robes and turban, Abou Nidal is flanked by sand-stomping female dancers in front of a Windows 98 deserts­cape before moving onto a bottle-service club, a heavily-ferned hotel lobby, and glowing city skyline. I'm told that the song is in the popular Ivory Coast style of Coupé-Décalé, a rhythmic and jolly style which doesn't quite give way to an soaring chorus, but it's hard to beat a hook of dansé dansé, pushé pushé.”

Japan32 AKB48 — ‘Labrador Retriever’

“48-piece Japanese girlgroup AKB48's current single is about a dog, which stands it alongside pop greats such as 'Puppy Love' by The Jackson 5 and 'Puppy Love' by Lolly. 'Labrador Retriever' doesn't quite sound like these, more closely resem­bling the sort of candy-coloured nonsense ditty they play in the gift shop of Cinderella's Castle which you then find yourself humming on the teacups. In the teasing video, our new friends enjoy oozing hot dogs, fast-melting ice creams (what a mess!) and a spot of canine cavorting. At one point, one bikini-clad member licks another's face. You wonder if AKB48 saw Western pop's best efforts of sticking in as many band members as would fit on a Top Of The Pops stage and declared: 'stage? We'll raise you a BEACH.' It feels evil but delicious, like dipping a Dairy Milk into peanut butter."

Owen's full time score:

Ivory Coast 1 — Japan 2

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Next up: Switzerland vs Ecuador

  • abou nidal 2 geneve
  • AKB48
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Popworldcupjustice: England vs Italy

  • June 14, 2014
  • Brad O'Mance
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  • June 15, 2014
  • Brad O'Mance
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Pop as in popular
  • 1
    New Music Friday: Let's kick off 2021 with some KLF
  • 2
    The Top 45 Singles Of 2020
Further listening
Greatest hits
  • Kloe interview: "I wanted the video to feel powerful — I don’t want to be a whiny victim"
  • Halsey interview: "I don't believe people who say they're themselves all the time"
  • Marina & The Diamonds interview: "Everyone’s vapid to a degree"
Further reading
  • 1
    New Music Friday: Let's kick off 2021 with some KLF
  • 2
    The Top 45 Singles Of 2020
  • 3
    New Music Friday: Mae Muller doesn't want to be dependent
  • 4
    New Music Friday: There's a big one from Royal & The Serpent
  • 5
    New Music Friday: Baby Queen takes the throne
  • 6
    Twenty Quid 2020: Dua Lipa is the winner
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