PSY – Napal Baji

“That is FLAWLESS modern funk-disco pop.”

Tom: No, this is not his big new song.

Tim: Good, because that one’s almost entirely terrible.

Tom: This is his other new song. I don’t know why he’s released two singles at the same time, but he has. And yes, the other one might be getting the press because it’s weird and what the Western world expects from him, but this track? It’s much better.

Tim: Okay. Anything else?

Tom: All you need to know is that “napal baji” means “flares”. As in, trousers.

Tim: Oh that really is much better.

Tom: That is FLAWLESS modern funk-disco pop. That backing guiat riff is straight from Daft Punk. That first verse has an “Uptown Funk” rhythm to it. And yes, that’s because they’re all drawing off the same influences from decades ago and updating them — but it’s so rare to hear it done this well.

Tim: Do you know, halfway through I started thinking “this’d be a really good Fleur East song” – obviously you’d need different lyrics and a few other tweaks here and there, but it’d fit very well stylistically, and be a damn sight less annoying than Sax.

Tom: Plus, an incredibly high-budget music video helps. This doesn’t deserve to be overshadowed by the “ha, the Gangnam Style guy’s done another weird song” — this is just a great track.