Chris BeazerMaybe Hips Never Lie?
June 19th 2006 05:35
There is something mesmerising about the latest offering from Colombian pop singer Shakira, “Hips Don’t Lie”. Latino influences have a huge presence, as expected. High pitched horn sounds introduce the theme for the chorus. An acoustic guitar plays simple major chords. Percussion is vital, and various sounds from bongos to cabassa push along the tempo of this hip-shaking tune. The song sounds busy, it feels intricate. Yet musically “Hips Don’t Lie” is not complex. The same phrases are repeated in the melody, and the beat is constant throughout the piece. So why does it sound so rich? The layering is masterful - each percussion instrument has its own repetitive line upon which another beat is layered, resulting in almost every semi-quaver beat having at least one single instrument begin a note on it. In other words, each bar of four notes is broken down even further into sixteen. In a song with a tempo as quick as this one has, complex rhythmic patterns add a great deal of depth and interest to the song.
Shakira’s voice is much like a breath of fresh air. Her accent is unusual (when compared to the vocal sounds of the majority of Top 40 female singers). She does not seem to feel the need to deafen her listeners with great, high-pitched screaming either. The Spanish lyrics also add a touch of foreign intrigue. Perhaps due to her upbringing and cultural background, Shakira has an innate sense of rhythm, which fuels this song. When the song breaks down, Wyclef Jean takes over. He lays down a very neat rap over a simplified beat, and one can imagine a break-dancing interval. And when the song finally comes to an end... I at least want it to play just one more time. Shakira melds innocence and sexiness somehow so that she doesn’t come across as cheap. This achievement must truly define brilliance.
Oral Fixation Vol. 2 (image courtesy of www.lightmedia.hu)
Shakira’s voice is much like a breath of fresh air. Her accent is unusual (when compared to the vocal sounds of the majority of Top 40 female singers). She does not seem to feel the need to deafen her listeners with great, high-pitched screaming either. The Spanish lyrics also add a touch of foreign intrigue. Perhaps due to her upbringing and cultural background, Shakira has an innate sense of rhythm, which fuels this song. When the song breaks down, Wyclef Jean takes over. He lays down a very neat rap over a simplified beat, and one can imagine a break-dancing interval. And when the song finally comes to an end... I at least want it to play just one more time. Shakira melds innocence and sexiness somehow so that she doesn’t come across as cheap. This achievement must truly define brilliance.
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Comment by edward
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Comment by Trina
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Comment by Ella
Trina - it had a GREAT beat for dancing.
Ed - you would
Cheers,
Ella
Comment by charles
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Nice review, Ella - will have to check this out sometime!
Charles.
Comment by Cibbuano
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