#ayama

Papa Koga and Momma Ayama.

WHY IS THERE A HORSE. WHAT THE.

Okay, back up. @qisforqazaq went to their December 24th concert and posted a recap, as well as video of the new MV, and I’d seen it and other fancams. But I’ve been waiting to actually react until there was something official to react to. Partly because the sound quality was understandably poor, but also because I need to work on my dissertation and not succumb to the temptation to post 3,000 words about Ace’s hat until I absolutely have to.

Anyway. We now have official audio, and we do not yet have the Russian or English translated lyrics but we do have the credits: stalwart Olzhas Nurgaliev, bless him, as producer (he may have been the one to add the neighing horse, but I’m more inclined to guess Bala or Ace), AZ/ZaQ on lyrics, Ace/Alem/Bala on music. Same combination as “Bayau,” and in my original draft of the OWOB “Bayau” entry I pointed out that the song was likely written in the spring of 2016 and although “Bayau” was not my favorite this particular songwriting combination was bound to improve. AND I WAS RIGHT.

“Ah! Yah! Mah!” -- so far, that rendition of the title is the only thing I don’t like, and I may slip and continue to refer to it as “Ayama” -- is big: I was surprised to realize it clocks in at under four minutes, given that Bala fiiiiiiiiinally gets a hefty chunk of lines and there are also long dancing stretches. And foreboding strings and echoing whoa-oh’s and ZaQ doing whatever it is he’s doing at the end and Alem screaming and Ace sounding near-unearthly. Oh, and horses. I mean, why not, if you’re going big.

I think my force-rank of the Qarangy Zharyq singles (if you count “Mooz” and not “U” as the single) will end up being 1. this, 2. “Yeski Taspa Bii’“, 3. “Su Asty,” 4. “Mooz,” 5. “Bayau,” and friendly reminder that back in April I was predicting that Qarangy Zharyq would be mostly about singles far less interesting than “Su Asty,” and for that to end up being the third most interesting of the singles tells you everything you need to know about how hard I fell for Ninety One in 2017. Bless them and their willingness to throw in glug-glugs and death-metal shrieking and neighing horses and kazoo-esque solos and cellos(?) and crunch into their songs. And bless Boss Yerbolat for, as best I can tell, standing by and letting them.

#SPOILERS

For those of you who can’t wait: the concert presentation of the newest MV for the song Ayama!

The song is lit af, has instantly climbed up to my top 3 favourites by 91 and in Q-pop in general. The MV is even hotter aka Total Flames™, especially considering they basically finished shooting on this Friday, the final editing done today minutes before showing it to the audience. That’s what I call a superb ability to work under deadlines.

Enjoy 🤘