Pulse Magazine February 2014

Pulse. The

Magazine By e YCIS HK News Group

Yew Chung international school Hong Kong News Group FEBRUARY, 2014 Vol 002

YCIS News International News Leisure

Solve for Tomorrow

Q&A

Sochi: Secrets of the Winter Olympic Games

2014

The Rise and Fall of Flappy Bird

Pulse. The

Magazine By e YCIS HK News Group

Vol. 002 February 2014

EDIT

OR

IAL

Employee No.0 & Editor Timothy Sit

!Designers

Dorothy Ho Ka Lui Lam Melody Mah

Writers

David Chu NEW SCHOOL CANTEEN

Melody Mah TEACHER INTERVIEW-MRS.DAS

Timothy Sit SOLVE FOR TOMORROW Q&A

Timothy Sit THIS MONTH IN SCIENCE

Terrence Tse THE IMPLICATIONS OF CHINA’S HUNGER FOR

SIBERIAN TIMBER MINERALS

Timothy Sit THE RISE AND FALL OF FLAPPY BIRD

Michael Mak SOCHI: SECRETS OF THE WINTER OLYMPIC

GAMES 2014

Melody Mah FAB FASHION: THIS YEAR’S WINTER FASHION OF

SCHOOL

Bethanie Choi MUSIQUE REVIEW

Contents. 01 02 03-04 05-07 08 09-11 12 13-14 15-16

NEW SCHOOL CANTEEN

INTERVIEW WITH TEACHER-MRS. DAS

SOLVE FOR TOMORROW Q&A

THIS MONTH IN SCIENCE

THE IMPLICATIONS OF CHINA’S HUNGER FOR SIBERIAN TIMBER MINERALS

THE RISE AND FALL OF FLAPPY BIRD

SOCHI: SECRETS OF THE WINTER OLYMPICS

GAMES 2014

FABFASHION: THIS YEAR’S WINTER FASHION OF SCHOOL

MUSIQUE REVIEW

The Pulse Vol. 002 February 2014

School This Month In

Recently, the school opened a new canteen on the seventh floor. This includes several tables and chairs in the walkway and a whole new room for students to eat lunch. Also, there are two new ordering machines, a new counter and a place for cutleries. The type of food served is similar to the food served in the canteen in the first floor: The seventh floor canteen serves the daily special from the first floor canteen. However, it lacks the chef’s recommendation, daily baked rice/steamed rice and the daily roast, but it also contains new types of meals such as the roast special and the BBQ pork with rice.

New School Canteen!

I ordered the daily special: Italian Duck Breast with Balsamic Vinegar with Iced Lemon Tea. We can see from the picture that the actual meal differs from the meal shown in the menu in different ways: The amount of vegetables in the actual meal is greater than the amount in the menu; the colour of the noodles and the sauce in the actual meal is paler than the colour in the menu. This may be related to the taste of the meal, which is milder than expected. The school might have done this because it is healthier for the students: The amount of sauce in the meal is controlled as can be seen by the lighter colour, which means that students take in less food additives, which is not healthy to the human bodies in large amounts. Also, more vegetables in the meal mean a more balanced meal, as they are a crucial part of the human diet. Back on the sixth floor, all seems quiet. Everything is empty except for a few students sitting and eating their lunch. It is a good thing that the new canteen in the seventh floor provides more space, as there was a problem of overcrowding and not enough seats for students to eat lunch, but it seems that there is a lack of balance: Most of the students are eating at the seventh floor. However, the attractiveness of the new canteen might fade away soon and students will start to go back to the sixth floor. For the students who like to eat quietly and for those who do not like too many people around, the sixth floor might be your place. Enjoy before time runs out!

News

01. FEBRUARY, 2014 Pulse. The

Interview with Teacher Mrs. Das

In cooperation with our theme this month - The Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Competition, The Pulse invited Mrs. Das, the supervisor for this event, to do a short interview about her background and views on the students in Yew Chung.

P = The Pulse D = Mrs. Das

P: Why and when did you choose to be a biology teacher?

D: I love biology and I really enjoy the subject. I admired my teachers, but it was not after my daughter was born that I want to be a teacher, because that was when I realised how much I like teaching.

P: What made you come and teach in Hong Kong?

D: I’ve always wanted to live in China, Hong Kong was not our first choice but well, we somehow ended up here

P: Are there any differences between the study environment and atmosphere in Yew Chung and that of the secondary school you’ve studied in?

D: Yes of course, firstly the school I’ve studied in was not an international school. It was a convent school, the teachers were very strict and it was very exam based;

there were not much education on information technology and all the studies was based on textbook. The approach to learning is very different in Yew Chung, in my school it was a lot like we memorize

everything the teacher taught from the textbook and we write them down during the exams. I really love how there are multiple ways of learning in Yew Chung, the technology is a lot better and multiple skills are taught and expected. I prefer this environment but it is much

more time consuming than my environment in the past.

P: If you get to choose again, what are some choice you would consider to change in your life?

D: Hmm… Not much. However, I would like to change the environment to one where there can be different learning styles for children, because all students have a different learning style.

P: What are your thoughts on our participants for Samsung – Solve for Tomorrow Competition in Yew Chung?

D: I respect their hard work, it is very difficult to cope with all the work that comes with the first year of IB. I am very proud of them.

P: What advice would you give to the students in Yew Chung in studying?

D: No excuses to homework, do your best before expecting good grades. I wish that the students can have a balanced life between school and their private lives.


INTERVIEW

What is this competition about?� (What are the prizes, number of

competitors) etc.�

The Solve for Tomorrow competition is a platform for students in primary schools, secondary schools and tertiary institutions across Hong Kong to present their green ideas to solve some of our increasingly distressing environmental problems. Entries are judged by their identification of the problem, incorporation of technology, creativity, inspiration for others, and practicality. Samsung received over a thousand ideas, and Afterschool EPC was lucky enough to be shortlisted as one of the top 20 entries from secondary schools.

Ho Yin: It was a pleasant surprise for our members. The competition was launched back in November and the first deadline was set in January. The team spent less than a week to put our amateurish audio and picture submission together, a far cry from the monumental effort and preparation which we expected from local school elites. Turns out we were wrong. Jason Ng: I am amazed and stunned by the result. That’s it. Martin Pang: To be honest, I was quite surprised when I received a “congratulations” email from the organisers of the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition. Since there were more than 900 entrants in the secondary category for the competition, the team and I didn’t even expect to be chosen as one of the top 20 teams. In my opinion, our ideas stood out in the competition as we devoted a lot of time in coming up with a creative idea that inspired the judges. Terence Tse: I was glad to have gotten into the top twenty, but to be honest I wasn't too surprised. I believe that if proposal was done to our fullest, it would naturally be nominated.

"What are your initial reaction knowing that you are one of the finalists of the competition?�

For this month’s issue of Pulse Magazine we managed to have a chat with the finalists of Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow competition. In which we learn what the team “Afterschool EPC”(consisting of Kwok Ho Yin, Jason Ng, Martin Pang, and Terence Tse, all from Year 12) is up to and what the competition is about.

SAMSUNG’S SOLVE FOR TOMORROW COMPETITION FINALISTS Q&A

INTERVIEW

��

Please tell us briefly about your

project �

Our concept aims to take a bite out of the hideous usage and disposal of plastic bags in Hong Kong. Through the use of Octopus cards, QR scanners, NFC-enabled devices, and cloud computing technologies, plastic bags saved by participating customers will translate into reward quotas. The more bags one refuses to take, the larger the prize one gets.

We would be lying to you if we said it wasn’t for the IB diploma. We think it’s a marvelous opportunity to challenge ourselves on a much broader platform outside of school and to cooperate with others. The gain from entering this competition is beyond CAS points.

The team originally contemplated on the idea of importing smog-eating cement in Hong Kong, but abandoned the concept due to the cost and availability of the technology associated. This was the biggest issue with many other brave new technologies so we figured that our idea must be plausible, and that the public could easily participate. What is something that almost everyone owns and which the organiser of the competition makes? Smartphones naturally sprang to mind. This would work wonderfully with the proposed Phase 2 of the plastic bag levy scheme, for which retailers get to withhold the fees collected and reimburse their ‘green’ customers.

Please tell Pulse readers about any of your future work that we should be looking forward" .�to.�

Vote for Afterschool EPC now! ��

Details about the voting are available on Pulse’s Facebook Page.�

Who knows? If our votes manage to climb to the top 5 in the public voting round, we might attract the attention of retailers who may be interested in realising our idea!

SAMSUNG’S SOLVE FOR TOMORROW COMPETITION FINALISTS Q&A

What motivated you to enter this competition?�

��

What inspired your idea for this project? �

THIS

MONTH

IN

SCIENCE

On February 14 2014 the world’s largest solar plant began operation. The Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System located in the California Mojave Desert consists of 300,00 computer-controlled mirrors, focusing sunlight to the the top of 459-foot towers, where electricity is generated by heating water into steam to power turbines. According to the official news release the solar plant will “generate up to 392 megawatts of solar power, enough electricity to provide 140,000 California homes with clean energy and avoid 400,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year, equal to removing 72,000 vehicles off the road”. The Ivanpah Solar Power Facility is owned by NPG Energy, BrightSource Energy, and most notably, Google.

WORLD’S LARGEST SOLAR

PLANT BEGINS OPERATION

ACID BATH STEM CELL

UNDER INVENSTIGATION

into an embryonic state stem cell by

Two papers described as ‘groundbreaking’, which concern the

reprogramming of mature mouse cells applying stress, such as exposure to acid

conditions or physical pressure on cell membranes, went into investigation after numerous failed attempts to replicate results. The two papers were lead-authored by biologist Haruko Obokata and published in Nature on February 2014. The investigation was reported by Nature’s news team and will be led by The RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology in Kobe.

The controversial work involved a mouse embryo injected with cells made pluripotent through stress.

SCIENCE


FISH INTO ART

“We almost doubled, just today, the number of planets known to humanity,” said astronomer Douglas Hudgins, head of exoplanet exploration at NASA headquarters in Washington. Among the 715 newly discovered planets, 4 about 2.5 times the size of Earth were found to be in the suitable distance from their parent stars for liquid surface water, which is believed to be the key for life.

NASA FINDS 715 NEW PLANETS

Kepler, one of the 715 planets discovered.

China’s moon rover Yutu still suffers from mechanical issues as the rover fell into a planned slumber on February 23 2014. Although the Yutu’s cameras and radar are still functioning, mission controllers failed to manoeuvre the rover and so the rover has only been able to perform observations from a fixed point, according to a Chinese state media report.

On February 26 2014 the Kepler science team announced the discovery of 715 new planets, increasing the total number of confirmed exoplanets discoveries to nearly 1,700.

Adam Summers, who studies vertebrate biomechanics at the University of Washington, produced elegant photos which reveal the intricate cartilaginous infrastructure inside marine creatures as part of his research. Hydrogen peroxide, a digestive enzyme and glycerin was used to make the flesh seem to disappear and dyes provide the mesmerising colours. Summers’ work is now featured in an exhibit at the Seattle Aquarium. Dr. Summers was also the scientific consultant of Pixar’s “Finding Nemo”.

CHEMISTRY TURNS THE BIOLOGY OF

FISH INTO PHYSICAL ART

ROVER RESURRECTED BUT RAMIFICATION REMAINS

INTRODUCING THE

NEW QUASIPARTICLE A newly discovered quasiparticle has been dubbed a quantum droplet, or a dropleton for it is the first quasiparticle found to behave like a liquid. The new quasiparticle is a collection of electrons and electron holes inside a semiconductor. The paper describing the discovery titled “Quantum droplets of electrons and holes” by A. E. Almand- Hunter et. al was published on the 27 February 2014 issue of nature.

SCIENCE


China's HUNGER

With 3645km of shared borders, China is a crucial key in Siberia’s future. With its constant exponential growth over the last three decades, China has gone from a wary threat into the single largest buyer of Siberian riches. One key commodity has lured Chinese wealth to this frozen land: timber. When China banned domestic logging, due to fears to over deforestation, China had to rely on imports to satisfy its citizens. This is where Siberia comes in. Its combination of sparse population, virgin forests and rampant corruption, the Chinese has found the perfect alternative for cheap lumber. Right now, trucks of timber are sent to the Chinese border city of Manzhouli, where it is processed into planks and wooden goods, ready for retail. Is this beneficial to the people of Siberia? Not really. Although a lot of resources are sold, most of these timbers are acquired by Chinese ventures, transported by Chinese drivers, and sent to Chinese factories to provide to Chinese customers. The Siberians doesn’t have a part in this multi--‐million operation, but they are the ones who will face the consequences of deforestation. The scale of logging has grave consequences on the ecosystem, and when the forests are gone, the Chinese will just look elsewhere, leaving behind nothing for them. Even though the Chinese are clearly taking advantage of the unregulated environment as an opportunity to loot the Siberian forests, either side did nothing. The Chinese see it as a growth potential, and officials have not stopped the influx in any way. As officials are rated by the growth of the province they are responsible for, stopping growth is the last thing they would wish for. On the Russian side, the bureaucracy that brought Siberia stagnant has also done nothing to help. Riddled with corruption, the Chinese are able to take lumber without paying a cent of tax by bribing border officials, governors and police. Even now, dissent from this corner of the world is rising. Unless China could realize the extent of the problem and produce an offer for the Siberians, the situation in Siberia could escalate into protests, and eventually direct conflict.

The Implications of

for Siberian Timber Minerals

DRAPED by relentless winter and permafrost, Siberia has long been an elusive part of the world, isolated from civilization until the mid 16th century, with Russian colonists establishing trade posts for the furs available in the boreal forests.

Nowadays, the fur trade still hold much importance in these far-flung regions, but the focus has turned to raw minerals; zinc, copper, silver, lead, gold, timber, the list goes on. With this wealth of resources, the central problem that has always plagued the region is the lack of labor. In come China. With 3645km of shared borders, China is a crucial key in Siberia’s future. With its constant exponential growth over the last three decades, China has gone from a wary threat into the single largest buyer of Siberian riches. One key commodity has lured Chinese wealth to this frozen land: timber. When China banned domestic logging, due to fears to over deforestation, China had to rely on imports to satisfy its citizens. This is where Siberia comes in. Its combination of sparse population, virgin forests and rampant corruption, the Chinese has found the perfect alternative for cheap lumber. Right now, trucks of timber are sent to the Chinese border city of Manzhouli, where it is processed into planks and wooden goods, ready for retail.

NOTHERN FRONTIER:


News

The Rise and Fall of

Flapping to the top

Flappy Bird suddenly flapped from obscurity to popularity, rising to the #1 spot in charts of many mobile platforms, including Apple’s iOS.

In EARLY 2014

LEISURE


The game has gone viral after media platforms including Tumblr, twitter, and Facebook, became infected with videos and comments emphasising the frustrating difficulty and illusive simplicity of the game. Many even failed to reach scores of two digit values, and the outrage which resulted was not only hilarious, but also tempted others to fly into the bird bandwagon. However inducing anger is not the only reason for Flappy Bird’s magical addictiveness, many were cast in wonder of how a bird managed to dominate the mobile game platform.

Angrier than Angry Birds

Why so addictive? Writer Anh-Minh Do from techinasia.com proposed that Flappy Bird’s addictiveness can be attributed to its simplicity, steep learning curve, and brevity of gameplay. When you enter the game you may notice that there are usually no more than three options at any one instant, which reduces the amount of distraction and enhances the gaming experience. In his book The Paradox of Choice psychologist Barry Schwartz argues that too many choices induces

anxiety and drains mental resources. And by limiting the amount of options, user satisfaction rises.

In the study Less may be more when choosing is difficult: Choice complexity and too much choice by Rainer Greifeneder et.al, 229 University students were given different products to choose from, and the results show that students with fewer options enjoy higher satisfaction with their decision. When it comes to playing the game there are even fewer options, you either tap to go up or don’t to fall. The self-explanatory, easy-to-learn rules of the game allows anyone to pick it up instantly, making the game even more infectious. Not long after you began tapping the screen, your bird bumps into one of those pipes and you lose, and you start playing again. The difficulty of passing each pipe means that each game usually only lasts around 30 seconds. This is where the game’s psychology took control of you again. In his book The Power of Habit Charles Duhigg describes a habit that can sometimes become additive as a trigger-action-reward loop cycle. If we impose this model into Flappy Bird we see that by making the game more challenging, the loop cycle is shortened and the psychological reward gained from successfully passing each pipe increases. The brevity and the strong reward-driven action of the gameplay drives the perpetual tapping of your fingers, and the flapping of the Flappy Bird.

When talking about p & mv FlappyBird is really

Physics > Fun Many blame Flappy Bird’s difficulty for its seemingly unrealistic physics, but only a few took this hypothesis seriously. A physics teacher Frank Noschese used a Logger Pro to analyse a video of Flappy Bird running on an iPad in order to track the bird’s motion. Assuming that the bird is about the size of a robin(24cm across), Noschese calculated a gravitational acceleration of 9.75m/s2, extremely close to the earth’s gravitational acceleration of 9.8m/s2. Many games in the market often tweak the physics to make it more enjoyable. For example the gravitation acceleration in Angry Birds is about 25% of Earth’s. Flappy Bird’s radical approach of bringing gamers closer to the real world instead may be hard to adapt for some.


LEISURE

The Fall of Flappy Bird

Although Flappy Bird was earning its creator Dong Nguyen $50,000 a day from in-app advertisement, the sudden burst in attention placed the owner under too much pressure. And the bird was taken down on February 10 2014.

Rip-off Resurrections Many attempts had been made to resurrect the Flappy Bird species, but none of them seems to be as well-bred compared to the original, some even described Flappy Bird as creating a entirely new family of games. However the gold mine still remains for the digging and game developers certainly will not stop.

Flappy Bird flapped too high on top of everyone’s minds, hit a pipe, and fell instantaneously under gravity. Leaving us to wonder and admire its extraordinary success in such a short lifetime, and pondering the legacy of its descendants.

Creator of Flappy Bird, Dong Nguyen

LEISURE


of the Winter Olympic Games 2014

ochi

Secrets

Why Sochi and not Moscow? Why did the Russian government hold the Winter Olympic Games 2014 in Sochi? This question bothered me a lot and there is no answer to that since the government will not even take the trouble to face it. However, the general public do have some conjectures on why the government did this. Some say corruption interfere the selection of place, some say the Russian just wanted to show off its economic status to the world - especially to the United States, some say Sochi is Vladimir Putin’s favourite place, some say the government randomly selected this place.

Which one is the true reason on why did the government chose Sochi? Which is the answer to the question? We are now going to dismantle the ultimate secret of the Winter Olympic Games 2014 Sochi. Sochi is a subtropical city around the Black Sea coast. Given that the average temperature there in February this year is only around 10-12°C, this makes it the warmest place in Russia - even warmer than Hong Kong. It is also a dangerous place filled with terrorist trying to bomb the city up. There were already three suicide bombing in Volgograd from October 2013 to December 2013, threatening the government that they would do the same in Sochi if the Winter Olympic Games are to be held there. Although there is no significant evidence about the US sending the FBI to Sochi to secretly protect their athletes, the public did experience sights of FBI officials guarding hotels in which the US athletes stayed in. The money used in this Winter Olympic Games is reported to be as high as $51 billion USD; five times as expensive as the Winter Olympic in 1998 Nagano. Political commentators and 38% of the Russians speculate that the huge amount of money used was to divvy up state money, where some government officials gain a small portion of this money as the “profit” they gain after voting Sochi as the place for the Winter Olympic Games.

Sochi is only a small city in Russia and is not significantly important compared to Moscow (capital of Russia). Many people thought that the Winter Olympic Games would have been held in Moscow instead of Sochi, yet it turns out to be the other way round. The majority of Russians think that all the government was trying to do is to show off. As mentioned above, $51 billion USD was used in this Winter Olympic Games; this huge amount of money can be used more efficiently in hospitals, schools and housing in Russia. However the government used all this money in just one Olympic game held in a small city, showing that their economy is not failing and is even capable of using that much money in just one sporting event. Sochi has been known to be a paradise for holiday sex and a dark place where black-marketers can undergo “business” trades under perfect safety since the Soviet Union era. Vladimir Putin is known to be “the most corrupted president ever in Russia” from Russian’s point of view. There are tons of evidence showing how corrupted Putin is, yet over 99% of it are covered by the Russian government and will be kept secret forever. No doubt it is Putin’s favourite place as he can have 200 Lamborghinis, 150 villas, 40 Boeing 747, 3 islands all together just in one trip to Sochi.

Many of you may have heard about the “Russian roulette”. It is basically a suicidal game where you place a single round in a revolver, spin the cylinder, point the gun towards your head and pull the trigger. Some anti-government Russians humiliated the government by saying that they chose Sochi to be the place for the Winter Olympic Games using this method; where they force government officials who have the right to vote to go through this process in order to force them to vote for Sochi.

There is no right or wrong answer to this question, no one knows what Vladimir Putin and the Russian government is thinking about. However, if a government is keeping secrets towards its citizens continuously, soon enough, the government will be taken down by their own citizens and consequences of that will be deadly.


OPINIONS

This Year’s Winter Fashion at School*

Now that winter is finally over, it is time for a mini self-reflection, given that we had loads of opportunity to wear an extra jacket to school (thanks to the seemingly never-ending “blizzard” in Hong Kong this year), how well did you wear this winter? I’ve compiled a few different styles of jackets that are fashionable and comply with the school rule. These jackets are from H&M, Lowry’s Farm and ASOS; H&M and Lowry’s Farm are easily accessible in Hong Kong and ASOS provides international shipping from England to Hong Kong, their prices vary a lot but most of them are relatively cheap. I know you guys might think, that it is too late to talk about winter wear but hey, we can always prepare for next year eh? (I mean unless you are from year 13)

A

B

Lowry Farm’s fluffy peacoat (C) is also another option; they are more casual and go well with almost everything! They can go along with trousers or skirts, and they look very good with either flats or any types of boots. Are these styles too girlish for you athletic girls? No worries! I got two selections of fine, sporty jackets that not only keep you warm and cozy, but can be fashionable as well. Check out this body warmer (D), you can wear it with trousers or medium length skirts with short boots or sneakers.

C

I am going to start with the duffle coat (A), which I am madly in love with, they had been the star of the winter fashion in school, they come in different length with a wide variety of buttons available. I personally love this type of jacket because you can wear it almost anytime, anywhere; it gives you a classy brit look -- simply match it with a mini skirt, oxford shoes with some dark coloured leggings! If you think that duffle coats are not your style, perhaps you can consider ASOS’s Classic Mac (B) , they look more stylish than duffle coats; match it along with sunglasses, jeggings and high heels, this look can instantly make you feel like a mature, young woman.

melody 1mah’s FASHION


This Year’s Winter Fashion at School*

Bomber jackets (E) are also very popular this year, as it gives

people this rock n’ roll feeling and they go along with a lot of

different types of clothing, ranging from dresses to mini shorts.

They are perfect matches for jeggings or trousers, but I

personally think print t-shirts, shorts, thin leggings and platform

shoes goes well with a fine, black bomber jacket.

See how you can wear these jackets in school and out? These jackets can define your personality at school by creating individuality during winter, they go very well with our school skirts and also with your jeans at home!

Just a friendly reminder, the school only allows jackets that are dark blue or black, and they cannot have any sorts of logos or prints, so jackets and sweaters from Hollister, Abercrombie and Fitch or Jack Wills will not be suitable for school. I know that you guys look very good with them on but do consider that the school has its own sets of rules too, and as students we must obey them!

Heads up lazy pigs! Next month, I will be talking

about dresses for spring, what type of dresses is

suitable for you? How to create different styles with a

dress? Dresses are easy to match and convenient, as

you don’t have to put on too much layers of clothing,

nor do you have to consider which accessory to wear

with them. Save some sleeping time from choosing

which t-shirt matches with your shorts by wearing a

dress! Learn how to match dresses with accessories,

stay tune for the ultimate formula of quick and good-

looking dress combos!

Stay Lovely*

melody 1mah’s


FASHION

Reviews

Musique

Since their debut in January 2012, B.A.P has become one of the most hardworking groups in South Korea, going from strength to strength and promoting three singles and three EPs in 2012 and 2013. The sextet has kicked off this year’s promotions with its first full-length album, First Sensibility, after opting to release EPs for all its past singles. Incorporating the same gospel-rock sound that made OneRepublic’s “Counting Stars” so memorable, the boys show off their powerful vocals and rapping skills to divulge lyrics about a devastating breakup and the painful feelings during its aftermath. While it can’t be said that “Counting Stars” was a direct influence, this is a perfect example of just how concordant Korean and Western pop music really are.

From “One” in 2010 to “You’re Not The One” in 2013, Sky Ferreira has officially come full circle. The lead single from her debut record Night Time, My Time, “You’re Not The One” features grungy, gritty elements that continue to separate Sky from her electro-pop origins. Despite the fact that the song doesn’t arrive until halfway through the album, it remains a highlight owing to its effortlessly cool sheen, jagged guitars, and yelping hooks. “You’re Not The One” is one of Sky’s most focused songs to date, combining the hazy atmosphere found in “Everything is Embarrassing” with the electro rock “Lost In My Bedroom” ventured into. Her vocals are characteristically distant, yet engaging, which pairs appropriately with the lyrics of rejection by the opposite sex. “Guess you’re not the one,” she nonchalantly sings, but the wistful churning behind her words contradicts this language.

B.A.P–1004 (Angel)!

Sky Ferreira-You’re Not The One!

MUSIC


“Who Am I” marks the release of B1A4’s second full-length album and eight months after the release of their last mini album “What’s Going On”. While the album is full and cohesive with a few beautiful tracks written and composed by leader Jinyoung himself, perhaps the most interesting part is how much it reflects B1A4’s musical growth. From the fresh beats to the fixating chorus, the album’s title track “Lonely” embodies everything that makes Kpop attractive. Composed by Jinyoung, the song reminisces about happy moments spent with a special someone who is long gone. “Lonely” has all the musical strength and catchiness a group could want in a title track, but most importantly, its sound is unique to B1A4.

To the casual listener, The 1975 may seem like a new band, but they’re not. They’ve existed for a decade now, performing under multiple names and have only released a handful of songs, honing their skills as musicians. It would be vapid to simply categorize The 1975 as a pop band, as their well-crafted songs feature hints of R&B and soul that is evident upon first listen. After the calming intro “The 1975”, “The City” explodes with an infectious beat, heavy drums, and droning synths that are bound to make you want to sing along. The chorus is purely anthemic with its simple, yet flippant line “If you wanna find love you know where the city is.” And bang – you’re hooked.

The 1975 – The City!

With their sophomore album A Bad Girl In Harlem, New Politics takes a walk from the alternative, indie sounds of the band’s first album, whilst moving towards a younger, pop rock sound. The album features the recurring themes of short romances and travel, and indeed, several of the album’s songs are named after places around the world: Harlem, Berlin, and Copenhagen. The second song on the album, “Harlem”, features chants and cheers, almost as if it were mimicking a school scene – quite like the picture of a girl jumping rope on the album’s cover. With its hard rock chords, hard-hitting drum beats, and energetic lyrics, “Harlem” is a brash anthem that’s not afraid to sound too loud or rebellious.

B1A4 - Lonely!

The New Politics - Harlem!


MUSIC

Yew Chung international school Hong Kong News Group February, 2014 Vol 002

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Pulse Magazine February 2014

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