Kiss Kiss, It's Contagious [Mini Viva's "One Touch"]

I'll be honest. I wasn't exactly Mini Viva's biggest champion back when they first reared their reads with "Left My Heart in Tokyo" several months in our pop pasts. It was with time, and the help of the Acid Girls Remix, that I grew to truly love the song for what it was -- a quirky, catchy little dose of pop that we've come to expect from the masterminds in Xenomania (long story short with them -- they've crafted just about every good Girls Aloud song ever).

Unfortunately for Mini Viva, the blogosphere seems to be the main source of their hype and forward momentum, as second single "I Wish" failed to conquer the UK charts (after "Tokyo" peaked at Top 10). They return to us with a third single, "One Touch", and I'm here to say -- I'm officially listening and geniunely rooting for them. While I know others may disagree, I definitely feel "One Touch" is their best release yet, and it's a shame it's coming to us so late in the process. Here's to hoping this leads to a full album release, as many believed the poptastic duo would be denied this right after "I Wish"s tragic charting.

"One Touch" is the type of pure pop confection that you'd only get from Europe -- everything about it screams glittery discotheque. While the US may have brought the world Lady Gaga, we can hardly brag about our rights to blessing the world with much else unabashed dance-floor sparkle and expect it to be embraced with both arms (although the tides are slowly starting to turn...emphasis on the slowly). At least, not like the UK, Germany and (it goes without saying) Sweden can. "One Touch" is all that and then some. It's a party in your ears, and you can't help but wiggle around a bit, no matter where you are. It works as a party-filler, or for a party of one. It's for that reason that it never strays far from my 'play' button on the ol' iPod since I acquired it's candy-flavored goodness.

It should probably be noted that now that I've openly proclaimed my love for "One Touch", it will probably fail miserably on the charts -- as my stamp of approval on British singles tends to be the kiss of death (and I'm sorry, The Saturdays!), but I don't care. "One Touch" is geniunely incredible, in every hype-inflating version of the word in the music blogger's handbook.

The only way I can describe it's appeal is its a bit like a roller coaster ride. Try to keep up with me. As the song begins, it opens with a repetative bubba dub duh da-bub synth-y underdub as you get locked in to your seats. The first verse starts up and you take off, rounding various bends at high speeds until you hit the first big drop as the pre-chorus rings. Then the ever-singable chorus washes over you as you speed down the big drop. Your head is swirling.

Okay, so many I'm hyping it a bit. Still -- I haven't heard a pop song (in English) that's made me feel this good in quite a while, which is why I credit it for pulling me back down to my grounding loves in the pop music world. I've spent much of the last few months listening to (mostly somewhat "old") Korean Pop Music, all of which was helping bridge the gaps of loneliness created by the lack of exciting pop music in the English speaking world catching my eye. With that said -- kudos, Mini Viva. That's for reminding me I can actually understand what you're saying and want to grove around shamelessly to guilt-less pop. And since you asked so nicely -- yes, I would like a candy. Thanks, baby.