My Tam – Nhip Dap (to the Beat)

With her new album, Nhip Dap (to the Beat), My Tam tries to take her fans back to the club one more time. After the failed attempt of Vut Bay, she has learned some valuable lesions. Gone are the rubbish rap verses, generic productions and Korean singings. She knows that a dance record has to be driven by the beat, but she also knows damn well not to let the beat overpowers her voice.

Nhip Dap spins off with Le Quang’s “Quen Di Ngay Yeu Dau,” a speedy cut with Andre 3000’s drum loop that will guarantee to groove you. Tran Tuan Anh’s “Nho Anh That Nhieu” features a flavor of sunshine Bollywood sound, but what make the tune works are My Tam’s swift flow and the way she rides the tempo. She has written three tunes for the album. The standout one is “Vu Dieu French Cho Anh,” a fantastic mix of Latin riff guitar and classical sample (Beethoven’s “Fur Elise”) over pounding beat. Mad proper to producer Cho Sung Jin for the hypnotic production.

Getting rid of her useless English singing is something My Tam has yet to learn. Ho Hoai An’s “Lac Loi” and her own “Do It (Niem Tin)” are perfectly ruined by interjecting one or two lines of English into the chorus. On the straight English “Tic Tac Toe,” her accent is somewhat forgivable though. Who wouldn’t even when she sings in imperfect English lines like, “Tic tac toe, trap you in the corner / Where you gonna go?” Wouldn’t you just want to stand there and let her grind you?

All kidding aside, My Tam has definitely upped her game with each release since her previous return. If Tro Lai captured your heart, Nhip Dap would move your feet.