UP10TION is back with a brand new song and mini-album, Star;dom. They previously were on the stage with White Night, which was released at the end of last year. The group is currently short one member, Wooshin, who is focusing on recovering from mental stress.
Runner joins the expanding list of song that are categories the tropical house sounds that have dominated KPOP waves for the past year or so. And while it does sound quite chill and laidback, the instrumental doesn’t really hype you up or give the song its needed buildup. Instead, it felt relatively neutral and this gives the song a more boring sound. That being said though, I do think it is okay. The laidback feel isn’t that common in KPOP, so it does have a refreshing feel to it. The vocal work does dominate throughout the song, which sounds nice when paired with the laid-back instrumentals. The chorus tries to be a little more dynamic, but it falls short. It does hook you in but it doesn’t hold you there for long. The rapping is quite good and suits this more laidback vibe. However, I do prefer a more upbeat and powerful vibe coming from UP10TION, such as White Night. This is different and this is good. But I don’t know if it is the track that gets them more exposure in the industry.
For a more active concept, the guys seem to have their fair share of sitting down time in this video. It makes me giggle. While the group does give off a more masculine vibe in the video, I can’t seem to get over a number of scenes of them ‘working out’ in comparison to the number of scenes of them ‘resting’. The video literally comprises of that and choreography scenes, so the video is more on the boring side of the spectrum. But the sets and the overall quality of the music video was amazing.
Their performance was quite cool. I liked how their hand movements matched the starting pistol used in athletic sports. I also liked their formations. Overall, I thought some of the moves in their choreography were original and different, which sets them apart from other performances.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 6.5/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 7.5/10
Known for their ‘sexual’ concepts in the more recent years, girl group Stellar marks their return with a new mini album and the title track, Archangels of Sephiroth. Their latest release was fundraised by fans, giving the girls and their company the opportunity to release Stellar’s 3rd mini-album, Stellar Into The World. While the group is not as popular as other girl groups, they must be doing something right as they managed to exceed their fundraising expectations by a fair bit. This is also the girls first time as a 5-member girl group, with the addition of Soyoung to the group.
Sadly though, I can’t make up my mind about this track. A part of me wants to love it and appreciate the uniqueness that the group is putting out there, but at the same time, the song doesn’t sit well. For me, I love the Middle Eastern influences that they have included in the track. That gives it an intriguing aspect, which does draw your attention. For once, I think the verses are probably the highlights of the song because they are done right. But once the song hits the chorus, I shiver and don’t really understand the chanting that they presented us. It takes the song backwards and doesn’t sound nice. Furthermore, it doesn’t match the rest of the song and it cuts the flow from the verses. On the other hand, the chorus does feel like it was to be the impactful moment of the song. But from what I feel, I don’t know exactly how effective it was. Their vocals overall are quite nice (minus the chorus, though). If only the chorus was more dynamic and better than what we got, I feel like this would be the one Stellar song I would love.
Given the title, you would expect to have some sort of storyline to the video. And that is exactly what we got. Essentially, one of the members is being lured to the light or the dark side. From what I can gather, Gayoung and Junyeol represent the dark side, while Hyoeun and Minhee represent the light side. In the end, I think the dark side won, managing to lure the last member, Soyung, by making her think she was going to the light side (but it turns out to the dark side). It is a very interesting video to watch and I thought it was beautifully shot. The contrast between the light and the dark was apparent and didn’t require me to squint my eyes and do a bit of Googling before coming to no conclusion. The scenery in which the video was shot was beautiful and I have to admit, this could possibly be the best video of the year.
I also loved the choreography. Given how the song is, the dance moves fit the song perfectly. There is also a lot of elegance in the group’s performance. I also liked how there was a sensual side to the performance as well. It made it look cool and fascinating to watch.
Song – 5/10 Music Video – 10/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 7/10
Explained previously, due to time constraints, I missed the opportunity to do a review for the first album released by Monsta X. The Clan 2.5: The Final Chapter was released back in March this year, with Beautiful as the main title track. The group then went on to release a repackaged version, Shine Forever, last week, which features two new tracks. Today’s full album review will consist of comments for all songs present on both albums.
2. Gravity – Gravity is a much more slower and melodic song, compared to the first song on this album. It’s not a bad thing, though. Monsta X nails this song as well, as it shows that the group is versatile and can easily accomplish that. The vocals are amazing here and the rapping fits the slower style spectacularly. I normally hear Jooheon and I.M in more hard and impactful songs, yet here they sound more soft and soulful. Honestly, Gravity is an amazing song that catches you by surprise, given the group’s known tracks. (9/10)
3. Ready Or Not – The original album opened up with Ready or Not, which is a great kick starter to the album. It’s title literally asks the right question: are you Ready or Not for the group’s album. Though a part of me would love to hear more intensity in this track, it does hype you up for the rest of the album. The song itself is quite catchy. (8/10)
5. Incomparable (넘사벽) – To me, the song feels like a RnB infused dance track, which sounds good. But rather than an infusion or mix, the song tends to be either RnB or dance. There seemed to be no in-between. It also wasn’t memorable. Often, I forgot about the song as soon it was over or was more invested in picking another song off the album to skip to. (6.5/10)
6. Need U (니가 필요해) – What I like about the song is the simple chorus. Clean, simple and not overcomplicated by various (and sometimes un-needed) components. It also had a catchy and cheerful tone. All their previous songs have been more serious in nature, so it was nice to have a song that feels cheerful. Though, there were times that it did feel like a generic KPOP song. (8/10)
7. Oi – This song reminded me of their earlier stuff. From the instrumental to the intensity of their vocals, it all felt like a throwback to their debut title track. Saying that I wasn’t much of a fan of their debut tracks. Yet, I thought this song was dynamic and felt like it matches more of their recent stuff as well. The rappers felt like they belong to this sound, as well. (8/10)
8. Miss You – I think I found the first gem for this album. I love the sound of this song, in general. Sounded like music that I grew up with. The ‘Where you at?” and “Baby, I Miss You” lines were super great hooks for this song. It’s instrumental was pretty good as well. And the vocals and raps were on point throughout the same song. (9/10)
9. Calm Down – First listen in, I thought the track felt like a Beautiful 2.0. Is that a good thing, I don’t know. But I am totally digging the track. It packs a punch with the intense instrumentals and hypes you up (somewhat). But then the song cuts to a more dynamic sound once they start telling you to “Stop” and “Calm Down“. Also loved that rap sequence by Jooheon in the song. (9/10)
10. All I Do (너만 생각해) – The track comes off as a poppy number, which has its moments. Its sound fits the Summer vibes quite nicely. But overall, it felt very bland and forgettable for the most part. The rapping felt a little too serious for the rest of the pop centred song. (7/10)
11. 5:14 (Last Page) – Following the dominating and intense songs, we finally reach a slower pace song. It sounds nice. From the vocals to the instrumental, everything felt just right. And that is the most descriptive way I can put the song. It was still upbeat, so it wasn’t a sudden move between genres, which is also one of the positives to the song. (8/10)
12. I’ll Be There (넌 어때) – The mandatory ballad cannot escape the synthetic synths that were used consistently throughout the album. But there is a strong melody in this song that any other song on the album and their vocals/raps are pretty good in this song. There is a very annoying “Hi” present in the background, which really distracted me from the song. (7.5/10)
Welcome to the first ever ‘Special’ segment of my website. Though I have used the category ‘Special’ for other purposes in the past, I thought I could use to expand the content of what I write. So I thought I would make various lists of different aspects of the KPOP sphere, starting off with non-title tracks that should be more appreciated. I have other ideas lined up like “favourite OSTs’ and ‘favourite dances’ etc. If you have any ideas, feel free to comment below and I may just look into your idea. In no particular order, here are 10 (and this particular will be expanded in further editions) favourite non-title track songs by KPOP artists.
Crying – Sistar
Sistar leaves behind many great tracks, so of which barely get enough attention. What makes Crying a great track are the vocals. They were dynamic and gave the song a very unique feel. I thought the chorus was extremely catchy and interesting with how it starts off with a striking delivery of the word “Love”. The instrumental was pretty simple and their vocals/raps matched it perfectly.
One Step, Two Step – Oh My Girl
I personally thought this song has a very nice blend of instruments. It also felt like angels were singing to me. The track ended up being very addictive, becoming a song that I would search for on YouTube for a while. I loved how the track started off very sweet and nice. But as you approach the chorus, we enter a more upbeat phase, making the build-up sound amazing. The violins in the bridge were also amazing, with it being another highlight of the track.
Albatross – B.A.P
Adding to the fun vibes of their 5th mini album, Carnival, Albatross is one track to jam to. It is a very down to earth feel and listening to the song makes you wonder how fun the recording process would have been if there was a stage or music video accompanying it. It was released in February but there is a very vibrant and Summer feel to the song, making it a track that I constantly listen to during Winter when I want to feel some warmth.
Shadow – F(x)
I think out of all the non-title tracks out there and the songs on this list, this is the song that everyone will agree on as the most underrated song ever. It literally catches your attention with its very creepy lyrics. But the lyrics are smothered with the sweetness of the instrumental and their vocals, making the creep factor exceed the highest possible limit. It is extremely addictive and I totally love it.
I Wanna Fall In Love – Song Ji Eun (Secret)
Song Ji Eun’s tracks have always been intriguing for their dark messages. Her more recent releases haven’t followed that path, which is quite disappointing. But there are a few that have caught my attention, such as I Wanna Fall In Love. It is much better than many of her recent title tracks and her strong vocals resonate throughout the entire track. It dominates the entire track, which I think is amazing and the song is quite catchy after a number of listens.
Get The X Out – Sunny Hill
Judging from the title, I would never have thought of the song being what it is. It is extremely unexpected, as the instrumental is reminds you of toys and dolls. Very innocence. But instead, it holds a very scary message telling their partner to just leave. I love how they cut the swearing out (or else it would be banned) but it makes everything feel more intense. And this is another reason to why I love Sunny Hill’s songs. They take uniqueness to a whole new level.
Before The Song Ends – JJ Project ft. Suzy (Miss A)
To hear that JJ Project will be getting a unit comeback stage before the end of the year makes me extremely happy. But before that, I must show you all this extreme party-vibe track. Sure, it may be overpowered by autotune but it one hell of a song to jam to. Suzy’s featuring in this song makes it so much better. But the real winners are JJ Project, who has such a dynamic track under their belt.
Maze – VIXX
I tried to include some old tracks and some more recent tracks on this list. Maze falls under the “more recent” category, with it being one intense track to listen to. That is mainly because every time I listen to the song, I feel a rush of adrenaline as if I am actually running through a maze myself. It is a super catchy track and dynamic at the same time.
Switch – NCT 127
Switch is the only song on this particular list that has its own music video. From memory (and what I read a few months back) that this song and music video was recorded before the debut of NCT. I was totally into (and still am) the instrumental of the song. It sounded different to other songs that I have listened to. It’s another track that gives off a nice Summer feel, which I am totally digging at the moment, as I freeze each morning.
One Minute Back – SHINee
This, by far, is up there as one of the best songs ever released. It is such a unique song on so many levels. Their vocals are on point throughout the track, especially during the entire chorus. The lyrics of the song depict a guy catching his partner cheating on him and wanting to turn back time. Overall, listening to just once will not be enough as it leaves a very long lasting impact that makes you want to go back and listen to more.
T-ARA has many great non-title track songs, so it makes sense for me to do an album review for their 13th mini-album and final release before disbandment. There are multiple versions for their final release. First, you have a physical edition, which consists of songs recorded by all four members as a group. And then you have multiple versions that consist of the title track and each member’s solo song. For this review, I will be reviewing the digital edition (or essentially every song released so far, with exceptions of the Chinese version and Instrumental version of What’s My Name). Let’s go!
2. Reload – Compared to the title track, Reload is a much better song. However, I still don’t think there is enough to the song to make it ‘title track’ worthy. The song seems to be the girl’s response to their scandal after all these years. That’s what I got from the lyrics. From the first listen, everything sounds good. From the whispering vocals to the spy-like instrumental. But after a number of listens, you do get bored of it and it feels quite repetitive. Though, there are parts that do have an impact to some extent. (7/10)
3. 20090729 – The date in which the song is titled after is the date when T-ARA debuted. Judging from this, you would expect them to take on a ballad with this track. Their vocal abilities seem a little shaky here and the various rap-singing moments seemed unnecessary. But after many listens, you can constantly hear the emotions behind the girl’s voices and I literally get goosebumps after listening to this song every single time. It may not be a mind-blowing piece of music, but it is one damn good ballad to listen to. (8.5/10)
4. Diamond (Qri Solo) – While I understand that Qri doesn’t have the best voice out of the four, her song just doesn’t appeal to me. There is a nice exotic or foreign vibe within the song, but overall, the song felt sluggish and slow. There wasn’t much of a hook, which left the song lacking in many ways. There is a stage performance for this track and you can find by clicking the link HERE. (5/10)
5. Ooh La La (Hyomin Solo) – In comparison to the previous song, this is much more upbeat and a more fun song to listen to. There are aspects to the song that could have been better. Her vocals here are pretty good. But during the “Ooh La La” chants, I felt she was too dominating. Instead, the chants that followed shortly felt more like backing vocals more than anything. There could have been a more powerful instrumental to back the song and provided with a tough support. (7/10)
6. Real Love (Eunjung Solo) – This song provides great vocals for the album, something that seemed missing so far. I am not saying this because of those high notes (even though they were spectacular). There a nice jazz sound at the start, that influence seemed to disappear once the song progressed, turning it into a standard pop song, which was unfortunate. (7/10)
7. Lullaby (Jiyeon Solo) – Jieyon’s solo track seems to be a mix between some of the comments that I have already made. The track is more upbeat compared to Qri’s track, but somewhat slower than both Eunjung and Hyomin’s song. But like Qri’s track, there isn’t much of a hook and became forgettable, despite listening to it a couple of times already. The same can be said about the instrumental. The vocals are okay, but they aren’t the best on the album. (6/10)
BoA has made an unexpected comeback with CAMO. I remember reading live updates for the Produce 101 Season 2 final and coming across an article indicating that BoA (who was hosting the final) was dropping a new single, which came out a few hours ago. It has been a while since we have seen BoA actively on stage. From memory, she was last on stage for Kiss My Lips promotions, which was 2015. Since then, she was released a few singles under SM Station such asSpring Rain (2017) and No Matter What (2016).
I am screaming. Internally, so I don’t sound weird. I was blown away when I saw the teasers. But the entire track is on a whole new level. BoA goes with a dance track that sounds uber sensual and amazing, nonetheless. The song flows very smoothly. There were no rooms for gaps. Even the lead into the chorus was not that apparent. I thought that was very interesting. The intensity of the song is very subtle, but it is there. When I finished listening to the track, I released a breath that I did not even know I was holding in. That is a sign of a possibly great track. I haven’t been impressed with BoA’s recent (okay, 2 years old) releases, but this is amazing. Throw in her vocals, I thought everything was spectacular. The best part was just before the final chorus. I don’t know how to exactly describe it without butchering and destroying that part, but it was about the 3:00 mark. It was extremely climatic and the buildup was pure bliss here.
Though there isn’t an official video out for this song yet on YouTube (that, or I can’t find it), you can catch the video by watching it on the Naver website, which was where I found the video initially. Once there is an official music video, I will update the post accordingly. I have little to no clue about what is happening the video. It seems like her body is like a chameleon and hence, she can blend into things. I don’t know. Hence, CAMO = Camouflage. That is about as clueless as I can get. However, despite that, I can comment on how things look in the video. And I think everything looks stunning. From the aesthetics to BoA herself, it is one beautiful and breathtaking video.
BoA is known as the Queen of KPOP and there is always one thing you associate with BoA. That is the choreography that she has for every single track. Matching the aesthetics of the video, her choreography is amazing here. It is snappy and very sharp. She does not hold back whatsoever and I think that is an amazing aspect of the choreography. Now, can we petition for a full dance practice or a dance version of the music video? I would love to see the entirety of the performance.
Song – 9.5/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 10/10 Overall Rating – 9.5/10
APINK has returned with a brand new mini-album, titled as Pink Up. The lead title track of this mini-album is Five. The last time we saw the group promoting actively on stage was through the promotions of Only One. Since that round of promotions, the girls went on a tour around Asia and released a special album, featuring the track Cause You’re My Star (which I did not review since I was on holidays at the time).
To me, Five is a step back from their mature sounding Only One song. But saying that, it also means that it is a step towards their more wider known cutesy sound, which is undeniably the selling point of all APINK songs. Though Five was just released a few hours back, I can guarantee it will be extremely catchy. The song itself uses a similar structure as their highly successful LUV song but it has different hooks, making the track unique in its own way. It’s instrumental is pretty standard but I love the layering of the vocals, especially the “Come Here, Come To Me” lines at the end of the choruses. I thought that was a really cool part of the song. The vocals here are amazing, especially the high notes by Namjoo and Eunji at the end of the song. Talking about the end of the song, I felt the final seconds of the song could have been done better. While I thought the rest of the track was amazing, I felt the ending of the song could have been ended in a more sophiscated way, rather than dwindling down to slience. But that is just my personal preference on how the song should have ended. Overall, I think it is a great song still.
Even though I thought the song was great, the music video was just boring. There wasn’t anything new or memorable in regards to the video. Everything in the video have been done before and have occurred multiple times. The concept of the video seems to lean more towards the mature side of the spectrum. There was also a board game kind of theme going on, but that could have been elaborated or protrayed in a more dominate manner. I think the video did attempt to be cutesy but that didn’t get conveyed through that nicely.
The choreography of this video was quite good. Well, at least for the chorus that is. The rest of it was pretty forgettable. Though, seeing a brighter choreography from the girls did seem refreshing.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 4/10 Performance – 6/10 Overall Rating – 7/10
Hello, everyone. I am currently on break, if you have not noticed the mass amount of reviews that I have published over the last week. Expect the same amount of reviews to come out during the week as I try to do some more album reviews (but probably for old albums released last year or something).
Nine Muses made their debut at the top of the charts this week with their latest songs. WJSN (Cosmic Girls) dropped down to second place, while T-ARA rose up to 3rd position on the charts. MONSTA X and Hwang Chi Yeul made their respective debuts on the chart at 4th and 5th position. For more of the charts, scroll down below.
APINK, BOA, Stellar, G.Soul, Peniel (BTOB) and UP10TION make their comebacks next week, so be sure to check them out and anticipate some of their debuts on the charts next week.
Also, some things that will help you denote the chart: Green (↑) – Song has gone up in ranking Red (↓) – Song has gone down in ranking Blue (=) – Song has remained in the same position as the previous week Orange (new) – Song debuts on the chart
Grey (Final Week) – Song appears on the chart for its final week.
18th Jun – 24th Jun 2017
Title
Artist
Status
1
Remember
Nine Muses
(new)
2
Happy
WJSN (Cosmic Girls)
(↓ 1)
3
What’s My Name?
T-ARA
(↑ 1)
4
Shine Forever
MONSTA X
(new)
5
A Daily Song
Hwang Chi Yeul
(new)
6
Yes, I Am
Mamamoo
(new)
7
Don’t Wanna Cry
Seventeen
(↓ 4)
8
As If It Is The Last
BLACKPINK
(new)
9
Sun, Moon, Star
KNK
(↑ 4)
10
Shangri-La
VIXX
(↑ 8)
11
Cherry Bomb
NCT127
(=)
12
Shadow
Daehyun (B.A.P)
(↑ 9)
13
At The End
Changsub (BTOB)
(↑16)
14
365 Fresh
Triple H
(↑ 5)
15
Baby
ASTRO
(↓ 10)
16
Beautiful
Pentagon
(↑ 9)
17
I Smile
DAY6
(↓ 10)
18
Now, Us
Lovelyz
(↑ 17)
19
Critical Beauty
Pentagon
(↓ 17)
20
Egoist
Roy Kim
(↑ 6)
21
Sweet Lies
Baek Ah Yeon ft. The Barberettes
(↑ 32)
22
Calling You
HIGHLIGHT
(↑ 9)
23
Try My Luck
Jongup (B.A.P)
(↑ 18)
24
Across The Universe
Junggigo
(↑ 25)
25
Hello Hello
B.I.G
(↑ 2)
26
Only You
24K
(↑ 16)
27
Wind
FT Island
(↓ 10)
28
Rumour
K.A.R.D
(↓ 5)
29
I’m Ready
MAP6
(↑ 14)
30
Mayday
April
(↓ 16)
Songs leaving the chart this week (and will not appear starting next week):
Title
Artist
Peak Position
No. Of weeks in Top 30
Final Week’s Position
Hated That I Missed You
Lee Hae Ri (Davichi)
27
1
46
Palette
IU ft. G-Dragon (Big Bang)
3
8
40
Will You Go Out With Me?
DIA
10
4
38
Across The Universe
Junggigo
6
4
24
Rumour
K.A.R.D
2 (x2)
9
28
Ending Scene
IU
19
4
44
At The End
Changsub (BTOB)
13
5
13
Back:Hug
Snuper
9
4
–
Lonely
Jonghyun (SHINee) ft. Taeyeon (SNSD)
26
1
47
Wonderful Love
Momoland
12
3
–
And that’s all for this week! Hope you all have an amazing week! Catch you all next weekend!!!
Mamamoo has returned with their 5th mini-album to date, which is titled as Purple. The min-album consists of Yes, I Am (their title track), along with four other songs. I have been waiting for the chance to write a full album review for Mamamoo because they have such awesome songs that need to be in the spotlight for once. There are a few surprises in the album, so I can’t wait to get this review started.
2. Finally – This track is as Summer as you can get. Very bright colours and sounds, which are all associated with the season in question. The track felt more upbeat in the teaser, but as a whole, it does feel quite generic. That high note at the end was definitely a blessing to our ears and gave the song that punch it needed. But it was a little too late, unfortunately. There were hooks present but they just weren’t enough. Overall, it’s generic-ness does make me dock some marks, but it was still great overall. (7/10)
3. Love & Hate (구차해) (Moonbyul Solo) – Yes, this is a Moonbyul song. And a Moonbyul singing also makes her appearance in the song. It is an amazing track. To be able to hear two sides of the main rapper of the group is a very neat surprise on the album. And given her vocals here, she should definitely sing more. The song itself has a nice fresh feel and a melodic flow, which made it a nice song to sit back and listen to. (9/10)
4. Aze Gag (아재개그) – There is also a side of Mamamoo that all fans know. It’s their crazy side. This song (along with Taller Than 1cm) seem to be songs that showcase that particular side of the group. The song is funky with its synths and instrumental. I love the instrumental breaks of the song. It is also extremely addictive and catchy, after a few listens, which is great! (8.5/10)
5. Da Ra Da (다라다)(Wheein, Jeff Bernat, B.O)– The song ends off with a ballad that features the vocals of Wheein, Jeff Bernat and B.O. It is a very nice song that I wouldn’t mind listening on a nice, sunny day when there is a little cool breeze present. The vocals in this song are amazing and soulful at times. Though it does seem to end the entire mini-album on an extremely slow note, the song itself is one to check out if you want something nice to listen to and to chill with. (9/10)
B.A.P has caught us off guard with the release of a project album, which features tracks from Daehyun and Jongup. I know their promotions for the project album has ended, but better late than never. I have also decided to go with a different layout for this double review, but it will remain the same as any other double review (all parts will be shorter in length).
Shadow – Daehyun ft. Zelo (B.A.P)
Daehyun is my favourite member from B.A.P and to hear that he finally has a solo song makes me so happy. And he delivered with a RnB styled song. His vocals go hand-in-hand with the style. I actually preferred his live performance version (without the rapping), where you hear his vocals only. Zelo does do a good job, but it felt disconnected from the rest of the song. The same can be said in regards to the bridge of the song. It also felt different from the rest of the song. The song does not build up to a satisfying level, which leaves it hanging, in my opinion. Nor it is memorable as a whole. It also lacked having that punch or impact. There were catchy parts, but they seem minor compared to the rest of the song. Overall, it may sound like I dislike the song but in reality, it is more that I am on the fence.
The performance was good. I feel like the song could have fitted a more mysterious concept, but it delivered in giving Daehyun the chance to show some polished moves and a chance to showcase his vocals. I think in the end, they went with a more stylish concept, which was great as well.
Song – 6/10 Performance – 7/10 Overall Rating – 6.5/10
Try My Luck – Jongup (B.A.P)
I have mentioned in every review since B.A.P’s return that Jongup’s vocal abilities have vastly improved. And this song is all the proof that you need. While it doesn’t feature mind blowing vocals that Daehyun has, Jongup does a really good job. He seemed to have elongated his “Try My Luck” to make it sound longer and his high notes just shocked me. It also seems like he tries rapping in the song and that too sounds amazing. The song itself also fits into the RnB domain. I think the correct word to describe the song is ‘smoky’. It’s very smooth overall and there is a nice melodic flow, which I don’t think Daehyun’s song had. I am quite sure the smoothness and melodic flow were present to accommodate his performance. Overall, I think this is a great song that showcases the already present and improved skills of the artist.
I said the song had a smoother and stylish sound, which made his overall performance so much better. It definitely showcases his dancing abilities really well and make it a worthwhile performance to watch.
Song – 8/10 Performance – 7/10 Overall Rating – 7.5/10
WJSN (or Cosmic Girls) are back with their brand new album. It also happens to be their first full-length album, which was released a little over a year after their debut. The girls have drawn my attention with their title tracks Secret and I Wish. From what I have written for this album review, I feel like the album is a step in the right direction for the girls.
2. Miracle (기적 같은 아이) – I think most people agree that Miracle is a more suitable title track for this album. It was similar enough to follow the standards that Secret and I Wish had set. But at the same time, they managed to turn the song into a much brighter and light sound, which made it a refreshing song to listen to. Exy’s rap here is totally more badass and suitable for her voice. I did really like this track and thought it was really great amazing as well. (9/10)
3. Mr. BADBOY – The songs keep on getting brighter as well. While it is a cute and bubbly song, I don’t really fall into it. It didn’t have that much appeal to my tastes (which I admit, are picky at times). I did like how they included a reference to their debut song, Mo Mo Mo. The bright feel makes this a very Summery song. (7/10)
4. SUGAR – The same comments for the above song can be applied to this song as well. Quite a sweet (see what I did there?) song, but it doesn’t have that level of appeal to make me search for this song listen to it. The vocal work was good though. (7/10)
5. Babyface – Babyface is a ridiculously catchy song. It also has a very quirky instrumental, which makes it quite interesting. The vocal work was also quite good in this song. I don’t have much to say about this song, besides that it is awesome and totally a song that I would go back to (9/10)
6. Plop Plop (퐁당퐁당) – Another song with amazing vocal work from the members. When I first saw the tracklist, I was surprised that they would go with a song with such a title. Being the mature person I am, I actually thought that they were referring to the sound of something (you should guess what) dropping into a bowl of water (again, guess what bowl). Never once did it occur to me that they were going for the “drip drop” sound of water. Anyway, the song is much slower compared to the rest, which makes it refreshing on the album. It ended a little too abruptly, which did disrupt the flow of the song for me (it should have faded out). (7/10)
7. Follow Me – While it does have a very generic name, this track is not generic whatsoever. One way to describe the song would be fluffy. It is quite catchy, with the chorus being the main hook of the song. I would love to see a stage performance of this song because it is a great song! (9/10)
8. B.B.B.Boo – Everything in this song sounds amazing and quite cool. The only thing I would change up if I had the rights to do so, would be the very boring verses. Comparing the chorus and the verses, it felt too different and with a very loaded chorus (in terms of instrumental), there wasn’t anything interesting in the verses. Also thought the song was cool and cute at the same time. (8/10)
9. Geeminy – Another great track that also adds to the cute sound that the girls went for in this song, however, it can also be seen as a mature sound from the girls. Compared to the previous song, I liked the verses here. The chorus were much better though, in comparison, as it felt more dynamic and upbeat. The overall sound was much smoother. (9/10)
10. Closer To You (지금 만나러 가요) – The girls finish their first album with a much slower song, almost ballad-like. It has a very sweet melody and adds an extra hint of freshness to the album. I love that elongated note that they included to lead into the chorus. Also thought the instrumental and vocals were quite nice. (8/10)
BLACKPINK is the first YG group in a very long time to not disappear without a trace from the KPOP scene and then make their comeback 5 years down the track. With their seniors, 2NE1, now gone, BLACKPINK has big shoes to fill and their first attempt is with As If It’s Your Last. That being said, BLACKPINK has their own colour and style, which has already proven to be extremely popular. Without a doubt, they have what it takes to fill the shoes of their senior labelmates.
As If It’s Your Last starts off as a strong song. A little different but it suits Summer quite nicely. I love the bass during the verses and the pre-chorus. It reminded me of Boom Bah Yah (which I grew to love). Just the end of the pre-chorus build up didn’t sit right and it felt too instantaneous. The chorus turns the song into a more pop-styled song, which is good and all. But it just doesn’t suit the bass and well, the start of the song. It made it sound generic. The song does throw it back to the great start for the second verse, but it doesn’t save the song. Usually, the final chorus is where the artist changes things up a bit. Here, the final chorus felt just simply like another copy from the previous two choruses. Their vocal work in this song is quite strong and definitely, makes the song sound so much bolder and defined. Something that I have noticed is that their title track’s first impressions have been let downs. But I have grown to love their songs after many replays, so maybe that might just happen here. But for now, I will leave you with those comments.
The music video quality from YG Entertainment is always excellent. And it happens to be the case here. But there is nothing too mindblowing or impressive. Just a standard music video. But there was something that caught my eye. Lisa’s outfits are quite questionable in this music video. And I think some fans are also questioning the style behind the outfit. The first is the blacktop with the sparkly bra or bikini top (most likely sewn onto the blacktop). The second are those denim shorts and two massive pieces of obnoxious fabric on her legs…. Watch the video if you haven’t seen them. And you will most likely see why I question some of these fashion choices in KPOP sometimes.
[UPDATED] Apologies for the lateness. But the performance was actually quite good And that’s the best that I can describe it. There wasn’t anything that felt new or different with regards to the performance, in comparison to other groups out there. However, for a relatively new group, their stage presence is amazing.
Song – 6.5/10 Music Video – 7/10 Performance – 7/10 [UPDATED] Overall Rating – 7/10[UPDATED]
Mama~ Mama~ Moo~. Mamamoo is officially back with their latest mini album, Purple and title track Yes I Am. This is their first comeback since Decalcomanie, which was released back in November 2016. The group previously did release the music video for Aze Gag, an accompanying song featured on Purple.
Love the funkiness that is coming out from the song. It is quite upbeat and it definitely fits the Summer season quite nicely with its bright and quirky sound. Just listening to it for the first few times makes me want to dance. We know Mamamoo for their amazing vocal talents and they delivered with that talent in this song, while managing to incorporate a bright and fun sound. Moonbyul finally sings for once (even though it last for literally a second) and them high notes that Solar deliver sound spectacular. The post-chorus, Yes I Am, is quite catchy and addictive. All of that being said, the bridge changes up the song by incorporating a slow section, which did cut the flow of the song in my opinion. Not exactly fond of the bridge. While it is good on its own, it does sound like it would have fitted another song. But that is just my thought. Overall, Mamamoo brings out another song that will be loved by fans and myself.
Fitting the song is this music video. The bright and bold colours of the backgrounds match the bright and vibrant sounds in the song. What I love about Mamamoo is that they somehow manage to throw their quirky personalities in the music video and they genuinely looked like they had a blast filming this music video. The song is a message for all the ladies out there to be confident with themselves. And while I think the video could have done a somewhat better job at making that more apparent, their presence on the stage and in the video reflects that message quite nicely.
As mentioned previously, their stage presence fills the stage very nicely. I don’t think it is their best performance routine. I think Decalcomanie has that honour for the time being. But who knows, the performance may end up catching on for me. What should be noticed is that they managed to dance while singing live, displaying a great performance nonetheless.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 7/10 Overall Rating – 8/10
A few weeks back I wrote the review for FT Island’s latest title track, Wind. Now that my schedule has cleared up, I am finally knocking down those album reviews that I have specified that I will write. FT Island also celebrated their 10-year anniversary with this album, which an incredible feat considering the constant break up once the groups reach their 7th year. But we are not here to dwell on those unfortunate events, but rather the high-quality album that FT Island always releases.
Over 10 Years Album Cover
1..What U Want (원해) – It’s a tad slow but easily a number to rock to. I love the opening riffs to the song and the lead into the rest of the song. Hongki’s vocals compliment the song really well, launching the song a bit further alongside the burst of energy from the instrumental. The instrumental break here is your typical rock out session but hyped the song up even more (which is expected, but it dragged me to the edge of the seat). It was an excellent song to open up the album! (9/10)
3. Travel – It is still a pretty good song, but compared to the first two, it does feel quite generic and dry. One of the other members sing the bridge (not sure though) but from their past releases, their voices bring in a different colour to FT Island songs, which does make it more awesome to listen to. (7/10)
4. Champagne – This is what I would call the “hidden gem” of the album. We all know FT Island for their rock style. Occasionally, they will throw in a different style, like a ballad. Champagne is another mix-up in their style. Keeping the band side of their name, the song experiments with a more funky sound, which I am totally digging. Not exactly sure if there was any Korean in the song (it sounded like it was pure English) and because of that, the song did stand out for me. And Hongki’s raspy vocals are amazing here! (10/10)
5. The Night – If you want another great track to headbang to (but at a slower pace), this is the track to go. Not a big of autotune, but it works well in this track. The drums were probably the highlight of the song, with it providing a very dramatic and western feel to the song. Its solo part was also what I would call the pinnacle of the song. Actually, the whole song feels like it would fit on a Western artist’s album tracklist any day. (9/10)
6. Imagine You (너를 그린다) – Back to being a sucker when it comes to violins, this track also sounds amazing. It also has that ballad side of the band that I mentioned a few songs back. If I was to be honest, the song doesn’t have that much appeal to it and the orchestral feels only last for a few seconds (though it is still there). (7/10)
7. Save Me – If you are looking for a longer burst of that orchestral feel, Save Me is the way to go. I love the violin overlay with the band instrumental during the chorus and the piano sounds amazing here. The entire instrumental combination gives the song an epic feel, which sounds amazing. (9/10)
8. Still With You – And that orchestral feel gets stronger. This song is a lot more fast pace, which gives a little more speed to the entire album (the previous few songs have been on the slower side of the spectrum), so it was nice to see something more upbeat (in a way) but keeping in line with the songs around it. It’s also the first time I have heard another member have multiple parts (vocally) in the song, which is amazing nonetheless. (8/10)
9. Voice – Another track that shows a completely different style to FT Island’s traditional portfolio. There is that band feel, but it throws in a more electronic sound to the song, which sounds amazing. And while it is nice to hear something different, the song falls short compared to the other higher rated songs. It just doesn’t have the same amount of epicness when the chorus kicks in. (7/10)
10. Parade – Listening to the introduction of the song, I had no idea what was going on. It sounds completely foreign and futuristic, compared to FT Island’s portfolio. The electronic feel is more dominate in this song and in conjunction with the band, the song is much more intense. Not exactly fond of that slowdown and the bridge overall, but the rest of the song was quite good. What the song needed was a more epic beat drop after Hongki’s 1,2,3,4. (8/10)
11. No Better Days – This song returns to the song that you could rock or headbang to. The chorus doesn’t provide that feel, but the verses do. The chorus leant to more of the intense side of things, but still quite good. The repetition of the “No No No No Better Days” is extremely catchy and gives that extra hook the song needed. (9/10)
12. The Wood (나무) – Another swayable song to sway to. It more of a song for fans, given the audience cheers that faded in and out of the song. There is also a nice hook in the vocals that made this song worthwhile to listen to. Though I don’t tend to read translations for the song when I review them (I didn’t here), I am not exactly sure if I should include my next statement. But the song brought a smile to my face with its melody. (8/10)
13. Love Sick (사랑앓이) (ft. Kim Na Young) – This is a remake of FT Island’s debut single of the same title. Though I was not a big fan of their earlier works, listening to it makes me wonder why I did not. Both of them sing separately at first but when they joined forces, I was blown away. With the orchestral instrumental, it was an amazing and touching way to end the special album. A music video for this particular remake was released prior to the release of the album, which you can view by clicking here. (10/10)
Overall Album Rating – 8.5/10
Teaser Images for 10th Year Anniversary Promotions
A definite rising star in the industry. That is just one of the few phrases that can accurately describe Hwang Chi Yeul. He debuted in 2007 and basically received no recognition. It wasn’t until 2015 until he started receiving his well-deserved recognition for his vocals through his many appearances on Korean TV shows like I Can See Your Voice and Immortal Song 2. He reached new heights through his appearances on the Chinese version of I Am A Singer, which provided a boost in his popularity.
A Daily Song is your typical ballad and that is all I can say about the song. It has a very generic sound and does have a bit of dryness to it. It does make me want to sway along, but it doesn’t have much to make me go back to it. Despite that though, the instrumental is good. But it is his vocals that hit the ball out of the park for me. Through those TV show appearances, we know what Hwang Chi Yeul is capable of. Listening to this song, those skills and techniques that we hear from the solo artist seemed to be missing. Now, I am not expecting long or extreme high notes. But the song lacks colour in its sounds and felt monotone throughout. Despite that though, his raspy voice does shine in the song and probably is the main highlight of the song. I know I sound disappointed with the song. It is just some of his other songs sound a lot better and are more of the type of songs that bring out his vocals and skills more.
I just want to point out that Hwang Chi Yeul is 34 years old (according to Wikipedia) and here in this video, he plays the role of the rebellious school kid. He has a crush (even though he tried to play it cool at the start) on the girl (who coincidently has a crush on him as well). After she makes a move on him, he turns from the rebellious school kid into the lovey-dovey boyfriend. Turns out that it was all in his head, as he is somehow brought back to reality, where the girl has a family of her own and barely knows he exists. Yet he carries the one thing that he probably did steal from her (as I am assuming that part is true) and that is her cassette tape. Pairing the video with the song, the emotional side of the song is brought out more. Furthermore, even though I am not a romantic K-Drama type of person, the video felt like a mini drama or movie.
Song – 6/10 Music Video – 9/10 Overall Rating – 7/10
A little while back I wrote the review for I Smile, DAY6’s main title track for the month of June. I also had plans to do a half year review of DAY6’s other tracks, which were released alongside the main title tracks each month. But when I heard they were going to release an album consisting of all those songs, I decided to do an album review (which would have been the same thing in the end) instead. Just writing this made me confirm a few things: 1) DAY6 is one amazingly talented band. 2) DAY6 have amazing songs to listen to. 3) I am super excited to see what else the group has installed for the remaining half of the year. So without further ado, this is my review for their first full-length album.
I Smile (Full Album) Album Cover
1..Lean On Me (오늘은 내게) – Lean On Me is the additional single that was dropped alongside their main June single, I Smile. The song takes you back to the rock roots of the band, with the dominating electric guitar riffs and banging instrumental. Out of their tracks, this one is probably the one additional single that they have released that I instantly enjoyed within the first listen. Their vocal work is amazing, nonetheless, which will be something that I will mention constantly throughout the reviews. (9/10)
3. Man In A Movie – This is the additional single that was dropped with their May release. Just by comparing the first three tracks, you can tell that DAY6 is extremely versatile with their sound. The song is catchy with a nice retro style. As the song progresses, it builds up very interestingly ends in a very dramatic way, which I liked. The instrumental is striking though and per usual, their vocal work is very good. (8/10)
7. I Would (그럴 텐데) – This song was released as part of their March monthly release. It started off slow and was another song that you could easily sway along to. But the instrumental kicked in and that caught me off guard. Don’t know what I was expecting, but the instrumental did a good job at creeping up on me. It isn’t their best song the album, but it was still amazing to listen to. It did leave a long impression on me with its contrasts between the slower verses and the somewhat faster choruses. (7/10)
8. Goodbye Winter (겨울이 간다) – Goodbye Winter was released alongside I Wait in January. Another song that started of slow but the instrumental turned wild once it all kicked in. It was almost like an explosion and very good one at that. It provided enough intensity to blow my mind away. It does remain slow throughout, but still very intense. (8/10)
10. Say Wow – Say Wow was released in April. If you know me, I am a sucker when it comes to violins and songs with an orchestral sound. This track sounds amazing. It is also fitting for an anime opening, especially during the chorus. Put those together and you have a winning formula. Though the song doesn’t have the level of intensity (which has been mentioned a number of times already), that doesn’t impact the song in any way. But it makes that up by being catchy and an addictive number to listen to. (10/10)
12. My Day – This song was released back in February. Since I have been praising the entire album, I should be extremely critical. The song has a nice buildup, what comes after the buildup was pretty disappointing. It has to be the weakest song out of the lot. But if I was honest, the weakest song (being this one) on the album is still pretty good. (6/10)
KPOPREVIEWED 