Welcome to the 1st week of April. Lots to do today, so let’s get cracking with the charts post for this week!
Remaining on the top of the charts for this week is Monsta X’s Jealousy. For the first time ever, I knew (by Wednesday) that Monsta X had managed to claim the top spot for the second week and as the week went on, it was difficult to catch up to Monsta X. Following behind in second place is EXID’s latest single, Lady, while Giddy Up by The Boyz debuted on the charts in the third position. TVXQ’s The Chance of Love and Wanna One’s Boomerang completed the lineup for the Top 5 for this week.
UNB made their debut just yesterday so they will be on the charts starting next week. It was a pity that their music video was delayed because I wanted to write the reviews last night. Joining UNB next week are GreatGuys, Twice, Eric Nam and Super Junior.
As normal, feel free to check out the rest of the charts by scrolling down below.
1st Apr – 7th Apr 2017
Title
Artist
Status
1
Jealousy
Monsta X
(=)
2
Lady
EXID
(new)
3
Giddy Up
The Boyz
(new)
4
The Chance Of Love
TVXQ
(▲ 6)
5
Boomerang
Wanna One
(▲ 4)
6
Banana Allergy Monkey
Oh My Girl
(new)
7
I.P.U
Wanna One
(▲ 8)
8
Love It Like It
YDPP
(new)
9
Touch
NCT 127
(▲ 8)
10
Just Do It
BSS (Seventeen)
(▼ 6)
11
Shine
Pentagon
(new)
12
One
Samuel ft. Jung Ilhoon (BTOB)
(▲ 15)
13
District 9
Stray Kids
(▼ 11)
14
Starry Night
Mamamoo
(▼ 9)
15
Look
GOT7
(▼ 12)
16
Boss
NCT U
(▼ 4)
17
Candyland
UP10TION
(▼ 11)
18
True Love
Kim Sung Kyu (Infinite)
(▲ 3)
19
New Heroes
Ten (NCT)
(new)
20
Thanks
SEVENTEEN
(▼ 9)
21
Black Dress
CLC
(▼ 14)
22
Mamma Mia
SF9
(▼ 4)
23
The Blue Bird
April
(▼ 1)
24
Star
VROMANCE
(▼ 1)
25
Baby Don’t Stop
NCT U
(▼ 9)
26
Everyday
Winner
(new)
27
Dreams Come True
WJSN (Cosmic Girls)
(▼ 14)
28
Gone Cold
MXM
(▲ 2)
29
Rubber Band
iKON
(▲ 6)
30
Sudden Shower
Junhyung (HIGHLIGHT) ft. 10CM
(▲ 20)
Songs leaving the charts this week and will not be reappearing start next week are:
UNB has made their long-awaited debut last night with their Boyhood mini-album. For those who are not aware of UNB, they are the male group formed from the survival TV show, The Unit: Idol Rebooting Project. The main aim of the show was to give lesser known acts in the KPOP industry a second chance. UNB comprises of 9 members: Feeldog (BIGSTAR), Euijin (BIGFLO), Daewon (Madtown), Marco (HBY), Hojung (HOTSHOT), Hansol (NewKidd), Jun (UKISS), Chan (A.C.E) & Kijoong (IM). Boyhood consists of two title tracks, Sense (the focus of today’s review) and Only One.
Opening the song is a really nice piano piece, which felt calming and added a dramatic effect to the song. Like most songs nowadays, the piano piece soon becomes lost in the EDM instrumental. And with the EDM kicking in, it takes on an intense vibe. I really like the drop into the chorus, which provided a burst of energy, which I thought was really cool when I listened to the song. The song’s chorus was quite catchy, especially in the latter half of the chorus. Also catchy was the ‘Na Na Na‘ during the bridge. I personally would have liked to hear more of that ‘Na Na Na‘ because of the rough vocals of whoever is singing that part really fits in well with the EDM style of the song. Speaking about vocals, there were some people concerned that the group would be lacking due to the lack of ‘strong vocals’ (i.e. a main vocalist). However, listening to the song, there was no lack of ‘strong vocals’, with the vocalists all doing a great job on the vocal front. The raps were nice and I thought the way they brought back the piano piece (from the start) at the end made the song feel like a completed circle. Overall, it was another amazing song that hopefully puts them back into the spotlight.
[Updated] From the information I was given (through the comments and Twitter), I think I got a brief understanding of what the video is about. Then again, this is my interpretation of the video. Essentially, the video is about new beginnings. Their ‘rebooting’ was shown as a new adventure into a new dimension (i.e. from their old group to their new group). There is a reference to the member’s return to their old groups, however, with the lighting of the bare tree different in the middle of the video (with Jun’s solo shot) and the choreography shots throughout the video. NOW before you start jumping at me with other theories, I have decided to do a whole new analysis of this music video at a later stage (see some of my previous tweets). So keep your eyes open for that!
Visually, the video looks stunning. Everything looked really good. The sets all looked really good and the members looked even better. The visual effects were amazing and the storyline seems interesting (despite not knowing what is going on).
The choreography of Sense was definitely breathtaking. Particularly, the opening (and ending) sequence with the piano piece. It looked elegant and contrasted nicely with the fast-paced choreography for the EDM chorus. I also thought the complicated formation and moves around the memorable ‘Na Na Na‘ was really cool. This is was at the bridge of the song.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 8/10 [Old rating still stands] Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.7/10 [Old rating still stands]
NCT has already had a jammed back year. With songs from each of their subunits to their full-length album, NCT has basically lifted standards when it comes to promotions. Ten did not promote as much with NCT this year. He only participated in Baby Don’t Stop (with Taeyong). However, don’t worry. Ten has just released a new single, New Heroes. It is the final release of SM Station Season 2 and his first solo release since Dream In A Dream.
The song was quite striking from the start, opting for synths that really grabbed your attention. It made the song feel bright and pop-like, despite the chorus become mainly EDM based. The chorus itself was quite good, with the synths drops not overwhelming at all, which is something you don’t really feel when it comes to EDM songs like this. What also makes this song quite cool is that Ten sung entirely in English. I honestly expected some rapping somewhere in the midst of the song but was surprised when I heard vocals only. And Ten’s vocals were amazing in the song. At first glance, the song felt like Go by NCT Dream, especially around the drop. But the more I listen to this, the less of the resemblance I hear. New Heroes doesn’t strike me as a memorable song, however, at the moment, it sounds awesome.
The music video opens up with Ten sitting on the beach, with a thin piece of fabric layered on top of him. There are lights attached to his already glittery shirt and hands. While it doesn’t sound exactly that cool in words, it was definitely breathtaking to watch when the video starts. Furthermore, I thought I recognised some places where NCT shot at for their comeback music videos. Not 100% confident but they seem really familiar. Overall, I thought the video was cool. Some shots were shakey to suit the EDM drops, while others were smooth to compliment the calmer parts of the song.
Not sure if there was any choreography for this particular release. Ten does dance throughout the video, however, many parts did look like it was freestyling. But if this video was to prove anything, it proves that Ten is one amazing dancer.
Song – 7.5/10 Music Video – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.1/10
Following the ending of Produce 101 Season 2, we have seen Wanna One and JBJ rise to success with their promotions. YDPP, despite just debuting today, is a group with 4-members who participated in the show. Jeong Sewoon, MXM (Lim Youngmin and Kim Donghyun) and Lee Kwanghyun have joined forces for this collaboration. YDPP stands for Youth, Dream, Passion and Purity and each member brings one of these aspects to the group.
Love It Live It is a funky song. I particularly like the instrumental of the track as it has character and colour, which makes it bright and extremely cheerful. Especially in moments where there were no vocals, there was this distinct sound which I don’t know who to describe. But it made me fall in love with it. The vocal work by each member was awesome and the rap sequence was also quite good. The hook wasn’t as strong as I hoped it for, so I haven’t found the track that catchy (yet). However, as I mentioned previously I keep on coming back for the instrumental. And while you thought the song ended quite quickly (since the final chorus kicked in around the 2:45 mark), there was an extra burst of energy at the very end for the high note and an extension of the song. It gives the song a uniqueness factor and it also manages to change up the song through the instrumental, which for this one time, I thought was cool.
The music video was a CF for Pepsi-Cola, wasn’t it? I tend to stay away from commercial based songs, only reviewing one or two of them in the past. This video just didn’t seem to be like a CF until the very end when the product placement was extremely strong. But then I went back and found the product placement to be everywhere (from the clothing the actress was wearing to the white and blue outfits the member were wearing). I really liked the colours the set was displaying and thought it matched the colourful nature of the song quite nicely.
The choreography was quite cool. It just felt like your normal choreography routine well suited for a pop song. I really like the ending, though, with the extra burst of energy at the end. With the kicks towards the middle, I thought that was cool (for some odd reason).
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 7/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8.2/10
Welcome to my review of Monsta X’s latest album release, The Connect: Deja Vu. This is the group’s first release of 2018 and their 6th mini-album overall. Once again, the group has put out a top-notch album for their fans and I just can’t stop coming back to this album. To find out which songs I liked and while I just didn’t connect to, continue reading!
2. Destroyer – This particular track featured in the pre-release music film video, which provided the continuation to their Dramarama. From the very start of this track, you can get a sense of the intensity of the track. The chorus had a melodic hook, which made it catchy and memorable. I like the post-chorus rock change-up, which injected more intensity into the track. Usually, I nick-pick at the small details but Destroyer had no flaws. It could have easily been a contender for the title track. (10/10)
3. Fallin’ (폭우) – The song opens up with a rap sequence, which feels heavily based in the hip-hop genre. Within seconds of the vocals start, it changes more into a pop song. And once the chorus started, a funky and groovy instrumental also managed to change up the song a second time around. While these changes may not be everyone’s cup of tea, this track sounds really good (in my point of view). All the other elements that I comment all were all amazing in this track as well. (9/10)
4. Crazy In Love (미쳤으니까) – This track is an intense R&B dance track. The chorus has a nice melody, which makes it easy on the ears of the listener. Furthermore, it doesn’t rely on EDM, which we tend to hear a lot of nowadays and relief given the previous track on the album. Compared to the previous tracks, however, it does lack a little something, resulting it being not so memorable. But it was a good break from the other songs. (7/10)
5. Lost In The Dream – The song opens with a ‘Na Na Na’, which did catch me off guard at first. However, it is soft and seductive. The song had a good pre-chorus build-up but the drop into the chorus felt weak in comparison. That left the chorus a tad underwhelming, which should have been more powerful. Thankfully, the chorus did get better as the song went along. The raps included in the song lifted the intensity, while Kihyun’s vocals during the bridge sounded so awesome. Both managed to give the song a peak, which I was worried it wouldn’t get to. (7.5/10)
6. If You – The song is incredibly sweet sounding and has this noticeable cheery tone to it, which I really liked. I like all the vocals from each of the members (including Jooheon) and IM’s raps was a nice addition to the song. The build-up to the chorus was prolonged but it was worth the wait with the great chorus the song has. The song could have used a bridge (the sudden stop at the end of the second chorus felt abrupt) but what we got instead was fine as well. (8.5/10)
7. Special – At the very start of the song, a rap sequence was used to set the tone of the song. I particularly liked the drop and the strong chorus’ instrumental. The vocals don’t really seem to shine, which was somewhat disappointing. But the raps did a good job covering for that. It is another intense song with an awesome instrumental. It had a great ending, which also served as a great ending to the album. (8/10)
Winner has made their return to the stage with a brand new song, Everyday. Everyday is the title track off their latest full-album return, which is also titled as Everyday (styled as EVERYD4Y). Their last comeback was in September last year with Love Me Love Me. Usually, YG Entertainment would sideline them for a longer period. But with the success of Winner in the past year. it was expected that YG would bring back a lot sooner.
But maybe it isn’t all good. Everyday just fails to make the mark when it comes to the appealing factor. The song reminds me of the R&B tracks that you would get nowadays. Heavily autotuned and something I just want to avoid completely. The chorus just felt over the top with its autotune. It was catchy and possibly addictive. The autotune just went against it and its potential glory. But to base the song solely on the autotune does not seem fair. So if we strip away the autotune, the song has potential. I actually did think the vocals and raps were good. The verses were nice and the buildup to the chorus was decent. The bridge is also quite good. And as mentioned previously, the chorus would have been catchy and possibly fun.
Winner’s music video has me giving one big question, who on earth picks out the clothing for these videos? The video is set by the poolside and beach. The ladies in the video looked their part by wearing bikinis and swimsuits. Winner, however, is decked on with suits and casual clothing consisting of an excessive amount of fabric. They just don’t fit in or look the part. Even the backup dancers looked more casual than them. While I understand they need to look good, it just feels a little outrageous sometimes. Besides that, the video was nice to watch. I don’t have much else to say regarding the video.
That one dance move with the side hopping and fist pumping is back. Like it has taken the entire industry by storm. It was a nice performance to watch, overall. The post-chorus choreography looks cool in the video and I think it would look awesome on stage.
Song – 5/10 Music Video – 7/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 5.9/10
Please note these special posts are designed to be long and may require some time to read (if you plan on reading the entire post). To help shorten the length, the music video will be inserted as hyperlinked titles, so feel free to click the title of each section to watch the video.
The Unit was a survival program by KBS (Korean Broadcasting Station) to help reboot the unsung and little-known KPOP acts of the industry (i.e. to give some groups and singers that second chance of debuting). The show was hosted by Rain and aired from October 2017 to February 2018.
With the impending debut of both the final lineup of the male (UNB) and female (UNI.T) groups (i.e. the end goal of all the contestants), I thought it would be nice to take some time to look back on the competition. This is a 3 part weekly special, which I will be looking at the performances and songs that emerged from the show.
This week’s (the 1st part) post focuses on the initial songs of the show, which introduced all the contestants involved and the Top 2 songs of the Fourth Mission: Digital Single Releases for both female and male sides of the competition.
My Turn was a great opener to the entire show. While it didn’t have what it takes in terms of catchiness to rival Pick Me (from both seasons of Produce 101), the song was still pretty decent to listen to. The song was structured to have males perform/sing in the first verse/chorus, while females got the second verse/chorus. A shared intro and the final part of the song was performed together. Following the 2017 trend, the song took on the tropical house genre and became surprisingly addictive. The female rappers did a pretty good job with their section, with a rap sequence required at the point to keep the song from getting too dry. The only part of the song which irked me was the connection between the male and female’s section (i.e. the rewinding section). It felt awkward. But other than that, good song.
While they did only use some of the members in this particular song, the male members chosen did a good job at carrying both the vocal and rapping sections. The only section that had me looking the other way (as they say) is the chanting that formed the chorus “Last One One One“. It just didn’t work with the rest of the track. The bridge did feature an instrumental break. And while it was decent, it was rather short and I wanted more of it to build up to the final chorus. The choreography was quite intense, which I think matched the equally intense song.
I feel like the girls got the short end of the stick with some of their songs. Shine just felt childish and doesn’t feel like it met the same standard as My Turn or Last One. The EDM that featured in both previous songs was also featured in this song. It is just the cutesy sound backfired big time. The music video also felt cringy as they had to spell the word Shine, making it feel more like a children’s program. Their outfits also looked bland and boring in comparison to what they wore in the My Turn video.
All Day was the winning track on the men’s side of the 4th mission (Digital Single Release). And I can definitely see why. The song opens up with the hook and Hangyul’s raps at the start were also good. This sets the track up to be one good track. The vocals were okay but the rappers were the ones that I felt carried the track over the finish line. The chorus featured a good drop, while the bridge was awesome. Their music video was well produced (one of the perks of winning the mission was a music video for their track), which showcased an edgy vibe suitable for the song. The accompanying choreography was also quite intense and teasing for some of the fans.
Question took out second place in the 4th mission on the men’s side. To me, this song had potential. But it could have used some finetuning to make it more impactful. Each section worked well on its own but the way they made all the sections to connect together seemed a little messy and jagged, resulting in the song not flowing as well. Despite this, the song did feature a classy sounding instrumental and the electric guitar in the bridge was a likeable element of the song. The vocals were good but once again, the rappers stood out of the pack. I assumed earning second place resulted in a limited production of the music video. The video could have been so much better with multiple sets rather than a concrete setting. The choreography was good but the moves during the EDM bridge felt sluggish.
Always is the winning track from the 4th Mission on the female side of the competition. I mentioned previously that the girls stood on the wrong footing with their introductory song. Always is on a whole new level, with the cutesy concept done right. It is a catchy song. The members all sound good but they could have benefited with much clearer vocals. It isn’t a musically complicated song but it was still good. I really liked the stripped start to the final chorus, which changes up the song. Both the music video and choreography were sweet but they could have been more interesting.
Cherry On Top is the second position track from the 4th mission on the female side of the competition. And out of all the songs on today’s post, it is the best track out of the six. There are many catchy moments in this track including ‘Cherry On Top’, ‘Ta-lop” and “For For Your Love“. What also makes this track speak on such a higher scale was the minimalistic instrumental. I also like how they gradually joined in for the final moments of the song. I also like the mature concept that they used in the music video and choreography. The setting of the video sets to the tone, which compliments the song. The choreography also had a sexy element to it but in no way was it excessive.
Part Two will be posted next Wednesday, so keep an eye out for it!
Making their comeback today is The Boyz. They previously made their debut at the end of last year with their debut track titled as Boy. Giddy Up is the title track of their second mini-album, which is titled as The Start.
Giddy Up is a really funky and groovy track to listen to. They don’t hold back from the very start with the retro instrumental. Interestingly, the pre-chorus felt like it quite long. But with the awesome chorus, it was worth the wait. The chorus has a burst of energy that makes the song addictive. I really thought the hook during the chorus was fun and quite catchy as well. While the instrumental does feel extremely packed here, the vocals do make it feel much smoother. Their vocals are nice and the rap sequence for the bridge was cool. I did expect more rap in the song, however, which is usually what happens with a team that has many members and this type of upbeat song did call for it. So I was surprised when it was only limited to one not-so-long-lasting bridge. Also, the track does feel relatively standard to the other releases this week. There were cool elements but I don’t think there was anything particularly outstanding. Despite this, however, Giddy Up is another solid release from the new boy group.
I think this is a really well-done music video. The pinball machine set looked cool and I think it is unique in a way. The way they transitioned out their hockey shirts to their school uniform outfits were also really cool and unique, once again. There isn’t much else to the video but don’t worry. It is still one fun, energetic and well-presented music video to watch.
The choreography for this comeback is amazing. Their sync-ness with each was awesome, which already brought their performance to a whole new level. On top of that, some of the moves they pulled off looked awesome (such as 1:06 – 1:11). And of course, they had to include the horse riding move (I would have literally called them out if it wasn’t there).
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 10/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.8/10
Oh My Girl has made their unexpected return with a special subunit release. Dubbed as Oh My Girl BANHANA, the subunit consists of 3 members (Binnie, Hyojung and Arin). While the promotional track, Banana Allergy Monkey, is performed by the trio, the other songs on the release feature the other members of Oh My Girl as well. This is Oh My Girl’s first release since Secret Garden earlier this year.
Let’s start off with the title of the song. ‘Banana Allergy Monkey‘ is one randomly put-together phrase. But when you think about, what if there is a monkey that is allergic to bananas out there? But let’s stop right there before I go searching for one. BANHANA’s delivery of the song has to be one of the cutesy deliveries that I have heard to date. For the first listen, you get a really extremely childish sense from it, which works against the song. But once you listen to the entire track, it is quite catchy. The melodic hook is bound to get you humming to the track. And surprisingly, I got used to their vocals quite fast. The song could have used more harmonies, which could have given the verses a stronger backbone. The instrumental was quite retro with its 8-bit and video game styled sound, which works well with their concept (which I will discuss later on). Overall, the song is growing on me quite rapidly, so who knows if this can top the Weekly charts that I post regularly every Sunday.
The music video goes for that video gaming concept, which works well with that 8-bit sound that song has. But it gets very cutesy fast. My assumption is the trio portrays the monkeys who are unable to eat bananas, with the rest of Oh My Girl making their appearance as banana eaters. As a result, they go out to find alternatives (such as Banana Milk) in the far away places of the universe. That is my guess for the meaning behind the video. While I thought the sound was childish, I thought the cutesy concept was done relatively well. As a whole, I thought it was a fun video to watch.
Can I just give them their 10/10 for choreography here? I don’t think you can score any number lower than 10 if you are going to scratch your buttocks as part of the dance. Hahahaha… It made me laugh and I found it incredibly cute. Hopefully, this becomes a dance trend causing I can see it making the rounds, infecting every single KPOP idol out there.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 10/10 Overall Rating – 8.7/10
Shining brightly with their latest comeback, Pentagon dropped Shine as their comeback title track today. This is the group’s first comeback since their Runaway comeback in November last year (as well). Shine is the title track to their 6th mini-album, which is titled as Positive. I have yet to decide whether I will be writing an album review for Positive. But before I can make that decision, I must finish this review, so let’s get going.
Shine is one amazing track that I personally think everyone should just check out for the sake of it. To me, the song felt like something iKON would release. That could be mainly due to the hip-hop vibes that I got from the song. The same vibes were well infused into a melodic track, which felt groovy. Its instrumental was particularly bright and cheerful, which works well with the lyrics of the song (which is about feeling shy about love). I love the keyboard instrumental, which was simple yet still allowing the song to build up. Everyone nailed their parts perfectly, from the rapping to the vocals. Two people caught my attention but I am not familiar them, so I don’t know their names. The bridge was my most favourite part of the song (besides from the chorus), with the rapper started off the bridge and the guy who did the high-note being the two members that caught my attention despite each of their sections lasting a few seconds in the bridge. The song is super catchy and I can honestly see myself replaying this song constantly in the days to come.
The music video also had a retro vibe and I thought was the video was nice. Though, I think the video could have been set in a much more appealing area rather than something rundown. I like how the video did play towards the lyrics, mainly the many crumpled pieces of paper in the locker, which I am assuming to be many attempts at a love letter to their crush. It was a good video and I liked it.
There a few dance trends in the choreography, which made the whole thing quite epic to watch. Don’t ask me any names of these moves or else I will show how out-of-touched with the dance trends. Concept-wise, I think this is their take on the cute boy concept. I like this cooler take on the concept, which makes it more interesting and refreshing.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.7/10
Making their first comeback of 2018 just a few hours ago is EXID with Lady. This is EXID’s latest comeback since DDD, which was released in November last year. EXID is still 4-members, with Solji sitting out of this comeback entirely due to health reasons. With not much else to say, let’s get right into this review.
Lady is a 90’s throwback song. The song features new jack swing instrumental which literally takes you back to that era. Despite retro being a very large aspect of the Korean pop scene, Lady was surprisingly fresh and interesting to listen to. It features great vocals and raps, which is usual for EXID. The song also managed to throw in a few ad-libs by Hyerin (just before the chorus), which has confirmed how far Hyerin has come since he had to cover for Solji. While it only has been out a few hours, there were a few things that I noticed to be potential flaws. The first being the chorus. Don’t get me wrong, it is melodic and a decent chorus. But it isn’t as strong or catchy as their previous title tracks. On top of that, the chorus would have felt more lively if the jump into it was more exciting and attracting. Instead, what we go made the song feel almost ‘one-sound’. It may take a few more listens to warm up to the chorus but overall, it was still a decent track.
Like the song, their fashion in the video is extremely ’90s. It is a trend that I am seeing amongst some idols nowadays, with the reemergence of baggy clothing. However, this video does it extremely well, with each member looking stunning (what else do you expect from EXID). Also liking the pixelated quality of the video, which is similar to the VCR or just normal boxed television you would get back in the day. Some of their transitions (such as the star and the slow motion is distinctively ’90s. It is a very cool video that suits the song very well and honestly, there is nothing to else to add to the video to make it feel more like the ’90s.
I even think some of the moves they included in the instrumental are directly related to the ’90s. While I don’t think it has anything to rival their past popular dances, it looked fun.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 7/10 Overall Rating – 7.6/10
After 6 mini-albums, UP10TION had returned to the industry with their very first full-length studio album, Invitation. While they have yet to release a hit since their debut, this high-quality sounding album seems to confirm that this chart-topping track is just right around the corner. So let’s get this album review going! Per usual, I have left the intro track off the list.
3. Target On(반해, 안반해) – Despite having a very standard instrumental, I think the song has potential to be a contender for the title track. Right off the bat, it suits the UP10TION’s sound. It had a great level of intensity and the chorus can be deemed as catchy. While I don’t have that much to say about it, I would return to the album to listen to this song. (9/10)
4. Finally (오늘이야) – In general, I liked the instrumental for this, particularly the drum beat. This pop song managed to showcase both the potential for the vocalists and the rappers of UP10TION. The fading out at the ended seemed a little force in my opinion. But other than that, its simplicity speaks volume, especially when we are continually inundated with EDM and more intense genres. And like the previous, it is another track that I would love to hear continuously. (9.5/10)
5. Habit (습관) – We have the first ballad on the album. The stormy sound effects do set the mood of the song, automatically making the song emotional. The start of the chorus was amazing and it is another ballad that has that swaying effect (which earns big ticks for me). The start of the rapping sequence was awkward but the rapping (overall) was decent. The change-up in the bridge was nice, while the vocalists got another chance to shine. (8/10)
6. Mixed Signals (모호해) – Opening Mixed Signals are some odd synths and a cough. And while it might be a little non-traditional, its uniqueness makes the song intriguing. I hope my ears are not playing tricks on me, but those some synths seem to play throughout the song (though very quietly). The song is perfect for hanging out on a Summer’s day. I particularly thought the bridge was cool and the drop into the final chorus made the final moments of the song pop out even more. (9/10)
7. Always(이대로) – Right off the bat, you get this cheerful sound from its uplifting instrumental. This makes the song pleasant and refreshing. Once again, the raps and vocals were on point. It features a catchy chorus and melodic hook. While the song does suffer from the ‘standard syndrome’, the group managed to nail its delivery very well. (9/10)
8. Superstar – I really like the ‘secret agent’ styled instrumental, which made his track feel quite cool. I also liked the ‘Superstar’ repetition at the start of the song (which was also played throughout the song). The chorus was also quite nice and it reminded me of a song that I just cannot think of right now. I think both the vocals and raps could have been more powerful, with some aggressive vibes fitting the instrumental perfectly. (8/10)
9. Love Sick – The song has this one guitar riff which I thought was awesome (just before the chorus). While we are also talking about the chorus, it was extremely explosive. I think the song could have benefited more if you listen to it with good speakers capable to inserting some bass into the song. I personally want to see a performance to this song and I think it is another track that could have rivalled the title track. (8/10)
10. Still With You(시간아 멈춰서) – This is the second ballad on the album and it is the one song that I am on the fence on. One part of me likes the normal pitched vocals, but I am not a fan of the falsetto vocals by Jinhoo here. Its effect is decent but it just felt pushy. Only the vocalists performed this song if I am not mistaken. And other than the falsetto, I think it was a decent track. (7/10)
11. I Need You (예고 없이) – I love the explosive nature of the instrumental of this track, which grabs your attention. It also is the one that features the rappers to an approximate level, who tend to be limited to a few seconds in some of their songs. And before you assume that I was not a fan of the falsetto songs here (I know, how contradicting of me), I think they were a much better match for the song. Once again, I would love to return to listen to this track, mainly due to its energy. (8/10)
Overall Album Rating – 8.3/10
Invitation Individual Teasers (taken from Wishnote)
It is currently the long weekend Easter break where I live, so I just wanted to start off by wishing you all have a happy Easter break (and a joyful weekend for those who do not celebrate Easter)! Other than that, I present to you all this week’s charts post, for the 4th week of March 2018.
Here is a quick summary of the top 5 of the charts. Taking out the number 1 spot on the charts this week is Monsta X’s latest comeback, Jealousy. Stray Kid’s District 9 also managed to book out the 2nd position for this week. Last week’s number 1 song (Look by GOT7) dropped down to the 3rd position, while BSS’s Just Do It managed to keep its foot on the 4th position. Finishing out the top 5 is Mamamoo’s Starry Night.
I am excited for next week, mainly due to the many comebacks that have been confirmed. This includes EXID, Winner, Oh My Girl, Pentagon, The Boyz and the upcoming debut of UNB. With the artists already on the charts, it is going to be one fun week!
For the rest of the charts, scroll down below.
25th Mar – 31st Mar 2017
Title
Artist
Status
1
Jealousy
Monsta X
(new)
2
District 9
Stray Kids
(new)
3
Look
GOT7
(▼ 2)
4
Just Do It
BSS (Seventeen)
(=)
5
Starry Night
Mamamoo
(▼ 3)
6
Candyland
UP10TION
(▼ 3)
7
Black Dress
CLC
(▼ 2)
8
Go
NCT Dream
(▲ 40)
9
Boomerang
Wanna One
(▼ 1)
10
The Chance of Love
TVXQ
(new)
11
Thanks
Seventeen
(▲ 1)
12
Boss
NCT U
(▲ 16)
13
Dreams Come True
WJSN (Cosmic Girls)
(▼ 2)
14
The Boots
Gugudan
(▲ 7)
15
I.P.U
Wanna One
(▼ 8)
16
Baby Don’t Stop
NCT U
(▲ 21)
17
Touch
NCT 127
(▼ 11)
18
Mamma Mia
SF9
(▲ 4)
19
Don’t Be Pretty
14U
(▲ 14)
20
Gorgeous
VAV
(▲ 4)
21
True Love
Kim Sung Kyu (Infinite)
(▲ 5)
22
The Blue Bird
April
(▼ 13)
23
Star
Vromance
(▲ 28)
24
Angel
Hoya
(▲ 1)
25
Dinner
Suho (EXO) Jang Jane
(▼ 15)
26
It’s U
Golden Child
(▲ 14)
27
One
Samuel ft. Jung Ilhoon (BTOB)
(new)
28
Bad Boy
Red Velvet
(▼ 15)
29
NEGA DOLA
BoA
(▲ 12)
30
Gone Cold
MXM
(▲ 4)
Songs that are leaving the charts this week and will not be appearing on the charts starting next week:
Spotlight – VAV
Bad Boy – Red Velvet
Holiday – Suzy
It’s U – Golden Child
The Boots – Gugudan
NEGA DOLA – BoA
So once again, I hope to see you again next Sunday and wish you all have a fantastic week!
Hoya has officially made his solo debut with his first mini-album, Shower. This is his first major release since leaving Infinite last year. He did previously release a pre-release single, titled Angel, a few weeks back. Shower also features All Eyes On Me, which is the title track of the record.
All Eyes On Me was exceptionally boring. I think that would be my nicest way of describing the track to you all. There isn’t anything holding me there to listen to it. Instead, it feels monotone and grey, which doesn’t really hold well with another R&B track. For a moment, the instrumental did perk my ears up during the chorus with that background echoey sound (not exactly sure what it is). But it just wasn’t enough to keep me interested in the song. His choice of vocals are interesting but it just slows down the song and robs its any energy it could have had. When I listen to his pre-release and the title track, Angel is the more superior track by far. The two of together, however, doesn’t really give off much impression, which has me concerned for the now-solo artist. As harsh as it sounds, those are my thoughts. Though I will admit, we have to see how his future releases stack up to be sure.
Like the song, the music video is quite underwhelming. The only impressive part of the video is when Hoya is literally bouncing towards the camera (at the very start of the video). The video just felt empty and the lack of people doesn’t really reflect well on the minimalistic sounding song. As a result, you get a boring video that doesn’t keep me around.
Hoya is known for his performances and is always seen as the main dancer of Infinite. Unlike the song and video, his dance performance looks quite promising here. While it was fitting for the song, there were moves throughout the video which I thought was cool. The bouncing (mentioned previously) is one of them, another is the pre-chorus build-up.
Song – 4/10 Music Video – 4/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 4.8/10
Samuel is officially back with his second mini-album. Both the mini-album and title track share the same name, One. This is his first comeback of 2018 and his first since Candy, which was released back in November 2017. His comeback coincides with the comebacks of Wanna One and Hyeongseop x Euiwoong; and the upcoming debut of YDPP.
To me personally, One is Samuel’s best track yet. Right from the start, you get a burst of energy from the funky and upbeat ’80s instrumental. This same energy is channelled throughout the chorus, which basically sounds the same as the intro (just with lyrics!). The chorus was quite catchy, with the echoing of the autotuned ‘One‘ quite interesting but extremely fitting for the song’s style. I also like the instrumental segment at the end of the chorus, which allows for an amazing dance break. The only section of the song that I am not too keen on is Ilhoon’s part. His section deviates from the instrumental and takes on EDM. And while alone it sounds good, I don’t think it is fitting enough. The rest of the song was much better, returning the song to its initial vibes. The song just somehow shouts at me with its energetic vibe, something I don’t recall Sixteen or Candy doing.
Despite some scenes made him look like a pale vampire, the music video was decent. I am a little confused on what the story behind the video is. One moment he is awake from eternal sleep, the next he is discovering his surrounds (but is also quite scared of the masked figures), and then his is suddenly king of the area. What I did like about the video was the flashy nature of the lightings which went well with the instrumental of the song. I also liked the sets of the music video. While they don’t look like something I would usually be wowed by, they do actually look quite stylish and I love the industrial feel from them.
The performance was quite good. I did mention before that the instrumental break did allow for an awesome dance break and I felt he delivered. I did expect something a little more intense from the rap section, mainly because the instrumental there was EDM based. But everything else featured great energy, complimenting the song.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8/10
The 18 members have come together to release their very first full-length album. While the does feature the 4 pre-releases released this year from each subunit, the majority of the songs are credited as NCT U tracks (due to its rotational nature). On top of the 4 subunit releases, the album features tracks from a few years back (some which you may recognise as you go down the tracklist). The album also contains 4 other tracks (an intro, outro and the Chinese version of the Without You and an extended version of Yestoday) but per usual, they have been omitted. Many songs (and links) to get through, so here is my album review.
6. Yestoday (NCT U) – This NCT U track features Taeyong, Lucas, Mark and Doyoung. This particular track isn’t that bad, much smoother than what is about to come. The song feels like it could have been enhanced with a visually aesthetic video. The song alone doesn’t carry much weight but it has a nice melodic feel to it that makes it sound nice (especially with all the high energy and EDM we have heard thus far). I also appreciate the jazzy instrumental, for the same reasons above. Doyoung gets to showcase his nice vocals, while the other 3 do a nice job with the raps. (8/10)
7. Black On Black – This is the first song that features all 18 members of NCT in the performance. The song actually only features 3 members (Taeyong, Mark and Lucas). Black On Black, to me, is NCT’s version of EXO’s Growl. Mainly due to the growling that features throughout the song. I am not too conflicted with the track, despite it changing its sound so many times. While ‘flow’ isn’t a word that applies to this song in any way, the choppy feel that the song did manage to give out gives the song a charming point. It is also its downfall, however, as it would give me a headache if I listened to it multiple times on repeat. Glad I haven’t (yet). (7/10)
KPOPREVIEWED 