Month: February 2019

[Review] Alligator – MONSTA X

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Kicking off the series of comebacks and releases this week is Monsta X, with their latest comeback single, Alligator. It is featured on the second half of their second studio album, Take.2 ‘WE ARE HERE. The first half of the album is titled  Take.1 ‘Are You There?’, which featured their most successful track yet, Shoot Out. Interestingly, the music video for Alligator seems to contain multiple connections that don’t just hint back to Shoot Out but also to other videos. But more on that later.

First of all, Alligator felt like an odd title for a song. The song essentially likens getting someone to fall in love to an alligator’s hold on its prey (adapted from SOOMPI). Looking at the English translations available, I am not 100% sure if that was encapsulated but I guess the idea of it makes sense. The first thing I noticed was the powerfulness of the track. It is quite intense and hence right up Monsta X’s alley. The instrumental takes on that dance heavy sound that is quite similar to their past tracks. And the rapping really gives it that defining punch that leads me to associate the song with Monsta X straight away. Jooheon and I.M do an amazing job with their parts in the song, both on their own during the verses and together during the bridge. The vocals in the song were quite good, as always, with Kihyun’s high note being an excellent peak to the song alongside the duo rappers. But it’s the chorus that leaves me disappointed. The melody and hooks for the entire chorus felt lukewarm at best and didn’t feel like their usual catchy nature.  It might just be because the song was just released and that I haven’t played it enough to get into my mind.

Monsta X matched up the aggressive music video to the powerful song by incorporating alligators, swampland and choreography in water. I think fans would find that final choreography section to be very sexy. The video looked well put together, with the sets looking cool. The other half is what we are more seemingly interested in. We have been promised through the prologue teaser that there is a connection between this and possibly all of their music videos (scenes from previous music videos were included in the teaser). I will be completely honest – I have no idea what is going on. I can tell that there is some connection revolving around the seven sins as this is seen in this video and in the music video for Beautiful. But Lust and Gluttony have been swapped out for Agony and Loneliness. We also see an uprising against the people in charged who banned these sins, similar to the rebellion seen in The Clan series. There is a more obvious connection between Shoot Out and Alligator, with thorny rose branches and Hyungwon sitting on a throne-like structure featured in both videos. What this all means in too cryptic for me to work out, so feel free to comment below with theories!

We don’t see too much choreography in the music video. But from what we could see, I thought it looked really cool. Monsta X goes hard once again with their performances! I do want to know what moves they will pull off during the rap sections as those seemed to be the most intense parts. So, obviously, I will return in due time with an update.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10 [To Be Updated]
Overall Rating – 7.8/10

[Album Review] Want (2nd Mini Album) – Taemin (SHINee)

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Taemin made his comeback last week with Want, which is the title of both his title track and second mini-album (the focus of today’s album review). There is a total of 7 tracks on the album, but the seventh track is an outro track, which is also titled as Want. Due to the nature of the track, I have omitted it from the album review for today. Also, if you are a little busy to read this album review, I can essentially summarise everything in a few simple words – I highly recommend this album. I think that says a lot but if you want a little more detail, start reading below!

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Want Album Review

1..Want (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of Want. (10/10)

2. Artistic Groove – The song starts as an aesthetically pleasing track but it slowly builds into something a lot more than just that. I would personally recommend this to potential listeners. I really like the funkiness in the smooth and slick instrumental. And if you are a fan of any previous Taemin title tracks, then you will very at home with this track. But that is not the reason why I would like to recommend this track. It is due to the amazing choruses we get. I state plural because there were the ‘Artistic Groove’ chorus and the chorus that ended the song (with the two joined together as the centrepiece of the track). I don’t know about you but my jaw dropped when I first heard the first chorus and was amazed at how effortlessly the second one was brought into play. Overall, my recommendation to you all. (10/10)

3. Shadow – To me, the word Shadow, seems to be a word surrounded by darkness. Countless times a track has been named ‘Shadow’ and the song ended up being something else that didn’t fulfil my expectations. But Taemin’s Shadow is everything that I have wished for in a song named Shadow. The dramatic and creepiness (attributed through the ‘La La La’ that started and ended the song) really sets this song apart from the rest. I love the instrumental of the track, with the thumping drums and the orchestral details. Throw in his vocal work, you have a very powerful combination. I think if we are ever given the opportunity to see a live performance for this song and Taemin delivers the same exact dramatic and creepy feelings we got, while also appreciating the beauty of the instrumental, I think this could become an iconic stage. (10/10)

4. Truth – Truth starts off as an unsuspecting ballad with only a piano based instrumental to really kick things off. The song takes a turn during the chorus as EDM become prevalent. For the first chorus, this only lasted a few seconds before returning to the ballad-y nature that the song started off with. The second chorus onwards is when the song stays within the EDM realm (despite it having that piano instrumental break, which I thought was a nice switcheroo from the start). Also featured alongside the instrumental is the vocals of Taemin, which sound nice here. I have to admit that this combination has been done before (so I can’t really brag about this new formula) but it is done in a way that leaves an impression and builds up suspense. (9/10)

5. Never Forever – Never Forever takes a different approach compared to what we have heard on the album thus far. It is a soft pop song with an acoustic guitar led instrumental. And because of its differences (i.e. the song does not rely heavily on a dance beat or any EDM sounds to show theatrics), the song does stand out a fair bit. But it stands out for good reasons. The song has this mellow vibe to it and after many dance/intense songs, it is nice to have a breakthrough an acoustic sound. But makes this song even better is Taemin’s vocals, which feel wholesome and showcases a new side to the artist. Pity the song was 3:00 minutes long. (9/10)

6. Monologue (혼잣말) – Listening to the first few seconds, I was lowkey waiting for the EDM drop, as Truth had crept up on us. But I can confirm that this is a true ballad. And it is one of the types to leave your heartbroken just by listening to it. One of the reasons why I find the track so heartbreaking is the piano and violin combination. Another reason was regarding his vocals (once again). He conveys so much emotion in the song that you cannot help but feel sad. It is his best presentation of vocals in the entire album as if does feel very strong and impactful. I also loved his harmonies, which make this song even better. Overall, it ends the album review on a saddening but impressive note. (10/10)

Overall Album Rating – 9.7/10

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Want Teaser Image

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[Weekly Chart] 2nd Week of February 2019

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Welcome back to the Weekly Chart segment once again. It is Sunday so you don’t need to wait any longer to see which song and artist took out the top spot on the charts for this week! An album review will be coming out shortly, so keep your eye out for that.

This past week we were overloaded with multiple comebacks and debuts. Taemin, Hwasa, TST, ITZY, Infinite, SATURDAY, Dream Catcher are all on this list and are all on the charts this week. VANNER, while they also debut, fell short of the Top 30 for this week (but I sense we may see them in the Top 30 after I review them this week)!

But let’s have a quick rundown of the charts for this week. A new group has managed to grab onto the first position and that group is no other than CLC, with their track No. ONF follows with their comeback single We Must Love, while Hwasa debuts her new track, Twit, in the third position. Familiar to the Top 5 is SEVENTEEN with their hit Home and ASTRO’s All Night, who both take the fourth and fifth position respectively.

For more of the charts, scroll down below!

10th Feb – 16th Feb 2019
Title Artist Status
1 No CLC (▲ 1)
2 We Must Love ONF (▲ 14)
3 Twit Hwasa (Mamamoo) (new)
4 Home Seventeen (=)
5 All Night ASTRO (▼ 2)
6 Q&A Cherry Bullet (▼ 1)
7 Wake Up TST (new)
8 Sunrise Gfriend (▼ 7)
9 Want Taemin (SHINee) (new)
10 DALLA DALLA ITZY (new)
11 Say My Name ATEEZ (▼ 2)
12 Lonely Night KNK (▼ 6)
13 Ya Lee Minhyuk (BTOB) (▲ 7)
14 Valkyrie ONEUS (▼ 6)
15 WiFi SATURDAY (new)
16 Gotta Go Kim Chungha (▼ 4)
17 Getting Closer Seventeen (▼ 7)
18 Only U IMFACT (▲ 4)
19 U Um U Um Hyomin (T-ARA) (▼ 8)
20 La La Love WJSN (Cosmic Girl) (▼ 13)
21 TicToc NEONPUNCH (▼ 5)
22 Piri Dream Catcher (new)
23 Clock INFINITE (new)
24 Rooftop N.Flying (▲ 1)
25 HALA HALA ATEEZ (▼ 7)
26 MILLONS Winner (▼ 12)
27 Loca Favorite (▼ 10)
28 %% APINK (▼ 15)
29 I Wanna Know Roh Taeyhyun (HOTSHOT) (▼ 6)
30 Dream About U NATURE (▼ 4)

Songs leaving the charts this week include:

  • First Sight – Heize
  • Whatcha Doin’ – Yesung (Super Junior) & Kim Chungha
  • Millions – WINNER
  • Getting Closer – SEVENTEEN
  • Winter Breath – Sooyoung (SNSD)

See you all back next week!

[Review] WiFi – SATURDAY

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SATURDAY made their return the other night with WiFi. This is a relatively new girl group, currently under SD Entertainment. SATURDAY currently has seven members including  They made their debut last year with Sion, Sunha, Haneul, Chohee, Ayeon, Yuki and Juyeon (Juyeon is a new member added this year after the departure of former member Chaewon). They made their debut with MMook JJi BBa back in July of last year and they also released a special Christmas album for the festive season.

WiFi is that cutesy song that reminds you of the work done by Crayon Pop when they were still active. It is an undeniably colourful track that speaks about sending love signals between themselves and their crush. It is a fun tune, filled with the cutesy repetition of the word ‘WiFi’ (which is actually growing heavily on me) and the use of a bazooka or some sort of instrument of a similar nature to get that fun yet intriguing sound in the instrumental break. I also like the mini shout of their group name in the song so they wouldn’t be forgotten. The vocals were good and I personally liked the rapping style for the rap sequence during the verses. As for the trap influence during the bridge, this causes the track to be similar to Boom Boom by Momoland and I am not sure what to think of this (apart from that the bridge does not go with the rest of the song). Overall, I like WiFi but not to the extent of other songs currently hot on the charts.

Once again, we see the low budget nature of the video based on the choreography shots with the window. We cannot blame them or their company for what they had to work with. But they could have gotten rid of those shots and stayed with the built backdrops they had for the rest of the video (which actually fitted the colourful nature of the song perfectly due to their use of colours). For the rest of the video, I liked how they made it look like they applied special effects (like the floating letters) and the cutesy nature of the video.

As for the performance, I thought it was rather good. I liked how they showed the WiFi hook by using the WiFi symbol. I also liked how bouncy the dance was, particularly during the chorus. My favourite bit would have to be during the pre-chorus, as their moves seem to be somewhat more mature and smooth.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7/10

[Review] Cold – Key (SHINee) ft. Hanhae

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It has been a while since I have reviewed an SM Station track, so it is time to get back to those very special singles and collaborations. This week, we have Key (from SHINee) gracing our screens and music apps with Cold. The song features Hanhae, a well-known South Korean rapper who actually enlisted into the military in the past week. Key previously made his solo debut at the end of last year with One Of Those Nights and you can read my review for his solo debut by clicking the link. But let’s continue on with the review for Cold.

Cold is an R&B track that feels reminiscent of the R&B sound that artists like Crush and Heize have released previously. The song doesn’t seem to be that memorable in my books. There are a number of reasons why I think that. Key presents us with a nice voice in the song but it isn’t as capturing as Heize or Crush’s husky or raspy tone when it comes to their own solo work. The instrumental feels very standard and doesn’t offer anything interesting. There is some soft electronic piano featured throughout the song which did make the song slightly appealing. But that wasn’t enough to really consolidate its overall appeal. It isn’t all bad news though as the song is still pleasantly sound and Hanhae’s rapping did attract some more attention towards the song. I wouldn’t mind listening to it every now and then. Just constant replaying will bore me out of it even more and I wouldn’t personally go out of my way to find the song.

The music video revolves around Key as an artist and that he has fallen in love with a certain camerawoman or director of the music video that he is shooting within the music video. I guess he becomes so invested in his interest that he forgets what is there for and continues to have the video filmed despite all the staff members cleaning up behind him. I thought that was an interesting way to show that his crush wasn’t interested. I liked how they shot everything used vintage cameras and the vintage filter that was applied to the scenes. I found that the music video was suitable for the song, overall but equally as dry as the song.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 7/10
Overall Rating – 6.4/10

[Album Review] We Must Love (3rd Mini Album) – ONF

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ONF made their return to the stage last week with We Must Love. Their mini-album for this particular comeback also share the same name and is the focus of today’s review.  After their impressive mini-album from last year (You Complete Me), I thought it would be nice to have another look at an ONF album. And I quite glad I did because this is another impressive album to add to their discography. Continue reading for my thoughts on the individual songs on the album.

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We Must Love Album Cover

1..We Must Love (사랑하게 될 거야) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of We Must Love. (9.5/10)

2. Ice & Fire – Despite being opposites in real life, Ice & Fire comes together to become a very slick song. It is vocally-centred, with the many falsettos showcasing the group’s potential. The song features a very trendy and appealing instrumental that was one half of the reason to why I was drawn to this song. It feels subdued compared to a standard dance track and it results in a smooth vibe, which in turn goes extremely well with the vocals. I also liked the melody of the track. It is refreshing and opens my eyes (or ears in the case of music) to the group even more. (10/10)

3. Yayaya (별일 아냐) – Yayaya opens up with strings with what seems to be a bit of tango influence. The pre-chorus switched the song to a modern electronic dance sound, before the chorus returning to show a mixture of the two genres I have identified thus far. I think this is a winning combination as the song sounds amazing. I liked how the vocals stayed within that tango influence regardless of the changes. But what really caught my attention was the rapping for this track. I think the deep voices were wonderful and the way it started off was amazing. It is another track that stands out for all the right reasons. (9/10)

4. Happily Ever After (첫 사랑의 법칙) – I think the track is very passable. I am going to be straight up with the reasoning. It just doesn’t seem to blend in well with the rest of the songs on the album and it feels like it was intentionally hidden between two amazing songs. That being said, there are nice vocals and harmonies in the song. The song also features good rapping. The instrumentation makes way for the song to be similar to a ballad but also allows some choreography to be thrown into the mix. (6.5/10)

5. I Do – I Do start off in a similar manner to Happily Ever After, so I had my concerns as the song started to progress through. But it gradually builds up into another dance track that instantly grabs my attention for the strong contrast between the verses and chorus. The verses are much softer, while the chorus goes for a harsh and rough EDM instrumental. But I think we can all agree that from the bridge onwards, the song gets so much better. The autotuned rapping gives the song a unique rough texture and the drop back to the final chorus is one-of-a-kind, ending the song in a way that makes me want to go back for more. (10/10)

Overall Album Rating – 9/10

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We Must Love Teaser Image

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[Review] Clock – Infinite

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I previously mentioned in previous reviews that some male groups have reached the point in their careers where they need to enlist into the military. One of these other groups is Infinite. After last year’s comeback with Tell Me, leader Kim Sung Gyu enlisted in May. And it is expected that other Infinite members would follow this year. But before that, Infinite announced their return with a special single, Clock, which was previously performed at their fan meets at the end of the year. Unfortunately, Clock will not be promoted due to busy solo schedules but it still nice to get a new song from Infinite after a year’s absence.

Clock is a mid-tempo ballad that brings the best out of the remaining Infinite members. I am super excited for this track as I have always been a fan for Infinite’s ballads and this one does not deviate from that memory. The instrumental falls under the category of a soft rock track from what I can hear and it is a very good one. There is some slight reshuffling in this track to fit the missing presence of Kim Sung Gyu and former member Hoya. Myungsoo (or L) and Woohyun takes the reigns as the main vocalists, while Sungjong, Sungyeol and Dongwoo do all the rapping throughout the track. All handle their parts exceptionally well. I am particularly surprised by the rapping done by Sungjong, as I don’t think he has ever rapped before. I also enjoyed the harmonies that they all bring together. I don’t have much else to say regarding the song but wish to reiterate my first statement – it truly brings out the best of each member.

The music video shows the members either awaiting a phone call or waiting to make a phone call (I believe there may be a mixture of each). It doesn’t really show much else besides that. The song is about waiting to be reunited, so I guess the waiting around for a phone call (or waiting for the right moment to call) serves as a mechanism for a reunion in this video. It is a touching song and put together with this video and alongside their foreseeable future, it is even more touching. I am not totally into the hazy filter, however.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.6/10

[Review] Twit – Hwasa (Mamamoo)

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In the past year,  we have seen the Mamamoo members through multiple comebacks including Starry Night, Egotistic and Wind Flower. On top of that, we saw the members through solo songs on the albums released throughout the year and through solo works. Moonbyul made her solo debut with Selfish, which Wheein also made her solo debut with Easy. It is time we turn our attention to the maknae of the group, Hwasa, who recently gained attention for her sexy outfit on the MAMA stage. She made her solo debut today with Twit.

Listening to the song, I felt like the song was more suited for the Summer seasons. It is bright and upbeat, something you don’t get too much in these colder months (though Korea is fast approaching the end of the cold season). But that being said, it is a strong song suiting Hwasa’s image from the very second it started playing. The song shows how a person is calling themselves (and others) a dummy and twit for not being able to care for their respective lover. The instrumental is made up heavy beat and dramatic flair, offset by a light panflute that is played over and over again at consistent intervals. I find this to be very intriguing. Alongside the song, we get Hwasa’s raspy vocals that really adds another sound and texture to the song. I particularly like how she kicks her vocals up a notch via the bridge, which is where we get the vocal climax to the song. Overall, Twit is a nice song that showcases the strengths of Hwasa.

The music video opens up with the male actor trying to get the attention of Hwasa. While this does annoy her throughout the video, the guy ends up leaving her at the end of the video, making Hwasa the ‘twit’ of the video for disregarding her lover. Another take on the video (see the comment section for a more detailed explanation) is that Hwasa calls the male actor a twit for being too focused on her (the scenes throughout the video showcases Hwasa as the centrepiece (i.e.e she is the queen, all the guys are staring at her and she is uniquely confident). This causes the guy to become upset and leave Hwasa at the end, despite her best efforts of her showing him that she still cares for him. Throughout the video, we see shots of Hwasa being confidently sexy, which could be an indirect response to her recent controversy regarding her outfits at the MAMAs. Wheein also pops up in the video, where both Wheein and Hwasa are rubbing shoulders with each other. It is a very bold video, which I think suits Hwasa and the song very well.

We don’t see much of the choreography in the video. But from what I can see, Hwasa is going to be bringing sexy to the stage with this performance. On top of that, an element of fun may be present. We won’t know for sure until a live performance is available so I will be back when that occurs.
[Updated] She definitely brought her sexy game to the stage with this comeback. Though, I wasn’t as impressed with the choreography that was chosen for this comeback. It didn’t feel as enticing as I had hoped for, Her moves felt fitting with the song but I couldn’t help but describe the performance as mediocre.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 6/10 [Updated]
Overall Rating – 7.8/10 [Updated]

[Review] PIRI – Dream Catcher

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Known for their horror theme comebacks (I previously formed video theory posts regarding their horror ‘Nightmare’ series featuring the music videos of Fly High, You & I, Chase Me and Good Night), Dream Catcher has made their horrifying return today with PIRI. This is the group’s first comeback since their What promotions back in Septemeber. Since then, the group made their Japanese debut with the Japanese version of What and also released another single (Over The Sky) for their fans in celebration of their 3rd year anniversary since debut.

PIRI, after a very quick Google search, is a Korean instrument made from bamboo,  which is often heard in Korean folk music. I am not 100% sure but it seems like PIRI opens up with a whistling sound, which I think could be an actual piri instrument. But it is used as a detail, on top of the group signature rock instrumental sound. It is another intense song that really showcases another powerful side of the group. I did like the moments where the rock instrumental was stripped away for a soft piano. But the best bit was when the instrumental went for a full rock out during the chorus. The vocals were superb in the song. But the rapping is what caught my attention, once again. We all know how good Dami is, as per the group’s previous comebacks, but Dami is joined by Gahyeon in this song and she gives Dami some competition. Overall, PIRI is another amazing song from the group.

I think of the reason why I am drawn to Dream Catcher comebacks is for the visuals. Sure, the song is always a selling point but to this date, no other girl group has attempted the horror concept to a successful degree. In this video, the group is trying to make their way out of the mansion and come across haunting corridors and objects. Connected corridors that lead to the same spot, creepy dolls that turn their heads by themselves, multiple ringing phones and ticking clocks and a TV that shows a second version of yourself. I find the contrast between the darkness in the plot scenes and the brightness form the choreography scenes very interesting for this video.

I thought the choreography for this comeback was quite cool. Dream Catcher always has fitting dance moves for their rock-influenced songs. I like the many waves they made during the verses and the introductory sequence looked really cool. I also liked the touch of power they gave during the chorus.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.8/10

[Review] Wake Up – TST

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There are many groups from smaller companies that just don’t the attention they deserve. Many of which releases amazing songs that deserve a place on charts but never get the chance. One of these many groups is TST (formerly known as TopSecret). TST has returned to the stage with Wake Up. This is the group’s first comeback since their amazing Paradise comeback last year. Once again, they have returned short with one member, as Wooyoung has taken some time off to focus on health recovery.

Wake Up is a very bright and youthful song. It is the type of song that makes you want to smile within the first few seconds of the song and the energy is quite appealing. It does fall under the category of a typical pop song but it is done in a way that leaves me wanting more. I really liked the instrumental of the song. It was slightly funky and had retro elements that remind me of what KPOP actually used to be.  Actually, the song reminded me of Infinite’s Man In Love and I think this song could have been part of Infinite discography. The vocal work for this track was pretty good. But it was the rapping was the highlight for me. The rapping here is definitely my preferred style and boosted the song’s appeal to a whole new level for me. Overall, Wake Up is a very energetic track that I will be continually returning to in the future.

The music video doesn’t have the same budget as some of the other music videos we have seen where the budget is obviously much higher. But they seemed to do a good job with handling that aspect. I am not sure if they actually built sets for this music video. In fact, the setting felt pretty much a contemporary art gallery. And I think is even more impressive than a high budget video if it is done right (and guess what, I think it is). I would have liked something more to really drive up the appeal of the video. But for something to fit an all smiling and positive energy song, this is already quite nice.

One could say their performance is fitting for the song. Youthful and fun. And I pretty much agree with that. But I can see the side of how it is quite cheesy and cliche. As a standard pop song, you would be constricted in terms of style and I guess this is what happened here. Maybe they could have gone for a more chill and laid-back approach.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 6.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.2/10

[Album Review] One Shot (2nd Mini Album) – B.A.P

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We recontinue the ‘Past Album’ review segment this week with B.A.P’s One Shot mini-album, which was released back in 2013. The group’s second mini-album features Rain Sound and One Shot, the release’s main title track. One Shot also gained attention for its plot-twisting alternative ending and choreography. It is also what I would deem as one of their most iconic songs to date. Currently, the future of B.A.P is up in the air with the departure of Bang Yong Guk and Zelo (B.A.P’s rappers) announced last year. But regardless of what the future may hold, B.A.P has given us an outstanding discography that should not be missed!

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One Shot Album Cover

1..Punch – Starting off the album is Punch. It is best described as an impactful song based on its meaning and its sound. The song is about standing up against those who think lowly of you. That already is loaded with a deep message! The music reminds me of a boxing match. The crowd goes wild in some parts and they seem to be close by. On top of that but the music does get you pumped up for what is to come. Throw in the vocal and rapping work of the members, in particular, Daehyun and Yong Guk’s and this song speak volumes on its own. (8/10)

2. One Shot (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of One Shot. (8.5/10)

3. Rain Sound (Pre-Release Track) – I was under the impression I had previously written a review for Rain Sound, but it turns out that wasn’t the case. Rain Sound is presented to us as a ballad and it seems to focus on more of the vocals than the rapping, which isn’t a normal thing from what I could remember B.A.P doing back in the day. The vocals were very good, at the time from memory and I liked the softer approach with the rapping, which once again allowed for the shift in focus. The instrumentation also featured acoustic guitars and thumping drums, which I thought were extremely notable in a song like this. Listening to the song now, you can tell how much the group has developed in both technique and sound.  (8/10)

4. Coma – Embedded into the One Shot music video, we have Punch and Coma. Coma is extremely fitting to the video for its very dramatic instrumentation and sound, which I think is the main highlight for this track. I also like how serious sounding the track is, which makes you wonder what the song is about. The vocals are quite good, with all the members standing out. Both rappers sound amazing, but I think Yong Guk stands out once again as his raspy voice fits into the song’s atmosphere quite well. I did like how they got Son Ji Eun (former member of Secret) to feature in this track but did feel out of the blue for me. (8/10)

5. 0 (ZERO) – I really liked the melody of Zero as it has this flowy nature to it that felt so smooth. I liked the pop vibes from the instrumental, especially the guitar in the background, which I thought was nice. It compliments the vocals of the members. I did like how the rapping took a more melodic approach and kept itself in the background of the song, allowing the vocals to be the flourishing component of the song. The song overall has a very nice melody, which makes it a nice song to end the album with. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.1/10

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One Shot Teaser Image

[Review] WANT – Taemin (SHINee)

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Finally, after a year’s wait, Taemin has finally returned to South Korea with his second mini-album and title track of the same name, WANT. His last Korean comeback was back in 2017 with the sexy Move and Day and Night. But Taemin wasn’t completely absent from the scene in the year break from his solo Korean works. In fact, he participated in SHINee’s 10-year anniversary comeback last year and also released a solo album in Japan.

The first thing that popped into my head while listening to WANT was how perfectly suited Taemin was for this track. In fact, it fits extremely well into his portfolio of songs so far. It is a powerful track but the powerfulness into explicitly apparent. Instead, it takes a subtle approach, which is similar to what Move ended up demonstrating. Want has this element of funkiness to it, which I thought was alluring. The song is described to be ‘space disco’, which I think is a new genre to really discover. His vocals are amazing in this song as they sounded flawless throughout the track. My favourite bit has to be the peak at the very end of the bridge (and the end of the second verse). It caught me off guard as it doesn’t fit the atmosphere but it left an impression on me where I ‘wanted’ more of the song.

How aesthetically pleasing is this music video? I am extremely amazed at the quality and work put into this video. The song calls for an aesthetic video and that is what we definitely got. The video seems to play on temptation, which is essentially what the song is about. We got Taemin acting all sexy and homme fatale throughout the video as if he is tempting fans with his sexiness. The inclusion of snakes in the video hints back at the temptation of Eve. The sets were elaborate and looked breathtaking, especially that final choreography scene with the big screen behind him and the dancers.

The dance takes on sexy once again. It is what Taemin does best. His movements are rather sharp when needed but smooth when it is time to be tempting, which I think was quite fitting for this entire comeback. The dance looks quite complicated yet Taemin manages to pull it off effortless, especially during the choruses, which I quite liked form the music video.

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 10/10
Overall Rating – 10/10

[Review] DALLA DALLA – ITZY

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The performance It is expected to be an intense year with new groups debuting from 2 of the Big 3  (YG Entertainment and JYP Entertainment. Note that SM Entertainment hasn’t confirmed any debuts as of yet). And kicking off this particular competition is JYP Entertainment, with their brand new five-member female group, ITZY. The group is made up of Yuna, Ryujin, Chaeryeong, Lia and Yeji. You may find Ryujin familiar as she earned first place in the MIXNINE survive show for the female side, while Chaeryeong would be familiar due to her presence of SIXTEEN. The group made their debut earlier today with DALLA DALLA.

DALLA DALLA is a hip-hop techno infused track that really grabs your attention for its trend instrumental from the very start. And I like this uniqueness about the track as it is something you haven’t heard in KPOP at all yet. And as expected, the song is very catchy with its addictive melody and lyrics just practically in front of you the entire time as you listen to the track. It is vibrant and it surely does pop from the rest of the competition. I thought the vocals were good, while the rap gave the song more intensity that I had expected. But that isn’t a bad thing as I thought it was cool. I also like their message of self-confidence in the lyrics. However, that ‘Keep your chin up. We got your back‘ line during the bridge felt too cheesy for this song. I had expected some sort of chanting as we progressed through the song but what we got didn’t fit the song’s vibes in the end. Apart from that, it is a fun song.

The music video is a good opener to really introduce the girls in a visual manner.  However, I couldn’t help but think how mediocre the entire video was when you reflect back on it. It just didn’t have any memorable moments. But I did like the graphics that were used for the different sets. I also liked their edginess, while keeping that direction that JYP girl groups tend to have (look at TWICE at the moment and Miss A’s earlier days).

The performance accompanying this debut is quite good. From what I can see in the music video, it is energetic, bold and well suited for the song. They also seem to go with some complicated moves, which I think looks good. I am excited to see the whole performance in full!

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 6.5/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8/10

[Album Review] Treasure Ep. 2: Zero To One (2nd Mini Album) – ATEEZ

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It is time for another album review (though this one should have been released yesterday). And the artist I have been dying to delve into their discography is ATEEZ. I, unfortunately, did not get around to reviewing their first mini-album but I thought I did. Don’t you hate it when you have those moments? Anyway, I will return to do their first mini-album sometime in the future but until then let’s have a closer look at Zero To One, which features the title track, Say My Name.

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TREASURE EP2: Zero To One Album Cover

1..HALA HALA (Hearts Awakened, Live Alive) – Click here to read the full review of HALA HALA. (9/10)

2. Say My Name (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of Say My Name, (9/10)

3. Desire – I find this song very interesting. It is mainly the instrumental that does a lot of the intriguing appeal work for me. The start is distorted in a way that really sets the aesthetic tone of the song. The verses felt the song was going to be upbeat and energetic. But the fake drop featured in the chorus really gives it an unexpecting twist that makes the song appealing. The vocals and rapping were nice. But I think the best part of the song has to be the bridge, which was very motivating to listen, and it also started this adventurous tone in the instrumental, which I thought was another great twist in the song. (9/10)

4. Light – Light features a jazzy R&B instrumental, which I think is ideal for a café setting. The song is slower paced than their previous tracks on the album, which I think is also quite nice. I like how the rappers sang or rap-sang in the song. The main rapper who had the raspy voice was just perfect for this song and his part stood out the most for me. I think the song a little on the mediocre side but it was still nice to get something a little more wholesome and softer from the group. (7/10)

5. Promise – Promise is a more typical approach to an EDM dance track. But it does a good job of showcasing the members in both areas of vocals and raps. That high note was really cool and the rapping was, as usual, giving the song that needed level of intensity. The song had a very vibrant instrumental and the drop made the song feel energetic. I also thought the song was very addictive with its strong and dominant hook. It may be a standard route but it is still quite good. (9/10)

6. From – Based on the information I gather for these reviews, From was actually a pre-debut single for the group that was omitted from the first mini-album (though I am not sure why). There is also a music video for this song, which you can view here. Listening to the song, you get laid back vibes and light-hearted despite it going for the EDM route. I liked the vocals, especially in the pre-chorus and the rapping also standout. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.5/10

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TREASURE EP2: Zero To One Teaser Image

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[Weekly Chart] 1st Week of February 2019

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It is Sunday, so it is time to find out which artist and song topped the charts off this week! As you may know, I tend to do an album review alongside the Weekly KPOP Charts (heads up for those who don’t know), but due to more unforeseeable circumstances for this week, I will publish that post tomorrow. Apologies once again. But everything should be back on track for next week!

Taking their spot on the very top of the charts for the 1st Week of February 2019 is GFriend’s Sunrise, almost a month after its release. No by CLC also rose the same amount of positions to take its place in the second position. Last week’s number 1 song, All Night by ASTRO, dropped to the third position. Seventeen’s Home and Cherry Bullet’s Q&A finish off the top 5 for this week. For more of the charts, scroll down below!

4th Feb – 10th Feb 2018
Title Artist Status
1 Sunrise Gfriend (▲ 2)
2 No CLC (▲ 2)
3 All Night ASTRO (▼ 2)
4 Home Seventeen (▲ 1)
5 Q&A Cherry Bullet (▼ 3)
6 Lonely Night KNK (▲ 4)
7 La La Love WJSN (Cosmic Girl) (▲ 5)
8 Valkyrie ONEUS (▲ 9)
9 Say My Name ATEEZ (▲ 6)
10 Getting Closer Seventeen (▲ 1)
11 U Um U Um Hyomin (T-ARA) (▲ 2)
12 Gotta Go Kim Chungha (▲ 9)
13 %% APINK (▼ 5)
14 MILLIONS Winner (▲ 5)
15 We Must Love ONF (new)
16 TicToc NEONPUNCH (=)
17 Loca Favorite (▼ 8)
18 HALA HALA ATEEZ (▲ 20)
19 I’m OK iKON (▲ 5)
20 Ya Lee Minhyuk (BTOB) (▼ 13)
21 Ring Ring Ring VERIVERY (▲ 6)
22 Only U IMFACT (▲16)
23 I Wanna Know Roh Taehyun (HOTSHOT) (▼ 5)
24 Why Kim Hyun Joong (new)
25 Rooftop N.Flying (=)
26 Dream About U NATURE (▼ 4)
27 Days Gone By DAY6 (▼ 4)
28 Candle Light NCT Dream (▲ 9)
29 Love Shot EXO (▼ 15)
30 Gone Lee Changsub (BTOB) (▼ 1)

Songs leaving the charts this week are:

  • Days Gone By – DAY6
  • Gone – Lee Changsub (BTOB)
  • The Best Thing I Ever Did – TWICE
  • Love Shot – EXO
  • Hair In The Air – Yeri (Red Velvet) x Renjun, Jeno & Jaemin (NCT)

See you all next week. And I will be back with an album review and songs reviews tomorrow!

[Review] HALA HALA – ATEEZ

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Last month, ATEEZ returned with their first comeback since their debut, Say My Name. As part of the teasing process for their comeback and second mini-album (album review coming later this weekend), the group had released a Performance Video for the track HALA HALA, which lasted 1:29 minutes. Now, almost a month later, the group has released a full music video (or another performance video) for entire HALA HALA track that was also featured alongside Say My Name on the Treasure Part 2: Zero to One mini-album.

I liked how the song first started off soft. Knowing ATEEZ and the tracks they have done so far, this softer start really creates a tense atmosphere. It gradually builds up, peaking off during the pre-chorus vocal part. Vocals here were superb and this showcased more of the group on that side of things. The chorus has one of those fake drops, which I think was an interesting choice and definitely gives the song some aesthetics. The rapping in the second verse and bridge was perfectly rough for the song. And I liked how they changed the final chorus up to really give the song that peak ending. I think the song was a really good track to follow up with. The hip-hop influence was strong and I felt like this further extends their potential. It isn’t your typical song, so I understand how this may not be for everyone. But for someone who is looking for a new group to follow, this song just solidifies the need to pay attention to ATEEZ.

I will be completely honest. The black outfits, along with the mask and wide brim hats really give me the creeps. It is actually quite mysterious. The same outfit appeared in the Say My Name video but I am still a little confused on why they don the outfit in the earlier video. They do take it off towards the end, showing a smear of blood on the corner of one of the member’s mouths, so I guess the idea of vampires has to be thrown into the possible theory mix. This video just leaves me with more questions. Apart from that, I thought the performance video was well put together.

I don’t know about you but I wanted more stomping in the performance. The song was perfect for just that. But everything else we got was equally as good. I really liked that slow fist slash that appeared during the first pre-chorus. I thought that was rather cool to watch. The chorus itself looked dynamic and the entire performance does a good job of showcasing their skills in dancing.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.8/10