November 2019 – KPOPREVIEWED

[Album Review] Blue Flame (6th Mini Album) – ASTRO

November 30, 2019December 1, 2019Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged ASTRO1 Comment

ASTRO is nominated for Best Male Group and Best Male Choreography. Click here to support ASTRO and your other favourite artists.

The next album to be reviewed as part of the ‘album review blitz’ is ASTRO’s Blue Flame. The album also features the title track of the same name (and the link to the review can be found tomorrow). I found the title to be intriguing and thought I give the album a listen. And I know how cheesy this sounds, but I am glad I gave it a listen as there are a few extra good tracks on here. Overall, I found the album to be promising release for the group and you can find out why below.

1. Blue Flame – Click here to read the full review for Blue Flame. (8.5/10)

2. Go & Stop – Go & Stop is a memorable song thanks to a few elements. The hooks in this song are quite strong and catchy, such as ‘Go & Stop’ in the chorus (sung by MJ) and ‘Bye Bye Bye, You’re My Lie Lie Liar’ towards the end of the song. The instrumental was also enjoyable, with the synthetic flute-like sounds and the rhythmic drive that the guitar and percussion brought throughout the rest of the song. There is a subtle Latin flair in the instrumentation. And whilst it is an overwhelming and overused genre in KPOP, I found the subtle nature to be somewhat refreshing than the usual use of Latin influences. Their vocal work and rapping were also awesome, aiding in the song becoming quite enjoyable. (8/10)

3. All About You (다야) – Another catchy and upbeat pop number. The ‘Daya ya ya ya’ (the Korean title of the track) is addictive and added a fun element. The pop instrumental had a bright and energetic feel, continued this fun vibe, which automatically felt like a throwback to some of their earlier releases. This one just feels a lot more mature sounding for the group. Unfortunately, there is a typical side of the track that does seem to weave its way to the forefront on the song. Despite it being catchy, there wasn’t anything special with the instrumentation. The vocal work and rapping were easily forgotten (despite the catchy chorus). (7/10)

4. When The Wind Blows (찬바람 불 때면) – When I look at the title of this song, it really yells out ‘ballad’. But instead of a ballad, we get more of a dance track. I like When The Wind Blows, as it toned down in a fashionable manner during the verses. But it picks up instantly during and after the rap sequences, giving the song an influx of energy to really make it standout. Sure, there might not be a special element when it comes to the instrumentation. But I found that the vocals and rapping gave the song some edge, helping it stand out some more. (9/10)

5. You’re My World – You’re My World is another great track. One thing that I really found interesting in this track is how the vocals pulsed during the pre-chorus and chorus. I thought this was a very nice and unique effect to give the song. I also really liked the rapping sequence in this track. Jin Jin emphasis certain words by shouting them out in the background. Rocky had very smooth delivery and flowy lines. Other than the pulsing effect, all the vocalists helped give the song a nice melodic touch which helped make the song a pleasant number to end of the album with. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.3/10

[Album Review] Love Poem (7th Mini Album) – IU

November 29, 2019December 3, 2019Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged IULeave a comment

IU is nominated for Best Female Soloist, Best Vocals and Best Music Video in the 2019 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. To vote for IU and your other favourites, click the link here!

Rising to the very top of the charts upon its release last week is IU’s Love Poem. This is her 7th mini-album. The album also shares the same name as her pre-release single, which is featured as the closing track of the mini-album. The album is also IU’s first since 2017 and also features Blueming and the You & I continuation, Above The Time (links below). With chart-topping songs and album, let’s see what IU has to offer this time.

1. Unlucky – The first song on the album is Unlucky. What I really like about this track is that, as an opener, it puts you in a good mood for the rest of the album (regardless of how emotional the album could possibly get). The song features an upbeat and retro-centred instrumental that really compliments the softness of her vocals. The harmonies and melody are quite memorable and exude a pleasant feel, which helps the song become very appealing and enjoyable. (9/10)

2. The Visitor (그 사람) – The Visitor is a slow jazz song that oozed a lot of personality. It was also quite slow, considering the tracks that surrounded it. But just because it is a slower song, it doesn’t affect IU’s vocal work, which is equally as captivating as the other tracks on the album. The use of the guitar as part of the instrumentation was very interesting and unique, giving the song a slightly creepy side. Her vocals also contributed to this feeling as well. In addition to that, I found the song really hold me in my place, as I feel the need to finish the song whenever I am listening to it (which is obviously a good thing). (9/10)

3. Blueming (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Blueming. (10/10)

4. Above The Time (시간의 바깥) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Above The Time. (10/10)

5. Lullaby (자장가) – Lullaby is a beautiful and soothing track to listen to, fitting with its Lullaby title. The only two elements to this song are IU’s beautiful vocals and a piano that pairs extremely well with one another. And while these comments are practically enough to give you a small insight, I just wanted to stay on this song for another second (to keep this review somewhat balanced). I love its simplicity and her breathy vocals. (9/10)

6. Love Poem (Pre-Release Track) – If there are three words to describe this song, it would be ‘breathtaking and powerful’. So powerful that it is a song that you don’t even need to know what the meaning of the lyrics are as you can hear the emotions as IU captivates you. And there is no doubt that the song makes you reflect upon your emotions once it wraps up. The line ‘Here I Am’ is extremely memorable. Her vocals in this track are what gives the song the ‘breathtaking’ descriptor. I also like how the song doesn’t remain as a straightforward classical ballad, building up as it progresses and incorporating a rock component. (10/10)

Overall Album Rating – 9.5/10

iu-lovepoem-3 — *Love Poem* Teaser Image

[Album Review] Follow: Find You (7th Mini Album) – MONSTA X

November 28, 2019December 3, 2019Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged MONSTA XLeave a comment

MONSTA X is nominated for Best Male Group and Best International Song by a Korean Artist in the 2019 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support them by clicking here to do so!

As promised earlier today, we will be having a deep dive into MONSTA X’s latest album release, Follow: Find You. Even though it has been a month and MONSTA X (and MONBEBEs) have gone through a lot since then, MONSTA X did put out a really good album (once again). It would be a pity to not talk about the album in detail. The album features Follow as the title track and Find You (which I reviewed earlier today).

monsta-followfindyou-2 — *Follow: Find You* Album Cover

1. Find You (Pre-Release Track) – Click here to read the full review for Find You. (9/10)

2. Follow (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Follow. (9/10)

3. Monsta Truck – Monsta Truck sounds like it would be an epic track just from the title alone. So I was very surprised when I heard the groovy nature of this track. It isn’t what I had expected. And if you were planning on listening to them sing about actual monster trucks, I think it is best that you turn away, as the song alludes to a different physical activity. Besides the groovy chorus, I didn’t care much for the vocal work in this song. It felt very so-so. The rapping, on the other hand, was superb. Their deeper tones really worked well with the instrumental. (7.5/10)

4. U R – Both vocal and rapping aspects shined in U R. The only disappointing aspect was the rapping only got a small portion of the song. But other than that, I thought this was a strong track. The R&B nature of the song really helped with the vocal push. Both in combination with each other drove the song in a nice paced and well-balanced member. I really enjoyed the melodies and the guitar that featured as the main instrument in this song. (8.5/10)

5. Disaster – Disaster is no disaster. It is a fantastic track that showcases MONSTA X with a side of attitude. I like to think of it as a matured version of what they released when they first started, where they had a lot of attitude as well. I found the rapping start to the song, followed by the vocals a strong way to kick things off. You can always let Joohoney and I.M set the tone. I found the chorus to be very interesting, with that vibrating-like synth catching my attention. The short instrumental break with the brass and stronger vibrating synths was also another strong point. (8/10)

6. Burn It Up – What I really like about this track is its intensity. MONSTA X is an obvious choice for intensity. But the clanging metal and the robustness of the chorus really pulls the intensity to be song’s strongest aspect. I find it very interesting that the rapping takes a step back, featuring during the slower parts of the song and opting for a softer tone. Vocally, this is another good track. But the standout member of the group is Hyungwon, who brings a very interesting texture to the pre-chorus. And finally ending the song are church bells, which was like icing to the cake. (9/10)

7. Mirror – Mirror features a very soft tone. It is a nice song, vocally driven as a result of the softness of the song. I like the flowy nature of the song as a result. The harmonies during the chorus were awesome. Things get interesting after I.M’s monologue, with Joohoney and I.M kicking the song a slight notch by rapping a little more intensely than one would expect with the song. Afterwards, the song gets a little choppier, with pauses presenting themselves and ending the song in an interesting textural fashion. I am also a fan of the squeaky synth that featured throughout the song. (9/10)

8. See You Again – The album started off with an album that was very fitting for the situation that MONSTA X and MONBEBE find themselves in regarding Wonho’s dismissal from the group. And it is also interesting that the final song on the album is about wanting to see a particular someone again, which is equally fitting given the circumstances. I find the island and ethnic influences to be a pleasant backdrop and sound. The rapping and upbeat nature of See You Again really helped the song from being a 100% emotionally driven ballad, which we already got in the form of the first song. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.6/10

monsta-followfindyou-3 — *Follow: Find You* Album Cover

[Review] Find You – MONSTA X

November 28, 2019Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged MONSTA X1 Comment

I will be publishing my album review for Follow: Find You later tonight. However, in preparation for this, I need to do one more full review. During the week prior to their official comeback with Follow, the group released the music video for Find You (another track on the same album). I thought it would be nice to write a full review (song + music video) for this release so that the album review write up can be somewhat faster. I have been putting off this review for some time and this is the absolute last date to do so.

Find You opens the album up. But for those who have checked out Follow, Find You is the complete opposite. It takes the form of a ballad. A soft, soothing and touching ballad. I thought it was a strong song. It brings out the vocals of each of the member, including the two rappers, whom we don’t get to hear sing all that much when it comes to MONSTA X’s group releases. I thought the melody was really beautiful, gave the song a very delicate side and helped make the song extremely flowy. All great things when it comes to ballads. I did like the instrumental, which featured a paced synth-based backdrop for this song. It also featured piano, adding to that delicate feel I mentioned. The last thing I wanted to mention regarding this track is the lyrics. I think the song was already quite an emotional one. But in light of recent events that saw the departure of Wonho from the group, as I was reading the translation, I couldn’t help but think how perfect the song is suited for the MONSTA X and MONBEBE’s situation. Even I felt slightly emotional whilst listening to the track once knowing the meaning behind the lyrics.

I won’t dwindle on the music video section for long. Essentially, the video is the prequel to the events in Dramarama (i.e. what lead to all the members to time travelling, why is Hyungwon alone etc). The main reason is because of the loss of Hyungwon’s parents, his dad leaving behind the watch that essentially caused Hyungwon to become locked away in time. This devastated the group, causing them to all go on their separate ways (they are all alone at the end). The song fitted the atmosphere and the tragic story that started it all.

The main reason why I don’t want to go into too much detail is that I want to do another music video theory post for MONSTA X and this storyline comes to mind. And I might be going insane, but I have a feeling other music videos (i.e. Alligator) might be linked up to this storyline (though I am not 100% certain). I also saw no connection with Follow, which is rather interesting, though I haven’t sat down to look at both videos in detail yet.

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

[Review] Obsession – EXO

November 27, 2019December 3, 2019Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged EXO3 Comments

EXO is nominated for Best Male Group, Best Music Video, Best Male Choreography. Baekhyun and Chen are nominated for Best New Male Solo, with the latter also nominated for Best Vocals. Finally, EXO-SC is nominated for Best Subunit. Click here to support EXO and its members in the 2019 KPOPREVIEWED Awards.

EXO is officially back with a brand new studio album and the title track, both titled as Obsession. It has been some time since we heard from the group, who have been reduced down to 6 members for this comeback as Lay is still promoting in China, while D.O and Xiumin have both enlisted into the military. It has been a slightly busy year for the group, with each active member focusing on solo projects. Chanyeol and Sehun debuted as EXO-SC, both Chen and Baekhyun made their respective solo debuts, Kai and Baekhyun debuted as part of SuperM. And now that EXO has regrouped, let’s see what Obsession (the song) has to offer.

Obsession bombards its angst and edginess right at you from the very first second and still, it manages to hook you on at the exact same time. The song is described as a hip-hop dance track. Despite its initial impression of being a completely new sound, I found the track to be very EXO as I listen to more of it. Obsession’s foundations seemed very familiar, reminding me of Monster in a way. What sets the song apart is the repetition of ‘I Want You’ that is heard throughout the entire song (including the chorus). It doesn’t get annoying and is well used to help the song become addictive in the few listens that I have given the song. The ‘I Don’t Think So‘ during the verses had a similar effect. The verses were actually quite cool, showcasing a powerful side to their vocal and rapping profile. The only part that left me shaking my head in a disapproving way was Suho’s part in the first verse. He didn’t sound right under any light. I really liked the chorus, even though it felt hidden in this song. It gave Obsession that melodic and smooth side, contrasting heavily with the roughness that we got in the verses. I don’t think I am obsessed with Obsession. But I think there is enough to make this one of EXO’s strongest songs yet.

I am quite sure, as you are reading this and that I am reviewing this comeback, eagle-eye fans are making some sort of theory video. There has to be some sort of storyline or meaning behind this very dark, intriguing and unique side to the group. All I know is that the members (EXO) are in a war with their other counterparts (X-EXO), as it was depicted in their teaser images. One side might show an obsessed side of the group (X-EXO), while the other shows a more sane side (EXO). I think at the very end, we see the obsessed side (X-EXO) win, as it burns up the planet and we finish with that look. I have to give props to their stylists for explicitly setting the two sides of each member apart in a very sophisticated yet extreme manner that makes the video become even more intriguing.

We don’t get to see much of the choreography in the music video, so I will return to the update the review once a full stage it out. But I found the moment in the music video to be very promising. I am definitely looking forward to the Kai and Sehun moment during the bridge. I also like the flowy nature that is alluded for the chorus.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10 [Will Update Later This Week]
Overall Rating – 8.3/10

[Review] Come See Me – AOA

November 27, 2019Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged AOA1 Comment

Making their comeback yesterday is AOA. It has been over a year since we last heard from this popular girl group through their catchy Bingle Bangle comeback. Since then, the group was reduced to a five-member lineup, after Mina decided to not renew her contract with FNC Entertainment. The group then went on to participate on the TV show, Queendom, where the group reminded the audience that they still around. And this leads to their comeback, Come See Me.

What the group needs after their appearance on Queendom is a comeback featuring a powerful, catchy and addictive track. This would help further propel the group back into the spotlight, especially after some time away from the industry. Come See Me might just hit the mark, fulfiling the specified criteria above. But they only did so barely. I think this is a solid pop-dance track. It can be described as catchy and addictive, thanks to the chorus and that ‘Twilight’ hook. But as much as I would like to throw high ratings at it, the song did come with an overwhelming generic tag attached to it. The instrumental felt very plain and ordinary, while AOA past tracks have instrumentals that made them stand out and different from the rest of the female groups that they once competed with. The only time that the song felt like it was coming from AOA was during Jimin’s rap sequence. The same couldn’t be said with the rest of the member’s vocal work in the song. I was, however, was impressed that Jimin joined the vocal lineup with a singing section. But would all of this affect me from listening to Come See Me? Possibly, but the catchiness of the hooks might be enough to save it.

Based on the similarities between the music video and their final Queendom stage (with Sorry), I guess the company was going to make AOA comeback whether or not they gained anything from the competition show. From the brown outfits they wore on the stage to the use of guns, these were direct hints to the concept. I see the members play assassins in this video, so I assume the thrill of killing is like the thrill they get when their partner approaches them (as suggested by the lyrics). I liked the video as it showcased an edgy look, which is a completely different side of the group that we are used to. At the same time, the group managed to remain sexy, which has always been AOA’s strongest suit.

I am on the fence with this performance. I really liked how they finished the chorus, with the ‘twilight’ move. But I felt their start to the chorus and the verses were pretty weak. As expected, my most favourite part of the performance has to be when they beckon you to follow them (about halfway through the chorus).

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.6/10

[Album Review] The Table (7th Mini Album) – NU’EST

November 27, 2019November 25, 2019Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged NU'ESTLeave a comment

The next album review (as part of the album review blitz) is for NU’EST latest album release, The Table. I debated whether to write an album review for The Table as my first listen didn’t really show anything promising. But I am glad I gave it additional listens, as it eventually unveiled an interesting side to NU’EST that we have yet to hear before. So alongside Love Me (the album’s title track), let’s see what else the album has to offer.

nuest-thetable-2 — *The Table* Album Cover

1. Call Me Back – Opening The Table is Call Me Back, a light tune that eases you into the album. Considering the title track, Call Me Back is fitting as the opening track as the lightness carries through. And considering the brighter tone of the entire album, it also makes senses for this to be the opening track. The instrumental is island-like and features a fair bit of guitars. The vocal work is good, and the rapping iterated the playful vibe that was felt throughout the song in a bolder manner. (8/10)

2. Love Me (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Love Me. (8/10)

3. One Two Three – One Two Three brings out the vocals of the members in a very pleasant and enjoyable dance track. Once again, the lightness is very prominent, and this plays well with the vocals. Listening to this track, I found the entire chorus to be the most promising part of the track. Those vocal melodies during the chorus helped make the song feel golden. The rapping was not part of the chorus, but I liked how JR was allowed to lead into the chorus in an equally as pleasing manner to the vocals in the track. (8/10)

4. Trust Me – It seems like NU’EST is on a roll with this light and soft concept. Trust Me takes you back into those descriptions but manages to make them sound completely different from what we have heard so far. The harmonies really helped the song shine and helped the song achieve a smooth feel that really stayed with me even after the track was completed. Another really good aspect with this track is that the instrumental feels somewhat heavier. (9/10)

5. Stay Up All Night (밤새) – Stay Up All Night features an even heavier instrumental (compared to the preceding track). As a result, the lightness trend that the album had going didn’t end up carrying over. But this isn’t a problem as the ‘heaviness’ was in no way overbearing (it was still relatively soft to other tracks by other artists currently). Despite the ‘heavier’ impression, I liked how the song manages to feel bare during some parts, which is a very interesting aspect. This gave way to even more epic vocal moments, such as when the song stripped away the instrumental in the bridge and allowed for the member (I believe it is Ren) to sing by himself. (9/10)

6. If We (우리가 사랑했다면) – I was very surprised to find out that JR was the owner of the vocals that opened the track. His voice can be very rough when he raps, so to hear smooth vocals from him was really cool. But what genre would warrant a rapper to sing? Well, the song is a ballad. It doesn’t feel so in the verses. But the choruses really made sure that we knew it was a ballad. Each member managed to sound raspy in this song and I think this gave the ballad in interesting and memorable texture. The melodies were also really good, as well. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.5/10

nuest-thetable-3 — *The Table* Teaser Image

[Album Review] Purpose (2nd Studio Album) – Taeyeon (SNSD)

November 27, 2019Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged SNSD, Taeyeon (SNSD)1 Comment

Approximately one month ago, Taeyeon made her solo comeback with Spark and her second studio album, Purpose. And as part of my album review blitz, I will be recovering her album today. Known for her chart-topping hits, Spark joins the growing list of songs that she has released to do exactly that. Unfortunately, she didn’t promote the album as fans had hoped. And due to this, I feel like some listeners have missed out on some really good songs on this album. So let’s change that and revisit this album.

taeyeon-purpose-2 — *Purpose* Album Cover

1. Here I Am – The second album opens with a ballad that features Taeyeon’s powerful vocals. Overall, it is a powerful and bold start to the album. From the very first second, you get an epic and grand vibe from the song, which provides a small insight into what the song would become. But that epic and grand vibe end up being one-up by the chorus, which blasts us with deep percussion and her vocals (which were superb). I found it interesting that the song ended in a soft nature, bringing us down from the high she put us through during the choruses. It worked really well and the piano was very haunting, in a way. (10/10)

2. Spark (불티) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Spark. (8/10)

3. Find Me – Find Me started with a very promising verse. But when it came to the chorus, I was left underwhelmed. And this feeling stuck with me throughout the song. I just found that the song didn’t space out the sections and the ‘should have been’ separated verses and chorus felt more like a long string together. Minus that flaw, Find Me was still a decent track. I thought the instrumental was good. It didn’t have that boldness like in Here I Am. But it was catchy and was a pleasant tune. Her vocals were also quite good, showcasing a well-balanced sound that didn’t overwhelm the rest of the song. (7/10)

4. Love You Like Crazy – Love You Like Crazy is a levelled-up counterpart of Find Me. It has a pounding beat and incorporates of the guitars that we heard in the title track. I really liked her vocals in this track. She adds interesting textures and presents that bold feeling we have gotten in some of the previous tracks during its chorus. I would have liked it if it somehow went further as I did get the impression that there was some holding back, which doesn’t match with the ‘Crazy’ part in her title. (8/10)

5. LOL (하하하) – LOL takes my breath away every time I listen to it. I liked the R&B roots of the song, which oozes such a smooth and sensual vibe. I really like how this style sets up for the sarcastic and sleek laughter she provides in the form of a spaced-out ‘Ha Ha Ha’. The acapella that opens up the first chorus was extremely memorable. So are those horns that feature during the chorus. Her English hooks are also quite addictive. Everything that Taeyeon did manages to hit the bullseyes perfectly with this track. (10/10)

6. Better Babe – We still remain with the R&B genre with this song. This was heard during the verses, which I think were solid parts of the song. The chorus takes a turn by blasting us with Taeyeon’s vocals. While I am okay with Taeyeon pulling out her vocals, the way she did it in this song could have quickly felt repetitive and I am not okay with that aspect. However, thanks to the bridge and the opening part to the final chorus, I think she did enough to prevent that scenario from becoming a reality. (8/10)

7. Wine – Wine felt like it could easily have been the OST to a drama. It evokes the right feelings that make it well suited to help captivate the audience. I thought the melodies in this track were beautiful, making the song stand out for me. I also like how she doesn’t pull out her powerful vocals for this track (with the exception for the few high notes we get at the end), which works well with the sentimental side of the song and its potential lightness. The piano touch also helped make it pleasant. (9/10)

8. Do You Love Me? – Do You Love Me? has this warm feeling to it, which makes it highly appropriate for the upcoming Winter season in which Korea and the rest of the Northern Hemisphere will be entering in a few days. Her raspy and whisper-like vocals are really nice in this song and I found the jazzy instrumental to be very pleasant. The two coming together is a good match that I think makes this song shine. (8/10)

9. City Love – City Love is an urban track, which feels very flowy and breezy. I liked the casual vibes to this song, along with her light and sweet-sounding vocals. It showcases a side we know of Taeyeon, just we haven’t seen much in this album yet. The piano is particularly nice and managing to infuse a delicate sound in this already light track. Personally, it isn’t my style. But it is still decent. (8/10)

10. Gravity – Another standout track on the album. Her vocals are the main element that is attributed to that label. I thought they were exceptional, especially when she pulls the powerfulness out during the chorus. It also works well with the instrumental, as this element acted more-so like a blank canvas. There was a lot of room to move about and her vocals worked the space extremely well. I also like the spaced-out pulsing beat in the background, which helped provide the song with additional foundation. (10/10)

11. Blue – Blue and Four Seasons were previously released earlier this year. I have already reviewed the latter song, as seen below. I remember listening to it a few times when it was first released. But I have honestly forgotten about its existence since then. It is a nice revisit, as I am still impressed with this track. The vocals remain delicate throughout the entire track. The pop side of the song really makes you anticipate that the song will build up and she would pull out her power vocals to end the song. But we never get there, which I think makes this track very interesting. I also find the echoes in the chorus to be a nice touch, helping extend the song an extra mile. (9/10)

12. Four Seasons (사계) – Click here to read the full review for Four Seasons. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.6/10

taeyeon-purpose-3 — *Purpose* Teaser Image

[Review] Touchin’ – Kang Daniel

November 26, 2019December 3, 2019Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged KANG DANIEL2 Comments

Kang Daniel is nominated for Best New Male Soloist and Best Solo Choreography in the 2019 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Click here to support Kang Daniel and your other favourites!

Kang Daniel, one of the most highly anticipated solo debuts of 2019, has officially made his first comeback via a digital single, Touchin’. He made his solo debut back in July with What Are You Up To and the mini-album, Color On Me. While he topped charts with his album, he was not allowed to actively promote the album, which I assumed is due to the aftereffects of the lawsuit in which he filed against his previous company months prior to his debut. But with that officially behind him, it seems like Kang Daniel can freely release and promote tracks under his own label without any hindrance.

And I do hope that he does promote this track. Why? Well, I found the song to be what I had expected his debut to be like. There is a level of intensity that I found to be very appealing. But it was subtle compared to other dance tracks. Also adding to the appeal of the song is the instrumentation. I really like how the song built up suspense using the spaced-out xylophone beat. This was shortlived, as the buildup came quite quickly and we are launched into the chorus. The chorus has this rhythmic beat that is undeniably catchy. Following that was a techno-like guitar synth which I thought was fantastic. It continued to drive the song and felt fresh each time it was revisited. Finally, Kang Daniel’s vocals were on point. I really like the lower register at which he sings, followed by the ad-libs he presented at the end of the song. Overall, Touchin’ is a very well-produced and captivating, which is perfect for Kang Daniel.

I thought this was a really clever video. I like how ‘home Kang Daniel’ adds a slightly comedic touch to the video. He is too engrossed in the movie that he managed to add Tobasco sauce to his attire. ‘Movie Kang Daniel’ is much smoother and cooler than the home version. He stars in his own vintage spy movie, wins a game of Mahjong and walks away with the actress and case of money. It seems like the actress gets kidnapped and Kang Daniel goes on a mission to save her, which he thankfully does. He does get shot at along the way but the oldness of the VHS tape skips that part entirely. I did expect some sort of twist at the end, such as the actress coming out to share some pizza with ‘home Kang Daniel’ or for her to run into his house. But I guess that would have been unnecessary when I think about it in a deeper sense.

The performance shows off the sensual and sleek side of Kang Daniel that fans had loved since his time on Produce 101 Season 2 and promotions as part of Wanna One. I thought he showcased a lot of his dance skills in this performance and also incorporated what seems to be an upgraded version of that thigh-related move that he made really popular (I am quite sure there is a proper name for the move, I just can’t think of it right now).

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.9/10

[Weekly Chart] 3rd Week of November 2019

November 24, 2019November 25, 2019Posted in Weekly ChartsLeave a comment

[Update: I just opened my Twitter and saw that Goo Hara had passed away. At the time of posting this chart, I was not aware of the tragic news. My deepest condolences to her family, friends and fans.

As I did last time, I won’t be posting anything on Monday out of respect for Goo Hara. The posts will be begin again on Tuesday and I will reschedule the album reviews accordingly.]

Welcome to the weekly charts for the 3rd Week of November 2019. Sorry for the late post. Usually, I post the weekly charts a lot earlier in the day (which makes way for another post in the evening). But due to personal reasons, that didn’t fit my schedule today. I am also actively working on the ‘album review blitz’, where I publish one per day. It won’t be possible today, but there will be two coming your way tomorrow. But until then, let’s have a c look back on the past week.

Taking the top spot on the charts this week is Mamamoo’s Hip. Not those hips, but the song Hip. I waited a while to use that pun. Hahaha… Excuse my lame sense of humour. In the second position, this week is Seven O’Clock’s Midnight Sun. In the third position, it is last week’s number 1 song, GOT7’s You Calling My Name. IN2IT’s ULlala: Poisioning clinches onto the fourth position, while ASTRO’s Blue Flame rounds out this week’s Top 5. For more of the charts, scroll down below.

	17th Nov – 23rd Nov 2019
	Title	Artist	Status
1	HIP	Mamamoo	(▲ 1)
2	Midnight Sun	Seven O’Clock	(▲ 27)
3	You Calling My Name	GOT7	(▼ 2)
4	Ullala: Poisoning	IN2IT	(▲ 40)
5	Blue Flame	ASTRO	(new)
6	Numb	CIX	(new)
7	As You Wish	WJSN (Cosmic Girls)	(new)
8	Double Knot	Stray Kids	(▲ 37)
9	Astronaut	Stray Kids	(▼ 3)
10	Blueming	IU	(new)
11	Wannabe	Golden Child	(new)
12	Above The Time	IU	(new)
13	Blind For Love	AB6IX	(▲ 10)
14	Wonder Woman	Brown Eyed Girls	(▲ 12)
15	Sweet Chaos	DAY6	(▼ 10)
16	Nostalgia Night	VICTON	(▼ 1)
17	Savage	A.C.E	(▲ 10)
18	Run Away	TXT	(▲ 1)
19	Flower Shower	Hyuna	(▼ 5)
20	Love Me	NU’EST	(▼ 17)
21	Dumb	BVNDIT	(▼ 13)
22	Lit	ONEUS	(▲ 23)
23	Poison	VAV	(▲ 22)
24	Aight	Jung Daehyun	(▼ 2)
25	Moonlight Aria	ARIAZ	(▲ 11)
26	Follow	MONSTA X	(▼ 19)
27	Blah	1THE9	(▼ 11)
28	Orgel	Sungmin (Super Junior)	(new)
29	I Like That	Lee Jin Hyuk (UP10TION)	(▼ 5)
30	Aurora	Rainbow	(▼ 5)

Songs leaving the chart this week are:

Dumb Litty – KARD
Feel Special – TWICE
Parallel – VIXX
How Can I Love You, When I Love The Heartbreak – AKMU

Thank you once again and I will see you in the upcoming album review post!

[Review] Tattoo – The Boyz

November 24, 2019Posted in JPOP, KPOP, ReviewsTagged THE BOYZ3 Comments

Recently, The Boyz made their Japanese debut with Tattoo. But Tattoo is one of the most confusing releases yet. It is their entrance to the Japanese market. But as far as I am concerned, the song only contains a line of Japanese (the rest of the song is in Korean). I have yet to find an explanation for this yet, as I have no idea of what to make of this situation. Furthermore, I am not exactly sure which category of music this goes into. But anyhow, we are here to have a closer listen to Tattoo!

Tattoo departs from the brighter sounds we got from the group through the releases of Bloom Bloom and D.D.D this year. Tattoo does seem to satisfy my craving for an edgy comeback from the group, particularly since they left 2018 with No Air, which happens to be one favourite song from tracks from the group. But I felt the instrumental to be very boring. There wasn’t anything added to the mix to really grab our attention or help make the track somehow standout. The vocals were pretty much similar. And together, it resulted in a bland track. However, there were a few parts of the song which I enjoyed. These are small details, so they don’t cancel out the blandness encountered. The chorus had a nice melody, especially the opening line to the chorus. I really liked how the bridge was posed as well. I also enjoyed the rapping of this track. The ‘Black and Blue‘ in the pre-chorus was also quite memorable alongside that first line of the chorus. Actually, anything that involved English sounded really good in this track (i.e. Kevin’s line in the bridge).

Two things the music video did really well was its cinematography (i.e. camera work, angles etc.) and the constructed sets. They really helped give the video and song an epic feel. I also liked the closeups of the members in this video. There was something captivating about them, especially for the members who were dancing for their closeups. The video does have this blandness to it, thanks to the hazy nature. But I thought everything else was done well and this really helped the video stand out in my opinion.

The choreography for this comeback comes off as striking for me. There were a lot of moments that I liked (i.e. chorus, the start of the bridge etc.). I liked how the dance really fitted into the different beats of the song. Most groups do this. But I thought this was well-balanced and worth mentioning. During the slower moments, everything was flowy. During the chorus, when the beat was a lot harder, their moves reflected this change in a way that didn’t feel overwhelming.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 9/10
performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.5/10

[Album Review] Call My Name (10th Mini Album) – GOT7

November 23, 2019Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged GOT7Leave a comment

In the third day of this consecutive album review blitz (yes, that is what I will be referring to the week as), I will be looking into GOT7’s latest album release, Call My Name. This is their 10th mini-album, which sounds very surprising for me. But it honestly shouldn’t, as they have been active for 5 years now. The album features You Calling My Name, which is the title track for this release (link below). Let’s observe the rest of the album and see how it matches with the amazing title track.

got7-callmyname-2 — *Call My Name* Album Cover

1. You Calling My Name (니가 부르는 나의 이름) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for You Calling My Name. (9/10)

2. Pray – Pray sounds like a lot like other EDM-based tracks from other male groups. But there are a few moments that have me coming back for more. The first has to be Jackson’s part in the first and second choruses and Mark’s part in the final chorus. Their voices were so deep and perfect for such a sleek and ear-catching moment. I also thought the vocalists shined a lot in this track, as well. JB and Yugyeom’s part following the mentioned rappers sounded quite vibrant on top of the EDM instrumentation, while Youngjae’s part preceding the mentioned rappers really popped as well. (8/10)

3. Now Or Never (ft. Jonas Blue) – Jonas Blue is a well-known London-based DJ and GOT7 joined hands with him for this track. Now Or Never seems to follow the initial comments I made regarding Pray. It has this typical feel to it. But I think there are a few additional sections in this track that really help make it slightly better than Pray. The incorporation of the piano in the instrumentation was really nice. It made the EDM feel less overwhelming and added a delicate touch to the song, which isn’t something you would say about EDM. I also found the song quite catchy and it had an addictive melody thanks to the instrumentation and the member’s vocals. (8.5/10)

4. Thursday – Thursday was selected to be one of the secondary promotional tracks and was performed at their showcase and on music shows during their first week of promotions. My current impressions of the song have been skewed due to the stages, as I have watched a fair bit of them. But I found the song to be a light-hearted (relative to GOT7’s other tracks) and fun sounding during the chorus. I also liked their vocals, with the vocal line displaying rather husky vocals throughout the song. The rappers did more of a rap-singing approach, and this was nice for this smooth R&B dance track. (8.5/10)

5. Run Away – The groovy instrumental was the first element of the song to really catch my attention. It is was very pleasing and pleasant. The second element is the rappers. They had very interesting parts. I really liked how Jackson jumped in during the second verse. Mark and Bam Bam’s lines had a smooth delivery and I thoroughly enjoyed that popping effect in the background, despite their parts being practically hidden in the song. Finally, Yugyeom really shined in this song. Not only did he get a large chunk of this song, but his voice is also extremely well suited out of all the vocals in the song. (8/10)

6. Crash & Burn – Crash and Burn was also the second secondary promotional track that GOT7 performed at their showcase and the first week of promotions. The track is very different from what we have heard on the album so far because contains a lot of tension. And it is because of this tension that it feels more like the GOT7 that I am used to. The line ‘till I crash and burn’ (and its associated melody) was keyed into my memory bank and this has me coming back for more. Bam Bam, even though had short lines, was probably my pick for the standout member, with either JB or Youngjae following behind very closely. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.5/10

got7-callmyname-3 — *Call My Name* Teaser Image

[Album Review] Time_Slip (9th Studio Album) – Super Junior

November 22, 2019Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged Super Junior3 Comments

For today’s album review, we will be having a closer look at Super Junior latest album release, Time_Slip. It is their 9th studio album and features the title track, SUPER Clap and I Think I (links below). It is also their first album release with all members officially out of the military (even though there are some inactive members due to varying reasons). It is definitely interesting how their album is like. After all, they have 14 years of experience and have outlived many groups over the years.

superjunior-timeslip-2 — *Time_Slip* Album Cover

1. The Crown – Prior to the release of I Think I, Super Junior dropped the lyric video to The Crown, which makes this the first track onto be revealed from the album. There is a cool and epic feel that comes from this track. It almost feels like an OST to an adventurous movie, which I quite enjoyed. It also serves as a very bold start to the album and reintroduction to the group (which seems to be the meaning behind the song). Impressive vocals and rapping are also included in this track. (9/10)

2. SUPER Clap (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for SUPER Clap. (9/10)

3. I Think I (Pre-Release Track) – Click here to read the full review for I Think I. (9/10)

4. Game – The instrumental for Game keeps me on edge throughout its entire run. Paired with the vocals, it makes for a vibrant track. The instrumental also gives it a bold feel and some of the comments I made regarding the initial song can be applied here. I also like how the track keeps busy and consistent, especially towards the end. And I like that. I also really like the upbeat energy that Game has, which really helps it make it memorable for me. (8/10)

5. Somebody New – Somebody New is a pop ballad that brings out the vocals of the members, particularly the vocal line of the group. They seemed to go above and beyond with the song, leaving the other members behind. But that is only a minor flaw with the song. There is a bit of rapping in this song, which makes the song feel very KPOP-like. Apart from that, the song has a pleasant melody and a calming, yet simple instrumental. (8/10)

6. Skydive – Skydive presents us with a really cool title. And while the song had a decent drop and overall feel, I feel like Skydive could have been ditched the pop feel and went with an EDM instrumental that was more hard-hitting. Not only would this be awesome, but it would also really help Super Junior appeal to the younger audience. While they attempted this by incorporating that intense trap bridge, it didn’t last long enough nor did it really cause much of an impact. (7/10)

7. Heads Up – I like Heads Up but it could have really committed to the sleek feel a lot more. It was getting there but it didn’t satisfy me like the other sleek songs currently out there in the industry. Maybe if the guys were a little more sensual with their lines, it could have delivered this aspect. On another note, I really liked how the verses and chorus contrasted. The verses were ‘almost’ whisper-like, which the chorus had a definite pop to it, which made the song appealing and catchy for me. (8/10)

8. Stay With Me – Stay With Me is probably the most typical sounding on this track. I just don’t find anything that interesting when it comes to this song. The melody and vocal work come off as pretty bland for me. I did enjoy the rap sequence, which is the opposite of what I usually say when it comes to Super Junior tracks. I am a little wary of this song thanks to the ‘Stay Stay Stay’ repetition. It sounds good now, but I am not too sure after multiple replays of the song. (6/10)

9. No Drama – No Drama is performed by Leeteuk, Yesung, Eunhyuk, Ryeowook and Kyuhyun. It isn’t too bad of a song. There is a good acoustic touch to the instrumental. But it feels like there seems to be a lot going on this song that didn’t seem necessary, especially in the chorus. In addition to that, I got the impression that the members were really tired in this track. The track came off as low energy and this had a definite effect on my impression of the song. (6/10)

10. Show – Ending the album is Show, a song that thanks the fans for being with them for the past fourteen years. I like how they didn’t opt for the heartfelt emotional ballad. Instead, Show is a remake of Kim Won Joon’s Show (which was released back in 1996) and it takes the form of an upbeat and vibrant track that summarises their emotions towards their fans. The way they present song reminds me of their earlier days as well. I also liked how they incorporated their messages to fans within the song mid-way, which helps make the remake song extra special for them and fans alike. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 7.9/10

superjunior-timeslip-3 — *Time_Slip* Teaser Image

[Album Review] Go Live (4th Mini Album) – ONF

November 21, 2019Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged ONFLeave a comment

Album reviews will be released daily for the next week so that I can catch up on album reviews and make up for the past week of album reviews that I did not write.

Today, we will be having a dive into an album review from the start of October. I know that seems like a fairly long time ago, given how we are now at the end of November. But it is a very important album review as all the songs are rocking. ONF released GO LIVE on 7th of October and it features the title track Why (link below). While trying to plan my schedule of album reviews, I was initially going to bypass this album. But upon a closer listen (and I am glad I did), I realized that this album should be skipped. Let’s find out why (pun unintended).

1. Why (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Why. (9.5/10)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BodVjFLsi8o

2. Asteroid (소행성) – When I listen to Asteroid, I keep on getting throwbacks to Complete, which is what I consider to be their best title track yet. It might be the slight brass we get in the instrumental or the combination of brass and upbeat elements from the chorus that reminds me of that past track. With that in mind, I think there is enough in this track to be a contender for lead single position. It is a fun song that has great energy and feels memorable. I think the vocals are fantastic and the lyrics/melody are quite addictive (so does the ‘No~” repetition). I like how smooth the rapping felt but I think the song would have been enhanced with a more impactful and intense rap sequence. (9/10)

3. All Day (억x억) – All Day is a track you would want to put on when you are driving with friends. It just has that inclusive feel that makes it ideal for that setting. The chorus and post-chorus hook feature all the members singing together, which is where the inclusive feeling comes from. The rest of the song is rather light and upbeat, making it perfect for a car ride. The rapping does take it up a notch by making the song a little more explosive towards the end. I liked the development of this track and it is another fun song to listen to. (9/10)

4. Moscow Moscow – How sleek does Moscow Moscow sound? It is my pick of ‘hidden gem’ status on this mini-album, which already contains a handful of amazing songs. Moscow Moscow is like a smooth ballad-like dance track. It is a very captivating track as I don’t think any other KPOP group has ever attempted a song of this nature. There is a subtle level of intensity, which I think makes the song very interesting. And it never develops into a ‘hard-hitting’ track, keeping smooth and calm for the entire 3 and a half minutes run. The song also draws out their vocals and rapping skills, which adds to the success of the track. The latter was exceptionally well done by Wyatt, who voice goes down low impressively. (10/10)

5. Twinkle Twinkle – ONF ends the song by incorporating the widely known nursery rhyme, Twinkle Twinkle, into this song. When you look over the translations of the song, you find the song to be quite cute and sweet. Miles away from the version of ONF we got in Why. I like the beat in this song and even though the song is directed towards me, I can’t help bobbing along and smiling throughout the track. Wyatt departs from his usual hard style of rapping by making his part a little more fun, while the other members sound quite nice and lively. I also like the bright colour that comes from the song. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 9.3/10

[Review] ULlala: Poisoning – IN2IT

November 21, 2019Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged IN2ITLeave a comment

Another review that I should have completed last week was for IN2IT, who made their comeback with ULlala: Poisoning and their 3rd single album, Puzzle, last Thursday. This is the group’s second comeback of the year, with Run Away being their first in 2019. Since that comeback in August, Sunghyun departed from the group, reducing the 7 member group to just 6 members now.

It has seemed like the Latin trend had died down this year, compared to 2018. But there is always that one track that keeps on pushing it back onto you despite being incredibly late to join the musical trend. This is what I felt when I was listening to IN2IT’s Poisoning. Usually, I am not troubled by new tracks going back to an overused trend. But instead of just going with the Latin influence, it would help make the track memorable by incorporating an interesting element that really differentiates the track apart from the rest of the Latin influenced category. Poisoning doesn’t have anything of that sort and just sounds like any other track that has such an influence. And this affected other aspects of the track for me. For example, I thought the hook was rather simple and boring this time around, thanks to the ‘typical’ barrier set up by the instrumentation. That being said, there are some other elements in the song that I did like (just nothing unique). The vocal work was good and I liked how they added to the edgy factor that I mentioned in their last review. The textures provided by the vocalists and rappers were good, as well. Overall, the track needed more of something (or things) to make it interesting and memorable.

Similar to the song, I think the music video could have used some interesting elements. Visually, it is a good video. Nice yet standard use of colour. It shows off the members in a very appealing light. Even their outfits see to show off of the members in a sensual manner, which I am sure will make fans go wild (i.e. the trending crop-top, the blazer only outfit and the very deep cut sweaters). But besides that, there isn’t much else to the music video, unfortunately, that really felt captivating.

You might expect me to say that the performance isn’t interesting, as that might be the recurring comment in this review. But I am not going to. I thought this was a good performance and choreography for the track, complimenting the song. I really like the routine during the chorus and the ‘ULlala’ hook in the song.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 6.2/10

[Review] Midnight Sun – Seven O’Clock

November 21, 2019November 20, 2019Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Seven O'ClockLeave a comment

Seven O’Clock returned during the past week with their brand new 3rd mini-album, White Night. On this mini-album, we can find their latest title track, Midnight Sun. Prior to making this comeback, it was revealed that Jungkyu and Hyun would not be participating as they sit out due to health concerns and that two new members (Louie and Eungyul) would join the lineup. However, due to personal reasons, Eungyul’s addition was cancelled, leaving Seven O’Clock’s current lineup at 5 members (Hangyeom, Taeyoung, Andy, 2Soul and Louie). Their last comeback was Get Away.

Seven O’Clock is one of those groups that often get forgotten due to the long periods between comebacks. To survive the industry, any artist needs to be making consistent comebacks to stay relevant. Seven O’Clock is one of those groups that haven’t had the opportunity to return consistently since their debut in 2017 and hence barely remember their previous tracks. With a quick refresher, however, it seems that the group has been attempting a brighter sound with their more recent comebacks. And they continue this through Midnight Sun, which isn’t too bad of a song. However, it is best described as a ‘typical’ comeback. It is a little late to the tropical game. I can see how some listeners would turn the other way as it is a sound that is so heavily used before. But I don’t mind its usage and that is why I am okay with it. I did think their vocals and rapping really help lift the song. They made the song feel fairly pleasant and the rapping provided some much-needed texture. There was also a decent melody that helped add to the brightness to the song. Overall, it is okay. But I hope they return with something a little more interesting next time.

I think their last few music videos have had a mismatched visual concept. While they have gone for that bright sound, they had a tinge of darkness which didn’t make sense in their music videos. For Midnight Sun, the music video is very bright, which is more aligned with the song. I liked the green colour that was chosen to be the highlight of the music video. I looked nice. However, like the song, the music video is very straight forward and bland. It consisted of mainly closeups and choreography shots formula. Sure, it is a common formula. But the video just felt liked it use just those elements, instead of having plots or using special effects to help make the video more intriguing.

I found the song had a nice bounce to it and I thought they did a good job of incorporating this into the performance. I also thought the starting formation was interesting. Apart from that, I thought the performance was okay. It isn’t the most impressive routine and the song doesn’t really give them that much opportunity to showcase an impressive routine.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 6.7/10