Month: August 2020

[Review] JUICY – Rocket Punch

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It is time for the start of the Saturday catch up. Kicking off the start of four reviews that I will be publishing today (fingers crossed) is Rocket Punch’s comeback, which dropped on Tuesday of this past week. Their title track this time around is JUICY and it is featured on the group’s third mini-album, Blue Punch. This is the group’s first comeback since Red Punch, a mini-album released earlier this year, which featured the title track Bouncy.

I found the tropical sounds and melodies that started off JUICY to be very appealing. It really steered the song into that Summer mindset. However, that appeal was shortlived. The first verse came, but it was largely plain. I should have known this feeling was pretty much foreshadowing what was to come. But I gave the song the benefit of the doubt and dismissed this as some KPOP tracks have pretty typical sounding verses, but the chorus manages to compensate for lacking verses. Unfortuately, this was not the case. JUICY‘s chorus was an extension of the verse, a soulless instrumental being the main driving force of what should be the catchiest sequence of the song. Their vocals just didn’t have much energy or life in them. The melodies did not have a memorable element or any energy to help propel the song forward. The second verse was primarily the same set up, with the addition of a messy trap-based rap sequence that sounds off-putting (if I have to be honest). There is a bit of heft to the bridge of JUICY, but it was undermined with the childish sounds that came from the member’s voices and the return of that off-putting trap sequence. Even when we turn to the song’s main hook (i.e. the ‘Juicy Juicy Juicy‘ repetition, we just get an overwhelming plainness that doesn’t save the song. Overall, I am pretty disappointed with this track. And truthfully, I wouldn’t be returning to this track any time soon.

Given what the song is like, the music video is appropriately filled with aegyo. It surprisingly didn’t feel as cringy as I thought it would be nor did it feel overloaded. But even if that was the case, I can’t complain much as the song did lead the video in that direction. Aside from that, I did like the underwater sets and the bubble visual effects that filled out screens. It does look like it is part of some children’s TV show, but it went well with the concept.

The performance was alright. I liked how the choreography kept on moving for the most part. It makes me look at the dance, as it makes me feel that I might miss something. It isn’t a mind-blowing performance in any way (I feel that if it got to that calibre, it would be a waste given the disappointing song), but it does the job fine.

Song – 3/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 6/10
Overall Rating – 4.8/10

[Album Review] Running TOOgether (2nd Mini Album) – TOO

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It is time for another album review. And today, I am going dive into a 2020 rookie’s album. I am talking about TOO’s second mini-album, Running TOOgether, which was released around a month ago. It features the title track Count 1, 2 and four additional title tracks. It is my first time reviewing an album from this group. Previously, I was going to review their debut mini-album (Reason For Being: Benevolence) earlier this year, but ended up dropping it from the list due to timing. I might return to that album some time in the future but that might be a while away. For now, here is my album review for TOO’s latest album release.

Running TOOgether Album Cover

1. Count 1, 2 (하나 둘 세고) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Count 1, 2. (10/10)

2. Step By Step – TOO continues the bright upbeat vibes with the groovy and retro Step By Step. The song is a lot more jam packed and intense, as a result. This is no complaint though, as I find this song to be ideal for a good ‘let loose’ session. The song seems to have various influences from the 70s through to the 90s, including synth drums, brass and disco elements. Everything comes together to be a lively and undeniably catchy track. The chorus is super catchy and memorable. And the energy of Step By Step just extends the song’s appeal even further. The vocals were amazing and the rapping was effortlessly merged into the song. Everything in this song just comes together so well. Even better that it leaves me with a gigantic smile once it wraps up. (10/10)

3. Better – Better is your typical slow pop ballad. It is a nice number to settle to after two awesome upbeat tracks. The instrumental isn’t that ground-breaking as it follows most pop ballads with a drum and piano prominent instrumental. The ending brings in some minute rock influences, but I wished them somehow brought some of this influence a little earlier to give the song some additional life. Vocally, Better really sounds good. The harmonies were the element that initially drew me into the song. TOO definitely boasts solid vocalists and rappers as evident in this track. I just wished their debut track did a better job of highlighting this. (8/10)

4. Taillight – Taillight kicks it up a notch, going for an R&B number. Unfortunately, I found most of the song to be plain. That would be the concise way to describe the song. It just felt like an extension of the preceding track. Other than that, I don’t want to blab on, given that I didn’t notice much in the song. However, I do want to make a short note regarding Taillight’s melody. It was good and soothing. (7/10)

5. Dancing In The Moonlight – Based on what I am reading, Dancing In The Moonlight is actually a remake of 1972’s Dancing In The Moonlight by King Harvest. TOO and the producers of the remake did a really good job of modernizing the song for 2020. I really like the addition of brass to give the song a prominent retro feel and how they all sing together for the chorus. It really bolsters up the song. The trap-based rap sequence in the second verse was probably the most unnecessary inclusion in this version. It just doesn’t tie in with the rest of the song. The rap sequence that featured during the bridge was much more fitting for the retro and brass elements of the song. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.8/10

Running TOOgether Teaser Image

[Review] BOY – TREASURE

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I break the catch up transmission with a review for a new release! TREASURE officially makes their debut with the release of the title track BOY. This is YG Entertainment’s latest addition to their company, consisting of 12 members (Hyunsuk, Jihoon, Yoshi, Junkyu, Mashiho, Jaehyuk, Asahi, Yedam, Doyoung, Haruto, Jeongwoo and Junghwan). The group itself was formed through the 2018 trainee survival show, YG Treasure Box. The show formed two male groups to join the YG Family and was collectively 13 members earlier this year. However, Yoonbin left the group prior to their debut and the decision was made to merge the two groups together to form Treasure. The group’s debut was teased since January 2020 and Bang Yedam debuted as a solo act earlier this year as well with Wayo (to be reviewed).

Previously, YG Entertainment has been heavily associated with hip-hop music in the KPOP industry, with some noticeable exceptions. And I think TREASURE, based on BOY, is another one of those exceptions. They stray away from their company’s heavy reliance on hip-hop and goes down more of the pop route for the group’s debut single. I am basing this observation on one song, so there is a chance that the group might end up going for something more towards YG roots in future releases. That being said, the producers still employ a notable YG element in BOY, which I predicted was coming. More on that later. BOY is quite dynamic and intense. I actually felt this at the very start of the song and they managed to continue this throughout the song. I also find the EDM drop (the genre of EDM is so familar but I cannot pinpoint its exact name) in the chorus to be very profound and refreshing. Their vocals and rapping adds to the song’s dynamism and energy. I really like that they were very clear and crisp throughout the song. The song’s memorable hook ‘I just wanna be your boy‘ was handled by Junkyu and Yedam, who both together form a very powerful duo. Definitely members that I will keep an eye out for. However, the song isn’t perfect. The song starts to unravel after Hyunsuk’s shouty bridge. BOY could have done without the anthem-like ending. It is a very overused YG tactic, so it is very plain and boring. It was good the first few times. But since it is now overused, I just roll my eyes at it. It is done to give the song one last hype moment, but I just felt it overwhelmed everything that came prior to it. But apart from that, BOY is definitely a strong debut song.

The music video definitely has great visuals. From the members to the sets, everything looked exciting. On a side note regarding the sets, there seems to be a lot of depth in comparison to other YG music videos. I say this because compared with this video, other recent YG music videos end up looking more like box sets now. The music video does follow a closeup and choreography formula. But there is a lot of dynamism in the music video as well, so I am not as fussed. I really liked the special effects they added during post-production. They helped heighten that level of fun we get from the visuals in the music video, which compliment the song in a variety of ways.

From what I can see, the choreography is going to be superb. The air guitar-like move and the footwork during the chorus looks very impressive. They seem to use their space very well, as seen in the second chorus. The dance break we get as part of the bridge also looked really cool!

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.3/10

[Review] 2 KIDS – Taemin (SHINee)

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Time to continue this week’s edition of review catch up. Next up on the reviewing list is 2 KIDS, Taemin’s pre-release single for his upcoming comeback. Originally scheduled for July 2020, his comeback had to be pushed back due to an injury. But with the release of 2 KIDS, it seems like we will be seeing him very soon again through his comfirmed two part third studio album, Never Gonna Dance Again. There is no confirmed date for this comeback just yet, but I will endevour to review it as soon as it is released, unlike this review which is many days late. In other news, this Taemin’s first solo comeback since the release of WANT.

While 2 KIDS doesn’t deliver anything epic or powerful as his previous releases, Taemin’s 2 KIDS still manages to fit his discography. Given that this is Taemin, it clearly doesn’t have a wow factor to be given that title track status. And so, it comes off as an ideal side track for his upcoming solo album. The new release features an electronic pop instrumentation that opts for lighter and simpler vibes. Yet, there is an elaborate nature to it that enables Taemin to show off his vocals and performance skills (I will touch on this later on). There is an airy nature to the song, making it perfect song to put on while taking a stroll on a breezy and sunny day. His vocals are breathy throughout the song, which definitely compliments this. This combination is quite refreshing. Taemin’s sentimental and reflective vocals were stunning in this song. You could feel the emotions in his voice as he sings about young love. However, I did feel that the chorus was a little too heavy handed with the autotuned backing. I wished that it was a little lighter in this regard. But it at least gave the song some interesting textures to play with. I also wished that he had more ad-libs towards the end of the song, as this seems like the perfect track for Taemin to show off some of his ad-lib skills. In addition to the ‘wishes’, I wanted the song to be less repetitive. The repetition dried out the song and left it boring, especially towards the end. But overall, 2 KIDS is a solid effort and a definite strong teaser for what is to come.

For this review, I will be combining the music video and performance parts of the usual review together. Why? Well, the music video is essentially a performance piece. We don’t see much choreography during the verses. Instead, we see Taemin act throughout the verses. It looks like he is wandering the streets right after an argument with his lover and is reminiscing about his young love. The choreography comes into play during the choruses. And it is just so captivating to watch. I also love the European city setting of this music video. It just adds such a refined and comforting atmosphere to the video, which contrasts nicely with his pain and emotions that he channels through his choreography.

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

[Review] DUMDi DUMDi – (G)I-DLE

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Apologies for my absence over the last two days. I will explain myself later on once I get pass the many releases have been left un-reviewed during my absence. Let’s restart the reviews! First up is a Monday release from (G)I-DLE. I actually tried to write a review for DUMDi DUMDi on Monday, but ended up running out of time (as I needed to sleep for work the next day). And here is the review, finally! This is the female group’s first release since their epic Oh My God comeback earlier this year and online concert, I-LAND.

I personally wondered where the group would go after releasing Oh My God. DUMDi DUMDi was not what I had expected. But that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it. First off, it is a very bright and energetic song. And I will compliment the song for that. It is definitely suitable for the Summer season. Secondly, I felt that the song’s instrumental was pretty good. The song does feel quite plain and quite slow during the verses and it doesn’t become exciting and energetic until we reach the chorus. And the EDM we get in the chorus really makes up for the slowness and plainness we got in the verses. The African drums and music influence during select parts added a little something different to the song and it allows the song to standout in the sea of releases we have gotten recently. One of the letdowns of DUMDi DUMDi actually is associated with the instrumental itself. Reflecting over the song retrospectively, it seems like the instrumental is a bit hectic and messy. I wished there was a little bit of more consistency throughout the instrumentation. It sounds good, but it needs to be tied up better. The rapping was probably a skippable section. Sorry Soyeon, but I felt your part was the least memorable in the song. As for the vocals, I am a bit torn about them. Miyeon, in particular, brought an interesting vocal sound to the chorus which makes the song’s chorus memorable. But the more I listen to the song, I can’t help but find the chorus becoming more and more whiny. DUMDi DUMDi has some good and bad aspects. But overall, it is still enjoyable.

The video starts off with a very long ‘context’ preamble, where it specifies that six souls (the members) converge to a motel in the middle of nowhere to spend their ‘most exciting’ day of their lives. Of course, it was fluffed up to be mysterious. But it went by too quickly to actually read while the video was in play mode. The video then begins what seems to be the longest minute and half in KPOP ever. Like most Western films, I felt the entire introductory sequence that introduced each member converging to this motel to be incredibly boring. The Western music did not help. The producers of this video could have directed more time to showing us how the members came together to actually fun. It just feels so random that the members went from being strangers to best friends in a matter of seconds. The rest of the video was essentially of them having a great time, which ties in nicely with the Summer theme. I do have one additional complaint. During some of the solo shots of some of the members, it was quite obvious that the other members were told to sit there and be pretty. I wished they did something in the background rather than sit there and stare at one another or look off into the void.

I can’t but think there are some moves in this choreography that brings me back to their previous releases such as Oh My God and Lion. I am not sure if my eyes are playing trick on me. But other than that observation, the dance was quite fun and energetic, which defintiely suits the song and Summer season.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 6.9/10

[Review] Who U Are – Kang Daniel

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And now, we return (and kick off) the normal schedule of reviews for new releases this week. First up this week is Kang Daniel, who officially returns with Who U Are, the lead title track off his third mini-album, Magenta. I have opted to write his review first as I was a few days late with his pre-release single, Waves (featuring Jamie and Simon Dominic), last week. I am hoping to avoid that with his actual title track release.

I personally expected Kang Daniel to make his solo debut with a strong and masculine sound. As this is something that would definitely suit his image. But for his solo debut and first comeback, we have seen different and brighter sides of him. And with those tracks, he has definitely solidfied his footing in the industry. So now, he can go back to do a sound/concept like Who U Are, which one might argue to be typical and standard. But despite that, I think Who U Are is great song, just with one major letdown. It starts off with horns that really set the dark atmosphere to the song. We are then thrown into a verse made of a heavy bass drum and a mellow flute sound. When it comes to the chorus, he hits it hard and we are blasted with an amped and slightly angsty version of the verse. I really liked the use of those vocals as part of the instrumental for the post-chorus instrumental hook/dance break. A technique used often, but it is also something that maintains the momentum and energy from the chorus in a trendy manner. The second verse more or less goes with a similar set up, though its bouncy opening is a definite killer part of the song. We are treated generously to his vocals throughout Who U Are. We are also treated handsomely to his powerful rapping, which I don’t remember being a part of his previous solo releases. But while powerful rapping is well suited for this strong sound, I wasn’t impressed with the trap-based backing that his rap segment got. It was pretty generic, cringy and just counteracted the flow of the song. This is exceptionally disapppointing as I was enjoying the attention-grabbing ‘Levitate‘ at the beginning of that sequence. I do commend that the transition back into the final chorus was handled well, though. Apart from that rap sequence, everything else in Who U Are is definitely a solid hit for me.

While the song was about wanting to get to know someone in a bold fashion, I didn’t really under stand the apocalyptic setting that the music video was set in. While it definitely compliments the bold side of the message and the strong sound, I just found the setting to be extreme. Putting that thought aside, Kang Daniel was shown as a masculine figure which I am sure will makes fans excited. I liked the play of colours, going from white to red to blue. I just wished the music video was more than just a closeup and choreography formula.

The choreography for this comeback is really good. It brings out that strong side of the song really well. I liked all the twist turns that he does during the chorus. I also like the one stomp that starts off the chorus each time. That was a powerful moment in the music video and will definitely be a powerful moment on stage. The entire final chorus looks really good as well.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.7/10

[Review] Paradise – Eric Nam

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Let’s kick the week off by catching up with reviews for a previous release! Don’t worry, I will be typing up reviews for the new releases of the day as per usual. But for now, the focus will be on Eric Nam’s return to the Korean music scene with Paradise, the title track off his fourth mini-album, The Other Side. This comeback comes after his first English album, Before We Begin, which was released at the end of the last year. It also comes after Eric Nam kick started his first world tour, which has been postponed due to the ongoing global pandemic.

If I had to think of one word to describe Paradise, I would pick ‘pleasant’. Everything instrumentally feels quite balanced. This dance song isn’t heavy, but it isn’t too soft. Even during the song’s most loaded section (i.e. the zippy post-chorus instrumental hook), everything felt balanced. And that is a really positive thing to say, as this song could have easily underwhelmed if it didn’t develop at the right moments or add to itself as it went on. I also feel that the instrumental had some really strong moments. The first most notable instrumental sequence has to be the that keyboard-like synth that kicked off the song. That alone was quite new and fresh, opening the song up with promising feelings. The second notable instrumental sequence has to be that post-chorus instrumental hook that I mentioned. There was a bit going on texturally and gave the song an extra boost of warranted energy. As for his vocals, they were very clear and crisp. I really liked how low he went during the bridge. To me, it gave the song that something different to keep it interesting and also enabled some contrasting with the rest of the vocals in the song. I have to be honest that the song isn’t mind-blowing or completely unique. But it has enough to be a pleasant track to put on during the Summer.

The music video seems to be quite confusing. But I think I got a story out of it. Mind you, this is my own interpretation of the music video. It seems like Eric Nam is a bit bored in his usual desk 9-to-5 job at the start of the video. So he purchases a Paradise switch, which he uses to visit a different reality or ‘paradise’. In this alternate reality, or ‘paradise’, he meets another version of himself, who hands him a note that says ‘Live Your Life’ in French. He then finds himself in a bedroom that is growing into a jungle, lost in the darkness and within the TV, in an anti-gravity workplace and finally a movie theatre watching a movie about himself. All of this stops once Eric Nam switches off ‘paradise’ or this alternate reality and returning to his usual life. Based on what I am reading, this video seems to be linked to the current lifestyle we are all living in. Life currently is the ‘paradise’ depicted in the music video, where things aren’t as normal as it was months ago. But eventually, we will return to that normal from months ago, as shown by Eric Nam at the very end of the video.

Eric Nam claims to be horrible at dancing. And while he does look a little stiff on stage, he manages to dance his way through this stage in a way that we have never seen him before. The start of the performance begins with a little illusion of Eric being pulled into the ‘paradise’ and ends with him leaving the ‘paradise’. Everything in between was quite good and I liked how that post-chorus instrumental hook came to look on stage.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.3/10

[Album Review] 回:Song of the Sirens (9th Mini Album) – GFriend

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Today’s album review will be a deep dive into GFriend’s ninth mini-album, 回:Song of the Sirens. This was released two weeks ago and features the group’s latest promotional track, Apple. This comeback is distinctively different to their previous comebacks (such as Crossroads on their eighth mini-album, 回:LABYRINTH, which was released earlier this year). This is another highly reccomended album release from the female group, with a lot of great side tracks. See what I thought about each of the songs below and check them out to see if you agree with me!

回:Song of the Sirens Album Cover

1. Apple (Title Track) – Click here for the full review of Apple. (9/10)

2. Eye of The Storm (눈의 시간) – The explosive start of Eye of The Storm really got me hooked to the song. It had Labyrinth (an awesome sidetrack from the group’s previous mini album) type of vibe to it. Unfortuately, the song does not keep to that type of vibe throughout. Such a bummer, as I would have loved a Labyrinth 2.0. Instead, Eye of The Storm opts for smoother pop melody that truly feels like the calm eye of the storm. It feels like an anime OST track, which is an appealing thought to have. I like how the song just keeps going with its fast tempo. It is quite dynamic this way. As for the vocals, I give them a big thumbs up. Their vocals are fluid, flowy and calming, which essentially compliments the title of the song. The melodies are also quite stunning. Overall, a really great start to the sidetracks on this mini album. (9/10)

3. Room of Mirrors (거울의 방) – This time, the start of Room of Mirrors reminds me of the early days of the modern era of KPOP. It actually has a bright and Summery start. As the song enters the first verse, you can feel that the song is a lot moodier than originally thought. The song is more in familiar territory for GFriend with the classical instrumentation. It alone is quite stunning. Paired with the melodies and you have a pretty alluring and beautiful song that is equally as dynamic as the preceding song, in its own way. We get a bit of an electric guitar solo during the bridge just to add to that GFriend familiarity, though the electric guitar does give off slightly different vibes. As like the last song, thumbs up to the vocals. It too is a stunning element of the song. But it is Sin.B’s rapping that really caught my attention and is what really solidified that idea of nostalgia in this song. (9/10)

4. Tarot Cards – One element of Tarot Cards that I like is it just doesn’t stop to take a breath. It might be an overwhelming song to some, as the song literally throws itself at you with its different routes and sounds. But I quite like it due to its exciting and thrilling nature. The start of the song starts off calm, before we are thrown into the fast-paced nature of the song with an opening that feels like the chorus (but it isn’t!). We are then taken on a rollercoaster ride of a choppy yet cohesive first verse that feels like it can be split into 3 distinct parts before being dropped into the actual chorus. And that is just the first verse. The rest of the song follows a similar set up. What makes everything quite cohesive that it collectively comes together to form another anime OST-like song. There was some really memorable parts in this song such as the ‘Shuffle haebwa’ just before the final chorus and the ‘la la la ta ta ta’ post-chorus hook. A definite strong song, in my opinion. (10/10)

5. Crème Brûlée – Crème Brûlée is the ‘odd ball’ song on this album. It doesn’t fit in any of the categories of anime OST or familiar GFriend territory. It is definitely has a playful tone and feels experimental. Good on GFriend for trying something a little different. The only issue is that I find the song to be quite boring. The song has this really dulled wooden xylophone start to it that is quite similar to other instrumentation that we have heard from other artists in the industry. The chorus infuses some trap into the song, but that is also something we have heard quite a bit. Their vocals are quite crisp in this song, so I would give the song that. I will also applaud Sin.B and Umji’s rapping in this song, which is another drawing factor in this song. I want to hear more of this rapping in the future, especially since Sin.B has established herself in a previous song. (7/10)

6. Stairs in The North (북쪽 계단) – We have finally reached the final song on the album and it is a beautiful song to end the album with. Stairs In The North is a classical rock ballad that ticks a lot of the boxes for a nice ballad. Firstly, the rock instrumental is quite refreshing and different to usual ballads. The instrumental break we get as part of the bridge where the electric guitar takes centre stage was a killer part! Secondly, the melody is makes me sway along to the song, which is always a sign for a good ballad. Thirdly, their vocals are stunning in this song. Fourthly, I love how the song felt like it was ending for a brief moment, but they instead got the song to fade out with an extensive instrumental break that I found quite captivating. So far, it is shaping to be a perfect song. However, I am not keen on one small detail. That is the sudden transition between the first chorus and second verse. But apart from that, this is such a pleasant and soothing song to finish up with. (9.5/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.9/10

回:Song of the Sirens Teaser Image

[Weekly Chart] 5th Week of July 2020

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It is time for the Weekly Chart post for the past week. But before I report which song and artist topped the charts for the past week, I just want to say those computer issues I have been having over the last few moments have been resolved, which means I can hopefully publish more reviews. Talking about more reviews, I have a few more to publish over the coming days, so keep an eye out for them! And this time they are ready to go or just need a proof read. But now, on with the charts!

Based on the image at the top of this page, you can probably already tell that Kang Daniel is in the top spot for this past week with his pre-release single, Waves, featuring Jamie and Simon Dominic. You will find APRIL following in the second position with Now or Never. GreatGuys’s Run is the only release already on the charts to enter the Top 5, with it placing in the third position this week. ATEEZ’s Inception and Song Ji Eun’s solo comeback single Make It Love (MIL) rounds out the Top 5 of this week. For more of the charts, scroll down below.

 

  28th Jul – 3rd Aug 2019
Title Artist Status
1 Waves Kang Daniel ft. Jamie & Simon Dominic (new)
2 Now or Never APRIL (new)
3 Run GreatGuys (▲ 4)
4 INCEPTION ATEEZ (new)
5 Make It Love (MIL) Song Ji Eun (new)
6 Away Jeong Eunji (APINK) (▲ 10)
7 Say Yes Jeong Sewoon (▲ 4)
8 Gotta Go Soyou (new)
9 Apple Gfriend (▼ 7)
10 Lonely Night Yoon Du Jun (HIGHLIGHT) (new)
11 Butterfly WJSN (Cosmic Girls) (new)
12 God’s Menu Stray Kids (▲ 3)
13 My My SEVENTEEEN (▲ 18)
14 Left & Right SEVENTEEEN (▼ 8)
15 ONE (Lucid Dream) Golden Child (▲ 6)
16 Count 1, 2 TOO (▼ 13)
17 Naughty Red Velvet – Irene & Seulgi (▼ 16)
18 What You Waiting For? Jeon Somi (▼ 9)
19 Paradise Eric Nam (new)
20 MORE & MORE TWICE (▲ 25)
21 1 Billion Views EXO-SC (▲ 25)
22 R.o.S.E Blue Dream Catcher (▼ 9)
23 Summer Breeze SF9 (▼ 19)
24 Bad Guy 1THE9 (▲ 9)
25 pporapippam  Sunmi (▲ 5)
26 Easy Stray Kids (▼ 8)
27 Love Me Harder WOODZ (▼ 22)
28 The Answer AB6IX (▼ 11)
29 HOLO Lee Hi (▼ 19)
30 Thunder VERIVERY (▼ 11)

Songs leaving the charts this week are:

  • MORE & MORE – TWICE
  • Puma – TXT
  • Mayday – VICTON
  • Relay – With Woolim
  • Starry Night – Momoland [Leaving Charts Early]
  • Greedy – JeA (Brown Eyed Girls) ft. Moonbyul (Mamamoo) [Leaving Charts Early]

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

[Review] Gotta Go – Soyou

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The next release that I want to review is Soyou’s solo comeback, Gotta Go. The release came on Tuesday on this week, so I apologise for the delay with the review. However, as I always say ‘better late than never’. Gotta Go features a different sound from the former girl group member and follows the release of her previous solo singles, The Night in 2017 and All Night in 2018. Since 2018, she hasn’t been active much as a solo artist on her own, but rather through collaborations, such as Rain Drop (with Ovan).

I want to break this paragraph into two parts. The first part is based on what I remember of the song from the few times I have played it while it sat on my ‘to review list’. Admittedly, the only thing I could remember from Gotta Go has to the ‘Gara Go‘ that Soyou sings as part of the chorus. This one thing should not be seen as a bad thing, however. It is super catchy and memorable. Unfortuately, the rest of the song was forgettable and I just wished that it lived up to the same standard that the song’s main hook had set. From this point onwards, everything I mention is based on what I note from relistening to Gotta Go. The song contains a fair amount of sass that gives it a interesting colour. The instrumental is quite upbeat in the verses, which add to the that interesting colour. It mainly delves into the tropical genre that is quite common to the Summer season. Though I admit that this direction was a little unexciting, it was still quite decent. I also didn’t enjoy chant bridge. It just felt over the top and the transition to said part from the second chorus was too sudden, so it was pretty overwhelming the first and current listens. I did like the ‘return to the roots of the song’ that followed in the second half of the bridge. Soyou’s vocals were good, with her husky voice being put on full display in this song. Overall, another decent but different style song from Soyou.

The music video for Gotta Go is really good. It starts off with Soyou has part of a fashion show crowd. And while the attention was on the runway, Soyou grabs attention by joining the fashion show without security jumping at her. Interesting. I do like this set up though, as the runway soon becomes her stage for the first chorus. As we dive in the second verse, we are taken behind the scenes of the fashion show. I really like it when she is dancing in the midst of the hectic behind the scenes shots of the fashion show. It just feels very different from most videos and works the choreography shot so naturally into the music video. I also like how she returns to the runway for the final chorus, bringing the video to a close with her walking off the runway. I enjoyed this video and everything looks good. Soyou also has a really sexy figure that she shows off throughout the video, which works with the theme of the video, as well.

The choreography looks good. I liked the use of the piece of fabric. She wraps it around herself and she uses it almost like a curtain during some parts. The chorus also had a memorable move, which was quite nice. I won’t be doing it when I think of the song in the future. But I will definitely imagining the move!

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.3/10

[Review] Now or Never – APRIL

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It is time to catch up on reviews that I should have reviewed during the week but was unable to for whatever reason. First up is APRIL’s Now or Never, which is the group’s first comeback single since LALALILALA earlier this year. The single is featured on their first special Summer single album, Hello Summer. Prior to this comeback, Naeun was swept in a bullying controversary, which has since been proven to be a lie (as confessed by the person who spread the rumours). It was announced that Naeun would not be promoting this single due to shock. But from what I could see on the group’s comeback stages, Naeun is well and continuing her duties as a APRIL member.

APRIL’s take on a Summer single is pretty much what we have heard previously from other female groups. But that impression changes once we get to the chorus. The surprising incorporation of brass during Now or Never‘s chorus was a pleasant one. But I just wished that it was better mixed into the instrumental. To me, the brass seems like it is between two layers of instrumentation. It comes off alright, but it does not feel as explosive or energetic as the many examples of brass I have heard in KPOP previously. For example, I felt the brass in the song’s pre-chorus was nicely mixed into the instrumental. The brass that faded in the pre-chorus was a great teaser and buildup to the chorus (I had no issues with this). Their shouty ‘Now or Never‘ hook was pretty catchy and I really like the brightness that comes from this element. I also really like the ending, which (to me) added some classy style to this bright and upbeat track. Their vocals were good, but I wished the melodies were a lot more memorable. So far, everything I have described seems positive and neutral. Unfortuately, there is one bad element to the song that I felt was unimaginative and unnecessary. I am talking about the rapping. The short rap line at the end of the chorus is not the issue here though. I find that to be a good addition to the song. The issue is regarding the rap sequence that follows the first chorus. It just felt unneeded and cheesy with its trap-based setup. But apart from that part, Now or Never is still a decent track to bring some freshness to Summer.

The video was nailed perfectly. It is pretty hard to stuff up a Summer themed music video as the things we would associate with the season is quite obvious. Water, sun, sand and smiles. This video had it all. The bright lighting and colourfulness of the video is probably my most favourite aspect as everything just pops right out at you. In terms of content, there isn’t much to the video. Though for a Summer video, you can’t really expect for much, other than the members having fun.

Unfortuately, the choreography for this comeback wasn’t that impressive. Aside from the chorus, the rest of the choreography just didn’t seem as interesting. What I enjoyed in the chorus was that subtle bounce that made it look appealing. That was lacking in the rest of the performance.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 6/10
Overall Rating – 7.9/10