There are a lot of albums out there worth reviewing or having a deeper listen to. But the number of albums on that list is accumulating rapidly, so I have decided to review another album this weekend in addition to the two albums that I usually review. CRAVITY is the artist of focus this time around, who recently returned with their first comeback since debut, Flame. The song Flame is featured on the group’s second mini-album, Hideout: The New Day We Step Into. Wonder what I thought of the songs on the album? Keep on reading to fine out. But as a short teaser, each song seems to have a little bit of a typical nature to them. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t worth listening to.

1. Flame (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of Flame. (7/10)

2. Believer – I feel that the next track, Believer, has what it takes to be an alternative to the title track. At first, it doesn’t feel like an intense dance track. But once we hit the first pre-chorus, that intense profile became prevalent and the rest of the track stayed in that gear. The bass during the chorus was just so ideal, along with that short instrumental break we get right after the second chorus. The vocals and rapping were definitely a packaged deal and really shows off CRAVITY’s potential. I also really liked the flutes that open and close the song. I wished they incorporated that into the body of Believer, but that was more to make the song just a fraction more interesting. (9.5/10)

3. Ooh Ahh – Following up Believer is Ooh Ahh. It is a funky synth track that doesn’t hold back. I find it to be a catchy number, with a lot of character from the members. I really liked how all the elements (vocals, raps, melodies, hooks and instrumental) were bold, amping up the energy to help make it more memorable. I just wished they went a little more outside the box for this track, as it felt like any other funky synth track (and we have been getting many of those lately). (8/10)

4. Realize – The piano at the very start was misleading, but Realize is another dance track. It takes time to get to that realization (lol). To me, the verses, featuring smooth vocals and rapping with a kick, felt like it could have been part of an even slower track. But as we got closer to the chorus did the instrumental start to pick up and made it feel like dance track. The song seems to focus more on the vocals and rapping (take the bridge as an example) as the instrumental felt pretty standard at best. I wished the piano from the start (and the end) was somehow incorporated more prevalently throughout the song, which would have given the song some depth. But it was still a decent track. (8/10)

5. HOT AIR BALLOON (열기구) – I find the HOT AIR BALLOON title to be quite random. That was my first impression to the song and it definitely intrigued me. No surprises when it comes to the music as it is another upbeat dance number. This is time it features a groovy chorus that really stands out. Subtle, but it pays off. There are some really good vocals and the rapping really adds some dynamism to the song. I really like the layering when it comes to the vocals in the chorus. It adds depth and intensity, making this song sleek. I would have love more of the start of the song elsewhere in the body. It was too was intriguing and pulled me into the song. But other than, HOT AIR BALLOON is quite impressive. (9/10)

6. Sunrise – While Sunrise is quite pleasant and is a decent song, it is pretty typical in my opinion. The members work their charm in this song through their falsetto vocals and great rapping. But the instrumental pulls the song back as it is just something we have heard time and time again. This doesn’t mean the song is bad or terrible. It just doesn’t excite me as much. In retrospect, each of the songs on the album do feel typical to a degree, and I easily could have made a similar comment onto them (note that I haven’t given a 10/10 for any of the songs to account for this feeling, even though I have explicitly mentioned it). But each of those songs had a little more to offer. Sunrise just doesn’t go over that line and hence I feel that it is the plainest of them all. (7/10)

7. Breathing (호흡) – The final song on the album is a ballad. That is definitely a surprise, but it is much appreciated especially after all the upbeat energy that has come before it. Since it is a ballad, Breathing is vocally centric and the members do a pretty good job. The rapping does amp the song up slightly, which I am okay about, and it acts as a great segue to add extra instrumentation to the acoustic guitars we get at the start. They seemed to have amped it a little too much with the extra instrumentation. So once the extra instrumentation settles, Breathing loses that soothing and calming nature of the start. I felt that they could have pulled a bit back to make this song stand out from the rest. (7/10)

Overall Album Rating – 7.9/10