[Album Review] MCND Age (3rd Mini Album) – MCND

The next album review that I want to cover is MCND’s latest comeback. It is the first time I am sitting down to write an album review for the group, who made their debut back in 2020 with Ice Age. Their mini-albums have been on the shortlist for review before, but they ended up being cut due to time constraints. But not this time, as their side tracks on this mini-album deserve from praise. MCND’s new release comes in the form of their third mini-album and is titled MCND Age. The album was released alongside their title track, Crush, on the 8th of January 2021.

2. Crush (우당탕) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of Crush. (9/10)

3. LOUDER – Contrary to the name of the song, LOUDER isn’t actually louder than the title track in terms of volume. If anything, I felt like the two songs were on par with one another. But maybe the LOUDER title was based on the boldness of the song. This isn’t the case, however, as the song opts for a pop sound and just doesn’t have definition. But because of the pop direction, LOUDER is somewhat refreshing for MCND, who tend to go for heavier instrumentation and down the hip-hop hole. I find the song to be catchy and the drum work is definitely a highlight. (9/10)

4. KO, OK! – The boxing ring sound effects in KO, OK! aligns a little better with the song’s title. The song is also a lot bolder compared to the previous side track. It kicks off the song with some hype energy through the rap anthem. I liked that the song continuously returned to this hype sequence, driving even more energy into the song. This alone leaves a strong impression on me. The members do a really good job in the song, with both the rapping and vocal work coming off in a memorable manner. The synthesizer was definitely well utilized in this song and brought great texture to the song. It also made the song more addictive and interesting to listen to. (9/10)

5. PLAYER – We slip more into that hip-hop style of music that MCND has associated with themselves by listening to PLAYER. But while hip-hop tends to allow the rappers to shine the most, I find the vocal sections of the pre-chorus to be the most impressive showcase of MCND’s skills set. I find that to be quite interesting. But that doesn’t mean the rappers will let you down because they really help push the energy and intensity of the song. Essentially, if you enjoy abrasiveness effects, relentless energy and a pounding beat, then PLAYER is the song for you. (8/10)

6. Outro (ㅁㅊㄴㄷ) – Personally, I am not sure if this track serves as the outro of the album, or whether the song is simply titled as Outro. With the tracks that have fallen into the hip-hop genre thus far from this album, they have showed some uniqueness that I find quite interesting and different from the competition. Outro, as a whole, seems to step back into that generic side of hip-hop in KPOP. It is still a good song, nonetheless, as the other elements really made me overlook the generism. The piano introduction and the piano during the bridge showcased a nice style of different. I appreciate that the dance side of the song as it potentially could rival other groups whose music style is quite similar to Outro (i.e. ATEEZ). (7.5/10)

7. Not Over (아직 끝난거 아이다) – Not Over seems to be a mix of styles in one song. Luckily, it comes together to be one cohesive track. It quite easily could have been disjointed and lacked harmony. But Not Over remains as one whole. I find the song quite nice, with a playful tone in one section, followed up intense vibe in the next. But it all balances out. Once again, the dance sections of the song provides high hopes for a really bombastic and dynamic performance. The rapping and vocal work also shows some level of skill. Overall, MCND ends the album with an all-rounder. (8/10)