I have been holding onto this album review for quite some time now, and have finally finished writing it up. So without any further delays, here is my review for Yellow Punch, Rocket Punch’s fourth mini-album. It was released way back in February of this year, and is lead by the title track CHIQUITA. In addition to the title track, Yellow Punch also features four side tracks (included in the final rating for the album) and one instrumental introductory track (not included in the final rating for this album).

This is the first time I am reviewing Rocket Punch in the album review segment of my blog. Their past mini-albums have never really attracted much attention from me. But while vetting Yellow Punch when it was first released, all of the side tracks perked my interest and therefore it got a spot on the agenda for an album review. The same interest remains until today! It is a strong album release and I enjoyed every single song on this album. Maybe Yellow Punch might perk my interest enough to get me to look at their past three mini-albums to see whether they deserve their own album review.

1. YELLOW PUNCH – Yellow Punch (the album) starts off with an instrumental track that is a mix of genres. I quite like the flow of this one, easing us in a neat fashion towards the title track (the next track on the album). We get atmospheric keyboards to start off with (and in between each distinct section), before moving onto a pulsing R&B sound and then vibrant electro-retro synths before ending back again with that atmospheric keyboard.

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

3. In My World (주인공) – In My World ups the tempo but continues the retro influence from the title track through its electropop disco-esque influence. I quite like the amped up tempo as it makes the song quite thrilling and exciting to listen to. I like how prominent the vocals were, allowing it to standout over the instrumentation (which already felt bold), and also enjoyed the texture of the scratchy vocals following the second chorus. The high notes were also impressive. All of this makes In My World the mini-album’s standout side track. (10/10)

4. Red Balloon (덤덤) – Red Balloon is an effortlessly groovy track that is quite catchy. If you have been reading my blog for a long time, you know how much I love a minimalistic track. And Red Balloon definitely hits the brief for one as it doesn’t rely on much instrumentally. Also, the song’s main hook (i.e., the ‘Dun Dun’) was extremely simple, but super effective. I like the inclusion of brass in the bridge, which adds a nice ‘something extra’ to the song, just to keep it fresh and lively. (9/10)

5. Love More (어제, 오늘 내일보다 더) – Love More also opts for a simpler direction but dips into a softer pop genre instead. The guitar work in the instrumental was bright and adds a nice funky touch to the song. What I quite enjoyed the Love More the most, however, was the clear and crisp vocals. It was velvety and smooth, which is pretty much my style. (8/10)

6. LOUDER – Usually, I like it when albums ease us out with a softer and more palatable track. It is just a nice way to end an album. LOUDER is neither of those descriptions, opting for loud, intensity and erratic synths. This time around, I don’t mind it. There is a charming appeal to LOUDER that makes it an interesting and intriguing song. I also like how the chorus’ synth hits hard, and this adds a memorable element to the final song on the album. The vocal work was also quite striking, though I did think it could have been cleaner. (8.5/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.9/10