After that Easter long weekend and another unscheduled mini-break the last two days. I am officially back with new song and album reviews. And starting it all off is a review for what seems to be the biggest release of the week – IVE’s first studio length album I’ve IVE and their latest title track I AM. This follows a big year from the female group who rose to the top of the charts with hits like ELEVEN, LOVE DIVE and After LIKE. And so far, they are definitely replicating a similar amount of success with their pre-release single Kitsch which was released at the end of March ahead of I’ve IVE and I AM.

I AM now carries the torch of being the next IVE hit, and it is definitely shaping up to be just that. I AM is a grand track, bringing a very satisfying dose of powerful pop to the table. I like how the production of the song and the members themselves don’t hold back, and this really helps make I AM even more compelling listen. I enjoyed the dynamic nature of the pop instrumental. The consistency of it and the very upbeat tempo also kept I AM exciting from the get-go. The vocals were consistently strong throughout the length of I AM. From the softer and lower tones opted for in the pre-choruses to the higher pitch high notes in the chorus, everything pretty much impressed me. The “I am on my way~” line in the verses was the catchiest (and my most favourite part of the song), ringing in my mind even after the song had finished playing. The other hooks and melodies present in the chorus were also super addictive – all of which had kept me coming back for more. As for the rapping, I think Gaeul’s efforts in I AM shows redemption. I didn’t enjoy the rapping as much in Kitsch. But in I AM, the rapping felt lively and carried the momentum from the chorus preceding super well. The energy that comes off the final chorus was just the icing on the cake. Overall, I am definitely singing praises for I AM.

I wondered how the producers would top the music video. After LIKE featured a firework display as its final surprise to end the video. That seems hard to top off. But I AM surprised us with a jet taking off, followed by the members walking a catwalk on the runway. It definitely channeled the peak and energy of the song/final chorus super well and made it a very wowing moment in the video. Another OMG moment in the video is when Wonyoung backflipped off the plane. That was super cool, but not advisable in real life. The video definitely does a great job of showing boldness and confidence, the latter is essentially what the song is about. My only tweak would be to remove the golden elegant room setting where they performed the second chorus in. I think it was a very soft element to the video, whilst everything else was bold and striking.

Choreography-wise, I AM showcases a strong routine from the group. No move stands out by itself, but that doesn’t affect the impression I get from the watching the performance. It just consistent throughout. I did like how the choreography does amp up in the bridge and final choruses, carrying out the energy that I discussed with regards to the final chorus in a super fulfilling manner to watch. I do hope Rei recovers from her health issue soon and rejoin the rest of the group on the stage during the promotions (But definitely health first!).

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 9.3/10