IVE’s 1st studio album, I’ve IVE, is today’s album review focus. It released back in April of this year and features the pre-release single Kitsch, the title track I AM, and nine additional side tracks. 11 tracks in total, it is clear that this album full to the brim with new IVE songs – a nice change since IVE has only released single albums up until the release of the studio album.

While the presence of more songs from IVE does excite me, the studio album was more of a mix bag for me. There are some standout songs (one of which is the title track) on this album, but there also some fairly so-so and weak tracks on here that I am personally not a fan of. Find out which songs falls on which side of the spectrum by continuing to read my thoughts on the songs below.

1. Blue Blood – Kicking off the studio album is Blue Blood. From the very first second and the presence of those strings, you can tell the instrumentation tries to set up Blue Blood to be a striking track. And I am very happy to say it does achieve this goal. However, I did think the vocals could have been less processed and a lot sharper, and those vocals embedded in the background in the verses could have been lost, for Blue Blood to reach that striking impression sooner. But a strong opener nonetheless. (8/10)

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

3. Kitsch (Pre-Release Track) – Click here to read the full review for Kitsch. (8/10)

4. Lips – Lips reminds me of a more defined Alcohol-Free, especially thanks to its beachside vibes and the bossa nova touches. It is a very chill number that you could relax to poolside. I do like the brief pause before the chorus of Lips and how that sets up the central sequence of the track. But it is IVE that holds back the song for me, as their vocals felt very dull and don’t really evoke much excitement from me. The instrumentation was there, but the execution was plain. (6/10)

5. Heroine – I personally would describe Heroine as a low-key track, as there isn’t much going on. But it is one of those that manages to stick in your mind thanks to the memorable melodies and hooks. The low-key vibes come about from the use of higher registers and a much lower tone used during those descending hooks during the post-choruses. The synths keep a low profile but also are aesthetic at the same time. (9/10)

6. Mine – Mine is an alright track. It is an example of a song that is quite linear and never really strays away from its backbone. We did get a bridge where everything was stripped back to vocals and a light presence of guitar. But in a soft pop track like Mine, it isn’t really a major change up. I did like the pleasantries from the instrumentals and the breathy vocals at the start and during the bridge. But everything else in Mine felt muted and uneventful. (6/10)  

7. Hypnosis (섬찟) – For me, Hypnosis my most disliked track on this album. Its elements just don’t seem to meld with one another and everything just felt jarring and distinct. There also seemed to be no attempt to try to bring everything together. Aside from the instrumentation, I wasn’t vibing with the members’ vocals as well. While the members did introduce some much-needed smoothness via their vocals to Hypnosis, their vocals lacked emotion and just didn’t have an appealing effect to them. (4/10)

8. NOT YOUR GIRL – Korea is currently in its final weeks of Summer (though at the time of releases, they were gearing up for Summer) and the weather is ever-so-slowly warming up where I am. No matter what, I am enjoying the summery vibes that NOT YOUR GIRL was bringing to the album from the get go. There is a very bright energy coming from the song, and the instrumentation feels very tropical. I liked the energetic delivery by the IVE members and how well it compliments that aforementioned summery vibe. (7/10)

9. Next Page (궁금해) – Next Page is an interesting but enjoyable mix. I really liked the deep drumming in the background of the pre-chorus, and how this contrasts with the more pleasant and melodically flowy chorus that follows. The chorus also has a much cleaner production to it and there were backing vocals to help heighten the melodies they members bring via their own vocals. This is in comparison to the verses of Next Page, which went down a similar route as the choruses, but ended up feeling more boring as it went without the aspects that made the choruses stand out. (7.5/10)

10. Cherish – Good old plain R&B takes over completely in Cherish and I am all for it. I really like how the instrumentation doesn’t confuse, saturates or muddles the R&B sound in anyway. It is straightforward and direct to the point. the softness of their vocals in this track was impeccable, and the melodies are so smooth. This helps makes the chorus stand out. The rapping, an element in many of the above songs that I haven’t really touched on, was well executed in Cherish’s choruses and was a winning element overall in Cherish. (9/10)

11. Shine With Me – Per usual with most albums, the final track on the album is a song for the fans. And I’ve IVE is no exception. I actually liked how the chorus of Shine With Me steps up a level (relative to the verses) and the chimes add a very beautiful effect to the song. The strings in the bridge added a nice hint of dramatism without overdoing it. Their vocals were dreamy and lovable. It was a nice track overall, which I am sure their fandom adores. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 7.5/10