OH MY GIRL made their comeback back in July of this year with their 9th mini-album, Golden Hourglass. It is the focus of this album review today. The mini-album features a total of five songs, including the title track Summer Comes. Golden Hourglass is another example of an album release where the title track was the weakest of all tracks on the mini-album, and the side tracks stood out more (and by a great deal). Further, if you have a desire to return to the warmer months (or are heading to Summer if you live where I am), I recommend that you should check out Golden Hourglass, which is very summery and upbeat. I also applaud Mimi, who is my pick for MVP on this mini-album, standing out in most of the tracks on the mini-album. There is a lot to like in Golden Hourglass, so have a listen to the tracks below.

1. Celebrate – If you ever want a very bright and poppy track that does not skimp on blastful energy, then Celebrate is the song for you. I just love the summery rush and energy that Celebrate provides. It is a track that genuinely makes me want to find a reason to celebrate by getting up and dancing along. The vocals from OH MY GIRL are also bright and bubbly. Even the rapping breakdown mid-way into the song felt right and adds some flair to Celebrate to keep it dynamic and fun. (10/10)  

2. Summer Comes (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Summer Comes. (7/10)

3. Queen B – I freaking love the tenacity and fun energy that the chorus of the Queen B exudes. The chorus is the primary reason as to why the song was stuck in my head for days when the album was first released. And now that I am revisiting the song for the purposes of this review, it is now stuck in my mind once again. Mimi’s rapping throughout Queen B was excellent, particularly in the second verse, as it cuts through the song very well and prevents the song from being overly repetitive. The high-pitched vocals during the pre-choruses were equally as nice, and also served a similar effect. (10/10)

4. Dirty Laundry – Dirty Laundry is actually quite a pretty song, when it comes to the choruses. I find that to be quite ironic. The “La La La Hoo” was very nice and easy-on-the-ears centrepiece. The vocalisation that brings that to life is definitely a successful aspect of the song. Mimi’s rapping is quite punchy, but I felt like it goes down a heavy-handed road that doesn’t quite match up with the rest of Dirty Laundry. I wished there was more balance. But Dirty Laundry was still a good listen. (8/10)

5. Paradise – For me, I like that Paradise brings out a different side of OH MY GIRL, whilst also keeping the usual profile of OH MY GIRL alive. OH MY GIRL have always had “pretty” songs, with the prettiness is a characteristics of the instrumentation or the melodies or vocals. And I feel like the chorus and melodies of Paradise maintains this side of the group quite well. But the post-chorus sequence led by Mimi gives off an edgier vibe, which I don’t register as much with OH MY GIRL. Both come together to create a strong and powerful track that I found to be quite enjoyable. I also like the brass in the instrumentation, which gives Paradise some flair and oomph. (9/10)

6. Miracle – The mini-album finishes up with Miracle, a sweeter and softer toned mid-tempo track. I like how upbeat and tropical the track was, which aligns it well with the rest of the mini-album. The vocals are comforting, the melodies were very nice and the track was easy on the ears, overall. The placement of Miracle at the end of the mini-album is smart, as it helps ease us out of from all the upbeat and summery energy that the mini-album is built around. (8.5/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.8/10 [Updated due to missing song]