Red Velvet made their long awaited comeback after almost a year’s hiatus from the KPOP scene with Chill Kill in November 2023. Their last release was The ReVe Festival 2022 – Birthday mini-album, which was released in November 2022 and led by the title track Birthday. Chill Kill features a total of 10 songs, including another title track that shares the same name as its album. While the future of Red Velvet is a little questionable, given SM Entertainment’s complete slow down of promotions for the group during 2023 and the unknown status of each individual members’ contract (sans Seulgi, who was confirmed to have renewed her contract with the company earlier in 2023), Chill Kill provides a very good dose of Red Velvet. However, I do hope that SM Entertainment sufficiently promotes Red Velvet in the new year, particularly giving them group and solo promotions. So far, it has been confirmed that Wendy will be returning as a soloist this year. But more would be better!

1. Chill Kill (Title Track) – Click here for the full review for Chill Kill. (8.5/10)

2. Knock Knock (Who’s There?) – Knock Knock continues the mysterious and eerie vibes from the music video of Chill Kill, but in song form. And they do it so artistically and consistently. The percussion and beat felt like something sinister was brewing the background, while the strings and melodies in Knock Knock is a sample of Tchaikovsky’s ‘Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy’, which is an ominous track in itself when you listen to it standalone. Throw in Red Velvet’s usual amazing vocals and this is definitely a standout song. As an added treat, stunning harmonies that adds suspense to the track is also present in the chorus. It was very hard to keep away from this one. (10/10)

3. Underwater – The age-old question reappears. Does Red Velvet still split their music into the Red and Velvet categories anymore? If they do, then Underwater is a clear addition to the Velvet side of their discography. It is an R&B track, with velvety vocals from the members. And they really nail this contribution to Underwater. I was very captivated by their vocals and harmonies, once again. I liked the presence of the bass and trap synths in the background, which helps amplifies and gives Underwater oomph. (9/10)

4. Will I Ever See You Again? – The synth-pop in Will I Ever See You Again? is amazing. At first, it was a very atmospheric introduction. But when we reach the chorus, the synth-pop literally raises it to 100 and creates a blissful and energetic piece that is hard to forget. The vocals had impact and Wendy’s ad-libs in the bridge and final chorus were spectacular. Another easy and logical 10/10 from me. (10/10)

5. Nightmare – We go back to the horror tropes in Nightmare. The verses in Nightmare are quite intense and creepy, while the chorus takes a brighter and almost-cutesy approach. It makes for an interesting blend that only Red Velvet can pull off. The instrumentation opts down the R&B path, with a strong dose of strings to really create that suspense in the verses, while the chorus features a twinkling background that exudes the brightness and cutesy nature already mentioned. The bridge was also a highlight, with heavenly vocals coming into play. (8/10)

6. Iced Coffee – We continue on with the R&B genre via Ice Coffee. This was a very nice and pleasant track. Not necessarily the big standout of the album, but hearing the members sing this one felt comforting and warming (even though they are singing about an iced beverage). (8/10)

7. One Kiss – Red Velvet goes in hard during One Kiss (relatively to any of the song above it). It is a dance trick with a very cool instrumentation, made up of the synth clap sound that goes through the track, and hefty beats and synths in the chorus. I like the power they put behind their vocals in this song and delivery they give in One Kiss, which makes the track very alluring and sexy. The bridge really re-iterates the latter. (9/10)

8. Bulldozer – The shortest track on this album is Bulldozer. I really like the deep and low rumbling or humming in the background of this track. The beat is super cool, and I really like the melodies to the vocal section of the chorus. I am not a fan of the ‘What can you break’ repetition that makes up the second half of the chorus. I felt like Bulldozer could have done without this. (8/10)

9. Wings – Opening up Wings is harmonisation, which flags good things are to come. And Red Velvet makes sure of this. Wings takes on an uplifting tone with this R&B track. The synths that make up the background was amazing. But the element that ultimately wins me over Wings are the vocals, which are stunningly beautiful. I am floored by how simple yet profound the vocals were in Wings. The end, where all of the instrumentation was stripped away, showcases how effortlessly good their vocals are. When there is instrumentation, the chemistry that comes about between the vocals and background is very harmonious. Another clear 10/10 for me. (10/10)  

10. Scenery (풍경화) – The final track on the album is a ballad. No surprises here. And with a ballad as the vector, you can expect great vocals from the members in Scenery. I find myself closing my eyes, swaying along to the melodies and getting lost in the beautifulness that is Scenery. Their vocals are very delicate here, and acoustic guitar paints a very pretty soundscape. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 9/10