[Album Review] bomb (3rd Mini Album) – ILLIT

Next up for an album review is ILLIT’s bomb, their 3rd mini-album, which dropped in June last year. It features 5 songs, including the title track Do The Dance and the follow-up single Jellyous. This mini-album follows on from their 2nd mini-album, I’LL LIKE YOU, which was released in October 2024 and precedes the release of their successful NOT CUTE ANYMORE single in November 2025.

bomb is a consistent album, with all the songs on par with one another. One thing I really appreciated about bomb is that it goes full circle. The first and last songs on the mini-album felt similar, while the middle three had an energetic vibe. Read on to learn more about the individual songs below.

1. Little Monster – bomb begins strongly with a light synth-pop trackl that feels appropriately ILLIT. This light synth-pop backing creates a soft, dreamy atmosphere that also eases us into the mini-album. The vocals in Little Monster were stunning. The English lines in the verse were delivered crisply, while the airy, higher-pitched delivery of the “I don’t want to know” hook complements the light instrumentation and is so catchy. (9/10)

2. Do The Dance (Title Track) – Since reviewing the track, Do The Dance has grown immensely on me, thanks to it being so catchy. I think my original song rating was a little harsh, so I bumped Do The Dance to 9/10, but my thoughts in the original review still stand. Click here for my review of Do The Dance. (9/10)

3. Jellyous – The follow-up promotional single for bomb was Jellyous, receiving a music video and promoted on the weekly music shows. Jellyous is a cute number, featuring a bouncy beat and synths that are reminiscent of retro 8-bit games. The members sound great as they sing through the track, but Iroha’s rap-speak line in the second verse comes in at the right time to stand out and leave an impression on me. (8/10)

4. Oops – ILLIT enters groovier disco-like territory with Oops. It’s super fun and energetic. I like the earwormy, flute-like sound that follows the choruses, and the downward-spiral synth motif in the bridge was unexpected but so playful. Playful is also how I would best describe ILLIT in Oops. (8/10)

5. 밤소풍 – Bamsopoong (or Night Picnic; literal English translation) returns us to where bomb started. The album’s final song features retro lo-fi instrumental that creates a dreamy atmosphere similar to the first song. The vintage tinge to their vocals was a nice touch. It was a lovely way to end the mini-album. (8/10)