Author: kpopreviewed

Hi, my name is Tony and I am the man behind the site, kpopreviewed. Currently an university student who wants to introduce people to KPOP and if you are already into KPOP, different groups and bands.

[Album Review] Hello Chapter 1: Hello, Stanger (1st Mini Album) – CIX

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It is always exciting to write album reviews for groups that had just debut. As there is a very high chance that I will be following their careers through albums reviews for as long as they are around. CIX debuted two weeks ago with Hello Chapter 1: Hello, Stranger. They have also won a music show award with their new track, Movie Star. This made them the fastest male group to win a music show award after debuting (i.e. 7 days). Let’s see the album that helped contribute to this win!

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Hello Chapter 1: Hello Stranger Album Cover

1..What You Wanted – Kicking off their debut mini-album is What You Wanted. The song has a very nice sleek feel. The instrumental is very standard and feels very weighted. But this is a good thing as it gives rise of their ‘downward melody’ that they feature in the chorus. And this downward melody was very catchy, meaning the album opened with a memorable tone. Likewise, the vocals were quite good. The rapping was a little hit and miss for me. I thought the first half of the rapping was good. But things got messy during the second half of the chorus. (8/10)

2. Movie Star (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Movie Star. (9.5/10)

3. Like It That Way – We move to something a little brighter through Like It That Way. The instrumental primarily features a reggae beat. There is a little more percussion to it as the song progresses. But overall, I would consider the track to be light in terms of its tone. Other than that, I thought the singing was okay. It doesn’t really showcase anything new, which is my overall impression of the song as well. The rapping manages to give it a little more definition. But it really isn’t enough to really make it memorable. It is more of a skippable song if I was to describe it in some way. (6.5/10)

4. Imagine – And now we move onto a track with a more upbeat nature, in conjunction with the song’s previous brighter tone. With the way the song directs itself to the pop genre, I already find it more captivating than the preceding track. There are a little disco and groovy influence on the song instrumental, which really helps make the song slightly more memorable. Unfortunately, I did think the member’s vocals were a little weak. I think if they managed to boost their vocals with some sort of definition aid, I think they would have stood out more. With that said, I find the rapping and Jinyoung’s whispering in the bridge to be my picks for more captivating moments of the song. (7.5/10)

5. The One – To me, The One finds itself within a very typical territory. It does have a feel of a ballad, as it does lack loudness and energy. But the instrumental was more dance centred, with synths present and an R&B tone to really bring everything together nicely. I find their execution of the different elements to be very interesting. I have been unimpressed with the vocal work for the last two tracks on the album. But I found the vocal work to be very nice here. Sure, there aren’t new techniques being shown off. But it sounds really well balanced over the synth R&B instrumental. The rapping had some oophm to it, which I thought was very cool as well. It ended the album in a wholesome way, based on its message as well. (8.5/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8/10

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Hello Chapter 1: Hello, Stranger Teaser Image

[Review] BIM BAM BUM – Rocket Punch

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Joining the comeback rush this week is a new group. Rocket Punch comes from Woolim Entertainment, the same company that houses Infinite, Lovelyz and Golden Child. They are a six-member girl group who debuted yesterday with BIM BAM BUM. The lineup of the group is as follows: Juri, Yeonhee, Suyun, Yunkyoung, Sohee and Dahyun. Based on their profile (link here), Juri is a former member of AKB48, who also participated in Produce 48. Earlier this year, she graduated from the Japanese group after deciding to pursue a KPOP career. Suyun and Sohee also participated in the show but were eliminated from the survival show.

I am on the fence when it comes to this track. BIM BAM BUM serves as the debut track for Rocket Punch and it attempts to tackle the bright and cutesy side of KPOP that majority of KPOP girl groups debut with. And it is because of that, the song comes off as generic and standard. I found the verses to be very dull. The instrumental doesn’t really add much to the verses besides being a light background piece. Their voices just don’t sound captivating. The slowdown that they incorporated into the bridge wasn’t that great. If anything, it dulled the song down a little. Once we get towards the end of the song, I noticed that the sound was rather repetitive. But as I said, I am on the fence. I cannot deny how good the hooks are in this song. I could see it growing on me. There are two different choruses, which later morphs into one for the final chorus. I thought this was interesting and played with the structure in a slightly unique way. And the chorus had a nice kick and colour to it, which makes the hooks even more addictive.  Though that was interesting. Apart from that, it looks like the disappointing side of the track is winning. 

With a track like this, the music video is exactly how I had expected it. The video features a fair bit of colour. It seems like the girls are like aliens, based on the way they interact with the cheetah while eating their popsicles and the fact they have some sort of ray shooting out of their hands when they do gun formations. And maybe they are on a different planet, as when they shoot things, candy comes out. Other than that, I found a bit plain. The story isn’t much and the rest of the video was just closeup and choreography. There really isn’t anything dynamic to talk about.

The chorus is pretty nice. Nothing that impressive. But I did like the various formations they pulled off and the hand movement they did when they sang the title of the song. I also liked their energy and they seemed to handle their performance well despite being newly debuted.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 6.2/10

[Review] Run Away – IN2IT

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It has been a while since we heard from IN2IT. I have discussed this before, that large gaps don’t really do well for smaller groups in the industry. So it will be interesting to see how IN2IT will bounce back from this gap. Doing a quick search of my site (which you can do yourself in the grey area at the bottom of each page) shows that their last comeback (Sorry For My English) that I reviewed was one year ago. But finally, the group has managed to stop that gap by returning with their latest single, Run Away, today.

I don’t think we ever heard IN2IT do such a song with an edgy vibe. It is hard to categorise all of their songs into one category, mainly because they have all been different from one another. But as soon as the song kicked off with its rock instrumental, you know that this song showcases a completely different side of the group. While the song does have a rock style, the song still manages to come off as a dance track, rather than a band track. There is an air of typicalness as the song doesn’t manage to showcase anything ‘new’ or ‘different’. But there is some freshness due to the instrumental. I thought the vocals were great. But I think the winning element for this song was the rapping (as I have mentioned a number of times already for other tracks). This track really zoned into the rapping and allowed the rappers to show their intensity without being overly rough and feel out of place. I also enjoyed the bridge and that launch into the final chorus, which effectively built some suspense up before closing out the song. Overall, Run Away is a cool song. 

I think the typicalness is felt most during the music video. Minus the standard choreography and closeup (these were quite good) combination that this music video went for, there isn’t much else in the video to talk about. With a song titled Run Away, there is a bit of running in the video. But rather from capture or some crazed life-threatening situation, the group seems to be running away from darkness. So that ending with them happy and smiley, just felt dull. I just felt they could have been a little more creative with the music video, in other words.

Unlike the music video, the choreography joins the ranks with the song by being the better elements of the comeback. The intensity they showed really went well with the song’s edgy nature. Even though it does have that ‘done before’ style, the performance still looked quite cool.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.7/10

[Album Review] Lion Heart (5th Studio Album) – SNSD

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SNSD is one of the groups that have members under different companies. Based on history, groups like these don’t come back at all as schedules just do not align. However, it seems like SNSD could potentially be one of the first to return. There are ongoing rumours of a 2019 comeback and it seems like the 8 members are actively speaking to one another despite their different schedules. Fingers Crossed!!! Let’s hope for a comeback from this legendary group! In the meantime, I decided to review their Lion Heart album, which was released in 2015. This was also the first album after Jessica departed from the group.

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Lion Heart Album Cover

1..Lion Heart (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Lion Heart. (6.5/10)

2. You Think (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for You Think. (8/10)

3. Party (Pre-Release Single) – The track ended up being one of my most favourite tracks of the album. To the point where it surpassed their other title tracks. Whenever it is Summer where I am, I end up playing this track because it puts you into a good mood. So I decided to bump up my rating from a 4/10 (shocking much) to a 9/10. (And yes, I identified the wrong title track for the album in the Party review). Click here to read the original review for Party. (9/10)

4. One Afternoon (어떤 오후) – There is a sense of elegance to One Afternoon, which is different from the three preceding tracks before it. The track features soft jazz instrumental that I find to be quite likeable. Usually, I am not a fan of a song like this. But this one surprised me as being quite pleasant and enjoyable. The vocal work was also quite pleasant, with the member using a lighter tone to compliment the soft nature of the track. Visually, I think the song would pair well with the 1920s style outfit they wore for Lion Heart. (8/10)

5. Show Girls – Show Girls was previously released as a Japanese song. But since the album goes for an old fashion retro theme, the track is very suitable for the album. The verses take a sensual 1920s approach, which I think was very interesting. But what I love the best is the blast of energy we get from the catchy and energetic chorus. The contrast ended up being bold and I think that is a defining characteristic of the track. So bold that when you think about it, the two shouldn’t really go together. But somehow SNSD managed to pull it off well. (9/10)

6. Fire Alarm – We now get something a little more modern, joining the ranks of You Think and Party. Fire Alarm is a pop dance track that brings out the vocal dynamics of the group. The vocals during the chorus were loud to avoid being covered up by the instrumental. The vocals on the album thus far have been on the softer side, so it is nice to hear something a little more hard-hitting. And in combination with the instrumental, Fire Alarm becomes punchy, making this a standout for me. (8/10)

7. Talk Talk – Talk Talk is a standard pop track. There isn’t anything that great about the song that blew me away or got me interested in the track. There were a few minor things but they don’t really change my initial feelings regarding the song. There are some Western pop vibes in the track which I managed to catch. It does give a tinge of nostalgia, which was nice. The vocals were also pretty good, especially with the ad-libs at the end. But as I said, these weren’t enough to keep me from skipping to the next track. (7/10)

8. Green Light – Green Light, at first sounded like another pop track. But I found the melody of the chorus to be very appealing. It is a very fluffy type of song, which isn’t my style at all. But I guess we all have our guilty pleasures occasionally. I also liked the epic style of the countdown that launched us into the chorus. It is a different pairing than usual but it sounded good. I also enjoyed the rapping, giving the song some texture and preventing it from becoming too repetitive as a result. (8/10)

9. Paradise – Paradise is actually an impressive track. I did not expect something to be so catchy out of this one, given how it started with the ‘P P P Paradise’. I thought it was childish and potentially annoying. But rather, it grew on me and I quite enjoy it (to the point where I sing along). It is another pop track, so the instrumental doesn’t really make it memorable. But the vocals were fantastic in the track. The melody was very pretty and allowed for the vocals to shine in this bright song. (9/10)

10. Check – If you read through my Party review (link above), I mistakenly identified that this was the title track for the album at the time of writing the Party review. I think I got some information from a forum. Based on this, I don’t think I will ever use a forum as a ‘source of information’ for several reasons. The first, the group and company opted for a different title track. Secondly, Check is a very sluggish song that would not have gotten much fanfare if it was selected for continuous promotion for 3 or 4 weeks. The vocals weren’t great, and I pretty much remember skipping over the track when I saw the side promotion of it during the first week of the comeback. (4/10)

11. Sign – Positioned after the disappointing Check, Sign comes off as cool and dynamic. There is an edgy sound to the track thanks to the electric and synth-based instrumental and I think this track directly compliments the likes of You Think. I particularly liked the vocals in the song. While the instrumental seemed to go for a mid-tempo speed, the vocals were dragged out. I liked the contrast and thought it created a very alluring atmosphere. The song doesn’t have a catchy element too, but I think the vocal and instrumental combination makes it memorable. (9/10)

12. Bump It – Bump It starts off as a ballad. And then it takes a 180° turn to become a hip-hop/R&B dance track. Come to the think of it, Bump It doesn’t sound like a ballad whatsoever, so I guess the change is definitely a step in the right direction. And reading the lyrics, I feel like that ballad extension at the start could have been left out entirely as it didn’t contribute much to the track (both musically and lyrically). For the upbeat parts, I thought there was nice edgy energy running through it and I felt this was very memorable. I like the rap-like pre-chorus launch and the melody was quite catchy. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 7.9/10

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Lion Heart Individual Teaser Images

[Review] Spark – JBJ95

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Returning today is JBJ95. Not much has happened that I know of with the duo since we last saw them through their Awake promotions back in March/April. Based on their Wikipedia page, however, Kim Sang Gyun is debuting as an actor, with his drama currently airing (I believe). The drama broadcast and promotions for Spark (their latest comeback single) will be overlapping, so we get to see double Kim Sang Gyun (which I am sure fans will be thrilled for). Their 3rd mini-album also shares the same name as the song’s title.

Spark is a style that I quite enjoy. There is a little something uplifting with its sound and I tend to really become swayed by this element. There is also a very warm feeling to the song, as it shows a sense of nostalgia. The song talks about the moment in which we start feeling sparks because of someone, which I think many people can relate to. And hence why the song manages to hit the mark for me. The vocals are quite nice. Like the dance instrumental, it is very light and inviting, which really appeals to my tastes. And I like how the rapping manages to follow through with this. The rapping, which sometimes can really be a completely separate element in a song, manages to keep with the tone of the song. It did add a tiny bit of roughness to the song but that lightness manages to still remain. Overall, Spark manages to spark something within me. Warm and happy memories with its sound and lyrics.

The music video is rather interesting. Based on what I am reading, it seems like Kenta is an author and he is writing out what Kim Sang Gyun and his lover are going through. I thought this idea was rather unique. I like how the video managed to include some dramatic flair during the chorus to match with the change in sound. It is the usual stuff but the way the video was shot looked liked there was a bit of drama in the love story. The fireworks at the end looked very beautiful, with all three people looking up at the stars (Kenta noticeably separated from Kim Sang Gyun and his lover during these scenes). Overall, a nice and appealing video to watch.

I really liked the choreography for it. It is super fitting for the song, which I think is amazing. For a song like this, I didn’t expect anything too complicated. I liked how they had parts where they were holding hands together, which I assume mimics the holding hands that they would go through with their lovers. I just wished the outfits that they wear feel a little more fitting. The red they wore for their showcase didn’t look too good. 

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

[Review] HIT – SEVENTEEN

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Also making their return today is SEVENTEEN. As I know I am a little jam-packed this week (and the coming weeks), I don’t want to fall too behind. Hence, the three reviews today. We last saw SEVENTEEN through their Home promotions. The group has since returned to Japan with Happy Ending and just announced their first world tour, Ode To You. And to kick things off for their world tour, the 13-member group brings us with another hit, titled HIT.

Getting Closer has to be the edgiest turn SEVENTEEN went with since their debut. Home, disappointedly, backed away from this edginess. So it is definitely nice to see this side of SEVENTEEN return. The track does not leave you disappointed from the very start. HIT kicks things off with a more subtle intensity. From then on, the song builds up exponentially, launching into a more explicit intensity during the chorus. And boy, this is a very strong instrumentally centred chorus. What I like about the chorus is that every time I heard it, it just somehow grows more intense, which is odd as they all sound the same. And because the chorus is mainly instrumental, the verses are heavily relied upon to showcase the vocals and rapping. And both of them are shown off wonderfully in this track. There is no doubt that the edgy sound would suit the rappers more. But the vocals managed to be the ‘calm before the storm’. And I think this way, the song ends up being more dynamic and captivating. What else do I love about the song? Well, that part where all the members singing together was awesome. It kind of brought everything together and ties everything up with a nice ribbon. Overall, HIT is a hit!

For those who don’t know yet, I am a major fan of the group. Each comeback has seen me pay attention to one or some members. I think this is the first one that didn’t have any member stand out. And I do not mean this in a bad way. Firstly, the scenes moved too quickly. So I couldn’t pinpoint just one member (though I did notice Jun being the centre of attention a lot). But secondly, this is a whole new side of SEVENTEEN. It one-ups Getting Closer and showcases a more wild side. The editing made the video so impactful and the song so much intenser. And thirdly, well, all the members looked amazing. Very masculine and sexy vibes come off the closeup shots and throughout the dance scenes.

Once again, SEVENTEEN has proved themselves to be amazing dancers. This entire routine blew me away. Especially the chorus. I keep on coming back to see how they effortlessly pull this routine off. I also wonder how they are going to sing this performance live, especially with a crazy routine like this one.

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 10/10
Overall Rating – 10/10

Wonwoo is my bias of the group (yes, I made THE very difficult decision). Out of all the members, I find him to be the most attractive (both visually and intellectually). So, when I look at my featured image and see that Wonwoo is wearing a sleeveless top, I am left speechless and need a good few months to recover. Literally. 

[Review] Bungee – Oh My Girl

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Oh My Girl has been undeniably rising to the top with their comebacks. Their last comeback, The Fifth Season (SSFWL), was hugely successful for the group. It won the group a number of weekly music shows and got the group a lot of fanfare. Now, the girl group has joined the Summer comeback rush with a special summer album, Fall In Love. Bungee is the lead track off this album and the focus of this review.

Oh My Girl started off with the cutesy concept and sound when their career kicked off back in 2015. And while the group has been focusing on a more refined and mature sound, Bungee brings back the cutesy charms the group once had. It is a Summer track, so there is a very fun, upbeat atmosphere and the cutesy charm does come through nicely.  But there were parts that felt very childish and I thought the group would have stayed clear of this. Namely, the 1,2,3 part of the track within the chorus. It just doesn’t fit with the rest of the song in my opinion. The vocals were nice. But I think Mimi is the most profound member of this track. Her rapping was very dynamic and I wished the song followed that route more (i.e. there was an air of typicalness surrounding the song). With that last point in mind, I wanted the song has a little more impact. I felt the track was 80% there. It just needed an extra 20% to have it up to par as their previous few title tracks.

With Summer, upbeat and fun being words to describe this track (which in hindsight is very typical), the music video fits all these descriptive criteria. Just it feels very typical and there isn’t much to comment on, except for the cuteness that Oh My Girl brings to the table.  I just don’t ping this video as memorable, mainly because of that typical nature that the video features.  For a song titled Bungee, I am glad they incorporated a little jump scene from a tall height. Just they do it without any safety equipment and the way that wraps up would not be that ideal. I also really like the colours they went within the music video. 

Like the rest of the comeback, the dance was fun and energetic. At the same time, it was quite cute. Nothing too impressive from what I saw in the music video that really jumped out at me. Though, I have to wait for the full performance. On a side note, I really liked their bright smiles.

Song –  7.5/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.3/10

[Review] Missing – TRCNG

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So TRCNG is a group that I completely forgot about. Their last comeback was in January 2018 with Wolf Baby. On the Korean front, they haven’t been around much, with the exception for the Paradise single they release a few months back (which I somehow completely missed). But apparently, Wolf Baby wasn’t their only 2018 activity. The group made their Japanese comeback with Spectrum and Game Changer (based on their Wikipedia profile). I also somehow missed these. But today, we are here to discuss their latest comeback single, Missing.

While this male group has done dance-styled tracks before, there is a little uniqueness to Missing that really shifts a different light to shine on them. It might be the mature side we get through this track, which is very different from their last comeback. I think the vocals were really good. For a dance track, there is a fair amount of melodic flow in there that draws my attention to the track. The chorus featured extra definition, which really helped with its memorability. Listening to the song last night for the first time. I was literally blown away from how well presented and cohesive the chorus came to be. That feeling has died down now, but there is still a lot within the track that amazes me. The synth-heavy instrumental had a touch of lightness to it, which complimented the melodic nature I mentioned before. I really liked that deep mellow whistle-like tune that opened up the track. I think the only element that the song could have used was a little more rapping. They had a bit there. But it felt scarce and the track could have used some intensity, such as the final moments of the bridge.

Watching the video for the first time, I was wondering where the company brand was. Usually, it is featured at the start of the video, But for this video, they opted for the end, which was interesting. A story is clearly told, which multiple storylines featured throughout the video. However, without the aid of the lyrics, I can’t really tell what is going on. Though, I think a strong sense of friendship is showcased throughout the video. I really like the different camera shots shown, especially during the choreography sections. But the outfits weren’t that good looking.

 That whole routine during the ‘deep mellow whistle-like tune’ introduction was probably my favourite bit. It might be the way the video was shot. But when I saw initially, I had to replay it a number of times because it looked so cool. I also really liked their chorus routine. Not exactly sure how to describe it. But it felt like there was a lot going on in an artistic sense.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.5/10

[Album Review] SUM(ME:R) (9th Mini Album) – Pentagon

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It is surprising that Pentagon has yet to release a studio album. You would expect them to do so after eight mini-albums, right? Well, I guess we just have to wait a little longer for that album. In the meantime, the group has released their 9th mini-album, SUM(ME:R), which features the title track, Humph!. There are two additional singles on the album, along with a special bonus track (which I have reviewed today as well). Hopefully, by keeping this review short, we will be able to fast track ourselves to another Pentagon release (finger crossed for a studio album). But until then, here is my album review!

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SUM(ME:R) Album Cover

1..Humph! (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Humph! (8/10)

2. Fantasystic – While I personally do not like the way the title of the song is spelt (me being picky once again), Fantasysic is a bumping track. It is a little more traditional when it comes to its pop genre. But I really like its upbeat atmosphere. It does beg for a little something extra. That something extra (I am thinking intensity or something to make it feel a little tighter) could have really lifted this song to another level. I liked the vocals (Yan An, who is absent from the promotions, participates in the song) and the rapping really hit the mark perfectly. I find the track fitting for the Summer season, which makes it ideal for a Summer themed album. (8/10)

3. Summer! – Summer! isn’t another dance track. Instead, it seems to zone right into the vocals of the group. There is also a melodic appeal to the song, which I think really sets this track apart from the rest of the group’s discography. I also liked how they didn’t take the ballad route to focus on the vocals, which is a cliché move done by many groups. Talking about the vocals, I think this was a really good track on that front. The rapping isn’t as good as per their dance tracks. But I liked how they tweaked the rappers to fit the track’s more melodic style. The instrumental is the main reason why I don’t pinpoint it as a dance track. It is a little more acoustic. But, I can imagine a little fun choreography on the side. (8/10)

4. Round 2 – For those who don’t remember, Pentagon previously released Round 1, which was a bonus track which made fun of one another. They continued that exact theme with Round 2. Though, if my memory serves me right, Round 2 is a little more outrageous than Round 1. My favourite part has to be Shinwon screaming (which I am assuming is an enactment of Hui, who he is is making fun of). And Yeo One’s ASMR for Hongseok was hilarious. I want them to continue doing this in future releases. It is different from an outro and it really shows their budding friendship and closeness with one another. (8.5/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.1/10

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SUM(ME:R) Teaser Image

[Weekly Chart] 5th Week of July 2019

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It is another Sunday, so it is time to look back at the charts for this past week! Not many releases occurred this week as I thought. But there are a number of additional comebacks and debuts that I will be reviewing in the next few weeks after I get over the first hurdle of my semester. Stay tuned for those! Other than that, let’s start going through the charts!

Making their comeback at the very top of the charts this week is ITZY’s ICY. Very addictive and such a fun song to listen to during the week. While we say hello to one release, we will be saying goodbye to another. Wrapping up their 9 weeks on the charts is WJSN’s Boogie Up. It has gone up an down a fair bit in the last couple of weeks but it is still one of my favourites of 2019. DAY6’s Time Of Our Life dropped down the third position, while NCT Dream’s Boom remains steady in the fourth position.  And rounding out the Top 5 for this week is GWSN’s Red Sun.

In regards to GWSN’s Red Sun, I realized last night that I had mistakenly left them off last week’s Top 30. I have since rectified last week’s chart, with Red Sun (021) placing in the 26th position. For more of the charts (and it is correct this time), scroll down below.

28th Jul – 3rd Aug 2019
Title Artist Status
1 ICY ITZY (new)
2 Boogie Up WJSN (Cosmic Girls) (▲ 23)
3 Time Of Our Life DAY6 (▼ 2)
4 Boom NCT Dream (=)
5 Red Sun (021) GWSN (▲ 21)
6 Face Woosung (The Rose) (▲ 5)
7 Humph! Pentagon (▼ 5)
8 Movie Star CIX (▼ 2)
9 Room Shaker Ailee (▼ 4)
10 RPM SF9 (▲ 3)
11 Tag Tag Tag VERIVERY (new)
12 Wave ATEEZ (▲ 8)
13 Blue Ha Sung Woon (HOTSHOT) (▼ 1)
14 What Are You Up To Kang Daniel (▼ 7)
15 DOOM DOOM Noir (▲ 13)
16 Runaway Teen Top (▲ 31)
17 Fun Fromis_9 (▲ 17)
18 Uh-Oh (G)I-DLE (▼ 4)
19 Side Effects Stray Kids (▼ 9)
20 Zimzalabim Red Velvet (▼ 5)
21 Give Me More VAV (▼ 2)
22 Birthday Jeon Somi (▲ 25)
23 Sunset KNK (▼ 20)
24 Snapping Chungha (▼ 15)
25 What A Life EXO-SC (▼ 17)
26 Insomnia Euijin (BIGFLO) (▲ 1)
27 Fever Gfriend (▼ 5)
28 Long Flight Taeyong (NCT) (▲ 3)
29 Dear Rude JeA ft. Cheetah (▲ 9)
30 UN Village Baekhyun (EXO) (▲ 15)

Songs leaving the charts this week are:

  • One Fine Day – Sandeul (B1A4)
  • Run Away – Teen Top
  • Boogie Up – WJSN
  • Fun – Fromis_9
  • Feedback – BoA
  • Don’t Need Your Love – NCT Dream & HRVY

Thank you once again and I will see you all with new reviews and album reviews during the week!

[Review] Famous – Taemin (SHINee)

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Taemin the only member of SHINee who has yet to enlist in the military. And it seems like he will be holding that phase of his life off a bit longer. He will be officially releasing his 3rd Japanese mini-album tomorrow (4th of August), which shares the same name as his latest title track, FAMOUS. On top of that, there are currently rumours floating about that Taemin will be joining Kai and Baekhyun (from EXO), Mark and Taeyong (from NCT) and Lucas and Ten (from WAYV – the Chinese subunit of NCT), forming a super collaboration male group in the near future (though we will find out this week with SM Entertainment confirming that an announcement is coming in regards to this).

Taemin has continued to wow me time and time again with his unique dance tracks. Famous seems to approach this unique vibe again, but it doesn’t really go that length like his Korean and previous Japanese releases have. Famous starts off with a simple beat. But as the song progresses, the song moulds itself into a very interesting and subtly upbeat track. I found the chorus to be very straightforward and it lacked that complexity that Taemin’s track tends to go for. While I have stated that simplicity is good on a number of occasions, it just doesn’t leave me 100% satisfied. I did like the hook (‘Famous’ repetition, which is still growing on me. I also like the ‘No Drama’ deep autotune that is featured throughout the song. I thought that was a nice detail. I thought his vocals were pretty good and that slight rapping sequence in the second verse was awesome! Apart from the simpler chorus, I thought Famous was a great track, overall.

It seems the simplicity feels that I had were compensated through the music video. It does not take a simple approach. Instead of going for a lot of complexity on a visual level. There is a lot going on in the video, despite it all being Taemin close-ups. Very aesthetic, might I add. He starts off being tied up. He then is seen posing in a broken-down car. And then surrounded by half-eaten apples. There is definitely meaning behind all of these different scenes but I am not confident in trying to decipher any of these (as I am usually wrong). The camera work and the dark lighting made every feel more profound and intense. My favourite bit has to be when he rips the ribbon. Paired well with the songs and definitely a peak in a visual manner, as well.

Taemin is one of the best dancers in KPOP. There is no doubt about that. The choreography for Famous takes an aesthetic approach as well, similar to how his music video does. Based on what can be seen in the music video, everything looks stunning and he further proves his status as one of the most established dancing idols out there, once again.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.8/10

[Album Review] What A Life (1st Mini Album) – EXO-SC

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While it does seem like I was very unimpressed with some title tracks, the title track ends up being on small factor when it comes to deciding which albums to review. Instead, I do a quick listen through the album to hear what it has to offer. If I am satisfied there is enough to write about, I put it on the list. This is the case for EXO-SC’s album. The title track (What A Life) wasn’t to my standard. But a number of the tracks on the album were. And hence, we find ourselves here today to have a run through the album, which shares the same name as the title track. Let’s see if you agree with my thoughts!

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What A Life Album Cover

1..What A Life (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of What A Life. (4/10)

2. Just Us 2 (있어 희미하게) (ft. Gaeko from Dynamic Duo) – With the addition of Gaeko in this track, there is no doubt that EXO-SC would continue their hip-hop venture with Just Us 2. And I think the hip-hop genre was heard loudly and clearly in this track, which I think is fantastic. I am still not exactly sure about Chanyeol and Sehun’s approach with their rapping. It just isn’t exciting for me. Though, they do manage to mellow out the song. My favourite bit is Gaeko’s chorus. His voice just seems to extend beyond the primary duo and I really like the twisty accent that he finishes with his lines. There is a lot more colour in the chorus, which I really like. And surprisingly, this colour speaks volumes, as I think this is my favourite track (with a music video) from this album from EXO-SC. (8/10)

3. Closer To You (부르면 돼) – Click here to read the full review for Closer To You. (6/10)

4. Roller Coaster (롤러코스터) – Something I suspect is coming true. I am starting to like the tracks that aren’t getting the spotlight. Roller Coaster is a ‘return-to-form’, for me (at least the hip-hop that I know of when it comes to KPOP). I find their delivery a little more captivating. The instrumental, which is does feature that common xylophone synth sound, is a little more dynamic as well. The best part has to the flute-featuring chorus. The ‘Express Yourself’ shout was very subtle yet very memorable. I wouldn’t be surprised if a few people found it plain. But I actually thought the song was very really cool. (9/10)

5. Borderline (선) – It is a short one. The delivery of the lines is a little plain, like their primary title track. Yet there is an intriguing factor to the song that manages to ‘save’ the song from plainness. The instrumental is very minimal. Yet I would consider this to be an upbeat song due to the fast tempo from the tapping in the song. There is a little more to the instrumental with the brief pauses and the periodic wail-like sounds (which was okay but fairly plain). But other than that, thanks to the instrumental, the song manages to speak volumes. (7/10)

6. Daydreamin’ (夢) – I guess to make up for the short preceding song, Daydreamin’ is extended to be a little longer. I like the guitars in the R&B styled instrumental. It gives off a nice atmosphere. There is a bit more to the instrumental as there are many sections, such as the classically styled ending. But they all come together quite nicely. I also like the member’s voices in this song. There are very different textures thanks to the use of autotune, which all assisted the song in becoming very soothing and calming. In summary, one of the better songs of the album. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 7/10

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What A Life Teaser Image

[Review] Closer To You – EXO-SC

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When EXO-SC launched their debut with What A Life, I did not know that there were multiple title tracks for their debut. I did tweet about it once I found out (Follow my Twitter @kpopreviewed). But I haven’t been able to sit down and review these tracks until today. In conjunction with What A Life, EXO-SC also released Closer To You and Just Us 2 (which I will not be reviewing separately. You can read my thoughts on the song in tomorrow’s album review!).

To me, Closer To You follows What A Life with its ‘uneventful instrumental’. So, the song already starts off as pretty forgettable, which might not be the opinion you are seeking, especially how I labelled What A Life with the exact same description. But there are differences that make Closer To You stand out a little more. The rapping and vocals from both Sehun and Chanyeol do give off a good impression. To me, there is a little more expression in the way they deliver their lines throughout the song, giving a slight appeal.  There is a little more oomph to it, which makes it even more appealing. It does stay stagnant for the most part (i.e. neutral gear). But it felt better than their primary track. Once again, the hook wasn’t as strong. But I felt the melody did have a nice ring to it. I think the song could have been even more appealing if the two went an extra mile in any department within the song. If I had to prefer one track over the other, it is definite that Closer To You comes out on top.

I thought the music video for this track was a lot more interesting. Both Chanyeol and Sehun are completely separated throughout the video, minus the very small outro at the end. So the alternating concept was actually quite cool. The song is about wanting to get closer to their crush, going lengths to call a driver so that they can be together in the back seat. And naturally, the video shows both members in the car (both back and front), along with them at the dinner table outside in the dark. The darkness makes the video slightly aesthetic, which I think helps ‘bold’ the members in the video (despite them wearing black and white, which does blend them into the background).

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 8/10
Overall Rating – 6.8/10

[Special] Produce X 101 Music Review

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This is another long post. You have been warned. 

Another season of the Produce 101 series wrapped up. The season is a little different to the previous few and it all revolves around the letter X in the new season’s name, Produce X 101. For example, the season introduced the X grade (a lower ranking than the F grade); and that the top 10 trainees (selected based on the votes from the public during the final voting period alone) and an X member (the member with the most accumulated votes from the entire season) would go on to debut in the final group, X1. In the end, the 11 members debuting as part of X1 later this year are Kim Yo Han, Kim Woo Seok, Han Seungwoo, Song Hyeong Jun, Cho Seungyoun, Son Dong Pyo, Lee Han Gyul, Nam Do Hyun, Cha Jun Ho, Kang Min Hee and Lee Eun Sang.

Per usual, I didn’t tune into the program until the 3rd round when they performed their Concept Evaluation stage. This is the round which introduces original tracks in which the members would present on stage for the third round of votes. For this review, I will be focusing on these five songs, along with X1-MA and the few extra tracks they performed on stage during the final episode. Due to the length of this post, you can find the performances in the playlist at the bottom of the page.

X1-MA
Performers: Produce X 101 Trainees

X1-MA is, by far, the least annoying out of the theme tracks. Right off the bat, it takes on board an EDM instrumental like its preceding tracks. But it is not as catchy as Pick Me or Nayana, which might be the reason why I don’t see much fanfare from the track. However, X1-MA makes up this potential flaw with a palatable pop-leaning melody that makes the song enjoyable (and less annoying over time). I find the dance breaks to be quite cool. It amps up the EDM and features a bit of electric guitar as well. Pretty dynamic. Like the instrumental, I find the vocals to not be in-your-face, which also contributes to that less annoying factor. As for the dance moves, the X gesture features a lot. Apart from that, there isn’t that catchy move (as far as I am aware) and the overall performance looked fairly complicated. But it looks good and when on stage with 101 members, it looked cool! The dance break has to be the best bit for me.

Pretty Girl (이뻐 이뻐)
Group: Crayon Pastel (크레파스)
Trainees: Son Dong Pyo, Ham Won Jin, Kang Min Hee, Koo Jung Moo, Song Hyeong Jun, Lee Jin Woo

As much I dislike the cutesy concept, I really can’t complain about it here since this is what was given to their team. However, I found the track to be quite fun and playful, which is what I am sure is the intention of a song like this. The track had nice hooks, especially the ‘Pretty Pretty‘, which wasn’t repeated too much. I also liked the pop instrumental but really enjoyed the change-up with the electric guitar for the bridge. The vocals were good. There are two things that I was left questioning. The choruses ended up going soft, which I wasn’t sure why. And the rapping felt weak in this track, which was slightly disappointing. As for the performance, I found the moves to be nice and it managed to show that youthful and innocent side as one would expect for a song like this.

U Got It
Group:  Got U (갓츄)
Members: Kim Woo Seok, Hwang Yun Seong, Han Seung Woo, Cha Jun Ho, Kim Yo Han, Lee Eun Sang

I think U Got It can be passed off as a track for a number of active male groups in the industry. But its typicalness won’t get it to the title track status. It is a dance-pop track that feels quite ordinary and better served as a B-side track on an album. That being said, I did like the focus on the raps during the verses and vocals during the chorus (which is why I say it can be a track for a number of male groups, especially with many debuting with rappers). Though, I think the group would have benefited if the song was slightly more aggressive, that way the song could have come off as more interesting and bold. There was a nice melody and it was decently catchy. The dance moves were good and I liked their formations. I also thought it was good that they didn’t become shy regarding their dance moves, giving fans a chance to see something captivating.

Monday To Sunday
Group: Daily Vitamin (데일리 비타민)
Members:  Tony, Lee Se Jin, Lee Hyeop, Kim Min Kyu, Kim Dong Yun, Nam Do Hyun, Joo Chang Uk

Monday to Sunday starts off slow and slowly builds to find its footing during the chorus by adding a club beat to make it a little more dynamic for listeners. And I quite like this, as they keep on going back from slow to upbeat, which keeps the song interesting. I find the chorus to be catchy since the melody felt very simple yet smooth sounding. The vocals were impressive within this group, especially with that high note. And I really like the rapping just before the second chorus, which really packs an unsuspecting punch as it does come out of nowhere. The performance looked cool. Their moves were good. While the song did have a somewhat serious atmosphere thanks to the instrumentation, I thought the members did well by keeping it lighthearted with some smiles. This went well with the lyrics of the track, which was all about meeting their lover during the week. It also felt like they managed to strike a fine balance with the atmosphere as well.

Super Special Girl
Group: MamMam (맴맴)
Members: Kim Si Hun, Park Sun Ho, Song Yu Vin, Choi Su Hwan, Kang Hyeon Su, Keum Dong Hyun

Super Special Girl stands out for its energy. From the very first second, the song is loaded with a bright upbeat energy that really makes me want to groove along. It also feels very appropriate for the Summer season in which the show was aired. The brass in the instrumental adds to the energy and makes the track quite catchy (in addition to the hooks. My favourite was the ‘I Go I Go‘ part). The vocals here are quite strong for a fast dance track like this. And the rappers were exceptionally powerful with their parts, evenly showcasing all of the member’s potential. The performance is probably the most intense yet. They were constantly moving and at times, you could hear out that they were slightly out of breath. Despite that though, they pulled off a really fun and energetic performance, which I think is an amazing feat to do.

Move (움직여)
Group: SIXC (6 crazy)
Members: Cho Seung Youn, Kim Hyeon Bin, Lee Jin Hyuk, Kim Kook Heon, Lee Han Gyul, Choi Byung Chan

Move is probably the most intense track on the list of 5 Concepts. The start made it sound like the intensity we would get from a tough KPOP group. But as the song progressed, it loses this particular form of intensity and opted for something a little wilder. The track is also produced by Zico, who I am most familiar with and you can sense the hip-hop influence during the chorus. I find flute in the chorus still intense but in a more subtle manner. The vocals were good but I think the song really let the rappers shined more.  It is also a dance track that manages to show off the group’s potential in the dance department. The moves showcased here were quite cool. But it is the song’s wild side that I thought was well portrayed on stage, which keeps the performance from going into a strict dance routine and allowed a little more freedom on stage.

To My World
Members: Han Seung Woo, Lee Eun Sang, Kim Min Kyu, Lee Se Jin, Cha Jun Ho, Kim Yo Han, Keum Dong Hyun, Cho Seung Youn, Hwang Yun Seong, Song Hyung Jun

Well, they always say leave the best to last. And I think Produce X 101 did just that with the songs. One of the three tracks performed live during the final episode was To My World, a very dynamic and intriguing track performed by half of the final 20 trainees. It is a dance track that features catchy saxophones in the background and an addictive post-chorus hook that I thought was very smooth and very sleek. The track isn’t too intense and it is not underwhelming. Instead, it manages to be well-balanced in all regards. A similar comment could be made about the choreography. The best part of the entire performance has to the routine during the post-chorus hook. However, overall, I found the performance to bring forward very masculine and alluring energy, which I think suits the song so well. Their outfits were perfect for the performance for the same reasons. Out of all the tracks on this review, I think my favourite has to be this one!

Boyness (소년미)
Members: Ham Won Jin, Kang Min Hee, Tony, Koo Jung Mo, Lee Han Gyul, Nam Do Hyun, Song Dong Pyo, Song Yu Vin, Lee Jin Hyuk, Kim Woo Seok

Boyness started off with a more elegant and soft introduction. There is almost a sensual vibe that comes for this paced beginning and during the verses. But it slowly builds up to a club-like dance track. It is a bold route to take given the soft start. But the contrast really manages to make it captivating, especially how the song effortless moves between each section. The vocals were amazing in the track, with falsettos everywhere. The rapping was also quite cool, adding that masculine vibe to the song. And I like how the song goes full circle, ending like how it started. The elegance is revisited, reminding us what type of track it is. And I thought the performance managed to showcase the song in a similar manner. Slow movements during the slower parts and vice versa for the faster sections. The start reminded me of a blooming flower and I thought the red ribbon was a nice smooth touch to the performance, emphasising the smoothness of the entire routine.

Dream For You
Performers: Top 20 Trainees

Finishing off the entire season of Produce X 101 is a ballad. It keeps with the tradition, ending this chapter of their careers with a touching track and thanking those around them for supporting them this far. I don’t think any track is going to top Always on an emotional level. But Dream For You manages to still be touching and reflective at the same time. The vocalists shined with a beautiful melody during the chorus and the rappers had decent sections to contribute in this track. We all know how tricky ballads can be for rappers. The instrumental, when I guess the occasion doesn’t force you to cry, was rather pleasant and soothing to an extent. It was also nice to see the trainees in different pastel coloured outfits, as opposed to their uniform as previous seasons did. Overall, I thought it was another nice track to end the season.

And that is all. These are the new songs from the latest season of Produce X 101. Hope you enjoyed this review and agree with some of my thoughts. For the trainees, they have come so far. After reviewing KPOP releases for many years (almost 8 years now), I know how tough the industry can be. So, I hope every trainee who participated this season well with all future endeavours. We will obviously see some members return in the coming months as they rejoin their old groups or debut as solo artists. And I wish the very best for X1 as they prepare for their debut.

Thanks for checking out my review and I will see you all again for the next special post!

[Review] Tag Tag Tag – VERIVERY

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It can definitely be said that VERIVERY has very big shoes to fill. With the impending military enlistment for all of the VIXX members, the senior male group has been focusing on solo activities (and my guess is that they will be all leaving to enlist soon). This leaves VERIVERY and Gugudan to carry the torch that VIXX has lit for their company. Today, VERIVERY returns with a new single, Tag Tag Tag and Veri-Chill (the group’s latest single album). This is the group’s first comeback since From Now, which was released a few months back.

Tag Tag Tag doesn’t strike me as a song that breaks ground. While the members do seem to push themselves with a more energetic and memorable pop song, this ‘heard before’ feeling was my initial thought. But with every listen I have given the song since, I am noticing a lot of new things that the song manages to do well. But that typical feel still hangs over my head. The song manages to show a convergence between a mature sound and the group’s usually energetic dance style. And I like this convergence. I just wished it managed to pick up something that makes me become more amazed. The energy was definitely a major plus. It fits the idea of using a game of tag to get closer to your lover. So the upbeat atmosphere does drive you towards that activeness. I really like how they voiced their vocals. They seemed to push themselves to stand out over the vocals, which I enjoyed. But the rapping was my favourite bit. It provided that extra intensity to the song, which in turns makes this a loaded track. The hooks are fast becoming catchy, giving that memorable element.

When we think of Jellyfish Entertainment, we all think of VIXX and their dark concepts. This music video leads us back into that dark concept with a haunted house, which the members play tag in. But it is done in a more youthful manner that wouldn’t fit VIXX.  We don’t get a sense of the creepiness until they play blindfold tag, where we see unrecognisable feet as they are playing and one member (who was it) removes his blindfold to reveal no one there. We get a sense that things are a lot more seriously creepy when their phones start picking up faces that are not there. Or when, the member who just stands there smiling, while something is registered in the background. Or that someone was watching them while they were playing outside.  Or that someone took a picture of the guy who was the seeker. The ending was probably the biggest shocker (even though I think we all saw it coming), as it reveals that one of the members was the barefooted entity all along. Very interesting video.

The choreography seems to return VERIVERY to their usual youthful style, which I guess is more fitting than infusing some horror to the stage. After all, the song is all about a game of tag. I like the energy is showcased as part of the performance and the moves that I saw looked pretty nice.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 9.5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.2/10

[Album Review] Exodus / Love Me Right (2nd Studio & Repackaged Albums) – EXO

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As this is a studio/repackaged album review, this post will be lengthy. 

I have probably repeated myself so many times but EXO has recently focused on unit and solo promotions since they are at the stage of impending military enlistments. However, in the midst of all these solo debuts, special singles and unit formations, I have been craving an EXO group comeback. But I don’t think that is going to happen any time soon given the circumstances. So I decided to revisit one of their old albums. EXODUS was released in March 2015, with the lead single Call Me Baby (link below). Love Me Right was the repackaged version of EXODUS, was released on June 2015 and it featured Love Me Right as the title track. With these two singles in mind, let’s have a look at the other songs on the album as well.

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EXODUS Album Cover

1..Love Me Right (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Love Me Right (10/10)

2. Tender Love – Tender Love dabbles into the retro-funk genre. It is a nice piece overall that had a few good moments, such as electronic 8-bit tune-like. There were some moments that I wasn’t that fond of, such as the crowd clapping sample they used for the bridge. It showed off some nice vocal and rapping work, which I enjoyed. The song did feel like it went for a longer length than its 3.5-minute run, thanks to the ‘Tender Love’ repetitive chorus. Not exactly sure how I feel about this prolongment feeling but I guess no negative feeling towards it is a good thing. (7.5/10)

3. Call Me Baby (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Call Me Baby. (7/10)

4. Transformer – To me, Transformer was a passable track. It does have an interesting melody, something I wished should have shined more brightly with a more dynamic set of vocals. The lyrics were begging for something more interesting yet what we ended up getting felt monotone to an extent. The instrumental delved into the hip-hop genre, which I thought was nice considering that EXO doesn’t often go that route (i.e. they are not necessarily known for their hip-hop tracks). What I thought was nailed was the rapping, which stood out over everything. Good job to Chanyeol, Sehun and Kai for that. (6/10)

5. What If (시선 둘, 시선 하나) –What If is a ballad. It was quite slow, and this is probably the only thing that works against the song. Apart from that, the song features amazing vocals and the harmonies are to die for. The song had a fragile touch thanks to the lyrics. It is a song heavy on emotions without being emotional. While the vocals were amazing, the vocals didn’t overpower the track, giving it a well-balanced aspect. The chorus featured whispering vocals, allowing all the members to come together in a way that gave a delicate touch to the song. (8/10)

6. My Answer – Following What if, My Answer is an even slower ballad that features the vocals of Baekhyun, D.O and Suho only. And if I was, to be honest, you only need these three vocalists from EXO-K to make a standout ballad. The melody was nice and flowy, as you would hope for any good ballad. What sets this track apart further from What If that it only features a piano as its instrumental. No need for violins or classical instrumentation, the piano does all the tone set here. (8/10)

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Love Me Right Album Cover

7. Exodus – Returning the album to its upbeat form is Exodus. It is a good track, only suffering from the ‘standard’ issue that I feel like EXO does suffer from time to time. There were a few aspects that made this track stand out, including the slight hip-hop tinge to the instrumental, the catchy chorus and the showcase of vocals. It might sound like I am praising the song, but when I compare this track to the rest on this album, it felt ordinary at best. (7/10)

8. El Dorado – Listening to El Dorado, I think the track has the potential to be part of an action-packed fantasy show, thanks to the epic vibes. I liked the vocals in the song and how they opted for the inclusion of all the members for the chorus. The rapping was very cool, especially the trio’s part at the end of the bridge. The only part that I still don’t like to this day is the ‘Find the El dorado’. It just feels like an awkward opener to the chorus. (8/10)

9. Playboy – To me, one of the most skippable songs on the album is Playboy. There really isn’t anything too interesting about the track. The rapping and vocals would be my pick for the highlight. But that is something I would mention quite often. The jazzy, almost elevator-music like instrumental felt like it was repeating itself as the song went by in a fashion that felt boring. I did like the direction, but the track felt underwhelming overall. (6/10)

10. First Love – First Love was included in the repackaged version of Exodus (Love Me Right). It is a cheerful track that takes the form of a pop track. I acknowledge that the instrumentation brings forth the happy vibes, but it felt plain. And I think the plainness rubbed off on the vocals and rapping (which felt like it was an unnecessary part in general). Sure, the song wasn’t set up to show high notes and fast rapping. But I felt these elements were not shown off as well as they could have been. (6/10)

11. Hurt – I find EXO is better with either straight up ballads or upbeat dance tracks. Hurt goes for the latter and showcases a track that could have easily been a contender for the title track position (if it was slightly more aggressive). The member that shone the most was Chanyeol, whose deep voice was well presented and utilised, such as the ‘So Bad So Bad’ detail in the chorus. One thing I did notice was that the song lacked intensity during the vocal sections of the song. But they compensated by providing the intensity during the dance break in one dynamic go. (8/10)

12. Lady Luck (유성우) – Lady Luck is probably the surprising standout track on the album besides the title track. This too could have been a title track (and there isn’t a need to polish it in any way!). I really like the guitar that featured in the instrumental. It kept the song from going overload with synths and provided an acoustic touch to the dance track. The glitchy breakdown came out of nowhere but it managed to show how the song was building as it went along. It was also catchy and memorable. (9/10)

13. Beautiful – I think Beautiful was another great track. It is one of the few tracks that don’t fall within that preferred ‘ballad or dance track’ scenario. Instead, there it is a nice soothing track. It is slow but not enough to be considered a ballad. Its instrumental feels like it is flowing over you as you are listening, like water flowing over you while you are swimming in the ocean. I like the overlapping of the vocals for the chorus, which gave off an interesting texture and gave it some memorability. (9/10)

14. EXO, 2014 (약속) – This song, otherwise known as Promise, was sung by all the members of EXO (including what was left of EXO-M). I found the ballad to be extremely touching and you can feel the emotions behind the members’ voices. Chanyeol’s rapping was probably my favourite part. His delivery was so intense, bringing the emotions of the song to another level. However, every member sounded amazing nonetheless in this ballad, which reaffirms their commitment to their fans who stuck by them during the hard times. (10/10)

Overall Album Rating – 7.8/10

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Love Me Right Teaser Image