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.

[Review] Leave It – N.Flying

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The second band that I wanted to cover today is N.Flying, who returned with Spring Memories back in April. Unfortunately, it seems like the group did not get much of a response for their new single, despite just topping charts with Rooftop a few weeks prior. Despite that, the group went forward with follow-up promotions, returning with the song Leave It (which featured on the same mini-album as Spring Memories). The music video for Leave It came out almost two weeks after the release of Spring Memories, with the follow-up promotions occurring in the same week.

Unlike my previous review, I did actually check out this release on the day it dropped. But delayed the review as I had already reviewed Spring Memories the previous week. It hasn’t been touched since. Leave It is another band track that has a that doesn’t have that same head-banging feel as the previous review did. However, it did have a Summery vibe to it, which makes it suitable for the current season. Leave It has a pop sound to it, which makes it easy on the ears and energy filled. I find the track to have some playful melodies as well, which makes this track refreshing and enjoyable to listen to. I think the vocals were nice. Hwesung’s vocals, just before each chorus, was superb. And the rapping supplied by Seunghyub gave the song some needed intensity and texture. Overall, it is slightly disappointing that the group hasn’t got much attention for this release, especially with a song like this on the track list.

You can tell that the music video was put together with a little haste. It makes me think that the company and band put all their money onto Spring Memories. And when both parties realized that the title track was taking off as expected, they switched over to Leave It. Anyway, the video does have an easy going element to it due to its simplicity, which reflects well with the fun vibe that comes from the track. I like how the members still make most of the time, interacting in a playful manner with the camera.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.6/10

[Review] EDEN – IZ

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It is time to catch up on some more reviews for some tracks/music video releases. A number of bands released new tracks and promotional music videos over the last month, which I had neglected due to my busy study load. But today, I will check them off my list. First up is a totally brand new comeback from IZ, a band who released Angel last year. This time around, they returned with the title track EDEN, which is featured on their 3rd mini-album, RE:IZ.

I will be completely honest. Not only did I neglect to review this earlier, but today is also actually my first time to listen to the track. And right off the bat, I have major regrets for not doing both of those sooner. EDEN is a perfect head-banging song that I needed last week to shake my worries away. This is the personally the type of song that I wished bands churn out as it is so energy driven and are usually be emotionally charged. Essentially, EDEN ticks a few of my desired check boxes. The rock vibe that comes off this track is so strong, which makes it so appealing. The song did have a slight J-Rock twist to it, which I think makes it more interesting. Vocally, the track is pretty good. I thought the verses were nicely melodic, with the chorus going for that energy rush as pointed out before. That falsetto high note at the end is probably my pick for the highlight of the track and definitely gives the song a climatic ending. Overall, I highly recommend for you to check out EDEN.

This music video deserves some attention for how freaking high quality it is. It is a very colourful video but the colour is used in a subtle way (via lighting), which makes fit the rock vibes so well. Watching the overall video, you got a sense of how grungy the video was going for.  However, at the exact same time, I found the video to have an aesthetic vibe to it as well, which I thought was a very interesting contrast. My favourite scene has to be when the focus was purely on the drummer, who (with the combination of the flashing lights) managed to stand out so well. And also, the forehead game was strong, thanks to the drummer.

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

[Review] Zimzalabim – Red Velvet

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Mentioned in yesterday’s review, there were two major artists returning with new tracks yesterday. The first was the rising male group, Stray Kids, and the second (and focus for this review) is the well-established female group, Red Velvet. Their title track is Zimzalabim, which may be a foreign word to some (I have personally not heard of the word before). Google defines it as a magical word (similar to as Alakazam), so definitely we will expecting some hints of magic in this comeback. This is also the group’s first Korean comeback since RBB (Really Bad Boy).

My first response to the song was definitely a big WOW! I personally don’t think any words that I would use to describe it would be enough to fully cover the immense and loaded sound that we got from Zimzalabim. The track is extremely colourful, which is definitely something Red Velvet nails every time. Every single detail within the instrumental seems to be placed for a purpose. It would be hard to imagine the track without the presence of cowbells or that zipper spiral sound. I like how dark the chorus of the song, contrasting well with the more upbeat and bright verses. The members sound amazing. I thought RBB was an impressive display of vocals, but it seems like Zimzalabim managed to topple RBB from its throne. The rapping, I felt was perfect. But definitely, the stealing moment has to be the triple punch we got from Joy, Seulgi and Wendy for the bridge. The dance break was equally as awesome. I can see why it might be cringy for some people but I think the track is amazing as it is.

Zimzalabim is the magical theme park that the girls each buys tickets from. And from that point forward, it can be seen as a wild ride. Within the current trends of the KPOP industry, I wouldn’t be surprised if there is a hidden image within the music video (There might be something to Wendy, Joy and Yeri working at the theme park and how Irene was the only member not wearing the 3D glasses at the end). I did like how the theme park was put together despite its randomness. For example, the rollercoaster ended with a splash into a teacup, and then we are shown the members lounging around in the teacup. Once again, it is a very colourful and jam-packed music video, which reflects well with the song.

The dancing has to be an additional highlight to this comeback. I thought the serious tone of the chorus was conveyed well in the choreography, while the energetic dance break was well reflected. As for their outfits, they do seem odd-looking and mismatching. But its isn’t their worst.

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.8/10

[Review] Side Effects – Stray Kids

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One of the two big-name artists in the industry at the moment making their comeback today is Stray Kids. While Stray Kids may not be exactly established yet (a few more successful comebacks will be needed to consolidate that), there is no denying their growing popularity, especially after the success of their last comeback, Miroh. Their comeback today is featured on the second part of their Clé series, Yellow Wood, which is the group’s first ever single album.

The title track for this comeback is Side Effects. I find the trance elements that the song features to be undeniably appropriate for the Summer season, the season filled to the brim of energy. Just Stray Kids manages to mould the intensity into something that I personally have never seen. The song does not stop with its boldness and bass, which I think makes it so unique. There were brief moments of silence or slowness throughout the song that did provide some relief but there was always another element (let it be vocals or raps) to continue the momentum. Talking about the vocals and raps, this song is just another example of the group’s talents and potential. If Side Effect‘s instrumental throws its intensity at you, the vocals and rapping slap you across the face. Props to Seungmin and Felix for their deep tone moments, with the latter finally getting an opportunity to shine in a title track. As you can tell, I am extremely enthusiastic about this track and the energy that comes off on it keeps me on the edge of my seat (despite the many listens that I have already gone through).

There seems to be a complex story brewing within the series. It seems to be connected to Miroh, with Hyunjin fighting another member in both videos. So clearly, the centre member in this series is Hyunjin. I did notice some similarities to their debut music video (District 9), which was very interesting (i.e. bus, security camera view, the lyrics talk about a pill, fencing etc.). My brief understanding is that the members are roaming around freely. Hyunjin seems to be on edge for some reason, attacking Seungmin and becoming frustrated with Felix. The reason why, well, I guess we have to wait until the next comeback to see what is going on. (I did read a few theories on Instagram, which seems to connect back to District 9). Standalone, I think the video does a good job of conveying the tone of the song.

But what is the message of the song? Well, it is all about being overly insecure and worrisome, especially about how this mind state could influence how you perceive the world (i.e. Hyunjin vs. the members in the video). Someone pointed out (in the comments on YouTube) that there are 9 additional backup dancers in the background, potentially representing the demons of each member. Very interesting theory. As for the routine, I think this is another fully captivating performance to keep your eyes open for. 

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 10/10
Overall Rating – 9.7/10

[Review] Doom Doom – NOIR

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One particular review that I somehow missed out last week was NOIR’s Doom Doom. I have no idea how I missed this track, even though I previously knew about the comeback. I was reminded about it last night, so I quickly squeezed into the agenda for today. This is NOIR’s first comeback since the release of Airplane Mode, which was released back in October of last year.

Doom Doom basically took all the of intensity that oozed out of the release of Airplane Mode and compressed so that it becomes more concentrated in intensity. The best parts of the track, for me, has to the sudden blast of energy we get during the chorus. It was an extremely dynamic part of the song, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The rough, scratchy and heavily autotuned voice used as part of the instrumental we got during the first two choruses was just so amazing. Interestingly, the final chorus took on board a whole new sound, opting for a fast-paced dubstep, which was equally as strong and keeps the song interesting. While the verses were easily forgotten, I did like how they focused on more of the vocals and melodic rap sequences. But while it has been all praises for Doom Doom, I can’t help but think something feels missing in this track, which I am not entirely sure what exactly it is. But there is a void that feels empty and it prevents the song from being perfect, which it otherwise would have been.

Based on what I am seeing in this video, it seems like Doom Doom has received the highest budget for any of their music videos thus far. While NOIR hasn’t really taken off in the industry, it seems like the group must be bringing in money so that the company is able to create a larger budget for this music video. And I like most scenes in the music video. All of them seem to be edgy, with the exception of the choreography scenes where the members are wearing Hawaiian shirts. That seems to be the only major mismatch that I observed in the video. But apart from that, it is a good video.

As expected with such a song, the performance is definitely very intense as well. While I don’t have much to say about it specifically, I did find it to be worthwhile and captivating to an extent.

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

[Review] Don’t Need Your Love – NCT Dream X HRVY

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Note that I have put Yesung’s Pink Magic review on hold until later this week, with hopes that there will be a live stage. 

Noticeably absent from the NCT universe thus far this year is the presence of NCT Dream. At the end of last year, Mark graduated from NCT Dream due to his age and since then, we haven’t heard much from the subunit. That was up until the 6th of June 2019 when NCT Dream (with the exception of Haechan as well) released their collaboration single with HRVY (an English artist born in 1999 and has released many singles since his debut back in 2013), titled Don’t Need Your Love. The single was released as part of the SM Station 3 series.

To me, the track is typical of what you would hear on the Western music scene or the radio. Nothing fancy when it comes to the collaboration. But there might be some good coming from this track that I would like to touch on. The vocals from both artists were probably the best part. One thing that I always reiterated, however, is that simplicity can be good. In no way do I find this a perfect song, as the word ‘bland’ might be an excellent description of the song. But its simple beat and typicalness come off very pleasant and soothing, which might sound odd to you (and hypocritical of me, based on what I have said thus far). Another thing I find that satisfies me is its timing. A lot of the music I listen to happens to be KPOP (or indie music if we are talking about my Western tastes). So to hear something like this amongst my current playlist is actually refreshing. But as confusing as it sounds, I can guarantee, one too many listen of this song can result in it being skipped for another.

The music video features the NCT Dream members and HRVY as well. And it too didn’t feel remotely connected to KPOP, which I find to be surprising. I don’t know what really sets a KPOP video apart from Western video. But I assume colours, boxed sets and flashy cinematography during choreography scenes to be key characteristics. The cinematography, in this case, was crisper and more defined than any video I have reviewed over the past few years.

With all SM Station releases (with the exception of 1), there has not been a live performance for any of the releases. So anything regarding the choreography is solely based on the music video. Based on my simple YouTube search, it seems HRVY has also dabbled in choreography before. So it isn’t surprising to see him do quite well in this performance. But ti seemed to be a simple routine, for a simple song and release.

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

[Review] Romanticism – Leo (VIXX)

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Second up on the reviewing spotlight is Leo, the main vocalist of VIXX. He has returned with his solo comeback mini-album, Muse, which features the title track Romanticism. This is his first comeback since the release of Touch & Sketch in 2017. I was prepared to write and publish this review alongside with SF9’s review yesterday but had to delay it due to the late release of the music video (I did watch the original but it disappeared before I got to review it).

The song starts off well. I liked the slow pace of the instrumental, which really drives that mature and sensual sound. The R&B instrumentation definitely set the mood. It was rather interesting how he delivered his lines. It felt like his lines didn’t fit in with the slowness of the track. But this isn’t a terrible thing as I thought of it as a nice effect. I think the chorus was classy and gave the song momentum. But from the bridge onwards, the song lost its flow and anything that managed to be showcased at the start disappeared. The final chorus, even though it recontinued the momentum, didn’t feel as impactful because of the derailment caused by the bridge. Leo did show good vocal work throughout the song but I felt the song could have used something more, like a rap sequence (I am not sure, but I continually heard Ravi’s voice in the background and low key expected some surprise featuring). So overall, I thought it was an okay track. Good at the start but a letdown at the end.

The music video was okay, as well. I did think it was bland and didn’t have anything captivating going on to be worth discussing. I did like the colour contrast between the warmer and colder colours in the choreography set. And I think the camera work in this video worked well with the instrumental. But other than that, I don’t much else to say about the music video.

I think the most likeable element of the comeback is the performance. The chemistry between him and the backup dancers made this performance stand out, sensual and more suspenseful, especially at the start. I liked that sudden burst of energy in the performance when it came to the chorus and I am sure fans enjoyed that pelvic roll.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 6.9/10

[Review] RPM – SF9

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We begin the week off with two sexy comebacks for all the fans out there. First up on the reviewing spotlight is SF9. They return today with their latest title track, RPM, which is featured on the group’s seventh mini-album (which shares the same title). We previously saw SF9 earlier this year through their Enough promotions. Once again, Now or Never will be my standard and Enough fell slightly short of the standard. So let’s see how RPM places.

RPM starts off with a heavy tone and beat, which is a very different opener to what I am used to with other KPOP tracks. I have to admit that this, while is different, didn’t feel ideal at first. But a few listens in later, the heaviness does foreshadowing the dynamic and loaded tone they opted for this comeback. The rapping and vocals complimented this heavier style, which I quite liked. I didn’t know how they were going to pull it off. But after the energy rush we got from the chorus, it felt like a lock and key situation. I also like the suspenseful buildup to the first chorus, which kept me on the edge of my seat. I would have liked a strong vocal hook. It felt like they placed too much emphasis on the ‘RPM’ repetition, which only half satisfied me (The deep ‘Boom Boom Boom‘ that followed the RPM repetition was on point, however!). I would have also liked to see the rapping hasten as we got more of it. I think that could have added another dimension to the song. While there were some weak moments, RPM proved to be a strong contender. But once again, it didn’t match the standard that they previously set.

There seemed to be a plotline in the video. Based on what is seen, I assume it is set in a video game context with a futuristic heist being the main target. It seemed like some members made it through successfully by completing their mission, while others were lost (i..e Chani who took off his controller, which Zuho later picked up). However, based on what I saw, only one member successfully got the end (whoever stopped the sliding briefcase). Based on the lyrics, it seems like they were all racing to love. So maybe whoever stopped the briefcase at the end was the one who made to ‘love’ successfully. Awesome video with really cool effects and visuals.

The choreography for this comeback looks very intense and I am captivated by what I saw in the music video. To me, the standout member for this comeback is Chani, who I think was in the centre position for both the first and final chorus. I couldn’t take my eyes off him as his moves (along with the rest of the group) was powerful and definitely impactful.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.8/10

[Album Review] WE (3rd Mini Album) – WINNER

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For today’s album review, we will be having a look at WINNER’s latest mini-album, WE. This was released back mid-May with their title track, Ah Yeah. If you have been a reader of the site for a while, you may have noticed that I have never reviewed a WINNER album before. The main reason for this was because I didn’t think the albums had much to talk about. But WE seem to be changer that may get their albums on my radar. On top of Ah Yeah, the song features 3 new tracks and remixed versions of Everyday and the unreleased track of First Love (which are not included in the album review, per usual).

winner-WE-2
WE Album Cover

1..Ah Yeah (아예) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Ah Yeah. (7/10)

2. Zoo (동물의왕국) – To me, Zoo has this laid-back vibe to it which makes it very pleasant to listen to. I find the song to be less proactive than Ah Yeah was (and this is isn’t a terrible thing). Instead, it is a light song that feels suitable following Ah Yeah. The instrumental is interesting as it relies on a mixture of tropical-like sounds and effects. In reality, the instrumental was made up of brass and flutes. There is some energy that you get via the blast at the end, which was nice. I did think the vocals and raps did not stand out as much. I think it is because I didn’t really identify a strong hook that made the song memorable overall. (7/10)

3. Mola (몰라도너무몰라) – Mola starts off with a punch. It is striking and kicks the song on a positive note. The chorus is the second positive part of the track. I find the light yet dramatic nature of the instrumental to be equally as striking as the line that started of the song. Talking about the pop-based instrumental, I found that it does get very repetitive, especially after many listens. However, that can easily be overlooked as I found the energy that comes off it is very strong and impressive in many ways. The vocals and rapping were quite good in this song. Even though the instrumental required to be loud to be this impressive, I thought all the members stood out with their vocal and rapping abilities. (8/10)

4. Boom – I have an affinity for songs that give you an explosive surprise. And with the title ‘Boom’, you expect this. But the song starts off in a slow yet paced manner that makes you recheck if you are listening to the right song. And the verses of this track continue the pattern, which I think was interesting. It is the chorus, however, that is most explosive and rediverts the song to be true to its title. The alternating between soft and explosive to be a very understandable but dynamic effect, giving the song character. The ‘Boom Powwowow’ was very catchy and I honestly could not forget this song after listening to it. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 7.8/10

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[Weekly Chart] 2nd Week of June 2019

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Yes, we are back on schedule and I have yet to break any promises (that I know of)! Welcome to this week’s Weekly Charts post, where I unveil my personal rankings for the current KPOP tracks for the 2nd week of June 2019. As you could tell, a number of album reviews are being published this weekend and I shall publish another later tonight, as I attempt to get on top of them. Reviews will restart tomorrow!

As for the charts this week, I think I am in agreeance with some of the weekly music show charts with who is on top! WJSN’s Boogie Up earned top spots on SBS The Show and MCountDown during the week and the same song has also risen to the top of this week’s Weekly Chart. Me by CLC remains steady in the second position, while Oh My Girl’s The Fifth Season dropped 2 spots to the third position for this week. FUN! by fromis_9 enters the Top 5 in the fourth position, while AB6IX’s Breathe completes this week’s Top 5.

For more of the charts, scroll down below.

9th Jun – 15th Jun 2019
Title Artist Status
1 Boogie Up WJSN (▲ 6)
2 Me CLC (=)
3 The Fifth Season (SSFWL) Oh My Girl (▼ 2)
4 FUN! fromis_9 (▲ 6)
5 Breathe AB6IX (▲ 14)
6 Run Away Teen Top (▲ 3)
7 Really Really Cherry Bullet (▼ 2)
8 Follow Yunho (TVXQ) (new)
9 Me & You EXID (▼ 6)
10 Superhuman NCT 127 (▼ 4)
11 Twilight ONEUS (▲ 9)
12 Birthday Jeon Somi (new)
13 Eclipse GOT7 (▼ 9)
14 UNDER COVER A.C.E (▲ 8)
15 Reminisce About All ONEWE (▲ 20)
16 Begin Again Kim Jae Hwan (▼ 8)
17 Hold On Me Nam Woohyun (Infinite) (▼ 1)
18 No One Lee Hi ft. B.I (▼ 6)
19 Dramatic BVNDIT (▲ 12)
20 From Now VERIVERY (▲ 7)
21 Beautiful Days Lovelyz (▼ 10)
22 Wave ATEEZ (new)
23 Heart Sign Ong Seong Woo (new)
24 Ah Yeah WINNER (▼ 7)
25 Bloom Bloom The Boyz (▲ 5)
26 Fancy TWICE (▼ 8)
27 Feedback Ladies Code (▼ 13)
28 Feedback BoA (▲ 18)
29 Bet Bet NU’EST (=)
30 Hollywood AB6IX (▼ 15)

Songs leaving the charts this week are:

  • Spotlight – 1THE9
  • Danger – Super Junior D&E
  • Another Night – Yoo Youngjae

Thank you once again and see you all during the week!

[Double Review] Breakthrough + Happy Happy – TWICE

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Returning with their Japanese comeback during the week was TWICE. What makes this comeback special is that we get to see two tracks (to be released back to back in July), with Breakthrough and Happy Happy. And this means it is time for another double review!  This is the group’s first comeback since Fancy and their first Japanese comeback since BDZ.

For the release of Breakthrough, it seems like the girl group is taking further steps with the edgier sound they adopted for Fancy. Breakthrough is very catchy. And that is thank to its instrumental, which I really like for its rush of energy. The brass used in the chorus has to be my favourite addition to the song, giving the song life and definitely brings that edginess that I mentioned before in line with their usual released. I think the vocals complimented the energy, while the rapping seemed to be the weak point in the track. I also thought the ‘Breakthrough’ whispering (that ended the song) was quite dynamic and an excellent way to round out the track.

Happy Happy, on the hand, started out and remained weak throughout. It felt pretty much like a typical pop track and didn’t offer anything new to us listener. While the song does have some life in it through its brightly coloured chorus, the hooks were quite disappointing. I did think the vocals in the track were nice but with a weak song to be its ‘blank canvas’, you can’t really expect much. I also did think the rapping was quite nice in Happy Happy but felt it was passable for the most part.  I think it is safe to assume which of the two songs I preferred.

A major reason why these two TWICE releases are part of this double review is that they actually share a number of music video sets (or more technically, backdrops). But the two concepts are very different. It is amazing how much lighting can change the scenery. Breakthrough is everything you had expected. Edgy, dark and there is some maturity to it. And I thought they nailed this extremely well. Happy Happy, on the other hand, is colourful and vibrant. Just like how the song is. And given how this is familiar territory for TWICE, they too nailed it.

It seems like Happy Happy does not have a set routine if they were to perform it on stage, based on the music video. So I guess I have to bypass this section for that song. However, Breakthrough did have one. And I think it was fantastic. They managed to bring that energy from the chorus to the choreography. More so, that matureness that I felt in the video was channelled well (take Jihyo lying on the floor as an example).

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

Happy Happy
Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.4/10

[Album Review] B Complete (1st Mini Album) – AB6IX

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Following the pre-release of Hollywood back in April, expectations were definitely high for the debut of AB6IX. A few weeks ago, the group made their debut with Breathe. And to continue the weekend of album reviews, today we will be having a closer look at AB6IX’s debut mini-album, B Complete. If I was, to sum up their mini-album in a short description, I think ‘this is one group not to mess around with’ would be the most efficient summary for my thoughts. Let’s see why that is the case!

ab6ix-bcomplete-2
B Complete Mini Album

1..Absolute (完全體) – Kicking off the group’s debut mini-album is probably everything I had expected with the Breathe (refer to my comments in the Breathe review). Absolute is loaded with intensity through its very robust and powerful instrumental. I personally think for a track like this, both the vocals and rapping managed to shined brightly, which is very rare. Though, I would have to admit that this track would probably be hard to pull off every day for a period of 4 or so weeks (the usual promotional period). It does bring it in line with the release of popular boy groups nowadays such as GOT7 and Monsta X, but still, manage to show off some personality and unique flair. (9/10)

2. Shining Stars (별자리) – Probably to offset the intense nature of the preceding track and to bring upon a lighter nature for their title track, Shining Star does a good job of being the middle man. While it does have a light tone, the track still manages to showcase dance elements in their instrumental, which I think works well with the group. Personally, I like it because it shows us that the group has capabilities of being versatile. Usually, we would have waited for the second or third album release from the group to get that feeling. But by switching it up slightly, the new group have indicated that they know what they are doing in this competitive industry. (9/10)

3. Breathe (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Breathe. (8/10)

4. Friend Zone – Friend Zone is light-hearted and definitely more carefree from the rest of their tracks. I like the rapping in this track, which gives the song some attitude. Not too much attitude, but more like the ‘perfect amount’. While the song does feature prominent dance elements in their instrumentation (like their previous tracks), the song does have a tone that feels like a confession song. Saying that does sound like I have been listening too much of the genre. Though, it seems like AB6IX have different ideas regarding the term Friend Zone, as they refer to the Friend Zone as a step getting closer to their crush and not really the Friend Zone that all people dread. (8/10)

5. Light Me Up – Light Me Up, to me, is a very stylish upbeat dance track that I find very addictive. There is a sense of elegance that I felt from the track, which I attribute the instrumental for. The pop-based instrumental (which had some trap influences) is very bright yet powerful, which is expected from AB6IX given their album thus far. I find the track to be quite addictive, as well. I think the song is their best, vocally. The rapping also earns a big tick from me. While the track is very enjoyable, I think the best of the best comes towards the end. I am talking about that short trap-like ending we got. I thought it was a nice touch to the end of the track and it made sense when you think of the track as a whole. (9/10)

6. Dance for Two (둘만의 춤) – Taking a complete 180° change is Dance for Two, which strips always any electronic based instrumentation and opts for acoustics and more traditional instrumentation. While AB6IX has stood out for their dance tracks thus far on the album, I guess they too are not immune from the clichés of album releases in the KPOP industry. The song seems to present their vocals and raps in a more delicate state, which was quite a nice change. I must admit that coming from multiple dance tracks, the song does relieve some of the intensity and energy, But the track feels a little too mainstream and (as I said) cliché for my liking. (7.5/10)

7. Hollywood (Pre-Release Track) – Click here to read the full review for Hollywood. (10/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.6/10

ab6ix-bcomplete-3
B Complete Teaser Image

[Album Review] We Are Superhuman (4th Mini Album) – NCT 127

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It is time to restart the album review bandwagon for this site. Apologies for completely ditching this segment for the past few weeks. I really missed this segment but it just ate up so much of time, preparing and writing it up. But now with endless time on my hands, let’s get right back into it. One of the albums released at the end of May that I didn’t get around to reviewing is NCT 127’s We Are Superhuman. The album features the group’s latest comeback single, Superhuman, along with 4 other tracks.

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We Are Superhuman Album Cover

1..Highway To Heaven – To me, opening up with a song such as Highway To Heaven, makes me turn my head towards the screen or speakers. It isn’t necessarily a punchy track with extremely addictive hooks in my opinion, which might be expected of NCT and KPOP traditionally. Instead, it relies on the loudness of the chorus, simple synth-pop instrumentation and the fact that it brings all the members together for the chorus. And I think these are all effective tools if used smartly, which is the case here. While many groups have used these techniques before, NCT 127 doesn’t mess around by leaving things to the end or take too long to integrate these said techniques, making it a very prominent and memorable track on the album. (10/10)

2. Superhuman (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Superhuman. (9/10)

3. Fool (아 깜짝이야) – Taking a massive turn from Superhuman is the more light-hearted tone in Fool. And personally, this is somewhat different from the NCT 127 that I usually know of. But I am not hating, because it gives us an opportunity to recover from the intensity of Superhuman. I like the direction of the track. The vocals and rapping were quite nice. Harmonies are something to really keep your ears open for. However, there is one thing that sticks out at me that I don’t really enjoy. The verses had only a layer of instrumentation, but the chorus felt like it had too many layers within the instrumentation. Including the vocals and backing, I feel like it was overloaded. (8/10)

4. Jet Lag (시차) – Jet Lag is the ‘ballad’ on the album. There is a rather slow start to the track but it slowly does build up the tempo through the use of percussion. And I think the vocals were very beautiful, especially demonstrated by the smoothness of the vocals during the chorus. I just felt like the rappers did not really have much of an opportunity to feature in the track. While the producers did try to incorporate the rappers in the song by giving them a hip-hop-like and ‘fast’ section, I felt it was a mismatch considering the rest of the song. And I think this inclusion made the song a little confusing. Is it a ballad or not? (6/10)

5. Paper Plane (종이비행기) – Paper Plane seems to be the most ideal track on the album for the Summer season. It is vibrant and colourful, which are terms that I have used to describe most of the Summertime songs thus far this year. The pop tune in the instrumental is addictive and fun sounding, as well. It is also an uplifting track, which makes it even more enjoyable to listen to. I really like the chorus of the track, which is a straight instrumental piece. The build-up to it was also quite nice. Vocally, I could tell all the members apart and I liked that aspect of being able to differentiate each member, which can sometimes be difficult. (9/10)

6. We Are 127 (Outro Track) – An outro like this makes me excited for what’s to come. There is a mixture of genres going on, all something that I expect from NCT 127. Apart from the ‘We Are 127’ repetition, there isn’t much else besides robustness and mysterious vibes in the outro. Hence, I have decided to leave it off the calculation for the album rating but wanted to mention my initial comments anyway.

Overall Album Rating – 8.4/10

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We Are Superhuman Teaser Image

[Review] Birthday – Jeon Somi

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Interestingly, a major similarity of the post I.O.I and Wanna One activities are that both the 1st place winners of their respective seasons of Produce 101 have yet to embark on a solo career. Also, both Kang Daniel and Jeon Somi have experienced management changes since leaving their respective groups. We all know of Kang Daniel’s lawsuit with his former company, while Jeon Somi switched labels between JYP Entertainment and The Black Label (citing ‘different directions when it came to music’). However that all changes today, with Jeon Somi making her solo debut with Birthday.

Debuting under The Black Label (a subsidy under YG Entertainment), you can expect the song to go down a certain direction (mainly due to the YG part of that track). And well, as we expected, the song had some hip-hop influence, particularly around the chorus’ drop. While it does mismatch with the rest of the song, which came out to be more of a pop genre track, I think it was very dynamic and different. But it seems like a cliche thing to do, given other KPOP tracks from the larger company, and I am not sure if the song reflects upon Somi’s true identity. But that is a topic of discussion for another day.  The pop genre verses reminded me of a Taylor Swift style track. And I find a lot of songs by Swift nowadays to have some attitude, which I think Jeon Somi channels exceptionally well through the post-chorus (‘You’re Not Invited‘) sequence. It is definitely a catchy track and it successfully reels me in, so I guess a few more repeats of the song is going to follow this review.

So when you think of a Birthday, you think of balloons, cake, presents and some fun times. Well, the music video for Birthday definitely delivers all of those components. A very large cake, might I add to that mix. So, I think the video ties in nicely with the song’s lyrics. The extravagantness of the music video is quite likeable, especially with the bold colours and very fitting sets for the video. The video does let Somi stand out and shows her in a very confident and powerful limelight, which is the only aim for her and her solo debut.

Like the strong drop of the track, the performance gives her a powerful dance move to compliment that. I also like the attitude she manages to channel through the post-chorus hook. As for the rest of the choreography, we have to wait and see when a live performance comes out.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.7/10

[Review] FUN! – fromis_9

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It is time to get back on the ‘catch-up train’. Making their return last Wednesday, alongside WJSN and BoA (review coming soon!) was fromis_9, with their latest comeback single, FUN! And with a title like that and past fromis_9 songs, you can definitely expect the track to go one particular direction. This is the group’s first comeback since the release of the forever catchy Love Bomb back in October of last year.

I think we can all agree that the track is loaded with colour and energy, which goes hand-in-hand with its title name and the group’s identity. The song is best described as ‘fun and whimsical, which I think are all words that could have described their past title tracks thus far. The chorus stands out for obvious reasons. That downward spiral effect that the chorus has is very unique. And the short ‘Fun’ punchy hooks are very memorable. The vocals were quite nice and I liked them best during the slower pre-choruses. I found it interesting they gave the slight hip-hop twist to the vocal fragment of the second verse, while the rapping continued the momentum from the chorus. Another very unique touch to the song. I think I enjoyed every part of the song. I just felt the instrumental break could have potentially gone that extra length and have been more quirky to be a perfect fit, but it is fine as it is.

I actually think this was a very cool music video. The video is a whole heap of tiny informercials, showcasing a number of familiar brands. But the group puts a spin on each of these brands by incorporating their name. So basically the video introduces us to ‘Funta’, ‘Fromi Sweat’, ‘Bomb Noodles’, Fromis (a play on Adidas) and ‘Funsilk’. Unidentifiable is the green apple drink and I think the only legit company in this video was ‘Clear & Clean’. I also like their ‘NG sequence”. Not sure if it was real bloopers or staged, but it showed the members having an enjoyable time. Overall, a very ‘fun’ music video.

I love how energetic and cutesy the performance is. It is a song that begs for a lot of energy, and the performance serves that energy in a very enjoyable and organised manner. While it does look like a complex routine, I find it amazing how the members don’t look like they went through 3 minutes of cardio and movement.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.8/10

[Review] Follow – Yunho (TVXQ)

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While I have only completed one review for a release last week, let’s take a break for one of today’s releases. Today marks the official solo debut for Yunho, one of the two members of the TVXQ duo and has been active in the industry since 2003. The title track. Follow, is featured on the artist’s first ever Korean solo album as well. Previous solo singles from Yunho that I have reviewed are Champagne and Drop, which were all special singles a part of SM Station.

Right off the bat, I find Follow to be extremely fitting into a style of music that I listen to. I find the instrumentation that kicks off the track to be mysterious and dramatic, which are all things that I am drawn to. I really like the bass element in this track, which really makes the song sound so punchy and deep. I think the vocals are a tad weaker. I thought Yunho showed great vocals, with that odd growl in this voice and that really nice display of a high note at the end of the track. Rather, I think it was the integration of the vocals into the electronic side of the song that failed him. But that was only for the verses. I found they did a good job of incorporating this voice during other parts of the song. That raspier and electronically filtered background vocals that appeared during the hooks of the track were quite fitting and gave an added texture to the track. I think overall, I find the song to be interesting and engaging. Whether if I find myself to be a fan, I guess we have to see with a few more listens, even though it ticks off a few of my interests.

I think when it comes to Yunho and TVXQ in general, a dark concept is definitely a must. What makes this music video stand out is the fact there is a futuristic vibe to it, which I found to be very cool.  Per usual, I don’t have any clue on what is happening in the music video. I did see that Yunho may have awakened some motorcyclist spirit in this futuristic world but I hardly doubt that would be the plotline of the video (i.e. a little paranormal thrown in the mix). But this dark concept has me interested and I guess I need to rewatch a few more times to really grasp a plotline to it.

Per usual, Yunho doesn’t disappoint with his choreography. My thoughts are all based on what I saw in the music video. I find his moves to be extremely stylish in this comeback. ‘There is also some attitude in this performance, which makes it very worthwhile to check out whenever it is performed on stage.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.6/10