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] Memoria – GFriend

Posted in JPOP, ReviewsTagged 4 Comments

This is probably the fastest time I have ever done a review for a Japanese release from its release date. GFriend recently made their Japanese debut with their Korean hit Me Gustas Tu (the Japanese version, of course!) and now they have returned to Japan with their first original song, Memoria. While its music video and full song were released together on YouTube this week, it will officially be out in October. I personally do not know how the Japanese music industry work but since everything I need to write a review is available, let’s get stuck right into it.

Memoria is a little different from their previous Korean songs. Their Korean title tracks have been mostly upbeat and more youthful sounding. Memoria goes for a complete changeup, opting for a more emotional and mature sound while having a slower tempo. It is quite nice, the soothing nature of the song, making this very appeal for my taste. I do find the song somewhat a little too typical of some Japanese releases but that is a common case with most Japanese releases. What I really like about the song’s instrumentation is that while it was soothing and beautiful sounding, there was room for their signature electric guitars during the bridge/climax of the song, which is very GFriend. The vocals in this song are also excellent, as the slower nature allows for the vocals to be prioritised. Overall, their first original Japanese song is definitely one to remember.

I thought this was a very nice music video. The golden colour palette felt very fitting for the nature of the song. The music video seems to show the members struggling through their lives. I think the main point is that each member is lonely but I think injuries, body image, artistic block and other issues were touched upon. At the climax of the song/video, we see each member has a friend, while the other is sleeping, meaning that they still have a friend. Once the member sleeping wakes up, they realize this and starts running to each other, with the ending showing the regrouping of the members. It is definitely a good concept fitting for GFriend.

I thought the choreography was rather nice. We don’t get to see too much but what we could see seemed very graceful, which I think is fitting for the group’s image. I did like their purple outfits during the choreography scenes as they were rather striking.

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

[Album Review] Thumbs Up (7th Mini Album) – Pentagon

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After releasing their trendy Shine song, Pentagon has returned to see whether they can pull off what Shine managed to accomplish for the group. And while their comeback may have been masked by certain news, they have managed to pull off a great comeback week with their latest title track, Naughty Boy. And they managed to equally release a high-quality album, Thumbs Up, which is what we will be looking at today.

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Thumbs Up Album Cover

1..Naughty Boy (청개구리) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of Naughty Boy. (9/10)

2. Just Do It Yo!! (저두요) – This song feels very fresh, especially when you think how most songs are either synth driven or emotionally centred. So when we get these type of pop songs, I can’t help but enjoy their cheerful vibes and the pleasant atmosphere. The song showcases very powerful vocals from all the members (and this includes the rappers). I like the instrumentation, which seems to be prominently guitar and drums. I also like how there was a ‘live’ feel to the song as if they recorded in public due to the presence of the background noise. Its chorus was also just as great as everything else in the song, making this a favourite of mine. (10/10)

3. Skateboard – Attracting my attention to the song is the repeated whistles that feature as part of the instrumental of the song. They ended up being quite catchy. It is another fun-sounding track but going back to something more fitting for a dance performance. I thought the chorus was rather dynamic with their vocalisation of some of the lines. I like the moments in which they all participate together. I would have liked a stronger rap sequence that could have been intense, which would have given a nicer texture to the song, as it feels relatively smooth.  (8/10)

4. When It Rains At Night (밤에 비가 내리면) – Given the title of the song, it was expected it was going to be more of a ballad type. Pentagon has one good ballad (Beautiful – released last year) that I am aware of, but ballads are not something that the group releases often. I like the song for its instrumental, which I thought was very beautiful sounding. Like the instrumental, the vocals are also quite nice, and I liked how they managed to fit the rappers into the song (as both their tones are very different from each other and more aligned with the upbeat side of music, like their title tracks). (9/10)

5. Thumbs Up! – Ending the album isn’t technically a fun-sounding song. It is the pop song that I tend to like for its straightforwardness and very refreshing tone. You can’t help but smile along to this song. Once again, the vocals and the rapping were all very nice but they weren’t standouts for this album. There isn’t anything too special about the instrumentation in the song but that is one of this draw points, as I listed above. It did get a tad repetitive for my taste towards the end, as they could have done something during the bridge for a little changeup but besides that, it was a nice song. (8.5/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.9/10

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Thumbs Up Teaser Image

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[Review] What – Dream Catcher

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Dream Catcher is officially back with their first comeback since wrapping up their horror-themed quadrilogy. The new comeback is titled, What, and it features on their 3rd mini-album, Alone In The City. But have they really wrapped up their quadrilogy? I will talk about that later. And if you do not have a clue what I am talking about, you can have a read of my four-part music theory by clicking here (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 & Part 4). But now, on with the review.

If there was one word to sum this song up, it is definitely ‘epic’. The very dramatic yet powerful piano start kicked the song perfectly for me, before leading into the upbeat rock styled instrumental that the group commonly releases. However, there is power and the intense energy behind the wong, which makes it so ‘epic’. There is also an urban side to the song, which I thought was fitting for the concept but definitely added a nice tone to the song. The ‘What What What‘ gave the song some angst and attitude, which isn’t anything new but quite fresh when you think about. The singing in this song was top notch but the real winner for this song is the rapping. I am totally in love with the bridge of the song, with Dami’s rapping definitely a show-stopper and the complete stillness with Jiu’s section. Overall, What is epically amazing and I am in awe of the song.

Now, returning to the music video. Is the horror theme over? I think not. The storyline (if I can figure one out) doesn’t seem to be as intense and explicit as their past four music videos. However. the same book which made an appearance in Good Night makes an appearance in this video. However, it is also seen sprouting a flower. And there is no way you can explain ‘looking under your bed prior to sleeping’ or bloody curtains without a horror context. Hence why I think this may be a continuation or at least a follow up to that concept that they have nailed so far. I  thought the sets look good and the cinematography was amazing,

dreamctacher_book_what.JPG

I like the performance but I am not 100% keen on it. I thought the moves during the verses were very fitting, pairing well with the softer nature of the verses. But once the chorus kicked in and the rock elements were more powerful, I thought the moves would have matched that change in intensity. But it looked very like there was a mismatch. But the ‘What What What‘ moments were good.

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 9.1/10

[Review] Save Me Save You -WJSN (Cosmic Girls)

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Making their comeback today was WJSN with Save Me Save You. The new release features on the group’s fifth mini-album, WJ Please?. You may notice that there are fewer members promoting this time around.  Due to schedules in China, Cheng Xiao, Mei Qi and Xuan Yi are unable to join the rest of this group for this set of promotions. The last time we saw the entire group on stage was for their Dreams Come True release in February this year.

One of my biggest fears for WJSN is that due to their similar concepts, the songs end up being quite similar. But I am glad that feeling hasn’t become a reality yet as the group continues to put out new sounds consistently.  The instrumental take on synth-pop which isn’t unfamiliar territory for the girls, however, they manage to bring a more mature and serious sound to their song which we haven’t got from the girls at all. I may have said the same thing for their last comeback but this takes it even further. Vocally, I thought the song a little bland for my taste. Without the rapping or the vocal parts within the bridge, I most likely would have passed over this song. I feel like the instrumentation could have kicked it up a notch, making the song more appealing to my taste and possibly allowed the vocals to go in a direction in which they could have been more highlighted.  The rapping was probably my most favourite bit and I am glad it got split across two sections, rather than be constricted to one part of the song (as in the past).

Concept wise, WJSN does have they have been doing best. The fantasy concept really works with them due to their past videos. This one seems to be a cross between their usual fantasy concept and the Harry Potter universe. The classroom gives off massive Hogwarts vibes, which I totally like (as I am a Potterhead!). As for the rest of the video, I have no clue as to what is happening. They end up disappearing at the end once the glowing butterflies were set free. But I have no idea why? I would like to hear theories, so if you have any, comment down below and share with us!

This choreography looks like its their most mature yet. And they are in sync throughout the entire performance, which instantly makes it look cool. I thought the footwork entering into the chorus was awesome and the rest of the chorus looked quite nice. And finally, the start of the final work with the very intense walking looks epic (Click here to see the performance).

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 10/10
Overall Rating – 7.9/10

[Review] I Mean – UNI.T

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It is time we bid farewell to another group. UNI.T was formed via the survival program, The Unit: Idol Rebooting Project back in February this year and made their formal re-debut in May with No More. Unfortunately, their contract permitted them to promote together for a couple of months hence the very early disbandment. The group returns for the final time with the mini-album, Begin With The End, and the title track, I Mean. UNI.T is also one member short as ZN has clashing schedules with her Laboum promotions and hence cannot participate in this comeback.

And with the unfortunate and saddening news out of the way, I Mean is a very upbeat and fun sounding track. It features a retro disco sound has a very infectious energy. There is no way you can listen to this song while being grumpy throughout all of it. But sadly, the song doesn’t have much else to offer. It stays relatively linear throughout the entire song, so with multiple listens, I am not too sure if I can see myself being that fond of it. I personally feel like the song could have used some rapping, as that could have given the song something to offer while also cutting the ‘linear sound’ that I described above. But putting that aside, we do get power vocals in this song, especially from N.CA, and I think that is a fantastic element. The hook is also catchy, so for the time being, I quite like the song.

The music video is shot with a retro concept in mind. A lot of the camera quality reminds me of KPOP music video’s in the 90s from girl groups. And it surely suits the song well. I also like how for some of their closeup shots, they did album cover pictures, which I thought was unique. I thought the outtakes at the end were quite cutesy and fun as well. Sadly, there isn’t much else to say in regards to the video.

The choreography is an effort to get some momentum in the crowd with its simple yet fun looking ‘horse-riding’ dance move. And I personally want to see this move take off and become the next trend, so the girls can get some sort of recognition for their hard work for the past year. I like it and thinks it fits in well with the song.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.5/10

[Album Review] We Go Up (2nd Mini Album) – NCT Dream

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Despite already releasing a full-length album along with the other 2 NCT subunits, NCT Dream returned 2 weeks back with their second mini-album to date, We Go Up. I touch upon this during my song and album review of We Go Up but this is Mark’s last release with the group as he prepares for graduation from NCT Dream. But do not worry, as he (along with Haechan) will be returning next month as part of NCT 127 for their official first full-length album, so keep your eyes open for that album review. But we are here for NCT Dream, so let’s get moving along!

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We Go Up Album Cover

1..We Go Up (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of We Go Up. (9/10)

2. 1,2,3 – Changing up their style, the group’s second song on the album consist of a softer tone but remaining within that pop tune sound. And its lightness is well appreciated as I think (apart from the title song) 1,2,3 is my favourite track on the album. Vocals were nice and pleasant, while the rapping during the bridge gave the song what it needed (i.e. intensity which pairs well with the soft sound). My favourite part would have to the chorus, especially the ‘1,2,3’ lines as they felt well balanced and nostalgic. (9/10)

3. Beautiful Time (너와 나) – Beautiful Time describes the nice memories of a relationship, reminiscent of the good old days. The tone of the song seems to go towards that direction, but I thought it was relatively interesting how the instrumental during the chorus felt like it encroaching the upbeat side of music. In a way, it presents a cheerful tone to the song, which sets the song’s tone. I am, however, not much of a fan of their vocals and rapping in this song. It was good, but I just didn’t feel connected with them despite many listens. (7/10)

4. Drippin’ – Dripppin’ is a very intriguing song for its unique sound. It contains trap elements within its instrumentation, but it doesn’t go completely in that direction. I personally think the vocals bring a slight hip-hop influence to the song and they nailed the vocal components in my opinion. The little falsetto ending to the lines during the verses added a little kink and uniqueness to the song, which I thought gave it some character. The rapping during the verses was also quite good though they could have been more intensified to make the song even better. (8/10)

5. Dear DREAM – Ending the album is a bitter-sweet song. To put it into some context – Mark, who is the oldest member and 20 y/o, is graduating from NCT Dream as it is intended to be a group for members who are in their teens. If you look at the entire song, it is basically send off for Mark. I personally didn’t notice this section of the song until I read about it in the comments, but Mark’s final rap line was “Hope we always feel like-” and the rest of the members vocalise ‘home’ in the background. I thought was well played and showed the meaning behind the song in basically one line. The sweet side of the song is amazing vocals and rapping that filled the song. (10/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.6/10

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We Go Up Teaser Image

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[Review] Lullaby – GOT7

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One of my personal favourite boy groups are finally back and I am super excited. GOT7 is bringing along their third studio album, which has been titled Present: You. In the last week, the group have been dropping teasers to each member’s solo track that is featured on the album AND the title track, Lullaby. This is GOT7’s first comeback since their Look promotions back in March.

If in any chance you are looking for a soothing song to sleep to, this Lullaby is not going to help you tonight. GOT7’s version of a Lullaby is definitely upbeat and extremely intense, words that you don’t commonly associate with the sleepy time tunes. It follows the same style as Look (in terms of instrumentation and vibe), which I thought was rather nice. It was clean and it was well produced. The rapping by the three usual members was quite good but I felt the song was somewhat constrictive of their potential. But I guess that is why we have the solo tracks on the album. Vocally, I thought this is one of their best yet. The ad-libs by the vocalists at the end of the song were amazing. The chorus was very easy to get into and I thought it very smooth. I haven’t yet listened to the song in the other languages if you didn’t know, there is an English, Chinese and Spanish version of the track on the album as well) but I have high hopes if the Korean version sound this good.

It seems like the members are in dreamland with the music video. Yugyeom is in a never quiet train station (reminiscent of BLACKPINK’s As If It’s Your Last), JB’s on a book planet, Youngjae’s living Toy Story, Jinyoung’s flying a car, BamBam’s finds himself at an oasis, Jackson’s performing at a live concert and Mark’s causing flowers to bloom every time he takes a step. The video comes together quite well despite having all these different crazy and random elements. I thought the choreography shots were well done as well.

I thought the chorus was extremely fitting when they went for the sleeping pose for their Lullaby title. As for the rest of the performance, everything was fast pace such as the running moments after the chorus and Yugyeom’s footwork in his solo dance break. It was quite good to watch.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.7/10

[Album Review] Warning (2nd Mini Album) – Sunmi

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It is time for a look at newer album releases. I have been catching up on some older albums lately and technically, this is still considered to be catching up as it has been a few weeks since it dropped. However, it is still a more recent release as promotions are still ongoing. Sunmi has returned with her second mini-album, Warning, since her solo debut. Featuring on the album is Siren (the title track), Gashina (released in August 2017) and Heroine (released in January 2018), along with a few more new tracks. So without any delay, let’s continue on with the album review!

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Warning Album Cover

1..Addict – Once again, Addict is an introductory track. The entire track is in English, which is a blessing for us international fans as we can finally understand something! The question asked is ‘Who is running the show’ and clearly, the answer is Sunmi herself. I find the track quite addictive. It isn’t perfect, however, as I expected a more powerful drop, given the build-up at the start. That could have made the track pop out even more, serving as a very appealing introductory track. But what we have here is already quite great. (8/10

2. Siren (사이렌) (Title Track) – Click here for the full review of Siren. (9/10)

3. Curve (곡선) – I love her vocals in this song. So seductive and sensual with her nasal voice, reminding me of some other really underrated nasally artists like Lim Kim. She goes for the same type of music as those artists, with a jazzy instrumentation and something that you won’t get on a traditional pop album. I also thought the chorus was extremely catchy, going with that repetition which works majority of the time. I think they could have introduced something extra to the song during the bridge, which would have made it more interesting. But once again, what we got is already quite good. (8/10)

4. Black Pearl – Following a similar path as the previous song, Black Pearl takes on a jazzy instrumentation infused with R&B, which I thought was quite nice. The brass ensures the song doesn’t feel empty, which could easily have happened. I really liked her vocals in the moments leading up the chorus. While she does bring the nasal voice back, I am not as impressed with her vocals in this song. It just isn’t as interesting as in the previous song. (7/10)

5. Gashina (가시나) – Click here for the full review of Gashina. (6/10 – at the time of writing the review. This was a major mistake as it became a favourite of mine. Hence, I have bumped it up to a 9/10).

6. Heroine (주인공) – Click here for the full review of Heroine. (10/10)

7. Secret Tape (비밀테이프) – There is an interesting sound with this song and I feel like this track could have been really good. Sadly, it serves as the outro track, lasting for less than 2 minutes. I liked the idea of her voice being masked by the effects of a recorder or tape, which I thought added class. And when that mask was taken away, we get something upbeat, which I thought was missing from her album (apart from the three title tracks) and needed kick to the slowness that it presented. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.4/10

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Warning Teaser Image

[Weekly Chart] 2nd Week of September 2018

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It is a Sunday, so you all know what time it is!!! Welcome to this week’s Weekly KPOP Charts for the second week of September 2018. It has been a big week with many new releases including Oh My Girl, Pentagon, SHINee, Hoya, DAY6 and Hyomin making their respective comebacks. And if you think that is an action-packed week, big names such as GOT7, WJSN (Cosmic Girls), Dream Catcher and UNI.T will be returning, so keep your eyes peeled for those reviews. On top of that, I have decided to write an album review for Sunmi, NCT Dream, Oh My Girl and Pentagon, so they should be released per usual schedule (or possibly sooner if I can fit it into my schedule).

Taking the top position of the chart this week is Oh My Girl’s latest comeback track, Remember Me. They clearly do not need to worry as I won’t be forgetting the song any time soon. Sunmi’s Siren, which was last week’s Number 1 Song, dropped down one position to the second position. Pentagon’s Naughty Boy also make its first appearance in the Top 5 in the fourth position. We also welcome back We Go Up by NCT Dream, who lands into the third position, while The Boyz’s Right Here rises to finish off the top 5.

As you may see I don’t have a Japanese review out this week as I couldn’t find any new releases. I am still digging around and if you know of any Japanese releases by a Korean artist, feel free to comment below and I will try to review it!

9th Sep – 15th Sep 2018
Title Artist Status
1 Remember Me Oh My Girl (new)
2 Siren Sunmi (▼ 1)
3 We Go Up NCT Dream (▲20)
4 Naughty Boy Pentagon (new)
5 Right Here The Boyz (▲11)
6 IDOL BTS (▼ 4)
7 Puzzle Moon GWSN (new)
8 Now or Never SF9 (▼ 5)
9 April Fools (0401) Park Jimin (15&) (▲40)
10 Countless SHINee (new)
11 Killing Me iKON (▼ 1)
12 My Pace Stray Kids (▼ 4)
13 Hi High LOONA (▲2)
14 Young Baekhyun (EXO) & LOCO (▲17)
15 1,2,3 Seungri (Big Bang) (▲31)
16 Power Up Red Velvet (▲23)
17 Always You ASTRO (▼ 12)
18 Hann (G)I-DLE (▼ 9)
19 Upside Down BIGFLO (▲15)
20 Heart 100% (▼ 16)
21 Oh My! Seventeen (▲12)
22 NaNaNa IMFACT (▲4)
23 Between Us Laboum (▼ 5)
24 We Young Chanyeol & Sehun (EXO) (new)
25 Baby U Hoya (new)
26 Bout You Super Junior-D&E (▲8)
27 Beautiful Feeling DAY6 (new)
28 Touch and Sketch Leo (VIXX) (▼ 3)
29 Lil’ Touch SNSD-Oh!GG (▼ 22)
30 Mango Hyomin (T-ARA) (new)

Songs leaving the chart this week are:

  • Oh My! – Seventeen
  • Egotistic – Mamamoo
  • Love U – Kim Chungha
  • Retro Future  – Triple H
  • Sunny Summer – Gfriend
  • 1,2,3 – Seungri (Big Bang)
  • I’m So Afraid –  Holland

Thank once again and hope to see you all again next week!

[Review] Baby U – Hoya ft. Hanhae

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And now we return to the catching up phase of the week as there are a few more reviews I want to get done. This review is for Hoya’s latest single, Baby U, which was released during the week. For those who don’t remember. Hoya departed from Infinite last year and made his solo debut with Angel and All Eyes On Me earlier this year.

For Baby U, he takes a different approach with the song. However, it remains neatly within the vicinity of All Eyes On Me. Baby U is described as a pop R&B track. And personally, I think this is his best song yet. Mainly because the song was quite catchy around the chorus. It is simply some repetition but it is done in a way that feels nice and laid-back. The instrumentation wasn’t that special, while Hoya’s voice was nice in this song (though I am still not too sure about his vocal approach). Hanhae features in the song but it felt too short. I feel like the song could have been extended. The ending felt incomplete and this could have provided a chance to Hanhae to have a longer sequence, which could have added some energy to the song. It is good and I like the song. Just some things could have been better.

I liked the music video for this release. We see the love story between Hoya and a friend’s friend (played by Kriesha Chu) come to life. It is shot in a home-style format, which I thought was rather interesting as another friend was documenting their love life. In the end, we see the two of them in a club and this incorporated some choreography into the video in a very smart way.

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

[Review] We Young – Chanyeol X Sehun (EXO)

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Before I get stuck back into the catching up phase of the week., I must interrupt this plan with a new release. Chanyeol and Sehun, the rappers from the widely known KPOP boy group EXO, have come together as solo artists to collaborate under the Station X 0 project that has been ongoing for a number of weeks so far. We have seen Taeyeon & Melomance’s Page 0 and Baekhyun & Loco’s Young releases already, so check out the reviews if you haven’t yet.

I personally thought the two EXO members would have out with a song that is more rap heavy, given their positions within the group. However, that does not seem to be the case as they went with a more cheerful sounding pop tune, which I thought was still quite good. As many of you guys know, I have a mega soft spot for any rappers singing. And we are all familiar with Chanyeol’s voice. Sehun, on the other hand, usually gets the least amount of lines in EXO songs and isn’t well known for his singing. Hopefully, this song changes that as he has a pretty good singing voice. There is rapping infused into the verses but it isn’t in the limelight compared to the vocals. We Young is also quite catchy, going with an addictive repetitive hook. There is also a sense of inclusiveness, which I thought was pretty good. Not too keen on the ending, though as it felt quite sudden. But other than that, it is a good collaboration.

The music video puts Chanyeol’s biceps and Sehun’s abs to work. Hahaha… I did find it a little odd for the presence of abs in the music video but I guess it gives some appeal to some of the fans. Other than that, I thought the spinning platform they were on was a good idea as transitions throughout the video. It looked cool. And when they revealed the wider shot consisting of the fake grass, it looked like they were in the clouds, which I thought was quite cool. The dancing seemed to fit the tune of the song, going with a chilled route and the lyrics.

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

 

[Review] Mango – Hyomin (T-ARA)

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Unfortunately, I ran out of time to write reviews during the week due to my studies. One of these missed releases is Hyomin’s solo comeback with Mango. This is her first solo comeback since her Sketch comeback in 2016 and her departure from MBK Entertainment. The members of T-ARA claim to still be together, however, each member has signed to a different company and currently doing their own thing, so I am not too sure what is happening.

The song doesn’t rely on instrumentation, which revisits that minimalistic trend. The first thing you get is the xylophone, which I thought ear-grabbing. It is a unique sound that I, at first, thought would be quite dry. But with multiple listens, I am totally on board with the song. Besides the instrumentation, the song is primarily made up of her vocals. I say this because there is something missing from the track that should have been there to really pull the two elements together. Maybe bass or backup vocals, I don’t know. So back to her vocals, it was exactly the same with the instrumentation. Not too keen at first with the rap-speaking but I really dig the track now. And before you think this is a song about tropic fruit, it isn’t, as Hyomin sings Man Go during the chorus, obviously hinting at something else. The track replays in my head constantly now, which is a sign of a good thing.

Orange is a very complex colour in my mind. I don’t see orange too often in people’s outfit when I notice them in the street. And if there is any orange, it is only a minor detail on their shirt. So props to Hyomin, who pulls off a full orange outfit in the video. And it makes sense, as mangos are the colour orange. But it really pops as the people shooting the video selected places in which Hyomin doesn’t look too outgoing yet blending in well. I also like her quirkiness in the video, alongside her backup dancers.

I thought the one thing that she could have worked on was her performance. It just felt very boring and she did very little to really captivate on stage. Maybe she was more focused on her rap-speaking, as it would have sounded bad if she was constantly out of breath. But I would have expected something a little more.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 5/10
Overall Rating – 6.9/10

[Album Review] I Am WHO? (2nd Mini Album) – Stray Kids

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This is the final “catch up” album review as I plan to get started on some album review for new releases this weekend. This is also the first time I will be reviewing Stray Kids’ album, who made their debut earlier this year with District 9. However, I am WHO? is the title for their more recent album, which features My Pace (link below) as the main title track. The group has also been releasing performance videos (or mv-like videos for all their tracks, so I linked down below so you can view them (simply click on the link at the title of the song).

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I Am WHO? Album Cover

1..WHO? – I do not commonly review the introductory track. But this one was much longer than most intro tracks and featured lyrics, which isn’t something too common. It is performed by Woojin, Felix and Han. A few of the titles of the songs on the album pop up in this track but I think it was a coincidence rather than intentional. I like the vocal and rapping elements in this introduction, my favourite being Woojin’s whispering. (8/10)

2. My Pace (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of My Pace. (9/10)

3. Voices – Voices is the hip-hop song that fulfils my craving for hip-hop, a genre that I don’t often delve into. It reminds me of the hip-hop songs that you commonly get in the Western industries back in the ‘00s. The song has a very impactful sound that is very rough around the edges but is quite heavy in terms of emotion. I thought the song showcases both their rapping and vocal potential, something I haven’t heard from them yet. I really like the roughness and intensity that the rappers bring to the song and the chorus was superb and melodic. (9.5/10)

4. Question – Question gets the album on a more upbeat and energetic note. In this song, we see different rap and vocal styles that we haven’t heard on the album yet. Whoever did the whispering rap section that opened the second verse sounds so good (I have replayed the song multiple times for that one section). I like entire chorus as it is however thought Felix’s English hook post-chorus extremely catchy and the main selling point of the song. The song does feel like it is missing something though, but I cannot pinpoint what that is. (8/10)

5. Insomnia (불면증) – While I did like other songs on the album more than Insomnia, I think it was the first song to jump out at me to confirm its album review. I thought the song was extremely dynamic, with its soft start and very unexpecting chaotic chorus drop. The fluctuations in the energy from the different sections is very interesting, which I think makes sense given the title of the song. Once again, the vocals and raps were quite good. But since I tend to listen to albums prior to going to sleep, this one isn’t too ideal for that period. (8/10)

6. M.I.A – I personally do not like to label songs as the ‘weakest song’ but it gives you an idea of what type of songs I like from an artist and what I don’t like. This one was a miss for me. I am not a fan of heavy autotune, so with majority of the song being filtered with the autotuned didn’t do much for me. On the plus side, however, the song was quite smooth. Vocals were good but I think some of the rapping in this song was more enjoyable (as it gave the song some roughness to offset the smoothness). Besides that, I don’t have much to say about the song. (6.5/10)

7. Awkward Silence (갑자기 분위기 싸해질 필요 없잖아요) – Ending the album is Awkward Silence, which is extremely fun and playful. A different route once again when compared to the rest of the album. I actually really like the song. The crow squawking during the ‘awkward silence’ just before the chorus was a very nice touch and gave the song that ‘not-so-serious’ element. I thought the bridge of the song was quite nice and Felix’s random inserts were quite enjoyable (also love the Australian accent that trickles in – Australia Represent!). It ends the album on a happier note, which I quite like. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.3/10 [FIXED]

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I Am WHO? Teaser Image

 

[Review] Puzzle Moon – GWSN

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It is time to look at another newly debut group, fresh from their trainee days. GWSN is a seven-member girl group formed by Kiwi Pop Media Group who made their debut last week with Puzzle Moon. The group is made up of Seoryoung, Miya, Seokyoung, Anne, Minju, SoSo and Lena and is a described bymultinational group with Korea, Japan and China represented by the members. Interestingly, each member has a Korean, Japanese and Chinese stage name, which I think is the first group to do that from their debut.

Puzzle Moon takes on that minimalistic trend that has been present in a few KPOP songs I have reviewed in the past week, though further elements are added as the song progresses towards the end. It works surprisingly well and gives off a unique vibe. The instrumentation felt like it was elements from a really cutesy song. But instead of going full-on cute, everything in between was stripped away, which goes back to my comments about how unique the song feels. I really like the simple chorus, though instead of ‘Make It Moon‘, it sounds like ‘Naked Moon‘ to me. Vocals also seem like it suits for a cutesy song so it goes well with the instrumentation. The rap has to be the winning moment of the song, as it is definitely the most intense section of the song. It gave the song some texture and intensity, which was what it needed. For a debut song, it definitely shows the group has potential. I hope they continue to make future comebacks so we can see what else the group can do!

It is clear how much the company has invested in the group. The quality of the music video is something I expect from an established group who have multiple comebacks and hits under their belt. Instead, the sets were pretty elaborate and better than sets from some other artist’s music videos. I loved the set for the choreography scene, which looked so damn good. As for the plotline of the video, I am not too sure what is going on. The ending shows the member making their descent to the moon (or Heaven possibly) after obtaining the right runes for the key. I have scrolled down into the comments on their YouTube video but I can’t find anything that explains the music video. So I am hoping someone else can interpret the video and share their thoughts! It looks very interesting and the way it was shot felt fitting for the song.

The choreography looks simple but there is a fair bit going on. I like how some of the members split away from the main group to do their own thing during the chorus and the spinning moon was really cool. I like how in-sync they are with each other, making this a very promising group (with all the aspects combined).

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.4/10

[Review] April Fools (0401) – Park Jimin (15&)

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Park Jimin has made her return with her very first mini-album since debut. Since her debut, she has only released digital singles, such as Try and Hopeless Love, both of which I have reviewed. The album titled as jiminxjamie features the title track, April Fools (or alternatively 0401) and four other new songs.

April Fools delves into the R&B side of music, which Jimin has expressed to be her forte in a recent interview. The song shows potential in the artist, proving she needs more songs to get her well known within the industry. The song takes on a mature and sensual sound without the need to go overboard with those same elements, which I thought was quite nice. Her vocals were quite good, with a good set of ad-libs at the end of the song to definitely cap off her presentation of her vocal skills. The only thing I think the song could have worked upon was its slowness. At the start, it works really well and showcases something a little different from what we are used to. But as the song progresses, it does get boring and slowly loses its appeal. But besides that, it is something worth listening to.

The music video is slapped with a 19+ rating. We open up with Jimin’s ex at the door, wanting to make amends with Jimin (after multiple arguments and fights to which she has had enough). He brings over some cake, which falls to the ground during a little pushing and shoving. He steps on the cake, falls backwards and hits his head. Jimin rushes to see whether he is okay but it appears that he had died from the fall. Just at this moment, delivery people arrive with a new appliance. Jimin panics (maybe due to her past history with him – i.e. people may know of their abusive relationship) and quickly props up in a chair at the table, allowing the delivery people to do their job without suspecting a thing. She then uses the ‘corpse’ to make it look like he is ‘alive’ and invites everyone to a party from his phone, to look like he planned the whole thing. Before the party, she hides the body under the bed. During the unwanted party, a couple enters the bedroom and start having sex (as depicted with him underneath the bed – still ‘dead’ – and definitely the cause of the 19+ rating). In the end, we see her attempting to look for him under the bed but we see that he is alive, nursing a broken back (as the bed fell on top of him), falling once again. Not too sure on what to make of the ending but maybe he is the one pulling the prank on her the whole time. It is definitely an interesting video that you might just need to watch.

A first for Jimin is some choreography for her comeback. It wasn’t too bad and added an extra element to make her performances feel a little more interesting.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 6/10
Overall Rating -7.7/10

 

[Review] Countless – SHINee

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We knew it coming but apart from the confirmation we would be getting a repackaged version of The Story of Light (which was released as 3 parts – Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3), we got no teasers whatsoever. So the release of Countless today caught me (and numerous fans) off guard. Countless is the title track off The Story of Light-Epilogue, joining the other three title tracks – Good Evening, I Want You and Our Page.

Countless takes on the extremely popular and trend tropical house genre. Interestingly, there are no rap sections. Instead, itis straight vocals from the start to end, which I thought was rather interesting. And as for the vocals, they were definitely the main driving force of the song. They managed to stay above the loud instrumentation, which is definitely a plus, to begin with. If they weren’t at this level, I felt like they could have been drowned out. Once again, I like how they sang together during the chorus, which made the song feel wholesome. I personally do not mind the bright instrumentation of the song but I wonder if the song was intended to be a ballad, given the message and lyrics. Overall, it isn’t technically the catchiest song released today but it does sound really amazing.

The music video for this song was definitely bright. I did think the video was rather boring as it went for a simple approach. There was a whole heap of spinning around, which I thought was rather cool, to an extent. But there wasn’t much else to the video. The sets did feel elaborate for such a simple video, however. But from my understanding (and how the video was released), the song won’t see much more promotional time, so a simple video (despite the elaborate sets) made the most sense.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 7.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.8/10