Casual reviews of KPOP songs, music videos & dances
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.
Hoya was the only member of Infinite to not resign his contract with Woolim Entertainment when all the contracts for the members were up for renewal. And hence, Hoya left the group in October 2017. Since then, we have seen various videos of him practising and this week he finally dropped his first single as a solo artist, Angel. He will be returning once again with a mini-album on the 28th of March. Until then, here are my thoughts about Angel.
Angel takes on that seductive style of R&B that we don’t see at all on the KPOP scene. Instead, it sounds like a song that you would hear from an underground artist. What makes this song stand out is the seductive nature of the song. From its sound to its lyrics, you can’t really escape the sensual vibes that come from this song. The vocal work isn’t something I have heard from Hoya at all, singing majority of the chorus in a falsetto voice. There were nice moments of contrast with the deep and hollow effect that put on his voice at certain points of the song. It is a fair track to listen to on an occasional basis. I say that because the song is already quite dry on its own. With multiple repeats, I would get bored of it quite easily. However, with one or two listens once in a while, the song sounds nice.
Like the song, the music video doesn’t have much to it. The music video is presented in a one-shot format, which definitely works well with the performance. The choreography is only the main thing in the entire video. And you guessed it, it is rather sexy. Hoya has always been known for his dance skills and this performance isn’t something we see that often in the past (with the one or two odd solo performance on shows or at concerts). That ending was probably the peak of the entire performance, completely going off the sexy meter. But despite that, this is an artistic piece that shows off his skills.
Song – 6.5/10 Music Video & Performance (since they are together) – 8/10 Overall Rating – 7/10
Also making their comeback this week is UP10TION. Candyland is the title track off UP10TION’s first full-length album and this comeback also marks their first comeback as a 10-member boy group, with the return of Wooshin. We last saw them on stage with Going Crazy in October 2017.
For some odd reason, when I listen to Candyland, I can’t help but feel that there is some barrier of some kind between the instrumental and the members. As if the vocals/raps were just laid on top of the instrumental and not incorporated into the song. I don’t think that is a bad thing since you can hear their vocals and rap quite clearly, but it does feel distracting. Talking about the raps and vocals, both elements of the song were quite good, particularly the chorus, which was catchy. If this song was to be used to prove anything, it would be the solid vocal line and amazing rap line that the group can bring out. The instrumental is your typical KPOP dance piece with a funky vibe added by the trumpets used in the background. But there is something that makes the track feel underwhelming. The song has character (through the instrumental and vocals/raps) but I think it fails to deliver on impact. It just doesn’t blow me away nor does it leave an impression. But overall, it is still another great track from the group.
The music video looks quite cool. It seems to play towards a more seductive side of the group, with the solo shots coming off as that. Content-wise, there doesn’t seem to be much to it. However, I like the lighting and they used that to bolden the colours which the members were wearing. On top of that, I really like how the camera shots followed the dance move. It looked shaky but it made it feel more captivating at the same time.
The choreography for this comeback was amazing. I think it would have to be the best part of the entire comeback. The chorus, in particular, was quite cool to watch. It was intense and it went well with both the song and music video concept.
Song – 7.5/10 Music Video – 7/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 7.7/10
Kim Sung Kyu has been one of my favourite artists in the industry for a long time. That includes his works as part of Infinite and his solo career. 2018 marked the start of a new era for Sung Kyu with the release of his first full-length album, 10 Stories. As this review is quite lengthy, I am going to get straight into it.
10 Stories Album Cover
1..What Did I Say? (뭐랬어) (ft. Punchnello) – The album opens up with your standard ballad. It unfortunately wasn’t memorable and was the most passable track on the album. His vocals did have an echo-like effect which gave some colour to his vocals. Punchnello’s raps were heavily autotuned but was felt fitting for the song. The instrumental didn’t really have anything spectacular, which contributed to its small impression. (6/10)
2. Stay (머물러줘) – This song reminds me of his past works. I really liked the electronic keyboard in the background, which gave the song a really nice texture. His vocals were at the forefront of the song and I really liked the chorus of the song. Talking about the chorus, it had a great opener and nice rhythm. The saxophone in the bridge was a nice touch and kept the song from becoming too repetitive. In a way, the track is quite relaxing and for that, I like it a lot. (8/10)
4. Attraction (끌림) – Despite the other instrumentations, the keyboard stood out quite a bit. The chorus was quite interesting. The defining points in this song aren’t his vocals but rather the instrumental breaks throughout the song. Definitely the song’s unique charm. The slight autotune here was nice and is something that I tend to associate with Kim Sung Kyu’s solo work. There was also a faint whisper in the background for the final chorus that added something a little extra to the song. (8.5/10)
5. Vanishing Days (지워지는 날들) – When you first hear Sung Kyu sing, you can feel the emotions that he pours into his vocals. These strong vocals are balanced well with the piano instrumental. The second verse adds violins, which you all know I am into. The vocal build-up alongside the instrumental make this song stand out even more. That extra-long pause at the end of the song did catch me off guard but it was such an epic moment because the song returned to how it started initially, just with a guitar instrumental instead. Very fitting for a sad movie. (10/10)
6. Tall Sunrise (ft. JW of Nell) – The song opens up with Sung Kyu autotuned too much for my liking. However, I did like the “Can You Stay” lines which felt so smooth despite the heavy-handed autotune. I really like the chorus which was upbeat in comparison to the verses, yet still managing to connect well with the verses. The other negative that I wanted to make about this track was the autotune made both Sung Kyu’s and JW’s vocals so similar, it was quite hard to distinguish the different parts. (6/10)
7. Sorry – Sorry combines various synths to create the fine details for this track’s instrumental. That, the consistent hollow thumping and the vocals (which were on point all throughout) made this one of my favourites. My only complaint would be the first chorus felt too short. While not a complaint, the bridge was quite interesting, using only real instruments as opposed to the rest of the track which was synth heavy. Foreign but interesting. (10/10)
8. City of Angels (천사의 도시)– City of Angels is another song that reminds me of his past tracks. The instrumental for this track was relaxing and calming, yet I can’t pinpoint what cause this effect on me. The vocals, once again, nice, with some lines being quite melodic (such as the opener), leaving a strong impression. (9/10)
9. Sentimental – When you listen to the song, you get a hint of happiness. The instrumental did a good job conveying this to us. Vocals were also good; however, it was relatively plain when you look at the entire track. On top of that, the song did get a little repetitive due to the consistency of the vocals and instrumental. There was an added effect at the end of the track but it felt too late as an attempt to change up the song. (7/10)
10. Mirror (거울)– The album ends with a ballad. While I tend to think ending albums with ballads tend to be a weak point, this has to be an exception. His vocals are quite unique in this particular track, like no other on this album. I particularly like the push his vocals gave during the chorus. The piano only instrumental was also quite nice. (9/10)
NCT is officially back! In the past few weeks, the 18-member male group have been releasing different singles, each focusing on one of their subunits. NCT U released Baby Don’t Stop and Boss, while NCT Dream yelled ‘Go‘ last week. This week, they mark the release of their first full-length album as an 18-member group with the release of NCT 127’s Touch.
Touch is a departure on many levels from NCT 127’s past tracks. This time around they went with a pleasant sounding and fresh appeal with their new song. Right off the bat, the song reminds me of a Summer track, with its bright atmosphere and vibrancy. Its sound is not heavy or rough, which is something I have associated with NCT 127. It is a nice track to listen to as a whole. The main focus seems to be on the vocals with the raps taking up a very small part of the track, which was another surprise. The song’s hook was amazing and definitely made the song worthwhile to listen to. For some reason, singing together during the chorus was just perfect and made the chorus my favourite part of the song. While the instrumental made the song into what it is, it could have been more striking. Instead, it did seem a little generic when I thought about it on its own. But besides that, it is a great song.
When you look at this video, you just can’t help but ask yourself: did someone swap NCT Dream and NCT 127’s concept? It is a different side to the group that we have yet seen. It takes you back a few years when KPOP wouldn’t be KPOP if a group didn’t drastically change their concept for just one comeback. Like the song, the video is also quite fresh and vibrant. I really like the use of colours and the overall aesthetics of this video make it pleasing to watch.
The song doesn’t strike me as smooth or flowy but those are the words that I would choose to describe the performance. I think that is only one half of the performance which I liked. The other half would be the happy expressions on their faces which was quite captivating for some odd reason. It was very nice. However, it just isn’t enough to top their previous dances.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9/10
“Look” at who is back. GOT7 has made their comeback with their latest song, Look, which is the title track off their Eyes On You mini-album. This is GOT7’s first comeback since You Are in October last year. In preparation for this comeback, GOT7 released a pre-release single (One & Only You) last week, which featured Hyolyn (former member of Sistar).
Once again, GOT7 does a pretty good job with their latest song. At least, in my opinion. There are a few things that stand out when I listen to the track. Firstly, it is a vocally centred song, like You Are. And I really like that because we get to hear the vocalists bring out their talents. On top of that, the rappers also do an amazing job with their limited parts. Sure, I would have liked to hear a little more rapping because a rap (in this song especially) can input some hype into the song. Moving to the next highlight of the track, we have to talk about the chorus. That burst of energy when the chorus starts and the intense upbeat instrumental does wonders for the song. That drop, each time, is my most favourite part of the entire song. The chorus was quite catchy, mainly due to the instrumentation. At this moment in time, I am on the fence when it comes to the post-chorus, which seems to incorporate some hip-hop into the song. It sounds better each time I listen to it, mainly the first time around, it felt a little too unexpecting. Despite that, however, Look is definitely one to Look out for.
There were many shots throughout the video where the GOT7 members looked into the camera in a very intense way. Reading the lyrics at the bottom, it coincidently was the line ‘Keep your eyes on me’. I am not personally sure what the video is about but I have a feeling that they were the main focus despite the changing backgrounds in Youngjae’s solo shots or the sunset in JB’s parts. It did make for a cool looking video, particularly the background during the second chorus with the blue lights in the background.
Their accompanying dance moves to this song is amazing. I particularly like the footwork and hand motions during the chorus, which both incorporated intensity and smoothness at the same time. I am also looking forward to the bridge’s choreography with Jinyoung and Yugyeom. From what I can see in the video, it looks like another standout moment.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 7/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 7.7/10
APRIL is back with their newest track, The Blue Bird. The Blue Bird is the title track off their 5th mini album, which is titled as The Blue. This also marks their Take My Hand comeback since September 2017, the final of three 2017 comebacks (the others include April Story and Mayday). Jinsol and Naeun also formed a special subunit for a track in February (which I somehow completely missed).
The Blue Bird reminds of the April Story, in the sense, it (predominately) features an orchestral style instrumental. This return does bring them back to that mature sound which I liked with the earlier track. And while they did bring that back, they did manage to keep it from becoming too similar. The drums that featured in this song seemed to be a lot bolder and more defined, giving the song some energy and a more upbeat vibe. The bridge was also quite fresh, which removed the classical influence and moved into a more pop-based sound. It didn’t last long but it gave the song some relief from becoming too repetitive. Vocally, all the members sounded good. It isn’t impressive but their vocals pair well with this style. My favourite line is just before the choruses and the final line in the song, ‘I have something to say.’ I thought the way it sounded was just beautiful and was my highlight of the entire track.
I liked how the video wasn’t oversaturated in blue. And I am glad because it would have made it a little overwhelming to watch. Instead, the blue colour was featured as small details such as the teddy bear, the blue sky, the flower petals on the floor. Their blue dresses were bold yet it worked well with the rest of the video in the background. On top of that, I really liked where they set the video. It gave off a classy vibe and made everything feel graceful and warm. Overall, it was a nice video to watch, pairing well with the song.
I unfortunately don’t think there is enough choreography in the video to write anything about it. Though I will be honest and what I can see is rather plain. I will return once a live performance is released (PS. there are a few from last week which I will be updating tomorrow).
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 6/10 Overall Rating – 7.5/10
WJSN has returned with their 4th mini-album, Dream Your Dream. This is their first comeback since their Happy promotions last year. I honestly do not know what else to say in this introductory paragraph. I am glad that I have been writing more album reviews for female groups and by the end of this month, I should have a few more for male groups. But we are here to look at WJSN’s comeback, so let’s get back on track for that!
2. Love O’Clock – The track opens and closes up with a classic clock ticking. But within seconds, the song takes a turn by developing into a fun, energetic and upbeat track. I absolutely love the cutesy feel of the song and the catchy nature of the chorus. The vocals were nice, particularly the ad-libs. What the song also needed after a while was a rap sequence and it delivered that during the bridge with a smashing sequence. It is a great song that I am dying to see a live performance. It is my favourite track and a definite highlight of the entire album. (10/10)
3. Renaissance – This particular song feels like a direct follow-up to Secret, in my opinion. Despite that, however, there were moments in the song that didn’t feel right. The transition between the rap and vocals in the second verse felt awkward and cut the flow of the song. Don’t get me wrong, though, because the raps and vocals were amazing. Repetitiveness also seemed to be an issue as the song failed to have a slight change up to keep me interested as we got to the final chorus. (7/10)
4. Starry Moment – Starry Moment in another standard KPOP song. I did like the retro vibes that were channelled throughout the instrumental. The vocals and raps during the end of the choruses were good. I just feel like the song could have had a catchier hook to get me more into the song. The bridge of the song was also another strong point of the song. But despite all of that, this track seems to be the most passable when you look at the album as a whole. (7/10)
5. Thawing – Really good song despite it falling into that cutesy domain which tends to be a hit or miss for me. There are some quirky sounds in the song to add to that cutesy feel. They were nice details that I enjoyed. There were three stand-out parts in this track that I would like to point out. First, Cheng Xiao’s rap just before the first chorus. Secondly, the ‘tuttutu‘ repetition. And thirdly, the bridge which had a retro twist. All these parts made the track more fun and enjoyable to listen to. (8/10)
Welcome to the 1st week of March 2018. Yeah, we are already in March. It is quite unsettling at how time goes so fast. And with us entering to March, it seems to be the comeback month as so many artists have already confirmed their comebacks. There is so much happening in the weeks to come that I am already overwhelmed despite being 1/3 of the way into the month.
We see a new chart-topper this week with WJSN’s Dreams Come True. NCT’s run for 2018 is already proving fruitful with Baby Don’t Stop, Boss and Go taking out the 2nd, 3rd and 5th position on the charts this week. Mamamoo is the also another group making their comeback this week and have earned the 4th position with their track, Starry Night.
That is just a short summary of the charts this week. For the rest of the charts, scroll down below as normal!
4th Mar – 10th Mar 2018
Title
Artist
Status
1
Dreams Come True
WJSN (Cosmic Girls)
(▲ 4)
2
Baby Don’t Stop
NCT U
(▲ 2)
3
Boss
NCT U
(▼ 2)
4
Starry Night
Mamamoo
(new)
5
Go
NCT Dream
(new)
6
Black Dress
CLC
(▼ 4)
7
Thanks
SEVENTEEN
(▼ 4)
8
Heroine
Sunmi
(▲ 3)
9
I.P.U
Wanna One
(new)
10
To Heart
Fromis_9
(▲ 27)
11
True Love
Kim Sung Kyu (Infinite)
(▼ 2)
12
My Flower
JBJ
(▼ 2)
13
She’s Gone
Jung Ilhoon (BTOB)
(new)
14
Star Wind Flower Sun
Mamamoo
(new)
15
Baby It’s U
Jung Sewoon
(▼ 9)
16
Love Scenario
iKON
(▲ 12)
17
One Shot, Two Shot
BoA
(▼ 2)
18
Rubber Band
iKON
(new)
19
It’s U
Golden Child
(▼ 2)
20
One & Only You
GOT7 ft. Hyolyn
(▲ 20)
21
Quit
Jang Wooyoung (2PM)
(▲ 29)
22
Spotlight
X:TIME
(▲ 23)
23
Secret Garden
Oh My Girl
(▲ 11) (Final Week)
24
La La La
Weki Meki
(▲ 9)
25
The Boots
Gugudan
(▼ 9)
26
Mamma Mia
SF9
(▼ 7)
27
Gone Cold
MXM
(new)
28
Star
VROMANCE
(▲ 1)
29
To The Sky
CLC
(▼ 17)
30
Don’t Leave
Block B
(▼ 3) (Final Week)
Songs leaving the chart this week and will not be on charts starting next week are:
Tell Me – Infinite
Grr – Stray Kids
Don’t Leave – Block B
Going Going – Wooyoung (2PM)
Secret Garden – Oh My Girl
Diamond Girl – MXM
Lonely – Jo Kwon
Full Moon – Dream Catcher
Hope you all have another fantastic week and see you all same place (and hopefully time) next week!
At the start of the week, it was announced that Suho (leader of EXO) and Jang Jane (vocalist from MYSTIC89) were going to collaborate for two new singles. The first is Do You Have A Moment, which was released on Friday by MYSTIC89. The second is Dinner, which was released just a few hours ago (on Saturday) as part of the SM Station Season 2 lineup. Both songs are said to be in regards to a relationship, where each song was written at various points of a relationship.
Do You Have A Moment can be described as a pop ballad. It has a soft piano based instrumental which does seem a little ordinary for my taste. It could have used other instruments to keep the song a little more interesting towards the end and given the song some freshness. The start felt like it could have developed into that typical ballad song but once we reach the first chorus, the song features a cheerful sound, setting the tone for the rest of the track. The vocals here are really nice, with both singing complimenting each other.
Dinner has a more serious and seductive tone to it, which I actually like. Like in the previous song, their vocals are the strong point of this song. Their solo sections were on point. When they sing together (such as the chorus), they change up the dominance between two depending on who’s part of the song it is. The instrumental is the complete opposite of the previous track, going for synth-based and pairing with the slight autotune which I think I can hear. The main part of the song which has me second-guessing is the bridge. I think they were singing ‘Love Love Love’ but it came out to be more like ‘LOL LOL LOL’. But besides that, it was a really good song to listen to.
Do You Have A Moment’s music video reflect the lyrics in a very literal sense. Essentially, the lyrics of the song are about making the first move towards the person that catches your eye. The video is done is a cafe like setting, where both singers don’t really face each other, clearly acting out the lyrics. It literally ends with both singers finally facing each other, already clearing the first (and the most daunting) step of all.
The music video for Dinner also goes well with the lyrics of the song. Judging from the video, the two are experiencing a breakdown in their relationship, illustrated by the lack of chemistry they share when at the table together or when one of them is completely absent. I like how they started off with the final scene (the clock) from the previous video and used the same set to show the difference between the two stories. I also liked the lighting and the extra sets that were used.
Do You Have A Moment Song – 8/10 Music Video – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8/10
Dinner Song – 8.5/10 Music Video – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.7/10
Jung Ilhoon, the main rapper from boy group BTOB, has featured in many tracks of other soloists and groups. On top of that, he has also developed as a producer over the years. Now, he has made his official solo debut with She’s Gone. It is the main title track featured on his debut mini-album, titled as Big Wave.
Let me start off by saying that this is an excellent song. What makes She’s Gone so good, for me at least, is that the song grows as it progresses. Rather than having a slight buildup, the entire song is built up with various sounds and textures as it plays, which makes it a very interesting track. Not only that but it gives the song some character, making it a song to check out. The song is heavily centred around the hip-hop genre, which was expected. Starting off the song, however, is a guitar riff that reminds me of country music. It then progresses into something similar to rock, all the while keeping true to the hip-hop sound. Ilhoon both sings and raps in this song. The rapper Ilhoon has been seen multiple times before but his raspy vocals (which we don’t see often) make this track even better. The choruses are amazing drawing my attention to the song. In particular, the accumulation of all that energy in the song is presented in an explosive manner during the final chorus, which makes listening to this song worthwhile.
The entire music video is quite fast-paced, which matches the tempo of the song. Everything in the video was filled with angst and had an edgy vibe to it, which makes sense. The song is about the feeling you would get after seeing an ex-lover whom you did not part ways on a good note. So all that feeling was portrayed well in the music video. It is a good video which pairs well with the song on so many levels.
I feel like the dancing in the music video was more suitable for the live performance. Mainly because the choreography we do see on stage is relatively slow and not that energy packed like the song. That being said, I can’t help think the slowness in the dance seems to contrast nicely with the song and I was quite satisfied when I watched the performances.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 10/10 Performance – 7/10 Overall Rating – 8.9/10
A few days ago, Mamamoo made their comeback with Starry Night. The day before their comeback, Mamamoo dropped a surprise music video for another song on their mini-album. Star Wind Flower Sun is the second track on their latest release. The combination of song and music video allows me to write a review, which is why we are here today.
Mamamoo has made a very big name in the industry for their vocals. Through their many appearances on variety TV shows and music comebacks, they have confirmed this time and time again. Star Wind Flower Sun is just another piece of evidence to add to that list. The ballad showcases the group’s vocals and this includes everyone (even though I will be talking about one particular member only). We see more of Moonbyul singing than ever before and her voice is just amazing. I also love her rap-singing during the second verse, where it literally was more singing than rapping. The harmonies in this track are also remarkable, which gives it another likeable aspect. I also liked the instrumental. Simple, yet really melodic with the piano and percussion combination. It is the type of ballad that gets you swaying along, which if you know me, I am a very big fan of this.
Also shot in New Zealand, the accompanying music video focuses more on Mamamoo rather than the scenery. It’s marketed towards the MooMoos that have been supporting and following Mamamoo. And it is a nice video to watch with the song. You see the girls have fun while on their trip. It is a more down to Earth type video, completely different from their other music video.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9/10
Just a few weeks after making their comeback with Diamond Girl, MXM has returned with a new single, titled as Gone Cold. It is the title track off their special single album, Rematch. This single album serves as a dedication to fans ahead of their upcoming official fan meeting.
Gone Cold is a complete turn around from their Diamond Girl song, which was just literally a few weeks ago. Taking on a more mature and emotional tone, the duo attempts the R&B style of music. And they do a decent job with it. The vocals were nice and the rapping was excellent. I like it when they sing together with that vocalist style, layered on top of the rapper’s deep and husky voice. It isn’t the most impressive song from the duo, mainly due to the fact that lacks a strong enough hook to make it a memorable song. Instead, it just stays very neutral and feels like your standard R&B track. The instrumental was okay but it felt very dry and boring for the most part. While there were some things I liked about the song, the dryness of the song does outweigh its positives. For that, it isn’t a song that I necessarily would go search for but wouldn’t mind it popping up on playlist every now and then.
Watching this video made me realize how youthful they look. I just haven’t noticed this aspect of them until now. It is also ironic how I didn’t notice that they were youthful in their energetic and brighter concepts but rather their mature one. Moving away from that, I found the video to be bland as well. I think I attribute this to the song, however, because I would say differently if the song was a really nice sounding ballad. Despite that, I did like the various camera angles and the fading in and out of the black and white filtering throughout the video.
Song – 5/10 Music Video – 5/10 Overall Rating – 5/10
Please note that starting from this week, album reviews will be published on Thursdays and some Sundays. This should allow me to keep on top of these reviews and allow me to review a wider range of artists. Song reviews will be released as soon as I start writing them and I am not overwhelmed with work or university.
CLC dropped their 7th mini-album on the 22nd of February (just a few weeks ago). It is my first time writing an album review for the girl group, who has released a few fantastic title tracks. Black Dress, since the review, has become a track that I am looking forward to listening to every time I go to YouTube or when I plug in my earphones.
2. Like That – The song started off like slow song or ballad-like. But within a few seconds, the song takes a turn. It develops into a pretty decent dance track. Per usual, I found the vocals really nice and it was through the vocals that the song built up into a likeable track. The EDM chorus was also captivating despite it being a common formula nowadays. Out of all the members, I think Ye-eun (the rapper) shined the brightest in this song, with her raps being standout moments in the song. (8/10)
3. Distance – Out of all the aspects of this song, the chorus was the main highlight. And I think that is due to the vocals in this song. The harmonies in this song just further back this up. Ye-eun also provides a really decent rap segment for the song, proving her capabilities to adapt to many genres of music. My main complaint about the song is the lack of energy. The song could have used some intensity to make it sound better. (7/10)
4. To The Sky (Pre-Release Track) – To The Sky seems to keep CLC attach to that bright and vibrant sound that they debuted with. It is an upbeat track that has a very fun vibe to it and its energy makes it addictive. Its energy was also appreciated after the preceding low-energy track. Chorus was nice, especially with the chanting type format. Compared to the rest of the album, it was nice to see something a little different to the other songs. (8/10)
5. 7th – Ballad tracks are usually known to be slow-paced songs. 7th is the opposite of that in the sense that it isn’t a slow ballad and paints a picture of a nice Summer’s day. The song features sweet vocals and also showcases their best vocal performance on the entire album. The instrumental had a very relaxing vibe, while the bridge took a jazzy turn. It is another great song, ending the album on a high note. (8/10)
Two months ago, Mamamoo released their single, Paint Me, promising great things to happen in 2018. Upholding their promise is the release of their latest mini-album, which is titled as Yellow Flower. The title track of this mini-album is Starry Night. Unexpectedly, the group also released a music video for another track on the album just before coming back with Starry Night and that will be reviewed at a later date.
Starry Night starts off with some guitar instrumentation which reminds me of Chanyeol & Punch’s highly successful OST track, Stay With Me. In both songs, this introduction really gives the song an intriguing factor, which makes me want to listen to more of it. Compared to their previous songs, it doesn’t really have that wow factor when it comes to their vocals. Instead, they have toned their powerhouse vocals down quite a bit, giving off a more sensual vibe to the song. And in place of their powerhouse vocals, the group went with a lot of texture in their voices (which is still worthwhile to listen to). I love Moonbyul’s raps in this song, which felt so fitting for the song. The main downfall to the track is its lack of energy. Mamamoo’s vocals don’t really push the song along and the instrumentation, despite it being nice and chill, doesn’t really have that momentum as well. There were moments (such as the constant thumping) that did give the song that epic vibe. But it just doesn’t last long enough to leave an impression on you. As a result, this would also have a flow-on effect on the memorability of the song as well.
From what I have read, the music video was shot in New Zealand, with some of the scenery recognisable in some other music videos. Once again, the sceneries are breathtaking and definitely an amazing sight. The cinematography is also quite good. But besides that, there really isn’t that much to the video. In addition, however, there was another track that did feature at the end for a few more beautiful shots and the credits of the video.
From what I can see, the choreography looks nice and seems to fit the song quite nicely. It fits the slowness of the track but there were some moves that were impactful in its own way (such as the 3:22 – 3:24 dance move). I also liked the flowy feel of the dance.
Song – 7/10 Music Video -7/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 7.2/10
Wanna One, the hottest rookie of 2017, has returned with their first comeback for 2018. I Promise You (or I.P.U) is a special theme track for Wanna One’s fans and it also serves as a pre-release for the upcoming mini-album release expected to be released later this month.
Wanna One starts off 2018 with another great song, which joins the ranks of their previous title tracks. I.P.U is a really good song. It has the feel of your standard yet modern KPOP song but in a few ways, it is quite fresh. I really liked how the song started. The vocal and then quick buildup with the raps was really nice. You have the impression that the beat would drop but this wasn’t the case. Instead, we are thrown back into some more vocals, delaying the drop and definitely leaving you at the edge of the seats. This wasn’t repeated before any other chorus in the song, opting to just throw us right back into the chorus. Vocally, Wanna One is really good. But I think the winners of this particular song are the rappers, who definitely did an amazing job just before every other chorus and that buildup section at the start. Once the beat does drop, you are thrown into an addictive chorus. Interestingly, the first chorus is simply just the instrumental, while the second and third ones had vocals as well. I think the way the producers of this track changed it up was rather simple, yet it worked wonderfully.
The music video was fantastic. I love the spinning scenes at the start. Yeah, we have seen it before but it looks like really good cinematography in this video. I also liked their montages during the chorus, where things get a little chaotic with the streamers and confetti. Sure, it is a rather simple idea (and has been seen before). But Wanna One makes it look fun and I literally stopped a few times to see what each member was doing.
The performance, from what I can see in the video, looks rather nice. It just doesn’t have anything topping their previous choreographies, which is okay. I think they reserved that aspect for their main title track. I did like the moves during Daniel’s vocals parts during the second verse but I didn’t see anything else to jump out at me. I may return once there has been a full performance uploaded.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 6/10 Overall Rating – 8.4/10
NCT Dream is the next NCT subunit to be releasing a new track (Go) ahead of NCT’s confirmed 2018 full-length album, which will be released later this month. Go joins the recent releases, Boss and Baby Don’t Stop, which are all pre-release singles for the album. This is also NCT Dream’s first comeback since last year, with their most recent song being Joy (an SM Station release).
Go is a complete turn around in NCT Dream’s typical sound, who usually releases more youthful sounds and songs. The song is more intense and definitely a lot more serious (if I were to describe their song). That can be attributed to the hip-hop sound that seems to be infused with the EDM. There is a lot of buffering effects and synths in the instrumental, which gives it that roughness that allows for a complete change in concept. The chorus of the song wasn’t that apparent to me the first time listening to the song but it was when all the members were chanting the ‘We So Young, We So Freaky‘. I do find it slow and a little too dragged out for my liking. The singing was pretty good, with Haechan’s high note really well done. The raps (which is this song is loaded with) is pretty good as well. Personally, I feel like the song could have worked as a side track for NCT 127. The only reason why I think this wasn’t the case was due to the lyrics, which suited Dream more. It is still a good track, either way.
As mentioned previously, the song’s sound and elements allowed for a change in concept. Earlier this morning, while I flipped through the YouTube comments for the video, someone described it as the rebellious phase of the groups. Props to that person though because they described the video very well. Some parts of the video looked cool, almost like a home video style of their adventures. I also liked the choreography shots throughout the video. However, for the most part, the video was rather dry and didn’t really feel that interesting to watch. There were some likeable aspects but not all were strong.
[Updated] As mentioned previously, this particular performance didn’t seem up to par with their past performances or anything we did see in the last week. Everything was extremely fitting for the music style but as cheesy as it was, their youthful elements in their past performances were their main charm.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 7/10 Performance – 6/10 [updated] Overall Rating – 6.8/10 [updated]
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