Author: kpopreviewed

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

[Album Review] Unlock My World (1st Studio Album) – fromis_9

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fromis_9 debuted back in 2018 and it has taken them one full contract over a five year period to finally release their 1st ever studio-length album. Unlock My World was released in early June this year and features the title track #menow and 9 additional side tracks. For me, fromis_9 is a group who has released multiple underappreciated gems over their half-a-decade-long careers, with tracks like DKDK, Love Bomb (still one of absolute favourite tracks of all time) and DM under their name. I found this album to be full of these gems as well! 4 of the side tracks earned a 10/10 rating from me and the rest of the tracks also earning a high rating as well. Keep on reading to find out which 4 tracks got a 10/10 rating and my thoughts on the rest of the long time coming album.

Unlock My World Album Cover

1. Attitude – fromis_9 begins their first studio album with a 180° change with a darker and mature sound in the form of Attitude, which feels miles away from what we have heard from the group thus far. I really like how this track turned out. Alluring and very sexy sounding. I enjoyed the synth work in this track, giving Attitude so much texture to work with. This is smoothed out by the members’ vocals, which glides and moves the song forward. I also enjoyed the lower notes and tones the members adopted in the track. It is a hard to forget track on this album. (10/10)

2. #menow (Title Track) – Click here for the full review for #menow. (8/10)

3. Wishlist – Jiwon and Chaeyoung come together to perform the first unit track on the album. Wishlist is a R&B all-English track. I like the messaging behind the lyrics – that you should not make yourself fit the ideals of another person (i.e., their wishlist) and that you should be yourself. The pair brings a vibrant tone to the mid-tempo R&B track, which helps makes Wishlist a bit more impactful. (8/10)

4. In the Mirror – In The Mirror is a dance pop track that features Seoyeon and Nagyung. It brings back the darker tones that the album kicked off with. The synth work is very atmospheric in In The Mirror, which helps makes it a captivating listen. The vocals were very nice, particularly during the choruses where the melodies literally felt like you were drifting along. The rapping is also a stilling moment in the track. While In The Mirror doesn’t exceed the expectations of Attitude, it definitely up there as one of my favourite side tracks from the album. (10/10)

5. Don’t Care – Don’t Care is one of tracks that really jump out with you instantly thanks to its groovy and funky synth work. It features Jiwon, Jisun, Seoyeon and Nagyung. With the tracks before it, I appreciate Don’t Care’s boldness and upbeatness, which is quite enjoyable. The beats do get bolder around the bridge (though the transition was a tad overwhelming). I like the members’ powerful tone and tenacity in Don’t Care, as well. All of this made for a strong listen. (9/10)

6. Prom Night – Saerom, Hayoung, Chaeyoung and Jiheon feature on the last unit track of the album. The pre-chorus was a very intriguing aspect of Prom Night and I liked the vividness of the bouncy aspect of the UK-garage synth-based background. But aside from that, Prom Night is the least interesting unit track to me. And it simply comes right back to the instrumentation, which I personally felt overpowered the members’ vocals in the chorus, sans that short push from Hayoung and Chaeyoung to rise above the instrumentation. (7/10)

7. Bring It On – Personally, I felt that Bring It On could have had a more vibrant pop instrumentation. I don’t think the R&B pop backing that Bring It On featured did the vocals justice. The hooks and melodies, and the vocals delivering them, were all catchy and a solid effort from the members. But the instrumentation wasn’t eventful as I wished for and turned an otherwise good showing into something bland and boring. (7/10)

8. What I Want – I will make the rating straight up. What I Want is another 10/10 track on this album. Everything in the track had me dancing along and there was never any weak moment. What I Want was a very interesting electro pop track that really caught my attention. The upbeat nature of the track was fun. The members’ vocals and delivery back it all in. I like the burst of energy in the chorus, which comes about by the combination of vocals and instrumentation, and that is my pick of highlight of the track. The hooks and melodies were all catchy and added to the fun listen. (10/10)

9. My Night Routine – My Night Routine softens and mellows out the energy that precedes it with another R&B track. I like the jazzy vibe of the instrumental, as well as the bass. The vocals are pleasant. Altogether, My Night Routine comes off as dreamy. (7.5/10)

10. Eye Contact (눈맞춤) – Unlock My World ends with a fun pop rock track that had me smiling throughout. I may have also danced along to this track as well. The energy of Eye Contact was very extremely likable and the members sound like they were having a blast. The inclusive parts where the members were singing together were my favourite and just made everything more wholesome. An easy 10/10 and great ender to this album. (10/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.7/10

Unlock My World Teaser Image

[Weekly KPOP Chart] 4th Week of September 2023

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Welcome back to the Weekly KPOP Charts for the 4th Week of September 2023. It is a long weekend where I am, so I will be using this extra time to knock out as much reviews on the blog as possible to give myself time for something special later this month or next month (TBC). So I am going to get right to it with the Weekly KPOP Chart post for the 4th Week of September 2023.

Recap of the past week

This past week, I posted:

Joining all those new releases above this week are the following songs:

  • Either Way – IVE
  • Baila Conmigo – ONEUS
  • PUPPET SHOW – XG
  • BYOB (bring your own best friend) – Billlie
  • MAYDAY! – Kwangmin (BF) ft. Sungjae (BTOB)
  • 4 Letters – B.I ft. James Reid
  • Your World – Mark Tuan (GOT7)

Throwback Song of the Week

I was listening to a compilation video this week of someone’s favourite KPOP songs. Amongst the song featured in that video, I stumbled across Nine Muses’ / 9MUSES’ Dolls, and have selected it as my throwback song of the week. I am also still hoping their reunion comeback is still on the cards for this year.

The Charts

Stray Kids and LiSA’s Japanese single Social Path is back on the top of the Weekly KPOP Charts, the second time in the song’s run on the charts. As it is also a non-Korean song, Social Path is also this week’s Non-Korean Song of the Week. For more of the charts, keep on scrolling down below.

Pos.SongArtistChange
1Social PathStray Kids ft. LiSA(▲ 6)
2BubbleSTAYC(▲ 8)
3SomebodyD.O (EXO)(▲ 1)
4Back For MoreTXT with Anitta(▼ 3)
53DJung Kook (BTS) ft. Jack Harlow(NEW)
6GalileoKep1er(NEW)
7Better Thingsaespa(▲ 23)
8Baila ConmigoONEUS(NEW)
9PERFORMERVANNER(▲ 77)
10dangdangMAMAMOO+(▲ 9)
11Get A GuitarRIIZE(▲ 4)
12ICE CREAMTFN(▲ 74)
13SageFTISLAND(▲ 73)
14RUSHMUST B(▲ 22)
15Baggy JeansNCT U(▲ 9)
16Golden AgeNCT(▲ 70)
17Win For YouIm Siwan (Z:EA) & Winter (aespa)(▲ 69)
18On The RoadCHEN (EXO)(▲ 68)
19On My WayKIM WOO JIN(▼ 1)
20HazeLUCY(▲ 66)
21OUTLAWBZ-BOYS(▲ 12)
22VoyagerW24(▼ 9)
23Smooth Sailingcignature(▲ 63)
24But SometimesBOYNEXTDOOR(▼ 2)
25Top or CliffKim Sejeong(▲ 61)
26BOOMRocket Punch(▲ 5)
27SEOUL (Such a Beautiful City)H1-KEY(▲ 59)
28WonderThe Rose(▲ 58)
29Heaven On EarthHELLO GLOOM(▲ 57)
30LET’S DANCELEE CHAE YEON(▲ 2)

Songs leaving the charts

The following songs have wrapped up their nine week run in the charts system, and will no longer be on the charts from next week:

  • MAD – ABLUE
  • Turn It Off – NINE.i
  • ONE MORE TIME – BBGIRLS
  • Planet – BXB
  • dangdang – MAMAMOO+
  • Peanut Butter & Tears – DPR IAN
  • MADELEINE – LIMELIGHT
  • Say Something To Me – Kim Woojin
  • FREE WORLD – CHEN (EXO)
  • PARTY’S NOT OVER – Stray Kids
  • Higher – n.Ssign

[International Song Reviews] Stray Kids ft. LiSA, TXT with Anitta, Jung Kook ft. Jack Harlow & aespa

Posted in International Song Review, JPOP, Western POPTagged , , , , , 10 Comments

Songs in Japanese, Chinese, English or (more recently!) Spanish by our favourite KPOP artists are continually being pumped out this year, especially since the appeal of these artists internationally are growing exponentially. So much so that I am still behind. I am taking a break from covering some slightly older releases from earlier on this year, and look forward to cover some more recent non-Korean language releases – Stray Kids’ SOCIAL PATH, TXT’s Back For More, Jung Kook’s 3D and aespa’s Better Things. Last weekend, I looked at songs from SEVENTEEN’s VERNON, ATEEZ, TWICE and IVE.

Social Path – Stray Kids ft. LiSA

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 6 September 2023
Release Type: Social Path / Super Bowl (1st Japanese Mini Album)

Social Path is one of two songs in this post that has reached the top of my personal Weekly KPOP Charts, which is uncommon for non-Korean tracks given I do dedicate most of my music-listening time towards KPOP releases. Social Path is actually more English, with the rapping only featuring Japanese. Social Path features rock influences on top of the usual presence of synths in Stray Kids, and does so in such a straightforwardly manner. With the chorus being the most recognisable, the rock influences comes off very cleanly. Talking about the chorus, I had the vocal melodies of the central piece stuck in my brain, leading me to humming and revisiting Social Path quite often. Similarly, I found the vocals and rapping from all members of Stray Kids to be very clean and straightforward, as well. LiSA’s featuring in the track really helps adds more vibrancy and to the song, and she balances out the song quite well with her sharp vocals. But ultimately, the best part of Social Path is when both Stray Kids and LiSA joins forces to lead into the final chorus. It is a such a simple yet effective highlight of the song, worthwhile after such a strong buildup.

Despite it being an intense and energetic track, Social Path speaks to what they had to sacrifice in order to be where they are now (i.e. their younger years, freedom, privacy etc.). To me, the lyrics hits hard, especially when you consider the recent stories of privacy invasion and their companies basically owning their lives. Throughout the video, we see the members struggle with being followed, chased and surrounded by people who has their face covered in paper bags with question marks on them, which most likely represents the negative comments and haters on the internet. LiSA is trapped in a cage for most of her parts. But Stray Kids come together to fight this nightmare and join LiSA to rise to the top and conquer the fiery world. The choreography was pretty good. The chorus routine is memorable and I really like the huddle just before the final chorus.

Overall Rating – 8.8/10

Back For More – TXT ft. Anitta

Language: English
Release Date: 15 September 2023
Release Type: The Name Chapter: FREEFALL (3rd Korean Studio Album)

Back For More is the second song that has risen to the top of my Weekly KPOP Charts. It was also first performed at the MTV Video Music Awards that occurred mid-September and serves as a pre-release single for their upcoming third Korean studio album, The Name Chapter: FREEFALL (which will be released later this month). Back For More is a solid pop track, featuring a funky underlay throughout the track and some really cool cymbal flourishes as we head into the main parts of the song. The melodies and hooks are also quite straightforward, but catchy and addictive. Just like the song, their vocals are very solid throughout Back For More, coming off as alluring the more you listen to Back For More. I also really like their vocal homage to Michael Jackson towards the end of Back For More via the ad-libs. As for Anitta, I do like how her part attempts to change up the momentum slightly and create a different atmosphere. It is what I thought Back For More needed to avoid the overly consistent issue (that is until I heard the TXT version, which my preferred version now). But Anitta herself just seems to be plugged in and doesn’t really meld with the rest of song. I also really dislike the soft taps in the background of her part, distracting me away from the song.

I thought the music video for Back For More was simple, with the members performing the track on stage and ‘behind the scenes’ in the music video in navy suits. I guess I would wish for a bit more variety, maybe different coloured suits, just to give the music video a bit more depth. The choreography for the comeback was super cool, with the members showcasing a bit more of a mature and sleek energy in the routine. The best bit is the Michael Jackson sequence in the choreography, which they all pull off effortlessly.

Overall Rating – 8.7/10

3D – Jung Kook (BTS) ft. Jack Harlow

Language: English
Release Date: 29 September 2023
Release Type: 3D (2nd Solo Digital Single)

Jung Kook’s solo release, once again, is the most recent release in this post. I really like the early 2000s influence that is going on in 3D, throwing us back to when Justin Timberlake was starting out as a solo artist. It is the era that I grew up in, and so 3D plays towards the nostalgia I have for that era. The percussion and soft beats make it an easy listen. Jung Kook himself sounds very charismatic throughout 3D and pulls you into the track further. The whispery pre-choruses were an excellent shift in vocals, adding to the momentum of the track in a subtle and soft manner that fits the rest of the song. We also see the return of rapper Jung Kook in 3D, which is exactly what I had hoped for when I passed the first verse and entered the chorus for the first time. I did think he could have incorporated something with a little more definition as the song tracks along, just to give 3D some more oomph and flair. Jack Harlow features in the song and also brings adds more rapping to 3D. While I do like the flow and added rapping, I did think Jack Harlow’s section was quite cringy. But for the most part, I really liked 3D and that Jung Kook is definitely psyching us up for his solo album (which he has said is coming out later this year).

As for the music video, I found it a bit boring. Jung Kook obviously looks fantastic in the video and I am sure fans are swooning over his visuals and style in the video. And the early 2000s style is pretty strong in this video. But I do like my music videos with a bit more to them than just visuals, and I don’t see anything more but visuals in this video. Also, someone pointed out that Jack Harlow mentions ABG in his rap, but there were no ABG in the shot at that particular moment. As for the choreography, it is another great routine from Jung Kook. This one has an edge over Seven, with both Jung Kook and the dancers doing a lot more interesting moves for 3D.

Overall Rating – 8/1`0

Better Things – aespa

Language: English
Release Date: 18 August 2023
Release Type: Better Things (1st English Digital Single)

Better Things isn’t aespa’s first full English track, but it is their first original English single for the Western market. I do like how refreshing the instrumentation feels, which makes it a good release for the Summer season that it was released in. It is quite a rhythmic background piece, but I did think it needed some flourishes or a bold element to it. It just chugs along in the background and doesn’t really go or do anything further than that. As such, Better Things does become dull and dry towards the end. The melodies and hooks share a similar issue, but I don’t think it was as bad as the instrumentation. At first, they are catchy and simple, making Better Things another easy listen. But as the song goes on, it just feels like a repeat of what we had heard earlier from the girl group. But the addition of the sleek rap-speak in the bridge and the added vibrancy to the vocals throughout does add more to the track, and this helps makes it less repetitive. Overall, Better Things is a fair track from the group. Not as striking as I wished it could be, but pleasant enough.

The music video follows on from the Better Things sitcom that was released in the lead to the release of this track. I somehow missed this, so I am going off what I understand. The fish that appears from in the video comes from a device that appears in the sitcom. From there, the members follow the fish and discover brand new worlds in a rainforest, under the sea and on an island. I do like the summery colours that featured in the video and the striking blue of the choreography set that offsets these warmer colours. Complementing the more mellow sounds of Better Things, the choreography features softer moves. While it isn’t as bold or sharp as compared to their other works, the routine is just as captivating and pairs well with the song.

Overall Rating – 8/10

[Review] TOPLINE – Stray Kids (ft. Tiger JK)

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It has been a week since my last Stray Kids’ side track review. And as alluded in that review, there are a few more music videos before I can finally post my thoughts on their ★★★★★ (5-STAR) studio album. Today, I am reviewing the single TOPLINE, which features the Korean hip-hop legend and royalty Tiger JK. TOPLINE is ★★★★★ (5-STAR)’s fifth track.

As I say constantly, the hip-hop/rap genre is not my personal cup of tea. But even I have to see what the likes of Stray Kids and the legendary Tiger JK sounds like. It comes as no surprise to me that TOPLINE sounds like another hype hip-hop track. It carries the energy that Stray Kids is known for, while also allowing the rappers (including Tiger JK) to show off their skills. More specifically, TOPLINE is described as a minimalistic boom bap, old-school and East-Coast hip-hop track. Naturally, the rappers shine in this song. Needlessly to say, Tiger JK’s featuring was very clear and crisp. His flow was amazing and definitely added some finesse to the track. As for Stray Kids’ themselves, I particularly enjoyed HAN’s rapid and clean delivery in this song. But Hyunjin’s slurring is quite interesting and had more impact, while Changbin’s punctuating delivery is very much in his wheelhouse. Felix’s deep voice just adds flourishes to TOPLINE that pays off and gets the track grounded when it hits energetic peaks. The rest of the members handle the vocals. They don’t have much material to work with, but they managed to mirror the energy of the rappers quite well in the chorus. TOPLINE is a successful collaboration between two generations of Korean artists and a highlight on the album.

My overwhelming initial impression of the video is that it reflects TOPLINE‘s intensity very well. The music video features the members in a very confident demeanour throughout the video. The song is about the members being at the top, and so having the money (which probably represents their net worth and successful thus far) rain down from above is definitely behaviour that one can only indulge in when they are top tier. The video also shows the members at heights (like on top of shipping containers and on the edge of the building, above everyone else) and up there in the hierarchal chain (i.e. underlings counting their money for them). Higher heights would have been cooler. The hype energy and the fire further emphasises the tone and intensity of the song, respectively. What I thought was rather interesting was the contrast between Stray Kids and Tiger JK. He too brought intensity to the video with his cameo, but does so in a more laid-back and easy-going manner, whilst Stray Kids was moving about and flailing their arms a lot more in comparison. I put it down to the fact that is his style, but it also goes to show how a legend does it.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.3/10

[Review] Air Force One – ODD EYE CIRCLE

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LOONA had great potential to be a powerful act in KPOP, but their company ultimately failed the group, with each member filing to terminate their contracts with Blockberry Creative by the end of last year. Throughout the first half of this year, the LOONA members departed from Blockberry Creative after winning their lawsuits against the company (and the company remained bitter to the very end, threatening lawsuits and a ban the members from promoting). While group promotions have been said to be on the cards by one company, the members went in separate directions. Luckily, Kim Lip, Jinsoul and Choerry remained together, signed with Modhaus, reunited with the creative director behind LOONA’s pre-debut and debut projects and revived their LOONA unit name ODD EYE CIRCLE with their comeback single Air Force One.

Apologies for the long introduction, but there was a lot to unpack there. But now, I turn my attention to Air Force One. The song didn’t do much for me at first. But per usual with me, multiple listens have helped boost the song in my books. If you remember their previous works, Girl Front and Sweet Crazy Love, the songs were quite synth-heavy. Air Force One follows a similar direction with its Jersey club sound. But it does feel different, gearing away the retro vibes that Girl Front is known for and towards a trendier and modern motif. The multiple listens given to the song since its release has helped me realize how catchy Air Force One is, especially when it comes to the “Dara Dara Dadada Dada Dada” lines in the chorus. The pairing of this line with the more prolific instrumentation (relative to the verses) makes for a strong and intriguing central piece. The lines that come after this main line don’t really follow through as well, but they do maintain the energy that the chorus of Air Force One entails. The melodies in the song, especially in the verses, were also quite memorable. However, for me, the weakest aspect of Air Force One was the vocals. Most of it is fine. But some of the vocals were drowned out by the loudness of the synth instrumentation and some of the autotune just hadn’t grown on me. I wished the execution here was a better, as that would have helped Air Force One become more appealing in the first instance. Overall, Air Force One is a great return to the industry for ODD EYE CIRCLE and the new chapter in Kim Lip, Jinsoul and Choerry’s journey in their music careers.

I am quite surprised by the amount of references to LOONA’s and Girl Front/Sweet Crazy Love music videos. You got the eye patches, the moon imagery, the undercover carpark set and the hanging laundry set. I am all for the return of what is called the LOONAverse. But I did like the newer elements, such as the sleek black suits and the super powers that the members now have. We also got a cameo from HeeJin in the music video, who also joined Modhaus soon after ODD EYE CIRCLE did. HaSeul also joined the company much later, but did so later on. Otherwise, I think she would have also made a cameo in this video. As for the events of the video, I am not entirely sure what is going on. But ODD EYE CIRCLE seemed to crash a high-end party, knight one of the party goers in front of HeeJin. The song also features messages of the group making next steps with no worries, which complements the scenes where the members are having fun driving around the city.

The choreography for this debut/comeback is quite good. Their moves were all very interesting, drawing on that aspect of the song quite strongly. The sharpness and synchronisation is a definitely highlight and the routine at the song’s main hook looks cool.

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

[Album Review] Deadlock (3rd Mini Album) – Xdinary Heroes

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Ahead of their upcoming comeback next month in October, I am finally reviewing Xdinary Heroes’ 3rd mini-album, Deadlock, which was released in April of this year. The mini-album features 7 tracks in total, including the title track Freakin’ Bad, the side tracks Good Enough and Dear H. and four additional side tracks. Links to the named songs and my thoughts on the additional side tracks can be found below, as usual.

To me, this is their best mini-album to date. The band has really grown on me since their debut, and my thoughts on this mini-album would be evident of this. And given the trajectory of my interest in this band and the fact that they still in the early days of their career, I expect my initial comment on Deadlock will be short lived with their future releases coming our way. But until I do form a view on their future comebacks, I will continue to enjoy the likes of Deadlock.

Deadlock Album Cover

1. Come Into My Head – Starting off the mini-album is Come Into My Head. And it does so with a lot of energy from the members and the instrumentation. The track mixes the likes of EDM, hip-hop and rock into one singular track. Throw in what I know of Xdinary Heroes from their previous work, and the expectation for a dynamic track was very much fulfilled. The rapping in the second verse felt very sleek and the distorted guitars gave Come Into My Head a very intriguing element. There is a lot to like in the first track already, kicking off the mini-album positively. (8/10)

2. Freakin’ Bad (Title Track) – Click here for the full review for Freakin’ Bad. (8/10)

3. Bicycle – Going down the alternative rock path, Bicycle adds a lot of head banging to the album. The guitar work in this song is amazing, from the twangs following the first chorus to the shredding just before the final chorus. The bass guitar adds so much momentum to the song, while the drumming concentrates that head-banging energy already mentioned. The keyboard adds a level of freshness to the track, as well. The vocals/rapping was on point, and the buildup in the instrumentation was very worthwhile. A very strong side track from the group. (10/10)

4. checkmate – Toning down the instrumentation is checkmate. The rock sound does still come through, but it kind of simmers in the background. Even the instrumental break where we got the guitar solos was held back. The drums were quite consistent throughout checkmate, and the beat gave it potential to be a dance track. The vocals were also consistent, but there wasn’t any edge. Overall, checkmate is a decent track, but not the most eventful one on this mini-album. (7/10)

5. Good Enough – Click here for the full review for Good Enough. (10/10)

6. Man In The Box – Man In The Box blows my mind. I really like how playful and strong their delivery and vocals are in the song, which just gives Man In The Box so much character. The rapping adds to that feeling, with the members sounding like they are rapping/speaking to me and breaking the fourth wall. The melodies have a spooky edge to it and the rock instrumentation just adds so much dynamic energy and flair. It is also super catchy, with the “I am a man in the box, yeah” and the “Bum Bum Bum” both etched into my mind by the time the song is complete. I highly recommend this track. (10/10)

7. Dear H. – Click here for the full review of Dear H. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.9/10

Deadlock Teaser Image

[Review] ABYSS – WOODZ

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WOODZ made his comeback back in April of this year with his fifth mini-album Oo-Li. Featured on that album is the title track Journey. But way back in February, WOODZ pre-released the single ABYSS which was also featured on the mini-album. In my review for Journey, I flagged that I would return to review ABYSS and I am finally getting around to doing that today. Also, as a heads up, there will be an album review for Oo-Li in the near future!

ABYSS is a slow alternative rock song that I found myself easily captivated by. There is a lot to like in the song, from the instrumentation to the melodies. Featured in the background of ABYSS is a dominant electrical guitar that I would best describe as an instrument piece that pierces through the threshold of the song in a bold and memorable manner. The riffs complement the overall pace that is dictated by the other elements of the track (i.e., the vocals and melodies). On WOODZ’s part, I found his vocals to be emotionally charged and vulnerable, a side of the soloist in which I don’t think we have heard before. This folksy and indie approach in which he delivers ABYSS really helps make his vocals. The melodies are also extremely pleasant and swayable. Even though this does sit outside of the ballad genre, the swayable melodies are very upfront and help in my captivation. Everything mentioned above, in combination, helps ABYSS become a song that is impactful and has that “hit in the feels” result.

As mentioned in my review for Journey, the music video for ABYSS serves as the prequel to what occurs in Journey. And this video is loaded with symbolism and meaning, and doubles as a personal story from WOODZ. But here is my interpretation of the music video. The video places WOODZ in this one room in this big mansion to show us the concept of stability and how it is okay to stay in one place (figuratively, of course). WOODZ comes across multiple people in different walks of life when they drop by to collect their packages. But throughout the video, these people are shown elsewhere in that mansion, some of which were dancing about. To me, this represents that they enjoy the stability of being in one place and are content with where they are. As for WOODZ, he has the capability to leave via the door with multiple locks (all of which are locked, representing that he intentionally put himself there). This shows that during this time he also enjoys the stability and is content with where he is. Even the basement version of himself is pretty content, with no attempts to escape or leave the basement. But as the video goes on, you could see him growing tired of the same scenery. Even the lyrics of ABYSS signifies his desire to explore/move on and get to know himself more, but is scared of the unknown beyond the door. In the end, he chooses to go through the door, signifying that he is ready to move onto the next part of his life. At the same time he walks through that door, basement WOODZ gets up and leaves the basement, as well. This latter scene puts the events of Journey into motion. Aside from that quick breakdown of the video, I really liked the play of colours, with the video switching between warm and cold tones. It is extremely subtle, but it complements the idea of the known (stability) vs. the unknown (moving on).

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.6/10

[Album Review] OK Episode 2: I’m OK (6th Mini Album) – CIX

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The next album review to be reviewed on the blog is CIX’s sixth mini-album, OK Episode 2: I’m OK. As you can probably tell, this is the second instalment in the OK series that CIX began two years ago through their OK Prologue: Be OK studio album and their OK Episode 1: OK Not mini-album (lead by singles WAVE and 458, respectively). The latest instalment of the OK series sees Save me, Kill me serve as the lead single alongside 3 additional new side tracks. Overall, this latest mini-album is top-notch and feature high quality tracks throughout. For more on the songs, continue reading below.

OK Episode 2: I’m OK Album Cover

1.  Back To Life – My praises of CIX’s vocals in the title track goes one step further in Back To Life. Their vocals in the first track of this mini-album are stunningly beautiful. Again, you can feel the emotions behind their vocals. But this time, they are very captivating. To the point where if you wanted to take it all in, you cannot do anything at the exact same time. Their vocals are over a soft piano and orchestral instrumentation that very much stayed in the background and served as an accompaniment, allowing CIX’s vocals to be in the forefront and focus of Back to Life. A breath-taking start to the mini-album. (10/10)

2. Save me, Kill me (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Save me, Kill me. (8/10)

3. Curtain Call – Curtain Call is another ballad that focuses the limelight on the members’ vocals. I did like the more positive tone that came from the melodies (more on this in a second) and BX’s rapping in the track. Curtain Call starts off with some acoustic guitars, but it slowly builds from there with the emerging presence of band instrumentation and even light presence of synths. The lyrics of the song talks about how the end of one thing is the beginning of another, and that a curtain call is a beautiful event. (9/10)    

4. Color – In an album that features ballads and softer songs thus far, Color is quite the outlier in terms of its sound. It goes in much harder during the choruses, with a rock instrumentation taking over. The verses didn’t have that same oomph, but it did feature a consistent guitar strumming in the background that in hindsight does allude us to the rock instrumentation that was to come. In line with the rest of the album, Color features nice vocals in this song from all the members and I also enjoyed the hopeful lyrics that Color delivered. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 9/10

OK Episode 2: I’m OK Teaser Image

[Review] Galileo – Kep1er

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In the sphere of comebacks, Kep1er dropped their fifth mini-album, Magic Hour, yesterday. Featured on this new mini-album is the title track Galileo, which follows on from their Giddy comeback from April of this year. Other than that, it has been a fairly low key five months for the group, with the only major piece of news involving the group being a possible (but presently unsuccessful) extension in Kep1er’s promotions recently.

Galileo is another fair song this year. We do get some robust pop energy from the instrumentation and the melodies in the choruses. Plus, the members themselves feel natural in Galileo. I particularly enjoyed the brightness and punch the members give the chorus, which I feel is much needed for reasons to apparent. Yeseo’s breathy start to Galileo and Huening Bahiyyih soft start to the second verse was probably my pick for the best moments of the song. But while I do agree that Galileo is a definite improvement from their previous comeback, I do find the song to still be dull and unimaginative in some key parts. I feel this the most when I reflect upon Galileo‘s hooks, which I find to have a long shot in catching on with further listens (that is Galileo does convince me to give it further listens). For me, the rest of the verses (aside from the start, as I have already praised above) doesn’t follow through with the same appeal and ends up turning such promising beginning into generic material. I also wished there was more dynamic flair to the instrumental as Galileo feels too consistent from start to end and this ultimately plateaus the song’s appeal for me. We do get some twang and extra punchiness when it comes to the instrumental break, which I fully appreciated. But I wish there was more of that in the rest of the song. Overall, Galileo does sit on the enjoyable side for me, but time will tell whether it has enough holding power alongside its competition.

Music videos like Galileo‘s is what I describe as ‘Watch once, Watched it all’. In other words, you only need to watch it once in order to understand the gist of it. Concept-wise, the members discover a photo booth that transports them to an art gallery for the group to explore, which in turns transports the group into an art piece. The theme of discovery ties well into Galileo Galilei, who is the father of modern science who made a lot of discoveries while he was alive that changed the course of modern science and the song is titled after. The members looks good and I enjoyed the freshness of the colours in the video.

The choreography aspect of this comeback is actually quite good. The routine is rather pleasant for the most part, but I do like the energy and oomph the five members who handled the dance break put into their moves to make it the routine’s most powerful part.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.2/10

[Album Review] The Future Is Ours: LOST (7th Mini Album) – AB6IX

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Kicking off the blog this week is the album review for AB6IX’s 7th mini-album, The Future Is Ours: LOST. For me, AB6IX’s latest comeback has been lost and forgotten, so I thought an album review would be a great way to re-spark some interest in the comeback. I find some of their side tracks are absolute highlights on my playlists and I can always rely on AB6IX to have one or two amazing side tracks on each of their album releases. Headlined by the single LOSER, The Future Is Ours: LOST features four additional side tracks. There is one particular side track that I really enjoyed and gave a 10/10 for. Find out which side track that is and the rest of my thoughts on the album down below.

The Future Is Ours: LOST Album Cover

1. BLAZE – To me, the chorus of BLAZE was extremely blissful. It is odd to describe a dance track like that, but I was captivated with the pop melodies the members brought to life, Woojin’s lines and echoing shout and the forward momentum of the EDM instrumentation during this part. Elsewhere, BLAZE was delivered very cleanly in all aspects of the song. While the trap instrumentation was a bit generic, it did a great job of helping making the chorus more impactful. A very promising start to the mini-album. (10/10)  

2. LOSER (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for LOSER. (7/10)

3. REALITY – REALITY highlights AB6IX’s vocals so well. The harmonies throughout REALITY are so good, the use of low notes in the chorus serves as an extra piece of appeal in the chorus and the multiple falsettos in the bridge was amazing (and is also the part that I constantly return to in REALITY). WOOJIN’s rapping was very suave. The instrumental features a groovy bass, with twinkling synths to give the track some detailing and an electric guitar-like synth to give some much needed texture and crunch to the song. (9/10)

4. EDEN – The funky instrumentation is what attracts my attention to EDEN and has me coming back for more. There is a lot of retro elements to the track, with scratching disks and brass to exudes those retro feels. The most unsettling element in the instrumentation was the distorted vocals in the background. I am on the fence with this. I think it has charm, but it just highlights such a distinct unnatural feel to EDEN, whereas everything else just sounded normal and fitted in nearly into the track. The members do a neat job in this track, with the vocals and rapping both having a dynamic flair to them. (8/10)

5. SUCKER – SUCKER follows on from their previous side-track single of a similar title, Sucker For Your Love (from their A to B 5th mini-album), with SUCKER carrying over some melodies from Sucker For Your Love. SUCKER takes on a R&B instrumentation, and as result, carries less punch as a result of the change in instrumentation. But there were some nice touches, such as the jazzy piano and the whistling in the background. And the members do sound quite nice, particularly Woong’s growl in the second verse and the ad-libs as the end. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.4/10

The Future Is Ours: LOST Teaser Image

[Weekly KPOP Chart] 3rd Week of September 2023

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Welcome back to the Weekly KPOP Charts for the 3rd Week of September 2023. Again, I have some work to knock out for the blog for the week ahead, plus the usual Sunday chores I need to get through. So I am going to get right to it with the Weekly KPOP Chart post for the 3rd Week of September 2023.

Recap of the past week

This past week, I posted:

Joining all those new releases above this week are the following songs:

  • 123 go! – Park Hyunho
  • TROUBLE – EVNNE
  • Heaven On Earth – HELLO GLOOM
  • Fearless – Rolling Quartz
  • SKIP OUT – Roa (Rocking Doll)
  • DALALA – Yuju
  • NEW TOMORROW – FANTASY BOYS
  • Win For You – Im Siwan (ZE:A) & Winter (aespa)
  • Wonder – The Rose

The Charts

TXT’s collaboration with Anitta, Back For More, is the top song (making both TXT and Anitta the top artist!) for this week’s Weekly KPOP Charts. As Back For More is an English track, it is also this week’s Non-Korean Song of the week! For more of the charts, keep on scrolling down below.

Pos.SongArtistChange
1Back For MoreTXT with Anitta(▲ 6)
2CHEEKYEL7Z UP(▲ 70)
3Vroom VroomTEMPEST(NEW)
4SomebodyD.O (EXO)(NEW)
5TROUBLEEVNNE(NEW)
6Turn It OffNINE.i(▲ 66)
7Social PathStray Kids ft. LiSA(▼ 3)
8ASAPNewJeans(▲ 28)
9All YoursDKB(▲ 63)
10BubbleSTAYC(▼ 2)
11Good & GreatKEY (SHINee)(▼ 5)
12Slow DancingV (BTS)(▼ 11)
13VoyagerW24(▲ 59)
14WandererNELL(▲ 58)
15Get A GuitarRIIZE(▼ 3)
16MemoriesRIIZE(▼ 13)
17Ready Or NotCRAVITY(▲ 6)
18On My WayKIM WOOJIN(▲ 41)
19dangdangMAMAMOO+(▲ 53)
20Foolin’ MyselfDINDIN(▲ 52)
21None of My BusinessITZY(▲ 51)
22But SometimesBOYNEXTDOOR(▲ 3)
23Your CityJung Yonghwa (CNBLUE)(▲ 49)
24Baggy JeansNCT U(▲ 9)
25BambambamYerin(▲ 47)
26Fast ForwardJeon Somi(▼ 24)
27RememberJanuary(▲ 45)
28Killin’ Me GoodJIHYO (TWICE)(▼ 23)
29SensitiveLoossemble(▲ 43)
30Better Thingsaespa(▼ 14)

Songs leaving the charts

The following songs have wrapped up their nine week run in the charts system, and will no longer be on the charts from next week:

  • Love Is Like A Wave – Yoon Seobin
  • BONA BONA – TREASURE
  • SIX7EEN – HORI7ON
  • Black Rose – ASH ISLAND
  • Love Rain – V.O.S
  • None of My Business – ITZY
  • Koong – xikers
  • ASAP – NewJeans
  • Alive – The Rose
  • Sunrise – JEONG MIN

[Album Review] Apocalypse: From Us (8th Mini Album) – Dreamcatcher

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As you can tell by the title of this post, Dreamcatcher’s 8th mini-album, Apocalypse: From Us, is the focus of this album review post. Released back in May of this year, Apocalypse: From Us features the title track BONVOYAGE and four additional side tracks (one of which is an introductory track). Per usual with Dreamcatcher, each rock is influenced by some form of rock, making for another consistent mini-album from the group. To find out what I thought about each song on the mini-album, keep on reading below!

Apocalypse: From Us Album Cover

1. Intro: From Us – Twinkling keyboard and a consistent electric guitar instrumental piece kicks off the introductory track before the electric guitar turns into a full-on electrifying rock instrumentation. The keyboard does fade into the rock instrumentation but does return at the very end. Another bold start to a Dreamcatcher album.

2. BONVOYAGE (Title Track) – Drafting up this album review, I have been going back and forth as to whether I should bump up the rating. 8/10 is already pretty high in my books. But I shouldn’t ignore the fact that the song has grown exponentially on me and it has become one of the best tracks (if not the best) of 2023 for me. So, I have decided to bump the rating up by one full mark, noting the weak points I mentioned in the original still apply to some extent. Click here to read the full review for BONVOYAGE. (9/10)

3. DEMIAN – Holy moly was my first thoughts to DEMIAN. It may have been a while since the album dropped, but I vividly remember being blown away with DEMIAN when I first listed to the album upon its release. We get a groovy jazz beginning that I would love the group to explore more in the future. But in true fashion with Dreamcatcher, the rock takes over. And they lean in hard into the genre. I also love the peek of piano in the bridge, just as a small moment of relief before we go back to the rock energy. The group themselves sound so balanced and calm throughout the track, making DEMIAN also blissful in its own way. (10/10)

4. Propose – The rock continues in Propose taking on a more traditional form. But woah, I consistently found myself head nodding or banging to the song every time it popped up on my radar. The start to Propose was quite atmospheric and this continues onwards into the first verse/pre-chorus. It did get a bit sluggish for a moment, but the emergence of rock in the chorus saved the day. The vocal work was strong and definitely a highlight throughout Propose. Also, a highlight was Dami’s charismatic rapping in the second verse. Again, another promising song from Dreamcatcher. (9/10)

5. To. You – To. You also continue the rock sound, but takes it down a balladry path. As a bit of a change, I find this track to be the least memorable number of the mini-album. But that being said, it is still a super nice rock track. I don’t think the heaviness of the rock instrumentation that does come through in To. You can constitute it as a ballad, but I do appreciate the pace and slowness of the track. The members sound really good and I like the mellow synth that features in the midst of the rock instrumentation. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 9/10

Apocalypse: From Us Teaser Image

[International Song Reviews] VERNON (SEVENTEEN), ATEEZ, TWICE, IVE

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As you can see, I am determined to cover more songs by Korean artists (or those who have a connection with the KPOP industry) that aren’t in the Korean language. Last weekend, I reviewed songs from KANG DANIEl, Golden Child, AB6IX and THE BOYZ. This week, I am reviewing VERNON’s BLACK EYE, ATEEZ’s LIMITLESS, TWICE’s HARE HARE and IVE’s WAVE.

Black Eye – VERNON (SEVENTEEN)

Language: English
Release Date: 23 December 2022
Release Type: Black Eye (Digital Single)

Going over my records during the week, I realized that VERNON’s Black Eye (which was released at the very end of last year) had not yet been reviewed on my blog. So, here is the review! Black Eye is a straight forward pop-punk track that brings forth a nostalgic feel, This song style is one that suits VERNON super well, and his delivery throughout Black Eye proves just that. VERNON’s hoarse vocals is perfect for the genre and I liked the oomph he gives to bump the song upwards. I did wish there was a bit more to the song instrumentation, just to take it to the next level – maybe a solo guitar moment would have been ideal. I also wished the f-word wasn’t bleeped out (this would have potentially helped the song become bolder) and the lyrics were not written to feel like an angsty barely-of-age adult thinking they are cool in their rebellious phase against the world. A more mature outlook would have been better recieved. But overall, Black Eye was definitely a strong solo track from VERNON.

Now that I put my thoughts on the lyrics into words, I can’t help but think VERNON channeled this mentality for the music video. It changes my way of looking at VERNON in the music video (especially when he is very close to the camera), which I had originally thought was a good showing of a more angsty and rebellious side of the SEVENTEEN member. Other than that, the video does a good job of channeling the energy and pop-punk vibes of Black Eye.

Overall Rating – 8/10

Limitless – ATEEZ

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 22 March 2023
Release Type: Limitless (2nd Japanese Single Album)

Again, Limitless is another song that I had realized that there was no review for. But that will change today. My understanding is that the song also serves as part of the OST for an anime titled Duel Masters Win. I don’t know too much about that anime, but the instrumentation of Limitless does fit the bill of an anime soundtrack. The synth work in Limitless has a forward trajectory and momentum that made it sound very cool from the get-go. When Limitless amps up in the chorus, the addition of the drumming percussion makes the track feel explosive. The electrifying rock back to the rapping in the second verse was also very exhilarating. As for the members, I wished there was a bit more character to their vocals and rapping. Everything felt held back in the track when it came to the members and it does dull out Limitless. A more robust melody and vocal line would have taken the chorus to new heights, and more oomph would have channeled more explosive energy into the song. The vocal part I did like was the pre-chorus, which featured a keyboard/piano like riff that just helped add a fragile tinge to the song, which I felt complemented Limitless‘ lyrics of embracing the limitless power and inner strength everyone has.

The music video sees the members go to the gym and participate in some sports like archery and fencing. I think the archery and fencing touches on the lyrics. They are sports that are usually seen as low-key and not as ‘active’ compared to the likes of basketball and soccer. But they do require just as much skill and technique, and the effort and inner strength one must find and input to play and win at archery and fencing pays off just as much as those other sports. As for the gym scenes, I think fans of the group will be swooning and loving those scenes. The choreography aspect of Limitless looks okay. But I expected something a bit more bombastic for this song and that expectation wasn’t fulfilled. The hand-off of the microphone to Hongjoong was probably my most favourite bit of the performance.

Overall Rating – 8.1/10

Hare Hare – TWICE

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 31 May 2023
Release Type: Hare Hare (10th Japanese Single)

Hare Hare continues TWICE’s success in the Japanese market with another bubbly and fun-sounding JPOP track. I found the track to be super catchy and that it brings back that brightness that featured in TWICE’s earlier works. Timing-wise, the brightness works really well with the summery season that it was released in. I would like to hear a tropic remix of the track, as I think that would work really well with the way Hare Hare sounds. While it is clear that I very much enjoyed the song, Hare Hare doesn’t necessarily bring anything new to the table. But it is still a great and enjoyable song. My only complaint about Hare Hare is the bridge. The breakdown did not fit the rest of the song whatsoever. If the producers somehow maintained that bubbliness that Hare Hare is quite consistent on elsewhere in the song, I think the breakdown would have been more successful and appreciable.

The music video works very well with the song, channeling the song’s bubbly and fun sound. The presence of the emojis, bubble words and the adorable bunnies around the members adds a neat cuteness to the visuals. The members also do a great job of channeling the same vibes from the song forward with their facial expressions and acting. I did think the platform on the soccer field needed a rethink. It was awfully plain and just didn’t fit the rest of the video. The choreography was super cute and fun, just like the song. It also channels the bounciness that featured in the instrumentation of Hare Hare, while the pre-chorus/bridge infuses a bit of sophistication and matureness to the routine to complement where TWICE is at with their careers.

Overall Rating – 8.5/10

WAVE – IVE

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 31 May 2023
Release Type: WAVE (1st Japanese Mini Album)

IVE’s WAVE serves as the group’s debut single in the Japanese pop market. For an entrance piece into an international music scene, WAVE was pretty good. There are some weak points to the song, like the not-so memorable verses, the lack of character from the members in the song overall, the odd intersection in the instrumentation of the bridge, and the missed opportunity to really heighten the song in the final chorus/moments of WAVE. But WAVE is catchy enough thanks to its repetitive yet monotonous hook (which I found to be charming the more I listen to WAVE, though it was the wrong move to continue on the monotonous nature in the rest of the song) and there were some strong moments that helps compensates for those weaker points. For example, I really like the hypnotic vocalisation that follows the first verse (by Liz) and second chorus (by Gaeul) of the song. The percussion and strumming guitar instrumentational also does a lot in WAVE in terms of making it more exciting (more than what the members added to the song) and moves WAVE along, while the whiplashes in the background makes off an interesting punctuation in the song. I did think (and this might be due to the music video) think the ending was lacking, just because I expected there to be some sort of concentration in the music. But instead, we got a repeat of what we heard already.

The music video for WAVE features IVE as squash players, patrons relaxing at the pool and rock stars. The first concept was quite fresh, given I don’t think any KPOP music video has gone with the squash concept before. Everything else was pretty much done before. But the video still highlights IVE’s amazing visuals. As for the choreography, I think there was opportunity for the group to do something bolder. What we got looked great, but the chorus calls for confidence and model-like. But instead, we got small movements which doesn’t appear to capitalise WAVE as well.

Overall Rating – 7.5/10

[Album Review] DARK BLOOD (4th Mini Album) – ENHYPEN

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DARK BLOOD is the next album to be reviewed following my recently posted review for the follow-up single Sacrifice (Eat Me Up). Alongside the follow up single, the May 2023 release DARK BLOOD has features the title track BITE ME and four additional side tracks. Like all my album reviews, the links for the full reviews for BITE ME (noting that I have bumped up the song score from what I had in the original review) and Sacrifice (Eat Me Up), along with my thoughts on the sides tracks can all be found below.

DARK BLOOD Album Cover

1. Fate – Starting off the mini-album is Fate, their usual introductory track. The instrumental for this one was show-stopping. The harp, the synth-organ, the slight hint of a choir humming/vocalising in the background and even the synths in the latter half of Fate was really striking and makes for a powerful piece. The narration work by all the members was extremely suspenseful, while the vocal work in the latter half was gripping and served as a nice vehicle to carry us to the end of the intro track. (9/10)

2. BITE ME (Title Track) – As alluded in the song review I posted recently for ENHYPEN, BITE ME has grown considerably on me since its release in May. As a result, I have decided to bump up the rating by one full point. My sentiments in the original review does still stand, however. Click here to read the full review for BITE ME. (7.5/10)

3. Sacrifice (Eat Me Up) – Click here to read the full review for Sacrifice (Eat Me Up). (7/10)

4. Chaconne – Chaconne takes the group into hip-hop territory, which isn’t unfamiliar territory for the group. I liked the darker and more sinister tone that this track had, which allows the members to dig deep. We even hear some low notes to really hone into that side of the song. The electric guitar was also very a nice touch and gives the track some edge, especially since it was layered underneath the rest of the instrumentation. I just wished the melodies were a little more prolific to take Chaconne to the next level. (7.5/10)

5. Bills – Switching up the album is Bills, which refocuses the mini-album a brighter and distinct sound. The vibrancy that the members give via their vocal work makes Bills stand out from the pack. It also definitely helps that the melodies of Bills is catchy and I found myself humming to the song each time it appeared on my playlists/recommendations. The instrumental of Bills takes on lo-fi hip-hop, and this helps makes the track quite a dreamy one. (8/10)

6. Karma – The brighter touch that Bills gave the mini-album ends up being transitioned into an energy-packed ender to the mini-album by Karma. The brighter punk rock instrumentation feels miles away from how the mini-album started, while ENHYPEN brings strong vocals, harmonies and hype energy to the track. It is a bit plain and traditional, and I wished the track went somewhat experimental to keep us on our toes. But still, a solid ender to the mini-album. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 7.8/10

DARK BLOOD Teaser Image

[Review] Vroom Vroom – TEMPEST

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Yesterday, TEMPEST made their return with their 1st single album with Into THE TEMPEST and the lead single Vroom Vroom. This comeback follows on from their April 2023 comeback with Dangerous and their fourth mini-album, The Calm Before the Storm (폭풍전야).

I have been more of a fan of TEMPEST’s pop leaning releases thus far, rather than of their more intense dance tracks. Vroom Vroom is very much in the latter category, which was kind of expected given the title of the song. While my thoughts of Vroom Vroom being another generic boy group dance release and is rather typical definitely recurs when I listen to the song, I do think it is a nudge better than their previous songs of the same or similar caliber. I put it down to the fact that the producers and the group leaned right into the intensity and really did a good job of backing it all up with the sound effects when the title of the song appears in the lyrics. It was a creative way of layering without muddling the song. I also found Vroom Vroom to be quite catchy thanks to the repetition in the central parts. The loud and concentrated intensity in the instrumental break was also quite welcomed, catching me off guard and it took the already intense song to a higher level. As mentioned earlier, the usual thoughts do prevail. Vroom Vroom doesn’t exactly have anything memorable in the vocal or rapping departments and I wished this had something that really draws your attention to the members. Overall, another generic release from TEMPEST with some promise.

Unsurprisingly, the music video takes on a a racing concept with racecar outfits, cars, motorcycles and tyres in abundance in this video. Even the sets were very metallic or industrial-like, resembling a garage or engine. It did do a decent job of relaying that intensity and energy from Vroom Vroom. But aside from all of that, I don’t have much else to say about the video.

One of the advantages of an intense song is that it lends well in terms of performance. And Vroom Vroom does highlight TEMPEST’s performance potential. The synchronisation and powerful energy/intensity was definitely present on stage and a highlight to the performance.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.3/10

[Review] Get Lit – Stray Kids

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You can probably guess by now that when I am covering the side tracks off an album that has a music video released alongside it, I am gearing up for their album review. And that is definitely the case of Stray Kids’ ★★★★★ (5-STAR). So far, I have covered DLC and FNF, as well as the title track S-Class. But there are a few more music videos released for the ★★★★★, so do expect a review for each of those associated songs over the coming weeks. Today’s review is focused on Get Lit, which is 7th track from their 3rd studio length album.

Loud and shouty are the exact words I would use to describe GET LIT. While that might sound negative, I use them quite positively in the context of GET LIT. I really enjoyed the bold energy of this track. The instrumental itself, which is a mixture of moombahton and bounce EDM, has a squeaky-like distorted effect that made it quite unique. The twangs in the instrumentation also kept it fun and playful. The loudness that I mentioned before stems from the instrumentation, as well. Again, squeaky and loud doesn’t sound appealing, but that is not the case with GET LIT. As the instrumental is quite loud, the vocals and rapping had to come off as shouty to work in the track. And it does. Both had to follow through, and I like the control and balance they strike. The rapping in the verses was very impressive and the shouty vocals in the pre-choruses and choruses still managed to bring a brief yet memorable melody into play. Altogether, the elements of GET LIT come together to exude the one thing that the title promises – an energetic and hyped up party vibe that doesn’t hold back.

The music video features both a fashion show and a party. The fashion show highlights the members’ amazing visuals and felt very appropriate given the group and individual members’ recent ventures into the fashion world with modelling work and the announcement of global ambassadorships for some big named fashion brands. The party itself felt very exclusive, coming off from the fashion show concept and with Bang Chan DJing in the midst of the party. The music video also does a good job of ensuring the video is lit, matching with the energy and title of the song.

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