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[Review] 28 Reasons – Seulgi (Red Velvet)

October 8, 2022Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Red Velvet, Seulgi (Red Velvet)2 Comments

From the final comeback of the week to one of the first. This post focuses on Red Velvet’s Seulgi, who made her solo debut on Monday was 28 Reasons – the title of both the lead single and debut mini-album. This is the first major release from a member of Red Velvet, since their Feel My Rhythm promotions from earlier in the year.

28 Reasons explore some dark and mature sounds, going further from even Red Velvet’s darkest releases. The song is described as a bass-heavy pop dance track. There isn’t much else to the instrumental aside from some whistling and crunchy gurgles effects during the chorus, so the background acts more of a blank canvas due to its minimalistic vibes. Though, it definitely sets the dark tone of the release. This idea of a ‘blank canvas’ enables Seulgi to really take reign in 28 Reasons, showcasing her powerful and stunning vocals that aren’t usually shown off in her group releases as it is done so here. I liked how she offsets the heavy bass with her vocals, which draws you in and doesn’t make 28 Reasons too heavy to digest. I also really enjoyed it when Seulgi amped up her vocals during the chorus, which instantly adds additional oomph and body to 28 Reasons. It does get slightly dry in the second verse, with no further build up occurs and begins the idea of the the song drying out as it progresses. You have to wait for 28 Reasons to reach the mid-point of the bridge to hear it briefly change momentum with a complete stripping of the background, replacing it even with a more vibrating synth and Seulgi rap-speaking in the bridge. This is soon followed with an amazing high note, before reverting back to the same chorus but with extra oomph through what seemed liked an additional layer of vocals on top of what we heard earlier on in the song and ad-libs that follow on nicely from that high note. I do feel that 28 Reasons could have used something more within the background, particularly in that second verse region, just to give it that different feel and give the song more momentum. But overall, 28 Reasons is a good solo debut track that highlights Seulgi’s strengths.

Just like the song, the music video explores dark and mature territory with a very moody, edgy and haunting concept. The moody and edgy sides comes in abundance throughout the video, through the choreography shots and solo moments. I liked how they also share a minimalistic vibe (just like the song) with a very spacious backgrounds and sets with not much going on. The haunting imagery comes during those scenes where Seulgi stands in the grass between transmission towers. In particular, that scene at the very of the video where she stares into the camera. The video, overall, pretty much sums up the song in a visual manner.

I read somewhere recently that the hand actions in the choreography of 28 Reasons was inspired by the Scarlet Witch’s hand motions in Wandavision. That is pretty cool and a nice little crossover for someone who enjoys both KPOP and Marvel Cinematic Universe. I really enjoyed how smooth her movements were. Her charisma and charms were also on full display throughout the performance, making it a captivating stage to watch.

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

[Review] CASE 143 – Stray Kids

October 8, 2022Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Stray Kids6 Comments

Now onto the new releases of the week. There were a few comebacks that need to be covered, but I am starting off with the latest one. Well, because it is Stray Kids. That’s right, Stray Kids made their comeback yesterday with the new title track CASE 143 and their 7th mini-album, MAXIDENT. This comeback follows their MANIAC (Korean) and Circus (Japanese – yet to be reviewed) comeback from earlier in the year and their newest mixtape release, Time Out.

CASE 143 was a mildly confusing song at first. But the more listens I gave it, the more interesting and less confusing it became. CASE 143 is primarily a playful and fun track, but it also taps into the heavy hip-hop sound we got in MANIAC at times. The two don’t usually go together, but I am not surprised that Stray Kids made it work. The choruses is where CASE 143 is most playful and fun, with a descending melody that is, without a doubt, an addictive feature of the overall song. I also enjoyed how the lyrics were delivered in a syllable-paced manner, which added to the addictiveness of chorus and CASE 143. It does give off a repetitive vibe that might dull CASE 143 in the long run, but I am not too worried about this yet. The verses is where CASE 143 takes on that heavy hip-hop influence, which is pretty synonymous with Stray Kids. I don’t have any issues with the very contrasting sides of the song, simply because the lighter feel of the chorus allows the rappers to really be slightly more playful than usual with their rap delivery in the verses. Take Chan’s sequence in the second verse as an (extreme) example, which ended up gearing towards the lighter and perky side of CASE 143. Aside the rapping, CASE 143 also features some decent vocal moments that we don’t usually get in a Stray Kids title track. The vocal melodies in the pre-chorus and bridge were much smoother than usual and works well with the lighthearted side of CASE 143. Lee Know’s lines in the bridge in particular feel so lovely. The last aspect of the song that I really enjoyed was that entire final sequence (i.e. from the 3 minute mark of the music video), where CASE 143 pretty much falls into place and finishes off in a satisfying manner. Overall, a slightly different take on Stray Kids, but still a fun and addictive song.

Stray Kids continues to battle big monsters in this music video. Their Thunderous days saw them fight the Sound Monster. In this video, the police version of Stray Kids (the more serious side of the group) investigates and tracks down the Heart Monsters (not entirely sure if there is a name for them). These Heart Monsters appear adorable, but they seem to take over their host’s minds (i.e., the version of Stray Kids in more colourful clothing) by weakening them to be cute and also cause havoc (i.e., causing Felix to flip the table and the place ends up on fire and some late night graffiti). The police gets pretty far into their investigations and tracking down the liar of the Monsters, unplugging the power source of the Heart Monsters. But it appears the Heart Monsters have taken full control of the all versions of the members in the video. The appearance of the group at the very end (i.e. when they crash out the video/screen) maintains the serious side of the group via their black outfits, but the way the members carry themselves are lighter and carefree, which suggests that the Heart Monsters also got to the police version of the group. Aside from the plotline, the video features amazing post-production (i.e., editing and CGI), which adds that cute and playful side to the video. A great video, overall.

The energy and powerful side of the choreography peaks towards the end of the song (at the similar part mentioned above) and this serves as my favourite part of the whole performance. On top of that, I quite liked the waves in the earlier choruses and the 2PM Heartbeat reference in the choreography.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.6/10

[Review] FIRE – EXID

October 7, 2022October 7, 2022Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged EXIDLeave a comment

An artist whom we have not heard from for a while now is EXID. Their last Korean release was back in 2019 with ME & YOU, which followed the news that some members would be leaving their company at the time (Banana Culture) and an agreement between the members that EXID would go on hiatus to focus on solo endeavours. The group did remain active throughout 2020 in Japan, however. Last week, EXID regrouped to release the single album X and the title track FIRE to commemorate their 10th anniversary as a group since their debut back in 2012.

For those are not aware, I am a very big fan of EXID – even for releases that pre-dates their viral Up & Down. So to hear news that the group would be returning and releasing new music was quite exciting for me. However, FIRE is not like their any of their past hits. Instead, it slips back into pretty mediocre territory, which is slightly disappointed with. It would have been nice to hear music that reminisces over their past hits like Up & Down, Ah Yeah, I Love You etc. But given that this is their first release in three years, I am still pressing the replay button to the song. FIRE starts off with (and features prominently throughout) an ethnic influence, which I personally find to be a dated trend in KPOP. Hani and Elly (formerly LE) leads the charge into FIRE with an underwhelming interchange of vocals and raps. I wished their parts were more bolstered and defined, just to add some dynamism. Hyelin and Solji’s melodic pre-chorus comes next and this was by far the best part of FIRE. Then FIRE‘s chorus comes into play, which is is set up to be only instrumentation with the minimal lyrics. There isn’t anything wrong with this, but I felt a title like FIRE would have alluded to something more ferocious or electric. And I wished that the chorus, of all places, would have reflected this. At least the ‘Burning Up‘ sequence of the chorus does pick up the song to a degree to just add a bit of dynamic flair to the song. Junghwa’s main part occurs in the second verse. If you have not noticed from Hani’s vocal delivery (or the chorus sequences of the music video), FIRE is a mature comeback and Junghwa’s part really reiterates that. The amazing pre-chorus repeats, before we are taken to the 1st bridge, 1st half of the chorus and then 2nd bridge (which probably featured the cringiest set of lyrics in the song) and ending it all with the second half of the chorus (i.e. the ‘Burning Up‘ sequence), which helps end FIRE on a more dynamic note. Overall, FIRE is definitely not their best song ever. But it is still bearable and I would still take the song over no song any day.

As mentioned before, the concept for this comeback is sexy and mature. And this is a major selling point to the comeback in my opinion. The member’s visuals were charming and alluring throughout the video, and I am loving all of it. The only questionable element of the comeback is the prison location. I assume it was part of the producer/director’s vision for this comeback. Aside from that, I was burning for some fires in this video, probably due to the lack of energy I was getting from certain points in the video. This wish was fulfilled when that car exploded in the background. Some dynamic camera work at the end helped add energy to the video. I would have liked more, but what they did at the end was satisfying and fulfilling enough.

When it comes to EXID and their releases, you think of their key dance moves. If you were into KPOP in early 2015, you would know all about EXID’s Up & Down hip thrust move. And each subsequent comeback had a key move like so. FIRE does have that potential, with the hip movements in the first half of the chorus. I also quite liked the way the members were spaced out for the final sequence of the song, as it forces the camera to zoom out to capture everyone. And with the dancers circling Hani, Solji’s high note, LE’s vocals and Hani, Junghwa and Hyelin fast arm movements, it all comes together to look epic.

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

[Review] Drip N’ Drop – MIRAE

October 6, 2022Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged MIRAELeave a comment

Next up on the blog is the review for MIRAE’s latest comeback, Drip N’ Drop, which dropped last week on Wednesday. Drip N’ Drop is the title track off the group’s fourth mini-album, Ourturn, which also was released on the same day. This is the group’s first comeback since their Marvelous promotions earlier this year.

Following the likes of Marvelous is going to be a tall order to fulfil in my opinion. That is a song that really kicked off the year on a strong note for me, so there is high expectations for Drip N’ Drop. So the big question is – do I think Drip N’ Drop lives up to the expectations? Unfortunately, my answer is no. I think Drip N’ Drop has a few weak points that takes it down a notch when compared to Marvelous (and I will explain which ones in a bit). Despite that, let me iterate that Drip N’ Drop is in no way a bad song. I actually enjoyed the deep house and a funky underlay that makes up Drip N’ Drop‘s instrumentation. They are trends in KPOP that we have heard before and the combination of both is not new unexplored territory. But I liked the powerfulness behind the instrumental, which helped add a bold factor to Drip N’ Drop. Talking about making things bold, I also really enjoyed the way the song bolstered up the title of the song to make it the main hook. The layering of the vocals was quite simple, but it also felt clean. I am also a big fan of the percussive effects used to launch the song from the bridge into the final chorus. It added a really dynamic factor to the song and also ticks the box of including something different to keep the song from feeling neutral and/or repetitive. The lack of melody in Drip N’ Drop is what disappoints me the most me. I feel the producers could have really used melody to add more hooks to the choruses to make Drip N’ Drop more appealing. As with the lack of melodies, this left the members with not as much opportunity to shine in Drip N’ Drop. But aside from these factors, I still enjoyed Drip N’ Drop.

The helmet from Marvelous music video makes an appearance in this video, and I had previously theorized that the members were all friends on Mars once. Based on the ending of this video and what I just expressed, it appears MIRAE are going home. This connection is only a small one, however, as the members send messages to each other throughout the video, presumably to converge to that final spot for the spaceship off-screen to teleport them away. Aside from that theory of what is going on in the video, I actually quite enjoyed the prominent colour theme of the video – blue. I thought it was going to be much, but they kept it refined and aesthetic. I also enjoyed that moving background for the main choreography shot.

The choreography was pretty good. No particular move or section stood out for me, but the performance as a whole is still worth watching.

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

[Weekly KPOP Chart] 4th Week of September 2022

October 5, 2022October 5, 2022Posted in Weekly ChartsLeave a comment

Welcome to the belated Weekly KPOP Chart post for the 4th Week of September 2022 (that was the week of 18 – 24 September 2022). Apologies for the delay for this post. I was busy travelling and was unable to post the Weekly KPOP Chart posts for both the 4th and 5th Weeks of September.

This will be a streamlined Weekly KPOP Chart post for the 4th Week of September 2022 (as you can tell by the title of the post). Another streamlined post will follow in the next few days for the 5th Week of September 2022, before returning to the usual transmission of Sundays for the Weekly KPOP Charts posts.

The Charts

Congratulations to THE BOYZ for topping the Weekly KPOP Chart for the 4th Week of September 2022 with WHISPER. WHISPER previously topped the Weekly KPOP Charts a month ago during the 4th Week of August 2022. For more of the charts, keep on reading.

	4th Week of September 2022	18th Sep – 24th Sep 2022
Pos.	Song	Artist	Status
1	WHISPER	THE BOYZ	(▲ 17)
2	2 BADDIES	NCT 127	(▲ 2)
3	FOREVER 1	SNSD	(▲ 5)
4	Can’t Stop Shining	TEMPEST	(▲ 13)
5	Back Then	Kim Jae Hwan	(▲ 15)
6	DOOR	FT ISLAND	(▲ 69)
7	I don’t like you (anymore)	Hanbyeol (CAP-TEEN)	(▲ 68)
8	Talk That Talk	TWICE	(▼ 2)
9	Replay	Golden Child	(▲ 19)
10	go UP	JAY B (GOT7)	(NEW)
11	DICE	NMIXX	(NEW)
12	FOCUS	Ha Sung Woon	(▼ 5)
13	Guerrilla	ATEEZ	(▲ 6)
14	Time Out	Stray Kids	(▲ 32)
15	Shut Down	BLACKPINK	(▼ 12)
16	NERDY	PURPLE KISS	(▲ 59)
17	Same Scent	ONEUS	(▼ 4)
18	Drummin’	TO1	(▲ 57)
19	running away	Mark Tuan (GOT7)	(▲ 56)
20	Crack	Lee Jin Hyuk	(▲ 55)
21	Again	Hwang Minhyun	(▲ 34)
22	Somebody!	Loco & Hwasa (Mamamoo)	(▲ 18)
23	FUEGO (Burn It Up)	BLANK2Y	(▲ 22)
24	Like Psycho	We;Na	(▲ 51)
25	Pop? Pop!	CSR	(▲ 22)
26	Romeo and Juliet	Minho (SHINee)	(▲ 49)
27	Childhood	The Rose	(▲ 48)
28	be free	KB (OnlyOneOf)	(▲ 13)
29	After LIKE	IVE	(▼ 28)
30	Your Song	ONF	(▼ 21)

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 starting next week:

Somebody! – Loco & Hwasa (Mamamoo)
NERDY – PURPLE KISS
AVIATOR – YOUNITE
be free – KB (OnlyOneOf)
Just A Dance – SUNYE
Walking On The Moon – TAN
Monochrome (Color) – ATBO
Freak – Zico
HOOKAH – DalSoobin
Drummin’ – TO1
Evening – YUJU ft. BIG Naughty
Guerrilla – ATEEZ
Ready For Love – BLACKPINK
Cruel – Jackson Wang
Pop? Pop! – CSR
Hype Boy – NewJeans
Hurt – NewJeans

[Album Review] Re: (5th Mini Album) – KARD

October 5, 2022Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPREVIEWED AwardsTagged KARD1 Comment

This post is the official start to the usual album review schedule (i.e. Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and weekends) and the unofficial end to the week full of album reviews. KARD is the group in the spotlight today, with their mini-album, Re:. It is lead by the title track Ring The Alarm and features an additional three side tracks and two instrumental tracks. This was the co-ed group’s first comeback in 2 years, following the release of GUNSHOT (through the single album Way With Words) and J.Seph’s military enlistment.

Re: is one of those albums where the title track is the weakest link of the album. All the other side tracks stood out and were much stronger songs, whereas the title track in this case was pretty much behind the rest of the pack. But these are just my thoughts and you might have different take on the mini-album. Let me know in the comments if you agree with me or not.

1. Break Down – Break Down begins rather slow, but I love Jiwoo and Somin’s deep vocals that kicked off the song. Break Down instantly picks up when the chorus is reached, with the instrumental becoming very crunchy and textured. The hooks were super catchy and memorable. J.Seph comes swinging with his rap verse, which brought the song up even further. BM, for his run at the chorus, felt extremely dynamic. And his rap in the bridge was very pulling. I wished the ending had a much harder slam though, as what we got felt relatively weak compared to the rest of Break Down. (8/10)

2. Ring the Alarm (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Ring The Alarm. (6/10)

3. Good Love – Good Love features a brighter and summery feel to its instrumental. You can feel a tropical vibe in the background and it was quite a fun listen. I can imagine a beach themed music video for this track. The melodies and hooks were rather pleasant, with Jiwoo and Somin doing the heavy lifting in this regard. The male members brought strong rap sequences with nice flow that is on par with the rest of the song. (8/10)

4. Whip! – Opening up with the catchy hooks of the song’s chorus and a brief saxophone riff (that plays throughout the song), Whip! Is the most appealing track on this mini-album. The instrumental is on the softer side, and I quite liked the guitar in the background. I also enjoyed how BM sings with the female members during some parts of the song. I found Jiwoo and Somin’s vocals to be so satisfying to listen to in this track (particularly Jiwoo’s vocals in the second verse), and J.Seph’s rap sequence packed a punch. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 7.8/10

[Review] PARTY ROCK – CRAVITY

October 5, 2022Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged CRAVITY2 Comments

Next up in my pursuit to review the releases of last week is CRAVITY, who returned with their fourth mini-album, New Wave. Leading the mini-album is the single PARTY ROCK. This comes after CRAVITY pre-released their first English single Boogie Woogie and their Adrenaline comeback from earlier in the year (featured on the second part of their first studio album – Liberty: In Our Cosmos).

PARTY ROCK embraces CRAVITY’s upbeat and fun side of funky pop once again, following a similar sound profile to the likes of Adrenaline. However, when you compare the two tracks together, you definitely feel a noticeable difference. Adrenaline comes off as a much tighter and hefty compared to this new release. On the other hand, PARTY ROCK comes off as much lighter and looser, which makes that fun and upbeat feel so much more natural and easygoing. And this just nudges PARTY ROCK forward on the rating scale for me. The chorus had great bright and appealing energy that brought a smile to my face. The members do a good job of bringing all that energy to life and makes the central piece of PARTY ROCK vibrant enough. I do feel there is potential for the members and producers of PARTY ROCK to have taken the chorus to the next level with bolder delivery and a more concentrated instrumental to just make the chorus a more prominent peak to the song. But what we were given is sufficient enough, as it managed to still get me to enjoy the song. I am loving the “We go jumpin’, party rockin’, never stoppin’” line, being my favourite and pick of most memorable line out of the whole song. That hook (and the rest of the hooks throughout PARTY ROCK) were super catchy and definitely ups the fun factor. The weakest aspects of PARTY ROCK were the verses, simply because they didn’t have much of a memorable zing to it. Had this been the case (and the chorus was just a little more leveled up), PARTY ROCK would have been a top notch song. As for now, it is still a great single for CRAVITY.

The music video that accompanies the release of PARTY ROCK was decent to watch. But there wasn’t much to really talk about from it. From what I could see, it is just another video where the members are having a bit of fun. Throw in some choreography shots and solo shots, and that is pretty much the video for this release. Even the usual elements that I do mention or touch like post production, sets, outfits or visuals were all pretty standard. In other words, it feels like a video which concept has been seen and done many times before.

The choreography for this comeback is just like the song – fun. Nothing too mind-blowing or innovative here, but everything feels lighthearted and easygoing. My favourite move out of the entire routine coincides with my favourite line that I mentioned earlier (also my favourite moments in the music video).

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.4/10

[Review] Brand New – XIUMIN (EXO)

October 4, 2022Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged EXO, Xiumin (EXO)1 Comment

As you might have noticed, I had not posted any reviews for any releases from last week. So this week will be an extra big week to catch up on those outstanding releases from last week on top of reviews for the new releases this week. Only then will I be able to review the even more outstanding releases that have been stockpiling. First up is XIUMIN with his solo comeback with the Brand New single and his solo debut mini-album that shares the same name as the lead single.

Whilst XIUMIN’s solo ventures have primarily come from OSTs or SM Station releases (i.e. Young & Free with Mark from NCT and You), Brand New encroaches onto new territory for the relatively new solo artist. Brand New is super upbeat dance track, kicking right into gear from the very start with the catchy and vibrant chorus chant that features prominently throughout the single. I like how this same chant brings forth old school vibes in the song and adds a energetic dimension to Brand New. The lyrical component of the chant is a bit questionable for what Brand New is trying to achieve in terms of the song’s meaning, but I like it more for the addition of much needed oomph to the song. XIUMIN was in charge of the rest of the vocals in the verses. And his vocals sounded so pleasant throughout Brand New. I did wish the melody was a bit heftier and had more body, just so that XIUMIN himself could have stood out more prominently. Alternatively, the bass could have been turned down a fair bit. It drowned out XIUMIN a certain parts of Brand New. But overall, Brand New is a fun and cool track at times, but also pleasant and soothing during other times.

Based on the song’s description, what I could get could out of the lyrics and the different scenes throughout the music video, my guess is that the video depicts the creation and delivery of a present that is XIUMIN himself. But apart from that, it is a fair video to watch and accompany the likes of Brand New. Nothing too mind-blowing, but not terrible in anyway where it deters me from watching it. It also has been a while since we have seen XIUMIN in the public eye (at least it has been a while for me), so it is great to see him again (and be reminded of his stunning visuals).

The choreography was pretty good. I really enjoyed the chorus of the routine, when the energy of the song and routine is at its peak. But I also enjoyed the smoothness of the dance choreography during the verses, as well.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.7/10

[Album Review] SEQUENCE (1st Special Single Album) – WJSN

October 4, 2022Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged WJSNLeave a comment

As mentioned in the previous album review post, this is the second of two single album reviews that I will be posting to round out the week of album reviews before I return to the usual schedule for album reviews (first one will actually be will be published tomorrow, after I failed to post this review yesterday). WJSN is the focus of this post, alongside their first single album SEQUENCE. This was released back in July and is their first major comeback since their Queendom 2 win early on in the year. The single album features a total of three tracks, including the title track Last Sequence.

I think with the final overall album rating I have given SEQUENCE (scroll towards the end of the album review to see my rating for the single album – I won’t spoil it here), it is needless to say that I really enjoyed the single album. And with such a rating, SEQUENCE, becomes one of the best album releases of the year (despite having much less songs compared to their competition to work with). Do you agree with me? Let me know in the comments below.

1. Last Sequence (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Last Sequence. (9/10)

2. Done – The chorus of Done was, without a doubt, the highlight of the song. The deep bass house instrumental was quite an unexpected and subtly intense surprise to the song, given how the song started. The slightly autotuned and muffled vocals that began the chorus was quite trendy and cool. Yeonjung’s vocals in the latter half of the chorus contrasted really nicely with the bass element of the chorus, feeling vibrant and gives Done so much more colour. I also enjoyed the use of the brass synth at the end of Done, which gave the song that additional element to make sure the song is not too similar from start to end. Its presence only at the end of Done felt just right and helped solidified the mature vibes of the song. (10/10)

3. Stronger – Stronger is a ballad duet, featuring Dawon and Yeonjung. With these two members are the helm of the song, it comes as no surprise that it is a stunner. The instrumentation for this ballad is quite atmospheric and feels inspirational. The vocals were heavenly. They didn’t rely on powerhouse vocals, which I personally thought was interesting. I kind of wished they did go down that path to an extent, but I feel their approach still has impact and gives Stronger a … well, strong and sound profile. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 9.3/10

[Album Review] Villain: ZERO (2nd Single Album) – DRIPPIN

October 3, 2022October 2, 2022Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged DRIPPIN1 Comment

I will be rounding out my week full of album reviews with two single albums (two, as they are very short). I will return to the usual transmission of album reviews on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and weekends starting this coming Wednesday. The first single album I will be looking at today is DRIPPIN’s mid-year comeback with Villain: ZERO. This is DRIPPIN’s second single album since debut and their latest comeback following their VILLAIN mini-album from earlier in the year. The single album features the title track ZERO and two additional side tracks.

I think my even and consistent rating of 8/10 throughout the single album, and hence adoption as my final overall album rating is indicative of the group’s potential in the long run (when you also look at DRIPPIN’s past releases). Sure, an 8/10 might not be the highest rating for an album before. But it still points towards some strong songs. Hopefully, DRIPPIN can receive a stronger title track and album release for the next comeback to gain a stronger presence in KPOP.

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

2. GAME – DRIPPIN doubles down with a very serious toned dance track, in the form of GAME. I found this track to be decent, with DRIPPIN’s solid delivery of the song. The pop instrumentation was mixed with tropical elements to create a strong and intense atmosphere. I just wished there was a bit more oomph to the song. GAME could have benefited from have a bolder hook, as opposed to the more vocally smooth hook we got in the song. GAME also could have emphasized some parts, just so the seriousness could have been concentrated. (8/10)

3. Trick and Treat – Re-entering the rock genre is Trick and Treat, who went with a grungier and abrasive profile this time around. It was more upfront with its intensity, compared to the title track. The chorus goes for a more shouty anthem-like chant, which makes sense, as the intention is to heighten the energy we are already getting from the instrumentation. The verses were a bit forgettable unfortunately, even though they go down more of a pop path with these verses. The bridge was probably the most energetic part of Trick and Treat, kicking off with an impressive high note from Hyeop. It will definitely make for a really dynamic and cool dance break in the live performances. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8/10

[Album Review] SMARTPHONE (2nd Mini Album) – YENA

October 2, 2022Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged YENALeave a comment

And the week long album reviews continue with this post being focused on YENA’s second mini-album, SMARTPHONE. The mini-album was released at the start of August, alongside the title track of the same name. Alongside the title track are four additional side tracks. SMARTPHONE follows the release of YENA’s debut mini-album, x‿x (SMiLEY), from very early on in the year.

YENA’s debut mini-album was a standout for a debut act. This time around, I feel YENA’s album release was a bit more typical, but it is still a fairly strong album release nonetheless. The SMARTPHONE title track was by far my favourite from the mini-album. Do you agree with me? Let me know in the comments below.

1. Make U Smile – Starting off the mini-album is a ballad. Usually, ballads are kept for the end of the album, but it isn’t unheard of for ballads to be place in the front of the release. YENA sounds really beautiful throughout Make U Smile. I liked that she sings in both low and high registers, and that her vocals were quite airy. The instrumentation was quite soothing and dreamy. (8/10)

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

3. WithOrWithOut – YENA revisits the punk genre with WithOrWithOut. You might remember the likes of Lxxk 2 U from her first mini-album, which was also delved into the punk genre and was a favourite of mine. WithOrWithOut is a bit softer around the edges, but it still has that nostalgic feel to it. Of course, this song is best during the chorus when the energy is at a high, and the bridge was super awesome. Her brief stints of rapping in the bridge in particular were awesome. (8.5/10)

4. Lemon-Aid – Lemon-Aid goes down the pop path. The instrumental alone was already extremely enjoyable and just hits right, for me. The energy that YENA and the instrumental comes together to form successfully brings a smile to my face. YENA’s vocals are cutesy and I am not too troubled by this. Her rapping was probably the weakest aspects of the song, especially in the pre-choruses. I wished they were just vocals in a similar manner to elsewhere in the song. (8/10)

5. U – The final song on the album is U, and this is probably the style I would have expected from YENA from the very start of her solo career. The pop instrumentation was fun and YENA’s vocals were quite cutesy sounding. It is just a bit too sweet for me personal taste, but it was still a neat way to round out the mini-album. (7/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.1/10

[Album Review] AURA (6th Mini Album) – Golden Child

October 1, 2022Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged Golden Child3 Comments

The next album review on the blog this week is for Golden Child’s sixth mini-album since their debut, AURA, which was released in August of this year. This mini-album features the title track Replay, an intro track and 4 additional side tracks. AURA follows the group’s Japanese debut and first comeback, the military enlistment of Daeyeol and the group’s Korean releases of Ra Pam Pam and DDARA from last year.

It comes as no surprise to me (and it honestly should not be any surprise to any of you) that Golden Child has put out another strong album with AURA, as evident by the extremely high rating I gave the mini-album at the end of this post. I really enjoyed every track on the mini-album – from the title track to the intro track (and everything that follows these two tracks). Both AURA and Golden Child deserves more attention!

1. AURA – The mini-album starts off with a very elegant but mature sounding instrumental piece. It builds up from deliberately slow and paced beat, infusing some electronic synths and brief flute work into the instrumental, but peaking with crunchy vibration at the very end. It is definitely moody throughout and sets the scene for the rest of the mini-album.

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

3. Knocking On My Door – My high hopes for this Golden Child album release comes to fruition with Knocking On My Door. It is the song that made certain that the mini-album would find a place on the agenda for an album review. I love the seamless flow of this track, and the consistently dynamic chorus. The brightness from the synths did the song a solid, giving the song a very refreshing and breezy feel. The rapping added a nice and palatable touch of textures. But it is the vocals that left me most impressed with Knocking On My Door. Y and Joochan’s vocals in the chorus were amazing, and the ad-libs we got at the end just sealed the deal to make this track one of the album’s highlight. (10/10)

4. 3! 6! 5! – 3! 6! 5! ups the energy exponentially with this fun and very vibrant track. Without a doubt, it fits into the summer season just perfectly. And it is incredibly hard to not dance to this song whilst listening to it and I always a find a wide smile on my face following a listen to this song. The harmonies give 3! 6! 5! so much boldness, while the rapping added such a fitting level of edginess and grooviness to the song, all at the same time. And the hooks in the song are so catchy and so easy to get into. Another undeniable highlight. (10/10)

5. Purpose – Purpose starts off as a much softer track, as opposed to the song preceding it. The melodies and verses frames the song as a mid-tempo pop song. But the choruses of Purpose ended up being quite impactful with the combination of the pop and heavy synths. The synths almost overwhelm the vocals, in my opinion. But the vocalists just manage to push through and stay on top. They do sound nice, but I think a bit of refinement would have helped Purpose a lot. I quite like the rapping in this track, especially in the second verse when there wasn’t any backing to the rapping. (8/10)

6. Miracle (완벽해) – The mini-album ends with a glitchy EDM dance track. This brings the energy of the album right back up, and possibly to new highs on this mini-album when the instrumental is most relentless. The choruses were decent, and I liked how the melodies/vocals kept the song grounded. I kind of wished the hooks in the chorus were a bit more memorable, but what we were presented is definitely fine enough. The rapping in the second verse was super cool and gave off a super edgy feel. The verses settled for some less crunchy synths and a funky underlying bass – both leads well into the choruses. (8.5/10)

Overall Album Rating – 9.2/10

[Album Review] CHECKMATE (5th Mini Album) – ITZY

September 30, 2022September 27, 2022Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged ITZY4 Comments

ITZY is the next group to be getting the album review treatment this week. In particular, I am looking at ITZY’s fifth and most recent mini-album since their debut. Titled CHECKMATE, the mini album features both the Korean and English version of the title track, SNEAKERS, and an additional five tracks. This is the first album review for the group, since their first studio length album release in September of last year.

CHECKMATE is an okay mini-album. I get the impression that listeners got more out of the mini-album, whereas I enjoyed the title track more (compared to the rest of the mini-album). Interestingly, the original album cover (which featured the queen chess piece) was replaced with the pink album cover you see below. Personally, I feel like the pink album cover is terrible and I much prefer the original album cover – even if the concept didn’t match the title track. I guess I am against the world with this review. Let me know if you agree or disagree with me.

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

2. RACER – For me, the coolest aspect of RACER was the chorus. This is thanks to the trap hybrid instrumentation and edginess it brought out of the song. In addition, the start of the second verse (i.e., with the autotuned muffled vocals) follows a similar vein. Unfortunately, the rest of the song does not live up to the same standard as the already mentioned parts. It all pretty much felt typical and cliché to me. The vocals and rapping didn’t elicit much from me, and I felt the groans at the end of the hooks were very cringy. (6/10)

3. WHAT I WANT – WHAT I WANT settles for an electro-pop instrumental. I feel the cool and trendy descriptions that could not be applied to the entirety of the previous song can be applied to the entire instrumentation of WHAT I WANT. I particularly like the strong infusion of pop during the pre-choruses through the vocal melodies and the layering of instrumentation in the final chorus. Throw in some catchy repetitive hook that are keyed into your memory bank once this song is over, and you basically have a strong track. (8/10)

4. Free Fall – Free Fall begins with dramatic thumps that alludes to an intense atmosphere. At first, I thought this meant the song was going to feature a mature change up to the album. But we don’t get that whatsoever. ITZY brings their usual bright and youthful energy to Free Fall. But they do so in such a firm matter that any thought of the song being mature was long forgotten and that bright/youthful energy they bring takes full control of the song. The ‘Weee’ we get throughout the choruses were cringy at first, but I ended up warming up to them a fair bit. I am quite surprised I enjoyed this song. (8.5/10)

5. 365 – 365 builds on what was alluded in the previous song, just without the initial dramatic start. As a result, this makes 365 the darkest sounding release on this album. It features an EDM instrumental that sounded like it had mechanical, metallic and robotic sound effects. The members themselves bring a hip-hop energy to the song. I did wish the song had bolder hooks and a more prominent peak, just to potentially take itself to a higher level. (7/10)

6. DOMINO – DOMINO’s instrumentation moves towards pop rock territory, but it just feels a tad on the pop side. The vibrant energy that comes from the instrumentation fits perfectly into the summer season. There was some good rhythm to the song, and the melodies were quite pleasant. I did think the vocals could have used a bit refinement. I personally felt during some parts the members were really pushing themselves, and I wished the producers took a moment to rethink those moments. It was slightly uncomfortable to listen to, if you really hone into the details. (8/10)

7. SNEAKERS (English Version) – Refer to the full review of SNEAKERS above.

Overall Album Rating – 7.8/10

[Album Review] Geekyland (4th Mini Album) – PURPLE KISS

September 29, 2022September 27, 2022Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged PURPLE KISS2 Comments

Next up on the week long of album reviews is PURPLE KISS’ Geekyland, their latest mini-album release. Geekyland and its title track Nerdy was originally released on 25 July 2022. This min-album features another 4 tracks and an intro track alongside Nerdy. Fun fact (and proof that I really dropped the ball on album reviews this year), but a couple of weeks following Nerdy‘s review, I reviewed PURPLE KISS’ third mini-album, memeM, from way back in March of this year.

Once again, PURPLE KISS put out a strong mini-album. I think their past few releases have also been of a similar calibre, and so PURPLE KISS has proven to be consistent and full of potential, just like what I had indicated in their memeM album review. Just like that mini-album, Geekyland also features one 10/10 track. Keep on reading to find out which song that is.

1. Intro: Bye Bye Bully – The intro track was an ideal track to precede the title track that follows it. Bye Bye Bully’s instrumentation features a spooky vibe whilst also being trendy and modern. The vocals work was sleek, working well with the instrumentation. If there was anything to take away from this intro track, it is that PURPLE KISS knows how to the set the scene. (8.5/10)

2. Nerdy (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Nerdy. (8.5/10)

3. Fireflower (불꽃) – Fireflower was a pleasant dance track. I liked the different influences within the background, from the brief cultural sample at the start and the complimenting moombahton instrumental for the chorus. The vocal work was quite alluring to listen to. The rapping in the bridge was a highlight and I wouldn’t mind hearing more of that in the song. In addition to wanting that, I did want some more oomph to Fireflower, just so everything we get in Fireflower is heightened and an even more exciting vibe comes from the song. (8/10)

4. Can’t Stop Dreamin’ – There are two sides to Can’t Stop Dreamin’. On one side, we have a dreamy atmosphere come about during the verses. The dreamy nature comes about from the harp-like synth in the trap-centric instrumental. On the other side, a dynamic infusion of energy comes through the choruses. The two sides work well with one another, creating a harmonious dance track. The hooks in this song were strong, with a solid set vocals and great delivery from the members. A favourite of my mine from this mini-album. (9/10)

5. Love Is Dead – We continue that spooky vibe from the first two songs in Love Is Dead through a fun and groovy rock track. I quite enjoyed the use of their raspy/husky vocals in the song, which gave them a mature profile. But it also plays towards that spooky vibe I just mentioned. The rapping in the second verse was perfect for this song, aligning with the raspy vocals and bought an edgy factor to the song. The hooks within Love Is Dead was super catchy and memorable, help making it a highlight on this mini-album. (9/10)

6. SuMMer RaiN – The song tones down and completes the album with an acoustic R&B number. And I found it so nice and soothing to listen to. The deep voice in the background was a surprising element, however, and the idea of it doesn’t work with acoustics whatsoever. But somehow, it fits into snuggly into the background. The vocals were very delicate and soft, bringing out the melodies really well. Some of the melodies feel a bit haunting, which I guess is the song’s connection to the rest of the mini-album. The rapping was superb and I love the rhythm it brought to the song. (10/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.8/10

[Album Review] The Wave OF9 (11th Mini Album) – SF9

September 28, 2022September 26, 2022Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged SF93 Comments

Okay, I lied. Yesterday’s review was not an album review. But it was pre-scheduled, before I decided to make this week full of album reviews. But the rest of the reviews this week (through to Monday) will be album reviews. Next up is SF9’s 11th mini-album, The Wave OF9, which was released back in July of this year. It features the title track SCREAM and five other side tracks. This comeback also is the first comeback from SF9 of a reduced lineup, with Inseong, Youngbin and Rowoon sitting out for different reasons.

The Wave OF9 had the potential to have some 10/10 songs, but I just wasn’t exactly satisfied by how the songs turned out. Interestingly enough, it all came to do one member. I wonder if you can guess which member that was. I don’t mean to single them out or blame them for my personal ratings of the songs, but I found it intriguing that this member was the reason to why I held back from giving these songs a 10/10. Otherwise, this mini-album is pretty good. Per usual, let me know if you agree with my thoughts/ratings below.

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

2. OK OK – The soft and airy vocals of OK OK make this song feel so enjoyable. The synth-pop instrumentation and melodies aids the vocals, creating such a pleasant tone for the song that ensures the soft vocals shine. Zuho’s rapping was probably the most questionable aspect of the song. I admit that his rap does offset the softness of the song and adds a bit of oomph to keep the song from feeling too consistent. But I feel like his part was too abrasive for the grander picture that is OK OK. Maybe he should have somehow smoothed out his lines to just fit in better with the rest of OK OK. (9/10)

3. Summertime Bounce (Don’t Kill My Vibe) – I find myself singing along to the super catchy hook of Summertime Bounce. It is just so easy to get into and to get lost in. Again, the intro and verses were quite pleasant, never really encroaching over a certain threshold that would have allowed me to describe the track as dynamic. But there was a nice beat to it. The choruses were unexpectedly trendy, featuring some constricted electric guitar that just transform pleasant into groovy. The latter half of the choruses do go over that threshold I mentioned, and rounds out the chorus with a refined yet dynamic bounce. Once again, however, Zuho’s rapping was overwhelming for this song, but I did like the way Summertime Bounce transitioned back into the final chorus. (9/10)

4. Driver – I am reminded of past KPOP songs while listening to Driver. It doesn’t ping me of any song in particular, but rather there is a sense of familiarity to the song. Aside from that, Driver features a groovy dance instrumental, catchy hooks and solid efforts from the members. I am particularly happy to say that Zuho fits into this song nicely and doesn’t overwhelm. I also find the song to be quite sleek and very enjoyable. (8/10)

5. Crazy Crazy Love – Crazy Crazy Love brings a retro touch and disco influences to the mini-album. I really liked the consistent groovy energy of this track, while the ‘Oooh Oooh Oooh’ were super catchy. Chani’s rapping in the first half of the pre-choruses is so alluring to listen to, while the vocals brought vibrancy to the song. The actual more substantial rapping sequences were cool, while I got a nostalgic vibe from Jaeyoon’s vocals in the bridge. (8/10)

6. Butterfly – We end the album with a track that features a fairly busy and noisy instrumental. There was a lot going in the background in Butterfly. But all of this brought character and profile to the song. I did think the pleasantness nature of the vocals was a poor choice, resulting in the vocalists sounding weak and lacking momentum. The rappers, on the other hand, stands out with a strong and powerful rap sequences, and I feel their parts are on par with the instrumental of Butterfly. (7/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.2/10

[Review] BEAUTIFUL MONSTER – STAYC

September 27, 2022September 22, 2022Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged STAYC2 Comments

This is another review for a song I should have reviewed sooner and closer to its original release date. This one, in particular, was a surprise to me that I had missed it when I was going through my list of releases to review/catch up, since the artist in question has been on a roll with their releases. STAYC made their comeback in July of this year with BEAUTIFUL MONSTER, the title track from their third single album We Need Love. It follows the release of RUN2U from earlier this year.

BEAUTIFUL MONSTER changes up STAYC’s range of title tracks with a more subdued release, featuring a lot more acoustics within its instrumental than usual, with guitars and pan flutes being some of the new instruments that STAYC are playing within this release. If you don’t follow STAYC’s releases, their title tracks have been quite heavy on the synth front. That being said, there was still some electronic elements to BEAUTIFUL MONSTER‘s instrumental, but the acoustics just stand out a lot more this time around. This heavier presence of acoustics allow the song to standout in STAYC’s discography. So far, however, I have been isolating the acoustics and electronic sides of the song. But it was quite interesting to hear the harmony that the two sides created together, and was undeniably a strong aspect of the song. It created a pleasant atmosphere, even during the stronger notes in the chorus. BEAUTIFUL MONSTER was driven by vocals melodies, which all complemented that pleasant atmosphere I just mentioned. However, their vocals were a bit soulless at times, if I am being honest. This did help those melodies pop out. But at the same time, it brought a dullness to BEAUTIFUL MONSTER, which one could describe as an aesthetic or unpleasing. As I like the song, I think it is more aesthetic, but understand why some people might say unpleasing or boring. Overall, BEAUTIFUL MONSTER does a decent job of being different. It may not be a riveting piece for some, but I thought it was a memorable piece for the group.

BEAUTIFUL MONSTER is about a partner, who is both a beautiful person but also a monster, depending on how they treated the members (toxic, if you ask me). The premise of the video focuses heavily on the ‘beautiful’ side, with the sweet closes up of the members and shots of the members longing and reminiscing of their partner. But throughout the video, monsters pop up via the addition of post production cartoons. It was a cute and more pleasant way of showing an actual monster in this video, which works cleverly with the music. I did wish there was a stronger showing of the monster element, just so the messaging is a bit clearer. But a nice video to watch, nonetheless.

Just like the music video, the choreography offers two sides. The beautiful side were the smoother and more graceful parts of the routine. And the monster side, which the members depicted with their claw like hands and poses in the chorus. The contrast was nice and helped create a strong performance routine.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 7,5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.9/10