It has been a few weeks since I have posted any reviews (let alone album reviews) on a Friday. I have just been so busy during the week that by Friday, I would fall asleep very early. But hopefully I can manage my sleep pattern a little better to publish reviews as per the usual schedule. As you can tell, I have missed many handfuls of songs over the last few weeks. But I will get onto them eventually. In the meantime, I will be reviewing NCT Dream’s fourth mini-album, Reload. It features the title track, Ridin’. The album has proven to be very successful, selling over 250,000 copies within a two day period.
2. Quiet Down – Quiet Down just doesn’t live up to its name in a literal sense. It is still relatively loud than compared to something that one would described as ‘Quiet’. But it does feel toned back a tad bit, in comparison to the title track. Despite that, I really like how edgy the song managed to maintain, which matches this new image that the group has been going for with their last release (Boom) and Ridin’. Elements of the song remind me of the Western pop in the ‘00s. The relatively rapid and dense bouncy synth in the background of the verses sounds vaguely familiar, while the chorus seemed to bring a R&B melody to the song, which I thought was awesome. I wasn’t as impressed with the vocals and rapping in this song, which felt pretty ordinary overall. (7/10)
3. 7 Days (내게 말해줘) – 7 Days takes a softer pop/R&B approach. Unlike in the previous song, I thought 7 Days had a good display of vocals and rapping. The melodies which the song thrive on really highlight the vocals/rapping skills of the manner. They also helped provide the song a memorable rhythm. The rappers of the group, Jeno and Jaemin, were singing in this song in a rap-sing manner that I really want to hear more of in the future. Not only were their singing great, but the rap sequences they had at the end of the song felt perfect and fitting for the song. The vocalists of the group (the rest of the group) sounded very smooth. Sure, the instrumentals were rather typical and could have used some character. But 7 Days was very pleasant to listen to. (8/10)
4. Love Again (사랑은 또다시) – Love Again seems to be a soft 90s hip-hop track. That is the best way I would describe the song. The chorus really takes you back to that era and I am extremely into it. The vocal and rapping from all members in Love Again on was point. There were very different textures but all worked very cohesively with one another. Haechan even raps in this song! Some of their delivery was rough, while other times its was very smooth. I also really liked how relatively soft yet upbeat the instrumentals were. They felt just right for this style and worked extremely with the member’s vocals/rapping. (9/10)
5. Puzzle Piece (너의 자리) – Puzzle Piece is a ballad with only one instrument in the background, an acoustic guitar. It is such a nice tune to end the album with. And the sweetness that I could feel just made it even better. I just liked how easy it was to slip into this song. Once again, their vocal work was amazing. As it was just the acoustic guitar, what we heard felt from the members very pure and ‘unhidden’. There were no synths to cover up any of the vocals, while there wasn’t anything to really fall back on. Furthermore, the harmonisation with the background vocals and one another was really powerful. I liked how the acoustic guitar built up the song and gained momentum. It made the song even better and feel well rounded. (10/10)
For this week’s past album review (PARs), we will be focusing on Seventeen. The group has released three studio albums so far. And so far, I have only reviewed their two most recent ones, Teen, Age and An Ode. Today I review both their first studio album, Love & Letter, and their repackaged followup, Love & Letter (Repackaged). Both were released in 2016 respectively. Pretty U features as the title track of the first studio album, which earned the group their very first and second music show awards. The repackaged album features Very Nice, which is probably one of my favourite songs in KPOP ever. Also featuring on the album are unit versions of Adore U, Mansae and Shining Diamond, which are all promotional tracks prior to the release of this album. For this review, I have included all three songs in review as each unit spun them in a different way, creating three different and (to a degree) new songs. Let’s see what the albums has to offer.
Love & Letter Album Cover
Love & Letter (Repackaged) Album Cover
1. No F.U.N – No F.U.N is a hip-hop dance track featuring tribal-like drums as the ‘main’ instrument piece in the instrumentation of the song. There is a bit more of the instrumental as well, such as short trumpet like sounds and what seems to be wooden sticks in the background. But like what the title of the song suggests, the song is not that much fun. In fact, I find it too serious sounding for my liking. It felt like so at the time of the album’s release and that the feeling somehow just has stuck with me over the years. Even with Seventeen now opting for more mature and serious sounding songs, I would find the song to be very bland and plain as it doesn’t offer that level of excitement that all Seventeen’s songs have. The rappers do shine in this song, but it definitely not a standout performance from the group. (6/10)
2. Very NICE (아주 NICE) (Title Track) – Once upon a time, I gave this song a 9/10 ranking. Over the years, I grown to really like every element of the song so much that it has become one of my most replayed songs of all time. It is only right that I give it a 10/10 rating now. Click here for the full review for Very NICE.(10/10)
3. Healing (힐링) – Following the very epic VeryNICE is a very bright and fun Healing. While the song doesn’t technically continue the momentum of the title track of the repackaged album, there is a very upbeat and robustness to Healing’s instrumentation that feels just right in this song. The dynamic drums and strumming guitar come together to give off the strong summery vibes in which the song thrives on. The vocal work and rapping feels very energetic and is another factor why the song sounds so addictive. I find that this song is super powerful in the current times as I write this review, mainly because we all cannot travel and go on holiday in this physical distancing and isolation lifestyle we all now live. Overall, a great song. (8/10)
4. SIMPLE (Woozi Solo) – The next song is SIMPLE and it features Woozi, the leader of the vocal team. And it is my favourite side-track off the new songs added to the repackaged album. There is a really breezy melody that makes the song so enjoyable. The instrumental is also quite nice and soothing, despite it being quite upbeat. Instead of opting for a ballad styled song, Woozi uses a band sound that can be describe as more suitable for the youthfulness that the album pushes for and this gives off a more epic vibe. It also brings out Woozi’s voice, which we don’t often hear in the group releases as those tracks are often shared with 13 members. (9/10)
5. Space (끝이 안보여) – Space features only a handful of the group, namely the Hip Hop unit of Seventeen (S.Coups, Wonwoo, Mingyu and Vernon) and also DK. I don’t much to say about this song other than it sounds like your standard pop song. There were good melodies in the song from all members who participated in the song, which helped make the song flow quite nicely. The rappers handled the verses well, while DK’s chorus was neat. The song just doesn’t really give me much to speak about, nor do I find it to be a memorable track on the album. (7/10)
6. Chuck (엄지척) – I remember Chuck to be the song which the group promoted alongside Pretty U. The song’s instrumental was very iconic, as it contrasted strongly with the album’s sweeter and almost cutesy tone. It was a mix between hip-hop and the cliché EDM of the time. Another aspect that I thought was strong was the chorus of the song. It also felt very iconic, though for a different reason at first. Based on the way it was paced, I was very surprised that they actually formed a proper sentence. It may sound a little ignorant, but I thought they were sounding out onomatopoeia vocabulary for the longest time, until I had that revelation. The combination that formed the chorus came out to be memorable and showed the members with a different sound (at the time), which they hadn’t attempted before. (8/10)
7. Pretty U (예쁘다) (Title Track) – My original review contain an overall rating of 7/10. Reading over my comment and my current thoughts about the song, I have decided to up the rating to a 9/10. Click here for the full review for Pretty U. (9/10)
8. Still Lonely (이놈의 인기) – Still Lonely is the second track on the repackaged album to feature a handful of the members including Jun, Hoshi, Wonwoo, Woozi, DK, Vernon and Dino. The song appeals me to me as it still feels fresh. It does feature that generic pop sound once again, but it easily overshadowed with the random synths, small details in the instrumentation and the song’s memorable section. In my opinion, the song’s memorable moment has to be the pre-chorus. Hoshi and Dino’s pre-chorus delivery was filtered with autotune, which I thought contributed to an interesting texture and melody to the otherwise smooth pop song. (7.5/10)
9. Popular Song (유행가) – Popular Song is more of a mix between pop and ballad, rather than just pop which the lyrics of the song keeps on referring to. It is a good song. Majority of the song takes the form of a ballad. The instrumentation is predominately piano-based and has this slow tempo, which are key characteristics of most ballads. But the chorus takes the song on a different route. It starts off with that ballad-like approach, but the second half of the chorus ups the tempo to be more a subdued pop track. I thought this was an interesting change up for the song, so it doesn’t fall into that too consistent category. The bridge brings an epic vibe to the song, which doesn’t necessary fit into any of the two sides of the song, hence incorporating another interesting change up the song. Overall, I thought it a nice track with some intriguing twists. (8/10)
10. Say Yes – Say Yes is a ballad duet between DK and Seungkwan. It features no interesting changes, like in the preceding track. It stays in ballad mode for the entire four-minute span. I thought it was a really beautiful sounding ballad. It starts off as a piano based ballad, but it slowly incorporates classical instrumentation to help drive the song forward and create a pleasant atmosphere. No doubt complimenting the instrumentation is are the really soothing vocals of the two vocalists. My favourite moments is when they harmonise together, which caught my attention during my relisten in order to review the album. I just wished the melodies were a little more memorable, which would have made the song perfect. (9/10)
11. Drift Away (떠내려가) – Drift Away features the remaining members who were not part of Still Lonely (S.Coups, Jeonghan, Joshua, Mingyu, The8 and Seungkwan). I thought this song was very pleasant. It is the type of song I would play to chill after a busy yet cheerful day. There is a feel-good vibe to the song, which I think will help serve the purpose of winding down after such a day. It features an instrumental predominately made of acoustic guitar amongst other instruments, which entering into the chorus really gave the song an upbeat appeal. Unlike Still Lonely, the highlight of Drift Away comes during the chorus, courtesy of The8. His section was undeniably the catchiest part of the song, in my opinion. (8/10)
12. Adore U (아낀다) (Vocal Team Version) – Adore U was the group’s debut title track, for those who don’t know. Given Seventeen’s style, the song was a pop dance track. The vocals team (Woozi, Joshua, Jeonghan, DK and Seungkwan) put the song into ballad mode, which I think is very fitting for the unit. But it felt a little cliché as well. I did like how they didn’t make it into the type of ballad that is rather still. There is a flowy melody that gets you to sway along to the music, which makes the song enjoyable. I thought the bridge of this version was quite nice, with Jeonghan and Joshua’s breathy tone and DK’s beautiful high note. (8/10)
13. Mansae (만.세) (Hip-Hop Team Version) – The hip-hop unit’s rendition of Mansae, now Monday To Saturday, was probably the most interesting of the three. Both in theory and with what they ended up presenting us with. Aside from the familiar and main chorus hook of the original song, everything else is the song has changed. The lyrics, the melodies, everything. And I don’t feel too good about it. I am not saying that by changing the entire song, they didn’t hit the brief. I would be surprised if they didn’t change any of the lyrics, as that would result in something that finishes up quite quickly. I am just disappointed that in their rendition of Mansae, everything was oddly light and lacked energy. Their rapping was good, but it just felt bland over the light instrumentation. By far the weakest track on the album, in my opinion. (5/10)
14. Shining Diamond (Performance Team Version) – The Performance Team is more well known for their impressive choreographies. So, it comes with no surprises that their version of Shining Diamond was more of a remix that gave the song more of a dance influence. They do this by incorporating synths that we see common in EDM for dancers to do perform to. They remix vocals and the original instrumentation. Frankly, I would say this is cheating. But it works for the unit to make the song their own. Talking about vocals a moment ago, they retained some of the original vocals as well, allowing the unit to focus on what they do best. (8/10)
15. LoveLetter (사랑쪽지) – We end the album with Love Letter, which was very easy to get into. It is a song for the fans and I thought it was a very sweet song to listen to. The melodies were very upbeat. I liked the percussion/clapping that featured as part of the chorus. It gave the song an interactive front, which I quite liked. Each member shined in this song. But it is undeniable that the main member in the limelight as result of the song is Wonwoo, who had his first (if I am not mistaken) vocal lines during the bridge. I feel like this was a great song to end the album with. (8.5/10)
Sorry about the double up on album reviews today. I thought I had already published Winner’s album review last night, but I guess I got distracted. Despite already publishing one album review today, I have decided to publish a second album (the usual Sunday album review release) to keep on track and not impact the upcoming release of reviews this week. The focus of this second album review will be on Oh My Girl, who recently returned with their most successful comeback yet, Nonstop. Both the album and title track shared the name, Nonstop. The album also features four other tracks, so let’s dive into the album to see it can be replayed nonstop.
2. Dolphin – If you have been following my Weekly KPOP Charts segment, you may notice that I have been mentioning this song over the last few weeks. Dolphin has fast become my favourite side-track of the year. It is extremely addictive, catchy and fun sounding. I also liked the light tone that the members adopted for the song. I thought it contrasted nicely with the relatively deep thumping and instrumentation that featured in the song. Per usual, I would have pointed out that consistency could have been an issue with this song. After all, this whole song is built on repetition. But I thought that adding that trap influence to the final part of song was quite clever and avoided me drawing the consistency red card. (10/10)
3. Flower Tea (꽃차) – Flower Tea is a ballad. No surprises there, as the title felt like it was going to be a ballad. While the main suspects in the instrumental are those classical associated instruments, the chorus seems to pick up a slight jazzy vibe, which I thought were very nice. It is a very soothing ballad and it shows off the member’s vocals really nicely. When I listen to the song, I feel like I am sitting in front of a warm fireplace as the song gives off that warm feeling. I just don’t find this song all that memorable. I just find Flower Tea to be the type of song that I would be happy to listen to this song if it pops up on my playlist, but it isn’t one I would go out of my way to find, if that makes sense. (7/10)
4. NE♡N – The title of this song is pronounced exactly like the word it is trying to spell. Neon. I don’t like the love heart in the actual title of the song. It just feels cringy and alludes to that form of cutesy in KPOP that I don’t really like. One thing I am glad about NE♡N is that it doesn’t go into that cringy cutesy style. It feels like a pop track with a mild level of cutesy in it. There was a good beat and the instrumental seemed to be incorporated an 8-bit type of feel. Part of me wants to say this song was very retro, but it also feels very contemporary. I also liked their vocals in this song, which was the usual Oh My Girl style. I must say that this song is more suited for when Oh My Girl had that young girl image. It suited them then and feels a little displaced in this more mature limelight. But it was still good nonetheless. (8.5/10)
5. Krystal– The melody of Krystal really stood out to me. It reminds me of BoA’s old tracks. It has that throwback type of vibe, which helps it become another strong song in my books and on this album, which helps end the album on a good note. If you can somehow replicate that same vibe as the Queen of KPOP and yet make the song your own, you are doing something right. I liked how the producers linked the overall sound of the song to the title. To me, it truly felt like the percussion and synths all came together to become a crystal that is glimmering and shining in the light. I also liked how light the vocals in the song were as well. But yet it was very different to the light vocals we got in Dolphin. In this song, the vocals felt warmer and sweeter. (9/10)
The album in focus for this review post is WINNER’s Remember, which was released over a month ago on 9th April. This album was confirmed to be the final release by the group before the members go on hiatus and enlist into the military. Jinwoo actually enlisted a week prior to the album’s release and Hoony enlisted exactly a month ago. In the meantime, it was also confirmed that we will see the rest of the members focus on individual promotions before enlisting. Remember, the group’s 3rd studio album, is also the title of the album’s main title track. It also features Hold (a pre-release track), and four member versions of their debut tracks (Empty and Color Ring) and two side tracks from their 1st studio album released back in 2014 (Different and Don’t Flirt). These four tracks will not be included as part of the review. Let’s see how the rest of the album fared.
2. Dduk (뚝) (Jinu Solo) – Jinu is a member of Winner who doesn’t get much attention by himself. I don’t think he gets much solo promotions and this solo track proves that he should have at least gotten something to celebrate his vocal ability. Dduk continues from where Remember left off. It is a ballad with a piano only backdrop. Usually, ballads would start off with just the one instrument and as it progresses, adds to the song to push the song along. Dduk doesn’t conform to this and instead keeps everything pretty much raw, which I thought was cool. This made the song’s melody, both piano and vocal wise to be really nice. You can feel a bit of emotion behind this song in Jinu’s voice, as he sings about splitting up. And I like how he ends each chorus with a short, sharp and spoken form of the title, adding a little interesting detail to the song. (9/10)
4. Just Dance (막춤) – Continuing the more upbeat vibes from Hold, Just Dance has that wholesome, feel-good and fun vibe. It is a song that will make you smile and maybe get a dance out of even the quiet and introverted people. I can imagine a fun music video, similar to how Can’t Stop The Feeling by Justin Timberlake came to be. The instrumental was quite laid back when you think about it. It never really went anywhere. But consistency probably helped made the song appealing, as you don’t want this going through moments of slowness or have the instrumental stripped away completely, as that would just ruin it. If you took anything away from Hold, it is that they can insert an element of fun to their delivery. And that is what Just Dance continues on effortlessly. (9/10)
5. My Bad – My Bad brings a R&B spin to the album. The background of the song seems refined and classy, thanks to the acoustic guitar that features in the background. There is obviously more to the instrumental to get to that point, but the guitar was the main standout. The rest of the song is built on the group’s vocals and a really smooth melody. And they sound amazing in this song. The ‘My Bad’ that features in the chorus (courtesy of Mino and Yoon) of the song brings out a hoarse nature to their vocals which makes the song sound so good. Probably my favourite part of the song. And out of all the members, Mino is the member that shines the brightest in the song. He shows off a great range in this song, switching between a deep tone for the opening verse and chorus echoes, and a falsetto for the pre-chorus. The other members do a good job in the song as well. (9/10)
6. Teaser – Listening to all the songs on the album, I feel like each member shines in a different song. For Teaser, which is a very heavy hip-hop influenced track, the member that shines is Yoon, who had the strongest individual part of the song (i.e. the ‘Baby You-ou-ou’ in the pre-chorus. Note how I pointed out individual. While each person has their individual sections in this song, I thought the combination of rapper and vocalist singing together gave the song some really interesting harmonies and textures. The interception felt unique and felt like a strong aspect in this song. (8.5/10)
7. Well – Well is essentially a song in which the members wish that their fans stay … well. The song is quite upbeat, but it necessary doesn’t have that fun vibe. Instead, I find the song has that nostalgic pop vibe to it that felt like it was part of many male KPOP group’s albums in the past. I really like the hooks of the song, which consisted of the title of the song being repeated. I also like the ad-libs inserted for the final chorus, which acted as the icing on the cake. I feel like this doesn’t have a standout member. It feels cliché to say this, but all of them shined when they all started to sing together as part of the final chorus. This section just feels right for this song, adding further to that appeal to fans. (8/10)
8. Serenade (세레나데) (Hoony Solo) – By default, Hoony shines in this song as he is the only member in this song (same for Jinu in his solo track). Serenade encompasses what I think suits Hoony, though I will admit my exposure to him as an artist is quite limited. Firstly, he is a rapper, so I don’t think he would do anything like a ballad, which serves better for vocalists. But at the same time, Hoony never strikes me to do something hip-hop heavy, like Mino’s solo tracks. Serenade binds together pop and rock, creating an upbeat number for Hoony to bring his rap to (and consequently rock to). There is colour and definitely a kick in the instrumentation, which I thought was amazing. I find his rapping to be full of expression in this song and he inputs energy that helps consolidate that this is a perfect solo track for him. I do think he could have gone a little harder with his delivery. But overall, Serenade is a great track. (9/10)
It is time for another PARs (Past Album Review) as it is a Tuesday and I have chosen EXID to be next group to cover. More specifically, the group’s first and only studio album (so far). Street is the name of their first studio album and this was released in June 2016. It features the title track, L.I.E, and the remixes of Hot Pink and L.I.E (which I have chosen not to review). More recently, EXID has gone on a hiatus after not resigning with their company. Each member has gone onto different companies in Korea, but the group has stated that they have not disbanded. So we could potentially see another studio album from the group in the future! But until then, it will be a bunch of PARs for EXID.
Street Album Cover
1. Don’t Want A Drive (데려다줄래) – Don’t Want a Drive is a mid-tempo R&B number that eases us into the album. Given the group’s EDM direction for the title track, something easygoing and light would be appropriate to start off the album. The instrumental is very pleasant, despite being somewhat crunchy in texture. I really liked how Hyerin echoes the final section of the segment, easing us out of the song. I also found it interesting that Junghwa and Hani took the reins of the chorus, a role usually reserved for the main or lead vocalist of the group. Junghwa’s vocals do really fit in and give the chorus a bit of spark that would have felt over the top if Solji had stepped in, regardless of how good we all know Solji is. (8/10)
2. L.I.E (엘라이) (Title Track) – My original review stated that I was very disappointed with the track. Four years on, the song has definitely grown me. To the point where I will be bumping the review rating to a 8/10. Click here to read the (original) full review for L.I.E.(8/10)
3. I Know (알면서) – I Know comes off with an upbeat tone, where the members ask why they are still with their partner despite the entire world around them telling them to leave. The song has this energetic presence, which really helped make the song much more appealing if they took it in the route of a ballad or R&B song. It utilises EDM synths to give it some life and texture. It isn’t dominant hook like how it is employed L.I.E and feels like artists would usually employ the style in a standard pop track. But it is still nice, alongside the catchy hooks and melody in this song. (8/10)
4. Hello (Hani Solo) – Hello is a very jazzy-styled R&B track brought to you by Hani. As all solo tracks, the song is well designed for Hani’s voices. She doesn’t have the power vocals like other members in her group, but she can do a fair job on her own, as indicated by this track. What I really like about this song is its lightness and breezy nature. It is so light that Hani could effortless switch to a speaking style delivery of her singing, which I thought was a very cool aspect of the song. It isn’t a standout or memorable track, but it is definitely a nice song. (8/10)
5. Cream – Cream is a questionable song. Not for the music however, but rather the lyrics. I won’t go into details due as this is a studio album review, but I am sure that this caught the attention of fans back in the day for its possible sensual connotations. Apart from that, I thought Cream was a really good song. I like the vocal work which was very delicate. The instrumental featured a nice level of funkiness and was driven forward with a guitar which gave the song some class. The saxophone at the end also added a little more just before the song ended. The only thing I did not like was LE’s rap sequence, which felt very unnecessary. (8/10)
6. 3% (Solji Solo) – 3% thrives thanks to two elements. The first has to be Solji’s vocals. We all know her for her impressive display of vocals through many shows in the past. 3% doesn’t put forward her powerhouse vocals, however. Rather, it puts forward an excellent display of her vocals without going overboard with high notes or loud vocals. The other element that really puts 3% forward is the simple instrumentation. It is just acoustic guitars. It is a nice piece, but it also allows the focus to be squarely on Solji. (10/10)
7. Only One – The song Only One is actually a group version of Hani and Solji’s duet, Only One, which the released in 2015. What differentiates this version to the duet is that it feature a rap sequence by LE, which I think is suitable for the song’s upbeat electronic pop style that dominated most of the song. There were other parts of the song that the electronic pop doesn’t feature, replaced by a nice piano piece. The two styles merge nicely to form what we hear in Only One. I just feel that Junghwa and Hyerin just didn’t into the song as nicely as the song was made for Solji and Hani and I don’t think enough adjustments were made for the addition of these two other vocalists of EXID. (8/10)
8. Of Course (당연해) – The alternative title to Of Course is No Way. The song brings out the 80s flair with this song, with the instrumental featuring a dance beat, some funky sounds, synths and bass. I do think they went a little overboard with the bass in the song, especially during the transitional elements in the instrumental. But despite that, I found the song to be very catchy. I also enjoyed the energy that came from the song. I think the song could have benefited if the rapping was a little more powerful, which would have boosted the song in my opinion. (8/10)
9. Are You Hungry (냠냠쩝쩝) (Junghwa & Hyerin Duet) – The album takes a playful and fun vibe with the disco vibes in Are You Hungry. The vocal parts in the verse remind me of something that T-ARA would have released back in the day to follow up some of their weird tracks. The chorus reminds me a mixture of Nyan Cat (who remembers that? Or would I be showing my age with Nyan Cat?) and What Does The Fox Say?, two of the most annoying songs that have long past their prime. It is a catchy number and is definitely a song for the people who enjoy the wacky side of KPOP. For me, it brings a smile to my face every time I hear it. (7.5/10)
10. Like The Seasons (여름, 가을, 겨울, 봄) – Like The Seasons is a group ballad. It was also my favourite side-track from the album when it was first released. The ‘Let the Rain, Snow Fall, Yeorum, Gaeul, Gyeuol Bom’ line in the chorus was very memorable. I find the song to be very flowy and suitable for almost all the seasons. There is something in the lightness of the instrumental that makes it refreshing for Summer, yet warm for Winter. I also really liked the harmonies in this song. (9/10)
11. Good – Good ends the album on a very upbeat note. I just found the song to be very linear in nature and didn’t really have much development as it progressed. The song just lacked that climax that would have helped give the ending a punch, as they had everything else there. The upbeat energy that comes from the track was very desirable. There were trumpets, drums and a 70s/80s synth influence, which makes the song fun sounding. The members all sounded good. It is just that lacked climatic moment that was needed. (7.5/10)
It is Sunday and it is time for another album review! Today’s album review is dedicated to the debut mini-album that kicks off CRAVITY’s career. For those who don’t CRAVITY is a nine-member male group from Starship Entertainment. They made their debut on the 14th April 2020 with Break All The Rules and this mini-album. The album has since peaked at number 1 on the domestic charts and the group has sold over 100,000 albums since their debut. As mentioned in the song review, I hope the rest of the album was more likable that the title track. Spoiler alert: it is! Let’s see the album now.
Hideout: Remember Who We Are Album Cover
1. Top Of The Chain – What many new artists should be doing is making a statement with their first track. Top Of The Chain does just this. I have been binging on a number of epic sounding tracks as they were featured as part of a favourite TV show and I feel like that Top Of The Chain channels the same epic vibes that I gather from these tracks. The song is a rock anthem and exudes the power that the group claims to have and subsequently deliver through song. The most memorable section of the song, which also showed a strong combination of their vocal and rapping skills is the climb and the moment of stillness we get in the pre-chorus. That being said, the vocals and rapping were definitely strong throughout the song. Overall, Top Of The Chain was bold and a powerful track. (10/10)
3. Jumper – Jumper continues the same momentum from the two preceding tracks and also features an epic opener. The first few seconds of the song reminds of a theatrical release. The song then launches right into the chorus with a drop that reminds me of Wanna One’s Boomerang. The pairing of these two parts actually makes the drop feel very powerful. Another aspect that makes this song a strong piece is the ‘shouting’ that features as part of the chorus. This helps bold that one liner that repeats throughout the chorus. The rest of the track follows a similar dynamic instrumentation and feature strong vocals and rapping talents. The only thing that disappoints me is that the song felt like it was on a loop. But other than that, good track. (8/10)
4. Blackout– Blackout tames those epic vibes that I had written about in the previous songs. But it still that rough dance track, with a stronger focus on melodies and vocals. I really like that vibrating-like synth in the background, which felt very unique and different. I liked the opening vocals that utters the title of the ‘Blackout’ in that really edgy voice. I also like how this contrasts with the smoother ‘Blackout’ that is sung in the chorus. This song, too, shows that the group has a strong vocal and rap line. Whoever did the higher pitch during the bridge sounded really good. The only thing I really didn’t understand is that ‘explosive’ utterance in the chorus. It just got annoying in the background as I enjoyed the rest of the song. But that is just me. (8.5/10)
5. Stay (낯섦) – Despite it too being a dance track. Stay is a lot smoother than any of the tracks before it. It is a good track to really chill to, especially after all that intensity. It laid back tone is very likeable and pleasant to my ears. This track zones even further into the vocal side of the song, as the song has really nice melodies. The song delves into a EDM that we hear very often in the KPOP realm. So it has that typical nature working against it. But what does work in its favour is how suitable the song feels for a nice drive along the coast. Or a walk on a mild breezy day. (8/10)
6. Cloud 9 – There is a bit of grooviness to Cloud 9, which sets this song apart from the rest of the album. But it is also a pop sound that you hear very often from many male groups. So once again, there is a typical nature working against it. But the song is still pleasant and enjoyable. It had a decent beat and it isn’t overly loud in any aspect, which is a good track to put on when you are doing some chores around the house, for example. The vocal work and rapping was a little bland in this song, but it was still good for a lighthearted style. Interestingly, I don’t find the song to be much of a Cloud 9, given that the song is still rooted in a dance track style. It does, however, cast a different and softer light on the group. (7/10)
7. Star (별) – Star is another pop song. And I too feel like it fell into the trap of being typical. But it was a much stronger effort than the other two tracks of a similar nature. Once again, the song is very vocal centric, with the featuring soothing and pleasant sounding vocals, which is interesting considering he instrumental was still very upbeat. The melodies were very appealing, especially when it came to the chorus. The rapping was also quite good and fitted in well with the song. I really liked the acoustic guitar during the bridge of the song, which is a change from the electronic synths we have heard throughout the album. It also seemed to start a level of lightness, which made the song and album close out in a pretty and easygoing manner. (9/10)
It is time for another album review. Sorry that this is a day late again. I had it written up and ready to go. But I was too tired after a long week at work to actually copy into the editor and insert the videos for the album review. So I opted to Netflix instead, like a professional procrastinator. But without any further delays, here is yesterday/today’s album review post. Today’s focus is on Max Changmin’s official solo debut mini-album, Chocolate, which is also the title of the main title track on the album. This release comes after Changmin had debuted as part of TVXQ 16 years ago.
2. High Heels– One thing that stands out in High Heels is the subtle level of grooviness in this jazzy number. There is also a sleek and classy vibe thanks to the funky guitar and deep bass in the background, all contributing to a strong foundation. Adding to the appeal of the song is Changmin’s vocals, which I find to be quite light. I liked the harmonies between Changmin’s vocals and the background vocals. The sound of the high heels walking at the start and end of the song was also adds an element of curiosity and got me thinking why Changmin would be singing a song by a pair of high heels. Well, the high heels referred to in the song aren’t the actual shoes. Rather, it is referred to as a barrier and that their crush is unreachable. (8/10)
3. Lie (ft. Chungha) – Lie steers the song towards the modern sound again. We get a minimalist instrumental in this song, with hollow drums being the main instrumentation we get during the verses. The song adds a dramatic flair and a beat to the chorus, driving the song forward. Lie also features Chungha, who we all know from hit songs and recent release (Stay Tonight). I really like how the song sets up for Chungha’s featuring for the chorus, inserting a squeaky synth into the background and easing us towards a high-pitched yet aesthetic ‘I’m So Lonely’, courtesy of Chungha herself. I like it feels like it is part of the instrumentation, yet at the same time, we know it is her featuring part. She isn’t limited to just 3 words on repeat, however, as she has a vocal sequence in the bridge, which was quite nice. Changmin, himself, sounds amazing in this song. He goes between a standard pitch that somehow just melt into your ears, high pitch and harmonises with the backing vocals that just adds further smoothness to his voice. The pair doesn’t share any sections explicitly, but they manage to develop a really strong chemistry that I just want more of. (10/10)
4. Piano – I don’t know if Piano is meant to come off as a fun number. But that is the feeling that I get from this amazing song. First of all, I am in love with Changmin’s vocals in this song. He goes lows for the verses and I find this very alluring, given the higher note of the piano in the background. His adopts a more powerful vocal delivery for the chorus and this felt very bold due to the contrast with his low tone. Second of all, how aesthetic is this instrumental. It predominately features someone hitting the same key on a piano throughout the instrumental. There is also this low bass beat and drumbeats which adds some character to the song. I also love the dramatic endings to the chorus, which add a zap to the song that really grabs your attention. To sum up, I quote Changmin in the song, ‘I Like It, Don’t Stop’. (10/10)
5. Me, Myself & I – Setting up the tone and direction of this R&B is an unanswered song and the line ‘I’m so freaking over you’. Changmin barely enters a different vocal range in the song unlike his other tracks, staying low and bringing out a raspy sound in this voice. It almost feels like he is whispering to himself. This R&B track features acoustic guitars and drum beat that pushes the song along. While it does sound like all is lost in his opening line (which is the opening line to all choruses in the song), there is a glimmer of hope and that is why you could feel a little warmth to the way the song came together. Unfortunately, I did find the song monotone to a degree and hence didn’t enjoy as much as the other songs on the album. (7/10)
6. No Tomorrow – No Tomorrow is the song that closes up the album. And it definitely follows the feel at how the songs do not sound alike in anyway. It is upbeat thanks to the band instrumentation and acoustic guitars. The song also has a very bright profile, which I find every interesting. That might be due to the really uplifting lyrics that Changmin had penned. In No Tomorrow, his vocals are a lot bolder and not held back. Actually, a better way to describe is that Changmin lets loose in this song, without going with a crazy song. It feels refined this way and ends the album on a very bold yet happy note. (9/10)
It is time that I bring back the Past Album Reviews (PARs), where I dive into the albums that have been released in past. In order to be reviewed, the album cannot be released in the current year. So in this case, any album released in 2019 or before may land itself on the review. They will be published weekly (as like last year) and will follow the same format as the usual album reviews. The restarting album to this segment Infinite’s Destiny, which is the group’s second single album. It was released back in 2013 after the release of New Challenge in the same year, which I previously reviewed last year.
Destiny Album Cover
Apologies that I could not find the official audio for the b-sides on this album on YouTube. I have linked to the YouTube lyrics videos that I could find instead.
1. Destiny (Title Track) – My previous review for Destiny consisted of a combined rating score, which I do not use in my album reviews. Upon reconsideration I have changed the rating to 9/10 song-wise from the 7.5 combination rating I had given originally. Click here to read the full review for Destiny.(9/10)
2. Inception– My new headphones are really getting a workout with the recent bass heavy songs that I have been reviewing. And Inception joins that list, opening with multiple deep drumbeats that really gets me intrigued in the song after all these years. Joining the deep beats that is brought in and out of the song, the song has this ongoing squeaky synth that really gets into your head (well, it did for me after all this time). There is also this classy vibe to the song which I thought really helped make this song feel polish and at another level. The vocal work was really good, with the chorus featuring harmonies from the members to give that powerful feel in a subtle way. There is also a catchy melody attached to the song, which helps it becomes a strong b-side that follows in the footstep of Destiny. (9/10)
3. Going To You (너에게 간다) – Going To You is pop ballad, leaning more to the pop side. I am always amazed when it comes to Infinite’s ballad. Back then and even now. Going To You has this very wholesome and passionate feel to it, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The instrumental is a balanced mixture of band and classical instrumentation, which gives the song that lean to the pop side of the spectrum. The melody was light and simple. All the members participate as vocalists in this song and they all sound really good. I love how they stripped all the music at the end, giving Woohyun an opportunity to end the song with his effortless vocals. I could go on about this song but I will give two big thumbs up for this song, with hopes that summarises the rest of my thoughts. (9/10)
4. Mother (엄마) – Mother is more of your typical ballad. Slow and the instrumental is more classical-centered. Mother is a special song, dedicated to all mothers. The members sing Mother with their own mothers, wanting to saying to ‘Thank You’ and ‘I Love You’ to them. They touched on being immature at a young age and now that they have grown up, they understand what their mothers had gone through while raising them. There is a very warm feel to their voices and you can hear the emotions behind their voices, which is a sign of a good ballad. I liked how swaying the melody was, another sign of a good ballad in my books. (9/10)
As mentioned yesterday, I will be reviewing two mini-albums that would be considered to be recent releases before going on to focus on albums released earlier in April. The second album this weekend is by GOT7, who have released their 11th mini-album in April. This is their 6th year the group has been active and considering 11 mini-albums, three studio albums, many singles and stages, this is a feat. And that is only their Korean works. The mini-album is titled Dye and features the title track, Not By The Moon. It also features a number of solo and unit tracks that the members have performed before at their concerts. These are only on the physical version of the album, so I chosen have not review them.
Dye Album Cover
1. Aura – Aura kicks off the album with a very distinctive R&B track. The synths really give the song some life, boldness and profile. The vocal work was a very strong aspect of the song as you can tell that they pushed themselves to match the boldness of the instrumental. I like the smoothness of the vocals that Jinyoung and Yugyeom bring to the chorus. But the standout member in this song has to be Youngjae with his ‘Aura’ hook that is very addictive. I did like the rapping, but I think the song could have benefited with more robust rap sequences to drive the intensity. (8/10)
2. Crazy– Crazy’s strongest point has to be its erratic and chaotic drop which features the repetition of the line ‘You Make Me Crazy’. The buildup to this was also extremely satisfying, which is an odd way to describe it, given the result we get to at the other end. Everything else falls into place in this song, from their vocals to the deep bass that the song strongly utilizes to drive the song forward. Nothing feels off, other than the fact everything else feels a little too neat in this song. I would have loved to hear a little craziness, but I guess it wouldn’t fit in with the refined style that the group pushed for is all aspects other than the choruses. (7/10)
4. Love You Better – Love You Better is another R&B track. This song stands out with its strong ‘Knock Knock’ hook that is embedded between other words in the chorus. There is impact when the members sing this hook, as the instrumental also mimics that knocking effect, which I find is very suitable for the song. The instrumental also contains synths that give the song a lot of varying textures that all blend with each other. The rapping is also a strong aspect, with a decent melody pulling the sequences together. I just wish the verses were a little more memorable. (8/10)
5. Trust My Love – What I have noticed is that the album (thus far) doesn’t depend on EDM as much as other artists or GOT7’s past albums. For the first few seconds, I had thought that this is the song that does switch to EDM. But this one ends up being a club banger track. There is that electronic influence in the song as well, but it is very minute and is barely recognisable under the pounding beat, which is (no doubt) the main attraction in this song. There seems to also be an ever so light sprinkling of a Latin influence. The melodies that carry the vocals of the members was also quite flowy. The ‘Trust My Love’ falsetto repetition is also another strong aspect. I really liked Jackson’s hoarse voice in this song, along with the subtle intensity from Mark and BamBam’s rap sequences. (8/10)
6. Poison – Poison is probably my favourite sidetrack on this album. It may or may not have anything to do with the multiple I have given the song as a result of their many performances for Poison on the weekly music shows as their secondary. But the song had always stood out as it managed to wrap the hip-hop genre in a very classy yet fashionable manner. This applies to both the rappers and vocalists, who all did a really good job. The highlight has Youngjae’s bridge, which felt perfect for Poison. I liked how they stripped away the instrumental so we could hear Youngjae in all his glory. I also liked like the deep bellowing synth that plays throughout the song and how the song faded out at the end, bringing the song and album to a close in a trendy manner. (9/10)
It is time for another album review (sorry that this is another day late again). Before I slip back into reviewing some of the earlier albums released in April, I wanted to review two album this weekend that would be considered more recent releases. The first album is by one of the most senior female groups currently still active in the industry. Actually, I think APINK one of the only remaining groups to have debuted in 2011 to actually be actively promotion. Their latest mini-album is titled Look and features the title track Dumhdurum, among a number of other songs.
2. Yummy – Yummy is a classy upbeat R&B number that has a groovy instrumental. That aspect one a really attractive as it felt refined and bold with the thumping and percussion. What drew me in even more was the vocals. I liked how each member stood alone in the song and wasn’t masked by the instrumentation in any way. The song had a really nice fluid melody and I liked how it picked up at certain points, which help with adding definition to the song. An example would be Bomi’s section in the verses, which had a good wow factor to it. Another would be the ‘Do It Do It’ sung by Namjoo. (9/10)
3. Be Myself (JJR Unit) – This is a JJR unit track, consisting of Chorong, Eunji and Namjoo. Be Myself is your typical pop track. Its main instrumental centerpiece is synth beats that keep the song lively and bubbly. And I like how the upbeatness of the song suits the message of the song of being one’s self, as the title suggest. Eunji had an impressive display of vocals towards the end. Namjoo was pretty much forgettable for me, as I don’t remember much from her in this song after finishing a listen to it. But the main star is Chorong, who contrasts with her nasally vocals. The other two have clear and crisp vocals, but Chorong brings a little texture, boosting the song in my opinion. (8/10)
4. Love Is Blind (Y.O.S Unit) – We get another upbeat track. This time it comes from the Y.O.S Unit, which consists of Bomi, Naeun and Hayoung. It is a little odd situation as I had expected this unit to have a more dynamic and appealing track as opposed to the other unit. But the situation ended up being switched. There is a bit of a fun vibe that cannot be denied. I just feel that the song doesn’t go past that appeal, which is quite disappointing. Not even the hooks or melody offer much appeal beyond typical. Same thing can be said for their vocals. (6/10)
5. Overwrite – Overwrite is the first ballad on the album. But it isn’t that slow and typical natured ballad that one would usually think of. There is a beat to this ballad that gives it some energy, along with a really nice orchestral touch. The piano melody was also really beautiful. The vocal work here is superb as you can once again hear all the members very strongly. The melody that the vocals carry was also quite nice. I also enjoy how they sing the title of the song, bringing a slight twist to the end of the third ‘Overwrite’ that they sing. (9/10)
6. Moment – The second ballad-like song is Moment. This features an explosive instrumental, which is also very different for a ballad. There are orchestral roots to the instrumental, but I don’t think it is a clear-cut classical piece due to that explosive nature. Their vocals in this song is something to be talked about. As the instrumental is a little louder than usual, the group has to up their vocals in order to be heard. I did wish they pushed a little further as I felt (just) some of their vocals got lost in the instrumentation or felt overpowering. Not really a major issue, as for the most part they sounded good! (8/10)
7. Everybody Ready? – We end the song with a very fun song. It has an instrumental that will blast you and definitely get you pumped, as the members ask you if you are ready. For those who don’t know, Everybody Ready? was released in April 2019 as part of their 8th year anniversary celebrations. Dedicated to the fans, it features fans cheering them on as they sing in this loud yet enjoyable song. It is a lot different to their other fan-centric songs that they have released in the past, which were a lot less energetic and more melodic. But definitely a strong hidden gem on this album. (9/10)
I guess you didn’t see this one coming. Another album review! And it isn’t a Sunday or Friday, which is when I usually publish my album reviews. Given that I had a day off work today and I didn’t want to fall behind in the schedule as I find a lot of albums recently released to be worthy of an album review. Today’s focus will be on Suho’s recent solo debut mini-album, Self-Portrait, which was released at the end of March. It features the title track, Let’sLove, which I reviewed on the same date of its release. Let’s see how the rest of the mini-album is.
Self Portrait Album Cover
1. O2– O2 opens the album in what I would describe as a spectacular manner. The start of the song really feels like an atmospheric piece that is very aesthetic, while the subsequent energy that comes from this song really wanted me to continue listening onto the album and is extremely thrilling. The combination of the rock band instrumentation, the heavy bass and the classical orchestra gives off a grand and epic vibe that makes it so appealing. Suho’s voice is very light in this song and just manages to be heard over the instrumental at the end. A fine track to begin the album off with. (10/10)
3. Made In You – Made In You is a song for Suho’s fans. I thought his vocal style in this song was very nice and you can feel his intent to really want to connect with the audience through his voice. The melody that he sings was very pleasant and beautiful. The instrumental is more of a typical pop style, so there was nothing that special in that regards. But the drumbeats were very prominent and this made song captivating to me for a while. I don’t really have much else to say other than it is nice sound song. (8/10)
4. Starry Night (암막 커튼) – Starry Night is a rock ballad takes time to build up to its final form. But it is a ride that I am willing to take again and again as one of the charms of Starry Night is essentially that music journey that Suho takes us in this song. At the start, the song keeps to that ballad side and driven by just piano. A band influence kicks in when he enters the chorus region. More of that rock influence comes in as the song progresses. Once we reach the final chorus, the epic vibes return as the song reaches the climax during this part. I also like how the song returns to how it started at the end, which gave it a nice ended. Suho also sounded very dreamy in the song. (10/10)
5. Self-Portrait (자화상) – The album’s title is Self-Portrait and is also the same name of the fifth track on the album. The song has a rock ballad-like instrumental and it had a very pleasant melody which I enjoyed. The instrumental was also very complementary to Suho’s vocals, which were quite blissful. The harmonies in the bridge with the backing vocals really helped bolden this rock ballad and I really liked the autotuned echo during the chorus. There is a sentimental feel to the song, which you also get from the lyrics as well. Altogether, the song came together quite nicely. (8.5/10)
6. For You Now (ft. Younha) (너의 차례) – For You Now finishes the album with an piano dominant track. There is a bit more to the instrumental, but everything else sounded very minor to the piano. The song also features Younha, a well-known vocalist in the Korean music industry (I will get around to reviewing her comeback earlier in the year sometime in the future). I also find this track to be breathtaking. The two singers go extremely well with one another. Their harmonies blend nicely with one another. During their individual segments, there is a good sense of stillness that comes over me as I listen to the song. Altogether, it is a captivating ending to the album. (9/10)
The next album I wish to review is a more recent release. Actually, this is the first album released in April of this year that I am reviewing. I am talking about (G)I-DLE’s recent comeback, Oh My God and mini-album, I Trust. This was released at the start of the month, so it is pretty much clear that I am still a month behind on the reviewing agenda. I am carefully scheduling the album reviews so I don’t fall too behind, so just don’t worry yet. Here is my album review for I Trust.
2. Luv U (사랑해) – Luv U differs greatly from (G)I-DLE’s usual hip-hop sound. There instrumental employs a very interesting and experimental mix of synths which actually sound very sleek and unique. I really like how deep the instrumental goes and how this contrasts with that squeaky high pitch synth in the chorus. There is also a high dependence on bass, which really gives the song that foundation. I also the build-up to the chorus, which helps balances out the song. The vocal work and rapping were pretty good. My favourite part has to be ‘I Luv U, I Luv U, I Luv U’ repetition, which replayed in my mind for a while after I initially heard the song. (9/10)
3. Maybe – This album definitely thrives on the epicness that the songs have. This song really uses the bass to its advantage, building upon the chorus which features that cool sketchy synth. The bass is toned slightly for the verses, but it is still present. I also really like that ‘Maybe’ that they speak so coolly. I also like Soyeon’s speaking lines during the chorus. The verses were also pretty solid, featuring really fresh and pretty vocals. Altogether, Maybe forms an epic vibe and really has a lot of impact that I just cannot shake from my mind. (10/10)
I am not able to find an official video for Maybe, so excuse me for using a line distribution video to feature in this post.
4. Lion – I previously reviewed Lion as part of my review of all the final Queendom performances. You will need to scroll down to the bottom of the post, as that is where I reviewed Lion. Click here to read the full review for Lion. (9/10)
Since the start of the album review segment, there are many artists that I always cover, as their songs are always so good. And there are other artists whom I never dedicated an album review to as I have not really been satisfied with their albums enough. VICTON happens to be one of the artists in the latter category. I may return to their albums from the past through the Past Album Review (PARs) segment, but I have yet to come across an album by VICTON that warrants an album review. Until a few weeks ago, when I listened to the group’s sixth mini album, Continuous, which was released in early March. The mini-album featured the group’s latest title track, Howling. Let’s have a listen to the rest of Continuous.
Continuous Album Cover
1. Nightmare – Kicking off the album is Nightmare. Like the song’s title suggest, there is a dark sound featuring throughout it. The song kicks off with a haunting piano piece that resembles what we would commonly know as ‘haunted organs’. The song maintains the eerie feeling with a simple yet repetitive piano sequence in the background, which manages to shine through a whole bunch of heavy and deep beats. What I think stands out in the song is effect at the very end of the chorus. Don’t know what the effect would be called/described as, but it made the song quite cool. The singing was awesome, while the rapping was really dynamic (and probably my favourite out of the two – after all, Hanse is Freddy freaking Krueger). What a great start to the album. (9/10)
3. All I Know – All I Know has a very impressive instrumental. It is a simple pop tune, predominately featuring guitar. There is also a snapping element to the instrumental and a deep beat to it. It may not be a unique sound, which is what I am seeking for usually. But provided that it isn’t something that is too heavily used at the present and it doesn’t give off an eye-rolling ‘again’ type of feeling, then I am happy to overlook the lack of uniqueness. Plus, it is always nice to revisit a familiar or nostalgic sound, such as the pop sound in All I Know. VICTON’s vocals also add a soothing touch to the song. Even the rapper, who has a voice well suited for an intense sound, was well fitted for this pop sound. The song’s melody was very easy on the ears and also quite catchy. (8.5/10)
4. Petal– Petal brings back that EDM pop feel that we commonly see as b-sides on various KPOP albums. Petal isn’t hard hitting like most EDM tracks. Actually, I would liken the song to a petal floating in the wind. That type of light music. There is a decent beat to it, but it doesn’t strike me as something memorable. A similar comment can be made in regards to the vocals. Their vocals do compliment the song’s light style, but I don’t find the melody to be strong enough to help make it memorable. The rapping by Seungwoo and Hanse does hold some promise, though I am leaning towards a similar comment after multiple listens. I do note that none of this means the song is bad. It was just not memorable enough to avoid being the ‘skippable’ track. (7/10)
5. White Night – As I have mentioned on numerous occasions, almost all KPOP albums must contain a ballad. It is an unwritten rule that somehow ever artist just follows. VICTON is not exception and White Night is the ballad of the album. The instrumental is very typical, starting off with a piano that ends up featuring throughout the entire song. The second verse brings in the drums but the song stays slow. The vocal work is a lot better in this song, as you can sense some emotion behind their voices. There is just a delicate feel behind their voices. But it is the rappers that shine in this song. They wowed me with their impressive sequences, which I feel like is a ‘hidden gem’ within this song. (8/10)
It is time to dive into another album. Today’s focus will be on Ong Seong Woo’s recently mini-album release, Layers. I am super excited to be reviewing this album for not other reason other than it is more recent album. I still have one other ‘older’ album to review, but after that, it is all April albums. I also am planning on bringing back the PARs (Past Album Review) segment, though I don’t know how regular that will be. But until I make a solid decision, let’s get stuck into today’s album review, which features both Ong Seong Woo’s We Belong (released in January 2020) and Gravity (released in March 2020).
2. Café (너를 위한 카페) – Café is a nice mellow pop song to listen to. There is an easygoing and soothing vibe in this song, which makes it extremely pleasant to listen to. It is definitely a song I wouldn’t mind sipping coffee to in a nice indie coffee shop. I also found the song extremely light and soft, which really goes hand-in-hand with Ong Seong Woo’s vocals. They are breathy and often in a falsetto direction, which was very appealing. Altogether, Café ended up have a golden-like and definitely a warming touch for fans to melt away to. (8/10)
3. After Dark (또, 다시 나를 마주한 채) – After Dark is a ballad that really pushes Ong Seong Woo’s vocals into the spotlight. He also sounds very breathy in this song. But he seems to throw more technique into the song, making it a fairly dynamic ballad to listen to. The instrumental is also another strong aspect of the song. Most ballads we think of take on board a classical or piano-centric background. But After Dark takes electronic synths to create a very slow yet delicate instrumental for this ballad. This has been done before by other artists, but it stills feel fairly unique to me. (9/10)
4. Bye Bye – As we continue down the tracklist, the songs just keep on getting better. One of the things that I wasn’t sure with Ong Seong Woo is which direction he would take his solo work in. And it seems like his default genre is pop, given this title tracks and now Bye Bye. This song has some hidden surprises, and this is one of the reasons why this song is so good. We are given autotuned vocals as soon as the song started. The chorus featured a very upbeat and bright instrumental, accented with a really cool hook consisting of the song’s title and brief mini pauses. The melody that his vocals encapsulates was also very appealing. The bridge throws funky saxophone synths that give the song some groove and interesting quirk, which all helped make Bye Bye extremely enjoyable. (10/10)
5. Guess Who – Guess You is the most experimental track on the album. I say that because the chorus was pretty much unexpected. I liked the classy vibes that the whistling or flute-like (along with that higher pitch vocals) infused into the song. The rest of the instrumental predominately featured really satisfying guitar work. I already touched upon Ong Seong Woo’s vocals for this song, but I liked how clean his standard vocal work is in this song. Throw in the deep ‘I Like It’ and ‘I Love It’ we get towards the ending and you have another really good track. (9/10)
Apologies for the lack of posts yesterday. I decided to take the night off and chill for a bit. But I will be posting the album review I had planned for yesterday, so I don’t fall behind any further. The artist in question is ITZY, who made their Wannabe comeback on the 9th of March. That means this album review is over a month late. Sorry again. But as I have saying a lot lately, better late than never. This is also my first album review for this high-achieving female group and my first impressions says I am very impressed. How so? Continue reading below!
2. Ting Ting Ting – IZTY continues the momentum that Wannabe had provided with Ting Ting Ting. And since the album’s release, I have been returning to this song (alongside Wannabe and a few others on this album) as it is so damn catchy and addictively energetic. The song features Oliver Heldens, who I am reading is a famous techno artist. I suppose he is the male voice that features during the chanting ‘La La La’ parts of the song, which was cool. I did notice a certain dull factor, when I compared this chanting section to the rest of the song. It was very minute but apparent to me. There is a bit of electronic influences in the instrumental, especially during the outro. But I am not sure if it is Oliver Heldens’ influence. The rest of the track seems to take on board a hip-hop type of profile, which I really enjoyed. (9.5/10)
3. That’s A No No – That’s A No No features an anthem-based sound, which helps drive the song to have an epic vibe. I like how the group doesn’t like they are messing around with the song. There is a very serious tone to it, despite it also being very catchy and addictive. I also thought hip-hop influences were very strong. The chorus has to be my favourite part, especially with Yeji and Lia’s lines in the chorus. With that being said, I give huge ticks to the vocal department in this song. The rapping was actually a miss for me, as I felt the trap influences in that section were too typical for my liking. But apart from that, fantastic song. (9/10)
4. Nobody Like You – Nobody Like You reminds me of the rock songs you would get from all those Disney shows in the past (back when Disney was in its prime). In addition to that nostalgia for me, the rock influences give off a head-banging vibe, which was very fun. There was a lot of other textures in the song, such as the heavy-thumping drums and some smoothness when they bring in the backing vocals to perform a choir-like backing. Both the rapping and the vocals were very pleasant, which is an odd term to describe a rock song of this nature. The members keep the song quite light and refreshing, which makes it a good song to keep returning to. (9/10)
5. You Make Me – I will be frank, I am disappointed with You Make Me. I thought the instrumental was interesting, as it hard a dirty type of hip-hop feel to it. And given it is a song with strong hip-hop roots, the rapping really shined in this song. Ryujin and Yuna really showed off their capabilities in this song. The vocals, on the other hand, was a hit and miss. The ‘You Make Me … Speechless’ is very memorable, without any doubts. The rest of the vocal work just didn’t sound good in this song. Sorry, but I had to say it. (7/10)
6. IDon’t Wanna Dance– I Don’t Wanna Dance is another pretty cool song from the group. The song, while there is decent melody and rhythm, actually isn’t a song that would automatically make you get up and dance to (relative to their other tracks on the album). It doesn’t have that appeal and the energy the song could have put on display was pretty much suppressed, which is why the song is interesting to me. But as mentioned, this doesn’t make the song terrible. The song still has the capability of having a performance and there would be an interesting chemistry in that regard. The rapping and vocal work in this song was also quite cool, which brought lightness to the song. (8/10)
7. 24HRS – We end the album with 24HRS, which is very different to the other JYP-based song titled 24 Hours. It is a fun track that brings together the some of the highlights of the album. The hip-hop vibes, the good vocal and rapping styles that I enjoyed on the album, the usage of chanting for the chorus, the addictive melodies. It had it all. It did end up being rather typical for some odd reason, as I didn’t really get much uniqueness from this song, in comparison to what else we have heard on this album. But it is still good. (8.5/10)
I take a break from the usual reviewing schedule to bring you the next album review (I know this isn’t Friday or Sunday, but it is a special album review). Over the last few weeks, AB6IX have been releasing music videos for each of their members. Each music video accompanies a solo track off the group’s latest digital mini-album, 5NALLY. I thought about how I wanted to review this as an album, or whether I thought I treat them as standalone releases. But then, I thought why not both. So I will be reviewing each solo track as I have been doing in Catch Up Reviews, combining the song, music video and performance reviews into one paragraph.
5NALLY Album Cover
Moondance (Jeon Woong Solo)
With all the members of AB6IX, I most unfamiliar with Woong as he is the new member of the group that we didn’t get to see prior to the debut of AB6IX. Moondance is a R&B track that packs a punch during the chorus. It starts out as a soft number, but quickly bring the thumping drums into the mix as the song builds to the chorus. The entire track becomes very dramatic in its sound and this allows for an amazing seductive dance sequence (more on that later). His vocals were superb in this song. Particularly, I draw your attention to the really low husky whispering tone we got for the bridge, followed a return to the chorus but with autotune to give the ending some texture. Altogether, the song definitely opens my eyes to Woong’s future as both a solo artist and as part of AB6IX. The music video is really aesthetically pleasing. I really liked the glowing moon the producers made Woong dance in front of, the furniture in the dark room with the floor covered in water and the really reflective dance floor. All these sets had a place in the video and were well utilized post-production of the video to make it extremely captivating. As hinted in an earlier sentence, Woong’s choreography for Moondance is quite seductive. I mean, Woong was grinding on the floor for like 30% of performance. When Woong wasn’t grinding on the floor, he did a damn well job on the performance, which used many smooth and fluid motions that made it look stunning. (9/10)
More (더 더) (Kim Dong Hyun Solo)
Kim Donghyun is one of the vocalists of the group and More shows off his vocals in a decent manner. I was caught off guard with Donghyun’s rap-speak section at the start of the second verse. Maybe something that could be used in some of AB6IX’s tracks? The pop song employs some synths to keep it modern and relevant to the current trends in the industry. But we aren’t talking about huge drops and heavy bass. Everything is kept relatively light and pleasant in this song, which reflect well with the sweet nature of the lyrics in the song. Come to the think of it, this is the polar opposite to what AB6IX releases, and I thought this was rather interesting. More had some good hooks that was pleasant, but none of them really grabbed my attention and this resulted into the song being easily forgotten. As for the music video, it looked very fluffy. And once again, it would be the polar opposite to any AB6IX’s music videos. Dressed in a pink suit and white turtleneck; hugging a teddy bear. I would never guess this would be a track from one of the AB6IX members. I did like ‘sets’ in the music video, namely the church and theater they performed in. They looked cool. The choreography was quite good. I liked chorus routine and how it matched up with the lyrics. Nothing that impressive but still pleasing to watch. (7.8/10)
Rose, Scent, Kiss (Lee Dae Hwi Solo)
Lee Dae Hwi is one of the more popular members of the group, given his time as part of Wanna One. One thing that Rose, Scent, Kiss highlights is the maturity behind his voice and an ability to go quite deep. Together, this made Lee Dae Hwi’s solo track stand out. The instrumental is very crunchy, which matches the texture that we get from his deep voice. The instrumental fuses trap and pop together in a rather typical way. But you can definitely hear the attitude behind it, which really helps draw further attention to this voice. I really enjoyed the Rose, Scent, Kiss whisper, which reminded me of fellow Wanna One’s member Park Ji Hoon’s 360. The music video opens up with Lee Dae Hwi’s monologue about moving between the age of 19 and 20. The rest of the music video was rather dynamic despite following the typical choreography and closeup formula. The dynamic nature of the video was thanks to Lee Dae Hwi’s captivating expressions during his closeup shots, the amazing set design, the flashing patterns in the background on the screen and the lighting throughout the video. I thought the choreography was great. I liked how Lee Dae Hwi is able to show off his own style in this performance and he isn’t afraid to show off some (what usually would be considered) feminine moves. (9.3/10)
Break Up (좋게 끝내) (Lim Young Min Solo)
Lim Young Min is the lead rapper in the group. But he also as an impressive set of vocals, which I don’t remember being used all that much in AB6IX’s tracks. Break Up takes on R&B, but it a lot more upbeat compared to R&B style that Jeon Woong opted for his solo track. Alongside his vocal work, his rapping is on point in this song. I did like the piano that made up part of the instrumental. It really help drive that emotional side of the song, which is all about breaking up. I just wish the song was a little more interesting. I wished the song didn’t stay overly consistent towards the end and I wished they added some sort of texture in addition to that high pitch synth that opened the song and appeared periodically. The brief pause at the end was going in that direction, but I wanted a bit more. The music videos seem pull elements from one another. Lim Young Min’s music video featured the water floor that Woong had in his video and brought along the cube structure from Lee Dae Hwi’s (Kim Dong Hyun’s music video featured the sofa and lampshade from Woong’s music video). But I liked how they managed to infuse some individuality to the music video, namely the phone booth, the use of the city imagery and the sports car. The choreography was good, but I wanted to see a bit more in the music video. There was a sensual side that Young Min was going for that was good, through the many body rolls. But that was all I could pick up from the stuff I saw for this track. (7.8/10)
Color Eye (Park Woo Jin Solo)
Alongside Lee Dae Hwi, Park Woo Jin is the other member that everyone knows of due to his time as part of Wanna One. Color Eye is probably your typical rapper solo song on a group album. The song delves into hip-hop and features both Woo Jin’s well known rapping style and the autotuned singing. To be honest, I found Color Eye to be a little lackluster in terms of suspense and was rather dull. There wasn’t much of a buildup to the song’s peak and it was fair too consistent for my liking. The instrumental was the more exciting bit, featuring a music box like sample, which gave off an eerie sound at first. I just wished they built upon this. The music video features that square screen that we saw in Young Min and Dae Hwi’s music videos. But this one flashes lights and patterns more aggressively. The post-production in this music video makes the video look very edgy and ‘dark concept’. I liked how they never really put Park Woo Jin into the spotlight, which does reflect well with the song. Park Woo Jin doesn’t seem to participate in the choreography, assumingly due to his injury. So I am going to forgo this part of the review for him. (6.8/10)
