For today’s album review, we will be having a look at WINNER’s latest mini-album, WE. This was released back mid-May with their title track, Ah Yeah. If you have been a reader of the site for a while, you may have noticed that I have never reviewed a WINNER album before. The main reason for this was because I didn’t think the albums had much to talk about. But WE seem to be changer that may get their albums on my radar. On top of Ah Yeah, the song features 3 new tracks and remixed versions of Everyday and the unreleased track of First Love (which are not included in the album review, per usual).
2. Zoo (동물의왕국) – To me, Zoo has this laid-back vibe to it which makes it very pleasant to listen to. I find the song to be less proactive than Ah Yeah was (and this is isn’t a terrible thing). Instead, it is a light song that feels suitable following Ah Yeah. The instrumental is interesting as it relies on a mixture of tropical-like sounds and effects. In reality, the instrumental was made up of brass and flutes. There is some energy that you get via the blast at the end, which was nice. I did think the vocals and raps did not stand out as much. I think it is because I didn’t really identify a strong hook that made the song memorable overall. (7/10)
3. Mola (몰라도너무몰라) – Mola starts off with a punch. It is striking and kicks the song on a positive note. The chorus is the second positive part of the track. I find the light yet dramatic nature of the instrumental to be equally as striking as the line that started of the song. Talking about the pop-based instrumental, I found that it does get very repetitive, especially after many listens. However, that can easily be overlooked as I found the energy that comes off it is very strong and impressive in many ways. The vocals and rapping were quite good in this song. Even though the instrumental required to be loud to be this impressive, I thought all the members stood out with their vocal and rapping abilities. (8/10)
4. Boom – I have an affinity for songs that give you an explosive surprise. And with the title ‘Boom’, you expect this. But the song starts off in a slow yet paced manner that makes you recheck if you are listening to the right song. And the verses of this track continue the pattern, which I think was interesting. It is the chorus, however, that is most explosive and rediverts the song to be true to its title. The alternating between soft and explosive to be a very understandable but dynamic effect, giving the song character. The ‘Boom Powwowow’ was very catchy and I honestly could not forget this song after listening to it. (9/10)
Following the pre-release of Hollywood back in April, expectations were definitely high for the debut of AB6IX. A few weeks ago, the group made their debut with Breathe. And to continue the weekend of album reviews, today we will be having a closer look at AB6IX’s debut mini-album, B Complete. If I was, to sum up their mini-album in a short description, I think ‘this is one group not to mess around with’ would be the most efficient summary for my thoughts. Let’s see why that is the case!
B Complete Mini Album
1..Absolute (完全體) – Kicking off the group’s debut mini-album is probably everything I had expected with the Breathe (refer to my comments in the Breathe review). Absolute is loaded with intensity through its very robust and powerful instrumental. I personally think for a track like this, both the vocals and rapping managed to shined brightly, which is very rare. Though, I would have to admit that this track would probably be hard to pull off every day for a period of 4 or so weeks (the usual promotional period). It does bring it in line with the release of popular boy groups nowadays such as GOT7 and Monsta X, but still, manage to show off some personality and unique flair. (9/10)
2. Shining Stars (별자리) – Probably to offset the intense nature of the preceding track and to bring upon a lighter nature for their title track, Shining Star does a good job of being the middle man. While it does have a light tone, the track still manages to showcase dance elements in their instrumental, which I think works well with the group. Personally, I like it because it shows us that the group has capabilities of being versatile. Usually, we would have waited for the second or third album release from the group to get that feeling. But by switching it up slightly, the new group have indicated that they know what they are doing in this competitive industry. (9/10)
4. Friend Zone – Friend Zone is light-hearted and definitely more carefree from the rest of their tracks. I like the rapping in this track, which gives the song some attitude. Not too much attitude, but more like the ‘perfect amount’. While the song does feature prominent dance elements in their instrumentation (like their previous tracks), the song does have a tone that feels like a confession song. Saying that does sound like I have been listening too much of the genre. Though, it seems like AB6IX have different ideas regarding the term Friend Zone, as they refer to the Friend Zone as a step getting closer to their crush and not really the Friend Zone that all people dread. (8/10)
5. Light Me Up – Light Me Up, to me, is a very stylish upbeat dance track that I find very addictive. There is a sense of elegance that I felt from the track, which I attribute the instrumental for. The pop-based instrumental (which had some trap influences) is very bright yet powerful, which is expected from AB6IX given their album thus far. I find the track to be quite addictive, as well. I think the song is their best, vocally. The rapping also earns a big tick from me. While the track is very enjoyable, I think the best of the best comes towards the end. I am talking about that short trap-like ending we got. I thought it was a nice touch to the end of the track and it made sense when you think of the track as a whole. (9/10)
6. Dance for Two (둘만의 춤) – Taking a complete 180° change is Dance for Two, which strips always any electronic based instrumentation and opts for acoustics and more traditional instrumentation. While AB6IX has stood out for their dance tracks thus far on the album, I guess they too are not immune from the clichés of album releases in the KPOP industry. The song seems to present their vocals and raps in a more delicate state, which was quite a nice change. I must admit that coming from multiple dance tracks, the song does relieve some of the intensity and energy, But the track feels a little too mainstream and (as I said) cliché for my liking. (7.5/10)
It is time to restart the album review bandwagon for this site. Apologies for completely ditching this segment for the past few weeks. I really missed this segment but it just ate up so much of time, preparing and writing it up. But now with endless time on my hands, let’s get right back into it. One of the albums released at the end of May that I didn’t get around to reviewing is NCT 127’s We Are Superhuman. The album features the group’s latest comeback single, Superhuman, along with 4 other tracks.
We Are Superhuman Album Cover
1..Highway To Heaven – To me, opening up with a song such as Highway To Heaven, makes me turn my head towards the screen or speakers. It isn’t necessarily a punchy track with extremely addictive hooks in my opinion, which might be expected of NCT and KPOP traditionally. Instead, it relies on the loudness of the chorus, simple synth-pop instrumentation and the fact that it brings all the members together for the chorus. And I think these are all effective tools if used smartly, which is the case here. While many groups have used these techniques before, NCT 127 doesn’t mess around by leaving things to the end or take too long to integrate these said techniques, making it a very prominent and memorable track on the album. (10/10)
3. Fool (아 깜짝이야) – Taking a massive turn from Superhuman is the more light-hearted tone in Fool. And personally, this is somewhat different from the NCT 127 that I usually know of. But I am not hating, because it gives us an opportunity to recover from the intensity of Superhuman. I like the direction of the track. The vocals and rapping were quite nice. Harmonies are something to really keep your ears open for. However, there is one thing that sticks out at me that I don’t really enjoy. The verses had only a layer of instrumentation, but the chorus felt like it had too many layers within the instrumentation. Including the vocals and backing, I feel like it was overloaded. (8/10)
4. Jet Lag (시차) – Jet Lag is the ‘ballad’ on the album. There is a rather slow start to the track but it slowly does build up the tempo through the use of percussion. And I think the vocals were very beautiful, especially demonstrated by the smoothness of the vocals during the chorus. I just felt like the rappers did not really have much of an opportunity to feature in the track. While the producers did try to incorporate the rappers in the song by giving them a hip-hop-like and ‘fast’ section, I felt it was a mismatch considering the rest of the song. And I think this inclusion made the song a little confusing. Is it a ballad or not? (6/10)
5. Paper Plane (종이비행기) – Paper Plane seems to be the most ideal track on the album for the Summer season. It is vibrant and colourful, which are terms that I have used to describe most of the Summertime songs thus far this year. The pop tune in the instrumental is addictive and fun sounding, as well. It is also an uplifting track, which makes it even more enjoyable to listen to. I really like the chorus of the track, which is a straight instrumental piece. The build-up to it was also quite nice. Vocally, I could tell all the members apart and I liked that aspect of being able to differentiate each member, which can sometimes be difficult. (9/10)
6. We Are 127 (Outro Track) – An outro like this makes me excited for what’s to come. There is a mixture of genres going on, all something that I expect from NCT 127. Apart from the ‘We Are 127’ repetition, there isn’t much else besides robustness and mysterious vibes in the outro. Hence, I have decided to leave it off the calculation for the album rating but wanted to mention my initial comments anyway.
I will not be publishing any other album reviews this week as I won’t be able to find time to do so.
GOT7 made their comeback last week with another dynamic track, Eclipse. And knowing that I am a big fan of GOT7’s discography (as my previous album reviews), I am not going to delay listening to this album anymore. Spinning Top: Between Security & Insecurity is the group’s 9th mini-album to date and it features 6 songs in total (all of which I will review today!). The physical album also consists of the instrumental for the title track. Jinyoung, JB, Youngjae, BamBam and Yugyeom each had influence in the music or lyrics of certain songs on the album.
Spinning Top: Between Security & Insecurity Album Cover
1..1° – Starting off the entire album is 1°, which I am viewing as a very strong start. I find the song very captivating. The dramatic flair that the song introduces with their short violin-like effect is very appealing. The song does become a little traditional with its R&B tune, but I find the atmosphere to be quite uneasy, which I think goes hand-in-hand with insecurity message that the song had. I think what the song manages to do amazingly is showcase the vocals of the group. I was very impressed with all the members. I found Youngjae’s part in the first chorus to be very impactful. Changing from a whisper to loud vocals without any notice caught me off guard and I enjoyed that. The effect wasn’t the same for the following choruses (which was disappointing, but I now knew what I was expecting). I really enjoyed the rapping tone of the members as well. Overall, a strong start (as I mentioned earlier). (9/10)
3. The End (끝) – Following the very intense nature of ECLIPSE,The End opts for a more melodic and soft approach. I personally didn’t find the start of the song to be that captivating and it felt more typical than anything else. But within half a minute, I found the song developing into something intriguing. I would describe it to be very calming and dynamic, but these two words don’t really feel like they go together usually. Its melodic approach to the chorus is definitely an appealing aspect to the song for me. I really like that extra layer of instrumentation for the second half of the chorus, giving some more energy to the song. It was catchy and (once again) managed to showcase nice vocals and rapping. (9/10)
4. TIME OUT – I think TIME OUT could have been more appealing in the instrumentation domain. There is an intriguing factor with what they started off with, but I quickly got bored with this. There wasn’t much attempt to change it up, which I thought was a disappointing aspect. The vocals were pretty decent but that ‘TIME OUT’ shout just before each chorus felt very out of place, in my opinion. I do get the message of the song, but that shout felt more suited for a song with a more hyped up instrumental. But to speak of the song in a more positive light, I enjoyed its soft nature and liked how it continued break from the intense nature of the title track (I did need two songs to recuperate from its energy). (7/10)
5. Trust Me (믿어줄래) – Trust Me seems to edge us back into the intensity realm. And I think it did a wonderful job as it just doesn’t launch you right into dubstep or anything overwhelmingly intense. Instead, it incorporates what I think sounds like R&B into the mix. I really like the kick they give to the chorus. Not too upbeat and well balanced with the more uneventful style of verses. I think the song showcases their vocals and raps best. I am reading it as a ballad on other sites, but I thought it could have been a spin on a traditional pop track that you really enjoy. You know, the pop tracks that artists release that doesn’t require flashy choreography and sounds more typical than anything else (but is still good). (8.5/10)
6. Page – By having Trust Me before it, we can officially move to a very upbeat track without feeling like it was thrown out of nowhere. The upbeat track that GOT7 follows up with is Page, which I think it is a great club-music track. I thought it was quite fun, especially with Jackson and JB’s addictive launch into the song’s hook. I found this track to be very dynamic as a result of its upbeat combination. I did want the song to have more bass to be even more exciting and hyped up. But Page does a fantastic job of rounding out the album. And like the rest of the album, it features good vocals and rapping. (9/10)
Today’s album review will be focusing on Nam Woohyun’s latest solo mini-album, A New Journey, which also features the title track Hold On Me. In the past, Nam Woohyun’s releases have revolved around the ballad genre. But with a fitting title such as A New Journey, it is implied that a new direction is taken. And with the intro track and title track suggesting a more upbeat route, it is definitely ‘A New Journey‘ for the Infinite member in terms of solo releases. So let’s follow Woohyun and see what songs are included on the album.
3. Rain – The song is a mixture of different sounds. However, I don’t think it is an overwhelming mix. I just think it could have been tied together more nicely. The few changes it did feature were very obvious in nature and it created a messy atmosphere as a result. I think the track was going towards a dynamic vibe and a more cohesive approach (if it is possible) would have really benefited the main appeal of the track. It starts off with an acoustic-like electric guitar introduction and slowly builds to a Latin-inspired chorus with both electric and acoustic guitars at the forefront. The song remains in this mode up until a brief pause at the end and it changes completely. So different that I thought a new song had started. The first listen was overwhelming but that feeling died down after multiple listens, as suggested above. I thought the vocals were well presented in this track, with that being another highlight. (7.5/10)
4. Stranger – While this track does sound a little typical, the rush of energy that we get from the chorus makes it sound so good. Personally, I think this song ticks all the boxes on my checklist for an amazing song. Great vocals, great energy, great beat. Everything was great! It just felt like it was missing one element. I did lowkey expected a rap sequence during the instrumental break. And I think that could have made the song a little more interesting. The instrumental break did feel like a small void and it would have helped if it was filled up in some way. (9/10)
5. Crying Baby – While I did mention that the album took an upbeat approach (and this song is no exception from that), Crying Baby’s verses made it feel very ballad-like. But that doesn’t hold for long, as the song takes a turn (though I don’t remember exactly if this turn was expected or unexpected for me). I am glad that the majority of the singing for this song was during the verses, making way for an empty-ish chorus to be filled with loud dubstep effects. I find this a well contrasting mix due to its differences in softness and loudness; delicate and rough; ballad and electronics etc. If any major singing parts were to occur during the chorus, no doubt that Woohyun voice would have been drowned out. (8/10)
6. Just Look At Me (넌 나만 바라봐) – The first thing that really pops out at me in this track is Woohyun’s airy and lower toned vocals. It is a lot different than his vocal approach in any other song on the album, so it is different intriguing. I like the instrumental for this track, as well. The synths are a little loud, which at times did feel like it was drowning out vocals. They did attempt to combat this by incorporating some loud backing vocals (that he does a good job harmonizing with), which expelled a very dominant retro vibe to the song. This was successful to varying degrees along the track. But overall, I thought it was a nice track. (8/10)
7. Flower – Flower is probably the most ‘expected’ track off this album to fit into Woohyun’s existing portfolio. It isn’t strictly a ballad, however. But I find the song to be consistent with a softer nature and more traditional instrumentation that you expected for a ballad. It is also the one song on the album that provides relief from the loaded energy that we have coming from the album. And this relief is much appreciated. Flower ends up being a typical café style and almost-jazzy number, which I enjoy time to time. Because of the energy I mentioned just a moment ago, this is a good example of when I enjoy this type of song. A part of me says this is a lacklustre song to end with, due to its standard nature. But at the same time, it is definitely pleasant. (7/10)
Here is the album review for today! (It is on time, so I am quite happy). Today’s album review will be for Kim Dong Han. This is the first time I am writing an album review for him, since his debut last year. And I managed to skip his first two mini-albums as I didn’t find them interesting enough to talk about. I was planning on skipping this mini-album as well and focus on other artists. But I had an empty slot and needed a short album to review, so I decided to go with it. I did enjoy a few of the tracks on the album, as you will see below.
D-HOURS AM 7:03 Album Cover
1..Bebe – Bebe kicks off the album with a groovy R&B tune. I would have described the song to have a smooth texture but the instrumentation they went with didn’t really have that smoothness. Instead, the vocals are the main driver for the smoothness in the track. Talking about the vocals, they were nice. Kim Dong Han doesn’t strike me as the best vocalist of all time, but Bebe manages to showcase a pretty good set of vocals. The build-up to the high note at the end of the bridge was impressive. I just wished he changed up the final chorus a bit to really carry that same momentum, instead of returning to something we have already heard a few times. (8/10)
3. Make Me Crazy – My first impression with Make Me Crazy was that it was a typical pop R&B track. Nothing too special. But it is one of those songs that you need to listen to it a couple of time to really get into it. I thought the instrumental did have dynamic appeal through its use of many synths and effects. From what I heard, some were quite in-your-face, while others were subtle in nature, which created a very loaded yet appealing atmosphere. I also enjoyed the acoustic guitar in the instrumentation. I did like the bright energy that came from the song as well, which made it even more appealing as I listened to it some more. His vocals were really nice, especially that short falsetto at the start of the chorus. (8/10)
4. Everyday, Everyday (매일매일) – Once again, the mandatory ballad returns. Everyday, Everyday is a soothing and delicate ballad, which forces Kim Dong Han to take a completely different route when it comes to his vocals. Like most dance tracks, Kim Dong Han’s vocals tend to be very rough and harsh, fitting for the dance style of music. But in this track, he opted for a more fragile and pleasant touch, which is obviously more fitting for the slower genre. But while the instrumental provided the slowness, it was rather light. This made his vocals become the centre of attention. And this is his best presentation of vocals thus far on the album (and in any of his other title tracks). (9/10)
5. Idea – Idea returns Kim Dong Hand to his usual dance style. But the track seems to conform to the current Latin trend that is still ongoing in KPOP. It isn’t as strong, with the trend being quite subtle in nature. There is a certain level of brightness to the track, which I think was a drawing point for me. I also like the quirky nature of the instrumentation, especially during the chorus. It isn’t a crazy style of quirkiness, as the song does have a definite matureness to it. But it is enough to make the usual synths feel very different and showcases a different effect on them. I am not too into the hook of the track, which I thought attempted to be impactful but ended up being weaker than expected. Similarly, his vocals share the same comment. (6.5/10)
Apologies for the delayed release of this album review. It was meant to be published yesterday but I decided to focus on my assignment last night (as I was one task away from completing it). Now that has been wrapped up, I can spend my weekend catching up on these posts! Today’s focus is on VERIVERY’s latest mini-album, Veri-Able. I never got around to reviewing this first mini-album (Veri-Us) as I passed over to it because I didn’t find any songs interesting. This time around, however, I did find some songs interesting enough to talk about, so that is why we are here today.
Veri-Able Album Cover
1..From Now (딱 잘라서 말해) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for From Now.(8/10) – Note that I did mention that in the From Now review that I wanted to hear something that was different. I have bumped up my rating from a 7.5 to 8 on the review, as I realized (after listening to this album) that retro does pretty much suit them and the album pretty much shows off variety.
2. Love Line – To me, Love Line sounds like a typical pop track. But there is more to track than its typicalness. The song kicks off with some keyboard and it gradually builds to its catchy chorus. I like how the track is smooth and the melody just comes off with ease. The vocal work was pretty good and the rapping complimented the melody and overall vibes of the track. I think this would be a good song to follow up with after promotions end for From Now. I can see a very pleasing performance to match the song. I think I like the ending the most, where they all come together. It makes the song feel very inclusive and really supports the hook of the song. (9/10)
3. All I Do (나 집에 가지 않을래) – Changing the energy of the album is All I Do. Coming from two fun and upbeat songs, this ballad start was very unexpected (I did expect slight ease from the upbeat songs prior to this one). And like most songs, All I Do manages to change it up a bit, which I was grateful. The ballad start was good, but I couldn’t see 3 minutes worth of it. The song ended up transforming into this 80s pop ballad, with retro synths. And I quite enjoyed it. I liked how they kept the momentum going for the second verse but opted for a middle area between the two styles, so the track didn’t depart entirely from its opening parts. I also enjoyed the layering in the with the vocals and the raps, giving it a very nice texture. (8/10)
4. Get Ready – VERIVERY’s pitch to us is retro-sounding tracks if you have not realized yet. Get Ready is probably their strongest pitch that really reminds me of the 90s. It is a fun track, loaded with energy and intensity, which are all things I like. It is also quite fast-paced, so it does become overwhelming slightly. But it isn’t too overpowering as you get used to it eventually. The track also boasts strong vocals and rap sequences, which I think adds to the fun side of the song. I also enjoy those deep sounds in the background (that the members make with the help of autotune). Interesting textural element and it adds a quirky vibe that I cannot forget. (9/10)
5. Light Up – The song that the group did opt as a secondary title track during their first week of promotions was a slow building tropical house track. Their retro pitch thus on the album was really good and I wanted them to continue this moment. So to see them end the album with a track that conforms to modern trends rather than play on that retro pitch was disappointing in a sense. And because it was slow building, the track felt it was their weakest. I guess I wanted a strong drop and something to really continue the energy from the previous track. But I liked the crispness of their vocals and the rapping was nice. (7/10)
For the past three years, we have seen NU’EST in a number of forms and media. Firstly, four of the members participated in Produce 101 Season 2. The show led to the formation of Wanna One, which featured Minhyun as a member. This resulted in Baekho, JR, Ren and Aron forming NU’EST W in the meanwhile to promote the group. So for the last three years, there has not been a straight NU’EST release. Until last Monday, when the group made their return as a five-member group with this very mini-album and Bet Bet. So, I join fans today to admire their new release (and review it as well).
Happily Ever After Album Cover
1..Segno – Segno is a very soothing track to listen to. The song is about longing to be with their partner and the lyrics were very fitting to be their first song in three years as a full group. While it is soothing, I liked the direction that it went in with (as the song manages to incorporate multiple dance break hooks that were creaky but had a very rustic feel). I really enjoyed the vocals in this song, with all members (including JR) singing. I particularly like the line ‘Baby Don’t forget about my mind, Don’t forget about my heart’. The harmonies and delicacy make this line so memorable and impactful for me. (8.5/10)
3. BASS – BASS is probably my pick for the best song on the album. Before writing these album reviews, I have already listened to the album to decide whether it is worth reviewing. BASS was the very first song to draw my attention. The most important aspect of BASS is, well, its bass. Together with its very sleek and aesthetic approach with its sound, I would describe the song as very dynamic. The vocals were so nice and the main centrepiece of the song. JR’s rapping definitely provided the smooth song with some texture, but I felt it was rather limited (I wanted more!). The repetition was definitely a memorable highlight of the track, along with the instrumentation. (9.5/10)
4. Talk About Love – As I have always stated before, I always find there to be a ‘weak’ song on the album (note the quotation marks). In Happily Ever After, it comes in the form of Talk About Love. The song is probably their tamest work on this album as it doesn’t really emit that much energy. However, you can feel the smiles that come from the members in this track by the time the song wraps up. I thought it was also a good track to showcase their vocals, with JR providing texture to the chorus. I just wanted more substance to the track to really bring it to the same level as the rest of the album. (7/10)
5. Different – Different is something that I haven’t heard at all yet. It is very… different. The most obvious section that needs to be talked about is the chorus. It is where the song strays away from the majority of other strong. I like the energy that it emits and the lead up to it was superb. Overall, it is a groovy song to dance to (or in my case, awkwardly move my body around). The vocals were sleek and I thought the rapping really added to the song. JR’s I Like That was probably the biggest standout point, apart from the chorus. And the best thing about the track? Its uniqueness gets you to come back for more! (10/10)
6. Fine – This is the song that plays at the end of the Bet Bet music video, where Minhyun wakes up and rejoins the members. Despite its heaviness in terms of the instrumentation, the song manages to give off a very light feel. I think is because the heaviness came during the chorus (with the dubstep-like instrumentation), whereas the vocals and raps during the verses gave the song that lightness. Together, it is a very intriguing contrast. And since it was felt, it was pretty successful. I really enjoyed the powerful side of the vocals, something that hasn’t really been shown us just yet on this album. Baekho really blew me away in this track. A performance for this track will definitely be highly requested by fans and I might join in on this request! (9/10)
I am so sorry that it took me an entire month to write up this album review! Despite April being a relatively quiet month for KPOP releases, I have been extremely busy with my studies and the few releases did come out had a lot of interesting albums that I felt that it would be more interesting to review. Hence, this bumped HEART*IZ around. Just I have been so busy that I haven’t listened to any recent albums, so I thought I take this opportunity to finally look at IZ*ONE’s second mini album. After all, they always say ‘better late than never’.
HEART*IZ Album Cover
1..Hey. Bae. Like It. (해바라기) – Starting off the album is a combination of cuteness and typical tropical-esque instrumentation. The combination of the two actually works well, with the cuteness in the vocals not too overwhelming and the tropical side of the instrumental was quite refreshing and bright. I also enjoyed the lightness of the track, which really made it a promising starter to the album. I think the only downfall is the typicalness that the song suffers from. But apart from that, I like this track (which is also titled Sunflower as well). (8/10)
3. Highlight–Highlight starts off with what seems to be an edgy sound. It gave me hip-hop vibes, so I was excited to see what direction the song was going in. They seem to lose this for a bit of the verse, but it returns for the pre-chorus. The entire verse seemed to be a nice steady incline to the minimalistic chorus, which featured a simple beat and the lines ‘Highlight (Look at Me)’. I did not know what I had expected the first time around but the chorus did catch me off guard (but I think it is quite sophisticated this way). I also liked the saxophone touch for the final chorus, which delivers a different feel altogether. Both the vocals and rapping were nice in this track. (8.5/10)
4. Really Like You – We now come to a ballad. Really Like You is an acoustic track that showcases some of their vocals. I thought it was a rather nice song, even though I felt it was a little messy when it comes to the melody. The way they sing with their airy voices and the floaty instrumental reminds me of Berry Good’s My First Love, which was also a similar concept (but Really Like You isn’t as heartfelt as the latter song). It was a nice break amid all of these dance-centred tracks. (7.5/10)
5. Airplane – Following Really Like You, I think IZ*ONE strengths are definitely in more upbeat songs. While Airplane seems a lot more comfortable for the group, the song felt like it went in the ‘typical girl group debut title track’ route, where the song ends up being too bright, youthful and poppy. Even the rapping reflected and the main hook in the chorus reflected this thought. The group does nail the track perfectly without any hitches or awkward patches. I do have a special playlist on my phone for songs like this and I think Airplane will fit perfectly into it. (8/10)
6. Up – I think out of all the tracks on the album (besides Violeta) Up is probably my favourite sidetrack. It does fall within that ‘typical’ category once again. But there is a fair amount of appeal in the track to make me become drawn to and enjoy it. The instrumental was very nice, especially the bounciness at the start of the track (that is ongoing throughout the track). I also like the bright vocals in this track, going perfectly with the pop vibes of the song. The track was very addictive with the hooks and vibrancy of the track being pretty much unforgettable. (9/10)
7. I Want To Be A Cat (고양이가 되고 싶어) (Korean Version) – I Want To Be A Cat (otherwise known by the Japanese title, Neko ni Naritai) was previously sung and performed by Sako, Yuri, Yeni, Nako and Minju on their Japanese debut album. But the Korean version is sung by all the members of IZ*ONE. I really like the more chilled sound that the song had going on. It is rather different from the harder pop styles earlier on in the album. I did like the vocals, which were showcased well. The melody was pleasant. I just thought the song could have done a bit more in terms of memorability. But other than that, it was decent. (7/10)
8. Happy Goodbye (Korean Version) – Otherwise known as Gokigen Sayonara is also from the group’s first Japanese album. Listening to the track, you can tell it was distinctively J-POP previously, as it has all of those elements that make J-POP what it is. I am in no way saying that the Korean version is bad. I really like the chorus, which was catchy vibe to it. I also enjoyed the slightly techno-pop instrumental (which is once again a distinctive sound for J-POP). I also enjoyed the song because it was light and pleasant as well. (8.5/10)
One week ago, TWICE made their comeback with Fancy. It has officially caught on (for me) and it has been a track that I have been replaying over the weekend. So what is stopping me from reviewing their album today? Absolutely nothing! And after listening and writing about each song, I can say I am thoroughly impressed with the quality of the Fancy You mini-album. So with no more delays, I invite you to scroll down below and see for yourself!
2. Stuck In My Head – Stuck In My Head kicks off with its chorus and it is super catchy. So, Stuck In My Head lives up to its name. The song feels very in-your-face, with the chorus being the most prominent part of the song. But they keep it balance enough to not have it be overwhelming. I really like the instrumental, which is heavy and light at the right times. I also enjoyed the vocals of the track, which were all very nice. The rapping, though, was a show stopper in my opinion. It just the right amount of fierceness to fit perfectly in the song. Overall, one song on the album to check out! (9/10)
3. Girls Like Us – This track centres on pop. The instrumental was very vibrant and colourful, especially around the chorus, which I think can be better described as ‘bright’. The consistent piano tapping added to the pop and vibrancy of the track. The song was a little echoey, which I thought also brought on a nice effect and texture to the song. Once again, nice vocals and rap really add to the song, making this a decent track to listen to. (8.5/10)
4. Hot – I think the whole point of this album is for TWICE to return with a re-invented feel. Literally, I don’t think I have heard any song that resembles their previous tracks on this album thus far. Hot really gives off a mature and confident feel that they aimed (and succeeded with Fancy). The dance focused track really captures your attention with its catchiness, good vocals and raps and that deep ‘doom doom’ at the start! I like their build up to the chorus, which when paired with its confidence in the chorus, really feels dynamic. (9/10)
5. Turn It Up – While it was nice to hear some acoustics at the very start of the song. I can guarantee it doesn’t last that much longer. The track delves back into the dance realm as soon as you register some acoustics. I find Turn It Up to be extremely groovy, which I don’t I have mentioned anywhere for this album yet. The song does lack that memorability factor when it comes to the chorus as it doesn’t have that prominent hook. But the rap that followed the first chorus was amazing. The bridge was a little weak in my opinion, but still good enough to not really weigh the song down in any way. (8/10)
6. Strawberry – The album ends with Strawberry. It is their most delicate song on the entire album, due to the lightness of the instrumental and their reliance on the higher pitch. The song has a unique touch and it balances perfectly on the fence of retro and modern. While the vocals are mostly in a higher pitch, I think I was most bored with the vocals in this song, in comparison to any of the other songs. But everything else in this track is very commendable, especially when they take the instrumental out of the track for the bridge/start of the final chorus. Very daring and it pays off. (8/10)
This was meant to be Friday’s album review. But instead of cancelling it, I moved it to today in order to keep up with the continuing influx of albums (for IZ*ONE fans, I will be publishing the album review for their mini-album in May, apologies for the delay). Today’s focus is on 1THE9’s debut, with XIX and Spotlight. For those who don’t know, 1THE9 was formed through the survival show, Under Nineteen, which aired between 2018 and 2019. More details about the group have been dug up recently (by myself) including that they will be together for a period of 1 year and that all members are currently under the age of 19.
XIX Album Cover
1..Domino (ft. Crush) (Pre-Release Track) – Kick-starting their career in the industry is Domino, which was produced the featuring artist, Crush. The song starts off with a strumming acoustic guitar. It was an intriguing start but disappeared once the members started singing. Instead, Domino ended up being an R&B dance track, containing many dubstep effects and synths throughout to make it engage listeners. Adding to this engagement is the tempo of the track. It is slow churning but well paced, and I like how they kept with that throughout the track. Vocals and rapping were quite good. Altogether, the Domino elements come together nicely, making this track a great opener to their album and career. (8/10)
3. The Story (우리들의 이야기) – Judging by the song’s title, I had expected it to be ballad-like. To an extent, the song does have that ballad-like vibe to it. It, however, is combined with another well-paced and slow tempo dance instrumental. Together, it gives The Story a reflective and appreciative tone that shows their commitment to themselves, each other and their fans. The song has a nice melody that is very easy on the ears and isn’t cluttered in any way. Both vocals and rapping were showcased in this song, so I thought it was a well-balanced track. The only problem is that this track is a little cliché, especially with Produce 101 doing this for each of their seasons before sending the participants off to the announcement of the final resulting group. (8/10)
4. R.N.R.H. (Right Now Right Here) – We now return to something a little more intensified. R.N.R.H starts off as a nice standard pop dance track. It felt melodic and almost beautiful. But nothing is what it seems, as demonstrated by many tracks by other KPOP songs. They start infusing some electronic effects and a rolling drum beat into the background. Not too extreme of a change as the track doesn’t make a complete changeup and it was a very nice change. But it is after the rap-spoken line, ‘Right Now, Right Here’ that the track takes an unexpected turn. The chorus goes with a low and tenses up. This was an extreme change but it fascinatingly interesting. They continue the same format of pop and then intense chorus for the rest of the song to maintain that interesting appeal. One final thing but I would have expected an ending with a little for definition. It just felt incomplete, especially after all those changes. (8.5/10)
5. Gravity – Ending the album is Gravity. I am a little torn about the song. I wanted something to lead off nicely from the somewhat flippy R.N.R.H, so to hear a more standard dance track was a little disappointing. But if I were to listen to the song standalone, I think this would be a decent track with a nice melody. I particularly like the post-chorus hook, which was rather catchy. The vocals were nice and the rapping definitely kept the momentum of the track up. I think I would have wanted something a little more catching to really give the song that needed attraction. And maybe this extra element could have been what was needed to allow the song to continue from R.N.R.H.(7.5/10)
Due to the number of songs on the album, this album review post is quite lengthy.
Today’s ‘Past’ album review post will be focusing on probably what I consider to be 2PM’s most memorable album (form the top of my head). Grown was released back in 2013, featuring both A.D.T.O.Y and Come Back When You Hear This Song as the title tracks (links to their respective review can be found below). And while this album is almost 6 years old, I still return to it often. They did release a repackaged version, which contained many more songs but I think that is suitable for a follow-up post in the future. But before we get to that, we have to look at the original version!
Grown Album Cover
1..A.D.T.O.Y (하.니.뿐) (Title Track) – Most of my comments in my original review stand. However, I felt that a 7/10 is a little unfair for this album review as I have enjoyed the song countless times since its release. Hence I have bumped up the ranking by 1 point. Click here to read the full review for A.D.T.O.Y. (8/10).
3. Zero Point (원점으로) – This is the style of KPOP that I want an artist to revisit. To me, this song sounds quite like Come Back When You Hear This Song. It utilizes a traditional synth-pop (but more pop centred) instrumental and is very easy on the ears. It shows off their vocals and I really liked the melody of the track. Those ‘violins’ they use in the chorus was so good, despite them feeling synthetic. I also liked the extra few seconds of suspense they add to the song during the pre-chorus, which makes this track so good. There were a few moments just before Taecyeon’s rap sequence that I thought they could have gone down the trap route but that is something common today and not so much back in the day. And this just makes the song feel so much more wholesome feeling. (8.5/10)
4. I’m Sorry – I’m Sorry is an R&B track that has a very smooth feeling, which you can feel straight away from its initial second. There is this sensual vibe going in the song, which I think the smooth R&B sound cannot avoid. But it definitely a mature sound that I personally like from 2PM. Once again, sleek vocals and amazing harmonies are heard in this song. The rapping was well tweaked for the song as well. My favourite line has to be Chansung’s “So I can’t stop stop stop thinking about the time…”, which is constantly replaying in my head. (8/10)
5. The First Date (오늘부터 1일) – Opening up the song is some piano. And from the first second, you can tell this song is going to be lively, changing the album’s flow. While the piano was nice, the brass in the chorus was perfect. It came on just at the right time and managed to add an extra influx of energy that I did not even know was missing from the song. The song is also capped with great vocals and I liked the rapping, which also added to that addition of energy that I have mentioned. (8/10)
6. Dangerous – The song has this jazzy and upbeat vibe to it, which gives it an intriguing feel. And as much as I want to like the song, I think Dangerous is a little weak compared to the other tracks on the album (but that in no means it is bad). It has a nice clean and modern touch, which from memory was something that was extremely big at the time of its release. The vocals were good and I thought the rapping added a little smugness to the song. I just think its placement in a sea of great songs was probably its biggest downfall. (7/10)
7. One More Day (오늘 하루만) – One More Day takes the form of a ballad. It is a nice soothing track to really kick back to. I don’t think it stands out much, like Dangerous and probably for the exact same reasons. I did like the instrumental of the track as it incorporates soft synths into the otherwise classical instrumental. I think it gave the song some character and really differentiated it from other ballads. I am personally not sure if a rap sequence was necessary. Taecyeon’s execution is not the problem but for a ballad, it felt a little too much. (7/10)
8. Game Over – Intensity has been missing from the album thus far. So it is really nice to really get something loaded with it. The powerful instrumental really sets it apart from any other of their songs (and if memory serves me right, any song released at the time). I wonder why they didn’t go with this track as one of the title tracks. It had maturity, an awesome dance break section, amazing vocals and definitely underrated rap sequences. Jun.K’s line ‘This Endless Game’ replays hauntingly in your mind as it was an impactful finisher to the song. (10/10)
9. Coming Down – Based on what I know of music and from movies, this is probably something you hear somewhere that you need to spend a lot of money. Otherwise known as a classy bar or cafe music. Coming Down follows a similar comment pool as per the jazzy songs before. But there is a little more to the song that makes this one a little more likeable. The jazzy vibes are felt but they don’t seem to be as prevalent, which I think is a rather refreshing twist. The vocals and rapping are just so clear and undeniably interesting. Hence, this is why I think this song a little better than the others of the same nature. (7.5/10)
10. Go Back (고백) – Go Back is one of those misleading tracks. The song started off as a ballad for the verses. But out of nowhere, the song builds up to a techno-focused chorus. I am not sure if it was the first of its kind but it is a rather interesting mix. And while the two are very different extremes, the song does merge well together. I also like how Taecyeon’s rapping was kind of the intersection of the two sides, as this isn’t something that occurs that much even in today’s songs where the mashup of two genres occurs often. I also enjoyed the ‘Eh Oh Eh Oh’ hook of the song as well. (9/10)
11. Love Song – An album will always have a weak song. That is how things work. Any fan who says that say each song is perfect on any album is probably lying to themselves. And since I started this section like this, I think you know what I am going to say. Love Song is the weakest track on the album. I think this song was the hardest to connect to. That jazzy sound returns and does show off some maturity. Some vocals also flourished but I simply pass over this track every time I return to the album. (6.5/10)
12. At Times (문득) – This is as ballad-y as you can get with a ballad. At Times is 2PM’s push for a promising ballad and I think they nail the song. Taecyeon started the song off very soft singing and by the time we swing to the chorus, the vocals make it feel like the peak of a ballad. It pushes the song forward and makes it feel very elegant and extravagant at the same time. But what makes this song so good is that it continuously builds, resulting in the final chorus to be truly spectacular (ticking all boxes for my style for a power ballad). I think it is a beautiful ballad and a powerful ending to the album. (9.5/10)
Pentagon made their comeback a few weeks back with Genie:us and the title track, Sha La La. It has been some time since the release as the group has wrapped up their primary promotions already and have gone onto follow-up promotions with another single on the track (see which song in the review below!). This is another high-quality album that demonstrates the group’s potential. It also features a number of fun (a highly repetitive word in this review) sounding tracks, along with two subunit tracks (where the group is split into a hip-hop and ballad unit). Now, let’s have a closer look at the album.
2. Lost Paradise (Hip Hop Unit) – The Hip Hop unit of Pentagon is made up of Kino, Wooseok, Hui and Yuto. To me, Lost Paradise talks about wanting to overcome the lost feeling you get in life but it is done with a harsh and grungy tone., which I think fits the ideal sound that you expect of a hip hop unit. I really like the subtle rock instrumental that really gives the song its identity. At the very forefront of the song is Wooseok, who stands out from the rest of the members by utilizing his husky voice. That being said, the other members did a pretty good job as well. They just didn’t shine as brightly as Wooseok did. Overall, Lost Paradise was remarkably appealing. (9/10)
3. Until That Moment (그 순간 그때까지) (Ballad Unit) – Pentagon’s ballad unit is made up of Yeo One, Yan An, Hongseok, Jinho and Shinwon. It does follow that typical classical ballad route but given Pentagon’s past ballads, I am super excited to hear the track With ballads, the most talked-about aspect of the song would have to be the vocals. It was very breathtaking. If I were to pick one member who shined the most in this unit track (like in the previous track), Jinho comes out on top. But like Lost Paradise, each member was spectacular, established through that amazing peak in the bridge delivered by all the members. Once again, this is the type of song to beat. (10/10)
4. Alien (에일리언) – We return back to tracks that featured the entire track. Listening to Alien, I think this would have followed nicely from Naughty Boy in their previous mini-album. It is a fun track that has random elements that really jump at you for its quirkiness. The first element that I noticed was the complete change up at the start of Wooseok’s rap. It didn’t fit into the track at first, so I was going to say something negative about it. But it wasn’t until I heard Shiwon’s ‘Have a good nice day’ shout and Hui’s follow-up falsetto that it clicked that it was meant to be random. I also thought the lyrics were random as well but fitting for a quirky song titled Alien.(8.5/10)
5. Spring Snow (봄눈) – The way Spring Snow started off reminded me of the music for a 90s sitcom opener. And although it makes me cringe, I can totally imagine Pentagon doing one of those openers. With that in mind, you can tell that the rock based instrumental and song overall was going to be extremely fun sounding and upbeat. What makes it even better is that the song was extremely catchy, with the vocals and rapping extremely vibrant. So it is no wonder that this song was chosen for their follow-up promotions (that they are currently in the midst doing). And while this does set off the cringy thought process, I thoroughly enjoyed and will definitely be returning to the track in the future. (10/10)
6. Round 1 (Bonus Track) – Rounding out the trio of fun songs and also the final song on the album is Round 1. And they playful diss each other in this track. Each person, apart from Wooseok who talks nice about himself, takes a turn in playfully making fun of another member. Not flushing the toilet, staying indoors instead of walking their active dog and being a scaredy cat are just some of the things that pop up in the song. I won’t spoil who those comments relate to, so definitely check out this song. The song is rap driven, which I think makes the song extra fun, especially through the different techniques each member uses. (8/10)
Things are starting to get exciting for the former members of Wanna One. We are currently in the midst of solo debuts from members of the project group (including Yoon Ji Sung, Minhyun and Ha Sung Woon, with Bae Jin Young debuting next week). We also have NU’EST returning and AB6IX debuting shortly. Today, we are here to look at another Wanna One member’s release, Park Ji Hoon’s solo mini-album, O’Clock, which I think is a very promising release. Congratulations to Park Ji Hoon on his Music Bank win a few weeks back, as well. So, let’s definitely start with this closer look at his album.
O’Clock Album Cover
1..The Beginning Of... (Intro Track) – Park Ji Hoon starts off the album with the song that ends his L.O.V.E music video. Despite knowing that he was a rapper during his time as part of Wanna One, I did not expect his voice to be this raspy. That isn’t a bad thing, however, as it gives a nice texture to the opening track. I also like the high pitch moaning at the start of the song (and throughout the song). It gives a unique touch which I quite like. The line ‘The Beginning of New Love’ that Park Ji Hoon sings is a little awkward (I didn’t know that he was singing in English until I saw the lyrics) but other than that, it was a nice opener (and music video end-er). (9/10)
2. Us – Us is an R&B track that places a lot of focus on the solo artist’s vocals. I personally do not mind the song but felt it was a weak track. While the song does showcase his voice really well, I couldn’t help think that the instrumental was a little too distant and light during the verses. Usually, I like to think that the instrumental support the vocals in a variety of ways. But in this case, the verses felt bare and lacked a supportive background. For the choruses, this feeling wasn’t there, and it felt like a standard song, which was nice in comparison to the verses. I also felt that Us would benefit from a rap sequence of some kind. I think that could have given a boost to the song and filled up this void that I felt once the song ended. (7/10)
4. Would You… – Out of all the tracks on the song, Would You was the most colourful. So far (and the few tracks that follow) were quite moody, so it is nice to have a track that has really vibrant and bright colours. The instrumental has this feel-good feel to which and it allowed for Park Ji Hoon’s vocals to sound cheerful for once. We also got some rapping in the track, which I think suits the upbeat nature of the track. The chorus also featured a nice melody and I found it to be quite catchy. I also think the track suits the image that I know of Park Ji Hoon, which has always been youthful since his Wanna One days. (8/10)
5. Dawn Moon (새벽달) – I thought the screech-like synths and Park Ji Hoon’s whispering start was rather cool and opens up this track to be quite promising. And he delivers in this aspect. The verses were standard once again but featured a nice build up to a chorus made up of half vocals and half instrumental. I find this particular order to be somewhat refreshing, I also found the chorus to be quite impactful despite it not being as colourful as other EDM based choruses with hard drops. The drop the song went with felt dynamic upon reflection and really made the song progress along. My favourite part of the song has to be the climax in the bridge. The song needed a peak and I think this was appropriately done in this track. (8/10)
6. Young 20 – Young 20 is produced by fellow Wanna One member Lee Dae Hwi (who will be debuting in his own group alongside Park Woo Jin very soon!). It is also another vibrant song but it is no way near as colourful as Would You….I really like the layering of vocals and the harmonies that Park Ji Hoon (and the backing vocals) contribute towards. While I did like the vocals a lot, the rapping was equally as good. It gave the song a punch. I could imagine this track with really fun dance choreography, thanks to the instrumental. Altogether, it is very dynamic, which I think allows it to stand out as a promising contender to the title track. And with this track, I am now looking forward to future Park Ji Hoon and Lee Dae Hwi future releases! (9/10)
Apologies again for the lateness of the review (this was meant to be published on Saturday but it is now Sunday where I am living). But this review will be looking at BLACKPINK’s 2nd mini-album to date, Kill This Love, which features the title track of the same name. I think the most exciting part of this comeback is that the number of BLACKPINK songs is growing, with the addition of 4 new songs (including the title track). The album also contains a remix version ofDDU-DU DDU-DU, which I think is really good as well. But as this song was previously reviewed, it has been omitted from this album review.
Kill This Love Album Cover
1..Kill This Love (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Kill This Love.(6.5/10) APOLOGIES TO ALL BLINKS OUT THERE. My original review referred to the song as Kiss The Love in the title. This has been rectified.
2. Don’t Know What To Do – The one thing that makes this song amazing is that it slowly builds up to the club-centred chorus. This makes the chorus stand out even more than what it already does standalone due to its energetic kick. And as a result, this makes the song one to remember. In conjunction with this is amazing formula, the song also centres itself around the member’s vocals capabilities. I don’t think there was much of a rap sequence in the song, which I think was slightly intriguing. I think the choice of vocals makes this song even more unique, as a rap would have potentially made the song feel typical in BLACKPINK’s standards. (9/10)
3. Kick It – Kick It is what I would say is within the grounds of BLACKPINK typical standards. It has what I would say is a similar formula to their title tracks. But what I like about this track is that still manages to put a different spin on it. This was done through the more R&B and dragged out the chorus. Combined with their vibrant vocals (the ‘Kick It’ vocals are very popping), I think the chorus is quite dynamic. I also thought the inclusion of the rap sequence in the second verse makes this song a lot more appealing. Finally, the chanting part of the bridge was pretty good, feeling a void that I didn’t think exist until I carefully rethought the entirety of the song. (8/10)
4. Hope Not (아니길) – Following the focus on vocals rather than raps is Hope Not. It is a ballad that does an amazing job of showcasing the vocals of the members. It gives the powerful and popular girl group a more delicate sound. The instrumentation takes an acoustic guitar approach, and this goes well with the vocals. I did like the ‘Yeah Yeah Yeah’ part of the song, with that being the most memorable highlight of the entire track for me. Overall, it isn’t my personal favourite song on the album but it still good to listen to. (7/10)
Apologies for the missed album review on Sunday. As a result, I will be publishing another tomorrow to compensate for it, or else I will fall very behind on my schedule. In the meantime, this is the weekly Friday album review post! Stray Kids made their comeback on the 25th of April with both Clé 1: MIROH and the title track, Miroh. Since then, they have been releasing special videos for a number of the tracks on the album. It seems like this is a common thing for Stray Kids and I may compile a special review of these videos later on. However, for now, here is the album review for Clé 1: MIROH.
2. Victory Song (승전가) – Stray Kids throws you intensity right, left and centre in Victory Song. Listening to the track, it is loaded with that hip-hop sound that Stray Kids started off with their mixtape. And it honestly been a while since I have personally heard a hip-hop dance track like this and really enjoyed it. Starting the song off are some sirens, which just tell you that it is going to be one hell of a track. The song then moves onto rapping and we are treated to a very deep whisper by Felix, who does a really good job building suspense for the track. The way the song is set up allows for the rappers to really shine, but the vocals were also quite good. The chorus is extremely strong, with their chanting union of the line ‘Listen to this Victory Song’ very memorable. (9/10)
3. Maze of Memories (잠깐의 고요) – Maze of Memories is also very intense. But it takes a different approach that Victory Song or the title track. The song starts off with a light-ish piano piece to build up the song (To me, the piano piece reminds me of the waiting music you hear when you are waiting for a computer game to load up). But the song takes a sudden turn for the chorus, delving into a rock instrumental. Interesting, it returns to the piano piece for the second verse, which I thought was rather cool. And this allows for the rock instrumental to be even more profound when it returns once again. Even more impressively, all the members rap throughout the song. I don’t think I heard any vocals and I think that is quite cool. Felix, Seungmin and Bangchan’s English lines did take me by surprise, which I don’t really understand why. But I guess it is might be because I have not heard an extended sequence like so that much. (10/10)
4. Boxer – Following the intense trend on this album, Boxer seems to be a very appropriate title for a track on this album. And like the title, the song centres itself around boxing, with the chorus acting like a boxing tutorial that I think might just work if you are wanting a workout (though, don’t trust me on this as I do not work out in any way). Once again, the rappers are at the forefront of the song, dominating for most of the verses and choruses. But the vocalists were still quite good in their limited sections. As for the instrumental, there is a more electronic influence, with the scratchy chorus and very intense fast vibrating synth accompanied by the bells you hear commonly in boxing matches. To me, it isn’t the stand out track on the album but it still quite good. (8/10)
5. Chronosaurus – Chronosaurus is appealing for several factors. The song starts off with a tone that seems to refocus on the vocalists of the song. It is much more melodic, and the rappers appeared to be scattered throughout the song, rather than the vocalists like in the previous tracks. The song isn’t as intense, providing some relief after the overload of intensity we have gotten so far. It also has a slower tempo, which allows us to really appreciate the song in a more wholesome way. I also liked the instrumental. Still quite dynamic but it’s different in its own way. I think the best part has to the eerie bridge. I really liked Bang Chan, Woojin and Seungmin’s vocals in this section. It really goes well with all the Western songs that I listen to and it makes the final chorus even more impactful once it comes along. (9/10)
6. 19 – When you see the number 19 in the context of KPOP songs, you automatically think of the strict broadcasting laws video content must be branded with. However, this is not the case for Stray Kid’s 19. The song is a slow R&B track that showcases both the rappers and vocalists evenly. I think the song talks about their hardship at the age of 19, which I think is the final age before people become ‘adults’ in Korea (don’t quote me on this, however). I really like the moody instrumental of the track which seems emotional and reflective, but the deep R&B vibes also fit Stray Kids’ portfolio. It didn’t appeal automatically to my taste, but the song grew on me after a while and I think, now, is quite good. (8/10)
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