Album Reviews – Page 41

[Album Review] Warning (2nd Mini Album) – Sunmi

September 16, 2018Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged SunmiLeave a comment

It is time for a look at newer album releases. I have been catching up on some older albums lately and technically, this is still considered to be catching up as it has been a few weeks since it dropped. However, it is still a more recent release as promotions are still ongoing. Sunmi has returned with her second mini-album, Warning, since her solo debut. Featuring on the album is Siren (the title track), Gashina (released in August 2017) and Heroine (released in January 2018), along with a few more new tracks. So without any delay, let’s continue on with the album review!

1..Addict – Once again, Addict is an introductory track. The entire track is in English, which is a blessing for us international fans as we can finally understand something! The question asked is ‘Who is running the show’ and clearly, the answer is Sunmi herself. I find the track quite addictive. It isn’t perfect, however, as I expected a more powerful drop, given the build-up at the start. That could have made the track pop out even more, serving as a very appealing introductory track. But what we have here is already quite great. (8/10

2. Siren (사이렌) (Title Track) – Click here for the full review of Siren. (9/10)

3. Curve (곡선) – I love her vocals in this song. So seductive and sensual with her nasal voice, reminding me of some other really underrated nasally artists like Lim Kim. She goes for the same type of music as those artists, with a jazzy instrumentation and something that you won’t get on a traditional pop album. I also thought the chorus was extremely catchy, going with that repetition which works majority of the time. I think they could have introduced something extra to the song during the bridge, which would have made it more interesting. But once again, what we got is already quite good. (8/10)

4. Black Pearl – Following a similar path as the previous song, Black Pearl takes on a jazzy instrumentation infused with R&B, which I thought was quite nice. The brass ensures the song doesn’t feel empty, which could easily have happened. I really liked her vocals in the moments leading up the chorus. While she does bring the nasal voice back, I am not as impressed with her vocals in this song. It just isn’t as interesting as in the previous song. (7/10)

5. Gashina (가시나) – Click here for the full review of Gashina. (6/10 – at the time of writing the review. This was a major mistake as it became a favourite of mine. Hence, I have bumped it up to a 9/10).

6. Heroine (주인공) – Click here for the full review of Heroine. (10/10)

7. Secret Tape (비밀테이프) – There is an interesting sound with this song and I feel like this track could have been really good. Sadly, it serves as the outro track, lasting for less than 2 minutes. I liked the idea of her voice being masked by the effects of a recorder or tape, which I thought added class. And when that mask was taken away, we get something upbeat, which I thought was missing from her album (apart from the three title tracks) and needed kick to the slowness that it presented. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.4/10

sunmi-warning-3 — *Warning* Teaser Image

[Album Review] I Am WHO? (2nd Mini Album) – Stray Kids

September 13, 2018October 29, 2018Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged Stray KidsLeave a comment

This is the final “catch up” album review as I plan to get started on some album review for new releases this weekend. This is also the first time I will be reviewing Stray Kids’ album, who made their debut earlier this year with District 9. However, I am WHO? is the title for their more recent album, which features My Pace (link below) as the main title track. The group has also been releasing performance videos (or mv-like videos for all their tracks, so I linked down below so you can view them (simply click on the link at the title of the song).

straykids-iamwho-2 — *I Am WHO?* Album Cover

1..WHO? – I do not commonly review the introductory track. But this one was much longer than most intro tracks and featured lyrics, which isn’t something too common. It is performed by Woojin, Felix and Han. A few of the titles of the songs on the album pop up in this track but I think it was a coincidence rather than intentional. I like the vocal and rapping elements in this introduction, my favourite being Woojin’s whispering. (8/10)

2. My Pace (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of My Pace. (9/10)

3. Voices – Voices is the hip-hop song that fulfils my craving for hip-hop, a genre that I don’t often delve into. It reminds me of the hip-hop songs that you commonly get in the Western industries back in the ‘00s. The song has a very impactful sound that is very rough around the edges but is quite heavy in terms of emotion. I thought the song showcases both their rapping and vocal potential, something I haven’t heard from them yet. I really like the roughness and intensity that the rappers bring to the song and the chorus was superb and melodic. (9.5/10)

4. Question – Question gets the album on a more upbeat and energetic note. In this song, we see different rap and vocal styles that we haven’t heard on the album yet. Whoever did the whispering rap section that opened the second verse sounds so good (I have replayed the song multiple times for that one section). I like entire chorus as it is however thought Felix’s English hook post-chorus extremely catchy and the main selling point of the song. The song does feel like it is missing something though, but I cannot pinpoint what that is. (8/10)

5. Insomnia (불면증) – While I did like other songs on the album more than Insomnia, I think it was the first song to jump out at me to confirm its album review. I thought the song was extremely dynamic, with its soft start and very unexpecting chaotic chorus drop. The fluctuations in the energy from the different sections is very interesting, which I think makes sense given the title of the song. Once again, the vocals and raps were quite good. But since I tend to listen to albums prior to going to sleep, this one isn’t too ideal for that period. (8/10)

6. M.I.A – I personally do not like to label songs as the ‘weakest song’ but it gives you an idea of what type of songs I like from an artist and what I don’t like. This one was a miss for me. I am not a fan of heavy autotune, so with majority of the song being filtered with the autotuned didn’t do much for me. On the plus side, however, the song was quite smooth. Vocals were good but I think some of the rapping in this song was more enjoyable (as it gave the song some roughness to offset the smoothness). Besides that, I don’t have much to say about the song. (6.5/10)

7. Awkward Silence (갑자기 분위기 싸해질 필요 없잖아요) – Ending the album is Awkward Silence, which is extremely fun and playful. A different route once again when compared to the rest of the album. I actually really like the song. The crow squawking during the ‘awkward silence’ just before the chorus was a very nice touch and gave the song that ‘not-so-serious’ element. I thought the bridge of the song was quite nice and Felix’s random inserts were quite enjoyable (also love the Australian accent that trickles in – Australia Represent!). It ends the album on a happier note, which I quite like. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.3/10 [FIXED]

straykids-iamwho-3 — *I Am WHO?* Teaser Image

[Album Review] ++ (1st Mini Album) – LOONA

September 10, 2018September 17, 2018Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged LOOΠΔ, LOONA4 Comments

I know the album reviews are coming out at really odd times but bear with me for just this week as I make an attempt to catch up on the reviews. The next album that I will be reviewing is LOONA’s debut mini-album, titled as ++. It features both Hi High and favoRiTe, which I have both written separate reviews for. For those who also know about the music video theories that I had promised to write up, I have decided to put them on hold due to the sheer amount of time it takes to write them. They will be up sometime this year, so do not worry! But today, we are here for the album, so let’s get going!

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

3. favoRiTe (Pre-Release Song) – Click here to read the full review for favoRiTe. (9/10)

4. Heat (열기) – Heat fits the more aesthetically pleasing side of LOONA that we got through their pre-debut singles. The song has a very mature feel to it, something that you would not expect if you know LOONA through just their debut track. I like how peaceful the song sounds. It flows very well, and the minimalistic vibes of the instrumental allows their amazing vocals to fill the void and shine very brightly. I thought the suspense building, despite the minimalistic vibes of the song, were pretty good as well. (8/10)

5. Perfect Love – Perfect Love has that upbeat feel that you expect from a Summer season song. It is literally your standard pop song but done right. The chorus features a simple yet addictive hook, in my opinion. I think more could have done to the verses to really bring the song to another level, as it felt very plain. The song ends off with a short instrumental section, which I thought was cool. But not so much for that squeaky synth. And while the song does have fantastic vocals, it needed some rapping in it. That would have added a layer of texture. (8/10)

6. Stylish – I like the vibes from this song the most as it has a ‘stylish’ feel to it. It takes on that aesthetically pleasing sound and mature sound, like Heart (earlier song on the album). I like the start of the chorus, which has the instrumental omitted, allowing for the vocals (and filtered background vocals) to be in the spotlight. It created a nice level of suspense and amazement, which I thought was quite cool. I would like to see a performance for this song, as the song has that epic feel suited for the stage. Once again, I think the song could have used a rap sequence, but it was still amazing anyway. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.6/10

[Album Review] Another (3rd Mini Album) – Jeong Sewoon

September 9, 2018September 8, 2018Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged Jeong SewoonLeave a comment

Finally getting around to completing the album reviews for this week. I haven’t cancelled them (or else I will fall behind even further) so I will be posting 3 album reviews in the span of a few days. This album review is for Jeong Sewoon’s latest mini-album, Another, which I think he has completed promotions for already. So let’s stop wasting time and get on with this album review!

1..20 Something (Title Track) – Click here for the review of 20 Something. (7.5/10)

2. Waterfall – I think the first thing that grabs me is his husky voices. And I love the mash-up between the classical piano and the synth-heavy instrumental, which peaks during the chorus. The chorus is quite chaotic but the good kind. There is a sense of order that makes it very aesthetic to listen to. I also like how his vocals manage to be put on display, as his voice could have been pretty much hidden under the chaos. I thought the song had an impact, making it one of my favourites on the album. (9/10)

3. Eye 2 Eye – The song is quite different from the chaos in the second song. It goes for an acoustic approach and shows off the husky nature of his voice even more than the previous song. It is songs like this where the instrumental allows the vocals to shine, allowing you to appreciate the vocals even more. The instrumental was quite ballady, but it had that foot-tapping effect that felt country-like. I love the acapella ending and that very light high note at the start of the final chorus. Also, the song was quite catchy. (9/10)

4. La La – Opening the song was the very surprisingly low tone in his voice, which I thought was extremely nice. It creates some contrast and texture in the song, which I thought gave the song some colour. The instrumental already presents the song with some colour but more is added with the said introduction. I like the build-up to the bridge, but it could have used a high note to really pick it up even more. I would like to see a performance for this song, mainly because it could have been similar to his debut stage (which I actually quite liked). (8.5/10)

5. I Wonder – Once again, we return to a more acoustic sound. The guitar is the only instrument within the instrumental. While that is a little different from the majority of the songs in the industry now, it too does a good job of allowing his vocals to shine. There is a dreamy notion regarding his voice that makes you sway you along. The whistling was quite nice and his falsetto during the final chorus was quite nice. (8/10)

6. Shadow – Once again, we find a song that allows for the vocals to shine. It takes the electronic application and balances it with the acoustic sound, which allows for the vocals to shine. As mentioned, there is a nice balance and I can’t help to think if all the songs on the album build-up to it. The song felt like an OST for some Korean Drama. And while I have mentioned his singing, Sewoon also takes on rapping in this song, which I thought he nailed quite well. Overall, I thought it was a nice song to end the album on. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.5/10

jeongsewoon-another-3 — *Another* Teaser Image

[Album Review] Summer Magic (2nd Summer Special Album) – Red Velvet

September 2, 2018December 9, 2018Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged Red Velvet1 Comment

Taking on Summer once again is Red Velvet, following the success of Red Flavour and The Red Summer (released last year). The mini-album, Summer Magic, features 7 songs. I will only be reviewing 6 of the song (with the last one being Bad Boy (English Version), which I believe they performed at a KCON event). And with Summer wrapping up in the Northern hemisphere, let’s quickly have a closer look at the album before it gets too chilly.

redvelvet-summermagic-2 — *Summer Magic* Album Cover

1.Power Up (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of Power Up. (6/10)

2. With You (한 여름의 크리스마스)– With You reminds me of Summer due to the presence of the instrumentation (hollow drums reminding me of the Caribbean and the tropics). The song itself also features great vocals from the members. The best part was when they sing together for the chorus, while some of their solo moments to give the chance for each member to stand out. There is a hint of catchiness making this a decent song to listen to. Not sure how Christmas relates to the Summer sounding track (I, unfortunately, do not have time to look up lyrics for this review), as the final Korean word in the title is ‘Christmas’. (8/10)

3. Mr. E – This song reminds me of another song which I cannot pinpoint yet. But its sense of nostalgia is greatly appreciated. It has that exotic vibe which sounds quite nice. The song itself is quite addictive, consisting of a very catchy hook and great melodies throughout the rest of the song. Like the previous song, the song also features great vocals. I also liked the rapping in the song but would have liked some more, to be honest. (8/10)

4. Mosquito – Probably my most favourite song on the entire track list. From the instrumentation to the vocal work, everything seemed perfect. But it is even better when everything feels epic. I like the hip-hop feel in this song, which gives a little flavour to the song that is unlike any other on this album. It also gives this song that extra edginess, which is why I describe it as ‘epic’. I liked how the instrumentation was relatively simple, but the suspenseful thumping came at the right time. Favourite line of the entire song has to be the ‘Na Na Na’ (10/10)

5. Hit That Drum – Following nicely from Mosquito is Hit That Drum that carries the same momentum. It sadly isn’t as epic sounding, but it has that catchiness that the previous song through its chorus. I have been humming the song since I first heard of it. It does remind me of another KPOP song, but I cannot figure out which (or even its it was by Red Velvet or not). It does need a little more of something to make it even better, but it was still another favourite. (9/10)

6. Blue Lemonade – Blue Lemonade aims to be a refreshing song and it nails its job perfectly. While its elements are very traditional, the overall feel of the song has that fresh tone which you want to hear with any new song. I like the bubbly effects the song contains, which personalises the song to the group very well and allow for the title to come to life. Once again great vocals, especially the ending to finish off the song. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.3/10

redvelvet-summermagic-3 — *Summer Magic/Power Up* Teaser Image

[Album Review] New Kids: Continue (1st Mini Album) – iKON

August 30, 2018Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged iKon1 Comment

As you may tell, I am currently prioritising some of the albums released earlier in the month, hence if some of your favourites recently came back, their album reviews should be out around mid-September. iKON is one of the artists who made their return to the stage at the start of the month with Killing Me and their first mini-album, New Kids: Continue.

ikon-newkidscomplete-2 — *New Kids: Continue* Album Cover

1..Killing Me (죽겠다) (Title Track) – Click here for the full review of Killing Me. (9/10)

2. Freedom (바람) – I thought the song would have had great potential with its rock influence, if only it didn’t take on a chorus that felt like it resembles something that came from the Disney channel. The verses and bridge were good, just the chorus felt like a letdown. Nonetheless, it was good head-banging music despite being described as a soft rock. I did like the fast-paced nature of the song and everyone sounded quite good. (7/10)

3. Only You – Only You takes that Summer sound that you get throughout the Summer season and mash it with iKON’s traditional hip-hop sound. In the end, we get a decent song. There was a slight reggae feel to the song, from what I heard. It did feel quite generic around the chorus but it wasn’t too bad that it affected the rest of the track. I liked the rapping in the song and the vocals were still quite good. (8/10)

4. Cocktail (칵테일) – Cocktail is probably my most favourite track on this list. The atmosphere that comes from this track makes you feel quite happy and lively. I thought the tiny quirk (where they go for a quick falsetto) at the end of each vocal line during the verses was nice. The vocals and rap combination was also quite cool in this song. And I like how they bring everyone together at the end of the song for the outro. And you can’t really help but sing along to it. (9/10)

5. Just For You (줄게) – Just For You is a nice ballad to end the album with. I like how the resident rappers also sing in this song (which they have done with other ballads in the past). But their vocals are top notch here, giving the song some interesting textures. The vocalists themselves did a nice job. The instrumentation was also quite nice and the launch back into the final chorus was quite impactful. Overall, it is a nice song. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.2/10

ikon-newkidscomplete-3 — *New Kids: Complete* Teaser Image

[Album Review] The Great Seungri (1st Studio Album) – Seungri (Big Bang)

August 28, 2018Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged BIGBANG, Seungri (Big Bang)Leave a comment

So I wrote yesterday that I would be reviewing Seungri’s full album later this week. I just did not remember that I had organised for this to be done the day after. But we are here to look back on the release of Seungri’s first studio album, which is titled as The Great Seungri. His entire album seems lean towards electronic music, with the exception of just a few tracks. But that is all for you to read later on.

seungri-thegreatestseungri-2 — *The Geeat Seungri* Album Cover

1..1,2,3 (셋 셀테니) (Title Track) – Click here for the full review of 1,2,3. (10/10)

2. Where R U From (ft. Mino) – Click here for the full review of Where R U From. (8/10)

3. Love Is You (ft. Blue.D) – Love Is You showcases a groovy R&B sound which I really like. It attracts my attention straight way, especially with the guitars throughout the song. Seungri has a nice voice in this song, which makes it even greater. Joining Seungri is Blue.D, who I just found out is a YG trainee. She has a very nice husky voice, which complements Seungri’s vocals very well. It was quite disappointing when there wasn’t enough opportunities for the two to sing together. There were some and it left me wanting more (I am not considering the chorus as the focus was on Seungri the entire time and she was only heard as backup vocals). But other than that, it was a good song. (8/10)

4. Mollado (몰라도) (ft. B.I) – The next song on the album takes on that Latin trend that KPOP has been having this year. It combines that Latin sound and EDM, creating a very catchy and upbeat sound that sticks in your head for quite a while. The song also features B.I from iKON, who delivers a really cool rap sequence for the bridge of the song and takes over the hook at the end. Little confused to why they allocated that part to him but I am not complaining. (8.5/10)

5. Sweet Lie (달콤한 거짓말) (ft. Dannic) – What makes this track so awesome is the build-up to the epic drop and the epic drop itself. I honestly pass over the vocals. They are good, and the production did a good job of letting the two come together but they just weren’t at that same level as the instrumentation. It remained too consistent here, staying within the same style for the entire song. I feel like if his vocals were tweaked a bit or some autotune was applied, this would have been much more appealing. (7/10)

6. Be Friend – As soon as the song starts, you are basically thrown into this extremely upbeat yet cheerful atmosphere. The instrumentation reminds me of a G-Dragon song, while his vocals felt like some that iKON would be releasing as a b-side track. The combination of the two does work together and allows Seungri to deliver a catchy song. A part of me also thinks this song could work as a soccer anthem, just some tweaking in the lyrics would be required. (8/10)

7. Hotline – The instrumentation and the hook for this song would work extremely well for Psy. It also sounds like the perfect song to slide into a random group at the club to. Just listening to this track, you can basically imagine a club-themed music video, which seems to be something right up YG alley a few years back. It is another song that hypes the crowd up and attract your attention. It had a powerful build-up and great level of energy to it, which I like. (9/10)

8. Alone (혼자 있는법) – Following the electronic music theme that this album had going on, Alone brings a different feel to the table. Something which the album hasn’t experienced yet, emotions. I also like how ‘different’ the synths during the chorus felt. Instead of usually featuring an increasing tone, it felt more like a downward spiral, which I thought was interesting and quite cool. It did get a little repetitive towards the end, but it was still good. (8.5/10)

9. Good Luck to You – The album saves the best track for last. The song starts off generic but once it gets to the chorus, another epic drop presents itself. I liked how there was two sections of the chorus drop, which felt like it prolonged the awesomeness of the chorus. The lyrics for this song were cool and Seungri’s vocals here has to be my vote for best on the album. I would have liked for there to be a rap of some kind of give the song some edge, which would have it made more interesting. But overall, one really great song. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.4/10

seungri-thegreatestseungri-3 — Seungri & Mino Teaser Image for *Where R U From*

[Album Review] Love Yourself: Answer (3rd Compilation Album) – BTS

August 26, 2018Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged BTS, BTS (Bangtan Boys)Leave a comment

With BTS making their ‘IDOL’ comeback this past Friday, I think this is the fastest I have ever put out an album review for anyone. And while I had planned to do this as soon as I read the news of their said comeback, I never had expected so many high quality songs. Every new song on the album was a gem and I cannot wait to get straight into the review.

A compilation album is, put simply, a collection of past songs from other albums. BTS did insert 7 new songs into this album, which is the focus of the album review today. Joining these new songs are the song the group previously released as part of Love Yourself: Her and Love Yourself: Tears. Due to the amount of songs on the album (25 songs), it would be really crazy for me to put all the songs on this particular page. So, if you are looking for a particular review for another song from the other two mini-albums, click on the links below. Beside that, let’s get this show on the road!

Love Yourself: Her Album Review
Love Yourself: Tears Album Review

bts-loveyourselfanswer-2 — *Love Yourself: Answer* Album Cover

2. Trivia 起 Just Dance (J-Hope Solo) – If you have been visiting my site for some time, you would know that I tend to prefer vocals over rap. But one of the things I love more than vocals are when rappers sing, as they tend to have a underrated voice. This is exactly what we have here. J-Hope’s verses just pull you in. And while that gets me hook, the chorus is another selling point that gives this song an amazing club vibe. The vibrating synth is also extremely addictive. Overall, the first new track of the album starts off these new releases with a banger. (10/10)

3. Trivia 承: Love (RM Solo) – The song kicks off with a very light hip hop sound that makes it appeal. While the sound might be a little too cheerful for RM (I for some reason associate him with a more dark/serious tone), this does not hinder his delivery and presentation of his lines, which felt very effortless (which is usual for the rapper). Once again, the singing was also top notch. Towards the end, there was an anthem like sound infused into the song, which made it the most exciting part of the song. (8/10)

5. Trivia 轉: See Saw (Suga Solo) – Starting off Seesaw is Suga’s husky vocals which sound like a blessing to my ears. His song takes us on the R&B route, which I think is an excellent move given the previous two songs (above). I like the use of background vocals in the song, which give it a little more backing. The instrumental is nice and smooth. But it is not as interesting as the other songs that I have already reviewed. It is a good track to kick back to, however, which is why I do enjoy it. (8/10)

13. Epiphany (Jin Solo) – Like the other two Love Yourself albums, we have a solo pre-release from Jin. This is one amazing song (and I felt that in just the first few seconds of the track). It gives Jin the opportunity to show something off which he doesn’t have the opportunity (I think I have said this in the past for his other solo releases). I love the instrumental of this, appealing to my taste in rock-ballad music. Overall, this is a show stopper on so many levels. (10/10)

14. I’m Fine – I’m Fine starts off same as Save Me back in 2016. However, it soon became distorted and we have a completely different sound, which falls along the line of Western pop currently. I liked the fast pace chorus which really gives off a very impactful push. It is also quite addictive. Once again, the rappers shine in this track. Particularly Suga, who had a awesome sequence. But that doesn’t mean the vocalists did not get any spotlight as their vocal work was amazing Going back to how the song is similar to Save Me, the lyrics is like a response to Save Me, which I thought was nice. (10/10)

15. IDOL (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of IDOL. (9/10)

16. Answer: Love Myself – Ending my review today is Love Myself, which is another perfect song from the group. Everything about this song is totally terrific. The vocals and harmonies were superb, while the rapping was toned down to fit this peaceful and more brighter sound from the group. The instrumental is well balanced, which is something I liked quite a bit. The lyrics of the song were quite touching as well. Looking back, my description/review doesn’t do the song justice, so my advice is to go and listen to this amazing song. (10/10)

Overall Album Rating – 9.3/10

bts-loveyourselfanswer-3 — *Love Yourself: Answer* Teaser Image

[Album Review] Sensuous (5th Mini Album) – SF9

August 12, 2018August 12, 2018Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged SF9Leave a comment

SF9 made their very impactful comeback two weeks ago week with Now Or Never. They have also topped the Weekly Music Charts post for this week (thank you for all the retweets and likes on Twitter! My phone wouldn’t stop buzzing this afternoon). Fun fact (and I am not making this up) but I actually planned to review this album prior to its release. I was so drawn to the album by just listening to the highlight medley. I even fast-tracked the album review release, as well. Hence, why we are here today. Onwards with the review!

1..Now Or Never (질렀어) (Title Track) – Click here to read the review for Now Or Never. (10/10)

2. Different (달라) – This is the type of sound that I associate with Summer when it comes to KPOP. It is a very upbeat, vibrant and colourful song that feels just right. And while the song isn’t as mind-blowing as the title track, the song does a good job of maintaining the same level of energy and power, which I think it totally awesome. The song features a catchy chorus and showcases really good vocals, as well. The rapping is also equally as good but I felt they were too short. (8.5/10)

3. Unlimited – The start of this song is a tad underwhelming, given how the song progresses. It feels like a start to a slow yet dramatic song, not an upbeat dance track. Once the song does pick up (mid-way of the first verse), I was very impressed with the quality and intensity of the sound. I personally liked the prolonged drop into the choruses. Once again, there was great vocals and raps. I did notice the bridge of the song featured the guitar instrumental that was heard at the start. While I thought it as a start was underwhelming, its presence within the song was more appreciated. Overall, another good song. (8/10)

4. Photograph – Following the characteristics of the previous tracks, Photograph also takes on a bright sound and is another dance track. It is the type of KPOP song that you listen to yet smile to because of its energy, despite not knowing what the lyrics mean. I didn’t like the slow down they used for the pre-chorus, which felt a little awkward for me. It just felt like something more towards the end of the song, rather than before a decent drop. The chorus, made up of the ‘My Photograph’ hook and the twinkling instrumentation, was also quite catchy and was my pick for the highlight of the song. Overall, it was still a decent song. (8/10)

5. Shadow – Interestingly enough, the album ends on a more serious note which was a surprise given their brightness level on the album so far. And that is also why the song stands out. The song also follows a different formula, opting for a dragged-out chorus consisting of the rapping only. It is a little different from what we heard so far, making the song unique and interesting. On top of that, the vocal and rap sequences outside of the chorus gave the song an extra punch of impact, which I thought was good. My most favourite part is the vocal/rap combo for the bridge, which really brought together. Overall, it worked really well and ended the album on a unique note. (8.5/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.6/10

sf9-sensuous-3 — *Sensuous* Teaser Image

[Album Review] Ride On The Wind (3rd Mini Album) – KARD

August 10, 2018August 10, 2018Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged KARD

I usually publish my album reviews on Thursdays and Sundays. However, I am a day late due to the release of the Dream Catcher music video theories yesterday. Today’s album review will focus on KARD’s recent comeback and Ride On The Wind. The album cover, shown below, is probably my pick for one of many unappealing covers to do date. It looks so plain and the image of them looks like it was just pasted on it. But we are not here to talk about the album cover but rather the songs on the album. So let’s get going! (Per usual, I have left off their Humming introductory track).

kard-rideonthewind-2 — *Ride On The Wind* Album Cover

2. Moonlight – What this song does nicely show a fair amount of contrast between the female and male members of the group. Jiwoo and Somin have higher pitch vocal parts which pair well with the usual deep tone of BM and J.Seph. I like how it is very easy on the ears as the song relies on a softer instrumental, compared to their past releases. I have to admit the song does lack something, which I cannot determine the nature of. I feel like with an additional element, the song could have been kicked up a notch. Also, I felt the song was repetitive but it wasn’t too bad. (8/10)

3. Ride On The Wind (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of Ride On The Wind. (8/10)

4. Knocking on Heaven’s Door – Like the first song, Somin and Jiwoo had their parts at a higher than normal pitch and the male members had their usual rap. What is different, however, is the amount of energy that comes from this track. It makes the song so much more comfortable. Not saying that the first song was uncomfortable but the feeling is so much more present here. What also draws my attention (and possibly everyone else’s) to the song is the autotuned ‘Knocking on Heaven’s Door’ line just before the chorus. I thought it was rather cool and makes the song quite addictive. I also liked how the ladies added their own twist to that same line at the end of the song, which gave us a little something different at the end. (9/10)

5. Dimelo – Dimelo means ‘Tell Me’ in Spanish. And it is a good song overall. However, it was very typical for the most part. And it would have remained typical if it didn’t include that really uncomfortable high pitch synth which can be heard during the post-chorus/second verse rap. The vocals and raps were decent. Just that one synth could have been forgone. Besides that, there isn’t much else to talk about. (7/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8/10

[Album Review] Sunny Summer (7th Mini Album) – GFriend

August 5, 2018Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged GFriendLeave a comment

Two weeks ago, GFriend made their Summer comeback with Sunny Summer. The song features on the mini-album of the same name. Interestingly, the mini-album is also marketed as the girl’s 1st Summer mini-album, which alludes to the fact that there may be more in the future, which definitely sound very interesting and super exciting. But today, we are here to delve a little more into their Sunny Summer mini-album, so let’s just do that!

gfriend-sunnysummer-2 — *Sunny Summer* Album Cover

1..Sunny Summer (여름 여름해) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Sunny Summer. (7.5/10)

2. Vacation – Fitting neatly into the Summer theme of the entire mini-album, the song starts off with sounds you would commonly associate with the beach. It develops into a very bright song and it is the type you expect to be the soundtrack of a holiday music video that KPOP does a fair share of. It is a catchy and lively song, especially with the cute way they spell out the word ‘Vacation’ at the end of the choruses. It also features nice vocals which makes it a very pleasing song. (7.5/10)

3. Sweety – Sweety has a pop sound but it features a very quirky instrumental that is full of various synths and effects that really make it different. These differences occur at varying tempos allowing for a different atmosphere to be present in almost every different section of the song. I must admit the chorus was a letdown, as I didn’t mind it that memorable/catchy. So the saving grace for this song was the instrumental. Vocals were good, overall. (7/10)

4. Windy Windy (바람 바람 바람) – Initially, the song started off with a soft sound but within seconds the song transformed into this upbeat sound. It did end up feeling like a typical pop song from a girl group but there was an unknown element that managed to make it one of the better songs on the album. I did like the melody of the song, but I found the chorus to be quite masked and mashed into the verse, which was a little confusing. Once again, I liked the vocals and really liked the transition between the bridge and final chorus of the song. (8/10)

5. Love In The Air – I think the girls saved the best for last. I really enjoyed how smooth the song was and how it managed to flow overall. There is a nice melody and the instrumental made the song feel promising. It became quite dynamic towards the end (with a number of synths/effects to give texture but maintaining that smooth element. The vocals also contributed to this smoothness, which made it quite memorable. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 7.8/10

gfriend-sunnysummer-3 — *Sunny Summer* Teaser Image

[Album Review] Red Moon (7th Mini Album) – Mamamoo

July 29, 2018Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged MAMAMOO9 Comments

Mamamoo returned 2 weeks ago with a brand new mini-album titled as Red Moon and the title track Egotistic. When this album was first released, I noticed a connection between their previous mini-album, Yellow Flower. Red and Yellow are colours that two of the members wore during their Paint Me single release earlier this year. If we were to follow this trend, we will be seeing a blue and white themed album release in the future. Just an observation I made. But let’s refocus and look closely at the songs on the Red Moon album.

mamamoo-redmoon-2 — *Red Moon* Album Cover

1..Midnight Summer Dream (여름밤의 꿈) – Opening this track up is this music box effect which really makes the R&B song twinkle. While this does sound like an odd combination, it actually works extremely well. I love the vocals and raps of the members from all the members especially with the odd quirk or two that keeps the song feel repetitive and linear. I really liked the burst of energy from the chorus which really gives the song some life. It was a great opener for the album and definitely drew my attention to the album. (9/10)

2. Egotistic (너나 해) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of Egotistic. (8/10)

3. Rainy Day (장마) (Pre-Release SIngle) – The pre-release single for this album was not apparent on my daily check for new releases. The song is an R&B ballad but it doesn’t feel forced or that ‘mandatory ballad’ that girl groups tend to put on their album. I am drawn to the song for their fantastic vocals, which make me feel very sorrow and sad. With the rainy days where I live, the song is perfect to put on and do a lot of sad reflection. There is also that swaying effect that makes me feel at ease. It was a change up from their previous tracks on the album but it was nice. (8.5/10)

4. Sky! Sky! (Innocence) (하늘하늘 (청순))) – I think out of all the songs which I heard in the past by Mamamoo, Sky! Sky! seems to conform to that typical girl group sound the most. But a song from Mamamoo cannot be typical. I really like the simplicity of the chorus and it does feel very nice. But what makes me go wow every time I listen to the song is Moonbyul’s rap section which was completely unexpected and different to the rest of the song (it goes for a very mindblowing hip-hop sound). By far, this is my favourite song on the album and definitely going on my replay list. (9.5/10)

5. Sleep In The Car (잠이라도 자지) – WOW! Mamamoo had their share of a hip-hop rap-heavy track through their playful Taller Than You a few years back. But this takes that song to the next level by being 1000 times more intense and unexpected. It is a fierce track on the album, going well with the already strong title track. They don’t hold back and definitely put all their energy to make sure that this ‘different’ track is successful in its delivery. And while you expect this song to be layered with deep meaning, it was more about how hard the work they do is and focused more on their wild car trips between schedules. (8/10)

6. Selfish (Moonbyul Solo) (ft. Seulgi from Red Velvet) – Click here to read the full review for Selfish. (8/10)

Overall Album Review – 8.5/10

mamamoo-redmoon-3 — *Egotistic* Teaser Image

[Album Review] You Make My Day (5th Mini Album) – SEVENTEEN

July 26, 2018July 26, 2018Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged SEVENTEEN2 Comments

SEVENTEEN have returned with their 5th mini-album, You Make My Day. Their new album release has been topping charts and Oh My! have won a few weekly music shows already, further proving their status in the industry. Unfortunately, my introductory paragraph is a little short today as I am in a rush. So, let’s get a move on with this review!

sveenteen-youmakemyday-2 — *You Make My Day* (Album Cover)

1..Oh My! (어쩌나) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Oh My! (8/10)

2. Holiday – I really like this song. It has a catchy chorus that stands out for its simplicity. It does have a very standard pop song instrumental but those flutes during the post-chorus really give it a side of uniqueness and is a great hook. I really liked the melody and bright energy, which is truly fitting for the Summer season. I did feel like the verses were a tad empty, which does impact memorability of the song but I did like the ‘Baby Baby’ pre-chorus. The rapping and vocals were pretty good, but I loved Seungkwan’s fast incline to his high note in the bridge. (9/10)

3. Come To Me (나에게로 와) (Vocal Team) – Come To Me is tropical house song which the vocal team of the group performs. I thought this was an interesting yet fitting for the normally ballad-dominated unit of the group. It also shows that they have great diversity in their sound. However, the use of the typical tropical instrumental was a disappointment. It wasn’t special, especially with the ongoing trend. I did like how they toned down the instrumental, however, which fitted their choice for soft vocals in this song. I liked it when they sang together during the chorus. It would be interesting to see a performance for this song, as either a no choreography or light choreography would be suitable. (7/10)

4. What’s Good (Hip Hop Team) – In their past unit track, Minggyu took the reins of vocalist during the chorus (from memory). So I was kind of expecting the same thing. But surprise, surprise. Instead, all the members contributed to a smashing chorus and everyone having their own rap sequence in the song. I really liked the ‘What’s Good’ repetition in the chorus which made the song addictive and memorable. The members have great delivery (as normal) but would have showed off more if the song was longer. (9/10)

5. Moonwalker (Performance Team) – Can I start off by saying how much I love the funky instrumental of this song? It is an aspect of the song that really draws my attention to the song. Likewise, the vocals and the catchiness of the ‘Moonwalker’ chorus hook really do a good job of selling the song. Honestly, I would love to see a performance for this song, as the song (along with the reputation of the unit’s dance skills_ promises a worthwhile choreography routine. Like most abrupt endings, I am not too keen on the ending. But it is one of the group’s strongest songs on the album. (9.5/10)

6. Our Dawn Is Hotter Than Day (우리의 새벽은 낮보다 뜨겁다) – After a series of unit songs, the entire group comes back together to what seems like the longest title for a song (that I have seen in a very long time). I am not too sure about the song. One part of me really likes the overall feel of the song as it doesn’t really take too much of any aspect. I really liked the chorus for this song and how everyone had their moment in the song. But I feel like the song could have had something more to make it more appealing and become a greater closer. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.4/10

sveenteen-youmakemyday-1 — *You Make My Day* Teaser Image

[Album Review] Summer Nights (3rd Repackaged Album) – TWICE

July 22, 2018Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged TWICE1 Comment

TWICe made their return to the stage with their latest Summer comeback, Dance The Night Away. And while they are topping charts, the group also unveiled a repackaged version of their fifth mini-album, What Is Love?. The repackaged album is named Summer Nights and features 3 new songs. Today, we will be looking at those three songs. I will put a link down to the other songs originally on 5th mini-album, which I previously reviewed. Note that all songs from both albums are included in the ‘overall album rating’.

twice-summersnight-2 — *Summer Nights* Album Cover

1..Dance The Night Away (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of Dance The Night Away. (9/10)

2. Chillax – Like the title of the song, there is a soothing and calming nature regarding the song. This actually becomes quite useful as it follows the upbeat (and favourite) title track. I did like the vocals, which gave off this innocent vibe through its youthful sound. Throw in the catchy chorus and you pretty much have a really good track. But it isn’t perfect. I didn’t enjoy the rap as much that opens the second verse. Finally, I feel like them singing ‘chill’ and ‘relax’ throughout the entire song’s choruses defeats the purpose of naming the song ‘Chillax’. But that is me being picky. (8.5/10)

3. Shot Thru The Heart – Unfortunately, the song was a complete miss for me. Shot Thru The Heart is your traditional pop song but it felt extremely light. You know when you bite into a cake, but it was way too sweet for your liking? That is what I felt here. It also didn’t help that the song was the most skippable track on the entire album (including the songs following it). It does have that TWICE brightness that we associate with them, along with good vocal/rap sequences. But that wasn’t enough for me to enjoy the song. (5/10)

For tracks 4 to 9 (What Is Love, Sweet Talker, Ho!, Deja Vu, Say Yes, Stuck), click here for /their reviews!

Overall Album Rating – 8/10

twice-summersnight-3 — *Summer Nights* Teaser Image

[Album Review] One & Six (7th Mini Album) – APINK

July 19, 2018July 19, 2018Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged APINKLeave a comment

APINK recently made their return with a completely different image than what we have seen ever before. APINK’s latest title track, I’m So Sick, takes on an exciting mature concept, which is proving to be quite successful. I’m So Sick is also the title track of the group’s 7th mini-album, One & Six, which is the focus of today’s album review. Apologies for the lack of Sunday’s album review. I was so busy that I had to cancel it. It is here now, so let’s move!

apink-one&six-2 — *One & Six* Album Cover

1..I’m So Sick (1도 없어) (Title Track) – Click here for the full review of I’m So Sick. (9/10)

2. Alright – Alright is your typical pop song when you just glance over the track. However, when you listen to it, you notice it is a lot more than the ‘typical pop song’ description. Overall, the song felt fitting for the group who establish what can be described as a ‘lovely’ vibe and hence I thought it was a good selection for a promotional track. Starting off the song were these beautiful sounding twinkles, which gave me shivers the first time I heard the song (which is a good thing). The chorus was catchy with the ‘Alright’ repetition and melody. I particularly liked the drop, as it felt just right for the entire song. I really liked the suspense created before the final chorus. (9/10)

3. Don’t Be Silly – The song felt very mature, even more than the title track, which I think is a rather interesting direction for the group. But they pull it off well. The song feels like an R&B dance track with an extra something that makes it work for APINK. I thought the chorus was quite good, despite the questionable English. I liked the epic feel in the bridge, which was my favourite section of the song. I was disappointed, however, when the song didn’t carry on that epic feel into the final chorus. But other than that, it was a good song. (8/10)

4. Forever Star (별 그리고..) – Forever Star is just your typical ballad from a girl group. While the rest of the album did showcase some great ‘typical’ songs, Forever Star doesn’t really feel great. Instead, it felt a little bland and doesn’t really capture my attention on the album. But it was still listenable. It did feature good melody and nice harmonies. It was quite delicate and did a good job keeping that innocent sound that the group is widely known for. (7/10)

5. Promise Me – With the piano in the first few seconds of the song, I thought the song was going down a ballad route. But the way the clock was ticking soon after gave me a hunch that it wasn’t going to be a ballad. This proved true once the violins kicked in and you could hear many synths during the chorus. Once again, I liked how the chorus felt and hook made the song quite catchy. It had a particularly happy tone, which appealed to my personal taste quite well. The song did feature great vocals from all members, but the spotlight was on Bomi and Eunji (especially the end). It is also one of my favourites on the album! (10/10)

6. I Like That Kiss – A review or description of the song will not do it justice. I highly recommend you give the song a listen as it is extremely hard for me to explain in words. The energy on this track and its quirky instrumental makes the song stand out, particularly that changeup prior to the chorus. The chorus was extremely addictive with the title repetition. The bridge was extremely unexpected, going for a remix style feel in the first half and a totally different sound in the second half. As I said, my description isn’t enough, and you should check it out for yourself. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.7/10

apink-one&six-3 — *I’m So Sick* Music Video Image

[Album Review] You Complete Me (2nd Mini Album) – ONF

July 12, 2018July 12, 2018Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged ONF2 Comments

For those who notice, there are a select number of artists for whom I will always write an album review for (usually, they are my favourite artists). However, I do give all albums that I can find a listen to see whether they have anything worthwhile to talk about. In my recent hunt, I identified ONF’s 2nd mini-album, You Complete Me, as one with high potential. Hence, why I am writing an album review today (it is also one of the late ones, apologies for the lateness).

onf-youcompleteme-2 — *You Complete Me* Album Cover

1..Complete (널 만난 순간) (Title Track) – Click here for the full review of Complete. (10/10)

2. Fly Me To The Moon – The song follows up nicely after the title track. It has potential and I see how it attempts to ease us off the high energy from the title track. However, I personally think the track could have been more cohesive if the song was a little more intense. I was really impressed with the rapping in the song, with Wyatt’s deep voice very unexpecting but extremely fitting. I thought the chorus had a good hook. But my favourite bit has to be the bridge, with the slowdown for another Wyatt rap section and the saxophones delivering some flair to the song as well. (8/10)

3. Good Morning (아침) – Good Morning is a sweet ballad, fitting for the Summer season. There is a nice melody and the harmonies were quite good. I particularly like the final chorus when ‘everyone’ is singing together, which is something I am liking more and more nowadays. I put ‘everyone’ in quotation marks because I don’t think the rappers participated in the song. And while it was an enjoyable song, when you look at the entire album, this song fails to standout, in my opinion. (7/10)

4. fifty fifty – fifty fifty started off quite soft but knowing that there were some electronic elements in the song, you could tell it was going to build up to become a dance track. And if you thought the verses were promising, then you will be speechless with the chorus, which kicked the song up a notch by providing intensity and energy. Vocal work (particularly the high note) and the rapping were also quite good. My only complaint against the song would be that borderline annoying ringtone sound played throughout the entire song. Other than that, it was a promising song. (9/10)

5. Incomplete (나 말고 다) – Seeing the title of both this song and the title track are opposites, you kind of expect the same thing between the two. And that is what we get. Incomplete is a lot slower and soothing, despite there being a subtle upbeat atmosphere that prevents it falling into the ballad domain. I like the tropical influence during the second half of the chorus and the husky vocals that the song uses. Another element of the song that must be discussed is the lyrics, which are quite saddening (expressing their differences with the rest of the world). Altogether, this song becomes the hidden gem on the album. (9/10)

6. 86400 (스물 네 번) – The group finish off the album with an orchestral ballad. Everyone knows how much of a sucker I am to this type of song, so it definitely ticks the appeal box for me. It features breathtaking vocals, which are shown throughout the entire song. Even Wyatt (the deep voiced rapper) sings through his part! I really liked the build-up of the song and thought the bridge was amazing. The lyrics of the song seem to be reminiscent of memories of a loved one but I am not 100% sure. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.7/10