Category: KPOP

[Album Review] Things I Can’t Say LOve (6th Mini Album) – OnlyOneOf

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OnlyOneOf’s 6th mini-album, Things I Can’t Say LOve, is the next mini-album to be reviewed on this blog. This was released way back in January of this year alongside the title track dOpamine. Said title track earned a high rating from me in the song department, so it become the primary reason as to why I have picked up this mini-album for review. Things I Can’t Say LOve also follows from 2023’s seOul cOllectiOn mini-album.

things i can’t say lOve Album Cover

1. things i can’t say lOve (Instrumental) – While things i can’t say lOve is labelled as an instrumental track (implying that it the instrumental version of another track on this mini-album), it actually serves more as an intro track for this mini-album. And this intro track deserves to be a full-length track. The EDM and atmospheric vibe that comes from the presence of the piano feels very fulfilling. But like all instrumental tracks I have reviewed in the past on my blog, I can’t give it a rating.

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

3. give me the lOve, bitxx – give me the lOve, bitxx falls into the R&B genre. The track full embodies R&B with a smooth yet typical instrumental and breathy vocals from the members to elicit a more sensual direction. I do question the need for the final part of the song’s title (i.e., ‘bitxx’). I am presuming it is the non-explicit representation of the curse word. But I don’t get that energy or tone from the song, nor am I sure if it was ever reflected in the Korean lyrics – it wasn’t reflected in the English translations that I could find. Disappointed with the track from that aspect, as the title does appear to promise some aggression, but that was not delivered whatsoever. (7/10)

4. O – The fourth track of the mini-album, O, brings a darker tone to the mini-album. While the instrumental felt very consistent and relatively minimalistic for the length of the track, I found the piece to be quite rhythmic. And with the relative minimalistic nature of the background makes the beat to be quite prolific. With such an arrangement, the focus would be squarely on vocals. And I feel the members nailed this aspect of the song, with the passion and emotions behind their delivery felt quite profoundly. Less autotune and more raw vocals would have been appreciated, but what they delivered was still on brand for the group. (9/10)

5. gravity – The final song on the mini-album is gravity. Like the third song on the mini-album, gravity is another take on R&B. At least this time, the song doesn’t promise anything in its title. While gravity contains the usual R&B smooth and dreamy suspects, what also separates this track with the third track on the mini-album is its relative upbeat nature. This upbeat nature, combined with the members’ breathy vocals, helps smooth out the song further. And this combination makes for a really nice track that I enjoyed. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.3/10

things i can’t say lOve Teaser Image

[Review] Accendio – IVE

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IVE’s latest mini-album, IVE SWITCH (which was released at the very end of April), features two title tracks – HEYA and Accendio. I have already reviewed HEYA on the day of its release, while Accendio only became eligible for a review once IVE unveiled the music video for the song earlier this week.

I quite like Accendio, as it shows off a more mature sound for IVE. There is also this mysteriousness to the song that attracts my attention. This can be attributed to the paced beat of Accendio, which actively contributes to that mystique that I just mentioned and helps build some intensity in the song. But it also feels like a double-edged sword. It sets Accendio up to be somewhat neutral, which is never a good observation to make in an exciting music genre like KPOP. I kind of wished Accendio really picked up along the way and there was some infusion of oomph to the song. I do hear an addition of energy to the song via the pre-choruses and choruses of Accendio, which I am grateful for. But while this addition of energy was good in the first instance, it didn’t have the same effect when the song revisited the same motif again. Similarly, the instrumental break could have used some added zing (perhaps something more electrifying) to add further excitement to the song. While the backing of Accendio lacked in some regards, I am extremely happy with the choruses. I personally felt the central piece of Accendio had a killer start through a really simple yet addictive “Watch me, Don’t touch me, Love me, Don’t hurt me” chant and some attitude-laced catwalk-like backing. This made the chorus stand out and feel very catchy to me. So much so, I find myself humming along with the song and after the song ends. That particular line in the chorus was nailed thanks to the members’ rap-speak delivery, which we do hear at other times in Accendio. To me, this delivery felt more prolific and interesting than the other vocals we get in the song. Overall, I quite liked Accendio. It is far from perfect, but it allowed IVE to explore something slightly different.

I personally felt the music video for this comeback also had an air of mystery to it, which made it intriguing to watch. The plot of this video also adds to the intriguingness. Gaeul stars as the main character of the video. While the rest of IVE were underwater, Gaeul disappears, causing alarm amongst the other members. Turns out Gaeul had run away and came across a ritualistic group (another version of IVE – henceforth calling them evil IVE) and a magic wand. Gaeul steals the wand and brings it back to her members. Unknowingly to Gaeul, evil IVE were watching Gaeul make her way back to her members. The magic wand gives Sailor Moon-like magic powers to good IVE, who are provided a mission to protect the magic wand to keep their powers permanently. Evil IVE tracks down the wand and have a dance battle with good IVE for the wand. While it isn’t an action packed set of scenes like Mission Impossible, the subsequent battle scene (not the dance battle scene) was nicely choreographed to showcase a fight between the two versions of IVE played out to gain or protect the wand. During the battle, Gaeul had hid the wand in the fridge. Once the evil IVE were defeated, good IVE went to retrieve the wand from the fridge but found it empty. Turns out, the wand somehow found its way to a beach and picked up a young girl. And good IVE were watching this happen, implying they have become the new evil IVE, who were going to fight a young girl for the wand. Personally, I felt the ending a little awkward and wondered why a different version of IVE (or perhaps even an older girl) picked up the wand. Setting up the next battle between IVE and a young girl is a bit harsh for the latter.

The choreography looks good. I liked the chorus routine, particularly the moves they did with that chanty line identified above. I just cannot help but think that this isn’t their strongest routine. It was cohesive as a whole piece, but nothing really stood out in my opinion.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 8.1/10

[Review] Feel The POP – ZEROBASEONE

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Returning at the start of the week was ZEROBASEONE. And covering their latest comeback song, Feel The POP, at the end of the week is me! The new song is featured on the group’s 3rd mini-album You Had Me At Hello and Feel The POP follows the pre-release SWEAT (which I reviewed a couple of weeks back). The entire comeback follows on from their late 2023’s CRUSH.

I did check out Feel The POP when it was first released on Monday, but I didn’t get much from the track. I thought I give it a few days to see if it would grow on me slightly. But it only grew by a little and I am not sure if it can continue to grow on me anymore. Instead, my initial thoughts on the song stand. Feel The POP is indeed pleasant and enjoyable, but it feels very safe and ‘inside the box’. This hinders its appeal. Yes, I have described Feel The POP as pleasant and enjoyable (which are usually good positive terms to describe things by), but it is also neither fresh or different. The instrumental can be described in a similar manner. It feels subtly upbeat to be a summery track and I do like the hap-like synths in the background as it does bring some colour to the song. But at the exact same time, the background stayed rather neutral from start to end, and it didn’t develop into something exciting or with zing. I will say Feel The POP is focused on melodies and the singing was decent, but those same melodies felt thin and failed to make the song stand out. Same for the hooks. I thought the rapping could have been a good avenue to bring something different to Feel The POP, but said rapping was so limited and barely made a scratch into the song. I think it is safe to say that Feel The POP is very underbaked and doesn’t feel as fulfilling as their debut track (which is still their best effort, in my opinion).

As for the music video, there seems to be a few concepts going on visually, such as the modern Western cowboy theme, office workers, rich persons’ tennis playing and a more typical casual affair to close out the video. But they don’t seem to go together whatsoever. What does (loosely) joins the concept up is the supposedly cutesy apocalyptic event that causes alarm to others, but ZEROBASEONE handles quite coolly by smashing a tennis ball into a giant cactus and shooting down the giant bomb cloud. The world is saved and ZEROBASEONE proceeds to celebrate at the end of the video. I guess the intent of the video is supposed to be light-heart and summery, which the tennis scenes do give off. The rest of the video, now that I have summarised it on a page, does feel a bit wild, which is on brand for KPOP in some regards.

I feel like the choreography was the strongest aspect of the comeback. I really like the chorus routine, which brought some popping into the mix. Same goes for the bridge. And they were quite strong pops. Other than that, I liked the smoother feeling of the choreography for Feel The POP, which complements that pleasant tone that comes from the song.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 6.7/10

[Review] Supernova – aespa

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Kicking off promotions for their first studio album is aespa (their first since their debut in 2020), with their new single Supernova. It is one of two title tracks to their 1st studio length album Armageddon, which will be fully released on May 27. The other title track has already been confirmed to share the same name as the new album! Both Supernova and Armageddon follows on from aespa’s Drama hit from the end of last year.

From the very first listen, I could tell that that Supernova is a total blast. Personally, it might actually be aespa’s best thus far, in my opinion. Supernova‘s cyber-like instrumental is definitely the song’s winning element. The instrumental alone felt like it borrowed some of the memorable elements from some aespa’s more recent songs. For example, I could hear charisma from Drama and the energetic motif from Spicy. That being said, Supernova still has a unique profile to it, which continues aespa’s strong run of great songs. I liked how forward driven everything felt and the overall smoothness that the song somehow embodies despite being full of crunchy and powerful synths. I also enjoyed the various detailings in the background of Supernova, which helped add a little something different and extra to each sequence. This variety definitely made Supernova more fun and appealing in my books. The choruses were very addictive, thanks to the fact they were paired with catchy hooks and ear-wormy delivery from the members. Even the bridge change up in the bridge, where Supernova stripped away the electronic synths a for a more funky hip-hop sound, was interesting and charming. Whilst it feels miles away, it wasn’t and was worked decently into the song. There is just two aspects of Supernova that I not 100% keen on. The first is how disjointed Supernova feels and the way the song just abruptly launches between sequences makes me feel a little uneasy. The second is the lack of a vocal sequence to blow me away like in their earlier days. Nothing in Supernova feels challenging enough on the vocal front and the ad-libs felt weak relative to those earlier releases. I guess that just means Supernova isn’t without some flaws, but the stronger aspects of the song definitely outweighs those concerns.

Supernova is defined as a powerful and luminous explosion of a star (from Wikipedia). And the members liken themselves to be a supernova in the lyrics of the song. In the video, it looks like 3 of the 4 members (Karina, Winter and Ningning) come down from outer space to Earth to wake up Giselle, who seems to have become ordinary and mundane. Giselle is the only member to not be shown showing off her power in the first verse sequence of the video, whilst the other 3 members have strutting around and showing the world their unearthly powers – Karina has super strength, Winter can control wind and Ningning can control fire. Furthermore, Giselle is seen trying to prove that she isn’t a robot/is a human via those CAPTCHA tests where you have to select certain tiles containing traffic lights or motorcycles. She has to pick which picture is not an AI and she doesn’t get far into it – it is as if she doesn’t know how to be human. She also celebrates with a not-so-hot cake that says “I’m hot” (which goes against the idea of being a supernova). Ningning gate crashes the celebration and sets Giselle’s apartment alight. This interaction causes Giselle to wake up and use her time controlling power to reverse the events. Giselle rejoins the rest of the members for the final parts of the video before the quartet is swept away in the wind storm created by Winter. I found it to be a playful video, with a cool concept. Combined with the editing, post-production and visuals, I think this places the music video into list of contenders for Best Music Video of the year.

While there is no official performance video for this release just yet, the choreography bits that we got in the music video definitely looks good. I don’t think I saw any key points. But I do hope there is some in the routine, as I think this song can definitely go far in the ongoing trend of short-form videos we get via TikTok. YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels. Knowing aespa’s potential and the fact we don’t see majority of the routine in the video, I may return to re-review the performance once there is an official performance.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 9.1/10

[Review] Girls Never Die – tripleS

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When I reviewed Rising by tripleS last year, the group only had 16 members out of the confirmed 24-member lineup. Earlier this week, tripleS made their comeback with their full lineup of 24 members. Along with the additional 8 members, tripleS returned with the title track Girls Never Die, which is featured on their first studio album titled Assemble24.

I find Girls Never Die to be a pleasant dance-pop track. As initial thoughts to the song, Girls Never Die feels well-polished and seamless as a whole piece. The beat in the background felt very rhythmic and groovy. But at the same time, the background is also quite paced, which creates an easygoing and interesting aesthetic. But I have explained in the past that some ‘pleasant’ tracks do have a flip-side. At the moment, Girls Never Die does come off positively to me. But I fear that through repeat listens to Girls Never Die, that aesthetic might fizzle out and the underlying plainness in the song’s instrumentation would take over. Girls Never Die lacks excitement and a powerful eventuating peak, hence why I worry the plainness will prevail. Rather than being stuck in the same gear for the entirety of the track, Girls Never Die should have shifted a bit in momentum, tone or energy. The electric guitars was a nice addition to the song that could have impact in this area, but they were only added to the end, so too late to actually have an effect. As for tripleS themselves, there was some really nice vocals/rapping in the song from the members. Those ad-libs from Dahyun were very impressive. The song itself had a decent chorus, though the main “La La La” feels plain and unimaginative. Overall, Girls Never Die is a good song and starts off their next chapter of their careers as a full group strong. I just wished, like with most songs nowadays, there is more to Girls Never Die.

The music video was quite aesthetic. But that shouldn’t come as a surprise, given how MODHAUS is co-founded by the creative director (Jaden Jeong) who was behind LOONA’s aesthetic solo, unit and initial group music videos. Girls Never Die is a song about girls being resilient and stronger together. And that is what we see in the video. Different members of the group hanged out with one another and supporting each other. I think the following lines in the bridge sums up the music video and lyrics quite well: “If we ever stay together during fear and more, Nothing will scare us now“. When one of the members looked like they were going to give up (i.e., the bathtub scene), we see another member join them later to help them rise back up against their difficult circumstance. The funeral scenes look to be a bit counter intuitive to the messaging/intent. But I think the members surrounding the grave site weren’t lowering a member down (even though it was alluded), given one of the members was kneeling by the grave. Now that last bit is me speculating. The rest of the group could just be there to support one another to the very last moment, but that didn’t feel as fitting to the broader meaning of the video.

24 members on the stage for a performance sounds like a big mess waiting to happen. But tripleS handled it well. They started off on stage and ended the routine as a whole group, but broke into smaller group for the body of the performance to make everything more manageable and less overwhelming. They also performed classy moves that wouldn’t create a mess should a member miss a beat. However, better sychronisation could have enabled an even more refined performance to wow me even more.

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

[Review] Come Back To Me – RM (BTS)

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Gearing up for a comeback very soon (i.e., end of this month) is RM (from BTS). But ahead of the release of his second studio album Right Place, Wrong Person, RM has pre-released the all-English single Come Back To Me, which will be the focus of this post. RM is currently undertaking his mandatory military service and won’t complete it until 2025. But he joins V and j-hope who have been also been busy preparing new music pre-enlistment for us to enjoy despite their absence from the stage.

RM takes us down an indie pop route with Come Back To Me, with a slight jazzy influence coming into play down the line. This track is unlike anything that RM has released before. It is extremely paced and purposely dragged out to make the entire piece quite thought provoking. Despite not enjoying tracks that take their time to build, I find Come Back To Me quite welcoming for some reason. I think I put it down to beautiful execution by co-producers RM and HYUKOH’s Oh Hyuk (who is quite well known in the Korean indie scene and you can hear of his influence in Come Back To Me). That purposefulness is also deliberate in other fronts in Come Back To Me. Instrumentally, the acoustic guitar sets the thought-provoking tone to the song, while the slight jazzy influence amps up Come Back To Me to make it more engaging and changes the tone to be a little more uplifting. Even RM’s various vocal styles that he employs throughout the track felt carefully selected to ensure that it captivates and steals the audience’s attention. The melodies were so easy to get lost in, and the “Your are my pain, Divine, Divine” was quite an artistic hook. Overall, I quite enjoyed Come Back To Me and I am excited to hear the rest of the Right Place, Wrong Person album when it is released on 24 May 2024.

Come Back To Me‘s lyrics explores the idea of ‘right’ and ‘wrong’, which is also the central theme for the upcoming album from what I am reading. In the music video, we see RM appear in multiple potential lives – from being a person who constantly hang out with his friends, to being a dad, to being in a relationship where he is constantly fighting with his partner, to being a son of parents who have high expectations for him. Part way through the video, he crosses path with another lady who makes him encounter a happier and smiling version from himself. From this encounter, he becomes more him appreciative of all of the potential lives he could have been in – going from the idea of exploring those potential lives that are wrong for/to him to exploring potential lives that could be right for him. Ultimately, he re-meets the same lady who made him happier and change his outlook, and follows her to be with her. His unlocks the door that has been constantly locked throughout the entire video, opening a new life outside the many lives we have seen him apart of already. It is definitely a thought-provoking video and the paced nature of the song really emphasises this. I also enjoyed RM’s acting in the video, as well as the other actors who helped make the video engaging.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.7/`10

[Review] BE SOMEBODY – YOOK SUNGJAE (BTOB)

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Sorry again for the radio silence since Tuesday. Work has been busy again. But I am back for the weekend and that means more reviews for you! Restarting the roll is YOOK SUNGJAE’s solo comeback with his same name single album and latest single BE SOMEBODY. This follows his 2020 solo debut with Come with the Wind and Yook O’Clock.

Like his solo debut back in 2020 with Come With The Wind, I had expected YOOK SUNGJAE’s solo return to be of a balladry kind. So hearing the pop rock behind BE SOMEBODY actually felt quite refreshing. Now, the pop rock style that BE SOMEBODY opted for isn’t anything new or innovative. But it was still good. The climb towards the choruses created some good momentum towards the chorus. The eventuating intensity in the chorus from the instrumentation was quite remarkable and help give the song a well-rounded punch. To complement that, SUNGJAE employed some gusto behind his vocals, which helps makes BE SOMEBODY even more more impactful. While this shows me his vocals, BE SOMEBODY could have used some variety in the same department. I noticed that once he enters high territory (about 40 seconds into the song), SUNGJAE remains in that territory for the remainder of the song. I would have loved it if he explored more of that deeper tone that he kicks off BE SOMEBODY with throughout the track. It could have grounded the song a bit better and not feel too neutrally high from that 40 second mark and onwards. There are some examples in the song (i.e., the rap-speak lines between the pre-chorus and choruses) where there are attempts to ground BE SOMEBODY, but they were rather brief and limited in number to really make a mark. But overall, I still find BE SOMEBODY to be a great song. Just more could have made it stronger.

The song conveys the message of breaking free to become somebody, rather than being someone they are not. This, along with the music video, feels linked to the fact that he has more freedom to be himself now that he has left CUBE Entertainment (but not BTOB – an important distinction there). In the video, we see him as an art exhibit, but people don’t pay much attention to him. It isn’t until he is put out there more via performances and the internet (different mediums) does he gain more attention. With the performances and internet, he isn’t bound to just one particular artform anymore. The art smashing to pieces towards the end of the video is representative of breaking that ‘one artform’ boundary he is expressing through this comeback. A well thought out video, overall, that I hoped I correctly interpreted.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.4/10

[Review] Mars – Doh Kyung Soo (EXO)

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I am a bit late to start the new week. But as the saying goes, better late than never. Doh Kyung Soo (otherwise known as D.O from EXO) made his solo comeback today with a new single titled Mars and his 3rd mini-album Blossom. This follows his pre-release single Popcorn (which I will return to review in the future) last week, and his 2nd mini-album Expectation from last year (led by the single Somebody).

Mars is a song about loving someone so different to you, it is as if you and that someone are from two different planets. From that little reflection on the song, you can imagine how heartfelt and comforting the track is. I felt that Doh Kyung Soo portrays that messaging and tone very well in Mars, through all aspects of the track. I enjoyed the simplicity and straightforwardness of the medium-tempo pop track from the very first listen. The acoustic and band instrumentation was profound, with the guitar work being a big driver towards Mars‘ bright and meaningful outlook. Similarly, I felt the sincerity and affection behind Doh Kyung Soo’s vocals. The melodies were great. And altogether, Mars does bring a smile to my face when I listen to the track. I think a slight challenge to the song are the hooks. And this challenge isn’t necessarily unique to Mars, but more so to all ‘simple and ‘straight forward’ songs. To ensure longevity of a song like Mars, the song itself needs to be memorable and the melodies/hooks play a big part in this. Personally, I find Mars‘ hooks to be okay, but I think this aspect of Mars is also a little lacking. I am not too sure how Mars can hold its ground amongst the stiff competition. But as it stands, the song is still a great listen.

I found the music video to be a very cute watch and works well with the simple nature of the song. We see Doh Kyung Soo in his own little world throughout the video as he attempts to communicate with his special someone who is on a completely different planet to his. We see him get ready for the day ahead and ride his bike to the primary site in which he has set up to communicate with the world beyond his. On his bike are all the flowers he could find, which he later uses to write ‘I Miss You‘ on the ground in a bold colour for the other someone to see. In the end, his attempts to communicate work, with the special someone leaving simple and literally small messages for him. At the very end of the video, we see the different messages left behind for Doh Kyung Soo, that he has kept as little momentos. The outro sees him do it all again the next day (the presence of the rain helps us differentiate it is a new day), excited to extend the communications even further.

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

[Album Review] BORN TO BE (2nd Studio Album) – ITZY

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Moving along with the albums released this year, I am reviewing ITZY’s second studio-album BORN TO BE today. It was released back on 8 January 2024 and follows on from their KILL MY DOUBT mini-album (which features CAKE as the lead single). BORN TO BE features a total of 10 tracks, including the pre-release with the same name as the album, the title track UNTOUCHABLE and five solo tracks from each member of ITZY (including LIA, who has been on a hiatus since September 2023). Regarding the solo tracks, I have not reviewed them separately ahead of time despite them having a short video released to promote them for a few reasons, but I have included each video down below.

Overall, BORN TO BE is strongest in the solo tracks and most of the side tracks. UNTOUCHABLE has grown on me a bit and was definitely a highlight. But there were some other tracks on the album that had more potential and I personally felt had more of an edge over the title track. Continue reading to find out which songs they are.

BORN TO BE Album Cover

1. BORN TO BE (Pre-Release Song) – Click here to read the full review for BORN TO BE. (7/10)

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

3. Mr. Vampire – Click here to read the full review for Mr. Vampire. (6.5/10)

4. Dynamite – Dynamite lifts the song quality on the album back up with a very upbeat and loaded dance track. It is super engaging and I personally felt that was a lot of ITZY energy coming off it. The percussion keeps Dynamite dynamic and bouncy. I did think the members’ vocals were pushed a little too far, but there was some nice control on the members’ part. I am also not a massive fan of the abrupt ending. It didn’t finish Dynamite off satisfyingly. (8/10)

5. Crown on My Head (YEJI Solo) – We now turn to the solo songs and first up is YEJI. Crown On My Head is a rock track. I liked the different ways the electric guitar was employed in the song. In the first verse, the guitar work is exhilarating and electrifying, and I constantly wonder why it wasn’t continued in the more typical synth-based second verse. In the chorus, the guitar work takes on more of a grungy vibe. But the best use of the guitar comes in the instrumental break, where we get a shreddy effect. As for YEJI, her vocals definitely soared throughout and upped the intensity of Crown On My Head. She had full command of the track and delivered it superbly. (9/10)

6. Blossom (LIA Solo) – Despite being on hiatus, LIA does feature in this album through her solo track Blossom. The song takes us down an alternative R&B route, thanks to its more experimental instrumentation. This EDM-based adds a lot of energy and the synth work gives off a dreamy affair. LIA’s vocals fit the R&B style really well, especially with the slight rasp to her vocals. There are a few varying vocal styles in Blossom from LIA, all of which makes it an engaging solo track. (9/10)

7. Run Away (RYUJIN Solo) – Out of all the solo tracks, Run Away was the one that I instantly liked when I first checked out the album back when it was released. I remember it was the chorus that caught my attention, which brings together a passionate delivery from RYUJIN and some amazing guitar work that reminds me of pop-rock from the early 00s. I also like the mellow direction the bridge took, which was a nice yet brief break from the pop-rock energy. If I had to pick, RYUJIN’s Run Away is my top pick from the solo tracks on this album. (9/10)   

8. Mine (CHAERYEONG Solo) – CHAERYEONG has the shortest solo track of the bunch, spanning less than 2 minutes. Mine is a synth pop track with a groovy tinge. CHAERYEONG brings a very sensual and sultry vibe to the song, which makes it very alluring. Of the five solo tracks, I think Mine was one that stood out the least. Not on the merits that it was bad song, but rather not reaching its full potential. An easy way to do this in Mine is to give CHAERYEONG’s vocals more definition and boldness. This would have helped oomph up her parts to give them more depth amongst the instrumentation. (8/10)

9. Yet, But (YUNA Solo) – Yet, But is YUNA’s solo contribution to the album. It is a rather straight forward track that feels like a good embodiment of what KPOP is. It brings a fun and playful energy to the album. This pairs with YUNA’s youthful vocals. Personally, I do feel like Yet, But is a little too sweet for my liking. It also stays within the lines and feels rather ‘safe’. But I enjoyed the exploration into the light-hearted territory of pop. (7.5/10)   

10. Escalator – Bringing the members (sans LIA) back together for the final song is Escalator. It is an experimental dance track, that features a fierce demeanour from the members and loud synth work. It was definitely a blast on all fronts. I did like the way the vocals were processed at the start, panning from either side. I also like the shouty motif the members went for the chorus, which felt right for such a loud and strong song. Lastly, I also like the techno synth work at the end, adding a lot more flair and bombast to the song. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.1/10

BORN TO BE Teaser Image

[Review] Relax – LEE JIN HYUK

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Last week, LEE JIN HYUK made his solo comeback with his 6th mini-album, New Quest: Jungle, and the lead single Relax. This comeback serves as LEE JIN HYUK’s first solo comeback since leaving UP10TION (officially) and TOP Media over a year ago. He signed with Bill Entertainment, which is the home of other soloists – Yerin and Minseo. His last comeback was Crack, released back in 2022.

The new single Relax is an urban dance-pop anthem that has charm. It has taken me a few listens to the song to get into it, with the instrumentation growing on me considerably. The tinny-sounding chorus registered as interesting at first. But I find it quite appealing now. It is different and it draws your attention in. LEE JIN HYUK’s really gritty and raspy rap-sing vocals in the chorus felt plain at first. But upon reflection and more listens, I find that his deep vocal delivery actually pulls the chorus together to create a overall trance. While LEE JIN HYUK’s rapping and pre-chorus vocals were engaging and well-delivered, it wasn’t enough to make the rest of Relax memorable, unfortunately. The chorus definitely took centre stage and serves as Relax‘s strongest sequence. I do think Relax could have been punchier is all aspects. This potentially could have taken the rest of Relax to the next level and gave the song a stronger presence amongst its competition.

Unsurprisingly, Relax conveys the simple message of taking some time to take a break in our busy world. The video is set in a Korean bathhouse, which is probably an optimal location to take that break to relax. The video begins with a fight inside the bathhouse. But with LEE JIN HYUK’s presence and message, the fight turns into more of a chill party. We also see him get a massage in later parts of the video and hang around the ladies who are looking very comfortable. The dance break part of the music video sees what looked like the bathhouse set break apart, which is probably a symbolic way of reaching that peak relaxation, as if you are floating away. Overall, a neat music video.

The choreography for Relax strikes a fine balance between being energetic and relaxing. There are some moves that represents the relaxing side of it, while the rest of the choreography focuses on some more energetic moves without feeling too intense or complicated. I really liked the bouncy vibe of the choreography and also the footwork in the routine.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.7/10

[Review] But I – Solar (MAMAMOO)

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Also making her solo comeback on Tuesday this week was Solar from MAMAMOO. We last saw her promote on stage two years ago via her HONEY comeback and her first mini-album, 容 : Face. Tuesday saw her release her second mini-album COLOURS and the title track But I.

Despite the music video teasers released in the lead up to But I hinting at the two very different sound profiles, But I still managed to surprise me upon release. The song starts off soft as a ballad, with beautiful vocals from Solar herself, and a delicate and stilling piano backdrop. But that balladry motif quickly changes once we reach the choruses. The drumming and guitar work morphs But I into a rock track. It blasts us with some strong energy and Solar really kicks it up a few notches with her passionate and intense delivery. The melodies and hooks here are quite easy to get into. I particularly cannot get the “Your body, your money, your face, your vibe” out of my head. Following the first chorus, But I keeps the rock presence in the second verse, but tones it down considerably from the chorus. So, once the chorus returns for the final time, the strong energy still feels like a blast. The outro of But I does returns the song to its balladry beginnings and it drew the song to a wonderful end, as if she is now at peace with the hatred that she sings passionately about in But I. No doubt, But I is surprising. But it does so in a balanced and captivating manner that I personally enjoyed very much.

The lyrics of But I depicts one’s hatred for their a bad ex, which comes off crystal clear in the lyrics. But I (ha!) found it interesting that the pre-chorus for the song includes a line of what people external to the relationship had expected of Solar when she was part of the dead relationship (“Everybody thinks I was happy, happy but I I I I“) vs. when she was supposed to be heartbroken post-relationship (“Everybody thinks I’m not happy, happy but I I I“). I bring these two lines up in question for a particular reason. While not directly linked to what I am saying next, the two lines shows a contrasting expectation on Solar, and the video depicts a different two contrasting sides to Solar related to this post-breakup. On one hand, she is seen to be in mourning and is heartbroken following her failed relationship. And on the other hand, we see how vivid and freeing she truly feels after leaving the bad ex.

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

[Review] Little Things – Xdinary Heroes

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Xdinary Heroes officially returned on Tuesday with their first studio length album Troubleshooting. Leading the charge on this new album is the title track Little Things (어리고 부끄럽고 바보 같은). This release is their first since October 2023’s Livelock (their 4th mini-album) and the single Break The Brake, which earned them a win for Best Band Performance in the 2023 KPOPREVIEWED Awards.

Little Things is Xdinary Heroes’ most straight forward rock title track since their debut. And I feel my comments on the song are relatively similar. Xdinary Heroes have promoted some wacky tracks and also some intense ones previously. But nothing feels as ‘simple’ or ‘safe’ as Little Things. There isn’t anything wrong going down this path (but it does come with its own flaws), especially when it invokes an early 2000s pop-punk nostalgia. If you have not yet caught on, this is the era of music that I grew up on. The nostalgia and execution of band’s vocal and instrumental delivery appeals to me. The punchiness of the instrumental is well-liked. I also liked the emotional tinge Little Things features. Xdinary Heroes really made sure that was heard from the get-go with the autotuned intro. I think the downside of going down the ‘simple’ and ‘safe’ road, and I do feel it as part of this release, is that Little Things feels inherently plain. The lack of innovation and excitement does hold it back slightly. But nostalgia and Xdinary Heroes’ ongoing consistent high-quality execution/delivery trumps in Little Things.

Little Things expresses the message to one’s younger self that no matter how lost you become, you will always find a way out of that lost feeling. In the music video, we see the members perform in a side-walk drain, representing their lost mindset. I am presuming the feeling of lost is liken to how we think certain items becomes ‘lost’ once you drop it down a sidewalk drain (as those items become hard to reach and it is difficult to recover them). In other close-up of the members, we see them alone and surrounded by darkness. Mid-way into the video, we see the drain closes in on the members and water/paper falls down, which might represent that pressure of ‘being lost’ on the members. However, in the end of the video, the members do escape the drain, which ultimately emphasises the message of the song.

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

[Review] MAESTRO – SEVENTEEN

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The second Monday comeback that I want to focus on today is SEVENTEEN’s grand return with their 2nd compilation album 17 Is Right Here and the title track MAESTRO. It is SEVENTEEN’s first release since October’s SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN and GOD OF MUSIC.

MAESTRO leans the group back into their darker sound profile, which has always been a positive experience for me. And MAESTRO lives up to that expectation. The title MAESTRO instantly makes you think of classical music, and the song begins with a brief appearance (and sees a recurrence in the choruses) of piano. But we see the song quickly revert into its true form – a R&B dance track. A touch of funky guitar work, fast-paced rapping from S.COUPS and VERNON, and sleek vocals from MINGYU and JOSHUA gets MAESTRO moving along before we hear a stunning WOOZI and DK vocal-focused pre-chorus that builds the anticipation towards the chorus. The chorus that follows, and that we return to throughout MAESTRO, felt logical and charming to an extent. But I was disappointed with the reliance on the ‘La La La‘ as the hook. It definitely has potential to catch on, but it also feels empty and doesn’t really have as strong of a command as did latter parts of MAESTRO had. We do get a second half of the chorus, but that doesn’t ping me as memorable. MAESTRO then changes gears slightly with a techno beat feels unexpecting, yet so charismatic and pummels the song forward. It is paired with WONWOO’s rapping and JUN’s vocals – the former creates a perfect sense of intensity with said beat, while the latter felt a little lost in the beat. We return to another amazing pre-chorus (brought to you by DK and SEUNGKWAN this time around) and another run at the chorus. Then comes the bridge, which I think is one of the best moments of MAESTRO. THE8’s delicate vocals was supreme, as well as the follow-up rapping from S.COUPS and DINO. In the final moments of MAESTRO, the techno beat returns as a mini instrumental break and WONWOO’s deep and gripping vocals closes out the song nicely. Overall, a few minor flaws, but MAESTRO still comes off as an epic song for SEVENTEEN.

MAESTRO‘s music video has officially become the first contender for Best Music Video for 2024. You heard it first here! The editing, the concepts and even just the amazing closeup of the members just captivates me from the get-go and takes my breath away. The video sees SEVENTEEN have total command just like how a maestro would have control of an orchestra, and the intensity that comes off SEVENTEEN’s portrayal of this has me spellbound. More specifically, we see them control the narrative of events in the video, such as the car crashes and WONWOO’s fight scene (which has been engraved into my memory bank). We see them also control the AI bots, who mimic the members. Even the massive metronome building in the end alludes to the idea of commanding the citizens of the city around them.

No surprises here, but the choreography overall showcases the song’s intensity quite well. If I had to name an example moment of that intensity, my vote is for the instrumental break, which translates into a dance break in the performance. The presence of the baton in the performance makes sense and is a great way of bringing the concept of the comeback into the performance, as well. And as usual SEVENTEEN’s synchronisation always has me in awe.

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

[Review] HEYA – IVE

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As mentioned yesterday, this week is going to be a busy one. And it all begins with Monday’s comebacks. One of these comebacks belongs to IVE, who is returning for the first time since the release of Baddie. Their new single HEYA (해야) is the title track off their 2nd mini-album, Ive Switch.

HEYA continues IVE’s exploration of the hip-hop genre. However, unlike Baddie, I instantly found IVE’s delivery of HEYA to feel a lot more vivid, exciting and colourful. These are all words that I associate with IVE’s earlier releases, so I personally think this is an improvement from Baddie already. HEYA may not be as pop-coded as their earlier releases, but it definitely heads in that direction a bit. So aside from feeling different, what has the group done differently in HEYA? I like that the instrumentation did not feel as weighted, and so HEYA did not feel heavy. Going into Summer, a heavy song doesn’t usually bode well, so the producers were really clever in using flourishes in its percussion to help liven up the backing. Rei, Leeseo and Yujin’s rapping in the verses feels equally as lively and engaging, bringing out a more dynamic tone in HEYA. This pays off in dividends for the group, as it highlights a newfound edginess and powerful delivery. HEYA also features more vocal parts, which makes way for more melodic touches in the song. The bridge was extremely successful in championing this (which is my second best moment within HEYA, following the choruses). I also like how they extended the melodic touch into the opening hook of HEYA, setting up the catchy and chanty chorus quite well. The extra layer in the instrumentation for the final chorus did a really good job of signaling the end, in my mind. Overall, IVE and HEYA‘s producers did a really great job improving upon the previous song, making for IVE’s next hit.

The lyrics and music video of HEYA sees the group reference a traditional Korean folklore known as ‘The Tiger Who Loved the Sun‘, which is a story that speaks to the formation of the sun and the moon. In the video, we see the members appear as the tiger in the story, dancing in front of the sun and moon to enchant us, before leaving their mark on us. Just like how the tiger did so to the mother, just a lot less gruesome in our case. Keeping to the traditional influence, I really like traditional Korean elements in the sets and post-production. The colours and lighting made everything look very pretty and aesthetic. I also really like IVE’s look throughout the music video, as it adds a bit of a modern flair in the midst of all of the traditional Korean elements present in the video.

From what I can see in the music video, the performance for this comeback is going to look great. The start of the chorus already looks like it is going to be a catchy key point of the choreography, and the rest of the routine looks robust and dynamic.

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

[Album Review] CONNECT (8th Mini Album) – B1A4

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It has been a while since I reviewed a B1A4 album. The last album review was for their 5th mini-album, Solo Day (released in 2015, but reviewed in 2020). They are a group that is very much still around, but you don’t hear of them as much nowadays compared to in the past. Their last official release (Adore You) was over 2 years ago! Well, that changed in January of this year, when B1A4 made their long awaited comeback with REWIND (the title track – link down below) and CONNECT (the title of their latest mini-album a.k.a. the focus of this post). Overall, I found CONNECT to be a solid 5 track mini-album that is consistent across the board, with one particular track getting a 10/10 for me. Continue reading to find out which song that is).

CONNECT Album Cover

1. REWIND (Title Track) – Click here for the full review for REWIND. (8.5/10)

2. BACK TO YOU (시간을 지나 마주한 너) – BACK TO YOU is a simple yet pleasant pop track, with the ‘pleasant’ descriptor being a positive aspect of the song. The simplicity comes through via how straight forward BACK TO YOU came across. It had good rhythm and a solid upbeatness that kept the song going. The melodies were comforting and made the song flow along nicely. The vocals were good, but I could have done with lesser autotune. The vocal processing made the members sound a little tinny. And if I am being honest, I don’t think B1A4 needed that autotune in the first place. (8/10)

3. PAUSE – For me, the most fun song on the album has to go to PAUSE. The UK-garage and retro influence on the instrumental is very interesting and dynamic, but I also like how the song maintains B1A4’s maturity. Despite that maturity, I always find myself bobbing along to the song. The softer vocal approach felt contrasting with the instrumentation and this makes the PAUSE intriguing. While I felt the autotune was unnecessary in the previous song, I welcome the autotune’s contribution to the fun in this song, especially how those vocals pan from ear to ear to make it feel like you are in the centre of the fun. An easy 10/10 for me. (10/10)

4. WHEN YOU CALL MY NAME (네가 내 이름을 부를 때) – Truthfully, WHEN YOU CALL MY NAME is the sound I associate with B1A4 nowadays. They stepped away from the fun and dance style that they released and promoted with as a quintet. But that felt lost when B1A4 was reduced to their current lineup. This is in no way intended to be criticism of the members who left or the current sound of B1A4. WHEN YOU CALL MY NAME definitely proves this, as the trio sounds very lovely throughout the number. The heartwarming band instrumentation and tone of the song is also extremely nice. (8/10)

5. STILL IN MY HEART (이별은 없는 거야) – Bringing the mini-album to a close is STILL IN MY HEART, which goes down both an acoustic balladry and also fan song route. That usual swaying melody that I like in ballads is very much present in STILL IN MY HEART. I also enjoyed the soulful touch that is present in the background of the track. Once again, the members sound really nice and captivating in the ballad, with the roughness in Sanduel’s vocals at the end being a beautiful moment in the track. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.5/10

CONNECT Teaser Image

[Album Review] Sequence (13th Mini Album) – SF9

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If you have not been following my blog lately, I ended finished up my reviews of 2023 albums (for the time being) last weekend. That means that I will be finally making a start on the 2024 albums. While it will be a slow process to catch up four months worth of albums, I do appreciate your patience as I get through them. But I will start from the beginning, meaning SF9’s 13th mini-album Sequence (released on 8 January 2024) is the first one up for review. Sequence features a total of 6 tracks, including the title BIBORA. It also is the first album release by SF9 since ROWOON’s departure from the group to focus on his acting career.

Sequence Album Cover

1. BIBORA (비보라) (Title Track) – Click here for the full review for BIBORA. (7/10)

2. Midnight Sun – The rush of energy from the instrumentation, the familiarity of the synths and the solid vocals made Midnight Sun quite likeable. When you dig a little deeper, this pop song is for their fans – FANTASY. While fan songs are usually reserved for the end of an album, the placement of Midnight Sun towards the beginning of the mini-album is rather reassuring, especially since how SF9 doesn’t get regular comebacks anymore (which is a complete farce) and the departure of ROWOON from the group last year. Just by listening to the vocals, anyone can hear the sincerity behind the SF9 members toward their fans. (8/10)

3. DOMINO – I thought the vocal processing in this song made TAEYANG sound a little awkward at the start. But after that, the rest of DOMINO makes it a very strong dance track. The rap sequences made the song feel very dynamic. The same rappers brought us the cool descending and dramatic bridge, which gives off that vivid imagery of falling dominos. Definitely a memorable moment in the song. Pity the vocalists didn’t get much of an opportunity to shine in DOMINO, particularly since INSEONG and DAWON’s small part in the pre-choruses were my second favourite moments in the song. (9/10)

4. Strings – The brighter pop sound, the chanty hooks and the fact you can feel the members are smiling at you as they sing makes Strings another ideal fan song. Strings talks about their unbreakable bond with their fans. I like how after a rap dominant song, SF9 turned their focus to vocals. But ZUHO’s rapping in the second verse was also quite cool. I like how deep he went and the seamless flow he delivered. My only complaint about Strings is that the instrumental could have been lowered slightly so we can hear the members more clearly. At certain parts, the backing was loud that it was drowning out the members. (8/10)

5. Morning Coffee – Continuing the bright motif is the funky tinged Morning Coffee. This subtle energy in the song is bound to get you awake in the morning, just like a morning coffee. I particularly like how the funkiness isn’t in your face, which makes the song an ideal track to start your day off. It doesn’t catch you off guard, but rather eases you into its bright motif. ZUHO’s rapping was good, but I think his part doesn’t suit the rest of Morning Coffee as much. I just feel like his style was a little too harsh for this track. (8/10)

6. Superconductor (DAWON Solo) – The final song on the album a solo song from DAWON. He has a unique set of vocals, so I am glad he gets his own song to shine. However, I would also like to have heard solo songs from the rest of SF9, as well. While Superconductor does a nice job of showing us his vocals and style, the instrumental sounded like it was sped up. Maybe this was deliberate and is meant to be a musical representation of a superconductor or even an aesthetic. But I personally thought it was rather distracting and doesn’t give us much opportunity to appreciate it or DAWON. Had it been slowed down, even by a small bit, there would have been more of a chance of that appreciation happening and that would have boded well for Superconductor. (7/10)

Overall Album Rating – 7.8/10

Sequence Teaser Image