Category: KPOP

[Review] You Calling My Name – GOT7

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Due to my exam preparations, I will try my best to review songs for HIPNA, Lee Jin Hyuk, VICTON in the coming delays. This will delay other reviews for releases in the coming days. Apologies once again. 

Out of all the comebacks this week, I am most excited for GOT7’s comeback. The seven-member male group returned today with You Calling My Name and their 10th mini-album, Call My Name. Apart from being a mega fanboy of the group (no shame here!), I found their teasers for this comeback to be very captivating. But that is something to discuss a little later on in the review.  This is the latest full group comeback since the release of Eclipse earlier this year.

This isn’t my bias mind talking. But I thought this was a very thoroughly intriguing song. First of all, it strays away from the usual EDM style that GOT7 does. It goes with a subtly funky beat that sounds very refined, polished and mature. It focused on more on melody, which isn’t something that GOT7 has explicitly emphasised in the past. Another appealing aspect of the track is its smoothness at the start. Interestingly, the lines didn’t reflect this and felt almost ‘short and snappy’, which was another interesting aspect of the song. With the focus on melody, You Calling My Name allowed the vocal line of the group to shine more. Their past EDM hits have allowed the rappers to flourish, so it was a nice change. The first chorus which Jinyoung sang in that falsetto is probably my pick for the best part of the entire song (after the entire song, of course!). Youngjae’s section that followed the second and third chorus was a very close second (third) pick. the weakest part of the song was Mark’s rap section as it didn’t feel like it fit 100% neatly. While writing this review, I had a long debate whether this would be considered a reinvention. I wouldn’t say so, as they had these elements before in previous tracks. They just amped them up in a way that sounds so different but right at the same time.

I feel like the reinvention part came in a more visual sense. Firstly, how freaking aesthetic does the music video look? I am all for it. From what I read, they went with a different music video producer this time around. Hence why the video looked really different. The aesthetics seemed to show a more ‘broken’ and lonely side of GOT7, which reflects well with the lyrics, which was all about wanting a former lover to say their name again. The music video oozed of a masculine aura and mature sexiness that I don’t think no other group has really exhibited before. It made the music video alluring and very captivating.

I am already floored with the introduction to the performance. I thought it was an aesthetic aspect of the music video only. But I didn’t expect to be part of the choreography. I also really liked Jackson’s part, where he did that flip. I thought the rest of the routine was equally as amazing. Like the music video, it was alluring and captivating, which are practically two words that I think best describe GOT7’s comeback.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.3/10

[Album Review] The Book Of Us: Entropy (3rd Studio Album) – DAY6

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Another Sunday and another album review. It feels weird posting an album review on the weekend after a long break from doing so. But I need to get back onto the routine if I were to catch up on all the albums that I had missed on previously. But as mentioned last time, I will be covering recent albums as well. Today’s artist is DAY6 who returned with Sweet Chaos the other week. Sweet Chaos is the title track off their 3rd studio album (The Book Of Us: Entropy), which is what I will be reviewing today.

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The Book Of Us: Entropy Album Cover

1. Deep In Love – I really liked the rock and grungy vibes that came from Deep In Love, which is the route that I enjoyed most from DAY6. The instrumental break during the bridge was awesome! But over the last few comebacks, the band has taken on different routes that I have also thoroughly enjoyed. I really liked the filter they put their vocals in this song, which felt like they were shouting in a subtle way (i.e. not going screamo). Usually, I wouldn’t like the autotune filtered vocals but I really thought it added a really interesting texture to the rocking song. The song packs a punch and opens the album on a memorable note. (9/10)

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

3. EMERGENCY – I thought that EMERGENCY is a fun little song and a slight change from the more powerful and emotional songs that they have put out. I really like the golden retro sound that comes from this, which bumps the fun out quite well. While I know they aren’t dancers, I can see them perform with some sort of small routine, which would enhance that fun vibe even further. Vocal work was fine and the song was quite catchy thanks to lyrics repetition. (8/10)

4. Rescue Me – After that fun number, the group launches back into the rock vibe with Rescue Me. A few things stood out for me. The first is the instrumental, since the song literally throws the rock vibes at you from the very start. The second must be the chorus, which had a nice ring melodically. The vocal work was nice. Sungjin’s raspy vocals during the chorus was my pick for the best in the song. However, I wasn’t blown away by the entire vocal package. I feel like the rock instrumentation, especially when it came to the verses, drowned out the vocals a tad bit. This might have been my personal preference, however. But still a decent track. (7.5/10)

5. 365247 – I like the song. It is a little unique to me, thanks to the various vocals we heard throughout the song. The normal pitch, the higher pitch and Dowoon’s deep voice (Yes!!! Dowoon is in this song!!!!) really made it feel like a rollercoaster. The instrumental was so so. But I did notice was a lot simpler than their past tracks and this made the vocals shine even brighter. The title of the song was a little odd. I understand the title (i.e. what the string of numbers mean) but I didn’t see the connection between it and ‘jumping into the fire’, which was more emphasised than 365 days, 24 hours and 7 days of the week. (8/10)

6. About Now (지금쯤) – The first thing that jumps right at me with About Now is its calmness. The sound is a lot lighter in comparison to the preceding songs, which I thought was nice. I liked the beat and the acoustic nature of the instrumental, which is a change from what we have heard so far as well. I did like the vocals for the most part. But I felt here the autotune was distracting. I know I have mentioned otherwise for at least two recent tracks. It did give off a nice texture. But I think it took away a wholesome feeling from the song. (7/10)

7. Ouch (아야야) – Ouch is another fun song in the mix on this album. It is also another interesting track. It seems to go almost towards a reggae direction, which would have been unique for DAY6 (I think). Some of the vocal work (i.e. the post-chorus hook sung by Young.K) seemed to take the song in that direction, despite the rest of the track being a little more typical. Come to the think of it, Young K’s post-chorus was pretty random. But hey, it caught my attention (and most likely yours as well), drawing your attention back to the song to really understand what had just happened. It is a smart tactic. (8/10)

8. Not Fine (나빠) – Not Fine is good song. I do admit that this one was a little plain and hence, I have very little to say about it. There was some grand vibe to it. But it just didn’t blow me away. The vocal work was good and the melody was nice. I just wished there was a little something more to this song. It also seems like we are in the heartbreak zone as this has seemed to be the theme for the last few songs. (7/10)

9. Stop Talking (막말) – We fuse some colour that I guess was lacking in the previous song. Stop Talking instantly feels more appealing and as the song progressed along, the likeable aspect continued to develop. The progression to the punk rock vibe for the chorus was really cool and this was thanks to the suspense building ‘pause’ that the instrumental took prior to actually launching into the chorus. Every other element was good, minus the rap that featured in the middle of the song. Sorry Young K, but it was a miss from me. (7.5/10)

10. Not Mine – Opening the track seems to be some violins. Slightly different from the usual band instruments we hear. Though, I am not sure if this is the electronic keyboard working its magic. It does make Not Mine intriguing. The band instruments come in a little later. Together, it develops into a promising track. The vocal work was quite fitting, and the chorus was catchy. The ad-libs at the end were top-notch, especially with the instrumental segment that it was paired with. (9/10)

11. Like A Flowing Wind (마치 흘러가는 바람처럼) – The final track on the album is Like A Flowing Wind. And given the album that they just put us through, a track like this one ends the album on a very pleasant note. The instrumental never ticks over to overwhelming or overbearing, which is why pleasant was used as a descriptive term. The same could be said about the vocals, but they do take it up a notch when it came to the chorus (bless Sungjin’s raspy vocals as they work so well with the style). (9/10)

Overall Album Rating = 8.1/10

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The Book Of Us: Entropy Teaser Image

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[Review] Blah – 1THE9

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Let’s jump into a time machine and go a little back further than last week. Apologies for the delay in its review, particularly since it was released mid-October (it should have been reviewed at the start of the week). But I guess better late than never. Well, the song to be focused on today is Blah, which is released alongside the group’s second mini-album, Blah Blah. They made their debut earlier in the year with Spotlight. And we haven’t much from the project group since that set of promotions. But they are here now and that is what matters.

Relistening to the song, the real reason to why the song hasn’t been reviewed yet could be due to its blandness. If it was memorable, I would have gotten around to reviewing it a lot sooner. Blah conforms to the typical nature of male group releases and hence it wasn’t able to stand out in the crowd. Another way to think about the song is that it is too ‘inside the box’. That is my overall impression of the song. Digging into the individual elements, I found the vocals and rap sequences to be okay. I think these easily could have been manipulated to pack a punch. Similarly, the instrumental would have been amped up. It felt like the group was playing it safe with the song and that isn’t something that benefits a newly starting group.  There some good melodic moments in the song, but these were more during the verses. The chorus was very unimaginative and what should have been the catchy hook was very dry and boring. If I were to sum everything up with one word, the song’s title says it all.

No doubt similar comments can be made with the music video. I have watched it once and I can’t seem to sit through it again. What I am trying to get it is that the video feels like one of those, ‘you’ve seen it once, you have seen it all’. It just felt typical. A lot of my comments would have been ones I have made before on this blog. So I am not going to repeat myself for once.

I really liked the energy that they managed to channel through the choreography. It is a little more than what we get from the song and I feel like that alone is a step in the right direction. I also like what they do with the slower moments of the song. I did wish for some bolder moves but I think the choreography was the strongest point of the comeback.

Song – 5/10
Music Video – 5/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 5.4/10

[Album Review] 6IXENSE (1st Studio Album) – AB6IX

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As this is an album review post for a studio album, it is lengthy. 

It is time for another album review. For the month of November, I will be diverting back and forth between albums from October to albums from November so that I can knock out some from the ‘Coming Soon…’ list and also cover some new ones. Today’s focus will be on AB6IX’s first studio album. Usually, group’s don’t launch right into a studio album, especially if it is their first comeback. But somehow AB6IX saw the opportunity and successfully launched the album, 6IXENSE, which features Blind For Love.

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6IXENSE Album Cover

1. Be There (기대) – I thought the verses were a good start to the album. There was a nice melodic and vocal touch really made the song appealing. The pre-chorus was also quite nice. I just thought the EDM based chorus ended up being a little too heavy for the surrounding sections. It doesn’t make the song terrible in anyway. I just thought it was a little too ill-fitting. Similarly, the deep voice that ends the first chorus song ruined the ambience that the song was set up with. But apart from that, I did like the vocals and even though the rapping was featured heavily during those EDM moments, I thought they were great as well. (7/10)

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

3. Dandelion (민들레꽃) – Dandelion was a really nice song. It takes a break from the EDM and dance nature that the group focused on for their title track and initial opener. Dandelion focuses more on the vocals, allowing a melodic touch to be brought upon the pop song. The rapping, as much as I really like Woojin and Youngmin, didn’t seem necessary in this song. But I guess since it was an OT5 song, they had to be incorporated somehow. (7.5/10)

4. Sunset – I thought Sunset was a very interesting track. The song manages to pack a punch, which is something that I have noticed to be lacking a lot in my more recent song reviews. I think the song does it really well thanks to that vocal slowdown just prior to the chorus. Woojin takes responsibility for this section and his vocals are really good (Hint – they should be used more in the future). This slowdown really made the chorus feel so much more powerful when it launched right into it. I thought the EDM touch was needed in this song, which made the song a little more powerful than if they took on board a typical dance instrumentation. (8/10)

5. _And Me – I am not particularly sure how one would pronounce the song’s title. Is it ‘underscore’ And Me? Or just And Me? Moving along, AB6IX takes an R&B approach with this track which sounds nice. I really liked the rapping in this song, which contrasts nicely with the slow pace of the song. Vocal work is pretty good as well, particularly the ad-libs you would find towards the end of the song. I just wish they added something more throughout the song to make it more memorable and not as forgettable. (7/10)

6. Pretty (이쁨이 지나치면 죄야 죄) – The album takes a turn with a colourful song. Pretty plays more towards the typical bright boy group concept, something that I felt was more MXM’s style (see Ya Ya Ya). The track has a good set of vocals and rapping, with both showing nice technique (there are a few speaking moments in this song which I thought gave it a unique touch). The piano or keyboard in the background was fun and made the song appealing. It does feel like the song conforms to the more typical boy group sound. But it is still enjoyable. (8/10)

7. Shadow – Shadow is probably my pick for a ‘hidden gem’ on this album. There are a few things about the song that made it stand out for me. I did like the lightness of the song and the harmonies during the chorus. Both elements we have yet to hear on the album. I liked the acoustic guitar in the instrumental. Both the vocal and rapping components were amazing and worked well with this lighter sound. It is another melodic piece that deserves attention. This time around, it stayed melodic throughout and hence why I really enjoyed it. (9/10)

8. Deep Inside – This song is another ‘hidden gem’. Usually, I don’t pick two songs on the album to be the ‘hidden gem’. But you do have to get a fair way through the album before listening to the song. Deep Inside feels very calming and that is thanks to its instrumentation. The song takes a form similar to a ballad but it has modern elements to give it a very grand feel. The vocal work is fantastic. The rapping here was extremely fitting for the soothing and flowy nature of the song as well. Come to the think of it, I think every member shined in this song. (9/10)

9. D.R.E.A.M – D.R.E.A.M is performed by both rappers of the group (Youngmin and Woojin). Another fantastic song to add to the album. It seems like the good tracks are concentrated at the end of the album. Youngmin doesn’t seem to get a chance to shine in the title tracks, so it is definitely nice to hear him more clearly with well-deserved lines. Woojin sounds equally as good. My favourite bit has to be when the two raps together just before the final chorus. I also liked the autotuned chorus. Not really my favourite combination, but I didn’t mind it this time around. I also wonder who did the vocal adlibs at the end, as they sounded quite nice. (9/10)

10. Nothing Without You – This track is performed by the vocal line of the group (Daehwi, Donghyun and Woong). Nothing Without You is the actual mandatory ballad on the album. No doubt it, it shows off the vocal work that the rest of the album has yet to show off in full glory yet. From the first second, Daehwi’s vocals really jumped out at me. I did like how they added to the instrumental as the song went on. I didn’t really enjoy the parts prior to the second chorus where they seem to attempt at quick singing to give off a slight rapping impression. I just felt it made the song rather messy. But apart from that, a nice ender to the album. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.1/10

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6IXENSE Teaser Image

[Review] Forever Love – Yoo Youngjae

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Out of all the songs from last week, I have yet to cover my most favourite. Well, until now. Yoo Youngjae is one of the few lucky members of B.A.P to find a new entertainment company to promote under. He made his solo debut earlier this year with Another Night. Last week, he returned with Forever Love and his second mini-album, O,on.

The one word that I would use to describe Forever Love is dynamic. It is a song that jumped right out at me because it felt so right. From the vocal work throughout the entire song to the blast of energy that the instrumental would throw at you, this dance track was very appealing. I really liked how the producers defined the chorus in this track to make it stand out. Not only was there that influx of energy that I have already mentioned, but the presence of those backing vocals made it feel a lot bolder and more impactful. I had to relisten to the track a few times after the first listen because I just couldn’t get enough of it. I also like the slowdown that the pre-chorus and bridge featured, which ended up helping lift up the chorus of this track. Despite my praises, I  did feel that a proper rap sequence would have really transformed this song. It would have given the song some texture and if played correctly featured, it would have added to the impact and dynamic description of the song. That might just be me and every other music producer would say otherwise. But overall, Yoo Youngjae has a really amazing song under his belt.

I thought the music video was fantastic. The editing in this video was really good, especially at the end where it would zoom into each scene that was encountered throughout the music video. I also thought the sets looked really cool. Youngjae himself looked really cool, as well. The choreography shots looked really cool and I liked how they made it feel infinite based on lack of boundaries when it came to the sets. Usually, sets feel like a solid wall, but the swimming pool choreography shots in this music video had windows that extended into the distance. While the presence of water in choreography shots is a mainstream idea now, I thought it added to the appeal of the video as well.

Amazing choreography. I really enjoyed the intensity of this routine. And to know that he pulled it while singing live was rather impressive. It was to continue the moment and release awesome songs like this and have powerful routines alongside it, I think he will be making up for lost time in no time. I did like the idea of chairs but it made the stage look a little messy in my opinion.

Song – 9.5/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.3/10

[Review] Poison – VAV

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Happy Halloween! Have a spooky day!

Once again, I will not dip into the ‘Coming Soon‘ page yet. That might be next week after I wrap up the catch up for last week’s comebacks. Today I want to focus on VAV, who made their return last Monday with Poison. This is the group’s latest 2019 comeback, following Give Me More in July and Thrilla Killa in March. Poison is also the lead title track from their 5th mini-album, which shares the same name.

Given the many releases from last and this week, Poison quickly became masked and hidden away. Only fans of the group would be able to pick out their release from the crowd. But this could have easily been counteracted if the group released a song that stood out from the crowd itself. Though it is hard, it has been done before. Unfortunately, Poison doesn’t hit that mark. The song was rather standard and it isn’t as memorable as it could have been. While the vocal and rapping were fine, they could have used these elements in a way to deliver some impact. We did get a touch of this through their post-chorus hook. The combination of the deep vocals of Lou and the ‘Oh’ repetition gave the song some momentum and texture. I also liked how melodic the chorus was, which is a definite change to the more harsher electronic styles we get often. The piano in the instrumental was a really good direction. It gave me some nostalgia to some early KPOP releases. I just felt the combination of modern instrumentation techniques lost the appeal and nostalgia of the piano as it progressed along. Some good elements, some underutilised elements. All resulting in a typical song at the end of the day.

Likewise, I thought the video could have been so much darker and intense. The song really had that atmosphere, so I am a little disappointed that this was not aimed for. There was a fair bit of colour to the video, which is okay. I didn’t mind it as much. But I felt like if the video was a lot darker, it could have pulled some attention to the visual aid. Especially following that counting sequence at the very start which did have an eerie feel and the creepy smile that ended the video with and carved itself into my memory bank.

Once again, I thought the performance was very standard. Though I am not exactly sure how they would improve upon the performance. They managed to strike a balance with their less intense verses and the dynamic post-chorus hook that I really enjoyed (also my favourite part of the song).

Song – 6.5/10
Music Video – 6.5/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 6.8/10

[Review] SOSO – WINNER

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It is time to catch up on some more reviews. But I am not dipping into my ‘Coming Soon’ page yet as there are a few more comebacks from last week that I wanted to cover. WINNER is a major group that I have yet to review and they made their comeback with SOSO last Wednesday. I am not going to delay their review anymore. We last saw the group through their Ah Yeah comeback, which was released 5 months back.

The way the song was set up was quite promising. But the resulting mix just didn’t work out too well. And I point my finger squarely on the slowdown that was featured as the chorus of the song. It was disappointing and a complete letdown, especially after such a rocking buildup to what could have been an amazing drop. It cut the momentum down to a sluggish pace. The repetition of the ‘So So‘ didn’t help as well. I think in their defence, it would have been interesting to some people. Unfortunately, I am not one of them.  The rest of the track was fine. I really enjoyed the verses. Mino’s rap sequence at the start of the song has to be one of the best sequences of the year. It was fluid and just kept coming at us. The vocals work was also quite good. They did seem to go with a more generic sound this time around, which seems to be the route that they have been aiming for during their last few songs. But WINNER always seems to make it sound good. Just not this time, unfortunately.

The music video is very filled with a lot of symbolism, which is different from what a typical music video coming from WINNER is usually. Based on what I understood from an interview, the video shows scenes of the scars that fans do not see commonly. They are practically isolated from the rest of the world (shown by Mino), entangled in the public life (shown by Seungyoon), dodging scandals to keep that innocent and well-behaved image (shown by Jiwoo) and are hurt and tired underneath all of that name brand clothing that they get to wear (shown by Hoony). It is an interesting video that does manage to speak volumes, especially with what recently happened.

I think the performance is a lot like the song. There were good moments during the verses and pre-chorus thanks to the more upbeat vibes in the instrumental. But the slowdown from the chorus made it rather disappointing and this really dried up the performance for me.

Song – 5/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 5/10
Overall Rating – 6.2/10

[Review] Savage – A.C.E

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A.C.E made their comeback today with Savage, the title track off their third mini-album, Under Cover: The Mad Squad. This is the group’s first comeback since their UNDER COVER promotions back in May of this year. Not a whole heap has happened with the group that I am aware of since their last comeback, so there really isn’t much to discuss in this introduction. So let’s just get stuck right into the review.

There was no doubt that A.C.E would return with another intense EDM track, particularly when the song’s title is Savage. Majority of their title tracks thus far has been EDM based, so there might be some overlapping of sounds which is a rather typical element of EDM. But I am not complaining too much as they do manage to spin the genre in a different direction each time. Last time we heard from the group, I mentioned that UNDER COVER was concentrated form their earlier works. I find this song to be an even concentrated form, localised around the chorus. I was thoroughly impressed with the vocals and rapping in this song, which all worked together in a rather cohesive way to really highlight the intensity of the song. I also find the chorus to be quite harsh, fitting in with the ‘Savage’ title of the song. And while I did enjoy all parts of the song, I was particularly fond of their start. It was playful in a tough manner. And also a perfect lead into the EDM intensity that we know from the group.

The album is titled Under Cover: The Mad Squad. I find the music video to be a great portrayal of this ‘mad squad’. Especially towards the end of the song, with both the entire video shot in a manner that did make them look slightly mad during the bridge. I also really liked their solo shots in this video, which really drew the attention to their visuals. On top of that, their eye contact with me made it much more captivating.

Seeing Chan wearing black shorts throughout the music video gave me flashbacks to their short shorts days. Apart from that uncomfortable trip down memory lane, it is one damn good performance. I really liked how fun the bridge part of the choreography looked. I also liked how they looked like they were allowed to let go during the final moments of the performance, despite still maintain formation and what seems to be a routine (as odd as it sounds).

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.4/10

[Album Review] Feel Special (7th Mini Album) – TWICE

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It has been a while since I posted an album review. While Tuesdays are usually dedicated to reviewing a past album from the previous years, I have decided to drop that segment during November to catch up on the month of albums that I have missed out on. The first alum that I wanted to review was TWICE’s Feel Special. This is the group’s 7th mini-album and has once again proven their high status in the industry. Let’s see my thoughts on the album below.

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Feel Special Album Cover

1. Feel Special (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Feel Special. (7.5/10)

2. Rainbow – Rainbow starts off very standard and I was almost going to turn away from this song. I thought the verses were very plain and not so memorable. The chorus was the segment of the song that had me coming back. It provided the song with an influx of energy that I thought made it quite memorable and saved the song. Where I am at the moment, it is getting warm and Summer is fast approaching. Rainbow was quite lively, and this makes it very appropriate for the upcoming heat that is about to attack me. And that high note at the end was superb. (8/10)

3. Get Loud – Get Loud starts off with a set of marching band drums. And while we get a sprinkling or hints of it throughout the song, Get Loud transform into a rather standard pop sound. This standard pop sound was unlike what started off the previous song. Instead, it still had enough to be captivating. The percussion in the instrumental allowed it pushed forward and went extremely well with their vocals. I also thought the instrumental was rather dynamic and their transitions to be quite cool, making this a stand out track. I also liked the rapping in this song and thought more of it would have really made the track more entertaining. (9/10)

4. Trick It – I thought Trick It was a nice song. Tyuzu’s opening was probably my most favourite on this album. The instrumental had a number of unexpected turns, but it ended up resulting in a very cool and trendy piece. The vocal work was pretty nice. The rapping in this song, however, felt quite one-dimensional (i.e. there didn’t seem to be much of a standout rhythm) and this really disappointed me. The impression I got from the rapping was that it was a step too ahead of the rest of the song and hence doesn’t connect that well with it. (7.5/10)

5. Love Foolish – Love Foolish has one of the best choruses of the year. The way Chaeyoung sounds is so good. The speaking element really gave off a mature vibe which I don’t think I would have registered if it wasn’t there. I also liked how they didn’t do it in the second chorus (i.e. the middle of the song). Otherwise, this would have been a little overused and repetitive, which would lessen the impact of it at the end. The rest of the song didn’t really stand out in my opinion. But it was still enjoyable. (8/10)

6. 21:29 – The idea of the mandatory ballad just won’t disappear. While this isn’t exactly the slow ballad type, it was a step back from all the upbeat songs that have dominated the album thus far. While the vocal work was fine, I am torn about it. A part of me says the song is rather nice and works well as a breather. It was quite drifty in nature and I would see it as a good way to ‘turn down the dial’. At the same time, however, I feel like the sound was ill-fitting for such an energetic and lively album. It might have worked with other songs on a different album, but I didn’t feel it connect with the songs on this album. (7/10)

7. Breakthrough (Korean Version) – I have previously reviewed the Japanese version of Breakthrough. Click here to read the full review for Breakthrough. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8/10

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Feel Special Teaser Image

[Review] Spark – Taeyeon (SNSD)

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Alongside the two returning groups that I reviewed yesterday, we have a soloist joining the party in what already is shaping to be an interesting week. Taeyeon has been known for chart-topping hits and it seems like Spark will be no different. Alongside Spark, Taeyeon returns with her second studio album, Purpose, which also features the track Fours Seasons which was a single from her earlier in the year.

We have heard do a range of genres, such as the cliche ballad route that most vocalists do (Rain, I, Four Seasons etc.) and EDM (Why) from Taeyeon. Spark is a little different, opting for a pop sound that resembles the mega western hit, Rolling In The Deep by Adele. The instrumental was very compelling and actually works well as both a vocally centred and a dance track. There is some subtle attitude through the instrumentation. Adding to the intensity, the limelight is placed squarely on her vocals throughout the entire song. And that is one aspect that I really enjoyed regarding the song. I thought the chorus was very smooth and it works perfectly well as a whole. However, the entire time I was listening to the song, I was expecting it to build-up to something a little more climatic and shock us. What we ended up getting was fine but I felt like more could have done to really appeal to my personal taste.

As the song is titled Spark, the music video features a lot of red and orange colours, which makes it appropriate. Oh, and there are a few sparks here and there in the video as well. The video was shot with a green screen, as I am quite sure it would be rather dangerous to be performing on top of an actual crane. It isn’t as bad as other green screen applications in some other videos. At the same time, however, it does look rather cheap in comparison to past SM music videos. I did like how sleek she looked in black, which really went well with the red and orange colour palette they infused into the background.

The choreography looks good. It isn’t the most dynamic routine but I assume that was meant to help Taeyeon focus on the vocal aspect of the performance. I did find that it looked elegant (from what I saw in the music video), which was fitting to both Taeyeon’s style and the song.

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

[Review] Follow – Monsta X

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Monsta X makes their official return today with Follow. A fair bit has happened with the group, with all of it revolving around their overseas promotions. Since their last Korean comeback (Alligator), Monsta X has released Play It Cool, Who Do You Love, Love U and Someone’s Someone in the US. The group has also embarked on their world tour. And now, the group is back in Korea to promote their 7th mini-album, Follow: Find You. The group also dropped (unexpectedly) the music video for Find You and I will review that at a later date.

Follow brings together the use of a Korean traditional instrument (don’t know which one) and the modern EDM. There is one recent example that did this as well (Lit by ONEUS) which managed to maintain the Eastern influence in their song. Monsta X differs by using the Eastern influence like a detail within its instrumental while focusing on the Western EDM sound for the majority of the song. None of these combinations is superior over the other as both bring different ‘final’ sounds to the table. What I do like about Monsta X’s song is that it manages to infuse a load of energy into the mix, which I think makes this song feel a lot more inviting. It is something that I have come to associate with Monsta X. The vocal work was pretty good. But it is Joohoney and I.M’s rapping that really reflect well with the energy and adds a very dynamic component to the song. I feel like rapping, especially, nowadays can be very straight forward and one-dimensional. Here, you can feel their personality and the intensity in their segments, which adds to the appeal of the song.

As the song is quite fast-paced, the editing goes hand-in-hand. Once again, I think there is a story somewhere in the midst of the video. There will be some reason to why Hyungwon became the shining radiant sun in the video. I am not going to guess what the video is about, however, as I have no clue. Out of all the individual scenes, I thought Joohoney and I.M to be the most captivating. It might because I already find their segments in the song alluring. But their scenes looked really more dynamic in comparison to the rest of the group. 

Once again, the performance is a very strong element in this comeback. The routine during the chorus is enough proof of this. I really like the mini bounces they make during the entire performance, which probably made the less complicated looking performance a lot harder to execute. I also liked how Hyungwon (along with Minhyuk), who often doesn’t get many lines in their songs, a chance to shine within the choreography, as he was in the centre for the key parts of the performance.

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

[Double Review] Abandoned + Wonder Woman – Brown Eyed Girls

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It has been over 4 years since we last had a comeback from Brown Eyed Girls. Boy, have I missed them (and I am sure you did as well). Today, the quartet breaks the drought with a full group comeback. Returning with Re_vive (their 7th studio album to date), the comeback features double title tracks and they are titled Abandoned and Wonder Woman.

Abandoned is the first song that I wanted to discuss. It is a ballad. And given Brown Eyed Girls discography, it is a really good fantastic and also a song that they can only pull off. The song is quite haunting yet breathtaking at the same time. Within the first listen, the song gave me chills and this was thanks to their vocals, which are layered on top of the classically driven instrumental that is quite eerie sounding. Their vocals were the main focus throughout the song, which is something I really enjoy with Brown Eyed Girls. From the whisper-like vocals at the start to the dramatic rush they give us at the end, the four nail the song. But I really like about the song is the buildup. It is perfection in my point of view. The song progresses, going from soft to dramatic, which I really like. The icing on the cake is Miryo’s rapping during the bridge, which gave the song a peak that I would never have imagined. And it was a great way of incorporating Miryo into the song, using her powerful rapping talents to give that impact.

Wonder Woman is the second title track and it a complete change-up. It is a lot brighter and upbeat, which isn’t something that Brown Eyed Girls is known for. But at the same time, it is different from the bright and upbeat tracks we often get in the industry. There is a bit of retro influence in the instrumental, which gives it an appealing sound. I also found the song to be quite catchy and I can see myself listening to the song a fair bit in the coming weeks. The song focuses purely on vocals, with JeA, Narsha and Gain really well utilised. There are some things that don’t have been feeling as positive in comparison to Abandoned. I am a little confused with which part the chorus is. And Miryo’s part was quite underwhelming. I think if she had a stronger section, this would have lifted the song to a whole new level.

The main reason why this is a double review is due to music videos. I think they are interlinked but they are shot so well that they can be standalone. I am also not sure of the order, but this is my theory.  Abandoned shows the three vocalists as brides trapped in an abandoned house. It seems like they are abandoned by the guy, who comes looking for them in the first place. He tries to search for them but is unable to reach them as they are already dead. How so? Well, Jack seems to be the killer and ‘The Jack’ in this video is played by Miryo, who seems to toys with his feelings throughout the video. It was later revealed (via the framed book pages on the walls) that the guy had killed himself after the three vocalists (actually sisters) are convicted of being witches (due to Jack’s false information) and assumingly killed by the villagers. While the original story shows the witches killing the Jack. But in this video, Jack kills the witches, which resulted in them in donning similar male-centric outfits in the Wonder Woman video. In Wonder Woman, the group are attracted to the group of brides. It seems like JeA, Gain and Narsha ends up getting along with the brides just fine. Miryo, on the other hand, is cornered in her car by the brides, who show Miryo the Wanted posters for Jack, which is confirmed to be her at the end when you look at the soles of her shoes.

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

Wonder Woman
Song – 8/10
Music Video – 10/10
Overall Rating – 8.8/10

[Review] Sweet Chaos – DAY6

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The next comeback which I really wanted to cover today is DAY6’s Sweet Chaos. The band have had one successful year. It also seems like the Korean public is finally recognising the talents that we have known DAY6 had for ages now, with the band finally topping album charts and finally placing on the digital charts! And this was all done with the Time Of Our Life and The Book Of Us: Gravity comeback earlier this year. Alongside Sweet Chaos, the band has returned with their third studio album, The Book Of Us: Entropy.

It is going to be hard to top Time Of Our Life. Not just for DAY6 but almost every other artist will have that hurdle to get past if they want me to vote them for Song Of The Year (hint hint). Though, I admit that Sweet Chaos is a good followup. Just not good enough to exceed their previous title track. Having a very familiar instrumental that I just cannot pinpoint in my mind, Sweet Chaos manages to push the right buttons. Firstly, the song’s punk genre roots feel like something only DAY6 could do because they have that Western background. Secondly, I think the genre really sets the bands vocals up nicely. Thirdly, I am loving the post-chorus hook, which really tied up the chorus well. The intensity and energy rush the song has is definitely a side of DAY6 I enjoy, as per my past reviews. I also find the drums to be a really dynamic part of the song. Overall, I find Sweet Chaos to be really good and something that I wouldn’t mind blasting (and headbanging to if I wanted to).

The video contrasts to what we got last time from the band. To fit in the grungy vibes, the music video is shot in black and white at the start. Apart of me wanted it to stay that way but I liked what they did, as well. I find the way they brought colour to the video to be nice. But the way they gave colour to Sungjin felt rather cheap. Apart from that, I can only say positive things about the video. I really like the special effects they had in the video and I liked how the video got progressively intense as it went along.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.8/10

[Review] Run Away – TXT

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And finally, it is time to catch up on some of these reviews that I have missed out over the last week. First up is TXT, who made their much-anticipated comeback with Run Away and The Dream Chapter: Magic mini-album on Monday. This is the rookie group’s first comeback since their debut with Crown and The Dream Chapter: Star earlier this year. Since then, they have released a few music videos which I have yet to review (this is my implicit way of saying that they will be!) including Cat N Dog and Nap Of A Star.

I try to keep my reviews as honest as possible. So I will start off with this statement. I wasn’t much of a song when it was first released. It felt a little too plain for my liking. But over the past week, I have been listening to Run Away (otherwise known as 9 and Three Quarters) a few more times and I am now digging the song. I now found it very catchy and vibrant, which was different from my original thoughts. The melody of the song and its instrumental are two draw points. The melody I find rather simple but this makes it easy to follow and hum to. Their vocals are good but not the best of the week. The rock-infused instrumental gives the song a little more intensity to what could have been a standard sounding pop track. I particularly like the music box/circus-like sound that trickles in during the pre-chorus. It gives a little quirk to the song that really made it even more unique. I didn’t enjoy it in the bridge, however, which I think could have been where they up the intensity to bring the song home. Overall, a pretty good comeback track.

KPOP has gone a long way. Videos get more and more confusing as time progresses. TXT comes from the same company that houses BTS and very likely share the same team that comes up with these complex and confusion-inducing music videos. It seems like the common theory regarding the song and music video is about escaping reality. It seems like the guys are considered to be the ‘outsiders’ as they don’t interact with anyone around them but with only each other. There may also be some hints towards bullying in the video. I think the most important element of the video is the door. The door at the end signifies a way out. Something the members could have easily take. But instead, they put it on fire. I don’t think it is meant to burn down the door but the fire is intended to block the members (The door doesn’t appear burnt and the fire at the start of the video continued to burn, causing little damage to the book). Why should they run, when they could be themselves and not care about others, which was what I think the video wrapped up on. Though there are some things I still unsure about. There are some theory videos floating on the internet which may be of some interest. Overall, I thought it was a well-produced music video.

I thought the performance was a very strong and powerful routine, fitting for the music. I really liked the routine during the pre-chorus and the overall chorus routine as well. I do find it interesting how they leave Huening Kai to be the final member on stage. Not exactly sure what the intention of this is.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.8/10

[Review] Love Me – NU’EST

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Due to my studies, I may end up publishing my reviews for TXT, VAV, DAY6 and other comebacks on Wednesday. There may also be a possibility that I will publish them over the weekend if things get a little too hectic on my end. Apologies. 

Making their return today is NU’EST with Love Me. It has been a big year for the group so far, with the long-awaited return of Minhyun to the group’s lineup; a full group comeback with Bet Bet and Happily Ever After; the conclusion of their music video quadrilogy storyline; and an Asian tour. And now they are jumping right back into promotions with their new single and mini-album, The Table.

After a string of dark songs (including NU’EST W) releases, I was surprised to hear this release. Its tone is a lot brighter and colourful, which is unlike NU’EST if you are a new fan. But this isn’t exactly new for the group as Sleep Talking (released back in 2013) was also a bright and colourful track. Despite the change in the group’s sound, I did feel like the pop-dance track fitted in with the rest of the discography whilst still being fresh at the same time. Love Me is quite catchy, with the title repeated for the main bulk of the chorus. A little one-dimensional given today’s use of that technique. But I think that repetition really set up the rest of the chorus to be punchy and more lively. The whistling was also another good aspect of the song. I did want more from the vocals and rapping as it didn’t really ping me as memorable. The song went by quite fast (due to its 3-minute length), so the vocals and rapping should have been bolder to really impact me. But the chorus and catchy nature already do quite a bit and I think this managed to satisfy me.

Like the song, the music video manages to be colourful. But given NU’EST’s past quadrilogy (which I didn’t know was a thing until Bet Bet came out), I have a strong feeling that there is a storyline somewhere in the midst of this video. What that storyline is, I have no idea. And it is this potential storyline that has me interested in this video, as the rest of it just doesn’t look too intriguing for me. Apart from the bright and colourful nature that I already spoke about, nothing really stood out to me. Plain and standard would be the right words to use in this sense.

While the moves look good and all the members were constantly moving throughout the performance, I couldn’t help but think that the overall performance did look a little bland. I know, how hypocritical of me. I think I just wanted something more with this comeback and none of the three elements that I focus on in my review really delivered that ‘something more’. I did like the end, when Minhyun and JR had ‘solos’ from the rest of the group, as this part looked a little more dynamic than the rest of the performance.

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

[Review] Good BAM – N.Flying

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Even though it has taken some time to review some songs, do not worry. I am always checking out new releases (and their albums) as they come out. N.Flying’s latest release, Good BAM, is one of the few that caught my attention as soon as it was released. And it has been disappointing that it has taken almost a week to write a review for it. But here t is. This is the groups most recent comeback since they released Spring Memories, which was the followup to their trendy Rooftop single.

I think, given N.Flying’s past tracks that I really enjoyed, Good BAM would have been a better followup single to release to showcase a more mature feel yet maintain that very comedic and fun sound they portrayed during Hot Potato and The Real. Though, I am happy that they found new fans and popularity through their Rooftop release. The song is upbeat and easy-going, great characteristics of a fun night out with friends, which is what the song is all about. I really like the vocal and rapping combination that they went with in this song. I thought it was very dynamic for the casual song and it doesn’t go overboard in any way. There were some catchy moments that I really enjoyed in the song, such as the post-chorus hook, where the singing and rapping converged. I also saw in a live performance today that Cha Hun (the guitarist) also participated vocally in the song, which I think is very exciting as this is the first time for him (though I am not 100% sure if this is the case).

My initial comments in regards to the song can be applied to the music video as well. It isn’t crazy like their wilder music videos. But it isn’t as heavy as their more emotional videos. The video shows the guys having a fun day. Though things were sluggish at first, the fun slowly crept in, which made the night feel more memorable. In the end, we see them get home after a tiring night. But as they say, the night is still young and the group goes out one more time. Though they did manage to forget a phone for a moment and alsmot committed one of the biggest sins of today when going out (One must never forget their phone). Overall, I thought the video was great. It matched the casual vibes of the song and I really liked the neon light writing they had throughout the video to emphasis the English lyrics.

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