The two days of B.A.P related reviews was not intentional. I was just holding off Jung Daehyun’s You’re My review until I had time to write it. And it just happens to be the day before Yoo Youngjae’s solo debut with Another Night. Youngjae has had solo tracks up his sleeve, such as his collaboration with former Secret member Sunhwa. But he has yet to review a solo album since his debut with B.A.P back in 2012. But that changes today, with the release of his Fancy mini-album. Since departing from TS Entertainment, Yoo Youngjae has signed on with J Harmony Entertainment.
Given my mentality, the main vocalist of a group always ends up going down the ballad route for a solo track. And this has been proven to be incorrect on numerous occasions. Another Night once again how I should really dump this train of thought. Youngjae’s solo track is another tropical influenced track that suits the warmer climate that South Korea is approaching. I say it is tropically influenced as I think the chorus used electric guitars to give off that effect, rather than using the common tropical house synth. I think that was an interesting changeup to the trend. Youngjae’s vocals are also really nice, with his voice being extremely clear and it also flourished with an instrumental that wasn’t overwhelming. For the second verse, there seems to be a bit of rapping influence brought into the song. I thought this was rather interesting and it managed to give the song a much-needed change in texture. I personally think Another Night is a decent debut track to start off on, as it manages to throw Youngjae’s charms right at you.
The music video can be taken as a very persistent guy, played by Youngjae, trying to get the attention of his crush. Or be a thriller, with Youngjae being the main star as the creepy stalker. But since the song is suited for a brighter climate, I think the initial option would be a better fitting storyline. I like the crispness of the music video, with the quality being a very appealing aspect to the music video. And I think having a music video being all smiles really pushes the cheerful emotion onto you, which I personally do not mind.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8.6/10
Things are starting to get exciting for the former members of Wanna One. We are currently in the midst of solo debuts from members of the project group (including Yoon Ji Sung, Minhyun and Ha Sung Woon, with Bae Jin Young debuting next week). We also have NU’EST returning and AB6IX debuting shortly. Today, we are here to look at another Wanna One member’s release, Park Ji Hoon’s solo mini-album, O’Clock, which I think is a very promising release. Congratulations to Park Ji Hoon on his Music Bank win a few weeks back, as well. So, let’s definitely start with this closer look at his album.
O’Clock Album Cover
1..The Beginning Of... (Intro Track) – Park Ji Hoon starts off the album with the song that ends his L.O.V.E music video. Despite knowing that he was a rapper during his time as part of Wanna One, I did not expect his voice to be this raspy. That isn’t a bad thing, however, as it gives a nice texture to the opening track. I also like the high pitch moaning at the start of the song (and throughout the song). It gives a unique touch which I quite like. The line ‘The Beginning of New Love’ that Park Ji Hoon sings is a little awkward (I didn’t know that he was singing in English until I saw the lyrics) but other than that, it was a nice opener (and music video end-er). (9/10)
2. Us – Us is an R&B track that places a lot of focus on the solo artist’s vocals. I personally do not mind the song but felt it was a weak track. While the song does showcase his voice really well, I couldn’t help think that the instrumental was a little too distant and light during the verses. Usually, I like to think that the instrumental support the vocals in a variety of ways. But in this case, the verses felt bare and lacked a supportive background. For the choruses, this feeling wasn’t there, and it felt like a standard song, which was nice in comparison to the verses. I also felt that Us would benefit from a rap sequence of some kind. I think that could have given a boost to the song and filled up this void that I felt once the song ended. (7/10)
4. Would You… – Out of all the tracks on the song, Would You was the most colourful. So far (and the few tracks that follow) were quite moody, so it is nice to have a track that has really vibrant and bright colours. The instrumental has this feel-good feel to which and it allowed for Park Ji Hoon’s vocals to sound cheerful for once. We also got some rapping in the track, which I think suits the upbeat nature of the track. The chorus also featured a nice melody and I found it to be quite catchy. I also think the track suits the image that I know of Park Ji Hoon, which has always been youthful since his Wanna One days. (8/10)
5. Dawn Moon (새벽달) – I thought the screech-like synths and Park Ji Hoon’s whispering start was rather cool and opens up this track to be quite promising. And he delivers in this aspect. The verses were standard once again but featured a nice build up to a chorus made up of half vocals and half instrumental. I find this particular order to be somewhat refreshing, I also found the chorus to be quite impactful despite it not being as colourful as other EDM based choruses with hard drops. The drop the song went with felt dynamic upon reflection and really made the song progress along. My favourite part of the song has to be the climax in the bridge. The song needed a peak and I think this was appropriately done in this track. (8/10)
6. Young 20 – Young 20 is produced by fellow Wanna One member Lee Dae Hwi (who will be debuting in his own group alongside Park Woo Jin very soon!). It is also another vibrant song but it is no way near as colourful as Would You….I really like the layering of vocals and the harmonies that Park Ji Hoon (and the backing vocals) contribute towards. While I did like the vocals a lot, the rapping was equally as good. It gave the song a punch. I could imagine this track with really fun dance choreography, thanks to the instrumental. Altogether, it is very dynamic, which I think allows it to stand out as a promising contender to the title track. And with this track, I am now looking forward to future Park Ji Hoon and Lee Dae Hwi future releases! (9/10)
Returning as a solo artist is Jung Daehyun. Daehyun is a member of B.A.P. However, it is has been a rough few years for the group due to scandals and lawsuits. While they did return for a while under TS Entertainment, this was short lived for unknown reasons. After that, some members left the group and ultimately the remaining four left TS Entertainment earlier this year (though, it seems like they haven’t formally disband yet). Daehyun signed on with Wecan Company and released his first mini-album earlier this month. The lead track is You’re My.
You’re My is a ballad, something I had expected from Daehyun for his first release (which ended up being an R&B dance track). To me, the ballad is rather typical, instrumental wise. It has an orchestral vibe, along with some drums in the background. Nothing that exciting as you can see. However, Daehyun’s vocals are what keeps this song from being too boring. His voice starts off quite soft but when it gets to the chorus, Daehyun’s powerhouse vocals kick in, giving the song a needed boost in terms of energy. It builds alongside the instrumental but as it is at the forefront, it felt like his vocals gave more to the song. The high note and ending felt a little muddled in my opinion. With the high note being at the start of the bridge and the end introducing new melodies, I felt like it was a little too loaded. But overall, it was a fair ballad that lets us enjoy a bit more of the song.
The music video starts off showing Daehyun finding a camera. It seems to bring past happy memories back to Daehyun. These memories feature his partner, who I think leaves for a faraway place. But the two are still together at the end of the video, judging by their Skype call. At the end of the video, Daehyun moves out and takes a final shot of the apartment that he shared with his long-distance girlfriend. And he departs with a smile on his face. It is always nice to see a ballad that isn’t about the sad emotions. On top of that, the video showed nice scenery and this went nicely with the happy memories. It wouldn’t be my pick for best music video but it was still nice overall.
Song – 7.5/10 Music Video – 8/10 Overall Rating – 7.7/10
Weekend releases are quite uncommon, especially at the start of a group’s career. 1THE9 made their respective debut over the weekend, with their first album release occurring on the 12th of April (Saturday). Currently under MBK Entertainment, 1THE9 was formed through the survival program, Under Nineteen. Also based on the name, the group has 9 members including Yoo Yong Ha, Kim Tae Woo, Lee Seung Hwan, Shin Ye Chan, Kim Jun Seo, Jeon Do Yum, Jung Jin Sung, Jeong Taek Hyeon and Park Sung Won. Their debut track, Spotlight, is featured on the mini-album, XIX.
Spotlight follows the trend of Latin pop, which we all know has been dominating KPOP for the past year or so. And as it goes for a very overused trend in the industry, the song fails to really standout. It also doesn’t help that I thought the song was rather weak in terms of hooks and memorable elements. I found the main hook (the ‘Merry-go Merry go-…round‘) in the chorus to very, once again, very typical and not that catchy overall. I feel like more could have been added to the instrumental to make the song pop right out. I had the craving for some electric guitar towards the end, which I think could set the track up to be slightly more powerful. The vocals were alright. They just didn’t have anything to really make me go wow in this domain. The rapping was a lot more interesting. I liked the tone and it really showed a lot of potential down the road! Overall, Spotlight was an okay debut track. It was just very typical.
The music video starts off with two songs that I assume come from their mini-album. The actual Spotlight song doesn’t start until 1:07. However, the presence of the two other tracks didn’t allow the video to flow too nicely and a little hard for me to get through. The same thing could have been said about the music video. It connects with their album teaser’s video but it seems to be its separate story. The members end up having a party in the gymnasium, which seems to upset the coach (who already had previous beef with one of the members). He is escorted away and they all have fun partying. The entire Spotlight subsection in the video isn’t connected to any of this and I wonder why the start and end were even wrapped around it. This subsection contained bright vibes through the use of vibrant colours in the choreography and solo shots. I did think this was a little too much, as I felt a darker vibe could have really shown a nice contrast. But that wouldn’t fit the group’s young image.
The choreography was rather nice. Finally, something that wasn’t typical or confusing. I liked their energy and the post-chorus section was probably my favourite parts of the entire performance!
Song – 6/10 Music Video – 6/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 6.4/10
Returning to the stage once again is Super Junior’s Donghae and Eunhyuk with their latest mini-album and the title track. Danger. It hasn’t been that long since we last saw them through their ‘Bout You promotions but that was 8 months ago, which can be considered to be a lengthy absence especially in the highly competitive industry of KPOP right now. But Super Junior doesn’t need to worry about this as they have a very loyal fanbase who will continually support them years to come! And I am sure the support extends to their subunits. So let’s have a closer look at Danger.
Danger is a song that boasts energy and edginess due to the nature of the instrumental. It takes on rock, trap and other forms of EDM in the song, creating an atmosphere that is best described as intense. The presence of the fast trap elements in the chorus gives it almost an ethnic vibe, which I think is rather interesting. But while intense is the right word, the song could have potentially benefited by extending this intensity by going a little more extreme with it. I think we are given a tiny taster to that potential at the end when it is built from suspense. But I would have liked it if it were gradual. Moving to more of the members, the rapping at the start was a pretty nice opener and sets up the song well. Donghae follows through with some vocals, which I think was also quite good. Sure, there isn’t anything mind-blowing in terms of technicalities and techniques. But they were rather captivating for a song like this. Overall, Danger is a pretty nice song to listen to.
I think the video matches extremely well with the vibes of the song. The edginess is taken on board in the video by going with its dark lighting and the possible participation in gang-like activities (though I don’t that is the exact words they would use to describe the video). Apart from that, I think the video has some great cinematography, especially the scenes where we can see them in a circle by looking up from underneath. I thought it is quite cool.
Performance wise, it is really good. I think the biggest fear with Super Junior (and many senior groups) is that the choreography standards just continually become more intense. To the point where you don’t know if these senior groups will be able to keep up. But for the main dancers of Super Junior, they do a pretty damn good job. The chorus has t be my pick for the highlight of the entire choreography routine.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 8.5/10 Performance – 8.5/10 Overall Rating – 8.3/10
Left right and centre, BTS has been all over social media (for me at least) for their comeback on Friday with Boy With Luv. This title track featured on their 6th mini-album, Map of The Soul: Persona, which was also released on the same day. So, it would be a major pity for me to delay the album review to next weekend, especially since BTS is getting so much attention. They have been confirmed to now be the fastest video to be viewed 10 million times on YouTube, whilst also be the first KPOP act to perform on Saturday Night Live. They have also broken even more records on other platforms since I published my review for Boy With Luv (link below). Phew, a lot of stuff to keep up on! But here is my review as a treat!
Map Of The Soul: Persona Album Cover
1..Intro: Persona – Performed by just RM, the introductory track to the album centres on rapping, as this is RM’s forte. The song has an urban rock type of vibe to it, which I quite like. And while it does fall into that description and still manages to fall into the hip-hop roots, the song is very light, and this makes it an excellent taster to the album. Unlike most introductory tracks, Persona lasts around 3 minutes but somehow still goes by quite quickly. (8/10)
3. Mikrokosmos (소우주) – The third track of the album, Mikrokosmos, seems to continue this lightness that we have heard thus far on the album. But while lightness would be a good term to really describe the song, I found it to be quite a vibrant pop track with wholesome lyrics. I think the track does a good job of showcasing the vocals of the members despite nothing technical or over-the-top being shown to the listener. I also thought the rapping was well-tweaked for the track as they still manage to show themselves as rappers but in a more appropriate manner for the track. Overall, I thought the melody was nice and hence it stood out for me. (9/10)
4. Make It Right – Before we jump ahead, Ed Sheeran does not feature in the track. Instead, he is one of the writers of the track. And a collaboration between the biggest boy group and soloist is probably a killer move. Truthfully, I am not a major fan of Ed Sheeran, but I think the song turned out well. That lightness continues from the previous track. I really do like the pop vibes and the unique the instrumental felt with the brass throughout it. To me, the vocals win in comparison to the rapping (not that the latter was disappointing because it wasn’t). I thoroughly enjoyed the low and husky voices of some of the members, along with the amazing harmonies that you can hear between all the members. That final line to the song was superb (and probably the most impactful part of the song). (8/10)
5. Home – Home kicks the energy up a tiny bit, which I greatly appreciated after all those light tracks. The song doesn’t explicitly repeat ‘Home’ in the lyrics. Rather ‘Mi Casa’ which is Italian for ‘My Home’ was used instead. Once again, great vocals and rapping fill up the track. There is this sense of warmth to the song, which I find very appropriate for a song titled as Home. Besides that, however, doesn’t really feel impactful or memorable. It is nice to listen to but isn’t one that I would go out of my way to find. (7/10)
6. Jamais Vu – Jamais Vu features only Jin, J-Hope and Jungkook. The title, Jamais Vu, is a French phrase that means ‘familiar however it hasn’t happened yet’. It is a heartfelt and emotional track with chilling vocals that really leave a lasting impression on you. J-Hope’s raps are also very well done, with the husky rap-speaking concept being well used here. I also enjoyed the minimal instrumental they used in this song, which leaves the vocals to do much of the speaking. My only vendetta against the song is that it feels choppy, which I am not too sure if it was intentional. I don’t really enjoy the flow of it all too much but I would listen to it again for the other elements. (7.5/10)
7. Dionsyus – Ending this album is Dionsyus, the Greek God of grape-harvesting, wine, winemaking, ritual madness and theatre, along with a few other things. But the ones I listed seemed to be referenced in the lyrics of the song. To match the lyrics, the song seems to delve into the rock and hip-hop genres, cultivating into something quite suitable for hyping up a crowd. It is a little heavier than the intro track, which I think is suitable here. But it isn’t too heavy to really make you expect more after this track (and hence is an excellent finisher to the album). I also really like RM’s suspense-building tactic used in the bridge. While the song does kick it up even more for the final chorus, giving the song that peak it needed, I wanted it to go more hardcore, as I think this would literally end the album with a bang. (9/10)
Apologies again for the lateness of the review (this was meant to be published on Saturday but it is now Sunday where I am living). But this review will be looking at BLACKPINK’s 2nd mini-album to date, Kill This Love, which features the title track of the same name. I think the most exciting part of this comeback is that the number of BLACKPINK songs is growing, with the addition of 4 new songs (including the title track). The album also contains a remix version ofDDU-DU DDU-DU, which I think is really good as well. But as this song was previously reviewed, it has been omitted from this album review.
Kill This Love Album Cover
1..Kill This Love (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Kill This Love.(6.5/10) APOLOGIES TO ALL BLINKS OUT THERE. My original review referred to the song as Kiss The Love in the title. This has been rectified.
2. Don’t Know What To Do – The one thing that makes this song amazing is that it slowly builds up to the club-centred chorus. This makes the chorus stand out even more than what it already does standalone due to its energetic kick. And as a result, this makes the song one to remember. In conjunction with this is amazing formula, the song also centres itself around the member’s vocals capabilities. I don’t think there was much of a rap sequence in the song, which I think was slightly intriguing. I think the choice of vocals makes this song even more unique, as a rap would have potentially made the song feel typical in BLACKPINK’s standards. (9/10)
3. Kick It – Kick It is what I would say is within the grounds of BLACKPINK typical standards. It has what I would say is a similar formula to their title tracks. But what I like about this track is that still manages to put a different spin on it. This was done through the more R&B and dragged out the chorus. Combined with their vibrant vocals (the ‘Kick It’ vocals are very popping), I think the chorus is quite dynamic. I also thought the inclusion of the rap sequence in the second verse makes this song a lot more appealing. Finally, the chanting part of the bridge was pretty good, feeling a void that I didn’t think exist until I carefully rethought the entirety of the song. (8/10)
4. Hope Not (아니길) – Following the focus on vocals rather than raps is Hope Not. It is a ballad that does an amazing job of showcasing the vocals of the members. It gives the powerful and popular girl group a more delicate sound. The instrumentation takes an acoustic guitar approach, and this goes well with the vocals. I did like the ‘Yeah Yeah Yeah’ part of the song, with that being the most memorable highlight of the entire track for me. Overall, it isn’t my personal favourite song on the album but it still good to listen to. (7/10)
Making their grand return today is BTS with Boy With Luv. And with their current worldwide popularity, Boy With Luv continues to break even more records than ever before. Topping charts as soon as the song is released, while also doubling the number of pre-orders for their latest mini-album (also dropped today) compared to their previous release, are just some already making news. So, it is super exciting to even be writing review for such a worldwide artist! We last saw BTS through their IDOLcomeback in August last year.
If you are a longtime fan of the group, you may be familiar with another BTS title track, Boy In Luv. While the titles are similar, the songs are very different. Actually, it is very different compared to any other their past tracks, which were all dance heavy. To me, Boy With Luv still goes towards that dance route but in a lighter and more mellow pop direction. It also seems to focus on more of the vocals, as I thought the rapping wasn’t as prevalent. While we are on the topic of vocals, I thought each member managed to match the lighter sound and I think we got a chance to hear them in a wholesome manner, which contrasts from their autotuned and louder volumes in dance tracks. Suga and J-Hope didn’t shine as much, as their parts didn’t stand out as much. RM, however, benefited from a kick in the beat of the instrumental, which I thought was a major difference between the rapper’s section. The main confusing point has to be Halsey’s featuring parts, which was only certain parts of the chorus. I think she could have been omitted and everything would remain the same, honestly. Overall, the question remains: do I like it? Boy With Luv is different and foreign to me. But it is still pleasant, which I think I can enjoy even more down the road.
The music video seems very typical to me. It didn’t have that wow factor like most of their other videos. Though, there is most likely a hidden storyline in the midst of the video. Maybe it will have that wow factor then! I did like the more down-to-earth and more playful vibes the member got to portray. It did make the video feel a lot more casual and laidback. I think, to me, the most memorable parts had to Suga and RM’s rap parts. The change to darkness to let them be the main focus worked really well, and I wished some of the members got something similar. Well, they did but it didn’t seem as bold as RM or Suga’s.
Also going with the light trend is the choreography. Nothing too complicated or extremely energetic in this performance, which I think is rather nice and probably beneficial for the members, who have been overworked with complicated and intense choreographies. This is all based on what I saw in the video, by the way!
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 7/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 7.7/10
Apologies for the missed album review on Sunday. As a result, I will be publishing another tomorrow to compensate for it, or else I will fall very behind on my schedule. In the meantime, this is the weekly Friday album review post! Stray Kids made their comeback on the 25th of April with both Clé 1: MIROH and the title track, Miroh. Since then, they have been releasing special videos for a number of the tracks on the album. It seems like this is a common thing for Stray Kids and I may compile a special review of these videos later on. However, for now, here is the album review for Clé 1: MIROH.
2. Victory Song (승전가) – Stray Kids throws you intensity right, left and centre in Victory Song. Listening to the track, it is loaded with that hip-hop sound that Stray Kids started off with their mixtape. And it honestly been a while since I have personally heard a hip-hop dance track like this and really enjoyed it. Starting the song off are some sirens, which just tell you that it is going to be one hell of a track. The song then moves onto rapping and we are treated to a very deep whisper by Felix, who does a really good job building suspense for the track. The way the song is set up allows for the rappers to really shine, but the vocals were also quite good. The chorus is extremely strong, with their chanting union of the line ‘Listen to this Victory Song’ very memorable. (9/10)
3. Maze of Memories (잠깐의 고요) – Maze of Memories is also very intense. But it takes a different approach that Victory Song or the title track. The song starts off with a light-ish piano piece to build up the song (To me, the piano piece reminds me of the waiting music you hear when you are waiting for a computer game to load up). But the song takes a sudden turn for the chorus, delving into a rock instrumental. Interesting, it returns to the piano piece for the second verse, which I thought was rather cool. And this allows for the rock instrumental to be even more profound when it returns once again. Even more impressively, all the members rap throughout the song. I don’t think I heard any vocals and I think that is quite cool. Felix, Seungmin and Bangchan’s English lines did take me by surprise, which I don’t really understand why. But I guess it is might be because I have not heard an extended sequence like so that much. (10/10)
4. Boxer – Following the intense trend on this album, Boxer seems to be a very appropriate title for a track on this album. And like the title, the song centres itself around boxing, with the chorus acting like a boxing tutorial that I think might just work if you are wanting a workout (though, don’t trust me on this as I do not work out in any way). Once again, the rappers are at the forefront of the song, dominating for most of the verses and choruses. But the vocalists were still quite good in their limited sections. As for the instrumental, there is a more electronic influence, with the scratchy chorus and very intense fast vibrating synth accompanied by the bells you hear commonly in boxing matches. To me, it isn’t the stand out track on the album but it still quite good. (8/10)
5. Chronosaurus – Chronosaurus is appealing for several factors. The song starts off with a tone that seems to refocus on the vocalists of the song. It is much more melodic, and the rappers appeared to be scattered throughout the song, rather than the vocalists like in the previous tracks. The song isn’t as intense, providing some relief after the overload of intensity we have gotten so far. It also has a slower tempo, which allows us to really appreciate the song in a more wholesome way. I also liked the instrumental. Still quite dynamic but it’s different in its own way. I think the best part has to the eerie bridge. I really liked Bang Chan, Woojin and Seungmin’s vocals in this section. It really goes well with all the Western songs that I listen to and it makes the final chorus even more impactful once it comes along. (9/10)
6. 19 – When you see the number 19 in the context of KPOP songs, you automatically think of the strict broadcasting laws video content must be branded with. However, this is not the case for Stray Kid’s 19. The song is a slow R&B track that showcases both the rappers and vocalists evenly. I think the song talks about their hardship at the age of 19, which I think is the final age before people become ‘adults’ in Korea (don’t quote me on this, however). I really like the moody instrumental of the track which seems emotional and reflective, but the deep R&B vibes also fit Stray Kids’ portfolio. It didn’t appeal automatically to my taste, but the song grew on me after a while and I think, now, is quite good. (8/10)
Apologies for my absence yesterday, which saw the debut of a brand new group. BVNDIT is a five-member girl group who are currently signed under MH Entertainment, the same company that currently has Kim Chungha signed under. The group, consisting of Songhee, Yiyeon, Simyeong, Jungwoo, Seungeun, made their debut with the single Hocus Pocus, the title track from BVNDIT, Be Ambitious! (their first mini-album). Also, BVNDIT (pronounced as BANDIT) also stands for Be Ambitious N Do It, which is a little fun fact about the group!
Interestingly, Hocus Pocus has a number of similarities to what Chungha has previously put out. But BVNDIT also manages to put a spin on this sound and make it their own. To me, the song is quite typical, with not many elements jumping out of me at first listen. But listening to it some more has given me a chance to form some observations. A small fraction of the flute at the very start of the song reminds me of Chungha’s Gotta Go. And I was convinced that one of the members (sorry, I don’t know any member’s names) was Chungha based on her vocals, which is very similar to the soloist. While we were on the topic of the vocals, I thought there were quite nice. The song did miss that opportunity to include a rap sequence, which I think could have given the song a boost. I also did like the post-chorus instrumental break which has some brass and an ethnic sound, which makes it an intriguing part of the song, overall. I also enjoyed the slowdown for the bridge. Usually, I think a slowdown for a dance track isn’t the most ideal way to go, but this works here as the rest of the track doesn’t seem to be that fast actually.
To me, the music video is a balance between cutesy (though the brighter and vibrant colours at the start) and edgy (the darker tone that we get during the second verse). There are elements of both and I guess the video was made to show the two sides of the girls. Apart from that, I didn’t notice too much about the video that could be considered a plotline. Other than that, it was a nice visual introduction to the group.
The choreography for this debut track is pretty fantastic. I enjoyed the performance from start to end. It looked energetic and fun. I particularly like the choreography for the post-chorus instrumental breaks
Song – 7.5/10 Music Video – 7/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 7.5/10
Originally, I was going to do a full album review for Secret for this week’s ‘Past Album’ review. However, a few things popped up last minute and I decided to go with an album with fewer songs, instead. After all, I already skipped the album review on Sunday, so I didn’t want to miss out on this one. Secret release Letter From Secret back in 2013 and it was a return to the group’s cutesy concept. Unfortunately, the album and title track didn’t do too well when it was released, so it never got that much attention. I find the songs on their album to be very nice and today, I will be sharing this album with you.
2. Daddy Long Legs (키다리 아저씨) – The title of this song is rather odd like it isn’t the first title that comes to your mind when you hear this sweet ballad-like song. After some digging around, the song title seems to allude to someone with a fatherly figure. While this could easily be applied to a lover, I think the song is more directed to the member’s fathers. After all, the song has quite an innocent sound (or at least I assume it is). I really like the melody of the track and the guitar in the background, which gives off that swaying effect that I look for. I also enjoyed their vocals in this song. If it were to be memorable for anything, it would most likely before its touching lyrics towards their fatherly figures. But it is still quite pleasant, overall. (8/10)
3. ONLY U – Only U is a rather bittersweet song. The song is once again another ballad. While the lyrics seem to be about regretting letting someone go (let it be a past lover or a friend who they friendzone and now regrets), the song is still quite light. Rather than being straightforwardly sad, the song sits in a weird limbo based on its light tone and their sweet style vocals. However, I do hear the hints of sadness in their voices, which does complement the song’s message. I like Jung Hana’s rap sequence is the entire verse section of the song. The only downside to the song is that Sunhwa sounded like she was straining herself in the bridge and this didn’t sound as pleasing compared to the rest of the song. But to me, it is another great ballad. (8/10)
4. B.O.Y (Because Of You) – Out of the three ballads on the album, this one probably is my favourite. Unlike the other two which used a softer approach in its sound, B.O.Y used a harsher mix of instruments and this made the song feel more vibrant out of the rest. I would say that B.O.Y could be taken as a ballad, but it can also have some dance moves to it. But don’t let its vibrancy fool you. The song isn’t a vibrant song when you consider the lyrics. It is another emotional song that talks about how they cannot move on after a breakup. Once again, their vocals do a fantastic job of portraying these emotions and I also liked the harmonies during the chorus. (9/10)
Another very late review is coming your way! Out of all the SHINee members, Minho has yet to release any solo songs in this career. Instead, he is the most successful member in acting. And as many of the members were nearing the military enlistment age, we have seen an influx of releases of from member. Minho joins this influx and made his solo debut on the 28th of March, through the release of I’m Home. The single is released as part of the SM Station Season 3 project, which has seemed to be focusing on solo tracks more this time around.
I’m Home is a mid-tempo ballad. SInce Minho isn’t known for this vocals, I wondered how a song of this nature would play out. Rather than being anything negative, I’m Home manages to be quite pleasant and easy on the ears. The song opens with some whistling, something that you would associate with a breezy type of song. The instrumental is predominately acoustic guitar, with the incorporation of percussion for the vocals. His vocals are quite impressive. They were rather clear and it basically throws out on whether Minho could handle the ballad genre. His high note was very nice, as an example of his style. Nicely incorporated into the song is a rap sequence. To me, the song plays towards Minho’s strength. It isn’t the most memorable song out there. But for longtime fans of Minho and SHINee, I think this would be a very nice and well-deserved treat.
We start off with Minho walking up to the sound of both his alarm clock and the phone ringing. His character in the video is a businessman, who is basically working 24/7. However, based on his expressions and posture, it seems like Minho is longing to be with his partner, who is not in the picture at the moment. This goes nicely with the song. Every time he takes a rest, the alarm clock or phone (or another person) is waking him up. This just constantly reminds him of his loneliness and forces him to live with that feeling. I think this forces to him a move at the end, where is running to probably propose to his partner. I really like how he is singing in the midst of everything, which I think was a creative thing to do. I also like the golden appearance of the video and that slightly hazy effect.
Song – 7.5/10 Music Video – 8/10 Overall Rating – 7.7/10
DIA returned two weeks ago with Woowa and their latest mini-album, Newtro. Unofrtotuately, the group’s latest comeback hasn’t got much attention from what I have noticed. And from what I understand, the physical albums were delayed and hence this impacted their chart performances. Very disappointing. But that is why today’s album review is here! I enjoyed all the songs on the album and I want to let you guys know about these songs as well!
2. No (안할래) – Following right after the addictive Woowa is No, which is another favourite track of mine. I find the song to be very dynamic with its vibrant use of that squeaky synth during the instrumental. Usually, I would find such a thing annoying, but it really popped well in this song. The lead up to the chorus was probably my absolute favourite part of the song as it gave the song a little flair in a memorable way. I also liked the keyboard that featured during the bridge of the track, which I think flowed really well with the rest of the song. The vocals were also extremely nice, another highlight to No.(9/10)
3. 5 More Minutes (5분만) – 5 More Minutes begin with a sing-rap sequence which was rather nice. Based on this, you can tell that this was going to a typical pop song. The chorus practically confirms this with no unexpected changes in the music. It is a sweet song that managed to bring about a smile, which I think the main aims of the lyrics were to do. The song focuses squarely on the vocals of each of the members. I personally won’t say DIA is known for their vocals but this was a fair effort and I really liked how innocent they sounded in this song. I also like how they didn’t go down the sad ballad route, which was a nice change up to normal expectations. (8/10)
4. Crescendo (손톱달) – While I liked most of the song, Crescendo started off with this really odd synth that really sounded like it was off-tune. Apart from that, everything else about the song was rather likeable. It sounded like it started off with a sweet sound, like what we were presented in 5 More Minutes. However, the second verses bring a bit of trap into the song. Interesting and not entirely misplaced. Once again, the vocals were at the forefront of the song, with the members singing at a higher pitch and in falsetto. I also think this song showcased the best harmonies from the members than any other song on this album. (8/10)
The biggest comeback of this week has to go to BLACKPINK, who returned today with Kill This Love. But when it comes to BLACKPINK’s comebacks, do you know what makes this one better? The fact that we also get three new songs (so an album review is coming your way!). We last saw BLACKPINK through the extremely popular DDU-DU DDU-DU. We also got to see Jennie through her solo promotions of SOLO at the end of 2018, along with promises from YG for future solo promotions for the other members (hopefully!).
Kill This Love starts with blaring horns, which really encapsulates the group’s fierce style within the first few seconds of the song. It also hints towards a military-style concept, which will become apparent quite soon. Following this, the group launches itself into a hip-hop infused verse, before settling on a vocally-centred pre-chorus. The blaring horns return for the chorus, which definitely had an added dramatic flair. At the end of the song, we get this military-like rolling drum beat that pretty brings the song back full circle to the same feeling that we got from the start (and it is probably my favourite bit) However, there are a few aspects that leave me rather disappointed with the song. The chorus was underwhelming, with a very mediocre approach for its catchiness. I also think the song was rather muddled with its many sounds. The presence of the extended pre-chorus right after the fierceness of the hip-hop verse really lost the flow of the track and it failed to make the chorus drop in a satisfying manner. Overall, I am not really feeling the song this time.
As usual, the music video is amazing. I say this with any YG Entertainment music video and will probably say it countless more times in the future. Each set looked amazing, especially the massive bear trap set. Though, I am never sure about the meaning behind every scene and how this relates to the lyrics or the rest of the video (sometimes, they feel quite random). I did find this video that did a good job of describing the scenes so I will post this here if you want to hear about a possible theory. I really like how edgy the members look with their outfits and on the sets. The military concept also carried over, with pretty much the ending being a massive military march.
The performance was really good. Fierceness seems to be the big word of the day, with it being an adjective throughout all the aspects of this comeback. The chorus looked amazing but my favourite choreography moment has to be the end with the marching/rolling drum beats. I enjoyed the rush of energy during this part.
Song – 6.5/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 7.8/10
Out of all the members of the now-disbanded Wanna One, I think many people are excited for Minhyun. His group went onto Produce 101 as a final attempt to get themselves recognition. And it paid off. NU’EST returned as NU’EST W and continually topped charts with their new releases. Minhyun went on to be part of the popular Wanna One. And now that chapter has closed, it will be interesting to see what direction NU’EST will now take. And we will slowly find out from today, as Minhyun’s solo release (in preparation for a full comeback in the near future) was revealed.
Universe is the Minhyun’s solo track’s name. It is an R&B track but it diverts from that traditional slow tempo to a more upbeat pop and dance influence. And it is this diversion that really gets me into the song. A solo release will also get the member to shine and Minhyun does it effortlessly in this song. So altogether, the song does stand out for me. I find this particular route is very foreign for NU’EST, so it is quite refreshing when I reflect upon the song at the end. I really like the melody, which I thought was calming in a way, despite the upbeatness. Maybe it was the clearness in his voice or its rather easy-on-the-ears instrumentation. Talking about his voice, I really like the falsettos that he attempts at towards the end of the song. It did feel like it was missing something. It didn’t feel complete to me. I think I wanted a rap sequence somewhere to give a little more variety. But that would completely shake up the track, so I guess I understand why that didn’t occur. But overall, Universe is a really good track to kick start Minhyun’s return to the group.
The music video was shot in Budapest and is connected to NU’EST’s previous music videos (Overcome and Love Paint). It is a little confusing, but here is my attempt at the storyline. Minhyun used to be in a relationship but it ended badly (i.e. she leaves him). I think this break-up was a bit harsh on Minhyun, who becomes ‘soulless’ as we saw at the start of the video. However, there is an old man living in the apartment across from his and he comes by daily with a crystal (the same crystals shown in Overcome), that when connected to a machine, relays the good memories of a person. In this case, Minhyun relives the relationship, as we see the days repeat themselves. And this old man is always nearby to control the dosage (I guess) of the crystal. But on one particular day, he isn’t there and Minhyun uses more of the crystals, which unlocks the white Queen (the same Queen from the Overcome music video who went missing). It seems like Minhyun was still on his quest to find the Queen all along, as he bows down to her at the end of the video. Though we don’t know what happens after he reunited with the Queen. My guess is that this ending leads us straight into the forthcoming videos from NU’EST because the storyline doesn’t seem to be completed just yet. I am also unsure how Love Paint play into this (maybe another music video theory post idea?).
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9/10
It is time for another double review. However, this one features two songs from the very popular duo, BOL4 or Bolbbalgan4, which were released yesterday. The way they got popular made me think that they were going to be a one-hit wonder. But they managed to enter the limelight every single time they return, which goes to show that influence that BOL4 has over the Korean public. The two songs, Bom and Stars Over Me, are featured on the group’s latest mini album and are currently on top of the charts in South Korea. This is also their first comeback since Travel and Starlight.
And there is a reason to why Bom is currently on the top of the charts. Bom is a love song and its sound is very typical of this season. And if you don’t know, Korea really loves love songs during the Spring months, given the fact many love songs have trend during this time of the year. I found the song to be very sweet. But not overly sweet that gets me cringing, which is obviously a good thing. I like its instrumental. And the vocals were quite nice, which is expected from BOL4. The combination of two, however, makes we smile a lot and I can’t but think of spending time with the person I like while listening to the song, which is another reason to why I think it is successful.
To me, Stars Over Me is like Travel but more suited for the Spring season in which the release is in. But rather like a love song, the song focuses more on friendship (but it could still go either way). I like how more acoustic this song is, which I find it more in line with their previous releases. I also enjoyed the English in the track. It wasn’t 100% correct but it was still a fair effort on their behalf. It also seems like Jiyoon also had the opportunity to harmonize with Joyoung in the song, which I thought was also nice. Once again, there wasn’t anything that special about the song but it was still nice to listen to.
Bom’s music video is very twisted. While the storyline of Jiyoung (Cupid) using her arrows to make her crush love her is very fitting for the song, the way he comes back to her is essentially a case of Stockholm Syndrome (i.e. he remembered of those fond memories that she forced upon him by forcing him to love her). I did like the very start of the storyline where she missed two arrows and it ended up hitting Jiyoon instead. Stars Over Me is also like the song. It focuses on the friendship between the two members and showing them have fun at various places. I liked how the lyrics popped up on the screen every now and then, giving it more of that fun nature.
Bom Song – 8/10 Music Video – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8/10
Stars Over Me Song – 8/10 Music Video – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8/10
KPOPREVIEWED 