Category: KPOP

[Review] Valkyrie – ONEUS

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It is always exciting to look at new debuts and see what they have to offer. While it isn’t technically the first debut of 2019 (A review is coming soon!), ONEUS’ debut is still one of the first of the year. ONEUS is a 6-member male group under RBW Entertainment (which also houses Mamamoo and VROMANCE). The group is made up of Ravn, Seoho, Leedo, Keonhee, Hwanwoong, and Xion. We have previously seen the group with their collaboration with ONEWE, an upcoming band under the same company.

Their debut title track is titled as Valkyrie and there are two meanings to the title, which are both referenced in the lyrics of the song (taken from SOOMPI). The first is in regards to the mythological creature Valkyrie (more on this in the music video section). The second is in regards to the way Valkyrie is pronounced in South Korea, which is similar to the Korean equivalent of ‘Light It Up’, where the member describes their lover as a beacon of light. But I think the elements in the song were more interesting. The instrumental features this cool guitar rhythm, which I think makes the song sound so elegant and very addictive. But the song is two-faced, with an electronic changeup for the chorus which gives the song some edge and definitely adds onto that addictive nature. And we can’t wrap up this section without reference to the amazing vocals and rapping.  The rappers, in particular, caught my attention as they gave the song that extra roughness which definitely goes perfectly with the edgy sound they were aiming for.

The meaning with the mythological creature (mentioned above) is seen more profoundly in the music video. The Valkyrie is represented by the light in the music video (which goes hand-in-hand with the other meaning), awakening the members to travel to Valhalla (the afterlife). Throughout the video, you see the members being rather bored with their lives on Earth and I think are hoping that they will be picked to go to Valhalla in order to seek the Valkyrie, which may also be their lover. At least, that is my take on the video. I really like the dark side of the video and the very unique sets that they have. The spikes looked really cool and that back-ending scene really stole the show for me.

And that back-bending move is also seen in the choreography. Just the member doing the complicated move (sorry, I don’t know their names yet) is supported by other members. But still looks cool. I also liked the footwork they did during the lone guitar moments in the song and they made the chorus look quite explosive.

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

 

[Review] La La Love – WJSN (Cosmic Girls)

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Returning today with a brand new song is WJSN, with La La Love. WJSN has had a pretty successful last year with the release of Dreams Come True and Save You, Save Me, which both helped grow their fanbase considerably. The latter song also earned the group’s first win on a weekly music show. And once again, only 10 members are involved in the promotions for the album, with  Cheng Xiao, Mei Qi and Xuan Yi missing out due to conflicting schedules and involvement with Rocket Girls 101.

La La Love slightly departs for the group’s usual fanatical and mystical sound.  It does maintain that influence but it ends up on an edgier route this time around. With Exy’s rap-talk introduction along with the dance instrumentation, the opening section of the song was amazing. I am currently waiting to see the lyrics for of the song as I am not sure what Exy was trying to say in the second line (‘They blended in the heart like a Cadillac’?). I liked the upbeatness of the song, which is one of the attractive points of the song. Another attractive point has to be the rap-talk sections just prior to the choruses, which really built up the suspense for the explosion of energy we got from the chorus. The one thing I felt could have been better was Exy’s actual rap sequence at the start of the second verse. She already had a rap-talk section at the start and end of the song, so to hear another rap-talk sequence was a little disappointing. I was expecting something with intensity and complete edginess to further offset the usual WJSN influence that we could hear. But La La Love was a song to La La Love for.

La La Love‘s music video takes on a circus concept, which actually looks amazing. That same mystical feel you get from their past video is also present in this music video. But this time around, they added a level of both edge and elegance to the video through their outfits, which I actually really liked. Their visuals are on point throughout the video. I did like the scenery and sets they had in the video, which definitely added to the visuals of the video. I wonder if there is symbolism in the video as the video felt more like a choreography/close up shot type video, which is the only negative that I point out about it.

Another great routine from the girls but there wasn’t anything memorable about this performance, like in both of last year’s releases. I did like the two pinches they did for the chorus. But that was far from memorable.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 8.6/10

[Album Review] NEW MEN (9th Mini Album) – BTOB

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Welcome to the first album review of 2019! Today, we will be having a closer look at the NEW MEN mini-album released by BTOB on the 17th of November 2016. But why are we looking at an ‘older’ album? Well, starting this week, I will be posting an album review for an album released prior to this year. This way we can both discover new songs from the releases in the past as there are always songs being overlooked when it was first released and we can see an artist progression over the years. I have many more reviews coming, so be sure to check them out every Tuesday!

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NEW MEN Album Cover

1..New Men (Intro Track) – For a 1 and a half minutes, we are bombarded with this epic intro track that really sets us up with what is to come. It shows their fierceness and toughness, which leads nicely into their title track. The electrical guitars give the song that edgy feel, while their vocals and rap combination show how serious they are. I like how they managed to incorporate all members into the track despite its limited time span, which usually a difficult feat for a group of many members. (9/10)

2. Pray (I’ll Be Your Man) (기도) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for I’ll Be Your Man. (8/10)

3. Love Drunk (취해) – Love Drunk is a mid-tempo ballad. Instead of the usual softness of instruments typical of ballads, the song features a harsh drum beat, which contrast nicely. There seems to be something a tad electrifying hiding in the background (though I am not too sure) during some of the transitions. The song features strong vocals that fit the song well and they incorporated the rapping in a way that still feels soft to match the ballad feel but still harsh enough for the drums. (8/10)

4. I’m Bored (무료해 (콕 To Me)) – With a song that is titled “I’m Bored”, the logical thing is to start off with a yawn. It is a lot brighter than any of the songs that we have heard thus far. I also liked its light-hearted and care-free vibes. The whistle during the bridge was a nice addition as well. Once again, the vocals were good, but I felt like they could have done more for the song. Without the rapping, I felt like I could have easily been bored with the song, which is quite ironic. The rapping gave the song the right amount of kick and energy. (6.5/10)

5. Yes I Am – Besides the title track, the album’s more upbeat songs were my favourite. The chorus for this song is amazing and I always enjoy listening to it when it appears on my playlist. It had the ‘This Is Me’ (from The Greatest Showman. I liked the guitar start to the song and the chorus just kind of came out of nowhere. Vocals were superb in this song. The rapping added another layer of colour to the song, which made it quite unique. Minhyuk’s second verse rap sequence left me surprised for some reason. I assuming it is the speed of his delivery, which is mismatched for the song yet it still working. (9/10)

6. Come On Over (놀러와) – The most upbeat song on this album is awarded to Come On Over. And like my first statement in the previous song, I actually thought this was an awesome track. It was a happy tune, with the chorus here is very bright and lively, which instantly makes it favourite in my books. It is the type of song that you just want to get up and dance to. The falsetto vocals gave the song a little flair, but the winner must be Ilhoon’s vocal lines during the second half of the chorus. The rest of the members shined, whether through vocals or raps. (9/10)

7. I Love You Forever (예지앞사) – Given how the song was written by all the members, it is dedicated to the fans. Reading the lyrics to the song, you can tell that they extremely grateful for their fans and how much their fans mean to them. I found the style of the song to be interesting. It isn’t straight forward like your traditional pop song or ballad, like other fan service songs. Instead, its individualistic side shines through. I personally do prefer their fan dedicated song in a later album to this, but this was still quite nice. (7/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.1/10

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NEW MEN Teaser Image

[Review] I’m OK – iKON

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2018 has been the busiest year for iKON yet. Love Scenario, Killing Me and Goodbye Road were all promoted in 2018 by the YG male group. And now the group has kicked off 2019 with the release of I’m OK, which is the title track off their first repackaged/compilation album, The New Kids. The song also serves as the final release as part of their New Kids series, which has been ongoing since 2017. I’m OK was also due to be released on the 31st of December 2018 but it was postponed until yesterday.

I’m OK is a hip-hop ballad, something that we all know iKON will nail given their past releases. And out of the songs in this series, I’m OK goes heavy handed with the emotions. You can hear the pain and emotions they put forward during the rap sequences and the way the chorus sounds. I really like the instrumental for this track despite it being quite soft in nature. It features an orchestral influence, which is an instant hit in my books (if you know my taste in music). But it is the pairing of the instrumental with the vocals and raps make the song sound extremely worthwhile. I particularly like the piano in the background, especially the heavier notes we hear at the start of the chorus. Maybe they could have added more to the instrumental to build it up or had a more dramatic climax. But over than that, I’m OK is another great song from the group.

In line with the emotive side of the song, I’m OK is filled with scenes that go perfectly with that concept. And with each individual scenes, the video becomes very aesthetic, which is highly expected of any YG video. Definitely, the most epic moment of the video has to be the exploding car. There might be a story involved, as I think all the members interact with the car throughout the video in some form but it isn’t as explicit as I had hoped.  Overall, I thought it was a nicely done video.

While the ballad side of the song doesn’t need choreography, the hip-hop side invites the opportunity to arise. But because of the ballad side of the song, the potential for a set of moves is hugely limited. For the most part, iKON does a pretty good job at handling the motions. But it felt standard for the most part.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 6/10
Overall Rating – 8.4/10

[Review] %% – APINK

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After the release of their successful hit, I’m So Sick, which featured a change in image from their well-known cutesy style, APINK has returned with a brand new song, %%. While you may be tempted to pronounce it as ‘Percent Percent’, the actual pronunciation is ‘Eung Eung’ as when you slightly spin the percentage sign, you get ‘응응’. In other news related to APINK, they had their concert last night where they performed %% for the first time and Eunji had a solo comeback in the later parts of 2018.

%% is another complete changeup in their sound. It is probably their most sensual sounding song yet. The instrumental is very subtle. It is present but it doesn’t seem to be as noticeable as other girl-crush songs that we know of in KPOP, such as I’m So Sick. But I like that, as it forces the vocals to be the main attraction for the song. I thought their vocals were nice. Instead of going for a strong sound, their vocals sounded a lot lighter than usual, which goes extremely well with the subtle instrumentation I mentioned previously. The song itself is catchy and like my previous review, I can see the song growing on me. I really like the ‘Eung’ that features after each ‘Eung Eung‘ sung by the members. It sticks out for all the right reasons and gives a slight accent to the song. I think the song does lack that kick which could make this track a lot stronger and more profound. But over than that, I see this as another great song from APINK.

For a girl group named APINK, I think this is one of the few videos which feature pink as the main colour. There also seems to be this hazy look hanging over the video, which I guess is their way of doing something mysterious. Anyway, the video seems to be showing the members collecting ingredients for a potion of some kind, which was later shown to create a heart for their ‘man’, represented by the floating tuxedo. This goes well with the lyrics to the song. I liked their close up shots and the post-production editing on the video looked cool.

The choreography was awesome. I really liked the introductory dance they had at the start. They seemed to match the moves to the subtle nature of the song but they did it which attitude, so their moves looked much stronger as a whole. Once again, I need to wait until I see a full performance to be sure,

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.3/10

[Review] Lonely Night – KNK

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After a year and a half absence from the stage, KNK has finally returned with a brand new single, Lonely Night. Their last comeback was in July 2017 with their digital single Rain. Since then, a number of events have occurred for to the male group including their Japanese debut, 3 of the members (Seungjun, Inseong & Heejun) participated in Mix Nine survival show, Youjin left the group, Seungjun changed his stage name to Seoham, the group also parted ways with YNB Entertainment and this latest comeback sees the addition of a new member, Lee Dongwon, to the group.

Lonely Night reminds me of their previous single, Rain. I am attributing that to the instrumental, due to the saxophones in this song. Rain was more lowkey, however, while the saxophones in Lonely Night is more profound and give off an upbeat vibe. Lonely Night also has a darker feel, along with an intense hip-hop influence, which is definitely a trend ongoing in KPOP for the past few years. Altogether, the song does present as an attractive package to me. It has that dark vibe in its sound which I enjoy while also remaining upbeat to really have something for me to catch onto. I can see the song becoming catchy for me. The vocals were superb. Everyone sounded great. But my best part of the entire song has to be the rapping that featured just before each chorus. It sounded cool and just lead nicely into the chorus.

There could potentially be some meaning behind each of the member’s solo parts as I see some distorted imagery and reflections (as if something was haunting them). But that might just have been my misinterpretation. They did a good job of showing loneliness and the feelings that come with it. I liked how they toned down the colours in the video. It really keeps that dark concept in check with the song and consistent throughout the entire video.

I think I might need to wait until there is a live performance for this particular comeback. But from what I can see during the choreography shots, everything looked quite good. There were some body waves and some deliberate slow motion within the dance moves that look promising!

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

[Review] Drunk In The Morning – Ryeowook (Super Junior)

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Earlier this week, Ryeowook made his solo comeback with I’m Not Over You, which he is promoting as the main title track for this latest album release, Drunk On Love. I am not sure about the nature of Drunk In The Morning (i.e. if it is another title track or just a secondary track /ut a music video for it was released today, resulting in the publication of this review.

Drunk In The Morning gives us one side of the spectrum of ballads. That strong power vocal and moving instrumental that I think is seen as the more traditional style of ballads. However, the instrumental is a little non-traditional, featuring a mixture of modern synths and an orchestra. But it does a wonderful job of showcasing that emotional picture. But it is the Ryeowook’s power vocals that give the song a painful touch, while also giving that level of impact that I seek in songs, which means the song is memorable. I’m Not Over You shows a ballad at the opposite end of the spectrum as it approaches the genre in a different manner. Given the nature of these two contrasting songs, I am genuinely interested in what the rest of his album will be like. Hence, I will write an album review for Drunk In Love to be published next week! You heard it first here!

I liked how this music video connected with Ryeowook’s music video for I’m Not Over You. Some of the sets are similar, particularly the one with the satellite dishes (in the other video) and the payphone (in this video). Even the same love interest is shown here (but with different feelings to match the song, of course). Something must have happened between videos to let it get to this state! I think Ryeowook’s acting in this video is commendable. His vocals already bring pain to the song. But it is his acting that really consolidates all of that emotion and set it into stone for me.

 

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.6/10

[Review] Even So – Luna (f(x))

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It has been years since an F(x) comeback and with 2019 just starting out, we are hoping 2019 is the year for a comeback. But it hasn’t been a complete absent from the industry with Amber and Luna dropping music here and there since their 4 Walls comeback, while Krystal and Victoria have been focused on their acting careers. Luna returned today with her second solo single, Even So.

Even So is an R&B pop track, which I think does a good job at showing off Luna’s vocals. There is a hint of sweetness added to the song via the vocals, which I thought went hand-in-hand with the message of hope that was portrayed in the lyrics of the song. It also matched the pleasant vibes from the instrumental. Talking about the instrumental, it had a warm feeling and I really liked the mellowness of the music, which I think made this song very easy on the ears. I think the main issue with the song is its memorability. The said vocals were good but they didn’t that mind-blowing nature about them to really make the song unforgettable. Though, I am not sure what they could have added to give Luna’s song that memorability factor. But despite that, it was a good song.

I thought the video was decent, at best. It seems to tell a story, flashing between a sadden Luna in her solo shots and a more lively Luna during the scenes with other people. I did like how they used colour to represent that, giving us hints towards what is going on. Though, I am not 100% sure what this all means. I did also like how the cinematography was used throughout the video to really give the video some action. It really creates a level of appeal to the video. However, I did like think the video shared a similar fate as the song. It lacked that memorability factor, as well.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 6/10
Overall Rating – 6.6/10

[Review] Rooftop – N.Flying

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N.Flying kicks off another year with their second single to their Fly High Project. The single is titled as Rooftop and it joins Like A Flower as part of this music project, with more releases joining the lineup as each month goes by. This is also their first comeback as a 4-member band after Kwangjin recently left the group due to misconduct allegations.

Rooftop does a good job of combining that fun element from the songs which I liked from N.Flying’s discography (Hot Potato and The Real) and the mature side of the group, which we heard in their previous single. It isn’t that most mindblowing combination, however, as it isn’t a song that I would necessarily go out of my way to replay constantly. I think there is some reggae influence in the instrumental, which is smartly masked with the traditional rock instrumentation. I did like the extra insert they did final chorus to give the song a little something extra. But apart from that, the song did feel somewhat repetitive. Their vocals also bring a nice appeal to the song but it does lack some intensity, which I think they could have added via a rapping section.

While I don’t recognise all the members of N.Flying, I must admit that having one less member is extremely noticeable. There is a sense of emptiness that isn’t filled, which I guess is a lot harder for bands to fill as the performances don’t consist a lot of movement (so it would be harder to mask the reduced number of members). Moving along, since the song was titled Rooftop it would make sense for the band to perform on top of a rooftop, which is exactly what we got. And I liked what they did. It isn’t a really fancy music video but they managed to get by in a humble manner. And I liked that about the video, as it keeps it grounded without going over the top. I particularly like the night scenes as they do a better job of showing off that humbleness.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.4/10

[Review] Gotta Go – Kim Chungha

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Also kicking off 2019 is Kim Chungha, who returns with an upgraded and mature performance to match her latest single, Gotta Go (벌써 12시). This is Kim Chungha’s first comeback since Love U was released back in Summer of 2018. It seems like Chungha is attempting to replicate the success of her Roller Coaster comeback, which was released at the start of last year in January 2018. Given her popularity has grown and the success of her Roller Coaster comeback earning her Best Solo Dance Performance Award at the 2018 MAMAs, there is no doubt that Chungha will still be able to top charts once again.

Gotta Go is Kim Chungha’s most mature release yet. The dance-pop instrumental of this song is extremely appealing and it paves the way for a very sexy looking performance (more on that later). I am not exactly sure how to describe the synth that features prominently in this song. It is like a synthesizer trying to mimic a flute. It is vaguely familiar, however, reminding me of songs from the 90s. But while I meddle over how to describe the sound in text, the song itself is really good. It is catchy and potentially addictive (we might need to wait on that as it has only been a few hours since its release). And like my other review from today, Chungha really put her best vocals forward through this song. That high note at the end was amazing and the stability in her vocals for this song allows that mature feeling to become a profound element of the song.

The first thing that I have to mention is that Chungha’s change in looks (compared to her previous comebacks) is extremely striking and bold. And going with that maturer sound is a sexy concept. But it isn’t that type of sexy that people criticise about. Rather, it is classy and elegant, which I quite liked. It also showcases confidence, which can be illustrated wonderfully during the scene where she did her walk down the stairs (alongside her backup dancers). I really liked the video and the visuals that came with it.

Watching the choreography in the music video, it makes me excited for the upcoming performances. This entire choreography looks amazing. That entire final section was definitely a mixture of the icing on the cake and the cherry on top. When the backup dancers fall down slowly and she goes into that scorpion posture, I was left shocked. Everything else was very strong and nicely done. I did see a few moves from her previous comebacks, though I am not sure if it was intentional or recycled.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.9/10

[Review] I’m Not Over You – Ryeowook (Super Junior)

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The first major comeback of 2019 is Ryeowook’s long-awaited solo comeback, I’m Not Over You. This is his first release since his departure from his military enlistment and The Little Prince comeback back in 2016. He also rejoined Super Junior for the One More Time promotions in October of 2018. His solo comeback was supposed to be back in December of last year (with teasers released) but was delayed last minute until today due to health concerns. Hopefully, Ryeowook has fully recovered and is able to showcase his vocals and music releases this year.

Following  The Little Prince, I’m Not Over You takes the ballad route. It is a nice ballad with soothing piano instrumentation. There was also some orchestra in the instrumental. It was very lightly featured during the start of the song. Almost inaudible because the piano was the main instrument heard. It builds up gradually as the song progresses, going for a climatic and epic peak during the bridge of the song. This drew my attention to the song as it added energy and a very attention-grabbing period of music to the slow ballad. It slows down for a moment afterwards but climaxes once again during the final chorus. Besides the instrumental, we need to discuss Ryeowook’s vocals which were superb. His vocals were perfect for the ballad with the title ‘I’m Not Over You‘ being the one line that just I anticipate every time I listen to the song. That falsetto during the bridge was definitely another highlight to the song and showcases his skills in a jaw-dropping manner.

I think the video was pretty good. The scenes we saw throughout the video simply showed the main story. That was, Ryeowook is searching for his lover using the many satellite dishes and tracking computers that he has in his room. But while that seems to be a tad too technological for a ballad, that isn’t the case whatsoever. Ryeowook was shown singing in these sets, reminding us that the song is the main attraction and that the video was a simple aid in helping us understand the music video.

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.6/10

[Album Review] Mark (1st Mini Album) – Lee Changsub (BTOB)

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The final review of the year comes in the form of an album review. Lee Changsub made his solo debut a few weeks back with Gone and listening to his debut mini-album (Mark), I knew I had to write an album review for it. And I will be straightforward with you, I love all the songs on the album. All the songs delve into the rock ballad side of music, which I really like. His album reminds me Kim Sung Gyu’s (from Infinite) work. But we are here for Lee Changsub and Mark.

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Mark Album Cover

1..Way – Starting off this album is Way, which is a soft rock ballad type song which actually got me interested in the album in the first place. This personally my style of songs that I tend to seek for in Western music. The best way to describe Way is that it is pleasant, perfect for a day that you want to just relax and chill. Changsub’s vocals are breezy and float on top of the music, which adds to that pleasant feeling that I have touched upon. It also has a very nice melody and hook, which has me coming back for more. (9/10)

2. Space – Space is similar to Way. However, it kicks it up a notch by adding more of that rock element into the song, which definitely adds character and substance to the song. I also enjoyed Changsub’s vocals in the song, which also kicked the song up to an even higher notch. To me, his vocals were versatile in the song, showing slowness when required and the ability to enter into high notes to give the song that needed climax. Overall, another amazing song from the soloist. (9/10)

3. Shelter – Departing from the ballad side of his music, Changsub opted for a rock song mixed with pop elements, which I thought was nice. It is a break from the rock ballad side, which was needed (or else the album would have been too heavy). Once again, Changsub’s vocals were spectacular. His ad-libs were extremely powerful, and I liked how he used them to extend the finale of the song, which I don’t mind because those ad-libs kept on adding to the song (rather than making lengthening it to drag out the time, which would have been unnecessary). (10/10)

4. Ever – All the songs on his album remind me of At The End. But I think Ever comes the closest to his previous solo single. Firstly, I enjoyed how husky his vocals were. But not only that, however, as the way he built up his vocals for the chorus was a winning component of the song. The instrumental was like any other on the album, so there really isn’t much to discuss Though, I thought an electric guitar solo would have added a nice touch and intensity to the song. I really like ‘Whenever… Wherever… Whatever…’ background vocals as well. (9/10)

5. Gone (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of Gone. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 9/10

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Mark Teaser Image

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[Review] Candle Light – NCT Dream

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We all thought wrong when we all thought that We Go Up was the final release before Mark’s graduation from NCT Dream. Yesterday, NCT Dream released an SM Station single titled Candle Light. But since Mark’s graduation has been confirmed the for the 31st of December, Mark is still present in the unit group for the new song release. The video does still allude to the impending event but that is something to talk about later on in the review.

Candle Light is best described as a mid-tempo ballad that conveys the message of wishing to be with someone. The song has this bright yet warming atmosphere to it, which can be attributed to the instrumental of the song. And hence, the message felt well suited for the style the song went with. The song is also a departure from their usual releases, which is more vocally centred this time around. This highlights the vocals of all the members, which isn’t something that we have experienced before. There was some rapping, which I thought was extremely fitting for the song.  It is a solid song but it lacks memorability, in my opinion. If they nailed that, it would have been a perfect song. But Candle Light is still pleasant sounding and definitely a nice way to end the year of KPOP.

The music video was very well done. The members are directing a music video in this music video. We see then struggle with a whole bunch of bloopers and technical issues. In the end, we are shown the ‘final product’, which featured all the members excluding Mark, alluding to his upcoming graduation in the coming days. The way he presents his rap, with all the members sitting in front of him (and one seat vacant) really hits home that this is happening. The video also seemed to be incorporate elements from NCT Dream’s previous releases including chewing gum (from Chewing Gum), mini cars (from My First & Last) and the word ‘Go’ (from Go). Definitely, a nice way to signal the end of a chapter for the unit.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.8/10

[Album Review] Laberinto (7th Mini Album) – UP10TION

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UP10TION recently returned with their new single, Blue Rose, which was featured on the group’s 7th mini-album, Laberinto. Something that I have noticed with the UP10TION releases this year is that they tend to be of the pop nature (excluding their title tracks). And while the group’s pop songs tend to be standard, their latest album contains a few good tracks that I quite liked. Hence, why today’s album review is for UP10TION! Their album contains 7 tracks in total (with one intro that I have not included, as usual).

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Laberinto Album Cover

2. Blue Rose (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of Blue Rose. (7/10)

3. Burning – Burning started off as a standard pop song. The first verse was quite plain and ordinary. However, the chorus added some funk and colour to the song, giving it a very interesting and satisfying appeal to the song. And from then on, the song felt lively, which is rather odd as I think they used the same instrumental for the two verses. The vocal work was nice, especially that refined note at the end of the bridge (that leads into the final chorus). I liked the rapping in the song, which really fitted in well without causing any issues to the flow of the song. (8/10)

4. Turn Up The Night – I thought Turn Up The Night was a decent track but I am not a fan of the repetitive chorus that they opted with. By the end of the song, I got bored with the song’s main hook. I think it is the other elements that made me like the song. The use of brass throughout the song was nice and gave the song a fun energy. The vocal work gave the song that explosiveness that added to that energetic vibe and the rapping gave the song the much-needed edge that rapping usually gives to songs. (8/10)

5. Midnight – Midnight has a softer tone that leads nicely from the preceding song. It starts off as a standard pop song but it slowly builds up into a sweet yet refreshing sound. Despite that, the song does maintain that level of energy that allows it to have an accompanying choreography, which matches the UP10TION style that I associate with them. Once again, the instrumental was a pop song but it too incorporated some brass. (7/10)

6. Happy Birthday – No, this isn’t a copy of the infamous song we all sing to celebrate someone’s birthday. Instead, it just another standard pop song on this album. I have to say that the song was a little underwhelming, particularly around the drop to the chorus, which could have given the song a more dynamic vibe. Instead, it stays safe and it fails to really liven up the song. I think this is the weakest song on the album. Nothing really appeals to me and I am not blown away with the final product. (6/10)

7. With You – With You is the closest song on the album that you can get to that mandatory ballad. It is still upbeat and takes on that pop route which doesn’t really make it feel unique or special. It does focus on the vocals of the members, which I think isn’t something we get all too often when it comes to UP10TION. There was some rapping and I thought those sections were appropriate for it. I also find the song somewhat fitting for the festive season, as there is a certain level of warmth to the song. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 7.3/10

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Laberinto Teaser Image

[Review] Truth – TVXQ

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TVXQ’s The Chance of Love is nominated for Best Music Video in this year’s KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Voting closes in a few days, so click on this link and vote, if you haven’t done so yet!

TVXQ made their comeback today with Truth. The release and the mini-album, Chapter #2: The Truth of Love, is extra special as it celebrates the duo’s 15th year anniversary. It was actually 15 years ago this day that the group (a quintet) debuted with their single, Hugs. And while the group has a had many highs (including very well-known tracks and choreographies), they also had some lows. But the duo remained strong throughout its 15 years and hence why they are able to still release songs today. Here is to more releases in the future!

Truth is a jazzy R&B mix, which I think was quite pleasant overall. There weren’t any hard-hitting moments which I tend to think is great every now and then when it comes to an industry heavily reliant on dance and electronic music. It provides relief if you know what I am trying to get at. The vocals in this song are quite good. Both opted for some falsetto for some parts of the song, which I really thought was nice given the jazzy influence the song had. But it also matched the R&B side as well. I really like the kick the ad-libs towards the end of the song gave the final moments of the song, which prevented the song from becoming too repetitive. It does lack a promising hook and doesn’t hold my attention for long. But apart from that, it is a good song.

The music video I thought was okay. Not really the most captivating video I have ever watched. The quality was definitely there but the content wasn’t that compelling compared to their previous comeback earlier this year (The Chance of Love). The start of the video gave action-movie vibes that I thought was promising. But they went in a completely different route, which matched the song but left me disappointed. I did like their outfits and I thought that the dance element was well incorporated into the video – due to the jazzy nature of the song.

The choreography was nice. I thought it was well put together and really showed TVXQ’s dance skills at a mature level, which is appropriate for the song. It isn’t the most mind-blowing performance but it had a pleasant and smooth feeling to it.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.3/10

[Review] One Day – Jiyeon (T-ARA)

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Only one week to go before voting closes in this year’s KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Click here to vote NOW if you haven’t done so yet!

Over the weekend, Jiyeon returned with a winter single release, One Day. This is Jiyeon’s first solo release since her solo debut 1 Minute 1 Second. It is also her first release since her and the members of T-ARA parted ways from their former company, T-ARA. As I stated in Hyomin’s solo comeback earlier this year, we haven’t heard much of the members or any news of a group comeback. There are some hopes with the court stating that MBK Entertainment does not have trademark rights to the group’s name and hence the girls are able to make a comeback under the name T-ARA if they choose to. But until then, let’s have a closer look at Jiyeon’s returning song.

Fitting for the Winter season, One Day takes on the ballad genre. It just isn’t the type of ballad where the vocalist is belting out high notes repetitively or emotionally presenting their story. Instead, Jiyeon’s vocals are much softer and delicate than any of the songs I have personally heard her sing. But it isn’t a fragile or emotional type of song. There is a hint of happiness and joy in her voice and in the instrumentation. I did think the instrumentation was a little overpowering at times, with it overshadowing her voices every now and then. I did like the opening to the choruses (‘Someday, One Day, Everyday‘). It was a very interesting hook in my opinion and probably the best sounding line in the entire song. It is not really my favourite type of ballad but definitely a nice song for the current climate in South Korea.

I think the music video was put together under short notice. It isn’t really one with high investment. It felt more like a photoshoot, compared to a music video. They did a good job of filtering the video to give it a golden appeal, which would add to a warming effect to the song and its lyrics. But other than that, there really isn’t much else to say about the video.

Song – 6.5/10
Music Video – 5/10
Overall Review – 5.9/10