I am going to take deviate away from ROOKIE WEEK a little more and publish a review for a brand new release. It is the next song in the Station x 0 project which boasts collaborations such as Taeyeon & Melomance,Baekhyun & Loco and Chanyeol & Sehun. But this new release, Wow Thing, probably has the most powerful female lineup any collaboration has ever had. We have Seulgi from Red Velvet, SinB from GFriend, Kim Chungha and Soyeon from (G)I-DLE coming together, so be prepared!
I really like the feel of the song and its presentation. But it is one of those songs that I can’t really gather many thoughts for. The instrumental does set the scene up for the song but it doesn’t really drive the song. Instead, the song uses vocals. Very powerful vocals to drive the song forward and deliver us a very strong track. When they sing together for the chorus, I thought the atmosphere was amazing and very attitude-heavy. Before we go any further, let’s us to take a moment to appreciate Kim Chungha’s vocal abilities. Like how come I don’t know of this? Her solo work doesn’t let her vocals shine, as compared to this song. Soyeon’s rap was also equally as powerful. The is quite catchy and memorable for a number of reasons, some of which I have specified above.
The music video is your standard music video. Nothing too special about it. All four members are present for this collaboration music video, which I guess is a plus. I feel like they could have made this louder if I was int he director chair. I think that would have been more interesting and fun. Though I would have to keep it from going overboard, in order to fit the message of the song, which is about making a strong and confident first impression. The music video did feature some choreography during the chorus and bridge. All looked good and I felt like the attitude was channelled well through their dancing.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 7/10 Overall Rating – 8.2/10
It is time for an album review! GOT7 recently returned with their chart-topping 3rd full-length album, Present: You and the title track, Lullaby. The album consists of 15 songs, which include 4 versions of the title track and 7 solo tracks. I will not be reviewing all four versions of the title track, hence this album review will be looking into the first 12 songs on the album. And as a 12 song review is quite lengthy, let’s get right into it.
2. Enough – Enough’s starts was a very mediocre at first listen. But once the chorus kicked in and my ears are filled with the upbeat and energetic sounds, I found myself enjoying the song. The chorus definitely was a dynamic component of the song and my favourite section. I thought the vocals were excellent, particularly during the bridge of the song. The rapping gave the song that familiar hip-hop feel that you got from Teenager (from one of their past albums). (7.5/10)
3. Save You (지켜줄게) – The instrumentation for Save You reminds me of ‘90s hip-hop. The same synths were used and some of the rap lines gave off that feeling. I thought the pre-chorus instrumentation was a great build-up technique and grabbed my attention. Following that was the really upbeat and energy filled chorus, which was also memorable. The song did feel somewhat repetitive, with nothing new to offer. The ending was rather abrupt and I feel like they could have eased out, as that would allow us to end the song without this need to relieve intensity. (7/10)
4. No One Else – The first aspect of the song that I noticed was the shuffling effect and smaller details within the R&B instrumentation. The second aspect was the husky vocals during the first verses, which I thought was cool. The third standout aspect was how the song seems to break boundaries by going down a non-traditional route with its choruses. The verses were more upbeat than the chorus, with the chorus feeling almost acapella like. I thought this was really cool and very unique. I also like the pulsing outro, which really fits in well with the song. (9.5/10)
5. I Am Me – I am glad they chose this song as the secondary promotional track during their first week of promotions. Not saying any of the other songs didn’t deserve a chance but this song was impactful. It was the first b-side to really capture my attention. I thought the chorus was rather aesthetic and the drop was extremely dynamic. BamBam’s rapping was beautiful., while Jackson and Mark were given equally as beautiful vocal lines in the song. And this is on top of the usual vocals from the vocalists. I think the final thing to really mention about this track were the lyrics, which I guess were about loving yourself, despite your flaws. (10/10)
6. Sunrise (JB Solo) – The song felt like something you would get from DEAN or Crush. Sunrise is a slow R&B song that brings out JB’s vocal capabilities. During the verses, he goes with a husky approach, while in the chorus, he sings with a falsetto. I like the softness in the bridge. Usually, I would comment by saying how that was easily missed or not audible. However, since the rest of the song is already quite soft, the bridge fits in well. The song had style and you can’t expect nothing less from the leader. (8/10)
7. OMW (Mark Solo ft. Jackson) – With all the solo songs on this album, Mark’s solo song featured Jackson, for some odd reason. While I do like Jackson and his solo track on this album, I wasn’t much of a fan of his section in this song. Firstly, it took time away from Mark and secondly, his delivery in this song isn’t his best (i.e. it felt like he was trying to fit in). Mark, on the other hand, made sure the song fit for himself. His lines were clear and I thought the chorus was the catchiest of all the solo songs. His singing in the bridge was also quite awesome! (8.5/10)
8. Made It (Jackson Solo) – Jumping right at you is a very strong hip-hop connection. This is type of song that I expect to hear when people say hip-hop. And it is surprisingly as there is only a few of these songs in KPOP. Jackson drives the song with his delivery of the lines and the instrumental does a good job, alongside his rapping, of hyping us. It is rather short, which is a little disappointing, as I would have liked to hear more it. (8/10)
9. My Youth (Jinyoung Solo) – Jinyoung’s song is quite upbeat and has this modern pop sound which sounds very nice. While the song does sound like it is the most plain in terms of creativity, the content within has a powerful message and it impacts you. Jinyoung’s vocals were also nice. I haven’t heard his voice shine like this in a very long time. I really like the ‘I’m Still Young’ hook after the chorus, which sounds so dreamy. I thought his deep vocals during the bridge brought contrast to the song, especially after the falsetto hook. (9/10)
10. Nobody Knows (혼자) (Youngjae Solo) – I have a thing for songs with an epic vibe. Nobody Knows delivers in terms of this ‘epic vibe’. Throwing in Youngjae’s vocals, you have a breathtaking combination. The song starts off eerie and soft. The build-up is practically non-existent, opting to suddenly throw you into the chorus. And this is where the epic vibes come from. His vocals were top notch, there is no doubt about it. I thought the bridge of the song was really interesting, which had this unexpecting Latin feel. It adds a little colour to the song, since the colour is rather grey. (9/10)
11. Party (BamBam Solo) – If you have been a reader of this site for some time, you probably know what is coming. The autotuned vocals in this song do irk me. That is probably going to be my only complaint, as I do like other sections of the song a fair bit. The instrumental has a very strong chill vibe (more than anything else) but is still fitting for a party. There is a hype factor that makes you want to get up and dance. And the parts that aren’t autotuned, such as the chorus, were nice. The song does go through very quickly, which is a little disappointing when you find yourself in the groove of the song. (8/10)
12. Fine (Yugyeom Solo) – I love the eerie vibe that Fine portrays. I personally do not think it is its main intention, but it does a pretty good job at it for me. I kind of expected that he would go down the hip-hop route for his solo track, as that is what I commonly hear is his influence. I thought the build-up to the chorus was amazing and gave off an epic vibe. I like how loud and faster his bridge (or whatever you call the final section of this song) gets, which allows the song to peak and end on a plus. (9/10)
From what I can tell, there aren’t that many groups making their comeback this week due to the Chuseok (Mid-Autumn Festival) However, this does not mean I get to take the week off. I henceforth declare this week as ROOKIE WEEK. I will be posting at least one review for a different rookie group each day, so keep your eyes opened!
NATURE is the next band on ROOKIE WEEK. They made their debut at the start of last month with Allegro Cantabile. The group is currently under n.CH Entertainment and consist of 8 members (Lu, Saebeom, Aurora, Chaebin, Gaga, Haru, Uchae and Sunshine). Originally there were 9 members, however, the 9th member (Yeolmae) left the group just before debuting. The group recently won their first award, the ‘New Artist of the Year’ award at the Soribada Best K-Music Awards, so congratulations to them!
Allegro Cantabile is actually a remake of a song of the same name which featured as part of an anime (Nodame Cantabile) and was previously sung by Suemitsu & the Suemith. I usually do not review remakes or covers of a song, however, I only knew of this while searching up the information for this review. The song twos are obviously similar but Nature’s version seems to have a few components reduced in volume or stripped away to fit their youthful vocals. I actually thought the vocals were quite nice, taking the Japanese style for their own. It makes the song unique, in my opinion. The piano doesn’t seem to be as strong in this song, as it featured only during the verses but drowned out during the chorus. There were some extra synths in the instrumental break, which I thought makes it feel modern and fitting for KPOP. Though, I was thinking how good some electric guitar would have been (though the girls seem to go in that direction for a few seconds). Overall, I felt the song to be quite strong for a debut and I think this song will fast become a guilty pleasure for me.
The music video is not a remake of the Japanese version. While the original one was edgy, Nature’s version takes the cute route, which is surprisingly very fitting for the song (though I attribute that to their modifications). The majority of the video seems to be set at a school, where some of them are learning about flowers (and how to grow them). It was a nice video to watch despite it taking a cliche route for a female group debut. I didn’t care much for the plot but I was happy to watch either way. The colours were very bright, which goes back to the song and concept.
I love their enthusiasm on the stage. I have watched a number of their performances for this review and I can’t help but smile at how cute but energetic they get on stage. I really like the dance break and how they let three members come out and have a solo moment. Also, the ending was quite cool with the suspenseful conclusion of the song. I just felt like the end could have been a little more imaginative.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 7/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 7.7/10
From what I can tell, there aren’t that many groups making their comeback this week due to the Chuseok (Mid-Autumn Festival) However, this does not mean I get to take the week off. I henceforth declare this week as ROOKIE WEEK. I will be posting at least one review for a different rookie group each day, so keep your eyes opened!
VERIVERY is a brand new male group who released their first single, Super Special, last week. As far as I know, it isn’t their official debut but rather the OST for their upcoming reality program. But who are they? Well, they come from the same company who currently houses VIXX and GUGUDAN (i.e. Jellyfish Entertainment) and is made up of 7 members – Dongheon, Minchan, Yeonho, Hoyoung, Gyehyeon, Yongseung and Kangmin.
I was somewhat relieved when I heard that this wouldn’t be their official debut title track. I would have been disappointed if I had the idea of it being a title track in my mind. The song lacks impact and doesn’t live up to the expectations set by their senior labelmates in terms of sound and concept. But as an OST, it promises that the group is very energetic and knows how to have fun, which is definitely a draw point to the group. Super Special is very retro, reminding me of ’90s pop songs. There is no doubt that the song showcases promising vocals and rapping, which makes me excited for their debut track. So this song ticks a few boxes, keeping them on my radar. But going back to what I said at the start of this paragraph, the song isn’t that memorable and doesn’t have a strong hook to reel me in.
I am not sure how to review this music video, to be honest. I want to review as a normal music video for a comeback/debut but it isn’t their debut. It is just a music video put together to promote their new show. As this music video ‘introduces’ the members to the viewers, I am hoping their debut video has some sort of theatrical/dramatic flare that will get them engraved into my mind. What I thought was fitting for this video was that it was bright and cheerful, as you expect with an upbeat song. I also liked how their outfits were the main inputs of colour for the video, which usually is the jobs of the sets/background. They also had some fun close-ups as well, which was nice.
Their choreography in this video definitely showcases their potential. Everyone looked in-sync with each other and they movements flowed quite well. They had pretty good formations as well. Can’t wait to see what they have installed for us on stage.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 7.5/10 Performance – 7/10 Overall Rating – 7.2/10
From what I can tell, there aren’t that many groups making their comeback this week due to the Chuseok (Mid-Autumn Festival) However, this does not mean I get to take the week off. I henceforth declare this week as ROOKIE WEEK. I will be posting at least one review for a different rookie group each day, so keep your eyes opened!
Next up on ROOKIE WEEK is NEONPUNCH. This is a new girl group who is under A100 Entertainment. They are a 5 member group consisting of Daeyeon, Terry, Baekah (participated in MIXNINE), May and IAAN. The group debuted on the 26th of June, which was 3 months back, with Moonlight. I had initially planned to review them closer to their debut date but unfortunately had to cut them from the agenda due to time constraints.
Moonlight started with some soft instrumentals and vocals, which made it feel like it was taking a mature route, something newly debut girl groups don’t tend to attempt. However, an unexpected and quick buildup to the song’s chorus allowed the song to showcase a brighter and more energetic sound. The song did feel slightly constrictive, with their vocals not going through much of a change throughout. But vocally, the track was quite nice. I thought the brass during the hook was really nice, adding that extra energy pack to the song. I like the transition between the second chorus and the slightly slowed bridge. I felt the rap could have come sooner, which would have made the song a little less repetitive. But other than that, it was a fun debut song.
Like yesterday’s review, the music video showcases the members by ‘presenting’ them to the viewers. There were a lot of close-ups throughout the video but I like how the video wasn’t just all of that. There was a lot of focus on other things that attempted to drive the music video. They don’t add up to much but the cinematography was pretty good in those scenes. I was slightly distracted by the blockage caused by the fence and the chandelier. I know they were meant to be artistic shots but they stole what really should have been a clear shot of the members instead.
For a rookie group, singing live is definitely a major plus. They do sound a little nervous throughout some of the stages that I have watched but they have been improving each time. I did think their choreography was a little weak and awkward looking. It didn’t feel like it went well with the song.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 7/10 Performance – 5/10 Overall Rating – 7.1/10
From what I can tell, there aren’t that many groups making their comeback this week due to the Chuseok (Mid-Autumn Festival) However, this does not mean I get to take the week off. I henceforth declare this week as ROOKIE WEEK. I will be posting at least one review for a different rookie group each day, so keep your eyes opened!
For the first group on ROOKIE WEEK, I have decided to review a brand new group who made their debut just last week. LUCENTE is a seven-member male group currently under Nago Entertainment who debuted with Your Difference just last Tuesday. The group consists of Hero, U.Seong, Ba, Z.Hoo, Kogun, Taejun and Parkha. Some of the members of the group were previously part of other groups, some of whom I have never heard of. But today we are here to talk about LUCENTE, so let’s just do that.
Your Difference does not mess around with energy. It starts off slightly low in energy (as most songs do at the very start) but very quickly builds up to an energy packed song. I thought the instrumental was quite nice, despite it going for the ‘now-traditional’ tropical route with a hip-hop influence. It was definitely upbeat and had a ‘cool’ presence to it. Their vocals and raps were quite good for a new group but felt very typical for a group trying to push themselves to sound ‘tough’. I also thought the chorus was a little too spacious and doesn’t really hold my attention for long. Usually, the chorus is the catchiest parts of the song but I felt the lines leading up to the chorus were much more appealing and memorable. That doesn’t mean the chorus was all bad as it is where we get most of the song’s energy.
The music video felt like a typical music video for a debut. To me, it felt like a whole bunch of different scenes mashed into one video to ‘present’ the group to the public. I hardly doubt that there is a plotline to this video (though I have been known to assume wrong in the past). Some of the scenes, however, looked really nice. The choreography scene with the flashing lights and the ladder scenes looked really good. I also liked how they managed to infuse some edge into the video, which is what the song visually needed.
The group has a fair amount of stage presence on stage. Given a song with slightly more angst and power, I think there is potential for this group. The performance showcased some pretty good moves. However, when I looked at it as a whole, it felt mediocre. Once again, they need to stand out and their performance can do just that. This one just isn’t the one.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 6.5/10 Performance – 6/10 Overall Rating – 6.7/10
I hope you have been enjoying these album reviews as much as I have been enjoying them. Today’s album review is for Oh My Girl, who recently returned with a brand new title track and mini-album, both titled Remember Me. This is the second time I have revied their mini-albums, with the first being their Secret Garden mini-album earlier this year. And before I start waffling along for this introduction paragraph, let’s just move on to what we are all here for – the actual album review.
2. Echo (메아리) – A part of me says that I would totally jump on board if the song was released in the midst of other Summer releases. But I am held back from completely investing myself in the song. Echo has a very carefree vibe to it, which suits the season of holidays and sun. But there is something within the song which keeps stagnant. Maybe it is the lack of energy. And it is this ‘stagnant’ feeling that makes the song not reach its full potential. It doesn’t stand out from the crowd, instead opting for the hidden route, which doesn’t honestly help the song. I thought the vocals and rapping were good. Overall, it was a good song, but I just didn’t feel 100% for me. (7/10)
3. Twilight – Twilight goes for a club beat instrumental. But before you think it is a completely different changeup to the group’s regular sound, the song feels very Oh My Girl’s territory. The song has a super catchy hook and I liked the build-up to the chorus. I thought the drop to the chorus was a little lacking (it should have been something like the drop at the bridge). The song features great vocals, especially Seunghee’s high note and Mimi’s rapping in the song (the latter’s part felt very fitting for the atmosphere). It’s their best song (following the amazing title track) on this album. (9.5/10)
4. Illusion – I feel like Illusion is the sequel to their fantastic b-side track, ‘One Step Two Step’ to an extent. It gave off that feeling, which I thought was nice. There was a rap sequence in the song which did feel a little different, but I am not too bother by it. I thought the chorus has a nice melody and the song has this innocence sound to it, which I liked. The vocals were nice, but I am not too keen on that anthem chanting that featured in the song, which felt misplaced for this style. (7/10)
5. Our Story (우리 이야기) – Our Story is the ballad that you get on most albums. It has a nice melody. It was a little bland for my taste at first but as I listened to more of it, I enjoyed its soothing nature. The song a beautiful instrumental and features great vocals from all the members. It isn’t too much of a stand out track (as it is the ‘mandatory ballad’ on the album), but it allowed the album to end on a lovely note. (8/10)
After releasing their trendy Shine song, Pentagon has returned to see whether they can pull off whatShine managed to accomplish for the group. And while their comeback may have been masked by certain news, they have managed to pull off a great comeback week with their latest title track, Naughty Boy. And they managed to equally release a high-quality album, Thumbs Up, which is what we will be looking at today.
2. Just Do It Yo!!(저두요) – This song feels very fresh, especially when you think how most songs are either synth driven or emotionally centred. So when we get these type of pop songs, I can’t help but enjoy their cheerful vibes and the pleasant atmosphere. The song showcases very powerful vocals from all the members (and this includes the rappers). I like the instrumentation, which seems to be prominently guitar and drums. I also like how there was a ‘live’ feel to the song as if they recorded in public due to the presence of the background noise. Its chorus was also just as great as everything else in the song, making this a favourite of mine. (10/10)
3. Skateboard – Attracting my attention to the song is the repeated whistles that feature as part of the instrumental of the song. They ended up being quite catchy. It is another fun-sounding track but going back to something more fitting for a dance performance. I thought the chorus was rather dynamic with their vocalisation of some of the lines. I like the moments in which they all participate together. I would have liked a stronger rap sequence that could have been intense, which would have given a nicer texture to the song, as it feels relatively smooth. (8/10)
4. When It Rains At Night(밤에 비가 내리면) – Given the title of the song, it was expected it was going to be more of a ballad type. Pentagon has one good ballad (Beautiful – released last year) that I am aware of, but ballads are not something that the group releases often. I like the song for its instrumental, which I thought was very beautiful sounding. Like the instrumental, the vocals are also quite nice, and I liked how they managed to fit the rappers into the song (as both their tones are very different from each other and more aligned with the upbeat side of music, like their title tracks). (9/10)
5. Thumbs Up! – Ending the album isn’t technically a fun-sounding song. It is the pop song that I tend to like for its straightforwardness and very refreshing tone. You can’t help but smile along to this song. Once again, the vocals and the rapping were all very nice but they weren’t standouts for this album. There isn’t anything too special about the instrumentation in the song but that is one of this draw points, as I listed above. It did get a tad repetitive for my taste towards the end, as they could have done something during the bridge for a little changeup but besides that, it was a nice song. (8.5/10)
Dream Catcher is officially back with their first comeback since wrapping up their horror-themed quadrilogy. The new comeback is titled, What, and it features on their 3rd mini-album, Alone In The City. But have they really wrapped up their quadrilogy? I will talk about that later. And if you do not have a clue what I am talking about, you can have a read of my four-part music theory by clicking here (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 & Part 4). But now, on with the review.
If there was one word to sum this song up, it is definitely ‘epic’. The very dramatic yet powerful piano start kicked the song perfectly for me, before leading into the upbeat rock styled instrumental that the group commonly releases. However, there is power and the intense energy behind the wong, which makes it so ‘epic’. There is also an urban side to the song, which I thought was fitting for the concept but definitely added a nice tone to the song. The ‘What What What‘ gave the song some angst and attitude, which isn’t anything new but quite fresh when you think about. The singing in this song was top notch but the real winner for this song is the rapping. I am totally in love with the bridge of the song, with Dami’s rapping definitely a show-stopper and the complete stillness with Jiu’s section. Overall, What is epically amazing and I am in awe of the song.
Now, returning to the music video. Is the horror theme over? I think not. The storyline (if I can figure one out) doesn’t seem to be as intense and explicit as their past four music videos. However. the same book which made an appearance in Good Night makes an appearance in this video. However, it is also seen sprouting a flower. And there is no way you can explain ‘looking under your bed prior to sleeping’ or bloody curtains without a horror context. Hence why I think this may be a continuation or at least a follow up to that concept that they have nailed so far. I thought the sets look good and the cinematography was amazing,
I like the performance but I am not 100% keen on it. I thought the moves during the verses were very fitting, pairing well with the softer nature of the verses. But once the chorus kicked in and the rock elements were more powerful, I thought the moves would have matched that change in intensity. But it looked very like there was a mismatch. But the ‘What What What‘ moments were good.
Song – 10/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 7/10 Overall Rating – 9.1/10
Making their comeback today was WJSN with Save Me Save You. The new release features on the group’s fifth mini-album, WJ Please?. You may notice that there are fewer members promoting this time around. Due to schedules in China, Cheng Xiao, Mei Qi and Xuan Yi are unable to join the rest of this group for this set of promotions. The last time we saw the entire group on stage was for their Dreams Come True release in February this year.
One of my biggest fears for WJSN is that due to their similar concepts, the songs end up being quite similar. But I am glad that feeling hasn’t become a reality yet as the group continues to put out new sounds consistently. The instrumental take on synth-pop which isn’t unfamiliar territory for the girls, however, they manage to bring a more mature and serious sound to their song which we haven’t got from the girls at all. I may have said the same thing for their last comeback but this takes it even further. Vocally, I thought the song a little bland for my taste. Without the rapping or the vocal parts within the bridge, I most likely would have passed over this song. I feel like the instrumentation could have kicked it up a notch, making the song more appealing to my taste and possibly allowed the vocals to go in a direction in which they could have been more highlighted. The rapping was probably my most favourite bit and I am glad it got split across two sections, rather than be constricted to one part of the song (as in the past).
Concept wise, WJSN does have they have been doing best. The fantasy concept really works with them due to their past videos. This one seems to be a cross between their usual fantasy concept and the Harry Potter universe. The classroom gives off massive Hogwarts vibes, which I totally like (as I am a Potterhead!). As for the rest of the video, I have no clue as to what is happening. They end up disappearing at the end once the glowing butterflies were set free. But I have no idea why? I would like to hear theories, so if you have any, comment down below and share with us!
This choreography looks like its their most mature yet. And they are in sync throughout the entire performance, which instantly makes it look cool. I thought the footwork entering into the chorus was awesome and the rest of the chorus looked quite nice. And finally, the start of the final work with the very intense walking looks epic (Click here to see the performance).
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 10/10 Overall Rating – 7.9/10
It is time we bid farewell to another group. UNI.T was formed via the survival program, The Unit: Idol Rebooting Project back in February this year and made their formal re-debut in May with No More. Unfortunately, their contract permitted them to promote together for a couple of months hence the very early disbandment. The group returns for the final time with the mini-album, Begin With The End, and the title track, I Mean. UNI.T is also one member short as ZN has clashing schedules with her Laboum promotions and hence cannot participate in this comeback.
And with the unfortunate and saddening news out of the way, I Mean is a very upbeat and fun sounding track. It features a retro disco sound has a very infectious energy. There is no way you can listen to this song while being grumpy throughout all of it. But sadly, the song doesn’t have much else to offer. It stays relatively linear throughout the entire song, so with multiple listens, I am not too sure if I can see myself being that fond of it. I personally feel like the song could have used some rapping, as that could have given the song something to offer while also cutting the ‘linear sound’ that I described above. But putting that aside, we do get power vocals in this song, especially from N.CA, and I think that is a fantastic element. The hook is also catchy, so for the time being, I quite like the song.
The music video is shot with a retro concept in mind. A lot of the camera quality reminds me of KPOP music video’s in the 90s from girl groups. And it surely suits the song well. I also like how for some of their closeup shots, they did album cover pictures, which I thought was unique. I thought the outtakes at the end were quite cutesy and fun as well. Sadly, there isn’t much else to say in regards to the video.
The choreography is an effort to get some momentum in the crowd with its simple yet fun looking ‘horse-riding’ dance move. And I personally want to see this move take off and become the next trend, so the girls can get some sort of recognition for their hard work for the past year. I like it and thinks it fits in well with the song.
Song – 7.5/10 Music Video – 7/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 7.5/10
Despite already releasing a full-length album along with the other 2 NCT subunits, NCT Dream returned 2 weeks back with their second mini-album to date, We Go Up. I touch upon this during my song and album review of We Go Up but this is Mark’s last release with the group as he prepares for graduation from NCT Dream. But do not worry, as he (along with Haechan) will be returning next month as part of NCT 127 for their official first full-length album, so keep your eyes open for that album review. But we are here for NCT Dream, so let’s get moving along!
2. 1,2,3 – Changing up their style, the group’s second song on the album consist of a softer tone but remaining within that pop tune sound. And its lightness is well appreciated as I think (apart from the title song) 1,2,3 is my favourite track on the album. Vocals were nice and pleasant, while the rapping during the bridge gave the song what it needed (i.e. intensity which pairs well with the soft sound). My favourite part would have to the chorus, especially the ‘1,2,3’ lines as they felt well balanced and nostalgic. (9/10)
3. Beautiful Time (너와 나) – Beautiful Time describes the nice memories of a relationship, reminiscent of the good old days. The tone of the song seems to go towards that direction, but I thought it was relatively interesting how the instrumental during the chorus felt like it encroaching the upbeat side of music. In a way, it presents a cheerful tone to the song, which sets the song’s tone. I am, however, not much of a fan of their vocals and rapping in this song. It was good, but I just didn’t feel connected with them despite many listens. (7/10)
4. Drippin’ – Dripppin’ is a very intriguing song for its unique sound. It contains trap elements within its instrumentation, but it doesn’t go completely in that direction. I personally think the vocals bring a slight hip-hop influence to the song and they nailed the vocal components in my opinion. The little falsetto ending to the lines during the verses added a little kink and uniqueness to the song, which I thought gave it some character. The rapping during the verses was also quite good though they could have been more intensified to make the song even better. (8/10)
5. Dear DREAM – Ending the album is a bitter-sweet song. To put it into some context – Mark, who is the oldest member and 20 y/o, is graduating from NCT Dream as it is intended to be a group for members who are in their teens. If you look at the entire song, it is basically send off for Mark. I personally didn’t notice this section of the song until I read about it in the comments, but Mark’s final rap line was “Hope we always feel like-” and the rest of the members vocalise ‘home’ in the background. I thought was well played and showed the meaning behind the song in basically one line. The sweet side of the song is amazing vocals and rapping that filled the song. (10/10)
One of my personal favourite boy groups are finally back and I am super excited. GOT7 is bringing along their third studio album, which has been titled Present: You. In the last week, the group have been dropping teasers to each member’s solo track that is featured on the album AND the title track, Lullaby. This is GOT7’s first comeback since their Look promotions back in March.
If in any chance you are looking for a soothing song to sleep to, this Lullaby is not going to help you tonight. GOT7’s version of a Lullaby is definitely upbeat and extremely intense, words that you don’t commonly associate with the sleepy time tunes. It follows the same style as Look (in terms of instrumentation and vibe), which I thought was rather nice. It was clean and it was well produced. The rapping by the three usual members was quite good but I felt the song was somewhat constrictive of their potential. But I guess that is why we have the solo tracks on the album. Vocally, I thought this is one of their best yet. The ad-libs by the vocalists at the end of the song were amazing. The chorus was very easy to get into and I thought it very smooth. I haven’t yet listened to the song in the other languages if you didn’t know, there is an English, Chinese and Spanish version of the track on the album as well) but I have high hopes if the Korean version sound this good.
It seems like the members are in dreamland with the music video. Yugyeom is in a never quiet train station (reminiscent of BLACKPINK’s As If It’s Your Last), JB’s on a book planet, Youngjae’s living Toy Story, Jinyoung’s flying a car, BamBam’s finds himself at an oasis, Jackson’s performing at a live concert and Mark’s causing flowers to bloom every time he takes a step. The video comes together quite well despite having all these different crazy and random elements. I thought the choreography shots were well done as well.
I thought the chorus was extremely fitting when they went for the sleeping pose for their Lullaby title. As for the rest of the performance, everything was fast pace such as the running moments after the chorus and Yugyeom’s footwork in his solo dance break. It was quite good to watch.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.7/10
It is time for a look at newer album releases. I have been catching up on some older albums lately and technically, this is still considered to be catching up as it has been a few weeks since it dropped. However, it is still a more recent release as promotions are still ongoing. Sunmi has returned with her second mini-album, Warning, since her solo debut. Featuring on the album is Siren (the title track), Gashina (released in August 2017) and Heroine (released in January 2018), along with a few more new tracks. So without any delay, let’s continue on with the album review!
Warning Album Cover
1..Addict – Once again, Addict is an introductory track. The entire track is in English, which is a blessing for us international fans as we can finally understand something! The question asked is ‘Who is running the show’ and clearly, the answer is Sunmi herself. I find the track quite addictive. It isn’t perfect, however, as I expected a more powerful drop, given the build-up at the start. That could have made the track pop out even more, serving as a very appealing introductory track. But what we have here is already quite great. (8/10
3. Curve (곡선) – I love her vocals in this song. So seductive and sensual with her nasal voice, reminding me of some other really underrated nasally artists like Lim Kim. She goes for the same type of music as those artists, with a jazzy instrumentation and something that you won’t get on a traditional pop album. I also thought the chorus was extremely catchy, going with that repetition which works majority of the time. I think they could have introduced something extra to the song during the bridge, which would have made it more interesting. But once again, what we got is already quite good. (8/10)
4. Black Pearl – Following a similar path as the previous song, Black Pearl takes on a jazzy instrumentation infused with R&B, which I thought was quite nice. The brass ensures the song doesn’t feel empty, which could easily have happened. I really liked her vocals in the moments leading up the chorus. While she does bring the nasal voice back, I am not as impressed with her vocals in this song. It just isn’t as interesting as in the previous song. (7/10)
5. Gashina (가시나) – Click here for the full review of Gashina. (6/10 – at the time of writing the review. This was a major mistake as it became a favourite of mine. Hence, I have bumped it up to a 9/10).
7. Secret Tape (비밀테이프) – There is an interesting sound with this song and I feel like this track could have been really good. Sadly, it serves as the outro track, lasting for less than 2 minutes. I liked the idea of her voice being masked by the effects of a recorder or tape, which I thought added class. And when that mask was taken away, we get something upbeat, which I thought was missing from her album (apart from the three title tracks) and needed kick to the slowness that it presented. (8/10)
And now we return to the catching up phase of the week as there are a few more reviews I want to get done. This review is for Hoya’s latest single, Baby U, which was released during the week. For those who don’t remember. Hoya departed from Infinite last year and made his solo debut with Angel and All Eyes On Me earlier this year.
For Baby U, he takes a different approach with the song. However, it remains neatly within the vicinity of All Eyes On Me. Baby U is described as a pop R&B track. And personally, I think this is his best song yet. Mainly because the song was quite catchy around the chorus. It is simply some repetition but it is done in a way that feels nice and laid-back. The instrumentation wasn’t that special, while Hoya’s voice was nice in this song (though I am still not too sure about his vocal approach). Hanhae features in the song but it felt too short. I feel like the song could have been extended. The ending felt incomplete and this could have provided a chance to Hanhae to have a longer sequence, which could have added some energy to the song. It is good and I like the song. Just some things could have been better.
I liked the music video for this release. We see the love story between Hoya and a friend’s friend (played by Kriesha Chu) come to life. It is shot in a home-style format, which I thought was rather interesting as another friend was documenting their love life. In the end, we see the two of them in a club and this incorporated some choreography into the video in a very smart way.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 8/10 Overall Rating – 7.4/10
Before I get stuck back into the catching up phase of the week., I must interrupt this plan with a new release. Chanyeol and Sehun, the rappers from the widely known KPOP boy group EXO, have come together as solo artists to collaborate under the Station X 0 project that has been ongoing for a number of weeks so far. We have seen Taeyeon & Melomance’s Page 0 and Baekhyun & Loco’s Young releases already, so check out the reviews if you haven’t yet.
I personally thought the two EXO members would have out with a song that is more rap heavy, given their positions within the group. However, that does not seem to be the case as they went with a more cheerful sounding pop tune, which I thought was still quite good. As many of you guys know, I have a mega soft spot for any rappers singing. And we are all familiar with Chanyeol’s voice. Sehun, on the other hand, usually gets the least amount of lines in EXO songs and isn’t well known for his singing. Hopefully, this song changes that as he has a pretty good singing voice. There is rapping infused into the verses but it isn’t in the limelight compared to the vocals. We Young is also quite catchy, going with an addictive repetitive hook. There is also a sense of inclusiveness, which I thought was pretty good. Not too keen on the ending, though as it felt quite sudden. But other than that, it is a good collaboration.
The music video puts Chanyeol’s biceps and Sehun’s abs to work. Hahaha… I did find it a little odd for the presence of abs in the music video but I guess it gives some appeal to some of the fans. Other than that, I thought the spinning platform they were on was a good idea as transitions throughout the video. It looked cool. And when they revealed the wider shot consisting of the fake grass, it looked like they were in the clouds, which I thought was quite cool. The dancing seemed to fit the tune of the song, going with a chilled route and the lyrics.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8/10
KPOPREVIEWED 