The second single of Station X 0 is officially out. Last time, we heard from Taeyeon and Melomance on Page 0. The second single, Young, features the collaborative efforts of Baekhyun (whom we all know from EXO) and Loco, who we all know as a leading hip-hop artist. It seems like each of these songs have some sort of empowering message, based on the release of the first two singles. Can’t wait to see the rest of the releases.
Young is an electro-pop track that is extremely serious sounding. The atmosphere that is presented when you listen to the song isn’t one to be taken lightly. In my opinion, the song beckons you to determine what they are trying to get across to us. To quickly summarise, the song sends the message of being yourself and not to conform to the ‘expected’ image. Putting the message aside, the song features Baekhyun’s signature vocals, which fluctuates every now and then, giving the song some texture and drive. The song also features Loco and his rapping voice, which adds those elements and drive the song even further. Together, they don’t share any parts. However, they still compliment each other quite well, making this another great song from the SM Station project.
The music video expresses just what the message of the song says. However, the expectation set upon people are the rounded balls they are moulding together throughout the video. The way the people are working and walking around expressionlessly (illustrated by the paint splashing scene with Loco) shows that they are conformed to the standard and extremely bland societal normals. The way Baekhyun and Loco act, along with the disfigured ball at the end of the video shows how we should be acting and how we should be ourselves.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9/10
NCT Dream is known for their youthful image and sound. And they will continually do just that. But as members get older, they don’t necessarily fit the image anymore. Thus, NCT Dream is a rotational unit made up of teenagers and members will graduate from the group as they are of age. Basically, SM Entertainment confirmed that Mark will be leaving the lineup. Thus, this makes We Go Up Mark’s last comeback as part of the NCT Dream. So let’s have one close look at Mark’s final song with the group.
We Go Up takes that hip-hop style that was present during theirGo promotions earlier in the year, combining it with that youthful sound that they are known for. The resulting combination actually comes together quite nicely. The instrumentation felt very trendy and very energetic. There were cowbells and when that is used well (like in this song), it adds another layer of appeal. The chorus was definitely catchy and had this suspenseful feel to it, which I quite liked. The rap verses reminded me of the 90s, while the vocals were quite nice. Though, I felt like the vocals could have had some more colour to it, like how the raps stood out. Overall, the song was definitely an improvement from theirGo days but still retaining that sound.
Knowing how this is Mark’s final promotion round with Dream, I noticed a lot of the video felt like a send-off for Mark. While all the members were sleeping, Mark was the one walking around the room (There was a scene where Chenle was walking around but he notices the hourglass is almost up, so he realizes that Mark is about to leave). Within his sleep, he reminisces about the fun events they had together. Overall, I thought it was a nice video, and if my perspective is right, quite touching as well.
You might have waited for this review to be published last night (and I apologise if you did). However, I actually decided to wait a day for the start of their live promotions. I thought their choreography was quite powerful and fitting for the hip-hop style they went for in the song.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9/10
As you may tell, I am currently prioritising some of the albums released earlier in the month, hence if some of your favourites recently came back, their album reviews should be out around mid-September. iKON is one of the artists who made their return to the stage at the start of the month with Killing Me and their first mini-album, New Kids: Continue.
2. Freedom (바람) – I thought the song would have had great potential with its rock influence, if only it didn’t take on a chorus that felt like it resembles something that came from the Disney channel. The verses and bridge were good, just the chorus felt like a letdown. Nonetheless, it was good head-banging music despite being described as a soft rock. I did like the fast-paced nature of the song and everyone sounded quite good. (7/10)
3. Only You – Only You takes that Summer sound that you get throughout the Summer season and mash it with iKON’s traditional hip-hop sound. In the end, we get a decent song. There was a slight reggae feel to the song, from what I heard. It did feel quite generic around the chorus but it wasn’t too bad that it affected the rest of the track. I liked the rapping in the song and the vocals were still quite good. (8/10)
4. Cocktail (칵테일) – Cocktail is probably my most favourite track on this list. The atmosphere that comes from this track makes you feel quite happy and lively. I thought the tiny quirk (where they go for a quick falsetto) at the end of each vocal line during the verses was nice. The vocals and rap combination was also quite cool in this song. And I like how they bring everyone together at the end of the song for the outro. And you can’t really help but sing along to it. (9/10)
5. Just For You (줄게) – Just For You is a nice ballad to end the album with. I like how the resident rappers also sing in this song (which they have done with other ballads in the past). But their vocals are top notch here, giving the song some interesting textures. The vocalists themselves did a nice job. The instrumentation was also quite nice and the launch back into the final chorus was quite impactful. Overall, it is a nice song. (8/10)
LONGGUO is back with his first ever mini-album which shares the same name as his title track, Friday n Night. For those who may not know this soloist, his real name is Kim Yong Guk and was apart of JBJ, which disbanded back in April or May of this year. He participated in Produce 101: Season 2. He did make his solo debut a few months back through the release of the digital single, Clover, which featured the legendary Yoo Mi Rae.
Friday n Night takes on a ballad approach, mixing it with some R&B, which was prominently present throughout his debut single, Clover. And I think this song is about to kick off the season of ballads, which we are just about to enter (Fall and Winter tend to be ballad dominant). LONGGUO does an amazing job with this song, his vocals shining throughout it. I would have liked it to build up to something, which would have made this song so much better. I liked how emotional the song felt, making this the perfect song for the upcoming rainy days here in Melbourne. I liked the guitar and the violins (which definitely added a very depressing feel to the song). It has been a while since I have heard a very emotional ballad and this fulfils my unknown craving.
I thought the music video was quite nice. It depicts LONGGUO going about his day as a cafe owner. Some days he was productive, others weren’t so much. But he waits around for someone, depicting his loneliness quite effortlessly. It adds to the emotional vibes of the song and you cannot help but feel bad for him. There was one thing that bugged me, however. ‘Wednesday’ was spelt wrong on his calendar. I know it was the smallest detail but it did make me feel uneasy for a while. (Good thing the song was there to soothe me!).
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.4/10
It is time to cover some KPOP groups who recently made a start to their careers. NEWKIDD has yet to officially debut, however, they did release a new pre-debut single as a subunit (NEWKIDD02) titled as Shooting Star. This occurred back on 25th of July (and I have been bumping it around since its release). The subunit features Jinkwon, Ji Hansol (who is also currently promoting as part of UNB), Choi Jiann, Yunmin, Hwi and Woochul. NEWKIDD also has another subunit, Lemme Spoil U, who released Will You Be Ma at the end of last year.
Shooting Star is quite a funky and groovy song to listen to. It has the instrumentation to be an addictive song in my opinion. But it is mediocre, at best. It just doesn’t deliver, which is a huge disappointment in my mind. The song could have more momentum or drive, which would have made it more appealing. The group does have good vocals however I don’t think that is much help here, especially since their hook is quite weak. The song also could have used a more defined rap section, which would have added that energy/momentum. Despite all of my criticism, the song isn’t too bad once you hear it on a playlist. It isn’t terrible in any way, I just think it needs a little more to be able to stand out from the crowd.
It has been a while since I have seen an all blonde male group. I think the last time that occurred was B.A.P’s debut back in 2012. The music video benefits from good post-production, which I think made the video much more enjoyable. And that is the best thing I can say in regards to it. It does fall towards the boring side of the spectrum, which doesn’t make me want to rewatch it again.
The choreography was quite cool. I liked the skipping part and the arrow shooting towards the end of the music video. While the song and the music video hasn’t got rave reviews from me, I am glad the choreography shows that there might just be something to put this group on my radar.
Song – 5/10 Music Video – 6.5/10 Performance – 7.5/10 Overall Rating – 6/10
With some groups in the industry at the moment, we are seeing unfortunate disbandment or the departure of some select members who want to venture on a different path. On the other hand, we see some groups sticking together by resigning their contracts. Shinhwa is prime example of this, especially since they are celebrating their 20th year anniversary. The legendary group has returned with Kiss Me Like That and with their special mini-album, Heart.
I am not sure what their portfolio was like prior to their 2012 comeback with Venus (though I know some of their old tracks such as Perfect Man, T.O.P and Brand New). Kiss Me Like That is a complete change up in their sound, going for a more acoustic sound with their release. And it is a very promising like that. It feels like a nice song to listen to if you want to escape the reliance on EDM nowadays, Even their rap section follows the acoustic sound, which I thought allowed the song to remain consistency (this is also another example of how consistency can be a good thing). The chorus felt like an Western pop song’s chorus, reminding me of a few songs. I like their vocals and the rapping in the song, overall. Having listened to the song a number of times prior to writing this review, I haven’t grown bored of it and it happens to be the case that I cannot find myself being bored of it. Overall, an amazing song.
There is nothing more peaceful than sounds from the sea and that is what we get in this video. The entire video is set on a cruise ship. And for a celebration for their 20th year since debut, the video doesn’t go for any saddening plotlines. Instead, they use dance scenes and fireworks to showcase their celebration, which I thought was cool. The orange sunset made the video feel golden, which I thought was nice. It is a good video, suiting the song quite well.
I liked the dance during the chorus, which was very classy from what I see. They way they signify the ‘Kiss Me Like That’ hook and the ‘Touch Me Like That’ line was pretty nice (the latter probably showing how comfortable they are with each other).
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9/10
So I wrote yesterday that I would be reviewing Seungri’s full album later this week. I just did not remember that I had organised for this to be done the day after. But we are here to look back on the release of Seungri’s first studio album, which is titled as The Great Seungri. His entire album seems lean towards electronic music, with the exception of just a few tracks. But that is all for you to read later on.
3. Love Is You (ft. Blue.D) – Love Is You showcases a groovy R&B sound which I really like. It attracts my attention straight way, especially with the guitars throughout the song. Seungri has a nice voice in this song, which makes it even greater. Joining Seungri is Blue.D, who I just found out is a YG trainee. She has a very nice husky voice, which complements Seungri’s vocals very well. It was quite disappointing when there wasn’t enough opportunities for the two to sing together. There were some and it left me wanting more (I am not considering the chorus as the focus was on Seungri the entire time and she was only heard as backup vocals). But other than that, it was a good song. (8/10)
4. Mollado (몰라도) (ft. B.I) – The next song on the album takes on that Latin trend that KPOP has been having this year. It combines that Latin sound and EDM, creating a very catchy and upbeat sound that sticks in your head for quite a while. The song also features B.I from iKON, who delivers a really cool rap sequence for the bridge of the song and takes over the hook at the end. Little confused to why they allocated that part to him but I am not complaining. (8.5/10)
5. Sweet Lie (달콤한 거짓말) (ft. Dannic) – What makes this track so awesome is the build-up to the epic drop and the epic drop itself. I honestly pass over the vocals. They are good, and the production did a good job of letting the two come together but they just weren’t at that same level as the instrumentation. It remained too consistent here, staying within the same style for the entire song. I feel like if his vocals were tweaked a bit or some autotune was applied, this would have been much more appealing. (7/10)
6. Be Friend – As soon as the song starts, you are basically thrown into this extremely upbeat yet cheerful atmosphere. The instrumentation reminds me of a G-Dragon song, while his vocals felt like some that iKON would be releasing as a b-side track. The combination of the two does work together and allows Seungri to deliver a catchy song. A part of me also thinks this song could work as a soccer anthem, just some tweaking in the lyrics would be required. (8/10)
7. Hotline – The instrumentation and the hook for this song would work extremely well for Psy. It also sounds like the perfect song to slide into a random group at the club to. Just listening to this track, you can basically imagine a club-themed music video, which seems to be something right up YG alley a few years back. It is another song that hypes the crowd up and attract your attention. It had a powerful build-up and great level of energy to it, which I like. (9/10)
8. Alone (혼자 있는법) – Following the electronic music theme that this album had going on, Alone brings a different feel to the table. Something which the album hasn’t experienced yet, emotions. I also like how ‘different’ the synths during the chorus felt. Instead of usually featuring an increasing tone, it felt more like a downward spiral, which I thought was interesting and quite cool. It did get a little repetitive towards the end, but it was still good. (8.5/10)
9. Good Luck to You – The album saves the best track for last. The song starts off generic but once it gets to the chorus, another epic drop presents itself. I liked how there was two sections of the chorus drop, which felt like it prolonged the awesomeness of the chorus. The lyrics for this song were cool and Seungri’s vocals here has to be my vote for best on the album. I would have liked for there to be a rap of some kind of give the song some edge, which would have it made more interesting. But overall, one really great song. (9/10)
As mentioned previously, I will be catching up on some songs and videos that were released in the past few weeks, which I haven’t had a chance to write about yet. And with Seungri’s album review due to come out this week, I thought I look at the second music video released for the artist’s solo comeback, Where R U From?, which features Mino from Winner. Seungri previously returned with his main solo track, 1,2,3 last month.
The main intention for Where R U From is to hype up the listeners and be a fun track to listen to. It isn’t meant to be taken seriously, as you can tell from its sound and the music video that was released alongside the track. The song relies on a really simple yet catchy hook that gets you into the song. And this one hook did a good job at it. Seungri does a good job with his lines but I don’t think he was the star of the track. The featuring artist, Mino, was the better out of the two, in my opinion. His lines gave just enough edge to the song to make it not feel too repetitive and added that extra ‘cherry-on-top’ for the listeners to enjoy. The only issues with similar tracks to this one is that multiple listens later, you get tired of hearing the same thing over and over again, which is also happening to this song, unfortunately.
The entire video is a comedic response to the ongoing political tension throughout the world. I am surprised that this video hasn’t garnered much attention for its certain portrayal of two political world leaders. But putting that aside, I thought the video was interesting. I chuckled when Seungri pulled out the YG Entertainment table plaque thing and Seungri/Yoo Byung Jae’s paradoy of BLACKPINK and G-Dragon. In a few other ways, the video felt like it was pushing for a new Psy, which I am a little unsure about at this stage. But overall, it was good to see something different (and fun) for a change.
The performance confirms my last statement. The company is pushing Seungri to be the next Psy, who left YG Entertainment earlier this year. The way Seungri looks when he performs remind me of Psy. I thought some of his moves were good but others were just plain odd. But he did a good job with connecting with the audience and made it look decent overall, at least.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 7/10 Overall Rating – 7.8/10
As I was planning the reviews to be published this week (aka. the start of the catching up that I promised weeks ago), I realized I completely forgot about UP10TION’s latest summer release, So Beautiful. It was released last week and is the title track off the UP10TION 2018 Special Photo Edition. This is the group’s first release since Candyland back in March of this year. The group also recently released their Japanese comeback track, Chaser, which I will be reviewing later this week.
So Beautiful is a pretty cool song. Though it doesn’t have a strong hook that gets me repeating a certain line over and over again (like most KPOP songs), there is enough within the instrumental to get me into the song. The instrumental seems to buildup in a fantastic manner and there were sections which reminded me of Wanna One’s Energetic for some reason (the rapper’s section during the verses and the piano during the verses, for example). I really like the kick that the rapper’s part bring along to the song in the verses and during the bridge, which was my pick for the highlight moments of the song. The vocals were quite good as well but that momentum and energy wasn’t the same, which was quite unfortunate. I feel like if the song had a more stronger hook, the song would have been a lot more memorable.
The music video shows the behind the scenes for what I assume is their photoshoot for their photo book. Not really much to say here. Though, this is a song that could have benefited with some sort of modelling concept, as that is what I imagined after listening to the song for the first time. I am not disappointed but rather have different ideas floating in my head as I was listening to the song.
I personally do not know if they will be promoting their new release. While photo books are not promoted, Going Crazy was released as part of another photo book release and was subsequently promoted on stage.
Song – 7.5/10 Music Video – 7/10 Overall Rating – 7.3/10
With BTS making their ‘IDOL’ comeback this past Friday, I think this is the fastest I have ever put out an album review for anyone. And while I had planned to do this as soon as I read the news of their said comeback, I never had expected so many high quality songs. Every new song on the album was a gem and I cannot wait to get straight into the review.
A compilation album is, put simply, a collection of past songs from other albums. BTS did insert 7 new songs into this album, which is the focus of the album review today. Joining these new songs are the song the group previously released as part of Love Yourself: Her and Love Yourself: Tears. Due to the amount of songs on the album (25 songs), it would be really crazy for me to put all the songs on this particular page. So, if you are looking for a particular review for another song from the other two mini-albums, click on the links below. Beside that, let’s get this show on the road!
2. Trivia 起 Just Dance (J-Hope Solo) – If you have been visiting my site for some time, you would know that I tend to prefer vocals over rap. But one of the things I love more than vocals are when rappers sing, as they tend to have a underrated voice. This is exactly what we have here. J-Hope’s verses just pull you in. And while that gets me hook, the chorus is another selling point that gives this song an amazing club vibe. The vibrating synth is also extremely addictive. Overall, the first new track of the album starts off these new releases with a banger. (10/10)
3. Trivia 承: Love (RM Solo) – The song kicks off with a very light hip hop sound that makes it appeal. While the sound might be a little too cheerful for RM (I for some reason associate him with a more dark/serious tone), this does not hinder his delivery and presentation of his lines, which felt very effortless (which is usual for the rapper). Once again, the singing was also top notch. Towards the end, there was an anthem like sound infused into the song, which made it the most exciting part of the song. (8/10)
5. Trivia 轉: See Saw (Suga Solo) – Starting off Seesaw is Suga’s husky vocals which sound like a blessing to my ears. His song takes us on the R&B route, which I think is an excellent move given the previous two songs (above). I like the use of background vocals in the song, which give it a little more backing. The instrumental is nice and smooth. But it is not as interesting as the other songs that I have already reviewed. It is a good track to kick back to, however, which is why I do enjoy it. (8/10)
13. Epiphany (Jin Solo) – Like the other two Love Yourself albums, we have a solo pre-release from Jin. This is one amazing song (and I felt that in just the first few seconds of the track). It gives Jin the opportunity to show something off which he doesn’t have the opportunity (I think I have said this in the past for his other solo releases). I love the instrumental of this, appealing to my taste in rock-ballad music. Overall, this is a show stopper on so many levels. (10/10)
14. I’m Fine – I’m Fine starts off same as Save Me back in 2016. However, it soon became distorted and we have a completely different sound, which falls along the line of Western pop currently. I liked the fast pace chorus which really gives off a very impactful push. It is also quite addictive. Once again, the rappers shine in this track. Particularly Suga, who had a awesome sequence. But that doesn’t mean the vocalists did not get any spotlight as their vocal work was amazing Going back to how the song is similar to Save Me, the lyrics is like a response to Save Me, which I thought was nice. (10/10)
16. Answer: Love Myself – Ending my review today is Love Myself, which is another perfect song from the group. Everything about this song is totally terrific. The vocals and harmonies were superb, while the rapping was toned down to fit this peaceful and more brighter sound from the group. The instrumental is well balanced, which is something I liked quite a bit. The lyrics of the song were quite touching as well. Looking back, my description/review doesn’t do the song justice, so my advice is to go and listen to this amazing song. (10/10)
After another highly successful comeback this past May 2018, BTS is back to conquer the stage again. BTS made their highly anticipated comeback today with IDOL and the third part of their Love Yourself trilogy. And with their latest comeback, it is expected that the group will extend their reach into the international market. They have already come so far with collaborations with Steve Aoki and Nicki Minaj, who featured on another version of their title track.
IDOL isn’t what I had expected, given what DNA and Fake Love sounded like. This seems to be more hip-hop dominate and party anthem-like, which sounds pretty good. The song opens up with the rappers taking on the verse. And while they do sound great, it did feel like they were shouting a little too much. The vocals come right after for the pre-chorus buildup and I had similar thoughts in term of shouting, though it provided a great launch into the chorus. I really liked the burst of energy and upbeat nature of the chorus, which takes the track to a whole new level. It was quite catchy to my ears. I also like the instrumental of the song, which really built up as it went along. If you listen carefully during the verses, they seemed to be a dramatic underlayer, with the upbeat sounds on top. I found that very interesting. The saxophones definitely brightened up the track and provided a nice sense of appeal. I have to admit though, the song isn’t my favourite from the group, but it quite up there.
Right off the bat, the video seemed to be quite noisy as there were more things going in the foreground of the video and the background of the video, than usual. And this video seems to be a little out there, compared to their previous music videos. And I have no idea what is going on in the video, as the scenes seem to be very odd. I have yet to watch any theories on the music video, but I assume they will be plentiful in a few hours. There were some aspects that felt very familiar. Some of the scenes reminded me of Fire and Not Today. For example, the choreography scene where there was a tonne of backup dancers reminded me of Fire. The colour palette and sets in this video reminded me of DNA‘s music video.
Choreography wise, it looks good. We don’t see too much in the music video but there seems to be enough to conclude that this is going quite a performance. There seems to be amazing footwork during the chorus and the overall feel does a good job of hyping up the song. I may return next once I get a better look at the performance!
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 8.5/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8.7/10
After a long pre-debut period of almost two years, LOONA have finally made their official debut with Hi High. Yes, this is not a pre-release but their actual debut track which they will be formally promoting on stage. The song features on the group’s first mini-album, which is called ++. The group previously made a pre-release with favoRiTe, which is also featured on the said mini-album.
Hi High is an extremely energetic and bright song that felt very unexpected. I saw that because LOONA’s predebut consisted of a wide variety of genres and styles. Yet they went with something a little cliche for a debut. Not that is a problem as the song does a really good job of presenting that youthful side of the group to the listener. There is a sense of familiarity, however, as it does remind me of their predebut style. I really like the ‘Woo-Woo-Ah’ lines within the verses, which were really catchy. The chorus itself was really addictive with the repetition of the English and the chant vibes that come from it. Even though it just came out, it has already been replayed an unhealthy amount of times. Vocally, the song was amazing and the rapping was quite good. The high note during the bridge was spectacular, kicking us with some impact just before the song ends. Overall, it was a fun song that definitely shows their potential.
These are just my observations from the music video but there were a fair bit of reunions. Furthermore, a number of scenes reminded me of some of the predebut music videos, such as the dark room and the athletic track running scenes. Based on this (and the fact that LOONAverse flashes across the screen at the start), I think the context of the video is that they are rejoining as a group after being apart in their own worlds for quite some time. For those who don’t know, I will be posting my LOONA music video theory in a number of weeks (there will be scheduling changes for that) and this video will find its way onto that theory. Storyline aside, it is a good video on its own.
The performance of this song consists of a lot of members. There are other groups who consist of more members but their choreography has been very tight. LOONA’s performance, on the other hand, is a lot looser. The members had to do a fair amount of running to get from one side to the other. I like the cuteness in this choreography, especially during the chorus, which made the performance very inviting.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 8.5/10 Overall Rating – 8.9/10
Despite being around for approximately 4 years now, this is my first time reviewing BIGFLO. BIGFLO is a 5 member boy group (Euijin, Sungmin, Ron, Lex & Hightop) currently under Hyeyoom Entertainment. Some songs from the group include Deliah, Oblivate & Stardom. Due to their limited success, Euijin and Lex participated in The Unit: Idol Rebooting Project, where Euijin finished in second place and is also currently apart of UNB. Upside Down is their newest song. Despite already completing a full weeks worth of promotions, they only dropped the music video yesterday.
Upside Down starts off as your typical KPOP song. It didn’t really feel that captivating at first. However, as the song progressed, it started to become more appealing and interesting to my ears. The instrumental for this song falls within a funky retro domain, which ended up being one of my favourite components of the song. And yeah, while it did feel very ordinary for the most part, there were crashing sounds that came in at the right time to provide some crunch to the song and lead us into the next part of the song. The vocals were good but the rapping stole the show for me. It too gave some texture, which I really liked. I also liked that extra kick the rapping sequence at the end had, coming out of nowhere to end off the song. Overall, Upside Down was an awesome song that just needed some time to sit right with me.
Capitalising on Euijin’s newfound popularity from The Unit and UNB, he opens up the music video with a dance introduction. But that bears little relevance to the music video. From a non-Korean’s perspective, the video is a tad confusing, with the members being left alone and interacting with someone who just isn’t there. The lyrics provide some insight to why the guys are like this. They are trapped in a relationship where their partner basically constricts them. They want out (and very desperately, judging by some scenes) but end up finding themselves coming back, similar to Stockholm Syndrome in a sense. The music video is quite bare but it offers an interesting interpretation.
I am slowly catching up on a number of comebacks which I, unfortunately, missed last week due to being a little busy. I am hoping to get two reviews done tonight, so let’s get cracking! IMFACT are back with their latest single, NANANA. This is the group’s second 2018 comeback, following The Light, which was released earlier this year in April. They performed NANANA, alongside to The Light, prior to the official comeback while at KCON 2018 in LA last weekend.
NANANA is extremely laid back and doesn’t have that explicit peak that you expect to hear when it comes to other songs. There is a moment that the buildup was intense (the bridge of the song) but it soon returns to the chorus’ original instrumentation, meaning there is some consistency. And while it does sound like that would be a boring tactic, it isn’t. There is something with the recent releases as they were all captivating yet able to maintain consistency. The instrumentation was great being very dynamic yet soft all at the same time. I like how their vocals aren’t hard-hitting like other KPOP songs of the EDM genre. They go for a more subtle approach which makes the song very easy on the ears. The combination of the soft EDM instrumentation and subtle vocal work gives the song interesting texture, which makes it appealing to my ears. The rapping gave off a different texture altogether, mixing some roughness to the smooth mix. Overall, I thought NANANA was a great song.
Unfortunately, I can’t really say the same in regards to the video. There isn’t a whole heap going on throughout the video, which I think does pair well with the laidback side of the song. However, with the interesting amount of texture within the song, I felt like this could have called for some visual textures as well. We do see a bit of it through the use of colour and black and white. However, it doesn’t seem to be enough.
I liked the smooth nature of the choreography, which pairs well with the song. I didn’t think they would go for a very complicated routine for this song but they did and it paid off. The stage looked amazing and their stage presence was exceptional. My only comment would have to be in regards to how tense they look.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 6/10 Performance – 7/10 Overall Rating – 7.2/10
I promised you all that I will get around to review Donghae and Eunhyuk’s most recent Japanese release, Sunrise, this weekend and that is where we find ourselves today. Donghae and Eunhyuk have had a few Japanese comebacks since their return from the military but I forgot about most of them. But I put this one on my agenda in hopes of making it up to you all. Sunrise was released approximately one month ago and is part of their 3rd full-length album in Japan.
Like ‘Bout You (their Korean comeback), Sunrise attempts to bring the duo back with sounds that are more relevant to the industry right now. And they do a pretty good job at it. The song does have the same flaws as I had written about yesterday, including repetition and standard chorus with nothing to offer. I am not sure why they put autotune over their own voices, which felt very unnecessary. I understand that it is electronic music but it just doesn’t feel natural and unique anymore (as everyone does it). What I did like about the song, however, was how clean it felt. It didn’t feature any awkward corners or background vocals that felt unwanted. Instead, the song just flowed nicely, which I thought made the song decent to listen to.
The music video, for this song, was really high quality and it felt like I was watching something out a sci-fi movie. Removing the choreography scenes and their closeup in the forest, the duo finds themselves running towards a light structure in the middle of the forest, which I think is the start of every alien based movie. When the chorus kicks in, we are thrown to the choreography shots, purely done in a studio but it looked spectacular, especially with the LCD background. It is a cool video, irrespective of the song, in my opinion.
It was a cool video but it would have been nice to see something a little different. The same comments from yesterday still apply here. They are trying extra hard to fit in with the young crowd, which is a little disappointing. I am quite sure (not referring to the hammer hand dance) that some of the moves were seen in their Korean comeback as well.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 6/10 Overall Rating – 7.1/10
Berry Good is officially back after over a year’s break with Green Apple and their first ever full-length album, Free Travel. This very underrated group promoted Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo back in May last year. It hasn’t technically been a long break for some of the members as the group did launch a subunit, Berry Good HeartHeart (consisting of Taeha, Sehyung, Gowoon) who debuted back in Crazy, Gone Crazy back in April of this year.
Berry Good just never sticks to one style of music. Instead, they change it up every single comeback. And while I can see this as being very confusing for some people, I like the breath of freshness that they always bring to the table with their different styles. Green Apple is another cutesy song but done very well. It feels bright and bubbly, mainly due to the synths that are present throughout the song. It stays consistent but it doesn’t feel repetitive at all, which is a huge relief. The chorus is quite catchy, being somewhat explosive in nature. The song is quite dynamic and while that can be attributed to the instrumental, I think the vocals play an even stronger part in the song’s appeal. It feels like a cute conversation rather than the girls’ singing every line. I think this makes the song more approachable and intriguing.
The music video is essentially a guy trying to woo some girls with apples. He has red apples though, whereas the girls enjoy green apples. He adapts to their desires and offers them ‘poison’ green apples (similar to the one that knocks Snow White out). And as payback, they take all his green apples (assumingly to stop him from doing the same thing to everyone else) and make him run around, while also having some fun on the beach. That is my take on the video. I thought it was good, fitting for the song.
The choreography balances cute and sexy, which I think it also quite fitting for the song (and season of Summer). Apart from that, I don’t much else to say in regards to the performance.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 7/10 Performance – 6/10 Overall Rating – 7.3/10
KPOPREVIEWED 