Category: KPOP

[Review] Where U At – 1NB

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I am trying to find some new artists to listen to and see what else KPOP has to offer. I managed to stumble across a group which I never heard of before, 1NB. Currently, they are a five-member girl group under Trivus Entertainment, who made their debut last week. From what I managed to find, 1NB used to be a trio at the start of the year when they released their pre-debut single, Stalker (review coming soon). One of the members ended up leaving and 3 new members were added to the lineup, leading up to the release of Where U At.

Where U At feels like a pretty standard song. But there were parts of the song that were appealing and unique, allowing to standout in some ways. The song, to me, sounds like a mixture of RnB and dance combined. It results in a sound that is quite pleasant, despite the lyrics going in the other direction. The violins in the background and the guitar riffs in the second verse give it a more dramatic touch. But what sells me the song is the vocal work. All the members seem to have a husky voice, which makes the song sound so good. It also makes the song more unique. I have to say though, the ending of the song seems to feature vocals that seemed a little forced, which I didn’t notice in the rest of the song. Also, the ‘Where You At’ chorus is extremely catchy, giving the song that memorable element that I tend to talk about.

But I think everyone who knows of this song would be talking more about the music video than the actual song. It starts off with a sexy concept, taking an extremely dark turn. Essentially, these two girls partner together to take revenge upon a cheating boyfriend. One of them seduces the cheating man and drugs him. Once he is knocked out, he is brutally killed and he is eaten by the girls, who are quite satisfied with the outcome. It is obviously slapped with a 19+ rating for both the sexy and gory side of the video. If you have yet to check out the video, I definitely recommend this one (provided you are not grossed out by blood and organs).

The choreography was quite good. It just doesn’t have that memorable side to it. However, the choreography at the “Where You At” chorus, which fits the song ideally and matching the intensity.

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

 

[Album Review] Moonrise (2nd Studio Album) – DAY6

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After a year of monthly singles, Every DAY6 has come to an end. Every DAY6 is a project conducted by DAY6, where they released two songs on a monthly basis for the entire year. With December finally here, it is sad to say that the monthly expectation for DAY6 has also ended :(. But that being said, DAY6 has left 2017 with two studio albums, Sunrise and Moonrise, both of which features all the songs released in 2017, plus a few extra goodies. For this particular album, I don’t have access to the CD Only tracks (14-18) so I will not be reviewing them.

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Moonrise Album Cover

1..Better Better – Better Better is an ideal way of opening up the album. The song has a really addictive chorus that is definitely able to induce the good old head-bang. The vocals and instrumental of the song gives off an explosive energy, which definitely hypes you up for the songs to come. (10/10)

2. I Like You (좋아합니다) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for I Like You (released in December). (9/10)

3. What Can I Do (좋은걸 뭐 어떡해) – Click here to read the full review for What Can I Do (released in August). (8/10)

4. I’ll Remember (남겨둘게) – This song was part of their September release. It is an interesting track that manages to do a lot. The start of the song gives off the impression of an upbeat song but the vocals bring out a more emotional side of the track. The start had an amazingly powerful guitar and rolling drum beat, something of which I liked. (8/10)

5. Whatever! (놀래!) – Whatever! was released in August. The song is a little plain (due to its lack of memorable moments) but it manages to remain upbeat throughout, giving off fun party vibes. Personally, I think it is a more cohesive track, compared to the main August track, What Can I Do. Pretty cool track. (9/10)

6. Be Lazy – The song had those funky vibes that reminds me of Bruno Mars. The retro chorus made the song extremely fun and the ‘Be Lazy’ part that follows the chorus was quite catchy. Once again, we must praise their vocals and the adlibs especially were on point. (9/10)

7. Hi Hello – Click here to read the full review for Hi Hello (released in July). (9/10)

8. I Loved You – Click here to read the full review for I Loved You (released in September). (8/10)

9. When I Loved Someone (그렇더라고요) – Click here to read the full review for When I Loved Someone (released in October). (9/10)

10. All Alone (혼자야) – Click here to read the full review for All Alone (released in November). (7/10)

11. Pouring (쏟아진다) – Another fast-paced song that goes well with the explosive vocals. There was also a nice incline in the instrumentation at the start of each chorus. However, I am not fond of the bridge as it slowed down the song a little too much for me and broke the flow of the song. (7.5/10)

12. I Need Somebody (누군가 필요해) – I am a major fan of Imagine Dragons and this song had the exact same feel that I would associate with the band. I like the gradual build-up of the song, which creates great suspense towards the second chorus. This makes the song go boom. The whistles before the second chorus were really nice and gave the final moments before that boom a pleasant feel. Overall, another nice song to rock out to. (10/10)

13. I Will Try – I think this is the closest the band has gotten to a ballad. Once again, the vocals are great and very dreamy. The instrumental was quite nice with the soft piano melody. The song gives off a warm feeling, making it suitable for the upcoming cold season. The acapella at the end was extremely unexpecting but their harmonies are amazing and it makes the song even more suitable for the Christmas season (carols anyone?). (10/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8/10

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Moonrise Teaser Image

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[Review] Hellevator – Stray Kids

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Another song that I missed. JYP Entertainment jumped back onto the reality TV show bandwagon for their next boy group. STRAY KIDS is currently a show broadcasting in South Korea with the sole purpose of selecting members of a future boy group to debut next year. To promote the participants and show, the trainees released Hellevator, the focus of today’s review.

The first part of the track reminded me of Rhianna and Eminem’s Love The Way You Lie, which was one of the songs that got stuck in my head through my early teenage years. The way the vocals were set up reminded me eerily of the way Rhianna sang her song and the way the raps began reminded me of how Eminem rapped in the said song. Hellevator’s main attraction was the raps. There is no doubting that. And I thought the raps were really well done. They were rough and tough, much like the EDM drop that the song featured. The vocals, on the other hand, didn’t seem to connect well with that side of the song. What also yelled out to me was the intensity of the track, which basically grew larger as the song went on. It was there from the start but I think the chorus kicked it up a notch. Overall, it is a great pre-release, in my opinion.

I like the video. Ther post-apocalyptic vibes were very cool and the sets portrayed that very well. There was a small plotline in the video but for the amount of time it received, it felt unnecessary in the end. I am not going to make a summary of what I thought was going on in the video because I had no idea what was going on. But after some searching, I thought this site pretty much explained in a more cohesive manner than what I would have done. To read the synopsis, click here (3rd paragraph).

The choreography performed was really cool, as well. It seems to make their future releases look promising with such epic choreography.

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

[Review] Boy – The Boyz

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A fresh new debut has just occurred and I am not delaying the reviewing until next week. That is a miracle. The Boyz is a 12-member boy group under Cre.ker Entertainment. Their debut comes in the form of the title track, Boy and the mini-album, The First. According to their Wikipedia page, some of the members have previously been in the spotlight through TV shows such as KPOP Star, High School Rapper and Produce 101.

Boy is another pop dance track that we have been seeing a lot lately. And while it is a good song, it really doesn’t have anything that allows it to stand out in the crowd. That’s the most disappointing aspect of the song. It was set up to be a decent song but with the lack of prominent hooks, the song just doesn’t draw any attention. There are many other aspects of the song which I would like to be a little different but they are more personal preferences. The instrumental was pretty much standard but it was still had a nice kick to it. There was a slight buildup to the chorus but I feel like a more defined drop into the chorus would be more suitable. Their vocals don’t really have much uniqueness to it, though there were some nice adlibs at the end of the song. The raps were the most interesting part of the song, in my opinion, fitting very neatly into the fast-paced music during its respective section. 

I am a little confused about the music video. It seems like they each member is paired with another member. And they all seemed to be friends in the past. Fast forward a few years, each pair seems to reunite with each other, leading to many moments of ‘is that who I think it is?’. That or each person was in awe of the other person’s handsome features. The camera work in this music video was also quite smooth and made the music video look quite appealing.

The choreography was spectacular. If I sounded like I was disappointed with the comeback, I apologise for that. However, the dance was quite impressive. From the infinity signs they made with their formation to their in-sync capabilities, it made the entire performance worth watching.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.5/10

[Review] I Like You – DAY6

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For the past year, DAY6 has been releasing songs every single month. And as the current month (December) is the final month of the year, DAY6 has officially dropped the last track that makes up this Every DAY6 project, I Like You. It is definitely a remarkable feat for a KPOP group to continuously pump out songs like that and has proven extremely successful, with many of their tracks drawing the attention of listeners, new and old fans alike in the past year.

Let’s take a moment to appreciate how good I Like You is. Honestly, I have not been feeling some of their latest tracks. I Like You is completely different, as clearly, they have left the best til last. It is an awesome rock ballad mix to rock out to. The instrumentation is quite good but it isn’t the show-stealing element of the song. Their vocals were and they do not disappoint. Both Jae and Young K open the chorus up so well, that I am blown away each time I listen to the song. I love how their vocals occur prematurely in comparison to the chorus instrumental. Jae’s guitar solo was also another highlight. That pause that features in the song just makes everything feel so much more explosive, definitely giving the song its peak that it needs. And for once the fade-out ending is ideal for the song. Overall, it is a great song and totally great way to end 12 months of songs with a bang.

The music video was quite nice. I liked the little plotline that featured in the video. Basically, I assume the two leads actor/actress are interested in each other. The guy goes through a non-elaborate plan to confess his love to the waitress by using a very subtle heart shape balloon (sarcasm present). Usually, I find such things quite cheesy but it made for a nice video. The cinematography of the shots featuring the actors, along with the band scenes featuring DAY6, was quite nice as well.

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

[Double Review] Love & Live + Sonatine – LOOΠΔ 1/3

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I am back with the second LOOΠΔ subunit double review. Technically, this is the first subunit unveiled, back in March and is made up of 4 members (HaSeul, ViVi, Heejin and Hyunjin. Their first song, Love & Live was released on 13th of March, while Sonatine was released as their repackaged single on the 27th of April.

Love & Live

While I want to say nice things about the song, I find is incredibly hard. The song was quite boring overall. I wish it was a little more poppy (despite the nice bubblegum pop vibes), which would make it more memorable and catchy. The song does seem to pick up around the chorus, it just isn’t enough to give the song some character.

But I did like the music video Love & Live. It is about a cyborg or humanoid designed to win races. But clearly, since she is a robot, there are many things that makes her envious of her team mates. The video depicts the cyborg as a perfect being but in reality she is bound to a battery pack. Clearly, at the end, she attempts to break away from the battery pack in an attempt to fit in. The concept was interesting and the background shots were nice (for the choreography scenes).

The accompanying choreography looked graceful. It just didn’t hit that memorable mark. I did, like however, the incorporation of the starting position of a track race.

Song – 5/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 6/10
Overall Rating – 6.5/10

Sonatine

The orchestral instrumental that basically stands out from the crowd is a great backbone for the track. It gives the song that really nice touch and makes it sound so unique. There was a nice Latin flare mid-way through the song. The vocals worked well with the song but they felt constricted somewhat due to the instrumentation. There really isn’t a catchy moment to look out for but I like this song far better than the previous.

The contrast between the colours in the previous video and the darkness in this video was quite nice. The difference between day and night made this entire debut a little more interesting, especially since the backgrounds for the choreography shots for this video were similar. The camera angles and different shots throughout the video looked cool.

Once again, the choreography was graceful like the music. It goes well with the song but it just doesn’t have that memorable factor (once again).

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 6.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.5/10

[Review] Glass Shoes – Fromis_9

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Fromis_9 isn’t technically a debut but rather a pre-debut single. The 9 member group was formed from the Idol School program, which I didn’t follow at all. However, I did happen to watch their performance at the MAMA in Japan this year and that was definitely a good way of getting exposure for the new group. Naturally, I checked out their song the next day (its actual release date) and that is where we find ourselves.

Hearing for the first time, it was an unexpectedly catchy track. And I was thoroughly impressed with the execution of the song. It was quite colourful, something you don’t get much around this time of the year. The ‘Bingeul Bingeul Bingeul Toc Toc‘ repetition at the start and throughout the song was extremely addictive and catchy. It sounds like your standard pop song overall. But there were some moments throughout the song that made it unique, such as the repetition already mentioned. The song itself felt like it was heavily influenced by the usual JPOP (Japan Pop) sounds. The instrumentation was quite nice, especially the electric guitar. The vocals and raps didn’t seem to be that impressive but the rest of the song made up for it.

The comments regarding the Japanese pop influence can also be said regarding the music video. The widespan shots and the school uniform that the girls wore in the video reminded me of some of the Japanese music videos I have watched previously. It was a nice music video to watch overall. They nailed the cute concept without going overboard. The pastel colours were nice and the golden brown colour light in some of the shots reflected well with the Autumn season.

The choreography was indeed nice but it just didn’t have that memorable factor that I always want to see. Their vocals performance at the MAMA awards were pretty good.

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

[Review] Lip & Hip – Hyuna

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Hyuna is back with her latest comeback, Lip & Hip. This is her second solo comeback this year, with the first being Babe, released back in August. Overall, it is her third comeback of the year due to her promotions as part of Triple H. While her newest track was released today, she made their comeback performance at the MelOn Music Awards (MMA), which occurred on Saturday.

I was quite happy with the outcome of Babe when it was released and it seems like Lip & Hip just shows how Hyuna is on a roll. I thoroughly enjoyed the track when I first heard in at the MMA. The track felt like it was quite in your face, which goes well with her overall concept. I usually do have something negative to say regarding her raps or vocals. But I felt like she did a really good job with the song. I love the pre-chorus of the song, the build-up providing the perfect level of suspense. The track itself is quite catchy, with the post-chorus ringing inside your head. The only part that I am having second thoughts is the bridge of the song. It gives off an exotic feel, which I can see fitting the rest of the song, but it just cuts the flow of the highly energetic song. However, great song.

A part of me feels thoroughly confused how this particular music video managed to only get a 15+ rating. Knowing how strict the system is in South Korea (through the amount of unnecessary bans that has been slapped onto some of the more subtle videos), I thought some scenes in this video (i.e. Hyuna putting her skirt on, Hyuna pulling her shirt down to reveal her cleavage) would earn the notorious 19+ rating. But I must say, it didn’t feel excessive one bit, despite it looking like it is her most extreme video yet. It also seems to send a message to everyone to be confident with how they look. I got that from some of the scenes (such as the ones already mentioned + the scene where she rips off her braces).

The performance was quite good. The choreography was something that you would expect from Hyuna and only Hyuna.

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

[Album Review] Basic (6th Studio Album) – Brown Eyed Girls

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So I have a long list of albums that I wanted to do a review for. And that list just keeps on growing when I remember more artists. So, while I bulk write some album reviews for the next year, I have decided to release a few. Another one or two will be released this month, depending on the release dates to some of the albums for December 2017. The focus of this album review is Brown Eyed Girls most recent release, Basic. It was unveiled at the end of 2015 but didn’t do that well on the charts (from what I could remember). But it is one of their best albums to date (the other is Sixth Sense).

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Basic Album Cover

1..Time For Ice-cream – I think this is an ideal opener to the album. The jazzy track grabs your attention with its unique sound from the very start. The lyrics were quite suggestive, despite the innocent title misconception. The vocals and raps were good but not impressive. The idea behind the track was good but I just don’t think it was delivered in a favourable manner. (8/10)

2. Warm Hole – Click here to read the full review of Warm Hole. (9/10)

3. Wave – The soft piano and funky instrumental works really well together. I also loved the guitar riffs in the song. I also think this is one of the best tracks, vocally, on the album. The raps were also equally awesome. The combination of everything makes it a track to die for and it remains interesting each time I listen to it. (10/10)

4. Brave New World – Click here to read the full review of Brave New World. (8/10)

5. Obsession – Obsession has a nice Latin influence that sounds extremely seductive. This statement is the most applicable to the song’s rap section. The harmonies were on point and JeA does the bridge justice. The song just doesn’t feel grand compared to some other tracks on the album. (7/10)

6. God Particle – With the start of the album focusing on darker and serious sounds, it is nice to see a brighter song, giving the album a ‘breath of life’ of some sort. I really liked the bold instrumental, which consists of drums and horns. The vocals and raps were amazing. Miryo gave the track a more retro feel. The best part was the ending, with the ad-lib and cymbals. (9/10)

7. Light – Light is a ballad with a hip-hop twist, given Miryo’s rap. Out of all the tracks on the album, their vocals are the best in this song. The song is quite uplifting and the chorus itself felt like the light at the end of a dark tunnel, making it the most impactful song on the entire album. (10/10)

8. Atomic – Returning to the brighter side of the album, Atomic feels extremely retro and I felt that it could have easily passed off as a song on the Hairspray (‘70s) with its showtune sound. Vocal work here is quite nice and it was extremely catchy. The track itself had a ‘dynamite’ moment with the ad-lib at the end of the track. (9/10)

9. Dice Game – I admit the Spanish flare was extremely strong in this track and the vocals were quite nice. But sadly, I am not keen on the track, particularly the autotune in the background during the chorus. Also, the rap section felt skippable, as with the rest of the track. (6/10)

10. Fractal – The ballad and guitar-based instrumental made the track sound quite beautiful. The vocal sand harmonies in the track were also quite delightful. The only issue with this track is the abrupt ending, which meant the entire album ended on an abrupt note. But overall, still, a nice track to listen to. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.5/10

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Basic Teaser Image

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[Review] Gang – Rain

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Rain is back with his first comeback in almost 3 years. His last comeback was in January of this year (The Best Present). Since then, he did get married to Kim Tae Hee and he is also now a father. More recently, he is also mentoring on The Unit, which is aimed at giving potential idols a second chance at the industry.

Gang is his title track for this comeback and I will be honest, I wasn’t impressed the first time around. The song is quite good, inserting an even modern influence into the music, compared to his last few comebacks. The EDM elements that make the rap verses and ‘Hundred Dollar Bills’ do hype the song and make it ‘lit’. But the slow down is the part that holds me back from saying it is a fantastic track. It just doesn’t fit, in my opinion. It cuts the flow of the song and just doesn’t sit well with me. But that was last night. Listening to it again, it doesn’t seem to be that bad. It does still catch me off guard but it seems to somewhat flow better than what I initially thought. Rain handles everything quite well, from his vocals and the raps. Overall, it is a good song to check out.

The music video is quite cool. I love high-quality videos and this video falls neatly into that category. I like how the music video highlighted certain words int he song by displaying it across the screen. I thought some of his fashion choices were really cool, while others were quite creepy. The massive sunglasses were cool. The jewelled head covering the end was the example of creepy.

Rain is known for this choreography and I thought this one was quite nice. It was sensual at some parts but equally as tough in others. His dance break that featured at the end of the music video was quite cool.

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

[Album Review] W, Here (1st Mini Album) – NU’EST W

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Slowly getting around to doing some more album reviews that I thought I should have done but missed because of my heavy study load. I think I am only doing 2 (this one and another one at a later date) because December is gearing up to be a busy month. NU’EST W’s first major release, W, HERE, was released in October and earned them their first win in their career! Congratulations! It goes to show how exponential their growth has been in the last few months. But as you may know, this is an album review, so let’s start cracking.

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W, HERE Album Cover

1..My Beautiful – To me, this track felt one of those upbeat ballads. But it was still relatively slow. It is the one track that I didn’t really care for on this album, due to its lack of colour. There didn’t seem to be much of a build-up, resulting it in remaining in a neutral stance. Vocals and raps were okay but they aren’t really showcased in the track. (6/10)

2. Where You At (Title Track) – Click here for the full review of Where You At. (8.5/10)

3. Paradise (Ren Solo) – Paradise is the first of the four tracks that start displaying the solo capabilities of each member, which I think it is a very smart move by the producers/company. I have never paid much attention to Ren, so I don’t know how he fared in the past. However, this solo track does a good job at highlighting his vocals. It was a nice pop song with a great buildup. The drop was just underwhelming and this had a negative impact on the track, in my opinion. (7/10)

4. Good Love (Aron Solo) – Good Love is a RnB track that is overloaded with synths. I like how the chorus becomes fast pace, giving the song some contrast with the slower verses. I also really like how he delivered his lines in the track, particularly that section mid-way through the song. Overall, the track was quite enjoyable to listen to. (8/10)

5. With (JR Solo) – Those who know me knows that I am not much of a fan of rap songs. But JR’s track is super cool. He starts off by whispering his lines, creating suspense. I really like the piano in the background and alongside JR’s rapping, the song becomes interesting and impactful. The chorus gives it a more epic feel. The only negative about the song has to be its length. (9/10)

6. Thankful For You (지금까지 행복했어요) (Baekho Solo) – Baekho is the main vocalist of NU’EST and like most main vocalists, he goes down the ballad route. But it is a really good ballad. At first, I thought the song would not really get anywhere and remain neutral. However, once the song hits the bridge, the violins did an amazing job at picking up the song. Baekho does a pretty good job as well, incorporating his emotions into his vocals, giving off a heartfelt appeal. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 7.75/10

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Where You At Music Video Image

 

[Review] Thirsty (Off Sick Concert Version) – Taemin (SHINee)

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This is my third and final pick for the SM Station releases that I missed in the past few weeks. Taemin returned with his second full-length album and the title track, Move, in October. Thirsty featured on the album but the concert version for the song was released under SM Station a couple of weeks ago.

For the most part, both versions were quite similar. The major difference that I could hear was the addition of some trap elements to certain parts of the song. Without the trap elements, the original was quite sensual in its delivery and sound. Even the lyrics were quite suggestive (but not as bad as other songs). With the trap elements, there is an additional intensity that makes the track more interesting. It also felt fitting for the track, overall. There is also an added dance break that didn’t appear in the song but the stage version which he promoted, which sounded awesome. I liked how he kept the original instrumental in the song and how the new synths went well with the piano sound in the original track. His vocals are also a must to talk about. When I said there was a sensual vibe, his husky vocals are partly to blame, going well with the piano or trap elements for both versions. I just felt the song was a little too linear. The dance break did help fight that but I don’t think it helped that much.

Usually, SM Station music videos aren’t given the same level of attention compared to other music videos produced by SM. More simplistic approaches are employed (as like the previous 3 reviews I have done). And while SM Station has had their fair share of actual high-quality music videos, this could easily be passed off as an actual main music video for his second album. The way it was shot and the sets seemed well chosen for the song. It focuses on his dancing and doesn’t go overboard in any unnecessary manner. Overall, a great video to watch.

His choreography doesn’t really wow me this time around. It just didn’t feel memorable or as impressive as his previous choreographies (Move, for example).

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

[Review] Doll – Kangta, Seulgi & Wendy

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This is the second track that I have picked to do a review for. As mentioned yesterday, I am taking some time to catch up on the SM Station releases which I have missed out on in the past few weeks. Today’s pick is Kangta, Seulgi and Wendy’s collaboration, Doll, which is actually a remake of another track of the same name.

For those who don’t know, Doll was previously released in 2001 by Hyseung (from Shinhwa) and Lee Ji Hoon. Interestingly enough, Kangta actually wrote the lyrics to the track as well. The 2017 version is performed by Kangta, Seulgi and Wendy, who all bring their vocals to the table for this song. I searched for the original track on YouTube and it seems like they used the same instrumental. But I felt the original was empty (but I don’t mean that in a bad way). That may be due to the original singers’ similar vocals, while the 2017 version had variations with the male and female combination.  And I like that a lot because it feels like the track has a lot more going through it. I will admit the song was a little dry, in my opinion, at the start. But once the song climaxed and each vocalist was belting their vocals out, everything seemed to click into place. Obviously, for the song to work, there has to be amazing vocals in the ballad and the trio delivered with that making it an amazing song to listen to.

The music video accompanying the release of the track is a recording of the live performance that Kangta, Seulgi and Wendy gave at the SMTOWN Live concerts. I don’t have much else to say regarding the video. Mainly because they can’t shoot a full music video at a concert.

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

[Album Review] Fall in Lovelyz (3rd Mini Album) – Lovelyz

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For the past few months, I have noticed my album reviews have been mainly focused on male groups. To change up, I have decided to look into more girl group albums. Preferably the latest albums, however, I do intend to revisit some past albums from previous years as well. I started with Red Velvet’s Perfect Velvet and now I am moving onto Lovelyz’s latest release. Once again, I have decided to omit the introductory track, Spotlight, from this review.

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Fall In Lovelyz Album Cover

2. Twinkle (종소리) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Twinkle. (7/10)

3. Triangle (삼각형) – The electronic components of the song give it that quirky yet intriguing side, making it fit perfectly into the typical Lovelyz sound I have associated with them in the past year. They have great hooks, especially the post-chorus parts. The ending is the letdown moment of the track, which ended up feeling forced. But overall, great song. (8.5/10)

4. Just (그냥) – The first thing I noticed when I first listened to this song was the brightness that it presented. The song itself felt like the mixture of the Christmas theme this album had channelled along with their previous title track, WoW! That being said, what makes it an even better track is the unexpected twist and turns it takes. Once again, the ending feels rushed but it doesn’t stop being a track to check out. (9/10)

5. Fallin’ – Fallin’ felt like a ballad to me but it invokes a great sense of nostalgia. Lovelyz’s vocals are a whole seemed to put forward an innocent vibe, which I thought was cute. I like the harp instrumental they used but that random pause in the middle of the song ruined the flow. It does feel a little plain but it was something nice to listen to. (8/10)

6. Secret Garden (비밀정원) – The song starts on a bold note, which is something that makes it stand out. The instrumental is much louder compared to the previous tracks, which give it an explosive nature. I did feel that same energy was lost as the song progressed, which is a disappointment. The vocal work was quite nice and this would be a song that I would love to see a stage performance for. (8/10)

7. Sleepy Dream (졸린 꿈) – Ending the mini-album is Sleepy Dream, which has a nice mixture of orchestra and synths, especially how they use the bells in the instrumental. It sets the song up for the Christmas is coming up soon for everyone around the world. Another great use of vocals and an excellent way to end the mini-album. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.25/10

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Twinkle Music Video Screenshot

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[Review] Bye Babe – Chen (EXO) & 10CM

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Every time I have paused to do an SM Station review (which I haven’t done in the past few weeks), it always ends up being a ballad. In the coming days, due to the lack of comebacks this week, I will be catching up on some of the SM Station releases I have missed in the last 3 months or so I have not looked at the tracks (one of them is a dance track – take a guess which one). Today, I am starting off with Chen’s collaboration with 10CM, Bye Babe.

Bye Babe is not a ballad, which caught me off guard the first time I saw it. Instead, it is an extremely funky guitar dominating song that feels bright and vibrant. It does fall towards the indie side, which 10CM is known for. It has me tapping along and that brightness just makes you smile. The highlight of the song for me is actually that crunching effect that the guitar produces to open up the chorus. Very ear-catching and unique (for me at least). Another standout for this track is the obvious vocals. Chen’s vocals felt just right for the song. It complemented well with 10CM’s vocals and the harmonies that the two produced makes the song so much more enjoyable. If you can’t tell by my comments, I pretty much enjoyed the song. Great collaboration.

The music video states that it is the ‘live version’. So my guess is that the entire song and instrumentation was recorded in the video? That is quite cool. Overall, I thought it was a good video despite it only showing the two artists singing, while the other people in the background are playing the instruments. The layout and the setting were quite awesome. The warm colour filter worked well with the song.

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

 

[Review] Love Is Gone – MAP6

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MAP6 has made their return with a brand new single, Love Is Gone. Their previous comeback was in May with I’m Ready as the main title track. For those who may not be familiar with the group, they come from Dream Tea Entertainment, which also houses Girl’s Day.

MAP6’s return was a little unexpected because I didn’t hear anything in the lead up to the song’s release on Sunday. So it was even more unexpected to hear such a good song from the group. The song, overall, felt similar to songs that Infinite would promote back in the day. The rock elements in the instrumental felt extremely nostalgic. I feel like the song could have done better if those same rock elements were bumped up a notch in terms of volume, which would have played better with the flawless vocals and raps. It would have made the song bullet-proof when it comes to intensity. Instead, the song does dwindle in terms of energy. As mentioned, I thought the vocals and raps were on point. Not once did it feel lacking or empty. That part just before the chorus was my most favourite part of the entire track because it sounded so cool and intriguing. Overall, I think this may just inch into the top as their best song yet.

Matching the rock sounds in the song, they went with an industrial type of concept, which I thought was really cool. They could have done a lot more but what they had done is pretty much sufficient. The grey filter worked perfectly and the setting was awesome. It was mostly choreography shots, with a few ‘close-ups’ of the members, which I thought were nice. It was towards the boring side of the spectrum, but the video felt fitting for the song.

Dance-wise, I thought they did a good job with this performance. I love the consecutive moves at the start when there is that drum ‘solo moment’ at the start (see gif below). Besides that, it just didn’t seem that memorable.

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Song – 9/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 6/10
Overall Rating – 8/10