Category: KPOP

[Album Review] BLUE PARADISE (5th Mini Album) – ZEROBASEONE

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You know the term ‘no skip albums’? BLUE PARADISE, ZEROBASEONE’s 5th mini-album, can be described by that. While no song was a knockout (i.e., 10/10 for me), all 6 songs on BLUE PARADISE are of consistently high quality, making the album suitable for the ‘no skip’ description. For those tuning in for the first time to BLUE PARADISE or needing a reminder, the mini-album was released in February of this year, led by the single BLUE and the pre-release single Doctor! Doctor!. It follows their CINEMA PARADISE and GOOD SO BAD comeback last year.

Alongside BLUE PARADISE, ZEROBASEONE also released their 1st Japanese mini-album, Prezent, led by the single Now or Never (which I haven’t reviewed yet…). More recently, the group returned in September with their 1st studio album, Never Say Never, and the single ICONIK.

BLUE PARADISE Album Cover

1. BLUE (Title Track) – Click here for BLUE’s full review. (8/10)

2. Devil Game – Two elements in Devil Game really speak to me. The first is the song’s funky and groovy instrumentation. The funky bass and the background’s textural elements are all very cool. Definitely MJ-esque. The second element, and probably the most powerful in the entire song, is the vocals. I really liked all of their delivery within Devil Game, but I am loving the clear, crisp and strong vocals in the chorus, which keeps the song engaging. I love the alluring nature of the whispers in the pre-chorus, which just keeps the interest in Devil Game up. My only gripe about the song is that it has more captivating verses – everything standalone is great within the verses, but I don’t remember much from them as a whole. (9/10)   

3. Doctor! Doctor! (Pre-release track) – Click here for Doctor! Doctor!’s full review. (8/10)

4. Out of Love – The first unit track on this mini-album features Kim Ji Woong, Zhang Hao and Kim Gyu Vin. This trio brings us Out of Love, a bold pop-rock track. It basically grabs me each time and hooks me on. The energy that comes off the instrumentation is also very satisfying and just hits all the right notes that I want out of a pop-rock track. The chorus is also super catchy, engaging me more. All three members’ vocals bring character to Out Of Love – I just wish they pushed themselves further to round out the song sonically to match the bold pop-rock vibes. (9/10)

5. Step Back – We return to the funky vibes with Step Back, courtesy of Ricky, Park Gun Wook and Han Yu Jin. I enjoyed the R&B grooviness that Step Back exudes and how the R&B side of the track gives a subtle maturity to the song that the three members pull off well. The upbeat nature also gives off a fun vibe. While strong vocals were on full display, I have to admit that Park Gun Wook’s high note at the end of the bridge surprises me each time. (9/10)

6. Cruel – The remaining members of ZEROBASEONE, Sung Han Bin, Seok Matthew and Kim Tae Rae, bring us Cruel. The track is another on the mini-album that gives us rock energy. The only difference is that the track is firmly in the rock sphere, with no other influences impacting the purity of the instrumentation. I really liked the grungy vibes that the instrumentation gives. While Cruel’s vocals aren’t the strongest in my opinion compared to the rest of the mini-album, Cruel manages to stand out thanks to the members’ rapping, as well as their fresh tones in the song. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.7/10

ZEROBASEONE’s teaser image for BLUE PARADISE

[Review] Sunkiss – WENDY (Red Velvet)

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WENDY made a comeback last month with the mini-album, Cerulean Verge, her first solo release since leaving SM Entertainment and signing with ASND for solo promotions (which is also the home for fromis_9). WENDY remains under SM Entertainment for Red Velvet activities. The mini-album serves as her third solo mini-album, following last year’s Wish You Hell, and is led by the single Sunkiss.

Sunkiss is a stunner. Sunkiss features WENDY’s crisp and strong vocals prominently, with the rock band instrumental considered secondary. I really enjoyed the bright, warm melodies and WENDY’s vocal delivery, with the pair coming together to give Sunkiss a nostalgic and comforting feeling. This is particularly true for the choruses, which allow WENDY to really soar. As for the instrumental, I consider it secondary in Sunkiss because it follows WENDY’s lead – where she goes with her vocals, it follows. Standalone, I really liked its wholesome vibe and the intensity of the rock sound that comes through. I also enjoyed the upbeat quality it gives Sunkiss, which works well with the summery season, as well as adding something upbeat to WENDY’s solo discography. My only concern is that the single is a little safe for her, but it is still a fantastic listen.

I agree with everyone’s concerns when the teaser images and music video dropped – WENDY looks far too skinny for this comeback. I do hope it was her own choice (i.e., she was not pressured by her own management or others’ expectations to present herself in this way). But she does look great nonetheless, and I can say the same thing about the rest of the music video. It may not have the SM budget, but it had a lovely aesthetic to it. I also liked the adventurous vibe that WENDY exudes throughout the music video, as she searches for the sun-kissed glow that she sings about in the song.

Performance-wise, WENDY looks great on stage. You can feel the happiness from WENDY as she performs and sings live. I love that she focuses on the live aspect of the performance, as Sunkiss sounds best in this form. That being said, she participates in some of the choreography. While it is not complex, she manages to showcase remarkably stable vocals while performing what she can on stage.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.9/10

[Review] Hollywood Action – BOYNEXTDOOR

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BOYNEXTDOOR is back with their 5th mini-album, The Action, led by the single Hollywood Action. It follows the release of their 4th Korean mini-album, No Genre (yet to review) and the single I Feel Good, as well as their Japanese single, Count To Love.

I have been a little busy the last couple of weeks, so I hadn’t checked out any teaser material for BOYNEXTDOOR’s newest album. So, going into Hollywood Action, I had no idea what to expect aside from what I knew of BOYNEXTDOOR. Well, I am genuinely surprised with how the final product turned out. The track features a retro-driven swing rhythm instrumental with catchy brass. Altogether, this lays the foundations for Hollywood Action‘s fun, addictive and groovy nature. I also liked the jazzy elements that the producers managed to incorporate into Hollywood Action, particularly via the outro where the members introduce the piano, drum bass and trumpet for some brief solo moments. I did enjoy BOYNEXTDOOR’s dynamic and chemistry in Hollywood Action, which made the song super engaging and worthwhile to listen to. Their delivery adds to the fun and gives off a witty impression, which works well with the lyrics. However, I think Hollywood Action needs something textural and be longer to take it to the next level in my book.

The music video is excellent! It definitely matches the fun and upbeat vibes of the song. We see the members crash the Hollywood production of a spy-slash-sci-fi movie that, if it were real, would be extremely cringy and cheesy. But isn’t that the nature of some classic spy and sci-fi movies from that era? I particularly liked how they are nonchalantly performing their choreography throughout the video, whilst on set and in the foreground of the movie production. I also liked the ending of the video, which saw the members (and the rest of the cast and crew) attend an award ceremony and receive an award for the film. This speaks well to those jazzy elements in the song and just gave a nice classy cap to the video. Love that the aliens were also there, as well.

The performance for this comeback, from the one reel and the snippets in the music video, promises synchronisation and the vibrant energy. This performance already looks like a standout to me. I enjoyed the Thriller reference and am intrigued by that crouching twist (where they touch the ground behind and in front of them) move, all of which form part of the chorus routine.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.3/10

[Review] Blue Valentine – NMIXX

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Also making their comeback this week is NMIXX with their first studio album, Blue Valentine, and the title track of the same name. It is their first comeback since Fe3O4: Forward from earlier this year, led by the single KNOW ABOUT ME. Following the promotions for Blue Valentine, the group will embark on their first world tour.

Blue Valentine begins beautifully, with stunning vocals and a soft instrumental piece that gently introduces us to the song. It is from the pre-chorus where Blue Valentine gets interesting. The music-box-like instrumental begins relatively slowly, even compared to the opening verse, before upping its tempo while the vocals remain the same during the opening verse. It feels out of sync, but it actually has a lovely charm. From there, the chorus fills Blue Valentine with a meaty chorus that is packed with a strong synth instrumental, powerful vocals, and a catchy melody that leads into the song’s addictive hook (i.e., “You’ll always be my blue-oo-oo-oo valentine”). The second verse’s instrumental leans almost into pop-rock territory, and the same pre-chorus recurs with rapping added to it. I found both to be a cool addition to the already intriguing nature of Blue Valentine. After the second chorus, the bridge pauses the song briefly, featuring only JIWOO’s vocals, which are again truly stunning. After the final chorus, we get an outro featuring a brief feature of LILY’s powerful vocals and a sudden switch up to soft and beautiful vocals from HAEWON, with the latter finishing Blue Valentine just like how it started. Blue Valentine successfully attempts something different, allowing NMIXX to reaffirm their place as a unique artist in the industry.

From what I understand from the lyrics, the song is about rekindling an old flame, comparing the passion of love from the initial relationship (red) to a colder, blue Valentine. The music video appears to show the members in both their initial and subsequent relationships with one another. Parts of the music video are dark (which represents their subsequent relationship with one another), while other parts are bright and summery (which I guess means the initial relationship). There is also a theme of time rewinding and fast-forwarding, which plays into the idea that the music video reflects upon both relationships. Some of the visual work of the video could have been done better, but I think it is a neat showing of the song.

The accompanying routine is lovely, but nothing really stood out to me. However, I appreciated the use of gracefulness to accentuate the choreography, which complemented the song well.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 8.3/10

[Review] COLOR – NCT WISH

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At the start of last month, NCT WISH made their second comeback of the year with the mini-album COLOR, led by the title track of the same name. In the lead-up to the release of COLOR, NCT WISH also pre-released the single SURF and released a music video for the side track BABY BLUE. I will definitely review SURF in the future, but I haven’t made up my mind regarding BABY BLUE yet. Their last comeback was poppop from earlier in the year.

Following my review of poppop, I am happy to report that it really grew on me. I hope that will be the case for COLOR. Similar to my initial comments on poppop, I find this new song to be an okay release. As such, I am not overly excited about it. But no matter how many times I have listened to the song since its release, I find it hard to see myself ever being excited about it. This is probably why this review has taken over a month to write. Some positive aspects of COLOR contribute to the song’s likeness. The clangy, synth, and percussive instrumentation give COLOR impact and help deliver some punches alongside the melodies/hooks. At the same time, the members’ delivery, layering and energy add life and an upbeat quality to the song. The “Bring out the colour” hook was also catchy. However, I feel that something holds back the dynamic potential of COLOR. Going back and forth over the song, I think the combination of the above made COLOR a little too hefty for my liking. If the producers had found a way to loosen up the song, making it feel lighter, I think this could have made COLOR more dynamic and appealing. I also wish the melodies were a little more grabbing.

The music video for COLOR is quite colourful, but it is done in a way that feels natural and tasteful. The colourful aspects aren’t in your face, but you can tell they are there. I really appreciated that. I also liked the art gallery theme in the music video; that part of the video was very fun. Energy-wise, the music video also felt youthful, ideal for NCT WISH’s appeal. It was great, overall.

As for the performance, I thought it looked good. The footwork and handwork during the chorus add complexity, and I liked the subtle intensity of the moves that accompany the song’s “Bring out the colour” hooks. Both definitely looked cool. Overall, I felt the routine matched with the hefty nature of the music, and the intensity adds some interesting dynamics to the performance.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.6/10

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[Review] OVERDRIVE – TWS

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Yesterday, TWS dropped their 4th mini-album, PLAY HARD, with the single OVERDRIVE serving as the title track to the mini-album. It follows the pre-release of Head, Shoulders, Knees, Toes, which dropped two weeks ago. It also follows TWS’ earlier comeback, Countdown and the mini-album Try With Us (yet to be reviewed), which occurred in April.

OVERDRIVE seems to bring together the edgy influences that were heavily present in Head Shoulders Knees Toes and combine them with the ‘boyhood pop’ that the group has consistently put out since their debut. And together, we might have a new direction for TWS that feels refreshing and different. I really enjoy the slight rock influences that come through the instrumentation. The bass guitar riff is super dominant and gives OVERDRIVE a standout characteristic. The humming that accompanies some of these guitar riffs post-chorus was definitely a clever tool to key the riff into our memory banks! The drums are punchy and make the song feel buoyant and energetic, which matches the energy we have seen from TWS through past releases. Even the members’ delivery is full of life and adds excitement to the song, with the chorus being super catchy. My only gripe about OVERDRIVE is the “I’m getting hot in here” spoken lines that felt like a take on a rapping segment. It just doesn’t fit the rest of the song that well, and similarly, the lyrics of the song, which speak to their feelings of being in love and how that is putting them into a state of overdrive.

Conceptually, the music video has two sides. The first is where members of the group are infatuated with their crushes. These scenes occur in everyday life, with the members being distracted, looking to spoil their crushes, and being love-struck by them. Think ‘I won’t tell people I am in love, but there will be signs’. The second part is a video-game-esque concept, where if the love puts the members into overdrive, they will respawn in the video game setting. It is quite an interesting and abstract way of looking at love, and I like how it aligns with the boyhood concept TWS has been known for. I do like the light-hearted moments, like DOHOON protecting his hand at all costs (after coming into contact with his crush) and JIHOON leaning on the sign, causing it to fall onto the other members (and how that leads us back into the dance performance).

Like always, TWS performances have always been a highlight of the comeback, and this one is no exception. Per usual, I really liked the energy they put into the performance. But I also liked how their expressions brought brightness and additional colour to the routine. The final chorus is my favourite bit, with the exciting jumps and flips.

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

[Review] ULTRA – CHANGBIN (Stray Kids)

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Stray Kids recently made their comeback with their fourth studio album, KARMA, led by the title track CEREMONY. However, I still have a backlog of song reviews related to Stray Kids that I have yet to post, including the solo tracks from their Hop mixtape and the unit tracks from their Mixtape: Dominate album. I have already made a start on this backlog, with CHANGBIN’s solo single from Hop, ULTRA, up next. For the other reviews of Stray Kids’ solo songs from the Hop mixtape, see the links below the music video.

It came as no surprise to me that CHANGBIN’s ULTRA would be the most powerful of all the solo singles. This resonates with his rapping in Stray Kids’ title tracks. ULTRA features two sides that showcase its power. The first is, as expected, CHANGBIN’s rapping. He always ensured his delivery had impact in ULTRA, with the parts where he gives his most angsty delivery being the peak of this power. I really liked how he played with the tempo of his delivery, helping make ULTRA dynamic and engaging for me. I also really liked it when CHANGBIN went slightly into vocal territory, which was something a little different and unexpected from CHANGBIN. The second form of power we got from ULTRA was the instrumental breaks. These breaks, each featuring a different synth and EDM profile, build upon everything I have mentioned about CHANGBIN’s rapping and help him expand into other areas (more on this in the next section). Overall, ULTRA comes together to emphasise and push further CHANGBIN’s usual powerful style and dynamic from the Stray Kids track.

The music video for ULTRA is dark and edgy, fitting well with the music. I really liked the green lighting in the background, which helps convey a villainous and angst-ridden energy with minimal effort. To me, CHANGBIN’s leather long coat look is probably one of the most iconic looks in this series of the Stray Kids’ solo work. I just wish they had explored the chemistry or the drug creation in the video further. I feel that there is a storyline here worth expanding on.

Earlier, I mentioned that the instrumental breaks allowed CHANGBIN to expand into other areas. What I meant by that was CHANGBIN’s top-notch performance. I personally felt he outdid himself with his performance, with the instrumental breaks/choruses giving him a chance to explore a sensual yet powerful side. The flexed bicep and body wave move is definitely one of the memorable moves in this series of solo works, and I liked how each break was something different, performance-wise.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.2/10

I.N’s HALLUCINATION | SEUNGMIN’s As We Are | FELIX’s Unfair | HAN’s Hold My Hand
HYUNJIN’s So Good | CHANGBIN’s ULTRA | LEE KNOW’s YOUTH | BANG CHAN’s Railway

[Review] ME+YOU – TWICE

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It is almost 10 years to the day that TWICE made their debut with the mini-album The Story Begins and the hit single Like OOH-AHH. TWICE has gone on to have multiple hits since then. Not many groups go on to celebrate their 10th anniversary, so to commemorate this fantastic milestone, TWICE released their special album titled TEN: THE STORY GOES ON yesterday, alongside the title track ME+YOU. Featured alongside this title track are extended versions of solo tracks from each member previously revealed on their THIS IS FOR world tour.

ME+YOU is an all-English R&B pop track for their fans (ONCEs). It is a pleasantly smooth song, with a straightforward instrumental and neat vocals overall. Personally, I find it to be a nice listen. Other than that, there isn’t much else to the song. Because of this, I don’t think ME+YOU is the type of song that I would actively look for on my playlist to play. It is interesting that TWICE chose such a song to celebrate a significant milestone in their career. While the lyrics of the song have a warm and nostalgic feel, which feels fitting for a song that looks over the last 10 years, the music itself doesn’t really convey that celebratory sentiment that we were promised. I wish there were a whole lot more to ME+YOU.

While the song won’t garner much interest from me, the music video has. I really like the sitcom vibe that the members have going on as they move into a new apartment. It was amusing to watch the members in the video, especially in relatable scenes like SANA incorrectly plugging the USB into the player, or NAYEON and SANA struggling with the PowerPoint. Seeing the members give us a throwback to the bus scenes in the Like OOH-AAH music video was a really nice nostalgic touch, even though the members found themselves amusing and cringey. The video also features actor Uhm Tae Goo, who plays their awkward neighbour across the hall, who becomes frustrated but ultimately shy with TWICE. His cameo and interaction with TWICE add another layer of comedy to the video.

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

[Album Review] SPILL THE FEELS (12th Mini Album) – SEVENTEEN

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Next up on the album reviews front is SEVENTEEN’s 12th mini-album, SPILL THE FEELS, released in October last year. Actually, it is almost to the day the mini-album dropped! The mini-album is led by the single LOVE, MONEY, FAME, featuring DJ Khaled. In addition to LOVE, MONEY, FAME, the mini-album also features 5 additional side tracks, including Eyes On You (which also has a music video, which I completely forgot about) and 3 unit tracks. Overall, SPILL THE FEELS is another fairly strong SEVENTEEN mini-album. The title track is the mini-album’s weakest track, but the rest of the mini-album makes up for this.

Since SPILL THE FEELS, SEVENTEEN saw the debut of 2 new subunits, HxW (with 96ers) and CxM (with 5, 4, 3 (Pretty Woman)) and the group comeback with the studio album HAPPY BURSTDAY (yet to be reviewed) and the title track THUNDER.

SPILL THE FEELS Album Cover

1. Eyes On You – The mini-album opens up with Eyes On You, a groovy house track. I quite like the club energy that this song exudes, as well as the freshness that the members bring to the music. S.COUPS and VERNON’s rapping really stood out, thanks to the way it contrasted with everything else in the song. As mentioned above, there is a music video for Eyes On You, and the video shows off their strong bond and friendship, no matter the circumstances they are in. (8.5/10)

2. LOVE, MONEY, FAME (ft. DJ Khaled) – Click here for LOVE, MONEY, FAME’s full review. (7/10)

3. 1 TO 13 – The next track is a wholesome one from the group, whose lyrics showcase their love for each other as a group and to their fans. It is a straightforward pop number, and the members make 1 TO 13 very comfortable and familiar. I’m just not a fan of the consistently tapping in the background, which sounds like it is coming from a laptop’s keyboard or trackpad. It was a tad distracting from that wholesome nature of the song. (8/10)  

4. Candy (사탕) – The first unit track on the mini-album is by the Vocal team (JEONGHAN, JOSHUA, WOOZI, DK and SEUNGKWAN). Candy is a ballad, featuring a beautiful, jazzy piano background (that bridge was amazing!) and stunning vocals from the team (as always). It is on the shorter side. However, the way it is executed and presented is literally short and sweet, so I have no complaints about Candy whatsoever. (10/10)

5. Rain – The Performance unit (JUN, HOSHI, THE8 and DINO) is up next with Rain, my favourite track from this mini-album. I really enjoyed the disco vibes that are exuded from Rain, and I love how it propels the song forward. I also enjoyed the charisma and seductive nature of the track, as well as the members’ delivery, which allows the unit to put their best foot forward on stage (which they do!). (10/10)

6. Water – The Hip-Hop unit (S.COUPS, WONWOO, MINGYU & VERNON) is all that remains, and they give us Water. It is a synth-heavy instrumental, and the members’ delivery of Water is shrouded in autotune. Both work well together to create a dark and edgy hip-hop track. However, I personally am not a fan of the autotune. But I can get behind the hype that the members infuse into the number. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.6/10

  • S.COUPS’ teaser image for SPILL THE FEELS
  • JEONGHAN’s teaser image for SPILL THE FEELS
  • JOSHUA’s teaser image for SPILL THE FEELS
  • JUN’s teaser image for SPILL THE FEELS
  • HOSHI’s teaser image for SPILL THE FEELS
  • WONWOO’s teaser image for SPILL THE FEELS
  • WOOZI’s teaser image for SPILL THE FEELS
  • DK’s teaser image for SPILL THE FEELS
  • MINGYU’s teaser image for SPILL THE FEELS
  • THE8’s teaser image for SPILL THE FEELS
  • SEUNGKWAN’s teaser image for SPILL THE FEELS
  • VERNON’s teaser image for SPILL THE FEELS
  • DINO’s teaser image for SPILL THE FEELS

[Review] Who Are You – SUHO (EXO)

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Last month, SUHO from EXO made his solo comeback with his 4th mini-album, Who Are You, and the title track of the same name. It follows his 3rd mini-album released in May 2024, 1 to 3, led by the title track of the same name and the pre-release single CHEESE.

Who Are You is another pop-rock single. While this one is quite a decent listen, I found the instrumental to be the more engaging part of the new single. In particular, the electric guitar riff that recurs in the background of the chorus and during the instrumental breaks. I liked the way it was layered over the basic foundations of Who Are You‘s background and how it gives the song a bit of a dynamic flair. As for SUHO, he sounds pleasant and familiar throughout the song. But the melodies and delivery were just too wispy, and so his vocals just don’t stick. And since Who Are You is shorter than usual, there just isn’t much to really remember the song by. Overall, a decent listen is the best way I can find to describe SUHO’s new single.

I am not entirely sure what is going on in the music video, but it looks like SUHO is hanging out with some friends. These friends are masked, which I assume is related to the fact that he likens them to strangers in the song’s lyrics. The video does depict them fighting at one point, so perhaps they feel like different people to SUHO when they fight, which he was in the middle of at one point. However, that is resolved relatively quickly, and the rest of the video shows SUHO embarking on a road trip in regional areas of Australia with these friends. I recognise the driver’s seat on the right-hand side of the car and the license plates. We do see SUHO attempt to remove their mask at the end, but the video ends there.

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

[Album Review] BORN LIKE THIS (9th Mini Album) – AB6IX

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In September last year, AB6IX made a comeback with their 9th mini-album, BORN LIKE THIS, which was led by the single NVKED. I am finally getting around to reviewing the mini-album. In addition to the lead single, 4 additional tracks feature on the mini-album. As usual, AB6IX released a solid mini-album, with perfect songs marking the start and end of the album. In addition to the title track, I highly recommend you check out these tracks at the very least on BORN LIKE THIS.

In more recent times, AB6IX made a comeback almost a year after the release of BORN LIKE THIS with their 10th mini-album and single of the same name, STUPID. I have yet to review the title track, but I will do so soon.

BORN LIKE THIS Album Cover

1. In My Vein – In My Vein is a powerful hip-hop track that kicks off the mini-album very strongly. The thumping instrumental features a really cool rhythm that appeals to me from the outset. But it is AB6IX’s vocals that stand out the strongest in the song. There is a certain sleekness and classy vibe to the vocals that brings a great deal of character and tone to the song. Similarly, the rapping was also super engaging and extends that hip-hop influence. The “I have it in my vein” hook was also super catchy. Overall, a powerful opener for the mini-album. (10/10)

2. NVKED (Title Track) – Click here for NVKED’s full review. (8/10)

3. Forever Young – Forever Young combines pop-rock with a touch of old-school hip-hop in the second verse and rap portion of the bridge. I have to say that the chorus, which features the pop rock in its purest form, was extremely satisfying. The hip-hop was nicely executed and adds a further appealing dimension to the song. Overall, a decent side track from the group. (8/10)  

4. Hurt Me – Hurt Me brings Latin-pop to the mini-album. Ideally, this influence would have brought a touch of freshness to the mini-album. However, it ultimately gets overshadowed by the percussion and synths in the chorus. Where it does shine through in Hurt Me, it definitely gives the track some life, flair, and energy. Truthfully, AB6IX continues the momentum that the Latin-pop influence brings through the percussion and synths. But the balance is off for me, and I find this to be a barrier to fully appreciating the song. (7.5/10)

5. Butterfly Effect – The mini-album started off strong and ended strongly with Butterfly Effect. I really liked the combination of the synth-pop and classical elements in Butterfly Effect. It makes for a pretty and strong background for AB6IX. The changes in tempo, from upbeat to soothing, thanks to the instrumental combination, make this track super dynamic and engaging. The best part has to be the bridge, with the classical music creating a beautiful instrumental piece. To top off Butterfly Effect, there are also stunning vocals and rapping throughout the track, as well. A great ender to this mini-album. (10/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.7/10

BORN LIKE THIS teaser image

[Review] My First Love Song – KickFlip

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Rookie group KickFlip has been on a roll this year, debuting back in January with Mama Said (yet to be reviewed) and the mini-album Flip It, Kick It! and returned with their first comeback in June with FREEZE and the mini-album Kick Out, Flip Now!. The group recently pre-released the single Band-Aid (review to come) ahead of their September comeback with My First Love Song and the mini-album My First Flip.

My First Love Song is a super energetic pop-rock track that instantly grabs my attention. Opening the song up with the chorus, in this instance, was super effective and had me hooked from the start. What KickFlip does super well throughout My First Love Song was use the energetic dynamism to show off their youthfulness. You can hear it in the instrumentals, their vocals, rapping and tone. And I find it to be quite infectious. While the verses don’t live up to the same momentum, there is a constant upbeatness and presence of the pop-rock influence during the verses that keep the song on track and moving forward. The pre-choruses and (really short) bridge of My First Love Song do slow down that momentum even more. But its placement is clever and makes the subsequent return to the chorus punchy and powerful each time. Putting this altogether, My First Love Song is extremely likeable and definitely grows my attention towards KickFlip even further.

My First Love Song sees the KickFlip members help KEIJU confess to his crush, from planning to executing the very moment he asks his crush out. It goes well with the lyrics of the song, which speaks to doing something they wouldn’t normally would do, but for the sake of love, they will do it. I quite like their energy and vibrant charms that are on full display throughout the video. In addition to the confession playing out, there is also a fair bit of focus on fellow member MINJE, bringing in what I suspect is a bit of a side-plot. MINJE appears to be jealous of KEIJU – perhaps he has the crush on the same person or that he like MINJE. The video does leave this side-plot open-ended, so we might see more of this story evolve in future videos.

Like the song and music video, the energy really makes the performance. The chorus never lets up and shows us a dynamic flow that keeps the performance going. The other parts of the routine are not as intense, but still shows off sharpness and energy. I think some fine-tuning of the synchronisation could have lifted the routine up slightly to make it consistent with the other elements of this comeback.

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

[Review] Doctor! Doctor! – ZEROBASEONE

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A while back, I mentioned I would go back to review ZEROBASEONE’s pre-release single for their BLUE PARADISE mini-album. Well, today is the day. Doctor! Doctor! was released back in January, a month in advance to the release of BLUE PARADISE and the lead single BLUE. Keep your eyes open, as with this song review posted, an album review for BLUE PARADISE will be posted soon.

Since its release, Doctor! Doctor! has always been a pleasantly consistent listen. I use both ‘pleasant’ and ‘consistent’ in a positive way for this the purposes of this review. But I think more can be done to elevate the song further. Doctor! Doctor! is a contemporary R&B track that enables ZEROBASEONE to show off their vocal abilities. Their vocals are nicely executed throughout the song, and this vocal exclamation of the song’s title at the start and during the chorus is something that I instantly think of when the song does pop in my mind. The melodies are also quite nice. Doctor! Doctor! also features some rapping, and I liked the way this cuts through the vocals to give Doctor! Doctor! some much needed contrast and punchiness. The instrumental is where Doctor! Doctor! could have done more, in my opinion. It felt very standard for the most part, but I do appreciate the bass and percussion that do pick up the song.

The lyrics of Doctor! Doctor! likens falling in love to a illness, and asks the doctor for help to cure one of such illness. In the video, we see the members suffer from the symptoms of being in love, seeking the help of a doctor (played by South Korean actor Jung Kyung Ho). I thought the haziness and colour palette of the music video were particularly interesting, in the sense that it makes the video look dreamy, but also blurry like when we are unwell. Overall, a solid music video.

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

[Review] SHOOT (Firecracker) – CHAEYOUNG (TWICE)

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CHAEYOUNG from TWICE made her solo debut last month with the single SHOOT (Firecracker) and her debut studio album, Lil Fantasy Vol. 1. She is the fourth member of her group to embark on a solo career, following NAYEON, JIHYO and TZUYU. In other related news, TWICE made a comeback with THIS IS FOR earlier this year and will be making a comeback in a weeks time to celebrate their 10th anniversary with the album Ten: The Story Goes On and single Me+You.

Personally, I didn’t know what to expect from SHOOT (Firecracker) and CHAEYOUNG in general, so this solo debut was quite an intriguing one to me. Right from the get-go, SHOOT (Firecracker) proved to be a decent track. I admire its softness, thanks to dreamy retro-pop instrumental and CHAEYOUNG’s vocals. While this combination isn’t necessary the style that would enable the track to stand out in a sea of KPOP releases, SHOOT (Firecracker) does enough to get onto my radar. I particularly like how she delivers SHOOT (Firecracker)‘s repetitive hook. It was lightly upbeat, comforting and repeated listens to the song have helped it become earwormy to me. I was also quite surprised with the fact SHOOT (Firecracker) was all in English. I would have liked some sort of development in the song, especially as it progresses. Maybe some more pronounced vocals in the layering of lines towards the end of the song, or some sort of change-up in momentum to steer it away from potential neutrality. SHOOT (Firecracker) was good overall and I do enjoy it. But more could have been done, particularly to offset the softness that consistently recurred in the song.

The music video sees CHAEYOUNG in her own little distinct world that draws upon elements of Alice in Wonderland. CHAEYOUNG was quite cute throughout the video, especially during the scenes where she is ‘outside’ gathering ingredients to bake a cake. She also invited some felt friends over for a tea party. I quite the pastel look of the video, which fits in with that dreamy motif that I mentioned earlier in regards to the song, as well as concept of being one’s world (i.e., a dream). This is backed up with how CHAEYOUNG first appears in the video in between a mattress sandwich, suggesting that she might need to be asleep to enter her own world.

I quite liked the performance aspect of this solo debut. CHAEYOUNG definitely brought a vibrancy to the routine that helped it look engaging, and the moves were pretty solid. There was ‘bow and arrow’ shooting and handgun moves during the chorus that made perfect sense. My only critic about the performance is similar to what I said about TZUYU’s performance for Run Away. There is a certain stiffness that feels apparent in CHAEYOUNG’s initial performances of SHOOT (Firecracker). Fortunately, it did lessen as CHAEYOUNG performed the song more.

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

[Review] 5, 4, 3 (Pretty Woman) – CxM (SEVENTEEN) ft. Lay Bankz

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Earlier this week, SEVENTEEN debuted their latest subunit duo CxM, becoming the fourth subunit of the 13-member group after BSS (HOSHI, DK and SEUNGKWAN), JxW (JEONGHAN & WONWOO) and HxW (HOSHI & WOOZI). Following a similar naming pattern, CxM is made up of SEVENTEEN’s leader S.COUPS and fellow member MINGYU. Their debut single, 5, 3, 4 (Pretty Woman), dropped on Monday, along with the mini-album Hype Vibes.

For me, 5, 3, 4 (Pretty Woman) is a fun debut single. S.COUPS and MINGYU takes the primary hook of Roy Orbison’s Oh, Pretty Woman (lyrics and music), turning it into an energetically funky and groovy hip-hop number. The guitar riffs is a stronghold of the song and its consistency throughout keeps the momentum of 5, 3, 4 (Pretty Woman) going. Said energy of 5, 3, 4 (Pretty Woman) definitely suits summery season. However, I think an earlier release date of 5, 3, 4 (Pretty Woman), say in the middle of Summer, would have allowed the song to hit harder. Interestingly, the entire second verse (a large portion of the song) was handed over to Lay Bankz. There is no question that she is a strong artist – her part in 5, 3, 4 (Pretty Woman) absolutely hits hard. But that does mean we didn’t get to hear as much of either S.COUPS and MINGYU. What we do hear is good (I am loving the pre-choruses), but I don’t think 5, 3, 4 (Pretty Woman) particularly used their talents and abilities as well as it could have. Overall, a well executed and crafted song that builds on a classic’s hook. But I would have loved to hear something more distinct from the pair.

The music video sees S.COUPS and MINGYU hanging out in LA, getting ready, partying it up and turning heads wherever they go. It is honestly rather simple, but it works well in the context of the lyrics and vibes. I liked how each time the chorus come on, the video turns into a little party. The bright sun and settings were also well selected. I also liked that the video featured Lay Bankz, as well, particularly given the large bite of the song she has. Given how short the song is, it did feel a bit odd to have a minute worth of ending credits, but the outtakes make up for it.

The choreography incorporates the groovy and hip-hop vibes of 5, 3, 4 (Pretty Woman) in a manner that is simple, laidback and cool. Their charisma and playfulness also makes sure to emphasise the coolness and easygoing nature of the routine.

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

[Album Review] Air (1st Mini Album) – YEJI (ITZY)

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Earlier this year, YEJI from ITZY made her solo debut with the mini-album Air and the title track of the same name. It is time for the review of the debut mini-album, which features an additional 3 songs along Air (the title track). The title track itself was a powerful debut single. As for the mini-album, it’s a mixed bag in my opinion, but it still offers a good outlook on YEJI as a solo artist. For more on my thoughts on each individual song on Air (the mini-album), keep on reading below.

More recently, YEJI rejoined her fellow members for their June comeback, Girls Will Be Girls, and was confirmed to have renewed her contract (along with the rest of ITZY) at JYP Entertainment.

Air Album Cover

1. Air (Title Track) – Click here for Air’s full review. (9/10)

2. Invasion – The synth-pop instrumental for Invasion was very lovely, as well as the guitar riffs that come into play later on. You could also hear YEJI’s charisma through her vocals. Combined with the instrumental, I felt Invasion had considerable potential. However, the more I listened to Invasion, I wished there was more bite to the song, particularly as it progressed. This would have helped the song from feeling repetitive, which did occur after a while for me. (7.5/10)

3. Can’t Slow Me, No – Groovy bass comes into the mini-album with Can’t Slow Me, No. YEJI also adds some Latin influence to the choruses and the second verse. I quite enjoyed the energy and atmosphere that this created. YEJI does a good job switching between vocals and rapping throughout the song, which adds a dynamic factor to the song. Quite a fun single to have on the mini-album. (8/10)

4. 258 – 258 closes out the mini-album. It is a bright pop song that features a dreamy EDM instrumental. One aspect of 258 that I really liked was how easy it sounded on the ears. Every element, from YEJI’s effortless tone to the autotune, melodies and instrumentation, sounded pure and straightforward. This all contributed towards making 258 an easy listen. There is also something about the prominence of the English lyrics that really spoke to me in 258. (10/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.6/10

YEJI’s teaser image for Air