I finally wrote a review for WASTELAND, the early June pre-release single for KANG DANIEL’s REALIEZ mini-album the other week. And with that review out the way, I can now post an album review for REALIEZ. Alongside WASTELAND is the title track SOS, which was also released in June of this year. REALIEZ follows on from KANG DANIEL’s first studio album release from Summer and Autumn 2022 – The Story/The Story: Retold. As usual, links to the full review for the title and pre-release tracks and my thoughts on the side tracks are down below.
3. Supernova – Later released in Japanese, Supernova is pop rock track that some really cool instrumental moments. The pop rock aspect of Supernova is already quite adequate in itself, but the producers really amped it up with some dynamic drumming kicks in the chorus that itches something within me that I didn’t know needed to be itched and a short guitar solo that is so satisfying. There is also a funky undertone to the track, which makes it a cooler track. KANG DANIEL’s vocals and rapping are superb and he turns it into an effective track. (9/10)
4. Liar– The switch between guitars and atmospheric synths in Liar is very intriguing. But it all somehow comes together. In this track, KANG DANIEL talks about the lies he and his former partner/lover told themselves, which ultimately resulted in their breakup, and him hoping that by opening up about them will allow the pair come back to one another. It is an emotional track that KANG DANIEL does well in delivering. (8/10)
5. Dreaming– Ending the album on a dreamy note is Dreaming. Out of all the songs on this mini-album, KANG DANIEL’s vocals fit the best in Dreaming. The instrumentation for Dreaming is layered with synths, guitars, drumming and piano – all of which does come together to feel tranquil. But there is quite a bit going on when paired with the vocals, to the point where it does feel a bit heavy handed. But somehow, KANG DANIEL’s vocals poke through the instrumentation just fine and allows the track to take you away. (8/10)
fromis_9 debuted back in 2018 and it has taken them one full contract over a five year period to finally release their 1st ever studio-length album. Unlock My World was released in early June this year and features the title track #menow and 9 additional side tracks. For me, fromis_9 is a group who has released multiple underappreciated gems over their half-a-decade-long careers, with tracks like DKDK, Love Bomb (still one of absolute favourite tracks of all time) and DM under their name. I found this album to be full of these gems as well! 4 of the side tracks earned a 10/10 rating from me and the rest of the tracks also earning a high rating as well. Keep on reading to find out which 4 tracks got a 10/10 rating and my thoughts on the rest of the long time coming album.
Unlock My World Album Cover
1. Attitude– fromis_9 begins their first studio album with a 180° change with a darker and mature sound in the form of Attitude, which feels miles away from what we have heard from the group thus far. I really like how this track turned out. Alluring and very sexy sounding. I enjoyed the synth work in this track, giving Attitude so much texture to work with. This is smoothed out by the members’ vocals, which glides and moves the song forward. I also enjoyed the lower notes and tones the members adopted in the track. It is a hard to forget track on this album. (10/10)
3. Wishlist – Jiwon and Chaeyoung come together to perform the first unit track on the album. Wishlist is a R&B all-English track. I like the messaging behind the lyrics – that you should not make yourself fit the ideals of another person (i.e., their wishlist) and that you should be yourself. The pair brings a vibrant tone to the mid-tempo R&B track, which helps makes Wishlist a bit more impactful. (8/10)
4. In the Mirror– In The Mirror is a dance pop track that features Seoyeon and Nagyung. It brings back the darker tones that the album kicked off with. The synth work is very atmospheric in In The Mirror, which helps makes it a captivating listen. The vocals were very nice, particularly during the choruses where the melodies literally felt like you were drifting along. The rapping is also a stilling moment in the track. While In The Mirror doesn’t exceed the expectations of Attitude, it definitely up there as one of my favourite side tracks from the album. (10/10)
5. Don’t Care– Don’t Care is one of tracks that really jump out with you instantly thanks to its groovy and funky synth work. It features Jiwon, Jisun, Seoyeon and Nagyung. With the tracks before it, I appreciate Don’t Care’s boldness and upbeatness, which is quite enjoyable. The beats do get bolder around the bridge (though the transition was a tad overwhelming). I like the members’ powerful tone and tenacity in Don’t Care, as well. All of this made for a strong listen. (9/10)
6. Prom Night – Saerom, Hayoung, Chaeyoung and Jiheon feature on the last unit track of the album. The pre-chorus was a very intriguing aspect of Prom Night and I liked the vividness of the bouncy aspect of the UK-garage synth-based background. But aside from that, Prom Night is the least interesting unit track to me. And it simply comes right back to the instrumentation, which I personally felt overpowered the members’ vocals in the chorus, sans that short push from Hayoung and Chaeyoung to rise above the instrumentation. (7/10)
7. Bring It On – Personally, I felt that Bring It On could have had a more vibrant pop instrumentation. I don’t think the R&B pop backing that Bring It On featured did the vocals justice. The hooks and melodies, and the vocals delivering them, were all catchy and a solid effort from the members. But the instrumentation wasn’t eventful as I wished for and turned an otherwise good showing into something bland and boring. (7/10)
8. What I Want – I will make the rating straight up. What I Want is another 10/10 track on this album. Everything in the track had me dancing along and there was never any weak moment. What I Want was a very interesting electro pop track that really caught my attention. The upbeat nature of the track was fun. The members’ vocals and delivery back it all in. I like the burst of energy in the chorus, which comes about by the combination of vocals and instrumentation, and that is my pick of highlight of the track. The hooks and melodies were all catchy and added to the fun listen. (10/10)
9. My Night Routine– My Night Routine softens and mellows out the energy that precedes it with another R&B track. I like the jazzy vibe of the instrumental, as well as the bass. The vocals are pleasant. Altogether, My Night Routine comes off as dreamy. (7.5/10)
10. Eye Contact (눈맞춤) – Unlock My World ends with a fun pop rock track that had me smiling throughout. I may have also danced along to this track as well. The energy of Eye Contact was very extremely likable and the members sound like they were having a blast. The inclusive parts where the members were singing together were my favourite and just made everything more wholesome. An easy 10/10 and great ender to this album. (10/10)
It has been a week since my last Stray Kids’ side track review. And as alluded in that review, there are a few more music videos before I can finally post my thoughts on their ★★★★★ (5-STAR) studio album. Today, I am reviewing the single TOPLINE, which features the Korean hip-hop legend and royalty Tiger JK. TOPLINE is ★★★★★ (5-STAR)’s fifth track.
As I say constantly, the hip-hop/rap genre is not my personal cup of tea. But even I have to see what the likes of Stray Kids and the legendary Tiger JK sounds like. It comes as no surprise to me that TOPLINE sounds like another hype hip-hop track. It carries the energy that Stray Kids is known for, while also allowing the rappers (including Tiger JK) to show off their skills. More specifically, TOPLINE is described as a minimalistic boom bap, old-school and East-Coast hip-hop track. Naturally, the rappers shine in this song. Needlessly to say, Tiger JK’s featuring was very clear and crisp. His flow was amazing and definitely added some finesse to the track. As for Stray Kids’ themselves, I particularly enjoyed HAN’s rapid and clean delivery in this song. But Hyunjin’s slurring is quite interesting and had more impact, while Changbin’s punctuating delivery is very much in his wheelhouse. Felix’s deep voice just adds flourishes to TOPLINE that pays off and gets the track grounded when it hits energetic peaks. The rest of the members handle the vocals. They don’t have much material to work with, but they managed to mirror the energy of the rappers quite well in the chorus. TOPLINE is a successful collaboration between two generations of Korean artists and a highlight on the album.
My overwhelming initial impression of the video is that it reflects TOPLINE‘s intensity very well. The music video features the members in a very confident demeanour throughout the video. The song is about the members being at the top, and so having the money (which probably represents their net worth and successful thus far) rain down from above is definitely behaviour that one can only indulge in when they are top tier. The video also shows the members at heights (like on top of shipping containers and on the edge of the building, above everyone else) and up there in the hierarchal chain (i.e. underlings counting their money for them). Higher heights would have been cooler. The hype energy and the fire further emphasises the tone and intensity of the song, respectively. What I thought was rather interesting was the contrast between Stray Kids and Tiger JK. He too brought intensity to the video with his cameo, but does so in a more laid-back and easy-going manner, whilst Stray Kids was moving about and flailing their arms a lot more in comparison. I put it down to the fact that is his style, but it also goes to show how a legend does it.
Song – 8.5/10 Music Video – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8.3/10
LOONA had great potential to be a powerful act in KPOP, but their company ultimately failed the group, with each member filing to terminate their contracts with Blockberry Creative by the end of last year. Throughout the first half of this year, the LOONA members departed from Blockberry Creative after winning their lawsuits against the company (and the company remained bitter to the very end, threatening lawsuits and a ban the members from promoting). While group promotions have been said to be on the cards by one company, the members went in separate directions. Luckily, Kim Lip, Jinsoul and Choerry remained together, signed with Modhaus, reunited with the creative director behind LOONA’s pre-debut and debut projects and revived their LOONA unit name ODD EYE CIRCLE with their comeback single Air Force One.
Apologies for the long introduction, but there was a lot to unpack there. But now, I turn my attention to Air Force One. The song didn’t do much for me at first. But per usual with me, multiple listens have helped boost the song in my books. If you remember their previous works, Girl Front and Sweet Crazy Love, the songs were quite synth-heavy. Air Force One follows a similar direction with its Jersey club sound. But it does feel different, gearing away the retro vibes that Girl Front is known for and towards a trendier and modern motif. The multiple listens given to the song since its release has helped me realize how catchy Air Force One is, especially when it comes to the “Dara Dara Dadada Dada Dada” lines in the chorus. The pairing of this line with the more prolific instrumentation (relative to the verses) makes for a strong and intriguing central piece. The lines that come after this main line don’t really follow through as well, but they do maintain the energy that the chorus of Air Force One entails. The melodies in the song, especially in the verses, were also quite memorable. However, for me, the weakest aspect of Air Force One was the vocals. Most of it is fine. But some of the vocals were drowned out by the loudness of the synth instrumentation and some of the autotune just hadn’t grown on me. I wished the execution here was a better, as that would have helped Air Force One become more appealing in the first instance. Overall, Air Force One is a great return to the industry for ODD EYE CIRCLE and the new chapter in Kim Lip, Jinsoul and Choerry’s journey in their music careers.
I am quite surprised by the amount of references to LOONA’s and Girl Front/Sweet Crazy Love music videos. You got the eye patches, the moon imagery, the undercover carpark set and the hanging laundry set. I am all for the return of what is called the LOONAverse. But I did like the newer elements, such as the sleek black suits and the super powers that the members now have. We also got a cameo from HeeJin in the music video, who also joined Modhaus soon after ODD EYE CIRCLE did. HaSeul also joined the company much later, but did so later on. Otherwise, I think she would have also made a cameo in this video. As for the events of the video, I am not entirely sure what is going on. But ODD EYE CIRCLE seemed to crash a high-end party, knight one of the party goers in front of HeeJin. The song also features messages of the group making next steps with no worries, which complements the scenes where the members are having fun driving around the city.
The choreography for this debut/comeback is quite good. Their moves were all very interesting, drawing on that aspect of the song quite strongly. The sharpness and synchronisation is a definitely highlight and the routine at the song’s main hook looks cool.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8/10
Ahead of their upcoming comeback next month in October, I am finally reviewing Xdinary Heroes’ 3rd mini-album, Deadlock, which was released in April of this year. The mini-album features 7 tracks in total, including the title track Freakin’ Bad, the side tracks Good Enough and Dear H. and four additional side tracks. Links to the named songs and my thoughts on the additional side tracks can be found below, as usual.
To me, this is their best mini-album to date. The band has really grown on me since their debut, and my thoughts on this mini-album would be evident of this. And given the trajectory of my interest in this band and the fact that they still in the early days of their career, I expect my initial comment on Deadlock will be short lived with their future releases coming our way. But until I do form a view on their future comebacks, I will continue to enjoy the likes of Deadlock.
Deadlock Album Cover
1. Come Into My Head – Starting off the mini-album is Come Into My Head. And it does so with a lot of energy from the members and the instrumentation. The track mixes the likes of EDM, hip-hop and rock into one singular track. Throw in what I know of Xdinary Heroes from their previous work, and the expectation for a dynamic track was very much fulfilled. The rapping in the second verse felt very sleek and the distorted guitars gave Come Into My Head a very intriguing element. There is a lot to like in the first track already, kicking off the mini-album positively. (8/10)
3. Bicycle– Going down the alternative rock path, Bicycle adds a lot of head banging to the album. The guitar work in this song is amazing, from the twangs following the first chorus to the shredding just before the final chorus. The bass guitar adds so much momentum to the song, while the drumming concentrates that head-banging energy already mentioned. The keyboard adds a level of freshness to the track, as well. The vocals/rapping was on point, and the buildup in the instrumentation was very worthwhile. A very strong side track from the group. (10/10)
4. checkmate – Toning down the instrumentation is checkmate. The rock sound does still come through, but it kind of simmers in the background. Even the instrumental break where we got the guitar solos was held back. The drums were quite consistent throughout checkmate, and the beat gave it potential to be a dance track. The vocals were also consistent, but there wasn’t any edge. Overall, checkmate is a decent track, but not the most eventful one on this mini-album. (7/10)
6. Man In The Box – Man In The Box blows my mind. I really like how playful and strong their delivery and vocals are in the song, which just gives Man In The Box so much character. The rapping adds to that feeling, with the members sounding like they are rapping/speaking to me and breaking the fourth wall. The melodies have a spooky edge to it and the rock instrumentation just adds so much dynamic energy and flair. It is also super catchy, with the “I am a man in the box, yeah” and the “Bum Bum Bum” both etched into my mind by the time the song is complete. I highly recommend this track. (10/10)
WOODZ made his comeback back in April of this year with his fifth mini-album Oo-Li. Featured on that album is the title track Journey. But way back in February, WOODZ pre-released the single ABYSS which was also featured on the mini-album. In my review for Journey, I flagged that I would return to review ABYSS and I am finally getting around to doing that today. Also, as a heads up, there will be an album review for Oo-Li in the near future!
ABYSS is a slow alternative rock song that I found myself easily captivated by. There is a lot to like in the song, from the instrumentation to the melodies. Featured in the background of ABYSS is a dominant electrical guitar that I would best describe as an instrument piece that pierces through the threshold of the song in a bold and memorable manner. The riffs complement the overall pace that is dictated by the other elements of the track (i.e., the vocals and melodies). On WOODZ’s part, I found his vocals to be emotionally charged and vulnerable, a side of the soloist in which I don’t think we have heard before. This folksy and indie approach in which he delivers ABYSS really helps make his vocals. The melodies are also extremely pleasant and swayable. Even though this does sit outside of the ballad genre, the swayable melodies are very upfront and help in my captivation. Everything mentioned above, in combination, helps ABYSS become a song that is impactful and has that “hit in the feels” result.
As mentioned in my review for Journey, the music video for ABYSS serves as the prequel to what occurs in Journey. And this video is loaded with symbolism and meaning, and doubles as a personal story from WOODZ. But here is my interpretation of the music video. The video places WOODZ in this one room in this big mansion to show us the concept of stability and how it is okay to stay in one place (figuratively, of course). WOODZ comes across multiple people in different walks of life when they drop by to collect their packages. But throughout the video, these people are shown elsewhere in that mansion, some of which were dancing about. To me, this represents that they enjoy the stability of being in one place and are content with where they are. As for WOODZ, he has the capability to leave via the door with multiple locks (all of which are locked, representing that he intentionally put himself there). This shows that during this time he also enjoys the stability and is content with where he is. Even the basement version of himself is pretty content, with no attempts to escape or leave the basement. But as the video goes on, you could see him growing tired of the same scenery. Even the lyrics of ABYSS signifies his desire to explore/move on and get to know himself more, but is scared of the unknown beyond the door. In the end, he chooses to go through the door, signifying that he is ready to move onto the next part of his life. At the same time he walks through that door, basement WOODZ gets up and leaves the basement, as well. This latter scene puts the events of Journey into motion. Aside from that quick breakdown of the video, I really liked the play of colours, with the video switching between warm and cold tones. It is extremely subtle, but it complements the idea of the known (stability) vs. the unknown (moving on).
Song – 10/10 Music Video – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9.6/10
The next album review to be reviewed on the blog is CIX’s sixth mini-album, OK Episode 2: I’m OK. As you can probably tell, this is the second instalment in the OK series that CIX began two years ago through their OK Prologue: Be OK studio album and their OK Episode 1: OK Not mini-album (lead by singles WAVE and 458, respectively). The latest instalment of the OK series sees Save me, Kill me serve as the lead single alongside 3 additional new side tracks. Overall, this latest mini-album is top-notch and feature high quality tracks throughout. For more on the songs, continue reading below.
OK Episode 2: I’m OK Album Cover
1. Back To Life– My praises of CIX’s vocals in the title track goes one step further in Back To Life. Their vocals in the first track of this mini-album are stunningly beautiful. Again, you can feel the emotions behind their vocals. But this time, they are very captivating. To the point where if you wanted to take it all in, you cannot do anything at the exact same time. Their vocals are over a soft piano and orchestral instrumentation that very much stayed in the background and served as an accompaniment, allowing CIX’s vocals to be in the forefront and focus of Back to Life. A breath-taking start to the mini-album. (10/10)
3. Curtain Call – Curtain Call is another ballad that focuses the limelight on the members’ vocals. I did like the more positive tone that came from the melodies (more on this in a second) and BX’s rapping in the track. Curtain Call starts off with some acoustic guitars, but it slowly builds from there with the emerging presence of band instrumentation and even light presence of synths. The lyrics of the song talks about how the end of one thing is the beginning of another, and that a curtain call is a beautiful event. (9/10)
4. Color – In an album that features ballads and softer songs thus far, Color is quite the outlier in terms of its sound. It goes in much harder during the choruses, with a rock instrumentation taking over. The verses didn’t have that same oomph, but it did feature a consistent guitar strumming in the background that in hindsight does allude us to the rock instrumentation that was to come. In line with the rest of the album, Color features nice vocals in this song from all the members and I also enjoyed the hopeful lyrics that Color delivered. (9/10)
In the sphere of comebacks, Kep1er dropped their fifth mini-album, Magic Hour, yesterday. Featured on this new mini-album is the title track Galileo, which follows on from their Giddy comeback from April of this year. Other than that, it has been a fairly low key five months for the group, with the only major piece of news involving the group being a possible (but presently unsuccessful) extension in Kep1er’s promotions recently.
Galileo is another fair song this year. We do get some robust pop energy from the instrumentation and the melodies in the choruses. Plus, the members themselves feel natural in Galileo. I particularly enjoyed the brightness and punch the members give the chorus, which I feel is much needed for reasons to apparent. Yeseo’s breathy start to Galileo and Huening Bahiyyih soft start to the second verse was probably my pick for the best moments of the song. But while I do agree that Galileo is a definite improvement from their previous comeback, I do find the song to still be dull and unimaginative in some key parts. I feel this the most when I reflect upon Galileo‘s hooks, which I find to have a long shot in catching on with further listens (that is Galileo does convince me to give it further listens). For me, the rest of the verses (aside from the start, as I have already praised above) doesn’t follow through with the same appeal and ends up turning such promising beginning into generic material. I also wished there was more dynamic flair to the instrumental as Galileo feels too consistent from start to end and this ultimately plateaus the song’s appeal for me. We do get some twang and extra punchiness when it comes to the instrumental break, which I fully appreciated. But I wish there was more of that in the rest of the song. Overall, Galileo does sit on the enjoyable side for me, but time will tell whether it has enough holding power alongside its competition.
Music videos like Galileo‘s is what I describe as ‘Watch once, Watched it all’. In other words, you only need to watch it once in order to understand the gist of it. Concept-wise, the members discover a photo booth that transports them to an art gallery for the group to explore, which in turns transports the group into an art piece. The theme of discovery ties well into Galileo Galilei, who is the father of modern science who made a lot of discoveries while he was alive that changed the course of modern science and the song is titled after. The members looks good and I enjoyed the freshness of the colours in the video.
The choreography aspect of this comeback is actually quite good. The routine is rather pleasant for the most part, but I do like the energy and oomph the five members who handled the dance break put into their moves to make it the routine’s most powerful part.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 7/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 7.2/10
Kicking off the blog this week is the album review for AB6IX’s 7th mini-album, The Future Is Ours: LOST. For me, AB6IX’s latest comeback has been lost and forgotten, so I thought an album review would be a great way to re-spark some interest in the comeback. I find some of their side tracks are absolute highlights on my playlists and I can always rely on AB6IX to have one or two amazing side tracks on each of their album releases. Headlined by the single LOSER, The Future Is Ours: LOST features four additional side tracks. There is one particular side track that I really enjoyed and gave a 10/10 for. Find out which side track that is and the rest of my thoughts on the album down below.
The Future Is Ours: LOST Album Cover
1. BLAZE– To me, the chorus of BLAZE was extremely blissful. It is odd to describe a dance track like that, but I was captivated with the pop melodies the members brought to life, Woojin’s lines and echoing shout and the forward momentum of the EDM instrumentation during this part. Elsewhere, BLAZE was delivered very cleanly in all aspects of the song. While the trap instrumentation was a bit generic, it did a great job of helping making the chorus more impactful. A very promising start to the mini-album. (10/10)
3. REALITY – REALITY highlights AB6IX’s vocals so well. The harmonies throughout REALITY are so good, the use of low notes in the chorus serves as an extra piece of appeal in the chorus and the multiple falsettos in the bridge was amazing (and is also the part that I constantly return to in REALITY). WOOJIN’s rapping was very suave. The instrumental features a groovy bass, with twinkling synths to give the track some detailing and an electric guitar-like synth to give some much needed texture and crunch to the song. (9/10)
4. EDEN – The funky instrumentation is what attracts my attention to EDEN and has me coming back for more. There is a lot of retro elements to the track, with scratching disks and brass to exudes those retro feels. The most unsettling element in the instrumentation was the distorted vocals in the background. I am on the fence with this. I think it has charm, but it just highlights such a distinct unnatural feel to EDEN, whereas everything else just sounded normal and fitted in nearly into the track. The members do a neat job in this track, with the vocals and rapping both having a dynamic flair to them. (8/10)
5. SUCKER– SUCKER follows on from their previous side-track single of a similar title, Sucker For Your Love (from their A to B 5th mini-album), with SUCKER carrying over some melodies from Sucker For Your Love. SUCKER takes on a R&B instrumentation, and as result, carries less punch as a result of the change in instrumentation. But there were some nice touches, such as the jazzy piano and the whistling in the background. And the members do sound quite nice, particularly Woong’s growl in the second verse and the ad-libs as the end. (8/10)
As you can tell by the title of this post, Dreamcatcher’s 8th mini-album, Apocalypse: From Us, is the focus of this album review post. Released back in May of this year, Apocalypse: From Us features the title track BONVOYAGE and four additional side tracks (one of which is an introductory track). Per usual with Dreamcatcher, each rock is influenced by some form of rock, making for another consistent mini-album from the group. To find out what I thought about each song on the mini-album, keep on reading below!
Apocalypse: From Us Album Cover
1. Intro: From Us – Twinkling keyboard and a consistent electric guitar instrumental piece kicks off the introductory track before the electric guitar turns into a full-on electrifying rock instrumentation. The keyboard does fade into the rock instrumentation but does return at the very end. Another bold start to a Dreamcatcher album.
2. BONVOYAGE (Title Track) – Drafting up this album review, I have been going back and forth as to whether I should bump up the rating. 8/10 is already pretty high in my books. But I shouldn’t ignore the fact that the song has grown exponentially on me and it has become one of the best tracks (if not the best) of 2023 for me. So, I have decided to bump the rating up by one full mark, noting the weak points I mentioned in the original still apply to some extent. Click here to read the full review for BONVOYAGE. (9/10)
3. DEMIAN – Holy moly was my first thoughts to DEMIAN. It may have been a while since the album dropped, but I vividly remember being blown away with DEMIAN when I first listed to the album upon its release. We get a groovy jazz beginning that I would love the group to explore more in the future. But in true fashion with Dreamcatcher, the rock takes over. And they lean in hard into the genre. I also love the peek of piano in the bridge, just as a small moment of relief before we go back to the rock energy. The group themselves sound so balanced and calm throughout the track, making DEMIAN also blissful in its own way. (10/10)
4. Propose– The rock continues in Propose taking on a more traditional form. But woah, I consistently found myself head nodding or banging to the song every time it popped up on my radar. The start to Propose was quite atmospheric and this continues onwards into the first verse/pre-chorus. It did get a bit sluggish for a moment, but the emergence of rock in the chorus saved the day. The vocal work was strong and definitely a highlight throughout Propose. Also, a highlight was Dami’s charismatic rapping in the second verse. Again, another promising song from Dreamcatcher. (9/10)
5. To. You – To. You also continue the rock sound, but takes it down a balladry path. As a bit of a change, I find this track to be the least memorable number of the mini-album. But that being said, it is still a super nice rock track. I don’t think the heaviness of the rock instrumentation that does come through in To. You can constitute it as a ballad, but I do appreciate the pace and slowness of the track. The members sound really good and I like the mellow synth that features in the midst of the rock instrumentation. (8/10)
DARK BLOOD is the next album to be reviewed following my recently posted review for the follow-up single Sacrifice (Eat Me Up). Alongside the follow up single, the May 2023 release DARK BLOOD has features the title track BITE ME and four additional side tracks. Like all my album reviews, the links for the full reviews for BITE ME (noting that I have bumped up the song score from what I had in the original review) and Sacrifice (Eat Me Up), along with my thoughts on the sides tracks can all be found below.
DARK BLOOD Album Cover
1. Fate – Starting off the mini-album is Fate, their usual introductory track. The instrumental for this one was show-stopping. The harp, the synth-organ, the slight hint of a choir humming/vocalising in the background and even the synths in the latter half of Fate was really striking and makes for a powerful piece. The narration work by all the members was extremely suspenseful, while the vocal work in the latter half was gripping and served as a nice vehicle to carry us to the end of the intro track. (9/10)
2. BITE ME (Title Track) – As alluded in the song review I posted recently for ENHYPEN, BITE ME has grown considerably on me since its release in May. As a result, I have decided to bump up the rating by one full point. My sentiments in the original review does still stand, however. Click here to read the full review for BITE ME.(7.5/10)
4. Chaconne – Chaconne takes the group into hip-hop territory, which isn’t unfamiliar territory for the group. I liked the darker and more sinister tone that this track had, which allows the members to dig deep. We even hear some low notes to really hone into that side of the song. The electric guitar was also very a nice touch and gives the track some edge, especially since it was layered underneath the rest of the instrumentation. I just wished the melodies were a little more prolific to take Chaconne to the next level. (7.5/10)
5. Bills – Switching up the album is Bills, which refocuses the mini-album a brighter and distinct sound. The vibrancy that the members give via their vocal work makes Bills stand out from the pack. It also definitely helps that the melodies of Bills is catchy and I found myself humming to the song each time it appeared on my playlists/recommendations. The instrumental of Bills takes on lo-fi hip-hop, and this helps makes the track quite a dreamy one. (8/10)
6. Karma – The brighter touch that Bills gave the mini-album ends up being transitioned into an energy-packed ender to the mini-album by Karma. The brighter punk rock instrumentation feels miles away from how the mini-album started, while ENHYPEN brings strong vocals, harmonies and hype energy to the track. It is a bit plain and traditional, and I wished the track went somewhat experimental to keep us on our toes. But still, a solid ender to the mini-album. (8/10)
Yesterday, TEMPEST made their return with their 1st single album with Into THE TEMPEST and the lead single Vroom Vroom. This comeback follows on from their April 2023 comeback with Dangerous and their fourth mini-album, The Calm Before the Storm (폭풍전야).
I have been more of a fan of TEMPEST’s pop leaning releases thus far, rather than of their more intense dance tracks. Vroom Vroom is very much in the latter category, which was kind of expected given the title of the song. While my thoughts of Vroom Vroom being another generic boy group dance release and is rather typical definitely recurs when I listen to the song, I do think it is a nudge better than their previous songs of the same or similar caliber. I put it down to the fact that the producers and the group leaned right into the intensity and really did a good job of backing it all up with the sound effects when the title of the song appears in the lyrics. It was a creative way of layering without muddling the song. I also found Vroom Vroom to be quite catchy thanks to the repetition in the central parts. The loud and concentrated intensity in the instrumental break was also quite welcomed, catching me off guard and it took the already intense song to a higher level. As mentioned earlier, the usual thoughts do prevail. Vroom Vroom doesn’t exactly have anything memorable in the vocal or rapping departments and I wished this had something that really draws your attention to the members. Overall, another generic release from TEMPEST with some promise.
Unsurprisingly, the music video takes on a a racing concept with racecar outfits, cars, motorcycles and tyres in abundance in this video. Even the sets were very metallic or industrial-like, resembling a garage or engine. It did do a decent job of relaying that intensity and energy from Vroom Vroom. But aside from all of that, I don’t have much else to say about the video.
One of the advantages of an intense song is that it lends well in terms of performance. And Vroom Vroom does highlight TEMPEST’s performance potential. The synchronisation and powerful energy/intensity was definitely present on stage and a highlight to the performance.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 7/10 Performance – 8.5/10 Overall Rating – 7.3/10
You can probably guess by now that when I am covering the side tracks off an album that has a music video released alongside it, I am gearing up for their album review. And that is definitely the case of Stray Kids’ ★★★★★ (5-STAR). So far, I have covered DLC and FNF, as well as the title track S-Class. But there are a few more music videos released for the ★★★★★, so do expect a review for each of those associated songs over the coming weeks. Today’s review is focused on Get Lit, which is 7th track from their 3rd studio length album.
Loud and shouty are the exact words I would use to describe GET LIT. While that might sound negative, I use them quite positively in the context of GET LIT. I really enjoyed the bold energy of this track. The instrumental itself, which is a mixture of moombahton and bounce EDM, has a squeaky-like distorted effect that made it quite unique. The twangs in the instrumentation also kept it fun and playful. The loudness that I mentioned before stems from the instrumentation, as well. Again, squeaky and loud doesn’t sound appealing, but that is not the case with GET LIT. As the instrumental is quite loud, the vocals and rapping had to come off as shouty to work in the track. And it does. Both had to follow through, and I like the control and balance they strike. The rapping in the verses was very impressive and the shouty vocals in the pre-choruses and choruses still managed to bring a brief yet memorable melody into play. Altogether, the elements of GET LIT come together to exude the one thing that the title promises – an energetic and hyped up party vibe that doesn’t hold back.
The music video features both a fashion show and a party. The fashion show highlights the members’ amazing visuals and felt very appropriate given the group and individual members’ recent ventures into the fashion world with modelling work and the announcement of global ambassadorships for some big named fashion brands. The party itself felt very exclusive, coming off from the fashion show concept and with Bang Chan DJing in the midst of the party. The music video also does a good job of ensuring the video is lit, matching with the energy and title of the song.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9/10
Next up on the album review front is (G)I-DLE’s I FEEL, which is the group’s 6th mini-album to date. The mini-album is headlined by the hit Queencard, the pre-release single Allergy and four addition title track. More recently (as this mini-album dropped back in May of this year). the group has been touring the world with their successful discography and have also signaled their English debut with the single I Do and the upcoming release of their 1st English mini-album HEAT.
3. Lucid– Lucid is a club-like pop track with a consistent thumping beat and some interesting bass-organ element in the background. Quite striking, if you ask me. The members sound very sleek and mature in the song. Both styles complement that club-like nature the song immediately makes me think of. The chorus was a strong centrepiece and exudes a sensual vibe, thanks to the vocals and instrumentation working together. (8/10)
4. All Night – Kicking off All Night is a very suspenseful piano. But this is soon left behind, after the song switches up into club-banger territory and stays in that realm for the rest of the song. Groovy bass and a mixture of soft and crunchy rock guitar riffs make up the backing of All Night. Throw in a super cool and catchy chorus, in terms of both melodies and hooks, and you pretty much have the best song of the tracklist. (10/10)
5. Paradise – Paradise takes the form of a pop ballad, with the members showcasing their vocals in this track. Their vocals are beautiful and soothing to listen to, while the instrumentation features a peaceful and atmospheric set of synths. The melodies and chorus were stunning. The bridge features Soyeon’s rapping, and she does it at a paced manner that allows it to fit Paradise nicely. It is a hard song to dislike. (9/10)
6. Peter Pan (어린 어른) – Finally, Peter Pan ditches the synths and brings us back to an acoustic form of instrumentation with this pop number. We get acoustic guitars and a consistent beat in Peter Pan. The members deliver their vocals and rapping in a punchy and fun manner. Overall, it’s a light and an easy-going pop track to close out the mini-album. (7.5/10)
Whoever is naming KPOP groups nowadays really need to stop! Now that I got that off my chest, here is my review for EL7Z UP’s debut single, CHEEKY, which is featured on the group’s 7+Up debut mini-album . The group formed through the Queendom Puzzle show, which is a spin-off from the Queendom series where female KPOP artists from active groups or have active solo careers would compete with one another to earn a place in a global project group. 28 contestant started off on the show, but the final line up ended up consisting of Hwiseo (H1-KEY member), Nana (woo!ah! member), Yuki (PURPLE KISS member), Kei (part of the currently inactive Lovelyz member), Yeoreum (WJSN member), Yeonhee (Rocket Punch member) and Yeeun (former CLC member). What makes EL7Z Up interesting is that the members can still promote as part of their existing groups/solo careers as they wish (like in the case of PURPLE KISS, Rocket Punch and H1-KEY’s recent comebacks), which sets them apart from the other groups formed other MNET survival shows we have encountered.
Anyway, my long introduction is over and now we can get right into CHEEKY. To me, I find the song to be quite an assortment of sorts. There are parts that I like, and there are parts that I am not a fan of. So, based on what I have mentioned so far, you can cross cohesive and impressed off the list of potential descriptions for CHEEKY. Let’s begin with the likes of the song. The very low thumping bass in the background of the verses was interesting and the pre-choruses had a nice melodic touch. The chorus was a nice refreshing melody, which I thought had a nice ring to it. I also enjoyed the brightness the members bring to the central part of CHEEKY. But the rest of CHEEKY were lacking and less enjoyed by me. There are a few momentum killers in the song, such as the sample of Borodin’s Prince Igor as backing of the rapping in the second verse and the sudden/instant transition from second chorus to the bridge. Elsewhere, the verses were very dry and consisted of nothing of interest. And I couldn’t take the serious toned “Cheeky Cheeky … Cheeky, Cheeky Woo, Cheeky Cheeky, Freaky Deaky Cheeky Cheeky Woo” repetition seriously It was also pretty mundane and awkward. It would have been nice to hear more character in the song, especially from the members as I am sure they each have something interesting to offer, and something more expressive in the lesser enjoyed parts of CHEEKY.
The concept for this video/debut appears to revolve around an audition, with the members in line for a ballet audition based on what I can make out from the posters/other auditionees. It might also explain the ballet sample mentioned above in the song. But in the end, the members break ranks from ballet (their cheeky action of the video) and end up dancing to CHEEKY instead. I find the idea of an audition concept to be logical for this group, as it can represent the start of a new beginning for them, especially since they have their own careers to return to throughout their promotions as part of EL7Z UP and once the activities for the project group officially ends. Other than that, I found the music video to be a decent watch.
For me, CHEEKY featured an alright routine. It works with the song, but I just found the routine doesn’t offer anything interesting to comment on.
Song – 6/10 Music Video – 7.5/10 Performance – 6/10 Overall Rating – 6.5/10
Joining their labelmates in having more than one music video for one album release is Xdinary Heroes. Part of their Deadlock mini-album from April this year is Good Enough and Dear. H, the mini-album’s fifth and seventh track respectively. Today, I will be reviewing both balladry tracks in this one post. Featured alongside these two side tracks is the title track Freakin’ Bad.
Good Enough is a captivating and emotional ballad, featuring both band instrumentation and piano/strings in the background. The former is throughout the entire track (which is expected for a band), but the latter is heard from the second verse onwards. Jungsu and Juyeon’s vocal work in this song is so enchanting to listen to. From the softer tones in the verses to the soaring vocals in the bridge, you can feel the emotional pull of Good Enough so profoundly. It is also very nice to hear some of the other members participate vocally in Good Enough as well. The swayable effect/melody you know I look for in ballads is very much present in Good Enough, and this is the result of the vocals and instrumentation working well with one another to create that captivation. I really like the powerful combination of the high notes and rock ballad instrumental sequence in the final seconds moments of Good Enough, creating such a memorable moment and felt very much like the icing on the cake for the song. It, and the final twinkling of piano, just closes out Good Enough in such a satisfying and deep manner.
Dear H. honestly caught me off guard when I first heard it. Once again, the song starts off like a an ordinary ballad, extremely peaceful and soothing. But the chorus really goes in hard with the rock instrumentation and Jooyeon’s soaring vocals was breath-taking. Interestingly, following the first chorus, Dear. H switches back to the simple ballad beginning and the vocals showed no sign of that powerful rock instrumentation that just preceded it. It does fragment the song, but it isn’t the end of the world. The good news is that this allows us to revisit the same incline and powerful punch that the first chorus served in the second chorus. This time is was taken on by Jungsu and it sounds blissful once again. Dear. H finishes off with soft balladry vocals once again, closing out the song in a full circle manner. Just like the composition of Dear H., its lyrics are also quite impactful, beckoning one to talk to about their internal secrets and feelings. Overall, a unique side track from Xdinary Heroes.
Both side tracks’ music videos are connected, which is largely why I put both Good Enough and Dear H. into one review. There is a nice theory in the comments by @aaaaareuok (see screenshot below) to explain the two videos and how there are two possible stories depending on which video you think goes first. So, based on that theory, I will adapt and explain what I think happened. To me, given Dear H. features the group in school uniform and the video is a little hazy, the events in Dear H.‘s video is like a memory. We see all the members as friends hanging out with one another in school, along with JunHan (who was absent from the Good Enough video due to illness and doesn’t make an appearance until the very end of Dear H., though he is featured off-screen as the person filming the members together/alone since he had the video camera in the end). They are happy, but obviously each had something weighing on their minds throughout the video. In Good Enough, the members are largely by themselves, signaling the possibility the members have drifted apart (though I think JunHan kept in touch with everyone, as we see the prespective of a video camera filming each member individually). Also, Good Enough‘s video isn’t hazy, which to me represents more of a modern day. Whatever is weighing on their mind eats at them in Good Enough. But JunHan most likely reunited everyone back to the beach (as per the ending of Dear. H‘s video, where we see six names etched into the sand and he recording isn’t hazy like the rest of the video) so that everyone can have that same good time they had back when they were in school. But that is just what I think happened in the two video and follows the below theory from @aaaaareuok. There could be alternative theories out there, and I would love to hear them.
Good Enough Song – 10/10 Music Video – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9.6/10
Dear. H Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9/10
KPOPREVIEWED 