It is a new week. And it all starts with the debut of a new group. NewJeans is the group’s name, and they are a five member female group from ADOR, a subsidiary of HYBE. The lineup consist of Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, Hyein. NewJeans previously released music videos for Attention, Hype Boy (multiple videos in this case) and Hurt. A review for each of these songs/videos (and a hybrid review for Hype Boy) will be posted in the coming weeks, so keep your eyes peeled for that. But for now, here is my review for the group’s debut track, Cookie.
First impression of Cookie is that the song is rather flat. I appreciate that the group is doing something different, avoiding the cliches of cutesy sounds or girl crush concepts. The new group went with a minimalistic approach with Cookie. While minimalistic approaches have been praised on my blog before, I felt the same praise could not be applied to Cookie. The feeling I should have got from Cookie was new and/or refreshing. I also expected a track that had more oomph or changed momentum once in a while. Instead, we are provided with a box with limited amounts of fat synths, trap elements and a paced beat. It didn’t go anything further, which is the source of my frustration. There was a bit of a change at the bridge of Cookie, which inserted some dynamic energy. But that was pretty relative and short-lived. Vocal wise, I didn’t get anything impressive out of Cookie. However, I do find the mature vibes and the cutesy lyrics to be an interesting and abstract combination, and the vocal work is charming. To avoid an overwhelming song, I liked that the hooks weren’t too bold or stood out too much. This complimented the minimalistic style in which Cookie was aiming for and paired well with the vocals. I wished there was more to the song, just to give NewJeans that launch they need to show KPOP their potential.
While the minimalistic vibes of the song didn’t work, I enjoyed the minimalistic aspects of Cookie‘s music video. There wasn’t too much to the video. The most we got were some CGI during the bridge, and a large cookie/CD rolling in the background. Other than that, we got a very big room and a bench, which was utilized in the performance. Interestingly, the video was shot in a way where the sets did not feel empty or spacious, despite it clearly being empty and spacious. Clever. I also liked the retro tinge we got from the visuals in the video, which helped add a bit more substance to the video than had it been without it.
Performance-wise, the choreography looked great. It wasn’t too energetic, but it wasn’t a drag, as well. I did enjoy the dance break that we got, which help provide a bit more energy to the entire comeback package that is Cookie. I also like the hip and cool vibe the member brought to the performance, which helped make it engaging for me to watch from start to end each time.
Song – 6.5/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 7.5/10
I jump back to mid-March for the next album review. More specifically, (G)I-DLE’s first studio length album since their debut in 2017. It is titled I NEVER DIE, and features the title track TOMBOY. Since the release of this album and TOMBOY, the group has embarked on their first world tour and Miyeon also made her solo debut with Drive. An album review for her release is coming tomorrow, so keep your eyes out for that.
I NEVER DIE features 8 tracks, which includes the title track. It is a strong album from the group, as I would recommend all of them to any new listeners. There are different genres, so I am sure everyone will find something they will enjoy. I NEVER DIE is a momentous release. Not only is this release their first studio length album, but it is also the first release since the group’s reformation as a quintet. And if this album is the basis as their future as a five member group, the group has it in the bag. That may or may not be a failed pun in reference to the trendy MY BAG single, which is featured on this album as well.
I NEVER DIE Album Cover
1. TOMBOY (Title Track) – Since the release of the TOMBOY, the song has grown on my considerably. Hence, I have decided to increase the song ranking for TOMBOY from a 6.5/10 to an 8/10. I will address this in a future post on the blog. Click here to read the original review for TOMBOY.(8/10)
2. Never Stop Me (말리지 마) – Following the title track is the awesome pop rock, Never Stop Me. It brings me back to the early 2000s when pop rock was the rage (a time that I wouldn’t mind reliving music wise, as I grew up in that era). I love the energy that is exuded from the song, especially during the blastful chorus. I did think some of the vocals could have been tweaked to be a lower register, as the higher pitched vocals just didn’t fit in. (8/10)
3. VILLAIN DIES – I just love the haunting side of this track, with the use of the bass and violins in the instrumental of this electro-pop anthem. The haunting nature extends over to the vocals as well, particularly in the pre-chorus. The anti-drop of a chorus was also very cool, and I think it would enable a great performance on stage. I also liked how the song ended, bringing that haunting vibe full circle. However, I wished there was a tidbit of instrumentation at the very to feel fully complete. (9/10)
4. ALREADY – ALREADY dials the music back a bit, dipping into R&B territory. The instrumental is sleek and refined, bubbling away in the background. At one point, the instrumental enters dramatic territory, with a militaristic drumming being the focal point for the instrumental/dance break. I quite enjoyed the consistency behind the vocals and melodies in this song. I think this helped ALREADY become so balanced and distilled. (8/10)
5. POLAROID – Also dipping into R&B territory is POLAROID, which I thought was a fantastic song. The acoustic guitar instrumental was stunningly beautiful. What this track does extremely well is that it highlights the members’ vocals. The airy tone they give to each end of each line in the chorus made the English so memorable. The melodies are stunning and so drifty to listen to. (10/10)
6. ESCAPE – (G)I-DLE bring a taste of euro-pop to the album with ESCAPE. I find the instrumental to be quite atmospheric, chill and laidback. I enjoyed the zing that the rock elements bring to ESCAPE, and I feel this song is super perfect for a breezy road trip down the coast. Again, standout vocals in this track. And the melodies and hooks are very enjoyable. I just wished the ending eased us out, rather than just ending as it did. (9/10)
7. LIAR – LIAR brings back the amped up energy and vibes with this rock centric song. ‘Amped up’ is the right phrase, as they do not mess around with this bolstered instrumental. I love the rock feel of LIAR, head banging along to the music. However, I am not too keen on the glitches in the instrumental. I think this is their way of giving the rock genre a more modern take. But it felt unneeded. I really liked the vocals, with Yuqi suiting this style of music. The hooks could have been more profound, given the domination of the instrumentation in this song. (8.5/10)
8. MY BAG – The album ends with a hip-hop song. Personally, MY BAG is not my cup of tea. But even I admit that it is a banger, and I can see why it was chosen as a secondary promotional track and why it has caught on with some listeners. Listening to this song, I feel cool, hip and on trend (sorry if I sound like a grandparent). (8/10)
As I catch up on album reviews, I will be jumping back and forth a bit. And for today, I jump forward to mid-May, when AB6IX made their comeback with SAVIOR and their fifth mini-album, A to B. Alongside the title track SAVIOR, there are an additional four side tracks on the album. This release follows their January comeback with 1, 2, 3 and the special mini-album COMPLETE WITH YOU.
A to B is pretty strong effort from the group and is worth you checking out. There is one 10/10 song that I highly recommend from this mini-album, so make sure you find out which song that is by reading my thoughts of each song below!
A to B Album Cover
1. PARACHUTE – While there isn’t anything innovative with the percussion and synths of PARACHUTE’s instrumentation, I quite enjoyed its punchiness and the energy that comes from it. It starts the album in a positive manner. I also enjoyed the latter half of the chorus, where the beat is much tighter and amped up. The rapping sequence were strong, but it is the vocals that really stood out in PARACHUTE. The falsetto, in particular, were a memorable aspect of the song. On the other hand, however, the hooks were weak and could have been stronger. (8/10)
3. Sucker For Your Love (우리가 헤어졌던 이유) – As the song progresses, Sucker For Your Love became my favourite side track from this mini-album. It takes on a softer pop rock sound, ladled with a heavy dose of emotion (where the members regret breaking up and want to get back together with their former partners). Courtesy of Woojin, the rapping was awesome. The rest of the members put their vocals on display and sounded quite crisp in this song. My favourite part from Sucker For Your Love is at around the 1:40 mark where the drums become dominate and Woojin shares his line with Woong and Daehwi. (10/10)
4. EINSTEIN – EINSTEIN had an upbeat R&B sound. It was a fun and playful track, which AB6IX has done before. EINSTEIN actually reminds me of MXM’s (the duo which Donghyun was part of prior to debuting with AB6IX) work. But compared to the other songs on the album, it felt pretty standard and is the album’s most skippable track. There isn’t anything wrong with the song, other the fact it doesn’t stand out for me. (7/10)
5. We Could Love – The album closes out with We Could Love, but the members make it sound like ‘Weak Love’. I wish the two words were not merged together, as it has a completely different meaning. Apart from that, We Could Love acts as the mini-album’s ballad. There is a flowy melody to the track that I thought was very warming. And the members’ vocals (in combination with the melody) make the song sound so lovely. (8/10)
Before I attempt a weekend of an International Song Review and a few album reviews, here is one more song review. It is for ATEEZ’s latest title track release (which dropped today), Guerrilla, the lead track off the group’s 9th mini-album The World EP.1: Movement. It is the first Korean release from the group since the re-release of The Real at the end of last year and their 8th mini-album, ZERO: FEVER EPILOGUE.
If I had to pick one word to describe the likes of Guerrilla, it would have to be aggressive. And this aggression is present from the get-go. The new song opens up very crunchy synths and bass before launching right into Hongjoong’s raps. Your typical hip-hop influences are present in this opening verse. There is also brief taste of screamo. For the pre-chorus, the crunchy factor is lost and Guerrilla enters more melodic territories. Though this is short-lived, as Jongho ramps up the energy of the song with his soaring vocals (I will return to Jongho’s vocals in a moment). The chorus returns to aggressive synth territory and is delivered with shouty vocals that feels fitting for the grungy effect that the group is going for. I wished the hook here was a lot stronger, to give this section some much needed attention and oomph. To me, it seemed like the chorus was the weakest sections of Guerrilla. Then the song enters the post-chorus, a sequence that hybrids very punky and powerful techno synths, and grungy head-banging rock. All is very aggressive still, but it spins Guerrilla in a way that was unexpected. Jongho really shines and I found his soaring notes here to be very clean and precise, which shows you his skills and capabilities. We return to hip-hop roots with Mingi’s rapping, before Guerrilla is stripped to give the vocalists a moment to shine and the chorus is repeated. The bridge brings about very intense rock influences before the final chorus changes the dynamic a tinge with screamo vocals in the background. I think it is safe to say that my description at the start stands fairly well for Guerrilla by the time the song wraps up. Also, from what I described and heard from Guerrilla, it sounds like it should be a mismatch of aggressive sounds, given that there was a lot going on. But interestingly, Guerrilla is quite cohesive and nothing felt out of place. I think that is a feat on its own.
ATEEZ leads a rebellion in this video, setting up speakers throughout the city to get their message across. The video is set in a world where emotions and expressions are forced to be contained, as shown in the trailers. The lyrics of Guerrilla describe the world as a numb feeling. ATEEZ turns up the aggression with their song to combat these restrictions, blasting the world with their message to be more emotive and show expression. In the end, it appears that one of the kids being brainwashed to hold their emotions back escapes the confines of the brainwashing facility. The video ends there, and I am sure we will be seeing more of that kid and the Prestige Academy in future videos. Aside from that, I really like the high-end and sophisticated nature of the video, as it seems like a movie. The feature image for this post is my favourite shot in this entire video.
Aggressive is the word I would also use to describe the choreography for this comeback. I was watching it in awe and found it super captivating to watch. The movements were intense, energetic and powerful, all the while the group were also focused on performing the track. In particular, hats off to Jongho who successfully pulled this performance off without a hitch and his high notes were unfazed throughout.
Song – 8.5/10 Music Video – 10/10 Performance – 10/10 Overall Rating – 9.3/10
As alluded earlier this week through my review of Hurdle, I will be reviewing SUHO’s most recent album, his first release since completing his military enlistment last year. Titled Grey Suit, this is SUHO’s second mini-album and was released back in March of this year. Alongside Hurdle, the mini-album also features the title track Grey Suit (links below) and four other side tracks.
It was extremely hard for me to pick a favourite song from this mini-album. All the songs on Grey Suit were top notch and very strong contenders for perfect rankings. I only ended up handing out one perfect 10/10, after considering the songs side by side. But Grey Suit probably has to be one of the best sounding albums I have reviewed thus far this year. Continue reading to see more of my thoughts on the album.
Grey Suit Album Cover
1. Morning Star – I really liked the way the song opened up and eased us in. It was a fantastic way to open up the album and left such a strong impression on me. I really enjoyed the laidback and softer nature of this rock style. Despite the softer tone, however, Morning Star still proves to be a jam with its upbeat and energetic nature, making the song perfect for a road trip. SUHO’s vocals are so light and delicate in this song, complementing the instrumental. Morning Star starts the album on an extremely positive note. (10/10)
4. Decanting – SUHO continues to impress with Decanting. But this time around, SUHO revisits the slow side of the album with a ballad and R&B hybrid. I love the slow nature of this song, as it feels very sensual and deliberate. The electric guitar riffs that we get in Decanting helps drive this. SUHO himself sounds loaded with emotion, but maintains a tone that compliments the sensual nature of this song. Decanting doesn’t jump out at me straight away as a standout track, but it definitely builds towards being a strong track. (8/10)
5. Bear Hug (이리 溫) – Bear Hug is a ballad. And this ballad really put SUHO’s vocals into the limelight. His vocals really soar in Bear Hug to impressive levels that we don’t see elsewhere on this album (or within his parts in EXO’s works). The combination between the slow rock and classical instrumentation was very beautiful and sets a stunning backdrop to the song. I love the swayable melody of this song, as it is very drifty and captivating. (8.5/10)
6. Moment (75분의 1초) – Final song on the album is Moment, a rock ballad that feels like an appropriate closer for this mini-album. Again, great vocalization from SUHO himself. And the instrumental was quite pleasant and neat, for the most part. But this does change towards the end of the album. Moment definitely peaks at the end and this turns the background into a stunning piece. The violins in this section really shocked me (in a good way), while there was also some clashing of cymbals. All of this heightened the ending of the song, finishing the album on a very positive note. (9/10)
Next up on the catch up is the string of Stray Kids’ releases from earlier this year. Alongside the promotions of the group’s most recent title track MANIAC from back in March of this year, they also released music videos for some of the other side tracks from their 6th mini-album Oddinary (an album review is also coming soon, as well!). One of these videos accompanies the opening track of the album, VENOM. Per usual, a music video makes the song eligible for its own song review on my blog.
As an opener for the mini-album, VENOM is definitely an intriguing track, thanks to the bold choice of the song’s ear-catching centric synth. The synth in question is that slow and deliberate strumming of guitar strings (or elastic bands that are stretched out over a box), which brought chills to me when I first heard the song. Multiple listens since March has helped me become more acclimatised with the synth, but there is a haunting factor that remains with it. Its use just really pops out and gives so much profile to the song. Aside from the main synth, the pre-chorus in VENOM also caught my attention. It gave us a brief reprieve from the intensity of the song before ramping back up to the chorus in such a short space of time. Hyunjin’s laidback soft rapping in the second verse was also cool, and contrasted really well with Jisung’s rapping that followed right after. Finally, the closer hook was catchy. The rest of VENOM felt somewhat plain and standard. With the intriguing and promising elements already discussed, I wished this was not the case. I felt the chorus could have been tweaked (but also maintaining that main intriguing synth) in a way to feel punchier. I just feel the song is quite heavy as it is, and could have been even more appealing if the chorus was more dynamic. The bridge, the heaviest point of VENOM, felt very abrupt and this presented a flow issue as a result. Overall, VENOM fits in with Stray Kids edgy profile and style. And while the song has same very promising and bold aspects, it could have gone the extra mile.
Working with the heavy and dark nature of the song, VENOM‘s music video concept goes down that route. Decked out in black outfits for the entirety of the video, controlling robot spiders, having guns directed at your head and being surrounded by darkness in some scenes pretty much feels heavy and dark. But also edgy. And that is something I felt was quite the aesthetic in the video. The spiky ball and boxing gloves really consolidated that thought for me. However, I have no clue what the plot to the video is. Everything felt very disjointed unfortunately for me to really piece anything together and the visuals/aesthetic is quite distracting. Though it seems connected to some of their past videos with that exit door at the end. But aside from that, it is a cool video nonetheless.
VENOM was not promoted alongside MANIAC on stage. But they have performed the track on their recent world tour concerts. The slowness behind that intriguing synth allowed for the performance to go down a sensual path, which I thought was an unexpected route to take with this song. But the moves were still cool and edgy.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 7.5/10 Performance – 7/10 Overall Rating – 7.2/10
It has been a while since I covered a newly debut group on the blog. More will be covered over the coming weeks, but I wanted to focus on the group that just debut today. ATBO is a seven-member male group debuting under IST Entertainment, the home of APINK. VICTON, THE BOYZ and WEEKLY. The lineup of ATBO consist of Oh Junseok, Ryu Junmin, Bae Hyunjun, Seok Rakwon, Jeong Seunghwan, Kim Yeonky and Won Bin. All the members participated in the survival show The Origin – A, B, or What? earlier this year, with the final seven lineup chosen to debut as ATBO. However, due to some controversary, the participant who took 7th place (Yang Donghwa) was pulled from the group, and Won Bin (who placed 8th on the show) was confirmed to debut in place of Donghwa.
ATBO’s debut single is titled Monochrome (Color), and it is a a decent debut track. Described as a hip-hop dance track, Monochrome has a balance of strong and weak points. Let’s talk about the stronger aspects of the song. The first are the song’s pre-choruses, with (and apologies if I get the members’ names wrong) Hyunjun’s rapping over a relatively stripped instrumental sequence. There was still a beat and some backing vocals from another member, but the stripping/lacking of the instrumental just helped make the rapping more prominent and the reliance on rhythm here was quite the bold statement. Monochrome also had some catchy hooks. They were a bit shouty and mainstream, but it was still good enough for me to enjoy. I also liked that the chorus had some melody to it, which tends to be left out in dance songs nowadays. The rapping elsewhere in Monochrome help bolster up the song’s body, which helps make the usually forgotten verses more significant. Finally, I enjoyed how the ending was approach, with the layering of high note and rapping and then the combination of an anthem sequence and a fully silent background at the end to close out Monochrome. I like this use of silence to give a monochrome effect in the actual song. Now, onto the more weaker moments of Monochrome. The vocalists’ sequences felt underwhelming to me, in comparison to the rappers (aside from that high note at the end). I am also not keen on the slow change in the bridge. This felt very cliché and typical. I also felt the song, overall, could have been more innovative. There are some hints of innovation during the stripped instrumental, but there were also very standard sequences (i.e. the rest of the instrumental) that got a meh from me. Overall, Monochrome was decent but a good start to a group’s career.
I like the use of colours for majority of the video, reminding us that ‘monochrome’ isn’t just a greyscale palette. Instead, the term ‘monochrome’ refers to one colour. Most of the scenes at the start of the video featured one prominent colour that stood out from the rest, playing with that idea of one colour. Clever. The red lighting in some of the choreography shots at the start, the green grass in one of the solo shots, the yellow sweater worn by another member during their solo shot etc. are examples of this use of one colour. But as the song expresses the members’ desire to paint the world with their own colours (taken from SOOMPI), the use of one colour slowly becomes diluted throughout the video. Also clever.
The performance in the first instance made me go wow. The sychronisation and sharpness of moves in this choreography was very full on. While this is a common aspect of comeback nowadays, it is impressive to elicit that response from essentially the first second. It also looks super cool during the faster moments of the video.
Song – 7.5/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 8.5/10 Overall Rating – 7.9/10
It is finally happening. I am finally making a start on the masssssive backlog of releases that I have not reviewed yet. I have a long path ahead. Anyway, back to the review. Here is my review for SUHO’s Hurdle. For those who missed it, EXO’s leader made a comeback back in April this year with Grey Suit, the title of both the lead track and his second mini-album (an album review is coming your way very soon). A few days after the release of Grey Suit, SUHO also dropped a music video for a second track, Hurdle, which will be the focus of this song review.
Hurdle is very different to the likes of Grey Suit. Grey Suit was a slow rock styled ballad that captivated me for showcasing SUHO’s divine vocals. Hurdle, on the other hand, takes on a much more upbeat and energetic style. One that I find to be equally as captivating as Grey Suit. Hurdle features a vintage rock sound, and does a grand enough job of bringing up the tempo on the mini-album from the title track. There is a head nodding vibe to the song that had me enjoying the track when I first heard whilst vetting the album to see if it is worth reviewing (spoiler, it is!). At the 2:15 mark of the song, Hurdle brings forth that an even more intense rock vibe, giving the song a climatic peak and adding some (unexpected) oomph. From then on out, Hurdle maintains the momentum and closes out the song in spectacular fashion. SUHO displays great vocals throughout the song, and I quite enjoyed the autotuned effect during the chorus, adding a fashionable and retro-like edginess profile to the song. The chorus had a great anthem like melody that adds to the memorable appeal of Hurdle. The only aspect of Hurdle that didn’t feel like it live up the rest of the song was the verses. They were easily forgotten in the midst of the chorus and climatic energy. I wished they had something going on that was more prominent, as this would have allowed Hurdle to get a perfect rating.
The song is about being stuck in the beginnings of a relationship, with time being the hurdle that is getting in the way of his partner giving him a clear response on what they are. For the video, it is depicted as working in a workplace where you are essentially ‘stuck in time’ similar to the parallel that SUHO draws about running hurdles to get that answer from his partner. We see what seems to be the usual 9-5 situation that is on repeat each day. SUHO clearly is the different person in the crowd, going the other way and dressing differently from everyone else. His boss does not make things easier and appears to make SUHO’s life hard day-in and day-out. In the end, it looks like SUHO emerges with an answer, as the video changes from boring office to a party and SUHO is not ‘tangled’ in the hurdles as we see him earlier in the video. Quite liked the purple and yellow colours throughout the video, which feels very retro but funky at the same time.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9/10
PURPLE KISS made a quick comeback yesterday, just four months after their March memeM comeback. An album review for memeM (their third mini-album) is coming your way soon. But for now, PURPLE KISS has moved on to promote their new release, Nerdy, the title track off their fourth mini-album Geekyland.
Right off the bat, Nerdy stands out for its quirkiness. To me, it feels like PURPLE KISS could find a niche in KPOP with this quirky direction, given they also have Zombie in their bag (my favourite PURPLE KISS release to date). There are some other successful quirky releases floating about in KPOP, but it has been a minute. As a result of this, Nerdy comes off as having a new, unique and refreshing sound. More specifically, a fun horror like sound style. I personally quite enjoy this, appealing to my taste for something new (even if it isn’t in fact a new sound!). Nerdy‘s fun horror sound comes about from the violin samples in the instrumental and the vocal melodies that help bring everything to life. I quite liked how the violins samples were used thoughtfully, and how the vocals were bolstered in a way to appear powerful and strong. The violins in the dance break were definitely the peak moment of the song, and highlights that fun nature of Nerdy. The upbeat nature brought to you by the synths helps seal the deal by giving Nerdy a vibrant and catchy atmosphere. I do think Nerdy takes a bit of a tumble when it comes to hooks. I don’t think Nerdy was necessarily memorable on this front. But thankfully, the described instrumental, without a doubt, makes up for this memorability factor for me.
I quite like how the music video for Nerdy carries on that horror theme, but in a lighthearted manner to match the fun nature of the song. If the producers of this video thought of something else that wasn’t lighthearted, then I would have some questions. From what I can tell, the members of PURPLE KISS are ghosts in a TV studio. They have a bit of fun, haunting the studio and some of the personnel. But they also mean business, fixing up a disappointing horror show while they are at (because they are ghosts and they know best). In the end, they broadcast the revamped show, infect the world with their music and are able to escape the confines of the TV studio. We close out the video with some creepy laughter. I do think they could have added a bit more to the creepy factor at the end. But it was a great video, overall.
I can only speak about what we can see in the music video, as I have not seen a live performance or showcase for this release just yet. I quite like the bits and pieces of the choreography that I saw in the video, which goes really well with the vocal delivery we get in the song. I also like the girl crush concept they bring into the bridge/dance break sequence of the song.
Song – 8.5/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8.3/10
As flagged yesterday in the Weekly KPOP Post, I was going to post another album review because I thought I had some time. But I did not have some time. So, before I get on with this week’s new releases tomorrow (and any attempt to catch up on the boat load of releases that I have missed), I decided to make some time. Red Velvet made their comeback earlier this year in March with Feel My Rhythm, which served as the title track of the group’s special mini-album, The ReVe Festival 2022 – Feel My Rhythm. After a long overdue wait, I am finally getting around to reviewing Red Velvet’s release.
My best and honest thoughts about the album is that it is lukewarm. While there was one really great track, in my opinion, the rest of The ReVe Festival 2022 – Feel My Rhythm just played it safe. Do you agree with my thoughts? Let me know below.
The ReVe Festival 2022 – Feel My Rhythm Album Cover
2. Rainbow Halo – Rainbow Halo brings forth a pleasant tone with this R&B track. The use of synths in the instrumental was very interesting. It may sound like I don’t like their presence in Rainbow Halo, which is completely incorrect. I do not mind them. However, some of it (especially the vibrating synths that underlays the entire track) could have been toned down to be less noticeable. Though, I will acknowledge that it gives Rainbow Halo an unique feature. On a more positive note, I really enjoyed the vocals and saxophones, both of which adds so much depth in their own way to the song. (8/10)
3. Beg For Me – At first glance, Beg For Me was pretty much a standard R&B track. It took a couple of listens for a few aspects of the song to really pop out at me. Firstly, Red Velvet themselves gives the song a vibrant factor with their vocals. Secondly, the pre-chorus ended up giving Beg For Me some character, which really helped boost up my personal rating for the song. Thirdly, the spoken-rapping in the bridge was on point, and help disrupt the standard nature of Beg For Me. (7.5/10)
4. BAMBOLEO – BAMBOLEO features a synth pop instrumental that dips into the retro sphere that has dominated KPOP for a while now. It is a pretty instrumental. Not a personal cup of tea, but it was a decent one. What caught my attention with BAMOLEO are the vocals, particularly the high pitch falsetto that the members deliver during the chorus. They complement the instrumental very well. I also enjoyed the catchy ‘To the left, to the right…’ soft chant that appeared throughout the song. (8/10)
5. Good, Bad, Ugly – This one is probably the weakest song on the album. Good, Bad, Ugly is one of those songs that I describe as ‘overly consistent’, where the first few seconds of the song are pretty much what you will get as the song progresses along. While this can be a charming point in some songs, more often than not it isn’t. Good, Bad, Ugly does have some nice vocal work, but there wasn’t much else alluring about the song in my opinion. (6.5/10)
6. In My Dreams – The most riveting track of all (aside from the title track) comes at the very end of this special mini-album. In My Dreams has a nursery rhyme or lullaby type of melody for the song’s main hook, which I found to be quite memorable. It isn’t childish, however. It was more flowy and the use of the deeper vocal tone to deliver helped give it a very mature and loaded tinge. The clashing cymbals was a really powerful way to grab my attention and the way the vocals peak during the chorus was very captivating. (10/10)
Overall Album Rating – 8/10
The ReVe Festival 2022 – Feel My Rhythm Teaser Image
Still lagging behind with these album reviews. The focus of this post was released mid-February of this year, and I am only finally getting around to writing it and posting it! The album belongs to none other than APINK, who returned with a special full-length album (though, it is also their fourth studio album since their debut 11 years ago) HORN. Headlining HORN is the title track Dilemma and it also features 10 other tracks (including their 10th anniversary single Thank You). HORN is also the last album to officially feature Naeun as a member, as she pulled out of the group two months after the release of HORN.
I picked APINK’s album to review because I feel like I have neglecting female groups in the album review segment. On top of that, I really enjoyed this album whilst vetting to see if it is worth writing an album review for. So it made logical sense for me to put this onto the album review agenda. There are few gems amongst HORN‘s tracks, so do check out the album if you have not done so yet. Though, I presume you would have already listened to the album at least once in the past five months.
2. Holy Moly – There was some good pop energy to Holy Moly once the song reaches the chorus, my pick for the highlight of the song. The bridge comes in a close second thanks to its melody. The etchy effect just before the chorus was cool and added an unexpected zing to Holy Moly. The verses, whilst featuring really nice vocals, felt like a slow burn and sluggish. In particular with the second verse, I wished the energy was maintained from the chorus. I also did not enjoy the autotuned ending, simply because it felt unnecessary. (7/10)
3. My Oh My – My Oh My was the group’s secondary promotional track, performed in the first week of promotions alongside Dilemma for their comeback. And I completely understand why My Oh My was chosen. It is the type of song that makes you want to smile whilst listening to it. It also stands out for its pleasantly light atmosphere, instrumental and melodies. There is also a brightness to the song that I really enjoyed. (9/10)
4. Nothing – Nothing is the first of two unit tracks, consisting of Namjoo, Chorong and Eunji. It breaks away from the lighter pop tracks that followed the title track. There is a hard beat and strong energy coming from this track. The vocals help makes Nothing feel more explosive and bolstered. The ad-libs are also on a whole different level. Nothing also features some catchy hooks, making this one of the stand-out tracks of the album. (9/10)
5. Red Carpet – It seems the common thread with the unit tracks is that they stand out. Red Carpet is performed by Bomi, Naeun and Hayoung, who brings some attitude to the album. It continues the dramatic turn in the album, but with a much harder beat and stronger energy compared to its predecessor. Unlike the predecessor, however, Red Carpet utilises the instrumental to make the song bolstered and explosive. The harmonies help out with this, as well. This in tandem with the unit’s mature and alluring vocals creates a more powerful atmosphere, making it more memorable. The repetitive and memorable hooks and squeaky synths gives Red Carpet a lot of character and profile. (10/10)
6. Single Rider – Single Rider has such a funky and bouncy instrumental, along with a subtle mature atmosphere. I love the upbeat tempo of Single Rider, which help give the song so much captivating energy. The vocals were superb, especially when the falsettos were effortlessly used. The dance break sequence we got in Single Rider was very intriguing and different, and I mean that in a good way. APINK and their producers on this album also seems to enjoy adding ‘endings’ to the end of their songs, with Single Rider closing out with a funky piano line. For this song, this ending feels just right and fits right in with the rest of Single Rider. (10/10)
7. Free & Love – Continuing on with the groovy and energetic aspects of the last track is Free & Love. I have to be honest, but Free & Love is a little more typical and straight-forward. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t a great song. I enjoyed the bright and vibrant energy that Free & Love exudes. The brass plays a bigger part in the song, and this adds a golden vibe to the song. As a result, Free & Love is another song that makes you feel good and want to smile. (8/10)
8. Just Like This (그날의 봄) – Just Like This takes it down a notch, going for softer jazzy pop and laidback vibe. The instrumental has a nice upbeat feel to it, but the instrumental feels a bit generic. However, I really enjoyed the vocals in this song, and the melodies had a nice ring to them. The ‘Just Like This’ repetitive hook was quite catchy, as well. (7.5/10)
9. Trip – Trip starts off with the sounds of a plane flying above us. It then proceeds to enter balladry territory, before unexpectedly going with a stronger instrumental in the chorus. From there, the instrumental maintains that stronger atmosphere, but the vocals continue to remain within that balladry territory. This stronger instrumental helps makes Trip more captivating than compared to a classically instrumented ballad. (8/10)
10. Dream (작은 별) – Continuing with the balladry theme and style is Dream. But like Trip, Dream is not classically instrumented. Instead, Dream incorporates synths into its backing and consists of a mid-tempo beat. It sounds atmospheric as a result, and is also quite captivating to listen to. The vocals in Dream are another showcase of APINK’s abilities, with the members sounding ethereal in this track. This helps adds that extra 0.5 in its ranking. (8.5/10)
11. Thank You (고마워) – The album closes out with Thank You, which was originally released last year to celebrate the group’s 10th anniversary. In case you cannot tell, the song was written to say thanks to their fans (PANDAs) for supporting the group over the last 10 years (or 11 years, for its inclusion in this album). The pop track brings back memories of their cute roots, especially thanks to that ‘Da Di Da’ hook that started off and ended the track. I quite enjoyed the song, overall. (8/10)
Queendom 2 wrapped up at the end of May, and since then we have seen the participants make their comeback to ride the wave of attention they have received from being part of the show. On Monday, HYOLYN joined the lineup of participants who have already their comeback (WJSN, Kep1er, VIVIZ and LOONA) with her solo release NO THANKS and her third mini-album, Ice. This is HYOLYN first release since last year’s A-HA and this year’s Layin’ Low with Jooyoung (both of which I have not reviewed).
NO THANKS is a typical track. While I do like her venture into deeper toned territory with this song, I just felt that NO THANKS just wasn’t innovative or mind-blowing. I also didn’t really like how NO THANKS failed to capitalised on HYOLYN’s best asset as an artist – her vocals, especially when I personally felt her explosive vocals could have made NO THANKS more dynamic and a hit (more on this in a bit). The synth based instrumental had a decent zing to it, which I quite enjoyed. There was a refreshing feel to it, and I liked the metallic twangs and touches that added a nice level of detail to the backing to not make it too generic. I do think the instrumental could have gone further during some parts, just to lift up and bring more energy to NO THANKS. The spoken ‘No Thanks‘ hook in the chorus were a bit of a hit or miss for me, which is quite interesting. On some days since the song’s release, I found myself enjoy the hook. Whereas on other days, the hooks felt lazy and too repetitive for my liking. The most disappointing element of the song has to be the vocals. We all know what HYOLYN is capable of, but it just felt like she was too constricted and limited in NO THANKS. I get that she is trying to sound sensual and seductive. But this doesn’t have to come at the expense of her vocals. We do get a bit of a taste of her vocal prowess towards the end of the song, but I think it could have emerged earlier in NO THANKS. Overall, NO THANKS has few positives, and I think the negatives outweigh them for me.
The music video pretty much features your sexy concept, with HYOLYN really showing off with confidence throughout the video. There is nothing wrong with this, and it matches the vocal tones of NO THANKS that I mentioned above. I liked all her looks throughout the video, especially the bold black outfit (completed with the black lipstick) that I put as the feature image for this review. This level of boldness requires guts and I think HYOLYN pulls it off well. Aside from that, the video conforms to your typical sexy and summer concept.
Personally, I think the choreography for this comeback could have been refined. It is a bit messy and better sychronisation between the dancers and HYOLYN could have made the performance look more riveting. The choreography seems to be more on the basic side, as well. This might have been intentional to enable live vocals. But I have seen better routines with similar circumstances.
Song – 6.5/10 Music Video – 7/10 Performance – 6/10 Overall Rating – 6.6/10
SEVENTEEN is one of the artist kickstarting this week with their latest comeback, _WORLD, the title track off the group’s fourth album repackaged, SECTOR17. Previously, the group made their comeback with HOT and their fourth studio album, Face The Sun (which I have yet to review) at the end of May this year. As part of their return yesterday, the leaders of SEVENTEEN have regrouped as a subunit for CHEERS (which I have also yet to review, and will do so later this week). As for now, here is my review for _WORLD.
Compared to their past tracks, _WORLD is is probably one the group’s most pleasant title tracks ever. Described as a urban R&B track, _WORLD just glides through and I enjoyed that. I liked that _WORLD steps away from the world of electronic music that has been a consistent presence in KPOP since forever, but also SEVENTEEN’s usual energetic style as well. Instead, the group maintains an upbeat nature to _WORLD without feeling heavy or loaded. Light, flowy and very gratifying comes to mind when I think of ways to describe _WORLD. In addition to the urban R&B background, there also seems to be some a subtle touch of funk and brass added to the mix, which helps add some liveliness to the song. Such a pleasant song that takes the focus on a heavy beat allows the song to focus more on the vocals delivery. Even the rapping in _WORLD was limited to just two members (Vernon and S.Coups, in the second verse). Everyone else sounded really neat throughout the song, with a sweet melody adding a warming glow to _WORLD. The slightly stripped back bridge (most of the instrumental disappeared briefly for this apart, aside from some atmospheric presence and a simple beat) keeps the song from falling into an overly consistent state, allowing the song to briefly and subtly reset to give the final chorus a soft explosive feel. I also liked how Joshua got his chance at handling the peak of the song at the end of the bridge. Overall, _WORLD was pleasant listen that I quite enjoyed. Not exactly a smash hit, but it is definitely a good track nonetheless.
I am not entirely sure about the sandstorm start to this video. My guess that this was a way for the producers to connect both HOT and this video together, but I felt it was unnecessary. I think this video had enough to stand alone and didn’t need to be connected with another videos. But who knows, maybe I am overlooking some deep meaning. Aside from that, this was one fine video. The day time scenes throughout this video looked so fitting for the sweet melodies and pleasant nature of the song. The night time scenes felt light and breezy, evoking the feelings of a midsummer’s night. The smiles the members had on throughout this video made me smile as I watched the video.
My exact same thoughts can be carried through to the performance aspect, as I can see from the music video. It isn’t a mind blowing routine, but it is one that appears to fit splendidly well with the song. I really liked the smooth nature of some of the moves, which complements the idea that the song glides along. But yet, the group strikes the right balance with sharp movements and sychronised approach. I also really like the second post-chorus hook sequence. It is an innovative formation and adds a different performance “look”.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 8.5/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8.2/10
As mentioned in the other day’s review for MORE, I will be posting my review for Arson, j-hope’s title track from his debut studio album, Jack In The Box. And here it is! Just to recap, the other review was for MORE, the pre-release for j-hope’s latest album and was released two weeks ago. Arson (the focal point of this review) was officially released the Friday that just passed, along with the rest of the album.
If I had to sum up Arson in very simple terms, it is a straight forward hip-hop track. So if you are looking for something a bit more innovative or different, Arson won’t be the title track you seek. But if you are for a straight forward hip-hop song, then Arson is the song for you. For me, I find the straight forward and no nonsense nature of Arson to be its drawing point. Arson‘s instrumental exudes a captivating flow, a moody rhythm and a strong beat, all of which had me head nodding along to the song. A small part of me does feel that more could have been done to develop the instrumental even further, but I pretty much enjoy how the instrumental is (and this pretty much could have ruined that no nonsense comment I made before). Adding to the moody nature of Arson is j-hope’s delivery. I liked the subtle aggression that comes from j-hope during some parts where he brings a small growl into play or pushes out a raspy tone in his delivery. The layering at the end with the filtered vocals that make the sequence beginning with the ‘If anyone asks me…’ and the paced delivery of the ‘Done, Done‘ was quite cool. Talking about the ‘Done, Done‘ parts of the song, it was so simple, but made Arson so catchy for me. Overall, Arson is a strong showing of j-hope’s skills that we all know he has over an uncomplicated backing.
The world is on fire in Arson‘s music video, which makes complete sense for a song titled Arson. The lyrics of the song expresses a dilemma for j-hope, whether to continue burning brightly or to put out the fire. A bit cryptic, but it appears that fans believe they have cracked the code and that this is a song based on j-hope’s journey as an artist. The flame represents the power and energy that j-hope has developed over the years (thanks to his success as part one of the biggest male groups of all time), showing that he is unstoppable and that only he can put out his own flame. He can harness the energy for his fans, being that bright light to guide them through, and/or burn his haters (as depicted by the people running around on fire in the video). I liked the dark atmosphere of the video, which compliments the hip-hop style of the song, and j-hope’s aggressive and powerful delivery in the song. The visual effects in the video, especially the glowing exposed wounds on his face at the end, were top notch!
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.4/10
Following BTS’s long awaited Korean comeback with Yet To Come (The Most Beautiful Moment) and the announcement that the group would be focusing more on their solo careers than group activities moving forward (though HYBE quickly clarified that promotions as a group would continue), j-hope is the first member to begin working on his solo career with the release of a studio album, Jack In The Box, which features the pre-release track MORE and the title track Arson (a review for Arson will be published tomorrow, as this review is just for MORE). It follows j-hope’s 2018 mixtape Hope World and 2019’s Chicken Noodle Soup.
I frankly should have reviewed MORE when it was first released two weeks ago. MORE features a dark atmosphere that really grabs your attention. This is thanks to the grungy direction in which the song went, which isn’t unheard of in KPOP. But it fair to say quite its a rare sight. I really like the escalation of the instrumental – boldness, energy and all – during the chorus. The filtered and shouty vocals from j-hope fits right in. However, I do wish there was more body to MORE‘s chorus, just so there is a substantial melody and hook to the song, which I felt was lacking. As for the verses, I did like j-hope’s simmered rapping and some of his drawn out delivery. It does feel constricted and limited, however. But it was obvious after the fact that the verses were designed to set up the chorus that I already touched upon. I did like how the second verse as a bit more bolstered and not a repeat of the first verse. This adds a bit more variety to MORE and doesn’t make it too consistent (which otherwise would have made MORE a bit dry). As per the stylistic choices that MORE follows, the track is a strong one that caught my attention. It just needed a bit more meat to the song, however, in my opinion.
Just like the teaser images for this release, I could not recognise j-hope. I personally attribute this to the makeup, which gives off a different character to the j-hope that I know of from BTS’ promotions. My comments might be taken to be negative, but I do enjoy it when artists show different sides of themselves, and j-hope obviously hit that brief. His look also fits in well with the grungy style of MORE. Anyhow, the video starts off with a package being delivered (which at the end is shown to be a package of all the rooms we see j-hope feature in this video). j-hope clarifies that each room has a concept and meaning, but he doesn’t go into detail what they are. Based on the lyrics, it appears these rooms relate to him somehow and his journey as an artist thus far – with his lyrics depicting his ambition from when he was starting out to the present as a BTS member. I would like to know what each room represented, just to give more meaning to the video. He did talk about the hallway, which he says shows that there are more spaces, fitting for a song titled MORE.
Song – 8.5/10 Music Video – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8.3/10
It has been over a month since it was announced that ITZY would be making a comeback in July and embark on a world tour that will run throughout the second half of the year. Fast-forwarding to today, ITZY made their long awaited comeback with their new single SNEAKERS and their fifth mini-album, CHECKMATE. It follows the release of LOCO, which was released in September (almost 10 months ago!) last year. It also follows their first Japanese original single, Voltage, which I have yet to review.
I didn’t necessarily follow their one month long tease towards their comeback (that is just too much), so I had no expectations going into this comeback. As a result, I am genuinely surprised about how much I enjoyed SNEAKERS. It is such a bright and giddy track. Sure, their past tracks have been youthful and energetic. But SNEAKERS brings a whole new level of brightness to their portfolio, in a similar fashion to the likes of ICY but with a cutesy tinge. The bright pop (which seems to have a hint of hip-hop as well) instrumental was quite playful and comes off as refreshing. I do think the backing could have been filled in more and heftier, just to give SNEAKERS some more body and oomph. But overall, I enjoyed the fun nature of the song. Adding to the fun nature are the melodies and hooks. At first, they do feel quite elementary and childish. But repeat listens to the song have helped these melodies and hooks grow on me considerably. ITZY also does a strong showing throughout the song, with the vocals in the first round of pre-chorus being my favourite moment of SNEAKERS. As for the rapping, I enjoyed all rapping sequences including the verses and bridges. But overall, SNEAKERS stands out to me for its fun nature and addictive hooks.
Music video was fine. I like how the video really encompassed the energy that the song exuded. In addition to that, it also emphasised the fun vibe of the song, by story telling how the sneaker travelled through time. It was first introduced to royalty in the first sequence, before a Spread Sneaker Worldwide mission told everyone about sneakers in the second sequence. The bridge seems to show the members opening a shop, with the ending showing them in the future. I really liked the green screen usage in the video, and the members looked great throughout.
I was only recently informed of this, but ITZY finishes all their main title track choreography with a crown. I don’t know how I missed that, especially since I have taken note of these endings before. It made me pay attention to their other hand formations, and I noticed the ‘W’ in this pre-choruses. As for the chorus, I liked how they incorporated the leg movements so the members can show off their sneakers. It is quite clever. Aside from that, I enjoyed the energy and brightness that the members brought to the stage for this comeback, as well.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.8/10
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