As mentioned yesterday on Twitter (yes, I have a Twitter account – @kpopreviewed), there would be two album reviews today (as I was slightly busy yesterday). The second album review of the day is for KIHYUN’s official solo debut, which occurred back in March of this year. The solo debut was titled VOYAGER, and is the title for both the lead single and single album. In addition to VOYAGER, the single album also consist of two additional side tracks. Following his solo debut, KIHYUN returned with MONSTA X through their LOVEand Shape of Love comeback (which I will be writing an album review for some time in the future). It was also recently announced that KIHYUN had renewed his contract with Starship Entertainment.
I am a bit disappointed that KIHYUN’s solo debut came in the form of three songs (i.e. the very typical length for a single album). It is far too short to appreciate what KIHYUN has to offer. He definitely deserves a mini-album, at the very least. But hey, this is what KIHYUN has provided us, so I shouldn’t be complaining. Again, a strong album release from this seasoned KPOP artist. VOYAGER takes the cake for best song on the album, but the other two songs have their own charm. Continue scrolling to see what I thought about those songs.
2. , (COMMA) – COMMA continues the pop rock vibe from the title track, but opts for a much softer and more emotional atmosphere, expressing his own desire to take a break or rest when he is lost, similar to how a comma brings a brief pause in a sentence. It is a completely different energy to what we got before it, as KIHYUN’s vocals convey more emotions in this song. I quite like the oomph he puts behind his vocals during the chorus, in contrast with the softer approach he takes in the verses. It makes for a slightly more riveting piece. The instrumental feels on trend, but I wished it was a bit more innovative, just so COMMA can have a bit of an edge. (8/10)
3. RAIN – RAIN opts for a more intense instrumental piece, featuring what felt like a slow burning rock instrumental. The intensity is so gripping, it was quite hard to be distracted from the song (or to turn away from the song). KIHYUN’s vocals are powerful and felt so loaded, particularly during the chorus, which in turn felt relatively explosive. I did like how he kept held himself back throughout RAIN, keeping that energy and intensity simmering away until the end to make it a captivating piece. (9/10)
It has been almost a month since my last album review. But I am finally getting back to writing them and posting them on weekends. But be aware as I am quite back up with a very long list of many great albums I want to review, so please bare with me. The first album I want to visit is BTOB’s third studio length album, Be Together, which was released back in February of this year. Featured on this album is the title track The Song, nine side tracks, an intro, an interlude and an outro track. So it is definitely jammed packed. This album, for those who may not recall, was also BTOB’s grand comeback as a full group since 2018 and follows the military enlistment of all members (aside from Peniel).
As a quick summary. I find myself to be a fan of every song on this album in one way or another. That is the greatest outcome for any album. Knowing BTOB’s background and successful songs, there are obviously ballads on this album. But some of the album’s standouts are not ballads and are more so hidden gems on this album (as they are placed in the midst of the many ballads on this album). But obviously, more on those songs as I get to them. So without any more delays (or else this might get delayed), let’s me get straight into the first album review after a while, BTOB’s Be Together.
Be Together Album Cover
1. Intro: The Trace (Intro: 발자취) – The album starts off with a fairly simple introductory track. Over a really nice piano melody that sets a balladry tone for the album, we can hear someone walking through the snow. It is piece I can vividly imagine and see myself in.
3. Blooming Day (봄이 피어나) – My favourite aspects of Blooming Day are the presence of the raps in the verses. Minhyuk really pushed the song to the next level with his sequence, while Peniel brought a nice flow. They also brought whole lot of intensity to the ballad, which peaked my interest in the song and made it so captivating. I also liked that the chorus follows the momentum of the raps creating a powerful centrepiece. The ad-libs in the final chorus also builds the intensity and gives off a similar effect. (10/10)
4. Be Together (우리) – Be Together, the namesake for this album, continues the album’s ballad focus. Be Together is a beautiful one with a swayable atmosphere and melody that you will know I would like. I really like the rock elements in the instrumental of this ballad, which throws out the idea that a ballad has to be classically instrumented in order to beautiful. The vocals stand out in this one, showcasing strong and powerful vocals. The rappers held themselves back with small and slighter sequences, but I liked how their parts still had intensity. (9/10)
5. My Way – My Way changes the momentum of the album up with a more upbeat track, delving into a R&B and hip-hop mix. It sounds quite urban, and is a song that I wouldn’t mind listening to whilst walking through a hip neighbourhood. I like how everyone brought their A-game for this track. Unlike the preceding track, both vocalists and rappers’ factions of the group were on par with each other and brought great energy to the song. I particularly like the echoing effect of the post-chorus hook. (9/10)
6. Whiskey – Whiskey follows My Way’s more urban feel, but opts for a R&B instrumental that feels groovier while the lyrics are a lot sexier. There is also a sleekness to the song’s instrumental that I totally digging. I really like the character and personality that the members put behind their vocals. It just adds depth and energy to the song that would have felt plain had more standard vocals/raps been used. It also demonstrates BTOB’s vocal versatility between members, but their ability to also remain cohesive. For example, Peniel’s more hip-hop aligned breakdown in the second verse was a surprising presence, but fits into the bigger picture that is Whiskey. (8/10)
7. Interlude: Re – The album features an interlude track, Re, which is a minute and a half of a soothing piano melody. It brings down the energy of the album following some upbeat tracks, enabling the next track to be placed.
8. Lonely – Lonely is another ballad on this album. But rather than being your typical slow or flowy ballad, Lonely is a fairly intense ballad thanks to the presence of the strings throughout the track. Not in the dramatic sense, but more so in a captivating sense. In addition to the strings, the members’ vocals also build up the intensity of the song and adds to that captivation. It isn’t a smashing ballad like the others earlier on this album, but Lonely is still a strong one nonetheless. (8/10)
9. Dance With Me (춤) – Dance With Me bring up the album’s energy levels with another dynamic track. The energy is quite refreshing and thoroughly enjoyable. And for that, I deem it as one of my favourite side tracks on this album. Dance With Me features some really cool and intriguing guitar work at the start. But that is not only where we get the guitar work. I liked how the guitar makes a presence throughout the song, pulling the different segments together. The powerful vocals are a highlight in this song, while the upbeat nature enables the rappers to dive into their parts. (10/10)
10. Higher – Thanks to its rock influences, Higher is definitely the odd one out on this album. But instead of me questioning its presence on the album, Higher steals my attention and carries me away. Before I know it, the song is over and I am left wanting more. I remember it leaving me floored when I listened to the album back in February. And after four months, Higher still leaves me on the edge of my seat and gets me head banging! I quite liked the snowballing effect the energy has, which is thanks to both the rock instrumentation and the members’ powerful energy they channeled through the song. (10/10)
11. Thank You – Thank You is the type of song to bring a smile to your face. At least, it did for me. Thank You had a tall order in following the likes of Higher, but I think it handled it pretty well. The song is much sweeter (to match the lyrics) and less energy driven, but it wasn’t as an extreme step down in terms of upbeatness. I like the jazzy notes within the instrumental, the more loving vocals the members provide to the song and the random burst of brass we get consistently in the backing. (8.5/10)
12. It’s All Good (흘려보내) – The second last song on the album remains in upbeat territory with its pop rock instrumentation, but you can tell that the group is slowly tuning down the energy to help ease us off the album. It isn’t as a riveting piece as it could be, but it has its charms. I really like the soaring and floaty melodies that It’s All Good has. My only critical note about the song is Minhyuk’s powerful and strong entrance in the bridge, which contrasts practically everything in the track and it feels a bit unexpected. I am not entirely sure what to think of this. It works with the idea of a pop rock instrumental, but it doesn’t work in harmony as with the rest of the song. (7/10)
13. Outro: Encore – Ending the album is an outro track, titled Encore. Usually, when the title includes the ‘Outro’ tag, it is something brief, and not a full-fledged 4-minute-long track like how Encore was. It is fitting that the album closes out with a ballad, just like how it started. I enjoyed how stunning this one was, from start to end, vocals to raps. I really liked the high notes in this as well, giving the track a breathtaking element. Encore is classically and acoustically instrumented and was quite riveting. An amazing end to the album. (10/10)
Naturally, the night I decided to take off (yesterday) had multiple comebacks. But don’t worry, I will (slowly) get around to them! First up (and I will explain why I chose this one to be first up from yesterday’s options for a review) is OMEGA X’s PLAY DUMB, which is the title track off their 1st studio length album. This is the group’s first comeback that I am reviewing since their debut with VAMOS last year, Story Written In Music. However, OMEGA X has had two comebacks since their debut which I have yet to cover including What’s Goin’ On and Love Like This, both of which will be reviewed in some form in the future. As for now, here is my review for their third comeback track, PLAY DUMB.
Out of all the releases from the 15 June 2022, PLAY DUMB was my favourite. And it was so for a very simple reason – it was fun and had strong ‘feel-good’ vibes which I needed after a long day. PLAY DUMB isn’t an innovative pop song, but it also doesn’t feel like a straight up copy of another bright and vibrant pop song from the top of my head (though one could say it is similar to other songs of an equivalent nature and I wouldn’t disagree with them). In addition to the vibes that I already mentioned, I found PLAY DUMB to have lively but also pleasant instrumental, stepping away from the heaviness that synths that we hear so often nowadays. I love the funky vibes that the guitar brought to the post-chorus hook. PLAY DUMB also features a strong showing of vocals and raps from the members, which is always appreciable. It also contains some decent hooks and melodies which I thought tied the song together really well. I really enjoyed the inclination of the pre-choruses, which helped drive up the energy of PLAY DUMB to make the chorus even better. There was something about the melody and the instrumental combination that worked really well and attracted my attention towards the song. I do think PLAY DUMB would have benefited from a more centric hook or melody for the actual chorus sequence, just to drive up the memorable factor of the song. But the hooks and melodies we did get in the song still works fine. Overall, PLAY DUMB is definitely a fun release, with its vibrant and brightness suitable for the Summer season.
Listening to the song, the accompanying music video had to fulfil one criterion for me to be considered successful – be fun. And I feel like that was nailed perfectly. The members looked like they were having a blast with one another and there were some funny scenes throughout. I also like the vivid colours of the video, which just works extremely well in bringing out that vibrancy from the song. If you missed the concept that was consistently present from start to end, it is just tennis. The sport was the pure focus of the video (aside from laughs and having fun). I did wonder what happened to the massive tennis ball that featured at the start of the video (the one that came crashing into Earth, put on displayed and subsequently stolen by one of the members so they can sketch it). I thought that whole ‘plotline’ was a bit of fun and would have liked it to make some sort of reappearance in the video at the end or something. it just disappearing didn’t make sense to me, and I am a bit disappointed by that.
The choreography was nice and worked well with the fun and energetic side of the song. I liked the refreshing vibes the members brought to the stage. I would have liked more bounce to the choreography (I think the song calls for this), but what we got was perfectly fine!
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 8.5/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8.7/10
One of the new comebacks that started off this new week is WONHO’s, who returns with his new mini-album, FACADE, on Monday. Featured on this new mini-album is the title track CRAZY, which follows his earlier comeback of this year, EYE ON YOU, from February.
CRAZY knows exactly how to tease, opting for a uniquely groovy and sensual atmosphere that only an artist like WONHO can pull off. I can think of a few artists who may have potential to deliver part of what CRAZY achieves, but no one could nail this exact vibe like how WONHO has. I love the feeling that CRAZY leaves behind once I am finished listening to the song – I simply want more from the track. But in a good way, as in I want to go back to CRAZY to continuously satisfy my craving for that groovy undertone that oozes from the song and the brief rock detailing that adds a refined sense of oomph and abrasiveness to the song that makes the chorus so damn good. The track intentionally under delivers by just a hair, just to get me to click that replay button one more time – but time and time again. CRAZY starts off with and revisits these crunchy yet deep rap-like vocals. As far as I am aware, no one is attributed to these vocals, which are worked into the background. But they kick off the title track with some flair and excitement. Following that, an electronic bass riff kicks in and this is followed up with WONHO’s sleek and silky vocals. The verses a bit bland, if I have to suggest something critical about CRAZY. But that is easily overlooked once the chorus kicks in, coming off as how I have already describe the track with the groovy underlay and the rock detailing. In hindsight, I do think the bridge could have gone further, just to prevent the song from being overly consistent and push the boundaries a bit. But overall, CRAZY is a top notch track that plays towards WONHO’s strengths.
It is not a WONHO video if he is not teasing us visually as well. And it is definitely not a WONHO video without some form of abs or muscles showing. Aside from the usual talk of muscles and abs, there is a modern aesthetic that suits CRAZY so well. The simplicity from those choreography sets is wonderful and much appreciated, given the amount of dancers that accompanies WONHO for this comebacks. However, I do like the busy nature of the car yard scenes and the some of the solo sets thanks to the way the background is staged or the lights. The ending is a bit cryptic, with the massive head and mouth opening up. I wonder if this is the start to some series (or are we possibly already in the midst of some series?).
The choreography for this comeback is lowkey, but I like how it took on that groovy feel. It definitely looks cool. It fits in with the music, as the music doesn’t really call for much intensity. However, I did like the intensity that WONHO and the dancers delivered for the final sequence, and like how they eased out with a slow rock vibe. I also like the domino effect the female dancers delivered in the second pre-chorus.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 8.5/10 Overall Rating – 8.9/10
It has been a while, but BTS is officially back in South Korea with their latest Korean single, Yet to Come (The Most Beautiful Moment). The new single dropped today and is featured as the title track from the group’s first anthology album, Proof, which features a range of songs from the last nine years of the group’s discography. It is also the group’s first domestic comeback since 2020’s Life Goes On and Be, and the subsequent English hits – Dynamite,Butter and Permission to Dance.
If I had to summarise Yet To Come in a few simple words, my pick would be “a sentimental pop ballad”. Nothing more, nothing less. From my listens to the song thus far since its release on Friday, I can say that it sounds good and has a swayable melody that I find in what I consider to be good ballads. Yet To Come‘s instrumental had a hip-hop tinge to it, which make sense given the group’s roots in the genre. It is a bit airy and simple (even for my taste), but that allows the other elements to shine more brightly. The high pitch squealy like synths in the background were extremely subtle, but they helped cut the plainness of the song. The vocal and rapping work was nice, and I quite liked the idea of the rapping in the chorus, giving the centrepiece of Yet To Come a bit more energy that prevents the song from being consistently plain. RM, Suga and J-Hope’s flow throughout the song (not just the chorus) was great. Although, I am not a fan of Suga’s rapping at the beginning of the second verse, however, with the autotune. It was an odd ball moment that I didn’t find fit with the rest of the song. The vocalists sound well rounded, but their parts didn’t stand out as much like how the rappers’ did. My biggest issue with the song is not with the group’s execution of Yet To Come, but rather the song’s choice. After their chart topping hits in the Western market, I expected a song with much more fanfare for their ‘grand and long-awaited return’. I wasn’t necessarily expecting a full fledged dance track, but something with a bit more flair than a track that reflects on the past and looks into the future. For some, Yet To Come might be the track that pulls on their heartstrings. And that is absolutely okay. But for me, I find the track to be one of those that I don’t really need to check out again after writing my review.
When I watched the video for Yet To Come, I felt the shots were throwbacks to previous videos. The order in which the members sat and ended the music video in was the order in which the members sat in for their Just One Day music video. V holding a red rose throws back to solo teaser photos from their Map of The Soul: Persona and Boy With Luv (ft. Halsey) comeback. His uniform also seems to remind me of their ‘school uniform days’ which encompasses their School trilogy days, most specifically Boy In Luv. Jungkook standing in front of the rusty blue ‘You Never Walk Alone’ wheel, the train (which featured in J-Hope’s solo shot) and Jimin’s white shoes takes me back to Spring Day. The pick-up truck we driving around and in the background of JIN’s shot brings back memories of RUN‘s ending. RM’s solo shot consist of a shipping container, which seems to link up with their RUN music video, as well. The big winged statue and the scene where JIN covers V’s eyes reminds me of Blood Sweat & Tears. Suga’s solo scene with the butterfly might be connection to their Butterfly song from 2015. The yellow school bus we see at the end reminds us of the bus that featured in No More Dream music video. Aside from the trip down memory lane, the video was shot in beautiful desert location that feels quite scenic despite it being just sand and blue skies.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 9/10 Overall Rating – 7.8/10
It personally has felt like it has been a while since I wrote a song review. It doesn’t feel like my last one was just over a week ago. With my final Queendom 2 post scheduled for publish tomorrow, I am looking to jump right back into the song and album reviews that I have neglected the past few weeks. But that is after I complete some reviews for the releases of this week. First up is SECRET NUMBER, who made their return yesterday with DOOMCHITA. This is their first comeback since Fire Saturday, which was released back in October of last year. The group also officially reformed into a six member group with this latest comeback, following the official announcement of Denise earlier this year.
Got That Boom was the last track that I reviewed from this group (can’t exactly remember why I passed up the opportunity to review Fire Saturday, but given it was released in October 2021, it was most likely due to time constraints). If I felt 8 days was a while ago (reference to my first two sentences to this review), I think Got That Boom can also be said was a while ago. And so, I have unfortunately forgotten the group. But when there is a chance to rediscover the group, I am always down for it. But listening to DOOMCHITA, I am not exactly sure I am that keen anymore. DOOMCHITA doesn’t have individuality or character, and this alone doesn’t really encourage me to check out their other works. It is a pretty generic release, fitting neatly into the sea of other electronic releases that goes for a powerful and abrasive profile that we have been hearing often. I did like the moment in which the instrumental did ‘kick it up a notch’ just before the final chorus. It added a touch of dynamism to the song, which I appreciated, and felt a lot tighter compared to the rest of the instrumental. DOOMCHITA‘s hooks and melodies aren’t that memorable and I don’t find myself reaching for the replay button or feeling the song. All of this is quite a letdown, especially since DOOMCHITA features solid vocals and rapping from the members. The actual delivery of these lines was pretty generic as well, but I quite liked how bolstered the vocals/rapping felt over the instrumental, which helped give off that ‘solid impression’. They easily could have inserted that character and individual character via their delivery, and this could have allowed DOOMCHITA to fair a bit better. However, as much as I try to enjoy the DOOMCHITA, the generic nature takes over.
Same thing can be said about the music video. It goes for that edgy concept that we see so often, and so the video is pretty generic. The sets have those usual tropes of graffiti, WANTED posters etc. I also want to point out that, sometimes, videos with generic concepts could have a wow factor, coming in via a memorable element or moment. But DOOMCHITA‘s music video doesn’t have that. That hanging light fixture that the members are holding onto in some solo shot, which I have exclaimed to be a wow factor (I am sure of it) in the past, is quite dated now. Their colourful outfits faired a bit better, adding some much needed pop into the video. On the other hand, their leather outfits remind me of ITZY’s M.A.F.I.A outfits.
As for the choreography, it looks fine. However, I am of the belief that the moves could have been a bit more aggressive and ‘in your face’. I think the music really calls for that and there was some potential to go that way. But I guess the choreography decided to focus on more sensual movements instead, which was alright.
Song – 6/10 Music Video – 5/10 Performance – 6.5/10 Overall Rating – 5.8/10
VICTON’s last comeback was a little over four months ago when the group (sans Han Seung Woo, who is currently carrying out his military enlistment) released their Chronograph single and single album. Fast forward four and half months to yesterday, VICTON made their comeback with the single Stupid O’clock, the title track off the group’s seventh mini-album, Chaos.
As opposed to Chronograph, Stupid O’clock is much more appealing from the first listen. I am digging the sleek and groovy bass that Stupid O’clock has going on in the background. I liked how it is (kind of) the constant throughout the song, featuring in the background of the verses and choruses. Though, the pre-choruses and bridge of Stupid O’clock do not feature the groovy bass, which I appreciated. Otherwise Stupid O’clock would be too repetitive and become boring a lot earlier on (more on this in a second). Instead, they featured a clean slate of synths to build up towards the chorus or background the vocals (in the case of the bridge). And before you think the constant bass is the only thing happening in the chorus, which would raise the issue of repetition and boringness, it isn’t. There are these warped-like vocals and some guitar work in the background that adds a much needed oomph and colour to the choruses, while also aiding in differentiating the verses and choruses of Stupid O’clock. As for the vocals throughout the song, they were were clean and pleasant, while Do Hanse’s rapping had a really cool rhythm to it, which kind of helped offset what I am about to say next. The issue with Stupid O’clock is the plainness. Yes, I still enjoyed the groovy bass of the song. I think it is the song’s best asset and is a step in the right direction. However, Stupid O’clock lacks oomph and boldness, which is usually paired extremely well with groovy and funky tracks. And as a result, Stupid O’clock comes off as plain. I wished there was a bit more to the song. Maybe Stupid O’clock would benefit from stronger and catchier hooks or some dynamic line delivery, or possibly something extra in the instrumental. All of this, or just one of these additions, would have made Stupid O’clock better and more robust (and so upping appealing towards the song).
Not entirely sure what is going on in the video (per usual, but I will take a stab of forming what I think is the plotline), but it looks like all the members aside of Byungchan (I think) have banded together to pull off a heist to steal the necklace. Byungchan, on the other hand, investigates the crime scene (he kind of looks like he is dressed up to be a cop) and searches for the other members. They members ultimately run away (interestingly, six members are seen running away). And in the end, it turns out Byungchan was the only one running and is seen holding the necklace the entire time. This indicates that he might have acted alone. Based on the scenes of the first chorus, it looks like he is going through something (i.e. alternate personalities possibly, and he does not have a recollection of events when he slips into these alternate personalities). Though, the scene of him at the start shows us that he might have remembered the events of the previous night’s event (i.e. the heist) after all. That is my interpretation of the plotline, though I might be wrong as I couldn’t really identify the main character of the video due to the lighting and fast pace of the scenes. However, they aren’t criticisms of the video. The lighting gave off mysterious vibes and works well with the sleek nature of the song, while the fast pace of the story allows it to feel action packed.
Overall, I think the performance consists of a pretty good routine. I liked the sharpness of some of the moves, and I feel the slower movements did a great job of encapsulating the sleeker nature of the song. My favourite bit has to be the rap sequence though, as the choreography did a good job of matching the more energetic sequence.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 8.5/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 7.7/10
Making their comeback yesterday was NCT DREAM, with the repackaged version of their second studio album. This version of their second studio length album and the title track are both titled Beatbox. This follows the release of Glitch Mode, the title of both their second studio album and title track, back in March of this year. I will be reviewing the full Beatbox and Glitch Mode album versions as a singular album some time in the near future. But until then, enjoy my review for the Beatbox title track.
I gave one listen to Beatbox yesterday upon its official release and I found myself to be bopping along to the music. That is definitely one of the best feelings when a new song comes out – falling right into it as a listener from the get-go. Talking about the get-go (literally the first second or so), the way Mark started off Beatbox with his raspy vocals left a strong impression on me. I just want to keep replaying that one second or so over and over again. What also really attracted me to Beatbox is the atmosphere it created in less than 3 minutes. I found Beatbox to be extremely fun, vibrant, upbeat, energetic, catchy and addictive – all rolled into one package! Perfect as a summer track! And I liked that the choruses felt bold/explosive (relative to the verses), especially for the final run at the end of Beatbox. On top of that, Jeno’s whispered ‘Everywhere I go, bring the beatbox‘ line was super effective and clever in a contrasting sense to practically every other element in the song. For a song titled Beatbox, beatboxing appearing is a no-brainier. Instead of it being the focal point of the vocal/rapping, however, the beatboxing was mixed into the background, bringing a dynamic factor to the song, especially during the instrumental breaks that facilitate the dance breaks we will get in the performances for Beatbox. Pairing with the beatboxing is the rapping, which added to Beatbox‘svibrant profile and colour. This song allowed the rappers to shine and do their thing. The vocals were not in the limelight this time around, but they did enough to maintain and incorporate a pop genre presence in the song. However, the breakdown in the bridge to incorporate some more vocals into Beatbox felt a little cliché for my liking. I don’t mind the use of technique, but I wished the producers were a bit more inventive, just to be on par with the overall creativity I personally felt come from Beatbox.
I felt the video worked really well with Beatbox when it comes to the dynamic and vibrant fronts. I like how a large bulk of it is shot outside in the sun, as opposed to the usual set (though this video didn’t managed to escape the use of sets). The natural lighting really helps makes everything more inviting and appealing to watch. The video portrayed the members as the ‘cool kids on the block’, featuring them at school and at hangout spots outside of school. I also liked their casual and urban looks that they had going on throughout the video. It matches the setting and the vibes in which the song was exuding.
As mentioned earlier, the beatboxing gives off a dynamic feel and this is definitely felt in the choreography. The entire routine was really well done and is probably one of the best I have seen this year thus far. I enjoyed everything for the footwork to the handwork (especially the key move when they perform the line ‘Everywhere I go, bring the beatbox‘) to the different dance breaks we got throughout the performance. The energy they also bring to the performance also made it look so good. I also like how at the end during the vocal sections there were two different sets of moves happening, but yet the stage looked cohesive.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 10/10 Overall Rating – 9.2/10
Making their comeback yesterday is SEVENTEEN with their fourth studio-album titled Face The Sun. Leading the album is the title track simply titled as HOT. This comeback comes after the group’s Attacca mini-album and Rock With You comeback from October 2021, their Power of Love Japanese comeback and the first English language single Darl+ing (which is also getting its own review via the International Song Review segment and is featured on this fourth studio length album).
I liked that SEVENTEEN has returned to a heftier, harder and edgier dance track for this comeback. While I do like their other works, like their more recent pop-rock infused Korean comeback, SEVENTEEN’s darker (i.e. Getting Closer) or their powerful dance tracks (i.e. HIT) have also been favourites of mine. And HOT really encapsulates (without a doubt) that ‘powerful dance track’, with its high-energy instrumental elements, vocals and raps. I felt the darker profile of the group is there to a degree in HOT, but that might also in play thanks to the music video for this comeback (more on that later). Personally, I don’t mind HOT‘s chorus. There was a sexy and edgy hip-hop motif to it in the first half and an explosive feel to the second half of the chorus. The energetic dance instrumental is quite exciting, powerful but also fun, though I feel that there is potential for that whistle repetition to do my head in if I were to play the song excessively (though we are not there yet). The pre-choruses and bridge were quite impressive, showcasing their vocals so well. Talking about vocals, I got to mention the autotune usage in this song. I will definitely say it is a bit much, practically blasting us with autotune as soon as the song start. But I will hold back in describing its usage as ‘excessive’ (though it did occur to me briefly at first). I see the charm in the use of autotune in this song, as it really added a dynamic vibe, excitement and ups the energy to HOT. All of which works towards HOT’s favour. I did wish we got to hear punchier rap deliveries from the group’s rappers that weren’t smothered in autotune, as HOT would have been a great piece for them to flaunt their energetic styles. But overall, HOT was still one hot-damn piece for me.
SEVENTEEN turns up the temperature with their fiery music video for HOT. It definitely works with South Korea’s upcoming Summer season and the members’ more mature looks that they have been developing since their debut seven years ago (!). There are a lot of sun and fire imagery throughout the video, though offset with some darker scenes to allow the red fiery colour to pop out. And also part of the video is also set in the desert and these scenes give off Mad Max-like vibes (but not really). All of these references and vibes makes sense, as the video and lyrics depicts the members’ willingness and confidence moving forward with their journey as a group in even the harshest of conditions (taken from SOOMPI). For this video, it is their references to heat, which we all know can be extremely harsh. I enjoyed the intricate editing that strung all the scenes in this video together. The most memorable scene in this music video is THE8’s beat box-like moment at the start of the song, where his image dominated the screen. It was a cool moment and definitely left a strong impression on me.
Per usual, the synchronisation between the SEVENTEEN members is on point throughout the performance. It amazes me each time and takes everything to the next level. The body rolls we get in the performance make sense (how else does KPOP show off ‘HOT’!) and the rest of the routine for the chorus felt powerful and strong. Hoshi and Dino from the performance team caught my attention in this performance, as they really put their all into the stage and made their centre parts memorable.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.2/10
Also returning this week is Kang Daniel. It has been almost three years since the solo artist made his solo debut (and five years since he made his official solo debut as part of the Wanna One lineup). Yet, it was only on Tuesday that Kang Daniel release his first solo studio-length album titled The Story, which features the title track Upside Down. This is his first solo comeback since the release of Antidote. Since then, he has been quite busy. He has released a string of singles and collaborated with a number of artists. He has also made his acting debut, was a MC for Street Woman Fighter and Street Dance Girls Fighter, and also reunited with his fellow Wanna One members for the release of Beautiful (Part 3) and a special performance at the 2021 MAMAs.
For me, Upside Down had boring verses. I am not a big fan of the metallic percussion that features heavily during the verses (nor when it re-emerged throughout the song). Kang Daniel’s vocals felt sluggish. When you pair the likes of the metallic percussion and vocals, everything felt overly airy and empty, which isn’t a great first impression for the first verse. However, the saying ‘not to judge a book by its cover’ applies to Upside Down. As I stuck around for more of Upside Down, it got better thanks to the chorus. Said chorus is not striking, energetic or dynamic. Instead, the chorus built on those boring verses (allowing Upside Down to be percieved as more cohesive) and created a relatively livelier atmosphere by the addition of softened synths punches, heavier bass and a more filled out instrumental. Kang Daniel’s vocals should have also built a bit to stand out over this relatively amped up instrumental, as I felt he was almost on the verge of being drowned out. But he did enough to be still be heard, so I guess it was fine. Compared to the verses, the chorus was more satisfying. Upside Down‘s bridge provided an even moodier atmosphere, thanks the to the presence of that elongated bass and squeaky synth. I liked how it worked well with the chorus of the song. The small sequence of the vocals we do get in the bridge was paired with strumming electric guitar, before we are taken back to the chorus for one final time. Kang Daniel’s ad-libs throughout the final chorus was probably his most impressive vocal effort in the entirety of Upside Down. Overall, Upside Down receives a mixed response from me. It is good in some parts, but bland in others.
I quite like the video. His visuals are very strong and he looks good throughout the video in his casual wear. But for me, it is the editing for this video that takes the cake for me. The way the video portrays the upside down world that Kang Daniel refers to in his lyrics are shown by Kang Daniel dancing on the side of the building (though I suspect this would have been possible thanks to a crane) and also underneath the roof of a theatre’s entrance. I also like the alternating day and night scenes at the start of the video. The camera work also helped make the video feel more dynamic, especially during the final chorus.
I liked the inclusive feel of the choreography and the chemistry in which Kang Daniel shares with his fellow dancers on stage. As for the individual moves, they just weren’t memorable. But they did fit in with the lowkey vibes of the song. I also did like how he incorporated the start of the music video with the start of the choreography. The impressive part has to be when Kang Daniel pulls out his b-boying experience for the bridge, which I personally thought was super cool to watch.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 7.5/10 Overall Rating – 7.4/10
AB6IX also made their comeback earlier this week with their new single SAVIOR and mini-album, A to B. This is the first time we are seeing the group following the release of 1,2,3 and the Complete With You special mini-album from January this year, and the group’s last promotions for CHERRY and MO’ COMPLETE from September of last year.
For me, I felt SAVIOR was disjointed. It felt like two or three different ‘songs’ were mashed together, but not to the extent where I can say the ‘songs’ were cohesively mixed. This is thanks to brief pauses between parts of SAVIOR and some of the parts (i.e. verse vs. pre-chorus vs. chorus, and final chorus vs. end of the song) being very distinctive to each other. I feel any hope for SAVIOR to feel cohesive might come about through repeated listens, but that feeling is probably a long way away for this track. Had it been more cohesive from the start, I think SAVIOR would have been a strong track. I really enjoyed the abrasiveness of the synths and the heaviness of the bass when it came to the first verse. The producers really delved deep into that side, and thus created a really stylish and suspenseful atmosphere. Woojin’s rapping really popped in this first verse. Similarly, his rapping also popped out in the second verse, thanks to the cool drums that appear in that section. As for the pre-choruses, I liked how commanding Donghyun, Daehwi and Woong’s vocals were. It spins SAVIOR in a slightly different direction by adding a different flavour to the song. For the chorus, we get an anti-drop that plays with the first verses’ instrumental. I wished the chorus continued the incline from verse to pre-chorus, instead of repeating similar vibes of the verses. It unfortunately made SAVIOR feel a bit flat. However, that flat feeling (particuarly following the third chorus) is lost once we reach the end of the song where AB6IX kicks up the song with what feels like a dynamic rock sequence (though I think it is more synths than rock). I wished SAVIOR explored a bit more of this (maybe bring it in during the choruses to continue the song’s inclining trajectory, and then insert another dynamic ender to the song?). I might be asking for a lot, but I really do think SAVIOR would have benefited from a more connected experience.
It comes as no surprise to me that the video opts for a dark and edgy concept to match the song’s instrumental and atmosphere. Not too sure if there is a plot in this video, however. I did like the eerie start to the video, but it soon becomes more of a tense video than anything else (as evident by the dramatic change in momentum just before the final chorus). I also liked the post-production added to the choreography scenes. It was subtle, but it looked cool. The lighting in this video (i.e. during the verses and the rock sequence at the end) was another cool element to the video.
As for the choreography, the arm work at the start of the routine perked my interest and the energy at the end that they put into the choreography really wrapped up the performance well. But the in between bit was standard and didn’t offer anything memorable to talk about.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 7.5/10 Performance – 7.5/10 Overall Rating – 7.3/10
When a full group leaves a company and goes their separate ways whilst also stating that they have not disbanded, it is quite rare for them to return to group promotions. We have seen it occur before, but more often than not, they stay separated. Yesterday, GOT7 moved from solo promotions back to group promotions with their new single titled NANANA and a self-titled mini-album (their 12th mini-album to date). This marks their first release since Encore in 2021, since the group departed from JYP Entertainment, and since each member embarked on their own solo careers. Prior to yesterday’s comeback, GOT7 also regrouped for a two day fan meet, as well.
As a GOT7 fan, I don’t think I can dislike NANANA. It is great to revisit and hear GOT7 as a whole group once again. And whatever song they do comeback with, I am most likely going to be down for it. But that is my bias coming though. Looking at NANANA subjectively, however, I find the song to be quite typical when it comes to the R&B and hip-hop landscape. It is one of those songs that I would describe as ‘pleasant but nothing more’. Subdued also accurately describes the song. There is nothing wrong with this style and direction, but I personally wished NANANA had more of a kick to it. That being said, however, NANANA does have its place in GOT7’s music profile, complementing past side tracks that the members have produced or written by themselves for the group. The light nature of the instrumentation and some of the vocal work gives NANANA that pleasant vibe that I mentioned. There is also a chill vibe coming from the instrumentation, which does help make the song more appealing. For the rest of the vocals, I quite liked the emphasis on huskiness from some of the members like Jinyoung (in the first verse) and JAY B (as a rapper in the second verse). I also like the textures when it came to the choruses, with Jackson starting off the chorus with his extremely hoarse vocals before passing the baton onto Youngjae, whose vocals are a lot smoother. The rapping by Mark and BamBam was quite fine, as well. NANANA‘s main hook followed the choruses. And while it was pretty standard and typical, it actually catches on fine. Overall, NANANA is not a bad song. It is just more tame than what I had expected.
Let me start by saying that it is great to see the members together once again (if I haven’t already made that point clear). Now, onto the video. I quite like the concept for this music video and comeback. Based on interviews for this comeback, the members have express that the concept was about ‘house-building’, where the house-building is about building a new start. It is a neat way to look at where the group is at in their career. It is also quite cool to see abstract sets that look modern and contemporary. I quite like the colours of this video as well, helping make the video appear pleasant and quite easy on the eyes. The members also look great throughout the video.
Unlike their routines in the past, NANANA‘s choreography followed the song direction in that it was pleasant. There wasn’t anything that memorable, but it was a nice chilled performance where the members looked like they enjoy their time on stage after their hiatus as a group.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 7/10 Overall Rating – 7.8/10
I have been holding onto this album review for quite some time now, and have finally finished writing it up. So without any further delays, here is my review for Yellow Punch, Rocket Punch’s fourth mini-album. It was released way back in February of this year, and is lead by the title track CHIQUITA. In addition to the title track, Yellow Punch also features four side tracks (included in the final rating for the album) and one instrumental introductory track (not included in the final rating for this album).
This is the first time I am reviewing Rocket Punch in the album review segment of my blog. Their past mini-albums have never really attracted much attention from me. But while vetting Yellow Punch when it was first released, all of the side tracks perked my interest and therefore it got a spot on the agenda for an album review. The same interest remains until today! It is a strong album release and I enjoyed every single song on this album. Maybe Yellow Punch might perk my interest enough to get me to look at their past three mini-albums to see whether they deserve their own album review.
Yellow Punch Album Cover
1. YELLOW PUNCH – Yellow Punch (the album) starts off with an instrumental track that is a mix of genres. I quite like the flow of this one, easing us in a neat fashion towards the title track (the next track on the album). We get atmospheric keyboards to start off with (and in between each distinct section), before moving onto a pulsing R&B sound and then vibrant electro-retro synths before ending back again with that atmospheric keyboard.
3. In My World (주인공) – In My World ups the tempo but continues the retro influence from the title track through its electropop disco-esque influence. I quite like the amped up tempo as it makes the song quite thrilling and exciting to listen to. I like how prominent the vocals were, allowing it to standout over the instrumentation (which already felt bold), and also enjoyed the texture of the scratchy vocals following the second chorus. The high notes were also impressive. All of this makes In My World the mini-album’s standout side track. (10/10)
4. Red Balloon (덤덤) – Red Balloon is an effortlessly groovy track that is quite catchy. If you have been reading my blog for a long time, you know how much I love a minimalistic track. And Red Balloon definitely hits the brief for one as it doesn’t rely on much instrumentally. Also, the song’s main hook (i.e., the ‘Dun Dun’) was extremely simple, but super effective. I like the inclusion of brass in the bridge, which adds a nice ‘something extra’ to the song, just to keep it fresh and lively. (9/10)
5. Love More (어제, 오늘 내일보다 더) – Love More also opts for a simpler direction but dips into a softer pop genre instead. The guitar work in the instrumental was bright and adds a nice funky touch to the song. What I quite enjoyed the Love More the most, however, was the clear and crisp vocals. It was velvety and smooth, which is pretty much my style. (8/10)
6. LOUDER – Usually, I like it when albums ease us out with a softer and more palatable track. It is just a nice way to end an album. LOUDER is neither of those descriptions, opting for loud, intensity and erratic synths. This time around, I don’t mind it. There is a charming appeal to LOUDER that makes it an interesting and intriguing song. I also like how the chorus’ synth hits hard, and this adds a memorable element to the final song on the album. The vocal work was also quite striking, though I did think it could have been cleaner. (8.5/10)
Earlier this week, ONEUS also joined the growing list of May comebacks with their seventh mini-album, Trickster, and the title track Bring It On. This is the group’s first comeback since LUNA from November of last year. It also comes after the group embarked on their second U.S. tour, which occurred earlier this year.
Bring It On returns ONEUS to their more powerful and boisterous side that the group has previously done in past singles such as No Diggity and TO BE OR NOT TO BE. I quite like it that Bring It On hits hard in the second half of the choruses and doesn’t hold back. The first run of the second half of the choruses was made more satisfying following what I would describe as a fine first verse and first half of chorus. Leedo’s deep and aggressive rapping style is so fitting for their powerful sound and the vocals that followed were pretty solid. But the instrumental in the verses and first half of the chorus of Bring It On held itself back a bit too much for my liking and felt tamer than what it potentially could have been. I felt that it could have been a bit harder hitting, but still manage to deliver the same satisfying blastful effect once the second half of the chorus came around. Following the first chorus, I was a bit let down with Seoho’s autotuned rap lines. The autotune sequence weakened the structure of Bring It On and felt unnecessary in this already aggressive song. It should have skipped right into Ravn’s solo rap sequence instead, which picked the song back up for me. Bring It On then repeats the pre-chorus of solid vocals and the chorus as it was the first time around. As for the bridge of Bring It On, the producers opted for a touch of smoothness, before amping the song back up with some rock influences (loved it), and then redelivering the second half of the chorus as above twice in a row to close out Bring It On. I did wish Bring It On had some stronger hooks and the melodies were more memorable. But the booming second half of the chorus definitely helps make Bring It On memorable.
The music video did a great job of encapsulating that aggressive and powerful nature of the song, translating it into an edgy and somewhat dark concept. Plot-wise, I have no clue with what is going on, especially with all the games of choice. The trailers before this music video do feature them and appears more thriller-like, tense and suspenseful (highly recommend you watch them), which is totally my jam. I just cannot decipher the plot or the message behind the video. I am also unsure whether the actual music video continues the story or not. But still a cool standalone music video to watch.
The stronger moments within the choreography come naturally during the song’s most intense moments (i.e. the second half of the choruses, the rock sequences in the bridge and the final chorus sequence of Bring It On). The chemistry with the camera and the footwork stands out for me during these parts, and the helps makes the entire performance worthwhile to watch.
Song – 8.5/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.5/10
ASTRO kick started the week yesterday with their third studio-length album, Drive to the Starry Road, which is lead by the single Candy Sugar Pop. This is ASTRO’s first comeback in nine months, following After Midnight and Switch On from last year. Since that last comeback, a lot has happened with the group including the solo debut of MJ (who also enlisted into the military at the start of the month and hence will not be part of promotions of this new release), the debut of the JinJin & Rocky subunit and the return of the Moonbin & Sanha subunit.
Candy Sugar Pop is an upbeat and energetic dance track that dips into pop through a mix of old school funk and disco influences. I like how the song maintains its energy throughout from start to end, never really slowing down. The mixture of synths were bright and surprisingly sweet sounding, which makes perfect sense, given that the song is titled titled Candy Sugar Pop. And this also makes Candy Sugar Pop extremely satisfying to listen to. I did think there was some room for improvement, in that Candy Sugar Pop could have been more dynamic with some extra oomph or bass to take it to the next level. However, that doesn’t mean this song was not dynamic. I felt that the dynamic nature of the song comes through via the rapping, particularly during the pre-choruses. I really like the alternating lines between Rocky and JinJin, just as it cuts the smoothness that the vocals brings to the song. It adds texture and I felt they added punches to the song that helped heightened it. As for the vocals, I really like how the vocalists sound, simply because they complement the song’s instrumentation and adds sweetness to Candy Sugar Pop. However, I do think the hooks and melodies in Candy Sugar Pop could have been more memorable, even though the Candy Sugar Pop repetition is slowly growing on me. The song’s best part comes at the end, where we get a mix of abrasive (but fun) retro synths and tidbits of rapping and vocals that we heard earlier in the song to end off Candy Sugar Pop. It felt just right and incorporated the best bits of the song, in my opinion. Overall, Candy Sugar Pop was fun and a great single to add to ASTRO’s portfolio.
Not exactly sure what the concept for this music video is. But I like the idea of the candy, sugar and pop taking the members to a whole new world that is more colourful, fun and probably also a bit crazy (based on the candy themed Rainbow Road scenes). It make sense, given that the members singing about that but likening the candy, sugar and pop to their lover. I did wish the dance sets were a bit more lively, just because they seemed dull and empty. I wish they had more of that colour, fun and craziness I just mentioned. The members themselves look great, with strong visuals from all members!
Rocky pulling those high notes was definitely impressive. The choreography was good and decent, and encompasses how I described the song (energetic and upbeat). But unfortunately, I didn’t see anything stand out.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 7.5/10 Overall Rating – 7.9/10
It has been 10 years since PSY went viral with his infamous hit, Gangnam Style. Since then, he made a string of comebacks (Gentlemen and Daddy, amongst others) that were quite successful both domestically and internationally, though I would say that his popularity has soften over the last few years. Late last month, PSY made his grand return with That That, a single off his 9th studio album, PSY 9th, and a song that is both produced and features SUGA from BTS. In addition to that, SUGA continues PSY’s tradition of having a famous idol joining his comeback via the music video, joining the ranks of high profile artists such as HyunA, Gain from Brown Eyed Girls, CL and more recently Suzy (who features in the recently released Celeb music video – review for that coming soon).
No matter many times I have listened to That That since its release two weeks ago, it has yet to let up from its fun, playful, silly and childish roots. And I quite like that. Usually, I am not a big fan of silly or childish. But going into a PSY comeback, it is expected and I liked that he didn’t disappoint. Sure, That That is repetitive, and I am quite sure it would have done my head in if it were another song that only had the repetitiveness going for it. But with That That, there is a lot more to the song than repetitive hooks. I quite enjoyed the intensity that the song brings, particularly during the chorus. The pounding beats and the tooting brass in the instrumental made That That feel so lively and punchy. I liked how it doesn’t take a break and is quite relentless. The fun atmosphere that the song has is just infectious and addictive, and the hooks adds to that. PSY gave it his all and is pretty much on par with the instrumental throughout the That That. But the best moment of the song has to be attributed to SUGA, who did not disappoint. When the song was first announced, I wondered where the track would go with SUGA featuring, as it didn’t seem apparent to me how PSY and SUGA would work together. But in That That, SUGA matched PSY’s energy effortlessly and his rapping brought a very dynamic oomph to the song that just makes That That even more enjoyable. When I replay the song, I do it often to relisten to SUGA’s section. Though some of That That‘s hooks, particularly the ‘Do What You Wanna, Say What You Wanna‘ shouty hook do end up distracting me.
As mentioned before, SUGA also appears in the music video. And I am quite happy with this. It definitely made everything a lot more fun and interesting. I liked how SUGA even participated in the choreography and some of the acting scenes. My favourite bit has to be the scenes where PSY (in his Gangnam Style suit) is punching/slapping SUGA and vice versa. It was definitely a fun scene. Their chemistry was great, and I did not feel any sense of awkwardness. Aside from that, I see that PSY is up to his crazy antics throughout the video (loved how he entered the music video – reminds me of when work gives out free food and I enter the room ready to grab the food) and I quite enjoyed the wild western theme. That suspenseful moment when SUGA appears was pretty cool, as well.
The choreography is exactly how I described the song. Fun, playful, silly and intense. It definitely suits the portfolio of choreography from PSY’s past comebacks. I like how the routine encapsulates the energy from the song, and shows it off with flair. I also like how PSY doesn’t hold back on stage, which makes the stages even more fun to watch.
Song – 8.5/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8.6/10
KPOPREVIEWED 