Category: KPOP

[Review] LALISA – LISA (BLACKPINK)

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The next BLACKPINK member has finally made their solo debut. We were first teased with solo work from the members of BLACKPINK back in 2018. We first saw Jennie making her solo debut in 2018 with SOLO. It took three years for the next member, ROSÉ, to debut as a solo artist with On The Ground. And today (and not after a three year gap), Lisa makes her solo debut with LALISA. That just leaves Jisoo, whom I hope we can see solo music from in the very near future. But for now, this is my review of Lisa’s LALISA.

LISA’s solo debut comes in the form of an anthem about herself. As much as I want to like LALISA, I feel like this is a barrier for me to get into the song. I am indifferent to songs that are just for the artist themselves (i.e. stamped with their name throughout the song). Of course, there are exceptions (as always). But I felt this indifference for this release and it had a pronounced flow on effect to other elements within the song. I wish I could overcome the barrier. But no matter how much I have replayed the song thus far, I can’t get over the fact that this song is only for LISA to sing or perform. It might just be that I am narrow-minded in this regard. Anyhow, putting aside my personal thoughts of the lyrics and title, LALISA has a pretty standard instrumental. I didn’t find anything interesting within it. I did like how it enabled a bit of attitude and sassiness from LISA herself. I also enjoyed LISA’s delivery of the song, particularly her rap verse in the second verse. That sequence was a bit of a wow factor for me and further proved to me her rapping ability (not that I had any doubts of her rapping capabilities in the first place). The repetition of the title ‘LALISA‘ is definitely quite catchy and helps makes the song memorable. But as I said at the start, the overly emphasised personalised side of LALISA makes it hard for me to really enjoy the song (though this is great for LISA!).

What I like about these solo music videos is that they are not confined to the usual amazingly designed and detailed sets we see the group (and other YG artists usually in). While they did re-emerge in this solo music video, it still had an outside component which I liked. That being said, the sets are really cool in this music video, particularly the white light dance set with the word LALISA forming part of the wall . That looked really cool and modern. I also like how the music video paid homage to LISA’s background with a bit of Thai influence in a segment of the music video through a set and some outfits. That was pretty cool element and LISA pulled it off effortlessly, just like every other look in this music video.

We got to see a fair bit of the choreography of the performance. And I think it is one that fits in with LISA really well. I liked the chorus in particular, which shows off two sides of her. There is a bit of cute bounce to the first half of the chorus, followed by the sassy and attitude-filled stomping in the second half of the chorus’ choreography. I also like the ‘L’ and ‘A’ that LISA and the dancers form with their hands to represent LISA’s name in the choreography.

Song – 6.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.3/10

[Review] PING PONG – HyunA & DAWN

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Based on the current activities of the artists of P Nation, it has to be one of the most progressive entertainment companies in the industry at the moment. The company started off with Psy (who is also the founder of the company) and have signed on some of the industry’s biggest solo acts including JESSI, HyunA and DAWN (the latter being a idol couple and was unfairly kicked out of their previous company once news of the two dating surfaced. More recently, the company has been signing rap artists to their company’s lineup. But it is this particular collaboration between HyunA and DAWN, PING PONG, that really sells the idea of a progressive company for me, particuarly that this type of collaboration is one that many of the biggest KPOP companies at the moment would ever do.

But as groundbreaking as this collaboration sounds in theory, I don’t think PING PONG was the right song for it to be the vehicle. It is a song that overwhelms your senses, with a lot of the elements clashing with one another. PING PONG is described as ‘a moombahton dance track’. However, the brass and international influences we get throughout the song makes it more than ‘a moombahton dance track’. There is also a lot of literal clashing that makes this song heavy-handed. Usually, I would be enjoying these various elements. But when you consider the bigger picture of PING PONG (i.e. the entire song) and HyunA and DAWN’s attempt of being bold, it is a bit much. I will say the clickity-clack during the chorus was one of the better elements within the instrumentation, which I suppose is intended to mimic a bouncing ping pong ball. Though, I wish it wasn’t masked amongst the rest of the instrumentation. Aside from the backing, there are other bold forces attempting to come together in this song. I think the pair handled their solo parts pretty well. The pairing of their solo parts do come together decently and you can get a sense of the chemistry. Though, it isn’t as strong as their side tracks on their mini-album (titled 1+1=1). I am not too sure about their duet moments though, given that there was a lot to get through in order to focus on the pair. Overall, PING PONG just feels a bit much for me and it doesn’t seem like the song is one that I would be going out of my way to go back to.

PING PONG‘s music video takes a page out of the instruction manual that is usually reserved for putting together Hyuna’s most recent music video. ‘Bold’, ‘crazy’ and ‘outrageous’ are all words I would use to describe this particular music video, on top of the usual ‘colourful’ and ‘individual’ descriptors that I would use. Their outfits are quite questionable, as they seem to be the most outrageous element of the video. But hey, somehow everything suits their individual images and aligns with what they usually put out.

Given that they are a couple and knowing how daring Hyuna can be with her performances, I expected this choreography to go into unexplored territory. But we didn’t really get that far. A kiss at the end and on the hand from DAWN are probably what is most controversial about this comeback. That being said, the performance was still cool. And their chemistry is definitely strong.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 6.7/10

[Review] Zombie – PURPLE KISS

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After a number of pre-release songs (to which I have not yet reviewed) and their official debut with Ponzona in March of this year, PURPLEKISS has made their first comeback today with Zombie. This new song is featured on the group’s second mini-album, Hide and Seek, which also dropped today.

Those pre-debut tracks and Ponzona were portrayed with dark concepts and mature sounds. So when I clicked on Zombie earlier today, I was completely taken surprised by the sound of Zombie (I don’t watch music video teasers nowadays, so I was going in without any knowledge of what the song could potentially have sounded like). It is a bit of a curveball in terms of sound, especially since I did not expect anything this funky and bright sounding from the group. But did this put me off Zombie? Of course not. In a matter of fact, I am digging Zombie completely, as I find the instrumentation and hooks to be quite infectious. The bass really uplifted the song and the funky guitars was just a fun element to the song. The rest of the synths really helped heightened the funkiness of the song and worked cohesively together to create a fun atmosphere with the guitars and bass. My favourite bit of the instrumentation has to be the launch into the final chorus. That was a great peak for me, fitting well into the funky and groovy direction of the song! The chorus was nicely done, with it adding a nice additional layer of perkiness to the song. The ‘Zombie, B, B, B‘ hook was a refreshing one and definitely quite addictive. It was also one that grew on me very fast I had to hold myself back from replaying the song for the umpteenth time, so that I could review the song (though I was tempted to just have it on a loop for the rest of the night and do nothing – lazy me strikes again). What also was quite impressive about Zombie was the vocals and rapping. All was superb throughout the song, with their strong vocals and powerful rapping on full display. Overall, an unexpected release but definitely a high calibre and quality track nonetheless.

I guess the other curve ball for this comeback was the colourfulness of the music video. Obviously fitting for the bright and upbeat side of the song. It is just odd, given the dark and mature image I had engrained into my mind thanks to their pre-debut/debut imagery/concepts. But like the song, this did not deter me from enjoying the music video. It was fun and creative (and at time humourous) take on zombies. Usually we see the members away from the zombies in other videos featuring an undead concept. But PURPLE KISS went to the next level by hanging out with the zombies. I suspect they are ones themselves, given how one of their eyes popped out and the other zombies didn’t eat them. But I guess they are not as affected, given that they could still function like humans. One little detail did distract me, however. In the lineup of ‘B’ words that was present on screen during the song’s hook, one of them was spelt wrong. Wonder if you can figure out which word?

Personally, I felt the choreography for this comeback to be the weakest aspect. I wished the moves were sharper, as this would have made the performance look even better. I also feel that the song’s main hook should have had a more defined and memorable dance move associated to it, just to give the choreography bit more of a wow factor to it.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 8.6/10

[Album Review] Stop Girl (7th Mini Album) – U-KISS

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It is time for another album review for an album from the past. I have been wanting to review another album from U-KISS, so I thought to review the album that contains one of my favourite songs from the group, Stop Girl. The mini-album itself is also titled Stop Girl and this was the group’s 7th mini-album. It terms of its age, it was released way back on 10 September 2012 (which makes this album 9 years old in 2 days!). The mini-album featured six members (Soohyun, Hoon, Kiseop, Eli, Kevin and Dongho), with AJ (who was an active member of U-KISS in earlier promotions) taking leave for studies. The mini-album also features the English version of the title track, which I opted to not include in the album review. I did write a bit about the album’s intro, but also opted to not include the track in the final album rating.

Stop Girl Album Cover

1. IMMA NEW THANG (Intro) – I know I don’t usually focus on introductory tracks. But IMMA NEW THANG is one of those intro tracks that really grabs your attention with its edgy feel and intensity. It was definitely a new vibe from the UKISS that I knew at the time and I liked how they had the ‘Yeah’ from Stop Girl in the background.

2. Stop Girl (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of Stop Girl. However, excuse the cringe me from back then. (9/10)

3. Time To Go – Time To Go continues mature vibes from Stop Girl in quite a dynamic track. The instrumentation is predominately made up of heavy thumping, piano that gives off R&B vibes and a subtle underlay of synths to keep the song moving along. The vocal works from the members was quite impressive. I also like the rapping and the marching band drums that was the backing for the rappers. Altogether, Time To Go came together quite nicely and had a great sense of nostalgia for me. (9/10)

4. Remember (Acoustic Version) – As far as I remember, I don’t think I have reviewed the original version of Remember before (it might be due to the fact that the original version was a OST for a Korean drama). It was a nice ballad that showcases the vocal abilities of Soohyun and Kevin, who were the only members to be featured on this album. The piano and classical instrumentation was quite pleasant and soothing. My only gripe about the song is its placement on this album. It just doesn’t fit and felt misplaced between two dance tracks. (8/10)

5. Sexy Baby – I personally have no more memory of Sexy Baby. For this album review, I am writing my thoughts as if I had never heard the song before. Sexy Baby was nothing how I expected it. I expected a more sensual vibe that is smooth and alluring. But we didn’t get any of that. Instead, Sexy Baby was extremely synth heavy club vibe song. Its instrumental was just a heavy dosage of everything for me, which isn’t a common thought for me to have. In terms of vocals and rapping, I didn’t feel like there was anything interesting on that side as well. A passable song for me. (5/10)

Overall Album Rating – 7.8/10

  • Dongho Teaser Image for Stop Girl
  • Hoon’s Teaser Image for Stop Girl
  • Kevin’s Teaser Image for Stop Girl
  • Soohyun’s Teaser Image for Stop Girl
  • Eli’s Teaser Image for Stop Girl
  • Kiseop’s Teaser Image for Stop Girl

[Review] STEREOTYPE – STAYC

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There is a lot riding on STAYC’s comeback, following the delayed but welcomed success of ASAP a few months back. Now, the six-member female group from High Up Entertainment is looking to extend their success with their first mini-album and title track, STEREOTYPE. While it is a bit early to decide whether this mini-album and comeback as a whole will be another successful release for the group, it isn’t too early to review STEREOTYPE.

One of the factors that helped ASAP (and probably every other song that I didn’t enjoy at first) grow on me is time. STEREOTYPE doesn’t have luxury, and so my review for STAYC’s new song will be based on my thoughts a day after its release. I will say that STEREOTYPE is quite a pleasant sounding song. To a certain degree, I think the song can be describe as minimalistic, as it goes without any hard-hitting or loud synths. I feel like this is a play on ASAP‘s killer hook, which was also minimalistic in its own way. Furthermore, in a world of music that is heavily dominated by synths and electronic instrumentation, a song like STEREOTYPE is very appreciable. But this is also STEREOTYPE‘s limiting factor. I like the minimal and light nature of the instrumentation, but I also find the song is be quite stagnant. It felt the same from start to end, and I don’t feel like the song developed much in its 3 minute run. Sure, STEREOTYPE had some decent vocals and the chorus did give off a ASAP type of vibe that reminded me of ASAP‘s killer hook. But I think the song could have been a bit more dynamic. Similarly, I don’t think the song had strong hooks. There were some melodies that felt like they had potential, but I didn’t think it was enough. Other than that, I don’t have much else to say about the song. STEREOTYPE has its merits, but also its flaws. But who knows what time might do to my thoughts on STEREOTYPE.

I wasn’t a fan of their last music video. But for STEREOTYPE, I feel that their company really pulled through and definitely improved the quality of the video. I guess the newfound success of their previous comeback has allowed their company to invest more in music video department, opting for CGI. I feel these additions made the music video more fun, colourful and modern. They worked well with the pleasant nature of the song and didn’t feel over the top at all. The massive bunny was my favourite (mildly terrifying, but also quite cute). I also liked how bright the video looks and how the members look like they are genuinely enjoying their time.

The performance was actually cool. I didn’t have much expectation going into the performance for some reason, but I quite enjoyed it. I particularly like the pre-chorus domino effect they going on. That was the best part of the choreography!

Song – 6.5/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.4/10

[Review] Guard You – Young K (DAY6)

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One of the comebacks kick starting this week is Young K’s solo debut! Yesterday, DAY6’s bassist, vocalist and rapper made his first solo release with the single, Guard You, and the mini-album, Ethereal. This will become the last major release from the new solo act, as he is confirmed to be enlisting in the Korean military next month. Prior this this solo debut, we saw Young K participate in DAY6’s recent mini-album release, The Book of Us: Negentropy and in Even of Day’s (DAY6’s subunit) mini-album release, Right Through Me

Guard You takes on a rock sound, with a prevalent blend of synths to give off a sense of individuality from Young K’s usual releases as part of DAY6. But while I thought it was a decent track instrumentally, I personally wished Guard You had a much heavier and more intense instrumental. I felt everything that I will speak positively about in this song review will be enhanced to a whole new level had this been the case. That extra bit musically would have done wonders to this song. But nonetheless, what we got was still quite satisfying to listen to. I felt that Guard You was a song to get lost in. This effect would have been easier to slip into had the song been heftier in the instrumental department. But the effect was still there and I still liked Guard You for that factor, regardless. A memorable component of Guard You was the emotional and heartfelt energy, which derived mainly from the Young K’s strong vocals. This energy also did a good job of complimenting the lyrics, as well. His vocals also did a lot of captivating and he sounded really good throughout. The high note he delivered at the end was superb and well-executed. Overall, Guard You was a good song to listen to. It just could have gone further and this would have potentially made it into a better song.

It appears that Young K is a doomsday prepper in this video. But he is stuck in a hard spot when the actual threat comes. We seem him struggle in a moral dilemma for a second in the music video. He could either tend to his plants (I presume this would be related to survival and this would mean getting more food), activate survival mode so he can survive the incoming asteroids, or warn people of the looming threat. Well, to make sense with the lyrics, Young K decides to survive by activating his bunker’s survival mode. While it does sound pretty selfish, I am under the assumption that if he continues living, he can continue to ‘guard you’. That, or the ‘you’ he refers to are the plants and he wants to protect them no matter what (but that won’t really make sense with the decision he had to face mid way into the video). I thought Young K’s acting was really good in this video and this definitely helped made the video even better. The ending was a bit of a cliffhanger, with Young K surviving (but it appears that he might be the only one left on the planet).

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.6/10

[Album Review] Summer Queen / After ‘We Ride’ (5th Mini Album / 5th Mini Album Repackaged) – Brave Girls

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As promised the week before, I would be fast-tracking the album review for Brave Girls’ latest mini-albums after the release of the repackaged version, After ‘We Ride’. Well, that was dropped two weeks ago, which enables me to finally prepare a review for the Summer Queen mini-album as well. What I didn’t expect is for the repackaged album to only feature one new song (i.e. the title track that shares the same name as the mini-album, After ‘We Ride’) and new versions of some of the songs on the Summer Queen mini-album. However, I still went ahead and combined the two mini-albums to form one album review. Included in the album rating for this album review is the tracklist of Summer Queen (excluding the English version of Chi Mat Ba Ram) and the title track of the repackaged album. The new versions of the Summer Queen tracks (present on the repackaged mini-album) and the English version of Chi Mat Ba Ram are linked in the review below, but do not contribute to the overall album rating I give at the end of all album reviews. Hopefully, it makes more sense as you read through the album review!

  • Summer Queen Album Cover
  • After ‘We Ride’ Album Cover

Summer Queen mini album

1. Chi Mat Ba Ram (치맛바람) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of Chi Mat Ba Ram. (9/10)

2. Pool Party (ft. E-Chan of DKB) – I had plans to review Pool Party when a music video was released for the side track. But unfortunately it slipped and time got away from me. I liked this side track for a number of reasons. It was a stylish extension of Chi Mat Ba Ram, suitable for both the summer season which the comeback is clearly catered for and also a party environment (thanks to its synth pop instrumentation). The melodies and hooks were quite minimal in terms of effort, but they definitely went a long way. And E-Chan’s featuring was satisfying. Overall, Pool Party was a fun and upbeat addition to the album. (9/10)

3. Summer By Myself (나 혼자 여름) – Summer By Myself reminds me of a blend of 90s old school hip-hop. There is just that nostalgic feel with the song and the vocals that give off vibes from that era. That being said, however, I felt some of the vocals could have been better. Some of it steered into a high pitch mode which came off as whiny for me. But apart from that, I enjoyed Summer By Myself. I liked the brass in the instrumentation, the beat of the song and how it wrapped up in a satisfying manner. (8/10)

4. Fever (토요일 밤의 열기) – Brave Girls continue to bring us back further into history with this retro disco number. But what makes Fever so good is the mature vibes that the members effortlessly pull off. It is another strong song from the group off this album. The vocals are very well done. The rapping was enjoyable. But the harmonised bridge was probably the members’ strongest asset in this song, flowing so smoothly to my ears. If I have to criticize the song for any reason, it would be the wobbly metallic synth we get in the background. I think Fever could have done without it. (9/10)

5. Chi Mat Ba Ram (English Version) – Click here for the English version of Chi Mat Ba Ram.

After ‘We Ride’ Repackaged Mini Album

1. After ‘We Ride’ (술버릇 (운전만해 그후)) – Click here to read the full review of After ‘We Ride’. (8/10)

For the rest of the repackaged album, click the hyperlinks next to the songs:

2. Chi Mat Ba Ram (치맛바람) (Acoustic Version) – Click here for the audio of the acoustic version of Chi Mat Ba Ram.

3. Fever (토요일 밤의 열기) (Remix) – Click here for the remixed audio of Fever.

4. Summer By Myself (나 혼자 여름) (Piano Version) – Click here for the piano version of Summer By Myself.

Overall Album Rating – 8.6/10

  • Summer Queen Teaser Image
  • After ‘We Ride’ Teaser Image

[Album Review] The Chaos Chapter: FREEZE / The Chaos Chapter: Fight or Escape (2nd Studio Album / 2nd Studio Album Repackaged) – TXT

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Finally, after my promise to brings this to you two weeks ago, it is finally hear. Apologies for the dramatic entrance to this album review. Anyhow, this is my review of TXT’s second studio album. As you can see in the title of this post, I am lumping two album releases together. The first is The Chaos Chapter: FREEZE, which was the main album release and this occurred back in May of this year. Headlining this album were 0X1=Lovesong (I Know I Love You) and Magic. Then, Big Hit Music announced the group would be returning with a repackaged version, leading me to delay the until after the repackaged version was released. In August, TXT returned with The Chaos Chapter: Fight or Escape, which was lead by the single LO$ER=LO♡ER. I have reviewed all of named tracks and now I turn my attention to the rest of the two albums.

1. LO$ER=LO♡ER (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for LO$ER=LO♡ER. (7/10)

2. Anti-Romantic – Since the release of the FREEZE album until now, this is probably one of the most spoke about side tracks on the album. And I don’t blame people for wanting to talk about Anti-Romantic. I am with everyone in saying that this is a top-notch track! It is mellow R&B song, but the atmospheric instrumentation felt like a bit of a rollercoaster. It started as a calm track and developed into a relatively erratic synth-heavy track towards the end. However, I liked this development and it kept the song interesting from start to end. I like how the song brings about the raspy tones in their voices, making this a captivating listen as well. And the line that contains the song’s title is just so memorable and well-articulated that it has since become a TikTok hit. (9/10)

3. 0X1=Lovesong (I Know I Love You) (featuring Seori) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of 0X1=Lovesong (I Know I Love You). (9/10)

4. Magic – Click here to read the review for Magic. (10/10)

5. Ice-Cream (소악행) – I am not entirely sure what to think of Ice-Cream. It is alone is a good track with potential, tapping into the pop realm of music, featuring a minimalist vibe and it incorporates the infamous line ‘I Scream, You Scream, We all scream for Ice-Cream’ repetitively. At the same time however, I felt the vocals especially for that repetitive hook was a bit too piercing and felt a bit much for the rest of the album. The vocal processing was also a bit much for my liking, especially since they proved their vocal abilities in the above songs. (6/10)

6. What If I Have Been That Puma? (밸런스 게임) – Personally, I could have done with less autotune. It felt a bit over the top and unnecessarily complicated the track. It too also pierces, but to a lesser degree than Ice-Cream. If anything, I felt it was bearable in What If I Have Been That Puma?. I liked the upbeat pop nature of the instrumentation. It was definitely fun sounding. I also like how it is directly connected to an earlier track of theirs (Puma from The Dream Chapter: Eternity). But other than that, I don’t see anything special in What If I Have Been That Puma?. (7/10)

7. No Rules – No Rules is another track that I hear often of. And it is the one song that I think deserves all the attention that it gets! The pop track has this underlayer of funk to it which makes it so appealing and catchy to listen to. It also adds a fun layer of energy to the song that just really speaks to me. Talking about energy, I really enjoyed the chorus package thanks to the burst of energy that leads into a powerful chorus, all the of brass and fun synths in the post-chorus hooks and catchy melodies. The vocals were superb, the rapping was awesome and the harmonies we got were amazing. Overall, my favourite side tracks off this album! (10/10)

8. MOA Diary (Dubaddu Wari Wari) – MOA Diary was one of the three new songs on the repackaged version (the other two was LO$ER=LO♡ER and remix of 0X1=Lovesong (I Know I Love You). It is a song for fans that is extremely sweet and fun sounding from the get-go. It too is also a pop song, and is probably their most straight-forward one yet. I don’t have much else to say regarding this song, as I felt I have summarised it pretty well with the sweet descriptor. Although I do want to point out that the song’s title ‘Dubaddu Wari Wari’ was sung so cutely in this song. (8/10)

9. Dear Sputnik (디어 스푸트니크) – Dear Sputnik brings back the rock to the album. To me, I feel that TXT has found a niche that they can continue to explore. I will gladly tune into any comebacks from the group that digs deeper into rock music. Their vocals were so fitting and fitting for the genre, as proven throughout Dear Sputnik. But while I will admit that Dear Sputnik isn’t as intense as the title tracks, it still has that electrifying vibe to it that makes it so good. The dramatic start (which remained in the background for most of the track) was quite intriguing. (9/10)

10. Frost – Frost also brings back some rock elements, but the song ultimately falls into the hip-hop genre. There is a much deeper and edgier vibe to the song, which is unlike any of the previous tracks that precede the song. It is also weird that it is placed at the end of the album, which is usually reserved for more cheerful or sentimental tracks to ease the listener off/out of the album. But I guess this is how TXT and their company gets fans thinking for the next release. I really liked TXT’s delivery in this song, with the growl and textures really bringing forth that edgy feel and tone. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.3/10

  • The Chaos Chapter: Freeze Teaser Image
  • The Chaos Chapter: Fight Or Escape Teaser Image

[Review] Changer – A.C.E

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Excuse me while I skip back and forth on the blog to catch up on reviews. Next up is A.C.E.’s comeback, Changer. It is the title track off their second repackaged album and is titled Changer: Dear Eris. This follows the mini-album that they released back in in June (Siren: Dawn – which I have yet to review, but it’s coming soon) and the title track, Higher. Unlike other repackaged albums, this one is not related to Siren: Dawn. In fact, Changer: Dear Eris features a tracklist of new songs that we have not heard before alongside Changer, such as the Korean version of Down (which was a collaboration that A.C.E participated in with American duo Grey earlier this year) and remixes of Cactus (their debut single) amongst other new tracks. This form of a repackaged album (more so compilation album) might be a temporary parting gift from A.C.E to their fans, as members Wow and Donghun are confirmed to be enlisting later this month. But anyhow, it is new music from A.C.E, so I am not complaining. Here is my review for Changer.

While Changer still falls into EDM realm of music, it is noticeably lighter in tone than comparison to some of their more well known works. This might be due to the more sentimental route their lyrics took, which features a message about staying together forever (which undoubtedly is a promise to fans about continuing promotions as a group after the military enlistment that all the members would need to go through). But saying that, it isn’t an emotional release from the group in the sense that it is heart wrenching or tear-inducing. Changer still manages to put a fun spin on the topic by remaining upbeat and bright. It also brings forth some elements within it that reminds me of A.C.E’s earlier works. Some of it may be subtle, such as the post-chorus, which felt harsh relative to the rest of the song resembling some of their crazier EDM drops from early on in their careers. Others are more obvious, such as the heavy beat that accompanies the more typical tropical synths in this song, which reminds me of their more intense releases. In Changer, this heavy beat as it gives the song some much needed oomph and bite to it. The chorus of Changer was definitely showcased the group’s vocals, with Chan delivering one of the song’s many memorable moments (i.e. the ‘da‘ that he sings at the end of one of his lines). Other memorable moments include the song’s addictive post-chorus hook (which I already mentioned, but requires more attention) that is on repeat in my head after the song wraps up each time, Donghun’s stunning high note at the start of the final chorus and Wow’s rap sequence (which has great momentum). I think everything that I have described so far makes Changer another strong release from the group.

There is no amazing or aesthetically pleasing concept for this comeback that A.C.E had previously teased through their more recent comebacks. But that isn’t at all disappointing. Changer‘s music video looks like it is for fans, as we can see the members having fun with one another and enjoying the company of one another. And given the song’s lyrics, I am sure they are also having fun with their fans in their mind as well (whom have enabled A.C.E the chance to have this opportunity). It definitely suits the groups more lighthearted approach with this comeback and the overall timing before the fast approaching military enlistments that were announced recently. There are also some funny bits that make this video even more special for fans.

For some odd reason, I couldn’t stop smiling at this performance. I guess the song and choreography really comes together to give off such an atmosphere that makes it smile-inducing for me. It is a good choreography overall. Nothing too special or outstanding, but I really like the choreography that is paired with the little extension we got at the end of the song after the final chorus and the post-chorus hook.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.3/10

[Review] Talk & Talk – fromis_9

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Earlier this week, fromis_9 made their surprise comeback with their new single, Talk & Talk. This is the group’s first comeback since We Go (from earlier in this year). It is also the first comeback for the group since transferring to Pledis Entertainment (the home of NU’EST and SEVENTEEN) after Off The Record (their original company) underwent an reorganisation. It is great to see that the group is more active and hopefully under Pledis Entertainment, they return more often to the stage with new releases. But until their next comeback, here is my review for Talk & Talk.

Talk & Talk is a satisfying new release that is enjoyable and pleasant. Unfortunately, it is simply just that and I think the song could have been more memorable (more on why I think this is case in a bit). Talk & Talk has a noticeable peppy tone thanks to the bright synths and tones throughout the song. This definitely brings a youthful touch to the song, which works well with fromis_9 image and style. The instrumentation for most of Talk & Talk is standard pop, but I like the 8-bit influence we get in the chorus. It was subtly present in the verses, but the concentration during the chorus really helped keep Talk & Talk refreshing and interesting. I am glad it wasn’t just a consistent sound throughout the song. The 8-bit effects gives the song a burst of likable energy to the song that brings out that enjoyable side of the song. I was also genuinely surprised by the member’s more laidback tone in the chorus, in a way that I am torn about whether I like it or not. While I do think this is the factor that only limits Talk & Talk in being a pleasant song, it was a shakeup that somehow manages to work. However, I still wish the vocals were more vibrant during the chorus, as this would have potentially taken the song to the next level for me. Likewise, I felt the same could have been done for the verses and the spoken delivery of the rapping (which was paced and felt stagnant in comparison to the rest of the song). When I am referring to the potential level of vibrancy for this song, I am thinking something along lines of the ad-libs in Talk & Talk. They just adds that extra burst of fresh energy to the song that felt perfect, and that is what I feel is ultimately missing in this song. Also, I felt that Talk & Talk could have used a better hook. The ‘Doo Doo‘ hook was good, but it just didn’t have that resounding memorable factor to it. Overall, Talk & Talk was still a decent song, however I think it could have been more vibrant and bolder with its sound.

You just can’t keep the members away from their phones in this music video, which makes appropriate sense given that the song is titled Talk & Talk. Anyhow, the music video is mildly distressing, which I assume was for humorous reasons. Flying ping pong balls that look like they could take out a person, over-boiled pots of water that sets off the fire alarm, and powerful jumping that causes one to fall from one floor to the next. But the most distressing moment was when the power went out and the members couldn’t continue their phone calls. Shocking… (Only joking). Like most summer music videos and fromis_9 videos is the amount of bright colours throughout. I also enjoyed the We Go tie in at the start. Overall, a pretty neat video to watch alongside to listening to the music.

There isn’t much to the performance for this comeback. Other than the usual, ‘it fits the music’ or the performance was ‘pleasant’, I don’t have much else to say about it. I did like the smoothness of the chorus and incorporation of the today’s version of how kids would represent the phone with their hands.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.8/10

[Review] Outsider – BTOB

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One of the comebacks kickstarting this week is BTOB’s comeback, Outsider, which is featured on the special mini-album, 4U: Outside. This is BTOB’s first ‘”official” comeback since the 2018 release of Beautiful Pain. I put ‘official’ in quotation marks, as the current lineup of BTOB (Eunkwang, Changsub, Minhyuk & Peniel) did return with as a subunit (BTOB 4U) last year with Show Your Love. But it seems like the four-member lineup took on the entire BTOB name as part of their participation on Kingdom: Legendary War earlier this year and now promotions for Outsider and their latest mini-album release.

Personally, I am of the opinion that Outsider could have used a bit more ‘meat’ to it. Part of me wanted the song to break away from how it started, stray away from its overly consistent instrumentation and develop into a song with more oomph. They definitely showed us they were capable with Show & Prove (which was their final Kingdom: Legendary War single and is also featured on their latest mini-album). However, I felt this was the only issue with Outsider. And to be honest, it wasn’t a major issue that broke the song for me. Outsider manages to do just enough to captivate, and I attribute that mainly towards their vocals and rapping. They definitely proved themselves to be a well-respected group in the industry (aside from the fact they have been around for a while) thanks to their powerful vocals and rapping abilities shown throughout their time on Kingdom: Legendary War. BTOB manages to reflect their skillset in a way that fits Outsider. The vocals from Eunkwang and Changsub added so much smoothness and a velvety effect to the song (particularly during the choruses), while Peniel and Minhyuk’s rapping just had enough intensity to keep the song interesting. I also felt the rapping gave the song a great deal of contrast, which also helped Outsider become more interesting. The over-consistency is due to the instrumentation. Its brassy instrumentation does chug the song along, but it is pretty repetitive and doesn’t really offer much room for the song to develop. The dance break gave the song a break from repetition that Outsider needed, by adding a bit of dramatic effects to the instrumental. This was great and helped end the song decently (and not with a repetitive groan from the listener), though a bit late into the song unfortunately. Overall, Outsider was definitely a decent song to listen to. I just wished BTOB did more to really take it to the next level.

I felt the music video for Outsider was well-done. When I think of funky brass tunes like this, I also think of movie sets for some reason (can’t really work out why my mind makes such a connection). Seeing the opening sequence of the music video was meeting my expectation, I was quite happy. The entire music video shows the members becoming outsiders to the repetitive nature of the world around them. Changsub is a standard office worker who dreams of a luxurious lifestyle. Eunkwang is a zombie actor who doesn’t wanted to be casted in the role anymore. For Peniel and Minhyuk, I am not sure what they are trying to portray to be different from everyone else. But I am guessing Peniel wants to be someone who takes more risks, while Minhyuk wants to be someone who is a bit more adventurous. I really like the bit of humour they added to the end, with Eunkwang blowing up buildings behind them and the rest of the members were caught being surprise. It earned a chuckle from me.

For the choreography for this comeback, it seems to be on the more simple side of the spectrum, in terms of complexity. But I think they did a good job of showcasing the funky and elegant side of the music in the choreography. I liked the intensity they brought in during the rap sequences and the smoothness of the moves during the chorus. The dance break was also quite cool, with a bit of MJ influences.

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

[Weekly Chart] 4th Week of August 2021

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And then I disappeared (again). I am really back, as I mentioned in my most recent review. I just somehow managed to nap after work for the last two days and ran out of hours to write up a review (though I did start one). I will get a move on with that one right after I finish this post, the results of last week’s Weekly KPOP Chart! As this is a late posting for the Weekly KPOP Charts, it is going to be a quick one. Keep looking out for the reviews in the meanwhile! Album reviews as promised will be coming your way this weekend and other song reviews between now and then.

The Charts

I am not surprised given how bold, addictive and intense the song is, but Stray Kids’ Thunderous took out the top spot for the past week. Congratulations to Stray Kids. For the rest of the charts, continue scrolling down the page!

4th Week of August 202122nd Aug – 28th Aug 2021
Pos.TitleArtistStatus
1ThunderousStray Kids(NEW)
2MOON WALKERBDC(▲5)
3After We RideBrave Girls(NEW)
4THRILL-RIDEThe Boyz(▼ 3)
5Gas PedalCRAVITY(▲ 8)
6Ready NowKim Woojin(▲ 9)
7VamosOMEGA X(▲ 55)
8After MidnightASTRO(▲ 14)
9Christmas in JulyKANGTA(▲ 58)
10AuRoRaONEWE(▲ 18)
11Strawberry GumHa Sung Woon ft. Don Mills (▲ 13)
12Yes I KnowYebin (DIA)(▲ 55)
13DamageJUST.B(▲ 19)
14DIVEJinyoung (GOT7) (▼ 3)
15Be My Lover?Kim Jong Kook & ATEEZ(▲ 14)
16QueendomRed Velvet (▼ 10)
17PoppingONF(▼ 12)
18MANIACRyan Jhun, NCT U (Haechan & Doyoung)(▲ 30)
19CerberusYuto, Kino & Wooseok (Pentagon)(▲ 48)
20East End2Z(▲ 4)
21A Little SpacePentonix ft. Yunho, San, Jongho (ATEEZ)(▲ 28)
22See You AgainHan Seung Woo (VICTON) (▲ 15)
23Mega PunchN.O.M(▲ 26)
24Paint Me NakedTen (NCT)(▲ 43)
25MoonlightBDC (▲ 42)
26Drink ItThe Boyz(▲ 40)
27BecauseDream Catcher(▲ 33)
28PRESENTE777(▲ 33)
29Crazy NightDONGKIZ(▲ 14)
30When Dawn Comes AgainColde ft. Baekhyun (EXO)(▲ 38)

Songs leaving the charts this week

The following songs are leaving the charts this week as they have been eligible for the last nine weeks (and have reached the end of their eligible period):

  • Make It – 2PM
  • PTT (Paint The Town) – LOONA
  • Hello Future – NCT DREAM
  • See You Again – Han Seung Woo (VICTON)
  • Free Pass – DRIPPIN
  • Rain Song – EPIK HIGH
  • Moonlight – BDC
  • Summer Night – Kim Kyu Jong
  • Vamos – OMEGA X
  • Xtra – AleXa
  • Crazy Night – DONGKIZ
  • Karma – KINGDOM
  • Find – Moon Jongup ft. Moon Sujin
  • 13IVI – BM (KARD)
  • Tesseract – CIX
  • Veronica – ONEWE
  • Mega Punch – N.O.M
  • Rendezvous – Kim Jeong Uk
  • Damage – JUST.B
  • Pool Party – Brave Girls ft. E Chan of DKB

[Review] TRIGGER – VERIVERY

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I am now back, and will start to review releases that I have missed (from past and previous weeks) and continue to review new releases as they come out this week. Album reviews will also restart next week with TXT and Brave Girls up first.

VERIVERY made their official comeback on Monday with TRIGGER and their sixth mini-album, Series ‘O’ Round 2: Hole. This comeback follows the release of Get Away and Series ‘O’ Round 1: Hall from earlier this year. It also marks the return of Minchan, who has been absent since the end of October for health reasons. Almost a week later, I am finally getting around to reviewing it.

TRIGGER begins with a clickity-clack synth that is quite intriguing. It isn’t a mind-blowing start if that is what you are expecting, but I would say that the synth and effect itself sets the tone of the entire track from the get-go. Then comes in polished vocals and strong rapping from the members, before they lead into the pre-chorus with a similar vocal and rap sequence. I really enjoyed the concentrated buildup in the pre-chorus, starting off in a calming manner before accelerating to the chorus. The line ‘Pull The Trigger‘ is an excellent launch into the chorus, which is undoubtedly intense and powerful without necessarily going into a ‘dark’ motif, but yet it has that edginess to it that makes it so robust and cool. The repetition of the song’s title in the chorus also makes it a catchy number. What I quite like about the second verse of TRIGGER is that it is very different to the first verse, in terms of structure. This definitely keeps TRIGGER interesting. Powerful rapping returns first, then the instrumental briefly adopts a fast tempo thumping beat, which then slows down to make way for a vocal-dominant pre-chorus that differs from the first pre-chorus thanks to the presence of ad-libs. The bridge opts for vocals as well, with TRIGGER slowing down instrumentally to make way for an atmospheric sequence, which then ramps up to match the vocal climax that the members deliver. The final chorus also contains an additional sequence/extension that brings up the dynamisms to finish the song on a high note (and the high note within the final chorus is also quite remarkable and worth mentioning as well). I also really liked the deep synth thumps we get at the very end of TRIGGER, which signals the official end of the song. It was abrupt and sudden, but I think it works well in this song. Overall, a very interesting and intense song which fits into (what I think is) VERIVERY’s sound.

The ending of Get Away starts off the music video of TRIGGER (i.e. the member with the bag over his head is making his way down the spiral road, the image of a gun and the eyeball that diffuses out), which makes me think the events in TRIGGER is actually the aftermath. Still, not entirely sure what is exactly happening, over then the members are dying one by one. Again, it looks like alter-egos of the members are after them once again. We see one of the members get shot by one of these masked bandits, which are see are them. In a reflection in water, out of five members, we only see one reflection (who is subsequently dragged into a mirror from what I could make out of his demise). Based on later events, it appears like the members are trapped in that circular building after they die, based on that one member who finds multiple screens with the other members trapped in them. He destroys the building, which I assume somehow releases the rest of the members. But I think some of those alter-egos have managed to replaced the real members, based on that suspicious smile we get from that blue-haired member (sorry, I don’t know names – see featured image of this post) just before he runs out with the rest of the members. That is just my interpretation of the video, based on my imagination. Though I would be happy to hear what the official story is or if you have a different interpretation.

I liked the aggressive and intense nature of the performance, particularly the guns they form with their hands when they repeat the song’s title in the chorus. It is recurring feature of the performance, which makes perfect sense.

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

[Review] Thunderous – Stray Kids

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Apologies once again for drip feeding reviews this week. I am hoping this will be temporary (as I have in the process of moving into a new place) and that I will be able to do a bigger capacity of reviews in a couple of weeks. For now, I have reduced my load to a review a day, and will refocus my review efforts starting from next week to clear the backlog of reviews I want to write.

Monday of this week was one of the days where multiple artists scheduled their comeback. Amongst the returns is Stray Kids, with their second studio album, NOEASY, and the title track, Thunderous. This is the group’s first formal comeback of the year, following the double title track bonanza of God’s Menu and Back Door last year. Since the double comeback, Stray Kids has released a new album and single in Japan (All In), the Korean single Mixtape: OH, and participated in the Kingdom: Legendary War survival show, where they released the single WOLFGANG and won. Now, all the attention is on their latest release and title track, Thunderous.

To me, Thunderous in the same realm as Stray Kids’ most popular tracks (God’s Menu and Back Door). This is a positive association between the songs, as the mentioned releases are my favourite Stray Kids title tracks to date. It is definitely clear the new song aligns with the group’s usual powerful energy and intensity, fitting right into the group’s discography. What also makes Thunderous so good in my opinion is its bold and bombastic instrumentation, which is a blend of hip-hop and trap. Thunderous is also somewhat unique thanks to the infusion of traditional Korean instruments in the background. It isn’t the first time we have seen such a combination in the instrumental department in the KPOP, but like Stray Kids usual outputs, it is top notch. My only wish with Thunderous is that it receives a touch more bass to just really heighten the elements and beat to take it to the next level. This could easily be achieved in a live concert setting, but we are a long way away from that reality. As for the members, the rapping was darn powerful and there is a lot of passion behind their delivery, making it a really great listen once again. But I liked the vocals more as they gave Thunderous a sense of stability and pulled together the various rap segments together to bring us a more cohesive track. What also gives Thunderous more of an edge compared to other releases are the hooks. The ‘Ptui‘ hook that kicks off the entrance (i.e. sound effect when you spit into your hands) paired with the drop helped bring that bombastic feel to life. The repetition of the song title made good use of one of Stray Kids’ assets, Felix deep voice. And the post-chorus hook following the first and final choruses, the ‘Baramam‘ hook, concentrated the song’s energy in a very satisfying manner. Lee Know’s section in the bridge also had a similar effect. Overall, Thunderous definitely excels and showcases Stray Kids with an even bolder spotlight.

The music video features a blend of traditional and modern elements, which is clearly inspired by the song’s blend of traditional and modern sounds. We saw the members perform in front of traditional royal buildings, complete with the traditional Korean instruments being played and various other elements that we would associate with the traditional side of Korean culture. On the flip side, we saw modern elements blended in, such as cars, graffiti and the members’ outfits. What makes the music video even cooler is the post-production. The blue flames, the switch between animation and real-life members, the appearance of members between frames. We saw similar effects in their previous videos, but it is still mind-blowing in this video.

The choreography is definitely powerful and edgy. I really liked Jisung’s part in the second verse, the laughing arms just before the second chorus, and Changbin and Hyunjin on the members’ back. The actual spitting action might be the performance’s iconic move. No doubts that Stray Kids have outdone themselves with this routine.

Song – 9.5/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.6/10

[Review] After ‘We Ride’ – Brave Girls

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Another week has come and we have a new set of comebacks this week. First up is Brave Girls, who rose to fame via their 2017 release Rollin’ earlier this year. A lot of attention and pressure was placed upon their comeback, Chi Mat Ba Ram and the mini-album Summer Queen, which dropped in June. And today, the group returned with the repackaged version of Summer Queen, which has been retitled After ‘We Ride’. The title track from the repackaged mini-album shares the same name, After ‘We Ride’. Summer Queen and After ‘We Ride’ will be fast-tracked this weekend for an album review. In the meanwhile, here is my review for Brave Girl’s new song.

Fans of Brave Girls may already recognise the ‘We Ride‘ part of the title, as it was the title of the group’s main promotional track in 2020 (the potentially last single from Brave Girls had Rollin’ not blown up earlier this year). That song talks about a relationship that has become boring. After ‘We Ride’ seems to portray the aftermath of that story, with that relationship going from boring to conflicts and the inevitable breakup of the couple. After ‘We Ride’ has a notable 80s retro influence, similar to We Ride‘s retro influences but different from the earlier song’s city-pop sound. What I like a lot about After ‘We Ride’ is how they infused that retro influence with rock. While this might not be exactly new, I did really enjoy the refreshing the combination was and how suitable it felt for the Summer season. The combination also showcased a lot of passion and emotions, which was also highly suitable for the story told by the lyrics that I mentioned above. This same passion and emotion was showcased in the members’ vocals throughout the song, making this even more captivating to listen to. As the song takes on a more mature topic and profile, After ‘We Ride’ sacrifices the catchy hooks and addictiveness that their most popular songs had. And I do admit that I miss that element in this song. But that doesn’t stop After ‘We Ride’ from being a charming song to listen to. The ‘Ooh‘s and the harmonies at the start of the song was helpful in easing us into the song’s meatier bits. The slightly autotuned repetition of the title as the After ‘We Ride’ main hook wasn’t as strong as previous hooks (as previous mentioned), but it worked well with the song’s tone. Overall a captivating listen nonetheless.

The music video is one of many that you probably need to watch only once and you would get the gist of it, so there isn’t really a need to revisit the video. Throughout the video, we see the members come to terms with their breakup. It takes them a while to get there. After all, the video needed to be the length of the song at the very least). However, I kind of wished we got to see them to converge together as a group at the very end. That would have been nice and touching (and it would also complement the theories that I am reading about the song in the YouTube comments).

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

[Review] WAVE – CIX

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CIX has quite a busy year already with their early 2021 comeback, Cinema and Hello Chapter Ø: Hello, Strange Dream, Japanese release All For You and their Universe track Tesseract (which I will review, one day). But the year is still young. So why not add a studio album to the mix? Well, that is exactly what CIX did. Earlier this week, the five member male group from C9 Entertainment made their official comeback with their first ever studio-length album, Ok Prologue: Be Ok, which is headlined by their new single, WAVE.

WAVE is a fine song. However, it is another example of a song where more could have been done to really make it more appealing. WAVE starts off as a standard and light EDM song. Nothing more, nothing less. This isn’t much an issue, though I would have liked it the song was more exciting from the first second. But I won’t let that get in the way of enjoying WAVE, as the song has to start from somewhere. The issue with WAVE was more so the pre-choruses. I felt the rapping segment would have been fine as the launching pad into the chorus and it felt like the instrumentation behind the rapping segment was gearing up for that launch. However, for some reason, the producers of the song felt it was necessary to delay and suspend that obvious building momentum by inserting another vocal part just before the actual chorus, which in turn fizzled out any momentum the song had. I felt like they could have forgone the vocals (sorry Yonghee) and used the vocal sequence’s instrumentation as a backing for the rap sequence to drive us forward into the chorus. Similar comments can be said about the second verse. Thankfully, the chorus managed to compensate for that fizzled and lackluster pre-chorus that WAVE opted for and I like how much swing there was to the momentum within the chorus. I do think the chorus’s EDM could have been more impactful and intense, but I still enjoyed it as it is. What we got was rather pleasant, which seems to be odd given the song taps into the rougher forms of EDM, but that is how I would describe the chorus. The second and final choruses are followed by ‘Like Thunder, Thunder‘ hooks, which I quite liked. They were catchy and relatively powerful moments in WAVE that stood out. It also continued the chorus’ momentum which I had pointed out earlier in a very satisfying manner and didn’t stray away from the pleasant side of WAVE. Similar comments can be made to the vocals and rapping, as a whole. Overall, WAVE was enjoyable. There were some issues with the structure of the song, but that didn’t really ruin the song.

WAVE is all about going forward at your own pace while going beyond rough waves (i.e. the various experiences that try to stop you from moving forward). In the music video, we see the members build a boat and prepare for the adventure together. The members then embark through the rough waves mentioned just now and battles them together. Beyond the rough waves, there is this calmness and ethereal place that the members were aiming for. Regarding the ending, I am assuming it is connected to Numb, one of their earlier works, based on the school uniform. Though I am not entirely sure what that has to do with this music video and how everything thus far is connected (because they are all connected somehow, if I remember). I also like how the choreography scenes and the brighter atmosphere brought on Summer vibes, matching the current season.

I like bursts of energy and intensity in the choreography for this comeback. It makes it an enjoyable stage to watch. Visually, I feel like this is a good look for the group in terms of outfits, aside from the sailor outfits, which makes them look like overgrown kids in children outfits.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.8/10