Category: KPOP

[Album Review] Hideout: The New Day We Step Into – (2nd Mini Album) – CRAVITY

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There are a lot of albums out there worth reviewing or having a deeper listen to. But the number of albums on that list is accumulating rapidly, so I have decided to review another album this weekend in addition to the two albums that I usually review. CRAVITY is the artist of focus this time around, who recently returned with their first comeback since debut, Flame. The song Flame is featured on the group’s second mini-album, Hideout: The New Day We Step Into. Wonder what I thought of the songs on the album? Keep on reading to fine out. But as a short teaser, each song seems to have a little bit of a typical nature to them. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t worth listening to.

Hideout: The New Day We Step Into Album Cover

1. Flame (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of Flame. (7/10)

2. Believer – I feel that the next track, Believer, has what it takes to be an alternative to the title track. At first, it doesn’t feel like an intense dance track. But once we hit the first pre-chorus, that intense profile became prevalent and the rest of the track stayed in that gear. The bass during the chorus was just so ideal, along with that short instrumental break we get right after the second chorus. The vocals and rapping were definitely a packaged deal and really shows off CRAVITY’s potential. I also really liked the flutes that open and close the song. I wished they incorporated that into the body of Believer, but that was more to make the song just a fraction more interesting. (9.5/10)

3. Ooh Ahh – Following up Believer is Ooh Ahh. It is a funky synth track that doesn’t hold back. I find it to be a catchy number, with a lot of character from the members. I really liked how all the elements (vocals, raps, melodies, hooks and instrumental) were bold, amping up the energy to help make it more memorable. I just wished they went a little more outside the box for this track, as it felt like any other funky synth track (and we have been getting many of those lately). (8/10)

4. Realize – The piano at the very start was misleading, but Realize is another dance track. It takes time to get to that realization (lol). To me, the verses, featuring smooth vocals and rapping with a kick, felt like it could have been part of an even slower track. But as we got closer to the chorus did the instrumental start to pick up and made it feel like dance track. The song seems to focus more on the vocals and rapping (take the bridge as an example) as the instrumental felt pretty standard at best. I wished the piano from the start (and the end) was somehow incorporated more prevalently throughout the song, which would have given the song some depth. But it was still a decent track. (8/10)

5. HOT AIR BALLOON (열기구) – I find the HOT AIR BALLOON title to be quite random. That was my first impression to the song and it definitely intrigued me. No surprises when it comes to the music as it is another upbeat dance number. This is time it features a groovy chorus that really stands out. Subtle, but it pays off. There are some really good vocals and the rapping really adds some dynamism to the song. I really like the layering when it comes to the vocals in the chorus. It adds depth and intensity, making this song sleek. I would have love more of the start of the song elsewhere in the body. It was too was intriguing and pulled me into the song. But other than, HOT AIR BALLOON is quite impressive. (9/10)

6. Sunrise – While Sunrise is quite pleasant and is a decent song, it is pretty typical in my opinion. The members work their charm in this song through their falsetto vocals and great rapping. But the instrumental pulls the song back as it is just something we have heard time and time again. This doesn’t mean the song is bad or terrible. It just doesn’t excite me as much. In retrospect, each of the songs on the album do feel typical to a degree, and I easily could have made a similar comment onto them (note that I haven’t given a 10/10 for any of the songs to account for this feeling, even though I have explicitly mentioned it). But each of those songs had a little more to offer. Sunrise just doesn’t go over that line and hence I feel that it is the plainest of them all. (7/10)

7. Breathing (호흡) – The final song on the album is a ballad. That is definitely a surprise, but it is much appreciated especially after all the upbeat energy that has come before it. Since it is a ballad, Breathing is vocally centric and the members do a pretty good job. The rapping does amp the song up slightly, which I am okay about, and it acts as a great segue to add extra instrumentation to the acoustic guitars we get at the start. They seemed to have amped it a little too much with the extra instrumentation. So once the extra instrumentation settles, Breathing loses that soothing and calming nature of the start. I felt that they could have pulled a bit back to make this song stand out from the rest. (7/10)

Overall Album Rating – 7.9/10

Hideout: The New Day We Step Into / Flame Teaser Image

[Album Review] Way With Words (1st Single Album) – KARD

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Two weeks ago, KARD made their comeback with GUNSHOT, the title track from their first ever single album. It is a short release, with just three songs (including the title track). As I am a little tight for time today for the album review segment, I thought I would tick off this short release rather than delay the segment further for a slightly longer mini-album release (I have also decided to tackle another three albums this week and would like to stick to this agenda). You might not consider this an album due to its relative shortness, but I have considered/reviewed single albums in the past (the most recent being Infinite’s Destiny earlier in the year. But enough talk about single albums! We are hear for a deeper listen to KARD’s Way With Words release.

Way With Words Album Cover

1. AH EE YAH (ㅏㅣㅑ) – The single album opens with this upbeat reggae-inspired Summer track. It is probably KARD’s ‘most pop’ release, given how light and different this sound is (relative their previous heavier tracks that KARD has released). There isn’t anything wrong with it though, as I still liked it. AH EE YAH is quite vocally melodic, with each of the members singing in some capacity. This is quite nice as it strays away from the traditional KARD that we know of. The male members do bring some of their rapping to the song, but I don’t ping them to be as memorable as the vocal sections. I did wish they lost some of the autotune, as the filter felt too heavy for my liking. But overall, still quite enjoyable to listen to. (8/10)

2. GUNSHOT (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for GUNSHOT. (8.5/10)

3. HOLD ON – The final song on this single album is HOLD ON. It is nice and quite pleasant to listen to. Once again, it strays away from the usual intense sound that KARD is known for, opting for a more melodic and flowy R&B. The melody is pretty decent, especially when it comes to the Jiwoo singing the title of the song. But other than that, nothing really stands out on its own. The vocals and rapping are good, but it doesn’t really have much uniqueness. I do appreciate the reduced autotune, which was more palatable. One thing that HOLD ON manages to do well is that it comes together to be quite cohesive and the R&B vibes from this song works with their skillset. Maybe they should explore this side of music more in future releases, just with a song more memorable in some aspect. (7/10)

Overall Album Review – 7.8/10

Way With Words / GUNSHOT Teaser Image

[Review] Bon Voyage – YooA (Oh My Girl)

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2020 has been a very successful year for Oh My Girl, probably exceeding the success the group achieved in 2019. Despite dropping their Nonstop/Dolphin comeback four months ago, the two songs are still ranking high on the digital charts, outperforming many artists and songs released more recently! And now it is time for Oh My Girl to step into new territory with solo promotions. First up is YooA with Bon Voyage!

Through Bon Voyage, it can be agreed that YooA has managed to show the best of herself. It a really great track and it stands out due to its unique sound (relative to other KPOP releases). Bon Voyage is a very airy and light in tone, diverting us away from the synthetic and heavy music influences of today’s music and opts for more a sound and vibe that feels fresh and natural. In many ways, the song feels like the it is reconnecting us with nature. Take the percussion, for example. It sounds wooden-like, rather than metallic and hence man-made. The instrumental also makes use of tribal-like chanting in the background, which also has that natural tinge to it. That being said, there are synths used throughout the song. But they are selected carefully to emphasis and highlight the nature vibes. The lightness of the song pairs up with YooA’s light and breathy vocals, helping create an aesthetic atmosphere overall. To me, the best parts of Bon Voyage are the choruses. They pretty much sum up everything I mentioned above and brings about a memorable feeling. The first chorus reminds me of Shakira’s Waka Waka, whilst the second chorus features YooA’s harmonies with the chanting background and is rather short (but sweet)! I did wish it was longer, so more charm could have been exuded from the song. But despite that, what Bon Voyage already had done before the final chorus was enough to warrant a positive review.

What a visual masterpiece. This music video captivates all possible senses and it is hard to look away when there is just so much going on, despite so little happening in each scene. The cinematography and especially the drone shots were extremely artistic and aesthetic. Definitely a video to watch if you want to see something stunning and are willing to be blown away. Fans have been floating some ideas about the concept of the music video. Personally, I like the idea of YooA reconnecting with Mother Nature, as that is what I initially thought of when I first watched the music video. I think the idea of YooA being a ‘child of Mother Nature’ to also be suitable, but I am unfamiliar with that story.

YooA is the main dancer of Oh My Girl, so I had high expectations for the performance for Bon Voyage. And those expectations were definitely exceeded. While the music video showed a lot of freestyle and interpretive dancing, the routine on stage is pretty much set. But the set routine carries the same vibes over and we get a glimpse of something similar to what we saw in the music video towards the end of the performance. I also like how artistic it looks, overall.

Song – 9.5/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 10/10
Overall Rating – 9.8/10

[Review] Bird – Kim Nam Joo (APINK)

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Following the solo releases of Jeong Eun Ji since 2016 and the solo debut of Oh Ha Young last year, the next member of APINK to go solo is Kim Nam Joo. When I first heard that she would be making her solo debut, I wondered how Kim Nam Joo would differentiate herself from the well-known name of APINK and establish a new image of herself under her own name, with her new solo single, Bird. Well, it is time to have a closer look at both the song and music video to find out just that.

Unfortunately, Bird fails to excite me. If I was being generous, Bird would be considered a ‘decent’ song, at best. But Bird is just so boring and lackluster that I tend to fall to the more negative side of the ‘decent song’ descriptor. Upon first listen to Bird, I could hear the hint of (G)I-DLE Soyeon’s influence. And while it seems like I am part of the minority when it comes to her songs, Bird is probably her weakest associated track yet. It felt like a track originally intended for (G)I-DLE, but the management and group decided it was best to part ways from this flat song. Aside from use of the wooden wind instruments throughout the song and the acoustic guitars in the bridge, everything else just felt generic to me. The instrumental failed to give much hype and the Eastern-influenced chorus could have been more dynamic by a mile. The bird sound effects felt a little annoying, especially as it went on. The song’s melody was pretty weak. Save the pre-chorus melody though, as I felt there was a decent climb within it that alluded to what I had expected to be a good drop. for the chorus (which Bird did not deliver). But that weak melody essentially rubbed off onto Kim Nam Joo’s vocals, which was at large pretty boring throughout the entire song. Hook-wise, the song didn’t have much, so I am pretty sure Bird will be long gone from my memory once I wrap up this review. Bird failed to impress or chirp up my day.

The music video fares a lot better in comparison to the song. Despite going with the basic choreography and closeup formula, the closeups are captivating given the story that I have managed to get out of it. To me, we see Kim Nam Joo wear white in the beginning to represent innocence and a newly born bird. As the music video goes along, we get different evolutions of the ‘bird’, which I could guess represents the many phases we have in our lifetime. But finally, just before the final chorus kicks in, we see Kim Nam Joo in her final ‘bird’ form, which is evidently quite elegant and mature. This represents her ‘rebirth’ (which was what the song was all about) is complete. Aside from that, I really liked how they used the one set at the start and end, but changed the lighting and colours to just give it a complete different feel.

The choreography is pretty decent. This ‘decent’ is more positive, in comparison to my other use of the same word. I really liked how she shows her strength and power through this choreography, and especially how she fits it in with the song she had to work with. Nothing really stood out for me individually, but the performance as a whole did.

Song – 4.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 7.5/10
Overall Rating – 6.2/10

[Review] Criminal – Taemin (SHINee)

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Within the last month, Taemin has been super busy by being part of four different music releases (including today’s comeback). We first saw him in his 2 KIDS pre-release track, dropping in preparation for today’s comeback. His second release was 100, the first pre-release single of SuperM’s upcoming end-of-September comeback. We saw him again in Tiger Inside, serving as the second SuperM pre-release track which just dropped last week. And now, we find ourselves tuning in with his fourth release – the title track Criminal and his third Korean studio album, Never Gonna Dance Again.

I am just going to get right to the point. Taemin killed his comeback. And this comment is simply based on just one listen to Criminal. He tackles the synthwave genre, a genre that is pretty much new in KPOP as far as I can remember (and one that I am going to need to search up). The song’s instrumental is rather consistent, but there is still a lot going on. I love the slight tick up in energy that the chorus gives up (relative to the verses). It is small, but its impact is quite large. But the most important detail with this synthwave instrumental is that is compliments Taemin’s vocals. He sings rather low and seductively at the start and it slowly builds ever so slightly as the song progresses along, before his vocals climaxes (i.e. gets louder) after the ‘Destroy My More‘ line at the end of the bridge and we get some ad-libs for the final chorus. These pairings of vocals and instrumental just have so much chemistry with one another, creating a sensual and seductive atmosphere that I just want to continue to replay. To me, the best part of the song has to be his vocal climb during the verses. Once again, it is small effect, but it has such a large impact. It just leaves me in awe and it stuns me when I replay the song (even though I know it is coming). The ‘La La La La‘ was also another strong, suspenseful part of the song that I also love. Overall, Criminal is artistic, aesthetic and plays with Taemin’s strengths.

The music video of Criminal looks so good. Based on the lyrics, the song is about wanting to escape an relationship as it torturing oneself. But the more you want to leave, the more you want to stay. It is a similar concept to Stockholm Syndrome, which is where the victim of a kidnapping or hostage situation feels trust, affection and need for the captor to be in their life post-crime in order to survive. It is very interesting to see him play that out in lyrics. But it is very captivating to watch him be tortured throughout the music video. And we don’t actually see the explicit torture that whoever is inflicting upon him. Rather, we see Taemin’s self torture of wanting leave (and even contemplating death at some points) but is unable to do so in the final seconds because of his need for this relationship. His acting is so good and the set design is really stunning.

The music video shows me enough of the choreography to make write this part of the review. And as per my past reviews for Taemin’s choreography, this one is equally as good. I really liked the bounded wrists at the start, showing us that captive situation. We then see him take it off effortlessly before doing to the ‘good stuff’ in this routine, where we see him show off his performance skills. The best part of the choreography has to be the bridge of the song, where the dancer’s engulf him with their hands, seemingly making it look like he is enjoying the euphoria of returning to the relationship.

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

[Review] Open Mind – Wonho

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It has been a while since we have heard Wonho. Aside from his pre-release single (Losing You) release last month, Wonho has been absent from the music industry after his abrupt departure from MONSTA X. After his name was cleared from all allegations made about him (which lead to his abrupt departure from his former group) in March of this year, he signed with Highline Entertainment (a subsidy of Starship Entertainment) and started to prepare for his solo debut to the excitement of his fans, whom have been named WENEEs. His solo debut title track is Open Mind and is (obviously) the focus of this review.

Right from the start, you could tell that the driving force of Open Mind is the groovy instrumentation. But this isn’t some standard fun filled groovy KPOP track. It matches Wonho’s style, going down a classy, expensive-sounding and sensual direction instead. I like the pulsating nature at the start and how the song built to accommodate this pulsing effect. When we approach the first chorus, we get some funky guitars and a strong retro-centric instrumentation. As Open Mind progresses and we approach the second and final choruses, we get smoothness vibes from Wonho and lyrics as well! I liked that the first chorus was simply instrumentation, allowing Wonho to flourish with his performance skills, before getting down to business with vocals in the later sections. I also liked his voice in Open Mind. No doubt that the song was tailored to Wonho’s voice. Smooth (as I already mentioned), refined and mature. All great signs for a groovy track like this. Personally I would have preferred a strong hook when it comes to the choruses. The melody is great, but I felt it was lacking that something that we could always associate to Open Mind and Wonho in the future. But apart from that, big ticks for Open Mind.

Whilst it was expected that abs and muscles would be on full display for this music video, Wonho still manages to blow me away with his visual game throughout the music video for Open Mind. Sensual and masculine is the concept and Wonho nailed it! And I am quite sure fans aren’t complaining about the heat coming from this video. Aside from the visuals of Wonho (which are so damn captivating – he is making it hard to talk about everything else), I really like the straightforwardness of the sets throughout the video, which works excellently with Wonho’s visuals (literally keeps on coming back to this).

When it comes to the performance, I don’t think any other KPOP artist can pull off a choreography like this. There is a uniqueness that Wonho brings with this sensual choreography. It might be his visuals (well, well, well), but it could be his charisma and skills that make Open Mind‘s choreography work perfectly for him and just him. The best moments of the dance routine is whenever he moves slowly. There is just a captivating aura when he does just that and it wows me each time.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 10/10
Overall Rating – 9.2/10

[Album Review] Dystopia: Lose Myself (5th Mini Album) – Dream Catcher

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The third album review for this weekend focuses on Dream Catcher’s latest comeback, BOCA, which is featured on the group’s fifth mini-album, Dystopia: Lose Myself. It is a short mini-album release, but it is one still worth checking out. All the song’s on this album is definitely of a high quality. Even the introductory track (which I didn’t review and hence include in this album review) is one of the best introductory tracks I have ever heard. Have a scroll down and check out each track whilst also having a browse of which songs I liked (hint – I liked all of them).

Dystopia: Losing Myself Album Cover

2. BOCA (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of BOCA. (8.5/10)

3. Break The Wall – Based on the title alone, Break The Wall felt like it be a full-on song. And Break The Wall lives up to that expectation, with the song’s energy and intensity is delivered by Dream Catcher’s classic rock influence. There were some great parts to this song that I would continually come back to. The rock influence during the chorus was extremely satisfying and checks my cravings for a rock song. Dami’s rapping takes the song a step further going with to a harsh but powerful level that really capitalizes on Dami’s voice and gives the song that needed climax. Finally, I really liked the ending, where we hear Siyeon put her vocals on full display with the prolonging and continuous ‘Woah’ that just keeps on coming at you. It was very bold and dramatic. I do find it interesting that the verses were muffled by autotune. In the live performances, the members hold up megaphones whilst singing their lines in the verses, which I thought was pretty unique. It fits in with the group’s message to rally up and give confidence to those who want to Break The Wall (that has held them back) with them. (10/10)

4. Can’t Get You Out Of My Mind – Can’t Get You Out Of My Mind delves into the EDM side, which isn’t something that I commonly associate with the group. To me, Can’t Get You Out Of Mind features a nostalgic for of EDM (can’t believe I just said that) that reminds me when EDM used to be just drops for the chorus. However, Dream Catcher doesn’t stop there with the chorus, following the drop with some vocals. And these vocals, along with the rest of the vocal work throughout Can’t Get You Out Of My Mind was very melodic and traditional for EDM. Sure, the song could have been more memorable. I think they could have given Dami a rap sequence to amp up the song’s intensity and provided additional depth. They could have also introduced some catchy hooks. But Can’t Get You Out Of My Mind does enough regardless these omissions. (9/10)

5. Dear – Dream Catcher wraps up the album release with the mandatory ballad that most KPOP albums must fulfill. While it is the outlier in terms of sound on this album, Dear is quite captivating. For the first two minutes, Dear is pretty much your standard piano-driven ballad. But after the two minute mark, everything sudden picks up and develops exponentially out of nowhere to become an beautiful orchestral piece. And I am glad it did so, as it made listening to the whole song worth it. In addition to be stunning music piece, the vocals are lovely throughout Dear, drawing me into it with its dreamy appeal. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 9.1/10

Dystopia: Losing Myself / BOCA Teaser Image

[Review] B.A.D – Super Junior-D&E

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Super Junior-D&E has taken over the title as the most active Super Junior subunit over recent years, thanks largely to their annual comebacks that they have been having since 2018. The last time we heard from the pair (Donghae and Eunhyuk) was early last year with Danger, which faired pretty well. And after one year and four months, the pair returns with B.A.D and their fifth mini-album, Bad Blood.

B.A.D is a mix between the funky retro tunes that are slowly creeping back onto our playlists and the now classic trap genre. And it isn’t too bad of a mix. The funkiness comes through quite nicely through the use of guitar in the background. And I feel that the trap that is present in B.A.D is enough to give the song some intensity and fierceness. And everything was pretty sound, until we got to the bridge. And I quite like the bridge (it is one of the best bridges I have ever heard in a long time). But I question the need for the brief pause right after, which was filled with the cheesy ‘Bad…Bad‘. I felt like they could have bridged it better to the final chorus and avoided the whole cringe and cheesy ordeal. Similarly, I would have lost the ‘Na Na Na‘ at the end, which was layered on top of the rest of the track. There was a lot going on already and this additional layer also felt unnecessary. Aside from that, Donghae and Eunhyuk’s vocals are good. There were some good hooks that the pair presented quite well, especially when it came to the two-part hook, which as a whole was catchy. Their rapping packed a punch (as usual from the pair) and helped infuse more intensity and edge to the song.

I liked half the video and felt the other half was pretty confusing and dry. Interestingly, there was no story line to this video, so you might be wondering how I felt one half was good and the other half was confusing. Well, all the sections shot outside in the parking lot had a nice edgy feel to it. This is what I liked, which matched the whole idea of being bad. The whole sequence of them being caught being bad was a little funny. As for the confusion and dryness, that title went to the studio sets they shot in. I felt that wasn’t a good representation of whole concept. The whole idea of horses confused me at the start and I expected them to expand on that whole idea elsewhere in the video (which I don’t think they ever did). The sets also didn’t reflect the edgy vibes of the song and I felt the overly fast flashing lights for the tent they performed in was overkill.

While this is a good routine and the pair can still dance, I wished the moves were sharper and faster. This could have made the performance a little more impactful and not as soft at first glance. As for the best part of the whole routine, I have to vote for the bridge sequence (everything up until the brief pause).

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

[Album Review] SPIN-OFF (5th Mini Album) – ONF

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Oh, an album review on a Saturday? Isn’t this a surprise? Just catching up on the backlog of reviews!

Road To Kingdom was a blessing for ONF, earning them recognition of their performance skills. And after a brief break after the show wrapped, the group returned with their first release since the show. The release comes in the form of their fifth mini-album titled SPIN-OFF and features the title track Sukhumvit Swimming. Alongside the title track is a special version of New World, which I have previously reviewed and praised when it was first released as part of the suite of singles from the groups that made it to the Road To Kingdom finale. The mini-album also features five other tracks, so have a browse below to see if there are any songs you like (and see which ones I enjoyed).

SPIN-OFF Album Cover

1. Sukhumvit Swimming (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of Sukhumvit Swimming. (8/10)

2. Belle Epogue – ONF diverts from their usual dance-centric sound to an upbeat R&B vocal-centric track. We have heard this side of ONF before. But it always nice to revisit it, especially on this mini-album. The main draw point of Belle Epogue are the vocals. There are really good harmonies between the members and the backing vocals. Wyatt surprises me with his ability to go from a soft rap-sing approach to a more intense rap sequence that we expect from the rapper usually. Everything from the instrumental to the melodies in Belle Epogue is quite classy and pleasant to listen to, fitting with the idea that the world looks different after falling in love. (8/10)

3. Geppeto – The members express their desire to go out into the real world and to find out about themselves, bidding goodbye to Geppeto (who was the father of Pinocchio in the fairytale story). And they do so with a more upbeat and groovier number that fills like an appropriate follow-up track to Sukhumvit Swimming. I find everything in this song to be quite vibrant, catchy and fun. Their vocals and melodies feel quite wholesome, while the rapping adds flair to the song that fits ONF’s profile. But it is the instrumental that really grabs my attention with this song, providing likable energy. (9/10)

4. Good Good – Next up on this album is Good Good, which takes the vibrant nature of Geppeto and amps it up a few levels, which results with a playful tune fitting for Summer. I also find the song to be quite pleasant, as the members go with an easygoing vibe. That doesn’t compromise the catchiness of the song, as I find the melodies, energy and atmosphere of Good Good to be quite memorable. All the members surprise me in this track with their rapping ability (and vocals – but these weren’t the scene stealer for me). ETion managed to push ahead with his fast paced rap tempo, while MK’s autotuned rapping was an interesting addition. Hyojin’s rap sequence was extremely well done, while J-Us, Wyatt and U each had good rhythm and nailed their sections. Actually, let me rephrase that. ONF nailed this song. (10/10)

5. Cactus – Cactus is a mid-tempo ballad-like track that puts the focus on the vocals of all members. It is a sad song, as the members reflect upon a mutual breakup that they had just gone through. They mention that both parties need time and that hugging now would be similar to hugging a cactus. I liked how the vocals throughout the song reflect this mutual breakup. You can hear the emotions of the heartbreak in their voices, but they also give off the impression that they are smiling while relaying the lyrics to their former lover, to let them know that everything will be okay. Aside from the vocals, the song is also driven by beautiful and soothing acoustic guitars that adds a layer of delicacy to the song. (9/10)

6. Message – Message is a fan song for Fuse and was previously released in the form of a music video six months ago. I personally do not have much else to say about this song, but that isn’t a bad thing. Once again, it is quite pleasant to listen to. It starts off in a similar manner to a ballad, but it unexpectedly develops into a mid-tempo track (but still retaining that vocal focus that a ballad would have). Here, the vocals are the main focus again, with the members presenting their fans with really nice melodies and harmonies to bring a bit of warmth to the listener. (8/10)

7. New World (SPIN-OFF Version) – Click here to read the full review of New World. (9/10) (You will need to scroll a bit to get to the review)

Overall Album Rating – 8.7/10.

SPIN-OFF / Sukhumvit Swimming Teaser Image

[Review] Beautiful Scar – Lee Eun Sang ft. Park Woojin (AB6IX)

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When I think all the members of X1 had made their re-debut in some capacity, another member pops up with their new release. The next former member of the now disbanded project group to debut is Lee Eun Sang, who debuted earlier this week as a solo artist. He is currently signed to Brand New Music, the home of famous Korean hip-hop artists, AB6IX and BDC. His solo debut, Beautiful Scars, comes roughly one year after X1 made their debut with Flash.

Beautiful Scar is a R&B hip-hop track, which is pretty much no surprise to me, given that this is Brand New Music’s forte. The instrumental is quite heavy thanks to the bass and serious nature of the song. It does lack character and personality, as it feels pretty typical and alike any other R&B hip-hop track. There really isn’t anything ‘new’ about Beautiful Scar that we haven’t heard before. Interestingly, I am not too troubled by the consistency of this song. By being consistent, Beautiful Scar ended up being sophisticated, refined and mature. However, I was lowkey expecting a change up or a breakdown along the way that still fits the mature R&B hip-hop nature of this song. I felt like that would have given the song that much needed flair and allow Lee Eun Sang to show off his character a little more, let it be in song or in performance. I guess Park Woo Jin’s featuring was the mechanism of this, as I thought his rapping delivery and flow was really good. They was a captivating energy coming from his section alone and I would personally seek out this song for Park Woo Jin. Though, this is a bit harsh for the main artist of the track. However, I do think Lee Eun Sang did a pretty decent job with this as his solo debut track. His vocals are solid throughout Beautiful Scar. His debut song just lacks that mentioned personality and also some strong hooks/melodies that would make the song bold and memorable.

The song’s sophisticated and refined profile was brought over into the visual aspect of this comeback. The music video is just this and I really quite enjoyed it. The hotel lobby was a really good choice to shoot in and the lighting during his scene was on point. I also liked the darker sets in which the choreography shots were also shot in. There seems to be some symbolism throughout the music video, such as the butterfly and a kaleidoscope. Not sure what these mean exactly, though I assume the kaleidoscope is in reference to the fake love he experienced (i.e. nothing he looked at was what it seems). Also thumbs up for Park Woo Jin’s featuring the music video as well. You probably know that it is my wish to have featuring artists featured in the music video. It just makes the whole experience better. Though in this case, I guess featuring artists are a lot easier to invite if it is done in-house.

Lee Eun Sang does not look nervous during his first performance. I applaud him for that, especially since it has been almost a year since his previous debut and he has had a lengthy break in between. Plus going solo is always a big step in one’s career. As for the choreography, I really liked the whole routine. It wasn’t anything too crazy. But it looks refined enough to still be impressive looking.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.5/10

[Album Review] Fame – Han Seung Woo (VICTON)

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Just under a month ago, Han Seung Woo made his solo debut with Sacrifice, which is the title track off his first solo mini-album, Fame. This mini-album is predominately R&B and each song is well crafted to show off the best of Han Seung Woo. In addition to this, the mini-album has won me over as a new fan and I cannot wait to hear more releases from him in the future. As you can tell, this is sounds like a very positive review. But do continue to read to see what I thought about each song!

Fame Album Cover

1. Fever – Fever starts off the album in a trendy fashion. It begins with a mellow introductory sequence, thanks to the acoustic guitars that opens the track. As the song progresses, we get more of a R&B dance track vibe. Traditional but still worth listening to. Personally, there is a strong sensual vibe in this dance track. On the instrumental front, there is a subtle level of grooviness that brings out the sensuality of the song. His vocals adds a sultry touch, as well. It is captivating to listen to (almost hypnotic in a way) and he knows when to add some vocal flair by amping his voice up for the chorus, yet maintaining that captivating vibe. An honestly great start. (8.5/10)

2. Sacrifice (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of Sacrifice. (9/10)

3. Reply (답장해) – After a few serious and mature few tracks comes a lighthearted and playful Reply. Despite the change up in tone, Reply still sits within the realm of R&B, though its playful tone can pass the track off as a pop song as well. While the instrumental is straightforward, I really liked how the bass was used to bolster the beat, especially in the chorus. Han Seungwoo’s voice is commendable in this song. His singing and rapping vocals breathes life into the song and melodies, some of which came off as pretty catchy. (9/10)

4. I Just Want Love (원해) – We stay within the R&B genre for this track as well. But I Just Want Love starts off with a much bolder approach within its contemporary instrumental, which I really liked. The instrumental has a kick to it that really separate this song from the rest of its R&B counterparts on the album. For the chorus, I enjoyed how the background smoothed out, complimenting Seungwoo’s raspy vocals. While on the topic of his vocals, I Just Want Love showcases his silky vocals, whilst also giving some limelight to his rapping potential. I liked the edginess that his rapping brings to the second verse. To me, I Just Want Love manages to show all of his best sides and pairs it with an extremely likable instrumental. That is why I am calling it this album’s hidden gem. (10/10)

5. forest – The first thing that pops right out at me with forest is Seungwoo’s vocals. It is definitely hard not to notice the centerpiece and main driving force of the song. He sounds effortlessly good in this song, going from falsettos one moment and into a low tone the next. I liked how minimal the instrumental was, giving his voice that opportunity to shine. I also liked the message of this song as well, where he is asking his lover to rely on him for support during hard times, similar to a tree in a forest. In terms of its ranking relative to the other songs on the album, forest really lands itself on the high end. (9/10)

6. Child (철부지) – Surprisingly, Child is not a R&B song. It is more indie ballad than anything else. Once again, there are great vocals from the soloist itself. The instrumental is predominately acoustic guitars and a simple and paced drum beat. However, the song has some interesting effects as it went along, including a heavy (though barely audible) drum strike, some vocal filtering localized around one particular second of the song and additional filtering of the backing vocals to finish off the song alongside his ‘Oooohs’. Overall, it is a strong song, though I would have preferred some pleasant hooks to make the song more memorable. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.9/10

Fame Teaser Image

[Review] Goblin (Favorite Boys) – A.C.E

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Despite being active for over three years now, A.C.E has yet to breakout. I am certain that the group has built up a reputation that would surely intimidate other Korean acts based on the intensity of their music and the hardcore performances they pair with that music. Yet for some reason, they continue to be flying under the radar. It just leaves me perplexed and confused, given that I (and their fans) know that there is quality right here. Hopefully, that all changes with Goblin (Favorite Boys), which was dropped yesterday. It forms part of their fourth mini-album, HJZM: The Butterfly Phantasy, as the title track. It also features alongside the pre-release single, Stand By You, released back in July this year.

I really do hope that A.C.E has a breakthrough with this comeback. It is awesome! Goblin combines rock and hip-hop together to form a very intense atmosphere that is both captivating and thrilling to listen to. The rap-centric verses open up with a lot of sound effects embedded in the instrumental. The great thing about Goblin is that it doesn’t overdo it, and hence the amount of sound effects we have coming into the song is ideal. Enough to be a wow factor, but not so much to be ‘noisy’. Aside from the instrumentation, the rapping itself is definitely a highlight of this song. The rappers were extremely dynamic and impactful with their delivery. The pre-chorus is more vocal-centric and showcases the member’s vocals abilities. I really like the instrumental during this part, as it makes the song punchier and more epic. To me, the best part of the song is what bridge the pre-chorus/verse with the chorus. That line by Byeongkwan strikes at the right moment and launches us into a satisfying chorus. As for the chorus, the song amps it up but in a relatively refined manner (compared to their more robust and intense drops based on their earlier EDM releases). It is more melodic, as a result, but also thanks to the background crowd-like vocals that form part of the instrumentation. The members then follow up with a post-chorus ‘I’m a goblin‘ hook that prolongs the momentum and energy of the chorus which brings out that satisfaction. We get more vocals in the bridge and a subtle brewing background, before being thrown back into the chorus to close up the song. Everything works extremely well together in this song and this will, no doubt, make Goblin one of the best tracks of the year!

Another music video where the visual game is so strong! It was an expectation coming into this comeback, based on the aesthetic and stunning teaser images that the group had released for this comeback. I am not sure how Korean viewers and fans are reacting to the use of traditional outfits that the members were wearing. But I really liked the mixed between traditional and edgy in those outfits, completely skipping over the modern influence. For the other outfits we see them wear in the video, they seem be a mix of modern and edgy, compensating for that missing influence. I also really like the sets. The flashing lights seems a bit much as a viewer, but it seems like a logical style choice to reflect the intensity of the music video.

For the performance, I liked the aggressive nature of the chorus. It matches the song. And the same can be said about the rest of the performance. However, I felt that the members held back for their first performance, as they looked a tad stiff. I wished this wasn’t the case, as them letting loose and adding additional energy to their moves would have made this performance even better. But I would understand if they did so due to the constraints of performing live. I also felt the amount of dancers they had at the start seemed a bit much.

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.8/10

[Review] HELICOPTER – CLC

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It has been a year since we last heard from CLC. The gap might be long for some, but I think they were worthy of a break after back-to-back comebacks last year with No in January 2019, Me in May 2019 and Devil in September 2019. Fans did grow a little wary with the massive gap (based on an article that I can no longer find), but they need not to worry as CLC’s HELICOPTER comeback was in the works. And this comeback officially dropped today!

Described as a trap and EDM powerhouse song, HELICOPTER throws us back into the edgy side of CLC that has helped popularised CLC over the past few years. If anything, HELICOPTER takes it up a notch, overpowering their previous comebacks. From the very start of the song, there was this suspenseful and thrilling feeling from the opening dramatic synths and opening lines (which ended up being the first half of the chorus). We are then handed over to Yeeun, who opens the first verse up with her powerful rapping voice (her rapping style is something that I really enjoy). We are then given more raps from the other members, before entering into an epic but steep incline to the chorus. The opening lines of the song reappear as the first half and we are given an extended vocal line afterwards, alongside an explosive and epic sounding instrumentation. While the English lines are quite catchy and the instrumental is quite captivating and exciting, I just wished there was more of an memorable tinge. To me, HELICOPTER‘s chorus failed to really feature dynamism and instead focused on theatrics and intensity (which I all believe to be different elements). The rest of the song followed with more powerful rapping, strong vocals and intense instrumentals. The bridge went with a stomping effect, which I gives thumbs up to. And HELICOPTER closes out with an intensified final chorus and Seunghee’s high note and strong ad-libs. Overall, a strong showing from CLC.

The quality of this music video is flawless. The post-production and editing was amazing and helped intensify the video to match the tone of the song. The sets were very modern and sexy. Their outfits were glamorous. Yes, the music video did adopt that choreography and closeup formula which I dislike. But the closeups were stunning and the choreography shots were very powerful. The lighting was perfect through the video and the touch of wind made everything looked so cool and powerful.

In addition to the video, CLC makes a statement with this performance. It is really powerful choreography routine that matches the tone of the song. I practically enjoyed all of the choreography. But if I had to pick a favourite part, it has to be the entirety of the chorus. I also applaud them as they were not afraid with showing some sensual sides within this strong routine.

Song – 9.5/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 10/10
Overall Rating – 9.8/10

[Review] Tiger Inside – SuperM

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SuperM, the KPOP equivalent of the Avengers, was initially formed to be a project group for the Western music industry. Though, I am now confused about which audience this ‘super KPOP boy band’ is targeting. Two of their of main tracks under their belt so far, Jopping (their debut track) and 100 (the pre-release track the group just released a few weeks ago), are both predominately English. But as of yesterday, the group returned with another new pre-release single that is predominately in Korean, Tiger Inside, ahead of the release of the group’s upcoming 1st studio album, Super One (due for release at the end of September). Maybe this is a once-off Korean track from the group, or maybe their company has created new plans for this hugely popular group.

Regardless of whether the song is in Korean or English, I would still have reviewed it in some capacity, given its roots are well-embedded in KPOP. Tiger Inside also seems to have its roots well-embedded in SM Entertainment, as the song does feel like a EXO-NCT mashup. It has that experimental vibe that we get with NCT releases, but also a consistent manner like what we hear in EXO’s earlier releases. Tiger Inside is also more melodically driven, as it distances itself from the heavy use of EDM in their past tracks. The instrumental did end up stepping into a more typical dance territory, but still had a 2020-trendy, edgy and textural momentum that made it worth listening to. I found that to be an interesting elemental change up to their style and quite appreciate this, given that I found 100 to be a bit loaded, overwhelming and messy as I listened to more of it. I am glad that they didn’t overuse the growling in the background, which easily could have turned this song from powerful into cheesy if it was used too often. Moving to the members, great vocals and rapping, once again. Mark and Baekhyun really shined in this song, as per the past. This time around, Taeyong also pops in this song with his own sections. On the contrary, the hooks we get in Tiger Inside just did not pop and felt relatively weak. If they had stronger hooks, Tiger Inside could have been more memorable.

I felt the music video just didn’t contribute to the overall meaning of the song or comeback. The sets looked pretty random. For example, that entire white set with icicles coming from the top and bottom of the set didn’t make much sense to me. The other sets have tiger patterns and the classical orange and black combination, but these were pretty weak connections. Other than that, the members played the edgy part of tigers throughout their closeups by clawing and those intense closeups. That I quite enjoyed.

Based on what I could see in the music video, the choreography actually looks quite good. The start of the choreography (and music video) reminded me of EXO’s Wolf. There also seems to be some clawing in the performance that keeps it in-line with the supposed ‘tiger’ concept. But what I liked the best with the choreography was how powerful it looked, with and without the song in the background.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.9/10

[Review] Obliviate – Lovelyz

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It has definitely been a while since we last heard from Lovelyz. Their last comeback was in May 2019 with Beautiful Days. After that comeback, the last we heard from the group was via their participation on the TV show, Queendom, while Kei and Sujeong made their respective solo debuts. But after one year and four months from their last official comeback as a group, Lovelyz has finally returned with Obliviate, the title track off the group’s seventh mini-album, Unforgettable.

Obliviate steps away from the usual fantastical cutesy and innocent sound that we know and associate to the group. Their new song is a lot more mature and serious in sound, compared to any of their previous releases. It is an interesting change up. It might be a step into the more typical direction as Lovelyz has held their ground with their usual work for over 6 years now. But I enjoy a different sound once in a while. The song starts off with this interesting guitar sample. I cannot pinpoint what style the guitar is, however it does bring a hint of that fantastical sound to the song, meaning Obliviate isn’t too far from the group’s associated sound. We then enter a pretty standard first half of the verse. The song starts to pick up once we get to the pre-chorus, with the instrumental and vocals becoming quite extravagant. We are then led to a satisfying chorus. The extravagant pre-chorus preceding it alluded to a harder drop, so Lovelyz’s light approach with Obliviate was unexpected. But I quite liked it. It consolidated that mature sound noted earlier and the repetition of the title was catchy. The instrumental was mostly trap, though I did appreciate the bass that kicked in. The best part of the song follows right after the chorus (i.e. post-chorus hook). It was by far the catchiest moment of the song and I really liked the way they added a yearning tone to the ‘Down, Down, Stop It‘. Overall, Obliviate falls for some typical elements. But for the most part, it was extremely refreshing for the group.

The song is about forgetting a painful love. And the members portray that very well throughout the video. You can tell that the members had enough with remembering these painful memories and seek ways to forget about it. Another interesting theory is the video’s connection with Harry Potter. It makes sense, given Obliviate is also the incantation for the forgetfulness charm. We see the members hold various items including a ring and a book (or diary). At the end, we see these burning alongside a rose, thanks to a spell that the members recite, which an owl drops off to the members. Mijoo is also in a maze, similar to the maze Harry had to go through in the final Triwizard Tournament. Sujeong stands in a corridor with flying letters. The other members didn’t really fit into this theory, though you may have picked up on some other details. Or there might be a completely different theory to this video. As for the visuals, I really liked the darker atmosphere and the sets for this video.

The members in an interview said a sentimental concept for this comeback, rather than a sexy concept. However, I think the latter is a better description for the performance. I really like elegance of performance, which strongly aligns this comeback with their previous performances and concepts. However a number of the moves give off a sensual vibe, which is absolutely fine as well. Key examples include the post-chorus sequence and the second section of the final chorus.

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

[Double Review] Cheeky + W.A.Y – Enoi

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I was under the impression that this double review would be for a newly debut group, ENOi. But upon searching up their name, the group actually debuted in 2019. I have somehow missed them last year. ENOi is a seven member male group (conistsing of Laon, Dojin, Hamin, Avin, Jinwoo, J-Kid & Gun) under Kithewhale Company. They debuted back in April 2019 with Bloom. They also made a comeback in December 2019 with Starlight. 2020 was the first year their name popped up for me, via their first comeback of the year, Cheeky. And more recently, the group returned with W.A.Y (Where Are You). For this double review, I am focusing on their 2020 comebacks.

When it comes to Cheeky, the main draw point is the awesome instrumentation. We are given a funky guitar riff as the main centerpiece of the entire song. It is also present during the heftier chorus, though overpowered by the percussion that we get to add intensity to that section. While it isn’t explicitly present during the instrumental break we get during the bridge, the melody of the guitar riff remains, allowing the song’s various sections to tie consistently with each other. Vocally (and rapping-wise), Cheeky is definitely a great introduction to their potential. I thoroughly enjoyed the upbeat and energetically fun vibes of the song, The only missing element in Cheeky is a memorable hook. What we got was pleasant, but I want something more grabby, if you know what I mean. Everything else is fine, but this song would have definitely been reviewed earlier if the song had a stronger memorability factor attached to it!

Their more recent release is W.A.Y, which stands for Where Are You. The atmosphere for this song is more serious than the former. And that is partly due to the dubstep in the instrumental. To be more precise, I believe that there is more than one form of EDM in the song. This might translate as boring and generic to some, overwhelming for others. But as a person who enjoys an intense sound, W.A.Y works fine for me. And as a result from this dubstep plus other EDM combination, W.A.Y has something different around each corner. I will say that for this to be true, you can’t constantly replay this song, as this might overwhelm and you would become too familiar with the song. Moderation seems best for W.A.Y. Vocals and rapping are like Cheeky, in the sense that there is potential behind this group. The melody is a lot more profound in this song, which is surprising as I had expected the instrumental to take full reign of the track. I personally enjoyed this melody, as it reminds me of another pop song from back in the day (though I am not sure what). I also enjoyed that instrumental breakdown, which brings the song to a climatic point (as I hoped for).

Cheeky‘s music video is quite cheerful, which works with the music video. It features a lot of colour. What leaves me confused about Cheeky‘s music video is the references to apples. Not sure what it is meant to mean. This could be another Adam and Eve story, where Eve gives the members apples to break free, based on the snake references. But it doesn’t explain the other members. However, I did enjoy the more playful and lighthearted vibes of the video. W.A.Y‘s music video might also have a plot line to it. I have taken a stab to try to decipher its meaning. My guess is that the flowers we see each member find about halfway into the video represents their lover and it helps them out of each of their predicaments. At the end, we see one of the members put his arm through a magical portal with a flower on the other side. I assume he needs to reach that flower (as that will help them get out), but it is too far. The members don’t know that it is just there, so we hear the whisper ‘where are you’ at the end. I really liked the set of the latter’s music video, with the mini hanging garden around them during the garden shots. I also liked how they had flashing lights to help match the intensity of the music.

Cheeky‘s performance as a whole was amazing to watch. I liked the energy that came from it, along with their stage presence. I really liked the use of their jackets in the first verse. I would have liked to see it used elsewhere in the performance to give their jacket’s more purpose. W.A.Y‘s best part of the choreography has to be the instrumental break we get. It is the song’s most intense section and definitely shows off the group’s performance potential. However, I feel that the performance would have benefited if they were more in sync with one another, as that would really make the performance cleaner and stand out more.

Cheeky
Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.7/10

W.A.Y (Where Are You)
Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.8/10