It has been a while since we last heard from Brave Girls. Their last comeback, the fantastic and much underrated Rollin’, was back in 2017. While the group did drop a new version of Rollin’ in Summer 2018, we haven’t anything else from the group since. But that all changed yesterday, when the members (now a four member lineup, with Hayun departing the group due to health reasons) made their comeback with We Ride.
Brave Girls ride the retro wave through the city pop genre that We Ride is based on. I find it to be quite a nice track. The instrumental gives the song a nice twinkling and felt somewhat refreshing, especially in a landscape of intensity and lightness. We Ride fits in between, leaning more to the lighter side of the spectrum. Pleasant and calming would be the words I used to describe this song, which aren’t bad words to describe a song (more on this in a second). We Ride features good vocals from the members, carrying appealing melodies. I liked how the pre-chorus was delivered, going into that high pitch note upon the completion of each line. But while We Ride does get a tick of approval from me, I am left a bit too chilled out upon the completion of the song. When I go back to listen to their previous comeback, I was low key expecting something to continues the excitement that Rollin’ had generated (regardless of the three year gap from when we last heard from them), as the group deserved to follow up with something as exciting and powerful as that release. So retrospectively, We Ride doesn’t live up to the expectations that Brave Girls has essentially created for themselves. That does influence the song rating I would give it. But putting those thoughts aside, We Ride is still a good song.
The music video takes on imagery that fits both the city pop genre and retro vibes of the music video. And for that, the video looks awesome. From the TV commericals on the old TV that the members are featured in to the use of green screen for their choreography shots on what I believe to be a take on Korean music shows back in the day, the video and song definitely compliment one another. It is quite well executed that I am looking in the other direction of the music video flaws.
The weakest aspect of the comeback has to be the choreography. It is quite dull and not exciting. Given the song, it is kind of hard to find something that works for the members and the song’s style/genre. But I just wished the choreographer they had enlisted for this comeback had found a better balance or middleground for this comeback.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 5/10 Overall Rating – 7.7/10
For some reason, I had thought that SuperM would be a one-off release type of group, given that the members come from 4 different groups based in two different companies. So it was suprising to hear that SuperM (made up of EXO’s Baekhyun and Kai, SHINee’s Taemin, NCT’s Taeyong and Mark and WayV’s Lucas and Ten) will be making their comeback in September with a studio album. It just sounds like a logistical nightmare to get the schedules of these four groups to align so that SuperM can rejoin, practice and promote any new releases (SM Entertainment can’t even get Lay to rejoin for any EXO promotions for the past 3 years!). Ahead of the release of the studio album, Super One, the group released 100 as a pre-release single yesterday. This is also the group’s first comeback since their debut with Jopping.
I won’t deny that 100 packs a punch. It truly does with its dubstep effects and fast tempo breakbeat direction. That alone already set the song up for succes. But I can’t help but think that the song gets pretty messy as it progresses, and this steals the attention away from the dynamic nature of the instrumental. The portion of the bridge that begins with Mark’s ‘Boom Boom Boom‘ and the start of the loaded dubstep effects, through to Taeyong’s ‘We go straight to the top‘ just felt it could have been much cleaner, yet also deliver that captivating climax to relaunch the song back into the final chorus. What we got felt like layers and layers of harshness that just overwhelms. The chorus itself could have forgone the inclusion of the ‘We go We go We go‘ line, as it felt unnecessary and doesn’t have that heft like the lines around it does. But apart from those problematic moments, the song highlighted some of the members’ talents. Taemin’s whispering at the start and during the bridge (this pretty much took me back to many of his solo releases) and vocal moments in the bridge brought out his vocals. Baekhyun’s high note was powerful. Mark’s rapping at the start was quite strong and proved to me why he was voted as the Best Rapper of 2019 in the 2019 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Overall, 100 does the job of relaunching SuperM and definitely begins the fast trip to their upcoming releasing.
The futuristic concept of the music video is totally winning. I really like the sets that the music video is filmed in, even though they bring back that boxed feeling and that is mildly disappointing. Apart from that, the members bring strong visuals and definitely know how to throw punches to make the music video match the intensity that is felt in the song. I do note that the music video does also use that closeup and choreography formula, though it isn’t as prevalent (which is a good thing). I only just realized while writing this review myself. Overall, a really good video.
The choreography was definitely powerful. I think that is what everyone’s expectation going into this release, especially since the group is made up of strong dancers and 100 being the first release from the group after Jopping. It alone in the music video is already quite captivating, so I wonder what a live performance would feel like?
Song – 8.5/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.8/10
The next new release of the week is a collaboration between the CEO of a major entertainment company in Korea and one of his former artists. The CEO I am referring to is none of than J.Y. Park, the CEO of JYP Entertainment, who has periodically released music and continued as an artist in the industry, even during the modern era of KPOP. Sunmi is probably a name that a lot of us recongise given her successful solo career (her most recent solo release being pporappippam). She was also a member of Wonder Girls, which was one of the famous groups of Korea under JYP Entertainment when they were still active. The two have jouned hands together for When We Disco, which dropped last night.
Based off the title of the song, it clear that the collaboration would be dealing with the retro influence. And that expectation was defintiely fulfilled with the European disco instrumental. I liked that the instrumental didn’t stray away from the disco influence, which is the likely route that other KPOP groups would have gone with given that is the default trend of today’s music. And it was quite consistent. That didn’t pose a problem here, as When We Disco feels fresh, relative to the releases we have been getting from other KPOP acts. And it is hard to find the disco influence boring, as the energy is always likeable (and a memorable part of my childhood, as that was the songs that my mother enjoyed while she was growing up and she would play it a lot when I was younger). Both J.Y Park and Sunmi effortlessly sing their way through the song with really enjoyable melodies. They are very easy on the ears. Even the filtered vocals at the start were not harsh in anyway, which really helped make the song appealing. The only thing that I did dislike about the song is the inclusion of the infamous JYP whipser at the end. It is such an awkward position for it and it just doesn’t fit in with the retro theme. I know it is his song, so it makes perfect sense for him to put an audio signature into the song. But I just wished it had a retro twist to fit in better wtih the song. Other than that, When We Disco is a fun, catchy and enjoyable collaboration between two icons of the KPOP industry.
The song is about a past love who disappeared from their lives. They reminsce about this person and wonder what they are doing now. And that is exactly what we see in this video. J.Y. Park and Sunmi used to be lovers. But some other guy pulled them apart. Sunmi went on to be a singer in the storyline and reunited with J.Y. Park. The exact same thing happened this time around, with the other guy ordering his henchmen to pull the reunited couple apart. This time around Sunmi fights back and with J.Y. Park runs away. While this is a nice story, I wondered what the smile on the other guy’s face was all about. It looked supscious. I was lowkey expecting a confrontational scene between J.Y. Park and the other guy towards the end of the video, but we never got it.
The dance is not complicated. Well, this comment is based on how I percieve it. Given my two left feet, it might be a completely different story. But relatively speaking, it isn’t too complicated and I am sure that we will be seeing great stages. It also fits in with the retro influence. I love how odd the dance gets towards the end. It is still within the retro genre, just not how I expected the dance to play out.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8.5/10
As it is another Tuesday (though it is less than half an hour left until Wednesday where I am), it is time for another Past Album Review. Sorry for missing out last week (as that is why I took my break). The artist I had intended to review last week was KARA, so I am going to pick up from there. Going through their discography, I wanted to review a personal favourite of mine. Given that Full Bloom (their fourth studio album) already features two of my favourite tracks (the pre-release Runaway and title track Damaged Lady), I thought this would be a good opportunity to dive into that album. Full Bloom also serves as the final album for Nicole and Jiyoung, who both left the group early on in the following year after their contracts expired.
Full Bloom Album Cover
1. Runaway (둘 중에 하나) (Pre-Release Track) – Runaway happens to be one of my favourite KARA side tracks ever. It is a little confusing to describe it in words. But I would say that it is a R&B-based acoustic guitar-centric instrumented track that has a feeling of a ballad, but it actually ends up being more of a soft pop track. It doesn’t develop into a full-on dance track. But it does pick up slightly and in such an elegant manner. Take the rap sequence we get in the bridge of the song. The rap sequence (brought to you by Nicole and Jiyoung) has quite a bit of heft and momentum to it, which would only work if a soft song had picked up to a degree. And while the song did do that, KARA managed to make the rap sequence feel natural and fit right in with the rest of the song. The song’s melodies and the members’ vocals were very memorable. Overall, everything was executed beautifully and starts the album on an amazing note. (10/10)
2. Damaged Lady (숙녀가 못 돼) (Title Track) – I previously made some comments in my review for Damaged Lady in regards to things I didn’t like. All of these items have actually grown on me and this has become one of my favourite KARA title tracks. Hence, I have decided to bump the original 7.5/10 rating to a 9/10 rating. Click here to read the original review of the Damaged Lady.(9/10)
3. 1+1 – 1+1 adds a Summery vibe to the Full Bloom album with its bright and sugary sound. This is in direct contrast to the songs preceding it, given that KARA goes with a more innocent profile with this song. I would describe the instrumental to 1+1 as pretty, as that is what the twinkling effects and light wavy synth come together to create. I find the melodies in this song to be quite sweet, but not to the extent where it would be overly saturated with sweetness and become cringy. I also enjoyed the vocals of each of the members, particularly Seungyeon who flourished during the chorus. Hara and Jiyoung handled the raps this time and they were well executed for this song. The only flaw in this song was the terrible English in the song, which often did not make much sense (e.g. ‘You want me best one thing alright’). (8.5/10)
4. In The Game – To me, In The Game is another strong offering from the group. There is one thing I do dislike about it. But for the most part, I enjoyed it. First praise goes to the instrumental. I liked the upbeat jazzy and funky nature of the song. I enjoyed the brass, which reiterates the funky nature that I just mentioned. Second praise goes to the vocals and (part of the) rapping. I specifically mean the singing vocals. The chorus was stunning and Seungyeon really knows how to pack a punch. I also like the way they sing the title of the song together, which adds to the appeal of the song. Nicole’s rapping in the second verse also adds to the energy of the song, which was fantastic. With most of the praises out of the way, I must turn to the one thing I dislike. I am talking about the ‘G A M to the E R’. It was whiny, unnecessary and was the biggest disappoint of the song. Other than that, In The Game is an awesome track. (9/10)
5. Follow Me – Follow Me is what I would consider to be your typical side track. It doesn’t offer anything more than a pop sound. I must say that Follow Me is quite pleasant and this can go a long way, depending on the circumstances. Furthermore, I like the song’s consistency. It doesn’t dry out the song, given that the beat is nice. However, to me today, the song isn’t that exciting and pretty skippable. Their vocal work is warming, but not their most impressive display on this album. (6/10)
6. Smoothie – Pretty much the same thing can be said in Smoothie as in the previous song. I do find it a smooth track, but it doesn’t offer anything new or exciting. There is a jazzy vibe to the song, but it lies more on the R&B side of the spectrum. One positive aspect that I can pick up on is that their breathy vocals are quite nice and compliment the soothing nature of the song. But other than that, Smoothie is just another track on the album. (6/10)
7. 2Night – An upbeat number ends the Full Bloom era and it also serves as the final song we hear from Nicole and Jiyoung as part of the KARA lineup (Sorry for bringing it up!). It is a return to their more interesting and appealing side, as well. While 2Night doesn’t have any strong hooks to grab on to or memorable vocals draw me in, the song does have a easygoing funky 80s electropop instrumental that I enjoyed. Their light vocals work well with it. I do get a bit of a nostalgic vibe from the song, as this is a similar sound to a number of side tracks of KPOP artists that I used to enjoy (way back when I started this blog 9 years ago). (7/10)
Also releasing new music today is ONF. The 6 member male group from WM Entertainment returns for the first time since coming in second place on the recent competitive season of Road To Kingdom earlier this year. This is also the group’s first comeback since the release of the underrated Why in October of last year. The title of their new single is Sukhumvit Swimming and this is featured on the group’s fifth mini-album, Spin Off. More on that album at a later date (hint hint). For now, here is my review for their new single.
Sukhumvit Swimming is nothing like what I had expected. Unlike in my previous review I had just posted where I had no idea where my expectations were coming from, I had clear expectations for this comeback as I was basing it on their epic New World single that served as their final track on Road To Kingdom. That was undeniably aligned with the rest of their single discography. But just because it wasn’t what I had expected, doesn’t mean that it is a terrbile song. Sukhumvit Swimming is much lighter track. It is definitely more pleasant, easy on the ears and more fun sounding, featuring elements of reggae, trap and future bass in the instrumental. The instrumental knows when to amp up those elements to give it that slight intensity and edge. I would have preferred more, given that is the ONF style that I like best. But obviously the song did not go overboard otherwise it would have thrown the song off balance. Apart from that, the song has a really nice melody that is easy to get into and I can see the hook catching on more and more as I listen to the song (it has already taken an effect on me). Their vocals are quite good, complimenting the lighter and less abrasive instrumentation. I find the song gives us some variety in their tones and voice. Take Wyatt’s rapping as an example, it was also held back and not as fierce in the past in this song. But it sounds a lot more classy and refined here, which I don’t think the group would have been able to show in their more intense tracks. Overall, Sukhumvit Swimming lacks the epicness that we know them for, but I find it offers another side to the group.
The music video is quite bizzare. It seems like they are taking the fun profile of the song and amp it up. What is happening in the music video is very interesting and I would replay the button continually (if I had time) to make sense of this video. It seems like each member is taken to a different world (New World connection?) thanks to Wyatt. Other than that, I have no clue what the music video is trying to show. The good news is ONF fans (Fuse) have been busy making sense of the music video, as well. This is a theory that I pinched from the YouTube comments that made sense to me.
As you can tell, the music video is quite confusing and the above theory is incomplete. There are a few more theories in the YouTube comment, so have a read to see which one is plausible. I really liked the visuals of this music video. It also seems like WM Entertainment recently invested in a green screen, given that it is used here and in Oh My Girl’s Nonstop music video as well. In this video, the usage of the visual effects were pretty good and does not disappoint.
I like that the performance carried on that fun profile that I mentioned earlier. The fact that they started the performance with a bottle flip pretty much confirms this. None of the moves were that impressive, but they all definitely complimented the lighter style that the group was going for. I personally would have liked them to go with something a little more epic looking, given that they have built a name for such on Road To Kingdom. But what we got was still enjoyable to watch.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 7.5/10 Overall Rating – 8.2/10
It is the start of a new week in the KPOP industry and that brings new releases. The first new release on the reviewing block is Han Seung Woo’s solo debut, Sacrifice. There is a lot of anticipation for this solo debut, given that Han Seung Woo is one of the former members of the project group X1 (which was formed through Produce X 101). Upon confirmation of the group’s disbandment earlier this year, Han Seung Woo instantly returned to VICTON and particpated in their Howling and Mayday comebacks, further extending his popularity. Now, captialising on his new found popularity, Han Seung Woo debuts today as a solo artist with his new mini-album, Fame.
For some reason, I was going into Sacrifice with the mindset that it was going to a be a hard hitting song, full of drops and energetic energy. I don’t know why that is the case, but I had that feeling when I heard of his impending solo debut track. Unfortuately, none of my unexpected expectations were fulfilled. But that doesn’t mean Sacrifice is a bad song. In fact, it shows off the talent of Han Seung Woo in a very refined yet powerful way. The song is made up of a trap-based instrumental and delves into the R&B side of music. Pretty standard, but there is some bass in it that really give the song some life and some oomph. It is also the source of that powerfulness that I was talking about. The instrumental itself would not have been as strong if it wasn’t for the lacing of the bass throughout it. The chorus has some synths that add texture which prevents the song from going down a bland route (which is a minor concern when it comes to some R&B tracks). Han Seung Woo’s vocals are shown off in a spectacular manner. We also get to hear a very brief rapping delivery from the artist, which I would have liked more of. There is also some nice contrast between his high pictched vocals and the deep instrumentation that backs the track. Overall, Sacrifice nails the brief of a strong debut song.
The opening scene of Han Seung Woo kneeling in front of a car burning some rubber pretty much sets the tone of the music video. The mature sound of the song comes off quite visually in this music video. That is essentially how I would describe the concept of the video in a nutshell. In addition to that, he also brings an edgy image to the mix, which I really liked. Regarding a plotline, I am not sure if there is one explicitly in the music video. We do see a scene where he is grabbing the collar of a friend (or a fellow gang member) at the climax of the video, showing us that he is willing to sacrifice loyalty for a lover. We also see him mindless walking to somewhere afterwards, which might tell us something about this lover (i.e. he is addicted to them, plus it seems like everyone is mindlessly walking towards this lover at the start). It definitely hints at this lover having some effect on Han Seung Woo and co. I wished they delved into the plotline a little more, as it does sound interesting.
[Updated] We don’t get much choreography in the music video. But from what I can see based on the first and final chorus, it looks good. He has a really strong stage presence and this is definitely highlighted by the intensity of the performance. Nothing really stood out at me, but it was definitely thrilling to watch him perform Sarcifice.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 7.5/10 [Updated] Overall Rating – 8.4/10 [Updated]
1THE9 takes a bow for the final time with Count, an unexpected release but a much welcome send off for the project group who officially disbanded on the 8th of August (just a few days ago). Half a month ago, 1THE9 returned with what I persumed to be their last comeback (Bad Guy) before they were due to disband since their contract was up. In that review, I had wished the group returned more often given that their time as 1THE9 was limited. It turned out that the group delayed their comeback due to the ongoing health pandemic. I wasn’t aware of this and I apologise for making such comments without knowing the full picture. Luckily, 1THE9 and their company were able to squeeze in one extra comeback, which is (obviously) the focus of this review.
Given the context and timing of this release, it was obvious that Count would be a fan-service song, so that the group can thank their fans (Wonderland) for the support they gave to the group for the 1 year and a bit they were active for. The song could easily have been a ballad, but I was glad it wasn’t. Count goes does a typical pop route and I find this more suitable for the current season they are releasing the song in. Whilst pop is the genre of the song, Count isn’t a choreography enabling track. Instead, it focuses more on vocals and they actually sound quite good. I did feel that the autotune that seemed to be used on most of the members could have been toned down a bit. It just didn’t feel necessary. The instrumentation was light and minimal, allowing the vocals to be a clear forefront of the song. It also allows fans to get a sense of the gratitude and appreciative tone that the members put on. The one thing I would have liked and would have made this song even more special and touching if all the members sang the chorus together, particularly the final chorus. It seems like they did do that, but Count‘s take on this technique felt fairly weak. This could have bolstered up the final chorus and fulfilled the missing inclusive feeling that I felt was missing. But overall, Count was pleasant and (I am sure) it did the job for fans and the group alike.
I don’t much to say about this music video given the message it is giving. We see the members enjoying their final moments: putting together a picture collage of their memories on a window, decorating a cake and hanging up some washing. Wait, one of them sounds a little off. I am sure they could have done something a little more touching than laundry. But then again, I am sure everyone will appreciate clean sheets. Other than that lame joke, the most important aspect is that the members are having fun. They lipsync along to the song in a nice manner. It is simple and fits the brief. And I am sure fans are enjoying these moments that the group are sharing on the screen, as well.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8/10
Today’s album review focuses on EXO-SC’s latest album release, 1 Billion Views. It has been a while since I promised this album review for a reader of this blog. The long delay was mainly because I wanted to write reviews for each of their duo’s solo tracks that are featured on this album (as they had music videos). I just kept on running out of time to write them and ended up delaying them until earlier today. Please accept my apologies for the long wait! And before I delay it any further, here is my review for the 1 Billion Views album, which features the title track of the same name.
2. Say It (ft. Penomeco) – There are two main appealing elements in Say It. Unfortunately, neither of those two elements are actually EXO-SC. They are good in this melodic hip-hop track, but I just don’t have much to say about them. The first element that I enjoyed was the instrumental. It is quite laid back and has a lazy vibe to it (a compliment). Interestingly, it is also quite upbeat. Say It manages to find a well-balanced middle ground between having an active consistent beat and that lazy carefree vibe. The second element is actually Penomeco’s featuring. He comes into the track during the song’s chorus and helps smooth out the song quite nicely. I also like his voice and how it compliments that lazy vibe that I mentioned (also another compliment). But as this is an EXO-SC track, I am left wanting more from the main pair. (6/10)
3. Rodeo Station (로데오역) – Rodeo Station jumps right out at me with its guitar melody that kicks off the song. The rest of the instrumental builds on this, bringing in some brass and bass to give the song that oomph that I am always looking for in upbeat tracks. The song is more vocal centric, with both Chanyeol and Sehun focusing more on vocals for the most part in Rodeo Station. Both members sound pretty nice in this song. It also helps when the melodies is actually quite catchy and fun to listen to. There is a bit of rapping towards the end of the song and they do give the song a bit of a punch. Overall, I found the track to be quite likeable and each element in the song was appealing. (9/10)
5. Jet Lag (시차적응) – Jet Lag is a sentimental R&B track, which is all about wanting to return to their lover in their home country whilst they are overseas. The song is brought to life with pleasant acoustic guitar melodies, which I quite like. My only major complaint with this is that both Chanyeol and Sehun’s vocals seem to overpower the instrumentation at times and I would have preferred a finer balance between vocals and instrumental. However, the duo’s execution of vocals in this song is nice and enjoyable. Their harmonies throughout and the melodies are quite appealing in this song. It is a bit slow paced for my liking, but there is enough in this song to put it on the superior end of tracks. (9/10)
6. Fly Away (날개) (ft. Gaeko) – We get into even moodier territory with Fly Away. I really liked the instrumental for this song. It seems to delve into the R&B realm, featuring classical instrumental in addition to drums and R&B centric percussion. It is a stunning backing piece. Chanyeol and Sehun return to their status as EXO’s rappers by rapping throughout the song. It is a nice change up to their vocal-focus approach with their songs on the album thus far. Gaeko (one half of Dynamic Duo) actually does most of the singing in this song and his voice helps smooth out the intensity that the main pair add to the song. I quite like this contrast and this makes it a powerful track. Given its position, I would put this down as EXO-SC’s hidden gem. (10/10)
In preparation for the album review later today, I will be reviewing both Chanyeol and Sehyun’s indvidual tracks that appeared alongside their 1 Billion Views and Telephone releases last month. I had promised these two reviews for some time now, but I just kept on running out of time to post them. But as I always repeat on this blog, it is always better late than never. As you can tell by the title, this particular review post will be focusing on Sehun’s On Me.
Unlike Chanyeol, Sehun has yet to release a solo track in the 9 years since his debut. So On Me is a great gift to all the Sehun fans out there. The song finds itself in hip-hop domain, settling with a trap-based instrumental. Not really a ground-breaking combination or instrumental by today’s standard. But it had good ryhthm and energy that makes the song very appealing. A great thing about solo tracks that I am sure that all of you are aware of is that we get to hear the artist in all their glory. For Sehun, in On Me, we get to hear a lot of his husky rapping voice. It was harsh (a compliment) and added amazing texture to the already rough texture we got from the instrumental. We also got to hear Sehun sing briefly during the chorus. It adds a layer of smoothness to the song. Intererstingly, I liked how his rapping and vocals remained low throughout the song. It is his best sound and he really captialised on this. I also liked how the hooks of Sehun’s solo track (the ‘Forever Love Sad Happy‘ and ‘Work Work Work‘) were all emphasised versions of the huskiness and low tone. This added some depth to the song that I wasn’t sure we would be getting from Sehun. Overall, On Me really puts Sehun’s best foot forward.
On Me‘s music video only goes for a certain length and doesn’t capture the entire song. But as it is still considered a music video, it enables the release to earn a review on this blog. The music video is choreography based and focuses on Sehun’s performance skills. Can’t argue with that, given that we haven’t see Sehun have an opportunity to officially show off his dancing skills in a solo release. His performance really intensifies the song, which is fantastic. I also like the various camera angles and transitions employed, which adds to that intensity. Best part of his music video is when he is moving forward to the front of the dancers with one hand holding a hat on his head. That parts needs to be made iconic and should be appreciated more!
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8/10
Excuse me while I divert our attention to releases from a while back now. In preparation for an album review later today, I will be reviewing both Chanyeol and Sehyun’s indvidual tracks that appeared alongside their 1 Billion Views and Telephone releases last month. I had promised these two reviews for some time now, but I just kept on running out of time to post them. But as I always repeat on this blog, it is always better late than never. As you can tell by the title, this particular review post will be focusing on Chanyeol’s Nothin’.
Despite having a number of solo tracks already, Chanyeol manages to show off a different side to his rapping skills through the easygoing yet subtly intense Nothin’. The song starts off with the catchy vocal hook of ‘I will never worry about nothin’‘. I am not a fan of autotune usually, but his autotuned vocals added some texture to the song. The verses come into play and we hear Chanyeol slow rap along to slow trap instrumentation that the song is backed with. There are some guitar that is present in combination with the trap instrumental. Together, these two elements pretty much make Nothin’ sound like straightforward R&B. Unfortuately, the instrumental is repetitive and plain. It is disappointing to an extent, but I also find that this acts as a blank canvas for Chanyeol’s rapping, which is what gives the song some variety and appeal. We do get some profound electric guitar riffs at the very end, which was nice and much appreciated. As the song felt relatively short, the placement of this additional instrument actually felt appropriate. I couldn’t imagine what the song would have been like if this explicit electric guitar was brought into play earlier. Going back to his rapping, you could feel the emotion in his voice as the song progresses. It is subtle, but definitely present. It is also quite captivating. Overall, I quite like the song. It fits the chill nature of the album and direction of the subunit. Yet it manages to add a bit of Chanyeol flair to the song.
The music video is noticeably shorter than the actual song itself. But as there is still a music video, it earns itself a review. The song itself is about not worrying what people are saying and to stick to being yourself. And I thought that the path to the song’s meaning was well shown in the music video. The music video depicts Chanyeol as a photographer. His pictures seem to represent the thoughts and comments of others. After he develops them, he puts them on this wall, which acts like his thought bank. In this life, it is rather monotone and repetitive. We see Chanyeol clearly wants change. Once we see him certain of this, he rips a picture off the wall, revealing a bright light. It is uncomfortable, which is the harsh reality. But he gets used to it and runs away from the underground studio setting. He slowly gets used to it and this becomes a stroll, as shown at the start of the video. Moving away from my interpretation, I liked how the atmosphere we get from the video really suits the moody nature of the song.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.4/10
The next release to be in the reviewing spotlight is Aloha Oe by Cherry Bullet. The track was released on Thursday this past week and follows the release of Hands Up earlier this year. Not much else happened with the group since their last comeback, so this introduction is quite short. So why don’t we just get straight into the review?
Cherry Bullet’s Aloha Oe is what I would consider to be a more upbeat and exciting Summer season track, unlike the previous Summer track that I just reviewed. It is colourful and definitely catchy with its addictive melodic and instrumental hook. One might say this instrumental hook might be squeaky, but I didn’t mind it. Specifically, the chorus features a bright blast of pop energy that makes this song extra appealing. And this blast of pop energy carries throughout the chorus, from start to end, which gives the song an overall boldness that I thoroughly enjoyed. I wished the verses also reflected this, as they did feel quite plain. But this is a good example of how the chorus really compensate for the verses’ plainness (as mentioned in my previous review that came out just before this one). The members had nice vocals in this song, with the lightness and higher pitch suitable for the Summer brightness and energy. There was a brief rapping sequence embedded in the second verse that I felt could have been left out. The instrumental backing for this was slightly over dramatic and Aloha Oe didn’t feel like it needed that dramatic backing (or a rap sequence in general). It did feel overwhelming and scared me during the first listen as it came out of nowhere. But apart from that, I really enjoyed Cherry Bullet’s new song.
While the music video features the closeup and choreography formula, I personally thought it was a really good video. Each member was doing their own thing in this music video, as if it was emphasising the idea of social distancing, which we are all actively doing (I hope). We have a member editing videos, food blogging, camping, partying, watching movies (more specifically horror flicks) and playing tennis amongst other individual activities. We also got the mirror wiping Tik-Tok trend that I am sure everyone has already seen on their social media. One element I really enjoyed was the video’s play on colour. During the individual shots, everything was quite colourful. However, when we got to the choreography shots, the set was more of a blank canvas and the members’ outfits gave that spruce of colour it needed.
Once again, given that the song has that cutesy feel to it, the performance aligns itself with that vibe and adds some aegyo into the performance. When Cherry Bullet does this on stage, it actually looks good. I say this because when other idols do this off stage as a challenge or dare, it is pretty cringy. I also liked how sharp their movements were and how good this made the performance looked.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 7.5/10 Overall Rating – 7.9/10
It is time for the start of the Saturday catch up. Kicking off the start of four reviews that I will be publishing today (fingers crossed) is Rocket Punch’s comeback, which dropped on Tuesday of this past week. Their title track this time around is JUICY and it is featured on the group’s third mini-album, Blue Punch. This is the group’s first comeback since Red Punch, a mini-album released earlier this year, which featured the title track Bouncy.
I found the tropical sounds and melodies that started off JUICY to be very appealing. It really steered the song into that Summer mindset. However, that appeal was shortlived. The first verse came, but it was largely plain. I should have known this feeling was pretty much foreshadowing what was to come. But I gave the song the benefit of the doubt and dismissed this as some KPOP tracks have pretty typical sounding verses, but the chorus manages to compensate for lacking verses. Unfortuately, this was not the case. JUICY‘s chorus was an extension of the verse, a soulless instrumental being the main driving force of what should be the catchiest sequence of the song. Their vocals just didn’t have much energy or life in them. The melodies did not have a memorable element or any energy to help propel the song forward. The second verse was primarily the same set up, with the addition of a messy trap-based rap sequence that sounds off-putting (if I have to be honest). There is a bit of heft to the bridge of JUICY, but it was undermined with the childish sounds that came from the member’s voices and the return of that off-putting trap sequence. Even when we turn to the song’s main hook (i.e. the ‘Juicy Juicy Juicy‘ repetition, we just get an overwhelming plainness that doesn’t save the song. Overall, I am pretty disappointed with this track. And truthfully, I wouldn’t be returning to this track any time soon.
Given what the song is like, the music video is appropriately filled with aegyo. It surprisingly didn’t feel as cringy as I thought it would be nor did it feel overloaded. But even if that was the case, I can’t complain much as the song did lead the video in that direction. Aside from that, I did like the underwater sets and the bubble visual effects that filled out screens. It does look like it is part of some children’s TV show, but it went well with the concept.
The performance was alright. I liked how the choreography kept on moving for the most part. It makes me look at the dance, as it makes me feel that I might miss something. It isn’t a mind-blowing performance in any way (I feel that if it got to that calibre, it would be a waste given the disappointing song), but it does the job fine.
Song – 3/10 Music Video – 7/10 Performance – 6/10 Overall Rating – 4.8/10
It is time for another album review. And today, I am going dive into a 2020 rookie’s album. I am talking about TOO’s second mini-album, Running TOOgether, which was released around a month ago. It features the title track Count 1, 2 and four additional title tracks. It is my first time reviewing an album from this group. Previously, I was going to review their debut mini-album (Reason For Being: Benevolence) earlier this year, but ended up dropping it from the list due to timing. I might return to that album some time in the future but that might be a while away. For now, here is my album review for TOO’s latest album release.
2. Step By Step – TOO continues the bright upbeat vibes with the groovy and retro Step By Step. The song is a lot more jam packed and intense, as a result. This is no complaint though, as I find this song to be ideal for a good ‘let loose’ session. The song seems to have various influences from the 70s through to the 90s, including synth drums, brass and disco elements. Everything comes together to be a lively and undeniably catchy track. The chorus is super catchy and memorable. And the energy of Step By Step just extends the song’s appeal even further. The vocals were amazing and the rapping was effortlessly merged into the song. Everything in this song just comes together so well. Even better that it leaves me with a gigantic smile once it wraps up. (10/10)
3. Better – Better is your typical slow pop ballad. It is a nice number to settle to after two awesome upbeat tracks. The instrumental isn’t that ground-breaking as it follows most pop ballads with a drum and piano prominent instrumental. The ending brings in some minute rock influences, but I wished them somehow brought some of this influence a little earlier to give the song some additional life. Vocally, Better really sounds good. The harmonies were the element that initially drew me into the song. TOO definitely boasts solid vocalists and rappers as evident in this track. I just wished their debut track did a better job of highlighting this. (8/10)
4. Taillight – Taillight kicks it up a notch, going for an R&B number. Unfortunately, I found most of the song to be plain. That would be the concise way to describe the song. It just felt like an extension of the preceding track. Other than that, I don’t want to blab on, given that I didn’t notice much in the song. However, I do want to make a short note regarding Taillight’s melody. It was good and soothing. (7/10)
5. Dancing In The Moonlight– Based on what I am reading, Dancing In The Moonlight is actually a remake of 1972’s Dancing In The Moonlight by King Harvest. TOO and the producers of the remake did a really good job of modernizing the song for 2020. I really like the addition of brass to give the song a prominent retro feel and how they all sing together for the chorus. It really bolsters up the song. The trap-based rap sequence in the second verse was probably the most unnecessary inclusion in this version. It just doesn’t tie in with the rest of the song. The rap sequence that featured during the bridge was much more fitting for the retro and brass elements of the song. (9/10)
I break the catch up transmission with a review for a new release! TREASURE officially makes their debut with the release of the title track BOY. This is YG Entertainment’s latest addition to their company, consisting of 12 members (Hyunsuk, Jihoon, Yoshi, Junkyu, Mashiho, Jaehyuk, Asahi, Yedam, Doyoung, Haruto, Jeongwoo and Junghwan). The group itself was formed through the 2018 trainee survival show, YG Treasure Box. The show formed two male groups to join the YG Family and was collectively 13 members earlier this year. However, Yoonbin left the group prior to their debut and the decision was made to merge the two groups together to form Treasure. The group’s debut was teased since January 2020 and Bang Yedam debuted as a solo act earlier this year as well with Wayo (to be reviewed).
Previously, YG Entertainment has been heavily associated with hip-hop music in the KPOP industry, with some noticeable exceptions. And I think TREASURE, based on BOY, is another one of those exceptions. They stray away from their company’s heavy reliance on hip-hop and goes down more of the pop route for the group’s debut single. I am basing this observation on one song, so there is a chance that the group might end up going for something more towards YG roots in future releases. That being said, the producers still employ a notable YG element in BOY, which I predicted was coming. More on that later. BOY is quite dynamic and intense. I actually felt this at the very start of the song and they managed to continue this throughout the song. I also find the EDM drop (the genre of EDM is so familar but I cannot pinpoint its exact name) in the chorus to be very profound and refreshing. Their vocals and rapping adds to the song’s dynamism and energy. I really like that they were very clear and crisp throughout the song. The song’s memorable hook ‘I just wanna be your boy‘ was handled by Junkyu and Yedam, who both together form a very powerful duo. Definitely members that I will keep an eye out for. However, the song isn’t perfect. The song starts to unravel after Hyunsuk’s shouty bridge. BOY could have done without the anthem-like ending. It is a very overused YG tactic, so it is very plain and boring. It was good the first few times. But since it is now overused, I just roll my eyes at it. It is done to give the song one last hype moment, but I just felt it overwhelmed everything that came prior to it. But apart from that, BOY is definitely a strong debut song.
The music video definitely has great visuals. From the members to the sets, everything looked exciting. On a side note regarding the sets, there seems to be a lot of depth in comparison to other YG music videos. I say this because compared with this video, other recent YG music videos end up looking more like box sets now. The music video does follow a closeup and choreography formula. But there is a lot of dynamism in the music video as well, so I am not as fussed. I really liked the special effects they added during post-production. They helped heighten that level of fun we get from the visuals in the music video, which compliment the song in a variety of ways.
From what I can see, the choreography is going to be superb. The air guitar-like move and the footwork during the chorus looks very impressive. They seem to use their space very well, as seen in the second chorus. The dance break we get as part of the bridge also looked really cool!
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 10/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9.3/10
Time to continue this week’s edition of review catch up. Next up on the reviewing list is 2 KIDS, Taemin’s pre-release single for his upcoming comeback. Originally scheduled for July 2020, his comeback had to be pushed back due to an injury. But with the release of 2 KIDS, it seems like we will be seeing him very soon again through his comfirmed two part third studio album, Never Gonna Dance Again. There is no confirmed date for this comeback just yet, but I will endevour to review it as soon as it is released, unlike this review which is many days late. In other news, this Taemin’s first solo comeback since the release of WANT.
While 2 KIDS doesn’t deliver anything epic or powerful as his previous releases, Taemin’s 2 KIDS still manages to fit his discography. Given that this is Taemin, it clearly doesn’t have a wow factor to be given that title track status. And so, it comes off as an ideal side track for his upcoming solo album. The new release features an electronic pop instrumentation that opts for lighter and simpler vibes. Yet, there is an elaborate nature to it that enables Taemin to show off his vocals and performance skills (I will touch on this later on). There is an airy nature to the song, making it perfect song to put on while taking a stroll on a breezy and sunny day. His vocals are breathy throughout the song, which definitely compliments this. This combination is quite refreshing. Taemin’s sentimental and reflective vocals were stunning in this song. You could feel the emotions in his voice as he sings about young love. However, I did feel that the chorus was a little too heavy handed with the autotuned backing. I wished that it was a little lighter in this regard. But it at least gave the song some interesting textures to play with. I also wished that he had more ad-libs towards the end of the song, as this seems like the perfect track for Taemin to show off some of his ad-lib skills. In addition to the ‘wishes’, I wanted the song to be less repetitive. The repetition dried out the song and left it boring, especially towards the end. But overall, 2 KIDS is a solid effort and a definite strong teaser for what is to come.
For this review, I will be combining the music video and performance parts of the usual review together. Why? Well, the music video is essentially a performance piece. We don’t see much choreography during the verses. Instead, we see Taemin act throughout the verses. It looks like he is wandering the streets right after an argument with his lover and is reminiscing about his young love. The choreography comes into play during the choruses. And it is just so captivating to watch. I also love the European city setting of this music video. It just adds such a refined and comforting atmosphere to the video, which contrasts nicely with his pain and emotions that he channels through his choreography.
Song – 8/10 Music Video / Performance – 10/10 Overall Rating – 8.8/10
Apologies for my absence over the last two days. I will explain myself later on once I get pass the many releases have been left un-reviewed during my absence. Let’s restart the reviews! First up is a Monday release from (G)I-DLE. I actually tried to write a review for DUMDi DUMDi on Monday, but ended up running out of time (as I needed to sleep for work the next day). And here is the review, finally! This is the female group’s first release since their epic Oh My God comeback earlier this year and online concert, I-LAND.
I personally wondered where the group would go after releasing Oh My God. DUMDi DUMDi was not what I had expected. But that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it. First off, it is a very bright and energetic song. And I will compliment the song for that. It is definitely suitable for the Summer season. Secondly, I felt that the song’s instrumental was pretty good. The song does feel quite plain and quite slow during the verses and it doesn’t become exciting and energetic until we reach the chorus. And the EDM we get in the chorus really makes up for the slowness and plainness we got in the verses. The African drums and music influence during select parts added a little something different to the song and it allows the song to standout in the sea of releases we have gotten recently. One of the letdowns of DUMDi DUMDi actually is associated with the instrumental itself. Reflecting over the song retrospectively, it seems like the instrumental is a bit hectic and messy. I wished there was a little bit of more consistency throughout the instrumentation. It sounds good, but it needs to be tied up better. The rapping was probably a skippable section. Sorry Soyeon, but I felt your part was the least memorable in the song. As for the vocals, I am a bit torn about them. Miyeon, in particular, brought an interesting vocal sound to the chorus which makes the song’s chorus memorable. But the more I listen to the song, I can’t help but find the chorus becoming more and more whiny. DUMDi DUMDi has some good and bad aspects. But overall, it is still enjoyable.
The video starts off with a very long ‘context’ preamble, where it specifies that six souls (the members) converge to a motel in the middle of nowhere to spend their ‘most exciting’ day of their lives. Of course, it was fluffed up to be mysterious. But it went by too quickly to actually read while the video was in play mode. The video then begins what seems to be the longest minute and half in KPOP ever. Like most Western films, I felt the entire introductory sequence that introduced each member converging to this motel to be incredibly boring. The Western music did not help. The producers of this video could have directed more time to showing us how the members came together to actually fun. It just feels so random that the members went from being strangers to best friends in a matter of seconds. The rest of the video was essentially of them having a great time, which ties in nicely with the Summer theme. I do have one additional complaint. During some of the solo shots of some of the members, it was quite obvious that the other members were told to sit there and be pretty. I wished they did something in the background rather than sit there and stare at one another or look off into the void.
I can’t but think there are some moves in this choreography that brings me back to their previous releases such as Oh My God and Lion. I am not sure if my eyes are playing trick on me. But other than that observation, the dance was quite fun and energetic, which defintiely suits the song and Summer season.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 6/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 6.9/10
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