I know, I am very delayed with this review. Apologies. Throwing the study card out there as my excuse again.
It was a very quick teasing process. But Kei (from Lovelyz) made her solo debut on Tuesday under her real name. Kei is the first from her group to actually release a solo mini-album after the group’s debut in 2014. The title track is called I Go and it features on the mini-album, Over and Over. In other related news, Lovelyz has been participating in the TV show, Queendom and recently got a lot of fanfare for their surprising cover of Sixth Sense, which is my favourite performance on the show so far.
Kei is the main vocalist of the group, so it was highly expected that she would debut with a ballad. And with I Go fulfilling the initial expectations of the track, Kei had to bring some extra to ensure she stands out in the crowd of solo acts. And she sure did. I think she was the first soloist to really bring part of her group’s sound into their solo act. While the instrumental is pretty classical-like and it really isn’t much of dance-enabling track, I find the fantastical feel we get from Lovelyz usually was present. It was a nice spin to both sides of the track in my opinion and it ended up being a pretty track. Kei’s voice is very youthful and I am glad she didn’t pick a very serious or emotional ballad as this could potentially drag her down. I must admit that I found the song to start nicely but it got a little too much towards the end. There were one too many layers at the end that made things a little too messy. But apart from that, I thought it was nice ballad to kick off her solo career.
Matching the song is a non-serious or emotional styled music video. The song is about getting out there to meet your partner. But your partner is always by your side, even in the moments where you are alone. I thought the video was put together quite nicely to show this. Kei is alone at the start but ends up tied to this very long white sheet that guides her to her happy place. The long white sheet is like the partner that is beside you, guiding you from point A and point B. I like how the video was presented, with the grass filled reminding me to Taeyeon’s very famous I release. Another thing I really like about the video was the use of colour, which made the video appropriate for every season. It is colourful enough for Summer but feels warm enough for Winter. Likewise for Spring and Autumn.
Song – 8.5/10 Music Video – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.7/10
I will post my review for Kei’s solo debut tomorrow.
A lot of male comebacks this week from what I have noticed. And to add to the influx of male groups is Stray Kids. They are gearing up for a future comeback as they released a mysterious teaser which featured Double Knot, District 9: Unlock, Astronaut and Clé: LEVANTER. Double Knot was confirmed to be a single release and District 9: Unlock is going to be their first concert. No word on what Astronaut and Clé: LEVANTER are but my guess is another single (or possibly title track) and mini-album. Double Knot is also the first release from Stray Kids since Side Effects.
The way Double Knot is presented to us is slightly different from the upbeatness and energy that we got from Miroh and the intensity that we got from Side Effects. At the exact same time, however, I think the energy and intensity are still there. But rather, it is very subtle in this hip hop dance track. I found the track to be fierce and very masculine, a side of Stray Kids that I would say we haven’t from the group since their debut days. The rapping is very well in this song, which I think is a common thing when it comes to hip-hop like tracks from Stray Kids. The vocals were also equally as nice. I also want to comment on the fact that the song felt like it held itself back. Obviously, it wasn’t as powerful or explosive like their two title tracks from this year. But, in a way, it creates suspense for their impending comeback that we know will either happen in November or December this year.
That fierceness is definitely transformed into their more urban edgy music video. In this video, it looks like Stray Kids is a gang in the back alleyways. I also feel like the subtle nature of the song really brings out a different tougher vibe to the group, which makes them look very good. I liked the many transitions that were used in this video, which made things feel so much smoother. It isn’t something that you would expect in this video, however. One clear example has to be when the video transitioned between Jisung, Bangchan, Jisung (again), Woojin and Seungmin (around 0:30 of the video). That looked cool and really drew my attention to the rest of the video. There are clues to what Astronaut might be and also elements that tie this video to their previous videos. So it will be interesting to see how Double Knot fits into the storyline.
The dance was equally as impressive. One thing I haven’t mentioned is that the entire comeback comes off as epic. But I held onto that comment until the choreography because that is what I felt when I watched the choreography for the first time. The initial pose looked really cool. And I like how tough their chorus looked, aligning itself with their previous comebacks despite the different nature of the song.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9/10
The next comeback one this very intensive comeback week is by ATEEZ. 2019 is already a jam-packed year for the group, with the group returning with Say My Name, HALA HALA, Wave and Illusion just within the first 10 months of the year. And as there are less than 3 months to go, there is time for another comeback. Today, the group returned with Wonderland, which is also the title track off their very first studio album, Treasure EP.Fin: All To Action. ATEEZ has also been exceptionally busy since their last comeback performing at every KCON and has also embarked on an Australian tour as well.
Wave took a break from all the intensity that I think many fans have associated with ATEEZ since their debut to fit the more brighter summer season when Wave‘s release occurred. Wonderland returns to that intensity level from their past. Though, I am pretty sure they exceeded it. The song has a very grand and epic start, that I find fitting for this style and the group. It is as if they took the Pirate King instrumental and amped it in a way that made it very different from the original track. There is a lot of energy in this track as well and that is thanks to their suspense building. Those beeps and pause just before the pre-chorus was very impactful and do the job. The vocal work was pretty good. But once again, the rappers of ATEEZ shine very brightly in this song with their rough and strong delivery. I do find the song to be less catchy as I had hoped. But like yesterday’s review, the song might need a few listens.
To compliment the epic and grand nature of the song, the video was equally as epic and grand. It was very dark and I like the vibe this gave off. You can tell by the many scenes and the overall quality of the video that their company went all out to ensure that this will be the best video out of their releases thus far. The camera shots managed to make everything feel so much more intense and made the video feel a lot more fierce. I really liked how they also extended flag-waving into the border of the box. That looked cool and unique. As this is the final section of their Treasure series, I wonder if the videos are linked together in some way. That isn’t something to work out now, but it would be interesting as the videos felt very different from one another.
That epic and grand vibe also infiltrate the stage performance. I think ATEEZ have proven themselves to be an upcoming performance group. This routine and their past ones have also showcased their talents in the performance department. I liked how their entire body shakes in this video. I also like their arm movements throughout the choreography, which kind of reminded me of tutting.
Song – 8.5/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.8/10
The second comeback to kick off the week is AB6IX. The group have proven to be a major rookie to beat, earning awards at recent music award ceremonies and topping the weekly music charts with their debut track, Breathe. Today, the group returns with Blind For Love, which the title track off their very first studio album. I think this is the first time a rookie had released a full-length album within the first year of their career and as part of their first comeback. Let’s see what Blind For Love has to offer.
No doubt that Breathe was going to be hard to exceed (the track has grown a lot on me since my review). After all, their debut track managed to set the bar high for any future release. Blind For Love seems to use that same house genre that Breathe had. But at the same time, it managed to change enough to really be different. Blind For Love did contain one segment as part of the first verse that featured the same lyrics and melody as Breathe, which might be a smart way to carry over the Breathe fanfare to this new song. I have enjoyed the new track as well, with a great vocal opener and the rapping sounds amazing. But not the extent that I had hoped for. The chorus didn’t have that oomph or wow factor that I think AB6IX had in both Hollywood and Breathe (after it grew on me). The song doesn’t even seem to be as catchy this time around. A few more listens might totally change my mind. But at the moment, it seems like I am having deja vu to when I first listened to Breathe and didn’t feel like it was enough.
Something that I am sure every fan and music video player can agree on is how good their visuals looked. And while the extreme close-ups do show off their amazing faces, they also add that dimension of mysteriousness that I noted from before. I also really like the colours of the video. It made everything feel sophisticated and trendy. The best colour combination in this video has to be that gold and black set, which really made me go wow. And with that being said, it seems like the wow factor seems to be in the music video this time around.
While my first impression isn’t related to their performance, I really like their different hair colours. Back to the dance, I really liked how they had that bouncing finger from Breathe in the performance. I also think they opted for a different routine for the Breathesample. I really like Woojin’s solo moment during his rap sequence and also the ‘Na Na Na‘ movement at the end of each chorus section.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 9.5/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.7/10
Two major comebacks kick off this week’s comeback rush. The first group is ONF, who is returning with Why. This is the group’s first comeback since the release of We Must Love (released earlier this year). Since then, the group underwent a lineup change after it was revealed that Laun had left the company and the group. From what I can remember, this was announced while the group was confirmed to be preparing for this comeback and I think its pushed the release to a later date as a result. The group have also embarked on an Asian tour as well.
I think Why follows on from We Must Love. A few aspects are different but some are quite similar. While the preceding track was a lot more vibrant in sound, Why felt a lot more heavy and almost held back. I do miss that punchy feel that Complete and We Must Love gave. But despite that, the latest release does have that electro-pop dance style that the group tends to go and I think this was a good move, particularly since I found the past tracks to be very memorable. I thought the vocals were very well polished and I liked the different rapping sequences just before each chorus. Each sequence is different and this gives off a different flair each time. There is a sense of matureness to their song and this is something that makes the group stand out time and time again (for me personally). I also like how the instrumental was keeps changing but it felt liked it was tied together quite well. I did like the energy that the chorus gave the song but I felt like the chorus could have been a step more memorable. This would have made the track perfect for me.
I am not exactly sure if I am meant to watch the teasers that came out in preparation for this comeback (The Signal episodes) in order to understand the complex storyline that is featured in this video. But things got confusing quite quickly. It seems like that is a bit of betraying in the video and also some virtual reality. My guess they all used to be friends but due to the loss of some using virtual reality (which all placed them in different alternative worlds), each member was turned against one another. I think if the scenes were a lot slower, it would have been easier to decode some additional details to aid the interpretation of the video. I do find it interesting and I want to know more about it (maybe a music video theory post?). Everything looked serious and I liked how their use of greyness in the video portrayed this.
Why has a very intense and strong routine, which aligns with the group’s past comebacks. The chorus had a particularly memorable routine, with their moves both snappy and punchy. I also like the lift up they do just before the final chorus, as that looked quite cool.
Song – 9.5/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 9.1/10
I know I have been going on about the reviews being very spread out. But since I have ‘a bit of spare time’ on my hands, it is time to tackle another debut. Super Junior returned on Saturday morning with I Think I, which I believe is not the official title track off their upcoming 9th album, which is due for release in a weeks time. A few milestones for their upcoming album which I will save for the actual title track’s review. In the meantime, let’s dive into the pre-release single for Time Slip.
I thought it was a nice song to ease you back into Super Junior’s appeal. It isn’t as heavy-handed like their title tracks have been in the past, especially their past few Latin-influenced title tracks. Interestingly, I Think I still has that Latin influence. But it doesn’t so without feeling overwhelming, which instantly pushes up the appeal of the song. Dare I say that it actually feels refreshing and that it is nice to hear something from the same overused trend but redone in a manner that also feels quite different. I also find the song to be very smooth and melodic. I really like the repetition of the English lyrics throughout the song, along with the medium pace that the song’s instrumental features. I also like their use of brass. It was subtle throughout the song and they kicked it up a notch for the final chorus, which I think was fantastic. Together, the song comes off as memorable and definitely gets me excited for the official return of these KPOP legends.
The music video was interesting to watch. The video matches the song in terms of smoothness, where each scene slides into the next in some manner. Some members walk in and out of each scene, which keeps the video rolling in a different manner. I also applaud their use of different transitions, especially that curtain box that reminds me of the convey belts they use at X-ray machines in the airport. I also like the cool blue colour palette they used to set up the underground subway, which I think reflected well with the music. Overall, it is definitely a unique and smart video.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9/10
This has to be the biggest release of the week. After all, fans and the media are dubbing this as the Avengers of KPOP. SuperM has made their debut, consisting of many familiar faces. Featuring Baekhyun and Kai from EXO, Taemin from SHINee, Mark and Taeyong from NCT and Ten and Lucas from WayV (the Chinese subunit of NCT), this very special unit group has dropped their first single, Jopping. It seems like this is SM’s approach to the American market, especially with the growing fanbase for many male groups in the American market. So why not kick start the career of a new group in the Western music industry with the fanbases of four different and established groups?!
Jopping almost didn’t make the cut for a review. To this day, I haven’t reviewed any songs released in only English by any KPOP group. I am in the process of reconsidering, especially since I do Japanese music videos by KPOP groups. But that’s not the point here. Despite the song almost being in just English, there are a few Korean phrases scattered throughout. It is almost inverse of what we see in the KPOP industry (where the English phrases are the sprinkles instead). The title is a mash-up of jumping and popping, which I think makes senses with the song’s meaning of going all out on stage. Anyway, Jopping starts off true to the group’s nickname. It felt almost fitting for the Avenger’s soundtrack. It promised a fair amount of epicness and I think the song delivered this superbly as its progressed. The electro-pop track was fast tempo, powerful, impactful and very energetic. I think the track managed to showcase really good rapping and vocals from each member, with the two being massive highlights for me. I also like their rock ending, which I thought gave the song the chance to end with a bang. Overall, it is a memorable track and definitely one I will be listening to in the coming weeks.
The video manages to pull out some of the best special effects I have ever seen in the KPOP music video universe. You would expect the producers to do that when they are combining the forces of several of the popular KPOP groups in the world at the time. I did think some of them were questionable, such as the green screen stadium they performed in. Liked the idea but it felt cheesy. There is definitely a lot of tension and intensity in the video, matching the song in a very logical manner. A part of me wanted the producers to bring elements from NCT, EXO, SHINee and WAYV videos, which I think would have been a special treat for fans and made the video even more epic. But this is already as fantastic as it is.
With such an intense song, there was no doubt that the choreography would match this. There hasn’t been a live stage for this just yet (I am anticipating their Hollywood debut showcase but that won’t be for another two days where I am), so I am basing everything off the music video. The entire dance looked very cool, with the members looking almost like animals (I say that with total respect). Their charisma flows through. But that would be expected, especially since SuperM brings together some of the best dancers in SM Entertainment.
Song – 10/10 Music Video – 9.5/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9.7/10
I seem to have forgotten to mention yesterday that album reviews will be put on hold until the end of the month. But it time to catch up on the reviews.
Wednesday saw the return of Jeong Sewoon, who has returned with his 5th mini-album, Day. The lead title track of this mini-album is When It Rains. This is the solo artist’s second comeback of the year, following Feeling, which was released back in March of this year.
When It Rains returns Jeong Sewoon into ballad mode, a side of the solo artist that was seen briefly through his 20 Something comeback last year. The difference between that track and this new release is that this falls into the traditional ballad category, which manages to show off a new side of Sewoon. I thought the instrumental complimented Jeong Sewoon’s vocals very nicely. The instrumental was rather typical but it worked really well as a blank canvas. His vocals were really good as well and you can definitely hear the emotions in his voice. The lyrics themselves are already quite loaded with emotion, where he regrets breaking his partner’s heart. But his voice makes it so much sadder, especially that first line where he sings about watching the weather forecast on the TV (a really good opener and ender for the track). Together, the instrumental and vocal combination gets you swaying along to the music, which earns a big tick from me (It has been a while since I felt like this for a ballad). While I do like the more upbeat sounds he debuted with, I think Jeong Sewoon has shown that he is versatile through this comeback and is definitely a solo act that many people should look out for.
The video takes a literal visual approach with the lyrics of the song. We are shown shots of Jeong Sewoon sitting alone in this cafe, which I assume is where he confessed his love for this girl back in the day. They have gotten along quite well. But one day, he never turned up, leaving her to sit alone in the cafe. It seems like there are a few scenes where she is sitting in the cafe throughout the night, signifying that she did wait. The telephone booth, situated awkwardly in the middle of the cafe was probably the turning point of her night, where she realized he wasn’t going to turn up and ends up leaving. He does end up coming back and ends up sitting in the exact same spots as her, which shows his regrets. Rain was also showed in the video, with the mood in the cafe reflecting a rainy day. Overall, I thought the video was well put together for a ballad and I liked how the colours/lighting added meaning to the video.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 8.5/10 Overall Rating – 8.2/10
Reading in an article a few days ago, it seems like an EXO comeback with the remaining members who are not in the military just yet is coming our way. But as we wait for that, we get an opportunity to listen to Chen as he makes his first solo comeback. He made his solo debut earlier this year with Beautiful Goodbye. Chen is also one of the first solo artists to make a very quick return after the release of their previous track. Usually, the gap is quite wide. But I am not complaining. Let’s listen to what Chen has to offer in Shall We?.
Once again, Chen gives us a ballad as the title track. But Shall We? isn’t the same style of ballad that we got from Chen when he promoted Beautiful Goodbye. Instead, Shall We? seems approach the ballad genre with a retro mindset, which is a very different approach to any ballad on the charts at the moment. So big ticks for uniqueness already. I really like the brass in the instrumental. It is a small detail in the music, but I thought it gave the song a really nice touch. The rest of the instrumental wasn’t as captivating, unfortunately. It was still good but I wanted the song to pick up a little more as it progressed. Chen’s voice is breathtaking, once again. I really like how delicate his voice gets in this song. I know his tone is a lot softer to match the instrumentation, but I feel like the same comments (as per the instrumentation) can be made for his vocals as well. I do prefer hearing him with a bolder approach, which would explain why I feel this way. But nonetheless, a really nice soothing rack to listen to.
I found the music video to be equally soothing, matching extremely well with the music. I really like how they captured Chen in this video. From the lights in the night cityscape to the sunrise, he looked good throughout the video. The rest of the video was showing a couple loving each other, which was appropriate for the song. The combination of the two made the video more interesting if the producers opted for one over the other. And it is always nice to watch a music video that doesn’t end in heartbreak, which is surprisingly rare (from what I can remember).
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.4/10
2019 has seen the debut of multiple groups, some more promising than others. ONEUS is one of those that fall into the promising category. Boasting Valkirye and Twilight as kick-starters to their careers, there is a lot of expectations for the group. And it seems Lit (the title track) and Fly With Us (the mini-album title) will continue this momentum. The group has also launched their careers in Japan, debuting with the Japanese version of Twilight.
Lit stands out for one reason. It incorporates Korean folk into the dance track, which isn’t anything new. But it is kind of rare in the industry, given how electronic music is undoubtedly dominating the industry at the moment. I find the song interesting in that sense as it gives the song a different profile to what we have been hearing. The use of the traditional instrumentation (I am not exactly sure of the instruments used) was quite heavy at the start and as the song progressed along, we got more of that electronic influence. Despite that, however, the traditional instruments still managed to maintain its dominance in the instrumental. Minus the traditional sound, I found the rest of the song to be rather plain. Given the song’s direction, the members ended up doing a lot of sing-speaking. And while that probably gets a few people to engage, the constant change between that mode and just usual vocals made the song feel a little disjointed and cut the flow on numerous occasions. I also found the song to be less dynamic than their previous tracks, which was a little disappointing. Overall, it is something different and I applaud the members for doing this.
With the traditional sounds, it seems like the music video had only one option. That is to incorporate some of that traditional style into he music video. Not exactly sure if it was because of this new direction, but the video is a lot more colourful, which is a side of ONEUS I haven’t seen. To see the members be engaging in a non-serious way was a little odd for me, I have to admit. But at the same time, I thought it gave the video a fun tone and made the video appealing. The closeups were nice and the choreography shots looked cool. I wasn’t as impressed with some of their outfits, particularly that white pastel colour set. It didn’t look fitting with the set.
Given this traditional theme (I really should stop using this word in this review), I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the moves in the choreography were of this influence as well. But there was a lot of typical modern moves. The choreography also seemed to also give off a fun vibe. I also liked the moments in which the song got a little more intense, as the members managed to kick the choreography up a notch to match.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 7.5/10
It is time for another album review and today, we will be focusing on Dream Catcher. The group returned last week with Deja Vu, which was the title track of a special mini-album, Raid Of Dream. The release of the mini-album and the title track was paired with the new mobile game, King’s Raid. And based on my review of Deja Vu, the music video seems to be heavily based on the mobile game. Once again, we aren’t here for the game. Rather, we are here for the album, so let’s have a closer look.
3. The Curse of the Spider (거미의 저주) – When I first saw the title of the song, I thought back to the spider that played a part in their initial four-part music video series that they debuted with. And I think the song is rather fitting for that era of Dream Catcher and Dream Catcher as a whole. It has that dance rock vibe that we associate with the girls and the intensity for the song is great. I also liked the rush of energy that the song gives. The vocal work was pretty good. I did like how Dami turned back to rapping but I think she could have gotten a much better punchy sequence, which was noticeably missing from the title track of this album and present all of their title tracks thus far. (8/10)
4. Silent Night – Silent Night is no Christmas carol. Instead, it furthers the group’s venture into EDM in a very abstract and aesthetically pleasing way. The track is in no way silent, as suggested by the title. The closest to ‘silence’ that we get in this track is the chorus, which is lowkey one of the best choruses I have ever heard. It is subtly intense, and it made the song very ear-catching. I find the melody catchy and I can’t stop humming the tune once the song ends. The actual EDM kicks in at the end of the track, acting out as the outro piece for the track. It is interesting to place to add the change-up in the track. But collectively, I think it makes the song very appealing and furthers that ear-catching business that they had going in the track already. I think, apart from the title track, this is one of their best tracks ever. (10/10)
5. Polaris (북극성) – The album ends with a ballad. And it is a pretty good track. Very melodic and has a nice classically driven instrumental. All the members sing in this track and their display of vocals was nice. And while it was a soothing piece of put on if you want to relax (or take a break from Dream Catcher’s intensity), I find the song doesn’t really tie the album together as nicely as one would expect. This might be the case because it was placed after Silent Night (and I am still immersed in the preceding track) or that the ballad just didn’t exactly blow me away. But I feel like there should have been one more song to the album, following this album. (7/10)
It has been over two years since we last heard from AKMU but they have finally made their return. And despite making their comeback only just 4 hours ago, the duo (consisting of Changhyuk and Suhyun) has already topped the charts with How Can I Love The Heartbreak, You’re The One I Love (hereafter Heartbreak). The last release by AKMU that I reviewed was Dinosaur, which is also their last release prior to Changhyuuk’s enlistment in the military. We can now expect more AKMU releases in the future due to his return.
Since my introduction was very focused on the return on Changhyuk, let’s turn our attention to his beautiful sounding sister, Suhyun. Her voice is very airy in Heartbreak and this makes her voice sounds so perfectly captivating, fitting for the emotive ballad (as you can tell from just the title of the song alone). I really like her voice in the moments leading up to the second pre-chorus the most. The instrumental disappears and gives us an opportunity to hear her vocals without any interference from the music. I also liked how she is at the forefront of the song, which is very surprising at the same time as the duo tends to have even line distribution. That being said, Changhyuk does an amazing job as well through his more limited sections in the song. He was there to help give the song harmonies that melt your heart. And those harmonies are perfection. Listening to Heartbreak, I can tell why they always find themselves at the top of the charts.
I have the feeling that my interpretation of the video will be different from some others. The female actress, whom we don’t see her face throughout the video, is facing the looming break up. The lyrics suggest that every single step she takes is a step towards that direction and that she is meant ‘to love it’ (i.e. her journey to heartbreak). Her presence on the boat seems to be in reference to describing her love is like an ocean (i.e. that she has a lot more to give) and she would only run out of love when the oceans dry up. Yet, notice how she is moving forward while on the boat, suggesting that she is still on the journey towards heartbreak. Changhyuk and Suhyun’s presence in the video is all about artistry. Changhyuk is a painter, while Suhyun is a musician. Both run into some trouble thinking about ideas. But both use the female actress as their source of inspiration to finish painting the blue picture that dominates the video and the lyrics to the song. They are steering the ship but it is the actress that leads their way, while on the ship. It is definitely a video that is up to interpretation. And this is my interpretation of the video.
Song – 10/10 Music Video – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9.6/10
It is time for another PAR (Past Album Review). Today, we will be focusing on a group that is getting a lot of fanfare in the industry at the moment due to their amazing cover of Lovelyz’s Destiny on the show Queendom. Yes, that is right! I am talking about Oh My Girl. And we will be going way back a bit to October 2015 to have a look back on the album which I think contains one of the best KPOP songs ever. Scroll down below to continue reading my review. Besides that, check out Queendom and support your favourite girl groups including Mamamoo, AOA, Lovelyz, Oh My Girl, (G)I-DLE and Park Bom!
Closer Album Cover
1. Closer (Title Track) – I previously gave this song a 9/10. But I want to add one more point to that. Mainly because Closer must be one of my favourite KPOP tracks. It is also the group’s most underrated and aesthetically pleasing tracks ever. Given their popularity now, Closer would have been a major hit if it were released today. Click here to read the full review for Closer. (10/10)
2. Say No More – Say No More is a very smooth R&B track. The mentioned smoothness allows the song to follow strongly behind Closer. I find the track to be very catchy, especially since they accented the ‘Say No More’ using the instrumental, which they repeat throughout the song. I also think the vocal work in this track is amazing. There is a lot of technique in the song, which really shows off their potential as a group. The song is consistent, which I think was a safe move in this case. I can’t imagine a song like this being erratic in terms of it sound and it resulting as nice as what we have now. (9/10)
3. Playground – You can tell that the group was just starting out. Despite their very mature sounding Closer, the members manage to liken a love story to the playground in this track, which is a very childish and youthful thing to do. But then again, it was their image back then. I think the song is quite good as well. Maybe not as great as the two tracks before it, though. I think the vocal work was nice, especially with the harmonies and the members singing together. I really like Mimi’s rap sequences just before each chorus, as it cuts the more light-hearted pop nature from being too consistent. (8/10)
4. Sugar Baby – I am so glad that they grew out this cutesy phase. Listening to the first few lines of the song, ‘You’re My Snuggly Little Teddy Bear’ is a very cringy line. And the chorus basically follows this as well. The song has this old retro feel to it, which I think was a highlight. I also liked that small build-up we get from the pre-chorus section. Apart from that, I find the song very standard and it doesn’t really appeal to my personal tastes. If you like the cutesy direction of KPOP, I think this song would be a standout for you. (7/10)
5. Round About – I think they started out strong on this album. And I wished the album continued this strong start to the end. Round About just doesn’t recuperate from Sugar Baby and it seems to just dissipate. It is an upbeat pop track that suits their youthful image at the time, so I can’t blame them. Also, they used to the cutesy concept a fair bit back in the day, so they just had to have that influence on their album somehow (especially since this was their second album). I just found the instrumental and vocal work to be forgettable and I felt like there should have been one more song after Round About to really close the album. (7/10)
Making their grand return today is TWICE with Feel Special. Since their last comeback (Fancy) earlier this year, the group has been busy with Japanese promotions (Breakthrough and Happy Happy) and have started their world tour. Jihyo was also revealed to be dating Kang Daniel since then as well. However, it hasn’t been all good news with TWICE as Mina has been noticeably absent due to mental health concerns. While she has returned to participate in Feel Special music video filming and recording, she won’t be around for the promotional period for Feel Special.
Feel Special, once again, shows off their mature side. It is a nice following track to Fancy, which was quite similar. Feel Special does go easy on the techno and electronic influences that the preceding track had. In a way, this does make the song less interesting, as it felt a tad straight forward. But on the flip side, I do find this new track to be fancier than the previous track. I also find the hook to be very weak in this track. Usually, TWICE’s hooks are designed to grab your attention within the first few listens. This one just hasn’t kicked in for me yet. What I did like about this track is that the song does let the focus be on the vocals, which makes the song ‘special’. I also really liked the meaning behind the lyrics, which seemed to be thanking someone for making them ‘Feel Special‘ despite all the negativity they face. Surprisingly, I liked their rapping this time. It is a little more serious and intense than usual. But I think the members did a good job overall.
Something I held back from mentioning above is that the song felt very golden. Though, I am not exactly sure if that was the music video influencing my thoughts. The video is very elegant, showcasing that mature feel that the song had. But in a very classy and sophisticated way. I have been mentioning artists visuals lately and there is no doubt that 2019 has been the year of visuals for many groups currently active. Every member had their own scene and setup, each of which did its job of highlighting the visuals of the members. The dresses they wear were also very beautiful.
That mature feel flows onto the performance. I thought it was a nice routine this time around. It doesn’t have that key move that everyone knows each of their releases for. So in a way, the performance does look a little more complicated than usual. I actually quite like that, as it is time to see something a little more technical from the group. And I think the pairing of visuals, song and choreography is that more technical direction.
Song – 7.5/10 Music Video – 10/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.6/10
Returning today is KARD, who has dropped their latest digital single, Dumb Litty. Picking today as a comeback date is rather intriguing. It is rare to see a mainstream KPOP group to release their comeback track on a Sunday, let alone a weekend release in general. But it is KARD and I am not going to question why a Sunday was picked. Might as well get a day of exposure before the rest of the competition. We last saw KARD through their Bomb Bomb promotions earlier in the year.
It seems like KARD’s songs are getting more intense as they release them. This is their most powerful release to date. It isn’t really surprising though, as it is something I am sure KARD had kept hidden for a while. Dumb Litty is centred around a lot of rapping, bringing BM, J.Seph and Jiwoo’s talents out in a very trendy fashion. Somin’s vocals do a pretty good job at keeping up, as well. I find the song to be very in your face, which is definitely a good quality. I also liked how they didn’t tone any parts back, keeping me on the edge of my seat the entire time. It seems a little cliche to do that nowadays, so I am glad they stayed clear of that. For the instrumental, the song features a very strong exotic vibe and hip-hop sound, with the combination of both giving the song a lot of character (if the rapping and fierceness weren’t enough). The chorus was catchy and I think something of this powerfulness deserves a lot more listens in the coming weeks.
The concept that the members went with this time around is Greek methodology. The choice of Greek mythology gods and goddesses for the members felt very fitting for each member. BM channelled Zeus and Thor, fitting for his position as leader of the group. J.Seph was Ares and Dionysus. Somin was Aphrodite and Chloris, while Jiwoo was Hera and Athena. And it wasn’t just the concept teaser images that featured this theme, as the members portrayed these strong mythological characters in the video. I thought the sets and use of colour in the video were fitting for the group and characters. The choreography shots were amazing. The highlight would be Jiwoo’s stare at the start of the bridge. They did kind of scared me and I think that will haunt me tonight.
Not really a performance thing. But I like how the lines were slightly more distributed this time around. This gives the chance for cameras to focus on the members in a more fair way, which will make any fans happy. As for the choreography, it is definitely a strong performance. The chorus moves were matching with the song, in the sense that it felt like it was coming at you the entire time. They also look very charismatic, which is hard to pull off when you have moves like this and lines to deliver like so.
Song – 8.5/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8.6/10
SEVENTEEN returned on Monday during the week with Fear. Channelling their more mature, dark and fierce sides, Fear follows the like of HIT (which is included in this album) and Getting Closer (released at the end of last year). The group is about to embark on their first world tour and the only fitting way to do that is by releasing their third studio album, which is why we are here today. SEVENTEEN’s albums have been a hit for me, so let’s see how this one will play out.
2. Lie Again (거짓말을 해) – Between the two amazing lead tracks of the album is Lie Again. It is a surprising addition, as it is very soft and delicate, quite the opposite to both HIT and Fear in any way. The focus on the vocals is amazing and I really enjoyed how the rappers were tweaked to fit this soft song. I thought the electronic instrumental was stunning, going with a similar aesthetic to what Home had (their title track at the start of the year). It was also very dynamic in its own way and paired well with the vocals and rapping we got in this song, it is a gem waiting to be discovered by listeners and their fans. My favourite part is the chorus, with the ‘drop’ a subtle explosion of energy. (10/10)
4. Let Me Hear You Say – The album continues with another fantastic song. Let Me Hear You Say starts off like any other song. But as the song progresses, you start to hear the song develop. The chorus is completely unexpected, going with a chanting style rather than vocals which dominate the verses. I find the chorus to be like the chorus in Lie Again. There is an explosion of appeal during the chorus of this song that makes it so appealing. The chanting style was very catchy as well, which made it hard to turn away. Energy is still present in this song, but I am kind of glad it wasn’t as intense as Fear, as it would have been an overload. Let Me Hear You Say is kind of the relief that I didn’t know I needed. (9/10)
5. 247 (Performance Unit) – Now we are getting to the other important stuff. The units make their reappearance in this album through a series of tracks. The first one up is 247, sung by the main dancers of the group. It is interesting because I had expected to hear something a lot more upbeat and intense, like Highlight and Lilili Yabbay (their previous unit tracks). I didn’t expect an R&B track from them which really let their vocals shine. They all sounded amazing. But this isn’t a departure from what they do best, as 247 has a dance routine, which has a routine that is equally as beautiful. Like their routine, I find the song to be smooth, elegant and very well-polished. (9/10)
6. Second Life (Vocal Unit) – The next unit up is the vocal unit, which consists of the main and lead vocalists of the group. While I remember them for ballads, it seems like the units are changing expectations by going with different styles. There is more life in this track, in comparison to their heartfelt ballads. I attribute that to their instrumental, which I thought was very cool. It was simple but intense at the same time. It does allow for their soothing vocals to come through, so I can draw some parallels between Second Life and their past ballad unit tracks. I also find the song to be very relaxing. It is something I wouldn’t mind putting on the background and work along with it. Woozi’s randomly higher note does catch you off guard but the song (and the unit) does a good job of recomposing you and getting the track back on track. (9.5/10)
7. Network Love – We take a little breather from the units by introducing a different unit track. Network Love is sung by Joshua, Jun, The8 and Vernon. I don’t think this is an official unit from the group and is a one-off track with the four members. I find that Joshua, Jun and The8 don’t get to shine as often in the title or group tracks. So, Network Love changes that by putting all three members (and Vernon) in the spotlight. Listening to the track, I feel like this is something the Performance unit would perform to but it would have been a good sound for the vocal unit to try something a little different. Their vocals sound nice and the instrumental was bubbly and vibrant in its own way. Vernon’s rapping felt perfect for the tone of the song, not going overboard or holding back too much. The melody during the chorus was also memorable as well. (8/10)
8. Back It Up (Hip-Hop Unit) – It seems like the Hip-Hop unit didn’t get the ‘change it up’ memo that the other units got. But I don’t mind (though I would have loved to hear them try rapping to a ballad or something different to match the other units). Back It Up is intense and very powerful, something completely up the unit’s alleyway. I find each member of the unit brings a very different style to the song, which I think makes this track so much more appealing. It also doesn’t help that each member is filtered differently with the autotune, further proving my point. I really like two parts of the song. Vernon’s very soft ‘Siren’, which was whispered but due to the autotune, it came off as rough. The second has to be the drop in the second half of the chorus, which gave the song an extra infusion of energy that I didn’t know it needed (but I am glad they brought it anyway). (8/10)
9. Lucky – The whole group returns with Lucky, which is another upbeat dance track. It falls into the pop category but there was a bit of funkiness to the instrumental, which made the track enjoyable. It has a classy vibe to it and this vibe becomes more prevalent as you listen to it. I also liked the fast tempo in the verses and then the slowdown, which Jeonghan and Jun ask us to take during their respective parts. It was kind of fun to have them connect to us in this track this way. While the song is great, there was the constant thought that it did feel really neutral and knowing Seventeen, they could have upped something in the song to make it even better. (7.5/10)
10. Snap Shoot – Snap Shoot comes off as a fun song. It isn’t something to deny. I really like the subtle retro style we got from the track, reminding of The Jackson 5’s ABC. The instrumental also sounded like those really happy gospel-like songs we get in movies and musicals. The vocals were nice and I liked the incorporation of the hip-hop segments for the rapping. I think the song could have been more unique if the members started to sing speak to us and engage us in that manner, which would have been fun and something that feels completely like Seventeen would do. But nonetheless, the energy is infectious, and the song is catchy. This track would definitely be awesome to hear in a live performance as well. (8/10)
KPOPREVIEWED 