Making their grand return today is Pentagon with Humph!. This is the group’s first comeback since Sha La La, which was released back in March of this year. Humph! is produced by Giriboy and Pentagon’s resident song producer, Hui. It is also another comeback to not feature Yanan (the first time around was for their Naughty Boypromotions), who was announced to be taking a break from promotions due to health issues. In more happier news, the comeback sees the return of Kino, who sat out of the last one due to an injury.
I have noticed that ever since finding success through their Shine promotions, all of Pentagon’s title tracks have been leaning towards a more carefree and easy-going vibe. This is isn’t a bad thing. Actually, despite going with these common vibes, the songs have managed to sound different each time, showcasing the group’s variety. This time around, Humph! delves a melodic form of hip-hop. It makes the song smooth and very flowy, which always earn great ticks from me. The singing and rapping made the song feel very warm and bright, making it fit the current season perfectly. I also liked the upbeatness in the instrumentation, especially the woody flutes sound at the start (though I think they are more synths in the song). Together with the hooks, the song becomes quite memorable and catchy. And I totally see this track growing to an addictive level with a few more listens!
Reading the lyrics, I feel like it was well presented visually. Officially, the song is about pretending to not like someone, as a childish pastime (this piece of information was taken from Soompi). Something we can all relate to. And we see that between Wooseok and Hui (who started off as kids) and drew a physical line on their table to separate themselves. And even as high school students, the two still act like a war was declared when something of the other person slipped onto the other side. There are also some playful representations of rejecting someone from being part of a club due to a physical aspect (in this video, it is the member’s heights that come under attack) and ‘off-limits’ is shown via the Hongseok ‘painting’. (That last one made me laugh, especially when Hongseok had to physically remove Kino’s arm). Overall, a very cool video in my opinion.
I thought the performance looked very good. I really like the start of the performance, with the use of hand gestures. The lyrics give off a childish atmosphere and I thought they displayed that well in the performance through that one move where it looked like they were throwing a tantrum. The choreography for the chorus also had a similar vibe, with the stomping of the foot and the X gesture they make with their arms.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.5/10
Due to the many songs on this album, this post is quite lengthy. You have been warned.
BTS is undeniably on the very top of the world due to their explosive global popularity. And this popularity grows with every new release. However, I do prefer more of their older releases. One of them has to be the album series that started off cementing their popularity domestically by earning them their first wins in South Korea through the weekly music shows. This album series, The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, is made up of three different releases. The first is Part 1 (their 3rd mini-album, released on April 2015), Part 2 (their 4th mini-album, released on December 2015) and Young Forever (their first compilation album consisting of the songs from the two previous mini-albums, along with 3 others and this was released on April 2016). Let’s have a quick look back on these releases.
The Most Beautiful Moment In Life: Young Forever Album Cover
Disc 1
1..The Most Beautiful Moment in Life (Intro Track) (Intro: 화양연화) – Opening up the compilation album and 3rd mini-album is this introductory track. Suga takes the reins of the track, being the only member to actually be in the track. His rapping is phenomenal. The breathing that fades in tells you to expect something that will blow you away and the breathing that fades out is literally me after listening to the song. A lot of deepness in his lyrics as well. (9/10)
3. Hold Me Tight (잡아줘) – Included on their 3rd mini-album, I am sure this type of track would have excited fans and listeners back when it was released in 2015. Listening to now, it seems like a very typical R&B track for BTS. There was a great display of vocals, especially towards the end. Their rapping was toned down to fit the more soothing nature of the instrumentation. I did think that this was a great track to follow up the I Need You title track, as it keeps some of the previous vibes but channelled it through to a slightly slower and paced track. (7.5/10)
4. Autumn Leaves (고엽) – Included on their 4th mini-album, Autumn Leaves was produced by Suga. This comes by no surprise as listening to all the members on the track, Suga fits in perfectly. Apart from Suga, the vocal line sound exceptional in this song. I also like the analogy that is made in this song. The members are like Autumn Leaves when they are trying to hold onto their lover. They do not want to fall but they will eventually. The instrumental was probably the most boring part of the track, as it feels very BTS now. (7/10)
7. Ma City – Featured on the 4th mini-album, Ma City was an upbeat addition to really bring up the energy. The tracks that are on the 4th mini-album/this album has been very depressing or serious. So, some light is much appreciated. The song references several Korean cities including Ilsan, Busan, Gwangju, Daegu (which I am sure are the member’s hometowns). The pride they have is showcased effortlessly in this catchy track. As it stood out on its original/this album, I thought the track was quite infectious as well. (8/10)
8. Crow-Tit (뱁새) – One of the standout tracks from the 4th mini-album was Crow-Tit. The track is heavily doused in the hip-hop genre, which I think it totally up BTS alley. I remember not being much a fan of the track for the same reason. Now that I have reviewed several tracks of a similar nature, I see the appealing side of Crow-Tit, just not to the same extent as long-time fans. The energy and its message about double standards for the way the younger generation is perceived are also quite memorable. (7.5/10)
9. Dope (쩔어) – While writing these PARs, I revisit my past reviews to see how my thoughts about the song have changed. While I don’t increase the score of a song that is already ranking quite high, I have decided to make an exception for Dope, which has become one of my favourite BTS songs ever. Therefore, I have changed the 9/10 to 10/10. Click here to read the original review for Dope.(10/10)
The Most Beautiful Moment in Life Part 1 Album Cover
10. Fire (불타오르네) (Title Track) – For similar reasons above, I have decided to increase the original score of 7.5 to a 10. It is Fire. One of BTS’ most iconic tracks to date. Click here to read the original review for Fire. (10/10)
12. Epilogue: Young Forever – This is one of the new releases featured on the compilation album. It also got a lot of fanfare as it was released as a pre-release track with its own music video. The track is standard for the group, but I think the vocals and raps (one of their best efforts yet) lifts the entire song to a whole new level. Even before pressing play, I can hear the echo of the line ‘Forever, we are young’ in the back of mind, showcasing to me the song’s longevity in my own books. While I never wrote a review for this track, it has continued to blow me away after 3 years. (9.5/10)
(Note Track 5 is a Prologue Version of Butterfly. Due to the length of this post, I have only elected to review the original form of Butterfly.)
Disc 2
1. Converse High – The praises for the shoes in this song is quite high. While the focus should be on the girl wearing the shoes, Converse High does a pretty good job at promoting the footwear instead. The track is a nice song. But to me, it is a step away from their usual stuff as it is quite bright and very neutral. And because of its neutral gearing, I find the track to be quite a bore. Nonetheless, it is still good in some respects but not their best. More of a filler track for me. (7/10)
2. Moving On (이사) – Also featuring on their 3rd mini-album, I find Moving On to be more BTS appropriate and interesting compared to Converse High. I think the track brings out the best of the vocal line. Each vocalist sound so smooth in the track. In conjunction with the melody, I find the song to be very memorable. I also like how nice the instrumental sound. It is soft at times when it is needed to be and gives off a pleasant atmosphere overall. (8/10)
3. Whalien 52 – The song is about a whale who could sing but no other whale could hear its voice. The poor whale becomes lonely, as no other whale wants to be around the one who supposedly can’t sing. Yet, the lonely whale continues to sing until it is heard. Perseverance and persistence, that is the message of this song. And BTS portrays in a nice track. It felt more pop-ish thanks to the upbeat vibes from the instrumental. But other than that, I found the track to be skippable. (7/10)
The Most Beautiful Moment In Life Part 2 Album Cover
4. Butterfly – To me, Butterfly is one of the best ballads that I have ever heard during the many years I have listened to KPOP (I think it might be 10 years or so of KPOP for me, to put it into perspective). There is something so beautiful about this emotional track that makes me come back to the track time and time again, despite it being released 3 years ago. The vocals literally glide along and the rapping fits in perfectly. Maybe it is because BTS is known for their intense songs, that something so fragile managed to stand out from the pack. (10/10)
5. House of Cards – Formerly outro for the 4th mini-album, BTS included the entire track on the compilation album. A dream come true for those who wished that intro and outros should be a full song. Performed by the vocal line, the song opens with a very dramatic feeling. Then comes the singing (which is amazing, once again), which helps builds the suspense that we have already experienced. The song talks about love in a dramatic sense, which matches the song’s initial atmosphere perfectly. (9/10)
6. Love Is Not Over – The final song on the album (apart from the many mixes/remixes featured after this one) is Love Is Not Over, the outro for the 3rd mini-album. Like above, the full version of the R&B track is included instead. Going back to what I have said for some other tracks, this one is rather standard. Both the singing and rapping was pretty good. The melody was quite nice. It just wasn’t a standout track so I didn’t pay much attention to it. (7/10)
Track 7 to 11 are alternate versions of I Need You, Run and Butterfly.
Overall Album Rating – 9.6/10
The Most Beautiful Moment in Life: Part 1 Teaser Image
One of the most exciting comebacks of the week is also one of the first to kick off the start of the week! DAY6 makes their official comeback with Time Of Our Life and their 5th mini-album, The Book of Us: Gravity. This is the band’s first comeback since their retro Days Gone By comeback at end of last year. In addition to news of their latest comeback, DAY6 will be going on a world tour later in the year, bring their songs to many more cities than ever before!
I have always been a fan of DAY6 more energetic and upbeat tracks. So Time Of Our Life ticks that imaginary checkbox for me. The track has an awesome rush of energy that makes the track stand out in the crowd. It is very head-banging worthy. Trust me, it is the only thing you would be doing when listening to the track. One of the best parts of the track has to be the piano introduction that opened up this rock track. It gave off an elegant vibe and opened the track on a nice note. It is repeated throughout the instrumental, so that elegance was maintained. I also found the drums to be a very prominent part of the song. Drummers don’t get a lot of fanfare from me on this blog, but Dowoon manages to stay on top of everything, allowing him and his skills to shine. In addition to the energy, the hooks of the track are very infectious. The post-chorus hook was probably my pick for the best hook in the track. I also liked that brief slow-down during the bridge. Overall, Time Of Our Life is amazing.
The music videos focus on the band playing their instruments. They also look like they are enjoying the track a fair bit, with the odd headbanging, many smiles and a lot of bouncing on the spot. I like how there is a book as a centrepiece in some of the shots, making sense with the lyrics and the title of the album. Though, I wished they somehow built upon it, as it did feel really random for a massive book to be in the video. I also liked the set they are playing in. The dome looked really cool, especially with all the lights and effects.
Song – 10/10 Music Video – 8/10 Overall Rating – 9.2/10
KNK seems to be handling their own careers quite well. Late last year, the group established their own company after leaving YNB Entertainment (it was assumed that their former company was not managing them well). This year, the group returned with Lonely Night, making it their first comeback in almost 2 years. After 6 months, the group returns with Sunset, another digital single. On top of that, the group will be embarking Europe tour as well next month (and Wikipedia states that the group had also wrapped up their USA tour and Japan tour).
Sunset is a bold track that makes you instantly associate it with the modelling world or at least, a runway. We have had a number of tracks that take this route in the past. And each of them turned out to be very dynamic but in a subtle manner. Sunset definitely follows the trend. But may I add that the song also has a certain level of intensity that gives it a sensual feel. The chorus has to be my favourite part. Not only do they seductive whisper ‘Sunset 4 4 Y’all‘ repetitively, the instrumentation I found to be quite cool (though typical for the style of music they chose). Listening to the track, you find the actual singing and rapping within the verses. While they don’t really sound amazing, I do think they showcase a good side of themselves in the song. I have been impressed with KNK’s title tracks so far in their career and it seems like Sunset is another addition to that list.
The music video is captivating. Though there wasn’t much going on content-wise (i.e. the video was made up of artistic close-ups and choreography shots), the atmosphere they created with the minimal lighting and use of silhouettes was amazing. The visuals we saw in the music video made the song sound so much more thrilling. The sensual vibes that I identified with the song were carried throughout the music video is a manner that feels perfectly right (e.g. Heejun’s abs and the choreography shots).
Based on what can be seen in the music video, the choreography seems to show some voguing and homme fatale vibes. And to pull off those vibes and moves perfectly, the members have to look visually amazing, which I think they do. And I suppose the performance is going to look very charged, which fans will undoubtedly enjoy. There are some interesting bits that I am keen to see live, such as the hanging member at the very start and the full chorus routine.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.5/10
Returning last week with Room Shaker was Ailee. As mentioned last week, I will be focusing on solo artists this weekend. I have decided to focus on one last solo artist next Thursday (I think you might be able to guess who) before returning next weekend to write album reviews for group releases. But let’s refocus on Ailee, who made her grand return with butterFLY (her second studio album). It has been disappointing to see that Ailee has yet to return to the stage. I don’t have any idea what is going on at the moment between Ailee’s management and the music shows. But hopefully, all misunderstandings are solved soon, so that we can see Ailee return to the stage once again!
butterFLY Album Cover
1..Midnight – Kickstarting off Ailee’s second album is Midnight. The instrumentation does give off an atmosphere like how the stars are twinkling in the night sky during the verses. The chorus manages to kick it up a notch, complimenting Ailee’s vocal push. Apart from the vocals and the instrumentation during the verses, I found the song to be quite plain. But considering it has been some time since we heard Ailee, it might be a nice way to re-familiarise with her vocals without being overwhelmed by a loaded song. (8/10)
2. Want It – Want It brings a groovy instrumental to the album. There is a retro colour (thanks to the brass) to the song, which reminds me of her popular tracks. I think this would be a nice performance to watch as well, especially if there is a retro/disco flair to the stage as well. Her vocals here are, per usual, superb. I had a feeling that she could have gone the extra length with her singing, as there were times where I had the impression she was holding back. But the more I listen to the song, the less of that I think (and the more I want to boogie to the song). (8.5/10)
3. Headlock – Ailee is known for her amazing vocals and if any song was to prove that fact, it would be this one. That is the main driver of the song, with the instrumentation acting as a sidekick. Headlock starts with a clapping beat, which it maintains throughout the entire track as the foundation of the song. The rest of the instrumentation comes later, turning the song into a little funky tune. The best part has to be the punchy effect just before the chorus. But whatever section I am listening to, it also contributed to a spectacular track. (9/10)
5. LOVE (ft. Chen from EXO) – Besides Room Shaker, fans are most excited for LOVE. The reason for this excitement is obvious. The track features Chen from EXO, who is known for his vocals (just listen to Beautiful Goodbye if you are not convinced). The track is an R&B ballad that is produced to showcase both artist’s vocals. The instrumental was very elegant and pleasant, which further highlights its potential. Both their voices were beautiful. Though the harmonies were very limited, I did like what was given to us. The flip-side of that comment is that I expected a little more in the harmony/singing together department and the limited nature was a little disappointing. (9/10)
6. Nothing At All – Nothing At All is a ballad, just not the type of ballad one would expect given the song’s lyrics. The lyrics tell of the heartbreak that comes when someone is trying to forget a former lover. But listening to the track’s tone, you don’t really get that heartbreaking feeling, thanks to the slightly brighter than usual instrumentation. The piano was repetitive. But I felt that was the blank canvas (same analogy again) that I refer to often, giving way for her vocals to take over the song. On the topic of her vocals, I really like her singing here. It was textured throughout, and her tone made it very interesting. (9/10)
7. You Are Precious Because of Who You Are (그대는 그대라 소중해) – This track (sorry, the title is a tad too long for me to type out) is another ballad. But how the instrumental started off gave me grand and epic vibes, making me look forward to the entirety of the track. And it does not let you down! I like its soothing nature at the start, which reflects well with Ailee’s voice. I also enjoyed the gradual build-up throughout the song, which really made the song even more appealing (the high note at the end was an amazing peak). The song sings about how everyone is unique and that it is perfectly okay to be different, repeating a common message that we hear often nowadays. (9/10)
8. Fire – Fire returns to the more upbeat dance tracks we heard at the start of the album. It is a little unique, given her vocals in this track. I am not exactly a fan of the song, for the same reasons. She does showcase some versatility in her vocal abilities. But I am not a fan of the high-pitched ending to the word Fire which she repeats throughout the song. It gets annoying for me. I did like the pop instrumentation. Though, I was hoping for more attitude as I was led to believe through the start of the song. But sadly, I wasn’t satisfied. (6/10)
9. Ain’t That Pretty – Ain’t That Pretty is a pretty dynamic track, something I had expected with Fire (based on the title alone). I really like the instrumental for this track, especially the distortion that occurred during the chorus. I also like how she started off with a little raspy tone. The track also tells of hardships that Ailee had experienced so far as an artist. Based on the meaning behind the song, the track sounds a lot fresher than if she went with a cliché ballad. It feels more modern and impactful this way. (8/10)
10. Heartcrusher – Heartcrusher is a little surprising as it is entirely in English. I like the Western vibes that come from the EDM based instrumental. Ailee’s voice flourishes in this track, remaining on top of the instrumentation throughout its 3-minute run. The lyrics were very striking, especially the start sounded. My only complaint about this song was that it went by so quickly. Other than that, I end Ailee’s second album on a very dynamic note. (10/10)
It has been a long time coming for Yunho, who made his debut in the KPOP industry back in 2003. But on June 12 (exactly one month ago), Yunho made his solo debut with his first solo mini-album. This means that he didn’t get to formally promote a solo album for over 16 years since his debut, which is quite a long time for an established artist like Yunho. The title of the album is True Colors and it features Follow (Yunho’s title track which was also released on the same day), alongside 5 other tracks. Let’s see what I thought the album below!
2. Blue Jeans – Continuing on with the intensity of Follow is Blue Jeans. In fact, I think Blue Jeans does one better, in terms of intensity. I found the instrumental to be unique and interesting. It felt like a club track but there was more to it. A bit of groove, a bit of R&B and a bit of colour. I enjoyed it. But the main showstopper from the track is his vocals. There were moments that almost felt like he was growling and showcasing a wilder side to his normal vocals. While I did have an itching feeling that there was a possible mismatch between the style choices between his vocals and instrumentation, the more I listen to the track the more the feeling is reduced. They somehow effortlessly come together, with the instrumental sounding like it moulded around the vocals very well. (9/10)
3. Swing (ft. BoA) – Swing opts for a consistent dance track sound that you could hear while in a club and is a lot more direct (in terms of complexity). There isn’t anything wrong with this, however, as it does serve as a good breather after two very dynamically intense tracks. I really like the pulsing instrumental in Swing, which really drives that dance club factor I mentioned initially. Both Yunho and BoA do a nice job on the vocal front. Interestingly, they don’t push themselves vocally, which keeps the song consistent. Though I am not sure how this song would fair with repetitive listens (i.e. the consistency could really dry up the song). I think a more dynamic dance break following the choruses could have solved this potential issue. Nonetheless, I do think it is a good track and definitely a collaboration I like to see on stage. (8/10)
4. Hit Me Up (불러) (ft. Giriboy) – I am slowly starting to see a pattern in terms of the energy of the songs on the album. The first two songs are intense. The last two songs are on the paced side of the spectrum. This leaves Swing and Hit Me Up situated along the imaginary spectrum set by the albums track list. And I think listening to Hit Me Up confirms this. It is a pop track with very little to offer. I do have some negative comments about it. I felt like the track was hovering in a slightly awkward position. The instrumental didn’t feel like it had a strong backing, which leads to this ‘hovering’ analogy. Yunho’s vocals were weak and Giriboy’s rapping was over excessively laced with autotune. I did, however, think Giriboy’s inserts throughout the song helped build the song but it wasn’t enough to help define it. (6/10)
5. Why (왜) – Why is a jazzy style of R&B that sounds so incredibly smooth. Despite the smoothness, there is a bit of texture going on within the song’s instrumental to create a rather aesthetic atmosphere. This makes the song quite appealing, which is expected when it comes to my taste in music. Going back to my comments in Hit Me Up, this is the start of the slower or more paced side of the album. The song doesn’t really pick up, keeping its tempo throughout the 3:45 minute track. Yunho’s vocals were also another appealing point of the track. They were showcased and through his vocals, Yunho managed to put forward a sensual atmosphere, which I think any of his fans would really enjoy. (8/10)
6. Change The World – Ending the album is a ballad. Change The World sings about hope, which was my first thought about the song’s potential direction, as I had gotten it mixed up with the classic Heal The World. It stresses the message that we are all equal and can make a change in the world. It is a good ballad with an important message that does a nice job of putting Yunho’s vocals forward. I like how it progressed, with Yunho starting alone and everyone coming in together towards the end. It wraps the song up nicely and the album, as well. (8/10)
We have heard releases from Young Guk, Daehyun and Youngjae from earlier in the year after B.A.P had left TS Entertainment and (assumingly) cease group activities. And now rejoining his former members as part of the wider KPOP industry is Zelo with his solo debut. Interestingly, Zelo is the only member to actually promote his release on the weekly music shows. As you can tell in the title, today’s review will be a double review – including Questions, the lead title track off Zelo’s first mini-album (Distance) and Flash, Party! (another track from the same album).
Once again, Zelo’s debut track is another tropical dance track. While the genre is overdone, the track doesn’t blast the tropical elements to the extent of other songs, which may or may not be a good thing depending on how you listen to the track. In Question‘s case, I think the lesser tropical sounds made the song more catchy. It is a little confusing to explain it in a concise manner but ‘less is more’ as they always say. I did like the upbeat vibes that come from it and I find the track to have a nice party vibe to it. I found Zelo’s vocals to be quite unique. I think this is the first time I heard him sing, so I was quite surprised. Another surprising thing is that he didn’t rap as much as I had expected.
Flash, Party! is a very intense and edgy dance track that really knows how to keep the momentum going. Despite the track running for a period of 3 and a half minutes, the most memorable section has to be the chorus, which uses a repetitive hook that is bound to continue ringing in your head even after you had moved onto another song. I did like how the verses take a melodic route, showcasing different sides of Zelo. Consequentially, his voice also is showcased. He uses different tones throughout the track. It almost felt like there were featuring artists in the song but it was all one man’s doing!
Questions had a very typical video that just didn’t the song justice. While I am okay with Zelo as the ‘centrepiece’ during his close-ups and choreography shots (which is expected), I didn’t think it was necessary to have him as the centrepiece during the party scenes. Everyone dance around him, which isn’t what a party feels like. Might just be me being nit-picky, but it was something I noticed. Flash, Party! is only a performance video, so the main part of the video is the choreography, which I will talk about below. I thought the edgy tone was carried over to the visuals nicely. There were some editing issues throughout the video (i.e. Zelo was attempting a b-boy move but the video just cut to him standing while he was mid-air). But apart from that, it was good.
The choreography for Flash, Party! looked really cool. We definitely got to see Zelo bust a few more moves than compared to Questions, which I think it definitely expected. I did notice that some parts had Zelo gliding, which I think was awesome. Question‘s choreography was designed to have him focus on the live factor of the performances. So his moves were a lot simpler and the way he moved looked like he was going back and forth. Nothing wrong with that. But it was just wasn’t captivating as much.
Questions Song – 7/10 Music Video – 6/10 Performance – 6/10 Overall Rating – 6.5/10
Flash, Party! Song – 8/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8/10
Season 2 of Produce 101 wrapped up in 2017 and many of the show’s alumni have gone to debut either as a solo act or as part of a group. Unless they were part of Wanna One, it is a little odd to find a company withholding a contestant from debuting, especially now that the respective season is a distant memory. This was the case for LIMITLESS who is a new male group from ONO Entertainment, which consists of Moonbok (the long hair contestant), Hyunwoo, Heeseok (the three are former contestants of the show) and Huichan. They dropped their debut single, Dream Play, earlier this week.
It is very hard to make a debut track stand out, as shown by the many artists who debut and never return as their initial step into the industry fails to launch them. While it is a little too soon to say this about a newly debut group as we do not know what the future might hold, a typical track like Dream Play isn’t looking too good. The song plays a tropical pop influence, which has been heard so often that I now view it as very plain. There isn’t anything mixed into it to really allow for the song to be differentiable from the rest of the competition. The hooks were not fascinating and very typical, giving this song a very passable mark. I think the only things that I can comment positively on are the vocals and rapping, which I think were nicely polished. Pity that the rest of the canvas wasn’t as great.
Same deal with the music video. Overall, I’d describe it as a skippable video. The video starts off with the members in a flower boy or boy next door type of concept. Everything is bright and very plain. The video then takes a turn showing a darker side of the guys. Not exactly sure what the deal is with but I assume dreams have something to do with it (given the title). They went from eating a flower with a knife and fork to putting something suspicious into a drink (which is not cool!). Apart from that, I did like the use of TVs as a transition. It looked cool and very different.
The choreography has to be the best part of this debut package. I thought their moves looked cool and they did mini bounces to match the instrumental was rather cool. I also felt that their stage presence is also quite large. I have a feeling that performance wise, this large stage presence is definitely something to look out for.
Song – 5/10 Music Video – 5.5/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 5.8/10
Pepsi has been one busy company this year. As a partnership with Starship Entertainment to produce The Love of Summer series, Pepsi has pulled together a number of artists to promote their brand. Back in April, Ravi and Eunha came together for Blossom, while last month we saw the return of Ong Seong Woo to the music industry through Heart Sign. Yesterday, another track as part of the series was released. This time around, they bring Hongbin from VIXX and Hyungwon from MONSTA X together for Cool Love.
Both Hongbin and Hyungwon are not known for their vocals, so it would be interesting to see how a collaboration track between them would turn out. Cool Love had the potential to be a good track. There was just one overwhelming issue with it. It just didn’t cohesively come together to be that good track. This was because the instrumental was a little messy. I thought Cool Love had a nice smooth instrumental for the chorus, which sounded like a song that a model could strut to. It was also my most favourite part of the song, as it did have a memorable rhythm. But the other parts felt like a total mismatch. For example, the dance break added unnecessary flair and felt like it was trying too hard. The start and bridge felt quite weak and didn’t really feel like it complimented the rest of the song. Vocally, I thought they were good. It was clear from the start that they needed the instrumental to help carry them. But they handled it well, despite suffering from the disjointed instrumentation. What I did like was the tone that they displayed, which I think their respective groups should really utilise in the future. I think given my comments, this isn’t my favourite song from the series thus far.
While the song was rather disappointing, the music video was not. Both Hyungwon and Hongbin are known for their visuals and I felt that the music video did an awesome job of showcasing that known fact about them. I did like the sets, which I think suited the tone of the track and looked very cool. What I really liked was that the video didn’t feel too much of a Pepsi commercial like the other videos did. It felt like a normal music video, with the subtle placement of the Pepsi brand/products added. Another part of the music video was the choreography. I won’t dedicate a separate section/rating to it, as we probably won’t see a performance for it and I don’t really have much to say about it. But it looked good, overall.
Song – 5/10 Music Video – 7/10 Overall Rating – 5.8/10
As mentioned previously, EXO is currently focusing on solo and unit promotions due to the impending military enlistment of the members (with Xiumin and D.O already in the army). We have seen solo tracks from Chen, Xiumin, D.O and Chanyeol so far this year and will be seeing the debut of EXO-SC (a unit consisting of Chanyeol and Sehun) in less than one fortnight. But today, we turn to a different member. Making his grand (official) solo debut today is Baekhyun with UN Village and his first ever mini-album, City Lights.
One thing I am glad that Baekhyun didn’t pick is a ballad title track. So many main vocalists go down this route, it quite often becomes a very large cliche in the industry. Instead, UN Village is an R&B track. And even then, it isn’t necessarily your typical R&B track as well. What is great about this track is that it shows off the individuality and personality of Baekhyun quite well. This is a common goal for solo promotions (especially for idols coming from groups). But is often not achieved due to urge to follow trends and cliches. What I quite like about UN Village is that it shows off his vocal colours. It’s smooth and almost teasing, which I think begs us to replay the song. The chorus was very well done and its melody is quite memorable. The instrumental gave off an aesthetic atmosphere, which further compliments his vocals. And also, this one of the times where consistency works as an advantage, which maintained the aesthetics. Overall, it is one damn good debut track.
Complimenting the song’s aesthetic atmosphere is an equally aesthetically pleasing music video. The video puts Baekhyun’s visuals on full display. It showcases him singing in different lightings, often quite dark and with very little colour (except for the one dominant colour). Apart from the subtle visual display of the singer, I found the sets to be very interesting. The song sings about taking a special someone to a hill behind UN Village to show them the night sky (taken from Soompi). But the way the video was shot, it looked like Baekhyun was showing us the very appealing sides of hidden laneways and alleyways within a city, which I guess is quite similar to showing us a hill behind UN Village. The ending with him laying on a table (and a woman, presumably his lover) walking by him is very confusing as I am not exactly sure how it contributes the video. Maybe I missed a few details here and there, so please let me know how this scene adds to the story.
Song – 9.5/10 Music Video – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9.3/10
Interestingly, the season which we all associate upbeat and energetic tracks with has been fairly quiet, especially in the last few weeks. But based on the dates that I have recorded down, it seems like things are going to get busy in the coming weeks and I think today’s date kicks things off. The first release that I will be looking at today is NATURE’s latest track, I’m So Pretty. This is the group’s first comeback Dream About U, which was released at the start of the year.
I’m So Pretty attempts to push itself into our playlists with a very typical girl group sound and flair. But it doesn’t get them far. I just think after the craziness of SOME (You’ll Be Mine), Nature has some bold shoes to fill. They ended up with a very tone down release at the start of the year that just felt inferior to SOME. So, it is nice to hear them pump some definition and boldness to this comeback track. But it falls short. I’m So Pretty takes that same sound that SOME had but puts it through an ordinary filter, resulting in an underwhelming pop track. I also thought the track was underwhelming due to the lack of catchy hooks. The hooks that the song opted for just didn’t really appeal to my personal tastes. Don’t worry, there were some good moments in this track as well. The display of vocals during the pre-chorus, the accents we heard at the end of each line in the post-chorus hook and the bridge as a whole overall were aspects that stood out at me. But sadly, they weren’t enough to dispel my initial comments.
This music video proves once again that Summer is the season of colour. It is a very colourful video, using a combination of bold and pastel colours to really showcase the group’s youthful and fun sides. There might be a small plotline, with the girls growing foxtails in the video. A quick Google search shows that a fox (which I assume the foxtails are a hint for) represents a number of characteristics, which I am assuming relate to the title of the song (Note that I have yet to find any English translation for the track yet and this is merely just an assumption for now).
The choreography for this comeback is quite nice. Once again, it doesn’t have much uniqueness to it. But there were moments that looked good and fun. I particularly like the ending of the bridge. I thought that looked cool.
Song – 6/10 Music Video – 7/10 Performance – 7/10 Overall Rating – 6.5/10
Due to the number of songs on the album, the album review will be quite long.
F(x) is probably one of the groups that KPOP fans want to see return to the stage. Their last release was with All Night back in 2016, so a comeback is definitely long overdue. To mildly fulfil my hunger for another F(x) comeback,, I have decided to write an album review for F(x) as part of the Past Album Review (PARs) segment. Pink Tape is the group’s 2nd studio album and was released in 2013. It features Rum Pum Pum Pum as its title track, which I absolutely hated back in 2013. Have my thoughts changed? You will see below!
Pink Tape Album Cover
1..Rum Pum Pum Pum (첫 사랑니) (Title Track) – Rum Pum Pum Pum is an example of a track that I started to enjoy way after reviewing it. I think it took a few years for it officially warm up to me. It ended up being addictive for a while and I really like the cute sound that came off it. Now, to me, it is just a showing of another side of the extremely versatile F(x). However, it is definitely no Electric Shock or Red Light. So, I decided to up my review score for the title track from the low 3 to a 7. Click here to read my original thoughts of Rum Pum Pum Pum. (7/10)
2. Shadow (미행 (그림자)) – Probably the biggest miss opportunity of the entire industry is not promoting this track in any way. Shadow has to be one of the most unique tracks in KPOP. I have to admit; the song was rather weird at first. But once you get past that hurdle, Shadow is just a creepy yet cutesy track. How so? Well, the lyrics revolve around them being their lover’s shadow (i.e. being with them all the time). However, the song is presented to us with a cutesy tone (i.e. the higher pitch vocals, delicate voices and the music box based instrumental. Sure, it isn’t 100% terrifying. But the song makes you imagine flowers and smiles but the lyrics manage to make those imaginary objects very twisted. (10/10)
3. Pretty Girl – Pretty Girl isn’t the prettiest track that I have come across. Once again, F(x) strays away from expectation, going for the least pretty genre of music out there, rock. Besides that, I felt that Pretty Girl wasn’t pretty in the ‘neat sense’, as well. I found the rock elements in the instrumental to be too overpowering, as the members during the chorus were being drowned out and they had to push themselves to be heard. I did like the vocal work (minus that last point), the rapping and the melody, so it wasn’t a terrible track. Maybe it could have been a little more polished to be more appealing. (7/10)
4. Kick – I think Kick falls under the same trap that Pretty Girl did. While it doesn’t overpower the vocals, Kick’s jerky instrumentation just felt like it was too much. And this makes the song feel quite uncomfortable. It does manage to pack a punch, which I guess is an advantage of a loaded track like this. I did like the effects the way the song infused a bit of choppiness to the track during the bridge, as it complements the style choices from the rest of the song. I just think Kick should have found a way to pack a punch but in a manner that was a little more toned down, so we could enjoy it more. (6.5/10)
5. Signal – The instrumental for Signal has the potential to be a pop diva-like song. There is that Kylie Minogue or Madonna type vibe that comes from the verses. But it doesn’t stay for long, as the chorus seems to opt for a typical pop approach and loses this diva feel, which I am disappointed with. However, there is a little disco groove to the track, which I think the chorus ends up turning to. So, it isn’t all bad news for the track. I just still think the track would have been more appealing if they kept with the diva-like sound, as I think this would potentially be an undiscovered territory for the group. I was lowkey expecting a rap sequence within the track, which could have lifted this song to another level. But overall, it is still a good song. (7.5/10)
6. Step – Step is a groovy track. I find it to be quite fun and has a nice club vibe to it. It just a few steps away from falling into the infectious category. To me, most colour came from the instrumentation. It is repetitive but done in a way that reminds me of any trendy ‘one hit wonders’ that we have come across in the KPOP industry. I am glad that it didn’t become of those tracks as I would think the song would get annoying with multiple listens. Currently, it is catchy to an extent. Vocally, I felt the song was on the weaker side. Only Luna shined for me and that only occurred towards the end of the track. But Step does a good job of continuing the upbeat vibes on this album. (7/10)
7. Goodbye Summer (Amber, Luna & Krystal ft. D.O (EXO)) – Sadly, I didn’t get into the song until after I heard the English version sung by Amber and Eric Nam. Now, it is one of my favourite summery pop ballads ever. The vocals are probably one of the selling points of the track. Firstly, the song features D.O from EXO, whom at the time was part of the leading boy group of the industry. So, the track got a lot of fanfare. Secondly, his vocals blend extremely well with Luna and Krystal, which upped the fanfare even more. You would think rapping wouldn’t necessarily fit into the breezy track but it somehow effortlessly did, making Amber’s rap memorable. Thirdly, the track was rather pleasant and refreshing, so it eased well into my playlist. (10/10)
8. Airplane – Somewhere on this blog, I am 100% sure I have reviewed Airplane (twice). But it won’t be a complete album review if I simply just bypassed the track. Especially since it is one of my favourite songs off this album. In hindsight, the track nowadays would be considered very straightforward, simply because it doesn’t deviate much from its starting sound. Back then, I thought the track was ingenious. The choppy start of the chorus (‘Come With Me. Airplane, Love’) was quite dynamic and ended up being on the catchiest hooks of the song. There is also a subtle fun tone to the track that I find very appealing. Despite it using an electronic instrumental, the song is rather light as well, meaning it was quite pleasant. The vocals and were simple and easy to follow, making this a catchy tune to hum along to. (10/10)
9. Toy – Toy isn’t as playful as you expect. Instead, it managed to be very intense and straight forward, matching the lyrics of the track (the members liken their lives to toys, which have a set appearance, always belong to and assumingly miss their owner). I think a better way to describe the track is that it is similar to a stereotypical rock track. Just without the rock elements. Another cool aspect is the classical and EDM mashed up instrumental break. I felt it just went a little longer than what I had anticipated and this didn’t allow the ‘return to the chorus’ to be as dynamic as it should have been. (8/10)
10. No More (여우 같은 내 친구) – The song’s music profile isn’t as interesting and felt more like a typical pop track. So, I won’t discuss it. Instead, I found the lyrics to be the most interesting aspect of the track. The girls sing about their female friend, someone who changes her personality depending on the guy who she is dating (e.g. she is an atheist but ‘becomes religious’ to be with her church oppa). Hence, she is described to be similar to a sly fox. For the most part, it makes fun of their friend. But the members do feel a little sympathy for her when they find her crying over her breakup. My favourite part has to be when they ask her ‘Have you found another guy yet?’, which makes for a perfect transition lyrics-wise to their original lyrics that dominated the earlier parts of the song. (7/10)
11. Snapshot – This had to be the poshest introduction to a song, courtesy of Amber herself. I thought the song a weird mix after that (a common trend back when the album was released). The verses felt like it was a song from a musical. However, the choruses felt like it was taking a hip-hop infused pop sequence instead, losing that unique musical-like sound. They managed to integrate the two sounds together well as the transition points didn’t sound awkward or too apparent. But when you consider the entire track as a whole, it just doesn’t sound right, if you understand what I mean. (7/10)
12. Ending Page – Surprisingly, I think Ending Page is their most neutral track on the album. The rock ballad doesn’t really develop as it progresses, which is a little disappointing. It isn’t overloaded with too much of one element, striking a very fine balance in any aspect that you can think of. The rock instrumental isn’t overpowering or overwhelming. This, along with the lack of development, allows for the focus to be squarely on the vocals. It doesn’t rely on powerful vocals to be track’s main driver. Instead, the song’s melody is extremely nice, and I find this to be a pleasant ending for the entire album. (9/10)
One of the biggest success stories of 2019 has to be the individual paths that each of the former Wanna One members have taken since their disbandment. It has given us amazing debuts and returns to their original groups. And while we are awaiting the last of them to debut as a solo artist, we are now entering the wave of comebacks from these solo members. Back in May, we saw the return of Yoon Ji Sung with I’ll Be There. We will be seeing the return of Bae Jin Young as part of CIX later this month. And today, we saw the return of Ha Sung Woon with Blue.
To me, Blue already sounds so much more appealing than Bird. Though I did review Birdfavourably, I did find that the solo debut track ended up being very forgettable. Blue conforms to the more typical trends of music that we hear all too often nowadays. But this isn’t a flaw, like in other tracks. I find Blue to be very dynamic, thanks to both the vocals and instrumentation. Ha Sung Woon’s vocals shine once again in this track. I like the way he drags his words out during the pre-chorus, making the drop we get during the chorus to be a little more impactful. The way he incorporated an airy tone during the bridge was quite memorable. I found his vocals in the chorus to be quite striking, complimenting the bounciness of the instrumental. The rest of his singing in the track was very clear and crisp. Likewise, I found the mid-tempo pop instrumental to be very fresh. I like the moody tone of the song, especially with the piano at the start. The chorus ended up being unexpected upbeat and bouncy (as mentioned) but it somehow worked well with the rest of the song’s tone.
With a track titled Blue, it does make sense to have the music video featuring a lot of blue. And that is what this video does. Interestingly, it deviates from the use of vibrant blues, as you would expect with upbeat tracks in the Summer season. Instead, the music video uses a lot of grey-blue and features a darker tone, matching the music’s heavy and emotional tone. Another good aspect, even though it has been done a fair bit over the years, is the choreography shots on the water. Though, I think this is the first time that a music video taking it a step further by showcasing Ha Sung Woon with a wet shirt while dancing, which I don’t remember anyone else doing before. (Don’t quote me on that, my memory isn’t that great).
Something that I have yet to mention is the 180-degree turn that Blue takes in comparison to Bird. The sound is a lot mature, the visuals are a lot gloomier. But it is the performance that really strikes me hard. The choreography takes on a more mature and artistic tone, which I think draws my attention more to the stage. It also shows off his dancer side. His stylist choice to dress him in satin or silky looking suits really work well with this concept.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9/10
The second solo artist that I will be reviewing in a series is Chungha (as you can tell by the title of this post). We all know Chungha for her many addictive title tracks, with Snapping being the latest to join the ranks as well. But this is the first time I am going to have a closer look at one of her albums. Flourishing is the solo artist’s fourth mini-album to date. For those who do not know, I have used this weekend and will be using next weekend to look at albums from a few solo artists. But before we get to next weekend, we must dive deeper into Chungha’s album!
Flourishing Album Cover
1..Chica – The first song of the album is Chica, a song all about empowerment. Matching the strengthening power of the lyrics is the song’s very powerful island instrumental. While it is a style done before, Chungha’s take on it is quite refreshing and feels almost new. There are many aspects of the track that I thoroughly enjoyed. The first is the song’s upbeat energy. I find the track fitting for the Summer season and I can really imagine a really good dance routine in my mind. The second aspect must be its catchiness. The song may not be intended for a guy like me. But I really like its tone and melody, making it a good start to the album. The third aspect is Chungha’s vocals. As I have mentioned it before, she keeps building her abilities with every release. And this is true for this track. (9/10)
2. Young In Love (우리가 즐거워) – Young in Love, also titled as We Have Fun, is less intense than its preceding track. And like Chungha’s personality, the track is very easy-going and pleasant. I am not too into the track because I do like Chungha’s more edgy and impactful side, which she constantly shows throughout her title track releases. But Young In Love manages to encapsulate Chungha’s more delicate and softer side in a well-presented track. I really like the dance break we got during the bridge of the track, bring the pleasant sound a little more energy at the end. Her vocals were also nice and I like how she harmonised with the backing vocals towards the end of the track. (7/10)
3. Call It Love – While I understand that artists can be versatile with the music they release, I never took Chungha to be the ballad type. Call It Love doesn’t persuade me otherwise, unfortunately. She has made her name using dance tracks, so this is unfamiliar territory for me as a listener. I will admit that Chungha has a nice voice, as showcased elsewhere in the album. I just think the very traditionally instrumented ballad of a slow nature just doesn’t really showcase Chungha’s vocals all that well. It wasn’t awkward or terrible. The track just came off as bland and boring, to me. Maybe next time she can convince me otherwise. (6/10)
4. Flourishing – Flourishing is the surprising track on the album. Not that it goes a certain route or that it contains a unique element. But rather, the song is fully in English. This has been done before by other artists, but no artist has never been positioned a full English track ahead of the title track before. I am not sure what the intention of the position is meant to be. But I thought it was wise as it felt like a tame version of Snapping. It contains a hip-hop vibe that felt like it was carried over to the title track. Her vocals are nice and they are the element that keeps the song from being repetitive. The instrumental, however, felt very dry, repetitive and bland, which was a disappointment. I expected it to pick up and really flourish. But it didn’t do that whatsoever. (7/10)
Yesterday and today, I have covered debuts that I have missed back in May and onwards. I am determined to get out as many reviews for newly debut groups as possible before the weekend. So, we will continue the release of reviews for these new groups. This one is a little more recent as it occurred early last week (24th of June). PURPLEBECK is a 5-member female group consisting of Yeowool, Mini, La Yeon, Yerim and Seyeon. They are currently under Majesty Entertainment and made their debut with Crystal Ball.
I have noticed that the majority of releases from new girl groups from smaller companies always end up falling into two categories if they choose the upbeat route: Cutesy or generic. Listening to the song, Crystal Ball doesn’t fit any of the two categories. So there is a level of uniqueness with their vocally driven debut track. The instrumental is rather typical, with a bright sound. But managing to get the song to shine so brightly are the vocals of the group. I was blown away the first time I listened to the track. While that feeling has simmered down, the vocals managed to deliver energy and intensities, which I think makes this track memorable. While I really like the harmonies and catchiness that comes from the chorus, the pre-chorus is probably my favourite bit. If I were to criticise the track in any way, I think the rapping could have been a little more interesting. If they managed to go a little harder during the rap section (which would better utilise the rapper’s voice), the song could have been perfect to me.
I have to admit, I did not expect such a bright song for a group were very edgy clothing. I was expecting something a lot darker and serious tone with their outfits, so things were surprising as they progressed. The start of the music video showed a very interesting sequence. A table set up in the middle of nowhere and 5 girls are sitting around the table. A strange clock starts ringing on the table and they all run away in different directions. While acting all bright and happy, the members end up finding red crystal balls, which they bring back to the table (which is now situated within a set). I find the concept to be very intriguing but it also seems to be an odd pairing. I think the concept would have been better suited with a more serious dance track that allows the mysterious vibes to be harnessed to their full potential.
There is a playful vibe to the choreography, which I quite liked. This compliments the fun vibes the song had. Overall, I thought it wasn’t too bad. The first chorus contained a little bit of Michael Jackson, which looked good.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 7/10 Performance – 7/10 Overall Rating – 8/10
I think I am going to continue on with the catch up by focusing on the rookie groups that just made their debut. I do have a short list of them to cover and there aren’t any major comebacks that take precedence today, giving me time to actually do the catching up. Today’s review is focusing on the double title tracks (savanna & Time Leap) that OnlyOneOf made their debut with back at the end of May. The group consist of seven members (Nine, Love, Yoojung, KB, Mill, Rie and Junji) and are currently under RSVP.
To me, no matter how much I listen to savanna, I cannot find anything interesting within the track that keeps me attracted to it or reels me in for further replays, similar to the comments I made in yesterday’s review. Despite that, there are a number of elements that do manage to stand out. The R&B instrumental made the song quite smooth textured. While it seems like the instrumental is the root of why I think the song was plain and bland, the smoothness allowed the melody to be quite pleasant. And this resulted in the showcase of nice vocals and decent rapping from the group.
Time Leap is another melodic song. But it is completely different from savanna as it delves into a pop route and I thought it was a little more captivating. To me, the instrumental felt like a blank canvas, as it once again didn’t have anything interesting within it. With that analogy, the vocals and rapping ended up being the paint strokes. They actually sound quite good with the rap sequences having a little more intensity and the harmonies allowed the vocals to be showed off with more definition. With its consistent nature, I felt like the only image that the group could have amounted to in Time Leap was a black and white image. But it is a start and I like the song.
For a smooth and decently paced track, savanna’s music video had a lot going on. The various visual effects and overlays could have been reduced as I think the music video showed a more than necessary edgy tone. But I really liked the aesthetics of the video that was formed thanks to the visual effects. I think if they managed to strike a balance to the dark lighted music video, I think savanna, as a whole package, could have been a little more likeable. As for the Time Leap, the music video is less aesthetic. However, the cinematography during the more professional shots was really cool. They also included some ‘home video’ style shots, which was nice. But I felt like that stripped away the aesthetics. Nothing really happened in this video, which did leave it on the boring side of the spectrum. But still visually looked good.
While I have been praising Time Leap so far, their performance is a bore. As much as I understand that they had a slow song to start with, the performance ended up making things a lot slower. savanna, however, had the more captivating performance. Sure, the more intense moves didn’t fit as well with the song. But it looked more intriguing and fits the type of performance I like to see from male groups.
savanna Song – 6/10 Music Video – 6.5/10 Performance – 7/10 Overall Rating – 6.4/10
Time Leap Song – 7/10 Music Video – 7/10 Performance – 5/10 Overall Rating – 6.6/10
KPOPREVIEWED 