Category: KPOP

[Review] Super Special – VERIVERY

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From what I can tell, there aren’t that many groups making their comeback this week due to the Chuseok (Mid-Autumn Festival) However, this does not mean I get to take the week off. I henceforth declare this week as ROOKIE WEEK. I will be posting at least one review for a different rookie group each day, so keep your eyes opened!

VERIVERY is a brand new male group who released their first single, Super Special, last week. As far as I know, it isn’t their official debut but rather the OST for their upcoming reality program. But who are they? Well, they come from the same company who currently houses VIXX and GUGUDAN (i.e. Jellyfish Entertainment) and is made up of 7 members – Dongheon, Minchan, Yeonho, Hoyoung, Gyehyeon, Yongseung and Kangmin.

I was somewhat relieved when I heard that this wouldn’t be their official debut title track. I would have been disappointed if I had the idea of it being a title track in my mind. The song lacks impact and doesn’t live up to the expectations set by their senior labelmates in terms of sound and concept. But as an OST, it promises that the group is very energetic and knows how to have fun, which is definitely a draw point to the group. Super Special is very retro, reminding me of ’90s pop songs. There is no doubt that the song showcases promising vocals and rapping, which makes me excited for their debut track. So this song ticks a few boxes, keeping them on my radar.  But going back to what I said at the start of this paragraph, the song isn’t that memorable and doesn’t have a strong hook to reel me in.

I am not sure how to review this music video, to be honest. I want to review as a normal music video for a comeback/debut but it isn’t their debut. It is just a music video put together to promote their new show. As this music video ‘introduces’ the members to the viewers, I am hoping their debut video has some sort of theatrical/dramatic flare that will get them engraved into my mind. What I thought was fitting for this video was that it was bright and cheerful, as you expect with an upbeat song. I also liked how their outfits were the main inputs of colour for the video, which usually is the jobs of the sets/background. They also had some fun close-ups as well, which was nice.

Their choreography in this video definitely showcases their potential. Everyone looked in-sync with each other and they movements flowed quite well. They had pretty good formations as well. Can’t wait to see what they have installed for us on stage.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 7.5/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.2/10

 

[Review] Moonlight – NEONPUNCH

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From what I can tell, there aren’t that many groups making their comeback this week due to the Chuseok (Mid-Autumn Festival) However, this does not mean I get to take the week off. I henceforth declare this week as ROOKIE WEEK. I will be posting at least one review for a different rookie group each day, so keep your eyes opened!

Next up on ROOKIE WEEK is NEONPUNCH. This is a new girl group who is under A100 Entertainment. They are a 5 member group consisting of Daeyeon, Terry, Baekah (participated in MIXNINE), May and IAAN. The group debuted on the 26th of June, which was 3 months back, with Moonlight.  I had initially planned to review them closer to their debut date but unfortunately had to cut them from the agenda due to time constraints.

Moonlight started with some soft instrumentals and vocals, which made it feel like it was taking a mature route, something newly debut girl groups don’t tend to attempt. However, an unexpected and quick buildup to the song’s chorus allowed the song to showcase a brighter and more energetic sound. The song did feel slightly constrictive, with their vocals not going through much of a change throughout. But vocally, the track was quite nice. I thought the brass during the hook was really nice, adding that extra energy pack to the song. I like the transition between the second chorus and the slightly slowed bridge. I felt the rap could have come sooner, which would have made the song a little less repetitive. But other than that, it was a fun debut song.

Like yesterday’s review, the music video showcases the members by ‘presenting’ them to the viewers. There were a lot of close-ups throughout the video but I like how the video wasn’t just all of that. There was a lot of focus on other things that attempted to drive the music video. They don’t add up to much but the cinematography was pretty good in those scenes. I was slightly distracted by the blockage caused by the fence and the chandelier. I know they were meant to be artistic shots but they stole what really should have been a clear shot of the members instead.

For a rookie group, singing live is definitely a major plus. They do sound a little nervous throughout some of the stages that I have watched but they have been improving each time. I did think their choreography was a little weak and awkward looking. It didn’t feel like it went well with the song.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 5/10
Overall Rating – 7.1/10

 

[Review] Your Difference – LUCENTE

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From what I can tell, there aren’t that many groups making their comeback this week due to the Chuseok (Mid-Autumn Festival) However, this does not mean I get to take the week off. I henceforth declare this week as ROOKIE WEEK. I will be posting at least one review for a different rookie group each day, so keep your eyes opened!

For the first group on ROOKIE WEEK, I have decided to review a brand new group who made their debut just last week. LUCENTE is a seven-member male group currently under Nago Entertainment who debuted with Your Difference just last Tuesday. The group consists of Hero, U.Seong, Ba, Z.Hoo, Kogun, Taejun and Parkha. Some of the members of the group were previously part of other groups, some of whom I have never heard of. But today we are here to talk about LUCENTE, so let’s just do that.

Your Difference does not mess around with energy. It starts off slightly low in energy (as most songs do at the very start) but very quickly builds up to an energy packed song. I thought the instrumental was quite nice, despite it going for the ‘now-traditional’ tropical route with a hip-hop influence. It was definitely upbeat and had a ‘cool’ presence to it. Their vocals and raps were quite good for a new group but felt very typical for a group trying to push themselves to sound ‘tough’. I also thought the chorus was a little too spacious and doesn’t really hold my attention for long. Usually, the chorus is the catchiest parts of the song but I felt the lines leading up to the chorus were much more appealing and memorable. That doesn’t mean the chorus was all bad as it is where we get most of the song’s energy.

The music video felt like a typical music video for a debut. To me, it felt like a whole bunch of different scenes mashed into one video to ‘present’ the group to the public. I hardly doubt that there is a plotline to this video (though I have been known to assume wrong in the past). Some of the scenes, however, looked really nice. The choreography scene with the flashing lights and the ladder scenes looked really good. I also liked how they managed to infuse some edge into the video, which is what the song visually needed.

The group has a fair amount of stage presence on stage. Given a song with slightly more angst and power, I think there is potential for this group. The performance showcased some pretty good moves. However, when I looked at it as a whole, it felt mediocre. Once again, they need to stand out and their performance can do just that. This one just isn’t the one.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 6.5/10
Performance – 6/10
Overall Rating – 6.7/10

[Album Review] Remember Me (6th Mini Album) – Oh My Girl

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I hope you have been enjoying these album reviews as much as I have been enjoying them. Today’s album review is for Oh My Girl, who recently returned with a brand new title track and mini-album, both titled Remember Me. This is the second time I have revied their mini-albums, with the first being their Secret Garden mini-album earlier this year. And before I start waffling along for this introduction paragraph, let’s just move on to what we are all here for – the actual album review.

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Remember Me Album Cover

1..Remember Me (불꽃놀이) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of Remember Me. (10/10)

2. Echo (메아리) – A part of me says that I would totally jump on board if the song was released in the midst of other Summer releases. But I am held back from completely investing myself in the song. Echo has a very carefree vibe to it, which suits the season of holidays and sun. But there is something within the song which keeps stagnant. Maybe it is the lack of energy. And it is this ‘stagnant’ feeling that makes the song not reach its full potential. It doesn’t stand out from the crowd, instead opting for the hidden route, which doesn’t honestly help the song. I thought the vocals and rapping were good. Overall, it was a good song, but I just didn’t feel 100% for me. (7/10)

3. Twilight – Twilight goes for a club beat instrumental. But before you think it is a completely different changeup to the group’s regular sound, the song feels very Oh My Girl’s territory. The song has a super catchy hook and I liked the build-up to the chorus. I thought the drop to the chorus was a little lacking (it should have been something like the drop at the bridge). The song features great vocals, especially Seunghee’s high note and Mimi’s rapping in the song (the latter’s part felt very fitting for the atmosphere). It’s their best song (following the amazing title track) on this album. (9.5/10)

4. Illusion – I feel like Illusion is the sequel to their fantastic b-side track, ‘One Step Two Step’ to an extent. It gave off that feeling, which I thought was nice. There was a rap sequence in the song which did feel a little different, but I am not too bother by it. I thought the chorus has a nice melody and the song has this innocence sound to it, which I liked. The vocals were nice, but I am not too keen on that anthem chanting that featured in the song, which felt misplaced for this style. (7/10)

5. Our Story (우리 이야기) – Our Story is the ballad that you get on most albums. It has a nice melody. It was a little bland for my taste at first but as I listened to more of it, I enjoyed its soothing nature. The song a beautiful instrumental and features great vocals from all the members. It isn’t too much of a stand out track (as it is the ‘mandatory ballad’ on the album), but it allowed the album to end on a lovely note. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.3/10

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Remember Me Teaser Image

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[Album Review] Thumbs Up (7th Mini Album) – Pentagon

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After releasing their trendy Shine song, Pentagon has returned to see whether they can pull off what Shine managed to accomplish for the group. And while their comeback may have been masked by certain news, they have managed to pull off a great comeback week with their latest title track, Naughty Boy. And they managed to equally release a high-quality album, Thumbs Up, which is what we will be looking at today.

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Thumbs Up Album Cover

1..Naughty Boy (청개구리) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of Naughty Boy. (9/10)

2. Just Do It Yo!! (저두요) – This song feels very fresh, especially when you think how most songs are either synth driven or emotionally centred. So when we get these type of pop songs, I can’t help but enjoy their cheerful vibes and the pleasant atmosphere. The song showcases very powerful vocals from all the members (and this includes the rappers). I like the instrumentation, which seems to be prominently guitar and drums. I also like how there was a ‘live’ feel to the song as if they recorded in public due to the presence of the background noise. Its chorus was also just as great as everything else in the song, making this a favourite of mine. (10/10)

3. Skateboard – Attracting my attention to the song is the repeated whistles that feature as part of the instrumental of the song. They ended up being quite catchy. It is another fun-sounding track but going back to something more fitting for a dance performance. I thought the chorus was rather dynamic with their vocalisation of some of the lines. I like the moments in which they all participate together. I would have liked a stronger rap sequence that could have been intense, which would have given a nicer texture to the song, as it feels relatively smooth.  (8/10)

4. When It Rains At Night (밤에 비가 내리면) – Given the title of the song, it was expected it was going to be more of a ballad type. Pentagon has one good ballad (Beautiful – released last year) that I am aware of, but ballads are not something that the group releases often. I like the song for its instrumental, which I thought was very beautiful sounding. Like the instrumental, the vocals are also quite nice, and I liked how they managed to fit the rappers into the song (as both their tones are very different from each other and more aligned with the upbeat side of music, like their title tracks). (9/10)

5. Thumbs Up! – Ending the album isn’t technically a fun-sounding song. It is the pop song that I tend to like for its straightforwardness and very refreshing tone. You can’t help but smile along to this song. Once again, the vocals and the rapping were all very nice but they weren’t standouts for this album. There isn’t anything too special about the instrumentation in the song but that is one of this draw points, as I listed above. It did get a tad repetitive for my taste towards the end, as they could have done something during the bridge for a little changeup but besides that, it was a nice song. (8.5/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.9/10

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Thumbs Up Teaser Image

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[Review] What – Dream Catcher

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Dream Catcher is officially back with their first comeback since wrapping up their horror-themed quadrilogy. The new comeback is titled, What, and it features on their 3rd mini-album, Alone In The City. But have they really wrapped up their quadrilogy? I will talk about that later. And if you do not have a clue what I am talking about, you can have a read of my four-part music theory by clicking here (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 & Part 4). But now, on with the review.

If there was one word to sum this song up, it is definitely ‘epic’. The very dramatic yet powerful piano start kicked the song perfectly for me, before leading into the upbeat rock styled instrumental that the group commonly releases. However, there is power and the intense energy behind the wong, which makes it so ‘epic’. There is also an urban side to the song, which I thought was fitting for the concept but definitely added a nice tone to the song. The ‘What What What‘ gave the song some angst and attitude, which isn’t anything new but quite fresh when you think about. The singing in this song was top notch but the real winner for this song is the rapping. I am totally in love with the bridge of the song, with Dami’s rapping definitely a show-stopper and the complete stillness with Jiu’s section. Overall, What is epically amazing and I am in awe of the song.

Now, returning to the music video. Is the horror theme over? I think not. The storyline (if I can figure one out) doesn’t seem to be as intense and explicit as their past four music videos. However. the same book which made an appearance in Good Night makes an appearance in this video. However, it is also seen sprouting a flower. And there is no way you can explain ‘looking under your bed prior to sleeping’ or bloody curtains without a horror context. Hence why I think this may be a continuation or at least a follow up to that concept that they have nailed so far. I  thought the sets look good and the cinematography was amazing,

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I like the performance but I am not 100% keen on it. I thought the moves during the verses were very fitting, pairing well with the softer nature of the verses. But once the chorus kicked in and the rock elements were more powerful, I thought the moves would have matched that change in intensity. But it looked very like there was a mismatch. But the ‘What What What‘ moments were good.

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 9.1/10

[Review] Save Me Save You -WJSN (Cosmic Girls)

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Making their comeback today was WJSN with Save Me Save You. The new release features on the group’s fifth mini-album, WJ Please?. You may notice that there are fewer members promoting this time around.  Due to schedules in China, Cheng Xiao, Mei Qi and Xuan Yi are unable to join the rest of this group for this set of promotions. The last time we saw the entire group on stage was for their Dreams Come True release in February this year.

One of my biggest fears for WJSN is that due to their similar concepts, the songs end up being quite similar. But I am glad that feeling hasn’t become a reality yet as the group continues to put out new sounds consistently.  The instrumental take on synth-pop which isn’t unfamiliar territory for the girls, however, they manage to bring a more mature and serious sound to their song which we haven’t got from the girls at all. I may have said the same thing for their last comeback but this takes it even further. Vocally, I thought the song a little bland for my taste. Without the rapping or the vocal parts within the bridge, I most likely would have passed over this song. I feel like the instrumentation could have kicked it up a notch, making the song more appealing to my taste and possibly allowed the vocals to go in a direction in which they could have been more highlighted.  The rapping was probably my most favourite bit and I am glad it got split across two sections, rather than be constricted to one part of the song (as in the past).

Concept wise, WJSN does have they have been doing best. The fantasy concept really works with them due to their past videos. This one seems to be a cross between their usual fantasy concept and the Harry Potter universe. The classroom gives off massive Hogwarts vibes, which I totally like (as I am a Potterhead!). As for the rest of the video, I have no clue as to what is happening. They end up disappearing at the end once the glowing butterflies were set free. But I have no idea why? I would like to hear theories, so if you have any, comment down below and share with us!

This choreography looks like its their most mature yet. And they are in sync throughout the entire performance, which instantly makes it look cool. I thought the footwork entering into the chorus was awesome and the rest of the chorus looked quite nice. And finally, the start of the final work with the very intense walking looks epic (Click here to see the performance).

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 10/10
Overall Rating – 7.9/10

[Review] I Mean – UNI.T

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It is time we bid farewell to another group. UNI.T was formed via the survival program, The Unit: Idol Rebooting Project back in February this year and made their formal re-debut in May with No More. Unfortunately, their contract permitted them to promote together for a couple of months hence the very early disbandment. The group returns for the final time with the mini-album, Begin With The End, and the title track, I Mean. UNI.T is also one member short as ZN has clashing schedules with her Laboum promotions and hence cannot participate in this comeback.

And with the unfortunate and saddening news out of the way, I Mean is a very upbeat and fun sounding track. It features a retro disco sound has a very infectious energy. There is no way you can listen to this song while being grumpy throughout all of it. But sadly, the song doesn’t have much else to offer. It stays relatively linear throughout the entire song, so with multiple listens, I am not too sure if I can see myself being that fond of it. I personally feel like the song could have used some rapping, as that could have given the song something to offer while also cutting the ‘linear sound’ that I described above. But putting that aside, we do get power vocals in this song, especially from N.CA, and I think that is a fantastic element. The hook is also catchy, so for the time being, I quite like the song.

The music video is shot with a retro concept in mind. A lot of the camera quality reminds me of KPOP music video’s in the 90s from girl groups. And it surely suits the song well. I also like how for some of their closeup shots, they did album cover pictures, which I thought was unique. I thought the outtakes at the end were quite cutesy and fun as well. Sadly, there isn’t much else to say in regards to the video.

The choreography is an effort to get some momentum in the crowd with its simple yet fun looking ‘horse-riding’ dance move. And I personally want to see this move take off and become the next trend, so the girls can get some sort of recognition for their hard work for the past year. I like it and thinks it fits in well with the song.

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

[Album Review] We Go Up (2nd Mini Album) – NCT Dream

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Despite already releasing a full-length album along with the other 2 NCT subunits, NCT Dream returned 2 weeks back with their second mini-album to date, We Go Up. I touch upon this during my song and album review of We Go Up but this is Mark’s last release with the group as he prepares for graduation from NCT Dream. But do not worry, as he (along with Haechan) will be returning next month as part of NCT 127 for their official first full-length album, so keep your eyes open for that album review. But we are here for NCT Dream, so let’s get moving along!

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We Go Up Album Cover

1..We Go Up (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of We Go Up. (9/10)

2. 1,2,3 – Changing up their style, the group’s second song on the album consist of a softer tone but remaining within that pop tune sound. And its lightness is well appreciated as I think (apart from the title song) 1,2,3 is my favourite track on the album. Vocals were nice and pleasant, while the rapping during the bridge gave the song what it needed (i.e. intensity which pairs well with the soft sound). My favourite part would have to the chorus, especially the ‘1,2,3’ lines as they felt well balanced and nostalgic. (9/10)

3. Beautiful Time (너와 나) – Beautiful Time describes the nice memories of a relationship, reminiscent of the good old days. The tone of the song seems to go towards that direction, but I thought it was relatively interesting how the instrumental during the chorus felt like it encroaching the upbeat side of music. In a way, it presents a cheerful tone to the song, which sets the song’s tone. I am, however, not much of a fan of their vocals and rapping in this song. It was good, but I just didn’t feel connected with them despite many listens. (7/10)

4. Drippin’ – Dripppin’ is a very intriguing song for its unique sound. It contains trap elements within its instrumentation, but it doesn’t go completely in that direction. I personally think the vocals bring a slight hip-hop influence to the song and they nailed the vocal components in my opinion. The little falsetto ending to the lines during the verses added a little kink and uniqueness to the song, which I thought gave it some character. The rapping during the verses was also quite good though they could have been more intensified to make the song even better. (8/10)

5. Dear DREAM – Ending the album is a bitter-sweet song. To put it into some context – Mark, who is the oldest member and 20 y/o, is graduating from NCT Dream as it is intended to be a group for members who are in their teens. If you look at the entire song, it is basically send off for Mark. I personally didn’t notice this section of the song until I read about it in the comments, but Mark’s final rap line was “Hope we always feel like-” and the rest of the members vocalise ‘home’ in the background. I thought was well played and showed the meaning behind the song in basically one line. The sweet side of the song is amazing vocals and rapping that filled the song. (10/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.6/10

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We Go Up Teaser Image

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[Review] Lullaby – GOT7

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One of my personal favourite boy groups are finally back and I am super excited. GOT7 is bringing along their third studio album, which has been titled Present: You. In the last week, the group have been dropping teasers to each member’s solo track that is featured on the album AND the title track, Lullaby. This is GOT7’s first comeback since their Look promotions back in March.

If in any chance you are looking for a soothing song to sleep to, this Lullaby is not going to help you tonight. GOT7’s version of a Lullaby is definitely upbeat and extremely intense, words that you don’t commonly associate with the sleepy time tunes. It follows the same style as Look (in terms of instrumentation and vibe), which I thought was rather nice. It was clean and it was well produced. The rapping by the three usual members was quite good but I felt the song was somewhat constrictive of their potential. But I guess that is why we have the solo tracks on the album. Vocally, I thought this is one of their best yet. The ad-libs by the vocalists at the end of the song were amazing. The chorus was very easy to get into and I thought it very smooth. I haven’t yet listened to the song in the other languages if you didn’t know, there is an English, Chinese and Spanish version of the track on the album as well) but I have high hopes if the Korean version sound this good.

It seems like the members are in dreamland with the music video. Yugyeom is in a never quiet train station (reminiscent of BLACKPINK’s As If It’s Your Last), JB’s on a book planet, Youngjae’s living Toy Story, Jinyoung’s flying a car, BamBam’s finds himself at an oasis, Jackson’s performing at a live concert and Mark’s causing flowers to bloom every time he takes a step. The video comes together quite well despite having all these different crazy and random elements. I thought the choreography shots were well done as well.

I thought the chorus was extremely fitting when they went for the sleeping pose for their Lullaby title. As for the rest of the performance, everything was fast pace such as the running moments after the chorus and Yugyeom’s footwork in his solo dance break. It was quite good to watch.

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

[Album Review] Warning (2nd Mini Album) – Sunmi

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It is time for a look at newer album releases. I have been catching up on some older albums lately and technically, this is still considered to be catching up as it has been a few weeks since it dropped. However, it is still a more recent release as promotions are still ongoing. Sunmi has returned with her second mini-album, Warning, since her solo debut. Featuring on the album is Siren (the title track), Gashina (released in August 2017) and Heroine (released in January 2018), along with a few more new tracks. So without any delay, let’s continue on with the album review!

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Warning Album Cover

1..Addict – Once again, Addict is an introductory track. The entire track is in English, which is a blessing for us international fans as we can finally understand something! The question asked is ‘Who is running the show’ and clearly, the answer is Sunmi herself. I find the track quite addictive. It isn’t perfect, however, as I expected a more powerful drop, given the build-up at the start. That could have made the track pop out even more, serving as a very appealing introductory track. But what we have here is already quite great. (8/10

2. Siren (사이렌) (Title Track) – Click here for the full review of Siren. (9/10)

3. Curve (곡선) – I love her vocals in this song. So seductive and sensual with her nasal voice, reminding me of some other really underrated nasally artists like Lim Kim. She goes for the same type of music as those artists, with a jazzy instrumentation and something that you won’t get on a traditional pop album. I also thought the chorus was extremely catchy, going with that repetition which works majority of the time. I think they could have introduced something extra to the song during the bridge, which would have made it more interesting. But once again, what we got is already quite good. (8/10)

4. Black Pearl – Following a similar path as the previous song, Black Pearl takes on a jazzy instrumentation infused with R&B, which I thought was quite nice. The brass ensures the song doesn’t feel empty, which could easily have happened. I really liked her vocals in the moments leading up the chorus. While she does bring the nasal voice back, I am not as impressed with her vocals in this song. It just isn’t as interesting as in the previous song. (7/10)

5. Gashina (가시나) – Click here for the full review of Gashina. (6/10 – at the time of writing the review. This was a major mistake as it became a favourite of mine. Hence, I have bumped it up to a 9/10).

6. Heroine (주인공) – Click here for the full review of Heroine. (10/10)

7. Secret Tape (비밀테이프) – There is an interesting sound with this song and I feel like this track could have been really good. Sadly, it serves as the outro track, lasting for less than 2 minutes. I liked the idea of her voice being masked by the effects of a recorder or tape, which I thought added class. And when that mask was taken away, we get something upbeat, which I thought was missing from her album (apart from the three title tracks) and needed kick to the slowness that it presented. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.4/10

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Warning Teaser Image

[Review] Baby U – Hoya ft. Hanhae

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And now we return to the catching up phase of the week as there are a few more reviews I want to get done. This review is for Hoya’s latest single, Baby U, which was released during the week. For those who don’t remember. Hoya departed from Infinite last year and made his solo debut with Angel and All Eyes On Me earlier this year.

For Baby U, he takes a different approach with the song. However, it remains neatly within the vicinity of All Eyes On Me. Baby U is described as a pop R&B track. And personally, I think this is his best song yet. Mainly because the song was quite catchy around the chorus. It is simply some repetition but it is done in a way that feels nice and laid-back. The instrumentation wasn’t that special, while Hoya’s voice was nice in this song (though I am still not too sure about his vocal approach). Hanhae features in the song but it felt too short. I feel like the song could have been extended. The ending felt incomplete and this could have provided a chance to Hanhae to have a longer sequence, which could have added some energy to the song. It is good and I like the song. Just some things could have been better.

I liked the music video for this release. We see the love story between Hoya and a friend’s friend (played by Kriesha Chu) come to life. It is shot in a home-style format, which I thought was rather interesting as another friend was documenting their love life. In the end, we see the two of them in a club and this incorporated some choreography into the video in a very smart way.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.4/10

[Review] We Young – Chanyeol X Sehun (EXO)

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Before I get stuck back into the catching up phase of the week., I must interrupt this plan with a new release. Chanyeol and Sehun, the rappers from the widely known KPOP boy group EXO, have come together as solo artists to collaborate under the Station X 0 project that has been ongoing for a number of weeks so far. We have seen Taeyeon & Melomance’s Page 0 and Baekhyun & Loco’s Young releases already, so check out the reviews if you haven’t yet.

I personally thought the two EXO members would have out with a song that is more rap heavy, given their positions within the group. However, that does not seem to be the case as they went with a more cheerful sounding pop tune, which I thought was still quite good. As many of you guys know, I have a mega soft spot for any rappers singing. And we are all familiar with Chanyeol’s voice. Sehun, on the other hand, usually gets the least amount of lines in EXO songs and isn’t well known for his singing. Hopefully, this song changes that as he has a pretty good singing voice. There is rapping infused into the verses but it isn’t in the limelight compared to the vocals. We Young is also quite catchy, going with an addictive repetitive hook. There is also a sense of inclusiveness, which I thought was pretty good. Not too keen on the ending, though as it felt quite sudden. But other than that, it is a good collaboration.

The music video puts Chanyeol’s biceps and Sehun’s abs to work. Hahaha… I did find it a little odd for the presence of abs in the music video but I guess it gives some appeal to some of the fans. Other than that, I thought the spinning platform they were on was a good idea as transitions throughout the video. It looked cool. And when they revealed the wider shot consisting of the fake grass, it looked like they were in the clouds, which I thought was quite cool. The dancing seemed to fit the tune of the song, going with a chilled route and the lyrics.

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

 

[Review] Mango – Hyomin (T-ARA)

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Unfortunately, I ran out of time to write reviews during the week due to my studies. One of these missed releases is Hyomin’s solo comeback with Mango. This is her first solo comeback since her Sketch comeback in 2016 and her departure from MBK Entertainment. The members of T-ARA claim to still be together, however, each member has signed to a different company and currently doing their own thing, so I am not too sure what is happening.

The song doesn’t rely on instrumentation, which revisits that minimalistic trend. The first thing you get is the xylophone, which I thought ear-grabbing. It is a unique sound that I, at first, thought would be quite dry. But with multiple listens, I am totally on board with the song. Besides the instrumentation, the song is primarily made up of her vocals. I say this because there is something missing from the track that should have been there to really pull the two elements together. Maybe bass or backup vocals, I don’t know. So back to her vocals, it was exactly the same with the instrumentation. Not too keen at first with the rap-speaking but I really dig the track now. And before you think this is a song about tropic fruit, it isn’t, as Hyomin sings Man Go during the chorus, obviously hinting at something else. The track replays in my head constantly now, which is a sign of a good thing.

Orange is a very complex colour in my mind. I don’t see orange too often in people’s outfit when I notice them in the street. And if there is any orange, it is only a minor detail on their shirt. So props to Hyomin, who pulls off a full orange outfit in the video. And it makes sense, as mangos are the colour orange. But it really pops as the people shooting the video selected places in which Hyomin doesn’t look too outgoing yet blending in well. I also like her quirkiness in the video, alongside her backup dancers.

I thought the one thing that she could have worked on was her performance. It just felt very boring and she did very little to really captivate on stage. Maybe she was more focused on her rap-speaking, as it would have sounded bad if she was constantly out of breath. But I would have expected something a little more.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 5/10
Overall Rating – 6.9/10

[Album Review] I Am WHO? (2nd Mini Album) – Stray Kids

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This is the final “catch up” album review as I plan to get started on some album review for new releases this weekend. This is also the first time I will be reviewing Stray Kids’ album, who made their debut earlier this year with District 9. However, I am WHO? is the title for their more recent album, which features My Pace (link below) as the main title track. The group has also been releasing performance videos (or mv-like videos for all their tracks, so I linked down below so you can view them (simply click on the link at the title of the song).

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I Am WHO? Album Cover

1..WHO? – I do not commonly review the introductory track. But this one was much longer than most intro tracks and featured lyrics, which isn’t something too common. It is performed by Woojin, Felix and Han. A few of the titles of the songs on the album pop up in this track but I think it was a coincidence rather than intentional. I like the vocal and rapping elements in this introduction, my favourite being Woojin’s whispering. (8/10)

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

3. Voices – Voices is the hip-hop song that fulfils my craving for hip-hop, a genre that I don’t often delve into. It reminds me of the hip-hop songs that you commonly get in the Western industries back in the ‘00s. The song has a very impactful sound that is very rough around the edges but is quite heavy in terms of emotion. I thought the song showcases both their rapping and vocal potential, something I haven’t heard from them yet. I really like the roughness and intensity that the rappers bring to the song and the chorus was superb and melodic. (9.5/10)

4. Question – Question gets the album on a more upbeat and energetic note. In this song, we see different rap and vocal styles that we haven’t heard on the album yet. Whoever did the whispering rap section that opened the second verse sounds so good (I have replayed the song multiple times for that one section). I like entire chorus as it is however thought Felix’s English hook post-chorus extremely catchy and the main selling point of the song. The song does feel like it is missing something though, but I cannot pinpoint what that is. (8/10)

5. Insomnia (불면증) – While I did like other songs on the album more than Insomnia, I think it was the first song to jump out at me to confirm its album review. I thought the song was extremely dynamic, with its soft start and very unexpecting chaotic chorus drop. The fluctuations in the energy from the different sections is very interesting, which I think makes sense given the title of the song. Once again, the vocals and raps were quite good. But since I tend to listen to albums prior to going to sleep, this one isn’t too ideal for that period. (8/10)

6. M.I.A – I personally do not like to label songs as the ‘weakest song’ but it gives you an idea of what type of songs I like from an artist and what I don’t like. This one was a miss for me. I am not a fan of heavy autotune, so with majority of the song being filtered with the autotuned didn’t do much for me. On the plus side, however, the song was quite smooth. Vocals were good but I think some of the rapping in this song was more enjoyable (as it gave the song some roughness to offset the smoothness). Besides that, I don’t have much to say about the song. (6.5/10)

7. Awkward Silence (갑자기 분위기 싸해질 필요 없잖아요) – Ending the album is Awkward Silence, which is extremely fun and playful. A different route once again when compared to the rest of the album. I actually really like the song. The crow squawking during the ‘awkward silence’ just before the chorus was a very nice touch and gave the song that ‘not-so-serious’ element. I thought the bridge of the song was quite nice and Felix’s random inserts were quite enjoyable (also love the Australian accent that trickles in – Australia Represent!). It ends the album on a happier note, which I quite like. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.3/10 [FIXED]

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I Am WHO? Teaser Image

 

[Review] Puzzle Moon – GWSN

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It is time to look at another newly debut group, fresh from their trainee days. GWSN is a seven-member girl group formed by Kiwi Pop Media Group who made their debut last week with Puzzle Moon. The group is made up of Seoryoung, Miya, Seokyoung, Anne, Minju, SoSo and Lena and is a described bymultinational group with Korea, Japan and China represented by the members. Interestingly, each member has a Korean, Japanese and Chinese stage name, which I think is the first group to do that from their debut.

Puzzle Moon takes on that minimalistic trend that has been present in a few KPOP songs I have reviewed in the past week, though further elements are added as the song progresses towards the end. It works surprisingly well and gives off a unique vibe. The instrumentation felt like it was elements from a really cutesy song. But instead of going full-on cute, everything in between was stripped away, which goes back to my comments about how unique the song feels. I really like the simple chorus, though instead of ‘Make It Moon‘, it sounds like ‘Naked Moon‘ to me. Vocals also seem like it suits for a cutesy song so it goes well with the instrumentation. The rap has to be the winning moment of the song, as it is definitely the most intense section of the song. It gave the song some texture and intensity, which was what it needed. For a debut song, it definitely shows the group has potential. I hope they continue to make future comebacks so we can see what else the group can do!

It is clear how much the company has invested in the group. The quality of the music video is something I expect from an established group who have multiple comebacks and hits under their belt. Instead, the sets were pretty elaborate and better than sets from some other artist’s music videos. I loved the set for the choreography scene, which looked so damn good. As for the plotline of the video, I am not too sure what is going on. The ending shows the member making their descent to the moon (or Heaven possibly) after obtaining the right runes for the key. I have scrolled down into the comments on their YouTube video but I can’t find anything that explains the music video. So I am hoping someone else can interpret the video and share their thoughts! It looks very interesting and the way it was shot felt fitting for the song.

The choreography looks simple but there is a fair bit going on. I like how some of the members split away from the main group to do their own thing during the chorus and the spinning moon was really cool. I like how in-sync they are with each other, making this a very promising group (with all the aspects combined).

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.4/10