N.Flying has returned with their latest single, Hot Potato and mini-album, The Hottest. This is the band’s first comeback since their return in 2017, The Real (which is one of my favourite songs from 2017). And following their concept for the last comeback, it seems like N.Flying is continuing on with their wackiness, given their title of the title track.
And N.Flying has done it again, with what seems to be another amazing track. It is super addictive to listen to, especially once the chorus kicks in. It has me rocking to it. It seems like N.Flying has found their sound, which is definitely that playful and bright sound which you don’t really hear when it comes to bands across South Korea. There were a few moments that I liked throughout the rock-based The first being the small rock sequence which Seunghyub raps to for the bridge. That was an amazing section of the song. The second part was that extra instrumental at the end, which felt more like a tease. Vocally, the song is on point. So are the raps, which I felt (besides the chorus) is a very strong element to the song. The ‘Hot! A Hot Potato’ line at the end of the post-chorus (at 1:11) is so damn good, it still rings in my head.
Playing to that wacky side, N.Flying plays a group with not much to do (i.e. unemployed bachelors). A lot of the time, throughout the video, is of the group imagining how their lives would be shaped if they were famous. Portable fans vs. helicopters, money vs. bills. The reality vs. expectation scenarios makes the video funny to watch. Some of the sets looked quite cool, particularly the ones where they are performing. The helicopter and red carpet were my favourites. Overall, it was a good video to watch.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8.6/10
Momoland has made their return to the stage with Boom Boom and their third mini album, Great! This is their third comeback to date, following their tracks such as Wonderful Love,Freeze! and Jjan! Koong! Kwang!. For those who are not familiar with Momoland and want a taste of what they have to offer, check out their Asia Artist Awards performance, consisting of both Freeze and Wonderful Love. You will not be disappointed.
Boom Boom goes for a somewhat more mature sound with its instrumental and vocal work. It isn’t that bubbly and cutesy as their previous comebacks but it still manages to keep their bright and energetic sound. I am super addicted to the chorus of this song that just keeps on making me come back for more. But the most promising part of the song has to the be ‘Boom Boom’ in the post-chorus. The most unexpecting part of the entire track has to be the rap portion of the song, which breaks down into a few seconds of pure hip-hop sound. Unexpecting but it surprisingly works. Besides that, the song fits neatly into the retro sound that KPOP is often known for. The song ticks all the right boxes for me and tries to be a little different, which is what I like about it.
To me, the video can be split into two. The first being your standard shots of close-ups and choreography, while the second part is their commercial concept, which I think could have been used in a better way. It doesn’t resonate with something that is memorable, so it doesn’t do a good job with its sale pitch. However, that being said, I thought they pushed with that somewhat more mature concept very well towards the end, when we see them in the suits. They all look quite good in their suits and it definitely gave the girls that mature feel.
I also enjoyed the choreography. It isn’t as out there as their past choreography which was more energetic and bubbly. The choreography for the chorus was perfect, with the tempo and overall feel met. They managed to throw in some moves that remind me of their fun side, which keeps them to their roots.
Song – 10/10 Music Video – 7/10 Performance – 8.5/10 Overall Rating – 8.8/10
At first, I thought HINT was a newly debuted group gracing the stage with their first song. But after some research (aka. YouTube side recommendation bar), I have come to realize that HINT made their debut a while back (2012) under the name of TURAN. It wasn’t until last year with the release of Tang Tang Tangdid they change their group name to HINT. Today’s focus will be on their recent track, Walkie Talkie.
Walkie Talkie falls within the ‘standard KPOP’ genre. And while we are always expecting something a little different with each release, it is always nice to have a look back once in a while. And honestly, the track could not have come at a better time. It is a cutesy song that has a catchy hook and beat. It doesn’t have me singing along, but I can’t help but gravitate towards the song today. The ‘Walkie Talkie‘ repetition was quite addictive. The instrumental seems to fall neatly into the KPOP sphere (as previously mentioned) but it seems to incorporate some tropical house influence with that whistle synth. Overall, the sound is definitely bright, making it a stand out in the recent Winter weather dominated industry at the moment. Vocally, they sound pretty much like other cutesy girl groups. Not terrible but not jaw dropping amazing. I did like how they end the SOS by adding that effect on the song.
Like the song, it is your standard cutesy music video. Unlike the song though, it just doesn’t have that fresh feel to it. HINT takes you to the beach in the video and arranging a nice picnic at some park. The colours are bright in the video, which compliments the overall vibes of the song. The choreography scenes were nice but it does suffer due to that standard look. I did find the onesies scene quite cute and would have like some more of that in the video.
Performance wise, I think their dance is enough for the song. It has that cute feel to it and definitely channels a decent amount of energy fitting for the song. The chorus made me smile with their arms flailing about and their faces all scrunched up into a smile.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 7/10 Performance – 7.5/10 Overall Rating – 7.6/10
Welcome to the first album review of 2018 and we are starting off with the last major release of 2017. EXO returned on the 26th of December with their 2017 Winter album, Universe, which has become the fourth Winter album release of the band. The track has yet to be performed on any of the weekly music shows but was performed at the MBC Music Festival that occurred on the 31st of December. This album has caught me off guard with its high quality and has officially become one of my favourite releases of 2017. Scroll down and read the review to find out why I think so!
3. Been Through (지나갈 테니) – To me, this is the best song on the entire album. It grabbed my attention from the very start with its addictive nature and the overall aesthetics of the song. The vocals were really smooth, with some of the members using a huskier voice. The use of their voice has an added layer of percussion after the chorus added a nice touch and ‘o-whoo’ was oddly fascinating. The song had a nice launch into the chorus and it leaves you breathless. The instrumental was a show-stealer with its hollow effect and sounds. (10/10)
4. Stay – The song starts off like a ballad but it slowly builds up to something quite upbeat. In a way, this make the song unique because it still manages to hold back its energy and not overwhelm the listener with too much energy. The song has extremely strong chill vibes. The speed of the rap sequences contrasted with the mid-tempo pace of the song but I felt the autotune was unnecessary. The way the song ended with the ‘Stay’ sung by Suho, accompanied by the piano, was haunting but well done. (9/10)
5. Fall – Fall features a guitar dominate instrumental. There were a few subtle synths thrown into the song around the rap part and they surprisingly fitted in well with the song. Once again, the vocals and raps were on point. The chorus was probably the main highlight of the song with its dramatic ‘Fall’ repetition (also my favourite part of the song). The addition of the ad-libs in the second and third choruses kept the song from getting too repetitive. (9/10)
6. Good Night – This is the least interesting song on the entire album. But that being said, it is still a decent song to listen to. It is a soothing ballad, with all the members singing and shining in the song. The ad-libs that were layered on top of the main vocals of the song gave the song a more artistic twist. (8/10)
7. Lights Out – EXO ends their album with the vocals of 4 members (Suho, D.O, Chen and Baekhyun). The song does feel a little stagnant as the instrumental doesn’t really develop in any way. However, the vocals were the main driving force of the entire track. The falsettos which made up the chorus really gave the song some character, while the slight use of the choir in the background made the song feel more intense and aesthetic. Overall, it was a breathtaking song. (9/10)
Kicking off 2018 is TRCNG, who are returning with their first comeback ever. The group previously made their debut with Spectrum back in October 2017. Their latest mini-album, Who Am I, was released today which features their title track, Wolf Baby.
The dynamic nature of Wolf Baby does remind of songs that could have been released a few years back. I am not saying it sounds outdated but rather it does prick something in my memory bank. I like the upbeat rock-dance instrumental, which manages to make you feel energised and positive. There were various moments (such as 1:37 when we enter the second verse and the intro of the track) that gave a really playful sound as well, which felt very fitting for the song. Usually, those parts would have felt childish but they incorporated in a way that works with the rest of the track. The chorus was quite catchy. The vocals were good but I don’t think they are the standout element of the song. Actually, I felt the most memorable part of the song has to be the rap sequence that occurred during the bridge. It was by far the coolest section of the entire song and provided that extra punch of energy from keeping it too repetitive.
The playful vibes from the song are definitely seen visually throughout the video, which made it into a humorous video. These wolves are what you think they are. The mouths aren’t covered in blood but rather the excessive amount of tomato sauce (or ketchup) they drizzle on their sandwiches. The wolves also play with chainsaws but that clearly backfired with the good old fake hand trick. The sets were creepy (in a good way) which goes hand-in-hand with their visuals for this comeback.
TRCNG managed to throw the fierceness that you would expect from a wolf-themed concept and the cuteness that I believe fits their age range together quite well. The performance was definitely captivating to watch. That introduction was amazing with all the handstands and backflips occurring consecutively.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.5/10
I hope you all had a wonderful time this past weekend for Christmas if you celebrate it or not. If you want to know why my header image is still Christmas theme (and of bad quality), I bulk prepared my header images months in advance for efficiency purposes during the semester. But things are still festive here and now we are in that awkward week just waiting for the new year to come. But until then, here is another weekly chart post!
B.A.P’s Hands Up rose to take out the number 1 spot on the charts for this week. Following closely behind are Top 5 regulars, including EXID’s DDD, KARD’s You In Me and SEVENTEEN’s Clap. To finish off the top 5, we have 1NB with their latest track Where U At.
For more of the charts, scroll down below. Here are some things that will help you denote the chart: Green (▲) – Song has gone up in ranking Red (▼) – Song has gone down in ranking Blue (=) – Song has remained in the same position as the previous week Orange (new) – Song debut on the chart Grey (Final Week) – Song appears on the chart for its final week.
17th Dec – 23rd Dec 2017
Title
Artist
Status
1
Hands Up
B.A.P
(▲ 3)
2
DDD
EXID
(▲ 4)
3
You In Me
KARD
(▼ 1)
4
Clap
SEVENTEEN
(▲ 3)
5
Where U At
1NB
(▲ 19)
6
Love Is Gone
MAP6
(▲ 13)
7
Likey
TWICE
(▲ 7)
8
Runaway
Pentagon
(▲ 5)
9
I Like You
DAY6
(▼ 8)
10
Lip & Hip
Hyuna
(▲ 1)
11
I (knew it)
Sonamoo
(▲ 21)
12
Beautiful
Wanna One
(▼ 3)
13
Twinkle
Lovelyz
(▲ 7)
14
Dramarama
Monsta X
(▼ 3)
15
Peek-A-Boo
Red Velvet
(▼ 5)
16
Crazy Sexy Love
ASTRO
(=)
17
Ending Credit
Uhm Jung Hwa
(▼ 2)
18
Heart Shaker
TWICE
(▼ 13)
19
Charm of Life
Heechul, Shindong, Eunhyuk (Super Junior) & Solar (Mamamoo)
(▼ 16)
20
Black Suit
Super Junior
(▼ 3)
21
Candy
Samuel
(▲ 13)
22
The Night
Soyou ft. Geeks
(▼ 14)
23
Glass Shoes
Fromis_9
(▲ 7)
24
Chococo
Gugudan
(▲ 14)
25
Remember Me
VICTON
(▼ 4)
26
Joy
NCT Dream
(new)
27
Shall We Dance
Block B
(▲ 8)
28
Boy
The Boyz
(▼ 6)
29
This Christmas
Taeyeon (SNSD)
(=)
30
Amazing
IN2IT
(▼ 7) (Final Week)
2 songs will be leaving the charts this week (and will not appear in the charts starting from next week):
Home is Far Away – EPIK HIGH ft. Oh Hyuk
Amazing – IN2IT
Just a quick notice that next week’s chart will be published on the 2nd day of the new year (next Tuesday) as I will not be around during the New Year break. Until then, I hope you all have a splendid new year!
Welcome to the final album review of 2017. While there was one major release yesterday, I am currently on holidays and bulk wrote many of the reviews released this week. You will see that particular album review next week, so please be patient. I thought it would be nice to go back in time to one year ago (December 2016) when Seventeen made their comeback with Boom Boom. That was the title track of Going Seventeen, the focus on today’s review.
Going Seventeen Album Cover
1. Beautiful – The track features Joshua, Hoshi, Mingyu, DK, The8 and Dino. It is an upbeat track that displays vibrant energy and feels great as a Summer track (despite it being released in Winter). I think all the members that featured in the song showcased their vocals and rap skills very nicely. It was quite catchy to listen to. (9.5/10)
2. Boom Boom (붐붐) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Boom Boom. (8/10)
3. Highlight (Performance Unit) – The Performance Unit ended up releasing a music video for this track and ended up redistributing the lines for the entire Seventeen group to perform on stage. I like the mixture of pop and EDM, which allowed the Performance unit a chance to showcase more of their individual talents (including the dancing and the vocals). The drop made it epic and a standout. I usually don’t like autotune but whatever they were singing during the chorus, it sounded amazing. (9/10)
4. Lean On Me (기대) (Hip Hop Unit) – I liked how each member opened the song up with one line by singing (and this was seen a few more times throughout the song). I also liked how harsh Wonwoo’s raps sounded despite the song being more along the lines of RnB and featuring a jazzy instrumental. Mingyu’s vocals for the chorus were fresh, while Vernon’s part during the bridge gave the song some edge. It has head-bopping potential and extremely appealing. (8/10)
5. Fast Pace(빠른 걸음) – This track features the entire group. The song aims to go for a more mature sound with a strong impact from the very first second. Wonwoo’s intro and Mingyu’s 24/7 lines were the two that I remember strongly. The raps were perfect but I felt the vocals could have been huskier to make it even more sensual. (9/10)
6. I Don’t Listen (몰래 듣지 마요) (Vocal Unit) – Structurally, this is a very interesting song. Jeonghan and Joshua have softer vocals, so they had a soft instrumental to compliment the vocals. DK, Woozi and Seungkwan have more powerful vocals and they complimented the louder and more powerful instrumentals. I thought that was an example of good production. Naturally, the emotions could be felt flowing from their vocals and the ad-libs were amazing. (9/10)
7. I Don’t Know(글쎄) – This particular song featured S.Coups, Jeonghan, Jun, Wonwoo, Woozi, Seungkwan and Vernon. I enjoyed the subtle guitar in the background and ‘Woo Woo Woo’ in the chorus. The contrast between verse and chorus, in terms of intensity, was appealing. It just didn’t seem as memorable as their other tracks on the album. (8/10)
8. Flower Smile(웃음꽃) – What makes this song memorable is the fact that each member got some time (regardless of length) to show off some of their vocal talents. The chorus is also quite swayable, something I like when it comes to ballads. The emotions come in an overloaded form. What seals the deal for me is the guitar instrumental and the strong harmonies (particularly in the second chorus). (10/10)
EXO is nominated for Best Music Video and Best Boy Group. Some of the members are also nominated in other categories such as Best Japanese Song By A Korean Artist and Best Collaboration. Get voting to support them as voting closes in a few days. You can vote by clicking here!
EXO has made their return with their annual Winter mini-album, which also shares the same title of the lead title track. Universe follows the success of EXO’s previous Winter tracks such as Miracle in December, Sing For You & For Life. The album was originally meant to be released prior to Christmas However, its release was delayed until after Christmas due to the death of SHINee’s Jonghyun.
And Universe lives up to the expectations that were set by EXO’s previous Winter tracks. Universe has a very simple feel to it, especially with the lone piano in the instrumental at the start. The addition of more instruments builds up the song, turning it into a dramatic piece of music. And I totally dig this style. The other major component of this song has to be the vocals, which are breathtaking. I particularly thought the chorus was extremely well done with that “I Search the Universe‘ very addictive for some odd reason, Finally, that slow down in energy at the very end where they ease away from that dramatic sound and taking us back to the very start was very nice. It completes the song perfectly, in my point of view, making this track one of the best.
The entire video has this brown colour type of palette, which gives off a warm feeling and compliments well with the song. The barista and coffee concept also seems to add to that warm feeling, which I think is quite perfect. There are also a number of scenes within the video that show two people being tied together. But that knot break apart and the EXO members go searching the entire ‘Universe‘ for the part of the rope. My interpretation may be a little weak but that is what I could gather from some sources. I really like the how the bass in the song is timed well with the vibrations on the coffee, making the video pair well with the song. It is a really nice video to watch, overall.
Song – 10/10 Music Video – 10/10 Overall Rating – 10/10
I’ll make this intro a very quick one due to the length of this post. TWICE has returned with Merry & Happy, which is the re-release of their first album, Twicetagram. Both albums and songs have already topped the charts, showcasing the success and stability of TWICE.
2. Merry & Happy – Another upbeat Christmas themed track which didn’t feel too loaded. All the members vocally shined in the song and it felt genuinely cute. Besides that, the instrumental could have been better to keep the song more interesting. (6/10)
4. Turtle (거북이) – Turtle felt like a sweet song. It had a really nice acoustic instrumental which paired well with the vocals. From a song of such nature, the chorus became stuck in my head after a few listens. (8/10)
5. Missing U – Following Turtle is another acoustic song that developed into a somewhat pop-like during the chorus. It also seemed to incorporate some tropical flares in it as well. The transition between the acoustic and electric guitar was nice. In many ways, the song felt quite similar to Turtle, including the vocals and raps. Also, another catchy track. (9/10)
6. Wow – The song features retro vibes that made the song stand out slightly. Besides that, various details stuck out for the wrong reasons. The girl’s pronunciation of the word ‘Wow’ sounded like a dog barking, while the raps were my least favourite parts. Furthermore, the song felt repetitive by the time it got to the final chorus. (4/10)
7. FFW – For those who don’t know, FFW stands for ‘Fast Forward’. Given the title, the song’s tempo does not feel like it fits its name. But it isn’t intolerable. The chorus was quite nice but once again, the vocals didn’t seem to work with it. Come to the think of it, FFW does remind me of a Christmas song for some odd reason. (7/10)
8. Ding Dong – It is the one song on the album that is bound to get everyone dancing. The chorus was quite catchy and upbeat. It goes well with the bright sound that I think you can associate with TWICE. I like how there was an incline during the chorus, which I thought made the track interesting and appealing to my ears. (9/10)
9. 24/7 – The soft start of the song was really well done. Following that was a slight build-up throughout the rest of the song. It is a catchy track with many memorable moments. The addictive chorus, the clean vocal work, the subtle upbeat instrumentation and the cool rap. What more can you ask for? (9/10)
10. Look At Me (날 바라바라봐)– The “Look At Me” lines repeated throughout the song became quite addictive. The raps were also quite nice even though they were of a more standard nature. The falsetto vocals before the chorus and during the bridge were also quite intriguing. The slowdown that made up the bridge contrasted well with the rest of the track. Overall, I thought it was an interesting song. (8/10)
11. Rollin’ – I thought it was a great track but there is a part of me that thinks it could have been better. The greatness is attributed to the retro vibes coming straight from the instrumentals. I actually like the chorus, which reminds of certain songs. The reason why i think the track could have better was that the vocals/raps were underwhelming. (6.5/10)
12. Don’t Give Up (힘내!) – While I thought the instrumental was on the quirky side, there were moments where I thought it overpowered the vocals. The vocals themselves were quite good but it was clear that the rap sequences (especially the one at the end) was the best part of the entire track. The bridge felt like it belonged to a completely different song. It was another passable track on the album. (6/10)
13. You In My Heart (널 내게 담아) – I really enjoyed the fresh feel that the instrumental gave the song but its pop style is something that you hear often. The vocals don’t really add much to the song but they were extremely fitting and clean for the song. I must say that if you want something easy on the ears, this is the song for you. (8/10)
14. Sleep Tight, Good Night (잘자요 굿나잇) – It is time for that mandatory ballad. And it wasn’t as bad as I had expected it. Instead, the track contained nice vocals. It did make me feel sleepy, acting almost like a lullaby. And while that may sound like a bad track, it isn’t. Instead, it is a nice way to say the album is over and to wait for the next release (at least, that is what I got from it). (8/10)
NCT Dream is nominated in Best Subunit for this year’s KPOPREVIEWED Awards, while NCT is also nominated for Best Boy Group. If you have yet to support them or any other of your favourites, click the link here to get voting!
SM Entertainment has taken the Christmas season to a whole new level with multiple Christmas and Winter themed tracks for the very fast approaching holiday season. Last week, Taeyeon kicked things off with her solo title track, This Christmas. On Friday, NCT Dream marked their return with their first SM Station track, Joy.
Joy takes my surprise due to its upbeat nature. Upbeat Christmas songs have been done before, so I don’t know why I am so surprised about the idea of it. They managed to incorporate the traditional sounds of Christmas, giving the songs of the holiday season a modern sound. However, the upbeat nature has its down-side. It doesn’t feel right. Instead, it seemed to make the song feel quite complicated and had too much going on at certain parts. The chorus features two widely known Christmas songs, Joy To The World and Jingle Bells, but instead of making a full mash-up with the two songs, they only took the iconic line from each song to form the chorus. Their vocal work was nice and the raps were cool. Though I did have a laugh with Mark’s words during the second rap chorus, mainly because they felt really random at those moments.
The music video was very golden. The choice of colours in the music video created a warm atmosphere, which is definitely a suitable aspect of the video. However, some of the stuff that was occurring didn’t reflect the Winter/Christmas season that accurately. Like you can do face-painting during the Christmas season but it doesn’t feel Christmas-related, which is clearly what the video is aiming for. As for some of the other scenes (such as the glitter scenes), it looked like the director focused more on aesthetics than the actual Christmas season. It isn’t a major issue but it does bug me to an extent.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 7/10 Overall Rating – 7/10
B.A.P has returned with their brand new single album, Ego. This is B.A.P’s third comeback of 2017 following Rose and Blue. Thier title track, Hands Up, still follows B.A.P’s traditional fierce sound but their accompanying song on the album feature a somewhat softer sound, making Ego stand out to me. To see more of my review, scroll down below.
2. Moondance – Moondance felt like something that would have fitted very neatly onto VIXX’s latest mini album. But here, B.A.P does a wonderful job with the various twist and turns that the song has. I love the pre-chorus, which gives the song only a second to build-up to a very cool and ear-catching chorus. The vocals in the song were quite nice, giving off a very attractive appeal. The raps were also tweaked from the usual fierce style to a slower pace and becoming somewhat sensual. The instrumental is quite ‘lit’ but in a subtle way. (9/10)
3. Think Hole – I love the bass during this chorus and the very soft yet catchy ‘Falling Falling Falling For You’. The contrast between the vocals in this part and the instrumental was a very appealing part of the track for me. The raps and vocals of the members were highlighted to show off their talents and skills in a subtler way (compared to their previous title tracks), which was something I like. (8/10)
You can actually vote many times for the 2017 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Some categories are extremely tight, while the leading nominees constantly change. So in order to get your favourites to win, make sure you continue voting!
Uhm Jung Hwa is back with her latest track, Ending Credit. She previously made her last comeback at the end of 2016 with the first part of her mini-album, The Cloud Dream of the Nine. Her return 1 year later features the second part of her mini-album, where Ending Credit is the main track. Uhm Jung Hwa also collaborated with Lee Hyori in another track (Delusion) which also features on the mini-album.
I dig this song a lot. It sounds very plain when you listen to it the first few times. But after a while, it caught on very quickly and is soon becoming a song that will dominate my replay list. The song is so smooth and just fits into the genre of music that I am loving. The chill side of the song is so damn good and the first few seconds (before she starts singing) would be fitting for many TV shows currently on our screens. Once she starts singing, you can identify the retro vibes that dance track is trying to portray. Her vocals glide very easily over the instrumental, giving it a very strong (in a subtle way) presence. It isn’t a catchy song, but somehow it manages to become impactful. And even more mysteriously, it has me going back for more.
If a particular music video is 100% retro, then Ending Credit is probably at 110% retro. From her outfits to the lighting, to her hairstyle, the video takes you back to the 80s. And I really enjoyed all of it. Even the hazy filter that was placed over the video looked so damn good. The theatre was a nice place to set the entire video, giving it an aesthetic look. And to complete the video, it featured its own Ending Credit.
The choreography looks nice. Parts of it reminds me of voguing, while other parts felt like a normal upbeat dance. I want to see a full live stage (mainly because the one shown on Weekly Idol looks extremely promising and that full theatrics would make it an iconic stage), but the chorus looks so nice.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9/10
With a rumoured comeback for January next year, I thought it would be nice to have a little trip back in time and look at Infinite’s last comeback. Infinite Only is the group’s 6th mini-album, released in September 2016. This was the last comeback to feature Hoya, who did not renew his contract with Woolim Entertainment earlier this year.
Infinite Only Album Cover
1..Eternity (Intro Track) – This track will not be included in the review. It features a really dramatic orchestral piece that is very Infinite-esque that eases you into the title track.
3. Air – Song starts off slow and eerie. But that lasts only for a few seconds before you are launched into an epic dubstep/EDM styled drop. It made the entire track become instantly intense. While the instrumental did remain dubstep/EDM based, the chorus sounded a lot like a traditional pop song. The bridge slowed the song down, but it made the song appear nicer. (10/10)
4. One Day – This track is a soft rock style ballad, which is quite pleasant to listen to. I liked how the instrumental was dynamic. Rather it is the minor details that make me think the instrumentation is dynamic. The vocal work is great but I felt the raps stood out, adding a more intense touch to the song. (9/10)
5. True Love – Out of all the tracks on the album, I felt like this one is the most out of place. It has a jazzy sound, which feels like it suits a more elegant tracklist. Not saying that EDM and rock are not elegant but it just doesn’t fit the overall feel of the album. I have to admit, however, the vocal work in this song is the best on the entire album. (7/10)
6. Thank You (고마워) – It is a fan-service song. A way to say ‘thank you’ to the fans. It is very nice on the ears and feels suitable for a warm Spring day or Autumn day. The harmonies during the chorus of the ballad and the lyrics made the song feel a lot more wholesome and warm. (8/10)
7. Zero – The album ends with another epic track. It grabs you from the very first second with its explosive synths and (yet again) EDM based instrumental. I thought the vocals would have drowned out in comparison to the rest of the song but they were nicely balanced. The high note at the end was spectacular. As the final song, it brings you to the edge of your seat and creates an intense finale. (10/10)
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With many famous collaborations under her name, Soyou has officially embarked as a solo artist with her solo debut. With the unfortunate disbandment of Sistar earlier this year still haunting us, Soyou has taken this opportunity to show off a different side with her title track, The Night (featuring The Geeks) and her mini-album, Part 1 RE:BORN.
While I did expect something along the lines of her collaboration works, this one has a different sound to what I am used to. It makes sense, given her need to remove herself from the safety of Sistar and her duets with big names in the industry. Her song is quite nice, giving off a warm atmosphere through her vocals. It has a sweet and happy tune to it, which is something I like, mainly since Winter seems to focus largely on ballads. The melody makes the song quite catchy but I wonder how long the song would stick around. The song doesn’t necessarily feel like a song that should constantly be replayed but it is definitely a nice sound. Geeks added a nice touch with their delivery fitting the song’s tune very neatly. It’s definitely not Soyou’s next Some song but there is a decent sound to it.
The music video seems to show Soyou preparing for her date and shows her excitement for the date (as per the information taken from the description box to the music video). At the start, she is rehearsing what she expects will occur at night (i.e. cooking the ramen, drinking the blue bottle alcohol) but it seems her dates takes an unexpected turn as she returns home alone. At the very end, her head somehow lands into her date’s lap, which surprises her. It’s a nice video that makes sense with the lyrics. I like the brightness of the colours and the camera work that featured in the video.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8/10
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B.A.P has officially returned with a brand new single, Hands Up. 2017 has been a big year for some groups, B.A.P being one of them. With solo work included, B.A.P has already returned with two singles, Wake Me Up and Honeymoon. So their year is completely jam-packed from the very start to end. And to round out that year is this particular comeback.
When I first saw the title, I thought the song would be something like getting hyped for a party of some sort (I guess my mind is in holiday mode at the moment). It was extremely surprising (for some odd reason) when it came out to be a lot serious and leaned towards a darker hip-hop sound. The instrumental remains consistent throughout the entire song. And while it did get a little repetitive towards the end, the consistency works well with the serious nature of the track. It also made the song feel a lot smoother when it came to the vocal parts of the song, which I pretty much liked. The raps are also stand-out sections of the song, particularly Bang Yong Guk’s, which is the most intense part of the track (and his husky voice makes it 100% better). The ‘Go Hands Up’ becomes addictive after a few listens. I just feel the song lacked energy and did not do enough to give it that ‘wow’ factor that I like to surprise me when it comes to this type of music.
The concept reminded me of Young, Wild & Free. Young, Wild & Free’s music video felt isolated but I would imagine a similar video to Hands Up would be produced if they threw in a few more people. It attempts to be edgier than any other video but instead, it felt very standard and plain. I like how they managed to rug the members up in the cold weather but still maintain a look suitable for the music. And I think this is the first time I am going to say this but I am not a fan of the camera work in this video. Some of the shakier shots were distracting.
[Updated] The choreography was nice but it wasn’t that appealing and memorable. Some parts lacked energy (complimenting some comments I made previously) while others parts were more energetic (i.e. chorus). Though, it managed to showcase a tense atmosphere, which I thought made it look decent and right up B.A.P’s alley.
Song – 7.5/10 Music Video – 6/10 Performance – 6.5/10 [Updated] Overall Rating – 7/10[Updated]
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SM Entertainment doesn’t mess around when it comes to the Christmas season. Usually, they end the year with Christmas albums for some of their artists and lineup many collaborations for the upcoming festive seasons. This year is no exception and to kick things off is Taeyeon with her first Christmas album, titled as This Christmas – Winter Is Coming.
The lead title track from the album is This Christmas, which is another ballad to add to Taeyeon’s forever expanding portfolio. This Christmas features a very nice piano instrumental that makes you feel warm but manages to prick an emotion or two out of you. I liked the late buildup of the instrumental. Even though it did make the start feel a little dragged out, it is not how you start but rather how you end. And the end of the song gives off a grand feel. Most importantly, however, is that the instrumental compliments her vocals very well. They make the song feel so much more emotional. The latter half of the song (where the instrumentation picks up) showcases Taeyeon’s vocals in such a beautiful light that I have to say that this is one of her best works yet.
The music video focuses on the girl’s relationship with her father, centring around Christmas. It starts off with the typical loving father and daughter relationship when is young. As she gets older, the relationship gets rocky and we see multiple scenes of her walking out on her dad and pushing her father away. In the end, it implies that Taeyeon is the young girl. The storyline made it into a very beautiful video to watch. I love the various effects they used to make it feel like Taeyeon was in a snowstorm with the snow blowing rapidly and the fast-moving camera work. I think that was the best scene in the entire video.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 10/10 Overall Rating – 9.5/10
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