KPOP – Page 42 – KPOPREVIEWED

[Album Review] The Future Is Ours: LOST (7th Mini Album) – AB6IX

September 25, 2023September 25, 2023Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged AB6IX2 Comments

Kicking off the blog this week is the album review for AB6IX’s 7th mini-album, The Future Is Ours: LOST. For me, AB6IX’s latest comeback has been lost and forgotten, so I thought an album review would be a great way to re-spark some interest in the comeback. I find some of their side tracks are absolute highlights on my playlists and I can always rely on AB6IX to have one or two amazing side tracks on each of their album releases. Headlined by the single LOSER, The Future Is Ours: LOST features four additional side tracks. There is one particular side track that I really enjoyed and gave a 10/10 for. Find out which side track that is and the rest of my thoughts on the album down below.

1. BLAZE – To me, the chorus of BLAZE was extremely blissful. It is odd to describe a dance track like that, but I was captivated with the pop melodies the members brought to life, Woojin’s lines and echoing shout and the forward momentum of the EDM instrumentation during this part. Elsewhere, BLAZE was delivered very cleanly in all aspects of the song. While the trap instrumentation was a bit generic, it did a great job of helping making the chorus more impactful. A very promising start to the mini-album. (10/10)

2. LOSER (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for LOSER. (7/10)

3. REALITY – REALITY highlights AB6IX’s vocals so well. The harmonies throughout REALITY are so good, the use of low notes in the chorus serves as an extra piece of appeal in the chorus and the multiple falsettos in the bridge was amazing (and is also the part that I constantly return to in REALITY). WOOJIN’s rapping was very suave. The instrumental features a groovy bass, with twinkling synths to give the track some detailing and an electric guitar-like synth to give some much needed texture and crunch to the song. (9/10)

4. EDEN – The funky instrumentation is what attracts my attention to EDEN and has me coming back for more. There is a lot of retro elements to the track, with scratching disks and brass to exudes those retro feels. The most unsettling element in the instrumentation was the distorted vocals in the background. I am on the fence with this. I think it has charm, but it just highlights such a distinct unnatural feel to EDEN, whereas everything else just sounded normal and fitted in nearly into the track. The members do a neat job in this track, with the vocals and rapping both having a dynamic flair to them. (8/10)

5. SUCKER – SUCKER follows on from their previous side-track single of a similar title, Sucker For Your Love (from their A to B 5^th mini-album), with SUCKER carrying over some melodies from Sucker For Your Love. SUCKER takes on a R&B instrumentation, and as result, carries less punch as a result of the change in instrumentation. But there were some nice touches, such as the jazzy piano and the whistling in the background. And the members do sound quite nice, particularly Woong’s growl in the second verse and the ad-libs as the end. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.4/10

[Album Review] Apocalypse: From Us (8th Mini Album) – Dreamcatcher

September 24, 2023September 23, 2023Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged Dreamcatcher2 Comments

As you can tell by the title of this post, Dreamcatcher’s 8th mini-album, Apocalypse: From Us, is the focus of this album review post. Released back in May of this year, Apocalypse: From Us features the title track BONVOYAGE and four additional side tracks (one of which is an introductory track). Per usual with Dreamcatcher, each rock is influenced by some form of rock, making for another consistent mini-album from the group. To find out what I thought about each song on the mini-album, keep on reading below!

1. Intro: From Us – Twinkling keyboard and a consistent electric guitar instrumental piece kicks off the introductory track before the electric guitar turns into a full-on electrifying rock instrumentation. The keyboard does fade into the rock instrumentation but does return at the very end. Another bold start to a Dreamcatcher album.

2. BONVOYAGE (Title Track) – Drafting up this album review, I have been going back and forth as to whether I should bump up the rating. 8/10 is already pretty high in my books. But I shouldn’t ignore the fact that the song has grown exponentially on me and it has become one of the best tracks (if not the best) of 2023 for me. So, I have decided to bump the rating up by one full mark, noting the weak points I mentioned in the original still apply to some extent. Click here to read the full review for BONVOYAGE. (9/10)

3. DEMIAN – Holy moly was my first thoughts to DEMIAN. It may have been a while since the album dropped, but I vividly remember being blown away with DEMIAN when I first listed to the album upon its release. We get a groovy jazz beginning that I would love the group to explore more in the future. But in true fashion with Dreamcatcher, the rock takes over. And they lean in hard into the genre. I also love the peek of piano in the bridge, just as a small moment of relief before we go back to the rock energy. The group themselves sound so balanced and calm throughout the track, making DEMIAN also blissful in its own way. (10/10)

4. Propose – The rock continues in Propose taking on a more traditional form. But woah, I consistently found myself head nodding or banging to the song every time it popped up on my radar. The start to Propose was quite atmospheric and this continues onwards into the first verse/pre-chorus. It did get a bit sluggish for a moment, but the emergence of rock in the chorus saved the day. The vocal work was strong and definitely a highlight throughout Propose. Also, a highlight was Dami’s charismatic rapping in the second verse. Again, another promising song from Dreamcatcher. (9/10)

5. To. You – To. You also continue the rock sound, but takes it down a balladry path. As a bit of a change, I find this track to be the least memorable number of the mini-album. But that being said, it is still a super nice rock track. I don’t think the heaviness of the rock instrumentation that does come through in To. You can constitute it as a ballad, but I do appreciate the pace and slowness of the track. The members sound really good and I like the mellow synth that features in the midst of the rock instrumentation. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 9/10

[Album Review] DARK BLOOD (4th Mini Album) – ENHYPEN

September 22, 2023September 21, 2023Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged ENHYPEN2 Comments

DARK BLOOD is the next album to be reviewed following my recently posted review for the follow-up single Sacrifice (Eat Me Up). Alongside the follow up single, the May 2023 release DARK BLOOD has features the title track BITE ME and four additional side tracks. Like all my album reviews, the links for the full reviews for BITE ME (noting that I have bumped up the song score from what I had in the original review) and Sacrifice (Eat Me Up), along with my thoughts on the sides tracks can all be found below.

1. Fate – Starting off the mini-album is Fate, their usual introductory track. The instrumental for this one was show-stopping. The harp, the synth-organ, the slight hint of a choir humming/vocalising in the background and even the synths in the latter half of Fate was really striking and makes for a powerful piece. The narration work by all the members was extremely suspenseful, while the vocal work in the latter half was gripping and served as a nice vehicle to carry us to the end of the intro track. (9/10)

2. BITE ME (Title Track) – As alluded in the song review I posted recently for ENHYPEN, BITE ME has grown considerably on me since its release in May. As a result, I have decided to bump up the rating by one full point. My sentiments in the original review does still stand, however. Click here to read the full review for BITE ME. (7.5/10)

3. Sacrifice (Eat Me Up) – Click here to read the full review for Sacrifice (Eat Me Up). (7/10)

4. Chaconne – Chaconne takes the group into hip-hop territory, which isn’t unfamiliar territory for the group. I liked the darker and more sinister tone that this track had, which allows the members to dig deep. We even hear some low notes to really hone into that side of the song. The electric guitar was also very a nice touch and gives the track some edge, especially since it was layered underneath the rest of the instrumentation. I just wished the melodies were a little more prolific to take Chaconne to the next level. (7.5/10)

5. Bills – Switching up the album is Bills, which refocuses the mini-album a brighter and distinct sound. The vibrancy that the members give via their vocal work makes Bills stand out from the pack. It also definitely helps that the melodies of Bills is catchy and I found myself humming to the song each time it appeared on my playlists/recommendations. The instrumental of Bills takes on lo-fi hip-hop, and this helps makes the track quite a dreamy one. (8/10)

6. Karma – The brighter touch that Bills gave the mini-album ends up being transitioned into an energy-packed ender to the mini-album by Karma. The brighter punk rock instrumentation feels miles away from how the mini-album started, while ENHYPEN brings strong vocals, harmonies and hype energy to the track. It is a bit plain and traditional, and I wished the track went somewhat experimental to keep us on our toes. But still, a solid ender to the mini-album. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 7.8/10

[Review] Vroom Vroom – TEMPEST

September 21, 2023Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged TEMPESTLeave a comment

Yesterday, TEMPEST made their return with their 1st single album with Into THE TEMPEST and the lead single Vroom Vroom. This comeback follows on from their April 2023 comeback with Dangerous and their fourth mini-album, The Calm Before the Storm (폭풍전야).

I have been more of a fan of TEMPEST’s pop leaning releases thus far, rather than of their more intense dance tracks. Vroom Vroom is very much in the latter category, which was kind of expected given the title of the song. While my thoughts of Vroom Vroom being another generic boy group dance release and is rather typical definitely recurs when I listen to the song, I do think it is a nudge better than their previous songs of the same or similar caliber. I put it down to the fact that the producers and the group leaned right into the intensity and really did a good job of backing it all up with the sound effects when the title of the song appears in the lyrics. It was a creative way of layering without muddling the song. I also found Vroom Vroom to be quite catchy thanks to the repetition in the central parts. The loud and concentrated intensity in the instrumental break was also quite welcomed, catching me off guard and it took the already intense song to a higher level. As mentioned earlier, the usual thoughts do prevail. Vroom Vroom doesn’t exactly have anything memorable in the vocal or rapping departments and I wished this had something that really draws your attention to the members. Overall, another generic release from TEMPEST with some promise.

Unsurprisingly, the music video takes on a a racing concept with racecar outfits, cars, motorcycles and tyres in abundance in this video. Even the sets were very metallic or industrial-like, resembling a garage or engine. It did do a decent job of relaying that intensity and energy from Vroom Vroom. But aside from all of that, I don’t have much else to say about the video.

One of the advantages of an intense song is that it lends well in terms of performance. And Vroom Vroom does highlight TEMPEST’s performance potential. The synchronisation and powerful energy/intensity was definitely present on stage and a highlight to the performance.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.3/10

[Review] Get Lit – Stray Kids

September 21, 2023September 20, 2023Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Stray Kids2 Comments

You can probably guess by now that when I am covering the side tracks off an album that has a music video released alongside it, I am gearing up for their album review. And that is definitely the case of Stray Kids’ ★★★★★ (5-STAR). So far, I have covered DLC and FNF, as well as the title track S-Class. But there are a few more music videos released for the ★★★★★, so do expect a review for each of those associated songs over the coming weeks. Today’s review is focused on Get Lit, which is 7th track from their 3rd studio length album.

Loud and shouty are the exact words I would use to describe GET LIT. While that might sound negative, I use them quite positively in the context of GET LIT. I really enjoyed the bold energy of this track. The instrumental itself, which is a mixture of moombahton and bounce EDM, has a squeaky-like distorted effect that made it quite unique. The twangs in the instrumentation also kept it fun and playful. The loudness that I mentioned before stems from the instrumentation, as well. Again, squeaky and loud doesn’t sound appealing, but that is not the case with GET LIT. As the instrumental is quite loud, the vocals and rapping had to come off as shouty to work in the track. And it does. Both had to follow through, and I like the control and balance they strike. The rapping in the verses was very impressive and the shouty vocals in the pre-choruses and choruses still managed to bring a brief yet memorable melody into play. Altogether, the elements of GET LIT come together to exude the one thing that the title promises – an energetic and hyped up party vibe that doesn’t hold back.

The music video features both a fashion show and a party. The fashion show highlights the members’ amazing visuals and felt very appropriate given the group and individual members’ recent ventures into the fashion world with modelling work and the announcement of global ambassadorships for some big named fashion brands. The party itself felt very exclusive, coming off from the fashion show concept and with Bang Chan DJing in the midst of the party. The music video also does a good job of ensuring the video is lit, matching with the energy and title of the song.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9/10

[Album Review] I FEEL (6th Mini Album) – (G)I-DLE

September 20, 2023Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged i-dleLeave a comment

Next up on the album review front is (G)I-DLE’s I FEEL, which is the group’s 6th mini-album to date. The mini-album is headlined by the hit Queencard, the pre-release single Allergy and four addition title track. More recently (as this mini-album dropped back in May of this year). the group has been touring the world with their successful discography and have also signaled their English debut with the single I Do and the upcoming release of their 1st English mini-album HEAT.

1. Queencard (퀸카) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Queencard. (7/10)

2. Allergy (Pre-Release Track) – Click here to read the full review for Allergy. (8/10)

3. Lucid – Lucid is a club-like pop track with a consistent thumping beat and some interesting bass-organ element in the background. Quite striking, if you ask me. The members sound very sleek and mature in the song. Both styles complement that club-like nature the song immediately makes me think of. The chorus was a strong centrepiece and exudes a sensual vibe, thanks to the vocals and instrumentation working together. (8/10)

4. All Night – Kicking off All Night is a very suspenseful piano. But this is soon left behind, after the song switches up into club-banger territory and stays in that realm for the rest of the song. Groovy bass and a mixture of soft and crunchy rock guitar riffs make up the backing of All Night. Throw in a super cool and catchy chorus, in terms of both melodies and hooks, and you pretty much have the best song of the tracklist. (10/10)

5. Paradise – Paradise takes the form of a pop ballad, with the members showcasing their vocals in this track. Their vocals are beautiful and soothing to listen to, while the instrumentation features a peaceful and atmospheric set of synths. The melodies and chorus were stunning. The bridge features Soyeon’s rapping, and she does it at a paced manner that allows it to fit Paradise nicely. It is a hard song to dislike. (9/10)

6. Peter Pan (어린 어른) – Finally, Peter Pan ditches the synths and brings us back to an acoustic form of instrumentation with this pop number. We get acoustic guitars and a consistent beat in Peter Pan. The members deliver their vocals and rapping in a punchy and fun manner. Overall, it’s a light and an easy-going pop track to close out the mini-album. (7.5/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.3/10

[Review] CHEEKY – EL7Z UP

September 20, 2023Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged EL7Z UPLeave a comment

Whoever is naming KPOP groups nowadays really need to stop! Now that I got that off my chest, here is my review for EL7Z UP’s debut single, CHEEKY, which is featured on the group’s 7+Up debut mini-album . The group formed through the Queendom Puzzle show, which is a spin-off from the Queendom series where female KPOP artists from active groups or have active solo careers would compete with one another to earn a place in a global project group. 28 contestant started off on the show, but the final line up ended up consisting of Hwiseo (H1-KEY member), Nana (woo!ah! member), Yuki (PURPLE KISS member), Kei (part of the currently inactive Lovelyz member), Yeoreum (WJSN member), Yeonhee (Rocket Punch member) and Yeeun (former CLC member). What makes EL7Z Up interesting is that the members can still promote as part of their existing groups/solo careers as they wish (like in the case of PURPLE KISS, Rocket Punch and H1-KEY’s recent comebacks), which sets them apart from the other groups formed other MNET survival shows we have encountered.

Anyway, my long introduction is over and now we can get right into CHEEKY. To me, I find the song to be quite an assortment of sorts. There are parts that I like, and there are parts that I am not a fan of. So, based on what I have mentioned so far, you can cross cohesive and impressed off the list of potential descriptions for CHEEKY. Let’s begin with the likes of the song. The very low thumping bass in the background of the verses was interesting and the pre-choruses had a nice melodic touch. The chorus was a nice refreshing melody, which I thought had a nice ring to it. I also enjoyed the brightness the members bring to the central part of CHEEKY. But the rest of CHEEKY were lacking and less enjoyed by me. There are a few momentum killers in the song, such as the sample of Borodin’s Prince Igor as backing of the rapping in the second verse and the sudden/instant transition from second chorus to the bridge. Elsewhere, the verses were very dry and consisted of nothing of interest. And I couldn’t take the serious toned “Cheeky Cheeky … Cheeky, Cheeky Woo, Cheeky Cheeky, Freaky Deaky Cheeky Cheeky Woo” repetition seriously It was also pretty mundane and awkward. It would have been nice to hear more character in the song, especially from the members as I am sure they each have something interesting to offer, and something more expressive in the lesser enjoyed parts of CHEEKY.

The concept for this video/debut appears to revolve around an audition, with the members in line for a ballet audition based on what I can make out from the posters/other auditionees. It might also explain the ballet sample mentioned above in the song. But in the end, the members break ranks from ballet (their cheeky action of the video) and end up dancing to CHEEKY instead. I find the idea of an audition concept to be logical for this group, as it can represent the start of a new beginning for them, especially since they have their own careers to return to throughout their promotions as part of EL7Z UP and once the activities for the project group officially ends. Other than that, I found the music video to be a decent watch.

For me, CHEEKY featured an alright routine. It works with the song, but I just found the routine doesn’t offer anything interesting to comment on.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 7.5/10
Performance – 6/10
Overall Rating – 6.5/10

[Double Review] Good Enough + Dear H. – Xdinary Heroes

September 19, 2023September 18, 2023Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Xdinary Heroes2 Comments

Joining their labelmates in having more than one music video for one album release is Xdinary Heroes. Part of their Deadlock mini-album from April this year is Good Enough and Dear. H, the mini-album’s fifth and seventh track respectively. Today, I will be reviewing both balladry tracks in this one post. Featured alongside these two side tracks is the title track Freakin’ Bad.

Good Enough is a captivating and emotional ballad, featuring both band instrumentation and piano/strings in the background. The former is throughout the entire track (which is expected for a band), but the latter is heard from the second verse onwards. Jungsu and Juyeon’s vocal work in this song is so enchanting to listen to. From the softer tones in the verses to the soaring vocals in the bridge, you can feel the emotional pull of Good Enough so profoundly. It is also very nice to hear some of the other members participate vocally in Good Enough as well. The swayable effect/melody you know I look for in ballads is very much present in Good Enough, and this is the result of the vocals and instrumentation working well with one another to create that captivation. I really like the powerful combination of the high notes and rock ballad instrumental sequence in the final seconds moments of Good Enough, creating such a memorable moment and felt very much like the icing on the cake for the song. It, and the final twinkling of piano, just closes out Good Enough in such a satisfying and deep manner.

Dear H. honestly caught me off guard when I first heard it. Once again, the song starts off like a an ordinary ballad, extremely peaceful and soothing. But the chorus really goes in hard with the rock instrumentation and Jooyeon’s soaring vocals was breath-taking. Interestingly, following the first chorus, Dear. H switches back to the simple ballad beginning and the vocals showed no sign of that powerful rock instrumentation that just preceded it. It does fragment the song, but it isn’t the end of the world. The good news is that this allows us to revisit the same incline and powerful punch that the first chorus served in the second chorus. This time is was taken on by Jungsu and it sounds blissful once again. Dear. H finishes off with soft balladry vocals once again, closing out the song in a full circle manner. Just like the composition of Dear H., its lyrics are also quite impactful, beckoning one to talk to about their internal secrets and feelings. Overall, a unique side track from Xdinary Heroes.

Both side tracks’ music videos are connected, which is largely why I put both Good Enough and Dear H. into one review. There is a nice theory in the comments by @aaaaareuok (see screenshot below) to explain the two videos and how there are two possible stories depending on which video you think goes first. So, based on that theory, I will adapt and explain what I think happened. To me, given Dear H. features the group in school uniform and the video is a little hazy, the events in Dear H.‘s video is like a memory. We see all the members as friends hanging out with one another in school, along with JunHan (who was absent from the Good Enough video due to illness and doesn’t make an appearance until the very end of Dear H., though he is featured off-screen as the person filming the members together/alone since he had the video camera in the end). They are happy, but obviously each had something weighing on their minds throughout the video. In Good Enough, the members are largely by themselves, signaling the possibility the members have drifted apart (though I think JunHan kept in touch with everyone, as we see the prespective of a video camera filming each member individually). Also, Good Enough‘s video isn’t hazy, which to me represents more of a modern day. Whatever is weighing on their mind eats at them in Good Enough. But JunHan most likely reunited everyone back to the beach (as per the ending of Dear. H‘s video, where we see six names etched into the sand and he recording isn’t hazy like the rest of the video) so that everyone can have that same good time they had back when they were in school. But that is just what I think happened in the two video and follows the below theory from @aaaaareuok. There could be alternative theories out there, and I would love to hear them.

Good Enough
Song – 10/10
Music Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.6/10

Dear. H
Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9/10

[Review] Somebody – D.O (EXO)

September 18, 2023Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged D.O (EXO), EXO5 Comments

Starting the new week off is D.O, one of EXO’s main vocalists, with his solo comeback with Somebody. The new track is featured on his second solo mini-album, Expectations, which also dropped today. This is D.O first solo release since his solo debut with ROSE in 2021, which followed his military enlistment. More recently, D.O featured as part of EXO’s long awaited comeback with Cream Soda and also returned to acting and variety shows.

Somebody is an really pleasant folk pop song that really drew me in within my first listen of the song. For me, I found there to be two main drawing factors to the song. The first is D.O’s vocals, which just sounds so heavenly in the song. I really like how he used his lower notes and the slight rapping-like vocal delivery he pulls off in the verses. When it comes to the choruses, D.O steps his vocals up, adding some definition to his vocals and bring such a refreshing and vibrant tone. It really creates a strong centrepiece for Somebody and the melodies are very inviting and loveable. The “I Love You” that follows the chorus and the vocal work in the bridge felt very profound and resonated, basically for the same reasons mentioned above. The second drawing point to Somebody was the acoustic and minimalistic instrumentation. Asides from the guitar work, the only other major element to the backing of Somebody was the thumping beat in verses and this transitioned into some pleasant drumming in the choruses. Overall, Somebody is a strong effort from D.O.

The music video for Somebody features D.O playing a crew member behind the scenes of a TV commercial and actress Lee Jae In playing a newbie in the commercial industry who most likely landed her first commercial. Unfortunately, things don’t go to plan for Lee Jae In, who is awkward in front of the camera and ends up being replaced with someone else. However, D.O takes notice in Lee Jae In from behind the camera. Soon after being replaced, Lee Jae In crying on the staircase and D.O stumbles into her. After offering her some ice-cream and coolly asks her to sign his back, he takes her out as a friend. But while on this outing, he is reminded of her audition, which makes him smile, and in this moment, he knows he likes her. Elsewhere in the video, we see D.O alone, waiting to meet that “somebody” that he expresses in the lyrics of the song. The smile at the end of the video suggests that he has. I am not into the whole romance thing when it comes to acting and drama. But this video kept the theme very light and refreshing, complementing that exact aspect of the song.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9/10

[Album Review] PYGMALION (9th Mini Album) – ONEUS

September 18, 2023Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged ONEUS3 Comments

Ahead of their upcoming comeback later this month with La Dolce Vita (their 10th mini-album) and the title track Baila Conmigo, I will be reviewing ONEUS’ PYGMALION today, which was released back in May of this year. It serves as the group’s 9th mini-album and features the title track ERASE ME, the pre-release single Unforgettable and an additional three side tracks to round out the mini-album (links and thoughts down below). PYGAMALION follows the group’s MALUS mini-album from a year ago.

1. Intro: LETHE – Dramatic orchestral strings start off LETHE and remain in background the rest of this introductory track. This is alongside some synths that adds some momentum to the track. Together, LETHE is quite a haunting introduction. Disappointingly, I felt the members sang their way through LETHE quite plainly. I think more could have been done to really push LETHE to higher heights. (7/10)

2. ERASE ME (Title Track) – Click here for the full review of ERASE ME. (8.5/10)

3. Unforgettable (잇다있다잊었다) (Pre-Release Track) – Unfortunately, I have decided to ditch my plans of reviewing Unforgettable separately due to time constraints. I honestly wished I reviewed the song separately earlier as it does deserve its own review. I like the mixed of the pop rock and orchestration in the background of the chorus. The pop rock just gives Unforgettable so much punchiness, while the orchestration adds a beautiful touch to the song. HWANWOONG and LEEDO’s rapping was very cool, while all the members do an amazing job on the vocal front to make it a captivating number. (9/10)

4. ECHO – ONEUS revisits R&B in ECHO. I quite like the slight bounce the members bring to the song via the smooth melodies, particularly in the choruses of ECHO. In addition to that, ECHO also sees a slightly groovy tinge to its instrumentation. Both allows the track to come together to form an unexpectedly playful side track to indulge in. LEEDO’s rapping, again, takes centre attention with his deep voice in the second verse and the extra oomph he gives the song in the bridge. (8.5/10)

5. Halley’s Comet (반짝임 그 찰나의 너) – Halley’s Comet takes the form of a pop ballad. All the members sound amazing throughout the track. But the stand out member in Halley’s Comet was SEOHO, who’s soaring vocals in the choruses and high notes really took the song to the next level. I like how the instrumental also soared with the vocals, which helped made the song more impactful. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.2/10

[Review] Allergy – (G)I-DLE

September 15, 2023Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged i-dle1 Comment

Prior to their Queencard comeback earlier this year, (G)I-DLE pre-released the single Allergy as a teaser for their I Feel comeback in May of this year. I had flagged that I will review Allergy some time in the future, and that is finally happening today. So, here we go!

Allergy takes on the early 00s form of pop punk rock and it comes together well. It is more on the softer and delicate side of the spectrum, but still has some good energy to it. I did wish there was a bit more oomph or a kick to the pop rock to help Allergy become a more memorable anthem or track. This would have aided the lyrics of Allergy as well, which expresses insecurity due to the pressure of social media and social norms. Also (while we are on the topic of lyrics), there are also references to Hype Boy and TOMBOY in the song, as well! To complement that softer side, the members approach Allergy with vocals. While the choruses’ melody does have a nice ring to it, I did think the extra kick to the instrumental would force the members to give a bit more power and oomph to their delivery, which would help prevent Allergy from sounding flat. Allergy wasn’t necessarily flat, but the neutral nature of the song did lead it in that direction. So, Allergy is just missing that extra something to give it a boost, which in turn would have really helped everything else.

The music video for Allergy serves as a prequel to the events in Queencard. In this video, we see the members struggle with the impacts of social media and social norms. Soyeon, an ordinary person, is deeply insecure about her looks and decide to go under the knife. The video cuts out with Soyeon going under, which the events in Queencard following immediately from this. I thought that this video did a really good job of showcasing the lyrics, and I quite liked the scrapbooking effect that we see throughout the video.

There really isn’t too much to the choreography of Allergy. It is a fairly simple routine, that features more acting that dancing. The members taking a slightly cutesy approach to show off their insecurity on stage. It isn’t as strong as the theme was in the video, but you could still feel it on stage.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.8/10

[Album Review] Down To Earth (2nd Mini Album) – TAEYANG (BIGBANG)

September 14, 2023Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged BIGBANG, Taeyang (BIGBANG)Leave a comment

TAEYANG kicked off 2023 very strongly with the release of VIBE, a collaboration with JIMIN from BTS, and his second ever mini-album, Down To Earth. Alongside VIBE, the mini-album also features the title track Seed, the side track Shoong! (which is a collaboration with LISA of BLACKPINK) and three additional side tracks (two of which are further collaboration with other artists). Per usual, all the links to the individual song reviews and my thoughts on the other three additional side tracks are located down below.

1. VIBE (ft. JIMIN of BTS) – Click here to read the full review for VIBE. (9/10)

2. Shoong! (슝!) (ft. LISA of BLACKPINK) – Click here to read the full review for Shoong! (7/10)

3. Seed (나의 마음에) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Seed. (9/10)

4. Reason (나는) – Reason is such a soulful and dreamy track to get lost in. Considered me charmed and captivated from the opening second. TAEYANG’s vocals steal the show and the instrumentation was beautiful. The song was a stunningly swayable melody that you know I enjoyed and that saxophone midway in the song was beautiful. (10/10)

5. Inspiration (ft. Beenzino) – I liked the touch of funkiness in Inspiration. The guitar riff and flute was a nice touch. Altogether, it makes for an appreciable and pleasant instrumentation. TAEYANG gives the song some oomph with his vocals, which moves it up the rating spectrum for me. Beenzino’s rapping sequence starts off good, but I do not like the way it ended with the spoken motif. I was also not a fan of the distant filtering that he applies to his vocals in the in the bridge. (7/10)

6. Nightfall (ft. Byran Chase) – Nightfall is a synth pop track that gives off such an atmospheric vibe. I found it hard to step away from Nightfall, just because it pretty much had everything I liked. Needless to say, TAEYANG and Byran Chase’s vocals were really amazing and complements this synth-pop track so well. The instrumentation itself was perfectly upbeat and consistent throughout, yet it never felt tired or overdone. Both the instrumentation and TAEYANG gave the chorus the right amount of punch to it to make it feel impactful, making this the highlight part of the song. (10/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.7/10

[Review] FNF – Stray Kids

September 14, 2023Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Stray Kids5 Comments

It is time for another Stray Kids review and their 3rd studio album ★★★★★ (5-STAR) has an abundance of side tracks that have become eligible for a review with the release of a music video. So, today, I will be picking another track from album for a quick review. FNF is the 9th track on the album and is the third song review from ★★★★★ (5-STAR), following on from S-Class and DLC.

FNF stands for floral and fauna, and was written by Bangchan and Felix in honour of the plants and animals that lost their lives during the devastating bushfires that occurred over Summer in eastern states of Australia in 2019-2020. As for the song, it is very pleasant, with a bright and summery pop instrumental that instantly reminds you of the feeling of a nice warm day. The guitar work was very refreshing and I like how pure this element of FNF sounded. The beat that came through with the synths gives the song some bite to it. The vocals were very nicely pitched, and FNF also sees the members adding a slight delicate and emotional touch in their delivery of their vocals, which works well with the lyrics and other take on FNF‘s meaning. The melodies were also enjoyable and there was a decent flow to them. While FNF doesn’t stand out as the best track of the album, it was super appreciable and touching number to feature on this album.

I mentioned above that the song reminded me of the feeling a nice warm day. And that is exactly what we see in the video, which was shot in Australia. In the video, we get to see the members appreciate, the really nice weather that Australia has to offer in the cities and at the beaches. We also see the members being pensive throughout the video, which complements the other meaning of longing for someone who isn’t there anymore. Also, not a compliant and more of a suggestion, but I thought that the video feature more of the regional areas of Australia, where the floral and fauna are located in Australia given the inspiration of the song, For me and knowing what regional Australia has to offer, that is what I personally felt was missing from the video.

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

[Review] Sacrifice (Eat Me Up) – ENHYPEN

September 13, 2023Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged ENHYPEN2 Comments

Following their BITE ME comeback earlier in the month of May, ENHYPHEN followed up promotions with the side track Sacrifice (Eat Me Up). As Sacrifice (Eat Me Up) does have a music video, it is eligible for a song review on my blog and hence why we are here today. Both BITE ME and Sacrifice (Eat Me Up) are featured on their fourth mini-album, DARK BLOOD (which I will be reviewing soon).

Sacrifice (Eat Me Up) is another song that I would consider to be decent, but it would have really benefited a lot had the producers really built on it and given the song more oomph. BITE ME ended up growing on me (Heads up: I will be making a slight adjustment to the song’s rating in the album review) , which is thanks to the song having some bite to it. I consider this to be the missing element in Sacrifice (Eat Me Up). Don’t get me wrong. There is definitely potential in the song, with the group showcasing more of their vocals in this mid-tempo R&B song than usual. I enjoyed the raspiness and breathy delivery of the vocals, which makes way for a potential excellent listen (had the rest of the song picked itself up). Undoubtedly, the members shine brightest during the song’s chorus where there is a more melodic flow – my pick for the most memorable element of Sacrifice (Eat Me Up). Unfortunately, everywhere else in Sacrifice (Eat Me Up) is a rather bland. I find the mid-tempo nature develop an ‘overall’ sluggishness to the song. Apart from the choruses, the melodies elsewhere were pretty bland and lack any memorable pull. The instrumentation, while solid, didn’t have much excitement coming from it. I think it could have accented and bolden in some parts to give off a harder and rougher touch, as opposed to the softer and more subdued approach Sacrifice (Eat Me Up) took. The pre-chorus was a good example of what that could have sounded like. I am also not entire sure of the wobbly synth, which I only just noticed today, that you could hear throughout the background. Had Sacrifice (Eat Me Up) been more dynamic in some way, this would have helped make the song more appealing.

From what I could see, the music video depicts the members’ desire to escape their feelings for a more euphoric paradise, with the lyrics highlighting their partners being that escape. We see the members at different stages of their struggle/escape of with their emotions. Some of them are very much still trapped or buried underneath them, looking towards the light signifying their desire to be freed from that cage of emotions. Others make it out of the dark ‘cage’, but still struggle to get to the absolute top. But we do see Jake, making his way up the stairs and leaves his dark heart at the top of the platform, confirming that he does achieve that desire of the members depicted in the video. The wings do make a nice touch to the video. I would like to know they significance, but it does make the video appear like a reverse fallen angel type of story. Aside from that plotline, the music video also showcase the members’ visuals, especially in the brighter paradise-like scenes.

The tempo of the song does enable the group to showcase a more sensual and slower routine, which they do pull off well. There isn’t anything too extreme, and I did think there was potential for some more intense moves. But what we got on stage was visually pleasing to watch and complemented the song quite well.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 7.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.7/10

[Review] Ready Or Not – CRAVITY

September 12, 2023Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged CRAVITY1 Comment

Also making their comeback yesterday was CRAVITY, who returns with their 6th mini-album Sun Seeker and newest title track, Ready Or Not. This is CRAVITY’s second comeback of the year, following on from MASTER: PIECE released back in March which is lead by the single Groovy.

Ready Or Not is described as an up-tempo dynamic pop and rock song, which is nailed decently by the actual final product. The energy of the song is definitely in line with their more previous works, and I do like the more bombastic approach the instrumentation as taken. It gives Ready Or Not a level of boldness and intensity. The guitar riff at the start of the song and heard throughout the first verse is a great first sign of the song’s potential. The hooks, while are on the plainer side, still works well and makes Ready Or Not a catchy listen. However, I do think that Ready Or Not is a bit muddled. While I do praise the bombastic percussion that does help set the track apart from its competition, I do think it drowns out the vocals in the chorus a tad bit. I did wish the percussion was a bit sharper and crisper to help levitate this issue, and the vocals a bit louder to offset the boldness. The pre-chorus and bridge of slows down the song quite a bit and I don’t think that is the right move for the song. It upsets the momentum of Ready Or Not, and I would have Ready Or Not to maintain a continuous approach to the up-tempo and dynamic vibe of the song. The rapping in the second verse was strong, but the backing was a bit typical. The saxophone was an interesting touch and gives the rapping sequence an interesting element. But I wished it was more explored more in the song and not half-baked as it was in Ready Or Not. Overall, a decent track from CRAVITY, but more could have been done to boost it up.

Even though the sets are clearly fake, I did like the urban vibe that the video has. It complements the song well and the energy that do give off in the song. I did wish the video had something more to it, as it is just mainly choreography and close up scenes. I guess the comic strip images do add that something, but it doesn’t really strike me as a memorable element. Out of all the videos I have watched over the years, I have to say that the ending of the video is probably the most awkward to watch. The video just pauses whilst the members are mid-air and just stays paused for what felt like a few seconds too long. I guess it is pair it with the abrupt ending, but I am sure the producers could have done something to not make it feel awkward. Something as cheesy as a tilted photo alongside a snapshot sound effect be edited in, with the photo made part of a comic book strip to just round everything out.

The choreography looks good from what I can see in the video. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like there is anything memorable (at least highlighted in the music video). But the energy and dynamic flair is all there, which is exactly what the song calls for.

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

[Review] Good & Great – KEY (SHINee)

September 12, 2023Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Key (SHINee), SHINee4 Comments

Making his comeback yesterday with his second mini-album and title track (both of which share the same name), Good & Great, is KEY from SHINee. This makes KEY’s second release of the year following his February comeback with Killer. KEY also participated in SHINee’s May comeback, HARD.

While Good & Great is a good song, it isn’t a great song. Out of all the title tracks that KEY has released as part of his solo career, Good & Great is probably his dullest number to date. I was waiting for the song to really pick up and exude some energy, but that never really occurred. Instead, it just kept to a plateau and never deviated from what had already preceded it. Good & Great does have charm and it does fits KEY’s profile super well. But it just doesn’t go anywhere. I must admit I had high hopes, when the song first began. The start and first verse of Good & Great laid out the path for a groovy tone and some awesome bass, both of which definitely continued throughout the song. KEY’s delivery of the first verse make its super engaging. Even throughout the first half of the chorus, I was on board. But where I had expected Good & Great to pick up (i.e., in the second half of the central piece), we never really get there. Instead, the song opts for a very subdued and melodic repeat of the song’s title. It sounded nice and adds to the smoothness of the song, but it just dulls the song and it doesn’t take Good & Great to the next level. Similarly, the bridge suffered the same problem and just didn’t come off a memorable moment when it should have been. Aside from the groovy instrumentation, the rapping in the second verse was definitely a highlight and adds an extra something to the otherwise melodic and smooth track. But overall, my opening statement to this section of the review stands quite firmly.

KEY speaks a message of self-praise in every day life to help get oneself through another day. In the video, he is depicted of a hard working office worker, who lives a very dull life of just continuous grind – sometimes working through the night to appease the higher ups. But just like everyone else in the world, he still desires for a break and to do something different, and his different is to find the furry creature (which I find totally cute). And taking that break is absolutely okay. There is a sense of wackiness to the video, which makes it an interesting watch. This helps liven up the video so that it doesn’t seem as dull as it sounds. And I super appreciate that.

The choreography goes for a more simplistic approach, but I quite like the looks of it. There is still sharp execution and a very KEY feel that does add some complexity to the routine. There is also a fun vibe in the verses from the parts that I could see, which complements the messaging of the song/music video.

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