It has been almost 17 years since Super Junior started out, and yet they are still going strong! It still amazes me to hear that Super Junior are still at it in this tough industry! Super Junior returned in July of this year with their 11th studio album The Road: Keep on Going and the title track Mango. Their last comeback was from last year when they returned with House Party and The Renaissance (their 10th studio album). In addition, the group also did release a special single earlier this year titled Callin’ ahead of their ninth tour.
To me, Mango is best described as a pleasant pop song and I believe this helps make it one of their best title tracks in recent memory. The pleasant side is appreciable, especially in an industry that is heavily dominated by heavy and intense EDM/synths. And the pop profile of Mango‘s instrumental makes it straightforward and satisfying to listen to. The melodies are probably the best aspect of Mango for me. They were quite catchy and easy on the ears. And it just isn’t the chorus melodies that I found to be easy on the ears. Even the verses had some great melodic flow and it made the entirety of Mango more enjoyable. I also found myself humming to the song a number of times since I checked out the song. The vocal work was quite solid. However, with such a vocal centric song, I did expect some harder hitting ad-libs and more powerful moments that weren’t held onto until the end. This would have helped make Mango potentially more stunning and potentially addresses my next issue with the song. Call me hypocritical, but while I did like the pleasantness of Mango, part of me did think it also contributed to the feeling that Mango was a bit plain. Now, I am not expecting a House Party breakdown (that would ruin the song for me – yes, the feeling is still strong). But I kind of wished Mango did something just a bit more to give Mango a wow factor. This could have been strong ad-libs or vocals throughout the song (as already mentioned), or a suitable rap sequence that kicks the momentum up. I do lean towards the latter option a bit more, simply because Mango is missing a substantial rap sequence (we did this rap speak hybrid, but it was more speak in my point of view). I know I have previously advocated that not all songs need a rap sequence (hypocritical me strikes again), but Mango could have used one (provided it was well executed and fits in with the pop vibes of the song). But overall, Mango is still enjoyable and neat Summer pop track for us.
The music video also could have used a bit of a wow factor. Don’t get me wrong, but it is great to still see most of the members on the screen. And the pleasant pop vibe of the song does admittedly constrict the number of concepts that could have been part of this comeback. But this is KPOP we are speaking about and they belong to SM Entertainment. Surely, someone in the company could have thought of something a bit more creative. Aside from that mini-rant, I did like the colourful nature and lighting, which made it suitable for the Summer season. I also enjoyed the Broadway/theatre entrance setting, as felt fitting for the pop vibe of the song. But I guess I wanted more from the music video aspect of this comeback.
The choreography was great but yet simple. It didn’t have anything impressive from what I could see, but it was definitely showed how to have a good time. My favourite part is choreography during the the extended ‘la la la‘ sequence just before the bridge.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 7/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8.2/10
The next release of the night belongs to IVE and is titled After LIKE. This is the group’s second comeback to date, and follows the tall order of LOVE DIVE (which was released back in April) and their debut hit ELEVEN (released back in December of last year).
I didn’t want to spoil the reason why I am also so keen on After LIKE. But now that we are in the song segment of my review, I think I can finally divulge. Like everyone who is highly anticipated After LIKE, I am enjoying the fact that the song samples part of its instrumental from the legendary disco hit I Will Survive (by Gloria Gaynor). I think it is ballsy for any producer to even touch songs like I Will Survive, given that it is so widely known by so many people. You got to make sure to do it justice. So, do I think After LIKE does it justice? I definitely do. Instead of oversaturating After LIKE with the sample, it is used sparingly (three times following the choruses) and merged neatly into the song, fitting in with the upbeat deep house instrumental that make up the rest of After LIKE‘s instrumental. It is interesting that After LIKE doesn’t go into full retro mode, which might have been the more cliché move but big expectation with such a sample. I quite liked how they kept it modern and simple. The sample does end up being the focal point, but it is used well. As for the rest of After LIKE, I can also say that it is a strong showing from IVE. Admittedly, the verses were a bit plain, but showed some good vocal work. After LIKE doesn’t mess around and gets straight to the point, which is something I quite liked. The chorus had some really catchy hooks and melodies that I don’t mind going back to. The rapping following the second chorus (and layered over the sample) was a very refreshing delivery for IVE and packs a of punch in the energy department, which I thoroughly liked. Overall, After LIKE definitely played its cards well and was great as I had expected!
The solo shots in the music video were really good. I liked the central colour for each member, which helps makes the music video colourful and vibrant, much needed with dark background for the choreography shots. Their central colour also corresponds to the accessories donned with their super plain outfits in the first round round of choreography shots. I am also loving the final set of choreography shots, with the fireworks in the background. The firework display was epic and helps makes the video go out with a bang! Whilst it might sound like I most of the video, I actually have a big issue about it. The really shaky camera work was terrible and very distracting. I understand the need to keep the music video dynamic, but I think the production team went over the top. There was a need for cleaner and smoother shots in this video, just so we could appreciate the music video and the members better. And it disappointing that the video didn’t give us that opportunity.
I liked, how despite the energy and upbeatness of the song, there was a sense of refinement behind the members’ moves in the chorus. It was quite neat and made for a good routine. But the best part of the choreography occurs the first and last runs of the I Will Survive sample. The sharpness contrasts the more refined moves aforementioned and leaves a much stronger impression on me.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 7.5/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.6/10
Starting off this week are some new comebacks from two artists, both of which I am keen to get right in and review. The first artist I want to cover is CIX, who returns to Korea for the first time in just about a year with their new single 458 and the mini-album OK Episode 1: OK Not. I am particularly keen on CIX’s release because of its music video teaser release last week which perked my interest. The last time we saw the group on the Korean stage was through promotions of their first studio album (OK Prologue: Be OK) and WAVE. Since then, the group had released music in Japan (yet to be reviewed in the International Song Review segment) and held their first concert.
458 is a very intriguing track. It begins off with some striking piano work that brings forth a mysterious and dark colour, while the deep and lower register vocals keeps it captivating and alluring. As it progresses to the chorus, everything starts climbing in the pre-chorus and there is a hopeful tinge behind Yonghee’s vocals. I quite enjoy this sequence and think it is the best part of the song. However, this is closely followed by the chorus, which lands 458 into the electro hip-hop sphere and gives the song some impact. I like how it maintains that low register and aligns itself with that dark and mysterious atmosphere, yet still managing to change the song’s dynamism with the unsettling but also enchanting electronic synths. The second verse and chorus feels like a repeat of the first round of both sequences, just with the addition of some extra subtle percussion in the second verse. Following the second chorus, we are given a dance break that continues the presence of that same unsettling scratchy synth from the chorus. I liked how some of the ad-libs find themselves here. The rapping that follows was good, however it could have been more energetic and dynamic. I think an element of change was needed in 458 just about here and the rapping would have been a great conduit for this. The chorus repeats one final time, before we get an additional distortion at the end and a blip to bring 458 to a close. While I do appreciate the consistency in a song like this, 458 could have used one extra switch up just to give it some extra punch. But overall, 458 remains captivating throughout for me.
As mentioned in the introduction, this comeback had intrigued me via its music video teaser. The dark yet modern aesthetics were definitely worthy of a shoutout. It, like the song, was quite impactful and definitely was jaw-dropping at times. The members were also all shown in visually stunning and aesthetic manners throughout this video. Some of the scenes show the members being winged or even had their wings clipped, suggesting fallen angels are related to the storyline. But aside from that, I have no clue on what is happening in the video. That ending suggests we might be getting another series of interlinked music videos. Let me know if you have any theories regarding the story or meaning behind the video.
What a performance. I really enjoyed the balance between the softer movements and the more intense moments. There was also a slight sensual tinge to the performance as well, which helped smooth out some of the moves and made it a strong performance for the group. The dance break could have been a bit more show-stopping if I am being honest, as I expected the performance to really climax there. But I guess the presence of the ad-libs from Bae Jinyoung got in the way there.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 8.5/10 Overall Rating – 8.4/10
CRAVITY made their comeback last year with Part 1 of their 1st studio album, The Awakening: Written In The Stars. This was headlined with the title track Gas Pedal and the secondary track VENI VIDI VICI. 7 months on (to March 2022), CRAVITY returned with the second part of their 1st studio album. This time, the album is titled LIBERTY: IN OUR COSMOS and features the title track Adrenaline. Alongside that, there are 6 other songs and an outro track.
Between the two halves of the studio album, it appears I enjoy LIBERTY: IN OUR COSMOS more (but only by a smidge). This is based on final rating of both halves (which is simply the average of the all the song ratings on that album). That is just my attempt to quantify it though (because I like numbers). To be more truthful, I enjoyed both equally. Sorry for being so diplomatic and fair. But that is the case. Both parts had some great tracks and both had more generic singles as well. But altogether, it was all an enjoyable listen. Do you agree with me, or do you think one or the other is significantly better than the other? Let me know in the comments below.
2. POW! – Heavy thuds, dulled guitars and the super bold hook of POW! opens up the song and keeps me from turning away. The hook was quite aggressive from the first listen. But after multiple listens, I have become used to the hook and find it to be quite an ear-catching piece. POW! draws on hip-hop influences and I really liked their expressive rapping in the verses. The choruses were energetic and had a vibrant feel to them that helped make POW! so enjoyable for me. I particularly enjoyed the definition added to the beat for the final chorus, helping make the final chorus more climatic and punchier. (10/10)
3. BOPPIN’ – BOPPIN’ has me grooving about and this is probably the best thing for me to experience with a hip-hop based song. There is a bit of a sexy vibe to BOPPIN’, especially when the vocals are in play. It smooths out the song, balancing out the energy and powerfulness that the rappers give the song (which gives the song so much body and energy). The “We’re boppin’” and the ”Its Bubbling Bubbling … Bubbling” in the chorus are super catchy lines and has coming back for more. (10/10)
4. Chandelier – Chandelier continues the hip-hop influence that has been coursing through the last few songs, though it is less prevalent this time around. As a result, I find this to be more on the generic side. It wasn’t as exciting. The vocals take more of a hold in the song, which might explain why the Chandelier took on a softer edge and smoother vibe. They sound good, but not as great as the preceding tracks, with exception for the duo who sung the bridge. The bridge was definitely the highlight of the song for me. The rappers help add some energy to the song, but it isn’t on par with what I have heard so far. (7/10)
5. FLIP THE FRAME – The way FLIP THE FRAME started was quite interesting. It appears to be quite a long instrumental intro to the song. It is quite an atmospheric piece. What comes next was quite unexpected, with a heavy beat and strong vocals. The chorus literally flips the frame with another unexpected change in momentum. I didn’t think the verses (nor the intro) would have led us to this chorus. The first half is so sleek and edgy, whilst the second half brought more of a pop vibe to the song. The rapping in the second verse also literally stood out, pairing well with the heavy beats. (8.5/10)
6. Maybe Baby (좋아하나봐) – Maybe Baby goes into pop territory. Maybe Baby is not as heavy as the other tracks that come before it, but the EDM used still kept the song upbeat. The melodies helped bring the pop vibe to life and also give the song such a pleasant appeal. The members, on both vocals and raps front, sound very nice and remained in line with the pop and chill vibes of the song. I particularly enjoyed the interchanging vocals and rapping at the very end, which closed out the song in a neat manner. (8/10)
7. Late Night – More pop comes through Late Night. But instead of EDM, Late Night’s instrumental is more acoustic based. Despite that, the song remains upbeat and enjoyable. The members made me smile throughout the song with their delivery and I loved the inclusiveness of the chorus where they all sing together. I liked how the rapping was done in this song. What we have heard so far on the album was heavier and powerful sides of the rapper, but here they fitted the pop vibe extremely well. (8/10)
8. Outro: In Our Cosmos – Closing out the album and era of Gas Pedal and Adrenaline is the outro track: In Our Cosmos. The track starts off with a breathtaking backing and soothing vocals, before the instrumental starts ramping up alongside some powerful rapping. It then moves onto an EDM instrumental that continues the breathtaking vibe, before ending with the instrumental at the beginning and some more vocals. Thus, returning full circle to how it began. (9/10)
The next album on the reviewing front is Kwon Eun Bi’s Color, her second mini-album since her debut last year with Door and Open. I unfortunately have not reviewed Open. However, I put on her second mini-album on my reviewing agenda as I wanted to expand on the different artists who I commonly write album reviews for. And with the title track Glitch (and ESPER, her single for the UNIVERSE app) impressing me, it felt logical for me to expand and include Kwon Eun Bi. After all, who knows what I might discover.
While Color might not be the knockout album I am looking for, it was still a particularly decent one. The album, consisting of five tracks and one introductory track (not included in the final rating), starts off with dance tracks and eased out a series of ballads. It is two sides of the spectrum, but we get a bit of variety as a result (and that is always a good thing). Check out the mini-album and let me know what you think on the overall album and the individual tracks, as well!
Color Album Cover
1. The Colors of Light – Starting off this mini-album is the intro track The Colors of Light. This is primarily an instrumental track (aside from the faint whisper of ‘Like a glitch’ in the background towards the end of the song). The track begins with this scenic and dreamy instrumental piece that reminds me of the playlist I play when I go to sleep. But The Colors of Light hints at what is to come as it glitches up. Some of the glitches resembles the title track, while others are much harsher and abrasive. However, the track soon normalizes back on the dreamy aspect just before we ease out of the song.
3. Magnetic – The violins make Magnetic intriguing and keeps me around for the rest of the song. And I am glad that was the case as Magnetic was a pretty awesome song overall. Its chorus was quite charming and there was some nice flow in the song. Kwon Eun Bi sounds amazing throughout and impressed me with her more powerful moments and ad-libs. I think it would have been nicer to hear the very brief rapping earlier in the song (i.e. second verse) but in a more fulfilling manner. I think Magnetic calls for it and this potentially could have taken the song to the next level for me (provided it was executed well). (8/10)
4. Colors – Colors is a neat R&B ballad track. While the entirety of the song is pretty straight forward, I enjoyed Kwon Eun Bi’s is delicate vocals at the start of the song and how it builds towards the end to give the ending a definite and conclusive ending. The presence of both delicate and defined vocals helps keep the song from falling into neutral territory and allows the song to be somewhat more impressive. (7/10)
5. Speed of Love (우리의 속도) – Next up is a ballad, slowing the album down even further. The combination of the jazzy styled instrumentals and Kwon Eun Bi’s youthful and smile-inducing vocals in this song makes it a really soothing piece. Speed of Love features swayable and drifty melodies that makes this a strong track. I liked the golden aura that comes from the song, and the old Hollywood style start. (9/10)
6. OFF – OFF continues the slow momentum of the album with another ballad. The swaying melody is a lot more noticeable in this song, as it isn’t masked up by other elements or characteristics. This is because the producers allow Kwon Eun Bi’s vocals to be the focal point of the song, with the accompanying instrumental being small and soft for the most part. It isn’t something unique, but it is spectacular and ends the album the opposite manner to how it started. (8.5/10)
It has been almost two years since we have heard BLACKPINK through a full group comeback via the promotions of Lovesick Girls and The Album. Currently, we are progressing full speed ahead towards BLACKPINK’s official comeback in a month time with their second studio length album Born Pink and a yet to be unveiled titled track. But ahead of the release of Born Pink, we find ourselves here today just about to review the pre-release for that album, Pink Venom, which dropped earlier today.
It appears that Lovesick Girls was a once event in terms of the group’s discography. BLACKPINK returns to familiar powerful territory with Pink Venom, following the same vein of their past releases such as How You Like That and Kill This Love. There isn’t anything wrong with this classic BLACKPINK sound and style. It is just quite overdone by now. Pink Venom attempts to change it up with a mixture of traditional and tribal-like instrumentation throughout the song, sans the second verse which deep dives the song into 90s hip-hop territory. I think this instrumental combo lacks that knock out of the park feel that their previous tracks have. And I am quite sure the typical formula also dulls the potential of Pink Venom. The chorus was probably the most interesting aspect, but I am of the opinion that it is disappointing. Lisa and Jennie go into this high pitch soft whisper-like motif. I feel that this detracts from the powerfulness potential of song, and weakens the integrity of Pink Venom. It is somewhat unique, but very fragile. It makes me want to handle the chorus with care, which isn’t something you would want with a BLACKPINK song that starts off powerful. The verses and pre-choruses were more appreciable and enjoyable by a long mile. There was potential between the vocals in the pre-chorus from Jisoo and Rose, to the rapping by Jennie and Lisa in the verses. The chorus just lets it down. Pink Venom ends with a ‘La Ta Ta‘ hook, which I didn’t think really gave Pink Venom that punchy ending that I had expected. There was something lacking in the background to really hone the ending in and make it all climatic. It appears that Pink Venom isn’t my cup of tea this time around. Maybe more listens would make the song more approachable, but for now, Pink Venom just doesn’t live up to their previous tracks of a similar nature.
Per usual, BLACKPINK’s music videos are top notch. And once again, Pink Venom‘s does not disappoint. Visually, this music video had it all. Vibrant colours, impactful shots and stunning looks. Best shots for each member are: Jennie’s red outfit at the start of the video. Lisa’s gangster look, Rose’s leather look and Jisoo’s Korean hanbok inspired look. The scene with Rose and the black paint was also quite epic and could potentially be interpreted as quite deep. The sets looked amazing, especially that first choreography shot with the fabric blowing about in the background. I also enjoyed the subtle black and pink colours on some of the sets.
While musically, I think the chorus is weak, the choreography might be the next big thing for the group (until next month’s release). The small movements with their hands behind their back, for example, works well with the softer and fragile delivery of the chorus, while the bigger movements work well with the slightly more aggressive parts of the chorus (i.e. the ‘woah woah woah‘). The ‘La Ta Ta Ta‘ end sequence looks cool in the performance, as well.
Song – 6.5/10 Music Video – 10/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 7.9/10
Time for another review for an “older” release. This time, the focus is on JO YURI’s Summer comeback which occurred back at the start of June of this year. The song that lead this comeback is titled Love Shhh! and is featured on JO YURI’s first mini-album, Op.22 Y-Waltz: in Major. This comeback follows her debut last year with GLASSY.
One word summarises GLASSY to this day for me – forgettable. As a result, I didn’t have much expectations going into Love Shhh!. My only hope was this new song was not a repeat of her debut. And well, JO YURI definitely hit the brief. It might because I had super low expectations for this comeback, but I think it is more correct to say JO YURI exceeded the brief by a lot with Love Shhh!. Love Shhh! is much more dynamic, energetic and full of vigor that makes the track super bright and animated for me. Its pop dance vibe is infectious and the guitars bring both an explosive and funky element to the song. Even JO YURI sounds livelier in Love Shhh!. I did wish her vocals packed more of a punch and gave us a bit more texture as the song progressed. We were definitely heading in that direction. There was opportunity for the producers to experiment with her vocal tones, which potentially would have Love Shhh! even more engaging and interesting. The hooks are super catchy and helps makes the song infectious, but I think her vocals could have made the impact of these hooks a bit more than what we got. Despite this, however, everything within Love Shhh! (as it is) still makes it an addictive dance track for the Summer season!
The music video shows JO YURI receiving some mean and toxic messages, either from haters (I am thinking this is the case – based on the love hearts and hazardous signs that is coming simultaneously from her device) or a former lover. But instead of being hung up on these messages and self-doubting, JO YURI shows us her confidence and resilience by making the most of her day. This goes hand-in-hand with the actual meaning/message behind her lyrics. That is, it conveys the message of loving and enjoying life energetically and confidently no matter the situation (taken from SOOMPI). Aside from the storyline, I enjoyed all the shots in the video (so bright!!) and JO YURI herself looked amazing throughout the video.
The choreography for this comeback was pretty good. I liked how she shows off her confidence, just like in the music video, in this routine. I also enjoyed the different formations she had in the choreography, particularly around the second chorus where she is the only dancing and the dancers are huddled in the background. JO YURI was also super cute and youthful in this.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8.5/10
Following a very successful 2021, ONF decided to enlist into the military as a group to reduce the impact on their promotions as a group (i.e. the eligible members enlisted at the same time, as opposed to what commonly happens with other groups who enlist one member at a time causing long hiatus as a result). Commonly, military enlistment periods involve idols taking a break from the stage and other media (i.e. film, tv shows, social media). As a result, ONF’s comeback today is best described as unexpected. But I (and fans alike) are not complaining. ONF released the title track Your Song and the album Storage of ONF today, their first release since Goosebumps in December 2021.
Your Song starts off as an unsuspecting pop ballad. There was a peacefulness, calmness and ambience to the first verse which had already won me over. The synths used in the background of the first verse felt very appropriate for both ideas of Summer and the idea of a pop ballad. The vocals were got were stunning and Wyatt’s rapping was suitable for the pop aspect. One would expect the song to follow through with this pop ballad direction. But Your Song changes up the momentum, developing into a full fledge pop track with potential for choreography. They bring in guitars and a very refreshing pop vibe to the song, losing the balladry roots that started off the song. From there, the song continues with the changed momentum, giving Your Song a liveliness and brightness that just charms you. Also continuing to charm me are the vocals, which the group sound stunning. Wyatt’s vocals in the second verse impresses me (he needs to sing more) and I really liked the push the main and lead vocalists gives themselves during the chorus. There are no further dramatic changes in momentum occurs in Your Song, which I am glad is the case. The bridge brings a smile to my face with their harmonies and the simple ‘Na Na Na‘ sequences. They do touch on the balladry aspect again very briefly soon after, but Your Song reverts back to that pop vibe that the song grew to in the final chorus. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this release even if it isn’t what ONF puts out typically.
Even as a special release, ONF still manages to bring in that futuristic concept that has been part of ONF’s recent repertoire of videos (i.e. Beautiful Beautiful, Ugly Dance, Popping, Goosebumps). But there is no action or plot in this video. A completely different dynamic prevails in the futuristic world as a result of this. The song conveys the message that if there is a connection through music, we can meet by even transcending time and space (taken from SOOMPI). This felt fitting for the group’s current circumstances, as they are not together at the moment. But through music, they were able to reconnect – even if it was just virtually. I thought this was very clever and showcases a more thoughtful and heartwarming message. It makes me wonder what the group and their company have instore for us next, given that this comeback had to be thought of way in advance and it appears this concept is something long term).
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9/10
One of the comebacks that is starting this week of new releases is THE BOYZ’s WHISPER, their latest title track from their 7th mini-album BE AWARE. This is the group’s first Korean comeback since the release of SHE’S THE BOSS (yet to be reviewed) in Japan, the group’s first (and ongoing) world tour and their Korean MAVERICK comeback from November of last year. WHISPER does not feature member Eric, who has been on hiatus since March for health reasons. Hopefully he is on the road to recovery and will be back with the rest of the group for future promotions.
Without a doubt, WHISPER is designed to be a summer track. It has quite a colourful and equally upbeat instrumental, described as a retro 808 bass and futuristic synth sounds (taken from SOOMPI). You might think because WHISPER is a summer song, it follows up nicely from last year’s THRILL RIDE. However, I don’t think the two songs are on par with one another. For me, THRILL RIDE was exciting, vibrant and had great energy that made me not want to stop playing the song. The synths were robust and dynamic. However, when it comes to WHISPER, I find the newer song to be more generic and the instrumental doesn’t really bring that same level of excitement nor does it capture my attention. I do feel the vocals/rapping faired a bit better, even though it does sit on the subpar side of the spectrum. The word I have been using a lot in my review is ‘zing’ and WHISPER could have used a whole lot of this. The best aspect of WHISPER, in my point of view, are the hooks. While I am sure some people will definitely raise the hooks as elementary and generic as well, I kind of liked it. Particularly, the “Stay Stay, Play Play, Sway Sway“. But all the hooks in WHISPER did what hooks are meant to do, and it gave WHISPER a memorable factor. Whether the rest of the song catches on like the hooks, it might be too soon to speculate. My thoughts on the song could simply be due to the fact that I haven’t heard the song enough times for it to marinate in my mind or develop a connection. But as for now, WHISPER is pretty generic and standard for me.
I have no clue on what is happening in this video. And it is to the point where I can’t even join pieces of the video together to make it make sense. There seems to be a light and dark theme going on, with the dark side infiltrating the light side (see the section of the video that corresponds with the first pre-chorus). But then that theme is dropped, but reappears ever so slightly in the sections that correspond with the bridge. On the other hand, the video is bright, loaded with the colours blue and pink and super energetic looking (thanks to the presence of the members and the choreography shots). But to continue the confusion, there were guns and an alien abduction scene at one point in the second verse. And the ending was very cryptic yet mysterious. Yeah, I have no clue this time around and would greatly appreciate if anyone has any theories that might help me decipher the story or intent of this video.
The choreography for this comeback looks great. As already mentioned, it is quite energetic and suits THE BOYZ style very well. There is a bouncy aspect to it, which I quite liked. I also enjoyed the idea of the position of the backhand close to mouth to mimic a whispering action, which is simple and sensible as the performance’s main move.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 6.5/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 7.1/10
KARD’s last comeback was way back in 2020 with GUNSHOT. And following that, J.Seph enlisted into the military and the group practically went on a mini hiatus. For the other three members (BM, Jiwoo and Somin) solo promotions and activities were their primary focus up until this year, when it was confirmed that J.Seph would return and KARD would return as a group for a new comeback. KARD officially dropped Re: and the title track Ring The Alarm back at the end of June of this year.
For me, KARD always excelled with songs where they went hard and powerful. Ring The Alarm unfortunately didn’t live up to that expectation for me. And this might be the reason to why I have been holding off on reviewing Ring The Alarm. I want to like the song, given that it is KARD. But the best I can come with even after a month is that Ring The Alarm was an okay song, with decent melodic hooks and a nice ring overall. However, I feel like the weaker aspects of the song ironically speaks the most to me. The moombahton with rhythmical bass instrumental was quite weak and doesn’t really bring much excitement to the table. If I had to describe it, I would liken it to a dull colour. Though I do appreciate that the summer vibes that comes from it. The members themselves don’t add much to the song. Rather, they blend into the dull background and they don’t give much zing to the song. I know they could have gone harder to just give Ring The Alarm more body and intensity. That being said, I did find manage to identify a few aspects that had potential, but they are very minor sequences/details and are easily passed. Some examples include the start of the song with the alarms and bass and the ‘Move your body‘ chant that both BM and Jiwoo contributed to. The part in J.Seph’s rap sequence where the instrumental was minimised continues to play in my head and I liked the minimalistic aspect of said part. Even the slight amplification at the very end which gave Ring The Alarm outro a slight taste of intensity was sufficient in winning me over. But as I said, these are small details and not the larger sequences that make up the other 98% of the song. I think it is safe to say that I wanted more. Simply because, by the time Ring The Alarm wrapped up, I was left unsatisfied.
Part of me thinks the music video follows the song down the dull path. However, upon closer inspection for this review, I find parts of the music video to be striking. Certain solo shots for some member had a boldness to them, which I liked. For example, Somin’s red heart scenes, Jiwoo’s diamond set, BM’s mountain climb scenes caught my attention. But apart from that, the music video wasn’t memorable and I couldn’t figure out what was happening (if there was even a plotline to the video).
The choreography for this comeback was actually quite good. Even though the song’s dullness softness the choreography a fair bit compared to the group’s past performances, I liked that KARD managed to showcase their usual style in the performance. J.Seph really stood out for me in this routine, as he puts a bit more hip-hop energy into his execution, which makes captivating to watch. The outro sequence also had a neat bounce to it.
Song – 6/10 Music Video – 7/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 6.7/10
I jumped to May earlier, and now I jump right back to March as I am not just finished with the albums from that month just yet (PS. I have a somewhat ambitious plan to cover the last few months of albums, so keep your eyes out for more album reviews coming your way). The album for this review is BAE173’s 3rd mini-album, INTERSECTION: BLAZE, which dropped at the end of March alongside the title track JAWS. A total of five songs featured on the album, one of which is the instrumental for JAWS.
Given the title track, which is usually my first impression of the album, I did not expect the other tracks to swing into the pop realm. I expected a harsher, rougher and edgier album. As I mentioned below, I am not complaining about this unexpected swing given that I liked BAE173’s past pop releases and I am totally for them delving back into the genre. Read onwards for more of my thoughts on the album and the side tracks.
INTERSECTION: BLAZE Album Cover
1. Runnin’ – Dohyun opens up the album with a solo track. With BLAZE for the title of the album, this one hits the brief for being a blaze. It was a fierce hip-hop track, merged with EDM for the instrumentation. It was energetic and gave me a kick of energy to look forward to in this mini-album. Dohyun really worked it in this track and delivered Runnin’ without a hitch. Personally, not my cup of tea. But I can definitely imagine a lot of people enjoying this track, as there isn’t anything wrong with this introductory track. (8/10)
2. Annoyed (짜증나게) – Next up on the album is Annoyed. For those who may have missed my review for Loved You, I was an absolutely a fan of BAE173 pop direction. And I am so glad that they revisited that pop sound (even if it was just a brief tinge) in this song. Naturally, it is an instant favourite in my book. I would love BAE173 to venture down more of this pop path, especially since Annoyed pretty much summarised KPOP in a nutshell for me – that is the mergence of house and pop in one song. The house element really filled out the track, while the pop influence came through with the members’ vocals and melodies. I also really enjoyed the piano peeking out in background and giving off a twinkling like effect, and the falsetto-like approach the members brought to the chorus. (10/10)
4. Not Alone (혼자가 아니야) – Not Alone also ventures down the pop path. It is a lot softer compared to the three tracks preceding it and features a neat instrumentation that is quite upbeat and textured. The vocals and melodies are sweet sounding, while the instrumental adds a cheerfulness to the song. I find Not Alone quite suitable to be an OST for a drama, playing in the background of a sweet and heartwarming scene. It doesn’t draw my attention as did Annoyed, but it definitely what I wanted! (9/10)
LE SSERAFIM’s debut mini-album is next up on the reviewing block. LE SSERAFIM, the newest female group that hails from HYBE Entertainment and Source Music, debuted back in May with the title track and mini-album of the same name, FEARLESS. It features a total of 5 songs, including the already mentioned title track. FEARLESS originally featured 6 members. But as of last month, Kim Ga Ram exited the group due to her bullying controversary that emerged whilst the group was promoting their debut. She was quickly sidelined and the group temporarily reformed into a 5 member group before becoming a permanent formation in July.
While LE SSERAFIM’s debut isn’t necessary the best start to the group’s career for obvious reasons, FEARLESS (the title track) was quite successful. It grabbed the attention of a lot of people, including myself. Based on what I saw, it also become a hit and hopefully people will remember the group for their debut track from this era and not because of something else. As for the mini-album, it was a fair one. I am not head over heels over the entire mini-album, but there was at least some good songs on there. Do you agree with me? Let me know in the comments below (after reading my thoughts below, of course!).
FEARLESS Album Cover
1. The World Is My Oyster – Starting off their debut mini-album and their overall debut is the intro track, The World Is My Oyster. The instrumental for this track takes on psychedelic trance, which is right up my alley. There is an epic vibe simmering away in such songs, which makes me like the style. I also enjoy the suspenseful nature behind it. The World Is My Oyster features each of the members speaking in their own languages, introducing themselves as fearless, fitting for a group whose name is an anagram of I’M FEARLESS and begins their career with the title track titled Fearless. Not much else to the track, but a potentially epic one. (8/10)
3. Blue Flame – The secondary promotion track for LE SSERAFIM’s debut is Blue Flame. It is groovy number, going into down the disco route. The vocal work extremely nice and showcases potential behind the group’s vocals. However, Blue Flame was pretty generic and plain. While I really enjoy the retro sound that has been dominating KPOP for a while now, I am a bit disappointed about the lack of excitement or energy behind the song. If there was some sort of zing or vibrancy to Blue Flame, maybe I would have liked the song more. But it is just too consistent and doesn’t offer anything unique to the group. (6.5/10)
4. The Great Mermaid – To me, the difference between Blue Flame and The Great Mermaid is night and day. The Great Mermaid had so much oomph to its instrumentation thanks to the bass that featured in the song. The energy is exciting and memorable. The instrumental was so textured due to the combination of synths and bass. The vocals, while autotuned, felt fitting for The Great Mermaid, and well rounded. The ‘Na Na Na’ that follows the chorus was so catchy and the retelling of The Little Mermaid story in the lyrics was quite unique. (9/10)
5. Sour Grapes – The final song on this mini-album is Sour Grapes, a much softer track compared to any of the above tracks. It taps into the R&B realm and again features neat vocals. I liked the wavy melodies that the members deliver. It gives Sour Grapes a comforting and dreamy vibe. I did want a bit more to the song. It feels pretty elementary without going further and I am not entirely sure if I enjoy that. As an ender, however, Sour Grapes eases us away from the commotion that the title track caused, along with the upbeat backings of the other tracks on this album. (7/10)
Next album on the reviewing block is NCT DREAM’s 2nd studio album, Glitch Mode, and its repackaged version, Beatbox. It has been a while since these albums dropped, with Glitch Mode dropping back in March and Beatbox dropping in May of this year. And I am finally getting around to reviewing them! A total of 15 tracks are present on these albums, including the title tracks Glitch Mode and Beatbox. This makes this album review a lengthy one, so I am going to get straight into it!
Once again, NCT DREAM delivers on quality and quantity. While it was a doozy to write up this album review, I really enjoyed the final product. I even handed out quite a few 10/10’s whilst writing this review. However, I expected this happen as NCT DREAM always has amazing side tracks that needs more attention directed at them. Let me know if you agree with my ratings of each song below in the comments section after reading through my thoughts, of course.
2. Fire Alarm (파이어 알람) – Right off the bat, the initial track of the Glitch Mode album grabs your attention. To me, it doesn’t really grab your attention in the same way that a fire alarm alerts you to a fire. But rather, it is fire! Each time I end up listening to the album, I can’t help but groove along to this track. The synth-centric instrumentation was memorable and exciting. The fast tempo of Fire Alarm adds to the excitement and hype energy of the song. It feels relentless without going overboard or overwhelming with synths. The chanty nature of Fire Alarm adds to the memorability if the song, while the rapping was dynamic and the adlibs were effortless. (10/10)
4. Arcade – Arcade is an extremely satisfying mix of EDM and hip-hop influences. That alone makes Arcade a standout track, as everything felt cohesive and the styles naturally go hand-in-hand with each other. But the winning element in Arcade are the members. From the vocal side (my favourite side of this song), it was so flowy and smooth. It left me floored and I always want to delve back into the song due to the vocals. As for the rapping and the chanty sections, they give Arcade so much oomph and heftiness, balancing out the smoothness from the vocals. Another standout track, in my opinion. (10/10)
5. To My First (마지막 인사) – To My First is one of the new tracks on the Beatbox repackaged version. Its position following Arcade was perfect, as it continues those smooth vocals from the previous track. But instead of a EDM and hip-hop hybrid, To My First takes on a R&B sound profile instead. To My First has such amazing harmonies on top of the stunningly smooth vocals and you can feel the emotions that the group pours into this song about their first loves. (9/10)
6. It’s Yours (너를 위한 단어) – Despite being a light track, I really liked the thumping instrumental for It’s Yours. I quite liked how consistent the thumping nature of the instrumental was. It was intriguing, unique and cool. Again, the vocals bring a vibrant factor to the song, whilst the melodies and hooks bring forth a happy and cheerful tone to the song. I particularly like little uptick in melody when one of the vocalists begin their solo part in the chorus. The rapping also gets a tick of approval from me, with the rapping adding a bit of oomph to the song, as well. The simple repetition as the hook was a bit generic, but it caught on quite fast. (9/10)
7. Teddy Bear (잘 자) – Teddy Bear delves into R&B territory, even though the instrumental still has a foot within the EDM genre. I liked the punch the chorus had, which really woke me up from the soft and dreamy vocals. Teddy Bear was quite smooth as well, but I am not as excited about this aspect as per the other songs on this album. The vocal work was a bit linear in terms of trajectory and made the song less engaging as it progressed to the end. (7/10)
8. Sorry Heart – The Beatbox repackaged version brings us the second of two unit tracks (I consider this second as the first unit track consisting of the other members initially featured on the Glitch Mode album). Sorry Heart features Renjun, Haechan and Chenle. This lineup immediately means this is a vocal-centric track, and they do not mess around in this track. It was very stunning, emotionally packed and extremely captivating. The best parts, however, were the harmonies, the ad-libs and the acapella harmony sequence at the very end. This was all done over a soothing guitar instrumentation that allowed the vocals to do all of the speaking. (10/10)
9. Replay (내일 봐) – NCT DREAM regroups following the vocalists’ unit track for Replay. Replay takes me back to the 2000s with its old-school boy group style that easily could have been passed off as a promotional single. NCT DREAM fits in with this sound perfectly! The rapping was on point throughout, and the smooth vocals continue on in this song. Great melodies, but I feel the hooks were undeveloped. (8/10)
10. Saturday Drip – The first unit track from NCT DREAM on the album (even though the second on for this review/on the Beatbox version of the album) features Mark Jeno Jaemin and Jisung. Like Sorry Heart, when you look at Saturday Drip’s lineup, you know that this track will be rap heavy and go down the hip-hop hole. Every time I listened to this track when I play the albums, I find myself fighting an urge to dance. As you may know, hip-hop tracks are not really my style, so this urge to dance comes as a surprise and definitely shows you how much I enjoy the track. I also enjoyed the use of their deep vocals, which felt stylish and trendy. (10/10)
11. Better Than Gold (지금) – Better Than Gold brings a retro flair to the album with its funky and synth track. This one too gives me an urge to dance, but admittedly not as strong as the preceding track. What I think makes this track appealing is its brightness and upbeat nature. With the brass in the bridge, it is very hard to deny that this track is bright and upbeat. The vocals and rapping make it cheerful. A fun track, overall. (8/10)
12. Drive (미니카) – Drive has this feel-good vibe without stepping into the preppy and upbeat territory. Instead, I find the track to be calming and soothing. But it still puts a smile on your face. It is quite a mature and refined approach to this intention, if you think about it. Again, amazing vocals and rapping takes hold over a simple pop instrumentation. There is absolutely nothing wrong about this song, just one to enjoy. (8/10)
13. Never Goodbye (북극성) – NCT DREAM almost enters balladry territory with this track. I specifically say ‘almost’, as I feel like the instrumentation doesn’t follow. It remains atmospheric as result to electronic elements and I liked the twinkling detailing the background had. The vocals were very dreamy throughout the song, and the rapping (another not-so-common balladry element) was well executed for this softer track. In terms of me liking this track, I will say Never Goodbye is easily forgotten when considering the bigger picture of the album. But standalone, it is a nice and pleasant track. (7/10)
14. Rewind – Rewind revisits that retro style that NCT DREAM had already touched upon on this album. The piano and synth detailing in the instrumentation definitely brings this retro style to life. The melodies and rapping adds a fun element to the song that I thoroughly enjoy, whilst the vocals brought a youthful appeal to the song. (8/10)
15. On The Way (별 밤) – The final track on the Beatbox album (and the conclusion of the Glitch Mode / Beatbox era for NCT DREAM) is On The Way. It is such a neat ender, summing up the albums in a meaningful manner. I find On The Way had the best parts of the album, such as cool and trendy rapping, smooth vocals and soothing harmonies. The ending of the track was extremely well done, with the harmonies and beautifully sung chanty melodies. There is also a meaningful tinge to this song, which makes it super appropriate at the end. This is all on top of a simple but atmospheric synth instrumental. (9/10)
It is time for another review for a release from the near past. The focus of this review is on Xdinary Heroes’ long awaited comeback with Test Me, their first release since their debut with Happy Death Day back in December. Test Me was released less than a month ago as the title track from the group’s first mini-album, Hello World. A music video for the side track and secondary promotional single Strawberry Cake was released in the middle of this week and will be the subject of its own review post in the near future. But until then, here is my review for Test Me.
Test Me is a song that I find myself easily jamming to. Most days, I find Test Me having just the right level of energy to get my head nodding to the music. On the more optimal days, you can find me potentially going into a head banging motion instead whilst listening to the song. There was a subtle electrifying feel to the instrumental that really gets me going. Though I am of the opinion that the group could easily had gone harder, bolder and more pronounced on this front within Test Me. The brief repetition of the song’s title that is shouted out, which serves as the main hook to the song, was catchy and memorable enough for me. The rapping in the second verse was super engaging and packed a punch. Similarly, the vocals do the exact same thing, but there is less of a punch in this department. However, Test Me is slightly weak in sections. I didn’t enjoy the second half of the chorus as much I liked the first half. I felt the momentum unraveled or disengaged in the latter half of the chorus, which stuck out for me. I wished the momentum was maintained. The bridge was also another weak moment, with the layering being unsatisfying and unfulfilling. Had Test Me gone harder (and the same energy was transferred to this part, as well), I think the idea of layering in the bridge would have been more satisfying. But aside from the song’s weaker moment, Test Me still manages to be a likeable song for me.
The music video has this futuristic concept that I thought was very cool. The coloured neon lights and robotics in this music video was really great and fun, even if it was all virtual and computerised. In terms of a plotline, a competition to determine the best rock artist is happening, but the winner was pre-selected from the very beginning. Xdinary Heroes themselves also participated, but were disqualified even before their song began. So they make it their mission to rig the system and get into the final, where they defeat the preselected winner and took the trophy home themselves. All is great, but the question at the start of the video, however, is probably the more intriguing element of this video – “Are Xdinary Heroes the villain or hero” in this case, since they rigged the already rigged system. What is a playful and fun video ended up turning into a moral dilemma. I like it!
Song – 7.5/10 Music Video – 8.5/10 Overall Rating – 7.9/10
Next album to get the review treatment is memeM, PURPLE KISS’ 3rd mini-album since their debut last year. It was released way back at the end of March of this year, and features the title track of the same name. I know this album review is very much delayed, especially since PURPLE KISS has returned more recently with another comeback (NERDY) and their fourth mini-album, Geekyland. That unfortunately won’t be getting the album review treatment until the end of September (if I remember my reviewing schedule correctly). But hopefully the album review for memeM will be a sufficient dose of PURPLE KISS for the time being.
memeM is a solid release from PURPLE KISS. They are only in their second year of their career, so there is still a lot to discover about this group. But if the memeM mini-album is indicative of anything, it has to be the fact that they have a lot of potential, as highlighted by the strong rating this mini-album received. Do you agree with my overall thoughts and individual thoughts on the songs? Let me know in the comments below.
memeM Album Cover
1. Intro: Illusion – The mini-album kicks off with a mysterious intro track. Illusion just spans for over a minute, but considered me intrigued and interested with this opener. There is an exotic colour to this track thanks to the instrumental. And the vocals were sleek and alluring. I would have loved for this to be a full track on its own. (9/10)
3. Oh My Gosh (날 좀 봐) – Oh My Gosh started off with a pretty chill instrumentation. It is trendy, but there wasn’t really much going on in the background. The vocal work and rapping were solid, and remains so throughout the rest of the track. I did wish the hooks and melodies were more engaging, as better hooks and melodies would have made Oh My Gosh more memorable and better. What I did enjoy with this song is how Oh My Gosh changed momentum and develops itself into a substantial dance track. The chorus felt more amplified and the heavier presence of synths and percussion following the chorus made the song much more attractive and robust. (8/10)
4. Pretty Psycho – Pretty Psycho is my favourite side track from this mini-album. A large part of this is due to the instrumentation – groovy and bass-prominent. There is also a dynamic side of Pretty Psycho, as the tempo changes between sequences. The instrumental sequence of the bridge was very cool, while the twinkling effect during the second half of the bridge gave the song a haunting aspect. All of this could easily rival the likes ofNERDY, the group’s more recent comeback, which I enjoyed. But this is only one aspect of Pretty Psycho. The other aspects that I usually comment on – vocals and rapping were really well done in this song, especially during the chorus. Memorable hooks and delivery here. (10/10)
5. JOAH (좋아) – JOAH turns the attention onto the members’ vocals, which have been strong so far on this album. But JOAH magnifies the focus onto the vocals with the song’s slower approach. I like the R&B pop vibe that the instrumental had and the melodies in this slower song were very calming and soothing to listen to. (8/10)
6. Hate Me, Hurt Me, Love Me – This song infuses an upbeat pop energy back into the mini-album with its electronic instrumentation. Its vibrant and bright, which is instantly appealing to me. I did think the actual execution of the instrumental was a bit generic and straightforward, but this isn’t a big deal for me. The vocals keep Hate Me, Hurt Me, Love Me light and pleasant. The chorus melody was vibrant and catchy for me. All of this made the song enjoyable to listen to. (8/10)
7. Cursor (빈틈) – The most captivating song on this album comes at the very end. Cursor really took hold of me during the start, with a balladry-like motif in both instrumentation and vocals. Following the first chorus, the song abruptly tacks on some EDM to the song. This was quite an unexpected change, but one that works. We soon return to those balladry vocals and the captivation continues. I am more upset on how the EDM transitioned into rapping (and into the final chorus). I thought this ruined the flow of the song (more so than the EDM itself), and weakened the integrity of the song. But other than that, a neat track. (8/10)
As I constantly hinted throughout the last week when I was preparing for the group’s ODDINARY album review, I would be review Stray Kids latest release some time this week. And so, the time has arrived to review the group’s latest mixtape release, Time Out. This release unexpectedly dropped last week on Monday to celebrate four years since the naming of their fanclub, STAYs. Time Out follows the release of three other mixtapes from the group – Gone Days, On Track and Oh.
Stray Kids jumps onto the rock train through Time Out. There was a few aspects that I enjoyed about the song. The first is the intensity of the rock in this track. It brought forth a vibrant, bright and refreshing atmosphere, which makes Time Out suitable as a Summer season. I also like it how it is a different sound to what Stray Kids usually put out, so again it demonstrates Stray Kids’ potential to be versatile. The guitar work was extremely satisfying and packs a punch. In terms of vocals, I liked the liveliness that each member brought to the song. It is a different side to the group that we don’t hear often, as they are usually more serious and edgy. So this goes back to the point about them showcasing their ability to be versatile. I did like Changbin’s part in the pre-chorus. His vocals was very textured thanks to his raspy and deeper tone, and the energy he put behind his part in the pre-chorus made it dynamic and striking. On the more critical side, I did find the hooks and melodies to be on the weaker side of the spectrum, as they don’t come off as memorable. For Time Out, it is the praises for the elements above (namely the instrumental and Changbin’s line) that does this for me.
The accompanying music video is quite simple. It is footage of the members enjoying time with one another on the beach and at a beach house, which makes sense given the song’s sound alignment with the Summer season. It is great to see the members in a more light hearted and carefree manner, full of smiles and uplifting energy. It is very different to the darker notes of their music videos from their latest mini-album.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9/10
KPOPREVIEWED 