Category: KPOP

[Review] Replay – Golden Child

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At the start of this week, Golden Child made their comeback with their latest mini-album, AURA (their 6th one to date), and their latest title track Replay. This is Golden Child’s first Korean comeback since the release of Ra Pam Pam and DDARA from last year and the first release following their Japanese debut with A WOO!! and first Japanese comeback with RATA-TAT-TA. Replay unfortunately does not feature Daeyeol, who earlier this year became the first Golden Child member to enlist into the military.

Right off the bat, Replay is electrifying and shocking (in the best way possible) EDM dance track. It has been a while since I could say that with a song, as it has been a while since we have been given a song that really lurches out at you from the first second. And that is one of the aspects of Replay that I quite enjoyed, how the song starts with the chorus, kicking Replay into gear from the very first second with its high-octane energy and never giving you a chance to even ease into the song. Hence why I described Replay as shocking. We do get some reprieve in the verses, but they do maintain the intensity from the chorus, so that the entire track feels cohesive. A bit more about the instrumental – it is super gritty, textured and abrasive throughout, but done so in such a way where it feels satisfying and enjoyable. I like the heavy rock presence we get in the bridge as a dance break and at the end, which capitalises Replay‘s intensity and energy and takes the ending to an epic finale. I liked how the members stayed on top of the instrumentation, as they easily could have been drowned out with the loud, noisy and busy backing. But instead of being shouty or overly aggressive, a sense of refinement was used and the members only pushed themselves slightly. The rapping adds further intensity into Replay, amplifying everything that has been described above. If I have to be critical about Replay, it would be the hooks. They just didn’t take it to the same level as the rest of the song. But honestly, with the thrilling nature of Replay, I can overlook that.

I am not entirely sure, but I believe the premise of the music video is that the members are in jail and they escape so that they can have a chance to ‘replay’. The reason why I am not entirely sure about this is because I feel the music video was a bit under developed when it came to the plotline, but I believe there is one there. It was just really light on. Aside from that, it was a reasonable music video. The editing helped make the video appear more intense, the use of flashing lights heightened this feeling and the members looked amazing throughout the video with their tougher looks.

Choreography was fantastic. I liked the play of textures throughout the performance. The chorus routine was relentless and intense just like the music, whereas the verses allowed the members to showcase a smoother set of moves. I liked how aggressive the choreography for the rock parts of the song were, which really summed up the performance well for me.

Song – 9.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 10/10
Overall Rating – 9.2/10

[Review] FOREVER 1 – Girls’ Generation

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Please excuse my absence over last Friday and the weekend (the album reviews that did get posted were actually scheduled whilst I was away). As a result of my absence over Friday and the weekend, I have been unable to review one major release from last week in a timely manner. I am talking none other than the legendary Girls’ Generation (or SNSD). After a five year hiatus, Girls’ Generation has returned to celebrate their 15th anniversary as a group with the release of FOREVER 1, the title of both their lead track and 7th studio length album. Their last comeback was back in 2017 with the duo All Night and Holiday.

For me, FOREVER 1 is another track that I would describe as extremely pleasant. It hits all the right nostalgic points for me, especially when I hear the individual members in the same song. Needless to say, I was smiling my way through FOREVER 1 from the first listen and throughout the weekend. The melodies and lyrics all had a heart warming and comforting tinge that made me fall for the song, which I am sure was the intention of the producers behind FOREVER 1. It also makes sense to have these feelings and emotions come about, given that FOREVER 1 appears to be a song that thanks their fans. The pop instrumental is very euphoric, which helps heighten those emotions I had already mentioned and gives off a modern/trendy background to the group’s return. This just means that Girls’ Generation is quite adaptable to the changing landscape of KPOP, as five years has a very big difference. My only critic about FOREVER 1 are the hooks. What we got in terms of a chorus was quite smooth and enjoyable already, with that heart warming tinge I mentioned before being the most prevalent during the chorus and was enough to win me over. And I know the direction in which FOREVER 1 heads in doesn’t call for super catchy hooks that become the focal and trendy part of the song. But compared with Girls’ Generation’s past releases (even their last release before this one), FOREVER 1 lacks in the memorability department. That being said, I can overlook that small lacking aspect and still enjoy the likes of FOREVER 1 and Girls’ Generation’s return.

I kind of wished the music video was a bit more than just what we got. After all, it is Girls’ Generation we are talking about! But given the limitations of the song (i.e. pleasantries doesn’t really allow for a wow factor or something dramatic), I understand why the video had a straight forward standard/plain approach. Aside from that, it was still a bright and colourful video, something that I would expect from Girls’ Generation in some shape or form. And the members look stunning throughout. I liked how the video shows each individual member going on their separate journeys – from acting to modelling to singing careers. There were also some shots of Tiffany on the plane, representing that some members went global! During their solo scenes, the members looks glamourous and refined. But in the end, they all come together to be part of Girls’ Generation. And the outfits during the choreography shots reminded me of their past outfits they have worn on stage (particularly, the sailor coloured/patterns ones), invoking a tidal wave of nostalgia, once again, on me.

The choreography looks great from what I could see from the music video. There really isn’t much to say unfortunately in this department, other than the performance looks like it fits the pleasant nature of the song really well. I am excited to see the group perform on stage later this week nonetheless.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.7/10

[Album Review] Real Love (2nd Studio Album) – Oh My Girl

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Next up on the album review chopping block is Real Love, Oh My Girl’s second studio length album since their debut. It was released at the end of March. Leading the album is the title track that shares the same name as the album and features an additional eight tracks. While the release of Real Love is all good news to fans, Real Love also is the final release to feature Jiho as a member, who left the group and their company (WM Entertainment for those who are wondering) following the album’s release and associated promotions following the completion of her contract. All the best to Jiho for her future endeavours and to Oh My Girl as they reform into a six member group.

When I was writing this review, I was wondering how I would best sum it up for you in this initial paragraph. And my best idea was to describe as an ‘pleasant experimentation’. It sounds odd, but it actually the hybrid of two different styles Oh My Girl had attempted on Real Love. There are a handful of songs that I actually describe (repetitively) as pleasant, while there were also a handful of songs that were experimental, unique and different from other artists. Do you have any other ways to describe the album? Let me know in the comments below once you have finished reading my review for Real Love.

Real Love Album Cover

1. Real Love (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Real Love. (8/10)

2. Drip – If you were listening to the song for the first time, you would have noticed that there were so many twists throughout Drip. You wouldn’t know where the song is heading, so it keeps you on the edge of your seat. This style might be disjointed, complicated and overwhelming for some, but I really liked it. This pop song’s chorus featured catchy hooks and the verses were felt fashionably sleek. I think there was room for the group to be bolder in some of the segments as some of them were relative forgettable, but it is a great track nonetheless. (8/10)

3. Eden – Acoustics opens up the pleasant sounding Eden, paired with such soft vocals from some of the members. But Eden doesn’t stay acoustic all the way through. Synths are eased in and Eden features an interestingly paced pre-chorus, before proceeding to a glitchy chorus. It is so intriguing that the synths and glitchy chorus doesn’t detract from Eden’s soft and pleasant beginning. It is different overall, but so enjoyable at the same time. The song repeats the same set up of verse, pre-chorus and chorus as described above. But after all this time, Eden still sounds refreshing and original after all this time. (10/10)

4. Replay – Replay forgoes melodies, but brings the bass and rhythm in this freaking amazing song. Replay brings forth voguing vibe, which I believe the group has previously approached in another side track from the top of my memory. But Replay feels just right for a club and/or party. Its groovy, its attitude/sassy and its sleek. And it is super catchy and memorable as a side track on this album. (10/10)

5. Parachute – Parachute feels like it easily could have traded places with Real Love as it too delves into the disco pop genre. While the instrumental was great (I enjoyed the buoyancy the steelpan brought to the instrumental), I did feel the vocals was pretty generic and didn’t bring much excitement. Real Love played around with the vocals, which helped make it interesting for me, whereas Parachute was pretty straight forward. It is slightly disappointing that the vocals weren’t as memorable, as I felt the hooks were. (7/10)

6. Kiss & Fix – Kiss & Fix is another pleasant and soft track on this album. I liked the soft drumming in the instrumentation, as it helps sets the soft tone of the track. The vocals also help out with this. The best showing of vocals comes from Binne and YooA in the bridge. That part of the song floored me. The chorus goes with this nursery-rhyme-chant-esque style which was memorable and easy on the ears. Another great track on the album. (9/10)

7. Blink – Turning to pop, Blink is a nice track. It has pleasant instrumentations that doesn’t catch you off guard or overwhelm you by being excessive. I enjoyed the underlaying guitar in this song. It felt hidden, but it peeked out enough for me to recognise it. The melodies and vocals were nice and enjoyable, as well. The rapping changes up the momentum just enough and at the right time to keep the song from falling into a ‘too consistent’ state. All is good with Blink. (8/10)

8. Dear Rose – Dear Rose is another pleasant track, even though the instrumental and rapping might not be in agreeance with this observation at first glance. I attribute the pleasantness to the vocals, which were quite soft and doesn’t ever stray from how it the song first started. I also find the softness might have come about from another nursery rhyme-like melody that the lyrics were delivered in. The ‘Pretty Little Rose’ hook was quite catchy as well. As for the instrumental, we get dance synths suitable for the club. And the rapping added an edgy tinge to the Dear Rose. Quite the opposite of soft, but somehow Dear Rose makes it work. (8.5/10)

9. Sailing Heart – The album ends with a stunning ballad. I liked the pulsing bass in the background, which added so much depth to the song. Sailing Heart also features a piano-centric instrumental. And the warm and drifty vocals lays on top. Interestingly, Sailing Heart doesn’t have a swayable melody, as the ad-libs were added throughout the song. But that doesn’t instantly mean it is not good. Sailing Heart still managed to captivate and end the album on such a dreamy note. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.5/10

Real Love Teaser Image

[Album Review] ODDINARY (6th Mini Album) – Stray Kids

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Over the last week or so, I have been reviewing some of Stray Kids’ older (given that they did release new music at the start of this week – I will be reviewing it soon!) but recent releases. And this is all in preparation for this particular album review. ODDINARY is the group’s 6th mini-album, and was released back in March of this year. Headlining this mini-album is the title track MANIAC. But like their recent comebacks, there have been multiple music videos for different tracks as part of the promotions for their comeback. For this mini-album, VENOM, FEVER and Lonely St. all got the music video treatment alongside the title track.

But that is not all, ODDINARY also features 3 additional tracks (one full group and two unit tracks), giving this album a grand total of seven songs. And ODDINARY is another solid release from the group (though not their best to date). The tracks are right up Stray Kids’ alley and were all pretty much cool in their own way. There was a range of good to amazing tracks, with the mini-album containing another 10/10 track on this album, in my opinion. Find out which one by reading onwards.

ODDINARY Album Cover

1. VENOM (거미줄) – Click here to read the full review for VENOM. (7/10)

2. MANIAC (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for MANIAC. (8/10)

3. Charmer – The first track on the mini-album to not get a music video is Charmer. I quite like this song for the catchy flute work we get in the instrumental-centric chorus. It is quite a focal point for such a hefty and serious sounding track like Charmer. The rest of the track falls squarely into Stray Kids comfort zone of hip-hop and raps, just without the noisy EDM that has become synonymous with Stray Kids’ title tracks. All of this is makes Charmer a strong track. There was also a great display of vocals, especially when all the instrumental was all stripped away. (8/10)

4. FREEZE (땡) – Click here to read the full review for FREEZE. (9/10)

5. Lonely St. – Click here to read the full review for Lonely St. (7.5/10)

6. Waiting For Us (피어난다) – Waiting For Us is the first of two unit tracks. It features Bangchan, Lee Know, Seungmin and I.N, with the quartet giving us this atmospheric rock ballad. My first impression of this song remains vividly in my mind, simply because it was stunning the first time around and it still is! The vocal work in this song was spectacular and riveting, especially the harmonies during bridge. In particular, Lee Know genuinely surprised me with his ability to keep on par with the other members in this song. The melodies were so drifty, and I really liked the kick and amplification of everything during the chorus. It was all captivating, and that earns this song a 10/10. (10/10)

7. Muddy Waters – The other half of the group (Changbin, Han, Hyunjin and Felix) show off their rapping skills with this old school hip-hop track. Again, I am not a hip-hop or even a rap song person. But Muddy Waters was definitely cool and hip. I really enjoyed the jazzy roots of the instrumentation, which gave the song a golden and vintage type of feel. The members went hard with their raps, impressing me with their delivery. Altogether, we have a groovy and enjoyable track to round out the album. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.4/10

ODDINARY Teaser Image

[Album Review] MY (1st Mini Album) – MIYEON ((G)I-DLE)

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I believe I mentioned that this particular album review was going to be published on Monday, but I had to postpone to the end of this week as I couldn’t complete it in time. So without further delay, here is my review for MIYEON’s solo debut mini-album, MY, released at the end of April of this year. In addition to the title track DRIVE, MY features an additional five tracks. MIYEON’s solo debut follows her group’s comeback with TOMBOY and I NEVER DIE (which I posted the album review for over the weekend).

MY is a great start to MIYEON’s solo career. There was a strong showing of her potential as a solo artist, with a number of the songs on the album ranking on the higher end of the scale. She also scores a 10/10 from me for a side track. I am glad MIYEON had the opportunity to shine herself and showcase her vocals. Hope her next solo release isn’t too far off.

MY Album Cover

1. Rose – Starting off is Rose, which also doubles as a lovely beginning to the album. Rose has an extremely pleasant instrumental, drawing on a really nice waltz pace that aids Rose’s loveable appeal. The melodies in this song are a highlight, as they really caught hold of me and I could not help sway along to both Rose’s melodies and waltz instrumental. Miyeon herself was very inviting with her vocals and they bring a smile to my face every time I listen to the song. Rose genuinely surprised me, as its style is usually not my cup of tea. But it is a strong start to the album, nonetheless. (9/10)

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

3. Softly – I quite enjoy the upbeat nature of Softly. It isn’t expected for a song titled Softly, but it somehow works. It might be due to Miyeon, who brings a brightness and vibrant factor to the song. There is a spring to her voice that makes Softly so enjoyable. Or it could be due to the accompaniment of that intriguing string instrument (not sure if it is some sort of metallic harp or a different type of guitar) and classical instrumentation in the background. It is relatively soft, but it definitely makes itself known. To me, it is an interesting combination and it constantly feels like it is on a forward trajectory to clash. But as stated in my second sentence – it works. I just wished the hooks were more promising and memorable. (7.5/10)

4. TE AMO – TE AMO is probably my pick for hidden gem on this mini-album. There was just so much to get out of the track and to enjoy from it. I love Miyeon’s use of her nasally vocals in this song. It is the first thing that stands out on this track. Her vocals build as the song progresses, creating a riveting piece. The strength of her vocals as the song moves along was also very impressive. I also really enjoyed the pop instrumentation of TE AMO, particularly the bolstered nature of the chorus and the acoustic guitars in the bridge. The repetition of TE AMO was so simple, but it works wonderfully as the hook. A 10/10 from me. (10/10)

5. Charging (ft. JUNNY) – Best described as a R&B ballad, Charging excelled when both Miyeon and JUNNY were singing together. Those harmonies were the best part of the song. I found the solo moments to be a drawing point. Miyeon’s solo sequences featured over the top of slow and balladry instrumentation throughout the entirety of the song. As a result, Miyeon was on the blander side, but her solo sequences get better as Charging progresses. On the other hand, JUNNY’s vocals/solo moments were accompanied by a more upbeat tinge, which made his solo section more appealing to my taste. But as mentioned at the start, it is when they are together that Charging is at its peak. (7/10)

6. Rain (소나기) – The album closes out with Rain, a ballad with an interesting guitar-led backdrop. With Rain, you can feel her emotions through her vocals more vividly. Due to this, I found her vocals to be quite captivating and stunning in this track. The instrumental had an upbeat tinge to it, and also delves slightly into rock territory. This makes for an interesting dynamic for a ballad that I actually quite enjoyed. It spins the emotional side of the song in a different light, but sounds so good at the same time. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.6/10

MY Teaser Image

[Review] Lonely St. – Stray Kids

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The final track from Stray Kids’ ODDINARY mini-album to receive the music video treatment was Lonely St.. And so, before I can proceed to an album review for ODDINARY, I will also be reviewing Lonely St. in this post. It follows the release of music videos for VENOM, MANIAC and FREEZE. Following the album review, there will be one more Stray Kids review next week, for their unexpected release earlier this week. So keep your eyes out for that.

Stray Kids brings the emotions out with Lonely St., with the song taking the form of a ballad. But it isn’t your usual type of ballad, given the hefty pop/punk rock instrumentation and the use of autotune. I don’t mean to suggest that the song is a let down or terrible. It was just an interesting take on a ballad. Obviously, these elements to Lonely St. allows the song to fit the grander picture of ODDINARY, given that Stray Kids music is usually heavy on the synths and autotune and the three tracks from the album that I have reviewed thus far. As expected with a ballad, however, the vocals of Stray Kids are on full display and I quite liked the push the members give to their vocals. Also, the autotune usage was nice and all. It didn’t get too much in the way of showcasing the vocals – though I am always for dialing down autotune to hear a rawer approach to the vocals (such as during their concert). The rappers also have a push on their end, enabling emotionally charged sequences to come about and fit in with the rest of Lonely St. I feel the pop/punk rock instrumentation also enables this. I think the lacking aspect of Lonely St. are the melodies. I find them straight forward and I feel this straight forwardness I find the melodies to be straight forward and I feel this pretty much rubs off on the rest of the song. There is nothing wrong with being straight-forward, but I think Lonely St. could have used something more enticing in this department to be more appealing. I also thought the ending was too abrupt, which you know is something that I don’t personally like.

The music video features the members running away and being isolated, as per the title of the track. I quite liked the mix of studio and outdoor shots in this video, which made it more interesting than it should be. The grey palette of the music video also sets the tone for the video really well, complementing the likes of the song perfectly. The members’ acting was quite decent, as well. The only aspect of the video that I am not entirely sure of is the ending with Lee Know getting up (and all the members lying around him). The abrupt ending to the song does justify something to follow after the ending of the song, but what we got just raises questions regarding that end – like how did all the members get there and what does it all mean?

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.7/10

[Review] SMARTPHONE – YENA

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We return to the usual transmission of reviews for new releases with the latest comeback. This particular comeback belongs to YENA, who made her solo debut earlier this year with the single SMILEY (ft. BIBI) following her IZ*ONE days. Today, YENA returns with a new single SMARTPHONE and her second mini-album of the same name.

YENA continues to delve into that fun style for this comeback, the same approach she took with her debut track. I must admit that I didn’t necessarily fall head over heels for SMARTPHONE upon the first listen like I did with SMILEY. But this fun style is definitely infectious and I was soon enjoying the track by just having a second listen. The instrumental definitely helps out a lot with this, taking on a very upbeat and energetic pop rock style that is pretty much all the rage now in KPOP. I do think SMARTPHONE‘s approach was more blastful, which instantly earns points for me. There was just so much energy coming from the chorus when the pop rock was at its strongest and coming at us relentlessly. I also enjoyed the extra oomph the synths added to the song, which was gave the song some additional appeal points. The pop rock was the more prominent aspect of SMARTPHONE, so the synths acted like detailing in the song. YENA sounds awesome in this song, with her youthful vocals and raps. The energy she brings into the SMARTPHONE is extremely bright, adding more to that fun and perky style of music I mentioned at the start. And it also helps that SMARTPHONE‘s hooks were catchy and addictive. If I had to be critical, I would point out the pre-choruses were the weakest part of the song, in my opinion. They just didn’t have the momentum I felt it should have to lead from the verses and lead to the choruses. But that had minimal impact upon me enjoying SMARTPHONE!

To match the fun and energetic style of SMARTPHONE, the music video takes it all on board with quite a concept. Essentially, YENA is part of a smartphone game, where she needs to save her friends from the evil and menacing duck, who has kidnapped them. She succeeds, giving the evil duck an uppercut. It was quite cute that the evil duck had sent its duck minions to fight YENA, which she easily defeated. In the end, they all party together – friends and foe – showing the light hearted nature of the video. Aside from the concept, I liked that the video was bright and colourful, and never lets up on these fronts.

The choreography looks great. It embodies the energetic nature of the song really well. I also liked the cuteness element to the choreography. Usually, I am not a fan of this. But I find YENA to be very adorable and her expressions just brought the stage to a whole new level. I quite the like the hand movements during the song’s chorus hooks, and the parts where her tongue are sticking out are quite memorable.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.9/10

[Review] FREEZE – Stray Kids

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It is time to review another Stray Kids release. But not the new one just yet. That is on hold until I complete the other Stray Kids Korean releases that I have passed over so far this year. Instead, I am prioritizing the side tracks from Stray Kids’ sixth mini-album, ODDINARY, that got the music video treatment, ahead of their impending album review which I am looking to (and hopefully post later this week). Last week, I covered their VENOM track. As for this review, I will be focusing on the release FREEZE, the album’s fourth track.

FREEZE is quite an aggressive and abrasive track (if not one of their most aggressive and abrasive tracks to date), something that is pretty much up Stray Kids’ alley. I am sure these are the first words that pop into most people’s minds. I also find it bold, dynamic and packed full of energy, the latter two being noticeably absent from the group’s first track on the album. Therefore, I quite enjoyed the likes of FREEZE. The EDM is, without any doubt, very strong, and I quite like the trap elements in the chorus. It is quite a centrepiece and definitely embodies all the adjectives that I have used thus far in the review (and possibly even taking them to the next level). I would also describe as the bigger picture that is FREEZE to be balanced. Interesting word choice for an EDM track like this one, but not once did I find the overload of synths and texture to be overwhelming. Per usual, the rappers definitely stand out in this song. They were rough and harsh, complementing the abrasive nature of the song. The vocals help bring a bit of relief, and I liked how they stayed on top of the synths. They easily could have slipped and been smothered by the synths. I like the smoothness from the ending, with that contrast being a highlight for me. I did think the ending was a bit abrupt, but I do understand that the nature of this song calls for an abrupt ending. It doesn’t make sense for a fade out to be featured at the ending. If anything, I wished the hooks were meatier. That was the only element I thought was lacking in FREEZE, especially since it relied so heavily on the instrumental for its memorable factor.

It seems like the group are going after the white coat gang in this music video, with half of Stray Kids going undercover into a meeting with said gang and the other half listening close by to the events of the meeting. Not sure if the group are like police, but based on the fiery ending, I don’t think so. An epic shoot out happens (though, I am going also going to describe it as impossible) and the members listening in rush in to provide backup. But the white coat gang manages to capture all of them, and tie them up. The gang then leaves the group alone in a warehouse. Not sure why there is no one watching them, but okay. Stray Kids find the green chemical that seems to be causing some trouble in the media (see the Korean news paper article at the start – I presume the white coat gang are behind such an attack). They then confront the gang and use the green chemical against them, causing that very strong warehouse fire at the end. But the ending seems a bit confusing. We close out the video with I.N smiling in a manner that is a bit suspicious (as if he is making fun of Stray Kids), while posing with a gun. I don’t know if this suggest that Stray Kids is after the wrong people, and should have looked internally with themselves. Aside from the plotline, there were some really great visual effects, particularly during the shootout scene.

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

[Review] Cookie – NewJeans

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It is a new week. And it all starts with the debut of a new group. NewJeans is the group’s name, and they are a five member female group from ADOR, a subsidiary of HYBE. The lineup consist of Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, Hyein. NewJeans previously released music videos for Attention, Hype Boy (multiple videos in this case) and Hurt. A review for each of these songs/videos (and a hybrid review for Hype Boy) will be posted in the coming weeks, so keep your eyes peeled for that. But for now, here is my review for the group’s debut track, Cookie.

First impression of Cookie is that the song is rather flat. I appreciate that the group is doing something different, avoiding the cliches of cutesy sounds or girl crush concepts. The new group went with a minimalistic approach with Cookie. While minimalistic approaches have been praised on my blog before, I felt the same praise could not be applied to Cookie. The feeling I should have got from Cookie was new and/or refreshing. I also expected a track that had more oomph or changed momentum once in a while. Instead, we are provided with a box with limited amounts of fat synths, trap elements and a paced beat. It didn’t go anything further, which is the source of my frustration. There was a bit of a change at the bridge of Cookie, which inserted some dynamic energy. But that was pretty relative and short-lived. Vocal wise, I didn’t get anything impressive out of Cookie. However, I do find the mature vibes and the cutesy lyrics to be an interesting and abstract combination, and the vocal work is charming. To avoid an overwhelming song, I liked that the hooks weren’t too bold or stood out too much. This complimented the minimalistic style in which Cookie was aiming for and paired well with the vocals. I wished there was more to the song, just to give NewJeans that launch they need to show KPOP their potential.

While the minimalistic vibes of the song didn’t work, I enjoyed the minimalistic aspects of Cookie‘s music video. There wasn’t too much to the video. The most we got were some CGI during the bridge, and a large cookie/CD rolling in the background. Other than that, we got a very big room and a bench, which was utilized in the performance. Interestingly, the video was shot in a way where the sets did not feel empty or spacious, despite it clearly being empty and spacious. Clever. I also liked the retro tinge we got from the visuals in the video, which helped add a bit more substance to the video than had it been without it.

Performance-wise, the choreography looked great. It wasn’t too energetic, but it wasn’t a drag, as well. I did enjoy the dance break that we got, which help provide a bit more energy to the entire comeback package that is Cookie. I also like the hip and cool vibe the member brought to the performance, which helped make it engaging for me to watch from start to end each time.

Song – 6.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.5/10

[Album Review] I NEVER DIE (1st Studio Album) – (G)I-DLE

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I jump back to mid-March for the next album review. More specifically, (G)I-DLE’s first studio length album since their debut in 2017. It is titled I NEVER DIE, and features the title track TOMBOY. Since the release of this album and TOMBOY, the group has embarked on their first world tour and Miyeon also made her solo debut with Drive. An album review for her release is coming tomorrow, so keep your eyes out for that.

I NEVER DIE features 8 tracks, which includes the title track. It is a strong album from the group, as I would recommend all of them to any new listeners. There are different genres, so I am sure everyone will find something they will enjoy. I NEVER DIE is a momentous release. Not only is this release their first studio length album, but it is also the first release since the group’s reformation as a quintet. And if this album is the basis as their future as a five member group, the group has it in the bag. That may or may not be a failed pun in reference to the trendy MY BAG single, which is featured on this album as well.

I NEVER DIE Album Cover

1. TOMBOY (Title Track) – Since the release of the TOMBOY, the song has grown on my considerably. Hence, I have decided to increase the song ranking for TOMBOY from a 6.5/10 to an 8/10. I will address this in a future post on the blog. Click here to read the original review for TOMBOY. (8/10)

2. Never Stop Me (말리지 마) – Following the title track is the awesome pop rock, Never Stop Me. It brings me back to the early 2000s when pop rock was the rage (a time that I wouldn’t mind reliving music wise, as I grew up in that era). I love the energy that is exuded from the song, especially during the blastful chorus. I did think some of the vocals could have been tweaked to be a lower register, as the higher pitched vocals just didn’t fit in. (8/10)

3. VILLAIN DIES – I just love the haunting side of this track, with the use of the bass and violins in the instrumental of this electro-pop anthem. The haunting nature extends over to the vocals as well, particularly in the pre-chorus. The anti-drop of a chorus was also very cool, and I think it would enable a great performance on stage. I also liked how the song ended, bringing that haunting vibe full circle. However, I wished there was a tidbit of instrumentation at the very to feel fully complete. (9/10)

4. ALREADY – ALREADY dials the music back a bit, dipping into R&B territory. The instrumental is sleek and refined, bubbling away in the background. At one point, the instrumental enters dramatic territory, with a militaristic drumming being the focal point for the instrumental/dance break. I quite enjoyed the consistency behind the vocals and melodies in this song. I think this helped ALREADY become so balanced and distilled. (8/10)

5. POLAROID – Also dipping into R&B territory is POLAROID, which I thought was a fantastic song. The acoustic guitar instrumental was stunningly beautiful. What this track does extremely well is that it highlights the members’ vocals. The airy tone they give to each end of each line in the chorus made the English so memorable. The melodies are stunning and so drifty to listen to. (10/10)

6. ESCAPE – (G)I-DLE bring a taste of euro-pop to the album with ESCAPE. I find the instrumental to be quite atmospheric, chill and laidback. I enjoyed the zing that the rock elements bring to ESCAPE, and I feel this song is super perfect for a breezy road trip down the coast. Again, standout vocals in this track. And the melodies and hooks are very enjoyable. I just wished the ending eased us out, rather than just ending as it did. (9/10)

7. LIAR – LIAR brings back the amped up energy and vibes with this rock centric song. ‘Amped up’ is the right phrase, as they do not mess around with this bolstered instrumental. I love the rock feel of LIAR, head banging along to the music. However, I am not too keen on the glitches in the instrumental. I think this is their way of giving the rock genre a more modern take. But it felt unneeded. I really liked the vocals, with Yuqi suiting this style of music. The hooks could have been more profound, given the domination of the instrumentation in this song. (8.5/10)

8. MY BAG – The album ends with a hip-hop song. Personally, MY BAG is not my cup of tea. But even I admit that it is a banger, and I can see why it was chosen as a secondary promotional track and why it has caught on with some listeners. Listening to this song, I feel cool, hip and on trend (sorry if I sound like a grandparent). (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.6/10

I NEVER DIE Teaser Image

[Album Review] A to B (5th Mini Album) – AB6IX

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As I catch up on album reviews, I will be jumping back and forth a bit. And for today, I jump forward to mid-May, when AB6IX made their comeback with SAVIOR and their fifth mini-album, A to B. Alongside the title track SAVIOR, there are an additional four side tracks on the album. This release follows their January comeback with 1, 2, 3 and the special mini-album COMPLETE WITH YOU.

A to B is pretty strong effort from the group and is worth you checking out. There is one 10/10 song that I highly recommend from this mini-album, so make sure you find out which song that is by reading my thoughts of each song below!

A to B Album Cover

1. PARACHUTE – While there isn’t anything innovative with the percussion and synths of PARACHUTE’s instrumentation, I quite enjoyed its punchiness and the energy that comes from it. It starts the album in a positive manner. I also enjoyed the latter half of the chorus, where the beat is much tighter and amped up. The rapping sequence were strong, but it is the vocals that really stood out in PARACHUTE. The falsetto, in particular, were a memorable aspect of the song. On the other hand, however, the hooks were weak and could have been stronger. (8/10)

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

3. Sucker For Your Love (우리가 헤어졌던 이유) – As the song progresses, Sucker For Your Love became my favourite side track from this mini-album. It takes on a softer pop rock sound, ladled with a heavy dose of emotion (where the members regret breaking up and want to get back together with their former partners). Courtesy of Woojin, the rapping was awesome. The rest of the members put their vocals on display and sounded quite crisp in this song. My favourite part from Sucker For Your Love is at around the 1:40 mark where the drums become dominate and Woojin shares his line with Woong and Daehwi. (10/10)

4. EINSTEIN – EINSTEIN had an upbeat R&B sound. It was a fun and playful track, which AB6IX has done before. EINSTEIN actually reminds me of MXM’s (the duo which Donghyun was part of prior to debuting with AB6IX) work. But compared to the other songs on the album, it felt pretty standard and is the album’s most skippable track. There isn’t anything wrong with the song, other the fact it doesn’t stand out for me. (7/10)

5. We Could Love – The album closes out with We Could Love, but the members make it sound like ‘Weak Love’. I wish the two words were not merged together, as it has a completely different meaning. Apart from that, We Could Love acts as the mini-album’s ballad. There is a flowy melody to the track that I thought was very warming. And the members’ vocals (in combination with the melody) make the song sound so lovely. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8/10

A to B Teaser Image

[Review] Guerrilla – ATEEZ

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Before I attempt a weekend of an International Song Review and a few album reviews, here is one more song review. It is for ATEEZ’s latest title track release (which dropped today), Guerrilla, the lead track off the group’s 9th mini-album The World EP.1: Movement. It is the first Korean release from the group since the re-release of The Real at the end of last year and their 8th mini-album, ZERO: FEVER EPILOGUE.

If I had to pick one word to describe the likes of Guerrilla, it would have to be aggressive. And this aggression is present from the get-go. The new song opens up very crunchy synths and bass before launching right into Hongjoong’s raps. Your typical hip-hop influences are present in this opening verse. There is also brief taste of screamo. For the pre-chorus, the crunchy factor is lost and Guerrilla enters more melodic territories. Though this is short-lived, as Jongho ramps up the energy of the song with his soaring vocals (I will return to Jongho’s vocals in a moment). The chorus returns to aggressive synth territory and is delivered with shouty vocals that feels fitting for the grungy effect that the group is going for. I wished the hook here was a lot stronger, to give this section some much needed attention and oomph. To me, it seemed like the chorus was the weakest sections of Guerrilla. Then the song enters the post-chorus, a sequence that hybrids very punky and powerful techno synths, and grungy head-banging rock. All is very aggressive still, but it spins Guerrilla in a way that was unexpected. Jongho really shines and I found his soaring notes here to be very clean and precise, which shows you his skills and capabilities. We return to hip-hop roots with Mingi’s rapping, before Guerrilla is stripped to give the vocalists a moment to shine and the chorus is repeated. The bridge brings about very intense rock influences before the final chorus changes the dynamic a tinge with screamo vocals in the background. I think it is safe to say that my description at the start stands fairly well for Guerrilla by the time the song wraps up. Also, from what I described and heard from Guerrilla, it sounds like it should be a mismatch of aggressive sounds, given that there was a lot going on. But interestingly, Guerrilla is quite cohesive and nothing felt out of place. I think that is a feat on its own.

ATEEZ leads a rebellion in this video, setting up speakers throughout the city to get their message across. The video is set in a world where emotions and expressions are forced to be contained, as shown in the trailers. The lyrics of Guerrilla describe the world as a numb feeling. ATEEZ turns up the aggression with their song to combat these restrictions, blasting the world with their message to be more emotive and show expression. In the end, it appears that one of the kids being brainwashed to hold their emotions back escapes the confines of the brainwashing facility. The video ends there, and I am sure we will be seeing more of that kid and the Prestige Academy in future videos. Aside from that, I really like the high-end and sophisticated nature of the video, as it seems like a movie. The feature image for this post is my favourite shot in this entire video.

Aggressive is the word I would also use to describe the choreography for this comeback. I was watching it in awe and found it super captivating to watch. The movements were intense, energetic and powerful, all the while the group were also focused on performing the track. In particular, hats off to Jongho who successfully pulled this performance off without a hitch and his high notes were unfazed throughout.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 10/10
Overall Rating – 9.3/10

[Album Review] Grey Suit (2nd Mini Album) – SUHO (EXO)

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As alluded earlier this week through my review of Hurdle, I will be reviewing SUHO’s most recent album, his first release since completing his military enlistment last year. Titled Grey Suit, this is SUHO’s second mini-album and was released back in March of this year. Alongside Hurdle, the mini-album also features the title track Grey Suit (links below) and four other side tracks.

It was extremely hard for me to pick a favourite song from this mini-album. All the songs on Grey Suit were top notch and very strong contenders for perfect rankings. I only ended up handing out one perfect 10/10, after considering the songs side by side. But Grey Suit probably has to be one of the best sounding albums I have reviewed thus far this year. Continue reading to see more of my thoughts on the album.

Grey Suit Album Cover

1. Morning Star – I really liked the way the song opened up and eased us in. It was a fantastic way to open up the album and left such a strong impression on me. I really enjoyed the laidback and softer nature of this rock style. Despite the softer tone, however, Morning Star still proves to be a jam with its upbeat and energetic nature, making the song perfect for a road trip. SUHO’s vocals are so light and delicate in this song, complementing the instrumental. Morning Star starts the album on an extremely positive note. (10/10)

2. Grey Suit (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Grey Suit. (8/10)

3. Hurdle – Click here to read the full review for Hurdle. (9/10)

4. Decanting – SUHO continues to impress with Decanting. But this time around, SUHO revisits the slow side of the album with a ballad and R&B hybrid. I love the slow nature of this song, as it feels very sensual and deliberate. The electric guitar riffs that we get in Decanting helps drive this. SUHO himself sounds loaded with emotion, but maintains a tone that compliments the sensual nature of this song. Decanting doesn’t jump out at me straight away as a standout track, but it definitely builds towards being a strong track. (8/10)

5. Bear Hug (이리 溫) – Bear Hug is a ballad. And this ballad really put SUHO’s vocals into the limelight. His vocals really soar in Bear Hug to impressive levels that we don’t see elsewhere on this album (or within his parts in EXO’s works). The combination between the slow rock and classical instrumentation was very beautiful and sets a stunning backdrop to the song. I love the swayable melody of this song, as it is very drifty and captivating. (8.5/10)

6. Moment (75분의 1초) – Final song on the album is Moment, a rock ballad that feels like an appropriate closer for this mini-album. Again, great vocalization from SUHO himself. And the instrumental was quite pleasant and neat, for the most part. But this does change towards the end of the album. Moment definitely peaks at the end and this turns the background into a stunning piece. The violins in this section really shocked me (in a good way), while there was also some clashing of cymbals. All of this heightened the ending of the song, finishing the album on a very positive note. (9/10)

Overall Album Review – 8.8/10

Grey Suit Teaser Image

[Review] VENOM – Stray Kids

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Next up on the catch up is the string of Stray Kids’ releases from earlier this year. Alongside the promotions of the group’s most recent title track MANIAC from back in March of this year, they also released music videos for some of the other side tracks from their 6th mini-album Oddinary (an album review is also coming soon, as well!). One of these videos accompanies the opening track of the album, VENOM. Per usual, a music video makes the song eligible for its own song review on my blog.

As an opener for the mini-album, VENOM is definitely an intriguing track, thanks to the bold choice of the song’s ear-catching centric synth. The synth in question is that slow and deliberate strumming of guitar strings (or elastic bands that are stretched out over a box), which brought chills to me when I first heard the song. Multiple listens since March has helped me become more acclimatised with the synth, but there is a haunting factor that remains with it. Its use just really pops out and gives so much profile to the song. Aside from the main synth, the pre-chorus in VENOM also caught my attention. It gave us a brief reprieve from the intensity of the song before ramping back up to the chorus in such a short space of time. Hyunjin’s laidback soft rapping in the second verse was also cool, and contrasted really well with Jisung’s rapping that followed right after. Finally, the closer hook was catchy. The rest of VENOM felt somewhat plain and standard. With the intriguing and promising elements already discussed, I wished this was not the case. I felt the chorus could have been tweaked (but also maintaining that main intriguing synth) in a way to feel punchier. I just feel the song is quite heavy as it is, and could have been even more appealing if the chorus was more dynamic. The bridge, the heaviest point of VENOM, felt very abrupt and this presented a flow issue as a result. Overall, VENOM fits in with Stray Kids edgy profile and style. And while the song has same very promising and bold aspects, it could have gone the extra mile.

Working with the heavy and dark nature of the song, VENOM‘s music video concept goes down that route. Decked out in black outfits for the entirety of the video, controlling robot spiders, having guns directed at your head and being surrounded by darkness in some scenes pretty much feels heavy and dark. But also edgy. And that is something I felt was quite the aesthetic in the video. The spiky ball and boxing gloves really consolidated that thought for me. However, I have no clue what the plot to the video is. Everything felt very disjointed unfortunately for me to really piece anything together and the visuals/aesthetic is quite distracting. Though it seems connected to some of their past videos with that exit door at the end. But aside from that, it is a cool video nonetheless.

VENOM was not promoted alongside MANIAC on stage. But they have performed the track on their recent world tour concerts. The slowness behind that intriguing synth allowed for the performance to go down a sensual path, which I thought was an unexpected route to take with this song. But the moves were still cool and edgy.

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

[Review] Monochrome (Color) – ATBO

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It has been a while since I covered a newly debut group on the blog. More will be covered over the coming weeks, but I wanted to focus on the group that just debut today. ATBO is a seven-member male group debuting under IST Entertainment, the home of APINK. VICTON, THE BOYZ and WEEKLY. The lineup of ATBO consist of Oh Junseok, Ryu Junmin, Bae Hyunjun, Seok Rakwon, Jeong Seunghwan, Kim Yeonky and Won Bin. All the members participated in the survival show The Origin – A, B, or What? earlier this year, with the final seven lineup chosen to debut as ATBO. However, due to some controversary, the participant who took 7th place (Yang Donghwa) was pulled from the group, and Won Bin (who placed 8th on the show) was confirmed to debut in place of Donghwa.

ATBO’s debut single is titled Monochrome (Color), and it is a a decent debut track. Described as a hip-hop dance track, Monochrome has a balance of strong and weak points. Let’s talk about the stronger aspects of the song. The first are the song’s pre-choruses, with (and apologies if I get the members’ names wrong) Hyunjun’s rapping over a relatively stripped instrumental sequence. There was still a beat and some backing vocals from another member, but the stripping/lacking of the instrumental just helped make the rapping more prominent and the reliance on rhythm here was quite the bold statement. Monochrome also had some catchy hooks. They were a bit shouty and mainstream, but it was still good enough for me to enjoy. I also liked that the chorus had some melody to it, which tends to be left out in dance songs nowadays. The rapping elsewhere in Monochrome help bolster up the song’s body, which helps make the usually forgotten verses more significant. Finally, I enjoyed how the ending was approach, with the layering of high note and rapping and then the combination of an anthem sequence and a fully silent background at the end to close out Monochrome. I like this use of silence to give a monochrome effect in the actual song. Now, onto the more weaker moments of Monochrome. The vocalists’ sequences felt underwhelming to me, in comparison to the rappers (aside from that high note at the end). I am also not keen on the slow change in the bridge. This felt very cliché and typical. I also felt the song, overall, could have been more innovative. There are some hints of innovation during the stripped instrumental, but there were also very standard sequences (i.e. the rest of the instrumental) that got a meh from me. Overall, Monochrome was decent but a good start to a group’s career.

I like the use of colours for majority of the video, reminding us that ‘monochrome’ isn’t just a greyscale palette. Instead, the term ‘monochrome’ refers to one colour. Most of the scenes at the start of the video featured one prominent colour that stood out from the rest, playing with that idea of one colour. Clever. The red lighting in some of the choreography shots at the start, the green grass in one of the solo shots, the yellow sweater worn by another member during their solo shot etc. are examples of this use of one colour. But as the song expresses the members’ desire to paint the world with their own colours (taken from SOOMPI), the use of one colour slowly becomes diluted throughout the video. Also clever.

The performance in the first instance made me go wow. The sychronisation and sharpness of moves in this choreography was very full on. While this is a common aspect of comeback nowadays, it is impressive to elicit that response from essentially the first second. It also looks super cool during the faster moments of the video.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.9/10

[Review] Hurdle – SUHO (EXO)

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It is finally happening. I am finally making a start on the masssssive backlog of releases that I have not reviewed yet. I have a long path ahead. Anyway, back to the review. Here is my review for SUHO’s Hurdle. For those who missed it, EXO’s leader made a comeback back in April this year with Grey Suit, the title of both the lead track and his second mini-album (an album review is coming your way very soon). A few days after the release of Grey Suit, SUHO also dropped a music video for a second track, Hurdle, which will be the focus of this song review.

Hurdle is very different to the likes of Grey Suit. Grey Suit was a slow rock styled ballad that captivated me for showcasing SUHO’s divine vocals. Hurdle, on the other hand, takes on a much more upbeat and energetic style. One that I find to be equally as captivating as Grey Suit. Hurdle features a vintage rock sound, and does a grand enough job of bringing up the tempo on the mini-album from the title track. There is a head nodding vibe to the song that had me enjoying the track when I first heard whilst vetting the album to see if it is worth reviewing (spoiler, it is!). At the 2:15 mark of the song, Hurdle brings forth that an even more intense rock vibe, giving the song a climatic peak and adding some (unexpected) oomph. From then on out, Hurdle maintains the momentum and closes out the song in spectacular fashion. SUHO displays great vocals throughout the song, and I quite enjoyed the autotuned effect during the chorus, adding a fashionable and retro-like edginess profile to the song. The chorus had a great anthem like melody that adds to the memorable appeal of Hurdle. The only aspect of Hurdle that didn’t feel like it live up the rest of the song was the verses. They were easily forgotten in the midst of the chorus and climatic energy. I wished they had something going on that was more prominent, as this would have allowed Hurdle to get a perfect rating.

The song is about being stuck in the beginnings of a relationship, with time being the hurdle that is getting in the way of his partner giving him a clear response on what they are. For the video, it is depicted as working in a workplace where you are essentially ‘stuck in time’ similar to the parallel that SUHO draws about running hurdles to get that answer from his partner. We see what seems to be the usual 9-5 situation that is on repeat each day. SUHO clearly is the different person in the crowd, going the other way and dressing differently from everyone else. His boss does not make things easier and appears to make SUHO’s life hard day-in and day-out. In the end, it looks like SUHO emerges with an answer, as the video changes from boring office to a party and SUHO is not ‘tangled’ in the hurdles as we see him earlier in the video. Quite liked the purple and yellow colours throughout the video, which feels very retro but funky at the same time.

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