Category: Reviews

[Double Review] News + Party Girl – Jang Dong Woo (Infinite)

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It is time to look at a solo debut from Monday (I think this is the last of the releases from Monday. Apologies for the lateness of this review). This time around it is Dongwoo from Infinite, the group’s resident rapper. The idol released two music videos for News (the official title track) and Party Girl, and hence I will be reviewing both of songs today in this post. Both songs are featured on his first mini-album titled Bye. In other related news, Infinite recently returned with a special digital single, Clock.

Starting off with News, it is a slow electronic dance track that feels like it loaded with emotions. In fact, the song talks about the emotions you get during a breakup, so it is definitely successful in conveying those emotions. It also seems like the song does a good job of pushing Dongwoo’s vocals. We actually hear more of his vocals than ever before and I sense potential. We do see some rapping and I thought there would be more of this element as this is what he is known for. Furthermore, I did like the dramatic flair to the song through the instrumental, especially the loud crashes which create some intensity in the chorus. However, when I listen to the full track, the is a sense of dryness to the song. It isn’t really that memorable and I don’t find myself wanting more, which is a little disappointing.

Party Girl is a completely different sound. The does start off with a similar feel to News. But as the song slowly starts to build up to its drop, you can tell is rather different. Firstly., the drop is more suited to what the title suggests, a party. The synthesizer used really gives the song that needed burst of energy and is quite ear-catching. which makes the song more memorable for me. And it is because of the chorus, I thoroughly enjoy the song more. The song, too, also showcases his vocals extremely well. The ad-libs at the end were pretty good. Interestingly, there is no rapping. Though I like the song how it is, I think some rapping would be worthwhile.

Fitting in with the serious emotional nature of News, the music video opts for a dark feel. The shade black is used extensively throughout the video. I also like how the cinematography was matching to the instrumental. More the most part, the camera shots are smooth and slow. But when the tiny effect in the instrumental appear, the shots transitions are a lot quicker and timed well. Overall, I thought it was a good video. Party Girl infuses a lot more colour into the video. But instead of being very colourful as a rainbow, the producer/director chose colours that felt more ‘electronic’ if you know what I mean. It is kind of hard to explain but I still like the infusion of colour. Like the cinematography in this video as well. During the chorus, the camera starts becoming shaky and more erratic, fitting in with the energy we got from the chorus.

 I liked how smooth his movements were for the News performance. But what I like the most was when he was dancing with the female backup dancer. I thought that was the dynamic part of the entire performance. I didn’t like her inclusion at the start and preferred her during the second verse. However, when it comes to the entire performance, I prefer Party Girl. That is because I prefer things to be energetic and I liked the moves they pulled off during Party Girl. I felt it was dynamic all the way.

News
Song – 710
Music Video  – 8/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.3/10

Party Girl
Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.3/10

[Review] I Wanna Be – Key (SHINee) ft. Soyeon ((G)I-DLE)

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As of yesterday, Key (from SHINee) enlisted into the military to begin his mandatory enlistment. But he didn’t part without releasing some new music. I Wanna Be, which features Kim Soyeon from the girl group (G)I-DLE, is Key’s newest release and serves as a parting present for fans. It is one of the three new songs on the repackaged album which shares the same name as the lead title track. The album was formerly known as Face and it featured One of These Nights (ft. Crush) and Forever Yours (ft. Soyou).

I Wanna Be is a very refreshing pop dance track. I say refreshing as I haven’t heard anything like this before. The instrumental carries some familiar EDM influences but together it sounds like something quite new. There is this slight vibrating synth that I find extremely appealing. I also enjoyed the pulsing beating during the verses, which later became more frequent and bolder during the chorus. Talking about the chorus, I wasn’t sure exactly when it begins. I assume it was when the song became upbeat but the preceding section felt like the start due to the vocals/lyrics. So I am going to label the preceding part as the pre-chorus. I found the pre-chorus interesting as it seemed to feature a female voice behind Key’s. Not exactly sure if it Kim Soyeon’s but I thought the harmonies were really nice. Key’s voice is amazing in this track. I think we can all agree that he has vastly improved since his earlier days. Kim Soyeon’s part was very flowy and I like that a lot. Usually, we see her with intensity, and while I do prefer that, it is nice to see her handle something more delicate.

I really like colour, so I enjoy seeing used in a way that is stylish and sleek. So I appreciate a very vibrant looking video. I Wanna Be‘s music video is essentially that. The use of red and green in their respective sets look amazing and gives off a bold impression. This causes both Key and Kim Soyeon to stand out through the video, which I thought was a great way to really allow them to pop and not become part of the sets. Other than that, I am keen to learn more about the content of the video. He holds the globe in his hands and there were a series of numbers that flash over the TV screen in the video. I don’t know what this all means but it left me intrigued.

The dancing in this video is pretty amazing. Particularly the dance break that follows the choruses. His footwork (or rather knees) look very cool. It is a little disappointing that we won’t see an actual live performance (or dance version) of this track any time soon.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 7.5/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.3/10

[Review] Noir – Sunmi

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Still continuing on from today’s list of comebacks and debuts is Sunmi. Her comeback is a bit surprising as there wasn’t really a buildup to it (i..e no prior announcement or confirmation that she is coming back that I am aware of). Instead, I only caught wind of it through the sudden teasers released last week. But regardless, Sunmi has returned with Noir and this is her first comeback since Siren last year.

While I have listened to the song a few times already, I am not exactly falling in love with it straight away. Maybe a few more listens is required. I think this is because the song has a much more serious feel to it, which isn’t what I am used to. The lyrics to Noir are quite deep, which explains the serious nature of the song. The meaning, which I pinched from a YouTube comment, will be discussed in the music video section of this review as it goes hand-in-hand there. I like the slight funkiness in the instrumental, which is quite up Sunmi’s alley. I also like how it feels quite still, despite it being an upbeat song. The consistency here works really well (i.e. causes that stillness) and hence it comes off as having an eerie vibe to it. The song doesn’t seem to have too much of a hook that is memorable (yet). Though the elongated ‘Noir’ that follows the chorus does seem to be growing on me. I also liked how some of the vocals are textured (i..e the background vocals for example), which gives an interesting appeal and much-needed texture.

My interpretation is all based on the YouTube comment by Kane K, so props to him for this following excerpt. I have attached a screenshot of it below as it will be a better explanation than what I will ever give.

sunmi_noir-explanation.JPG

It is clear that the video takes a stab at social media from the very start. The cake at the start catches on fire very quickly and Sunmi grabs her phone to put it on Instagram. The exact same thing happens at the end with her car and she automatically puts it on Instagram. Essentially her character in the video cares more about likes and views than anything else and this becomes more apparent as the video progresses. One scene in the video shows her having anxiety and dislike all over her body, which seems to be at the hate she gets. But despite that, she covers the ‘un’ in ‘unfollow’ written across her chest due to her addiction to attention. So yes, it is a dark, dark world in this day and age.

We have yet to see a performance from Sunmi for this track and hence, I will update this review once we get one (and I will also be updating Monsta X’s Alligator as well then).

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – To Be Updated
Overall Rating – 7.8/10

[Review] Crown – TXT

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Hailing from Big Hit Entertainment, which houses the extremely popular and world-wide known BTS, TXT begins their reign of the KPOP industry starting today. TXT, which stands for Tomorrow X Together, is a 5 member male group consisting of Soobin, Yeonjun, Byeomgyu, Taehyun and Huening Kai. They make their debut through the title track Crown and the mini-album The Dream Chapter: STAR. The group has already garnered some momentum as they are the first group to debut under Big Hit since BTS. While this may be biased for some people, it was going to bring an interesting player to the industry.

Since they are coming from Big Hit, I had expected the group to debut with a song that feels heavy and serious. But this isn’t the case, which I think benefits the group as they are allowed to show their own individuality. Instead, Crown is an upbeat KPOP song that shows off their youthful charms. I don’t think there is any other way to describe the song besides that it is extremely fitting to what we know from the industry. Crown starts off with synthetic horns (that I already enjoy) and also I believe is morse code (though I am not too sure and I don’t know what they are trying to send to us if that is the case). We then get a rush of energy once the song starts picking up. The group has really nice vocals that do shine throughout this song, especially during the pre-chorus and chorus. The rapping sequence was also quite good but I like how they are also scattered throughout the song, giving us more opportunity to hear the rappers. I also find the song quite catchy due to its upbeat vibes and fresh melodies. Overall, I feel that this is an extremely strong debut track to launch their career with.

I personally like the video. While I was hoping they get something along the lines of BTS’ music videos, I like the direction they went with. Instead of being overly colourful and complicated, the video opts to show more simple sets and this allows the members to look like they are laidback, which is more in line with the video. I really like the stop-motion that appears in the video and the post-production light images they inserted into the video. It all looks cool and very youthful.

The performance side of the group seems to be their most promising. Not that everything else was terrible, as I have enjoyed the rest of their debut (song & music video) so far. But I thought their dancing was pretty darn good. I liked how it seemed like it was non-stop, which I thought was very nice. It was also quite energetic and I want to see more!

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.3/10

[Review] Focus On Me – Jus2

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Kicking off the comebacks for this week is GOT7’s newest subunit. We all know of JJ Project, which was started before GOT7’s debut. But today, we see s slightly different subunit lineup. Jus2 is made up of GOT7’s leader, JB, and GOT7’s maknae, Yugyeom. An interesting yet satisfying combination.  They make their debut with their first mini album, Focus, and the title track, Focus On Me. This also marks the beginning of GOT7’s promotions for 2019 as we last saw them through their Miracle promotions at the end of 2018.

I think it was expected that the two would come together and release an R&B based song, as I believe this two be the genre that the two would float to. I found the song to be extremely smooth in nature and has this very chill tone to it. I like how the beat is well defined over the chill tone, giving the track a dynamic nature in the most subtle way.  The instrumental overall makes the song quite appealing. But what actually manages to stand out more are the vocals of the duo. Like any other R&B song, they chose a very sensual and extremely smooth approach, which is extremely fitting for the instrumental. They also added some raspy textures, all of which I enjoyed while listening to the song. I did feel the hook was on the weaker side but the repetition of the title throughout the song does what it says successfully. That is, they get you to focus on them.

The music video for this song is very artistic. The sets looked like art exhibitions, which does make sense as you would ‘focus’ at an art exhibition. But instead of art, they are on display. I also liked the glitchy nature of the video. It gives the video some interesting textures, as a straight up 100% smooth natured video wouldn’t have the same effect as this one does. I also like their multi-room concept, where the rooms come into view right after leaving the other and that the previous room is still viewable in the distance. It is unique to see especially throughout the video, as i is commonly seen once or twice throughout a video. Very nice video that I think has a strong impact.

The choreography looks really nice. I like when they sing ‘Focus On Me‘, they look through the circle they form with their hands. It makes sense. I also like how their moves pulsate along with the music, making it even more fitting for the song. It looks promising for the stages later in the week.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.6/10

[Review] Slow Dance – Park YuChun (JYJ)

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As time goes by, I become more and more guilty over the fact that my last JYJ related review was back in 2013 for Xiah Junsu’s Incredible. Their actual last group promotion that I actually reviewed (In Heaven) was actually back in 2011 (when I first started the site). And I feel guilty because I know there have been solo releases and group promotions that I never got around to review them. But that is all going to change now as I will review Park YuChun’s first solo release, Slow Dance, today. This is YuChun’s first Korean solo release since his release from the army last year.

To me, the track doesn’t feel like a KPOP song. I know the current ongoing trend is to infuse Latin influences into KPOP songs. And while Slow Dance is also on board with this trend, the song feels more of a Western song. And I am actually not sure why. There are a number of things that may explain why I feel this way. The instrumental features guitars that give the song those Latin roots. But instead of combining it another genre of music (which I think KPOP has been doing with the trend), Slow Dance builds upon these roots and creates a very nice upbeat track with an R&B touch. I liked the upbeat nature of the track and his vocals are very charming. They also contribute to this non-KPOP feel. His English pronunciation is very good in the song. I actually mistook some of the Korean language for some English, while also feeling how ‘Western’ the song was. Overall, I really like this track. It is smooth and easy-going, which are all factors that I enjoy.

This is a very nice video. I like the mysterious nature of the Spanish guitar player at the start and throughout the video. This is because we don’t see a clear shot of them. They are always in the shadow. YuChun, for the most part, dances in the video but there were a number of solo scenes in the video that had this weird vibe (i.e. when he bends at 1:20 of the video (see below)). Not really sure what is going on. Apart from that, the sets for the video looked really cool and overall, I thought the video was very polished.

The choreography looks nice. Not much slow dancing here and I guess it would be hard with an upbeat song. But the smooth nature in the moves is present and this compliments the song. I liked how they slowed some of the moves to really draw out that smoothness and make it fit the song’s title.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8/10

[Review] A Song For Me – Hong Joo Chan (Golden Child)

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We continue the solo debut trend of this week with the first member of Golden Child branching out into solo works. Hong Joo Chan, the main vocalist of Golden Child, released A Song For Me on the 27th of February (this past Wednesday). This is also the first time we heard from Golden Child since their Genie comeback in October 2018.

As I mentioned in an earlier review, main vocalists tend to go down the cliche route by selecting a ballad song to showcase their vocal talents. And this is the same route that Hong Joo Chan had decided to go with. But once again, I wish to reiterate that I am not troubled but this and this is merely an observation that I have noticed with other artists. A Song For Me reminds of ballads that I would listen on a radio channel here in Australia. It has a very old-style instrumental, almost 90s ballad feels, as it has an electronic feel to it. And his vocals are very soothing in this track. They aren’t powerhouse vocals where he is belting out every single note and because of that, I think this is a very enjoyable song to kick back and listen to after a long day. And the track has that swaying effect, which I enjoy doing while listening to really good ballads.

The song is about reflecting upon one’s self and there is no other way of doing that but by taking a trip to a different place where no one knows you. Joo Chan does just that in the video, where he goes on the streets and wander the streets of Japan.  One thing I did notice about the song is that it suits a very wide scenery. And there is no better place than the beach if you want an image that feels wide. It also seems that he wants to bring a part of the trip back by filming scenes from the beach to constantly himself about this reflection time. It is a fitting video for the song.

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

[Review] Bird – Ha Sungwoon (HOTSHOT)

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Last week, we saw Yoon Ji Sung make his solo debut with In The Rain. But it is time we see another former Wanna One member return. Yesterday, Ha Sungwoon returned as a solo artist for the very first time. He made his debut with the title track Bird, which is featured from the mini-album, My Moment. He is also the second member of his original group, HOTSHOT, to make his solo debut. Fellow member Roh Taeyhyun, who also partipcated alongside Ha Sungwoon in Produce 101 Season 2, made his solo debut a few weeks back with I Wanna Know.

Bird is an upbeat pop track that really throws his vocals to the forefront of the song.  Sungwoon is one of the main vocalists of Wanna One but we don’t often hear much of him due to the number of members in the group. So Bird does a lot in terms of showcasing his vocals. I am also glad he went with a pop track rather than a ballad. It does feel like a cliche route for main vocalists to choose a ballad (not that I have anything against it. I just want some variety). He has nice vocals as a result and I really like how he sings in falsetto for the parts of the chorus. It gives off a nice texture and really reflects well with the sweet and pleasing instrumental. In the second verse, he goes into a rap-singing mode. I honestly felt that they could have inserted a featuring rapper here. Not because he was terrible at rapping but rather I felt we needed something to offset the sweetness of the song. I think the ‘I Sweety Bird’ line was probably his catchiest and most memorable moment of the song. Overall, it is a strong solo debut that shows his strengths.

Fitting with the title of the track, Sungwoon flies throughout the music video. Not in a literal sense but rather his imagination. In the song, he likens the feelings of love to a bird flying (at least that is how I interpreted the lyrics). I also find the video to also be as equally as a sweet as the song and this is thanks to the colour palette of the video.  Very bright but not in the way where it feels too young. I did find the music video a tad boring but that was my personal thoughts regarding the video. I think a lot of people, including his fans, would appreciate the music video for the slight cuteness.

The choreography also features some flying as well. Once again, not literal. Instead, the backup dancers are pocking up the lighted box that he sits on. Talking about the lighted box, I actually like the moment the light turns on. I also like how the choreography doesn’t rely on any complex moves but its ‘simple’ moves manage to give it the same feeling as a complicated dance routine.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 6.5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.6/10

[Review] Because I Love You – Kang Min Kyung (Davichi)

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It has been over 10 years since Davichi made their debut as a duo. And now finally, the last of the two have finally made her solo debut. Kang Min Kyung embarks on her solo career with Because I Love You, the lead title track off her first mini-album, Kang Min Kyung Vol. 1. The other member of Davichi, Lee Hae Ri, made her solo debut 2 years back with Pattern and Hate That I Miss You. In other related news, Davichi’s last comeback was last year with Days Without You, which also celebrated the duo’s 10 year anniversary.

Because I Love You is a ballad, which was expected as Davichi is widely known for their ballads in the industry. But to me, the ballad felt very similar to what Davichi usually releases. I lowkey was waiting for Lee Hae Ri to come into the song and start singing. While that may not be a bad thing, I don’t see Kang Min Kyung’s individuality within the song, which was slightly disappointing. The ballad features a typical ensemble including orchestra and acoustic guitars. However, we got to hear more of Kang Min Kyung in the song and her slightly raspy vocals really made this track beautiful. She also did a good job of making the song heartfelt. I did like the melody and thought there was a decent buildup towards the end to really bring the track together. Overall, it was a nice ballad to listen to, especially on a cold day.

The music video shows Kang Min Kyung alone on this certain day. Many things she does within her day (a stroll through the forest, swimming in a hot spring etc.) leads to flashbacks to her previous relationship.  All was good up until the guy calls it quits and leaves her. But before he goes, he leaves Min Kyung with his watch (I think) and she still wears to this day, showing to us that she hasn’t moved on. The scene at the end where she pulls herself underwater and when she stopped the time on her clock confirms this (I think). That is my interpretation of the video. Unfortunately, I don’t have English translations to the lyrics to back this up and the ending seems to be a lot more than her stopping time, along with the fact that we see the guy a lot gazing out of the window and sitting alone. Regardless, I thought the video was beautifully shot for the ballad.

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

[Review] Senorita – G(I)-DLE

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Last year’s monster rookies have returned with their first comeback of 2019. G(I)-DLE was thrown into the spotlight thanks to their catchy LATATA debut track and continued their popularity with the unique Hann (or Alone). Now, the girl group from Cube Entertainment has returned with their second mini-album, I Made, and the title track, Senorita. Since their last comeback, the group received multiple Rookie of the Year awards, while Soyeon has been busy with collaborations including Wow Thing! (with Sin.B, Chungha and Seulgi) and SHINee’s Key’s upcoming solo release next month.

Given the title of the song, it was expected the comeback will be with Latin flair and that is exactly what we got. The song opens with a very obvious tango influenced sound and this continues throughout the song. I thought the brass in the instrumental was very delightful and adds colour to the already colourful genre that they went with. I enjoyed how the rapping was incorporated into the song, with the verses becoming very sensual with the paced delivery. The chorus had catchy hooks but my favourite would have to be the Senorita and brass combination. Interestingly, the bridge and end of the song contained very little lyrics. Only a repetitive ‘yuhuhuhuu’ was utilised. Not sure why this was the case but it did have charm. The only thing that I wanted more of was a buildup. There seemed to be a suspense-building pre-chorus but I thought a stronger buildup would have made their chorus more explosive.

The music video is quite dangerous. You can say that the girls made you sweat a little through their very close brushes with death in the video. I guess the sweat suits the heated genre of music they selected and the near-death experiences were great to get the attention of the person they are singing about. Once again, I thought the colour within the video was really nice and that applies to both their outfits and sets. I also did notice some product placement within the video with the Kaja cosmetics. It was very difficult to see but after rewatching a few times, it appeared quite frequently.

I thought the performance was very suiting for the song. They went with moves that we commonly associate with the Latin genre and tango itself, which I think was smart. They didn’t necessarily do it a cliche way and mixed over moves into the choreography as well.

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

[Double Review] Because I Love You + If You – Yesung (Super Junior)

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Yesung finally makes his first return as a solo artist since his 2017 promotions of Hibernation and Paper Umbrella. But if you are expecting a return to the South Korean stage, then you have to come back next month as he will be returning then. In the meantime, Yesung recently releases his first solo album in Japan titled Story. The album features two title tracks (Because I Love You and If You) and both are connected via the music videos (hence why today’s review is a double review). Yesung also recently collaborated with Chungha for Whatcha Doin’ and Bumkey for Carpet.

I am not sure if I have ever reviewed any Japanese ballads before so this may be a foreign land for me. Both songs are of this nature and both are quite similar to the ballads we commonly get in Korea. For Because I Love You, we get a jazzy-like style instrumental which I thought was nice. Though I did think his raspy vocals were a little too soft towards the beginning and they were on the verge of being drowned out. The ending was a lot better as you can hear him pushing himself and this resulted in his voice standing out on top of the instrumental a lot better. If You takes on a typical approach with its ballad. A very nice but pleasant sounding instrumental made up of guitar and an orchestral touch. I really like his vocals here as they seemed clearer.  It also has a nice melody that gets me swaying along. The only flaw is that it feels too ordinary. I think if I were to pick one of the two, If You would be my clear winner.

Because I Love You starts off our story. Yesung is probably holidaying in a European country and passes by this lady who attracts his attention. She is in a rush, so he doesn’t get a chance to talk to her. Later, Yesung stops by a restaurant and the exact same lady from before is his waitress. He becomes nervous and distracted from his work and slowly begins imagining them dating. After his little daydream, he rips a page out of his diary and writes a message. He leaves it on the table and leaves. The waitress comes out, clearly interested in him and finds the note. This leads us onto the If You video. If You shows Yesung waiting around for someone, presumably the waitress. She is seen walking around holding the note that he left for her. Both of them visit different places that appeared in his daydream and both end up meeting each other at the same place where his daydream ended (at night by the river). She hands the note over, revealing to the audience that he wrote ‘Because I Love You’ on it and they both share a smile. I liked how both videos tied in with each other and allowed the story to really progress rather than jamming it one video and making it confusing.

Because I Love You
Song – 7/10
Music Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.8/10

If You
Song – 8/10
Music Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.4/10

[Review] Get Away – Seven O’Clock

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Returning to the stage yesterday is no other than Seven O’Clock. Their last comeback saw various changes to the lineup of the group. This one shares that similarity. But instead of losing members, the group actually gained new member (Andy), thus returning the group to a 6 member lineup. Their comeback single is titled as Get Away and it is their first comeback since their double song return with Searchlight and Nothing Better.

Get Away is a different track to most. No, it isn’t anything new but its lightness is really something unique in this day and age. Get Away has a simple pop instrumental, featuring guitars and a light sprinkling of synths. Essentially, that is it. There isn’t anything more to the instrumental, which may repel some listeners. But don’t judge a book by its cover. The song manages to incorporate a very catchy hook (the English lyrics), nice vocals and nice harmonies. Together, it is a very carefree track that is light in nature and very easy on the ears. I am actually quite addicted to the catchy hook, as I find myself singing along to it. Even the rapping was done in a way that matches the lightness of the track. I also like how they added a bit of intensity through the bridge. It does feel a little odd for the track overall but I think it gives the song an intriguing touch. If you want to get away from the electronic trend but still want a decent dance track that is easy to follow, then this one is for you.

The video may seem weak due its low budget, based on the quality of the final product that was released. But I think they made do with what they had available.  The music video compromises of a bunch of close-ups and choreography scenes, which seems boring considering how the song is in regards to holding onto someone from the past. They could have added a plotline to the video with a model but that would have taken away from the carefree vibes of the song and created a loaded atmosphere. I think by approaching in a simplistic manner and not adding content to the video made it work. Though, I am not sure about the random aegyo towards the start (within the first chorus).

It was a nice performance to watch. Nothing to amazing but I liked the enthusiasm and energy they brought to the stage.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 8.3/10

[Review] Better Do Better – VANNER

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Once again, I am late with another review. This time last week, VANNER would have been a newly debut group with one day under their belt already. They make their debut with the song, Better Do Better and more interestingly with a full studio album, V. This is a very ambitious release, considering most debuting groups only release singles or mini-albums as their first step. VANNER consist of 5 members (Ahxian, Youngkwang, Taehwan, Gon and Hyesun) and are currently under VT Entertainment.

Better Do Better is your standard pop song with the instrumental filled with tropical influences, a now very common sound in KPOP. The song features nice vocals, which is one of the drawing points to the song. It doesn’t help that the hooks (‘Do Do Do Better‘) and melody (particularly around the pre-chorus) are quite catchy and do end up making the song memorable to an extent. I wish I can say the same thing with the rapping though. It was rather plain and while the song seemed bright and happy, the song needed some intensity to keep it grounded and the rapping didn’t provide that. I think the next aspect that didn’t leave me impressed as the vocals were the flow of the track. For the most part, it was good. It is just that abrupt transition to the bridge that really catches me off guard every single time I listen to the song. And it cuts the energy that the song had channelling, which leaves me disappointed. Overall, it was a good debut track in my opinion but it had some noticeable flaws.

The music video seemed to show a mini storyline but it was pretty much so minute that I could barely tell what was happening. They were all hanging out when they saw an attractive lady walk into their mini-party. I think the video shows them as shy around her though I am not too sure as they seem to be more upfront with their feelings towards her. Based on the lyrics, it seems like they are encouraging her to express her feelings as well. Though the video doesn’t seem to show this. I am also not sure how the love triangle ties into the rest of the plotline. It was a good video with a casual feel, which suits the light nature of the song.

The song was definitely energetic, given its bright nature and its chant-like chorus. But the performance didn’t really reflect that and I am a little disappointed. I guess they focused more on their live vocals and rapping (which I must commend them on that as they sound just as good as the studio version). I would have liked a more dynamic choreography, however.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 6/10
Overall Rating – 6.8/10

[Review] Enough – SF9

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Also returning today is SF9 with their newest title track, Enough. It is featured on the group’s 6th mini-album, Narcissus. This is the group’s first comeback since their amazing Now Or Never comeback back in August 2018. Since then, the group has embarked in Japanese promotions for Now Or Never and held their first concert in South Korea. On top of that, Chani, the maknae (youngest) member of the group has recently gained popularity for his impressive acting on Sky Castle and has also drawn attention to the group.

Unlike Now Or Never, it actually took me a few listens to really get into the song. Enough is still a powerful song, however. It just took a little longer to really build up to a part that really feels impactful. The song mixes various genres including reggae and EDM to create a very dynamic sounding instrumental. It is very interesting and I really liked this mixture aspect of the song. The vocals and rapping were quite good, particularly during the chorus, I thought the ‘Ya Ya Ya‘ ending to the main lines in the chorus was really catchy. The really impactful section was the dance break, which provided a nice burst of intensity for the song. Altogether, the song was quite impressive. Unfortunately, my standard for their releases is based on Now or Never, which may seem a little unfair. I think it is going to be really hard to top that but Enough was a fair attempt at doing so. Don’t worry, as I still enjoyed the song and will be coming back for more in the coming weeks.

The music video showcases the members looking at themselves in the mirror. The whole idea of the album is in regards to Narcissus, who was known for his good looks and self-confidence in Greek mythology. The song essentially tells oneself or a lover that they are beautifully already and don’t need to do anything else to ‘improve’. I am not too sure about the start but I am sure the ending is about letting those thoughts about needing to improve one’s look, especially when the mirror cracks and one of the members ruin the reflective surface of the small pond they were staring into. Interestingly, the music video was quite dark for the most part and shot in within concrete walls and very bright white sets. The contrast was interesting and I think managed to show different sides of the guys in the different lights.

The choreography for this comeback looks really good. I liked how masculine the moves during the chorus looked. The dance break may be short but it really gives the performance a rush of energy and thus kicking it up a notch. And as they went faster, the fact they still managed to stay in-sync looked really cool.

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

[Review] Allure – Hyomin (T-ARA)

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Hyomin has returned once again with the lead title track to her latest mini-album, both of which share the title Allure. We previously saw her earlier this year through her single release U Um U Um, which I quite enjoyed.  The same single and Mango (her comeback single for last year’s promotions) are also featured on the Allure mini-album.

Hyomin has been a very versatile solo artist. She hasn’t stuck to one style since her solo debut years ago. This time around, Hyomin went with a retro sound, throwing us back to the 60s. And like the artist, the song seems to take a few turns of its own. The verses start the song off as well-paced before the song launches into a faster tempo chorus, which ultimately became faster in its second half. And it is this second half of the chorus that I think was my favourite bit of the song. And the buildup was quite worth it. The song itself is about using one’s charm to make another happy. I like Hyomin’s vocals in the song. They do sound cutesy and feminine but I think that was just her using a higher tone than usual for this song. But it does suit the retro sound quite well. I enjoyed the song quite a bit, making the song’s message quite successful.

The music video shows Hyomin in a bold black dress. A waiter delivers a certain make-up product (which I am not too sure what it is, though my guess would be a lipstick as the alternate title for the song is Lip Colour). After she uses this product, she gathers the attention of the people surrounding her, to which they all follow her. I really like that ending, where they are all copying her whilst following her in a single file. It really showed a cool look and I wonder if that is part of the choreography. I also like how she managed to blend into the retro-themed video given the bold nature of the red dress.

giphy

We do not see much of the choreography in the music video. We did see some and those parts look fine to me. I am particularly drawn to the second half of the chorus, which I think was nice. I also hope to see that single file we saw at the end of the music video in the choreography, for reasons I stated above.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10 [To Be Updated]
Overall Rating – 8/10

[Review] In The Rain – Yoon Ji Sung

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After the disbandment of Wanna One earlier this year, fans have anticipated the different routes that each member would take. Most will be returning to the stage as artists. Others have announced that they will be taking breaks, while others have embarked upon musicals and start acting careers. For this review, we will be looking at Yoon Ji Sung’s solo debut single, In The Rain. He is actually the first member to return. Yoon Ji Sung has also been confirmed for a musical and will also enlist in the first half of this year.

In The Rain is a neat ballad that lets Yoon Ji Sung shine brightly. As Wanna One was a large group, we don’t really get an opportunity to see him stand out. Through this ballad, we get an opportunity to hear his vocals in a more clear manner. The ballad is quite pleasant and is actually mostly light-hearted. While I do find emotionally driven ballads more enticing, pleasant sounding ballads that aren’t too focused on the emotions and vocals are often refreshing, which is the case for his debut single. That being said, he does have a nice voice. Also, I found myself swaying to the music, which I think makes it a pretty successful ballad in my books. I personally think the melody could have been a little stronger to really make the song more memorable but it good as it is.

I think I am more used to the ballad music videos having this hazy filter that really reflects the sad nature of the song. In this video, however, the music video features a whole of colour, which was a little foreign for me. I also liked how the music video reflected the peacefulness of the verses and then once the song built up to the chorus, it changed into an overload of pastel colours. In the video, it seems like he is awaiting a special someone, though that is my view of the music video given that I can’t find any translated lyrics as of yet. It is a nice video that goes nicely with the song.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.6/10