Category: Reviews

[Review] Hi High – LOONA

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After a long pre-debut period of almost two years, LOONA have finally made their official debut with Hi High. Yes, this is not a pre-release but their actual debut track which they will be formally promoting on stage. The song features on the group’s first mini-album, which is called ++. The group previously made a pre-release with favoRiTe, which is also featured on the said mini-album.

Hi High is an extremely energetic and bright song that felt very unexpected. I saw that because LOONA’s predebut consisted of a wide variety of genres and styles. Yet they went with something a little cliche for a debut. Not that is a problem as the song does a really good job of presenting that youthful side of the group to the listener. There is a sense of familiarity, however, as it does remind me of their predebut style. I really like the ‘Woo-Woo-Ah’ lines within the verses, which were really catchy. The chorus itself was really addictive with the repetition of the English and the chant vibes that come from it. Even though it just came out, it has already been replayed an unhealthy amount of times. Vocally, the song was amazing and the rapping was quite good. The high note during the bridge was spectacular, kicking us with some impact just before the song ends. Overall, it was a fun song that definitely shows their potential.

These are just my observations from the music video but there were a fair bit of reunions. Furthermore, a number of scenes reminded me of some of the predebut music videos, such as the dark room and the athletic track running scenes. Based on this (and the fact that LOONAverse flashes across the screen at the start), I think the context of the video is that they are rejoining as a group after being apart in their own worlds for quite some time. For those who don’t know, I will be posting my LOONA music video theory in a number of weeks (there will be scheduling changes for that) and this video will find its way onto that theory. Storyline aside, it is a good video on its own.

The performance of this song consists of a lot of members. There are other groups who consist of more members but their choreography has been very tight. LOONA’s performance, on the other hand, is a lot looser. The members had to do a fair amount of running to get from one side to the other. I like the cuteness in this choreography, especially during the chorus, which made the performance very inviting.

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

[Review] Upside Down – BIGFLO

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Despite being around for approximately 4 years now, this is my first time reviewing BIGFLO. BIGFLO is a 5 member boy group (Euijin, Sungmin, Ron, Lex & Hightop) currently under Hyeyoom Entertainment. Some songs from the group include Deliah, Oblivate & Stardom. Due to their limited success, Euijin and Lex participated in The Unit: Idol Rebooting Project, where Euijin finished in second place and is also currently apart of UNB. Upside Down is their newest song. Despite already completing a full weeks worth of promotions, they only dropped the music video yesterday.

Upside Down starts off as your typical KPOP song. It didn’t really feel that captivating at first. However, as the song progressed, it started to become more appealing and interesting to my ears. The instrumental for this song falls within a funky retro domain, which ended up being one of my favourite components of the song. And yeah, while it did feel very ordinary for the most part, there were crashing sounds that came in at the right time to provide some crunch to the song and lead us into the next part of the song. The vocals were good but the rapping stole the show for me. It too gave some texture, which I really liked. I also liked that extra kick the rapping sequence at the end had, coming out of nowhere to end off the song. Overall, Upside Down was an awesome song that just needed some time to sit right with me.

Capitalising on Euijin’s newfound popularity from The Unit and UNB, he opens up the music video with a dance introduction. But that bears little relevance to the music video. From a non-Korean’s perspective, the video is a tad confusing, with the members being left alone and interacting with someone who just isn’t there. The lyrics provide some insight to why the guys are like this. They are trapped in a relationship where their partner basically constricts them. They want out (and very desperately, judging by some scenes) but end up finding themselves coming back, similar to Stockholm Syndrome in a sense. The music video is quite bare but it offers an interesting interpretation.

I enjoy things that blow my mind. The transition between Euijin’s introduction and the start of Upside Down’s actual performance was amazing. The rest of the performance looked awesome but I felt like they could have done something a little more to amaze the audience even more. But it was still worth watching.

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

 

[Review] NANANA – IMFACT

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I am slowly catching up on a number of comebacks which I, unfortunately, missed last week due to being a little busy. I am hoping to get two reviews done tonight, so let’s get cracking! IMFACT are back with their latest single, NANANA. This is the group’s second 2018 comeback, following The Light, which was released earlier this year in April. They performed NANANA, alongside to The Light, prior to the official comeback while at KCON 2018 in LA last weekend.

NANANA is extremely laid back and doesn’t have that explicit peak that you expect to hear when it comes to other songs. There is a moment that the buildup was intense (the bridge of the song) but it soon returns to the chorus’ original instrumentation, meaning there is some consistency. And while it does sound like that would be a boring tactic, it isn’t. There is something with the recent releases as they were all captivating yet able to maintain consistency. The instrumentation was great being very dynamic yet soft all at the same time. I like how their vocals aren’t hard-hitting like other KPOP songs of the EDM genre. They go for a more subtle approach which makes the song very easy on the ears. The combination of the soft EDM instrumentation and subtle vocal work gives the song interesting texture, which makes it appealing to my ears. The rapping gave off a different texture altogether, mixing some roughness to the smooth mix. Overall, I thought NANANA was a great song.

Unfortunately, I can’t really say the same in regards to the video. There isn’t a whole heap going on throughout the video, which I think does pair well with the laidback side of the song. However, with the interesting amount of texture within the song, I felt like this could have called for some visual textures as well. We do see a bit of it through the use of colour and black and white. However, it doesn’t seem to be enough.

 I liked the smooth nature of the choreography, which pairs well with the song. I didn’t think they would go for a very complicated routine for this song but they did and it paid off. The stage looked amazing and their stage presence was exceptional. My only comment would have to be in regards to how tense they look.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.2/10

 

[Review] Sunrise – SUPER JUNIOR-D&E

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I promised you all that I will get around to review Donghae and Eunhyuk’s most recent Japanese release, Sunrise, this weekend and that is where we find ourselves today. Donghae and Eunhyuk have had a few Japanese comebacks since their return from the military but I forgot about most of them. But I put this one on my agenda in hopes of making it up to you all. Sunrise was released approximately one month ago and is part of their 3rd full-length album in Japan.

Like ‘Bout You (their Korean comeback), Sunrise attempts to bring the duo back with sounds that are more relevant to the industry right now. And they do a pretty good job at it. The song does have the same flaws as I had written about yesterday, including repetition and standard chorus with nothing to offer. I am not sure why they put autotune over their own voices, which felt very unnecessary. I understand that it is electronic music but it just doesn’t feel natural and unique anymore (as everyone does it). What I did like about the song, however, was how clean it felt. It didn’t feature any awkward corners or background vocals that felt unwanted. Instead, the song just flowed nicely, which I thought made the song decent to listen to.

The music video, for this song, was really high quality and it felt like I was watching something out a sci-fi movie. Removing the choreography scenes and their closeup in the forest, the duo finds themselves running towards a light structure in the middle of the forest, which I think is the start of every alien based movie. When the chorus kicks in, we are thrown to the choreography shots, purely done in a studio but it looked spectacular, especially with the LCD background. It is a cool video, irrespective of the song, in my opinion.

It was a cool video but it would have been nice to see something a little different. The same comments from yesterday still apply here. They are trying extra hard to fit in with the young crowd, which is a little disappointing. I am quite sure (not referring to the hammer hand dance) that some of the moves were seen in their Korean comeback as well.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8/10 
Performance – 6/10
Overall Rating – 7.1/10

[Review] Green Apple – Berry Good

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Berry Good is officially back after over a year’s break with Green Apple and their first ever full-length album, Free Travel. This very underrated group promoted Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo back in May last year. It hasn’t technically been a long break for some of the members as the group did launch a subunit, Berry Good HeartHeart (consisting of Taeha, Sehyung, Gowoon) who debuted back in Crazy, Gone Crazy back in April of this year.

Berry Good just never sticks to one style of music. Instead, they change it up every single comeback. And while I can see this as being very confusing for some people, I like the breath of freshness that they always bring to the table with their different styles. Green Apple is another cutesy song but done very well. It feels bright and bubbly, mainly due to the synths that are present throughout the song. It stays consistent but it doesn’t feel repetitive at all, which is a huge relief. The chorus is quite catchy, being somewhat explosive in nature. The song is quite dynamic and while that can be attributed to the instrumental, I think the vocals play an even stronger part in the song’s appeal. It feels like a cute conversation rather than the girls’ singing every line. I think this makes the song more approachable and intriguing.

The music video is essentially a guy trying to woo some girls with apples. He has red apples though, whereas the girls enjoy green apples. He adapts to their desires and offers them ‘poison’ green apples (similar to the one that knocks Snow White out). And as payback, they take all his green apples (assumingly to stop him from doing the same thing to everyone else) and make him run around, while also having some fun on the beach. That is my take on the video. I thought it was good, fitting for the song.

The choreography balances cute and sexy, which I think it also quite fitting for the song (and season of Summer). Apart from that, I don’t much else to say in regards to the performance.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 6/10
Overall Rating – 7.3/10

 

[Review] Bae – Hyolyn

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Hyolyn made a surprise comeback with Bae. The announcement of this comeback was out of the blue as she only released See Sea a few weeks back. But I am not complaining because it isn’t Summer without a comeback from any Summer Queen and I will gladly accept multiple if the opportunity comes up.

Bae is another song to add onto the Summer playlist. It isn’t the most experimental or unique track, opting for a more traditional dance-pop style song featuring very Summery and vibrant instrumental. The song itself doesn’t take any moments to relax, going straight in with a consistent and energetic tune. And the consistency isn’t a flaw here,  with the song’s melody being a major driving force that made me enjoy the song.  The song didn’t feel repetitive whatsoever, which I thought was interesting, given how consistency tends to make songs repetitive. I think Hyolyn’s vocals make the song feel different during each section, as she fits perfectly into the song. No flaws or awkward moment presented itself making this another amazing track from the widely known vocalist. Her rapping was also quite unexpected but felt very needed halfway during the song, which gave the song a little texture. In summary, Hyolyn aced Summer, once again.

I saw a few articles today which described the music video was retro. And many elements within the video were quite retro. From the diner and the roller skating rink, that element is visibly present. However, what I liked within the video as well, was how well they made sure to emphasise that this is a video within the present time and that it was modern. I think that is partly due to the people within the video (including Hyolyn herself), who dressed in outfits that aren’t retro but more of this era. I thought that was quite cool and made the video quite nice, overall.

The choreography to this was quite nice. There isn’t a live performance but I would love to see her and the backup dancers perform at the bar, exactly like in the video. It looked awesome and is my pick for the best part of the dance. Furthermore, I thought her chemistry with all the dancers were quite nice, adding an extra element to the video.

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

 

[Review] ‘Bout You – SUPER JUNIOR-D&E

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With an impending comeback expected from the legendary Super Junior (with the return of Ryeowook, who recently came back from his military enlistment) very soon, Super Junior’s Donghae and Eunhyuk have returned as a subunit with ‘Bout You. The new song features of the unit’s second mini-album, which also shares the same name. This is the unit’s first comeback since their release of Growing Pains, back in 2015. They have been active in Japan since their return from the military in 2017, with their latest Japan comeback to be reviewed tomorrow.

‘Bout You is duo’s attempt of reinventing themselves to fit into the different music industry that they were last in. Even Super Junior jumped on board with the recent Latin-inspired sound with Lo Siento. ‘Bout You features a tropical inspired instrumental that fits perfectly into both the recent (and ongoing) tropical EDM influx and the Summer season that is supposedly wrapping up soon. And for the most part, the song is quite good. The vocals throughout the song were quite good and the rapping was quite decent. I liked the layering of the piano within the bridge, which was my favourite part overall. The chorus was pretty standard and doesn’t offer much of a hook to really get into. But that isn’t the thing that irks me. It is the fact that they used their autotuned vocal to provide some background effect to the instrumental. It just felt so dated and quite out of fashion, particularly the way they presented it. But overall, it was a good song.

Like most KPOP videos nowadays, they take the camera to the US for their music video. And while it is a Donghae and Eunhyuk music video, the way it was shot reminded me of the way Winner’s music videos are given to us. I am not too sure what the plotline of the video because it doesn’t really establish match except for she is a singer and Donghae warns another guy to not make any moves. Eunhyuk is a third wheel and part way through the video, the girl and Donghae kisses. I also thought the singing scene (where she gets on stage and lip sync to their song) really awkward.

The choreography also fits in with what seems to be on trend in the industry at the moment. The hammer hand dance makes an appearance, alongside the dab and other moves. Not that makes a bad video (their choreography isn’t too bad) but it does make them look like they are trying to fit in extra hard.

Song – 6.5/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 6/10
Overall Rating – 6.6/10

[Review] YA YA YA – MXM

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I was not aware that MXM made their comeback yesterday. It did not appear in my subscription box at all and only saw their release while I was browsing Twitter in bed (Yes, I have a Twitter – Follow it here!). So apologise for this day late review. But MXM is officially back with their first-ever full-length album, More Than Ever, and the title track, YA YA YA. They previously promoted with Gone Cold and Diamond Girl earlier this year.

As soon as it starts, you will notice YA YA YA has a playful tone to it. I personally thought Diamond Girl was pretty playful but this song has a more light-hearted feel to it, which makes it likeable from the get-go. I like the brightness of the song, which aided in that light-hearted feel just mentioned. The song takes on a hip-hop sound. The instrumental is very typical but I liked how it doesn’t employ too many synths nor does it feel heavy. I liked the use of the pipes, which gave it an intriguing side. The rapping was quite good and the vocals were pretty nice. I particularly liked their ‘YA YA YA‘ hook throughout the song. It is plain and unimaginative but its simplicity makes it work and stand out. The odd sample of classical music (my brain isn’t registering what the piece is but it very familiar sounding) was a rather unexpected turn but it wasn’t necessarily off-putting. Overall, YA YA YA was a very enjoyable song.

The music video contains very cool graphics. I applaud the people behind this video because it looks very unique and cool. It gives a modern look to the video, despite it being shot on a basketball court and in plain coloured rooms. Besides that, it was a light-hearted video, fitting for the song. However, it lacks interesting moments, making it a tad dry after a few replays.

The performance was literally a massive smile from start to end. And that really makes you want to smile along to the song (and their performance). I feel like they could have put their backup dancers in something a little nicer than tees with the name of the song printed on it. The chorus showed cool footwork and I don’t think they rested one bit during the performance.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.7/10

 

[Review] HANN – (G)I-DLE

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Prepare yourselves as this year’s monster rookies are making their first ever comeback today. HANN, which translates to Alone, is the first digital single released by the girls. This comes after the group dominated charts with their debut track LATATA a few months back, which directed a lot of attention towards the group and earned them a very large following.

HANN is one interesting song. I think the expectation was for the group to come back with a similar track to LATATA to consolidate their following and position within the industry. So, it was a little shocking to hear a completely different sound. HANN is a lot less in-your-face that LATATA, opting for a melodic approach for their chorus. I personally do not find this song as catchy as the hook doesn’t seem to be that strong. But who knows, maybe the song will grow heavily on me as time passes. However, it is how exotic the song sounds that makes me drawn to the song. The track seems to be Latin-influenced unlike any other we have heard thus far. The verses had this tango vibe to it, which I liked. The rapping was awesome and the vocals were decent. I particularly like the verses, especially the way Soyeon started off the song (that tango vibe was amazing!). A little unexpected but still a decent step forward.

The first thing I thought of in this video was vampires. I liked the concept a lot and this is definitely an amped up version of Volume Up (by the now disbanded Cube Entertainment girl group, 4MINUTE). I like the dry setting where the video was set (though I am thinking it was shot in a studio – but it is the idea that counts). I liked the overload of charisma the girls had which really paid off, for me at least. Overall, the video showed off a very strong side of the girls without the need for a powerful song, which was something I liked.

The music video showed a few scenes of choreography, which I thought were quite good. Per usual, I liked how it was incredibly fitting for the song. There was definitely a consistent exotic vibe throughout their choreography, which they also had going on during their debut video. Might need to wait for a full performance but I think it is it going a smashing performance.

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

 

[Review] Livin’ It Up – MONSTA X

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Monsta X is back with another original Japanese release. Livin’ It Up was released two weeks ago and is the group’s 4th Japanese single to date. I was going to review another artist’s Japanese song this week but decided to go with Livin’ It Up because it was a far more interesting song. The group previously released their first full-length album in Japan (Puzzle was the title track of the album) and are currently on their world tour, if I am not mistaken.

What is becoming evident is that some groups (including MONSTA X) are releasing more intensified EDM songs in the Japanese market. And the release of Livin’ It Up confirms this. The song falls into that EDM category, mixed with some hip-hop vibes and a groovy instrumental. Note that it isn’t retro groovy built does give the song a more light-hearted energy, opposed from something a little more hard-hitting you expect from EDM. Jooheon and I.M’s raps definitely give it some roughness and edge from their deeper tone, while the vocalists bring some melody in their parts. Overall, I thought the song was rather appealing. I feel like if the song chorus had a stronger hook, I would have picked up the song a lot sooner (as I thought it was relatively plain when I first heard it).

The music video was mainly made of choreography shots and some close-ups. Some of the dance shots gave me Beautiful vibes, mainly due to the platform they were performing on. I have to be honest though, but I thought the video was rather plain. I didn’t really feel the energy like some other videos from watching the video, which left it underwhelming. If the camera work showed some more energy and punchiness, it would have matched the vibes of the song a lot better.

The choreography was good. It wasn’t as intense as I hoped for but it was a perfect balance between that level of intensity that I wanted to see and the lighthearted sound that came from the groovy nature of the track.

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

[Review] Page 0 – Taeyeon (SNSD) & Melomance

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SM Station is back and they are delivering us with songs from a brand new project known as Station x 0. While I am not sure of the difference between this project and SM Station itself, 6 new songs will be unveiled (starting today) of collaborations between various artists. We will see Chanyeol and Sehun from EXO collaborating with each other, Baekhyun and Loco releasing a track and a 4 member single performed by Red Velvet’s Seulgi, GFriend’s SinB, Chungha and GI-DLE’s Soyeon, just to name a few. However, kicking things off today is Taeyeon (from SNSD) and chart-topping duo, Melomance.

Their song is Page 0 and I am totally digging it. I thought they would go with some boring ballad route but their song ended up being very vibrant and cheerful, which I really liked. It can also be described as refreshing, which fits neatly into the Summer releases we have been getting. Melomance’s signature vocals to the song, which automatically lifts the energy of the song up. Taeyeon sounds amazing, per usual. I thought their harmonies were amazing throughout the song. I really like the keyboard in the instrumental, particularly the keyboard-only start for the second verse. The chorus was really catchy, making me sing along within the first few listens of the track.

The song shares one simple message, to take on the world as it is your own life. And that is what we are shown here. It shows people comfortable in their own skin, regardless of whoever they are. And I think that is something we are all striving to do, making sure the world is a better place for everyone. For that, I think it is a really beautiful video. I like how the video makes your smile, which goes well with the sound of the song, overall.

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 10/10
Overall Rating – 9.6/10

 

[Review] Woo Woo – DIA

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DIA joins the Summer comeback rush with a brand new mini-album, Summer Ade. Featuring on their 4th mini-album to date is the title track Woo Woo. The group was previously meant to make their comeback last month but ultimately delayed it to August to ensure a higher production quaility. This is DIA’s first comeback since Good Night was released and the departure of Eunjin. Some of the members of DIA also participated in The Unit, with only Yebin making into the project group, UNI.T.

Woo Woo is a very Summery song with the instrumental providing a very refreshing feel. Initally, I thought the song was quite boring. However, within a day, I can say it is quite catchy and can potentially become addictive. It isn’t their strongest release to date but it does a good job trying to catch up to their strongest release (Can’t Stop). I thought the chorus had a nice melody and the ‘Woo Woo‘ hook was really cute. On top of that, I really liked the vocal sections of the song, which were quite itneresting section. I thought the rap sequence was rather dry but did like the incorportation of Lee Hyori’s famous line of ‘Just One 10 Minute‘ from 10 Minute. Overall, I thought the song was good and as I said, I think the song has potentially to be replaying in my head (it has already started).

When you think of Summer, you think of the beach. And that is what the video starts off with. There seems to be a mini competition embedded in the music video where you have to find some items (like a scavenger hunt). Something similar popped up in Momoland’s BAAM but I don’t there were any prizes invovled. It progrsses into a very typical music video shot on sets we have seen many times and the overall feel doesn’t relly allow it to be differentiated much. There were a number of cute scenes that I thought were nice, such as the hiding from pizza scenes at the end. I am a tad confused with the ringing telepohone at the end. But other than that, it was a fair video.

I thought the choreography for this comeback was quite nice. It falls into the cutesy category but it works well with the song, especially the moves for the hook. Furthermore, I really thought the dance break was really cool.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 7.5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.1/10

[Review] favOriTe – LOONA

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For me, LOONA is now the most anticipated debut of 2018. So I am a little disappointed with the fact that this isn’t a debut but rather a pre-release or taster to what is about to come. For those who do not know LOONA, they are an 12 member girl group who spent the last 2 years releasing solo tracks and subunit mini-albums, whilst also building up hype to their end-goal, their debut.

favOriTe is the title of this pre-release single and it is going to knock your socks off. It is an interesting yet very jam-packed song, featuring what I would call an intense instrumental. I am not sure how to exactly describe the instrumental besides a cluster is synths that work extremely well together. I think each section (minus the pre-choruses) have something different within them, which in turns prevented the song from becoming repetitive, which I was slightly concerned about. For example, the second chorus featured the high pitch screeching (which resembles mosquitoes for me, hahaha…), whereas the first chorus didn’t. While we are on the topic of the instrumental, the very start felt like it was a throwback to a number of the solo releases, with a very LOONA sound being heard. Vocally, the song was quite good. I did expect more rapping though, given the intense nature of the song. I also found the song very easy to get into, which should be hard given the number of synths featured. But hey, if they managed to make it easy on the ears, imagine what else they can do.

The music video was mainly choreography shots in an abandoned warehouse and a number of closeup shots in a grayscale filter. Not a bad video for a pre-release. If I was to be critical, their outfits look very plain and poorly chosen for this video. Sure, they have that supposedly cutesy and youthful side but the song calls for something edgier.

The choreography was amazing. Really enjoyed all the sections that I saw in the music video. The most favourite part was the dance break, which definitely added more of that edge to the performance than any other section. I would like this to be performed on stage (But I believe this was already performed on stage before but I like to see it in more HD – with fan chants).

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

[Review] Power Up – Red Velvet

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With the major success of Red Flavour last year, it was expected that Red Velvet would make another Summer comeback. And today, the girl group released Power Up and their newest mini-album, Summer Magic (which also features the English Version of Bad Boy – their previous 2018 comeback). And in a matter of hours, the song had already topped charts, reconfirming their status as a popular girl group and potentially the next Summer queens.

Power Up is a very upbeat and brightly filled Summer pop track. That being said, the song felt very  typical. It might be because I haven’t really caught onto the song, as I do acknowledge that it has a cool hook (the ‘Ba Banana Ba Ba Banana nana‘) which I can see growing on me within a few days time. The verses and chorus don’t really have that memorability factor that most KPOP songs are known for. I did notice that the instrumental didn’t change-up as much, which may contribute to the lacking feeling I felt.. However, I do find some moments that I really like. For example, the pre-chorus. vocal work and the rapping were all promising segments of the song. And the previously mentioned hook as well. At the moment I feel like I am on the fence with this song. But knowing me, it will grow on me a fair bit.

The visuals for this comeback are really good. Like all Summer comebacks, the colours in this video are extremely vibrant. They went with pastel shades of each colour, which gave the video a very retro feel. I like how they presented the heat in the music video, shown by the melting props (done through editing). It looked cool and I thought it was rather interesting. And it is also rather different to see the members outside for once, as it felt like it has been a long time since we have seen them outside for a music video.

The performance looked quite nice. Very fitting for the cutesy concept you can say they approached with their comeback this time around. The chorus choreography was also quite good. Overall, I liked the looks of the performance.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7/10

[Review] My Pace – Stray Kids

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Stray Kids are back with their very first comeback since their debut, District 9, in April this year. My Pace is the name of the title track for their second mini-album, I Am Who, which follows in the footsteps of their rap-heavy and hip-hop dominated debut track. In between the promotions for District 9 and My Pace, the group also followed up their debut promotions with Mirror (a single from their first mini-album).

From the very start, the one word that can describe the song very accurately is ‘energetic’. There is no moments in the song that felt it lacked energy or intensity, for that matter. And that makes it a perfect fit for the most active season of the year. Even the start of the song, the rough and deep ‘NaNaNaNa‘ by Changbin really grabs your attention and kicks the song off with a punch. The rapping in this song continues this momentum with the vocals giving a moment of relief from the punches we keep on getting. The chorus was very simple but works extremely well with the rap heavy side of the song. I really like the very heavy-handed approach on the instrumental which basically goes back to that energetic aspect of the song. My most favourite part was the suspense filled launch into the final chorus which just nudged the song along that bit further. Overall, the song was awesome and impactful.

The various scenes that make up the video are stringed together so well that it made the music video feel that much edgier when paired with the song. I liked how the camera shots got up close and personal with the members, giving us different angles that we don’t see so much of today. The uNDerground street racing concept was really good as well, fitting both the song and their image. Not too keen on the random break we got just before the bridge, because that cuts the energy. But other than that, a really good video.

The choreography reminds me of Block B. Maybe because it has that wild side that I do recognise from the senior boy group. And like the song, the performance does pack a punch, leaving us energy depleted (because listening to an energetic track and watching a very active performance is really energy draining!) and wanting more.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.6/10

[Review] Summer Night – 100%

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Last week, I decided to review 100%’s recent Korean comeback, The Grand Bleu, instead of the intended Japanese week. With some shuffling around, I will be reviewing their recent Japanese comeback, Summer Night, which is their 4th original single in Japan. The music video for this track was released at the end of June, so apologies for the really late review.

The song has this pretty decent tropical influence club beat as its instrumental which makes the song explosive, particularly around the chorus of the song. It does feel very standard around the verses which seems to show more of that tropical influence. But that isn’t too off-putting, especially with a cool chorus like this that picks up the song just at the right time. However, the vocals are the one aspect that had me diving for more. The way Rokhyun sings the chorus feels very JPOP-like, reminding me of some Japanese pop vocalists that I listen to. The other members do a pretty good job. One way of describing the song is that it is like their Korean vocal-driven songs were smashed with this style of EDM (which works really well). The rapping was also quite good and was another moment that I really liked. Overall, 100% did an amazing job with this song.

As much as I find the colour blue very refreshing, I can’t help but notice how blue the music video was (literally!). It felt like it should have been overused, particularly at the start. But after the first chorus, they changed to multiple shades of blue (in their outfits), which really cuts the heaviness of the blue. And for that, I actually thought it was an interesting of colour. I did like the helipad setting for the choreography, which I still think is really scary yet really beautiful at the same time.

The choreography was good and felt fitting for the song. Not else to say other than that, to be honest.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 6/10
Overall Rating – 7.9/10