Category: Reviews

[Review] Wag-Zak – Lovelyz

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Lovelyz have made their return to the stage with their first Summer digital single, Wag-Zak. They have already started promotions for the new song prior to its release on Sunday (yesterday), which doesn’t occur all that often. The girl group previously promoted That Day and wrapped their promotions about a month ago. They are, however, short one member this time around, with JIN sitting out of promotions due to health issues.

Wag-Zak fits perfectly into the growing Lovelyz song protfolio, keeping true to their cutesy and bright image that they have maintained throughout all of their songs to date. It also does its job as a ‘special Summer single’, even though the first descriptive word might be questionable. It is extremely cold where I am at the moment, so I enjoyed listening to the song throughout last week, as it does paint a nice image of blue skies and a sunny environment that feels warm. The song does feature a tropical sound, which was felt prominently throughout the post-chorus instrumental break. However as I write this, it does feel very cliche to go down that route for the Summer season, particularly after last year’s tropical-dominated releases. On top of that, I thought the song was rather lacking in terms of memorability. While the instrumental and overall vibes from the song were okay, I just didn’t find myself humming the tune or awkwardly mouthing along to the lyrics (which I do with most addictive songs). Instead, I would describe the song to be more suited for casual listening.

The music video simply shows the members having some fun at the beach (or resort). While it has definitely be done before, the combination between the beach theme and the song is pretty much the only video concept/idea that would sound plausible and make the most sense. I thought their enjoyment seemed genuine to an extent and the cutesy vibes that they had going on were nice.

The performance for this song did seem a little rushed for the stage. Though, this promotional round would only be for a week, so I don’t see the need for this to be overly perfected. But as a disclaimer, there wasn’t anything too impressive if that is what you were expecting. However, it does feel nice and fitting for the Summer vibes from the song.

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

[Review] #Cookie Jar – Red Velvet

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We have seen a number of Korean artist make their first step into the Japanese market. Joining artists such as Seventeen and GFriend, Red Velvet will be release their anticipated Japanese debut mini-album and single, #Cookie Jar, in July. This is the group’s first Japanese release since their debut in 2014 and it features the Japanese version of some of their biggest Korean hits, such as Russian Roulette, Dumb Dumb and Red Flavour. Today we are here to have a closer look at their debut single, so let’s get going!

#Cookie Jar was a little tame from what I had expected. Given Red Velvet’s portfolio of different and unique Korean hits (combined with the well-known oddness that Japanese media is known for), I had expected the track to be wild, at the very least. But instead, the song takes a more standard pop sound. I would have liked if the song had a little more colour to it. While the song is colourful, I little pinch of quirkiness would have allowed the song to become more memorable and unique in my opinion. That being said, the song does feature a decent retro instrumental, which gave it some colour. The chorus felt fun, with the ‘#Cookie Jar‘ opening to the choruses and the ending of the song being the most memorable moments of the song. For the vocals and the raps, I just didn’t feel like it was their best effort but they still sounded good. Overall, #Cookie Jar was a decent track for their debut but it doesn’t live up to what I had expected.

With the title of #Cookie Jar, it was expected there be a sweet theme for the video. And that is what we got exactly. Though I am not sure how the sweet theme presented in the video reflects the lyrics of the song, especially the ending of the video when they find out all their foods isn’t that fresh and edible. I really liked the colours that they used in this video, with some of the sets reminding me of the colour palette that they used in Russian Roulette. It was a decent video to watch, overall.

From what I could see in the music video, the choreography can be described as mediocre as best. Other than that, I wasn’t impressed with what they had presented us with.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 5/10
Overall Rating – 6.6/10

 

[Review] Summer Dream – ELRIS

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ELRIS has made their return to the stage with their Summer single, Summer Dream. This is my first time reviewing a song from these ladies, so let’s get acquainted with them. ELRIS is a 5-member girl group under Hunus Entertainment, who made their debut last year in 2017, with We, First. Summer Dream is their second comeback as the girls made their first comeback in September 2017 with Pow Wow. The group consist of Sohee, Yukyung, Bella, Hyeseong and Karin.

Summer Dream is your standard KPOP cutesy track fitted well for the Summer season. It isn’t necessarily the most catchiest or memorable song out at the moment but it has a few moments that really had me interested in the song. Despite the song being ‘standard’, the song does give off APINK’s Remember vibes. That being said, the two songs are not the same. Another section which I felt was odd was the instrumental breakdown at the bridge. It doesn’t necessarily suit the cutesy vibes of the song but it manages to work well together. The girls also have really nice vocals. Throughout the song, I was drawn to the song through the vocals, especially the moments where they are singing without any instrumental playing in the background as they sound the best there. Apart from that, the ‘standard’ issue does get to you. If they managed to make the chorus more dynamic and make the hook more catchier, I think they would have a really nice song. For now, it is decent.

There really isn’t much in the video to talk about. Summer makes you think of the beach, so this is where the video is set at. It does also take a cutesy approach, which was expected from the song’s sound. They also went with a sailor outfit, which looked cute. They managed to bold the colour blue, which really made the music video pop. But other than that, I wasn’t that interested in the music video.

It was a nice performance to watch, fitting in with the cutesy vibe of the song once again. But it wasn’t a memorable stage that makes me want to return to watch their performances.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 5/10
Overall Rating – 6.3/10

[Review] Black Heart – UNB

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Right after wrapping up their Sense/Only One promotions, UNB announced that they will be going straight into preparations for a new album. And they didn’t mess around with that announcement, as the newly debut group has officially dropped their second mini-album, which shares the same title as their title track, Black Heart. This comeback also features 4 special guests: Jungha (BEATWIN), Hangyul (IM), Jueun (DIA) and Anne (SIS).

From my understanding, none of the special guests participated in the recording of the song. Black Heart is a great dance song that is fast beoming another highly addictive song. I really liked the showtune-like piano introduction at the start of the song, which built up the suspense for what was to come. The song then progresses into a synth based dance track, which somehow felt unexpecting at first. There is this energy buildup within the verses, which allows the entrance into the chorus sound so much good. On top of that, I thought the chorus was really well done, especially with how all the members singing together. It gives the song a punch in its melody and makes it memorable. I really liked the post-chorus instrumental break as well. To keep the song from becoming repetitive, the song returns to that showtune piano introduction during the bridge, which also works wells within the song. The only thing I think the song is missing is a rap sequence, which could have added some interesting textures to the song. But othet r than that, it was a really good song.

Out of the 4 guests, the music video only features the male guest (that is, Jungha and Hangyul). To why it is only them, I am not too sure. But I have to admit, they fitted in pretty well. It did cause some friction within the screentime department, however, which is quite sad to hear. All the members (and the male guests) had good chemistry with the camera, which makes this video even better. I really liked the edgy vibe that was coming from their outfits. I thought the dance-off concept was rather interesting and well executed.

All 4 special guests feature in the performances. And I think it help boosts the number of people of stage, which contributes to the livelihood of the performance. I really liked the start of the performance, when some of the members are doing acrobatic-like jumps. The performance also features awesome footwork, seen most prominently during the post-chorus instrumental break. Also, the ending looked quite good.

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

 

[Review] BAAM – Momoland

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After topping the charts with their smash hit Boom Boom, Momoland is back at it again with a new song in hopes that it replicates the same chart performance as Boom Boom (which is still on the charts as we speak). BAAM is the title track off their 4th mini-album, Fun To The World. The girls have also recently made their Japanese debut with their insanely popular song.

While the BAAM does sound similar to Boom Boom, BAAM is loaded with energy from the get-go. It has this club heavy beat and saxophone synths that really open it up to be quite catchy. The ‘BAAM BAAM’ repititon proved to be quite addictive and also added an element of fun. The song also takes a moment to focus more of the vocals of the group, particularly during the pre-chorus. The only section that I am not falling for (once again) is the rap sequence. It just doesn’t flow in this song felt too distinct for the rest of the song. I felt like they could have lost this section enitrely and still would have been fine with another verse, similar to the first. While I do like the song quite a bit, it is a little disappointing that the group didn’t venture into something different. But I understand why they are returning with a similar song, as it aims to build upon their success.

Watching the teaser for the video, I was wondering how the public would view the various cultures that was represented in this video. In the music video, we have France, Vietnam, Egypt, Korean, Mexico, Phillipines and America shown in the video. While I didn’t take offence through their depiction of the ladies in Ao Dai using a cucumber as a phone (I am Vietnamese), some other cultures and people may be. For example, I am seeing some issues arising in the comment section of the music video due to the presence of the Phillipines’ flag (this is actually the first time I have heard that is was illegal to show the flag). Besides that, it was a fun and lighthearted video, which worked well with the fun elements of the song. I thought the scenes with the Korean person in Ancient Egypt was funny.

I am a little torn about the choreography. The routine for the chorus was a little too similar for my liking to their Boom Boom dance (i.e. the hip swaying). On top of that, I thought the shuffle was rather unoriginal and have been the main point of a few dances (such as TARA’s Lovey Dovey). But I really liked the bridge of the song and the overall feel of the dance, which was also quite fun.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 7.5/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.6/10

[Review] Shoot Me – DAY6

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Who is excited for DAY6’s comeback? Ever since I heard the album highlight medley, I have been wanting to hear this song and finally, it is here!!! DAY6 returns with Shoot Me and the mini-album, Shoot Me: Youth Vol. 1. This is the band’s first comeback since wrapping up their 2017 monthly releases. On top of that, the band also made their Japanese debut with If (We Can Meet Again) and will be returning the Japanese market with their Stop The Rain comeback in July.

I have been wanting a song to be described as a powerful rock sound for quite some time and I think DAY6 has managed to deliver with Shoot Me. And Shoot Me is really good on so many fronts. The chorus is undeniably catchy with its ‘Bang Bang‘ and ‘Bullet Bullet Bullet‘ start and explosive due to the drums. I have replayed it a number of times already since its release already, excited to relive the chorus each time. In really liked the pre-chorus which built up perfectly to the chorus. Jae’s vocals in this section was also amazing. I also really liked the intensity of the bridge, which was definitely another moment which I really enjoyed. My only one complaint would have to be how short the song was . But other than that, Shoot Me is a damn catchy song.

The music video shows a couple arguing. And from the combinations of the lyrics and the visuals, it seems her words have become bullets which continually wound him. I thought this was great imagery that showcases the lyrics in an interesting manner. But rather than limiting this to just lovers, everyone else in the cafe takes aim at him, which may suggest that harsh comments were said to him (irrelevant to the romantic storyline). He fights back with his fair share of bullets but he doesn’t hit any of them, suggesting that his comments back didn’t offend them directly or that he stood up for himself. The concept was rather intriguing and unique, which also has a strong message within it. Not sure about how violence seemed to be downplayed towards the end of the video (i.e. bullet holes through his shirt vs. paint splashing about) but this may allude to the nature of his comments that he fired back.

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

[Review] Deja Vu – NU’EST W

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After topping the charts with their previous comeback, NU’EST W has returned to do it all over again. The subunit makes their return with their second mini-album, WHO YOU, and the title track Deja Vu. In preparation for their comeback, I noticed their fans have been actively streaming their past hits such as Where You At and Yeobseyo (Hello). The music video for this comeback was also released later than 6PM KST, for unknown reasons (or at least, I don’t know why).

Deja Vu is another song adding to the growing list of Latin pop songs. However, it is unlike any other Latin pop song. Instead, there is a particular feel to the song that makes it unique. It might because it uses various synths that also makes it feel like it mashed into EDM somewhat. Or rather the chorus isn’t overloaded with bass or an explosive drop, allowing the guitar to feature more prominently. I really like the melody to the song and the instrumental of the song. I thought the vocals were really nice, especially when they perform in an almost high pitch during the chorus. I thought JR’s rap was good but I think his section could have had a little more momentum for the better. Overall, the song does standout due to its sound and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I have no clue on what is going on in this video which is a common occurrence nowadays. And as much as I try to understand the video, they just keep throwing more things at me to confuse me even more. However, that intrigues me a lot more and would love to hear some of the theories of the video. My gut instinct says that this video is connected to some of their past videos due to the presence of the sword and some of the sets. But I am not sure if this is even remotely correct. Other than the plotline, there are some other details which I liked. For example, the fake rooftop where we saw their silhouettes dancing and the very start where they are all dancing the same moves (just in different areas). It all looked cool.

I really liked the start of the performance where they are doing the same moves (there is something so graceful about that short period) and when they start singing (i.e. JR’s moment in the first verse with Aron interacting with him, moving to JR interacting with Ren). I also liked the slow footwork throughout the performance, which was emphasised greatly in the music video.

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

Writing this review, I had a brainwave. A young goat is called a kid. So is the young girl (which we can refer to as a young kid) in the video the goat?

[Review] Our Page – SHINee

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For the past month, SHINee has been returning fortnightly with different parts to their 6th studio album, The Story of Light. The first part featured Good Evening, while the second part featured I Want You. The third and final section of their album was released today, along with their third title track, Our Page. The final title track also pays homage to Jonghyun, who passed away in December last year.

After just one listen, I believe that SHINee left the best for last. Why? Well, the first element you notice when listening to the song is not the instrumental or its catchy hooks but rather the heartfelt vocals that deliver the lyrics of the song. You can feel the emotions layered throughout the song from each member which makes this song incredibly moving. As previously stated in the introductory paragraph, the song pays homage to Jonghyun, with lines such as ‘Five layers of folded hands, tears and memories‘ and ‘We’ll fill it up until the end‘. The R&B instrumental aids in this message, not going overboard in any area but rather staying clean and simple which allows their voices to be heard clearly. I also really liked how the members all sing together during the chorus, which makes them feel like one during the moving song (and it is my most favourite section of the song). The lyrics, melody and beat make this a perfect song.

The music video starts off with each of the members doing their own thing. Onew is producing songs, Minho is filming a movie, Key is playing games/dancing and Taemin is working out. For a moment, it seems like they don’t want to be where they are but they push forward and persevere. Once they regroup, it reflects the sentimental nature of the song. I really liked the scenes where they are sitting in a circle and the camera is spinning around them while they are singing to the chorus. But the most moving scene is when they are singing into their glass poles/microphones and there was a fifth one in front (with nobody standing alongside it), which represents Jonghyun’s position in the group. There is one tiny detail that does hold the video back from being the perfect video, however, it was still beautiful.

I don’t think there should be any choreography for this song. Mainly because of its meaning and emotional punch it gives. However, we might need to keep our minds open as we are not sure how SHINee will present this on stage. I will return once we have a live performance.

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 9.5/10
Overall Rating – 9.8/10

[Review] Stop The Rain – DAY6

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If you haven’t heard yet, DAY6 will be making their Korean comeback next week and I am super excited. But before we get there, today we will be reviewing their upcoming Japanese comeback, Stop The Rain, which is due for release on the 25th of July. DAY6 also recently released their first compilation album in Japan, which features their past Korean hits and some ‘new’ Japanese versions of their Korean tracks.

Stop The Rain follows neatly in the footsteps of If We Can Meet Again, their 1st Japanese single released earlier in the year. It takes that craved rock sound that I really want to hear from the group from their previous song and kick it up a notch. The song felt like your mainstream rock song. Nothing more or nothing less. The entire track from the get-go was definitely taking that rock element on board and basically throwing it at you, with the only moment of relief being that 15 seconds worth of slowdown during the bridge. Other than that, the song gave me personally a rush of adrenaline and really left me wanting more at the end (and this is what I want). Vocally, the band was spectacular. I really liked the electric guitar solo during the instrumental break and the harmonies that followed soon after. Overall, I felt I wasn’t let down by the song at any moment and this made it an amazing song for all to listen to (that is if you like rock).

I like the way the music video is shot. I particularly like the white scene with the many light strobes, which looked really cool when it was flashing along with the song. I also liked how they were performing in water and in some scenes, you could see a ripple effect in the water. The darkness and storm clouds we see throughout the video goes hand-in-hand with the lyrics of the video. On the other hand, I am not too sure about the members falling down. It would make sense with the members representing raindrops in the storm, however, that feels a tad too obvious. Other than that, it was a good video.

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

 

[Album Review] The Story Of Light EP. 02 (6th Studio Album) – SHINee

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SHINee’s comeback is in full swing with the release of the second part of their 6th studio album, The Story of Light. The group previously returned with Good Evening and the first part of the said album on the 28th of May. They are due to release the third part and entire 6th album this upcoming Monday (25th of June) and I may push the album review for the third part for next weekend (depending on how much work I can get done). But we are here for the second part of the album, so let’s get going!

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The Story Of Light EP. 02 Album Cover

1..I Want You (Title Track) – Click here for the full review of I Want You. (7.5/10) 

2. Chemistry – I personally don’t know how to interpret the song. I feel like they could be hinting at something else but it felt more of the sexual nature (with a bouncy vibe). The instrumental develops into something that felt more standard pop. It also felt like the song’s boundaries were literally pushed out by the vocals and I felt this was a good technique to reel listeners in. I personally liked the pre-chorus and chorus, which definitely hooked me into the song. The song needed a rap sequence and that was delivered but it started off muffled which I did not get. Overall, the song was quite energetic, which was one of the other charms of the song. (8/10)

3. Electric – I personally like Electric. The song itself features an instrumental that feels like an electrical pulse and thumping effect combined. The song is about the adrenaline rush you get when you meet that special someone. I thought the drop to the song was really interesting and the repetition was extremely catchy. It also features great vocals, particularly around the bridge of the song. I think the only part of the song that leaves me disappointed is the rapping. I feel like it could have been more intense but overall, it was still a good song. (9/10)

4. Drive – Drive has to be my pick for the weakest song on the album. But weak doesn’t always equate to bad.  The verses didn’t stand out too much, leaving the song lacking in memorability. However, the heaviness of the pre-chorus and the instrumental during the chorus definitely provided was probably defining moments of the song (just it didn’t seem to be enough). Like most ‘weak’ songs, this one has a few likeable elements that stood out for me. The harmonies in the pre-chorus and the vocals were actually good. On top of that, the rap sequences were noticeably absent, as they have yet to satisfy me in that department. (7/10) 

5. Who Waits For Love? (독감) – I have to give this song the vote for best song on the album. Who Waits For Love? is a song about not being able to move on after breaking up and how the pain remains. The vocals in this song were superb, particularly Taemin and Onew, who stood out the most (I don’t know who did that high note but damn). The song also manages to satisfy my hunger for the rapping, particularly the section during the bridge. I liked how the song took on a slower tempo, which allowed the chorus to pop and be quite bold. Also enjoyed the fading out at the end, giving the song a peaceful yet somewhat unique feel. (10/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.3/10

SHINee-TheStoryofLightEp2-3
The Story Of Light EP 02 Teaser Image

recommended red round grunge vintage ribbon stamp

[Review] Sunset – Kim Dong Han

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Last week, we saw the start of the return of the JBJ members as solo artists after the disbandment of the group, 2 months ago. Today, former member Kim Dong Han made his solo debut with Sunset (as the title track) and D-Day, his 1st mini-album. The album also features Kim Sang Hyun in the 4th track, who was also part of JBJ.

Sunset starts off soft and almost silent. There wasn’t much to the instrumental, simple clicks being the centre stage of the first verse. There was a slight incline in the route that the song was going to go with and I was hoping that the song would have a grand drop. Sadly, that wasn’t the case. It did pick up but I personally thought it wasn’t bold enough. Despite that, however, the song does gain some momentum (ever so slowly) afterwards and it does evolve to be a really nice song. The most unexpecting section of the song is when it climaxes at the instrumentation EDM break. That caught me off guard and quickly drew my attention. It just felt a little too extreme for the rest of the song, hence why I was caught off guard. It did give the song some edge but I think there would have been other ways to show some edge without going to a bridge like that. Other than that, I did like how Kim Dong Han sounded in the song, with his voice being another strong element of the track. Sunset was, overall, a great song, minus the theatrics of the dance break.

The music video was quite good. With the Sunset being the title of the song, you expect the music video to go with an orangey-red colour palette, which is exactly what we got. However, there were other colours employed throughout the video which I thought gave interesting contrast, such as the blue/purple (which I assumed represented night time) during some of the scenes and the dance break. His solo shots and overall cinematography of the video was nice.

I didn’t pay too much attention to JBJ as I hoped for. And for that, I am not really well-versed in each member’s abilities. However, Kim Dong Han can dance and thought that the choreography does the job with the song perfectly. My favourite move, out of the entire routine, was the start of the second half of the verses (see GIF below).

kimdonghan_choreo.gif

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

[Review] Only One For Me – BTOB

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After a very successful comeback, BTOB has finally returned with their 11th mini-album to date. This Is Us (the mini-album’s title) features Only One For Me, which the title track and the pre-release single, The Feeling (which was released last week). As mentioned previously, the group made a very big splash in the industry last year with their Missing You track, which charted extremely high during their promotional run.

Only One For Me takes BTOB’s vocals (made popular by their ballad trilogy and Missing You comeback) and combines it with a Summer seasonal instrumental. While that combination doesn’t really make sense in my head, it works really well. And the melody for that section of the song was quite light and drifty. The song does manage to have a change-up, which you can hear in the second half of the chorus, where the group comes together as one and chants their way through. It gives the song a catchy foundation, which I gladly appreciate. It does maintain the instrumentation but the major change is how they vocally put themselves forward. The song does return to that melodic flow that it started off with, kicking up a notch for Peniel’s ‘hype-feel’ and Minhyuk’s powerful rap sequence. Vocally, the group sounded amazing. I really like the song and if you enjoyed their previous track, this is something you should check out.

I liked the opening shots with the members returning from some formal event and kind of kicking it back. They split up from each other doing their own thing. But I like how they managed to show the members in a one-shot motion, the camera shifting focus from member to member when they enter each other’s screens. The video then goes to some wharf, which the members relax on (while still in their formal gear). And then there were night shots with the members in more casual wear. It was a nice video to watch, complimenting the song’s ballad-y feels. I like how the shots were smooth, which also complimented the song.

[Updated] As expected, there was choreography in the performance of this song. I really liked the dance for the second half of the chorus, which looks even better when the fans are harmonising along with the song. Also, I thought Changsub’s solo moment at the very start of the song was quite nice, as well. It was a pleasant routine for a very pleasant sounding song.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10 [Updated]
Overall Rating – 8.2/10 [Updated]

 

[Review] Something New – Taeyeon (SNSD)

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The announcement of  Taeyeon’s comeback and 3rd mini-album appeared out of the blue last week. She is known for her chart-topping hits, such as I and Fine. And with the release of her new mini-album, she will most likely add Something New to that list, with the release of both her mini-album and title track today. Taeyeon previously released This Christmas last year as a special Christmas single.

Opening up Something New is an autotuned yet harmonizing acapella-like introduction which really engages you. It isn’t something that you hear all too often hence why I found it intriguing. The song then takes a turn and progresses into a more upbeat territory which remains for the rest of the song. It takes on a neo-soul urban pop genre mashup, a first for Taeyeon, who has experimented in the past with different sounds. I really like the funky and groovy sounds you get from the song, which really puts it in an even more interesting light. I also liked how light her voice feels in this song, especially during the chorus. There is this balance between her voice and the instrumental, with the latter being bold yet still complimenting the vocals. I really liked the prechorus and the bridge of the song, as those moments stood out the most for me. The chorus had a decent hook but it wasn’t exactly the selling point for me. I think, just based on the different sound itself, the song does feel memorable. Overall, it is a nice song. 

The music video starts off with Taeyeon’s makeup all over the place. We see a snippet of the video to come but you don’t really realize what is about to occur. The video then goes back to Taeyeon (who is beautifully presented) arriving at her hotel (?) and walking the red carpet inside here, with a sea of photographers and fans waiting for her arrival. It seems behind closed doors she is a taregt for everyone, with the bodyguard in the lift and the room service maid attempting to kill her. However in both scenarios, she emerges victorious and I assume their bodies in luggage. At the end of the video, we see her tossing all her luggage out into the sea and shooting them for good measures. Cash spills out of some of them. While I am not sure how the video exactly fits in with the song, someone on the YouTube comments suggested that the people out to get her were the haters and Taeyeon is fighting back. Makes sense. At the end, I think it was revealed that everything we had watched was a movie within the video, though I am not too sure. I thought it was a well produced video with an interesting plotline.

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

[Review] DDU-DU DDU-DU – BLACKPINK

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BLACKPINK is officially back. And finally, it isn’t a single. Instead, this is BLACKPINK’s first comeback with an actual mini-album. DDU-DU DDU-DU (뚜두뚜두) is the lead title track off their first mini-album, Square Up. Their last comeback was As If It Is Your Last, which was released back in June 2017. Since then, they did release a mini-album of their past hits in Japan and also released a very questionable lightstick.

DDU-DU DDU-DU has already topped the charts in South Korea and I can see why. First listen in and I was already enjoying the song. It takes on the hip-hop sound which their respective company centres around and they turn it into something that BLACKPINK can only release. I love the bass and the beat in the song, which really hypes up the song. The verses are made up of raps, while the pre-chorus focuses on the vocals. Can I just take a moment to just point out how the members sound flawless in this song, especially Jisoo and Rose during the pre-chorus. However, the standout section of the entire song has to be the chorus itself. I really like how simple it sounds but also it also presents a really catchy sounding instrumentation. I also like the change-up at the end with the exotic/foreign feel and the fast-paced flute (not too sure of the instrument), which ended the song on a bold yet strong note.

To me, the music video is BLACKPINK’s version of I Am The Best. The entire video shows BLACKPINK as strong and fierce women, which goes hand-in-hand with the song’s message. But there were some scenes that made me think of 2NE1’s famous video. The entire video is definitely on another league with me liking every single scene and set. I really liked the giant chessboard, the Audrey Hepburn/rain scene, the chandelier, the post-apocalyptic dance set and literally everything else that I haven’t listed. Each member looked flawless and bold with their stylistic choices.

It seems like the ‘gun’ dance that opens up the chorus (and occurs at the main hook) is going to be the next big thing. Actually, the entire choreography during the chorus looks amazing, with the group not holding back on the fierceness. While the entire performance isn’t out yet, I have high expectations. From what I saw in the music video, I think I can confidently give a rating.

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

[Album Review] Kratos (3rd Mini Album) – VIXX

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I have been holding onto a number of album reviews for a while now and have decided to release them before I forget about their existence. For this particular week, I wanted to focus on VIXX’s Greek mythology trilogy, which was released back in 2016. The review for Zelos was published on Monday, Wednesday for Hades and Friday (today) for Kratos.

Here is just a very brief rundown of the album release. Kratos was released in October of 2016 and is the final part of their Greek mythology trilogy. Kratos is the Greek God of War, which formed the basis of their concept and song lyrics. The title track of this album was The Closer, which I reviewed previously. Kratos, along with the other two singles, was combined in November to form the VIXX 2016 Conception Ker (a compilation album of their trilogy).

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Kratos Album Cover

1..The Closer (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of The Closer. (9/10)

2. Desperate – Opening the song is a very dramatic yet haunting introduction which fits perfectly into VIXX’s portfolio. And this same haunting effect followed throughout the verses. However, what I really liked is how the song sudden turned into an EDM based chorus in a matter of seconds. It was unexpecting but it does really make the song intense enough to become memorable. Both the vocals and the raps were perfect and it is an example of a song that has me coming back for more. (10/10)

3. Shooting Star –To me, Shooting Star felt like your standard pop song. There were few elements in the song that did leave me intrigued such as how the vocals were presented and how Ravi’s raps appeared throughout the song (instead of being condensed in a single section). The song just didn’t have enough to become memorable and have me coming back. Despite that, it was still a decent track. (7/10)

4. Good Night & Good Morning – The song is about wanting to break up. It is a lot softer in terms of volume as compared to their previous song, going with an R&B type of feel. Ravi opens up the song by singing, which is a rare event in the VIXX discography world. The touch of autotune was nice. Once again, I thought the vocal work was pretty nice, with Leo’s vocals during the chorus is the most memorable. There was also a pause towards the end of the song which made you assume that it was finished. I personally thought the song could have ended there, with the extra bit being an ‘excess’. (7/10)

5. Romance Is Over (로맨스는 끝났다) – This song is your standard ballad to have on any album. It showcases good vocals. Within the instrumental, I liked the drums and how it helps create a nice build-up to the chorus. Ravi’s rap was also quite fitting for the song, fitting neatly into the more delicate instrumental. My only issue with the song is the abrupt ending in the instrumental. But other than that, another good song. (8/10)
Overall Album Rating – 8.2/10

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Kratos Teaser Image

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[Review] Falling In Love – Woo Jin Young & Kim Hyun Soo

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You may have heard about it on the various news sites that report KPOP news. MIXNINE’s male group will not be making their debut as previously planned. Plans fell through and it allowed some groups to make their comeback or (in this case) make their debut. Woo Jin Young and Kim Hyun Soo both come from Happy Face Entertainment, home of Dal Shabet and Dream Catcher. Ranking in 1st and 14th place respectively, the two definitely have potential and their company is not putting their appearance to waste.

Falling In Love is their main title track for their debuting promotions. And while the song takes on that tropical sound once again, there were a few quirky moments embedded in the instrumental which really gave the song a fun and vibrant feel. Kim Hyun Soo sounds awesome vocally, which his parts reminding me of a good Summers day. Jinyoung has a deeper voice, which gave the song some nice contrast between the two members. I would have expected him to feel a little awkward (his voice is more fitting for serious and ‘dark’ songs, in my opinion) but he manages to settle into the bright song quite nicely. I did like the bridge, where Jinyoung sang and Hyunsoo rapped for a few seconds, that was nice. The chorus had a nice hook. Nothing that is instantly memorable but with a few more listens (and rainy days here), I will be playing the song a few more times to remind me of the nice warm days of Summer.

It was a good video to watch. Once again, the Summer vibes could be felt from different aspects of the video, from their expressions to the sun shining outside. The video also features Yoohyeon from Dream Catcher, whom the duo fall in love with as soon as they see her. I like the chemistry between the artists and while it was kind of cliche, everything felt quite nice.

I personally think they could have put their backup dancers in something a little more nicer than oversized white shirts and brown shorts. It was a nice routine to watch. The only thing that annoys me is that Hyunsoo should lose the glasses because it makes him look like he is exaggerating his facial expressions. But that might because of the performance I am watching.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 7.5/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.7/10