Category: Reviews

[Review] Jealousy – Monsta X

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Monsta X has made their return with Jealousy, the title track on their sixth-mini album, The Connect. This is their first comeback after Dramarama, which also earned them their first win on the weekly KPOP music programs.

Opening up with the ‘ye-ye-ye‘ hook was probably one of my most favourite parts of the song. And that manages to introduce into what seems to be a great song. It isn’t as hard-hitting as their previous title tracks but Jealousy works pretty well as a Monsta X. It remains within their domain but it manages to stay different. The song features a trap-based instrumental with pop elements appearing throughout. There is a large focus on the vocals, split between Kihyun, Shownu and Wonho, who all sound spectacular. Kihyun probably shined the brightest in the entire song, based on the ‘A Little Jealousy‘ opener to the chorus, which also was extremely smooth. While we are also focusing on the chorus, I think this has to be one of their best yet. It was jammed packed and I enjoyed the energy that came from that part. I also really like the ‘Jealousy, baby, Jealousy‘ whisper at the end of the first and final choruses, though I do think the section at the end of the first chorus (just before Jooheon’s rap) ended a little too prematurely. The rappers also did a wonderful job with the song, with their parts, per usual, adding that extra intensity that the song needed.

I may write a lot of reviews but I have yet to understand the connection between ‘connected’ music videos. The Connect : D is the pre-release music film for this comeback, so it is clear Jealousy is somehow connected this pre-release video. If you know how these videos are connected, feel free to comment below. I managed to find a video (which I will link in the comments below) that theorises about the sequence of events in the pre-release video but have yet to find anything about the music video. Anyway, about the Jealousy video, I thought it rather cool. They managed to bring out this edgy vibe in the video through their visuals and the setting, which I thought was relatively cool. Each of the members looked awesome (Kihyun just stands out for me). I enjoyed the camera work, which started off fixed and very smooth but by the end of the video is got hectic and shaky, which also worked well with the song.

There are two parts of the choreography which I really liked. The chorus was awesome, with that scarecrow move being my absolute favourite. The second part would have to be the bridge (when Shownu and Kihyun are singing). That I don’t think I have seen before. But being something quite simple made it look awesome.

monstax_jealousy.gif

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

[Album Review] Eyes On You (8th Mini Album) – GOT7

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GOT7 has made their return with their latest mini-album, Eyes On You. The release features Look as their title track, their collaboration single with Hyolyn and another 4 songs. This particular album seems to focus more on the vocalists of the groups, as they stand out more (and are mentioned throughout the entire review constantly). So here are my thoughts on the songs of the Eyes On You mini-album.

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Eyes On You Album Cover

1..One And Only You (너하나만) (ft. Hyolyn) (Pre-Release Track) – Unfortunately, I never got around to reviewing this pre-release track, mainly because only a short video was released for it. So, this is my chance to say that this another great track. The song has this deep autotuned vocal lines that are scattered throughout the song, which I really liked. In a way, it makes the song a little more non-traditional. There is also this energetic and bright energy, which makes it a great opener to the album. The vocals are really nice, particularly when Hyolyn and GOT7’s vocal line sing together during the chorus. (8/10)  

2. Look (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Look. (7.7/10)

3. The Reason – The Reason is another song that highlights the vocal ability of GOT7. It starts off with a soft sound but builds up instantly to the chorus. The song has an epic pop drop, which contrasts nicely with the soft preceding sound. Likewise, the rappers also were quite soft in their delivery but this fitted perfectly into the song. As a whole, the song is awesome and is a track that I won’t mind coming back for more. (9/10)

4. Hesitating (망설이다) – This particular song is another soft song, which resembles ballad with a more upbeat instrumental than usual. Both vocalists and rappers sounded good but it wasn’t that captivating as the other songs on the album. In fact, I think this is the most passable track of the entire album. Mainly due to the fact it is bland and not that memorable. (6/10)

5. Us (우리) – Once again, the vocalists are at the forefront of the song, particularly in the verses. And they hold their ground pretty well. But the rappers are the true winners in the track, despite being hidden away and receiving smaller parts in the song. All three rappers just sounded so smooth in the song. The song also had a nice melody and was also catchy without the energy that you would associate with a catchy song. (8/10)

6. Thank You (고마워) – The usually say the quiet people are the people we need to watch for. It might also apply to songs, which this one is a good example. What we have is a beautiful R&B track to end the mini-album. Per usual, the vocalists sound amazing. The rappers don’t get really get their chance to shine, mainly due to their limited sections. However, Mark manages to deliver a punch during his part. I love the background humming in the song, which seemed to get me swaying along to the music. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 7.8/10

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Eyes On You Teaser Image

[Review] Bibidi Babidi Boo – Honey Popcorn

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It isn’t uncommon to hear of a KPOP consisting of one or two foreign members. However, it is rare to find a group where all the members are from countries other than South Korea. Honey Popcorn is a brand new group who fall into this category. But they aren’t getting attention for that. It is rather that the members are all part of the Japanese Adult Video industry. The reception for the group is mixed amongst the community. The three girls are also former members of Japanese girl groups. But we are here to listen to their song and watch their music video, so let’s do just that.

Once again, we are faced with a similar title of Berry Good’s song from last year. And my comments still stand in regards to the title. It is a mouthful to say. But despite that, the song is actually quite nice to listen to. It isn’t the strongest track out of the bunch but its cutesy sound is bearable. The members have nice vocals as well, not once did they disappoint throughout the song. I like the song’s instrumental in the chorus, which seems to be my most favourite part of the entire track. But while I praise them, the song does feel repetitive. By the end of the song, it does get bland. Repetitive listens in a row won’t do this song justice but rather listening to it once in a while would have the most impact. Furthermore, the song doesn’t just seem to have that energy that would have made the track more exciting and interesting. Rather, it stays monotone. But overall, it is a decent track to listen to.

Given the background of the members, I was honestly expecting something other than a cutesy song. So I wasn’t expecting another cutesy video. And it isn’t that bad. The visuals were nice and it feels like an actual KPOP video. Knowing that they were from Japanese, I was expecting some JPOP flare in the music video but they didn’t seem that prominent. I also love the colours of the sets, which made the video feel brighter. The downside to the video is that is boring on the content-front.

Their dance performance was okay. Fitting for the song but there wasn’t anything that special about it.

Song – 6.5/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 5/10
Overall Rating – 6.4/10

 

[Review] Just Do It – BSS (SEVENTEEN)

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SEVENTEEN is keeping the momentum going for 2018 with another special subunit debut. BSS or Boo-Seok-Soon is made up of three members, and judging by their subunit name, you could guess is it made up of Seungkwan, DK and Hoshi. It is expected that with the three funny characters of SEVENTEEN in one subunit, there must be ‘fun’ written all over this single.

And if you too expected that, then the trio delivers with Just Do It. The song has this fun vibe to it, which makes it enjoyable to listen. Listening to the song, you just can’t help but smile, even if you don’t understand a single word that is coming out of their mouths. It just has that cheerful element that is extremely hard to not notice. Certain moments reminded me of EXO-CBX’s Hey Mama, which also had a similar level of fun to it. The song itself is super duper catchy with my feet just tapping along to it as I listen. The instrumental is rather standard, with pop vibes and electric guitars supplying some details to the song.  DK and Seungkwan, who are in the vocal unit of SEVENTEEN, do put on a display of their vocals and the smoothness that they deliver really suits the song. Interestingly,  Hoshi and Seungkwan share the rapping load in this song. Hoshi was expected but Seungkwan was rather unexpected (but he can definitely rap). Overall, the song was awesome to listen and something I would love to play again and again when I am in a good mood.

We don’t actually have a music video for this song. Instead, we are treated to a live performance (but the audio is studio recorded for the video) of the trio performing on stage at their recent official fan-meeting. I am a tiny bit disappointed because I was expecting a proper music video. So I am going to just review the performance here. I think it was awesome. While it doesn’t have flashy moves or crazy stunts, they manage to get the performance to do its intended job, be fun. Acting like the cool dude on the street that is always combing his hair and the running on the spot aren’t your everyday moves. But it is simple and seems like something that could catch on.

Song – 10/10
Music Video & Performance (because they are together) – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.6/10

 

[Review] Boomerang – Wanna One

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2017’s ‘monster rookie’ has made their first official comeback this year. Boomerang is the title track off their latest mini-album, 0+1=1 (I Promise You). Gearing up for this comeback, Wanna One dropped their pre-release single, I Promise You, two weeks ago.

Boomerang, at this very stage, is a decent track. It isn’t a mindblowing track, mainly because its chorus seems to be a little weak for my tastes. It could have been more captivating by having a more powerful and intense EDM hook (more bass?). The lines that make up the chorus could have been a whole lot better, particularly how they don’t seem to connect with the music whatsoever. While the rappers and vocalists all sounded awesome, each section for each person felt ridiculously short and it just suddenly jumps to the next person. To an extent, the different parts do seem cohesive together but it is borderline at best. The ‘Wing Wing Wing Boomerang‘ (despite how odd it sounds as words) before each chorus were a nice killer part as well. The pre-choruses also had a nice buildup, while the bridge was probably my most favourite part of the entire song. Overall, it is a little underwhelming at this very moment. However, who knows how a few more listens might drastically change these comments!

I am totally liking the black and gold palette that they went for in this video. It looked really cool. On top of that, I liked the individual sets as they too had this cool feeling to them. The camera angles/work went well with the song’s energetic and upbeat style. There wasn’t one moment that looked odd, so it was a really good video to watch. It would have been more interesting to see more of the members dodge the arrows that Daniel was trying to dodge. That alone would have made an awesome video to watch.

The main move at ‘Wing Wing Wing Boomerang‘ was definitely quite cool. The choreography during the chorus could have worked better if they were packed together. On stage, they just all seemed separated. I am sure that the aesthetics of the performance could have improved if that was the case but I guess safety first. Everything else looked good.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.1/10

 

[Review] Angel – Hoya

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Hoya was the only member of Infinite to not resign his contract with Woolim Entertainment when all the contracts for the members were up for renewal. And hence, Hoya left the group in October 2017. Since then, we have seen various videos of him practising and this week he finally dropped his first single as a solo artist, Angel. He will be returning once again with a mini-album on the 28th of March. Until then, here are my thoughts about Angel.

Angel takes on that seductive style of R&B that we don’t see at all on the KPOP scene. Instead, it sounds like a song that you would hear from an underground artist. What makes this song stand out is the seductive nature of the song. From its sound to its lyrics, you can’t really escape the sensual vibes that come from this song. The vocal work isn’t something I have heard from Hoya at all, singing majority of the chorus in a falsetto voice. There were nice moments of contrast with the deep and hollow effect that put on his voice at certain points of the song.  It is a fair track to listen to on an occasional basis. I say that because the song is already quite dry on its own. With multiple repeats, I would get bored of it quite easily. However, with one or two listens once in a while, the song sounds nice.

Like the song, the music video doesn’t have much to it. The music video is presented in a one-shot format, which definitely works well with the performance. The choreography is only the main thing in the entire video. And you guessed it, it is rather sexy. Hoya has always been known for his dance skills and this performance isn’t something we see that often in the past (with the one or two odd solo performance on shows or at concerts). That ending was probably the peak of the entire performance, completely going off the sexy meter. But despite that, this is an artistic piece that shows off his skills. 

Song – 6.5/10
Music Video & Performance (since they are together) – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7/10

[Review] Candyland – UP10TION

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Also making their comeback this week is UP10TION. Candyland is the title track off UP10TION’s first full-length album and this comeback also marks their first comeback as a 10-member boy group, with the return of Wooshin. We last saw them on stage with Going Crazy in October 2017.

For some odd reason, when I listen to Candyland, I can’t help but feel that there is some barrier of some kind between the instrumental and the members. As if the vocals/raps were just laid on top of the instrumental and not incorporated into the song. I don’t think that is a bad thing since you can hear their vocals and rap quite clearly, but it does feel distracting. Talking about the raps and vocals, both elements of the song were quite good, particularly the chorus, which was catchy.  If this song was to be used to prove anything, it would be the solid vocal line and amazing rap line that the group can bring out. The instrumental is your typical KPOP dance piece with a funky vibe added by the trumpets used in the background. But there is something that makes the track feel underwhelming. The song has character (through the instrumental and vocals/raps) but I think it fails to deliver on impact. It just doesn’t blow me away nor does it leave an impression. But overall, it is still another great track from the group.

The music video looks quite cool. It seems to play towards a more seductive side of the group, with the solo shots coming off as that. Content-wise, there doesn’t seem to be much to it. However, I like the lighting and they used that to bolden the colours which the members were wearing. On top of that, I really like how the camera shots followed the dance move. It looked shaky but it made it feel more captivating at the same time.

The choreography for this comeback was amazing. I think it would have to be the best part of the entire comeback. The chorus, in particular, was quite cool to watch. It was intense and it went well with both the song and music video concept.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.7/10

 

 

 

[Review] Touch – NCT 127

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NCT is officially back! In the past few weeks, the 18-member male group have been releasing different singles, each focusing on one of their subunits. NCT U released Baby Don’t Stop and Boss, while NCT Dream yelled ‘Go‘ last week. This week, they mark the release of their first full-length album as an 18-member group with the release of NCT 127’s Touch.

Touch is a departure on many levels from NCT 127’s past tracks. This time around they went with a pleasant sounding and fresh appeal with their new song. Right off the bat, the song reminds me of a Summer track, with its bright atmosphere and vibrancy. Its sound is not heavy or rough, which is something I have associated with NCT 127. It is a nice track to listen to as a whole. The main focus seems to be on the vocals with the raps taking up a very small part of the track, which was another surprise. The song’s hook was amazing and definitely made the song worthwhile to listen to. For some reason, singing together during the chorus was just perfect and made the chorus my favourite part of the song. While the instrumental made the song into what it is, it could have been more striking. Instead, it did seem a little generic when I thought about it on its own. But besides that, it is a great song.

When you look at this video, you just can’t help but ask yourself: did someone swap NCT Dream and NCT 127’s concept? It is a different side to the group that we have yet seen. It takes you back a few years when KPOP wouldn’t be KPOP if a group didn’t drastically change their concept for just one comeback. Like the song, the video is also quite fresh and vibrant. I really like the use of colours and the overall aesthetics of this video make it pleasing to watch.

The song doesn’t strike me as smooth or flowy but those are the words that I would choose to describe the performance. I think that is only one half of the performance which I liked. The other half would be the happy expressions on their faces which was quite captivating for some odd reason. It was very nice. However, it just isn’t enough to top their previous dances.

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

[Review] Look – GOT7

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“Look” at who is back. GOT7 has made their comeback with their latest song, Look, which is the title track off their Eyes On You mini-album. This is GOT7’s first comeback since You Are in October last year. In preparation for this comeback, GOT7 released a pre-release single (One & Only You) last week, which featured Hyolyn (former member of Sistar).

Once again, GOT7 does a pretty good job with their latest song. At least, in my opinion. There are a few things that stand out when I listen to the track. Firstly, it is a vocally centred song, like You Are. And I really like that because we get to hear the vocalists bring out their talents. On top of that, the rappers also do an amazing job with their limited parts. Sure, I would have liked to hear a little more rapping because a rap (in this song especially) can input some hype into the song. Moving to the next highlight of the track, we have to talk about the chorus. That burst of energy when the chorus starts and the intense upbeat instrumental does wonders for the song. That drop, each time, is my most favourite part of the entire song. The chorus was quite catchy, mainly due to the instrumentation. At this moment in time, I am on the fence when it comes to the post-chorus, which seems to incorporate some hip-hop into the song. It sounds better each time I listen to it, mainly the first time around, it felt a little too unexpecting. Despite that, however, Look is definitely one to Look out for.

There were many shots throughout the video where the GOT7 members looked into the camera in a very intense way. Reading the lyrics at the bottom, it coincidently was the line ‘Keep your eyes on me’. I am not personally sure what the video is about but I have a feeling that they were the main focus despite the changing backgrounds in Youngjae’s solo shots or the sunset in JB’s parts. It did make for a cool looking video, particularly the background during the second chorus with the blue lights in the background.

Their accompanying dance moves to this song is amazing. I particularly like the footwork and hand motions during the chorus, which both incorporated intensity and smoothness at the same time. I am also looking forward to the bridge’s choreography with Jinyoung and Yugyeom. From what I can see in the video, it looks like another standout moment.

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

[Review] The Blue Bird – APRIL

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APRIL is back with their newest track, The Blue Bird. The Blue Bird is the title track off their 5th mini album, which is titled as The Blue. This also marks their Take My Hand comeback since September 2017, the final of three 2017 comebacks (the others include April Story and Mayday).  Jinsol and Naeun also formed a special subunit for a track in February (which I somehow completely missed).

The Blue Bird reminds of the April Story, in the sense, it (predominately) features an orchestral style instrumental. This return does bring them back to that mature sound which I liked with the earlier track. And while they did bring that back, they did manage to keep it from becoming too similar. The drums that featured in this song seemed to be a lot bolder and more defined, giving the song some energy and a more upbeat vibe. The bridge was also quite fresh, which removed the classical influence and moved into a more pop-based sound. It didn’t last long but it gave the song some relief from becoming too repetitive. Vocally, all the members sounded good. It isn’t impressive but their vocals pair well with this style. My favourite line is just before the choruses and the final line in the song, ‘I have something to say.’ I thought the way it sounded was just beautiful and was my highlight of the entire track.

I liked how the video wasn’t oversaturated in blue. And I am glad because it would have made it a little overwhelming to watch. Instead, the blue colour was featured as small details such as the teddy bear, the blue sky, the flower petals on the floor. Their blue dresses were bold yet it worked well with the rest of the video in the background. On top of that, I really liked where they set the video. It gave off a classy vibe and made everything feel graceful and warm. Overall, it was a nice video to watch, pairing well with the song.

I unfortunately don’t think there is enough choreography in the video to write anything about it. Though I will be honest and what I can see is rather plain. I will return once a live performance is released (PS. there are a few from last week which I will be updating tomorrow).

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8/10 
Performance – 6/10
Overall Rating – 7.5/10

[Double Review] Do You Have A Moment & Dinner – Suho (EXO) & Jang Jane

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At the start of the week, it was announced that Suho (leader of EXO) and Jang Jane (vocalist from MYSTIC89) were going to collaborate for two new singles. The first is Do You Have A Moment, which was released on Friday by MYSTIC89. The second is Dinner, which was released just a few hours ago (on Saturday) as part of the SM Station Season 2 lineup. Both songs are said to be in regards to a relationship, where each song was written at various points of a relationship.

Do You Have A Moment can be described as a pop ballad. It has a soft piano based instrumental which does seem a little ordinary for my taste. It could have used other instruments to keep the song a little more interesting towards the end and given the song some freshness. The start felt like it could have developed into that typical ballad song but once we reach the first chorus, the song features a cheerful sound, setting the tone for the rest of the track. The vocals here are really nice, with both singing complimenting each other.

Dinner has a more serious and seductive tone to it, which I actually like. Like in the previous song, their vocals are the strong point of this song.  Their solo sections were on point. When they sing together (such as the chorus), they change up the dominance between two depending on who’s part of the song it is. The instrumental is the complete opposite of the previous track, going for synth-based and pairing with the slight autotune which I think I can hear. The main part of the song which has me second-guessing is the bridge. I think they were singing ‘Love Love Love’ but it came out to be more like ‘LOL LOL LOL’. But besides that, it was a really good song to listen to.

Do You Have A Moment’s music video reflect the lyrics in a very literal sense. Essentially, the lyrics of the song are about making the first move towards the person that catches your eye. The video is done is a cafe like setting, where both singers don’t really face each other, clearly acting out the lyrics. It literally ends with both singers finally facing each other, already clearing the first (and the most daunting) step of all.

The music video for Dinner also goes well with the lyrics of the song. Judging from the video, the two are experiencing a breakdown in their relationship, illustrated by the lack of chemistry they share when at the table together or when one of them is completely absent. I like how they started off with the final scene (the clock) from the previous video and used the same set to show the difference between the two stories. I also liked the lighting and the extra sets that were used.

Do You Have A Moment 
Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8/10

Dinner
Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.7/10

 

[Review] She’s Gone – Jung Ilhoon (BTOB)

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Jung Ilhoon, the main rapper from boy group BTOB, has featured in many tracks of other soloists and groups. On top of that, he has also developed as a producer over the years. Now, he has made his official solo debut with She’s Gone. It is the main title track featured on his debut mini-album, titled as Big Wave.

Let me start off by saying that this is an excellent song. What makes She’s Gone so good, for me at least, is that the song grows as it progresses. Rather than having a slight buildup, the entire song is built up with various sounds and textures as it plays, which makes it a very interesting track. Not only that but it gives the song some character, making it a song to check out. The song is heavily centred around the hip-hop genre, which was expected. Starting off the song, however, is a guitar riff that reminds me of country music. It then progresses into something similar to rock, all the while keeping true to the hip-hop sound.  Ilhoon both sings and raps in this song. The rapper Ilhoon has been seen multiple times before but his raspy vocals (which we don’t see often) make this track even better. The choruses are amazing drawing my attention to the song. In particular, the accumulation of all that energy in the song is presented in an explosive manner during the final chorus, which makes listening to this song worthwhile.

The entire music video is quite fast-paced, which matches the tempo of the song. Everything in the video was filled with angst and had an edgy vibe to it, which makes sense. The song is about the feeling you would get after seeing an ex-lover whom you did not part ways on a good note. So all that feeling was portrayed well in the music video. It is a good video which pairs well with the song on so many levels.

I feel like the dancing in the music video was more suitable for the live performance. Mainly because the choreography we do see on stage is relatively slow and not that energy packed like the song. That being said, I can’t help think the slowness in the dance seems to contrast nicely with the song and I was quite satisfied when I watched the performances.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 8.9/10

 

[Review] Star Wind Flower Sun – Mamamoo

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A few days ago, Mamamoo made their comeback with Starry Night. The day before their comeback, Mamamoo dropped a surprise music video for another song on their mini-album. Star Wind Flower Sun is the second track on their latest release. The combination of song and music video allows me to write a review, which is why we are here today.

Mamamoo has made a very big name in the industry for their vocals. Through their many appearances on variety TV shows and music comebacks, they have confirmed this time and time again. Star Wind Flower Sun is just another piece of evidence to add to that list. The ballad showcases the group’s vocals and this includes everyone (even though I will be talking about one particular member only). We see more of Moonbyul singing than ever before and her voice is just amazing. I also love her rap-singing during the second verse, where it literally was more singing than rapping. The harmonies in this track are also remarkable, which gives it another likeable aspect. I also liked the instrumental. Simple, yet really melodic with the piano and percussion combination. It is the type of ballad that gets you swaying along, which if you know me, I am a very big fan of this.

Also shot in New Zealand, the accompanying music video focuses more on Mamamoo rather than the scenery. It’s marketed towards the MooMoos that have been supporting and following Mamamoo. And it is a nice video to watch with the song. You see the girls have fun while on their trip. It is a more down to Earth type video, completely different from their other music video.

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

[Review] Gone Cold – MXM

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Just a few weeks after making their comeback with Diamond Girl, MXM has returned with a new single, titled as Gone Cold. It is the title track off their special single album, Rematch. This single album serves as a dedication to fans ahead of their upcoming official fan meeting.

Gone Cold is a complete turn around from their Diamond Girl song, which was just literally a few weeks ago. Taking on a more mature and emotional tone, the duo attempts the R&B style of music. And they do a decent job with it. The vocals were nice and the rapping was excellent. I like it when they sing together with that vocalist style, layered on top of the rapper’s deep and husky voice. It isn’t the most impressive song from the duo, mainly due to the fact that lacks a strong enough hook to make it a memorable song. Instead, it just stays very neutral and feels like your standard R&B track. The instrumental was okay but it felt very dry and boring for the most part. While there were some things I liked about the song, the dryness of the song does outweigh its positives. For that, it isn’t a song that I necessarily would go search for but wouldn’t mind it popping up on playlist every now and then.

Watching this video made me realize how youthful they look. I just haven’t noticed this aspect of them until now. It is also ironic how I didn’t notice that they were youthful in their energetic and brighter concepts but rather their mature one. Moving away from that, I found the video to be bland as well. I think I attribute this to the song, however, because I would say differently if the song was a really nice sounding ballad. Despite that, I did like the various camera angles and the fading in and out of the black and white filtering throughout the video.

Song – 5/10
Music Video – 5/10
Overall Rating – 5/10 

[Review] Starry Night – Mamamoo

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Two months ago, Mamamoo released their single, Paint Me, promising great things to happen in 2018. Upholding their promise is the release of their latest mini-album, which is titled as Yellow Flower. The title track of this mini-album is Starry Night. Unexpectedly, the group also released a music video for another track on the album just before coming back with Starry Night and that will be reviewed at a later date.

Starry Night starts off with some guitar instrumentation which reminds me of Chanyeol & Punch’s highly successful OST track, Stay With Me. In both songs, this introduction really gives the song an intriguing factor, which makes me want to listen to more of it. Compared to their previous songs, it doesn’t really have that wow factor when it comes to their vocals. Instead, they have toned their powerhouse vocals down quite a bit, giving off a more sensual vibe to the song. And in place of their powerhouse vocals, the group went with a lot of texture in their voices (which is still worthwhile to listen to). I love Moonbyul’s raps in this song, which felt so fitting for the song. The main downfall to the track is its lack of energy. Mamamoo’s vocals don’t really push the song along and the instrumentation, despite it being nice and chill, doesn’t really have that momentum as well. There were moments (such as the constant thumping) that did give the song that epic vibe. But it just doesn’t last long enough to leave an impression on you. As a result, this would also have a flow-on effect on the memorability of the song as well.

From what I have read, the music video was shot in New Zealand, with some of the scenery recognisable in some other music videos. Once again, the sceneries are breathtaking and definitely an amazing sight. The cinematography is also quite good. But besides that, there really isn’t that much to the video. In addition, however, there was another track that did feature at the end for a few more beautiful shots and the credits of the video.

From what I can see, the choreography looks nice and seems to fit the song quite nicely. It fits the slowness of the track but there were some moves that were impactful in its own way (such as the 3:22 – 3:24 dance move). I also liked the flowy feel of the dance.

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

 

[Review] I Promise You – Wanna One

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Wanna One, the hottest rookie of 2017, has returned with their first comeback for 2018. I Promise You (or I.P.U) is a special theme track for Wanna One’s fans and it also serves as a pre-release for the upcoming mini-album release expected to be released later this month.

Wanna One starts off 2018 with another great song, which joins the ranks of their previous title tracks. I.P.U is a really good song. It has the feel of your standard yet modern KPOP song but in a few ways, it is quite fresh. I really liked how the song started. The vocal and then quick buildup with the raps was really nice. You have the impression that the beat would drop but this wasn’t the case. Instead, we are thrown back into some more vocals, delaying the drop and definitely leaving you at the edge of the seats. This wasn’t repeated before any other chorus in the song, opting to just throw us right back into the chorus. Vocally, Wanna One is really good. But I think the winners of this particular song are the rappers, who definitely did an amazing job just before every other chorus and that buildup section at the start. Once the beat does drop, you are thrown into an addictive chorus. Interestingly, the first chorus is simply just the instrumental, while the second and third ones had vocals as well. I think the way the producers of this track changed it up was rather simple, yet it worked wonderfully.

The music video was fantastic. I love the spinning scenes at the start. Yeah, we have seen it before but it looks like really good cinematography in this video. I also liked their montages during the chorus, where things get a little chaotic with the streamers and confetti. Sure, it is a rather simple idea (and has been seen before). But Wanna One makes it look fun and I literally stopped a few times to see what each member was doing.

The performance, from what I can see in the video, looks rather nice. It just doesn’t have anything topping their previous choreographies, which is okay. I think they reserved that aspect for their main title track. I did like the moves during Daniel’s vocals parts during the second verse but I didn’t see anything else to jump out at me. I may return once there has been a full performance uploaded.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 6/10
Overall Rating – 8.4/10