Category: Reviews

[Double Review] Love & Live + Sonatine – LOOΠΔ 1/3

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I am back with the second LOOΠΔ subunit double review. Technically, this is the first subunit unveiled, back in March and is made up of 4 members (HaSeul, ViVi, Heejin and Hyunjin. Their first song, Love & Live was released on 13th of March, while Sonatine was released as their repackaged single on the 27th of April.

Love & Live

While I want to say nice things about the song, I find is incredibly hard. The song was quite boring overall. I wish it was a little more poppy (despite the nice bubblegum pop vibes), which would make it more memorable and catchy. The song does seem to pick up around the chorus, it just isn’t enough to give the song some character.

But I did like the music video Love & Live. It is about a cyborg or humanoid designed to win races. But clearly, since she is a robot, there are many things that makes her envious of her team mates. The video depicts the cyborg as a perfect being but in reality she is bound to a battery pack. Clearly, at the end, she attempts to break away from the battery pack in an attempt to fit in. The concept was interesting and the background shots were nice (for the choreography scenes).

The accompanying choreography looked graceful. It just didn’t hit that memorable mark. I did, like however, the incorporation of the starting position of a track race.

Song – 5/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 6/10
Overall Rating – 6.5/10

Sonatine

The orchestral instrumental that basically stands out from the crowd is a great backbone for the track. It gives the song that really nice touch and makes it sound so unique. There was a nice Latin flare mid-way through the song. The vocals worked well with the song but they felt constricted somewhat due to the instrumentation. There really isn’t a catchy moment to look out for but I like this song far better than the previous.

The contrast between the colours in the previous video and the darkness in this video was quite nice. The difference between day and night made this entire debut a little more interesting, especially since the backgrounds for the choreography shots for this video were similar. The camera angles and different shots throughout the video looked cool.

Once again, the choreography was graceful like the music. It goes well with the song but it just doesn’t have that memorable factor (once again).

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

[Review] Glass Shoes – Fromis_9

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Fromis_9 isn’t technically a debut but rather a pre-debut single. The 9 member group was formed from the Idol School program, which I didn’t follow at all. However, I did happen to watch their performance at the MAMA in Japan this year and that was definitely a good way of getting exposure for the new group. Naturally, I checked out their song the next day (its actual release date) and that is where we find ourselves.

Hearing for the first time, it was an unexpectedly catchy track. And I was thoroughly impressed with the execution of the song. It was quite colourful, something you don’t get much around this time of the year. The ‘Bingeul Bingeul Bingeul Toc Toc‘ repetition at the start and throughout the song was extremely addictive and catchy. It sounds like your standard pop song overall. But there were some moments throughout the song that made it unique, such as the repetition already mentioned. The song itself felt like it was heavily influenced by the usual JPOP (Japan Pop) sounds. The instrumentation was quite nice, especially the electric guitar. The vocals and raps didn’t seem to be that impressive but the rest of the song made up for it.

The comments regarding the Japanese pop influence can also be said regarding the music video. The widespan shots and the school uniform that the girls wore in the video reminded me of some of the Japanese music videos I have watched previously. It was a nice music video to watch overall. They nailed the cute concept without going overboard. The pastel colours were nice and the golden brown colour light in some of the shots reflected well with the Autumn season.

The choreography was indeed nice but it just didn’t have that memorable factor that I always want to see. Their vocals performance at the MAMA awards were pretty good.

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

[Review] Lip & Hip – Hyuna

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Hyuna is back with her latest comeback, Lip & Hip. This is her second solo comeback this year, with the first being Babe, released back in August. Overall, it is her third comeback of the year due to her promotions as part of Triple H. While her newest track was released today, she made their comeback performance at the MelOn Music Awards (MMA), which occurred on Saturday.

I was quite happy with the outcome of Babe when it was released and it seems like Lip & Hip just shows how Hyuna is on a roll. I thoroughly enjoyed the track when I first heard in at the MMA. The track felt like it was quite in your face, which goes well with her overall concept. I usually do have something negative to say regarding her raps or vocals. But I felt like she did a really good job with the song. I love the pre-chorus of the song, the build-up providing the perfect level of suspense. The track itself is quite catchy, with the post-chorus ringing inside your head. The only part that I am having second thoughts is the bridge of the song. It gives off an exotic feel, which I can see fitting the rest of the song, but it just cuts the flow of the highly energetic song. However, great song.

A part of me feels thoroughly confused how this particular music video managed to only get a 15+ rating. Knowing how strict the system is in South Korea (through the amount of unnecessary bans that has been slapped onto some of the more subtle videos), I thought some scenes in this video (i.e. Hyuna putting her skirt on, Hyuna pulling her shirt down to reveal her cleavage) would earn the notorious 19+ rating. But I must say, it didn’t feel excessive one bit, despite it looking like it is her most extreme video yet. It also seems to send a message to everyone to be confident with how they look. I got that from some of the scenes (such as the ones already mentioned + the scene where she rips off her braces).

The performance was quite good. The choreography was something that you would expect from Hyuna and only Hyuna.

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

[Review] Gang – Rain

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Rain is back with his first comeback in almost 3 years. His last comeback was in January of this year (The Best Present). Since then, he did get married to Kim Tae Hee and he is also now a father. More recently, he is also mentoring on The Unit, which is aimed at giving potential idols a second chance at the industry.

Gang is his title track for this comeback and I will be honest, I wasn’t impressed the first time around. The song is quite good, inserting an even modern influence into the music, compared to his last few comebacks. The EDM elements that make the rap verses and ‘Hundred Dollar Bills’ do hype the song and make it ‘lit’. But the slow down is the part that holds me back from saying it is a fantastic track. It just doesn’t fit, in my opinion. It cuts the flow of the song and just doesn’t sit well with me. But that was last night. Listening to it again, it doesn’t seem to be that bad. It does still catch me off guard but it seems to somewhat flow better than what I initially thought. Rain handles everything quite well, from his vocals and the raps. Overall, it is a good song to check out.

The music video is quite cool. I love high-quality videos and this video falls neatly into that category. I like how the music video highlighted certain words int he song by displaying it across the screen. I thought some of his fashion choices were really cool, while others were quite creepy. The massive sunglasses were cool. The jewelled head covering the end was the example of creepy.

Rain is known for this choreography and I thought this one was quite nice. It was sensual at some parts but equally as tough in others. His dance break that featured at the end of the music video was quite cool.

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

[Review] Thirsty (Off Sick Concert Version) – Taemin (SHINee)

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This is my third and final pick for the SM Station releases that I missed in the past few weeks. Taemin returned with his second full-length album and the title track, Move, in October. Thirsty featured on the album but the concert version for the song was released under SM Station a couple of weeks ago.

For the most part, both versions were quite similar. The major difference that I could hear was the addition of some trap elements to certain parts of the song. Without the trap elements, the original was quite sensual in its delivery and sound. Even the lyrics were quite suggestive (but not as bad as other songs). With the trap elements, there is an additional intensity that makes the track more interesting. It also felt fitting for the track, overall. There is also an added dance break that didn’t appear in the song but the stage version which he promoted, which sounded awesome. I liked how he kept the original instrumental in the song and how the new synths went well with the piano sound in the original track. His vocals are also a must to talk about. When I said there was a sensual vibe, his husky vocals are partly to blame, going well with the piano or trap elements for both versions. I just felt the song was a little too linear. The dance break did help fight that but I don’t think it helped that much.

Usually, SM Station music videos aren’t given the same level of attention compared to other music videos produced by SM. More simplistic approaches are employed (as like the previous 3 reviews I have done). And while SM Station has had their fair share of actual high-quality music videos, this could easily be passed off as an actual main music video for his second album. The way it was shot and the sets seemed well chosen for the song. It focuses on his dancing and doesn’t go overboard in any unnecessary manner. Overall, a great video to watch.

His choreography doesn’t really wow me this time around. It just didn’t feel memorable or as impressive as his previous choreographies (Move, for example).

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

[Review] Doll – Kangta, Seulgi & Wendy

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This is the second track that I have picked to do a review for. As mentioned yesterday, I am taking some time to catch up on the SM Station releases which I have missed out on in the past few weeks. Today’s pick is Kangta, Seulgi and Wendy’s collaboration, Doll, which is actually a remake of another track of the same name.

For those who don’t know, Doll was previously released in 2001 by Hyseung (from Shinhwa) and Lee Ji Hoon. Interestingly enough, Kangta actually wrote the lyrics to the track as well. The 2017 version is performed by Kangta, Seulgi and Wendy, who all bring their vocals to the table for this song. I searched for the original track on YouTube and it seems like they used the same instrumental. But I felt the original was empty (but I don’t mean that in a bad way). That may be due to the original singers’ similar vocals, while the 2017 version had variations with the male and female combination.  And I like that a lot because it feels like the track has a lot more going through it. I will admit the song was a little dry, in my opinion, at the start. But once the song climaxed and each vocalist was belting their vocals out, everything seemed to click into place. Obviously, for the song to work, there has to be amazing vocals in the ballad and the trio delivered with that making it an amazing song to listen to.

The music video accompanying the release of the track is a recording of the live performance that Kangta, Seulgi and Wendy gave at the SMTOWN Live concerts. I don’t have much else to say regarding the video. Mainly because they can’t shoot a full music video at a concert.

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

[Review] Bye Babe – Chen (EXO) & 10CM

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Every time I have paused to do an SM Station review (which I haven’t done in the past few weeks), it always ends up being a ballad. In the coming days, due to the lack of comebacks this week, I will be catching up on some of the SM Station releases I have missed in the last 3 months or so I have not looked at the tracks (one of them is a dance track – take a guess which one). Today, I am starting off with Chen’s collaboration with 10CM, Bye Babe.

Bye Babe is not a ballad, which caught me off guard the first time I saw it. Instead, it is an extremely funky guitar dominating song that feels bright and vibrant. It does fall towards the indie side, which 10CM is known for. It has me tapping along and that brightness just makes you smile. The highlight of the song for me is actually that crunching effect that the guitar produces to open up the chorus. Very ear-catching and unique (for me at least). Another standout for this track is the obvious vocals. Chen’s vocals felt just right for the song. It complemented well with 10CM’s vocals and the harmonies that the two produced makes the song so much more enjoyable. If you can’t tell by my comments, I pretty much enjoyed the song. Great collaboration.

The music video states that it is the ‘live version’. So my guess is that the entire song and instrumentation was recorded in the video? That is quite cool. Overall, I thought it was a good video despite it only showing the two artists singing, while the other people in the background are playing the instruments. The layout and the setting were quite awesome. The warm colour filter worked well with the song.

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.5/10

 

[Review] Love Is Gone – MAP6

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MAP6 has made their return with a brand new single, Love Is Gone. Their previous comeback was in May with I’m Ready as the main title track. For those who may not be familiar with the group, they come from Dream Tea Entertainment, which also houses Girl’s Day.

MAP6’s return was a little unexpected because I didn’t hear anything in the lead up to the song’s release on Sunday. So it was even more unexpected to hear such a good song from the group. The song, overall, felt similar to songs that Infinite would promote back in the day. The rock elements in the instrumental felt extremely nostalgic. I feel like the song could have done better if those same rock elements were bumped up a notch in terms of volume, which would have played better with the flawless vocals and raps. It would have made the song bullet-proof when it comes to intensity. Instead, the song does dwindle in terms of energy. As mentioned, I thought the vocals and raps were on point. Not once did it feel lacking or empty. That part just before the chorus was my most favourite part of the entire track because it sounded so cool and intriguing. Overall, I think this may just inch into the top as their best song yet.

Matching the rock sounds in the song, they went with an industrial type of concept, which I thought was really cool. They could have done a lot more but what they had done is pretty much sufficient. The grey filter worked perfectly and the setting was awesome. It was mostly choreography shots, with a few ‘close-ups’ of the members, which I thought were nice. It was towards the boring side of the spectrum, but the video felt fitting for the song.

Dance-wise, I thought they did a good job with this performance. I love the consecutive moves at the start when there is that drum ‘solo moment’ at the start (see gif below). Besides that, it just didn’t seem that memorable.

map6loveisgonedancegif

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 6/10
Overall Rating – 8/10

 

 

[Review] Want You To Say – PLAYBACK

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It has been a while since we last saw PLAYBACK with a new song. I remember only of the song that shared the same name as their group (which I remember doing a review for but apparently I never did). They released another single according to their Wikipedia page, but they went unheard of at my end. And that was all 2015. Until the release of Want You To Say, they practically were hidden from the scene. Now, they are also participating in MIXNINE.

Though it was intended to be a Summer song, the track does manage to stay on the replay list. Not as much as you hoped but I listen to the track a few times each week since its release. There is an addictive nature to this track and it somehow manages to stay fresh. That freshness cannot be attributed to the now standard tropical instrumental but rather their amazing vocals. Their vocals just felt perfect for the song. Not once did they go too high or too low but instead, kept a nice balance. Actually, on that note, the instrumental didn’t go overboard and also balanced well with the vocals. They could have a used a catchier hook to make the song even more memorable. But besides that, the track was awesome.

I wish I could say the same thing about the music video. But instead, it falls behind due to its lack of content. Minus scenes of the girls just hanging out with each other, the video consist of choreography scenes. I mean it could have had more scenes that felt appropriate, such as something beachy or some sun. It might have been cliche but it could have enhanced the video to be something a little more fun and vibrant.

The choreography isn’t that memorable but it felt fitting for the song.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.5/10

 

[Review] Runaway – Pentagon

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Making their 3rd comeback for this year is Pentagon with Runaway. It follows the release of Critical Beauty and Like This, which has become one of my favourite tracks of this year.  This comeback is a continuation of their previous Demo comeback and the album is titled Demo_02.

Following that serious tone (which I am digging) that featured in Like This, Runaway is a great continuation of it. But what I like more is the fact that the song manages to flow a lot better, despite having a chorus that completely shakes things up. And I don’t say that in a bad way. The structure of the song was arranged nicely. The raps came in just the right time. The vocals in the verses eased to and from the rap quite nicely as well. The buildup to the choruses was superb. That chorus was a little unexpected (I didn’t listen to any previous teasers) but I really enjoyed the intensity and energy that came from the chorus and drop. But despite that, the chorus works well with the song and hence I say it flows well. Regarding the ‘Runaway‘ repetition in the chorus, it is decent but it feels overdone. I would have prefered something that has a little more substance like the Like This chorus, but I know how difficult given the style of electronic music they had gone with in this song.

I had to take a moment to rewatch the previous music video to work how they connect. And I am as clueless as when I started writing this review. From what I can gather, it seems that whatever problems they were experiencing in the Like This music video, they seem to have banded together to help solve or escape from them. The cinematography was amazing in the video. But overall, I thought the video was a little dry and boring to watch.

Whatever the intensity level the song brings to the table, the performance equally showcases through the movements. But other than that, it just didn’t strike me as one to remember.

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

[Album Review] Play (9th Studio Album) – Super Junior

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Super Junior made their long-awaited comeback with Play on the 6th of November this year, making it their first comeback in two years. I know I am a little late with my album review, especially since they are nearing the end of their promotional period. However, as they say, ‘better late than never’. Play is their 9th studio album, which marks 12 years in the business as well.

superjuniorplay-2
Play Album Cover

1..Black Suit (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Black Suit. (9/10)

2. Scene Stealer – I think we all felt major Bruno Mars vibes from this song. To me, it is the weakest song out of the entire album. It fits into Super Junior’s usual spectrum of songs but the use of some of the synths, especially at the start of the song, felt quite foreign and odd. I just wasn’t drawn to much in the song, especially since it was between an amazing title track and a great pre-release. (5/10)

3. One More Chance (비처럼 가지 마요) (Pre-Release Track) – Click here to read the full review for One More Chance. (10/10)

4. Good Day For A Good Day – I love the upbeat nature of the song. It has that happy virus type of feel that automatically makes your day even better. The entire time I thought the song was quite pleasant and this reflected well through the vocals and raps of the song. The second part of the choruses where they all sing together was exceptionally catchy and probably my highlight of the track. (9/10)

5. Runaway – Following the happy vibes is Runaway which is my pick for best song on the entire album. The song is super addictive and full of energy. I love the instrumental of the song, which drew my attention from the very start. It feels like a song that their old subunit. Super Junior Happy, would have put out. But Super Junior themselves does a spectacular job with the song nonetheless. (10/10)

6. The Lucky Ones – The Lucky Ones stands out for its nice harmonies during the chorus. Besides that, there wasn’t much else to the song, which is a disappointment. The verses felt plain and bland in comparison to the chorus. But overall, it was still decent to listen to. (6/10)

7. Girlfriend (예뻐 보여) – Girlfriend is one of two tracks that also feature Kyuhyun who is currently serving in the Korean military. It is another track that is easily forgettable. There was a sleek feel to the song but it just didn’t build-up to any peak. The rap section and bridge provided some relief by allowing the song to change up a bit but I don’t think it was enough to make the song brilliant. (6/10)

8. Spin Up! – The track returns the album to more of that grooviness that I enjoyed so far. And while the song was decent, I wanted to go that extra length and become the next funky hit. If there was a little more energy and more boldness, I am sure this track would have been hard to miss. (7/10)

9. Too Late (시간 차) – Too Late is the other song to feature Kyuhyun. I like the subtle build-up to the chorus and the drop into the chorus. The consistent thumping in the instrumental gives me an excuse to tap my feet throughout the song. Not a major fan of the bridge but everything else was quite nice. (7/10)

10. I Do (두 번째 고백) – I Do has a very nice melody and feels like a nice love confession song to listen to. It is that Summer ballad that can be either good or bad. This one lands on the good side. It is not the ending you expect the album to have, mainly because it feels like there should have been another song leading right off this one. But it was a still a nice ending. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 7.5/10

superjuniorplay-3
Play Teaser Image

[Review] You In Me – KARD

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KARD has officially returned with their first comeback!!! Though, it feels like their 4th one. They previously made their debut with Hola Hola but hyped fans up with 3 pre-debut singles. Now, they are back with You In Me, which is the title for both their lead track and mini-album.

To me, You In Me keeps to the typical KARD sound that we have been hearing in their many past releases. But it also feels different. It takes on the tropical house sound, but You In Me showcases a more mature and powerful sound. The main difference is the intensity that features heavily throughout You In Me. We are literally thrown into J.Seph’s rap sequence, which completely caught me off guard. I thought the chorus was pretty cool, especially how they changed it up with the more dramatic sounds the second time we heard the chorus, giving us some more variety in the song. The thumping during the chorus just kept my tapping my foot the entire time. Somin and Jiwoo’s vocal work in the song is spectacular, usually during the verses. I just felt that BM’s part could have been a little more intense and powerful. It was good but compared to the rest of the song, it was quite lacking. Overall, the track does not disappoint and it might become my best personal favourite KARD song to date.

It seems like KPOP missed Halloween this year. But I am not complaining. The concept of this video is amazing. They are staying at the APEGO motel, which is Spanish for ‘attachment’. And it was quite clear that the girls in the video have some very serious attachment issues. Essentially, the video opens up as they are spending some time as with their respective lovers. But the video takes a dramatic turn when it is revealed that the male members had been dead for some time (my assumption is that the girls killed them) and that the girls stayed with the bodies. You can see J.Seph dead at the dinner table, while Somin is shaving a dead BM in the bathtub. I also liked how the sounds for that exact moment where it turns creepy are included in the song, which gave it the most ideal way to move the story along. I thought the idea was excellent the video turned out amazing.

The choreography was amazing. Once again, they have that key dance choreography that they released ahead of their comeback. It looked quite cool but I felt that all the other moves around the ‘key dance’ were much more epic and better. I also liked their formations and how they got into their formations.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.5/10

 

[Review] Peek-A-Boo – Red Velvet

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I think if you were to consider the amount of work Red Velvet has done, 2017 has been their year. Two successful comebacks (Rookie and Red Flavour) and 2 SM Station tracks (Would U & Rebirth). Throw in their first solo concert, the group has been extremely busy. Peek-A-Boo is their third comeback of the year which is also the title track for their 2nd full-length album, Perfect Velvet.

First listen in and I am already bouncing around. The track itself is quite addictive and appealing from the very start. It starts off with that tropical sound that we hear so often but rather turning into something pretty much done in the music industry so far, the group seems to divert the track into a dance-pop track. The track is quite bright and vibrant, in terms of its sound. That isn’t something you see often in this season, which usually focuses more on maturity and emotions. Instead, it gives the track that extra pop and makes it stand out in the crowd. Vocally, it doesn’t kick off until the end, when they start layering their vocals on top of each other. But their vocals at the start were still quite good. I also thought Yeri’s rap was perfect for this song, coming at the right time. Overall, Peek-A-Book is one damn good track to listen to.

And while they went with a bright and vibrant sound, the music is nothing like that. Instead, they play with the Peek-A-Boo and probably will give some pizza delivery people some nightmares. Red Velvet during the day interview and listen to what fruits have to say about their lives. At night though, they turn dark and collect pizza delivery persons. There is a little side-order of a ritual offering of the pizza delivery person they manage to kidnap. There is probably some meaning to the video but I thought it was quite cool just the visual concept alone. I also liked their smiles in the choreography scenes, which offsets the cold stares we see for the rest of the video. And stay away from Irene when she is holding razor blades. That gave me chills.

Such a great choreography to go with the song. I love the eye hole they make when slow Peek-A-Boo comes into play and how the more upbeat part of Peak-A-Boo goes.

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

 

[Review] Candy – Samuel

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Samuel is back with his first full-length album, Eye Candy and the title track, Candy. Samuel is a newly debut soloist who made his debut a few months back with Sixteen. With his debut receiving a lot of attention due to his Produce 101 days, his return has been highly anticipated by many fans.

And I am hugely disappointed with the song. It has a nice sound that would have fit perfectly into 90s music. And for that, the song can be described as upbeat. But for the most part, the song could easily be forgotten for its lack of memorable moments. It doesn’t have strong hooks nor does it have that catchy nature that could have made it addictive. It stays relatively neutral and standard. His vocals are okay but they seemed to be less audible when paired with the upbeat instrumental, which appeared to become a little too overpowering overall. If we were to compare his debut track with this one, Sixteen comes out as a more superior track because it had lines that were catchy and there was a stronger sense of appeal within the song. So to summarise, I am not a fan of the song.

Like the song, the music video falls victim to the ‘standard’ content. There really isn’t much to mention regarding the videos. The sets were great their clothing matched the era that the song is trying to take on (oh, baggy sweatpants). Samuel does look good in the video, I will admit. The video does its best at painting a cool picture of the solo artist. Not sure how some people will react to motorcycle scene, though I hope they won’t misunderstand. It seems to be there for comedic effect.

It is a good performance. Just the song felt more upbeat and his performance didn’t seem to be channelling the same level of energy. It may be due to his selection of singing live over the choreography but the backup dancers seemed to lack the energy as well.

Song – 4/10
Music Video – 5/10
Performance – 6/10
Overall Rating – 4.5/10

 

[Double Review] Girl Front + Sweet Crazy Love – Odd Eye Circle (LOOΠΔ)

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I have decided to scrap my initial plans to compile all the LOOΠΔ releases into a couple of reviews. Instead, I will be doing the unit reviews separately and gather all the solo reviews into one. Today, I will be focusing on the recent unit of LOOΠΔ, Odd Eye Circle, consisting of Kim Lip, JinSoul and Choerry. Their first single, Girl Front, was released on 21st of September and their second single, Sweet Crazy Love, was released on the 31st of October.

Girl Front

What makes Girl Front stand out is the very poppy chorus. In a way, it does feel in your face but there is a balance that keeps it from being excessive. There were also quirky moments in the chorus which you don’t hear often in KPOP which makes it so appealing. The synths are thanked for giving the song such a bright and vibrant atmosphere. Vocally, it pairs well with the instrumental, as the members are at the forefront of the song, rather than hidden by the synths. But if you take the chorus away from the song, it ends up being very forgettable.

The music video seems to be very confused. It feels like they tried to overload many concepts into the one video such as mysterious, aesthetics, artistic and bold. And while there are videos that have mashed up these concepts successfully in the past, this video just doesn’t really get to the point. They seem to be in search for some eclipse in the sky, but that is the most I can get out of it. The scenery in the background was very nice, which was a plus.

The choreography is good but it isn’t outstanding. The pop vibes do come through nicely. There just wasn’t anything memorable when I watched it.

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

Sweet Crazy Love

The violins in the background just make my day so much better. The track is quite dynamic in its own way.  The instrumental is a mixture of classical sounds (from what I can identify) and synths, creating a very smooth and sleek rhythm.  The synths used on the track doesn’t feel over-the-top or can be described as ‘loud’, which is a good thing because it helps portray a more innocent sound. Vocals were very melodic and fits nicely onto the canvas that the instrumental provided. The only thing that I felt was missing was a climax. It felt too consistent from start to end and a climax would have made it more appealing. But overall, it is a great song.

Looking at the concept, it reminds me of F(x)’s Red Light (the eye badge and dark vibes) and anything Ladies Code has present us in their recent comebacks. I actually like the music video for this one more than Girl Front because it sticks to just one style and does a good job of portraying it. The cinematography in the video is also quite amazing.

The choreography isn’t that memorable as well, which is a little disappointing, given how good the song is. Like above, there isn’t anything worth mentioning.

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

 

[Review] Twinkle – Lovelyz

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Lovelyz has made their comeback with Twinkle. They were last on stage promoting WoW! and Now, We (the latter earned them their first win on a Korean weekly music show) earlier this year. The entire comeback is probably a sign of what is about to come. I am a firm believer of Christmas in December only, so this is going to be interesting.

Twinkle is probably that love child that comes about when JPOP is mixed with the Christmas season. It starts off with that exact feeling. But as the song progresses along, it starts losing that identity, which is a little disappointing. But they manage to make it up in an extremely powerful chorus filled with a dominant synth. And it is the chorus that makes me enjoy the track more (rather than that Christmas start). The vocals are superb in this song, matching extremely well with that powerful chorus. Not once did they feel become overshadowed by the instrumental. The raps, on the other hand, were the weaker moments of the song. They felt more awkward and cheesy more than anything else. As mentioned previously, as well, I am not a fan of abrupt endings and this is probably the most abrupt an ending of a song can be. It just didn’t feel complete and felt like the song was cut-off. Personally, I think it is a song right up my alley.

The music video is mainly of the girls just preparing for the upcoming holiday season after receiving some sort of confession note. There really isn’t much else to talk about in the video. It is standard video overall. Unless you want me to make comments about what the girls are doing as preparation. Knitting scarfs, sorting through Winter clothing, selecting the right ornament to hang at the door and gently caressing a snowglobe. Wait, what was that last one?

The choreography for Twinkle is very cool. It was graceful to compliment the start of the song and then it changed appropriately to match the more upbeat chorus. I loved the side-stepping move they did towards the start of the chorus (where they did it 4 at a time).

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7/10