Category: Reviews

[Review] Only Then – Roy Kim

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Roy Kim made his return to the music scene with a new single, Only Then. It was released last week during the Lunar New Year week, which is why I haven’t gotten around to reviewing it yet. We last saw Roy Kim on stage last year with his comeback consisting of Egoist and Suddenly.

Roy Kim is known for his popular singles (such as Bom Bom Bom) that are fitting for the Spring season. Only Then is another ballad, that is best suited for the colder climate of Winter. The great thing about this track is that Roy Kim uses his vocals to add warmth to the song, which is a great charm about this track. I like how his vocals are soft throughout the song but he doesn’t give the song the kick it needs until he gets into the midst of the final chorus. This delay kick is quite interesting and you have to listen to the entire track to completely appreciate the peak of the song. The instrumental for this ballad doesn’t really do much besides giving the song its background that it needs. However, that electric guitar riff during the bridge was awesome. Ticking another box for good ballads (for me) is the fact the song gets you swaying along.

The one thing the video manages to capsulate very well is the concept of loneliness. The song is about feelings regarding a relationship that just isn’t working out. From what I am reading, long distance relationship is the main focus for the song, as Roy Kim (who tends to be in the States during his non-active periods) writes about his feelings in regards to his fans in South Korea (this piece of information was taken from Soompi). I think the video does a good job at it, with the final scene looking like he is making that final move to end the relationship. The colour palette is perfect for such a heartbreaking atmosphere. It is dry in terms of content but it seems when in context, the video makes a lot of sense.

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

[Review] One Shot, Two Shot – BoA

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BoA made her debut way back in the year 2000. Since then, she has released a total of 8 Korean full-length album. 18 years on, however, marks BoA’s return with her very first mini-album, which shares the same title of  One Shot, Two Shot as the title track. It is definitely remarkable to think that this is her very first mini-album. The mini-album also features Camo (an SM Station track from last year) and this year’s earlier release, NEGA DOLA.

One Shot, Two Shot is another great song to add to BoA’s portfolio in recent times. We saw a snippet of EDM in her portfolio when BoA released Camo last year and I was immediately a fan. One Shot, Two Shot follows the same trend, taking on deep house. The verses seem so-so but the good stuff happens during the chorus. It becomes more lively and upbeat, which is something you might know I prefer. I love the instrumental during the chorus, as well, for its seductive and sexy nature. The ‘One Shot Two Shot‘ repetition during the second half of the chorus was quite addictive. Her vocals shined throughout the vocals, almost going husky in some parts. The bridge of the track was nice but I feel like the launch back into the final chorus could have been more energetic, in my opinion. But overall, definitely another song to check out.

The music video was made up of two sections. Choreography and the train station scene. A little confused about what was happening in the video. Mainly from what I can make out, BoA is an assassin (dressed up in leather in an area where there is no one else does give off that vibe). She dances with her victims, which I guess is a luring method (as she successfully does it to the guy). After a few minutes of interpretive dancing (I think), she shoots him dead. But he later wakes up (which is confusing). But the storyline is definitely interesting. I like the choreography shots as well, particularly the close-ups of BoA with the backup dancers in the background. The rest of the dance shots were simple but definitely elegant.

I am loving the dance that we can see in the music video. I love how sharp the first batch of moves are. The start of the chorus was awesome and the part at 3:16 of the music video where male dancers line up and copy her moves one-by-one as she moves along the line.

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

[Review] Song For You – 100%

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Time for another Japanese review. There were a number of Japanese releases since January which I have yet to have a closer look at. 100% has primarily focused their attention on The Unit (Special Review Coming Soon) for the last few months, so it is nice to see the entire group return as one for a new song, Song For You. It was officially released on Valentine’s Day and marks the group’s first return since their Japanese debut and comeback. 

Song For You stands out for its freshness as a song. Despite the song starting off and is filled with synths throughout, I honestly thought the song was taking something like a ballad route (but with some dance twist to it). And I liked that. The first verse just felt calming and relaxing, which is definitely something I enjoyed. The chorus is when the song gains some momentum with its EDM-centred instrumental. But that relaxing feel remains. It isn’t over the top nor obnoxious, just at the right level. Their vocals definitely go well with this style, particularly Rockhyun’s. The rapping is also quite nice but I wanted more of it. I am not a major fan of the sudden stop in the song, which acts as a transition between the chorus and bridge. It cuts the flow of the song for me. But despite that one detail, the entire track is definitely something I enjoy.

The music video made them look nice. It was fitting for the relaxing nature of the song but sadly the video didn’t do the song justice. The choreography scenes were the highlights and everything else just felt too airy for me. Maybe the video would benefit if the guys were confessing their love to their lover. Maybe not that cliche but still something that would at least make me wonder ‘what’s going on’.

The choreography is also quite nice. Once again, extremely fitting for the song. The song doesn’t ask for something mindblowing or complex. So I like it for that it stuck to the boundaries of the song. There isn’t much you can do with this style but they did well with it.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.9/10

 

[Review] Where I Am Gone – Yang Yoseob (HIGHLIGHT)

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Yang Yoseob has finally dropped his first solo comeback since his solo debut back in 2012. Last week, the main vocalist of HIGHLIGHT gave us a small snippet into this latest release with Star. One week later and he has dropped the entire mini-album (White), along with the title track Where I Am Gone.

Once again, Yoseob starts off the song with the traditional ballad route. His first few lines of the song were quite heartbreaking and putting emotions into this vocals is what we know Yoseob for. The song develops more into a pop song once it reaches the chorus and I feel like this is the strongest moment of the song. It was mildly disappointing at first because there wasn’t anything special with the first half of the chorus. The second half, once the autotuned vocals kick in, was definitely more interesting and this gave the song a rougher effect, which contrasted nicely with the rest of the song. It was also quite catchy. Yoseob’s vocals do stand out in this song. It may be a little too plain of the song for us to have a full grasp of his vocal abilities but it enough to prove his status, particularly the bridge and the final chorus. The main issue with this song would have to be its plainness. Yes, it has its moments but you cannot just forget about how incredibly plain the song is. I have a feeling that within a few more listens, I would get bored of it.

I am also on the fence in regards to the video. It is definitely fitting for the song and there were some moments which I did enjoy. It just had a few aspects that should have been more thought out. Let’s start off with the car scene. I personally like the direction but the car seats it used was a little too futuristic for my taste. Maybe one of those olden day cars or something that looked a little more traditional would have worked well with that scene. Also, there is no driver, which is a little concerning. But regarding what I did enjoy, I liked the choreography scenes, particularly those where we only saw the silhouette of the dancers and how Yoseob was the main focus (as he should be) during these scenes.

I did like the solo moment he had with the female backup dancer. Hopefully, that made it into the choreography. But the rest of the performance (judging from the music video only) looked really awkward. He looked stiff and uncomfortable throughout the chorus and this didn’t really relay well back to me when I watched the video. Hopefully, the performance is better.

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

 

[Review] Boss – NCT U

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NCT has big plans for 2018, with promises for comebacks for all three units. NCT U is the first unit to make their grand return. This is their first comeback for the unit after their debut in 2016 (they were notably absent from stage in 2017). NCT U’s return also features 3 new additions including NCT 127 member Winwin and new NCT members Jungwoo and Lucas.

I wasn’t much of a fan of NCT U’s previous works. But hearing Boss, I find this track quite good. The entire song has a very minimalistic feel to it. It doesn’t have much going on in terms of content-wise. But quality wise, it is quite powerful. The song opens with that really addictive thumping beat which definitely grabs your attention. This thumping is played continuously throughout the song and despite it being repeated, you don’t get tired of it. The vocals and rapping add to the song, building it up from the bare foundations. The vocals added some flair, while the rapping added some intensity to the song, which is why I think the song is so good. The chorus has the rap-speaking technique, almost like a chant. It doesn’t feel like the hook of the song but it works well as the chorus. My favourite part of the entire track is the overlapping of the raps by Taeyong and Mark for the bridge of the song. To sum up, Boss is an aesthetically pleasing song to listen to (and my new favourite from the subunit). 

And this has to be NCT’s most aesthetically pleasing music video to date. There is something about the visuals in this video that yells out badass. You can tell that there was a lot of intensity from the very start, which gives it a promising start. I like the cinematography quite a bit, which definitely adds the aesthetic to the video. The video does seem to compliment that minimalistic vibe that was coming from the song, as the video doesn’t have much going on. But in many ways, it is still a really good video to watch.

If you want power, edgy and intensity in just one stage performance, I have the perfect one for you. Boss embosses all of that and any other anger associated word that can describe the choreography in a good way. I particularly like the dance at the end of the song (where Taeyong looks the angriest at 3:06).

Song – 9.5/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.3/10

 

[Review] If We Can Meet Again – DAY6

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2017 was one busy year for DAY6, who successfully released new songs every single month and 2 full-length albums in the past year alone. With the new year already in full swing, DAY6 is starting off 2018 with their Japanese debut and latest track, If We Can Meet Again.

If We Can Meet Again brings us back to the I Wait and How Can I Say releases. It isn’t necessarily your heavy rock track that you would put on to drown out society. But rather it combines that ballad side DAY6 has demonstrated us with their more recent releases, just combining it with that rock element. I actually like this rock side more, mainly because it satisfies this rock craving feeling that I have from time to time. Their ballad side is still quite good and should be greatly appreciated still. Anyway, back to the song. It maintains momentum and feels quite consistent. While I have suggested in the past that too much consistency might be a track’s downfall, this track does feature a few details here and there that does supposedly change it up to keep it interesting. The bridge adds a touch of EDM to the song, which definitely gives the song that intriguing factor. There were slight tempo changes throughout the song but nothing too major as we tend to see in some Korean releases. Per usual, DAY6’s vocals and raps were pretty good. My only one major request for this song would be to have the band go that extra mile with the rock instrumental. I feel like the track can be lifted to a whole new level if they went that extra mile.

I feel like that possible ‘extra mile’ in the song would have also complimented this video. The song (as we are presented with) does match the music video. But I felt like a stronger rock sound would have worked well with the wind blast and shaky camera work during the chorus. I like those elements and also the visual effects in the video, such as the train just going at them at full speed. But as I said, the song currently still works well with the video. The ending was a tad cheesy with some of the members flying backwards and the slow motion not really matching well with the intensity coming from the song. But still, a decent video to watch.

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

[Review] Gorgeous – VAV

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Somehow I completely missed this vital piece of information but VAV was to make their comeback with two title tracks. We have already seen Spotlight, which was released on the 28th of January. 13 days later, the group has revealed their second music video for Gorgeous, another track on their Spotlight mini-album.

Gorgeous features a funky instrumental which mashes both retro and EDM together. While this combination has been done for, I don’t think I have heard any songs of the two being so balanced. The EDM provides the dance atmosphere to the song but also adds small details to the song to prevent it from getting too boring or repetitive. It is an extremely bright and vibrant song, energy just endless coming from the song. Vocals and raps were perfect. Not only were they crystal clear throughout the entire track but they did a good job with complimenting the fun side of the track. The song was quite catchy and addictive. All of this earns big ticks in my book. I particularly like the bridge of the track, which definitely hyped the song up and definitely grabbed my attention. The ‘Woo-Hoo‘ post-chorus section was replaying in my head every time the song ended, which made me go back for more. Overall, Gorgeous was one really good song to listen to.

The music video isn’t that fancy but they had really good camera work throughout the whole thing. Most of the video was shot in a warehouse and in front of some large garage. But how the cameras focused on the members and zoomed around felt very unique and cool. I particularly like the coloured smoke in the background for the final chorus, which gave the video an extra cool point. I thought the video would have become too repetitive as I realized the video was just choreography but that was not the case at all.

The choreography was quite great. While it does look complicated, it has a fun element which you can see on the member’s faces, which is definitely fitting for the music. I like the choreography for the bridge the most, as it is timed with the music and that looks amazing.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.8/10

[Review] Star – Yang Yoseob (HIGHLIGHT)

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After 5 years, Yoseob from HIGHLIGHT will be making his official return as a solo artist. The last time he promoted as a solo artist was at the end of 2012 with Caffeine. Fast forward 5 years and today Yoseob unveiled his pre-release track to his upcoming mini-album, which is due to be released next week. So, let’s begin the countdown to Yoseob’s return by having a listen to his pre-release track, Star.

Like most pre-releases, Star falls under the ballad category. Throw in Yoseob’s vocals and you do have a perfect pairing. And while I did think Star would become a little too straightforward with a consistent ballad instrumental, it did take an unexpected yet welcoming turn. We start off with a slow yet dreamy piano instrumental. From the second verse, the song starts to pick up. Not in a way where it turns into a pop song but rather there is a dramatic buildup with a very deep thumping sound, which resembled thunder. Then came in more classical instruments, which made the song sound so much better. I also liked it how his vocals were at the forefront despite the instrumental change-up, allowing the listener to focus on the vocals and not have it drowned out by the violins. Overall, I really like the ballad.

The music video is essentially a long walk in the snow. That is what Yoseob is doing, which goes well with the song. It just doesn’t work well on the memorability front. They shot at really pleasant places with great camera angles, which visually worked well as well. Besides that, I don’t much else to comment on with regards to the video.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 6/10
Overall Rating – 7.8/10

[Review] Don’t Be Pretty – 14U

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14U made their debut last year in July and I somehow missed out on their debut. On top of that, I somehow missed out on their comeback, VVV, as well. But their second comeback, Don’t Be Pretty, will not be missed. Just some more background information regarding 14U. They are a 14 member boy group currently under BG Entertainment. From the profiles I am looking at, the group is also split into two units 14U-X and 14U-L.

Don’t Be Pretty is another standard KPOP song with its bright and pop feel. While its sound has been done before, for some reason, it manages to stick in my mind. I won’t say it is exactly catchy but it has a decent beat and the instrumental feels refreshing. The vocal work here is quite nice, pairing well with the instrumental. They aren’t the best sounding group out there but there were many great moments in which I thought their vocals were perfect for the setting the instrumental had created (such as the chorus). You don’t need power vocals to stand out and this seems to be a great example of that. However, while I do praise the song, there was a moment which felt extremely awkward. The way the raps were integrated into the song, particularly the first time around in the song, was quite bad. It just didn’t fit right and didn’t feel like it was mixed into the song well enough. But besides that, good song.

The music video has this cringe-worthy feel to it, which I cannot deny. The guys seem to be participating in this game show, which is a decent concept. The way they act in it just seems over-the-top and overly exaggerated. And then the ending, where she somehow gets trapped inside a burning building and one of the members rushes in to save her. Where is the world did that scene come from? They did a good job at showing that vibrant and bright atmosphere but the video was scrambled and confusing.

It seems like any group with a large number of members, who manage to stay in sync throughout their performance is going to get big ticks from me. And 14U is another group who falls under that umbrella. Their moves don’t seem impressive but due to the fact that they managed to stay in sync with each other is quite impressive. It is also great at showing off that bright atmosphere.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 4/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 6.6/10

[Review] Electric Kiss – EXO

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EXO kicks 2018 off with their return to the Japanese market with Electric Kiss and their 1st full-length album, Countdown. The album contains all of EXO’s previous Japanese singles (Coming Over, Love Me Right ~romantic universe~, Drop That etc.) that they have unveiled during their concerts and other performances. Like their promotions in 2017, Lay did not participate in the comeback due to scheduling conflicts.

I love the instrumental to this track. It is the first thing that popped out at me when I first listened to the track, which had this heavy yet powerful feel to it. In a way, it is definitely really dramatic and it shapes the track into something spectacular. The instrumental asks for something rough and edgy, which is delivered through the vocals. I love the roughness of some of the member’s vocals, especially D.O’s, whom I think compliments the instrumental really well. Of course, the other members all sound often but I feel like D.O’s is a perfect example for this explanation. Per usual, Chanyeol’s and Sehun’s raps were on point in this song, catching me off guard with their raspy voices. Sure, there was definitely some editing to them but it is an electronic song, which makes senses. The chorus was definitely the main highlight of the song and I like how they approached it by inserting the ‘It’s going to be electric‘ line between each line of the chorus. And the bridge was also quite good. While this is just a Japanese release, if they were to come back with something like this in South Korea, I think they could even perform better than what they have already achieved.

I like the fast-paced nature and the flashy style they have gone for. It is really is fitting. I setting is also fitting, going well with the edginess that you can feel from the song. The video was quite good and had that cool factor to it, which went well with the song. I know this is rather short but that was the main comments which I wanted to make in regards to the video.

With the performance, I expected something with a whole heap of intensity. And while they did tick that box, I just don’t think the choreography as a whole was the best fit. I wanted something more to it which would have made me go wow. The formations and how they go into those formations were remarkable, especially during the chorus. Everything was quite sharp but it just didn’t seem enough to me.

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

 

 

[Review] Timeless​ – NCT U

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As you can see for the past few days I have been catching up on a number of reviews which I had planned to do but kept pushing around due to not having enough time. But it always better late than never! Timeless, released two weeks back as part of the SM Station, is the last of these late reviews. It also marks the return of NCT U (in the form of three members – Taeil, Doyoung and Jaehyun), the only NCT subunit who did not have a comeback in 2017.

Timeless is a ballad that I will admit I overlooked when it first came out. However, I am glad I revisited the track after a little while because it truly is a really decent track to listen to. The vocals of each member, particularly those who handled the chorus, were mind-blowing. And that is why I keep on going back to this track now because it is so good. There wasn’t much harmony in the song but when harmonies did appear (particularly the high note at the end), it was so good. The melody was really flowy, which also attracted my attention. The instrumental was your typical ballad instrumental with the piano and strings but gave off that swaying effect, which I tend to comment on in these reviews. Overall, I am glad I returned to relisten to this track because it is definitely a good one.

The entire video was shot live. This time around there were not instrumentations in the background but only the members singing into the microphone. And for some reason, the live vocals were more noticeable than the other live video (performed by 10CM and Chen). It is a relatively simple video in both is visual appeal and style, which is something I tend to like.

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

[Review] Awake – Target

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A new group has made their debut on the stage. Target is a 7-member boy group under JSL Company. According to what I can find on the Internet, the group previously released a pre-debut track titled as Please Love Me, which was released 3 years back. Their debut track, Awake, was released last week.

To me, the song’s elements clash with each other, creating an awkward atmosphere. Awake started off a pretty dramatic classical instrumental, featuring some synths. But when the rap kicked in, the instrumental and rap just didn’t connect with each other. It just felt uncomfortable. The vocals were the only time that the song felt comfortable but even then, it was just too plain for my liking. I just felt that they could have gone for something more dramatic or attention grabbing during the chorus. The ending was nice, with the brief pause and high note. But overall, I felt the song was either not memorable due to its lack of momentum or it was memorable but for the disconnected start.

The music video isn’t bad. I am a little confused with the storyline though. The members seem to be in a coma of some sort (for some reason). One of the members seem to wake up from their coma and tries to wake up their friends after realizing something was wrong. That was basically what I got from it and I don’t know how or why they got into that position. The sets were one of those reused ones, which for some reason felt well used in this video (maybe it just fitted the concept). There was also a more dark and mysterious feel to the video, which I don’t think we see much nowadays.

The choreography for this was really cool. I really liked the section where some the members are lying on the ground (while the other half are standing) and then there was a really cool yet smooth switch that happens within a second with the three members in the middle (at 2:18 of music video).

Song – 4/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 5.4/10 

 

[Review] Neverland – Holland

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Last week, we saw the debut of Holland, a new soloist in South Korea. He is currently garnering a lot of attention and support from fans and listeners for being the first openly gay KPOP idol, earning over 5 million views in just one week alone (which is really impressive for a debut act). While it is completely fine that he is gay, I am interested in what Korea’s response to the artist would be. But nonetheless, it is clear he has a lot of support already.

I personally don’t mind the song but if I were to be critical about it, I have to say it is rather stagnant. The song just felt flat from start to end and it doesn’t really develop into anything. Both the instrumental and Holland’s vocals don’t really do much to the song, which is why I put it on the backburner for a week to cover the other artists. It just doesn’t have that interesting factor. He does have a nice voice but the song just don’t showcase it. To me, the only reason why I still have this song in mind is that of his sexuality. Besides that, the song doesn’t have that memorable element like other ballads do. There was one thing that I did like that does leave an impression on me, however, and that is how he sings ‘Neverland‘ at the end of the chorus. But besides that, the song just isn’t for me.

You can tell how conservative South Korea is in regards to this issue because of the 19+ rating it was given. But I am not here to get political. I just personally do not agree with such a rating. The song definitely has an effect on the music video, with it not holding my attention for long. There was some development (which were the events building up to the kissing) but that doesn’t seem much of a highlight for me. But good for them.

Song – 5/10
Music Video – 4/10
Overall Rating – 4.6/10

[Review] The Boots – Gugudan

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Making their return to the stage with their latest single is Gugudan. They were previously on stage with Chococo, which was released in the second half of last year. This comeback, The Boots, also marks the return of Soyee, who had to sit out of the last round of promotions due to an injury.

Right off the bat, you would notice that the group had gone for a much more different sound. Gugudan has done mainly cutesy sounding songs with their previous comebacks. This time around, they opted to remove that cutesy element. While that does usually mean a mature sound, the producers have managed to keep that energetic and upbeat sound that you would also associate with Gugudan. I particuarly like the pre-chorus and the second verse. That being said, the other parts aren’t terrible. They just didn’t stand out as much. I did also like the grooviness of the chorus, which I think also had some funky elements to it as well. The chorus has potential to be addictive and catchy but I feel like the hook could have been more stronger. I did like the dance break as well, the saxophones definitely adding that funk side to the song. Overall, it is a decent song. I think it is a strong effort by the girls with a change in their usual sound.

I really like the modern and mature look they went for this comeback.  Even the sets were made to reflect this, which made the video feel as if it was by another artist. That chess set looks awesome and something I would buy to style an apartment (that one day I will hopefully own). I really like the effect post-production had placed onto the items of interest and the background images for that large screen was really cool. Overall, I like the video. It did feel like there wasn’t much in it to comment on but it was still a very stylish and cool video.

Great footwork in their choreography. I know it are just some swirls but they make it look complicated. The other standout part is pre-chorus, which pushed for that edgier side of the concept.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating  – 7.9/10

[Review] NEGA DOLA – BoA

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BoA is known as the Queen of KPOP, proven by her massive portfolio of releases Korea. In the past few years, her promotions in South Korea have dwindled to only a few singles as part of the SM Station releases, most notably Camo (released last year). But after 3 years of no music promotions in Korea, BoA is back with her latest single, NEGA DOLA.

NEGA DOLA is a dance track that mixes electronic synths and a Latin twist to the song, which ends up giving the song a lot of character. This Latin twist is present throughout the song but it is the most dominant during the start, the bridge and the very end of the track. The concoction is a little quirky, but very fitting for the song (more on that in just a moment). While the rapping to this song is definitely a potential downfall for this track, the vocal elements by BoA are really good. I love the way she sings ‘Nega Dola‘ in the song, which means ‘Going Crazy’ (from what I can find out about it). It does feel like a little crazy. I also particularly like the when she brings out her power vocals at the end of each chorus, which I think also adds to that character comment I mentioned before. Overall, it is quite a nice song to listen to, particularly if you want to listen to something that is a little more different to your usual releases.

There is nothing as crazy as an upside down room. Essentially, the video is an odd mixture of an upside down room, your standard choreography shots and a lot of target practice. But I feel, given how the song does sound, they could have gone for a wackier concept, which would have fitted well with the meaning of the song. I am not a major fan of her panda ears hairstyle but her outfits are on point.

BoA has not disappoint with any of her performances from what I remember (don’t fact check that by reading up on the old reviews. I don’t remember what I wrote 5 years ago). I really liked the dance moves during the chorus, particuarly the very start of the chorus. The start and end of the performance was also quite cool looking.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.6/10

[Review] Spotlight – VAV

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2017 has been a very busy year for VAV, who has released a number of songs in the last 12 months, such as Venus (Dance With Me), Flower (You), ABC (Middle of the Night) and She’s Mine. Following the same momentum with their first comeback of 2018 (and 2 months after their last 2017 comeback) is Spotlight, which shares the same title as their title track.

Opening Spotlight is this really cool thumping sound, which definitely attracted my attention. In a way, they set up the song to be quite aesthetic (but I am a little disappointed that they didn’t follow through with this). The verses became a total miss for me. It wasn’t terrible. It just didn’t feel as interesting. The chorus managed to pump some energy with a more funky sound which definitely does brighten up the track. The post-chorus was the catchiest part of the entire song in my opinion, which was a cool hook in the song. Interestingly, the song omitted a rap section, which I thought was interesting. In its place seems to be an overwhelming autotune section. They could have toned it down a little to make it feel more fitting for the track, from what I could hear. The vocal work for the track is okay but it doesn’t feel that impressive as compared to their previous songs. Overall, Spotlight is definite another track to add to the list.

I liked it how the music video had a heavy emphasis on the lights, which make sense given that the title is Spotlight. The scenes at the dinner table reminded me of EXO’s Monster, which was definitely interesting. I did like the colour palette of the music video, which was definitely vibrant and (in some areas such as the white gallery) bold. I feel like the symbolism in this video is quite great but personally, I don’t know exactly what I should be looking for.

Once again, since the title of the song (and the lyrics) focuses on the Spotlight, the choreography also does a good job at putting this forward. The most impressive part of the choreography would be when they move forward during the post-chorus (around 1:11 of the music video).

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.9/10