Category: Reviews

[Review] Sun, Moon, Star – KNK

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KNK is back with a brand new single, titled as Sun, Moon, Star. The group made their debut last year with Knock and made comebacks with Back Again and U. Their latest single is said to pay homage to HIGHLIGHT (formerly known as Beast). The writer of KNK’s latest song, Kim Tae Joo, has previously worked with HIGHLIGHT and the choreography is also said to be inspired by Ribbon.

True to the claims, the song has distinct similarities to HIGHLIGHT’s tracks such as 12:30 and Ribbon. These two songs have grown to be one of my favourite tracks in KPOP and it seems like this one is fastly rising to join that list. I won’t say it is amazing or on par with the other songs, mainly because there is one thing that didn’t feel right (more on that shortly). KNK does manage to put a twist on the sound to make it different at the same time. The string and classical based instrumental suits the member’s vocals very well, considering how the group has so far made more powerful and intense songs. The song has no rap section, which is something that I agree with. There is no room for a rap sequence given the nostalgic instrumental and great vocals (i.e. a rap sequence would have made everything feel overwhelming). All of that being said though, this song doesn’t captivate me. There is dull feel to the song, which I can help but notice every time I return to the song for another listen. I say this because it is the one and only criticism I have regarding the song. I am quite sure that if the song somehow shook off that dull sound, the song would have been much better.

Returning to that dull point I was making, the haziness of the video doesn’t really help. I know that they are trying to put out a different video entirely, but I felt it was too hazy at times and the lighting was a little too bright for an emotional song. That’s me being narrow-minded. The darker choreography scenes seem to fit the track more. The video shows the guys trying to adapt to a breakup with their lovers. Everything else returns to normal (such as that chair moving back in place) but the guys are having a hard time doing so. The video also consisted on choreography shots and closeups of them singing, which all look good (minus the lighting).

The choreography is fitting for the song, so I don’t really have much else to say. On stage, they seem to convey their emotions both through the dance and their vocals, which is pretty cool. The link between HIGHLIGHT’s choreography and KNK’s dance is extremely subtle and I had to watch extremely carefully to catch it. Not too sure if that is a good thing yet, but it has me coming back to performances to see what else could be a connection between the two routines.

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

[Review] Anck Su Namum – Yezi (Fiestar)

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Yezi, the rapper of Fiestar, is back with a new solo release. She has previously released tracks like Crazy Dog and Cider, which all showcases a different side to the rapper which you do not get to see while she performs with the rest of the members. This review literally me listening to the song and watching the music video for the first time. I have been extremely busy this week, so I actually haven’t listened to some new releases yet. So, this review will be my raw opinions of the song.

The track has a distinctive exotic sound that you associate with the ancient Egyptians. This would make a lot of sense since the song is based on an ancient mummy and a movie character. But what makes it interesting is that from the very start, the song mixes in more modern sounds to appeal to the audience of the 21st century (hahaha…). And this transforms a ‘could-have-been-used-in-the-background-of-the-museum-exhibit-soundtrack’ to a really powerful and sexy sounding song. The song builds up in a really satisfying way and this leads me to be on the edge of my seat throughout the entire song. Yezi’s rapping has been noted in the past through her appearance of Unpretty Rapstar and my praising in Cider. And she has proven herself once again in this song. I love her delivery in this song. It makes me why Fiestar doesn’t somehow use her skills in their songs more. And it also throws her up there on the list of best female rappers in KPOP. Overall, it is an amazing song which left me in awe when I listened to it the first time. And it continues to do so every time I go back to it.

The video is amazing. It plays nicely into the exotic sound which I mentioned before. The video also shows an extremely sexy side, while still managing to keep up with the intensity of the song. For the most part, the video consisted of choreography scenes, which looked spectacular overall. There are a few closeups, but she looked unrecognisable due to her long hair (I honestly don’t remember when she last had long hair). Nonetheless, she still looks amazing and extremely sexy in the video. The sets may not have been elaborate, but they still manage to look cool. Sometimes the simplistic approach works well and this is an example of that.

Likewise, the choreography deserves its own praise. Once again, it isn’t memorable. But the sexy choreography is somewhat refreshing. It has been a while. It too manages to keep up with the song and its intensity, which it maintains strongly. Talking about strength, the dance, while it is sexy, has a tough side, which matches the rapper’s stage presence and sound.

Song – 9.5/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 9/10

[Review] Hello Hello – B.I.G

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B.I.G has finally returned with a brand new single. The group previously returned with 1.2.3 in February with just 4 members. With the return of their fifth member, Minpyo, the group has released their 6th single, titled as Hello Hello. This isn’t their first ‘Hello’ song though, as they made their debut back in 2014 with Hello (안녕하세요).

Hello Hello is another standard a song that doesn’t really stand out from the crowd. There is nothing that memorable in the song, which is a disappointment, given how all of their recent releases have been catchy and addictive to listen to. The instrumental seems to try to differentiate itself from others with the uses of synths and its hip-hop sound. If I had to be honest, the synths added to the song made it messy and it overall made the song feel more loaded than what it had to be. The chorus provides some relief from this, which is much appreciated and sounds a lot cleaner. Sadly, as previously mentioned, there wasn’t any catchy parts or hooks. That statement is also applied to the chorus as well.  If there was one thing that I thought was pretty good, it has to be the strong yet clear vocals. The rap sequences were also quite cool, but it did feel like it lacked some energy, which can be said regarding the track overall.

The music video is simply the ‘performance version’, which makes me question whether there was meant to be another version of the video. The video is shot in a barn, which may indicate some things about their company and the band. However, they still manage to turn it into a pretty good music video with the flashing lights (even though, they did feel annoying) and the editing of the video. I don’t have much else to say about the video, though.

The choreography was okay. When I watch the performance with the song, it makes the song feel much more upbeat and  I think that lifts the song up. It wasn’t lacking compared to the rest of the comeback, but it just wasn’t memorable. Some parts looked fine, such as the chorus, but other parts felt slow paced.

Song – 5/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 5/10
Overall Rating – 5.5/10

[Review] I’m Ready – MAP6

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MAP6 is back with their latest single, I’m Ready. The group previously made their last Korean comeback with Swagger Time in March of last year. Since then, the group made their debut in Japan with the Japanese version of Swagger Time. The group also recently returned to Japan with the song No Surrender, released in March 2017.

I’m Ready is a pretty standard song, but it did catch my attention with that generic feel. Out of the few KPOP boy groups that have returned this week from the smaller companies, this one provided felt the most powerful and tough, despite it using a very generic pop sound. Not technically fond of the voices at the start of the song, but from the strumming guitars onwards sounded quite nice. I love the mini burst of intensity when the chorus kicks. It might not have been enough, but it still works. Not technically fond of their electro dance breakdown right after the choruses. It didn’t fit in well with the guitar based instrumental. The chorus is catchy, to an extent. The vocals were okay, but they didn’t carry that wow factor. Lastly, the raps felt like letdowns in this track. The rappers had very deep and low voices, which it usually associated with some rappers. But they sounded soft and didn’t necessarily fit the intensity that the song was trying to send out, which did bring it down in my eyes.

The music video was pretty awesome, except for one small detail. The song itself sounded rough at times and it felt edgy and tough. The video went for a similar feel, with the darker concept pushing for a more mature and powerful side of the guys out there. It did feel generic and it was lacking, but at least I got that out of it. But when the members were interrogating the girl, they were attempting to flirt in a way that felt childish and comedic. Totally opposite of that tough boy feel. At least that is what I got out of the video. And after watching many crime shows, I think they should invest in a one-way mirror because that seems to make their actions a little more subtle. The choreography shots and all looked spectacular. Given everything I have already said, I think this is their best video yet!

The dance was pretty good. Not that memorable, but still pretty good. While I am not fond of the dance break in the song, the dancing during that part was probably the best part of the whole choreography in my mind. The guys felt like they were flirting in the dance, which seemed to go hand in hand with the other aspects of their comeback.

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

[Review] B-DAY – iKON

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I previously reviewed iKON’s Bling Bling, which you can view by clicking the link. But this is the review for iKON’s second title track for this promotional run, titled as B-Day.

To me, B-Day is a more dynamic track that sounds a lot better than Bling Bling. Maybe it is because I enjoy the more upbeat feel. But I personally think iKON sounds a lot better with the more upbeat and hyped up songs, which I touched upon in my last review. The instrumental isn’t that amazing but it provides a more fresher and vibrant sound to the group’s portfolio. There is also something familiar about the instrumental, which I can’t really figure out. The vocal work and rapping in this song is a lot better in this song. The raspy voices fit the song quite nicely, giving it a rougher side. But to me, the vocals were at the forefront and not at the back of the song (which I also touched on). Doing that, it gives the song a more active sound and definitely a better push to a more powerful sound. The track itself is pretty catchy. The “Waeng Waeng Waeng” chant catches on pretty quick and it definitely drew my attention to the song straight away. Now, I just cannot get it out of my head. And that goes for the song as well.

I thought the concept of the music video was a little odd this time around. Little being an understatement, as I discover the scenes of bees. Not saying the video is terrible, because it was actually quite nice to watch. Actually (not considering the lyrics in anyway) but the video maybe looking at discovering an ancient civilization (and then they moved into it as well). Just a theory.  It was just the concept that had me second guessing things. Minus the thoughts regarding the concept, the scenes in the video were quite good. Once again, YG has done it again with their music videos. While this one may not be better than Bling Bling‘s, it definitely suits the song and intensity.

Talking about intensity, I felt the choreography was a little lacking. It might have been the editing of the music video, but when the “Waeng Waeng Waeng” started, the dance was great. But towards the end of the line, the energy just plummeted and that disappointed me. But it still looked cool. I may update this part once a full performance is uploaded somewhere.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 6.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.5/10

[Review] Bling Bling – iKON

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iKON has officially made their first comeback since their debut in 2015. The group, since 2015, have had toured across Asia and made their official debut in Japan. They also previously released #WYD last year. Some of the members have also changed their stage names since debut, which surprised some fans. Jinhwan changed to Jay, Chanwoo changed to Chan, Donghyuk changed to DK and Yunhyeong changed to Song. Bling Bling is also promoted alongside B-Day (and a review for that will be published sometime today or tomorrow morning).

If there is one word that I can think of when it comes to Bling Bling, it has to be ‘swag’. While I am not an everyday user of the word, the song embodies the word quite accurately. From the very first listen, it is an extremely intense track. The instrumental of the track is very interesting, despite it being slow at some parts, which overall made it feel quite dull. The use of brass provides the song something more, which accompanied the drawn out ‘Bling Bling’ repetition. The song remains the same from start to about the bridge. Starting at the bridge of the song, the song turns into a much more upbeat track/anthem style track, which I think sounds a lot cooler. However the contrast between the two segments and tempo is pretty cool. As for the raps and vocals, I am not really into that aspect of the song. They seemed to be on the back burner rather than the forefront of the song. It just didn’t seem to capture my attention. Only the ‘Bling Bling’ does. While I did say it was intense and tough, I think the dullness is probably the main aspect that turns me away from this song. I don’t mind it, but if there was a more hyped up sound, I think I would have enjoyed it more.

The music video is another video that is okay, at best. YG Entertainment have always put out great videos. And they are great for a specific reason. Here, I thought the great aspect are the sets and the backgrounds. It looked pretty cool and provided support to that toughness and intensity in a more subtle way. But I am not too sure why I think this, but they felt awkward in front of the camera. The interactions with the camera didn’t seem to feel natural and more like they were thrown in front of the camera with no guidance. Maybe it was the song style that didn’t allow them to be as natural or the editing just didn’t make it seem right, I don’t know. And that is essentially the video. The choreography shots with the amazing backgrounds but awkwardness for the solo shots.

I think there is enough in the video to write about the dance and possible performance. I don’t really talk about stage sets, but YG always seem to have an amazing idea which makes the stages for their artists look stunning. I particular enjoyed the more faster parts of the song, hence I am more drawn to the dance at those parts. However, the slowness in their choreography matches the song really well!

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 4/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 6/10

[Review] Don’t Wanna Cry – Seventeen

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Seventeen is officially back with their brand new title track, Don’t Wanna Cry. The title track can be found as part of their fourth mini album, Al1. The new mini album consists of tracks from each of Seventeen’s subunits and also features a song performed by both Jun and The8. Seventeen’s last comeback was in December of last year with Boom Boom.

From the very first second, the song’s instrumental felt more western than KPOP and it is a complete change in the sound, compared to Seventeen’s past songs. The song itself sounds similar to some Chainsmoker’s more recent works and hits (emphasis on ‘similar’). But still quite different in its own way. The instrumental itself is right up my alley. What surprised me was that the rappers didn’t really rap, but they sang their lines instead, which caught me off guard the first time around. The vocal work in this song is quite good, but I love that small section just prior to the chorus where DK and Seungkwan sing. The buildup and rhythm there was amazing. I thought the silence just before the beat drops is quite nice, providing more strength to the song despite it also did feel like a gaping hole in the song. Finally, what I loved the most about the song is the bridge. Wonwoo and Minggyu’s part in the bridge provided the punch that the song needed and I thought that was pretty good. Overall, I think it is safe to say that I really like the song. It sounds cool and very modern.

The video was quite nice. I believe it was shot in the U.S (not too sure though). Overall, I thought the aesthetics that was present in the music video and the teasers preceding their actual release of their mini album were superb. There is a lot that is going, most of which I have very little clue to. Together, it is a bigger mystery. Hahahaha… I am really bad at interpreting hidden messages in music videos. The cinematography in this video is also amazing and I really liked the places where they shot the video, especially the choreography shots.

Once again, Seventeen is proving to be competition when it comes to the choreography. I personally think this is their most dynamic performance yet. Everything looks amazing from the very first second to the last. The choppiness present during the chorus matches the song really well. My favourite part would have to be when DK and Seungkwan sing the pre-chorus, which on stage, looked pretty cool.

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

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[Review] Like You – HONEYST

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HONEYST is a new KPOP boy band from FNC Entertainment, where the majority of KPOP bands come from. They made their debut in the past week with Like You. The group consist of 4 members: Dongsung, Seungseok, Chulmin and Hwan. The band competed alongside SF9 on the show D.O.B (Dance or Band) to see who could debut first. SF9 won and made their debut last year with Fanfare and now it is HONEYST’s turn.

Given the group’s young age, it would be expected they would go for a certain bright and happy style. And that is exactly what we got here. While it is cliche, the new band does a pretty good job with it. I honestly just started to listen to it today and I am already hooked. The instrumental reminds me of something. It’s like a nostalgic sound that I find very appealing. I just cannot pinpoint what it is. The majority of the chorus is the group repeating the line “Falling For You (Banhagesseo Banhagesseo Banhagesseo)” but it works and has me singing along with it. The whistles added a nice touch but the pickup with the instruments right after the whistle gave the song more of a punch. The vocal work was good, but it felt very generic and it felt very neutral throughout the entire song. I guess that is the one downside to the song. The last few seconds of the song gave it more dynamics and how they ended the song was pretty nice (and that nostalgic feel is back). Overall, a solid debut with a great song!

The music video was okay. It did feel very generic as well, so it really didn’t catch my attention. It’s your standard “confessing to a girl” video type of scenario, just a lot more interactions with the camera and audience, which I thought was nice and different. But what did catch my attention is the scenery that they shot in. This video reminded me many different music videos that were shot in the area. From what I can identify so far: GFriend’s Rough and Super Junior’s Wonder Boy and possibly APINK and 2PM’s latest music videos for Only One and Promise (judging from the buildings). I am certain there are many other videos that I can’t remember at this moment that was filmed there. It is amazing to know how many different music videos you can get out of one location.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 6/10
Overall Rating – 7.5/10

 

[Review] Egoist – Roy Kim

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Two days ago, I reviewed Roy Kim’s main title track, Suddenly. I made a statement that I would review the other title track of Roy Kim’s latest comeback, Egoist, today. And here it is. For those who may have missed the review, Roy Kim made his solo comeback with his first mini album, which features two title tracks.

Roy Kim has always been known for his more acoustic sounds, such as his main past title tracks. So it came as a surprise when I first heard this song. Egoist delves into a more electronic instrumental, but still managing to maintain those acoustic vibes throughout the song. And the blend between the two is amazing. I personally think the tropical and more summery sounds that came out of this song was extremely fitting, for both the upcoming season and Roy Kim himself. I mentioned his voice in the past review and I have to mention them again here. Roy Kim sounds amazing in this song, as well! I love the chorus of the song, especially that line, which was at a higher pitch. I thought the buildup during the pre-chorus was really great as well, which built up from his already great verses to an even more amazing chorus. There is enough catchiness to the song that has me coming back for more. Overall, I thought the song was incredibly smooth and it is music that I would love to hear from Roy Kim in the future.

Matching that tropical and summer sound, we have a more colourful video for the song. It is also a nice contrast to the more dulled music video that was released for Suddenly. In this video, we see Roy Kim being quirky in the video. Also in the video is an equally quirky girl, who follows Roy Kim around. She is helpful at times but probably creeps Roy Kim out just a bit. He soon starts falling for her, while they both share the odd and weird activities that Roy likes.  The video made me laugh and it spoke to me on a level that no other video has. I thought the circumstances of how they met were quite cute. I personally liked this video a lot and you all should check it out as well!

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

[Review] Suddenly – Roy Kim

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Roy Kim is back with his first mini album, Blooming Season. For those who don’t know who Roy Kim is, he is South Korean soloist who debuted back in 2013, with the chart-topping Bom Bom Bom (Spring Spring Spring). Before 2013, he was a contestant on Superstar K4 and ultimately won the competition that year. Since then, he has been releasing songs here and there, such as Home and Love Love Love. His last comeback was in 2015 with The Great Dipper.

If there was one thing that captivated me in all of the songs that I have listed above, it would have to be Roy Kim’s voice. And it is the one thing that people look forward to when they hear a Roy Kim song. His deep yet mellow voice is definitely unique and stands out in the crowd. His deep voice literally sucked me into this song and has me going back to it over and over again. The emotions that he carries in his voice are subtle but they make sure they are heard. Suddenly is a Spring-time ballad that has a very nice melody. It’s another song that makes you sway along to it. The instrumental is incredibly simple. No instrument overpowers another. From the finger clicks to the trumpet (or saxophone) at the end, everything felt just right in this song. I actually love the instrumental section at the end of the song. I am never a fan of songs that fade out at the end, but here it is very fitting for the song. If you can’t tell by now, I totally like this song. And if you are waiting for more Roy Kim reviews, I will be doing a review for Egoist, which will be published on Friday (and my praise here is nothing compared to that review, trust me).

The music video isn’t as captivating as the song. But I will gladly glue my eyes to the screen playing the music video for the song. I thought the video showed Roy Kim daily morning routine. But instead, it shows him packing up, leaving the house and going away (he ended up throwing the keys away). He sings about moving on from a past relationship and the video seems to show him moving on from the memories that he had in that house. While I wasn’t into the video, the idea of the video and its storyline fits the lyrics very nicely. For a while, it felt cold and empty, but that was what was trying to be conveyed through the video. Reflecting on what I wrote, it probably is an amazing video if I wasn’t so narrow-minded. The video just felt dull and (like I said at the start) captivating.

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 6/10
Overall Rating – 8.5/10

 

[Review] Signal – Twice

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The most talked about girl group, Twice, is finally back with a brand new song, Signal. They return with their fourth mini album, which is also titled as Signal. The group previously returned for a short promotional run for their song Knock Knock and their reissue of their third mini album. Twice is also gearing up for a Japan debut, so I am hoping for some original content from them in Japanese!!!

Sadly, I am on the fence with this song. It isn’t their best work out there, but it isn’t terrible as some people would describe it. Unlike all of their past songs, I don’t see anything that can be considered to be catchy. That leaves me a little disappointed because all of the songs that I love from Twice have that over-catchiness that makes it quite appealing. I am not a big fan of the opening or those ‘talking/chanting’ parts throughout the song. They felt awkward and very dull. Once the song starts picking up (and the members actually start singing), it gets a little better. And there is more colour to the song. The chorus was ‘alright’ at best. Like I said before, I can’t feel or hear any hooks in the song. The song also felt very neutral all throughout, with very little fluctuations or changes in the singing style that they go for. While the song felt very pop-centred, the neutralness does kill the track and prevent it from becoming that colourful track that Twice seems to aim for with all their songs. All of that being said, I don’t mind it. I can sit down and listen to it if it appears in my playlist. but I wouldn’t go through the effort of looking for the song.

So I guess the girls get transported to a different world and fall in love with a blue alien. But I love the only face (the  “IDGAF” face) that he gives throughout the video). Like I said yesterday, the music video quality is top-notch. What isn’t top-notch is the acting at the start, where they all faint in the field and the hair that some of the girl sport. Seems like someone ticked off the hair stylist recently. Each the girls also have a superpower (besides Nayeon. The Men In Black called and they want the Neuralyzer back). And I assume they decided to show off their powers to get the alien’s attention, which failed. In the end, it turns out they were all aliens, which explained their superpowers. It creeped me out a bit though. Overall, I thought this video is their cutest yet. And it is quite good!

I think the dance could pretty much be the next TT dance, with the alien ears. Their formations were also quite good. But watching their performance with the song, it felt weak and that left me a little disappointed. I just didn’t find it as cute as their past dances or like the video.

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

 

 

[Review] Shangri-La – VIXX

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VIXX has finally returned with their fourth mini album, titled as Shangri-La. The title of the title track also shares the same name. This is VIXX’s first comeback since their comeback at the end of the year with The Closer, which finished off their trilogy centred around Greek Gods. They went on to release Milky Way, which was a special track for their fans.

The first thing you notice is that Chinese inspired instrumental. The song also combines synths to make it unique, similar to Ten’s Dream In A Dream. The Chinese inspired instrumental dominates the verses, while the synth-based instrumental dominates during the chorus, which does make it an interesting mix. In its own right, the track is extremely powerful. While it may not have the bass that I would have love, the differing dominance between sounds does give off strength and toughness. Their vocal work here is also quite exceptional. We already know the level that Leo and Ken can reach, but the rest of the other members do shine as brightly as Leo and Ken. I love N’s little section during the bridge, it is quite haunting. Even Ravi’s raps are quite good. Maybe not as badass and tough sounding like their other works, but still quite good. But that leads onto the issue for me. The track doesn’t hype me up as their previous work. And that is something I look for when VIXX releases songs. I have listened to it for a few times now after their 6 pm KST release, but I am not blown away with it. Maybe tomorrow or the next few days, but currently, I have don’t feel anything after the track ends.

The music video is crystal clear. I honestly don’t know if I have been living under a rock for the past year or so, but many music videos have emerged to be fully high-definition, which amazes me. GOT7’s Never Ever, Monsta X’s Beautiful and even Twice’s latest comeback (review coming out tomorrow) have wowed me with their quality. Once again, I am probably reviewing the comeback a little too early, so there is probably no fan theories for the music video yet. There is something going on, but since I have been apparently living under a rock, some never-heard-before story everyone has heard of is what the video is based on. After a little research, Shangri-La is a mythical place where it is forever happy and that is all what I can get from it.  Back to square one. Also, while this isn’t the first time KPOP singers have performed with water at their feet, this video does it really cool. I also love the different lighting and sets in the video. All looked quite cool.

I have been officially ‘slayed’ with the choreography. Their use of the fans gives off an elegant yet very dominating feel. That powerfulness is portrayed nicely through their sharp moves and their precision is amazing in this performance. I love the start where their starting pose and the hand work that they show. Once again, VIXX has done it again with the choreography.

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

[Review] ID – UP10TION

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This is the fourth and final Japanese song review for this week. As mentioned previously, I will find time to do another four reviews for girl group releases in Japan. But in the meantime, this is my review for UP10TION’s official Japanese debut. The boy group made their official debut with the single ID on 8th of March this year. Their most recent Korean promotions were late last year for White Night.

Out of all the four songs that I had chosen to review, this one didn’t reel me into the song, like how the others did. That being said, the song was still quite good and was incredibly strong in its instrumental and the group’s delivery. ID is an extremely synth-heavy, with its roots in electronic and EDM. Some parts did catch me off guard at first, but overall, the instrumental sounded pretty good. The vocals were mostly covered with autotune, which felt okay. It wasn’t misused or overused in any way, like in other songs. The raps could have been a little better. The reason why goes back to why I felt the song didn’t reel me in. The song felt extremely slow. The song’s tempo felt like it was in slow-motion the entire time, which did take the energy out of the synths. Going back to the raps, the raps were done so to match the tempo of the song. To me, the slowness sucked the energy out of that as well. Another thing is that the song didn’t have many hooks. There just wasn’t anything catchy about or anything that makes me want to go back, beside the powerfulness of the song. I would like to know what the meaning for “Dirty Little Freaks” in the song is (as it was mentioned during the heavily autotuned parts and throughout the chorus). Anyone willing to share?

The music video follows the same formula of choreography shots and closeups. The edgy vibes and toughness were portrayed through the industrial and urban sets. Overall, the sets were quite minimalistic, with the main focus on the group and their choreography. Hence, I have decided to join the performance section of the review with the music video. Honestly, their choreography for ID was quite amazing. The moves weren’t that special, but together, the dance that accompanied the song was great! The group is definitely emerging a group to look out for when it comes to choreographies.

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

[Review] Ka-Ching – EXO-CBX

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EXO-CBX will be making their official debut on the 24th of May, with the drop of their first min-album, Girls. While that date is two weeks away, they have already released the short version of the music video and gave a full performance for their debut track.  The EXO subunit previously made their Korean debut with Hey Mama last year. This is the third JPOP review of the four I promised, with the last one being released later today.

I was genuinely curious what style the subunit would go for. Hey Mama was so good and was a song that was more up my alley. Given that this release is more for the audience in Japan, it would be interesting to see what style the song delves into. And I am glad that I clicked on this song. Ka-Ching really catchy to listen to. Even after the song ends, I want more of it. The instrumental sounds like a soundtrack for the playboy who just arrived at a Las Vegas casino and has a bit fun in the casino. Which is obviously appropriate for a song that revolves around money. I love the vocal work in the song, especially the buildup during the pre-chorus. The “Ka-Ching” that is engraved into our minds by the end of the song sounds alluring and does a good job of keeping that catchiness of the song. Trust me, but “Ka-Ching” is probably the one thing you will remember for a while after listening to the song. The one thing that doesn’t sit well with me is the rapping in the song. It was pretty bad, to the point where I has to be one of the worst rap sequences I have heard in a long time. The song needed a rap sequence, just not that one. But overall, the song was pretty good.

I am honestly not too sure about the music video. A part of me likes it. Another part of me wants to ask what was going on during the circus scenes. Not exactly sure about those backup dancers and their creepy makeup. Sure, they added a little colour to the video to give it a more vibrant feel, but it looked really scary. The green screen for the circus background has a lot going on, so it felt overwhelming and complicated. The casino scenes looked a lot simpler and felt more open but those backup dancers were still there. I like the speech bubbles and the comic themed writing that appeared. Just not the word art for the line “We’re on a payroll”.

Getting on the trend of body rolls, Ka-Ching makes use of the body rolls during the chorus. It actually looks quite cool. My favourite part of the dance is the end, which isn’t shown in the music video linked below but rather the live performance that you can search up on YouTube, where Baekhyun starts off, then Chen and Xiumin, then the backup dancers.

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

 

[Review] How To Cry – 100%

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Following the review posted earlier today for BTOB’s L.U.V, the second JPOP release will be 100%’s debut single, How To Cry. At the start of the year, 100% made their official debut in Japan with How To Cry. They later returned a month later with their Korean comeback, Sketch U.

100%’s Japanese debut single takes every fan and listener back to their dance based songs. It wasn’t until recently that the group turned to more vocal centred tracks. And it is a return that I wouldn’t mind listening to over and over again. While their earlier tracks were of the same genre, I wasn’t into them like I am with this track. This one had great synths that caught my attention straight away. I thought the synths and instrumental would have been overpowering, but rather the vocals managed to shine through. I guess this is more proof that the group has vastly improved. The track is extremely powerful. This strength can be heard through the vocals, raps and the instrumental. The bass in this song is what I wish for in some songs. It sounds heavy, suiting the synths and dubstep-based sounds. It is also quite catchy, especially the chorus and the “How To Cry” line that is repeated over and over again. Part of me does feel like it is a generic dance song but the song mashes past 100% and present-day 100%, which could become a very interesting combination.

While I did sense the genericness in the song, the genericness in the video could be felt more strongly. Yeah, the video consists of the following, which is the formula that most music video nowadays: closeups, choreography and a few inserted scenes to give the video some meaning. They don’t have much appeal to them standalone and together they end up being even less appealing to watch. The darker vibes gave an edgier and tougher look to the group. But their acting and ’emotional reflection’ scenes don’t really go well with that. I honestly don’t know why I felt this mismatch strongly in the video because it is the same thing that I watch every single day when I watch multiple KPOP music videos.

Like I said above, the return to the stronger sound meant the return to even more powerful choreography. And that is what we got here. It’s tough, sharp and amazing. The “Tell Me How To Cry” dance move looked quite cool. The choreography during the chorus was definitely the highlight and fitted in well with the dramatic side of the song.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.5/10

[Review] L.U.V – BTOB

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Due to this week’s lack of releases, I have decided to take some time and focus on the Japanese releases by KPOP groups. For the next two days, I will be releasing reviews for Japanese songs released by Korean boy groups. I will find some time (most likely after my exams) to do some reviews for JPOP songs released by Korean girl groups. Today’s focus is BTOB’s L.U.V, which was released in June last year. This is BTOB’s first single to top the album charts in Japan.

Out of all the song that I have chosen to review, BTOB’s L.U.V is the only one from last year. That is becaucse in the four songs, L.U.V has been my favourite and left the biggest impression. This song alone cements their vocal capabilities and continues on from their ballad trilogy (It’s Okay, Way Back Home and Remember That). The raps in the song are equally as great. But I think the vocals still steal the show. The ad-libs, which are commonly found at the end of the song, feature after the first chorus, which makes it different. Out of all of the BTOB ballads that I have heard, I think this one showcases the most emotions in both vocals and raps. I love the layering towards the end of the song. The ballad has the traditional ballad instrumental, which isn’t anything fancy, but it accompanies the vocals and raps gave a really dramatic theme to the song. Overall, I pretty much enjoyed the song, from when it was released to even today!

Matching the emotions felt in the song, the video showcases the same emotions into a story format. The main story featured was with Hyunsik and his partner. She had already passed away and Hyunsik cannot stand being without her. So he jumps off the top of a building to his death. At the end you see him running to his girlfriend in the afterlife, which I supposed shocked her. The other members are also featured in the music video and are there for more symbolic reasons, such as Changsub with the ballons, which represents the loss of one, then two lives. The use (or lack of colour) in the video was amazing as well, showing both sides of life in a very intresting way. The member’s acting is quite superb. Overall, it is a well thought out video that accompanies the song perfectly.

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