Category: Reviews

[Review] 1.2.3 – B.I.G

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B.I.G has returned with a brand new single. Last time we saw them they were promoting Aphrodite, which had a much darker concept than their latest release. If you remember clearly, B.I.G is actually a five member group, but you may have noticed that only four members participated this time around. That is because Minpyo is taking a break due to health reasons. Hopefully we will see him return soon.

1.2.3 is a pretty good song. While it is different compared to their past releases, as it goes for a more disco pop sound than hip-hop (which they have done in the past), the song really does suit them. I really like their vocals in this song. While they have shown us their powerful vocals in the past, this time around they show it off on a different level. I like the differences between the verses and chorus. The verses is a little light on the bass and the instrumental isn’t as heavy. But when the chorus comes to play, they through the bass and make the instrumental feel a lot heavier. Knowing me, I probably described as an dysfunctional transition. But instead, it works really well. The chorus is extremely catchy and addictive to listen to. I love the way Benji drags out the words at the end of each chorus. It adds an interesting element to the song. Also really enjoyed his ad-libs, but as I said before, I really like vocals of all the members. Even the rapping was great. They toned that part down but it allows the rapper (Heedo) to shine with his deep voice. If you are looking a new group to get into, check these guys out. Some of their past releases have also been my favourites as well!!

The music video was quite disappointing. I don’t think it lived up to the standard that the music had set. The guys discover a girl on TV and is basically amazed by her beauty. And then they start following her around, which was where the video become confusing. I feel like the video is there to provide some comedy in some scenes (such as Benji’s high note) but then the rest of the video felt like a normal music video with nothing much happening.

The choreography was great. It adds to that more vibrant concept the guys went for and they did a pretty good job. Their costumes does make them look like they were stuck in time but besides that, their dancing was great, like their song. But sadly, no memorable moves.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 3/10 
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7/10

[Review] I Wish – I (Cha Yoonji) ft. Tiger JK

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Source: https://0.soompi.io/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/11071947/i-cha-yoon-ji2.jpg

I (not as in me but as in Cha Yoon Ji) made her official debut last month on the 11th of January. Another a debut and review that should have been released a month ago. It is disappointing that it has taken so long to review this song, but better late and never. Cha Yoon Ji is currently under WM Entertainment, which also houses B1A4 and Oh My Girl. Interestingly enough, Yoon Ji was a potential member of Oh My Girl and her big brother is Baro from B1A4.

Just by listening to the song you can tell that is it a very unique song. From the very start, you can tell the song is holding itself back. You do expect the song to start “dropping the beat” or to pick up, but it doesn’t. And I don’t think that is necessarily a bad thing for this song. Her vocals sound amazing but that held back electronic sound hip-hop sound really fits her vocals. It does feel underwhelming at first, but after a few listens you do warm up to it (well, at least I did). Tiger JK featured in this song (and for those who do not know, Tiger JK is a well respected and influential rap artist in South Korea). And his featuring really adds a breath of life of the song. It kept it from feeling dull and boring. Her short English lines at the very end of the song did the exact same thing as the rap sequence, ending her song quite smoothly. The rest of the song, while I do like it, felt too monotone and could possibly give off a dull feeling to someone who plays it once or twice only. If there was a little more flare in the instrumental or maybe possibly her vocals, the track would have been even better.

The music video shows Cha Yoon Ji living an ordinary life and is someone who wishes she would become a singer (or famous) like the person (who is also Cha Yoon Ji) on the television set. In the end, her wish came true as she is sitting on the bed in a very glittery shirt (unlike the pyjamas she wore earlier on) and in the corner, you also see the same scene on the television. Obviously, the song ties in very nicely with the song. “If You Wish Hard, It Will Come True” is the alternative title of the song (it was shortened due to its long nature) and that also makes a lot of sense. While the dull pastel colour filter seems to fit well with the video, I think it does dull the video quite a bit. The speed of the video was a little too slow for my liking and it wasn’t as memorable as you would want a debut video to be. You obviously want something impactful and memorable to get people to like the video. But then again, debuts sometimes don’t work out but a later release might hit it big.

Like her video, her performances aren’t that memorable. I watched a few but really haven’t gone back to them. Her dancing is something to look for but there really isn’t much to remember. Instead, I have avoided them. I only go back to play the performances for the song.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 4/10
Performance – 3/10
Overall Rating – 5.5/10

 

[Review] Get The Treasure – SHINee

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Source: http://www.allkpop.com/upload/2017/01/af_org/SHINee_1485622735_af_org.jpg

I want to delve back into JPOP releases and hopefully extend my review base to artists who are not KPOP originated groups. It’s a promise that I have been making each year. While I don’t really see myself keeping that promise due to my commitments, I do want to keep doing a few JPOP reviews each year. And since SHINee just made their Japan comeback two weeks ago, why not? This is their 5th full album, titled as 5. SHINee has also released songs in 2016 that form part of the album.

Get The Treasure is something you expected from SHINee. Their Korean tracks have been more experimental in the last few years and the few Japanese tracks I have heard seemed to more consistent, with Get The Treasure fitting SHINee’s portfolio quite nicely. The song starts off abruptly. Not a big fan of that. It just felt too sudden and odd, compared to the rest of the song. Another part that I am shaking my head to (as in saying ‘no’) is the rapping sequence for the bridge. It felt disconnected and doesn’t flow well with the rest of the song. But everything else is pretty good. I love the grand and classy feel that the song has going on. It suits the casino concept that the video featured. The instrumental was spectacular. When they launch you into the chorus, they do not hold back with anything. Horns blaring and their vocals, being the forefront, was particularly strong and powerful. The instrumental here gave it a really nice funky and almost jazz-like flare. The verses did feel a little underwhelming, but it didn’t affect the overall listening experience. The chorus was the main show and they did manage to wow me during the main show.

One thing did jump out at me when watching the video. Their lip-syncing sucks. Not exactly sure if it is the language, but some of them barely moved their lips. But besides that standout issue, everything else in the video was really cool. First of all, the guys look really cool in their suits and black outfits. The mannequin challenge or the ‘pausing of everyone else’ while SHINee roamed around looked amazing. The editing done here has to be one of the most complicated processes ever. And also one of the best. I really enjoyed the choreography scenes. The chandelier dropping and then pausing midway just so the guys could dance with the glass pieces flying about really looked cool. Obviously, they did hold back in the video making process as well. Not even shooting guns could stop these guys!

The dance looked cool and fitting for the song. But it wasn’t as memorable as any of their past dances.

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

[Review] Spring Day – BTS

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BTS has returned with their repackaged version of Wings (title track was Blood Sweat & Tears), which was probably one of the best albums of 2016. Spring Day is their title track off the repackaged album. The group will also be releasing a music video for Not Today (another track off their repackaged album), which I will review next week (once the video is released on the 20th). I was also planning on doing an album review for their repackaged. But since I am already reviewing 2 of the 4 new songs and I think it probably too late to do an album review for the entire Wings album, I’ve decided to cancel it instead. My apologies if you had expected it.

Spring Day is a lot different to the group’s past hits. This time, they went with a song that is more vocally centred. And they do a smashing job of it. The song is something right up my alley. It has a really emotional melody, which you can hear through both the softer instrumental and vocal work. The instrumental is toned down (as already mentioned) quite a bit, almost resembling a soft electronic track infused with a ballad (also really like the drums). Even the rappers, who are known for their extreme toughness and power raps, have toned it down. The star of the show has to be the vocals of Jungkook, Taehyung and Jimin. Their vocals work, in the song, is amazing. You can hear the emotions in the vocals, being consistent throughout the song. J-Hope seemed to get the short end of the stick. When I first listened to the song, I noticed that I could not detect J-Hope’s voice anywhere. It turns out that J-Hope was the backing vocals for the chorus. While that does seem a little unfair, once you notice it, you can’t really unhear it. Now when I listen to the song, I move my focus between the different vocals, especially during the chorus. His backing vocals do a really good job of echoing the member who was singing at the time (usually Jungkook). It added a level of complexity and depth to the song. And honestly, if you strip J-Hope’s backing vocals from the song, the song would have felt empty and too simplified.

Let’s all put forward our best theories, shall we? Hahaha.. As per usual, this BTS music video is confusing as heck. So I decided to do some reading and watching, trying to see what others make of it.  I found a video that really explains the story quite well. Watching the music video by itself made no sense. But with someone breaking it down (and basically doing the hard work for me) made more sense and more understandable. Now, I am unfamiliar with the story of Omelas (the name of the motel in the video) and will probably do a shocking job at explaining it. So for an explanation of the video, CLICK HERE!!! I think what BTS (and when I refer to the band, in this case, I am also referring to the producer, director etc) has been doing with their reference to these mythological stories is really cool and unheard of (as a series) in KPOP. Now moving away from the plot, this video is beautifully shot. Everything from the camera angles, wide shots to the quality of the video made it look amazing. It makes the video look stunning and worthwhile to watch.

[UPDATED] The dance for this song is amazing. I am not too sure, but I am assuming they did a form of interpretive dancing and every time I watch the performance, I am in awe at their stage presence and fluid motions. I loved how the song is more on the softer side, but their dancing is leaves a very strong impression on you. It might be a tad early, but this is worthy of a Best Dance award already.

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 10/10 [UPDATED]
Overall Rating – 9.7/10 [UPDATED]

 

[Review] Black Or White – Cross Gene

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Source: https://0.soompi.io/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/07070658/cross-gene.jpg

Cross Gene has finally returned to South Korea after over a year’s absence. They last made comeback with Noona, You in January 2016. That didn’t mean the group went MIA for the year. They did release their first Japanese album in April 2016 as well. Moving forward to 2017, the group released their Mirror mini album, which features Black or White as the title track.

Cross Gene has made releases with an edgy sound and concept before. But this release takes thing a lot further. And it sounds really cool. There are a lot of horror influences with the instrumental and song in general. The use of rock during the verses, the howling wolf in the background at certain parts, a grunting sound from one of the members etc. The instrumental tries to pack a punch. For the most part, the electronic-based instrumental succeeds in doing this. But there are segments where they remove the intensity and replace it with a hip-hop sound. It kills the mood, which is disappointing. The difference was far too noticeable to avoid talking about. The vocals of the song, along with the rap, was quite good as well. It built and gave the song the intensity it needed. I guess this is the song you would listen to if you want to be sitting on the edge of your seat. On a more personal level, it sounds really cool (as I specified above), but it doesn’t amaze me. I do read other reviews to see what people think of the song and I do agree with a majority of them when they say the song has a familiar sound and has been “done before”.

The music video is quite graphic and if you are not into gory stuff or violence – do stay away from the video. Essentially, the video is similar to the Jekyll and Hyde storyline. Each member has an innocent side (which we will refer to as the good side) and the creepily insane side (which we will refer to as the dark side). The dark side taunts the good side and ends up killing the good side as well. Let’s just say stabbing, drowning in blood and strangulation are involved. The other methods that were used to kill the good side are a little too graphic to even put into words. The odd thing is the good side ends up living again. As if the dark side never even touched them. Or everything was just in their head. I have to say the guy who ended up being drowned did a good job at portraying the good and dark side. He looks really innocent one second and then insane the next. I feel like they should have ended with the dark side just in the background, while the good side is just to come to grips with what had happened. It would give a video a more eerie and ominous look (even though they got that covered). I thought the video was well shot. Some of the acting looked a little awkward but still bearable to watch. Overall, I liked it. It just isn’t for the faint-hearted.

The performance was generally quite good. They split the group into smaller groups of three. One being the white group and the other being the black group. The dance is also split amongst the two groups. Either group performed by themselves, with little interaction between the two groups. While this has been done before, the separation here looked more obvious made everything seem a lot edgier.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 9.5/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.5/10

 

 

[Review] My First and Last – NCT Dream

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NCT 127 kicked off the year for NCT with their promotions for Limitless. Now NCT Dream has returned with a brand new song, My First and Last. NCT Dream made their debut last year with the super cutesy and youthful Chewing Gum, a completely different vibe from their 127 or U counterparts.

My First and Last follows that same notion of setting Dream apart from 127 and U. The song still delves into that cutesy but with a more mature sound to it. Actually, the correct word to describe the song is ‘youthful’. It’s a simple song. Not saying that in a mean way, but rather, I am referring to the overall sound and structure of the song. The song is super addictive and catchy. For a dance track, the instrumental is very soft but still enough for you to notice it. Many KPOP songs nowadays rely on a more heavy or hard sounding instrumental such as in dubstep or for a tougher vibe. Instead, this song relies on a more pop sound. Their vocals are the main focus. They stood out with the soft instrumental. The harmony during the chorus really does wonders with the song, bringing out that youthful side. The rapping was pretty good. I am a big fan of Mark’s “Let’s talk about love” rap than the one situated as the bridge. There was a lot more colour in the favoured rap sequence. But regardless, the two main components, vocals (including rapping for this point) and instrumental, goes hand in hand with each other and really make the song quite enjoyable to listen to. Give the song a try and see if it works for you.

The video recently became under fire for sexualizing the female teacher in it. But I think those people (ah netizens) are over-reacting. Just because she is wearing tight clothing and walking in slow-motion doesn’t mean they are sexualising her. And besides, most people have had an attractive teacher before. So, there really isn’t anything wrong about it. Essentially, the teacher are the guy’s first love and try to get her attention. They indeed fail because her eyes are set for the husband she marries and the child she has, which was revealed at the end of the video. But the way they get her attention is quite interesting. First, they try the “let’s misbehave in class” method. That didn’t work, so they decided to build functioning carts out of cardboard. Because everyone would want to drive or get picked up in a really cool car (or cart in this case). Honestly, someone give these guys an A+ for their technology, woodwork and science classes. Trust me, because I am half way through university and there is no way I can do what they were doing. Overall, the video is quite cool to watch.

Another amazing choreography. And this time, they don’t need hoverboards. Instead, the dance portrays the youthful side once again. I am quite sure the dance at the second chorus was meant to invoke childhood memories. But the highlight of the whole choreography is when the members hold onto each other’s legs (while lying on their side) and pull themselves closer to each other. That looked cool!

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

[Review] Last Goodbye – AKMU

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Hmmm.. I really need to get on top of some songs.I have been planning to review AKMU’s latest song, Last Goodbye, from their album, titled as Winter, which was released on the 7th of January. So that means this review is a month overdue. Whoops, I apologise for that. Last Goodbye is not their only title track from the album, with Reality being their second title track from the album.

Last Goodbye is a ballad with a really nice acoustic based instrumental. The later parts and chorus of the song focus more on the orchestral sound, but the verses are mainly guitar based. The guitar really brings out a really nice country-side feel. The song sounds like a night spent around a fire, regardless if you are in the comfort of your own home or outside in the wilderness. Their vocals are brought out quite well, with the emotional side of the song sounding very prominent. Each member of the duo alone does an amazing job with their own vocals. Harmony and sophistication can be heard when they sing together. The chorus, for this reason, sounds amazing. The chorus is also quite catchy. It is another song that makes you sway along with the instrumental and vocals of the members. The only problem was the verses. While they led to the chorus perfectly, they did feel a little underwhelming. But besides that, it is a really good song to listen to.

Like what I mentioned above, the music video was sung around an open flame on a camping trip. Perfect! The video is simply them singing. Nothing much is happening. There are scenes throughout the video that tie this video with their “Musical Short Film” (which features their second title track, Reality). The good stuff is in the short film, so there isn’t much to talk about here.

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

[Review] Me & You – Jung Joon Young ft. Jang Hye Jin

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Jung Joon Young has made his comeback with his first album, The First Person. The title track, Me & You, features Jang Hye Jin, who is a famous South Korean singer who debuted back in 1991. This is Jung Joon Young’s first comeback since a scandal involving the singer became headlines in the KPOP industry. This is also my first review for the soloist.

Jung Joon Young delves mostly into rock music. From time to time, he does sing ballads, however, the ballad is always infused with the rock music he is known for. This song is strictly ballad (for the most part). His husky vocals are in the spotlight, with it being emphasised using the very soft instrumental. Jang Hye Jin’s vocals suit the song quite well. When the two join forces and sing together, you can barely tell a difference of age. The vocals go hand in hand. It isn’t until the end that the song starts to pick up, where it is launched unexpectedly into a soft rock ballad. Yeah, you don’t really think that the song will go in that direction, but it does. And it works. It makes the song quite memorable, giving it the “cherry on top” as some people might put it (well for me at least). I have pointed out how slow some ballads can be.While this can easily be inserted to the “very slow” ballad category, I like it a lot. It helps lighten Jung’s vocals and make the song sound very emotional and meaningful at the same time.

Like the song, the music video is very slow-paced. From what I could tell in the video, the couple shared happy memories but their relationship deteriorated over time. While the song moves from just ballad to a rock ballad sound, the couple breaks up and you see scenes of the now former couple coming to grip with their break up throughout the video. Putting it into words make the video seem boring. I know it suits the lyrics and there is no other way to present a ballad in video format normally, but they do become a little repetitive and cliché over time. The video doesn’t really keep my interested. I have played it a few times, but have gone off to do something else rather sit and watch it. That is its only flaw, to be honest.

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

[Review] Yesterday – Block B

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Block B has dropped a surprise release, in the form of a single, titled as Yesterday. I have no idea if this is going to be a pre-release for a future album or is just a single. I have been trying to find out but I have come up with no answer. This is the first Block B release since Toy last year. Since their last comeback, the members have each embarked on solo and subunit promotions.

Listening to Yesterday for the first time, I thought it had a Winner feel to it, more specifically Winner’s more pop centred songs such as Don’t Flirt. That thought still sticks with me but I have noticed that the song still has that Block B feel. I thought it sounded similar to Jackpot as well, just a lot lighter. Maybe it is the rock-based instrumental that gets me thinking like that. This time around, the group seemed to have inserted a bit of pop influence into the song. Overall, I thought the vocals were good. P.O’s raspy vocals and raps shined the best in this song. I like the way Zico raps, but I feel like he needs to show more variety, as like in his solo, when he is with the group. I felt like this was too similar to many of his past raps within Block B songs. While as simple as it sounds and as cliché as it sounds, I really like the “la, la, la” part of the song. To me, the song isn’t necessarily repeat-worthy, but it still nice to listen to once in a while.

With a more cheerful song, the music video is expectantly more colourful and vibrant. The group also went with a sitcom-like theme but that concept seemed lost just before the 1st chorus, which then returned to a normal non-themed KPOP video. To make it seem more like a sitcom, they should have added the member’s name during the start because the start of the video seemed like a sitcom introduction. Moving along, the guys couldn’t contact their lover (who happened to be the same girl). They do their best to figure out where she was and what she was doing “yesterday”. But instead, they find out they are all following the same girl. They join hands in trying to figure out what she did “yesterday”. But they ended up failing at the end. The video was fun to watch, matching the song very nicely. You could probably not imagine another way to present the video or another concept to go with the song.

We only see a few brief seconds of the choreography in the video. Not too entirely sure if there is even a full choreography for this song. So I am not going to even try to rate this part.

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

[Review] You Were Beautiful – DAY6

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If you have not yet heard, DAY6 will be making monthly releases this year. They released I Wait as their main track for their January release. You Were Beautiful is now their latest track, released exactly one month after I Wait.

Once again, DAY6 does not disappoint with their song. I think the first thing every noticed was the past tense in the title. It does make a funny joke, but I rather not insult anyone. They went with a rock-ballad song, keeping true to themselves with the rock element, but showing off with a new side to the group with the ballad sounds. The track is much slower this time and you can feel more emotions in their vocals and lyrics in this song. Each member sings wonderfully in this song. I personally like the song a lot. The main issue is that some parts did feel like it was dragged out a bit. While I can overlook it, as everything else was sounded perfect for me, the thought does hang in the back of my head. But still, you all should check out the song. Given this track and I Wait, I am eagerly waiting for next month to come around to see what else the band has up their sleeve.

The video is quite simple. A female office worker finds (or is sent) videos of her past relationship with this guy. While all the memories are happy and she spends the majority of the video smiling, she ends up crying after remembering her break-up with him. The video is very clear cut. The band members are thrown into the video, scattered amongst the memories. Their presence in this video was underwhelming and honestly, not needed at all. The video would have been fine with just the memories and the female crying. Their presence through the song is more than enough here. An interesting theory seems to be that this is the continuation from their Congratulation video. In this video, the girl reflects on the past relationship she had with the guy, while in Congratulations, they meet unexpectedly in the future. While the actor does look familiar, the actress doesn’t. Nonetheless, it would still make for an amazing plotline and an awesome connection between the videos.

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

[Review] Roar – SF9

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SF9 has returned with their first mini album, Burning Sensation, and their newest title track, Roar. The group made their official debut last October with Fanfare.

Fanfare, til this day, has not left an impression on me and thus became a forgettable track. Roar takes one step in the opposite direction, as I do remember this song for a number of reasons. The instrumental was interesting. That boing-boing sound (how do you explain the sound???) really catches your attention from the very start. They don’t overuse it because it could easily annoy the crap out of everyone and ruin the song. The verses needed some sort of foundation or backing to give the song more of an impact, in my opinion. The vocals are okay. The adlibs at the end don’t really seem to fit the song that well. The clear standout goes to the rapping. Each the rappers sounded amazing in this song. The buildup that the rappers contribute to the choruses sounded rough yet very fitting to the song. Though, their part in the bridge could have gone for something else rather than cowbells. I don’t know why, but I thought it was a little odd. While I did think the buildup to the choruses was pretty good, the immediate launch into the chorus is done perfectly. It packs a punch and leaves an impression in your mind.

Like the song, the video is quite fast-paced. You blink and you may have missed 30 seconds of the video. The sets and the solo shots don’t look as impressive as you think they will be. Honestly, the sets for the solo shots looked like they have been used elsewhere in the KPOP realm. Maybe it is the camera shots that make the sets seemed overused. The video also lacks colour. That one colour lighting seems to be trendy in South Korea, but I think it makes videos look dull and boring. The editing for the video is quite good as well, especially during the choreography shots.

The choreography is pretty good. I would have liked more moves that packed a punch and felt more strong. There were parts that did feel quite slow (even though they were made to fit with the speed of the song at that part) and they did weaken the overall look and feel of the choreography. The one thing I did like was how they broke themselves into smaller groups at the start and smoothly combined the two to make one group.

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

[Review] You Seem Busy – MelodyDay ft. Jung Ilhoon (BTOB)

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MelodyDay has returned with a brand new single. The last time we saw them on stage was through the promotions of Colour, last year. Unfortunately, I didn’t get time to review their comeback last year. As you can tell from the title of this review, their newest track is titled as You Seem Busy and it features Ilhoon from BTOB.

The girls came back with a much slower song, compared to that last few releases. I love the ballad instrumental in the song. To me, it sounds very calming and soothing. Throw in their vocals, along with Ilhoon’s rap, and the song pretty much makes you sway along with it. Not technically fond of the first verse, as it felt quite dry. But those final moments leading up to the first chorus really builds the song up from out of nothing, launching straight into the chorus quite well. The rest of the song doesn’t really repeat that same sort of impact and that does leave the song hanging a bit. The only other flaw with the song is that it can fall into the more “generic ballad” catergory.  It did take a few listens to shake that feeling off. It wasn’t until I unexpectedly listened to the song (through YouTube automatic recommedantions) did I actually notice the impact and the song itself.

The music video tells the story of a waiter who seems to just be pushing through with work to just pass the day (or make a living). The same thing happens every single day, which makes his life dull and boring. On this paritcular day, the customers (the two comedians) give him a hard time. One of them notices him and starts a conversation, while the other one becomes jealous and tells the waiter to essentially get lost. He takes some time out and notices the girls on stage, who are in fact MelodyDay themselves. They perform their song, which also lifts his spirits, which leaves a smile on his face. It isn’t a flashy video, but very fitting for the song, as both goes hand-in-hand with each other (just check the English lyrics in the video below). A nice video to watch.

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

[Review] The Song – Zion.T

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Zion.T is a RnB/hip-hop artist who has a very extensive resume when it comes to the South Korean industry. Many of his songs go on to top the South Korean charts. For example, his album is beating out the OST of the trendiest dramas at the moment. That is quite an incredible feat, considering how the OST have such a big influence on the industry. Zion.T recently left Amoeba Culture and is now officially a part of the YG Family.

Not exactly my cup of tea, but it is a good track to listen to. I don’t really listen to Zion.T that much when he sings in songs by himself but I do like listening to his collaborations with other artists. While you can hear the RnB roots in this song, there is a  definite pop influence. The instrumental for this song is quite simple (from what I can hear – I am no expert in composing) and I think this suits the lyrics of the song, which involves him singing about how he wrote this song for his girl (but releases it for everyone to hear – which I guess indirectly references composers who put their life-story into songs). His vocals are very sweet in the song and quite smooth as well. His rapping was quite limited in the song. I would have liked to hear more of his rapping in the song because it compliments the song quite nicely. Honestly, the song felt quite short and while it was three minutes, it felt like it was 2 minutes. Not exactly sure if that is a good or bad thing yet. Overall, do listen to it if you like your RnB. Just expect a little more happiness to the song, especially if you are used to a more emotional sounding Zion.T song (like me).

The video is a little unconventional if I were to put “crazy” into a formal way of writing. Some parts make sense. Others don’t really make that much sense to me. I get the slide scene at the start, where he slides to what seems to be his really long, ball-filled bathtub. Mainly because it was a part of the lyrics. But not too sure about the submarine or the “under-the-sea” scenes. I don’t I was meant to get too in depth with the scenes though as the video goes for a more fun concept, which goes hand in hand with the happiness I pointed out. Some of the sets had that typical YG feel, but overall, the video doesn’t feel like it came from YG Entertainment. Many of their artists who don’t really follow the KPOP route (such as Akdong Musician and now Zion.T) seem to have videos that fit their songs and image more. While that it is expected, it is fresh coming from YG Entertainment. Overall, it is a nice video to watch.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8.5/10 
Overall Review – 9/10

[Review] Rookie – Red Velvet

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Red Velvet has returned with a new mini album, which shares the same title as the title track, Rookie. 2016 was another big year for the girl group with countless solo work and two successful comebacks. This review will a part of my first album review for their mini album – Rookie.

From what I am reading, some people think this is their worst track to date. I personally wouldn’t go to that extent. I wouldn’t say it is their worst track, but rather it is not their best. I liked the instrumental. It fits Red Velvet’s sound really nicely. It has a vibrant sound that matches with Red Velvet’s past hits like Dumb Dumb and Russian Roulette. It sounds similar to Hey Mikey by Toni Basil (just with modern processing and more upbeat). Some of the vocals I liked, especially when they are singing. Joy and Irene’s part in the first verse was, by far, big no-no’s. Would you consider it rapping? Because I would and if it is actually them rapping, maybe they should stay away from it for a while (or start practising a little more). Just by listening to the song only a few times, I can already hear the annoying ring with the chorus. The constant repetition of the word Rookie just sounds annoying here. It isn’t flashy or appealing. There isn’t any tone to it, expect for that one tone. Dumb Dumb had repetition in it, but the repetition was sung. This just sounds like more like shouting. To be honest, it does turn me away from the track a bit. They mispronounce the world Rookie all throughout the chorus. And while that is frustrating for an English speaker (like myself), we can’t really blame them for that (Note: Asians tend to mix up their R and L’s). Honestly, I think if they redid the chorus to something like in Russian Roulette, I think the song would have been better. The song isn’t terrible, but as I said, not their best.

Once again, Red Velvet has gone with a vibrant and colourful video, which does fit the song quite nicely. I have no idea what is going on in the video. It’s wacky and crazy, something that Red Velvet has been doing for some time. It seems like whatever they were smelling at the start, got them into Narnia, which leads them to an alternative universe, with a flower man running about. Besides that, the rest doesn’t make any sense. Watching the video over and over again doesn’t help to decipher the video, but it adds to the confusion. For a while, it seems like SM threw together some colourful sets and just hoped that the video would solve itself. Some of the sets were stunning, some of them were very plain and boring. That scene where Seulgi walks out of the closet and then joins into the choreography straight away was meant to look cool. But instead, it just looks really staged. Like the song, I would watch the video, but I wouldn’t say this is their best.

Only saw small snippets of the choreography, but what I saw looked good. I have a feeling (and this is from what I saw) but the dance could be a lot simpler. I hope that isn’t the case. I have grown to love Red Velvet’s dances for its complexity and its own flare. Let’s hope they continue with it. I will add more once the stages start.

Song – 5.5/10
Music Video – 6/10
Dance – 7/10 (may change)
Overall Rating – 6/10

 

[Review] Love Affair – Niel (Teen Top)

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Niel from Teen Top has returned with his first comeback and second solo mini album, which is also titled as Love Affair… It has been a while since I last heard from Teen Top. Though, they have been in the news lately, as their contract with their current company is to be renewed this year. From what I could tell, it seems a renewal is most likely and a March comeback is also on the books.

Once again, I am not really falling into Niel’s solo title track as I want to. His solo debut was good, but it didn’t really leave much of an impression on me after a while. It’s not because I dislike the artist, but rather, his solos don’t captivate me, as other artists do. This time around, Niel has gone for an acoustic prominent song, which the guitar being the primary instrument in the song. You can also hear hints of synths throughout the song. As the song progresses, it starts to become faster and more upbeat, but still keeping that mellow sound as heard in the slower parts of the song. His vocals seem more polished and emotional to me, in this song. That is one of the strong points in this song. While he does draw out some notes in the song, it doesn’t really sound that way. The song doesn’t sound like extra seconds are added to it because of the drawn out notes. The rapper, Giant Pink, whom I have never heard of before, does a really splendid job in the song. The rap segment flowed very nicely and complimented both the song and Niel as well.

The video can be split into two segments. The first is all the choreography scenes. The second are the interactions with the female lead. His acting in this video is pretty good. Watching the video, you can feel the emotions. You can tell how desperate he is to be with the girl, especially at the end. You could also feel the emotions in the choreography. I will touch on them later on. But they really compliment the emotions in the acting. The sets for the choreography is wonderful, especially the one with all the mirrors. That looked amazing. I don’t understand why they had to slo-mo some of the dance moves (such as the crotch rubbing one). Maybe to appeal to a particular fan base, but I thought it looked really stupid, given the emotions that I keep on mentioning in this part of the review.

His dancing is really impressive and it definitely left an impression on me. As I mentioned above, emotions could be felt in this dance when it is paired with the music video. On stage, it looks really cool and majestic. I personally don’t think the backup dancers add much to the performance, besides something else to look at. But my eyes are already preoccupied with following Niel across the stage. Hahaha…

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 7.5/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 6.5/10

[Review] Hobglobin – CLC

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With the help of Hyuna (former member of 4Minute), CLC has returned with an 180-degree change in concepts. The bright and bubbly girls are gone. Instead, the girls have gone down the hip-hop route, with a tougher and bolder image. And with the change in concept, the girls have been receiving a lot of attention for it. The last time the girls were reviewed on the site was with their track, Oh No No.

The song is really good, there is no doubt about it. I could never have imagined CLC doing a song with heavy hip-hop roots. But who knows, it may have been the change the group is looking for. The song itself also delves into EDM for its instrumental. Everything sounds great, ranging from the vocals to the rapping, which proves the move to an edgier sound worthwhile. I honestly cannot wait to see what else the girls have up their sleeves. But the more I listen to it, the more I can hear the similarities between this song and 4Minute’s Crazy. From the structure to the delivery of the song, the similarities are quite prominent. And I think this is intentional but at the same time, I feel uneasy with this idea. With 4Minute (the company’s most profitable girl group) now gone, the company has pushed CLC to where 4Minute once stood. Essentially, they tried to keep CLC’s fans happy with a comeback but also appeal to the taste of 4Minute fans who wanted more. The tactic is (so far) working, with the extra attention on the girls, but we don’t know how far into the future will this continue to work. I just hope that, in the future, the company can let the girls can bring their own colour and twist to their songs, rather than market the girls as 4 Minute 2.0. While it is too early to tell, the next release will allow us to draw a conclusion.

The 4Minute influence is very strong in the video. Even some of the members are dressed like you would expect Hyuna to, in a more edgier video. It isn’t necessarily bad but like what I said above, ‘hopefully they don’t market the girls as 4Minute 2.0’. The 360 camera shot looked really cool. While 4Minute’s Crazy did utilise a 360 camera, I liked how the girls also turned around with the camera. I liked the sets that were filmed for the first part of the video (the black staircase, the abandoned garage room, the purple background room) more than the house set with pink lights. The lighting for the latter was really horrible and the set just didn’t have the right appeal to match the concept and the song. Overall, I like bits of the video, while other bits I did not enjoy.

The choreography is really bold and tough, which is really fitting for the song. It is so weird to see the difference between this choreography and a past routine, such as Like. I think the dance is really cool. The chorus was amazing. Seunghee and Sorn’s dance segment during the first verse looked amazing, even without the 360 cameras.

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