Category: Reviews

[Review] CRAZY – LE SSERAFIM

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From the start of the week, I move to the end of the week to cover LE SSERAFIM’s comeback with CRAZY and their fourth mini-album of the same name. This comeback follows their February comeback with singles EASY, SMART and their third mini-album, EASY.

I personally feel LE SSERAFIM thrives best in a more upbeat environment. As such, I think CRAZY stands out more than their previous subdued comeback. The house EDM used in CRAZY is definitely a vibe and adds fun to the mix. I liked how meaty and heavy the beat felt, making the song robust. The members do follow through with their vocals. Their delivery gives off a serious tone, which contrasts nicely with the upbeat instrumental, adding some quirkiness to CRAZY. The rapping is solid in the track and is probably where LE SSERAFIM stands out best in CRAZY. They had some strong hooks in the song, such as “Act like an angel, Dress like crazy“, and some more grating hooks, like “All the girls are girling girling“. But despite how I perceive them, they all make CRAZY memorable and add flair to the song. When I first listened to CRAZY, two thoughts ran through my mind that still stay true after repeat listens to the song. The first is a lack of melodic material. I think more melodic material would have added some complexity to the track. Some people would argue that the track’s composition is minimalistic, but I feel that it is borderline in some regards. The second is the short length of the song. I know that is the trend nowadays, with most songs released in KPOP now being less than 3 minutes. But some tracks get away with their short length, as they do not feel as short as they are in reality. Unfortunately, CRAZY is short and feels short, a feeling that never sits well with me.

As the title suggests, things need to feel a little crazy. And where else is it best to do that besides the music video? Some of the best examples from this video that highlight the craziness are KIM CHAEWON wearing a satellite dish on her head as she sings about Pikachu, the lampshades in the aquarium, the underwater choreography bits, and HONG EUNCHAE slipping on the soap and ending in a fabulous pose. The craziness does make it a fun video to watch. The music video also features the Iconic House of Juicy Couture as the dancers in the video. They, too, added a lot of fun to the video, complementing the craziness that the LE SSERAFIM was showcasing. Their dancing was iconic and captivating. Their presence was an excellent way for KPOP to pay homage to the culture and people who form part of it.

A lot is riding on this comeback, particularly after the mixed response to their Coachella performance earlier this year. Based on what I heard in their live performance on Music Bank yesterday, they do not need to worry about those comments. The choreography for this comeback was incredible. There is a lot of inspiration drawn from vogueing and influences that we also saw from the music video, and you could see it come through in this routine. This helped create iconic moves for this comeback, such as the arms around their heads and the lifted legs.

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

[Review] Classified – OH MY GIRL

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Another comeback from earlier in the week is OH MY GIRL’s Classified, the lead single off their 10th mini-album Dreamy Resonance. It comes over a year after their last comeback with their 9th mini-album, Golden Hourglass, and leading single, Summer Comes.

Classified is an intriguing track. It reminds me of Red Velvet’s Feel My Rhythm, another orchestral and synth composition. However, Classified is slightly different, with relatively less texture in its background. Don’t misunderstand — Classified still has plenty of texture through its bass and beat, making for a more pronounced bounce to the music. I enjoyed that side of the song, as it adds a playful element. The orchestral elements of the song make it dreamy and sophisticated. Together, these sides of the instrumental are beautifully balanced, making Classified feel and sound modernly energetic and classically elegant. The vocals in the song are spectacular. OH MY GIRL made their mark in this song, especially with SEUNGHEE, HYOJUNG and their ad-libs in the background of the second and last choruses. I loved the melodies and flow they brought to Classified. Now, the vocal parts are not 100% perfect. Some parts in the verses didn’t meld as nicely with the instrumentation as I had hoped for. And it was these moments that stood out to me in the first listen, which had me thinking it was a questionable song. But repeat listens have definitely warmed me up to those moments. What the repeat listens haven’t warmed me up to in Classified is the rapping. It sounded awkward, making me question why it was even needed in Classified in the first place. MIMI had a good vocal moment that the producers could have continued to explore in place of the rapping. But besides those minor flaws, Classified is still a sound track and an excellent addition to OH MY GIRL’s repertoire of artistic hits.

My understanding of Classified‘s lyrics is about cherishing the memories we made when we were younger, especially when people in those memories grow up and apart. The music video looks to be set in a dollhouse with the OH MY GIRL members acting as dolls who lived in that doll house. The music video interprets the lyrics by focusing on the idea that we all have made memories with our toys as we were growing up. But as we all grow older, we will unlikely play with those toys again. As dolls in the video, OH MY GIRL are wishing us the best and hoping we only remember the good memories. We also see OH MY GIRL venture into the fake outdoors and a fake city, as if they are putting themselves into our shoes and imagining what it is like beyond the dollhouse. I like how the end of the video confirms my interpretation by showing us the plushie’s POV and the young girls running off into the distance, leaving their schoolbags and plushies behind. It is a cute video overall.

The accompanying choreography for this comeback is elegant. However, I don’t find myself focusing too much on the choreography, as I am distracted by OH MY GIRL’s vocals. This limits me to only remembering the introductory sequence. But that is fine, as the intro sequence for this routine is definitely one of the most beautiful intros I have seen to date and is the standout sequence in my mind in this routine.

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

[Review] GOOD SO BAD – ZEROBASEONE

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ZEROBASEONE is back, returning on Monday with their 4th mini-album, CINEMA PARADISE. The lead single for this comeback is GOOD SO BAD. It follows ZEROBASEONE’s earlier 2024 comeback with You Had Me At Hello, led by the singles SWEAT and Feel The POP.

GOOD SO BAD kicks off the week strongly, in my point of view. I was drawn to the song within the first couple of seconds with the electronic muffling of the chorus. This sets up the song exceptionally well. From there, GOOD SO BAD follows through, eventuating it into a great song. This is as good as a first impression gets! I really enjoyed GOOD SO BAD’s electronic synth-pop instrumentation. It is so good that I wouldn’t mind listening to the instrumental version of GOOD SO BAD on loop. There were a few things within it that stood out to me. The first is the retro touches the instrumental had channeling through itself. The second is the forward trajectory of the instrumentation. Both of these, along with some excellent bass, really made the choruses pop out. Smooth melodies also help make GOOD SO BAD feel so satisfying. Put it all together, you get GOOD SO BAD flowing like butter, giving the new song its major selling point. The vocalists brought those smooth melodies to the table, sounding vibrant throughout the rest of the song. The lightness of their vocals made GOOD SO BAD approachable. As for the rapping, I enjoyed the pace of the rapping. The delivery still had a bit of a punch at times, but all fitted in nicely with the song’s tempo. The only lacking part of GOOD SO BAD was the ending, which felt like it was missing elements to draw it to a close. A cliché high note or ad-libs would have been an easy way to signal the end is coming. We got some in the bridge, but it felt too early. If done right, it would have closed out the song in a clean, simple, and satisfying manner and earned the perfect rating from me.

I was surprised to see Yoo Ji Tae feature as a novelist or writer in the music video. He begins the video by writing a line that says to let go of the special someone due to the pain they bring. But the video flips the script, with ZEROBASEONE falling in love with that special someone in a movie or show. In the lyrics, the song tells us to hold onto that special someone (unlike what was written by Yoo Ji Tae’s character in the initial seconds of the video). A singular line in the song’s chorus says it all – “The whole universe is saying ‘Don’t let her go’“. As the movie or show develops, something causes Yoo Ji Tae’s character to rewrite the script to change from ‘letting go’ to ‘Don’t let her go’. In the end, it is revealed that he is the writer of the movie or TV show that ZEROBASEONE acted in throughout the video. I thought it was a fun video with a unique but clever storyline. I also really enjoyed the vibrancy and youthfulness the members brought to the video, which made everything else feel bright and full of life throughout the video.

Like the song and video, I liked the vibrancy and energy the members brought to this performance. The routine also had a fun and light-hearted element, making it feel approachable. This made the whole routine worthwhile to watch. Their synchronisation and how easily they made the choreography flow were probably my highlights.

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

I am unsure if this is the right word to describe the overall song, but what comes to my mind is the word ‘sonic’. But yeah, GOOD SO BAD feels sonic and I like it.

[Review] Sexy In The Air – TAEMIN (SHINee)

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TAEMIN was another comeback that kicked off the week. He returned for the first time since his Guilty era and leaving SM Entertainment, signing on with BPM Entertainment (home to VIVIZ, HA SUNG WOON, BADVILLAIN and a few others) for his solo work. He will continue with SM Entertainment for SHINee promotions. TAEMIN’s latest title track, Sexy In The Air, is featured on his 5th mini-album, Eternal.

Sexy In The Air is probably the most TAEMIN-coded title to date. We all know when TAEMIN’s appeal is most robust, and I feel like a song titled Sexy In The Air calls out that. Intriguingly, the track can be split into two. The first half features a groovier electronic style that feels trendy and upbeat. The second half leans more toward a hip-hop style. Tied together by the title and lyrics, these halves make for an interesting dynamic. But it works, in my opinion, bringing two sides of TAEMIN into one song. Even the transitional part between the two halves felt very clean. TAEMIN himself does an excellent job with his vocals. I like how we are treated to vocals in both halves of the song. I lowkey would have expected the hip-hop side of the song to have more of a spoken motif. But his vocals on either side of Sexy In The Air were smooth and sultry. The choruses and hooks in the song were catchy, though I would have liked something more developed from TAEMIN. The choruses and hook felt a little too simple and safe, especially for a song that innovates like this one. But I guess putting two distinct styles into Sexy In The Air, where the song can easily be split in half, is a gamble, so having other elements of the song feel safe does help reign it in.

Sexy is indeed in the air throughout TAEMIN’s music video for this comeback. Part of this comes from the choreography we see throughout the video—I will speak to the choreography in the next section of the review. Another part of the sexy appeal is TAEMIN’s charismatic looks and outfits, such as the one in the featured image of this post. I will admit that the clean and crisp feel of SM Entertainment’s music videos is missing in this one (no-brainer as SM Entertainment is not behind this video). But TAEMIN’s presence compensates for that. The man knows how to captivate and does it well in this video.

We all know where TAEMIN excels during his comebacks, and Sexy In The Air doesn’t deviate. His whole choreography routine was just so captivating to watch. From the footwork to the synchronisation to the punchy moves that fit the groovier style from the first half and the bouncy moves that fit in with the hip-hop style in the second half. All of this was amazing to watch. The best part definitely has to dance solo he has at the end of the routine.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 10/10
Overall Rating – 8.6/10

[Review] See That? – NMIXX

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NMIXX returned with a new mini-album titled Fe3O4: Stick Out this past week, led by the single See That?. It follows the January release of Fe3O4: Break and DASH.

Even after a few days, See That? remains underwhelming. The new single takes a page from the hip-hop genre but lacks excitement or character. I blame the under-utilisation of their vocals. NMIXX’s vocals have been a significant asset of theirs and have brought me on board with the MIXX pop venture they debuted with. But the material their producers had given NMIXX to work with in See That? was just lacklustre and failed to provide See That? any additional energy. This is disappointing, especially since I enjoyed the hip-hop direction they were going with in See That?. That is something I don’t say often, but I genuinely thought the song’s instrumentation was quite good and that there was potential behind the beat. I believe some buoyancy and vibrancy from the members could have made See That? better and more alive. My favourite bit probably has to be the second verse’s addition of guitars that brought a rock and country twang hybrid sound to the song. This is where NMIXX sounded the best, there was a bit more vibrancy to the music, and I could hear the parallels between this sequence and their past songs. It was a pity that they reverted to the song’s chorus following this sequence, an extension of all that underwhelmingness. It wasn’t all bad news for the choruses, though. There was some interesting delivery in the repetition of some words, which was nice and gave me something to highlight in the song. The same can’t be said about the ending. The instrumental was a little too consistent (sans the second verse) for the length of the track, so a conclusion to See That? was not satisfying, nor did it feel like it was reached.

The music video shows the members taking on a grungier look than usual, fitting the song’s hip-hop vibe. The videos seem to be a lot darker, which matches up with the song’s tone. While I didn’t get what was happening, I liked the post-production. There were parts of it that looked cool, especially when the video zooms out. The same can be said about some of the sets. The lighting and blue colour scheme look slightly more vibrant when the song hits the second verse (i.e. when the song becomes slightly more vibrant). It was a clever way of infusing that into the visuals and not departing too far from the rest of the video. The ending of the video was eerie, and I applaud Sulyoon’s acting in this part of the video.

Despite not being the central part of the comeback, I must say that the choreography was really cool. It embodies the hip-hop vibe really well. I quite like the bounce to the routine. I also like the parts where it turned slightly cutesy and fun, giving it a bit of freshness and a different form of energy. But like in the music video, they didn’t depart too far from the hip-hop roots of the rest of the routine.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.7/10

[Review] Don’t Worry, Be Happy – SF9

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I’m unsure if I am starting to become out of the loop with KPOP news, but SF9’s comeback surprised me. It came out of the blue one day 2 weeks ago when SF9 dropped their first music video teaser. The lead single of this comeback is titled Don’t Worry, Be Happy and is featured on their 14th mini-album, FANTASY. This comeback is the first time the group is promoted as a 5-member group – consisting of Youngbin, Inseong, Yoo Taeyang, Hwiyoung and Chani. ZUHO left FNC Entertainment (though he remains part of the group, but plans for participating in this comeback apparently fell through), while Jaeyoon and Dawon are currently serving their military enlistments.

Don’t Worry, Be Happy is a pleasant pop number. It has the necessary elements to make it a dance track, while the funky and groovy undertones in the instrumentation bring out a cheerful and happy pop demeanour. The latter is perfect for Don’t Worry, Be Happy, whose lyrics advocate being happy for a former partner while letting go of your feelings for them. The pleasantness I mentioned before comes from everything instrumental-wise being light and not in your face like other funky and groovy tracks. The same can be said about the song’s melodies and hooks. As so much of Don’t Worry, Be Happy does come off as pleasant, I want to pull up a discussion I wrote in another review recently. Pleasantness can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it fits in with the intent and messaging behind Don’t Worry, Be Happy (which is understandable as to why the producers would go down this direction for this track). On the other hand, the pleasant nature of Don’t Worry, Be Happy limits the song’s potential to be different and stand out. While it is good, Don’t Worry, Be Happy does come off like every other pop song, making it standard and generic. The same can be said about the members. I found them to also be another pleasant constant in Don’t Worry, Be Happy. While they sound good throughout the song. But in keeping with the pleasantness of the song, this somewhat stifles the members’ potential, and we don’t get to hear anything interesting from them. Overall, pleasant is good and appropriate in Don’t Worry, Be Happy, but it does come with some set-backs.

The music video concept for Don’t Worry, Be Happy is a user manual for getting over a breakup. Based on what I see in the video, the recommended steps are to visit the diner serving food that erases memories, go to the coin laundry for a fresh start, take your car for a wash to wash the pain away, leave one last message to your former lover on the pay phone, and celebrate your breakup. The SF9 members become happier as the video progresses, so these steps will work for everyone else.

The choreography isn’t the most memorable piece from the group, but I think it fits the bill. It also feels relatively light, which works with the pleasantness of the song. This also helps bring a refreshing vibe into the choreography, which works for this time of the year.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.6/10

[Review] Shh.. – IU (ft. HYEIN (NewJeans), JOE WON SUN & Narr. by Patti Kim)

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It has been a couple of weeks since I posted my review for Holssi. In that review, I promised a review for another side track off IU’s sixth mini-album, The Winning. That song in question is Shh..., which features IU (of course), HYEIN from NewJeans, JOE WON SUN and Patti Kim (as a narrator). Following this review, I will combine all the pieces (including a brief review of one final track) to form an album review post for The Winning. Definitely long overdue, but better late than never.

Shh.. is quite a unique track that piqued my interest when the mini-album was first released. My interest in Shh.. has simmered since then, as the mini-album did fall out of rotation. But this has nothing to do with the track itself; other comebacks replaced the mini-album in my playlists and listening rotations. The uniqueness of Shh.. stems from the sound profile it had tapped into, a slow, jazzy R&B style brought to our ears with some rock band instrumentation. This combination was quite prolific and oozed so much charisma musically. IU’s familiar vocals fit into this jazzy style so well, and I enjoyed the vibrancy she brought to her own track. If I were hearing the track for the first time and playing a game of ‘Guess who sang the song’, I think my mind would have been drawn to IU as she is the only artist in KPOP who would probably be daring to release a song of this niche and do it so well. Shh.., it doesn’t only feature IU, however. Shh.. also features HYEIN from NewJeans, JOE WON SUN, and narrator Patti Kim. Most are probably familiar with HYEIN because she hails from the popular girl group NewJeans. I quite like the freshness and youthful tone she brings to the song. JOE WON SUN and Patti Kim are probably the more unfamiliar names – the former is a soloist who was also once part of a Korean rock group, Roller Coaster. The latter is a retired Korean singer who was popular back in the 1950s and 1960s. JOE WON SUN’s vocals had an incredible nasal sound, bringing so much character to Shh… Patti Kim’s narration ends Shh.. with an airy and suspenseful tone, which makes it all the more intriguing and forces me to investigate the track further.

The collaborative nature of Shh.. continues into the music video, as well! Alongside IU, we see Tang Wei in the music video. Now, I will not pretend I know what the music video is about. So, I have relied on some interpretations I found on the Internet to help develop my own understanding. Essentially, the video speaks to the complex relationship between a mother (played by IU) and her daughter (played by Tang Wei). The versions of the pair we see in the video do not co-exist with one another but are instead a depiction of the two coming to terms with their relationship. There is a lot of emotion when the pair meet on the streets/in the car, and IU and Tang Wei’s acting throughout the video (but particularly in the car) was very profound. While catching up, the pair shows each other that they have each ‘hidden’ each other throughout their life, for one reason or another, as mentioned in the text on the orange background. For Tang Wei, she had hidden her mother in a warm place, as depicted in the video, under the floorboards. The warmer colours under the floorboards depict love, and the fact we see a younger version of Tang Wei with IU in this scene shows how much the daughter loves the mother despite whatever has happened between them. Conversely, IU confesses during the music video that she has hidden Tang Wei before. The location where IU had hidden her daughter in the car’s boot is colder and isolating. This probably depicts that the mother had done something to the daughter that filled her with regret and sadness. At the end of the video, the beginning of IU/Tang Wei’s story recurs, but with another mother and daughter pair. I feel like a lot is happening in the video regarding storytelling and emotions. Still, the way it is depicted is really artistic and feels entirely meaningful for those who can relate to the relationship being shown.

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

[Double Review] Dandelion + Roses – JAEHYUN (NCT)

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Earlier this week, JAEHYUN (from NCT) pre-released two songs, Dandelion and Roses, before his upcoming solo debut on 26 August. The music video released alongside the two songs features both tracks, creating a unique situation. Because of this, I will review both songs, Dandelion and Roses, in a double review format.

Dandelion

If you want to listen to Dandelion’s full version – click here.

Dandelion is a bright, mid-tempo R&B track with a good rhythm and a pronounced beat that brings out an upbeat energy. But despite being the more upbeat track of the two songs, Dandelion’s mid-tempo pace makes it feel standard and generic. As such, I feel it falls behind in the ‘appeal’ department. Don’t get me wrong, Dandelion is still a good song, but it’s just not as strong in this area as compared to the next song. I did appreciate the brief spurts of the string synth towards the end of the song, which served well as a strong hallmark of the impending end of Dandelion alongside JAEHYUN’s ad-libs. On the topic of JAEHYUN’s vocals, it must be mentioned that he was clear throughout this track, and the melodies made Dandelion feel smooth. The latter actually contrasts nicely with the backing of the song.

Roses

If you want to listen to Roses‘ full version, click here.

The stand-out element that gives Roses an edge is the chorus. The choruses sounded so good, especially the choral vocals echoing JAEHYUN’s delivery of the song’s title. It just makes Roses so impactful and memorable. The melodies also evoke a sensual swaying motion, making the song stick even more in my head. JAEHYUN’s airy delivery and the variety of sounds throughout Roses strengthen the song. His falsettos just oozed so much charisma. Thanks to the synths, the instrumental features some extra texture, making Roses a compelling listen. All in all, Roses was just the superior track by my standards – so much so that I returned to Roses more times throughout this week than compared to Dandelion.

Music Video

The music video features a small segment of each song. First up is Dandelion, which is the brighter portion of the video. It looks at the idea of love blooming. The contextual text at the bottom of the screen, while the images flash at the start of the video, speaks to this. We see a couple holding hands and embracing each other while JAEHYUN is all smiles and hangs out with small children. The children’s presence suggests purity and innocence, which we associate with the idea of new love. At the mid-point of the video, JAEHYUN takes a dive, and we see a quick montage of the couple pulling apart and releasing each other’s hands (amongst other things). From there, we enter the Roses portion of the music video, which takes on a darker and moodier atmosphere. Captioning this section of the video is the line ‘Even the things that love can hurt you‘, giving you a strong idea of what Roses is about. Here, JAEHYUN (who looks very handsome during this portion of the video) stands on top of a building at night with the cityscape behind him. I liked the idea of the bounce that he and the background people do, emphasising the choral parts of the choruses. The video ends with JAEHYUN taking another plunge, which may represent the idea of new love and love being a source of pain occurs in a continuous cycle. The contrast between the two sides of the music video made for an interesting watch, and the concept was quite unique.

Dandelion
Song – 7/10
Music Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.8/10

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

[Review] Tell My Momma – KARD

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It has been over a year since May 2023’s ICKY. Since then, they have been on a world tour, and BM released his first solo mini-album, Element, led by the single Nectar (which features Jay Park and is a single I have yet to review – check back in the future for that review). Earlier this week, the co-ed group returned with Tell Me Momma.

I will always support artists trying something new, but it must be compelling enough to get me coming back. Tell My Momma is KARD’s most subdued and softest title track yet. It is an interesting deviation from their usual output, which has been much more intense and powerful. When they hadn’t gone down that route, they kept their music upbeat, which has enticed me to return for more. Tell My Momma ventures into new territory but doesn’t compel me to return. I found everything up until the BM’s section to be quite good. JIWOO’s opening lines made for a good start, and the first run at the chorus built up the song with a heavier beat. But when the song reverted to the verse for BM’s rap, Tell My Momma became stuck for the rest of the track and never found its way out of the same sound. Very quickly, it became unexciting and bland. From there, I found the melodies and hooks to be forgettable. The instrumental felt generic and offered nothing new or different to make Tell My Momma interesting. While the arrangement of Tell My Momma enables a greater focus on JIWOO and SOMIN (the group’s vocalists, who both sounded decent throughout), it also served as a double-edged sword for BM and J.Seph. Underwhelming delivery with autotune used to ‘fit them into’ with the song, constriction of their parts, and generally poor usage of the two rappers just didn’t help the song grow on me. Truthfully, I held myself back from making these exact comments immediately after Tell My Momma‘s release on Tuesday. I hoped (for KARD’s sake) that Tell My Momma was a slow grower, even if it did so slightly. But unfortunately, the song has not budged from these thoughts even days after Tell My Momma’s release and I found no reason to hold onto these thoughts. I doubt it would change into the future.

Just like the song, the music video for Tell My Momma felt generic and didn’t offer anything that I thought was interesting—just closeups and choreography scenes. The video could have been a little creative, perhaps building on the fourth wall perspective we got during BM’s solo shots and extending that to the other members’ shots. I think that would have made the video interesting. Besides that, all four members looked good throughout the video despite all going blonde for this comeback. I liked how there was still variety in their looks, which helped the members bring a bit of individuality to the all-blonde concept they have going on. There were also some visually appealing shots, especially of JIWOO and the outside of the building where the video is predominantly shot.

The song’s softer tone and slower pace allow KARD to explore a somewhat sensual energy in its choreography. It is definitely not full-blown sensual, but the swaying movements do bring on a flirty atmosphere and a subtle sensual touch, which goes hand-in-hand with the song’s lyrics about taking the next step in a relationship.

Song – 5.5/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 6.5/10

[Review] Supersonic – fromis_9

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It has been over a year since we last heard from fromis_9 through their #menow comeback and Unlock My World album. While a comeback for this group should have been sooner, it took one member (Chaeyoung) to complain publicly in May about their lack of comebacks for their company to announce the group’s comeback for this month. That resulted in the release of Supersonic, which is the focus of this review.

It took me two listens to fall for Supersonic. I acknowledged how good the song was on the first listen, but Supersonic hit really hard upon the second listen. It has been on repeat since. The instrumental is a relatively simple aspect of Supersonic. The pulsing Miami bass beats give Supersonic so much body, while the percussive synths are wonderfully light yet textural enough to give the track added vibrancy. One of the things that surprised me was how much I enjoyed the consistent instrumental. It was all very similar throughout Supersonic. Normally, I would have commented on how it negatively impacts the quality of the song. But the producers of Supersonic do just enough in that space to ensure it doesn’t feel that way. A good example is the backing of Jiwon’s part in the second verse. It ‘roughened’ the trajectory of Supersonic briefly, with Jiwon’s lines delivering her lines perfectly. Talking about delivery, the standout elements in Supersonic are the members, who were extremely charming throughout. Once Supersonic‘s chorus started, Supersonic felt like a fromis_9 song to me. DM flashed into my mind during my first listen, and it is always the first song that comes to mind when I think of fromis_9’s sound. The melodies of the two songs are different, but their delicateness is a common factor throughout both songs. The dragged-out words in the opening line of the chorus were done so well and emphasised a refreshing vibe in the song. Supersonic manages to also infuse a slightly edgier vibe to it, which was intriguing. Even the ‘Super Super, Supersonic, Supersonic‘ rap-speak hook was done so softly (which aligns with the idea of fromis_9’s sound being delicate) but yet so punchy simultaneously. Put all of this together, and Supersonic is a strong addition to fromis_9’s repertoire.

The video captures Supersonic‘s refreshing vibes extremely well. The slight breeze in the music video, the group’s casual attire, and the water explosions provide a sprinkle in the final set of choreography scenes. All of this just makes Supersonic an ideal video for the summer season. The members themselves look amazing throughout the video. I just kind of wished there was a bit more to the video. It just doesn’t feel complete to me. But truthfully, I am not entirely sure what the music video lacks.

Choreography-wise, I thought it was good. That delicateness that I mentioned in the song portion of this post felt reflected and worked nicely with the song’s vocals. The first move during the ‘Super Super, Supersonic Supersonic‘ part was somewhat familiar – NewJeans’ Super Shy came to mind. BUT fromis_9 took it in a completely different direction after that move, so don’t get me wrong. I also liked how the members ended the performance, standing in a singular line and walking off to the sides like models as the song finished.

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

[Review] Sweet Dreams – Red Velvet

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At the start of this month, Red Velvet celebrated its 10th year as a KPOP group! A huge congratulations for reaching this milestone! As part of the celebrations, Red Velvet released Sweet Dreams as part of a newer version of Cosmic (their 7th mini-album released in June this year, led by the same-name single).

Sweet Dreams is indeed a sweet song. The group sings about their journey with their fans, likening it to a child who has reached the age of 10 alongside them. For long-term ReVeluvs, this is sure to be a heartfelt song. Sweet Dream‘s instrumentation is a mellow and hopeful pop track. While the instrumentation isn’t exactly the most riveting piece of music out there, I did like the use of the heavy beats and synths. The song is already quite light overall, so the heavy beats were helpful in anchoring Sweet Dreams down, while the synths provided a nice complexity and texture to the song. As mentioned earlier, the song is sweet, and this comes down to the members’ vocals. Very light and airy on this side of Sweet Dreams as well. Like the heavy beats, the rap-like deliveries we get interlaced throughout Sweet Dreams help anchor the track down, while their high ranges bring out that high range quite nicely. I can’t pinpoint exactly if it is the instrumentation or melody, but something within Sweet Dreams reminds me of a nursery rhyme of some kind. Given the song’s analogy towards a 10-year-old kid growing up alongside Red Velvet, this felt appropriate for Sweet Dreams.

There isn’t a formal music video for this release. Instead, we got a ‘special video’ of Red Velvet recording Sweet Dreams, presented in a scrapbook format. Around these recordings were moments from past music videos, behind-the-scenes shots and the song’s lyrics, all presented in the same format. This concept worked well with the song and was a nice way to reflect on 10 years of music videos and other content. A proper music video would have been more satisfying if I were honest. But this works just as fine.

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

[Review] Dive – YOON SAN-HA (ASTRO)

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YOON SAN-HA made his solo debut eight years after debuting as part of ASTRO. His debut consists of the mini-album Dusk and the lead single Dive. This follows ASTRO’s surprise 8th-anniversary song Circles and their strong focus on solo work—CHA EUNWOO’s solo debut with STAY, a string of songs released by JinJin through his JIN LAB Project, MJ’s musical/OST works and a drama for the member of focus of today’s review.

It is great to hear from YOON SAN-HA after so long. I honestly thought Fantagio had forgotten about him – especially since he has grown considerably as a vocalist since ASTRO’s debut in 2016. It would be a pity for him to be absent from the music scene any longer. Dive is an alternative R&B track with a prolific chorus and heavy bass that gives so much definition to the song. I quite enjoyed the instrumentation as it is. I like how the verses simmer while Dive‘s full potential is reached in the chorus. YOON SAN-HA’s vocals can be described similarly. There is a nice deep tone to the new soloist’s vocals during the verses that match the tone of the background wonderfully. As for the chorus, YOON SAN-HA soars up high alongside the background when its powerfulness kicks in. I also like the emotions he puts into his delivery throughout Dive. It makes the song sound so much more powerful and passionate. However, Dive does have two problems in my mind. The first is the lack of a strong hook or clean melody to make the Dive more memorable. Everything I heard in Dive that could have served as a strong hook or clean melody just doesn’t feel fruitful enough. Secondly, I continually expect a bridge and final chorus once Dive ends. I don’t know if this feeling will be lost with further listens, but I keep expecting something more at the end of Dive to finish the song satisfyingly. But what we do get in Dive already makes it a strong solo debut release.

Dive expresses the loneliness caused by the departure of a loved one from one’s life. From what I got from the lyrics, his feelings for that person linger, and he regrets how things ended between them. In the music video, we see YOON SAN-HA alone in all of the scenes, depicting the loneliness he continually mentions in the song. But his acting really shows the emotional fatigue one gets following a breakup, and in the context of the song, processing that lonely feeling. With that in mind, however, I am not exactly sure what in the video would make me want to revisit it down the track. It is one of those videos you need to watch once, and you know the gist of things. It doesn’t help that it is straightforward and has only one constant theme throughout the scenes.

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

[Review] MOUNTAINS – Stray Kids

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Over the last week, Stray Kids have celebrated STAYs in their annual STAYweeK event. Amid the behind-the-scenes video, special dance practice of their latest single, Chk Chk Boom, and other special videos, Stray Kids have also released music videos for two side tracks from their recently released ATE mini-album. The first was MOUNTAINS, which is the first song on the mini-album.

Stray Kids knows how to select a song to kick off the album! MOUNTAINS is an explosive hype track that will undoubtedly get the crowd roaring when performed live during their world tour later this year. One thing that has me addicted to MOUNTAINS is its instrumentation, which features a mixture of rock influences and some hip-hop on the side. The stomping drum beats definitely bring on the adrenaline, while the electric guitar keeps an ongoing vibrant and electrifying factor in MOUNTAINS. The rapping from CHANGBIN, HYUNJIN and HAN was very boastful and powerful. If you have been a Stray Kids listener for a while now, you would know they are more than capable of this. But something in MOUNTAINS just took their delivery to a whole new level. BANGCHAN, LEE KNOW, SEUNGMIN and I.N’s vocals sounded very crisp and fresh. Some of their parts coincided with the less powerful moments of MOUNTAINS, giving us great moments of reprieve from the explosiveness of the track. But later on, they roared when carrying us through the chorus and delivering shouty yet memorable lines like “Mountains, Mountains, I woke up on the mountain“. But FELIX’s deeper and raspier vocals were the best out of the team. It gave MOUNTAINS an aggressive texture suitable for the rock influences that MOUNTAINS channelled. With the praises (and the lack of criticisms), it is safe to say that MOUNTAINS is one of my favourites from the ATE mini-album, for the hype it brings and how well Stray Kids executed it!

MOUNTAINS speaks to where Stray Kids are now in their careers—their journey now leads them to the top of the mountain. In the video, FELIX and HYUNJIN create their own content, alluding to their self-producing reputation. HAN roams around people who aren’t interested in them (which speaks to their beginnings in the industry), while BANGCHAN has lasers pointing at him, representing the hate and criticisms that Stray Kids got. I also like how the lasers are pointed at him only and not the rest of the group, indicating that he would do anything to protect the rest of his team. Later in the video, the same people HAN was walking around join Stray Kids at the foot of the mountains, creating a path for Stray Kids to walk up the mountain to reach the top, which is undoubtedly where they are in their careers. Elsewhere in the video, some other members are playing chess with buildings and interacting with a smaller city. I’m not sure the exact meaning of this, but I think it has something to do with the power they feel they have now – they can control the weather and the city. The ending (per the featured image) shows the group peering over a bright, cloudless city, which I assume represents their fandom. On their faces are proud looks. I’m not sure if my interpretation is correct, but I like the confident messaging that the video sends and the energy it boasts throughout the video.

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

[Review] TANG TANG TANG – 90TAN (BTOB)

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Late last year, it was announced that BTOB was leaving CUBE Entertainment after 11 years and setting up their company (BTOB Company) for group and members’ EUNKWANG, MINHYUK (otherwise known as HUTA), LEE HYUNSIK, and PENIEL solo activities. YOOK SUNGJAE and LEE CHANG SUB remained part of the group but took their solo activities elsewhere. Since then, there has been a steady stream of music from all BTOB members (one of which I have reviewed – YOOK SUNGJAE’s BE SOMEBODY). Earlier this week, two members (EUNKWANG and MINHYUK) launched a new unit called 90TAN and released their debut single, TANG TANG TANG.

Right off the bat, TANG TANG TANG jumps right at you with its energetic throwback to 90s hip-hop and hype energy. The latter was intentional, as I read from a few sources that the song is freshly minted specifically for HUTA’s recent Waterbomb performance by MINHYUK himself! I like how explosive the track feels. The instrumental is one element behind this explosive energy. But I also put it to the energy that the members bring, which is evident by their individual rap performances in TANG TANG TANG. MINHYUK’s powerful and clean rap performance is something I want to highlight in particular, while EUNKWANG does what he does best and infuses his rapping with singing as he makes his way through the second verse with ease. EUNKWANG also balances the track with smooth vocals during the pre-choruses, leading well into the pair-led chorus. I liked the texture that MINHYUK brings with his vocals in the choruses, while EUNKWANG’s vocals soar up high to further drive the energy of TANG TANG TANG up. My only gripe about the song is the lack of a hook to really sink our teeth in and have it on repeat in our minds after TANG TANG TANG is over. Had said hook has been used in the track, I think TANG TANG TANG would have been more memorable and prolific on our playlists.

A funny music video accompanies the energetic song, channelling the energy of the song in a light-hearted way. In the video, the 90TAN pair go on a heist to steal from the person who stole their heart. I liked the fun bits of the video, such as when EUNKWANG requested tools, and MINHYUK completed the hand heart, the lights-on-off stare-off with the security guards, and the subsequent chase scene between the 90TAN pair and the guards. The good news was it was a successful heist, and the members took back what had been stolen from them – lollies. I would have been right with them had I known that it was stolen in the first place! In the less comedic moments of the song, the pair channelled the 90s with their hip-hop attire. Also, it would have been nice to have Jang Wonyoung appear when she popped up in the lyrics.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.6/10

[Review] Ice Cream – JEON SOMI

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Just a couple of days ago, it was announced that JEON SOMI would be making her comeback in just a few days. Those few days have passed, and JEON SOMI officially returned with a special summer single, Ice Cream, today. This is her first release since Fast Forward last year.

I have given Ice Cream a few listens since its release earlier today. My first impression was that the new song was disappointing. But interestingly, repeat listens have warmed me up to the music – even though that wasn’t the song’s message! Though the one thing I am sure of is Ice Cream won’t be a song I will necessarily go out of my way to listen. I find everything, from the instrumentation to the vocals, too consistent. Ice Cream comprises of constant rhythmic percussion, crunchy brass, and a singular tonal vocal approach from JEON SOMI. Aside from the one-dimensional comment, I am not upset with the instrumental. However, I wish the producers did something more in Ice Cream as it progressed. We got a hint of tropical influences in the pre-choruses and bridge (similar to the style we have heard in What You Waiting For, which I think the producers could have used more of in the song, especially since it worked well with the rest of Ice Cream. JEON SOMI’s vocals are unique, and Ice Cream does show off her vocal tone well. But I wish it wasn’t just the one tone throughout Ice Cream. It also didn’t help that her vocals sounded miles apart from the instrumentation, and they didn’t meld with one another to make Ice Cream a cohesive piece. I also wished her delivery was clearer – what she sings in the pre-choruses sounds different from what the lyrics say. The autotuned line ending the chorus and the chanty end to the song does give some variety, but it all felt the same and never pushed any boundaries. Overall, Ice Cream is a so-so track. It might get a few more listens out of me, but as alluded to above, I don’t think I will be head over heels for it any time soon.

The concept for this release was initially apparent, but then it got weird. Essentially, the song speaks to the hot weather, and the only way to combat it is by seeking ice cream from JEON SOMI herself. We see the people in the video swelter and later cool themselves off with some ice cream. Logical. Then, one of the people in the video drops their ice cream. All hell breaks loose in the community (big furry fake animal catching on fire, fights and the casual astronaut falling from space), causing the heat to rise to ‘heat-warning’ levels. Even JEON SOMI’s ice cream can’t cool them down. But a special appearance from actor Park Seo Joon saves the day, promoting JEON SOMI’s business and getting everyone to cool down again. I suppose the video is meant to be light-hearted and not taken seriously, especially since the song’s message is about cooling down (i.e. being chill).

The few listens I gave the song coincided with the music video, which does feature some choreography in it. At first, I also thought the performance was rather basic and boring. But it has grown on me. I did end up enjoying the shimmy and shakes. I was expecting another Fast Forward routine, which blew me away last year. A definite focus was on being pretty in this routine, which probably preoccupied the choreographer a bit when designing the routine.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 7.5/10
Overall Rating – 6.9/10

[Review] Brought The Heat Back – ENHYPEN

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Two weeks ago, ENHYPEN returned with XO (Only If You Say Yes) and their second studio album, ROMANCE: UNTOLD. Today, the group dropped a second music video for the side track Brought The Heat Back.

When you compare XO and Brought The Heat Back side by side, the difference between the two is very obvious. The former was more mellow and pleasant, while the latter was more energetic and flirty. I quite liked the upbeat nature of Brought The Heat Back, which feels fitting for the summery season when more dynamic music comes through. This upbeat nature results from the funky disco instrumental that drives the dynamism behind Brought The Heat Back. The members complemented this with their prominent vocals shining through, boldly delivering the song’s hooks and melodies. The “Yeah, Yeah, Yeah” hook was particularly catchy and addictive. I have it on repeat in my mind as I write this review. The flirtiness results from the members’ delivery and the lyrics, which speak to their jealous feelings. For the most part, Brought The Heat Back was a solid track. But Brought The Heat Back has some elements that I find myself on the fence about. The vocal processing felt a bit hit-or-miss to me. During the chorus, the autotune brought character to ENHYPEN’s vocals, which made the chorus and its hooks stand out even more. However, in other parts of Brought The Heat Back, the autotune was applied a little too thickly, slurring their delivery and this did not sound as great. I am in a similar mindset regarding the trap-based instrumental break of Brough The Heat Back. Part of me liked the edgy factor that it brought, but another part felt like it was a drag. Either way, it doesn’t negate the bridge ended with an impressive high note from JAY. Overall, I like Brought The Heat Back – a totally different vibe from their title track, but much appreciated.

The music video for Brought The Heat Back was definitely a fun one. But instead of being visually fun (i.e., through the use of colours, imagery, etc.), the ENHYPEN members took a comedic direction with the video. It is different and somewhat refreshing, as that isn’t done as much in the industry. But the members pulled it off! The jealousy depicted in the lyrics makes them compete with one another to find the black cat ‘missing’ in the video (who I assume represents their lover). Falling coffins, flying fish, elevators turned into freezers and nailing coffin lids with multiple nails so there was one less person to compete with to achieve their goal was quite funny. They are so into this black cat that they all rose from the dead to find it, showing us how infatuated they are with it. This is further backed up by the dance break, where the members don glow-in-the-dark cat eyes in their attire. Remember, their lore is about vampires, not felines. I really liked the members’ acting in the video, which conveyed that jealousy feeling well.

Brought The Heat Back’s performance is much stronger than XO’s. They showed off much more style and encapsulated the funk and groovy vibes. I enjoyed the chorus, which showed us some of ENHYPEN’s style quite well. But the dance for the outro really sold me on the performance and (once again) ENHYPEN’s skills in this department.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.8/10