Category: Reviews

[Review] ABYSS – WOODZ

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WOODZ made his comeback back in April of this year with his fifth mini-album Oo-Li. Featured on that album is the title track Journey. But way back in February, WOODZ pre-released the single ABYSS which was also featured on the mini-album. In my review for Journey, I flagged that I would return to review ABYSS and I am finally getting around to doing that today. Also, as a heads up, there will be an album review for Oo-Li in the near future!

ABYSS is a slow alternative rock song that I found myself easily captivated by. There is a lot to like in the song, from the instrumentation to the melodies. Featured in the background of ABYSS is a dominant electrical guitar that I would best describe as an instrument piece that pierces through the threshold of the song in a bold and memorable manner. The riffs complement the overall pace that is dictated by the other elements of the track (i.e., the vocals and melodies). On WOODZ’s part, I found his vocals to be emotionally charged and vulnerable, a side of the soloist in which I don’t think we have heard before. This folksy and indie approach in which he delivers ABYSS really helps make his vocals. The melodies are also extremely pleasant and swayable. Even though this does sit outside of the ballad genre, the swayable melodies are very upfront and help in my captivation. Everything mentioned above, in combination, helps ABYSS become a song that is impactful and has that “hit in the feels” result.

As mentioned in my review for Journey, the music video for ABYSS serves as the prequel to what occurs in Journey. And this video is loaded with symbolism and meaning, and doubles as a personal story from WOODZ. But here is my interpretation of the music video. The video places WOODZ in this one room in this big mansion to show us the concept of stability and how it is okay to stay in one place (figuratively, of course). WOODZ comes across multiple people in different walks of life when they drop by to collect their packages. But throughout the video, these people are shown elsewhere in that mansion, some of which were dancing about. To me, this represents that they enjoy the stability of being in one place and are content with where they are. As for WOODZ, he has the capability to leave via the door with multiple locks (all of which are locked, representing that he intentionally put himself there). This shows that during this time he also enjoys the stability and is content with where he is. Even the basement version of himself is pretty content, with no attempts to escape or leave the basement. But as the video goes on, you could see him growing tired of the same scenery. Even the lyrics of ABYSS signifies his desire to explore/move on and get to know himself more, but is scared of the unknown beyond the door. In the end, he chooses to go through the door, signifying that he is ready to move onto the next part of his life. At the same time he walks through that door, basement WOODZ gets up and leaves the basement, as well. This latter scene puts the events of Journey into motion. Aside from that quick breakdown of the video, I really liked the play of colours, with the video switching between warm and cold tones. It is extremely subtle, but it complements the idea of the known (stability) vs. the unknown (moving on).

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

[Review] Galileo – Kep1er

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In the sphere of comebacks, Kep1er dropped their fifth mini-album, Magic Hour, yesterday. Featured on this new mini-album is the title track Galileo, which follows on from their Giddy comeback from April of this year. Other than that, it has been a fairly low key five months for the group, with the only major piece of news involving the group being a possible (but presently unsuccessful) extension in Kep1er’s promotions recently.

Galileo is another fair song this year. We do get some robust pop energy from the instrumentation and the melodies in the choruses. Plus, the members themselves feel natural in Galileo. I particularly enjoyed the brightness and punch the members give the chorus, which I feel is much needed for reasons to apparent. Yeseo’s breathy start to Galileo and Huening Bahiyyih soft start to the second verse was probably my pick for the best moments of the song. But while I do agree that Galileo is a definite improvement from their previous comeback, I do find the song to still be dull and unimaginative in some key parts. I feel this the most when I reflect upon Galileo‘s hooks, which I find to have a long shot in catching on with further listens (that is Galileo does convince me to give it further listens). For me, the rest of the verses (aside from the start, as I have already praised above) doesn’t follow through with the same appeal and ends up turning such promising beginning into generic material. I also wished there was more dynamic flair to the instrumental as Galileo feels too consistent from start to end and this ultimately plateaus the song’s appeal for me. We do get some twang and extra punchiness when it comes to the instrumental break, which I fully appreciated. But I wish there was more of that in the rest of the song. Overall, Galileo does sit on the enjoyable side for me, but time will tell whether it has enough holding power alongside its competition.

Music videos like Galileo‘s is what I describe as ‘Watch once, Watched it all’. In other words, you only need to watch it once in order to understand the gist of it. Concept-wise, the members discover a photo booth that transports them to an art gallery for the group to explore, which in turns transports the group into an art piece. The theme of discovery ties well into Galileo Galilei, who is the father of modern science who made a lot of discoveries while he was alive that changed the course of modern science and the song is titled after. The members looks good and I enjoyed the freshness of the colours in the video.

The choreography aspect of this comeback is actually quite good. The routine is rather pleasant for the most part, but I do like the energy and oomph the five members who handled the dance break put into their moves to make it the routine’s most powerful part.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.2/10

[Review] Vroom Vroom – TEMPEST

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Yesterday, TEMPEST made their return with their 1st single album with Into THE TEMPEST and the lead single Vroom Vroom. This comeback follows on from their April 2023 comeback with Dangerous and their fourth mini-album, The Calm Before the Storm (폭풍전야).

I have been more of a fan of TEMPEST’s pop leaning releases thus far, rather than of their more intense dance tracks. Vroom Vroom is very much in the latter category, which was kind of expected given the title of the song. While my thoughts of Vroom Vroom being another generic boy group dance release and is rather typical definitely recurs when I listen to the song, I do think it is a nudge better than their previous songs of the same or similar caliber. I put it down to the fact that the producers and the group leaned right into the intensity and really did a good job of backing it all up with the sound effects when the title of the song appears in the lyrics. It was a creative way of layering without muddling the song. I also found Vroom Vroom to be quite catchy thanks to the repetition in the central parts. The loud and concentrated intensity in the instrumental break was also quite welcomed, catching me off guard and it took the already intense song to a higher level. As mentioned earlier, the usual thoughts do prevail. Vroom Vroom doesn’t exactly have anything memorable in the vocal or rapping departments and I wished this had something that really draws your attention to the members. Overall, another generic release from TEMPEST with some promise.

Unsurprisingly, the music video takes on a a racing concept with racecar outfits, cars, motorcycles and tyres in abundance in this video. Even the sets were very metallic or industrial-like, resembling a garage or engine. It did do a decent job of relaying that intensity and energy from Vroom Vroom. But aside from all of that, I don’t have much else to say about the video.

One of the advantages of an intense song is that it lends well in terms of performance. And Vroom Vroom does highlight TEMPEST’s performance potential. The synchronisation and powerful energy/intensity was definitely present on stage and a highlight to the performance.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.3/10

[Review] Get Lit – Stray Kids

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You can probably guess by now that when I am covering the side tracks off an album that has a music video released alongside it, I am gearing up for their album review. And that is definitely the case of Stray Kids’ ★★★★★ (5-STAR). So far, I have covered DLC and FNF, as well as the title track S-Class. But there are a few more music videos released for the ★★★★★, so do expect a review for each of those associated songs over the coming weeks. Today’s review is focused on Get Lit, which is 7th track from their 3rd studio length album.

Loud and shouty are the exact words I would use to describe GET LIT. While that might sound negative, I use them quite positively in the context of GET LIT. I really enjoyed the bold energy of this track. The instrumental itself, which is a mixture of moombahton and bounce EDM, has a squeaky-like distorted effect that made it quite unique. The twangs in the instrumentation also kept it fun and playful. The loudness that I mentioned before stems from the instrumentation, as well. Again, squeaky and loud doesn’t sound appealing, but that is not the case with GET LIT. As the instrumental is quite loud, the vocals and rapping had to come off as shouty to work in the track. And it does. Both had to follow through, and I like the control and balance they strike. The rapping in the verses was very impressive and the shouty vocals in the pre-choruses and choruses still managed to bring a brief yet memorable melody into play. Altogether, the elements of GET LIT come together to exude the one thing that the title promises – an energetic and hyped up party vibe that doesn’t hold back.

The music video features both a fashion show and a party. The fashion show highlights the members’ amazing visuals and felt very appropriate given the group and individual members’ recent ventures into the fashion world with modelling work and the announcement of global ambassadorships for some big named fashion brands. The party itself felt very exclusive, coming off from the fashion show concept and with Bang Chan DJing in the midst of the party. The music video also does a good job of ensuring the video is lit, matching with the energy and title of the song.

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

[Review] CHEEKY – EL7Z UP

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Whoever is naming KPOP groups nowadays really need to stop! Now that I got that off my chest, here is my review for EL7Z UP’s debut single, CHEEKY, which is featured on the group’s 7+Up debut mini-album . The group formed through the Queendom Puzzle show, which is a spin-off from the Queendom series where female KPOP artists from active groups or have active solo careers would compete with one another to earn a place in a global project group. 28 contestant started off on the show, but the final line up ended up consisting of Hwiseo (H1-KEY member), Nana (woo!ah! member), Yuki (PURPLE KISS member), Kei (part of the currently inactive Lovelyz member), Yeoreum (WJSN member), Yeonhee (Rocket Punch member) and Yeeun (former CLC member). What makes EL7Z Up interesting is that the members can still promote as part of their existing groups/solo careers as they wish (like in the case of PURPLE KISS, Rocket Punch and H1-KEY’s recent comebacks), which sets them apart from the other groups formed other MNET survival shows we have encountered.

Anyway, my long introduction is over and now we can get right into CHEEKY. To me, I find the song to be quite an assortment of sorts. There are parts that I like, and there are parts that I am not a fan of. So, based on what I have mentioned so far, you can cross cohesive and impressed off the list of potential descriptions for CHEEKY. Let’s begin with the likes of the song. The very low thumping bass in the background of the verses was interesting and the pre-choruses had a nice melodic touch. The chorus was a nice refreshing melody, which I thought had a nice ring to it. I also enjoyed the brightness the members bring to the central part of CHEEKY. But the rest of CHEEKY were lacking and less enjoyed by me. There are a few momentum killers in the song, such as the sample of Borodin’s Prince Igor as backing of the rapping in the second verse and the sudden/instant transition from second chorus to the bridge. Elsewhere, the verses were very dry and consisted of nothing of interest. And I couldn’t take the serious toned “Cheeky Cheeky … Cheeky, Cheeky Woo, Cheeky Cheeky, Freaky Deaky Cheeky Cheeky Woo” repetition seriously It was also pretty mundane and awkward. It would have been nice to hear more character in the song, especially from the members as I am sure they each have something interesting to offer, and something more expressive in the lesser enjoyed parts of CHEEKY.

The concept for this video/debut appears to revolve around an audition, with the members in line for a ballet audition based on what I can make out from the posters/other auditionees. It might also explain the ballet sample mentioned above in the song. But in the end, the members break ranks from ballet (their cheeky action of the video) and end up dancing to CHEEKY instead. I find the idea of an audition concept to be logical for this group, as it can represent the start of a new beginning for them, especially since they have their own careers to return to throughout their promotions as part of EL7Z UP and once the activities for the project group officially ends. Other than that, I found the music video to be a decent watch.

For me, CHEEKY featured an alright routine. It works with the song, but I just found the routine doesn’t offer anything interesting to comment on.

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

[Double Review] Good Enough + Dear H. – Xdinary Heroes

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Joining their labelmates in having more than one music video for one album release is Xdinary Heroes. Part of their Deadlock mini-album from April this year is Good Enough and Dear. H, the mini-album’s fifth and seventh track respectively. Today, I will be reviewing both balladry tracks in this one post. Featured alongside these two side tracks is the title track Freakin’ Bad.

Good Enough is a captivating and emotional ballad, featuring both band instrumentation and piano/strings in the background. The former is throughout the entire track (which is expected for a band), but the latter is heard from the second verse onwards. Jungsu and Juyeon’s vocal work in this song is so enchanting to listen to. From the softer tones in the verses to the soaring vocals in the bridge, you can feel the emotional pull of Good Enough so profoundly. It is also very nice to hear some of the other members participate vocally in Good Enough as well. The swayable effect/melody you know I look for in ballads is very much present in Good Enough, and this is the result of the vocals and instrumentation working well with one another to create that captivation. I really like the powerful combination of the high notes and rock ballad instrumental sequence in the final seconds moments of Good Enough, creating such a memorable moment and felt very much like the icing on the cake for the song. It, and the final twinkling of piano, just closes out Good Enough in such a satisfying and deep manner.

Dear H. honestly caught me off guard when I first heard it. Once again, the song starts off like a an ordinary ballad, extremely peaceful and soothing. But the chorus really goes in hard with the rock instrumentation and Jooyeon’s soaring vocals was breath-taking. Interestingly, following the first chorus, Dear. H switches back to the simple ballad beginning and the vocals showed no sign of that powerful rock instrumentation that just preceded it. It does fragment the song, but it isn’t the end of the world. The good news is that this allows us to revisit the same incline and powerful punch that the first chorus served in the second chorus. This time is was taken on by Jungsu and it sounds blissful once again. Dear. H finishes off with soft balladry vocals once again, closing out the song in a full circle manner. Just like the composition of Dear H., its lyrics are also quite impactful, beckoning one to talk to about their internal secrets and feelings. Overall, a unique side track from Xdinary Heroes.

Both side tracks’ music videos are connected, which is largely why I put both Good Enough and Dear H. into one review. There is a nice theory in the comments by @aaaaareuok (see screenshot below) to explain the two videos and how there are two possible stories depending on which video you think goes first. So, based on that theory, I will adapt and explain what I think happened. To me, given Dear H. features the group in school uniform and the video is a little hazy, the events in Dear H.‘s video is like a memory. We see all the members as friends hanging out with one another in school, along with JunHan (who was absent from the Good Enough video due to illness and doesn’t make an appearance until the very end of Dear H., though he is featured off-screen as the person filming the members together/alone since he had the video camera in the end). They are happy, but obviously each had something weighing on their minds throughout the video. In Good Enough, the members are largely by themselves, signaling the possibility the members have drifted apart (though I think JunHan kept in touch with everyone, as we see the prespective of a video camera filming each member individually). Also, Good Enough‘s video isn’t hazy, which to me represents more of a modern day. Whatever is weighing on their mind eats at them in Good Enough. But JunHan most likely reunited everyone back to the beach (as per the ending of Dear. H‘s video, where we see six names etched into the sand and he recording isn’t hazy like the rest of the video) so that everyone can have that same good time they had back when they were in school. But that is just what I think happened in the two video and follows the below theory from @aaaaareuok. There could be alternative theories out there, and I would love to hear them.

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

Dear. H
Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9/10

[Review] Somebody – D.O (EXO)

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Starting the new week off is D.O, one of EXO’s main vocalists, with his solo comeback with Somebody. The new track is featured on his second solo mini-album, Expectations, which also dropped today. This is D.O first solo release since his solo debut with ROSE in 2021, which followed his military enlistment. More recently, D.O featured as part of EXO’s long awaited comeback with Cream Soda and also returned to acting and variety shows.

Somebody is an really pleasant folk pop song that really drew me in within my first listen of the song. For me, I found there to be two main drawing factors to the song. The first is D.O’s vocals, which just sounds so heavenly in the song. I really like how he used his lower notes and the slight rapping-like vocal delivery he pulls off in the verses. When it comes to the choruses, D.O steps his vocals up, adding some definition to his vocals and bring such a refreshing and vibrant tone. It really creates a strong centrepiece for Somebody and the melodies are very inviting and loveable. The “I Love You” that follows the chorus and the vocal work in the bridge felt very profound and resonated, basically for the same reasons mentioned above. The second drawing point to Somebody was the acoustic and minimalistic instrumentation. Asides from the guitar work, the only other major element to the backing of Somebody was the thumping beat in verses and this transitioned into some pleasant drumming in the choruses. Overall, Somebody is a strong effort from D.O.

The music video for Somebody features D.O playing a crew member behind the scenes of a TV commercial and actress Lee Jae In playing a newbie in the commercial industry who most likely landed her first commercial. Unfortunately, things don’t go to plan for Lee Jae In, who is awkward in front of the camera and ends up being replaced with someone else. However, D.O takes notice in Lee Jae In from behind the camera. Soon after being replaced, Lee Jae In crying on the staircase and D.O stumbles into her. After offering her some ice-cream and coolly asks her to sign his back, he takes her out as a friend. But while on this outing, he is reminded of her audition, which makes him smile, and in this moment, he knows he likes her. Elsewhere in the video, we see D.O alone, waiting to meet that “somebody” that he expresses in the lyrics of the song. The smile at the end of the video suggests that he has. I am not into the whole romance thing when it comes to acting and drama. But this video kept the theme very light and refreshing, complementing that exact aspect of the song.

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

[Review] Allergy – (G)I-DLE

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Prior to their Queencard comeback earlier this year, (G)I-DLE pre-released the single Allergy as a teaser for their I Feel comeback in May of this year. I had flagged that I will review Allergy some time in the future, and that is finally happening today. So, here we go!

Allergy takes on the early 00s form of pop punk rock and it comes together well. It is more on the softer and delicate side of the spectrum, but still has some good energy to it. I did wish there was a bit more oomph or a kick to the pop rock to help Allergy become a more memorable anthem or track. This would have aided the lyrics of Allergy as well, which expresses insecurity due to the pressure of social media and social norms. Also (while we are on the topic of lyrics), there are also references to Hype Boy and TOMBOY in the song, as well! To complement that softer side, the members approach Allergy with vocals. While the choruses’ melody does have a nice ring to it, I did think the extra kick to the instrumental would force the members to give a bit more power and oomph to their delivery, which would help prevent Allergy from sounding flat. Allergy wasn’t necessarily flat, but the neutral nature of the song did lead it in that direction. So, Allergy is just missing that extra something to give it a boost, which in turn would have really helped everything else.

The music video for Allergy serves as a prequel to the events in Queencard. In this video, we see the members struggle with the impacts of social media and social norms. Soyeon, an ordinary person, is deeply insecure about her looks and decide to go under the knife. The video cuts out with Soyeon going under, which the events in Queencard following immediately from this. I thought that this video did a really good job of showcasing the lyrics, and I quite liked the scrapbooking effect that we see throughout the video.

There really isn’t too much to the choreography of Allergy. It is a fairly simple routine, that features more acting that dancing. The members taking a slightly cutesy approach to show off their insecurity on stage. It isn’t as strong as the theme was in the video, but you could still feel it on stage.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.8/10

[Review] FNF – Stray Kids

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It is time for another Stray Kids review and their 3rd studio album ★★★★★ (5-STAR) has an abundance of side tracks that have become eligible for a review with the release of a music video. So, today, I will be picking another track from album for a quick review. FNF is the 9th track on the album and is the third song review from ★★★★★ (5-STAR), following on from S-Class and DLC.

FNF stands for floral and fauna, and was written by Bangchan and Felix in honour of the plants and animals that lost their lives during the devastating bushfires that occurred over Summer in eastern states of Australia in 2019-2020. As for the song, it is very pleasant, with a bright and summery pop instrumental that instantly reminds you of the feeling of a nice warm day. The guitar work was very refreshing and I like how pure this element of FNF sounded. The beat that came through with the synths gives the song some bite to it. The vocals were very nicely pitched, and FNF also sees the members adding a slight delicate and emotional touch in their delivery of their vocals, which works well with the lyrics and other take on FNF‘s meaning. The melodies were also enjoyable and there was a decent flow to them. While FNF doesn’t stand out as the best track of the album, it was super appreciable and touching number to feature on this album.

I mentioned above that the song reminded me of the feeling a nice warm day. And that is exactly what we see in the video, which was shot in Australia. In the video, we get to see the members appreciate, the really nice weather that Australia has to offer in the cities and at the beaches. We also see the members being pensive throughout the video, which complements the other meaning of longing for someone who isn’t there anymore. Also, not a compliant and more of a suggestion, but I thought that the video feature more of the regional areas of Australia, where the floral and fauna are located in Australia given the inspiration of the song, For me and knowing what regional Australia has to offer, that is what I personally felt was missing from the video.

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

[Review] Sacrifice (Eat Me Up) – ENHYPEN

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Following their BITE ME comeback earlier in the month of May, ENHYPHEN followed up promotions with the side track Sacrifice (Eat Me Up). As Sacrifice (Eat Me Up) does have a music video, it is eligible for a song review on my blog and hence why we are here today. Both BITE ME and Sacrifice (Eat Me Up) are featured on their fourth mini-album, DARK BLOOD (which I will be reviewing soon).

Sacrifice (Eat Me Up) is another song that I would consider to be decent, but it would have really benefited a lot had the producers really built on it and given the song more oomph. BITE ME ended up growing on me (Heads up: I will be making a slight adjustment to the song’s rating in the album review) , which is thanks to the song having some bite to it. I consider this to be the missing element in Sacrifice (Eat Me Up). Don’t get me wrong. There is definitely potential in the song, with the group showcasing more of their vocals in this mid-tempo R&B song than usual. I enjoyed the raspiness and breathy delivery of the vocals, which makes way for a potential excellent listen (had the rest of the song picked itself up). Undoubtedly, the members shine brightest during the song’s chorus where there is a more melodic flow – my pick for the most memorable element of Sacrifice (Eat Me Up). Unfortunately, everywhere else in Sacrifice (Eat Me Up) is a rather bland. I find the mid-tempo nature develop an ‘overall’ sluggishness to the song. Apart from the choruses, the melodies elsewhere were pretty bland and lack any memorable pull. The instrumentation, while solid, didn’t have much excitement coming from it. I think it could have accented and bolden in some parts to give off a harder and rougher touch, as opposed to the softer and more subdued approach Sacrifice (Eat Me Up) took. The pre-chorus was a good example of what that could have sounded like. I am also not entire sure of the wobbly synth, which I only just noticed today, that you could hear throughout the background. Had Sacrifice (Eat Me Up) been more dynamic in some way, this would have helped make the song more appealing.

From what I could see, the music video depicts the members’ desire to escape their feelings for a more euphoric paradise, with the lyrics highlighting their partners being that escape. We see the members at different stages of their struggle/escape of with their emotions. Some of them are very much still trapped or buried underneath them, looking towards the light signifying their desire to be freed from that cage of emotions. Others make it out of the dark ‘cage’, but still struggle to get to the absolute top. But we do see Jake, making his way up the stairs and leaves his dark heart at the top of the platform, confirming that he does achieve that desire of the members depicted in the video. The wings do make a nice touch to the video. I would like to know they significance, but it does make the video appear like a reverse fallen angel type of story. Aside from that plotline, the music video also showcase the members’ visuals, especially in the brighter paradise-like scenes.

The tempo of the song does enable the group to showcase a more sensual and slower routine, which they do pull off well. There isn’t anything too extreme, and I did think there was potential for some more intense moves. But what we got on stage was visually pleasing to watch and complemented the song quite well.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 7.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.7/10

[Review] Ready Or Not – CRAVITY

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Also making their comeback yesterday was CRAVITY, who returns with their 6th mini-album Sun Seeker and newest title track, Ready Or Not. This is CRAVITY’s second comeback of the year, following on from MASTER: PIECE released back in March which is lead by the single Groovy.

Ready Or Not is described as an up-tempo dynamic pop and rock song, which is nailed decently by the actual final product. The energy of the song is definitely in line with their more previous works, and I do like the more bombastic approach the instrumentation as taken. It gives Ready Or Not a level of boldness and intensity. The guitar riff at the start of the song and heard throughout the first verse is a great first sign of the song’s potential. The hooks, while are on the plainer side, still works well and makes Ready Or Not a catchy listen. However, I do think that Ready Or Not is a bit muddled. While I do praise the bombastic percussion that does help set the track apart from its competition, I do think it drowns out the vocals in the chorus a tad bit. I did wish the percussion was a bit sharper and crisper to help levitate this issue, and the vocals a bit louder to offset the boldness. The pre-chorus and bridge of slows down the song quite a bit and I don’t think that is the right move for the song. It upsets the momentum of Ready Or Not, and I would have Ready Or Not to maintain a continuous approach to the up-tempo and dynamic vibe of the song. The rapping in the second verse was strong, but the backing was a bit typical. The saxophone was an interesting touch and gives the rapping sequence an interesting element. But I wished it was more explored more in the song and not half-baked as it was in Ready Or Not. Overall, a decent track from CRAVITY, but more could have been done to boost it up.

Even though the sets are clearly fake, I did like the urban vibe that the video has. It complements the song well and the energy that do give off in the song. I did wish the video had something more to it, as it is just mainly choreography and close up scenes. I guess the comic strip images do add that something, but it doesn’t really strike me as a memorable element. Out of all the videos I have watched over the years, I have to say that the ending of the video is probably the most awkward to watch. The video just pauses whilst the members are mid-air and just stays paused for what felt like a few seconds too long. I guess it is pair it with the abrupt ending, but I am sure the producers could have done something to not make it feel awkward. Something as cheesy as a tilted photo alongside a snapshot sound effect be edited in, with the photo made part of a comic book strip to just round everything out.

The choreography looks good from what I can see in the video. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like there is anything memorable (at least highlighted in the music video). But the energy and dynamic flair is all there, which is exactly what the song calls for.

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

[Review] Good & Great – KEY (SHINee)

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Making his comeback yesterday with his second mini-album and title track (both of which share the same name), Good & Great, is KEY from SHINee. This makes KEY’s second release of the year following his February comeback with Killer. KEY also participated in SHINee’s May comeback, HARD.

While Good & Great is a good song, it isn’t a great song. Out of all the title tracks that KEY has released as part of his solo career, Good & Great is probably his dullest number to date. I was waiting for the song to really pick up and exude some energy, but that never really occurred. Instead, it just kept to a plateau and never deviated from what had already preceded it. Good & Great does have charm and it does fits KEY’s profile super well. But it just doesn’t go anywhere. I must admit I had high hopes, when the song first began. The start and first verse of Good & Great laid out the path for a groovy tone and some awesome bass, both of which definitely continued throughout the song. KEY’s delivery of the first verse make its super engaging. Even throughout the first half of the chorus, I was on board. But where I had expected Good & Great to pick up (i.e., in the second half of the central piece), we never really get there. Instead, the song opts for a very subdued and melodic repeat of the song’s title. It sounded nice and adds to the smoothness of the song, but it just dulls the song and it doesn’t take Good & Great to the next level. Similarly, the bridge suffered the same problem and just didn’t come off a memorable moment when it should have been. Aside from the groovy instrumentation, the rapping in the second verse was definitely a highlight and adds an extra something to the otherwise melodic and smooth track. But overall, my opening statement to this section of the review stands quite firmly.

KEY speaks a message of self-praise in every day life to help get oneself through another day. In the video, he is depicted of a hard working office worker, who lives a very dull life of just continuous grind – sometimes working through the night to appease the higher ups. But just like everyone else in the world, he still desires for a break and to do something different, and his different is to find the furry creature (which I find totally cute). And taking that break is absolutely okay. There is a sense of wackiness to the video, which makes it an interesting watch. This helps liven up the video so that it doesn’t seem as dull as it sounds. And I super appreciate that.

The choreography goes for a more simplistic approach, but I quite like the looks of it. There is still sharp execution and a very KEY feel that does add some complexity to the routine. There is also a fun vibe in the verses from the parts that I could see, which complements the messaging of the song/music video.

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

[Review] Shoong! – TAEYANG (BIGBANG) ft. LISA (BLACKPINK)

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TAEYANG made his long awaited solo comeback earlier this year with his second mini-album since his debut as part of BIGBANG way back in 2006. As part of the comeback, TAEYANG has released VIBE (which features JIMIN from BTS), the title track Seed and a performance vide for the side track Shoong! (which features LISA from BLACKPINK). As flagged in Seed‘s review, a review for Shoong! was on the cards and I will finally be getting around to doing that today.

Of the songs that was released in April as part of TAEYANG’s second mini-album (Down To Earth), Shoong! is the one that comes to mind most readily (more so than the title track). It recurred in my recommendations quite a bit in the weeks following its release and the track also boasts the featuring of LISA from BLACKPINK (which probably helped widen the audience of the song, and so it was shared further). But despite it boasting two big names in the KPOP industry and was shared around quite a bit on my social media, I oddly don’t remember much of Shoong! months on from its release. Listening back to Shoong! now, I find it uneventful. On Wikipedia, Shoong! described to be a mid-tempo dance track, described as an R&B and trap song. That is pretty accurate. But Shoong! is also is described as having “addictive melodies and trendy hip-hop beats”. This I disagree with. I find the melodies to be a bit of a drag (even though there is a ring to it, but not enough for me to categorise it as memorable or addictive) and the trendiness to be absent. Also, for a song titled after the sound of cars passing by, the way that the title is delivered throughout Shoong! makes it seem like everyone is going below the speed limit and passing by. The vocal work in Shoong! is reasonable for a mid-tempo song, with TAEYANG’s being quite solid and LISA adding a tinge of brightness to the song with her higher pitched vocals. I also liked LISA’s that flirty delivery, which adds a bit of character to the song. However, I think more could have been done in pretty much all areas of Shoong! to make it even better. As it is, Shoong! is an okay song, but it doesn’t live up to the expectations that I had expected with the two artists.

For this review, I am combining the music video and performance aspects of the release into one paragraph, given the video we do get is a performance video. I did appreciate the crispness and quality of the video, which is an expectation of a YG product. For those who are wondering, The Black Label (the company which TAEYANG is now signed to following his departure from YG Entertainment is actually a subsidiary under YG Entertainment). With the song in mind, the simplicity of the T set made a lot of sense. But I also enjoyed the “outdoor scenes” in the alleyway and cityscape roof. It was also definitely nice to see LISA in the video alongside TAEYANG. As for the choreography, it works. It was by far the most memorable aspect of the release. The key moves were smooth and I liked their chemistry. LISA’s flirty tone makes it into the choreography, while TAEYANG does a great job towards the end in adding a bit more intensity to the routine.

Song – 7/10
Music Video/Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.4/10

[Review] Slow Dancing – V (BTS)

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The big release of the day is V’s debut solo mini-album, Layover, which is lead the single Slow Dancing. This release makes V the final member of the group to debut as a solo artist officially. But interestingly, he is not the last member to release an album. Slow Dancing joins V’s pre-release single from last month – Love Me Again and Rainy Day (the latter is yet to be reviewed) as the songs from the album that have an accompanying music video.

Lo-fi R&B takes reign in Slow Dancing. Instrumentally, it is not my cup of tea. I never find much to talk about in lo-fi songs (and my shorter than usual paragraph on the song is a clear indication of that). But I must admit that Slow Dancing is extremely pleasant and easy-on-the-ears for a number of reasons. It has a slow yet flowy melody and brings on a swayable effect (something you know I like). I also like how charismatic V’s voice sounds in Slow Dancing, with his huskier vocals tones being showcased in the song. His vocal tone is also quite comforting and warming, as well. The prolonged instrumental ending of Slow Dancing is probably the most interesting aspect of the song. I did like the jazzier energy and flute work it gave Slow Dancing, which does end up being the song’s memorable element. But this instrumental end accounts for approximately 47% of the song, which I am a bit disappointed in. I was lowkey expecting V to start singing again somewhere along the way, but that never became fruitful. I wished he returned (even a one liner could have sufficed) to close out Slow Dancing and bring closure to the song.

In the music video, we see V developing what looks a virtual world in which he can enjoy the company of friends on the beach, and per the lyrics, potentially slow dance and romance with someone. But while that sounds like it explores the lack of privacy KPOP idols have to undergo (which is definitely what V goes through a lot per many news articles we see surface about the idol and whom he hangs out with), V did make a comment about wanting to relax, use and share this song to relax and this video is probably his way of showing this relaxation – an escape away from reality. Either way, it was a nice video that still has a connection to the Summer season that had just past, but also help eases to a more Autumn mindset.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.6/10

[Review] I Love My Body – HWASA (MAMAMOO)

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Following the expiration of her contract with RBW Entertainment earlier this year, HWASA went on to sign with P NATION (live on stage as a matter of fact!)- the company founded by PSY and houses Crush, Heize, TNX, Penomeco & Swings. She appears to still remain as part of MAMAMOO, however. And yesterday, she released her first solo single under the new company – I Love My Body. Her last solo single was I’m a B in 2021.

I Love My Body has a lot of potential, but unfortunately is let down by the song’s most vital sequence – it’s chorus. More on the latter in a moment. I Love My Body takes on a retro pop, very much Megan Trainor style. The very start of I Love My Body, the brass and retro-prevalent instrumental and vocals throughout its verses and the backing vocals in the chorus pretty much embodies this style quite well. And we are lead to believe the chorus would follow suit with I Love My Body‘s incline towards the central piece and the classic piano that is synonymous with retro-pop numbers. But then the chorus takes an unexpected turn, with the retro instrumentation being substituted out for a bubble-synth backing piece and HWASA delivering the chorus in a monotonous spoken (almost mumbling-like) manner with a descending melody. I am not too bothered by the bubble-synth backing (I actually liked it as part of the backing for the instrumental/dance break I Love My Body ended with), but it does make for an odd drop in terms of I Love My Body‘s trajectory. With the spoken delivery, I am not a fan, even though I do find it memorable, unique and somewhat catchy retrospectively (just not for the right reasons). The combination of both terminally disrupts the flow of the song, making I Love My Body restart its momentum and appeal from scratch. It is a pity, because we do get a few good moments of vocal work from HWASA in I Love My Body, particularly the second half of the second chorus (or is it the bridge?). That sequence blew me away, but it (and the song’s verses) did not compensate for the chorus we got. I Love My Body and HWASA unfortunately disappoints.

From the music video and the title of the song alone, you can tell that this song is about self-confidence. And in this video, HWASA shows off her body throughout the video with no hesitations. The ending of the video with the dance break between the two police cars felt like a homage to the classic KPOP hit Bubble Pop, which was released back in 2011 by HyunA (a former P Nation artist). And I thought that was a fitting video to pay homage to in the summery period that is just ending. I also enjoyed the choreography scenes with the many dancers (definitely a 2023 trend to me) in the car park. It looked cool and epic without doing too much.

I actually quite enjoyed the choreography. It actually looks like a refined routine that show confidence in those who perform without needlessly flaunting their body and doing too much in the routine. It also fits the retro-pop song well. I don’t think I would ever associate retro pop with a flaunting performance. Per usual with HWASA’s performance style, she and the dancers do give bit more intensity to make the routine a bit more enticing.

Song – 6.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.4/10

[Review] But Sometimes – BOYNEXTDOOR

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I know I have not yet finished reviewing all of BOYNEXTDOOR debut/pre-debut singles. I have already reviewed One & Only and But I Like You, but not yet Serenade (I will get to that). However, should that stop me from reviewing their first comeback single, which dropped yesterday? I think not. BOYNEXTDOOR has returned with their first mini-album, Why.., which features all of their debut/pre-debut singles mentioned above and three new tracks – one of which is the title track But Sometimes.

But Sometimes departs from the more innocent sound that they started off with a few months back and goes for a punkish rock sound. It is definitely an on-trend change in direction for the rookie group and I do like how they sound in But Sometimes (more on this in a moment). To be fair, I had expected the group to have debuted with an edgier sound, particular since the group boasts Zico as their producer. And the edgier tone in But Sometimes seems to satisfy that expectation. It also sounds on brand for Zico. I am glad that they do explore an edgier sound, as BOYNEXTDOOR sounds much more engaging in this form. I really like how straightforward the punk rock instrumentation was. The guitar riffs and drumming were very expressive in delivering the punk rock sound, but also they keeps the energy upbeat enough to form But Sometimes into a dance track. The melodies in But Sometimes were memorable, particularly in the chorus. There is something about those melodies and the group’s shouty delivery that just clicks and works tremendously well. Elsewhere, there was some other strong delivery from the members. For example, the second verse rapping sequence was top notch and well-executed. I also liked how clean the final moments of the bridge were, in both instrumental and vocal departments. It made for a really nice incline towards the final chorus. Overall, But Sometimes gets my tick of approval.

Compared to the music videos and songs released for their debut (which were all about falling in love), the music video and But Sometimes deals with the heartbreak associated with one’s first love. I really like how the video has tie-ins to their previous videos, such as the replicas of the burger joint sign and the house of their first love/crush. But instead of the sunny blue skies and lovely neighbourhood, the video depicts these settings on fire and the sky around them is a hell-ish red tone. I also like how the members are dressed in black whilst everything around them was burning, as if they are mourning and grieving. Elsewhere in the video, we see a teddy bear become decapitated and the members struggle through the heartbreak. It was a well-shot video that really sums up the meaning of the track quite well. I also like the recurring presence of doors, which I had pointed out to likely be a recurring element in their One & Only review.

The edgier sound mentioned above allows the performance to show a different range and energy in the choreography. And BOYNEXTDOOR pulls off the performance quite well. Nothing really stood out for me, but given it is their first edgy routine and that they pull it off well, I think the performance is a success. Their stage presence is also a positive, with the members having great chemistry with the camera.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.2/10