Category: Reviews

[Review] Allergy – (G)I-DLE

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 1 Comment

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

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 5 Comments

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

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 2 Comments

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

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 1 Comment

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)

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged , 4 Comments

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)

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged , , , 1 Comment

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)

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 2 Comments

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)

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged , 2 Comments

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

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 1 Comment

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

[Review] Get A Guitar – RIIZE

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 2 Comments

Officially making their debut yesterday was RIIZE, the latest addition to SM Entertainment’s lineup. RIIZE is a seven-member male group consisting of Shotaro, Eunseok, Sungchan, Wonbin, Seunghan, Sohhee and Anton. They pre-released the single Memories two weeks back ahead of their debut yesterday with the single Get A Guitar.

Get A Guitar moves away from SM Entertainment’s venture into the world of synths with the debut and ongoing discography of NCT and aespa. Instead, RIIZE begins their career with a pop centric song that has a lot of funk and energy. Right off the bat, Get A Guitar makes for a fun listen. With the title making reference to the guitars, Get A Guitar features a recurring guitar riffs, some of which located in the chorus reminds me of Queen’s Another One Bites The Dust. These recurring guitar riffs felt like jabs throughout the instrumental and it made for a unique setup that pulls me in. Alongside the guitar, there is some old-school synthesizer in play in Get A Guitar, adding a retro flair to the song. This latter is present in the background of the entire song, but it is heard most prominently alongside the guitar solo that, in combination with one another, serves as the instrumental break in Get A Guitar. The vocals were quite refreshing to hear. While there isn’t much of a standout from this department, I did enjoy the simple melodies and the light approach the members took. Nothing felt too heavy and this made their vocals charming. The repetition and hooks were all very catchy and this helps makes Get A Guitar a memorable piece. Oh, also the absence of rapping in this song is notable, but felt just right. Overall, to my ears, Get A Guitar is a refreshing and successful debut track. Looking forward to RIIZE’s next release already!

The song is about coming together around the sound of a guitar and enjoying each other’s company. And we see this with the members hanging out with each other throughout the video. Of course, guitars make a presence in the video, just not as much as I had expected initially. While everything in the video is pretty sound and it does a nice job of showcasing the members as young teenagers, some of the members’ styling is questionable. I am not a fashion guru, but I feel like their mismatched styling here feels a bit too loose (some of the baggy pants were too baggy) and clashes with one another. Their hair styles, which I agreed with the general public looked dated in their Memories music video, have improved. But I guess that came at the expense of the fashion.

I quite liked the choreography. It really showcased the energy and funkiness of the song quite well. I like how some of the choreography had the members holding their arms to resemble them holding a guitar. We unfortunately don’t see any air guitar playing however (which feels like a missed opportunity). The funk was show clearly during the dance break and was a highlight to the performance for me.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.4/10

[Review] Dangerous – TEMPEST

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 2 Comments

TEMPEST has announced they are making a comeback later in September. But I have yet to review their April 2023 comeback – Dangerous, which is featured on their fourth mini-album, The Calm Before the Storm. Well, I am finally going to review the track today ahead of that comeback. This was TEMPEST’s first release of 2023, following last year’s debut with Bad News and their two subsequent comebacks with Can’t Stop Shining and DRAGON.

Dangerous is unequivocally a fun and upbeat pop dance track that makes up for the likes for DRAGON, which was a let down in terms of TEMPEST’s discography. The energy that comes from the song leaves quite the impression, which is line with their more likeable tracks like Can’t Stop Shining. Not only does the instrumentation make the song upbeat, but the brightness the members bring to Dangerous via their vocals gives the song a playful and entertaining flair that brings a smile to your face. The ever-so-light descending tinny-like synth line in the background is something that I noticed and cannot seem to forget. Dangerous also features a catchy chorus that easily gets the song keyed into your mind within a few listens. That being said, I did wish (and still do) there was bit more to the chorus, especially as the song progresses. I think this could have made Dangerous more dynamic and appealing, and prevents the song from relying too heavily on repetition. The danger (ha!) of repetition, to me, is that it overdoes the hooks and dulls out the catchy effect. Dangerous didn’t step over that threshold, but it could potentially have. The members vocals and rapping were solid, though I think Dangerous could have benefited from a more powerful and harder rap sequence than what we got. This too could have played towards that more dynamic and appealing wishes I had for Dangerous. Overall, Dangerous is a strong return to form for TEMPEST and I hope their upcoming comeback shares a similar upbeat and exciting style.

Dangerous‘ video is another one where I am not entirely sure of what is going on. We can see from the start that school in which the video is set at is frozen (along with the members). I really like how the video from the get-go really plays into the playful side of the song. It makes it quirky and intriguing to watch. Slowly, the school thaws out and the group ends up having fun performing the track with no hesitations. But at the end, all their dancing causes ice to fall back onto the school, which might lead the school back into its ice age (but we don’t see it eventuate to that). I think there is a bit of a mismatch with the lyrics, as it mentions villains and being dangerous. But there isn’t much of a connection to that in the video.

To me, the performance was the part of the comeback that got the least positive response from me. It is more so that the choreography didn’t really do much justice for the song. There was intensity and there was energy – everything that the song calls for. But nothing stood out and I was waiting for that something to appear.

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

[Review] Shhh – KISS OF LIFE

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 2 Comments

Another newly debuted artist that I haven’t written a review for is KISS OF LIFE, a four member female group under S2 Entertainment featuring JULIE, NATTY, BELLE and HANEUL. You may recognize NATTY as she was a contender on SIXTEEN (the trainee survival show that formed TWICE) and Idol School (the trainee survival show that formed fromis_9). She also debuted as a solo artist in 2020 with the single NINETEEN. KISS OF LIFE debuted in early July with the single Shhh and their self-titled first mini-album, KISS OF LIFE. Prior to the debut, the group did release music videos for the four solo tracks and a group track that also make up the rest of the mini-album.

Shhh was quite a debut song, giving off Ariana Grande vibes. For a newly debut group/artist to be liken to one of the biggest pop stars currently who is also known for her unique style, that is quite a feat. Shhh still manages to showcase KISS OF LIFE’s musical ability, with a strong showing of vocal and rapping styles in the verses of the song. I really enjoyed this playful side of Shhh and it keeps the upbeat R&B pop number interesting. The energy that the group throws at us make it feel like they are seasoned professional, and not rookies. I particularly liked the falsetto part in the verses (you know I am a sucker for those). The rapping in the second verse was also commendable, along with those powerful vocals that soon followed the rapping. The ad-libs we get at the end were also super cool. The anti-drop chorus does pull the song down. Shhh had an opportunity to be taken up a notch with some central piece that could have gone further than the verses, and I am not entirely sure if an anti-drop and chanty motif was the right way to go about it. Also, the ‘What you really want‘ autotune repetition that serves as cornerstones in the song doesn’t exactly fit in well with the rest of Shhh. Overall, Shhh still has a lot of offer as a debut track and it does put KISS OF LIFE on the map for me.

The music video for Shhh follows on from the other music videos released alongside the solo tracks and another pre-release single of the group’s – Bye My Neverland. I will do a super quick recap for that, as I should keep thoughts on that music video for that review whenever I do get around to it. But essentially, NATTY screws up her audition, runs from the stage embarrassed and ends up getting hit by JULIE’s car. In Shhh, NATTY ends up being taken in by JULIE and becomes friends with both JULIE and BELLE who live together. They go out one night and notice that HANEUL was being followed by the same guy who took notice in HANEUL in her solo video, but they end up stopping him from doing anything bad to HANEUL. The four ends up being a tight knit group of friends, sharing their troubles with each another. In the end. the group comes together to audition at the same place that NATTY had run away from at the end of the Bye My Neverland video. The entire universe that is shared amongst the 6 videos explores their passion to be themselves on stage and gives a story to their formation, and I quite like that side of this debut. The end of the music video sees the video extended out to show part of Shhh‘s performance, presumably what they went on stage to audition with.

The energy they bring to the stage was amazing and I liked how they captivated me on stage despite only being just four members. That wide and well-timed swing in the first verse was impeccable, while the routine of the instrumental break brought a bounce to the choreography. I also enjoyed the confidence and attitude that was infused in the performance. But what I like the most is the four members had fun on stage and you can see it on their smiles towards each other and the audience.

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

[Review] DLC – Stray Kids

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 8 Comments

Stray Kids made their comeback two-months ago with ★★★★★ (otherwise known as 5-STARS) and the title track S-Class. But like many of their recent comebacks and labelmates (ITZY, Xdinary Heroes etc.), additional music videos for other tracks from the album. So per usual, I will be covering the songs with the music videos in a separate song review post and collate them to form part of the album review that I will be posting in the future. Today’s focus is on the first music video released following S-Class – DLC (Dance Like Crazy).

On the album, DLC serves as the sixth track and it brings a brightness to the album that wasn’t heard in the songs preceding it. For me, DLC stands out for being simple, relative to much of their single discography. If you consider DLC‘s instrumentation, it doesn’t feel as simple as I make it out to be. In text, DLC features a wide range of influences, such as moombahton, deep house, tropical house and Eurodance in its instrumentation. It does sound like an overload of noise (which people might say is Stray Kids’ forte), but DLC‘s instrumentation actually feels quite spacious and is not potentially overwhelming or overpacked like some of their other songs. It is this spacious feel that, relatively to their other songs, feels simple. DLC also features striking delivery from the members. From the vocals to the rapping, the members stood out quite strongly over the instrumentation. Some of the vocals are pitched quite high, particularly Seungmin’s part in the bridge of DLC. The melodies were very easy to get into and the hooks were also on the simple yet memorable side. That screechiness of the ‘La La La‘ towards the end tends to be off-putting, but it somehow finds a place in DLC (and this I find to be memorable). The saying ‘more is less’ is very applicable to the likes of DLC despite the breakdown I have made about the song.

DLC is song about leaving your worries behind and letting loose by dancing like crazy. And this messaging was well represented in this video. We see I.N in stagnant job, Changbin is depleted of energy and Seungmin is distracted from reality. But the other members bring the trio back and convinces them through song and dance to shake off those worries and distractions. Incorporated into the video are dancers on the street, which was another neat and artistic way to bring more dance into the video. The greyness the video opted for and kept up with until the very end was interesting. I guess it represents the worries, distractions and tiredness in the world, and that it still exists. But seeing the members having fun and dancing with one another suggests that this greyness should not hold you back from leaving those feelings behind once in a while.

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

[Review] Smooth Sailing – cignature

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Leave a comment

After how much I enjoyed AURORA from earlier this year, I had to check out cignature’s next release much closer to the release date then what I did with AURORA. Dropped two days ago, cignature’s latest song is titled Smooth Sailing and is featured as part of the group’s fourth mini-album, Us In The Summer. This comeback does not feature member Belle, who is currently participating on the SBS survival show Universe Ticket.

The best way I can describe Smooth Sailing is that the new song has that cutesy tinge that AURORA had, but the sound profile also felt very OH MY GIRL. This combination feel very natural, especially for cignature, and this helps makes Smooth Sailing a very appreciable song. The song does lack the catchiness and memorable hooks that AURORA had, but what we do get is pretty decent. And I can only imagine them growing on me as I listen to the song more in the future (which is usually the effect on me). Their vocals and rapping was pretty good. I like the definition behind some of the vocals and chanting they had in Smooth Sailing, which gives everything a nice boost. Also, the cutesy tone that I mentioned before keeps the song buoyant and bright. But it is the instrumental that ultimately speaks the most to me. Smooth Sailing‘s pop instrumental features a large dose of brass that always makes any song feel upbeat and fun, and that effect is definitely felt across the broad in Smooth Sailing. It also gives the track a nice warm glow, which makes it feel even more suitable for the summery weather. And in combination with the vocals and hooks the song has to offer, Smooth Sailing feels very satisfying.

The music video features the members as school friends who discover a music competition. The majority of the rest of the video shows the members preparing for the music competition and having fun at the same time. I really liked the choice of having the video outside, which the light and weather that we see in the video contributing to a refreshing and breezy feeling. The natural aspect was also equally as refreshing. I did wish the video saw a crowd at the end, which would have been better than having cignature perform on stage without an audience. The lack of a crowd, as we see in the video, just felt weird.

The choreography was great. Again, nothing fancy. But it looks fun and likeable. Also, a simple routine feels just right in order to pair it with the song, and that is exactly what we got.

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

[Review] Baggy Jeans – NCT U

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 4 Comments

This week kicked off with the return of NCT U and its familiar lineup of members for the release of the single Baggy Jeans, which also serves as the second title track off the NCT 2023 studio album Golden Age. For those who may not know, within NCT, NCT U is a rotational unit that changes its lineup depending on the single. For Baggy Jeans, we see the return of the lineup of The 7th Sense (the single in which launched NCT U back in 2016) – Taeyong, Mark, Jaehyun, Doyoung, and Ten. Last week, I reviewed the first title track from the album, which shares the same name as the album and features all the members in NCT currently active.

My review of The 7th Sense was pretty harsh in retrospect. While it came from a time where my thinking and writing wasn’t as mature as now, the review is truthful (and I still do not understand why so many people rave about it till this day). Maybe if I had a chance to rewrite the review, I would say it in a less harsher manner and think of the finer points to discuss in the review. But I am not here to discuss the initial single of NCT’s career. I am hear to discuss Baggy Jeans. But let me just say that when I first read the reference to The 7th Sense (which was in relation to the lineup, but I actually thought of the song in the first instance as I couldn’t remember who was part of the lineup then) when reading into the details of the comeback, it didn’t raise the bar of expectations for me. And that stands true to even after listening to Baggy Jeans. The hip-hop dance track does catch on thanks to the power of repetition (even though the repetition of the song title in a dull manner) and I enjoyed the whispery, descending, spoken vocals just before the choruses. I also thought the tinny instrumental break adds some dynamic flair to Baggy Jeans (though I could have done without the ‘Baggy/Baggy Jeans‘ repeats) and Mark’s ‘Yeah Boy‘ line just after the 2-minute mark was memorable. Unfortunately, that is all I personally enjoyed from the song. Baggy Jeans‘ verses were a bore due to the lack of attractive melodies from both the rappers and vocalists. The choruses was largely plain and the instrumentation in the central part lacked creativity. Talking about the instrumentation, the backing for some reasons gets scratchy and jarring within itself in the final run of the chorus. I am not entirely sure why this was a necessary development, but it made the already unappealing instrumentation even more unappealing. Unfortunately, Baggy Jeans doesn’t do it for me, just like how The 7th Sense never did as well.

Glad to see the members in baggy jeans for the video. Relevant and they look good. I also like how it wasn’t just denim central, with the stylist putting in some thought about how the members could blend in more cohesively with the plain yet simple backgrounds the video had and the hip-hop sound. The video could have been saturated in blue denim and I think that would been cliché and a bore to watch. I did like the choreography scene where it was just Mark and the four baggy jeans dancing along. That looked cool and emphasised the title of the song quite well.

The choreography was also quite good. I really liked how the routine captured the hip-hop side of the song and the members really took on that ‘swag’. My favourite bits were the formation around Doyoung, the striking start of having Taeyong on the floor between the other member’s legs and the dance break during the instrumental break.

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

[Review] But I Like You – BOYNEXTDOOR

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 2 Comments

Continuing my coverage of releases I should have reviewed much closer to when they were released is BOYNEXTDOOR’s But I Like You. It was one of three singles off the group’s first single album, Who!, all of which had an accompanying music video and were promoted on the weekly music shows. The other singles include One & Only and Serenade (the latter I have yet to review, and will return to review on another day). In other related news, BOYNEXTDOOR is due to make their comeback next month.

But I Like You is a fair song. Not as punchy as One & Only, but it does the job as an introduction to the group, given it was the first of the three singles to be released. But I Like You features a held-back form of pop rock. The beat keeps the song bouncing along, but there isn’t much else to the song to build excitement. But I Like You just doesn’t have enough meat to really deliver on that front and I wish it had that oomph as it does slightly frustrate me when the rest of the song is quite good. Vocally, the members sounded very nice. Their vocals had the right amount of texture to fit that pop-rock motif and they give enough energy to give But I Like You a vibrant flair that adds to the song’s appeal. The melodies and hooks had a catchy tinge, just not to the same degree as One & Only. Had the instrumental not been suppressed, I think the reach of melodies and hooks could have heightened. My only other two gripes of the song occurs at the end – the fact But I Like You is very short (it only goes for 2:17 minutes) and it has an abrupt ending that leaves you hanging for more. And that craving is never satisfied, as the single album goes onto the next song. Overall, But I Like You is decent and it is clear to me more could have been done on many fronts to make go further.

But I Like You is all about the feeling of falling in love. In the music video, the members all express this feeling after falling for the same girl. Not a foreign concept in KPOP, but it feels like it has been a while. We see the members sit around at the start, explaining their interactions and excitement to each other. However, those interactions are quite brief, such unintentional physical contact, glimpses from afar or with one another and short text messages. They all get invited to a party and realize their feelings are for the same girl. An awkward second occurs during the party, before the members appear to play it cool and leave the party. A short video, but I liked how succinctly yet effective the story was. And this is in addition to the choreography scenes.

The members did a super good job at making the song appear more vibrant and poppy. Their chemistry with the camera and one another does not allude to the fact the group were a newly debut group. I also like how they express themselves in the performance, with a youthful and cheerful vibe to compliment the song.

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