Category: Reviews

[Review] ParadoXXX Invasion – ENHYPEN

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I am gearing up to review ENHYPEN’s latest mini-album, Manifesto: Day 1. But before I can proceed with writing and post that album review, I need to review the second single from the album that also got a music video and promotional treatment, ParadoXXX Invasion. Alongside ParadoXXX Invasion, the mini-album also featured the title track Future Perfect (Pass the MIC).

ParadoXXX Invasion follows the same veins of the title track in that it is a hip-hop track. But I am of the opinion that ParadoXXX Invasion could have potentially been a much stronger title track. Simply because I find ParadoXXX Invasion to be a more well-rounded track. But there would be a need for some changes to make it even better. The song brings forth a very old-school hip-hop type of feel that I feel is quite vibrant and powerful in its own right. The beat got me nodding along to the music and you can feel the unmissable energy coursing through the song. The hooks were catchy (more so than the title track), and ParadoXXX Invasion left a memorable ring in my head after the song is over. And I feel this song is better aligned with the Summer period in which it was released in. However, ParadoXXX Invasion isn’t exactly ready to be a title track just yet. The rapping was definitely executed well, but I think ParadoXXX Invasion could have had more substantial rap sequences to take the song to the next level, just so that hip-hop energy is very concentrated and more impactful. There was no bridge or peak to the song, which was a bit disappointing. The ending was just another repeat of the choruses we heard earlier in the track, with no added ad-lib or intensification to the instrumental (similar to my main complaints with Future Perfect). A bridge would have allowed the song to build up to that. But overall, the hip-hop energy is what sold me on ParadoXXX Invasion and its potential to be a better title track.

Given a few factors (namely the school on a truck beginning), I feel the concept of this music video is a ‘school’s out’ type of scenario. That is my guess. But regardless what is the official concept of the video, the music video for ParadoXXX Invasion did two things quite well. Firstly, it really encapsulated that hip-hop feel in a very cool and a not-in-your-face manner. I quite liked that, and it made it enjoyable to watch alongside the song. The second was that is shows off a very youthful side to ENHYPEN. Their visuals and energy throughout the video was quite refreshing. I feel this thanks to the fact that the music video felt a lot more carefree and freestyle to a degree. Some of the video is shot in a sunny outdoor location, but yet in a very industrial setting. Other parts were shot in the studio (i.e. indoor locations/alleyway) worked well with the song’s hip-hop roots (i.e., back alleyways and thrift-like stores).

The choreography was quite cool and vibrant. The hip-hop influences is also quite evident. The energy the members put in really paid off and made the routine very appealing to watch.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.4/10

[Review] DICE – NMIXX

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Starting off the week is NMIXX, the latest rookies under JYP Entertainment. For those who missed their debut (it was very hard to miss, but just in case you did), NMIXX made their debut with O.O in February this year. Yesterday, they returned with their first comeback – the single album is titled Entwurf, while the title track for the comeback (and focus of this review) is titled DICE.

Given the likes of O.O and hearing that DICE would be of a similar formula, I think the bracing yourself for the likes of DICE would be an appropriate response. The mash up style that NMIXX is going to be known for at this rate begins from the very beginning, with a short-lived and unnecessary theatre-like beginning. I thought it was an opening for the music video, but it made its way into the actual song. Things started to look up ever so briefly for DICE, with the first verse and chorus being perfectly fine. The first verse, which brought a hip-hop tinge to the song, flowed well into the Latin inspired chorus. I found the two parts used similar deep tones, which might have been the common string. The rapping in the first verse was fine and dynamic. The delivery in the chorus, on the other hand, attempted to hype you up by being shouty and loud. While there was some charm to this, it disabled any attempt for a hook to form. Instead, I find DICE‘s chorus to be memorable thanks to the instrumentation. The second verse is where DICE starts to crumble for me and become erratic. At least, they were being explicit with their change with the ‘NMIXX Change Up‘ transition. We are initially treated to a different, intensified and darker rap verse. It had potential to be good on its own (Kyujin’s ‘Big Wave, Big Wave‘ line was quite memorable). But its presence in DICE just didn’t click for me. We then continue back to the Latin influence with an overly explosive set of vocals from Lily. Again, this was pretty good. It is the flick between the rap to the Latin influence that doesn’t sit well with me in this section. The second pre-chorus bypasses the chorus and goes into an instrumental break, which is a whole different style altogether. I am not surprised by this difference, but the synths (one of them reminds me of ITZY’s WANNABE) was a bit sparse and weak. Something tighter, more intense and exhilarating would have served DICE better, just so the momentum of the song is continued. Similarly with the final chorus. I loved that we returned to the Latin infusion, but as it is the final chorus, it needed a bit more to end DICE on a high note.

I quite liked the circus -like machinery at the start of the video. It was definitely intriguing intro and looked very cool. The video then takes us through MIXXTOPIA (another universe in KPOP), which has its own theatre, a colourful Dr. Suess-like outdoor and a dark whirly location. The latter is quite cool, but I feel like this is a bit mixed up. I would expected the hip-hop and rap parts of the song to feature in that dark whirly location, while the Latin influence segments of the song (as they are brighter segments of DICE) to be associated with that Dr. Suess like outdoor set. Not the other way around. But to each their own. Not exactly sure what the ending signifies. But overall, it was a visually pleasing video to watch.

The choreography aspect of this comeback was top notch. No particular move really stood out, but I liked the routine as a whole piece. Just like the song, there is a lot going on. But all showed potential for the group in the performance aspect.

Song – 5.5/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 10/10
Overall Rating – 6.9/10

[Review] Shut Down – BLACKPINK

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Following the pre-release of Pink Venom last month, BLACKPINK is back with their official comeback single Shut Down and the studio album Born Pink. Prior to Pink Venom, the group’s last comeback was back in 2020 with single Lovesick Girls and their first studio album, The Album.

The most memorable aspect of Pink Venom, for me, ended up being the fact that song was just so alike to many of their past singles. And I believe this was a common theme of other people’s thoughts on the pre-release as well. It appears that BLACKPINK and their producers have caught on, as Shut Down sounds vastly different from the group’s past releases. The biggest game changer to Shut Down was the La Campanella strings sample, which definitely gave off a refined and sophisticated feel to the song. But as one would expect with a BLACKPINK and YG song, there is still a strong hip-hop influence. Together, they created an intriguing piece that came out to be quite decent. However, I did wish the instrumental picked up a bit as the song progresses, just to give Shut Down a more dynamic flair. I kind of expected something extra to happen towards the end of the song, as we were given a pretty consistent background piece throughout the first and second runs of the verses/choruses. The bridge does seem to allude at a potential change in momentum and energy, but Shut Down eventuated into an even more sluggish ending. As for the members, I thought they did a fine job with their rapping and vocals. The rapping was definitely exciting and there was some good sequences and flow. The vocals were more on the forgettable side, but it was still appreciable. Good news, the hooks in Shut Down do have a memorable ring to it, and this helps Shut Down loads in my books. Overall, Shut Down is a much better track compared to their pre-release and a much appreciated new sound profile to their discography.

There appears to be a lot of references to their oldest music videos in Shut Down‘s very own music video. Some of the references that I picked up on include the Jennie’s tank, Rose’s light-piece swing and Lisa’s katana from their DDU-DU DDU-DU music video and Rose sitting on top of the planet Earth from their WHISTLE music video. The billboard that Jisoo takes a selfie in front also features a scene from the DDU-DU DDU-DU music video of herself. Aside from those references, I continually enjoy the presence of the black and pink coloured items and themes throughout their music videos. I don’t know why and I feel like it pretty much cliché now, but I still find the references to their name in the video to be quite interesting. I also liked the roller door and alleyway set, as well, for this music video. The colour from their outfits were also a refreshing visual as well.

The choreography for this comeback looks fantastic. It was tough and I liked how they were imaginary smashing or slamming things on the ground or their hands in time with the ‘Shut Down‘ mentions in the song. I particularly like the clock hands that preceded the clap of the hand in the chorus. I would definitely like to see what else BLACKPINK has in store for the rest of the routine.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.4/10

[Review] 2 Baddies – NCT 127

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NCT 127 have made their grand return with their new single and will be dropping their fourth studio album tomorrow, with both title track and album sharing the same name 2 Baddies. This is the NCT unit’s first comeback in the release of Favorite (Vampire) back in October of last year. Since then, we have seen comebacks from NCT DREAM and some of the members undertake solo ventures through the NCT Lab.

2 Baddies feels very comfortable for NCT 127. Described as a hip-hop dance track, this is the main style of music that the group has been putting out for their title tracks and it is pretty much in the wheelhouse of the group. Aside from the questionable main hook of the song (i.e., the ‘2 Baddies 2 Baddies 1 Porsche‘) and the title of the song, I do find 2 Baddies is on the safer side of this style. Just nothing really surprised me with this release. Given that this is NCT 127, 2 Baddies would naturally be heavily rap focused and I believe the song features some pretty decent rap verses. I did think the verses was holding back in terms of energy and dynamism, but each rapper brought their own degree of coolness to 2 Baddies. Per usual, I am more drawn to the vocals and the pre-choruses really showed off the vocal lines of the group really well. The vocals contrasted well with the rappers, allowing 2 Baddies to feel quite balanced. We also get that balance with smooth vocals at the beginning and hype energy from the rappers in the second half of the bridge. However, I kind of wished Taeil’s high note soared higher and longer, as I just wanted a few seconds more of his high note to really give 2 Baddies a wow factor. 2 Baddies peaks with its chorus which is its chanty anthem-like approach and the instrumental does feel relatively more explosive when we reach the choruses. As mentioned, I think the lyrical component of the hook is terrible, but I do find the actual rhythm to have a ring and feel somewhat catchy. And knowing me, this might help 2 Baddies grow on me with more listens. The final sequence of 2 Baddies might also be able to help, as I thought closes out the song on a very fulfiling and memorable note. Overall, 2 Baddies was appreciable for a NCT 127 track and an energetic listen. But it also doesn’t bring anything new to the table.

The whole 15 second intro to the music video was probably one of the best editing works in KPOP to date. The way those individual scenes came together to a flawless sequence was amazing. This amazing editing work continues throughout the video and helps glue the video together. Though, I wished we saw more of that intro style within the video as well. The rest of the music video features neon lights, a lot of car and racing references, fluorescence paint. It all looked pretty cool. All members looked great, with Jaehyun really distracting me throughout this video with his visuals. Some of the members even took off their shirts, which I am sure fans are enjoying!

I didn’t see anything mind blowing or insane in this routine through the music video, but I think the choreography did a great job of picking up the energy and making the song feel more dynamic. Especially that ending, where I felt the routine helped hype up the song in its final moments.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.1/10

[Review] ZERO – DRIPPIN

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I also begin this week off with another review for a release that I had missed. This time it is a song and the artist in question is DRIPPIN. They made their comeback back in June of this year with ZERO and the single-album Villain: Zero (which I will be reviewing at a later date). Prior to their June comeback, we also saw DRIPPIN this year through their VILLAIN promotions (and their third mini-album of the same name).

VILLAIN was all aboard the funky train, which most of KPOP was on for a while. Since that comeback, it seems like DRIPPIN moved with the crowd and transferred to the rock train. The rock in ZERO‘s instrumentation is a different to what we have heard so far from the ongoing trend, as far as I can remember. ZERO feels quite intense, but in a more subtle manner. There is also this grungy feel to the instrumentation, which adds a different dynamic. This brings a powerful and hefty energy to the table, but I actually wanted more. I personally felt ZERO could have upped the ante with a more electrifying feeling. And they could have done this by featuring prominent electric guitar riffs as accent pieces in the background for some parts. This would have balanced out the heaviness of ZERO, which there was a lot of. A prime example of the heaviness is in ZERO‘s instrumental break, where the heavy thumping and deep guitar work together to bring about an intense environment. The brighter and more vibrant brass offsets this, makes the instrumental break more interesting and brings a bit of flair to the song. Moving on, ZERO really showed off the group’s vocals. The members who handled the pre-choruses impressed me with their delivery. But the standout is Yunseong, whose vocals following the instrumental break left me in awe. I felt the chorus could have been more dynamic, simply because the hooks that we did get felt weighty to a degree and doesn’t really drive the song forward as much. But over time, they ended up being quite catchy and definitely got me chanting along to the song. Overall, ZERO is a neat comeback for the group despite it following the same trends as everyone else. It could have been better, but what we got definitely suffices.

The music video for ZERO links up to VILLAIN. My guess is that the events we see in the ZERO sets up the events in VILLAIN. We see the origin story of the members, who have been locked away for some unknown reason. But they are closely monitored by cameras and guards, indicating they are dangerous. As the video progresses, the members gain the upperhand and escape from the facility they are confined to, leading the events in the VILLAIN music video. The ending of this video is the start of their VILLAIN music video, in case you did not notice. In particular, we see the origin story of Junho, who has some deep childhood trauma. He is woken up by one of the other members and the memories of his childhood seemed too much to handle, so he released his emotions in an explosive manner via fire (which played a part in his childhood trauma) and escapes from the facility with the other members. That scene at the end as the members watch the burning building crash down (presumably the facility) looked very cool.

The choreography definitely looks good. The members did a great job of looking tough and intense on stage. There was intensity in the choreography behind the different moves and parts of the routine were satisfyingly powerful. I enjoyed the dance break that aligns with the instrumental break in the song.

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

[Review] Same Scent – ONEUS

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The other comeback to start of this week is ONEUS’ newest single Same Scent and the group’s eighth mini-album, Malus. This release follows the group’s last comeback from earlier in the year, Bring It On, which was released back in May. I very recently reviewed that release’s mini-album (TRICKSTER) which proved to be a big hit in my books. It won’t be a while before I find time to review Malus. So for now, here is my review for Same Scent.

ONEUS goes for more of a restrained dance track in Same Scent. They are probably more well known for releasing songs, at the moment, that are more ‘in-your-face’ (i.e. Bring It On). But their own repertoire also includes singles that feel more held back (i.e. A Song Written Easily from 2019), and it is this style which Same Scent would fall under. There isn’t anything wrong with this style of music, especially since Same Scent feels aesthetic in its own way and brings out a refined maturity. This alone makes the song quite attractive to me. There is an airiness to the pre-chorus that I quite liked, and the contrast between airiness and Same Scent‘s choruses was quite profound. The vocal work feels smooth and I really liked how the lyrics just glide along during certain parts of Same Scent. The ad-libs were also quite cool. My only concern about Same Scent is that it doesn’t feel like ONEUS did much in it. The chorus is largely empty, with Same Scent relying on the tropical synths to do most of the talking (again nothing wrong with this, especially since I enjoyed the way Same Scent sounded – I am just more concerned that ONEUS didn’t really get a chance to showcase more of their talents in the song compared to previously). We do get a bit of lyrics in the choruses towards the end of the sections, but they aren’t exactly the most memorable hooks. The first verse was also largely unmemorable, as well. But at least the second verse had some strong rapping, particularly Leedo who starts off soft but builds his sequence as it goes on. Ravn’s autotuned follow up and bridge sequence was probably the song’s most textural component. Overall, a pleasing song. But I would have liked ONEUS to have been a bit more robust (in a fitting way) in this song.

The music video doesn’t really add much to this comeback, if I am being honest. It captures of some that aesthetic that I mentioned in the song, with smoother and slowed down choreography shots. And you could argue that some of the solo close ups might also capture some of the aesthetic. But I felt the choreography sets were confined or too dark. Sure, they give off some mature vibes. But not enough for me to really say much about it. The scenes where the members are dancing in a shallow pool of water was probably the coolest aspect of the music video. And while it did have a refreshing vibe as we haven’t seen this recently, it isn’t innovative nor groundbreaking.

With a mature sound like Same Scent, I am glad their performance stage picks up on this. There is a subtle sensual vibe to the choreography that works well with the song and even their attire at their showcase stage brings more of that sensual energy. There was also a subtle intensity in the chorus routine, which I found to be quite satsifying to watch.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.4/10

[Review] BACK THEN – KIM JAE HWAN

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One of the two comebacks to start off this week belongs to Kim Jae Hwan, the main vocalist from the now disbanded project group WANNA ONE. For those who missed it, WANNA ONE reunited at the end of last year for a special stage at the 2021 MAMAs and a special release of Beautiful (Part 3) in early 2022. Since then, the members have returned to their current solo and group activities. Kim Jae Hwan, in particular, made his solo comeback with Snail back in June of this year, which I have yet to (but will) review at a later date. He then made a quick comeback yesterday with his fifth mini-album Empty Dream and the title track BACK THEN.

BACK THEN is another track from KPOP that has opted for the trending rock genre. But Kim Jae Hwan portrays the genre in a manner in which he could excel in, combining it with a more vocal centric genre like R&B. The rock and R&B track that is BACK THEN feels quite balanced between the two genres. What I did like about BACK THEN was how seamlessly it was able to flicker between a softer R&B approach with the verses and the more intense rock sound in the chorus. The bass in the verse appears to be the thread that brings two the parts together, as it sets up the verses to have some momentum in which the rock in the chorus can then carry onwards. Together, I feel BACK THEN as a whole was satisfying and was very appealing. As mentioned before, this combination feels like a no-brainer for Kim Jae Hwan, as it allows him to showcase his vocals quite well. Given his vocal capabilities, he is able to go that extra mile and add oomph to his vocals to match the energy that the rock, but is also able to express his emotions in both the R&B verses and rock choruses effortlessly. I just wish the memorable melodies of the song extended into the verses, just to give BACK THEN a more profoundness that help make the song stick. I also thought the R&B could have gone a step further a feel more ballad-like to really maximize the impact BACK THEN could of have.

BACK THEN is said to capture the feelings of longing for your ex following the breakup (taken from SOOMPI) and I feel that Kim Jae Hwan had captured that essence in his vocals. Though, I feel like he doesn’t completely capture said essence in the music video. The entire video showed the aftermath, but it just felt lacking. As cliché as it might look and sound, I kind of wished the music video had a ‘before’ breakup and an ‘after’ breakup concept. I think this more typical approach would have really captured the song in a visual sense really well. Aside from that desire, I liked that the music video also captured the rock aspect of the song with Kim Jae Hwan rocking out with his guitar to the song in some scenes and having a band in the background. It made sense to include and I am glad that it did.

As seen in the music video, the comeback is able to flick between a band version and a dance version for this comeback. I do hope we get to see the dance version in full during promotions for BACK THEN. From what I do see, the choreography looks decent. Kim Jae Hwan is still for some of it, presuming so he can hit those notes while performing live. But when he is full participating in the choreography, it appears to be full power, and I quite liked how he and the dancers embody this.

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

[Review] CHEERS – SVT LEADERS

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I am preparing to write an album review for SEVENTEEN’s fourth studio album (and its repackaged version) this weekend. But in order to review that album, I have get some song reviews out of the way. Prior to the release of Sector 17 (the repackaged version of their fourth studio album) and the title track _WORLD, SEVENTEEN’s leader subunit (featuring S.Coups, Woozi and Hoshi) pre-released the single CHEERS with a special music video. That is the focus of today’s review.

CHEERS makes no hesitation or apologies with diving into the hip-hop genre. I personally would have expected this release to come from SEVENTEEN’s hip-hop team, as the genre is literally in their unit’s name and CHEERS is probably 120% in the realm of hip-hop. But technically, the leader unit of the thirteen member group isn’t really known for a specific style or sound, so the unit has free reign and no specific constraints over what styles they put out. Don’t get me wrong, I have no qualms with them deep diving into hip-hop this time around. CHEERS is quite a fun track thanks to the catchy flute hook and the dynamic/upbeat energy that comes from the instrumentation. The lyrical hooks were quite strong and leaves a positive impression. The bridge brought on a neat peak to the song and serves as my favourite sequence of the song. Even each member had a stand out moment – Hoshi’s is the ‘Eondeongi pang pang‘ (more on that in the choreography section), S.Coups whispery sequence in the second verse and Woozi’s smoother delivery in the first verse. However, my biggest issue with CHEERS is the heavy autotune that coats the song from head to toe. While I did get the autotune helps hype up the energy, makes CHEERS more dynamic and delivers a degree of charm to the song, there were certain parts that felt unnecessarily autotuned. Some refinement would have made CHEERS a much stronger and less overwhelming track.

The music video undoubtedly goes down the hip-hop path, as well, with a heavily influenced music video that fits in well with the genre and song. There isn’t really any other way to prose this video, in my opinion. It hits all my expectations. With this video, I presume the different scenes we do get have some sort of meaning. Or, it could all be intended to be lighthearted or stylish, and my years of KPOP reviewing has taught me to over think everything. I don’t know. But it was a fun watch and the trio matched the energy of the song really well.

I am not going to dilly-dally over the choreography section of the review and get straight to the point. Hoshi’s hip bounce is the most memorable moment of the entire routine. It was a fun and vibrant move that definitely steals the show. The rest of the choreography was also fun and energetic as the song, but not as much as that two second move.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.8/10

[Review] Crack – Lee Jin Hyuk

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I travel back to Monday to review one more song, LEE JIN HYUK’s latest release. The mini-album is titled 5ight and the lead single is titled Crack, and it follows last year’s October 2021 comeback with Crtl + V (his fourth mini-album, which I did not review) and Work Work (his last promotional track).

Crack is another rock based dance track to add to the growing list of rock influenced tracks that have emerged in KPOP. But we are still in the early days of the trend, given that each artists (so far) are still able to make this trend their own and I don’t think I am anywhere near tired of it. For Crack, the uniqueness comes from the drumming. It really gave Crack an extremely dynamic and robust tenacity, especially during the bold and hyped pre-choruses. It was adrenaline pumping and I am still reeling from the excitement the drumming gives the song. Electric guitars are common in rock songs, and Crack is no exception. But as the drumming is already the bold aspect of the song, the electric guitar sits more in the background. The choruses follows on nicely from the pre-chorus, picking up the momentum and brings forth those electric guitars a bit to bring an electrifying profile to the surface of Crack. The hooks were catchy and addictive, even though I did have a laugh when I first heard the ‘I have a crack crack crack‘ hook the first time around. LEE JIN HYUK’s raspy vocals and raps were well utilized and adds a nice textural component to Crack. The bridge smooths out the instrumental, which was a neat contrast to the rest of the song. However, I do think Crack missed the opportunity to have a more substantial peak in the bridge, which (I hoped) would result in a launch back into an intensely energetic final chorus to close out the song. Similar comments can be said with the final instrumental break. It could have been so much more concentrated just to give Crack a literal high point to finish on. But overall, Crack really impressed me, with the instrumental really stealing the show for me.

As for the music video for this comeback, I thought it was fine. Not memorable, but not necessarily terrible, as well. The choreography scenes (sans the leopard print pants) had an electrifying feel to it, thanks to the flashing and spinning lights in the background. There was a lot of cracks in the video, including cracked glass, smashed windshields with cracks in them and even crackers making a crack sound at the very start/end (Hehehehe…). I am sure these serve a purpose other than puns, but I couldn’t piece together what was happening the video.

I wished the sharpness associated with the ‘crack crack crack‘ move was present throughout the choreography. If everything else (aside from the dance outro) felt a lot more snappy, I think this would have made a really cool choreography routine. But instead, it appeared a bit wishy-washy. I make the exception with the dance break outro, as that is what I am looking for and feel would have made the stage better.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.8/10

[Review] Gasoline – KEY (SHINee)

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We are still a couple of months out from a year since KEY impressed with his solo comeback. BAD LOVE (title of both the title track and first mini album). But that hasn’t stopped KEY from returning with a new music. More specifically, a new single and his second studio length album, both of which have been titled Gasoline. The new material dropped officially today, even though he did informally pre-release the sides tracks Another Life and Proud and performed Gasoline at the recent SM Town concerts.

But the focus of this review is purely on Gasoline, the title track. The biggest question that I have for myself heading into this comeback was whether Gasoline tops the likes of BAD LOVE (which knocked my socks off last year). Unfortunately, I can confirm that the new release does not exceed the standard that was set by last year’s release. I will explain why in a bit. Gasoline is a hip-hop dance track that really grabs our attention from the get-go with its bold and fanfare instrumentation at the start and during the choruses. Heavy thumping takes over the in verses and the brass elements that contribute to the fanfare influence in the chorus is taken down a few notches. All of this was very good and definitely is very memorable. I quite liked the decision to skip the chorus following the second verse, going straight into the bridge. It was an interesting change of momentum and the thumping beat was quite exciting and thrilling. It definitely got the adrenaline running through my body. My issue with Gasoline was the lack of melody. There was some, but none of it was rewarding or fulfilling like in his previous comeback. Also, the boastful and confident main hook of the song (i.e. the ‘A-List, The Latest, Made It, I’m Ready, Big Rings, Your Scream‘) felt so cringy and was very questionable to me. I see how the first four compliments the idea of being confident and ambitious, but the latter two that I quoted makes no sense. The start-stop manner it was delivered in was also a bit plain and wearisome, and I wished the hook was more gratifying to listen to. KEY’s rapping throughout the track was good, but it is the way Gasoline‘s centric moments were delivered that I find to be a letdown.

The music video makes up for the Gasoline‘s lacking aspects. I am blown away by the quality and jaw-dropping visuals that KEY delivers in this comeback. My guess is that KEY is like a god in this video, with the dancers worshipping him. This would work well with the confidence and ambition that KEY expresses in the lyrics of the song. The golden colour that appears throughout the video (and subsequently becomes a memorable aspect of the video) also helps out with this. Another thing I quite liked about the video is that KEY isn’t scared to show off a completely different style to other idols and isn’t shy of trying unique outfits. It left such a strong impression on me, as a viewer, which works hand-in-hand with the message he is trying to get across. The sets were also grand and imposing, helping to make KEY stand out.

I quite liked the powerful aspect of the choreography, which felt fitting to the way he delivered the track. The routine was definitely quite busy, as well, thanks to the number of dancers featured in this comeback. But I think this helps give the choreography a boastful image as well, which works well with the message the song gives out.

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

[Review] Can’t Stop Shining – TEMPEST

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Next review from yesterday’s list of comebacks is TEMPEST, who made their first ever comeback with Can’t Stop Shining and the mini-album SHINING UP. This comeback follows their debut with Bad News and It’s Me, It’s We. I am glad that they were able to get over the first hurdle of their careers – making a comeback. It is quite common for groups to debut and then disappear. And I am glad TEMPEST did not succumb to that fate, especially following their debut which grew on me following its review.

The three minutes that Can’t Stop Shining goes for was by far one of the most pleasant three minutes I have heard in KPOP recently. For this comeback, TEMPEST goes down the dance pop route with their track. The instrumentals that start off Can’t Stop Shining were very airy and breezy. There was a beat to it, but it was kept light. The chorus is when Can’t Stop Shining peaks, with a relatively more robust backing. But instead of being ‘noisy’, the refreshing energy and subtle groovy vibes we get in the chorus thanks to the synths and beats keeps in line with the light, airy and breezy descriptions I had already used to describe Can’t Stop Shining. Most of the vocals were smooth and soft to a certain degree, but they manage to also come off as vibrant. Their vocals, especially during the chorus, brought a smile to my face and leaves a positive impression on the song, overall. Even the rapping in the second verse was refined to show intensity but also fit the rest of the song very well. The stripping of the instrumental for the bridge is pretty cliché, but the reveal of the piano was nicely done. The launch back into the final chorus was probably the highlight (as it usually is intended to be) as it was the most dynamic aspect of Can’t Stop Shining. I do think other parts of the song could have been slightly more dynamic (i.e. some of the vocals) but still allow Can’t Stop Shining to stay within the confines of being pleasant. But as it is, Can’t Stop Shining is a successful comeback track in my opinion!

Based on the start of the video, I was expecting something edgy and urban out of this comeback – either through the video or the music. The abandoned room and the anger on one of the members’ face (i.e. the guy with the skateboard) sold this idea to me. But it turns out, I read too much into it. The whole point of the start was the home video aesthetic, which featured throughout the rest of the video subtly. The pop and pleasant nature of the song comes through, taking the video in a completely different direction. We get colour through the flowery scenes. We get breezy from the shots outdoor on the beach. And we get a whole bunch of smiles from the members. Overall, a neat video that works well with the song.

The chorography for this comeback was nice. Nothing stood out at me as an impressive or mind-blowing moment. But the routine worked well with the song and the pop vibes that I described above.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 8.3/10

[Review] FLASH – Rocket Punch

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The new week starts off with a number of comebacks, making it hard to decide which song to review first. I left the selection up to my Twitter feed, and Rocket Punch’s FLASH appeared up top on my timeline. And so, I am here to kick the week off with my review for FLASH. This comeback follows the group’s CHIQUITA and Yellow Punch Korean comeback, and their Japanese single release FIORE, from earlier in the year.

Rocket Punch turns to heavy beats and electro synths in FLASH, making this track suitable for a club or party environment. The bass really oomph up the song and gives FLASH definition and depth, aspects of a sound profile that definitely sounds good. Surely, one would seize at the opportunity to really build this instrumental into a dynamic piece. Well, I don’t think FLASH did. There was this generic and typical tone to the vocals that left me so disappointed. The verses were a bore to get through, with the same twinkling-like synth done time and time again and there was a clear lack of excitement in the vocals department. The pre-choruses and first and second rounds of the choruses faired better. The ramp towards the chorus definitely felt strong and did bring in that dynamic factor that I hoped for (but it was brief and I would have liked to see dynamism throughout the rest of FLASH). The choruses featured catchy hooks and melodies. Vocally, there was improvement in the chorus, especially with the higher pitch in the first half. The final chorus, on the other hand, was a massive let down. As soon as we launch into it, we are thrown back into the ‘Light Signal Action‘ repetition half of the chorus, exactly how it was given to us in the first round of the chorus (which I did enjoy). This would have been fine, but the issue with the final chorus was that this repetition was just on repeat and just felt so draining. The same instrumental was used and there just wasn’t anything extra to give FLASH a last hurrah before ending. Overall, FLASH had a good set up, but it just didn’t eventuate.

Like the song, the music video was quite underwhelming. I look at the other artists of Woolim Entertainment (i.e. Golden Child and DRIPPIN) and see such strong music videos. And I turn to the accompanying video for this comeback and feel quite disappointed. The video needed more flashes in terms lighting and didn’t needed to have such a pale colour scheme. The solo shots were standard and the sets could have been a bit more dynamic (and not from one of those one-stop shops of video sets). Rocket Punch deserves a cool video, just like their other labelmates.

Why is performance video that was released today so bright? It was extremely distracting to focus on the choreography. I hope we will not be seeing Rocket Punch on stage with every light bulb directed at them. Aside from my mini-rant just now, the choreography looked good. I liked the flash hand movements they had in the chorus. I just wished the moves were a bit sharper, just so the routine has a more polished look.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 5/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 5.9/10

[Review] Talk that Talk – TWICE

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TWICE ends this week with their long-awaited comeback with Talk that Talk and their 11th mini-album since debut, Between 1&2. This is the group’s first comeback since the release of SCIENTIST last year, the announcement of their full-group contract renewal with JYP Entertainment, their fourth world tour and another string of Japanese release (some which I have reviewed, and others I have yet to).

Talk that Talk, for me, is a great release. Out of the pop releases that I have reviewed recently, TWICE’s song was definitely one which shined brightly. And this comes as no surprise to me, given TWICE has excelled with pop tracks in the past. So what sells me Talk that Talk? Firstly, I found the feel good energy of Talk that Talk to be stickler. The explosion of energy at the start of the choruses was effortless and helped make the track satisfying. Even though the song has been released just a few hours back, I have been returning to Talk that Talk just for this aspect alone. Secondly, the melodies throughout the song (verse, chorus, bridge and all) were simple and straightforward. There isn’t any messing around with the vocals or the instrumental. Everything was clean, neat and embodied the energy perfectly. As a result, the melody rings on and also drives me back to the song. Thirdly, I really did enjoy Talk that Talk‘s instrumental. In addition to the already-mentioned energy, there was a dynamic factor and bounce to the backing that I really enjoyed. Fourthly, strong vocals throughout makes this song a stunner. Is there anything I wished was better executed? I think the rap lines could have been clearer and had more of a kick to them. But other than that minor detail, I am very much into Talk that Talk. It might just become one of TWICE’s best title tracks ever, in my point of view!

Once again, the members looked amazing in this video. There is this fierceness to the members’ visuals which definitely complements the fierce nature of the song (something I didn’t comment on above). However, the video does balance it out with more lighthearted and whimsical tones via the props and post-production editing (i.e. holographic love hearts, floating paw prints and emojis, teddy bears getting pierced, cat videos etc.). I also liked the mix between 90s and modern trends in the video. The QR code at the end of the video apparently takes fans to the Instagram post of when they announced the name of their fandom – ONCE! The post-production which places the video in a virtual setting was also awesome! Great video, overall!

I really enjoyed how the choreography embodied the aforementioned energy. It made for a fun and exciting choreography. The members definitely looked like they had a ball on stage! A massive pity that Jihyo was unable to participate as her absence did leave a bit of a void. But I am sure once she returns, everything about the performance would be complete.

Song – 9.5/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.6/10

[Review] FOCUS – Ha Sung Woon

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Making his final solo comeback yesterday before he carries out his military enlistment is Ha Sung Woon. He returns with the title track FOCUS and the mini-album Strange World. This comeback follows his recent special release, Can’t Live Without You, from earlier this year.

FOCUS is another neat pop song to add to the list. More could have been done in the song to make it even better, but that doesn’t mean what we have been presented with is bad. FOCUS is groovy vibes in the midst of its pop instrumental, thanks to the guitar work and that synthesizer synth in the instrumental half of the choruses. Said synthesizer synth was actually quite catchy The bass adds oomph to the song, while the percussion gives FOCUS a snappy effect. All of which helped make FOCUS very appealing as a track. Ha Sung Woon vocals were quite strong throughout. His falsettos in the bridge were nicely done, while the ad-libs he throws in the end were very cool. The staggered effect in which the choruses start off with (accented by the punchy bass) helped add a memorable aspect to the song, which I thought was rather cool. Like other songs recently, my gripe with regards to FOCUS is that the song could have done more. FOCUS never really strayed from its root sound, which I felt made the song too consistent. I kind of wished there was something else to FOCUS to give the song some more flair or dynamism. For example, I felt some rapping could have taken the FOCUS to the next level. Or even may be an instrumental breakdown that changes FOCUS‘ momentum ever so slightly. But as how we got it, FOCUS was still a great comeback track.

The music video shows Ha Sung Woon becoming infatuated with someone who he sees and likes. But he becomes so intent on her that he doesn’t notice that she leads him to his demise (i.e. the hypnosis, trapping him in the car and setting said car alight). We don’t actually see the car go up in flames, but the ending does show Ha Sung Woon in the middle of the ring of fire, which I presume alludes to the fact that he was in the car when it was alight. This storyline matches the lyrics, which is all about the dark side of focusing on a lover. I liked the darker looks and premise of the video, and I quite liked Ha Sung Woon’s looks throughout the video. All his expressions also look really good and conveys the story so well.

The sliding footwork is the best aspect of this choreography routine. It looks cool, sleek and has the potential to become iconic, in my opinion. I really liked the use of the dancers to make the routine more dynamic. The rest of the performance was captivating to watch (emphasising Ha Sung Woon’s performance skills) and I also liked how intense the routine got for the final chorus.

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

[Review] Losing Game – LEO (VIXX)

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Yesterday saw the return of LEO, the main vocalist of VIXX, a group which we don’t hear too often nowadays. He returns with the title track Losing Game and the mini-album Piano Man Op. 9. This is LEO’s second solo release since completing his military enlistment in 2021. He did release a standalone single at the end of 2021 titled I’m Still Here, but I actually missed this release and have not reviewed it. His last review on my blog was for Romanticism and his mini-album Muse.

Losing Game is a decent track. I liked the different elements that make up Losing Game. But as the song progresses along, it felt just didn’t develop into much. Let’s start off with what I liked. Losing Game‘s R&B instrumental had this slow yet groovy vibe to it. It was subtle, but it was there. The piano that appears throughout the instrumental was deliberate to bring out the emotions behind Losing Game, while the crunchy percussion in the song adds some interesting textures to Losing Game so it isn’t too bland and brings some modern flair to the song. LEO’s vocals were very captivating for the most part and his singing style is well suited for the likes of Losing Game. This voice really shines during the bridge, when most of the instrumental was stripped away. I also enjoyed the opening melodies of the chorus, with the “Need you right here” being the one line that replays in my mind after the song completes. My only gripe about the song, as already mentioned, is that it lacks development. What do I mean about this? Well, the song sounds exactly like how it started. While sometimes it is a good thing, I felt Losing Game needed a climax or a peak. It held back and this didn’t really help make the song appealing as it could have been. I do think we in a direction of a pea when a guitar presence emerges from the instrumental just at the end of the bridge, and Losing Game would have been cooler to pick more of that guitar up for the final chorus. But it fizzles instead to the same chorus. Overall, decent comes to mind. But I am sure Losing Game could have been more proactive and taken to the next level had it not been held back.

Losing Game is about a relationship being one sided, and we do get that impression in the video. There is a female character in the video which we can see is in a relationship with LEO. But we don’t see her face often. And when we do, it is covered with a mask to suggest that she is hiding something. In the end, she runs away, leaving LEO behind. LEO obviously goes after her, but he can no longer find her, suggesting that she might have never loved him. I liked the melodramatic settings of the music video. LEO’s opened jacket look was a bit questionable in my opinion. I am on the fence on whether it matches the concept or not.

I actually liked the stillness that started off the performance. That never really gets much attention, so I thought I point it out for this review. There was some really good flow in the movements during the verses. And I like the body waves that opened with the chorus, complementing the sensual vibe that is brought to the comeback via the R&B instrumentation.

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

[Review] Mango – Super Junior

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It has been almost 17 years since Super Junior started out, and yet they are still going strong! It still amazes me to hear that Super Junior are still at it in this tough industry! Super Junior returned in July of this year with their 11th studio album The Road: Keep on Going and the title track Mango. Their last comeback was from last year when they returned with House Party and The Renaissance (their 10th studio album). In addition, the group also did release a special single earlier this year titled Callin’ ahead of their ninth tour.

To me, Mango is best described as a pleasant pop song and I believe this helps make it one of their best title tracks in recent memory. The pleasant side is appreciable, especially in an industry that is heavily dominated by heavy and intense EDM/synths. And the pop profile of Mango‘s instrumental makes it straightforward and satisfying to listen to. The melodies are probably the best aspect of Mango for me. They were quite catchy and easy on the ears. And it just isn’t the chorus melodies that I found to be easy on the ears. Even the verses had some great melodic flow and it made the entirety of Mango more enjoyable. I also found myself humming to the song a number of times since I checked out the song. The vocal work was quite solid. However, with such a vocal centric song, I did expect some harder hitting ad-libs and more powerful moments that weren’t held onto until the end. This would have helped make Mango potentially more stunning and potentially addresses my next issue with the song. Call me hypocritical, but while I did like the pleasantness of Mango, part of me did think it also contributed to the feeling that Mango was a bit plain. Now, I am not expecting a House Party breakdown (that would ruin the song for me – yes, the feeling is still strong). But I kind of wished Mango did something just a bit more to give Mango a wow factor. This could have been strong ad-libs or vocals throughout the song (as already mentioned), or a suitable rap sequence that kicks the momentum up. I do lean towards the latter option a bit more, simply because Mango is missing a substantial rap sequence (we did this rap speak hybrid, but it was more speak in my point of view). I know I have previously advocated that not all songs need a rap sequence (hypocritical me strikes again), but Mango could have used one (provided it was well executed and fits in with the pop vibes of the song). But overall, Mango is still enjoyable and neat Summer pop track for us.

The music video also could have used a bit of a wow factor. Don’t get me wrong, but it is great to still see most of the members on the screen. And the pleasant pop vibe of the song does admittedly constrict the number of concepts that could have been part of this comeback. But this is KPOP we are speaking about and they belong to SM Entertainment. Surely, someone in the company could have thought of something a bit more creative. Aside from that mini-rant, I did like the colourful nature and lighting, which made it suitable for the Summer season. I also enjoyed the Broadway/theatre entrance setting, as felt fitting for the pop vibe of the song. But I guess I wanted more from the music video aspect of this comeback.

The choreography was great but yet simple. It didn’t have anything impressive from what I could see, but it was definitely showed how to have a good time. My favourite part is choreography during the the extended ‘la la la‘ sequence just before the bridge.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.2/10