Category: Reviews

[Review] 458 – CIX

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Starting off this week are some new comebacks from two artists, both of which I am keen to get right in and review. The first artist I want to cover is CIX, who returns to Korea for the first time in just about a year with their new single 458 and the mini-album OK Episode 1: OK Not. I am particularly keen on CIX’s release because of its music video teaser release last week which perked my interest. The last time we saw the group on the Korean stage was through promotions of their first studio album (OK Prologue: Be OK) and WAVE. Since then, the group had released music in Japan (yet to be reviewed in the International Song Review segment) and held their first concert.

458 is a very intriguing track. It begins off with some striking piano work that brings forth a mysterious and dark colour, while the deep and lower register vocals keeps it captivating and alluring. As it progresses to the chorus, everything starts climbing in the pre-chorus and there is a hopeful tinge behind Yonghee’s vocals. I quite enjoy this sequence and think it is the best part of the song. However, this is closely followed by the chorus, which lands 458 into the electro hip-hop sphere and gives the song some impact. I like how it maintains that low register and aligns itself with that dark and mysterious atmosphere, yet still managing to change the song’s dynamism with the unsettling but also enchanting electronic synths. The second verse and chorus feels like a repeat of the first round of both sequences, just with the addition of some extra subtle percussion in the second verse. Following the second chorus, we are given a dance break that continues the presence of that same unsettling scratchy synth from the chorus. I liked how some of the ad-libs find themselves here. The rapping that follows was good, however it could have been more energetic and dynamic. I think an element of change was needed in 458 just about here and the rapping would have been a great conduit for this. The chorus repeats one final time, before we get an additional distortion at the end and a blip to bring 458 to a close. While I do appreciate the consistency in a song like this, 458 could have used one extra switch up just to give it some extra punch. But overall, 458 remains captivating throughout for me.

As mentioned in the introduction, this comeback had intrigued me via its music video teaser. The dark yet modern aesthetics were definitely worthy of a shoutout. It, like the song, was quite impactful and definitely was jaw-dropping at times. The members were also all shown in visually stunning and aesthetic manners throughout this video. Some of the scenes show the members being winged or even had their wings clipped, suggesting fallen angels are related to the storyline. But aside from that, I have no clue on what is happening in the video. That ending suggests we might be getting another series of interlinked music videos. Let me know if you have any theories regarding the story or meaning behind the video.

What a performance. I really enjoyed the balance between the softer movements and the more intense moments. There was also a slight sensual tinge to the performance as well, which helped smooth out some of the moves and made it a strong performance for the group. The dance break could have been a bit more show-stopping if I am being honest, as I expected the performance to really climax there. But I guess the presence of the ad-libs from Bae Jinyoung got in the way there.

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

[Review] Pink Venom – BLACKPINK

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It has been almost two years since we have heard BLACKPINK through a full group comeback via the promotions of Lovesick Girls and The Album. Currently, we are progressing full speed ahead towards BLACKPINK’s official comeback in a month time with their second studio length album Born Pink and a yet to be unveiled titled track. But ahead of the release of Born Pink, we find ourselves here today just about to review the pre-release for that album, Pink Venom, which dropped earlier today.

It appears that Lovesick Girls was a once event in terms of the group’s discography. BLACKPINK returns to familiar powerful territory with Pink Venom, following the same vein of their past releases such as How You Like That and Kill This Love. There isn’t anything wrong with this classic BLACKPINK sound and style. It is just quite overdone by now. Pink Venom attempts to change it up with a mixture of traditional and tribal-like instrumentation throughout the song, sans the second verse which deep dives the song into 90s hip-hop territory. I think this instrumental combo lacks that knock out of the park feel that their previous tracks have. And I am quite sure the typical formula also dulls the potential of Pink Venom. The chorus was probably the most interesting aspect, but I am of the opinion that it is disappointing. Lisa and Jennie go into this high pitch soft whisper-like motif. I feel that this detracts from the powerfulness potential of song, and weakens the integrity of Pink Venom. It is somewhat unique, but very fragile. It makes me want to handle the chorus with care, which isn’t something you would want with a BLACKPINK song that starts off powerful. The verses and pre-choruses were more appreciable and enjoyable by a long mile. There was potential between the vocals in the pre-chorus from Jisoo and Rose, to the rapping by Jennie and Lisa in the verses. The chorus just lets it down. Pink Venom ends with a ‘La Ta Ta‘ hook, which I didn’t think really gave Pink Venom that punchy ending that I had expected. There was something lacking in the background to really hone the ending in and make it all climatic. It appears that Pink Venom isn’t my cup of tea this time around. Maybe more listens would make the song more approachable, but for now, Pink Venom just doesn’t live up to their previous tracks of a similar nature.

Per usual, BLACKPINK’s music videos are top notch. And once again, Pink Venom‘s does not disappoint. Visually, this music video had it all. Vibrant colours, impactful shots and stunning looks. Best shots for each member are: Jennie’s red outfit at the start of the video. Lisa’s gangster look, Rose’s leather look and Jisoo’s Korean hanbok inspired look. The scene with Rose and the black paint was also quite epic and could potentially be interpreted as quite deep. The sets looked amazing, especially that first choreography shot with the fabric blowing about in the background. I also enjoyed the subtle black and pink colours on some of the sets.

While musically, I think the chorus is weak, the choreography might be the next big thing for the group (until next month’s release). The small movements with their hands behind their back, for example, works well with the softer and fragile delivery of the chorus, while the bigger movements work well with the slightly more aggressive parts of the chorus (i.e. the ‘woah woah woah‘). The ‘La Ta Ta Ta‘ end sequence looks cool in the performance, as well.

Song – 6.5/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.9/10

[Review] Your Song – ONF

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Following a very successful 2021, ONF decided to enlist into the military as a group to reduce the impact on their promotions as a group (i.e. the eligible members enlisted at the same time, as opposed to what commonly happens with other groups who enlist one member at a time causing long hiatus as a result). Commonly, military enlistment periods involve idols taking a break from the stage and other media (i.e. film, tv shows, social media). As a result, ONF’s comeback today is best described as unexpected. But I (and fans alike) are not complaining. ONF released the title track Your Song and the album Storage of ONF today, their first release since Goosebumps in December 2021.

Your Song starts off as an unsuspecting pop ballad. There was a peacefulness, calmness and ambience to the first verse which had already won me over. The synths used in the background of the first verse felt very appropriate for both ideas of Summer and the idea of a pop ballad. The vocals were got were stunning and Wyatt’s rapping was suitable for the pop aspect. One would expect the song to follow through with this pop ballad direction. But Your Song changes up the momentum, developing into a full fledge pop track with potential for choreography. They bring in guitars and a very refreshing pop vibe to the song, losing the balladry roots that started off the song. From there, the song continues with the changed momentum, giving Your Song a liveliness and brightness that just charms you. Also continuing to charm me are the vocals, which the group sound stunning. Wyatt’s vocals in the second verse impresses me (he needs to sing more) and I really liked the push the main and lead vocalists gives themselves during the chorus. There are no further dramatic changes in momentum occurs in Your Song, which I am glad is the case. The bridge brings a smile to my face with their harmonies and the simple ‘Na Na Na‘ sequences. They do touch on the balladry aspect again very briefly soon after, but Your Song reverts back to that pop vibe that the song grew to in the final chorus. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this release even if it isn’t what ONF puts out typically.

Even as a special release, ONF still manages to bring in that futuristic concept that has been part of ONF’s recent repertoire of videos (i.e. Beautiful Beautiful, Ugly Dance, Popping, Goosebumps). But there is no action or plot in this video. A completely different dynamic prevails in the futuristic world as a result of this. The song conveys the message that if there is a connection through music, we can meet by even transcending time and space (taken from SOOMPI). This felt fitting for the group’s current circumstances, as they are not together at the moment. But through music, they were able to reconnect – even if it was just virtually. I thought this was very clever and showcases a more thoughtful and heartwarming message. It makes me wonder what the group and their company have instore for us next, given that this comeback had to be thought of way in advance and it appears this concept is something long term).

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

[Review] WHISPER – THE BOYZ

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One of the comebacks that is starting this week of new releases is THE BOYZ’s WHISPER, their latest title track from their 7th mini-album BE AWARE. This is the group’s first Korean comeback since the release of SHE’S THE BOSS (yet to be reviewed) in Japan, the group’s first (and ongoing) world tour and their Korean MAVERICK comeback from November of last year. WHISPER does not feature member Eric, who has been on hiatus since March for health reasons. Hopefully he is on the road to recovery and will be back with the rest of the group for future promotions.

Without a doubt, WHISPER is designed to be a summer track. It has quite a colourful and equally upbeat instrumental, described as a retro 808 bass and futuristic synth sounds (taken from SOOMPI). You might think because WHISPER is a summer song, it follows up nicely from last year’s THRILL RIDE. However, I don’t think the two songs are on par with one another. For me, THRILL RIDE was exciting, vibrant and had great energy that made me not want to stop playing the song. The synths were robust and dynamic. However, when it comes to WHISPER, I find the newer song to be more generic and the instrumental doesn’t really bring that same level of excitement nor does it capture my attention. I do feel the vocals/rapping faired a bit better, even though it does sit on the subpar side of the spectrum. The word I have been using a lot in my review is ‘zing’ and WHISPER could have used a whole lot of this. The best aspect of WHISPER, in my point of view, are the hooks. While I am sure some people will definitely raise the hooks as elementary and generic as well, I kind of liked it. Particularly, the “Stay Stay, Play Play, Sway Sway“. But all the hooks in WHISPER did what hooks are meant to do, and it gave WHISPER a memorable factor. Whether the rest of the song catches on like the hooks, it might be too soon to speculate. My thoughts on the song could simply be due to the fact that I haven’t heard the song enough times for it to marinate in my mind or develop a connection. But as for now, WHISPER is pretty generic and standard for me.

I have no clue on what is happening in this video. And it is to the point where I can’t even join pieces of the video together to make it make sense. There seems to be a light and dark theme going on, with the dark side infiltrating the light side (see the section of the video that corresponds with the first pre-chorus). But then that theme is dropped, but reappears ever so slightly in the sections that correspond with the bridge. On the other hand, the video is bright, loaded with the colours blue and pink and super energetic looking (thanks to the presence of the members and the choreography shots). But to continue the confusion, there were guns and an alien abduction scene at one point in the second verse. And the ending was very cryptic yet mysterious. Yeah, I have no clue this time around and would greatly appreciate if anyone has any theories that might help me decipher the story or intent of this video.

The choreography for this comeback looks great. As already mentioned, it is quite energetic and suits THE BOYZ style very well. There is a bouncy aspect to it, which I quite liked. I also enjoyed the idea of the position of the backhand close to mouth to mimic a whispering action, which is simple and sensible as the performance’s main move.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 6.5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.1/10

[Review] Ring The Alarm – KARD

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KARD’s last comeback was way back in 2020 with GUNSHOT. And following that, J.Seph enlisted into the military and the group practically went on a mini hiatus. For the other three members (BM, Jiwoo and Somin) solo promotions and activities were their primary focus up until this year, when it was confirmed that J.Seph would return and KARD would return as a group for a new comeback. KARD officially dropped Re: and the title track Ring The Alarm back at the end of June of this year.

For me, KARD always excelled with songs where they went hard and powerful. Ring The Alarm unfortunately didn’t live up to that expectation for me. And this might be the reason to why I have been holding off on reviewing Ring The Alarm. I want to like the song, given that it is KARD. But the best I can come with even after a month is that Ring The Alarm was an okay song, with decent melodic hooks and a nice ring overall. However, I feel like the weaker aspects of the song ironically speaks the most to me. The moombahton with rhythmical bass instrumental was quite weak and doesn’t really bring much excitement to the table. If I had to describe it, I would liken it to a dull colour. Though I do appreciate that the summer vibes that comes from it. The members themselves don’t add much to the song. Rather, they blend into the dull background and they don’t give much zing to the song. I know they could have gone harder to just give Ring The Alarm more body and intensity. That being said, I did find manage to identify a few aspects that had potential, but they are very minor sequences/details and are easily passed. Some examples include the start of the song with the alarms and bass and the ‘Move your body‘ chant that both BM and Jiwoo contributed to. The part in J.Seph’s rap sequence where the instrumental was minimised continues to play in my head and I liked the minimalistic aspect of said part. Even the slight amplification at the very end which gave Ring The Alarm outro a slight taste of intensity was sufficient in winning me over. But as I said, these are small details and not the larger sequences that make up the other 98% of the song. I think it is safe to say that I wanted more. Simply because, by the time Ring The Alarm wrapped up, I was left unsatisfied.

Part of me thinks the music video follows the song down the dull path. However, upon closer inspection for this review, I find parts of the music video to be striking. Certain solo shots for some member had a boldness to them, which I liked. For example, Somin’s red heart scenes, Jiwoo’s diamond set, BM’s mountain climb scenes caught my attention. But apart from that, the music video wasn’t memorable and I couldn’t figure out what was happening (if there was even a plotline to the video).

The choreography for this comeback was actually quite good. Even though the song’s dullness softness the choreography a fair bit compared to the group’s past performances, I liked that KARD managed to showcase their usual style in the performance. J.Seph really stood out for me in this routine, as he puts a bit more hip-hop energy into his execution, which makes captivating to watch. The outro sequence also had a neat bounce to it.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 6.7/10

[Review] Test Me – Xdinary Heroes

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It is time for another review for a release from the near past. The focus of this review is on Xdinary Heroes’ long awaited comeback with Test Me, their first release since their debut with Happy Death Day back in December. Test Me was released less than a month ago as the title track from the group’s first mini-album, Hello World. A music video for the side track and secondary promotional single Strawberry Cake was released in the middle of this week and will be the subject of its own review post in the near future. But until then, here is my review for Test Me.

Test Me is a song that I find myself easily jamming to. Most days, I find Test Me having just the right level of energy to get my head nodding to the music. On the more optimal days, you can find me potentially going into a head banging motion instead whilst listening to the song. There was a subtle electrifying feel to the instrumental that really gets me going. Though I am of the opinion that the group could easily had gone harder, bolder and more pronounced on this front within Test Me. The brief repetition of the song’s title that is shouted out, which serves as the main hook to the song, was catchy and memorable enough for me. The rapping in the second verse was super engaging and packed a punch. Similarly, the vocals do the exact same thing, but there is less of a punch in this department. However, Test Me is slightly weak in sections. I didn’t enjoy the second half of the chorus as much I liked the first half. I felt the momentum unraveled or disengaged in the latter half of the chorus, which stuck out for me. I wished the momentum was maintained. The bridge was also another weak moment, with the layering being unsatisfying and unfulfilling. Had Test Me gone harder (and the same energy was transferred to this part, as well), I think the idea of layering in the bridge would have been more satisfying. But aside from the song’s weaker moment, Test Me still manages to be a likeable song for me.

The music video has this futuristic concept that I thought was very cool. The coloured neon lights and robotics in this music video was really great and fun, even if it was all virtual and computerised. In terms of a plotline, a competition to determine the best rock artist is happening, but the winner was pre-selected from the very beginning. Xdinary Heroes themselves also participated, but were disqualified even before their song began. So they make it their mission to rig the system and get into the final, where they defeat the preselected winner and took the trophy home themselves. All is great, but the question at the start of the video, however, is probably the more intriguing element of this video – “Are Xdinary Heroes the villain or hero” in this case, since they rigged the already rigged system. What is a playful and fun video ended up turning into a moral dilemma. I like it!

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.9/10

[Review] Time Out – Stray Kids

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As I constantly hinted throughout the last week when I was preparing for the group’s ODDINARY album review, I would be review Stray Kids latest release some time this week. And so, the time has arrived to review the group’s latest mixtape release, Time Out. This release unexpectedly dropped last week on Monday to celebrate four years since the naming of their fanclub, STAYs. Time Out follows the release of three other mixtapes from the group – Gone Days, On Track and Oh.

Stray Kids jumps onto the rock train through Time Out. There was a few aspects that I enjoyed about the song. The first is the intensity of the rock in this track. It brought forth a vibrant, bright and refreshing atmosphere, which makes Time Out suitable as a Summer season. I also like it how it is a different sound to what Stray Kids usually put out, so again it demonstrates Stray Kids’ potential to be versatile. The guitar work was extremely satisfying and packs a punch. In terms of vocals, I liked the liveliness that each member brought to the song. It is a different side to the group that we don’t hear often, as they are usually more serious and edgy. So this goes back to the point about them showcasing their ability to be versatile. I did like Changbin’s part in the pre-chorus. His vocals was very textured thanks to his raspy and deeper tone, and the energy he put behind his part in the pre-chorus made it dynamic and striking. On the more critical side, I did find the hooks and melodies to be on the weaker side of the spectrum, as they don’t come off as memorable. For Time Out, it is the praises for the elements above (namely the instrumental and Changbin’s line) that does this for me.

The accompanying music video is quite simple. It is footage of the members enjoying time with one another on the beach and at a beach house, which makes sense given the song’s sound alignment with the Summer season. It is great to see the members in a more light hearted and carefree manner, full of smiles and uplifting energy. It is very different to the darker notes of their music videos from their latest mini-album.

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

[Review] Replay – Golden Child

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At the start of this week, Golden Child made their comeback with their latest mini-album, AURA (their 6th one to date), and their latest title track Replay. This is Golden Child’s first Korean comeback since the release of Ra Pam Pam and DDARA from last year and the first release following their Japanese debut with A WOO!! and first Japanese comeback with RATA-TAT-TA. Replay unfortunately does not feature Daeyeol, who earlier this year became the first Golden Child member to enlist into the military.

Right off the bat, Replay is electrifying and shocking (in the best way possible) EDM dance track. It has been a while since I could say that with a song, as it has been a while since we have been given a song that really lurches out at you from the first second. And that is one of the aspects of Replay that I quite enjoyed, how the song starts with the chorus, kicking Replay into gear from the very first second with its high-octane energy and never giving you a chance to even ease into the song. Hence why I described Replay as shocking. We do get some reprieve in the verses, but they do maintain the intensity from the chorus, so that the entire track feels cohesive. A bit more about the instrumental – it is super gritty, textured and abrasive throughout, but done so in such a way where it feels satisfying and enjoyable. I like the heavy rock presence we get in the bridge as a dance break and at the end, which capitalises Replay‘s intensity and energy and takes the ending to an epic finale. I liked how the members stayed on top of the instrumentation, as they easily could have been drowned out with the loud, noisy and busy backing. But instead of being shouty or overly aggressive, a sense of refinement was used and the members only pushed themselves slightly. The rapping adds further intensity into Replay, amplifying everything that has been described above. If I have to be critical about Replay, it would be the hooks. They just didn’t take it to the same level as the rest of the song. But honestly, with the thrilling nature of Replay, I can overlook that.

I am not entirely sure, but I believe the premise of the music video is that the members are in jail and they escape so that they can have a chance to ‘replay’. The reason why I am not entirely sure about this is because I feel the music video was a bit under developed when it came to the plotline, but I believe there is one there. It was just really light on. Aside from that, it was a reasonable music video. The editing helped make the video appear more intense, the use of flashing lights heightened this feeling and the members looked amazing throughout the video with their tougher looks.

Choreography was fantastic. I liked the play of textures throughout the performance. The chorus routine was relentless and intense just like the music, whereas the verses allowed the members to showcase a smoother set of moves. I liked how aggressive the choreography for the rock parts of the song were, which really summed up the performance well for me.

Song – 9.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 10/10
Overall Rating – 9.2/10

[Review] FOREVER 1 – Girls’ Generation

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Please excuse my absence over last Friday and the weekend (the album reviews that did get posted were actually scheduled whilst I was away). As a result of my absence over Friday and the weekend, I have been unable to review one major release from last week in a timely manner. I am talking none other than the legendary Girls’ Generation (or SNSD). After a five year hiatus, Girls’ Generation has returned to celebrate their 15th anniversary as a group with the release of FOREVER 1, the title of both their lead track and 7th studio length album. Their last comeback was back in 2017 with the duo All Night and Holiday.

For me, FOREVER 1 is another track that I would describe as extremely pleasant. It hits all the right nostalgic points for me, especially when I hear the individual members in the same song. Needless to say, I was smiling my way through FOREVER 1 from the first listen and throughout the weekend. The melodies and lyrics all had a heart warming and comforting tinge that made me fall for the song, which I am sure was the intention of the producers behind FOREVER 1. It also makes sense to have these feelings and emotions come about, given that FOREVER 1 appears to be a song that thanks their fans. The pop instrumental is very euphoric, which helps heighten those emotions I had already mentioned and gives off a modern/trendy background to the group’s return. This just means that Girls’ Generation is quite adaptable to the changing landscape of KPOP, as five years has a very big difference. My only critic about FOREVER 1 are the hooks. What we got in terms of a chorus was quite smooth and enjoyable already, with that heart warming tinge I mentioned before being the most prevalent during the chorus and was enough to win me over. And I know the direction in which FOREVER 1 heads in doesn’t call for super catchy hooks that become the focal and trendy part of the song. But compared with Girls’ Generation’s past releases (even their last release before this one), FOREVER 1 lacks in the memorability department. That being said, I can overlook that small lacking aspect and still enjoy the likes of FOREVER 1 and Girls’ Generation’s return.

I kind of wished the music video was a bit more than just what we got. After all, it is Girls’ Generation we are talking about! But given the limitations of the song (i.e. pleasantries doesn’t really allow for a wow factor or something dramatic), I understand why the video had a straight forward standard/plain approach. Aside from that, it was still a bright and colourful video, something that I would expect from Girls’ Generation in some shape or form. And the members look stunning throughout. I liked how the video shows each individual member going on their separate journeys – from acting to modelling to singing careers. There were also some shots of Tiffany on the plane, representing that some members went global! During their solo scenes, the members looks glamourous and refined. But in the end, they all come together to be part of Girls’ Generation. And the outfits during the choreography shots reminded me of their past outfits they have worn on stage (particularly, the sailor coloured/patterns ones), invoking a tidal wave of nostalgia, once again, on me.

The choreography looks great from what I could see from the music video. There really isn’t much to say unfortunately in this department, other than the performance looks like it fits the pleasant nature of the song really well. I am excited to see the group perform on stage later this week nonetheless.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.7/10

[Review] Lonely St. – Stray Kids

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The final track from Stray Kids’ ODDINARY mini-album to receive the music video treatment was Lonely St.. And so, before I can proceed to an album review for ODDINARY, I will also be reviewing Lonely St. in this post. It follows the release of music videos for VENOM, MANIAC and FREEZE. Following the album review, there will be one more Stray Kids review next week, for their unexpected release earlier this week. So keep your eyes out for that.

Stray Kids brings the emotions out with Lonely St., with the song taking the form of a ballad. But it isn’t your usual type of ballad, given the hefty pop/punk rock instrumentation and the use of autotune. I don’t mean to suggest that the song is a let down or terrible. It was just an interesting take on a ballad. Obviously, these elements to Lonely St. allows the song to fit the grander picture of ODDINARY, given that Stray Kids music is usually heavy on the synths and autotune and the three tracks from the album that I have reviewed thus far. As expected with a ballad, however, the vocals of Stray Kids are on full display and I quite liked the push the members give to their vocals. Also, the autotune usage was nice and all. It didn’t get too much in the way of showcasing the vocals – though I am always for dialing down autotune to hear a rawer approach to the vocals (such as during their concert). The rappers also have a push on their end, enabling emotionally charged sequences to come about and fit in with the rest of Lonely St. I feel the pop/punk rock instrumentation also enables this. I think the lacking aspect of Lonely St. are the melodies. I find them straight forward and I feel this straight forwardness I find the melodies to be straight forward and I feel this pretty much rubs off on the rest of the song. There is nothing wrong with being straight-forward, but I think Lonely St. could have used something more enticing in this department to be more appealing. I also thought the ending was too abrupt, which you know is something that I don’t personally like.

The music video features the members running away and being isolated, as per the title of the track. I quite liked the mix of studio and outdoor shots in this video, which made it more interesting than it should be. The grey palette of the music video also sets the tone for the video really well, complementing the likes of the song perfectly. The members’ acting was quite decent, as well. The only aspect of the video that I am not entirely sure of is the ending with Lee Know getting up (and all the members lying around him). The abrupt ending to the song does justify something to follow after the ending of the song, but what we got just raises questions regarding that end – like how did all the members get there and what does it all mean?

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.7/10

[Review] SMARTPHONE – YENA

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We return to the usual transmission of reviews for new releases with the latest comeback. This particular comeback belongs to YENA, who made her solo debut earlier this year with the single SMILEY (ft. BIBI) following her IZ*ONE days. Today, YENA returns with a new single SMARTPHONE and her second mini-album of the same name.

YENA continues to delve into that fun style for this comeback, the same approach she took with her debut track. I must admit that I didn’t necessarily fall head over heels for SMARTPHONE upon the first listen like I did with SMILEY. But this fun style is definitely infectious and I was soon enjoying the track by just having a second listen. The instrumental definitely helps out a lot with this, taking on a very upbeat and energetic pop rock style that is pretty much all the rage now in KPOP. I do think SMARTPHONE‘s approach was more blastful, which instantly earns points for me. There was just so much energy coming from the chorus when the pop rock was at its strongest and coming at us relentlessly. I also enjoyed the extra oomph the synths added to the song, which was gave the song some additional appeal points. The pop rock was the more prominent aspect of SMARTPHONE, so the synths acted like detailing in the song. YENA sounds awesome in this song, with her youthful vocals and raps. The energy she brings into the SMARTPHONE is extremely bright, adding more to that fun and perky style of music I mentioned at the start. And it also helps that SMARTPHONE‘s hooks were catchy and addictive. If I had to be critical, I would point out the pre-choruses were the weakest part of the song, in my opinion. They just didn’t have the momentum I felt it should have to lead from the verses and lead to the choruses. But that had minimal impact upon me enjoying SMARTPHONE!

To match the fun and energetic style of SMARTPHONE, the music video takes it all on board with quite a concept. Essentially, YENA is part of a smartphone game, where she needs to save her friends from the evil and menacing duck, who has kidnapped them. She succeeds, giving the evil duck an uppercut. It was quite cute that the evil duck had sent its duck minions to fight YENA, which she easily defeated. In the end, they all party together – friends and foe – showing the light hearted nature of the video. Aside from the concept, I liked that the video was bright and colourful, and never lets up on these fronts.

The choreography looks great. It embodies the energetic nature of the song really well. I also liked the cuteness element to the choreography. Usually, I am not a fan of this. But I find YENA to be very adorable and her expressions just brought the stage to a whole new level. I quite the like the hand movements during the song’s chorus hooks, and the parts where her tongue are sticking out are quite memorable.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.9/10

[Review] FREEZE – Stray Kids

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It is time to review another Stray Kids release. But not the new one just yet. That is on hold until I complete the other Stray Kids Korean releases that I have passed over so far this year. Instead, I am prioritizing the side tracks from Stray Kids’ sixth mini-album, ODDINARY, that got the music video treatment, ahead of their impending album review which I am looking to (and hopefully post later this week). Last week, I covered their VENOM track. As for this review, I will be focusing on the release FREEZE, the album’s fourth track.

FREEZE is quite an aggressive and abrasive track (if not one of their most aggressive and abrasive tracks to date), something that is pretty much up Stray Kids’ alley. I am sure these are the first words that pop into most people’s minds. I also find it bold, dynamic and packed full of energy, the latter two being noticeably absent from the group’s first track on the album. Therefore, I quite enjoyed the likes of FREEZE. The EDM is, without any doubt, very strong, and I quite like the trap elements in the chorus. It is quite a centrepiece and definitely embodies all the adjectives that I have used thus far in the review (and possibly even taking them to the next level). I would also describe as the bigger picture that is FREEZE to be balanced. Interesting word choice for an EDM track like this one, but not once did I find the overload of synths and texture to be overwhelming. Per usual, the rappers definitely stand out in this song. They were rough and harsh, complementing the abrasive nature of the song. The vocals help bring a bit of relief, and I liked how they stayed on top of the synths. They easily could have slipped and been smothered by the synths. I like the smoothness from the ending, with that contrast being a highlight for me. I did think the ending was a bit abrupt, but I do understand that the nature of this song calls for an abrupt ending. It doesn’t make sense for a fade out to be featured at the ending. If anything, I wished the hooks were meatier. That was the only element I thought was lacking in FREEZE, especially since it relied so heavily on the instrumental for its memorable factor.

It seems like the group are going after the white coat gang in this music video, with half of Stray Kids going undercover into a meeting with said gang and the other half listening close by to the events of the meeting. Not sure if the group are like police, but based on the fiery ending, I don’t think so. An epic shoot out happens (though, I am going also going to describe it as impossible) and the members listening in rush in to provide backup. But the white coat gang manages to capture all of them, and tie them up. The gang then leaves the group alone in a warehouse. Not sure why there is no one watching them, but okay. Stray Kids find the green chemical that seems to be causing some trouble in the media (see the Korean news paper article at the start – I presume the white coat gang are behind such an attack). They then confront the gang and use the green chemical against them, causing that very strong warehouse fire at the end. But the ending seems a bit confusing. We close out the video with I.N smiling in a manner that is a bit suspicious (as if he is making fun of Stray Kids), while posing with a gun. I don’t know if this suggest that Stray Kids is after the wrong people, and should have looked internally with themselves. Aside from the plotline, there were some really great visual effects, particularly during the shootout scene.

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

[Review] Cookie – NewJeans

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It is a new week. And it all starts with the debut of a new group. NewJeans is the group’s name, and they are a five member female group from ADOR, a subsidiary of HYBE. The lineup consist of Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, Hyein. NewJeans previously released music videos for Attention, Hype Boy (multiple videos in this case) and Hurt. A review for each of these songs/videos (and a hybrid review for Hype Boy) will be posted in the coming weeks, so keep your eyes peeled for that. But for now, here is my review for the group’s debut track, Cookie.

First impression of Cookie is that the song is rather flat. I appreciate that the group is doing something different, avoiding the cliches of cutesy sounds or girl crush concepts. The new group went with a minimalistic approach with Cookie. While minimalistic approaches have been praised on my blog before, I felt the same praise could not be applied to Cookie. The feeling I should have got from Cookie was new and/or refreshing. I also expected a track that had more oomph or changed momentum once in a while. Instead, we are provided with a box with limited amounts of fat synths, trap elements and a paced beat. It didn’t go anything further, which is the source of my frustration. There was a bit of a change at the bridge of Cookie, which inserted some dynamic energy. But that was pretty relative and short-lived. Vocal wise, I didn’t get anything impressive out of Cookie. However, I do find the mature vibes and the cutesy lyrics to be an interesting and abstract combination, and the vocal work is charming. To avoid an overwhelming song, I liked that the hooks weren’t too bold or stood out too much. This complimented the minimalistic style in which Cookie was aiming for and paired well with the vocals. I wished there was more to the song, just to give NewJeans that launch they need to show KPOP their potential.

While the minimalistic vibes of the song didn’t work, I enjoyed the minimalistic aspects of Cookie‘s music video. There wasn’t too much to the video. The most we got were some CGI during the bridge, and a large cookie/CD rolling in the background. Other than that, we got a very big room and a bench, which was utilized in the performance. Interestingly, the video was shot in a way where the sets did not feel empty or spacious, despite it clearly being empty and spacious. Clever. I also liked the retro tinge we got from the visuals in the video, which helped add a bit more substance to the video than had it been without it.

Performance-wise, the choreography looked great. It wasn’t too energetic, but it wasn’t a drag, as well. I did enjoy the dance break that we got, which help provide a bit more energy to the entire comeback package that is Cookie. I also like the hip and cool vibe the member brought to the performance, which helped make it engaging for me to watch from start to end each time.

Song – 6.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.5/10

[Review] Guerrilla – ATEEZ

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Before I attempt a weekend of an International Song Review and a few album reviews, here is one more song review. It is for ATEEZ’s latest title track release (which dropped today), Guerrilla, the lead track off the group’s 9th mini-album The World EP.1: Movement. It is the first Korean release from the group since the re-release of The Real at the end of last year and their 8th mini-album, ZERO: FEVER EPILOGUE.

If I had to pick one word to describe the likes of Guerrilla, it would have to be aggressive. And this aggression is present from the get-go. The new song opens up very crunchy synths and bass before launching right into Hongjoong’s raps. Your typical hip-hop influences are present in this opening verse. There is also brief taste of screamo. For the pre-chorus, the crunchy factor is lost and Guerrilla enters more melodic territories. Though this is short-lived, as Jongho ramps up the energy of the song with his soaring vocals (I will return to Jongho’s vocals in a moment). The chorus returns to aggressive synth territory and is delivered with shouty vocals that feels fitting for the grungy effect that the group is going for. I wished the hook here was a lot stronger, to give this section some much needed attention and oomph. To me, it seemed like the chorus was the weakest sections of Guerrilla. Then the song enters the post-chorus, a sequence that hybrids very punky and powerful techno synths, and grungy head-banging rock. All is very aggressive still, but it spins Guerrilla in a way that was unexpected. Jongho really shines and I found his soaring notes here to be very clean and precise, which shows you his skills and capabilities. We return to hip-hop roots with Mingi’s rapping, before Guerrilla is stripped to give the vocalists a moment to shine and the chorus is repeated. The bridge brings about very intense rock influences before the final chorus changes the dynamic a tinge with screamo vocals in the background. I think it is safe to say that my description at the start stands fairly well for Guerrilla by the time the song wraps up. Also, from what I described and heard from Guerrilla, it sounds like it should be a mismatch of aggressive sounds, given that there was a lot going on. But interestingly, Guerrilla is quite cohesive and nothing felt out of place. I think that is a feat on its own.

ATEEZ leads a rebellion in this video, setting up speakers throughout the city to get their message across. The video is set in a world where emotions and expressions are forced to be contained, as shown in the trailers. The lyrics of Guerrilla describe the world as a numb feeling. ATEEZ turns up the aggression with their song to combat these restrictions, blasting the world with their message to be more emotive and show expression. In the end, it appears that one of the kids being brainwashed to hold their emotions back escapes the confines of the brainwashing facility. The video ends there, and I am sure we will be seeing more of that kid and the Prestige Academy in future videos. Aside from that, I really like the high-end and sophisticated nature of the video, as it seems like a movie. The feature image for this post is my favourite shot in this entire video.

Aggressive is the word I would also use to describe the choreography for this comeback. I was watching it in awe and found it super captivating to watch. The movements were intense, energetic and powerful, all the while the group were also focused on performing the track. In particular, hats off to Jongho who successfully pulled this performance off without a hitch and his high notes were unfazed throughout.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 10/10
Overall Rating – 9.3/10

[Review] VENOM – Stray Kids

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Next up on the catch up is the string of Stray Kids’ releases from earlier this year. Alongside the promotions of the group’s most recent title track MANIAC from back in March of this year, they also released music videos for some of the other side tracks from their 6th mini-album Oddinary (an album review is also coming soon, as well!). One of these videos accompanies the opening track of the album, VENOM. Per usual, a music video makes the song eligible for its own song review on my blog.

As an opener for the mini-album, VENOM is definitely an intriguing track, thanks to the bold choice of the song’s ear-catching centric synth. The synth in question is that slow and deliberate strumming of guitar strings (or elastic bands that are stretched out over a box), which brought chills to me when I first heard the song. Multiple listens since March has helped me become more acclimatised with the synth, but there is a haunting factor that remains with it. Its use just really pops out and gives so much profile to the song. Aside from the main synth, the pre-chorus in VENOM also caught my attention. It gave us a brief reprieve from the intensity of the song before ramping back up to the chorus in such a short space of time. Hyunjin’s laidback soft rapping in the second verse was also cool, and contrasted really well with Jisung’s rapping that followed right after. Finally, the closer hook was catchy. The rest of VENOM felt somewhat plain and standard. With the intriguing and promising elements already discussed, I wished this was not the case. I felt the chorus could have been tweaked (but also maintaining that main intriguing synth) in a way to feel punchier. I just feel the song is quite heavy as it is, and could have been even more appealing if the chorus was more dynamic. The bridge, the heaviest point of VENOM, felt very abrupt and this presented a flow issue as a result. Overall, VENOM fits in with Stray Kids edgy profile and style. And while the song has same very promising and bold aspects, it could have gone the extra mile.

Working with the heavy and dark nature of the song, VENOM‘s music video concept goes down that route. Decked out in black outfits for the entirety of the video, controlling robot spiders, having guns directed at your head and being surrounded by darkness in some scenes pretty much feels heavy and dark. But also edgy. And that is something I felt was quite the aesthetic in the video. The spiky ball and boxing gloves really consolidated that thought for me. However, I have no clue what the plot to the video is. Everything felt very disjointed unfortunately for me to really piece anything together and the visuals/aesthetic is quite distracting. Though it seems connected to some of their past videos with that exit door at the end. But aside from that, it is a cool video nonetheless.

VENOM was not promoted alongside MANIAC on stage. But they have performed the track on their recent world tour concerts. The slowness behind that intriguing synth allowed for the performance to go down a sensual path, which I thought was an unexpected route to take with this song. But the moves were still cool and edgy.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 7.5/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.2/10

[Review] Monochrome (Color) – ATBO

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It has been a while since I covered a newly debut group on the blog. More will be covered over the coming weeks, but I wanted to focus on the group that just debut today. ATBO is a seven-member male group debuting under IST Entertainment, the home of APINK. VICTON, THE BOYZ and WEEKLY. The lineup of ATBO consist of Oh Junseok, Ryu Junmin, Bae Hyunjun, Seok Rakwon, Jeong Seunghwan, Kim Yeonky and Won Bin. All the members participated in the survival show The Origin – A, B, or What? earlier this year, with the final seven lineup chosen to debut as ATBO. However, due to some controversary, the participant who took 7th place (Yang Donghwa) was pulled from the group, and Won Bin (who placed 8th on the show) was confirmed to debut in place of Donghwa.

ATBO’s debut single is titled Monochrome (Color), and it is a a decent debut track. Described as a hip-hop dance track, Monochrome has a balance of strong and weak points. Let’s talk about the stronger aspects of the song. The first are the song’s pre-choruses, with (and apologies if I get the members’ names wrong) Hyunjun’s rapping over a relatively stripped instrumental sequence. There was still a beat and some backing vocals from another member, but the stripping/lacking of the instrumental just helped make the rapping more prominent and the reliance on rhythm here was quite the bold statement. Monochrome also had some catchy hooks. They were a bit shouty and mainstream, but it was still good enough for me to enjoy. I also liked that the chorus had some melody to it, which tends to be left out in dance songs nowadays. The rapping elsewhere in Monochrome help bolster up the song’s body, which helps make the usually forgotten verses more significant. Finally, I enjoyed how the ending was approach, with the layering of high note and rapping and then the combination of an anthem sequence and a fully silent background at the end to close out Monochrome. I like this use of silence to give a monochrome effect in the actual song. Now, onto the more weaker moments of Monochrome. The vocalists’ sequences felt underwhelming to me, in comparison to the rappers (aside from that high note at the end). I am also not keen on the slow change in the bridge. This felt very cliché and typical. I also felt the song, overall, could have been more innovative. There are some hints of innovation during the stripped instrumental, but there were also very standard sequences (i.e. the rest of the instrumental) that got a meh from me. Overall, Monochrome was decent but a good start to a group’s career.

I like the use of colours for majority of the video, reminding us that ‘monochrome’ isn’t just a greyscale palette. Instead, the term ‘monochrome’ refers to one colour. Most of the scenes at the start of the video featured one prominent colour that stood out from the rest, playing with that idea of one colour. Clever. The red lighting in some of the choreography shots at the start, the green grass in one of the solo shots, the yellow sweater worn by another member during their solo shot etc. are examples of this use of one colour. But as the song expresses the members’ desire to paint the world with their own colours (taken from SOOMPI), the use of one colour slowly becomes diluted throughout the video. Also clever.

The performance in the first instance made me go wow. The sychronisation and sharpness of moves in this choreography was very full on. While this is a common aspect of comeback nowadays, it is impressive to elicit that response from essentially the first second. It also looks super cool during the faster moments of the video.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.9/10