Category: Reviews

[Review] O – VERIVERY

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Today’s comeback is courtesy of VERIVERY, who returns after seven months with a brand new single album, SERIES ‘O’ [ROUND 0 : WHO]. Leading this single album is the title track, O. This comeback comes after the group’s August 2021 release TRIGGER and Series ‘O’ Round 2: Hole. Since then, the group been fairly busy embarking on their U.S. tour at the end of last year. Like other comebacks, VERIVERY’s comeback has also been affected by COVID, with members testing positive in the lead up to today.

O delves into the R&B side of music, subsequently adding a bit of diversity to VERIVERY’s portfolio of title tracks, which have been more electronic/synth base. It is a bit of a shakeup from what I know of VERIVERY (which is mainly their title tracks), but I quite enjoyed O. The main reason is that O is simply a solid track from start to end. The instrumental was straightforward, with no distracting synths or anything overwhelming coming from the background. It is just R&B, with subtle sensual vibes when it came to the chorus. The melodies gives off this swaying effect that just suits the genre and I think the members did a grand job at delivering this effect. Elsewhere, the vocal work was solid, as well. I did wish the vocals were more emotive, given the misery and sadness that is depicted in the lyrics. This would have made the O more captivating and effective. The rapping was form fitting for the R&B genre and I quite liked it. I kind of wished there was a bit more rapping in the song, just to give O a bit more variety. The hook was probably the most subtle element in this song. I kind of get why O did this (i.e. the genre), but it lacks memorability and hence I don’t really remember O for its hooks, but rather the execution of the R&B genre.

Based on the official description of the music video and comeback, O is the prequel of the events of SERIES ‘O’ series. But aside from that, I am not entirely sure how this video is necessary connected to the events of the other music videos (Get Away and TRIGGER). I guess that will require a proper sit-down and a close re-watch of the music videos. Standalone, however, this music video was pretty good. I really liked the cinematography in this one. It made the video extremely captivating to watch. The lighting to the focus on the action (rather than the members) in some shots, everything just looked top-notch. The members’ acting throughout was also another positive aspect. They did a really good job and showcased the emotions that are depicted in the lyrics really well. You could feel their struggles and hurt just by watching the video. Overall, a music video that was worthwhile to watch.

The choreography looks fitting for the R&B song. Unfortunately the shots were extremely brief in the music video, but I did see a few body waves (which is a no brainer when it comes to R&B genre). So I might return to make some more observations/thoughts once we get a comeback stage.

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

[Review] Adrenaline – CRAVITY

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Returning today is CRAVITY, who drops their latest single Adrenaline and their second half of their first studio length album, Liberty: In Our Cosmos. Originally, promotions for this album was meant to occur in February, however the group had tested positive to COVID-19 days before their scheduled return. This lead to the postponement of comeback by a month to today. It is their first release since last year’s The Awakening: Written in the Stars (the first half of their first studio album) and the tracks Gas Pedal and VENI VIDI VICI.

Adrenaline steps away from the sound profile that the group has worked with their last few comebacks – the ‘noisy’ electronic hip-hop, which was either a hit or miss for me. Instead, Adrenaline steps into the very familiar territory of funkier area of electronic music. While there is some nice energy to the song and the funky touch is always a fun element to have in a song, Adrenaline is a bit tame and doesn’t really offer anything new. If the group found some sort of balance between their old sound and this sound, I think Adrenaline could have a lot of potential. The hooks to Adrenaline could have also been more memorable and catchy. That way, the song would have been more appealing and potential more exciting. But for now, I find Adrenaline to be brewing from the same pot as every other pop song. That being said, however, Adrenaline is a lot smoother with its melodies and textures, which elicit a pleasant vibe. The vocals work was neat and pleasant, but nothing really great stood out for me. The rapping faired better, as their sequences had this underlying edginess and suspenseful nature that worked extremely well with the funky instrumentation and gave good drive to Adrenaline. And so the rappers really popped out in this song. I did like the additional electronic synths they added to the end of the song. It wasn’t much, but it refreshened up Adrenaline enough to not be repetitive. Overall, Adrenaline comes as a relief from their more recent harder hitting singles, but ultimately lacks much personality from the group.

The pop sound seems to be re-emphasised with this music video, which takes on a school boy concept. The bright colours and atmosphere is pretty typical for similar songs of the pop genre, and the school boy concept is a bit cliché. I don’t have much else to say about the video, unfortunately.

The choreography looks fine. Nothing really stands out for me, but that didn’t mean it was a bad one. There was a good energy, fitted in well with the upbeat vibes and I liked the flow of the choreography that we saw in the music video.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 7.5/10
Overall Rating – 6.8/10

[Review] Feel My Rhythm – Red Velvet

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Also making their comeback at the start of this week is Red Velvet, who returns with their latest mini-album The ReVe Festival 2022 – Feel My Rhythm, a sequel to their The ReVe Festival series (featuring Zimzalabim, Umpah Umpah and Psycho) from 2019. Headlining the new release is the title track Feel My Rhythm. It follows their promotions for Queendom from last year.

There is a bit to unpack with Feel My Rhythm. The song comes off as a mash up of both their ‘Red’ and ‘Velvet’ side. That is, their more energetic and colourful side vs. their softer and mature side (respectively). The ‘Velvet’ side of the song makes its presence known first with it being samples of Bach’s Air on the G String orchestral piece. The ‘Red’ side makes a presence shortly after, coming in the form of the metallic twing and twangs, percussion and the modern aspects of Feel My Rhythm. For the most part, the two profiles compliment well with one another. There were moments in which the ‘Red’ side overly dominated. And while I did not mind one side dominating over the other, these moments (say the instrumental to the rap verse and the bridge) were slightly overwhelming. The group’s vocals were very delicate and soothing in the song, despite what the instrumental had going on. Their higher tones sounded heavenly, and I liked how the members were able to harmonise alongside the melodies of the samples from Bach’s infamous piece. The rapping was a bit of a sore point in the song, particularly in that second verse and that glitchy part of the bridge. It is the case where it felt either too long or just awkwardly inserted in between two great parts (respectively). On the other hand, the first rapping part in the bridge provided a nice touch to help propel Feel My Rhythm towards the peak. Overall, I liked how Red Velvet stayed true to themselves with Feel My Rhythm, utilising both side of their artistry. However, that doesn’t stop me from having a mixed bag of feelings towards the song.

The music video is quite interesting. I am not entirely sure what it showing, but there is definitely a story of some kind that ties together all the spectacular visuals we get of the members. Some of the shots of the members gave me creepy vibes and those birds (no matter what colour) were very terrifying to watch. But I am all for this because it made the video captivating. I also like the sketch filter they had going on with the start and start of the final chorus. It looked cool and felt like the story came from some picture book (probably did, for all I know).

The choreography shots we saw in the video shows a refreshing vibe and delicate set of moves that compliments the song. This plays towards the Velvet side of the song I mentioned, which I personally think was the suitable choice for this song. It also follows nicely from their Queendom comeback last year.

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

[Review] DAYDREAM – HIGHLIGHT

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It is a new week, with all new releases and comebacks making their way to us. First up this week is HIGHLIGHT’s return with DAYDREAM, the lead title track and the title of their 1st (or their 4th, depending on how you look at it) Korean studio album. For those who are wondering why ‘4th’, HIGHLIGHT released three studio length albums under their previous group name BEAST, with their most recent one dropping in 2016 (Highlight, featuring the title track Ribbon). This is their first comeback since their 2021 release of The Blowing and Not The End.

As it stands, DAYDREAM sounds like your typical dance track. Nothing more, nothing less. It is not a bad track, but it just doesn’t really offer anything new to the string of new releases we have been getting or the music scene nowadays. The verses were rather plain, so much so that it ironically makes me daydream/lose focus from the song (I blame this more on the instrumentation though). There are a few good aspects of DAYDREAM that manages to push the track into likeable territory for me, and so I don’t find the song to be as boring. For example, I quite liked the heavy punches that the chorus instrumental gives the song. It definitely wakes you up and gives DAYDREAM into a dynamic profile. The stripped back and suspenseful start to the final chorus, even though is a technique found commonly throughout songs released over the years, was actually my favourite part of the song. As for the vocal work, HIGHLIGHT did a great job. They were quite emotive, which worked well with the lyrics of the song where they express their desire to not wake up from a daydream to face reality of life without the one they love (taken from SOOMPI). The melodies were pleasant and enjoyable. I just wish DAYDREAM was a lot more appealing else going on in the other sections that I didn’t find as engaging or have not mentioned. Maybe a bit of rapping could have spiced up DAYDREAM.

Seeing HIGHLIGHT in whatever form, whether new or old, is quite nostalgic. And this music video is no exception. I liked their visuals and the various closeup shots they had in the video. The sets and scenery looked cool and visually appealing. However, the music video is simply just that and choreography shots. I did notice some visual effects in the video, which I presume is to give off a daydreamy effect. But I don’t think they hit the mark, at least in my opinion.

The choreography looks good. I liked the looks of the chorus routine and how it matches with more upbeat and charged sections of the song. I am interested in the snippets of footwork. I doubt they would be as iconic as their 2011 Fiction release, but I had a bit of a throwback vibe thanks to what I saw in the music video. Not exactly sure what the slower moments of the track would look like, but I presume there will be some contrast to hopefully make the chorus pop out on stage.

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

[Review] MANIAC – Stray Kids

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The comeback that finished off the busy week (but not the list of reviews of songs I intend to cover from the past week) belonged to Stray Kids, who returned with MANIAC, and their sixth mini-album, ODDINARY. This comeback follows Thunderous/NOEASY and their Japanese comeback single Scars, (which the group re-released in Korea as part of their SKZ 2021 compilation album). Unfortunately, their album promotions this time around has hit a speedbump, with some members testing positive to COVID-19, joining a string of comebacks and debuts that have been affected by the pandemic. At this stage, the members are all isolating and I presume (provided no one else test positive), Stray Kids will be back on stage shortly to continue promotions.

Right off the bat, I will say that MANIAC is not my favourite Stray Kids track. To me, it lacks the same flair and intensity that their other comebacks thrived on and is not as adventurous. But while Stray Kids does take a bit of a different approach with MANIAC and the fact that I am not heads over heels for it, MANIAC is still a great song. It still has some of the tropes that I would say are associated with Stray Kids, including noisy instrumentals, some boldness and a killer hook when it comes to the chorus (more on this in a bit). It also conforms to the current trends, with a funky tone hidden in the midst of the noisy instrumentation. The instrumental features various sound effects like birds tweeting and drills, which I thought were cool additions to the song. Very different in terms of connectivity, but definitely attention grabbing over the rest of the instrumental. As mentioned earlier, MANIAC doesn’t have the same intensity (that being said, there are still enough intensity coming from the song’s rap segments). But this allowed the group to showcase more vocals, balancing out the rap vs. vocals competition that I think is sometimes occurring in Stray Kids’ title tracks. I liked how the vocal moments felt clean, particularly the bridge of the song. As for the chorus, it was an impressive one. Felix and Hyunjin really stole the show with their MANIAC opening lines, while Hyunjin (for the first chorus) and Lee Know aggressively follows up in the second half. Overall, MANIAC still has that powerfulness to it that is Stray Kids known for, despite holding back on some aspects.

What a music video. For the most part, it felt like the members were quite aggressive throughout the video (which fits the ‘MANIAC‘ concept). But the plot twist the end with Lee Know simply installing the picture frame (instead of threatening the screen with the drill, which is what Felix did for the first chorus) caught me off guard. I am sure there is a reason to why the video ended this way and a story underneath all of this. Aside from that, I was blown away by the post-production and editing. Piecing this video together would have been a crazy task, especially with the transitions and such. But it definitely made the video look cool. I really like the camera tilting effect when it came to the choruses, and how the world flipped upside down for the second chorus (alongside the drill sound at that moment).

Before the promotions were put on hold, Stray Kids did film a few performances for MANIAC. And they are proof of another show-stopping and captivating performance from Stray Kids. It is so good that I cannot wait for them to return to the stage once again! Felix seems to be injured, which prevented his full participation in the performance. But I liked how they still weaved him into the performance. The sharp spin alongside the drill sound and the head screwing move was super amazing as well (‘blew my mind type’ of amazing).

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

[Review] HONEY – Solar (MAMAMOO)

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Solar also made her comeback this past week with the title track HONEY and first mini-album, 容: Face. HONEY follows MAMAMOO’s main vocalist’s solo debut from two years ago, Spit It Out.

Like the other solo acts who returned last week, Solar’s return is also of the upbeat variety. This didn’t come as much surprise to me however, given the likes of Spit It Out. HONEY jumps out at me thanks to its dynamic house instrumental. In addition to this, HONEY also thrived on different textures. One segment was minimal, another was smooth, and then really heavy on the thumps. This, to me, made it appealing and striking to listen to. The brass following the chorus was a nice addition, adding a fun vibe to the song. Of course, Solar also plays a big part in making HONEY appealing. Aside from co-penning and co-producing song (obviously a big player in the existence of this song), Solar’s vocals were pretty neat throughout HONEY. I personally thought she did a good job of reflecting that dynamic nature and energy of HONEY through her mixed deliveries and vocal colours. Sure, it might not yet be the showcase of powerhouse vocals that I am sure many of us are waiting from Solar, but it worked well with the instrumental. The hooks and melodies we get helps make HONEY one of the catchiest and memorable songs from the past week, and they work extremely well in tandem with the instrumental. However, I am of the opinion that HONEY did not need rapping, however. The rap sequence in the second verse was probably the dullest segment of the song for me. But apart from that, HONEY was fun, likeable and one of my personal favourite releases of the week.

Another really great aspect of this comeback is the music video. The use of one colour for each shot made the video extremely visually appealing, striking and loud, just like the song. Solar’s visuals throughout the video was top notch, and her stylists put her in some really great outfits that really emphasis the colours that was the theme of the shot. Unfortunately, it isn’t an innovative idea. But Solar and the production team pulled it off, nonetheless.

For the performance, nothing really stood out on its own. But the entire routine was vibrant, which helped make the choreography worth watching. Listening to Solar sing live is always amazing, as well, given how stable she sounds on stage.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 7.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.1/10

[Review] WHO – Moonbin & Sanha (ASTRO)

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Also making their comeback this week was ASTRO’s subunit consisting of Moonbin & Sanha. The pair returned with the single, WHO, and mini-album, Refuge, on Tuesday. It follows their unit debut back in 2020 with Bad Idea and is the second subunit from ASTRO to release music this year (the first being JinJin & Rocky’s Just Breath). Moonbin and Sanha were also quite lucky in making their comeback as schedule, as both were diagnosed with COVID-19 a week prior to their comeback. Many groups are delaying their comebacks or postpone the start of promotions due to COVID, whereas Moonbin & Sanha managed to just dodge this potential impact and recovered just in time for their scheduled comeback. However, ASTRO’s fan meet event, which was scheduled for 13 March, had to be pushed back to April.

It is clear from this comeback that Moonbin & Sanha (the subunit) was formed to showcase a very intense and more mature side of the group. Bad Idea definitely had mature vibes, while WHO has adopted a darker profile. And at the helm of this ‘darker profile’ is a powerful dance track. It is also quite minimalistic throughout – to the point where WHO felt very bare. But the powerful and intense nature of WHO helps offset the bareness of the song. Part of me likes that. Unique and innovative in a way. But another part me of felt like it wasn’t enough. And sadly, I am leaning more to that latter side. While the powerful rock influenced flair we get in the chorus definitely gets WHO into the memorable category, I fear its stay would be short-lived. In other words, the intense beat is enough to get it there, but WHO didn’t have anything to keep it there. The chorus could have been backed up by a hook, through a two part chorus, and this (provided it was executed properly and fitted in with the rest of the track) could potentially have ‘sealed the deal’ for WHO to stay in the ‘memorable category’. It also could have potentially helped offset that bareness that I had mentioned in a more satisfying and fulfilling manner. When I turn to the verses and bridge, there are some good vocals in there and there was a really bone chilling ‘Who you looking for’ line. But nothing captivating or strong enough.

The dark side of the pair is definitely shown throughout the video. The video takes on a religious concept, which I think is a bit of a unique concept in KPOP. Some scenes of the video seems to depict the idea of hell and possession, which is a pretty cool topic to portray. It also fits in with the lyrics of the song, which is about express the confusing emotions between evil that cannot be escaped and the desire for healing (taken from Soompi). Both Moonbin and Sanha’s visuals were definitely top notch in this video, with the mature look really shown off in this video.

The powerful nature of the song lends well to the performance aspect of this comeback. It allowed them to show off their performance skills, coolness and fierceness on stage. Definitely a performance I recommend you watch.

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

[Review] Again – NU’EST

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After 10 years, NU’EST has wrapped up promotions as a group and have agreed to part ways. It was announced at the end of February that the group would officially disband once their contracts finish up mid-March. While this was a bitter pill to swallow for some fans (and quite unexpected), it was then announced that the group would release one last album before disbanding on 15 March 2022 to coincide with their 10 year anniversary. Titled Needle & Bubble, the special compilation album featured remakes of their past hits and two new songs, one of them being Again (the title track for this album release). Member Baekho and Minhyun have signed on to stay at Pledis Entertainment, with Aron, JR (now Kim Jonghyun) and Ren leaving the company.

Again continues the string of pleasant singles that we have heard over the last few weeks. For those who knows my blog well, I use the word ‘pleasant’ in either a positive or negative manner. In Again‘s case, I use it in a positive manner. Again falls into the category of a pop ballad and sounds very reflective throughout, ideal for the circumstances that NU’EST finds themselves in. Regardless of how you view the situation surrounding the release of Again, its tone and flowy nature is quite effective. It might be able to bring back some happy memories, which I am sure fans of the group (L.O.Λ.E) are happily reliving. But as this is the group’s final track (barring any potential reunion or regroup in the future), it might also lead to some listeners shedding a few tears due to the bittersweet feeling Again might bring about. The song’s instrumental, as a whole, was very inviting and warming to listen to. I quite enjoyed the piano in the instrumental. It adds a beautiful touch to the song, especially as it peeks through from underneath the other instruments. Vocally, the reflective tone the members bring to the song really helps boost up the song and emphasise a lot of the descriptors words I have already used to describe Again. The melodies were also quite soothing and easy on the ears. I quite like how the focus on the vocals and that the instrumental was not overpowering. Everything was well-balance, and made for an enjoyable and pleasant listen. Overall, Again is a fitting track for NU’EST to end their time together as a group with.

The music video was just as I had expected it to be – reflective and pleasing to watch. What really got me was the ending, with Minhyun’s warm smile when he saw the other members of the group approach him. That scene, though its intention was probably to be lighthearted and warm, really hurt me. Not to the point where I was in tears, but it really put everything about this release into perspective for me. In addition to that, I believe this music video references a few of their past releases. Aron’s scene with the payphone seemed to allude towards their Hello release. JR’s solo scene with him on top of the stacked mattresses and Baekho’s scene with the reflection of light off the surface of water on the walls (and the coloured Blue walls) reminded me of Where You At‘s music video. The chess board in Ren’s solo scenes might pay homage to some of their videos that featured chess game, such as HELP ME and BET BET. Minhyun’s scenes behind the broken windows might be reference to the broken glass concept images NU’EST W had for their Where You At comeback. These might just be coincidences, but given that this is their last release as a group, it would make sense to why they might have included these subtle touches that refer back to their old releases. Either way, they make for a great video.

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

[Review] VOYAGER – KIHYUN (MONSTA X)

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Next up on the comeback rush of this week is KIHYUN, MONSTA X’s main vocalist, who made his solo debut yesterday with the track VOYAGER and single album of the same name. KIHYUN is the second member to go solo, with fellow rappers Joohoney and I.M being the first members of MONSTA X to have officially released solo tracks (i.e. Joohoney with his mixtapes and I.M’s God Damn). But this review is for KIHYUN’s latest song, so let’s check it out.

As a main vocalist, I expected KIHYUN to go down the typical route of a ballad of some sort for his solo promotions. But VOYAGER is no ballad. Instead, VOYAGER delves into an upbeat rock profile that is both refreshing and lively to listen to. The consistent drumming in the chorus was definitely a highlight for me. VOYAGER isn’t strictly just rock though, with the instrumental composed in a way to be almost funky, tapping into current trends in KPOP. There are also some jazzy undertones in VOYAGER when the piano becomes more present in the bridge, which gives VOYAGER a nice accent. Other than the instrumental, KIHYUN does an amazing job vocally to make VOYAGER more dynamic and charismatic. I really like the cheerful tone to his vocal colours in the chorus, which makes VOYAGER instantly appealing. This also compliments the upbeat nature of the song. I noticed a slight raspy texture to his voice that allows him to work so well with rock instrumentation. I would definitely be down to hear more of KIHYUN as a solo artist, in particular exploring more of the rock genre, as he is well suited from how VOYAGER was pulled off and what we heard.

Not exactly sure if the music video is meant to string together and form some sort of theme or message. It seems like there might be hints towards one, but nothing too recognisable. Instead, the video comes together more so like a collection of closeup shots of KIHYUN. This is absolutely fine and would make for a great video. I just got the impression that there should have been something in this video to pull everything together in this video. But aside from that, I liked how confident and cheerful he appeared, which comes off and stays with you after watching the video.

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

[Review] BORN TO LOVE YOU – Kang Seung Yoon (WINNER)

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The final act to make their comeback yesterday was Kang Seung Yoon, who returned with the single BORN TO LOVE YOU. It is Kang Seung Yoon’s first single since his comeback last year in March with IYAH. So it has been a while since we have heard from Kang Seung Yoon. We also haven’t heard much from WINNER (the group in which Kang Seung Yoon leads). This is partly due Jinwoo and Seunghoon’s military enlistment. The good news is that the group is confirmed for a concert in April/May, and a full group reunion might mean that a comeback is on the cards. I also remember reading somewhere that the members are keen on making another comeback before Kang Seung Yoon and fellow member Mino needs to enlist in the military. But nothing is for sure until it is confirmed. For now, we will have settle for a solo comeback with Kang Seung Yoon for our WINNER fix.

BORN TO LOVE YOU is another ballad to add to Kang Seung Yoon’s portfolio. For me, I found this ballad to be rather typical, which is a major disappointing following the likes of IYAH, which I gave a 10/10 for. It is also a bit surprising, since I do find myself easily enjoy many ballads quite a bit. There isn’t much to really captivate with in BORN TO LOVE YOU, aside from the emotional heft and passion that drives the song. You can feel the pain that is going through the lyrics of the song and his voice, which is all about the emotions following a breakup. This undoubtedly allows Kang Seung Yoon to sound pretty good and adds a boost in terms of appeal for the song. I also like the power he puts behind his vocals, adding some more heft to the song. But that is only one part of a song. The melodies, particular in the chorus, were nice, but memorable as can be with a typical ballad. What also dulls BORN TO LOVE YOU is the instrumentation. I found the piano and guitar to be quite good, simply because they give ballads passion and drive, and I felt that they complimented the vocals well. But the trap elements or drums we get in BORN TO LOVE YOU are on the plainer side and felt too dominant (relative to the vocals/piano/guitar in the song). Maybe if the song kept to acoustics with the piano and guitar, the song would have been more enjoyable. But as it stands, BORN TO LOVE is just another ballad.

Kang Seung Yoon’s acting is pretty good in the video. And that would be expected, given that he is an actor as well. But what drew me to this video was how his emotions that he put behind his vocals are portrayed throughout the video. It is quite heartfelt and emotional to watch him struggle on the bridge, with or without rain. On top of that, the relationship shots we saw were very convincing (from the good memories to the bad ones). I also liked the idea of the rain in the apartment, which contributed to the water in the apartment. Not exactly sure what it is represents, but I am guessing sadness and tears.

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

[Review] TOMBOY – (G)I-DLE

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Another group who made their comeback yesterday is (G)I-DLE (though sans one member, Soojin, who was permanently withdrawn for the group following past bullying accusations made against her). The group has since reformed into a five member group, and made their long awaited comeback with TOMBOY, which leads the group’s first studio album, I NEVER DIE. This is the first comeback following the release of HWAA in January 2021. It also follows the solo debut of Yuqi (who debuted with Giant and Bonnie and Clyde) and the solo comeback of Kim Soyeon (with Beam Beam).

Just like the name suggests, TOMBOY takes on an edgy appeal. This edgy sound is something that I have personally thought would fit (G)I-DLE really well and that is what I get out of TOMBOY. The instrumental has this punkish rock profile that is powerful, tough, intimidating and fierce. The electric guitars are top notch and slamming throughout. But while the instrumental gets the praises, the other elements to TOMBOY are a bit … flat. From start to end, I felt the members delivery just didn’t live up to the hype and energy created by the instrumental. You can tell what the intended effect of all the parts were (it all goes back to being edgy), but their delivery and execution was weakened by the poor lyrics of the song. Within the first few seconds of the song, we get ‘Look at my toe‘. The repetition of the line ‘Ye I’m a tomboy‘ and similar variations loses its effect every time it is repeated. And ‘Sometimes we swear without cigarettes. I like to eh on drinking whiskey‘ doesn’t show for anything. Furthermore, it was all delivered in the same manner/tone and didn’t give much opportunity for the group to show off their own character or personality. It isn’t all weak though. There were some good vocal moments, such as the pre-chorus, which I liked. But it just wasn’t enough to save the likes of TOMBOY. The ‘Man or Woman‘ sequence and the extra bit of instrumentation we get at the end was good though. But again, not enough to save the song. Overall, I liked the idea of TOMBOY and think it fits with the group. But it was just not executed in a manner that it a great enough manner.

The music video was a lot cooler than the song. It was dominated by a heavy presence of the colour red and had some edgy imagery (i.e. blending of the Ken doll for some blood). It does steer the concept towards ‘try hard’ territory. But I don’t think we get there yet. The music video contains a lot of confidence and charisma that might have just helped hold back the music video from entering that territory. What I really enjoyed was that whole doll sequence, where the members (as dolls) drug the male doll, kidnap him and hang him upside down while threatening him with a gun, whilst innocently swaying their heads from side to side. Also really enjoyed the timing of the car explosion.

The charisma and confidence I just mentioned is all over this stage. It made the performance extremely worthwhile to watch, even though the main move looked meh. The verses were also good, and the final sequence just oozed of coolness and edginess, which I am sure is exactly what the members/choreographers wanted.

Song – 6.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.3/10

[Review] Thank You – Brave Girls

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As previously mentioned, today is the start of a wave of comebacks that we will be seeing in the second half of the month. It is notable given how slow and quiet the last few weeks have been. Of course, this will mean more reviews and I hope I will be able to stay on track. First up is Brave Girl’s Thank You, which is featured as the title track on their sixth mini-album (that shares the same name). This is the group’s first comeback since their rise thanks to the resurgence of Rollin’, Chi Mat Ba Ram and After ‘We Ride’.

Thank You takes on the funky side of retro. Sure, this sounds pretty ordinary given that it is combines two style influences that is consistently the main feature of KPOP songs nowadays. But what I quite enjoyed about Thank You was the elegant nature that comes about from Brave Girls’ mash of the two influences and I personally find it fitting for the group. It is fun and lively, yet maintains that mature side of the group that we know is part of the group’s profile. When it comes to the other parts of Thank You, I find them to be quite pleasant. For Thank You, I use the word ‘pleasant’ in a positive manner. Firstly, the track has a wholesome meaning since it is dedicated to the fans who have stayed by their side during their toughest times, Secondly, I found the vocals nicely done. Each of the members didn’t overwhelm or underwhelm with their delivery. To me, it was the case of Goldilocks’ perfect. I also like the autotune in Thank You, which helped highlight the retro side of the song. I will be critical with the melodies and hooks. I wished they were more profound in Thank You, just to be that extra bit more satisfying and fulfilling. What we got was good enough, but I seem to think more could have been done. Also, the rapping in the second verse could have been a bit cleaner. It just felt a bit muddled (sorry Yujeong!). And thirdly, everything in Thank You just works in harmony with one another to give off that pleasant feeling.

Majority of the video was shot in front the green screen. At first, I thought it cheapened the video. But I realized that I was watching the video at a lower than optimal visual quality. Turning the quality up, the video actually looked quite good. Usually, I don’t mind what quality I watch the video at. But for Thank You, it really effected the experience. So, I recommend you watch the video at the highest quality in which your device can handle. I also believe elements from their past videos are in this music video, which would make sense given the song’s meaning. I was reminded by After ‘We Ride’ with Eunji’s solo scenes with the white flowers, her hat, the seats and light projections. Chi Mat Ba Ram came through with the re-appearance of the sky whale in the background of one of the choreography shots, while Yuna’s scenes where she is riding the motorcycle reminded me of We Ride’s car ride.

Unfortunately, some of the members have tested positive to COVID-19, so their comeback showcase originally to be held today was delayed as a result. So I don’t think we will be seeing a live performance for this comeback until next week. But what I did see in the music video looks good. Nothing felt memorable like in their past performances, but I liked how the choreography encompasses the retro/funky influences. I also like the change up in the final chorus, which helps makes the performance appear more fun.

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

[Review] Switch – Kim Woo Seok

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A year after his solo comeback with Sugar, Kim Woo Seok (currently an inactive member of UP10TION) is officially back on stage with his 3rd mini-album, 3rd Desire (Reve), and title track Switch. This comeback also follows he continuation of his acting career through the recent drama Bulgasal: Immortal Souls.

Switch is another decently pleasant track. Nothing overly memorable or special about it, but it isn’t terrible. It just a pleasant track. There is a fair bit out of Switch that I personally enjoy, but I enjoy them more as standalone elements than in a whole song. Just thinking about that is a bit abstract, but that is the best way I can describe my feelings about Switch. The pop instrumentation, particularly the rhythmic guitars, was the main driver of the pleasant description I gave to the song. It also gave the song a sleek profile throughout, which was a nice touch. As for Kim Woo Seok himself, his vocals were light and airy. I quite enjoyed the lightness. They aren’t the most riveting set of vocals ever, but they had a sweet and dreamy tone to it, which complimented the pleasantries of the instrumental. The melodies of the song were quite a strong point to Switch as well. The melody for the ‘It’s not fair, it’s a love affair‘ line was the strongest in this song, hypnotic in a way. It was an interesting direction for the song in general and I wished they explored more of it. But when you piece these good elements together, Switch comes off too light, too airy and too pleasant. And too much of these ended up making Switch forgettable, enabling for it to drifting away into the background. It is not something that you want from a title track. Switch needed something to ground it, and it should be something dynamic (e.g. more pronounced rock influences, particularly in the final chorus – you can hear something along the lines of this, but its just not fulfilling enough). I felt this dynamic energy was lacking in the song, and hence everything felt too one-sided. Had there been something to hold the song down and make it pop out more, I think Switch could have been more memorable.

I find the music video for this comeback to be suitable for the song. It is quite colourful and vibrant, in a way that fits the pleasant energy and tone of the song. Kim Woo Seok’s visuals are quite strong throughout the video. I did like the mix between animation and real life shot, as it brought some uniqueness to the video and visuals. However, aside from that, nothing else pings as memorable for me.

Again, there is nothing memorable coming from the performance, as well. But the choreography overall had a pleasant vibe to it, just like the other elements of this comeback. I can’t really fault this on Kim Woo Seok or the choreographer, simply because the song didn’t have any strong moments within it for them to really work with. At least, they did well with what they had.

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

[Review] Ven para – Weeekly

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Returning with a complete image shakeup this week is Weeekly with their latest single, Ven para. It is featured on the group’s first single album, Play Game: Awake. Ven para is the group’s fourth comeback since their debut with Tag Me, and it follows 2021 releases that featured their After School and Holiday Party. This comeback features all of the members in the recording and music video, but unfortunately member Shin Jiyoon is sitting out of the promotions for this comeback.

Gone are the days of Tag Me and Zig Zag. While their 2021 releases (After School and Holiday Party) moved away from the group’s cutesy debut sound, they still maintained their youthfulness. With Ven para, that is also out the door. Instead, we get this edgy piece that is very much more mature and serious than ever before. I don’t mind the verses. I quite liked the subtle use of the brass and the flute at the very end of the verses. I could have done with less autotune, just so the verses appeared a bit more clean and sleek. The rapping sequences in the second verse were impressive, and gave itself a a more noticeable clean and sleek profile that the first was heading towards. The choruses inclines quite suddenly with a powerful and intense backing, Its energy and atmosphere peaks almost straight away, which I thought was interesting. But the chorus was brief and the chorus ends as soon as it started. I kind of wished there was more of it. The bridge tones down Ven para with some good vocal sequences, before a shouty chant sequence returns the song to its powerful glory. I quite like the idea of this chanty sequence – just didn’t like the high pitch the ‘Ven para acá‘ finished on though. What is lacking in Ven para is a memorable hook. What we got was decent, but it just didn’t stay in my head or impress me. Had there been a stronger hook to Ven para, I think this sound change would have been more successful. As for now, it is a decent track.

The music video was fiery, thanks to the fire and images of the sun. The red colouring in some of the sets also helped push this concept further. I do like how it isn’t overwhelming though. They offset the heat with a cooler choreography set that features a heavy presence of the blue colour and looks sophisticated. I liked their use of green screen in the video. It might not be the most stunning look ever, but it is a lot better than some other applications of the green screen that I can think of.

I quite liked the clapping and other hand movements in the chorus. I also enjoyed their charisma on stage, which fits this comeback very well. A good performance, overall.

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

[Review] Bad News – TEMPEST

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Making their debut yesterday (after a two-week delay due to COVID) was TEMPEST, the latest addition to YUEHUA Entertainment’s family (the home of EVERGLOW, YENA, WOODZ and UNIQ). They kick things off with the single Bad News and their first mini-album, It’s Me, It’s We. The male group consist of seven members – Hanbin, Hyeongseop, Hyuk, Lew, Hwarang, Eunchan and Taerae. You may recognize Hyeongseop and Lew, who promoted as a duo (Hyeongseop & Euiwoong) back in 2017 and we last saw them promoting Love Tint in 2018. They also participated in Produce 101 Season 2. Member Hanbin participated in I-Land, while member Hwarang participated in Under Nineteen.

Bad News was a decent debut track. It isn’t impressive nor hits anything out the park, but it was a good introduction to this new group. I much appreciated the bright and energetic profile of the song, which felt somewhat refreshing in this day and age. The members and producers did a good job of making this a chirpy and funky track, especially with a song title like Bad News. You don’t really expect sunshine and blue skies when experiencing bad news, but that is what the impression I got when I listened to the song initially. But while I did appreciate the bright and energetic atmosphere and colours of the song, the instrumental was pretty standard at best. The glitchy start to the final chorus was pretty decent, refocusing my attention onto the song. It actually took me a while to work out that was part of the song (and not my internet connection playing up again). As for the other aspects of Bad News, the member’s vocals were pretty solid. There was some really smooth vocal deliveries in the pre-chorus which I really enjoyed. Elsewhere, the members were quite satisfying to listen to. I do think the vocals could have gone further, with ad-libs at the end would have been nice. As for the rapping in Bad News, it was all fantastic. I quite liked the whispery raps we got at the start of the bridge. Paired with the music, it was my favourite part of Bad News. So what could have made the song better? For sure, punchier hooks would have been great. We would have gotten more out of the members, and this potentially could have taken Bad News to the next level. The instrumental could also have had some memorable moments as well. Given that Bad News had a funky profile as well, something memorable in the instrumental department could have easily been incorporated, given that is what funky music is known for. There were some decent hooks in the song already, but as I mentioned at the start, nothing felt impressive.

The music video is standard at best, just like the song. While it fits the bill with its bright colours and cheerful and smiley demeanour in the video of the members, it was fairly plain. This is keeping in mind that EVERGLOW’s (their senior labelmate) music videos have always been very cool and aesthetic. And this just felt ordinary. Maybe the whole point of the video was to introduce us to the members, which it did just fine. But I wanted more out of the visual component of this debut.

The performance was pretty good. Nothing that memorable once again, but I have to commend the members for their stage presence. They performed and really portrayed that energetic and bright energy mentioned earlier in a very confident manner. They don’t come off as rookies whatsoever. Maybe those survival shows did pay off as it gave some of the members stage/performance experience.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 6.9/10

[Review] Love In Space – Cherry Bullet

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Making their return today is Cherry Bullet, who returns with new single Love In Space and second ever mini-album, Cherry Wish. The female group returns for the first time in over a year, following their February 2021 release Love So Sweet. Since then, some members of Cherry Bullet (Bora, Jiwon, May) participated in the Girls Planet 999 survival show, but none of them placed in the top nine (who went on to debut in the special project group which debuted earlier this year).

It seems like Cherry Bullet is finally getting into the groove of great releases. Love So Sweet set the bar high for them, and I think Love In Space has what it takes to rival the likes of their previous song. It too also delves into the retro sound profile, but opts for a more synth pop sound. I really like the consistent tapping synth used in the later parts of the choruses (there is probably a technical name for it, but I am no musician!). It is quite memorable and catchy. This follows on from a satisfying dive into the retro sound profile for the instrumentation. As for the verses in Love In Space, they are a lot more interesting thanks to the fast delivery of some of the lines. They really caught me off guard the first time, and I felt they added a cool presence to the song. I really like how the pre-chorus reminded me of Love So Sweet‘s main hook. It really appeals to me, especially since I really enjoyed that release. Elsewhere, the vocals were also quite good. I also love that ending, with a brief extension to the song. Suspenseful, but extremely satisfying. I think my main problem with the song comes during the bridge. It just brought a typical atmosphere to the song, and didn’t feel special enough. I kind of wished the producers put together something a bit more unique for the bridge. And the answer might have been a few second later. I did quite like ramp up to the final chorus, which has that unique touch that I am looking for. But apart from that, Love In Space is still a solid song.

The music video has this intergalactic concept without going into space. The whole video comes off quite abstract, but essentially the members are searching for their long lost partner who is far away. I think they skip all the space travel that you expect to see with a space concept, and focusing on searching that their long lost lover. In the end, the cat leads them into an elevator and it takes them to the growing tree. The tree looks likes a tentacle as it grows from the ground, before blooming into beautiful pink leave tree. And it is a happy ending from there. A bit weak and typical on the plot front, but it works well with the lyrics. The video itself is one of those videos where the producers have made it a bit fluffy to fit with the group’s image and it detracts from the story a bit. But the visual effects and visuals of the members make up for it.

The choreography for this comeback is quite good. Not as memorable as their last, but it does the job. I liked the routine when we hear that consistent tapping synth in the later parts of the chorus, and the fast pace end to the performance.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.3/10