Category: Reviews

[Review] Eternal Sunshine – ATEEZ

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Kicking off this new week in the KPOP industry is ATEEZ’s music video release for Eternal Sunshine. As this single now has a music video, it is eligible for a full review on my blog, which is the purpose of this post. Eternal Sunshine was one of the contenders for the main promotional track for Zero: Fever Part 3, which was released in mid-September. But it was outvoted by Deja Vu, which was admittedly expected given Deja Vu aligned with ATEEZ’s image and profile more. But as I predicted in that review, the music video for Eternal Sunshine would still be released. On a quick side note before I jump into reviewing the song, if you are still after an ATEEZ fix, keep your eyes open for my album review, which I will be posting later today.

For ATEEZ’s range of title tracks, Eternal Sunshine is very much unexplored territory for the group. The song opts for the synth-pop subgenre that comes off as energetic and refreshing. Usually, we get very intense and edgy sounds from the group, so this is definitely a new and refreshing take on the ATEEZ we know. For the most part, I think it is a solid track. It is well suited for summer and is much more colourful than anything we have heard from the group before. The vocals were very nice and allowed the vocalists to explore pop with their melodies. The rapping was also decent, bringing more of a 90s influence via their delivery. The same can also be said about the chanty anthem that formed the bridge, which also felt like a substantial throwback to that same era and had good energy. The electronic humming was a great centrepiece of Eternal Sunshine and was quite memorable. However I think there were ways that ATEEZ and their producers could have made Eternal Sunshine more bold. The song lacked a climax. We got a high note from Jongho, which usually signifies a climax. But it just wasn’t exciting enough for me. I also wished they changed up the instrumentation a bit in the final chorus to spice up the song a bit and somehow close the song in a much profound manner. Eternal Sunshine, even though is new ground for the group, could have been better, with what we got being fulfilling but not gratifying.

To match the refreshing and summery tone of the song, the music video was extremely bright, vibrant and colourful. It definitely made the video very appealing to watch. The sun is constantly shining, which makes complete sense since the song is titled Eternal Sunshine. Out of all the scenes, I really liked Hongjoong’s solo scene, where he is being dragged across the train’s floor. It made me chuckle, but also added a lighthearted tone. This was reiterated towards the end of the video with all the members sitting on the floor and via their group scenes at the end of the video as well. The only confusing point in this video is the snow – not too sure what that represents. There is a line about Christmas in August, but I can’t really decipher that as well.

I feel that lighthearted tone of the music video also carried over into the performance aspect of this release. It also looked fun, energetic and the members looked like they were enjoying their time on stage, especially during the bridge of the performance. The moves didn’t feel intense, but the performance still carried that ATEEZ flair.

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

[Review] Splash – MIRAE

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Next up on the reviewing block is MIRAE’s first comeback, Splash, which occurred at the end of August of this year. This comeback follows their debut with KILLA (the title of both their debut single and debut mini-album, the latter has not been reviewed).

When I sit down to compare Splash with KILLA, I am left disappointed. You would hope that the first comeback following debut would be better than the debut track (regardless of how good the debut track was). But with Splash, it seems like the opposite is happening. While Splash does line up well with KILLA in the sense that it is an intense and edgy EDM track, Splash feels very plain and boring in comparison. The instrumentation isn’t exciting where it needs to be (i.e. the chorus) and leaves you wanting a whole heap more. It isn’t as bombastic or epic as KILLA was. I am not too sure whether we can blame the hip-hop influence being the main cause of the generic nature of the song, but I feel like past experience says that is the case. The vocals and rapping fair a bit better, as they members really tried to drive up the dynamic nature of the song. The rapping, particularly in the first verse and the bridge, was quite impressive. The vocals did suffer from the generic nature of the song, with the melodies being quite plain and unoriginal. But that being said, the members were pretty clear and were definitely at the forefront of the song. Other than that, I don’t much else to about Splash. It is a step backwards and I hope that their future comeback is able to make up for this.

I think the music video was the strongest aspect of this comeback. The budget and post-production (i.e. that big wave, which makes sense with a song titled Splash, though I feel a capitalised stylisation would have been more suitable as that wave would only lead to a big SPLASH) really gave the video that wow factor that I am usually after, while the sets and the outfits worn by the members really emphasised the edgy factor from the song.

I like how powerful their routine is. It isn’t the most memorable choreography this year, but I liked their intense energy and stage presence. I thought the dance break was pretty cool. It doesn’t seem like much, but it was the highlight of the performance for me.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 7.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.1/10

[Review] Blind – Ciipher

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I disappeared once again this week. I didn’t take a break, but spent majority of the week writing out those ‘Looking Back’ posts (who knew making a YouTube playlist would be so time consuming?). But now I am briefly back to review some albums and other tracks from this week and earlier. First up is Ciipher’s first comeback since their debut with I Like You back in March of this year. Earlier this week, the group dropped their second mini-album, Blind, which featured the title track of the same name.

I Like You had potential, but failed to fully encapsulate that potential in the three minute song. If I had a chance, I would have reserved that song to be a side track and bumped up Blind as the debut title track. It would have been a much better launching pad for the group and surely attracted more attention towards their debut (which is definitely something one would need in this current competitive climate). What really stood out for me in Blind was the instrumental. Blind has this edgy kick to it (via the synth selection), which makes Blind so much more appealing to listen to. This, combined with the other elements I usually focus on, results in an booster version of the group. The guitar riff we hear throughout the chorus makes the song’s centrepiece electrifying, and I thought the plain and simple hook line at the start of the chorus was quite catchy and punchy. I did wish the guitar riffs were a little more pronounced, as this would have heightened the energy and bring forth a much stronger electrifying feeling. I also like the buildup and hype towards the choruses in the song. The drums and concentration that occurs here definitely teases the energy that we got in the chorus. The rapping in Blind is definitely satisfying and adds to the energy of the song. The sequence we get at the end was probably one of my personal favourite moments of the song, as it continued the momentum from the final chorus and helped end the song on a strong note. The vocals were also quite good. While there was some vocal processing, Blind featured clear vocals. I did find it a bit odd that autotune wasn’t used in Blind as much as their debut track. In their debut track, the use of autotune didn’t feel right and its use here instead would have aligned better. Overall, a strong and much better song that I wished was their debut track.

I think with the sound in which Blind had gone for, the music video could have gotten away with a slightly darker concept. I am not thinking horror or dark lighting to the point where you can’t make out the member’s faces. Rather, the producers of the music video could have gone with something edgy, but also keeping it casual as well. Maybe outfits that brings out rock influences, given the guitar riffs we get in the chorus. Or a stage, instead of an office. I understand the more youthful approach of the video, given the energy that comes from the song. but I feel the video as it stands felt more fitting for a pop sound. Some elements within the music video already head in that direction, such as the blue the outfits they wore in the office set for one of their choreography sequences. But like in that example, they looked out of place.

I like the energy they bring to the performance. It definitely works well with the energetic and upbeat side of the song. Other than that, it was a good performance. Not exactly memorable, but it was fun to watch.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.5/10

[Review] BAD LOVE – Key (SHINee)

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Also making his comeback yesterday was Key (from SHINee), who returns with his first comeback as a solo artist. In 2018, Key made his solo debut with One of Those Nights (ft. Crush) and the studio length album, Face. In 2019, Key did make a comeback, but it was marketed as his first repackaged album, which was retitled I Wanna Be and featured the title track of the same name (ft. Kim Soyeon from (G)I-DLE). Yesterday, Key returned with his first mini-album, BAD LOVE, which is lead by the title track of the same name and the pre-release single Hate That (ft. Taeyeon from SNSD – which I haven’t reviewed yet).

I may have already teased my thoughts on BAD LOVE yesterday with a subtle reference to Key’s new song in AB6IX’s CHERRY review. I mentioned that I was glad that there wasn’t two overwhelming songs yesterday, which means I was hinting towards BAD LOVE being the other overwhelming song. I am kind of glad I did give myself an extra day to recalibrate my senses, as I don’t find BAD LOVE as overwhelming anymore. Multiple listens has really warmed me up to this song. But is the chorus still a bit too thick for my liking? Yes, I felt there was a lot going on and to digest as the song’s synths really ramps up in the chorus and you can tell that Key was really pushing his vocals to be in the forefront of all the synths. But, I do see how memorable the chorus is, how Key really shows and impresses with his vocal chops when his vocals soar in the song and the constant delivery of those high notes, and why some people might consider it a ‘out of the park’ song. Unfortunately, those initial thoughts still seem to float around in my head when I listen to BAD LOVE, so I can’t really share the exact same perception. Elsewhere in the song, BAD LOVE really flourishes with its retro and electronic mix. While this sound isn’t original, I feel that BAD LOVE really (and literally) takes the sound profile to the next level. I am not keen with the synths at the very start of the song, but everything else in BAD LOVE was definitely rocking and shows the creativeness of the producer. The bridge was very interesting with the really deep and raspy ‘I’m not thinking of you‘. That was wow moment for me that stood out for me initially.

The only thing I am a bit wary of in this music video is that red outfit in the choreography scenes. I think that was the only negative aspect of the music video. Aside from that, the music video was equally as aggressive as the song (but obviously in a visual sense). From what I can tell, Key seems to be portraying a celebrity who is starring in his own BAD LOVE sci-fi story (that ultimately ends with his demise). It drives Key insane and he wants out of the story, as he doesn’t want to relive the events that he himself had already gone through. I really enjoyed his acting and Key definitely makes the video a worthwhile watch. While a lot of the sets seemed to bring forth that modernish vibe, I feel the stage platform with the disco balls above it was a nice tie in of the retro influences to the video.

Also like the song and music video, the choreography for this comeback also took an aggressive approach that felt very fitting for the song. From the scenes in the music video, you can feel a lot of artistic flair within the choreography. I would also like to see Key replicate that ending (with the dancers lying down on stage) on stage, as that was a very memorable image to finish on.

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

[Review] CHERRY – AB6IX

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One of the comebacks kick starting the final week of September 2021 is AB6IX’s CHERRY. This new single is the latest from the group and is featured on their second studio length album, MO’ COMPLETE. This comeback follows the release of their fourth mini-album from April of this year – MO’ COMPLETE: Have a Dream and its lead single CLOSE. It is also their third comeback of the year, which makes this another busy year for the group.

Right off the bat, AB6IX blasts us with CHERRY‘s colourful energy. This sets the tone overall and continues on throughout the song. It isn’t an overwhelming blast of energy though, which was great. Personally, I probably would have taken the night off and avoided dealing with two overwhelming songs in one day (more on that in my next review – to be posted tomorrow). CHERRY‘s bright energy follows on from The Answer, one of AB6IX’s comeback tracks in 2020, as that too was quite an upbeat and funky comeback for the group (in comparison to their previous releases). However, CHERRY is much more concentrated when it comes to the funky direction they had chosen to go with. I quite like the chorus, but probably not for the reason you would think of. It was definitely dynamic, especially when it comes to the member’s delivery, matching the energy we got from the instrumentation. However, the scene-stealing element was the ‘YUM‘ in the chorus. It was so straightforward and serious, which made me laugh. Not exactly sure if that was the intended effect, but it made the song memorable for me. What I also enjoyed was how the members also brought out that dynamic tone to the verses and bridge, making CHERRY a very satisfying listen. I felt that the verses could have been very plain, but the dynamic delivery definitely liven up the sections in question. The post-chorus following the first and final choruses was probably the weakest element of the song in my opinion. I felt that they toned down the energy by the slightest amount, which felt noticeable to me. I wished they just continued the momentum and had a stronger hook in this part, which I am sure would have CHERRY even more memorable. Overall, CHERRY was a great song that I thoroughly enjoyed.

The music video was quite fun and colourful, just like the song. I wished there was more to the video however, as it is just a bunch of closeups and choreography. They seemed to hint at something more with the members staring off screen at some parts, as if their crush had just walked past behind camera. It was a nice detail to add to the video, but I think it would have been better with an actual person on-screen, kind of like GOT7’s A. I did like the extra graphics they had in the background for one of the choreography shots, and the various effects we saw throughout the video.

The choreography for this comeback is definitely energetic and intense (in the sense that it is continuous and doesn’t offer many moments to catch your breath). I particularly those air punches they do just before the choruses and their expressions on stage make this performance even more interesting to watch.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.7/10

[Review] Lemonade – Lee Eun Sang

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More time jumping, but this time is back to the past with a catch up review. This particular post focuses on Lee Eun Sang’s solo comeback Lemonade, which was released at the start of September. Lemonade is featured on his second single album, titled Beautiful Sunshine. It is also the first comeback by the soloist since his solo debut with Beautiful Scar last year, which also featured fellow labelmate Park Woojin (from AB6IX).

To me, Lemonade is another song that I would describe as pleasant at best. I think if I had sat down and reviewed the song when it first came out, I would have raved about its pleasantness and calming nature in a positive light. But now that the song has aged a few weeks, I feel like whatever effect that Lemonade was intended to have on the listener has fizzled out. Think of a flat lemonade soda, this is what Lemonade now feels like. This doesn’t make Lemonade a terrible song in my point of view, rather it just didn’t hold its ground. Vocally, I thought there was a degree of sweetness in this element. And while I am convinced that sweetness is still present, I do think Lee Eun Sang’s vocals would have been more appealing had there be some insertion of personality (I felt the same way about Beautiful Scar). They felt typical and lacked much energy. Similarly, the same could be said with the instrumentation. Initially, I would describe Lemonade‘s backing as bubbly. But now that I think about it. more vibrancy in the consistent strumming we hear in the chorus would have emphasised this. I did like the synth drums, as they did add some flair, but it was not enough to really consolidate and concentrate the vibrancy. Hook-wise and melody-wise, I think Lemonade still had these elements come through as I do remember them more somewhat compared to the rest of the song, but had the vocals and instrumental been more so what I mentioned above, I am sure the hook/melodies of Lemonade would have been enhanced. So overall, more could have been done to really help Lemonade become and stay appealing.

Concept wise, this is 180 degree flip in terms of concept when we compare Lee Eun Sang’s two solo works. Here, Lee Eun Sang looks much more youthful and the concept is a lot more casual and brighter. It fits the Summer season quite nicely and works well with the song. Unfortuately, I didn’t see anything special within this music video. And honestly, I haven’t gone back to watch it since it was first released. I personally prefer the more mature side of Lee Eun Sang and thought his last solo music video was a lot more interesting to watch.

The performance is more so the same as the music video in terms of concept. It fits well with the song. But like the music video, I didn’t see anything special within the performance (though I did like the squeezing move they had in the chorus). That being said, I did think there was added layer of vibrancy in the choreography, which pulled me towards the performances, rather than the music video.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 5/10
Performance – 6/10
Overall Rating – 5.7/10

[Review] LOCO – ITZY

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From a review focusing on the major release from the start of the week, I am now time jumping to the end of the week to review the major release of today, ITZY’s LOCO. It is the title track off their 1st studio album since debut (titled Crazy In Love), which also dropped today. This is the group’s second comeback of the year, following April’s M.A.F.I.A (In The Morning).

I felt that LOCO was a return to form for the group, following the not-so-good M.A.F.I.A from earlier this year. If you want to know about my thoughts on M.A.F.I.A, feel free to read that review. LOCO still retains that edgy side of their previous song, but the new song also re-enters that vibrant arena in which ITZY’s earlier releases lie in that I have mentioned. What really stands out to me in LOCO is the song’s energy, which to me, is thanks to the bass and the electric guitars we hear in the background. The bass was like a common thread tying the different and distinct sections of the song together. It also added that definition and helps the song pack a punch, which complimented the rock influence. The electric guitars in the background delivers this rock influence, taking the song to a whole new level of me. I do think LOCO has potential to be more electrifying and hardcore. I think if the producers did this, LOCO would have been boosted to new heights. The bombastic nature of the start was a great entrance into the song and I liked how that was also continued throughout the song as well. LOCO also had a Latin influence, which was an intriguing influence to have in this mix. When it comes to the vocals and rapping, I thought both elements were rather strong and bold, which was definitely necessary to stand out over the instrumentation. The members definitely had a good handle on this. The melodies in the chorus and elsewhere were appreciable and felt like it did a good job of balancing the high energy that came from the raps. Overall, I thought LOCO was a strong song and definitely it took me back to their earlier days. However, I am definitely of the opinion that the song would have flourished if all their influences were more concentrated and intense (i.e. more of that rock!).

The music video for this comeback is fantastic. While the song doesn’t have that colourful tinge to it as per their earlier works, I felt this colour was definitely made up in the video. I also liked how that the video managed to convey edgy side of the song as well, which helped made the video feel so much more dynamic. I also felt a bit of epicness from the video when it came to the ‘Crazy In Love‘ billboard and the stage performance we were treated to, following the interlude within the video. I just wished the producers of the video CGI in a crowd for that part, as that would have really heightened the energy and ended the video on such a high note. Elsewhere, the post-production in this video really highlights the high quality of the video.

The performance was another highlight of this comeback. I really liked the powerful energy that came through, especially for the chorus, along with the attitude that sends a ‘you don’t want to mess with us’ message. This just really highlights their stage presence. The main move seems to be the holding of and shaking of the head, which makes sense, given that ‘LOCO‘ is Spanish for ‘crazy’. It is definitely a worthwhile watch.

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

[Review] BRAIN – Yang Yoseob (HIGHLIGHT)

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After taking a few days off after my album review blitz, I am back with a review of Monday’s main release, BRAIN, by Yang Yoseob (from HIGHLIGHT). The new song is featured as the title track of Chocolate Box, Yoseob’s first ever studio album since his debut 12 years ago. This is also Yang Yoseob’s first solo release since Star and Where I Am Gone in 2019 and his release from the military. Earlier this year, Yoseob returned with his fellow members of HIGHLIGHT for Not The End and The Blowing promotions, marking the end of a two year hiatus for the group.

To me, BRAIN is a fairly straight-forward R&B track. It is always nice to hear something that you can describe as pure and not overly processed or potentially muddled by other influences (which is more so the case of today’s KPOP music). It is also a nice throwback to how Yoseob started his solo career, which was also an R&B track (see my review for Caffeine).I wasn’t a fan of his debut song back then, but I would say my music tastes have matured over the many years since then and can appreciate a song like Brain now. A few elements pop out at me in the newer song. Within the instrumentation, I found the muffled flute to be quite an intriguing centerpiece. At first I didn’t like it, but it drew my attention in quite quickly and dragged out a few additional listens out me. The bass was a much needed element in BRAIN, adding definition to the instrumentation and the song overall. The rest of the instrumentation was more on the typical side of the spectrum and hence the muffled flute and bass really did wonders to make it more attractive. Another element within BRAIN was Yoseob’s vocals. His vocals are smooth and perfectly suited for the R&B genre, and I felt that BRAIN really highlighted that and presented his vocals extremely well. I particularly like Yoseob’s vocals during the bridge, as they seemed to push the song’s boundaries. It might be minute, but it was definitely appreciated. The melodies that he brings to the song also gave BRAIN a tinge of memorability, which works hand-in-hand with the other memorable elements of the song. Overall, BRAIN is a pretty decent song. I am not head over heels for the song, but it is a great return to form for Yoseob and highlights his skills in a manner that is clear and pure.

As for the music video, it is fairly typical. But it was still fine to watch. I did like how the stylist(s) for this comeback changed Yoseob’s image for this comeback. He looks very mature in this music video in his outfits, which is rather different to the image that I am more familiar of him (for those who are wondering, I am much more familiar from his youthful image back in the early days when he was promoting under the name of Beast). Elsewhere in the video, I felt some of the sets provided a bit of sophistication and classiness to the music video. The lighting added a bit of a dramatic flair, especially around the peak of the song.

Choreography-wise, it matched the vibes of the music video. I thought it was classy looking and there was a tinge of sensual energy. It was also elegant and smoothing looking as well. I particularly like the slow shuffling in the chorus and the slow swinging of the legs in the post-chorus hook. I feel like the choreography really lifted up the song, for me.

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

[Review] Deja Vu – ATEEZ

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Now onwards with the start of the new week!! First comeback of the week is made by ATEEZ, who returns with the fan-chosen Deja Vu as the main title track for this comeback. This comeback is their first since Kingdom: Legendary War and also marks the return of member Mingi. For those who don’t know ATEEZ have allowed fans to choose the main title track for their comebacks since last year’s comeback, Inception. For this comeback, KQ Entertainment put forward Deja Vu and Eternal Summer as contenders for title track, with the former emerging victorious. I am sure Eternal Summer’s music video will still drop later on. But for now, here is my review for Deja Vu.

Out of the two options for fans to choose as the main title track for this comeback, Deja Vu was most aligned with what the group has put out previously. Anything that sounds intense and powerful sound is definitely within ATEEZ’s wheelhouse. Deja Vu opens with what sounds like some dull metallic clanging and the muffled version of the ‘Da Da Da‘ hook. Standard dance synths and effects are used throughout the verse and pre-chorus. The dull metallic clanging returns in the chorus as the main centre piece of the instrumental side, while the vocalists perform the chorus in a very straightforward manner. I think now is a good moment to pause, so I can point out one of the issues with Deja Vu. Everything so far has been very generic and unoriginal. They get ticks for good energy, but other that I am a little disappointed with the standard drive the song is in. The rapping in the second verse does help lift Deja Vu‘s game. Hongjoong’s whispery delivery of the first half of this rap sequence was very interesting, drives Deja Vu forward in ways that the rest of the song hasn’t, and stole the show for me. Mingi’s followup rap sequence follows a similar setup. But once the vocals sequence (at no fault of the vocalists themselves) kick back in, we are back in that standard frame. Thankfully, the bridge cuts the standardness by introducing orchestral touches and this brings concentrated dramatic flairs to the song. This effect felt much needed and lifted the song for me. It just made everything from the rappers and vocalists more impactful, giving Deja Vu that round out that satisfies. If that isn’t enough, then the rappers end the song with a post-chorus extension, which (for me) ends the song on a more positive note. Overall, I feel like Deja Vu is an ATEEZ track, but it falls more so the generic side of the spectrum for me.

Similar to the song, the music video felt pretty standard as well. To me, the music video follows the standard formula of choreography and closeup. There are scenes throughout the video that hints towards a storyline (there is a scene with one of the members wearing the black outfit/hat that they kicked off their universe with), but they don’t seem as prevalent and felt more so on the ‘back-burner’ for this comeback. However, that doesn’t make this a bad video. Like the song, the visual aspect of the video gets better as it goes along. We move from generic dance sets to more ‘adventurous’ locations. And the video gets more captivating when the members perform in the rain and we can see their superb charisma on camera.

Correct me if I am wrong, but we have seen Hongjoong use his microphone as a baton before. It looked oddly familiar. Anyhow, it was the start of the charisma overflow in the choreography, which always makes the performance so more captivating to watch. It is also nice to see Jongho participate on stage (I believe he was injured at the time of shooting the music video, and hence didn’t appear in the choreography parts of the MV). His absence was a noticeable gap in the MV, for me.

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

[Review] NAKKA – AKMU ft. IU

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Before we launch into the new week, I just wanted to cut down my catch up load with one more review. And it is a review that I should have written weeks ago when the release was first dropped. Yes, that should be the case for all the releases. But have you seen the caliber of the two artists that have joined forces for this particular release? AKMU and IU, mega digital topping artists? With big names like that, I don’t know why I have avoided reviewing NAKKA, the title of their collaborative single. NAKKA is also featured on the recently released AKMU album, Next Episode (the duo’s second mini-album), serving as the title track of the release.

NAKKA is an electronic track, tapping into the synthwave subgenre of electronic music. From a casual listen perspective, I would have said that the song didn’t offer anything new and felt plain at best. But NAKKA (and synthwave in general) is a song that you really need to sit down and listen to really appreciate what it is offering. For example, I felt that I could have missed out on the aesthetics of the song and the abundance of textures on top of the sleekness of the song, had I just listened to the song whilst doing other stuff. I would have missed out on the vocals from the members of AKMU and IU herself, which were aesthetically monotone and grey in colour (but when paired with the instrumentation, they really popped out). I would have missed out on a lot. And all of this resulted in a captivating and charming track. I do wish that NAKKA had a bit more bass to it. In its current form, I would have to say the everything comes together decently. But I feel that some additional bass would have taken NAKKA to the next level. As mentioned before, the vocals (standalone) aren’t something to rave about. But they were delivered in a such a way that was aesthetic and hypnotic in combination with the instrumentation. I particularly really liked Changhyuk’s part in the bridge, where there was autotune to give his vocals a choppy texture. It, along with the ‘Ba da bum‘ hook, were probably the song’s most memorable sequences for me. I do feel like they could have made IU’s featuring parts more noticeable, as that would have been a positive selling point. But I kind of also understand that they probably didn’t want to do that to avoid her ‘overwhelm’ the song with her usual higher tone. Overall, NAKKA is one to sit down and really dig into, as there is a lot to discover.

From what I got in the lyrics and the story told by AKMU in the music video, the song was about the fact that no matter what life throws at you, there would be people around to support you. Changhyuk falls through many holes and spends most of his time in the video in freefall. His sister, Suhyun, helps him in the end (after sitting at the edge of the hole and reassures him that everything will be fine), which sends him back up to the party which started off the video. The scene that gets me the most is the one of the level he falls that contains a bunch of little kids, whom I assume are people who fell through and didn’t have someone to help them back up (it explains their sad faces). I also assume that they are young, mainly because ‘falling’ isn’t something that happens with age and that kids will also have their troughs in life, just the same how adults would as well. I would have liked to see IU feature in this video, though.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 10/10
Overall Rating – 9.4/10

[Review] Gas Pedal – CRAVITY

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I told you I would bounce around while catching up on releases that I should have reviewed much closer to their release dates. At least for this particular release, the group is still promoting it! As you can tell by the title of this post, I am reviewing Gas Pedal, CRAVITY’s latest release. It dropped back on 19 August 2021 (making this review almost a month late) and is also the title track of the group’s first studio album, The Awakening: Written in the Stars. I will confirm now that I will be reviewing this album, but that particular review post will be released sometime in October. Until then, here is my review for Gas Pedal (finally).

Gas Pedal follows the same pathway as their last title track, My Turn, which is quite unfortunate since that particular song did not fair well. The good news is that Gas Pedal seems to stray away from falling into the same obnoxious trap that My Turn fell into, with thanks to a much better chorus. Sure, Gas Pedal is still on the ‘noisy’ side of electronic hip-hop music, with a descending series of synth as the song’s main instrumental piece. This main synth is an odd choice, given that it reminds me more of a dying lawn mower or a decelerating car, rather than the acceleration that the title alludes to or is portrayed in the lyrics. But the other synths that also make up the instrumentation really helps make up for this odd choice. As mentioned, the chorus in Gas Pedal is ultimately better, with the repetition of the title as the main hook. It is executed in a way that is surprisingly catchy to me. I also like the mix of powerful and whispering vocals around this repetition in the chorus, which help creates an interesting atmosphere during the centrepiece of the song. The powerful vocals are further emphasised in Gas Pedal‘s first bridge (i.e. 2:00 mark of the song), which was one of the standout aspects of the song. We also had vocals in the pre-choruses, which helped smoothed out the song. The rapping, which were present in the verses, also had some heft to them and pushed the song along. We actually also got a second bridge (i.e. the 2:39 minute of the song) which featured some powerful rapping as well, giving us an edgy exit to the song. Overall, Gas Pedal is a definite improvement, despite it being from the same realm of song as their preceding title track.

I am not entirely sure if there is a plot in this music video, but it seems like there could be. I am not going to make an attempt at decoding the music video for a plot, as I wouldn’t know where to start anyway! But it looks like the music video is set in the future, with the members having the ability to load their minds into an alternate reality world. But it looks like when one of the members is loaded into this world, everything is collapsing. I liked the other half of the concept of the video (i.e. bikers), which was also quite edgy and matched the tone of the song. I liked the editing in this video and the various sets they were in. It is quite a cool video!

I really liked how edgy this performance was. It also looked quite tough due the constant movement (it doesn’t look like there is much of a break during the performance), but this fits the sound of the song. I liked how they incorporated movements that look like they are revving motorbike handle bars into, which I guess works in place of a gas pedal.

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

[Review] LALISA – LISA (BLACKPINK)

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The next BLACKPINK member has finally made their solo debut. We were first teased with solo work from the members of BLACKPINK back in 2018. We first saw Jennie making her solo debut in 2018 with SOLO. It took three years for the next member, ROSÉ, to debut as a solo artist with On The Ground. And today (and not after a three year gap), Lisa makes her solo debut with LALISA. That just leaves Jisoo, whom I hope we can see solo music from in the very near future. But for now, this is my review of Lisa’s LALISA.

LISA’s solo debut comes in the form of an anthem about herself. As much as I want to like LALISA, I feel like this is a barrier for me to get into the song. I am indifferent to songs that are just for the artist themselves (i.e. stamped with their name throughout the song). Of course, there are exceptions (as always). But I felt this indifference for this release and it had a pronounced flow on effect to other elements within the song. I wish I could overcome the barrier. But no matter how much I have replayed the song thus far, I can’t get over the fact that this song is only for LISA to sing or perform. It might just be that I am narrow-minded in this regard. Anyhow, putting aside my personal thoughts of the lyrics and title, LALISA has a pretty standard instrumental. I didn’t find anything interesting within it. I did like how it enabled a bit of attitude and sassiness from LISA herself. I also enjoyed LISA’s delivery of the song, particularly her rap verse in the second verse. That sequence was a bit of a wow factor for me and further proved to me her rapping ability (not that I had any doubts of her rapping capabilities in the first place). The repetition of the title ‘LALISA‘ is definitely quite catchy and helps makes the song memorable. But as I said at the start, the overly emphasised personalised side of LALISA makes it hard for me to really enjoy the song (though this is great for LISA!).

What I like about these solo music videos is that they are not confined to the usual amazingly designed and detailed sets we see the group (and other YG artists usually in). While they did re-emerge in this solo music video, it still had an outside component which I liked. That being said, the sets are really cool in this music video, particularly the white light dance set with the word LALISA forming part of the wall . That looked really cool and modern. I also like how the music video paid homage to LISA’s background with a bit of Thai influence in a segment of the music video through a set and some outfits. That was pretty cool element and LISA pulled it off effortlessly, just like every other look in this music video.

We got to see a fair bit of the choreography of the performance. And I think it is one that fits in with LISA really well. I liked the chorus in particular, which shows off two sides of her. There is a bit of cute bounce to the first half of the chorus, followed by the sassy and attitude-filled stomping in the second half of the chorus’ choreography. I also like the ‘L’ and ‘A’ that LISA and the dancers form with their hands to represent LISA’s name in the choreography.

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

[Review] PING PONG – HyunA & DAWN

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Based on the current activities of the artists of P Nation, it has to be one of the most progressive entertainment companies in the industry at the moment. The company started off with Psy (who is also the founder of the company) and have signed on some of the industry’s biggest solo acts including JESSI, HyunA and DAWN (the latter being a idol couple and was unfairly kicked out of their previous company once news of the two dating surfaced. More recently, the company has been signing rap artists to their company’s lineup. But it is this particular collaboration between HyunA and DAWN, PING PONG, that really sells the idea of a progressive company for me, particuarly that this type of collaboration is one that many of the biggest KPOP companies at the moment would ever do.

But as groundbreaking as this collaboration sounds in theory, I don’t think PING PONG was the right song for it to be the vehicle. It is a song that overwhelms your senses, with a lot of the elements clashing with one another. PING PONG is described as ‘a moombahton dance track’. However, the brass and international influences we get throughout the song makes it more than ‘a moombahton dance track’. There is also a lot of literal clashing that makes this song heavy-handed. Usually, I would be enjoying these various elements. But when you consider the bigger picture of PING PONG (i.e. the entire song) and HyunA and DAWN’s attempt of being bold, it is a bit much. I will say the clickity-clack during the chorus was one of the better elements within the instrumentation, which I suppose is intended to mimic a bouncing ping pong ball. Though, I wish it wasn’t masked amongst the rest of the instrumentation. Aside from the backing, there are other bold forces attempting to come together in this song. I think the pair handled their solo parts pretty well. The pairing of their solo parts do come together decently and you can get a sense of the chemistry. Though, it isn’t as strong as their side tracks on their mini-album (titled 1+1=1). I am not too sure about their duet moments though, given that there was a lot to get through in order to focus on the pair. Overall, PING PONG just feels a bit much for me and it doesn’t seem like the song is one that I would be going out of my way to go back to.

PING PONG‘s music video takes a page out of the instruction manual that is usually reserved for putting together Hyuna’s most recent music video. ‘Bold’, ‘crazy’ and ‘outrageous’ are all words I would use to describe this particular music video, on top of the usual ‘colourful’ and ‘individual’ descriptors that I would use. Their outfits are quite questionable, as they seem to be the most outrageous element of the video. But hey, somehow everything suits their individual images and aligns with what they usually put out.

Given that they are a couple and knowing how daring Hyuna can be with her performances, I expected this choreography to go into unexplored territory. But we didn’t really get that far. A kiss at the end and on the hand from DAWN are probably what is most controversial about this comeback. That being said, the performance was still cool. And their chemistry is definitely strong.

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

[Review] Zombie – PURPLE KISS

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After a number of pre-release songs (to which I have not yet reviewed) and their official debut with Ponzona in March of this year, PURPLEKISS has made their first comeback today with Zombie. This new song is featured on the group’s second mini-album, Hide and Seek, which also dropped today.

Those pre-debut tracks and Ponzona were portrayed with dark concepts and mature sounds. So when I clicked on Zombie earlier today, I was completely taken surprised by the sound of Zombie (I don’t watch music video teasers nowadays, so I was going in without any knowledge of what the song could potentially have sounded like). It is a bit of a curveball in terms of sound, especially since I did not expect anything this funky and bright sounding from the group. But did this put me off Zombie? Of course not. In a matter of fact, I am digging Zombie completely, as I find the instrumentation and hooks to be quite infectious. The bass really uplifted the song and the funky guitars was just a fun element to the song. The rest of the synths really helped heightened the funkiness of the song and worked cohesively together to create a fun atmosphere with the guitars and bass. My favourite bit of the instrumentation has to be the launch into the final chorus. That was a great peak for me, fitting well into the funky and groovy direction of the song! The chorus was nicely done, with it adding a nice additional layer of perkiness to the song. The ‘Zombie, B, B, B‘ hook was a refreshing one and definitely quite addictive. It was also one that grew on me very fast I had to hold myself back from replaying the song for the umpteenth time, so that I could review the song (though I was tempted to just have it on a loop for the rest of the night and do nothing – lazy me strikes again). What also was quite impressive about Zombie was the vocals and rapping. All was superb throughout the song, with their strong vocals and powerful rapping on full display. Overall, an unexpected release but definitely a high calibre and quality track nonetheless.

I guess the other curve ball for this comeback was the colourfulness of the music video. Obviously fitting for the bright and upbeat side of the song. It is just odd, given the dark and mature image I had engrained into my mind thanks to their pre-debut/debut imagery/concepts. But like the song, this did not deter me from enjoying the music video. It was fun and creative (and at time humourous) take on zombies. Usually we see the members away from the zombies in other videos featuring an undead concept. But PURPLE KISS went to the next level by hanging out with the zombies. I suspect they are ones themselves, given how one of their eyes popped out and the other zombies didn’t eat them. But I guess they are not as affected, given that they could still function like humans. One little detail did distract me, however. In the lineup of ‘B’ words that was present on screen during the song’s hook, one of them was spelt wrong. Wonder if you can figure out which word?

Personally, I felt the choreography for this comeback to be the weakest aspect. I wished the moves were sharper, as this would have made the performance look even better. I also feel that the song’s main hook should have had a more defined and memorable dance move associated to it, just to give the choreography bit more of a wow factor to it.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 8.6/10

[Review] STEREOTYPE – STAYC

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There is a lot riding on STAYC’s comeback, following the delayed but welcomed success of ASAP a few months back. Now, the six-member female group from High Up Entertainment is looking to extend their success with their first mini-album and title track, STEREOTYPE. While it is a bit early to decide whether this mini-album and comeback as a whole will be another successful release for the group, it isn’t too early to review STEREOTYPE.

One of the factors that helped ASAP (and probably every other song that I didn’t enjoy at first) grow on me is time. STEREOTYPE doesn’t have luxury, and so my review for STAYC’s new song will be based on my thoughts a day after its release. I will say that STEREOTYPE is quite a pleasant sounding song. To a certain degree, I think the song can be describe as minimalistic, as it goes without any hard-hitting or loud synths. I feel like this is a play on ASAP‘s killer hook, which was also minimalistic in its own way. Furthermore, in a world of music that is heavily dominated by synths and electronic instrumentation, a song like STEREOTYPE is very appreciable. But this is also STEREOTYPE‘s limiting factor. I like the minimal and light nature of the instrumentation, but I also find the song is be quite stagnant. It felt the same from start to end, and I don’t feel like the song developed much in its 3 minute run. Sure, STEREOTYPE had some decent vocals and the chorus did give off a ASAP type of vibe that reminded me of ASAP‘s killer hook. But I think the song could have been a bit more dynamic. Similarly, I don’t think the song had strong hooks. There were some melodies that felt like they had potential, but I didn’t think it was enough. Other than that, I don’t have much else to say about the song. STEREOTYPE has its merits, but also its flaws. But who knows what time might do to my thoughts on STEREOTYPE.

I wasn’t a fan of their last music video. But for STEREOTYPE, I feel that their company really pulled through and definitely improved the quality of the video. I guess the newfound success of their previous comeback has allowed their company to invest more in music video department, opting for CGI. I feel these additions made the music video more fun, colourful and modern. They worked well with the pleasant nature of the song and didn’t feel over the top at all. The massive bunny was my favourite (mildly terrifying, but also quite cute). I also liked how bright the video looks and how the members look like they are genuinely enjoying their time.

The performance was actually cool. I didn’t have much expectation going into the performance for some reason, but I quite enjoyed it. I particularly like the pre-chorus domino effect they going on. That was the best part of the choreography!

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

[Review] Guard You – Young K (DAY6)

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One of the comebacks kick starting this week is Young K’s solo debut! Yesterday, DAY6’s bassist, vocalist and rapper made his first solo release with the single, Guard You, and the mini-album, Ethereal. This will become the last major release from the new solo act, as he is confirmed to be enlisting in the Korean military next month. Prior this this solo debut, we saw Young K participate in DAY6’s recent mini-album release, The Book of Us: Negentropy and in Even of Day’s (DAY6’s subunit) mini-album release, Right Through Me

Guard You takes on a rock sound, with a prevalent blend of synths to give off a sense of individuality from Young K’s usual releases as part of DAY6. But while I thought it was a decent track instrumentally, I personally wished Guard You had a much heavier and more intense instrumental. I felt everything that I will speak positively about in this song review will be enhanced to a whole new level had this been the case. That extra bit musically would have done wonders to this song. But nonetheless, what we got was still quite satisfying to listen to. I felt that Guard You was a song to get lost in. This effect would have been easier to slip into had the song been heftier in the instrumental department. But the effect was still there and I still liked Guard You for that factor, regardless. A memorable component of Guard You was the emotional and heartfelt energy, which derived mainly from the Young K’s strong vocals. This energy also did a good job of complimenting the lyrics, as well. His vocals also did a lot of captivating and he sounded really good throughout. The high note he delivered at the end was superb and well-executed. Overall, Guard You was a good song to listen to. It just could have gone further and this would have potentially made it into a better song.

It appears that Young K is a doomsday prepper in this video. But he is stuck in a hard spot when the actual threat comes. We seem him struggle in a moral dilemma for a second in the music video. He could either tend to his plants (I presume this would be related to survival and this would mean getting more food), activate survival mode so he can survive the incoming asteroids, or warn people of the looming threat. Well, to make sense with the lyrics, Young K decides to survive by activating his bunker’s survival mode. While it does sound pretty selfish, I am under the assumption that if he continues living, he can continue to ‘guard you’. That, or the ‘you’ he refers to are the plants and he wants to protect them no matter what (but that won’t really make sense with the decision he had to face mid way into the video). I thought Young K’s acting was really good in this video and this definitely helped made the video even better. The ending was a bit of a cliffhanger, with Young K surviving (but it appears that he might be the only one left on the planet).

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