Category: Reviews

[Review] Make Up Your Mind – Ailee

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Leave a comment

We turn to a more recent release following my review yesterday for a 4 to 6 month old song (depending on what you would consider its release date). And this release is by Ailee, who makes her return to the KPOP scene through the title track Make Up Your Mind. Make Up Your Mind is featured on her pre-release mini-album, Lovin’, which marks her impending return with her third studio album in the near future. Lovin’ also features Spring Flowers as another lead track from the mini-album, but it doesn’t have an official music video and hence I won’t be reviewing it. Her last comeback was back in October of last year with the mini-album I’m and the title track When We Were In Love.

Make Up Your Mind is a pretty decent modern pop song with an instrumental that is quite airy but also textured. I guess this combination was intentional to keep the song interesting and substanced. Otherwise, I think the song would have been a bit too light and would be unforgettable. The main issue for me in regards to Make Up Your Mind is that it is a pretty repetitive on the instrumental front and doesn’t really delivery anything new or memorable by the time the song wraps up. If you heard the first verse and chorus, you have pretty much heard all of Make Up Your Mind. And after multiple listens, you are looking forward to a different song from the artist. I wished there was something more gripping or dynamic about the song. That way I would be more inclined to return to the song for further replays. On the flipside, I do appreciate that airiness and breezy nature, which is still a nice contrast to the texture we get through the synths as mentioned at the start. Per any of Ailee’s songs, her vocals are what is foremost and centre in the song. Ailee compliments that airiness and breezy nature of the song by opting for light vocals herself. While this is a great match, I do miss her more substantial releases that contains super powerful vocals. We know what Ailee is capable of based on her earlier singles. Make Up Your Mind doesn’t satisify that craving and I personally wanted more. To me, this songs fits neatly as a pre-release single and not as title track material. Let’s just hope that whatever follows Make Up Your Mind satsifies those cravings I mentioned earlier and provide us with something that is more driven.

The music video (or music v-log as the video has it in the title of the video) features both Ailee and Park Eun Seok (more recently known as Logan Lee from The Penthouse series). In the video, the pair acts as friends who have feelings for one another. They go on trips with one another and care for each other. But it seems like Ailee is waiting for Park Eun Seok to make the first move. And in the end, he doesn’t for whatever reason. This is why Ailee is singing lines such as “You take your time. Like a lover, show me how you feel to me now.” and “Tease is attractive. But” in this song. It makes sense. One thing I wished about the music video did better was that the story came together a lot more fluildly that what it did. They felt very disjointed and poorly sequenced in my opinion. Personally, I don’t have much to say about the couple scenes, but her solo shots during the pre-choruses gives off an snobby impression which I am personally not a fan of. I might be percieving the visuals wrong but that is what I got from the video unfortuately.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 6/10
Overall Rating – 6.6/10

[Review] Dangerous – E’LAST

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Leave a comment

Time to cast our minds back to 13th of January 2021. A few comebacks from some artists happened on that day (one of which is Yubin, and her song Perfume – and that is a review coming your way some time in the near distant future). One of the releases that day was a music video from E’LAST for the single Dangerous. Dangerous was selected from the group’s Awake mini-album to be a follow-up promotional track following promotions for Tears of Chaos, which was released back in November 2020. Member Wonhyuk rejoined the group for promotions of Dangerous, after sitting out of promotions for the main title track as a result of scheduling conflicts. Four months on, I am finally getting around to writing a review for the song/music video/performance!

I can’t actually recall my initial thoughts regarding Dangerous when it was first released in November (that was six months ago!). I do remember checking out the album but I am guessing that nothing really stood out of me from the mini-album, based on the fact that I don’t remember anything from it. When the song resurfaced in January thanks to the follow-up promotions that E’LAST proceeded with, the song attracted my attention and earned itself a position on my ‘Coming Soon’ list, which is why I am writing a review for it today. To me, Dangerous really yells out title track material. It might not be as impactful as Tears of Chaos was for me, but Dangerous felt overly substantial to be just a side track in retrospect now. The song taps into deep house for the bulk of its instrumentation. I really liked the roughness it gave the chorus and the edgy vibes from the song’s post-chorus dance break at the end of the first and last choruses But there is a bit more to the song than just deep house. I really like how they set up the bridge of the song which features classical piano and strings. Coming off the intensity high from the chorus, the contrast felt bold and gave us a brief moments of relief from the EDM. Dangerous also benefited from amazing vocals from the members, especially when it came to the chorus. There was this electrifying energy that came from the chorus from the instrumentation and the member’s vocals really managed to pierce through. Sometimes intense backdrops tend to cover up vocals in some songs, but the producers and E’LAST themselves did a good job of ensuring they could be heard. The melody that the member’s brought to the chorus was also catchy for me. The rapping was also really good. I wasn’t much of a fan of the rapping in the first verse (sorry Wonhyuk), but I was floored by the rapping in the second verse by Rano. That was extremely cool sequence! Overall, powerful and intense track that you should totally put on your playlist now if this style is your jam.

The music video is okay. It uses the typical formula of choreography and close up. But I will be fair and assume that this music video was probably shot in the midst or soon after promotions for Tears of Chaos wrapped, which doesn’t give much time to put together something substantial (i.e. plot lines, acting etc.). But there is this dullness to the video that really drags it down for me. I wished the music video was more dynamic that what we got served. I think when it comes to powerful and intense songs like this, you would expect flashy lights and a bit more vibrant colours in the set design to really uplift the video and compliment the song. But here, we didn’t get much of that, aside from the intense red light and plain/monotone cream colour of their set.

Like the song, the choreography is definitely powerful and intense. It is actually a great routine that does a good job of reflecting the song’s nature. The synchronisation looks cool and does wonders to this routine.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.4/10

[Review] Next Level – aespa

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 2 Comments

Taking their careers to the ‘next level’ today is aespa, with their third comeback since their debut with Black Mamba in October of 2020. You may have missed their first comeback occurred earlier this year and through a remake single titled Forever. Interestingly, it didn’t attract as much attention as you would have expected for SM Entertainment’s newest group. But don’t fret, aespa has a long career ahead of them. And that next step comes today with the comeback Next Level. It is another digital single from the female group (no album release just yet). But hopefully they will get one for their next comeback. But in the meanwhile, let’s check out Next Level.

Next Level is the type of songs that jams a lot of styles into one song. Sometimes it works fine, but other times, it doesn’t. For me personally, Next Level falls into the latter category. The individual styles themselves all sound great in their own right. But the issue is when they are all strung together. It is a bit of a reach to make it one whole piece. I personally feel these parts differ in a very distinct manners. Let’s break down the various parts of Next Level. The song starts and ends with this electronic background that reminds me of the soundtracks for those scenes in action movies where the main character is riding the motorcycle in a very cool manner (we will call this Part 1). This makes sense as the original version was from one of the Fast and Furious movies. Part 1 also features the chorus – the ‘Next Level‘ repetition hook, which is a really simple chorus. But one that works extremely well and catches on. While I did enjoy Part 1, the enjoyment unraveled briefly when this cutesy and innocent ‘Lalalala’ sequence was brought in. The original version has this sequence, but it kept it at a low tone. I think aespa’s version pushed for a more innocent style, which didn’t fit the cool sounding profile that kickstarted and ended the song. The atmosphere and style of Part 1 returns briefly, before we are handed the ‘Watch it while I make it out‘ repetition. To me, aespa’s version of this sequence fits with the cool side of the song. But because of ‘Lalalala‘ still fresh in my mind, this repetition carries the same effect which is unfortunate. aespa’s version of Next Level starts to divert from the original here. Part 2 seems to be a transitional piece and maintains the cool thumping beat of Part 1, but features a bit more percussion and textures. In addition to the instrumental change in Part 2, we get a greater focus on vocals, which were powerful and well executed by the members. Ninging and Winter’s vocals here reminds me of S.E.S’s Bada’s vocals (which is a huge compliment). Part 3 comes soon after with more peppy backing that is full of colour and brings forth urban city vibes. The result is an instrumentally light and cheerful sequence. It seems to merge both the strong rapping from Part 1 and the powerful vocals of Part 2 together. But while I really like this part, I feel this is miles away from the coolness of Part 1 (which returns to end Next Level following Part 3). Overall, I just wished Next Level didn’t flip the switch to suddenly change to Parts 2, 3 and back to 1 out of nowhere. It needed a bridge to glue it altogether and make it more cohesive.

Following the visuals of Black Mamba, I had high expectations on the visual front of the music video. And they delivered! A lot of the stylistic choices from Black Mamba were carried over, which I quite like and it allows the music video to appear connected to one another. (which I believe is intentional as the videos are under one universe). The fantastical colour scheme and some of the sets (the big tree and the rocky set) felt similar to the ones we saw in their previous music video. But Next Level makes sure to be its own standalone music video as well, bringing in a sci-fi futuristic concept, which I think was suitable for the song’s various parts. Also returning are the other four members of the group (i.e. the “æ” members). I liked how they were worked into the video and the transitions between the doppelgangers. I wished they played a bigger parts, especially if they are considered an additional four members. In terms of plot line, Next Level shows us snippet of their travels to “Kwangya to hunt down Black Mamba that estranged us from our avatars”.

Performance wise, I think the routine for this comeback looks awesome. I don’t think there is an iconic move like in their previous dance routine (i.e. the drop lunge). But this performance looks cool and full of confidence nonetheless, which is fitting in with the song.

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

[Review] Easy – WJSN The Black

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged , , 2 Comments

Early last month (more so 31st of March but I am rounding up), WJSN made their return to the stage with Unnatural (the name of both the title track and mini-album) as a full group. I have previously reviewed the title track and will be publishing the album review for Unnatural this weekend. But just a month after wrapping up promotions for Unnatural, WJSN has returned in the form of a second four member unit, named WJSN The Black. This unit is made up of Seola, Exy, Bona and Eunseo, and made their unit debut with the title track Easy. As mentioned, this is WJSN’s second unit, following the likes of another four member subunit WJSN Chocome, which debuted last with Hmph!.

With the teasers that floated around in the weeks before this debut, you could tell that WJSN The Black will be giving us WJSN’s most mature release to date. In retrospect now, Unnatural held that title for a very brief period of time, with the release of Easy taking over. It is easily a more concentrated form of Unnatural, but with added chic and sleek to separate it from the older song. And I quite like this aspect, as it made the instrumental alluring and almost hypnotic. It is also quite fascinating to hear a groovy side to the song. Mature and groovy isn’t a rarity in music or KPOP. But it has been a while since we heard something from the top of my head of this nature. And it also nice to hear something that taps into the ongoing re-emerging trend in KPOP that is somewhat unconventional. Adding to that alluring and hypnotic effect of the song are the member’s vocals, which are best described as blissful and breathy. I really like how they keep this up throughout the entire song. Even Exy gets her moment to shine in the vocal side of the song, distancing herself from her usual hefty tone when it comes to the rapping. That being said, Exy does employ her usual rap style for the song’s rap sequence, which gave the song a much needed edge and moment of relief from the really consistent vocal work throughout the song. So far, all praises. But the song does suffer in the length department. Easy is a standard length song, if we were to say a standard length song is (average) 3:30 seconds in KPOP. But the way the song flows and is stringed together, Easy feels more like a minute long to me. Every part is so close to one another and the consistent vocals don’t really give us an opportunity to differentiate each distinct part, which are the reasons why I am not entirely head over heels for Easy. But without consideration of that flaw, Easy was still a smooth listen.

One of the unit’s lineup (Exy and Bona) is being investigated by the investigators (Seola and Eunseo) for a recent robbery of $3 billion. Unsure why the member’s had to steal that money during a heist of a heavily protected exhibition at a National Museum (seems like an unnecessary hurdle in their pursuit for some cash), but for the sake of the story I will assume the money is tied up in the museum and they had to be on location to get into the system. But the investigation isn’t getting far. Well, it turns out that Exy and Bona are a team with Seola and Eunseo, who on the inside are destroying evidence and leaving fake tips to look like the investigation is hitting dead ends. It was a plot twist that I saw coming, but I still thought it was a good plot line in this video. Aside from that, I would have liked a bit more to the choreography sets to help give the video a little more excitement. But it was still a good watch overall.

I like how the choreography takes advantage of the melodies during the chorus and hence taps into a sensual profile. It compliments the mature side of the four members that the song brings out. On top of that, I really like the outfits they wore for this release. I always find suits to be a visual overload and WJSN The Black proves just why that is the case with their performance while they are wearing suits.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.2/10

[Review] BLACK MIRROR – ONEUS

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 4 Comments

While I need to catch up on reviews for songs released many weeks ago, I also need to do some catching up on some new releases from this week. First up is ONEUS, who returned on Tuesday with their new single BLACK MIRROR. This new single is featured on the group’s fifth mini-album, Binary Code. This comeback follows ONEUS’ recent return with their first studio album, Devil, and its lead single, No Diggity.

BLACK MIRROR adds itself to the re-emerged trend in KPOP of groovy and funky songs. It also continues what was set up through the release of BBUYSEO (a digital single released by the group at the end of 2020 and featured as part of the Devil album). BLACK MIRROR ticks everything that is quite common in this class of songs, aside from the brass component that I enjoyed as part of BBUYSEO. I am a bit disheartened that it was left out of this song. But at the same time, I feel that BLACK MIRROR does a good job of maintaining that level of funk without using brass. Instead, the funkiness and grooviness comes prominently through the use of the deep rythmic guitars and disco-sounding synths. I particularly enjoyed the stripped back formula of the first half of the chorus (i.e. the ‘dudududu‘ part) and how it slowly builds back to the wholesome and upbeat vibes of the second half of the chorus, which felt substantial and fulfilling. The ‘dudududu‘ part was also super catchy, and in combination with the instrumentation, we got a really nice sleekness to the song. Once again, ONEUS showcases strong vocals and rapping throughout the song. I felt this was most evident in the bridge of the song, which had a vocal and a rap half. The latter half really caught my attention. Leedo and Ravn’s deep and raspy voices, along with the energy that really throw behind their delivery, gave the song that extra oomph I wanted. I wished their rapping parts earlier in the song shared more of that same intensity. Overall, I think BLACK MIRROR is an awesome song from ONEUS. I don’t think this is my favourite track from them, but I still find it enjoyable and filled with great energy!

What I really liked about this music video are the sets and the member’s outfits. The black and white sets look really stylish and simple. The light does wonders and really opens up the music video in a physical sense. I also like how the coloured sets don’t really give the video that vibrancy colour tends to beings to music video. Instead, it feels as if the colours in the sets are somehow blended with the other black and white, and you don’t really pick up on a difference. I also like the sets with the mirrors which the reflections are doing somehting else. Gave the video a sense of creepiness, which I thought was a nice contrast to their upbeat vibes! I also liked the outfits the members wore. They too tap into the black and white domain, but the white is more sparkly rather than straight white. Also this comeback is meant to have a Michael Jackson influence, and I feel that the outfits are the best example of this influence coming through. The black and white colours and the sparkly glove are all portrayed in some capacity in their outfits. Also the hats as well!

We got more of that homage to Michael Jackson in the performance. The entire performance defintiely screamed MJ in many ways, but I feel that the actual moves/poses were subtle. I wished those moves are a bit more explicitly shown (who doesn’t love a good full-on moonwalk?). However despite that thought pattern, ONEUS held their ground with their take on a choreography to suit those funky and groovy vibes. The ending sequence after the final chorus was definitely amazing to watch. Those bending knees made my ones hurt (and that is just by watching them). I also thought their charisma and stage presence really made it a captivating performance to watch.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.6/10

[Review] Dun Dun Dance – Oh My Girl

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 2 Comments

The next major comeback from today is Dun Dun Dance from Oh My Girl, which is featured on the group’s 8th mini-album since their debut in 2015. This is the group’s first comeback since their mega hit Nonstop topped charts in 2020. It also follows the continous success of their side track Dolphin and YooA’s with Bon Voyage. High expectations as the result of a highly successful year for Oh My Girl are placed on Dun Dun Dance, so let’s see if the new song meets those high expectations.

Right off the bat (and for me at the very least), Dun Dun Dance definitely meets those expectations. And at the moment, judging solely on how much I am enjoying the song, Dun Dun Dance exceeds those very same expectations. A little fun fact about me writing reviews – I usually do so just before going to bed. And so, I am usually very tired while typing up my thoughts for the new releases (sorry for spelling mistakes and if something doesn’t make much sense, I do try to proofread but sometimes some mistakes just sneak into the reviews). But the vibrant and upbeat energy Oh My Girl and Dun Dun Dance‘s producers manages to package into the song’s almost four minute run time was so damn infectious, it literally woke me from my tired state and gave me energy to have a little boogie in my chair. And it is so infectious that I have to stop writing the review because I am too engrossed in the song’s funky and groovy vibes. (I pressed paused so I don’t lose any more focus on the review). It too also brought a smile to my face, which is definitely saying something, especialy after the long day I had. I love the funky instrumentation of the song, which is the main driver of that infectious energy. Dun Dun Dance also benefits from its lightness. It isn’t too heavy of a song, which helps make it so appealing and refreshing to me even in my tired state. The vocal work was really nice, especially when it came to the chorus. I really like the way that Seunghee (for the first and second chorus) and Jiho (in the final chorus) drags out that ‘High~‘ in the lyrics. It is the song’s small detail that I really enjoyed. Even Mimi’s raps weren’t heavy handed despite it opting to feature her deeper tone and the instrumentation tapping into the typical trap base. But what makes Dun Dun Dance memorable for me, and is probably what pushes the song over those expectations that I mentioned at the start are the catchy hooks that are just digging. They are part of the reason to why I now cannot get the song out of my head and I must take a 4 minute breather to have another listen!

For the music video, it appears that Oh My Girl are aliens that are brought to Earth to have some fun. They look pretty normal at first, but I did find their placement alone in each of the settings to be very perculiar. The start looked like a flying saucer was trying to get to them, but in fact was there to collect them. But since Oh My Girl is having so much fun on Earth, they send the flying saucer away at the end. I liked how the indivdual solo shots came out, especially with the various effects we saw (i.e. the camera flying over Mimi and Seunghee during the second post-chorus hook, and small round camera effect that we saw Mimi become part of for her short rap sequence in the final post-chorus hook). I also enjoyed how the camera really made the colours, especially in the choreography scenes pop out, making this one beautiful video as well!

Once again, the choreogeaphy for this comeback is very fitting for the song. I really like the bounce the choreography has, which complimented the upbeat and vibrant feel of the song. I also really l enjoyed the entirity of the chorus’ routine. It looks very fun! It is a pity that Mimi is unwell, as her absence from the showcase was felt while they group was perfoming Dun Dun Dance for the first time. Hope she has a speedy recovery and we see her soon!

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

[Review] Hot Sauce – NCT Dream

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged , 4 Comments

It is a new week and a new lineup of comebacks! First up this week is NCT Dream, who makes their grand return with their very first studio album since debut five years ago. The group has defintiely gone a long way away from their Chewing Gum days. Also based on a food item, this comeback’s title is Hot Sauce, which is the shared name of both the studio album and title track. Their first studio album also marks the return of Mark, who previously graduated from the group back in 2018 as he no longer fitted the age criteria for the group. But in 2020, it was confirmed after the unit’s last comeback (Ridin’ and Reload) that NCT Dream would abolish the graduation system and that the group’s lineup will become fixed with the re-addition of Mark. It also appears that NCT Dream’s comeback is hugely anticipated, with the group already selling more than 1.7 million preordered albums.

After all, we have been deprived of some form of NCT Dream for over a year. And with the re-addition of Mark, it will be interesting to see what direction NCT Dream would take. And based on what I am hearing, it seems like they went with a more trendy number as their main title track. The song taps into the hip-hop genre and it also features Latin influences. While this combines very typical music trends in the wide-ranging genre of KPOP nowadays, the resulting song is actually quite refreshing to me. What makes Hot Sauce really unique is that descending background vocals everytime the chorus comes into play. It adds a unique tinge of colour and texture to the song, but also keeps the instrumentation interesting. The energy that comes from Hot Sauce packs a punch and is quite intense. Just take the instrumental sequence in which they use for the dance break that they peak with as an example. This intensity also compliments NCT Dream’s more recently noticeable asset, their deep and raspy voices (hence my comment about their Chewing Gum days before). The member’s deep vocals have been around since Boom, but I felt Hot Sauce really utilises this asset very well and brings out the raspy side of Jeno and Jisung in their rap sequences. In addition to intensity from the hip-hop and dance side of the song, the Latin influences were also very memorable. I really liked the acoustic guitar that was prevalent during the verses and pre-chorus. It too kept the instrumental mix interesting and gives Hot Sauce some extra ‘spice’ without it just relying on EDM and synths. If I was to pick one thing that I wasn’t necessarily a fan of, that would be the shouty vocals in the chorus. It was a good way to captialise on the energy that was coming off the song, but it overwhelmed me unfortuately. But overall, Hot Sauce delivers a flavour-bomb. Just sometimes, there is that one distinct flavour coming from the mouthful that I am not entirely keen on. But maybe if I keep on tasting, I might grow to like it.

When I first watched the music video earlier today, I thought we were teetering on the edge of a Ko Ko Bop situation. But now that I have rewatched the music video, it appears to be more innocent than what I thought. Essentially, the lyrics say that the members’ charms are addictive as hot sauce. And the video shows the members becoming addicted to the hot sauce (i.e. Haechan and Jaemin’s eyes bulging after consuming some hot sauce, Chenle watching the hot sauce on his phone, the members helping out with the supply chain for the hot sauce, even being part of the commericals for the hot sauce). They even go out of their way to stop Mark from having some straight up, knowing how addictive it could be. In addition to the storyline, the music video also features cool effects that felt appropriate for the concept.

Based on what I can see in the music video, the choreography looks very intense and powerful, which is fitting for the song. I can’t wait to see the entire routine in full, especially when it comes to the dance break! I really like the ‘mixing bowl’ move for some reason. It looks cool, when it doesn’t really sound as cool.

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

[Review] libidO – OnlyOneOf

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 5 Comments

Following the previous review for STAYC’s ASAP, I will be focusing on some releases which I should have posted reviews sooner for. Most of these reviews will be for songs released more recently which have garnered some sort of attention directly or indirectly. First up is OnlyOneOf’s libidO. It garnered some shocking attention since its release for one of the comeback’s components. I will delve into what that shocking element later on. But if you know, you know. libidO was released a month ago on 8 April 2021.

When libidO first popped onto my radar, I wasn’t sure what to think of the song. It was definitely intriguing when it came paired with the music video and performance. But on its own back then, I didn’t think much of it. I think I would have described as a blur (which still would be one of the words I would use to describe the song). But since the song’s release a month ago, I have checked it out a bit more and grown to liken its artiness. libidO thrives on percussion and a warped effect on the song’s melodies. Paired with OnlyOneOf’s whipsering and hushed vocals, libidO exudes a strong and hypnotic sensual atmosphere that feels unique in KPOP, especially in the current climate of retro resurgence. That being said, libidO also taps into the groovy side of music. But I feel that this isn’t the song’s main mechanism of reeling listeners in. I think the song’s whole sensual profile is what attacts people’s attention to its release. And this pretty much has me interested in the song as well. But the instrumental element of a song is only one component. While I really liked the aesthetic that the members bring through their vocals and rapping, libidO suffers from a lack of momentum on that front. The hush-hushed nature of their delivery really makes the song feel airy, which in turn doesn’t help push out a strong hook or melodies. As a result, the only memorable line I got from the song was the repetition of the song’s title, libidO. This why I mentioned that I felt the song would still be described as a blur. As I can only remember one line (well, word in this case) from the song, libidO felt like it was over before it got anywhere. But nonetheless, libidO is still a unique listen and one to check out if you are into aesthetics and artsy releases.

The music video for libidO was a surprise, and one that I had to rewatch a couple of times to make sure I was understanding it correctly. Given how conservative South Korea is, a video like libidO that shows LGBTQIA+ themes is rare. It isn’t unheard of, but it isn’t exactly everyday common. But I definitely applaud the members, the company and producers for pushing the boundaries with this music video and taking a bold risk. Aside from the LGBTQIA+ theme, I thought the music video was quite aesthetic. I really like the colour palette for this music video, with the grey filter being applied to the coloured scenes. I also really liked the choreography shots. The black and white really helps create a sleek and sensual atmosphere. THe opening shot for the music video showing the members on top of the white platform (which they shoot their choreography shots on) surrounded by the green foliage was a really striking image to begin with,

What was also really bold was the choreography. Once again, I applaud the members and the choreographer for pulling off this risky yet very striking choreography. I am all for creative freedom and liked how they really emphasised the sensual nature of the song with all those moves such as the sliding knees, the use of rope throughout the routine etc. The choreography has recieved some negative comments for going to far when it came to the bridge, with one member kneeling in a questionable position in front of another member. It was then followed up with hands on the crotch area. It may be explicit, but I don’t see it as an issue. It might be due to the fact that I was raised with Western media and so I am kind of sensistised to some of this stuff. However, the group has responded to concerns with a reasonable response, so check that out if you want to know the internal thought process of those behind the creative direction of this comeback/choreography.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 910
Overall Rating – 8.3/10

[Review] ASAP – STAYC

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 4 Comments

It is time to review a song which I should have done so many weeks ago when the song was first released. The song which I am speaking about is STAYC’s ASAP. For those who don’t know, STAYC has been garnering a lot of traction with the release of ASAP. Their song has been rising on the music charts in Korea and their music video has already pulled in over 20 million views since its release a month ago, a rare feat for a newly debut female group. ASAP follows STAYC’s debut with SO BAD, which I have previously reviewed. Their debut song faired fairly well based on my standards. Will ASAP do the same? Continue reading to find out.

The main reason to why I didn’t jump right into reviewing ASAP when it first came out (aside from time constraints) was that the song didn’t really appeal to me at first. It sounded generic initially with its unimaginative pop approach, in combination with the song’s (what I thought at the time) dull instrumentation and synth hook. However, a lot can happen in a month. And since the song’s release, ASAP has managed to weave its way into the category of songs in which I would describe as pleasant. The synth hook (i.e. the short but repetitive flute-like high pitch synth) is literally keyed into your mind after many listens. Instead of the initial plainness the synth featured, it actually had a very appreciable aesthetic, which made the song enjoyable. Similarly, I think the same can be said about the chorus, before and after those multiple listens. There was an extremely pleasing sensation that comes from the melodies of the song, and the metal xylophone they use in the chorus felt similar to ASAP‘s main synth hook. The plainness in which I felt initially from the chorus actually ended up being a charm to the song. I also find the song’s spoken delivery of the title ‘ASAP‘, as emotionless they sound, quite charmful. I also like the distorted piano in the bridge to be an interesting and aesthetic touch towards the end of the song. However, there are some things that the multiple listens just didn’t help resolve. Namely, the verses didn’t (and still does not) sound as nice as they could have been. Am I head over heels for ASAP? No, I am not. But I do think ASAP ended up having its own charms and unexpectedly pulled me in with said charms.

I am not surprised that the music video took a page out of the generic book. No number of listens or views for me would change my mind on the music video. While I appreciate the really bright colours and all the comic special effects, the music video just felt like any other video from a newly debuted female group. I would say that ASAP shows STAYC in cutesy mode, just without going overboard. But I felt the video was heading in that direction, for me at least. For the sets, I thought they were typical and added very little substance to the music video as a whole.

I really liked the cool factor that was present in the choreography, particularly around the song’s main synth hook. The same effect could be felt from the song and the choreography for me. It was plain, but it worked in harmony with the charms of the song, hence I ended up liking it. I also liked how they stayed in sync with one another throughout the choreography, which always gives off a polished look.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 4/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 6.4/10

[Review] Not The End – HIGHLIGHT

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 1 Comment

Kicking starting this week is HIGHLIGHT. It has been two and a half years since we last heard from this second-generation group in 2018 through the release of Outro and Loved. At the time of that release, HIGHLIGHT was a quintet. Since the group’s hiatus due to military enlistment (which all members have now officially completed), the group reformed into a quartet after the departure of the group’s main rapper, Junhyung, due to a scandal in 2019. The group’s lineup now features only Doojoon, Kikwang, Yoseob and Dongwoon. Today, HIGHLIGHT makes their long awaited return with THE BLOWING, which features the title track Not The End.

Not The End is very fitting song for their return. You can tell this by just referring to one line of the song – the song’s main English hook ‘I’m still here. It is not the end‘ which is repeated throughout the song really hones into the fact that despite being around since 2009, the group is still active and will continue pumping out music for their fans (Light or B2UTY). The song’s entire message is that ‘that this is a new beginning, rather than the end’ (taken from Soompi’s article), which also feels fitting for the occasion. Moving away from the meaning of the song, I really like the atmospheric vibes during the verses. The piano work and percussion was all quite captivating and stilling to listen to. What makes Not The End quite memorable is the contrast between the stillness that comes from the verses and the use of the upbeat electronic synths for the chorus. It makes the chorus quite punchy and exciting to listen to. The synths used in this the chorus drops give off a very notable vibrancy that one would expect with songs as you approach/enter in the Summer season. They are pretty traditional synths and aren’t really mind-blowing on their own. But as a whole picture (i.e. the verses and choruses together), Not The End comes off as memorable as Loved (for me, at least). What makes Not The End even better were the vocals. It is definitely nice to hear their familiar voices, particularly since they were one of the first KPOP groups that I listened to (way back in 2009!). I felt their voices brought this really enjoyable sense of warmth and comfort to the verses. It was interesting to hear they kept the same tone for the chorus. I wished they hadn’t as their voices could have been slightly louder and strengthened to match the energy coming off the chorus’s instrumentation. Unfortunately, they were overshadowed and overpowered by the instrumentation in the chorus. But overall, Not The End still is a touching return for the group.

The music video definitely gets points for being quite aesthetic. I really like how the colours pops out at you, especially when it layered over the white in the video. It really matches the vibrancy of the song. Think of the chorus’s synths and the blue/green that just contrasts so well with the plain white sets during the choreography scenes. I am sure each member’s solo scenes in this video has some sort of purpose that somehow corresponds to the new beginning that the members sing about in this song. But I am entirely sure what I am seeing. I might have a theory that one of Kikwang’s main props is a bare tree in the middle of his set, while Yoseob’s scenes feature a forest mural – showcasing that there is potential for that tree to re-begin its life and become a lush green forest. For Dongwoon, his scene features flowers which are very much alive. But Doojoon repurposes the flowers into perfume, which shows you that even while you may be growing and maturing, you still have that opportunity to change yourself to become something else. It is a wild and out there theory, but that is what I got from the video.

I really like softness that really prevails in this performance. It adds a nice delicate touch to the performance, despite it being quite fitting for the upbeat energy we get from the synths in the chorus. The choreography also looks sharp, which made this performance look even better. I am also impressed that their performance skillset has not been impacted despite a hiatus and the fact that they are in their 30s.

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

[Review] M.A.F.I.A (In The Morning) – ITZY

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 1 Comment

Rounding out the week and the month is ITZY with their latest comeback single, M.A.F.I.A (In The Morning). This new title track is featured on their fourth mini-album. Guess Who?. Well, the answer to that question is ITZY, and it is a suitable question given that it has been a while since we have heard from the group. This is their first comeback since Not Shy in August of last year. Since that last comeback and a month (to the date) before this comeback, ITZY did release a digital single for their fans, titled Trust Me (MIDZY). But that had no music video, so I skipped over it. And so, we find ourselves here today for the review for M.A.F.I.A.

My first impression of M.A.F.I.A is quite simple – it appears ITZY’s direction for this song follows the big and bold nature of BLACKPINK and not of their own. Personally, I felt disappointed by this. Both are great groups and both have their individual styles. BLACKPINK has this more bombastic and dark energy with their recent releases (i.e. Kill This Love and How You Like That). ITZY differentiates as their music has this energetic colour and vibrancy, which makes their songs quite appealing in its own way (i.e. Wannabe and ICY). I just wished they didn’t tap into each other’s current niche. BLACKPINK, more recently, have not crossed the line. But it is clear with M.A.F.I.A, ITZY have. And I will mention it now, M.A.F.I.A is more of a cheap knock-off than a successful replication. One of the few positives of the song is that there was a good showcase of rapping skills in the song. But that all comes after a spoken syllable-by-syllable delivery that sounded undeniably very BLACKPINK-esquee, courtesy of Ryujin. While the rest of the rapping skills were good, I wished their lines didn’t feel weighed down and boring. It was probably a stylistic choice to fit in the suspenseful and mysterious vibes of the instrumentation, which features that paced and squeaky synth. But it was a choice that really didn’t appeal to my taste. The vocals that followed in the pre-chorus were actually also quite good. It gave the song that stability it needed and added in a splash of needed colour. And I was glad we got some colour into the song in the pre-chorus, as the chorus didn’t really give much of it. Instrumentally, it just felt like an extension of the instrumentation we got in the verses, and the chorus’ hooks were pretty plain and unimaginative. I can see it catching on briefly, but it will probably be forgotten soon after. The second verse was more less the same as the first verse. And well, the rest of the song felt more less the same as the first verse and chorus. Another let-down of M.A.F.I.A is the song lacks a peak. While I think Lia’s bridge was a nice touch to the song melodic-wise, it doesn’t feel in anyway different to the pre-choruses earlier in the song. While you expect her to hit a high note at the end of the bridge, she doesn’t. The instrumental doesn’t build up to the final chorus either. We aren’t pushed into an amplifed mix, nor are we given something to help to make it a memorable closer to the song (or even signal the end of the song is approaching). Overall, M.A.F.I.A is a very flat release that doesn’t live up to the ITZY style that I have associated with the group.

A music video acually comes off a lot better than the song itself. Despite the dark aura and the obvious black and purple colour choices that seems to bring out that ‘influence’ as I mentioned in the above paragraph, I feel that the music video does a good job of showing off that confident side to the group. This is a running theme in their music videos and I am glad they managed to link this video to their past comebacks. I also thought the editing in this video was also a strong positive aspect. But that is all pretty standard. It is that memorability factor that I am looking for, and there doesn’t seem to be much in the video. I guess the opening scene where we are looking from inside the gun barrell at Ryujin in her full red outfit was pretty intriguing. But nothing else really pinged as memorable for me.

The choreography is probably the only stable factor in this entire comeback. The confidence really comes off strongly in the routine, and I also liked the added sexiness that the group brings to the table with this routine.

Song – 5/10
Music Video – 6.5/10
Performance – 7.5/10
Overall Rating – 6/10

[Review] Ugly Dance – ONF

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 5 Comments

After Tuesday and yesterday’s intermission from the week, I return to the usual broadcast of reviews for new releases. Today’s review revolves around ONF’s latest release, Ugly Dance. The group returned with a repackaged version of their first studio album, My Name: ONF, and the title track Beautiful Beautiful back in February of this year. It was a very successful comeback for the group with Beautiful Beautiful reach the number one spot on SBS MTV’s The Show, the first time the group has ever reach the number one position on a weekly music show. A month ago, it was announced the group would be return with a repackaged version, which has been retitled as City of ONF, and is headlined with the title track Ugly Dance.

The most intimidating task in the KPOP industry is finding a song that exceeds the standard set by the artist’s best performing and sounding song (to date). For ONF, they successfully one-upped New World with the release of Beautiful Beautiful this year. And now, all eyes are on Ugly Dance to see if it can do the same. It might be the entire reason to why Ugly Dance starts off with a throwback to their previous title track with the song’s main hook. However, Ugly Dance gives it to us in a remixed form, making it to be more orchestral sounding. This is an amazing twist to the really catchy hook from their previous song and it also fits in perfectly with the orchestral approach that parts of the instrumental of Ugly Dance opts for. But that is only the based on the instrumentation that is used to create part of the the background of their new song. The other part takes on a funky hip-hop style, which seems to align with the colourful energy we got from their previous song. Together, Ugly Dance is a very powerful and epic sounding song. In regards to the vocals, ONF really shows off their vocal chops in this song from what I can hear. The instrumentation in this comeback is quite loud, so they really had to ensure they stand out on top of the loud background, And ONF does just that. Everything felt solid and very straightforward on that front, as well. The high notes at the end were probably the most obvious examples of that. For Wyatt’s rapping, his deep spoken tone was very surprising. It felt dynamic despite it coming off as spoken. His deep tone was also very stylish and cool. What I enjoyed the most about the song are the hooks. The ‘1 and 2 and 3 and 4‘ was probably my favourite one as it added a lighthearted and playful vibe to the song. The vocal melodies for the chorus were also quite memorable. The most important question is, however, did Ugly Dance surpass Beautiful Beautiful? My gut (at the present) unfortuately says no. I feel that Beautiful Beautiful had it all, but it edged in front thanks to the colourfulness it brought to the table. But if it is any constaltion, Ugly Dance is defintiely there as one of ONF’s best!

Also lacking colour is the music video for Ugly Dance. The music video isn’t shot in black and white. Rather, it feels quite muted, thanks to the sterile, hospital room-like aesthetic and plainness of the white box ONF got as a set for this music video. They tried to insert some colour in the video (i.e. the alternating black and white outfits; the green borders up top and for the doors; the members’ hair colours), but none of this was really a splash of colour that the video needed to not be as dull as it ended coming off as. It is a bit disappointing, given that the video is the first in KPOP (as far as I can remember) to be shot in 8K. I also didn’t like how the outfits would sudden change between the black and white. It seemed like a bit much for me. But I did like how the music video sits within the same world as the Beautiful Beautiful music video, based on the start. I also liked how the music video captured ONF’s more lighthearted side, with their smiles and interactions playing a part in making this video more appealing to watch.

The choreography for this comeback was a blast! I enjoyed the whole package and the performances so far have been replayed multiple times! Their smiles really give off a playful vibe in the choreography, making the extremely powerful routine a little more lighthearted. And hence, I found the routine to be fitting for the song as a result. I also liked how they inserted elements of Beautiful Beautiful into the routine.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 10/10
Overall Rating – 8.3/10

[Review] ON&ON – Hong Eunki

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Leave a comment

Today is one of the days in which we don’t have any musical release. So I thought I take this opportunity to select a song from my ‘Coming Soon’ list to write a review for, which I seem to touch every blue moon. Today’s choice is actually a release from way back in January. Actually, to be precise, this release dropped on 5 January of this year (almost four months ago). I am talking about Hong Eunki’s ON&ON. It caught my attention a few weeks after its release, and has since been on the ‘Coming Soon’ list. As this is my first time reviewing a Hong Eunki release, here is my short rundown of the soloist. He was a former member of Rainz, a project group formed after Produce 101 Season 2, in which he placed 38th on the show. He made his solo debut in 2019 with Blow, and has since made comebacks with Breath, Flower and now ON&ON.

To me, I find that ON&ON has this fresh mix of the groovy trend and deep house. It isn’t reaally much of an interesting mix, nor is it innovative. However, I do appreciate the remergence of different styles and combination once in a while. ON&ON defintiely benefited from this, as I couldn’t really think of another song from the top of my head that has blended the two together in recent times. What is also great about ON&ON is that while the two is a blend of the groovy trend and deep house, neither really felt like a commitment. It was a relatively light mix that felt pleasant enough to enjoy. And I say that in a positive manner. In addition to the instrumentation, ON&ON has this great upbeat vibe and catchy hooks that really caught on. You might argue that it didn’t have much effect, given how delayed this review is. But that shouldn’t mean anything (given my long and growing list of songs that I personally want to review). When it comes to the vocal front, I think ON&ON could have been more interesting. Hong Eunki has some standard vocals that were able to showcase a bit of vocal variety, such as falesttos throughout the song. There was also some decent effects placed over his vocals to give off some texture. But by the end of ON&ON, I was a little bored with the same techniques on the vocal front. But this didn’t really drag down the song for me. Overall, ON&ON was a nice and decent introduction to Hong Eunki for me. I will definitely keep my eyes open for further comebacks from the soloist in the future and hopefully they catch my attention as this one did.

The music video was okay. It tapped the shoulder of the standard choreography and closeup formula that isn’t that inventive. And while the saving grace of that formula is usually amazing and stunning closeup of the artists the music video features, this one doesn’t get up to that level for me. I did like the subtle emphasis on the colour blue, which is a bit interesting. It wasn’t bold in any way, but rather muted. But you could tell the producers were pushing a blue agenda for this music video.

I think the choreographer missed the opportunity to add a bit of a bounce to the routine. This could have potentially made everything better, given that the performance was focused more on generic output, if you understand what I mean. Everything looked standard and felt more like a clash of moves that didn’t really work with one another. I did like his enthuasism and the energy that he conveyed through the routine, however.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 6/10
Overall Rating – 7.3/10

[Review] CLOSE – AB6IX

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 1 Comment

Also making their comeback today is AB6IX, with the release of CLOSE marking their return. CLOSE is featured on the group’s fourth mini-album, Mo’ Complete: Have a Dream. We last heard from AB6IX through their repackaged 3rd mini-album, Salute: A New Hope and the title track Stay Young in January of this year. This also coincided with the release of a remixed version of Why Don’t We’s Fallin’ (Adrenaline) earlier this year as well that AB6IX and the original artists collaborated with for.

CLOSE is a promised return to deep house, a style that ABNEW and other avid AB6IX listeners may find familiar. For those who are not familar with this group, deep house is the style of EDM that AB6IX debuted and followed up with during their debut year (Breathe and Blind For Love) before embarking on a year of different sounds. CLOSE starts off with twinkling synths and warped effects, before heavier synths and percussion come into play. I find all of this contribute to a somewhat brighter and lighter tone than their earlier works. It is an interesting dynamic for the group. I like how refreshing the members sound in the first verse. The pre-chorus is also quite intriguing, as the members come together to sing the sequence together. This too adds to the refreshing tone of the song. For the chorus, CLOSE delves into the more traditional routes of deep house. But layered on top of that are deep textured synths that added an electric touch to the centrepice of the song. For the second verse, the highlight here is Woojin’s rap sequence. The energy he brings to the song resembles AB6IX’s early days, which is what the song is aiming for. Great success there. For CLOSE‘s bridge, I really liked the delayed return to the final chorus. It was a clean transition that added tinge of suspense to the song. It was also reminiscent of Breathe. For the vocals of the song, we saw a solid showcase of them throughout the song. I do think they could have been a bit more dynamic on the hook front to make CLOSE a little more memorable. But overall, CLOSE is a nice return to roots for AB6IX.

While the music video feels like it is a mixture of different scenes, I think the video is fairly straight forward. From what I could tell from the lyrics, a lot of the song is about not worrying about getting lost when you are in the dark. I assume they are referring to the dark moments in life and feeling lost then in the song. But AB6IX portrays this as the darkness you get when you close your eyes when you sleep, which I think is a clever way of presenting this in a visual manner. We see the members sleeping and then waking up in very different locations. But as the lyrics suggest, everything will be okay. We see the members find each other and then a way out of this dreamland. It is a pretty cool video when it comes together like so. I am not sure about the floating rock we get at the end, whether this links up with another video in the future or if there is a detail hidden in the video that I didn’t catch.

The best part of the choreography for CLOSE is the pre-chorus. I really like how Donghyun in the first verse and Daehwi in the second verse interacted with the other members in the pre-chorus sequences. It looked cool and worked really well with the music. For the chorus, nothing felt out of place. Everything was just clean. I also really like Woojin’s rap sequence, which fitted in so well with his image. It also added some intensity to the performance, which was some icing on the cake for me.

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

[Review] Drunk-Dazed – ENHYPEN

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 3 Comments

New week, new comebacks. First up this week is ENHYPEN’s latest comeback, Drunk-Dazed. It is featured on the group’s second mini-album, Border: Carnival, which also dropped today. This is also the newly debut group’s first comeback since their debut at the very of November of last year, with Border: Day One and Given-Taken. Since their debut, ENHYPEN has scored a number of rookie awards during the KPOP award season that occured throughout December 2020 and January 2021. This is especially an amazing feat, given that they had a month to make an impact on the industry. And with rookie awards coming their way, it seems like ENHYPEN just did. For the KPOPREVIEWED Awards, ENHYPEN wasn’t nominated, nor did they win any awards due to their late debut. Instead, they will be considered as rookies for the upcoming 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards later this year. But there is a long way to go, so let’s start off with a review of their latest single.

Drunk-Dazed is a really powerful pop song. I have to start off by focusing on the chorus, which to me, was the best part of the song. The unquestionable blast of energy that we get thrown into from the chorus was very exhilarating and thrilling. Imagine how it would sound when Drunk-Dazed is on full blast! It doesn’t help that the hooks here were super catchy and addictive. Both worked in harmony to create a really relentless and upbeat part of the song that I thoroughly enjoyed. The verses don’t have that same impact or memorability as the chorus, but they had their charm. Both essentially had the same make up, with its consistent thumping and build-up to the chorus. I really like the rock vibes that comes from verses, which made the energy of the chorus feel like it was brewing in the background of the verses. The pre-chorus had a nice nostaligic ring to it. When it came to the bridge, I was a bit let down by the drawn out nature of the part. It just didn’t feel like a right fit for the song, from my prespective. I was glad it was brief and we returned to the familar tune of the chorus. The extension we got at the end of Drunk-Dazed felt appropriate for the group. Throughout Drunk-Dazed, the members sounded mature or at the very least didn’t feel like they were teenagers. But I detected some bright youthfulness in their tone in that final bit that matches the group’s profile given their young age. Overall, Drunk-Dazed is an addictive song full of great energy, fitting for a party vibe.

And I am glad that party vibe was translated into the music video. It appears the members are werewolves (or vampires, not too sure). They lure a fellow school mate to a party they are having, persumably to suck their blood. After all, she was invited to a bloody birthday party. We get a sense they are after blood by drinking it at the party (i.e. one of the members add blood to a glass of water pre-party, plus the raining blood at the end of the video). The member who we see dancing the blood rain falls to the ground to wake up surrounded by the rest of the group. We then see the school mate arrive with the invitation in hand, unsuspecting of what is about to happen to her. It also appears that the members have been around for a while, with scenes at the party were followed up by scenes of the members celebrating a birthday back in the early 1900s, based on the way the yellow filter was added to mimic the video footage of that time period. In the second verse, we see 1980s style effects, mimicing music videos from that era. There also seems to be a bit of telekinesis, teleportation, pyrokinesis (seems all of this is reminding me of American Horror Story: Coven). I like the story and how they conveyed the clues. Though I am still not clear if they are all werewolves, vampires or a mixture of both.

When it comes to the choreography, I have similar thoughts of it as per the song. I really like the routine during the chorus, including the zombie start and the wavy motion they used to represent the second ‘Dazed Dazed Dazed‘ hook. I also thought them lying on the ground and spinning was a cool move in this routine. Overall, a nice routine.

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

[Review] Loved You – BAE173

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 2 Comments

Next up on the blog are some reviews for releases from the last few weeks that I have not yet reviewed. First up is BAE173’s first comeback single, Loved You. This one in particular is one I really wanted find time to write a standalone review for, for a number of reasons. Firstly, this is the first time I am reviewing a BAE173 release. They made their debut earlier this year with Crush On U (which I have yet to review, I will definitely get to it soon!). Other reasons will become apparent as I review this release. But as this is the first time I am reviewing BAE173, I will need to provide a little introduction to the group. BAE173 is a nine-member male group under Pocketdol Studio, consisting of J-Min, Hangyul, Yoojun, Muzin, Junseo, Yongseo, Doha, Bit and Dongpyo. Members Hangyul and Dongpyo may be familiar as they debuted as part of X1 and later formed duo H&D, before disbanding to re-debut as part of BAE173.

What really excited me about Loved You when I first heard, and even now, it is how much it reminded me of Big Bang’s works. To be able to pinpoint that exact feeling is something that is extremely hard, given Big Bang’s vast array of songs under their belt. But as I, like many, miss Big Bang greatly, this puts Loved You in a very favourable light. What I also like about Loved You is that it is a satsifyingly cohesive track. It made for a good listen and nothing felt out of place for me. From the piano work we get in the pre-chorus, to the strumming of guitar in the background of the verses, to the simple instrumental break that we get as part of the bridge. Instrumentally, the song is quite sound and memorable for me. Sure, Loved You could use some improvements in the vocal department. I do admit that they are not as memorable as they could have been. In fact, one might describe their vocals and rapping as rather dull, especially for an instrumental as good as this one. But I think that thought might be a bit extreme as I felt the members were going in the right direction with what they had going on in Loved You. They just could have been a bit more energetic with their delivery in retrospect, especially as the rappers felt very subdued. I think Loved You could have really benefited from something that was more dynamic as this potentially uplifted the song to a whole new level. Overall, Loved You is a really solid song for BAE173, putting them on the radar for new artsists to look out for in 2021.

When I watch the music video for Loved You, I can’t help think that PocketIdol Studio is holding back an extended version. I feel like there is a more fulfilling story to be told, but it had to be cut down to fit the parameters of a music video (even though this one did go for a longer than usual amount of time). As a result, I don’t think I can really form a storyline. But I think there is enough to take a stab at a guess. It seems like the music video revovles around one member, as in one scene the members disappeared leaving only one behind. Similarly, there is one member lyring over his desk in the swimming pool, whereas evertyone is standing around him. My best guess is that the music video talks about the struggles of being alone. But I am not sure what the giant big cat and the flames around the members suggest. Maybe I will revisit this video in a Music Video Theory post (which I planning doing again in the future, but just don’t have the time to restart at the moment). I also like how the music video features an extended version of the song, which I think adds appeal to continually rewatch the video.

The performance that accompanies Loved You is pretty good. My favourite bit has to the be the instrumental break that features the performance’s dance break. Though brief, I felt that it really delivered and showcased the group’s performance skillset. Similarly, I felt the same with the rest of the performance. I just wished the rest was a little more memorable.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.3/10