Category: Reviews

[Review] Idea – Taemin (SHINee)

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Taemin did not keep us waiting for long for the second part of his 3rd studio album, Never Gonna Dance Again. He made his comeback on Monday with the second part of his 3rd studio album, Never Gonna Dance Again: Act #2, which is headlined by Idea (the actual title is IDEA:理想, but I am going to stick to Idea throughout this review). It follows the release of Act #1 of Never Gonna Dance Again in September, which was lead by the track Criminal.

To me, Idea seems to be one of Taemin’s weakest title tracks ever. However, this statement doesn’t make Idea a bad song necessarily. I just felt Taemin has raised the bar to an extremely high level with his past promotional tracks, the last being Criminal. There is some positives to the song, such as the intensity that is quite apparent and I felt that the atmosphere was going in a suspenseful direction overall. But to me, I feel like the future bass song gets straight to the point a little too quickly. There really isn’t much of a build up to the chorus from the verse (i.e. no pre-chorus really amped up the suspense and excitement). It just switched from verse to chorus without much thought, leaving you wondering what happened preceding the fact and dulling the song’s appeal after the fact. The chorus itself isn’t too bad instrumentally. I really enjoyed those synthetic violins that take front and centre of the chorus. They seemed to make the song more epic and gave the song some interesting textures. However, the chorus lacks a strong hook and the hook that we did get was quite distasteful, if I were to be honest. The second verse was pretty much non-existent given that it was blurred with the first chorus instrumental-wise. The bridge felt quite rushed, making way for a prolonged final chorus which had elements of what I liked and disliked in this song. Vocally, it was okay. The verse part was quite good, but I did find the overlapping at the end to be a bit much. BoA does make an appearance as the female voice we hear just ahead of the chorus, but it seems like she isn’t formally acknowledge as a featuring artist. Overall and put simply, Idea isn’t up to par with what we know Taemin for.

With a song as messy as Idea, I am not entirely sure how the video accompanying its release can be anything else but that. But the music video comes together quite well. There is some confusion on my part in interpreting the storyline that is hidden throughout the story (I am not sure why it isn’t the forefront of the video – this would have made this SM Entertainment music video unique, relatively to other music videos released by the company). From my understanding of the visuals and the lyrics, Taemin is imagining everything we see in the video. From the people at that bar whispering about him to the ghostly figures that appear in the forest with him. He thinks his bad experience in relationships and love is as result of someone in particular. But that person is a fragment of his delusional imagination. Hence we see Taemin in a white outfit (resembles a stray jacket) behind a glass wall, similar to the ones we see in jails in TV shows for the public to chat with locked up love ones. Per usual, this is my interpretation, so I maybe wrong. But I am still interested in reading about your interpretation and I know that Taemin has spoken about the actual meaning on a VLIVE recently.

The choreography looks really good. Regardless of whether we like the song or not, Taemin always exceeds expectations with the choreography. The entire final chorus routine looked really complicated but alluring, thanks to the increased intensity during this segment. He really pulled out his performance chops. The body rolls looked really nice, as they always do. Hahaha…

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.2/10

[Review] MAGO – GFriend

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GFriend is back with their third comeback of the year! MAGO and 回:Walpurgis Night follows Crossroads and Apple as the third and final instalment of the 回 series. While Crossroads was a familiar sound for the group, both Apple and MAGO have strayed away from the usual GFriend sound. Each of the comebacks (including this one) have been executed flawlessly, so it definitely tells me that GFriend is definitely capable of versatility, though I think we we already know that from their earlier works. Where they go from here is definitely an exciting upcoming chapter for the group.

It is clear from the concept of the music video (and once you listen to the song) that GFriend jumps onto the retro train that has been picking up idol groups and soloists for pretty much the entire year. We have heard retro sounds from the group before, so this is pretty much explored territory for GFriend. But MAGO manages to outshine those previous sounds by going with something a lot more vibrant and disco-y within the retro sphere. And per unspoken rules of the retro sphere, MAGO effortlessly comes off as catchy and a fun musical number. The entire chorus was definitely the highlight of the song. The melodies during this section catch on quite quickly and it doesn’t help that the members deliver those melodies with such a cheerful persona that you cannot deny is there. I also enjoyed the background lines (i.e. the whispering ‘Yes you‘ and high pitched singing ‘Hakuna Matata‘) that really popping out for me. The verses were not as memorable, but I liked how the energy was consistently there throughout the length of the song. The lyrics, which has the simple message of being yourself, comes off with a little bit of attitude. I am not complaining about this as I love that it adds a bit of flavour to the song. Actually, my only complaint was that I felt the vocals were slightly over-processed. But the more I listen to the song, that observation is slowly dwindingly away. MAGO definitely makes me ‘feel so high’.

I love the retro concept that the producers opted for. There was no holding back, with the sets, outfit and overall atmosphere taking on a retro flair. And that cheerfulness that I mentioned before was carried over into the music video via the members. Epic moments of the music video has to be when Sowon rips off her suit, Sin.B’s sparkling red outfit and Yuju’s pole dancing and disco ball-ing (?). I also wonder who the music video connects with the rest of the 回 series. I have a theory, as I think there are elements of the two preceding music videos (and possibly other music videos) in this video (i.e. the red drink, Sowon’s suit amongst other things). Though I am wondering if anyone has any theories of the possible storyline yet.

I really like the MAGO move and the retro vibes that the choreography channels from the song. Other than that, nothing really sticks out at me. But as a whole, it was a good routine.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 9.1/10

[Review] Forbidden Island – Ha Sung Woon

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Today, Ha Sung Woon continues his solo career with his latest comeback, Forbidden Island, which is the title track of his fourth mini-album, Mirage. It follows the release of Get Ready and Twilight Zone earlier this year. It is interesting to remind ourselves that Ha Sung Woon was once a member of HOTSHOT. I am a little surprised that he has yet to make an official return of HOTSHOT group’s promotions. It could potentially be that the group has gone on a hiatus due to military enlistments. But as Ha Sung Woon continues to make solo comebacks and his company continues to remain silent on a potential return, it is looking more like Ha Sung Woon had unofficially left the group’s lineup.

Forbidden Island is one of those songs that manages to surprises me as I listen to the song. And if you have already checked out the song, you probably know what I am talking about. There isn’t much to the start of the song aside from a building atmospheric instrumental piece and some clicks. I did like how he put forwards a raspy and breathy version of his vocals, further heightening the suspense that is slowly building. Nothing really happens until we reach the chorus. It changes up the song completely, driving forward with falsetto vocals and a funky instrumental (made up of guitar and percussion) that instantly lights up with energy. You could tell that a change up was bound to happen given how the song started. But what we got was not something I had expected. And I am digging it. The second verse pretty much is the same concept as the first, just the background has a little more momentum to make it feel appropriate following the first chorus. The bridge was stunning with the slowdown. It felt like it returned to how the song started, just without the suspense building in the background. His vocals, once again, stand out here, with an impressive high note. And the slowdown, per usual, makes the final chorus more vibrant and punchier. Overall, Forbidden Island is a strong release and possibly one of his best to date.

The music video shows a world without people, as suggested by Ha Sung Woon as he sings about this ‘Forbidden Island‘. He wants to be lead there by the person he is singing to – where we can only assume that life is infinity times better than with people. It sounds like an introvert’s dream. The setting of this video looked quite aesthetic, especially the scenes that one could describe as ‘in the dark’. I am talking specifically about the scenes where he is sitting on a chair surrounded by flowers, a circle that you can make out on the floor and some stage fog, or the scenes where is head is surrounded by colourful crystal-like structures. Even his choreography scenes and outdoor scenes looked really stunning.

You might feel that lifting people as part of a dance routine is something that happens quite a bit on stage. But I am impressed with the complexity of the lifting that happens in this particular routine. At the start, he is instantly lifted upon walking into the arms of the dancers. Towards the end, he is lifted to slide over one of the dancers in a really unique take of the move. Pretty much made me go wow. I also really liked how in sync he was with the dancers for the chorus and the duo moment that Ha Sung Woon and one of the dancers had during the second verse.

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

[Review] MMM – TREASURE

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TREASURE is back with their final release of 2020. The group has definitely been quite busy since they made their debut in August of this year with BOY. They followed up their debut single with I LOVE YOU in September. Once promotions for the second single was wrapped, the group was confirmed for a third single (MMM, the focus of this review) which dropped earlier today and a full-length studio album in January next year. For those who are wonder, December won’t be a month off for these guys as they prepare for and perform at a number of award nights and those end of year music festivals.

TREASURE has so far stepped away from YG Entertainment’s association with hip-hop. BOY was more of a departure than I LOVE YOU was, but both felt to be outside the common hip-hop bubble. MMM, on the other hand, pretty much steps back into that bubble. While I do like their individuality, I also liked that MMM plugged themselves back into the roots of their company. It says that they are still a YG group despite the different musical influences that they are drawing upon. MMM retains the modern KPOP hip-hop influenced structure (rap intensive verse, followed by a vocal-heavy pre-chorus, which leads into the chorus – a typical structure nowadays from how I see it), whilst also incorporating the EDM that they have really embraced in all their releases thus far. The peak of the EDM in the chorus was a very interesting centerpiece to the song. It works really well with the more serious nature of the song and it seems to add a bit of dramatic flair to the song. For the hooks during this part of the song, I thought they were weak at first. But those ‘Mmms’ and ‘Treasure you‘ whispers ended up feeling quite substantial for the song in retrospect. To me, the chorus was probably the only impressive part of the song. Everything else felt a little hit and miss for me this time. The instrumental had a nice Middle Eastern flair, but it failed to excite me for the most part. MMM manages to change it up by throwing some energy at us and keeping the EDM more consistent for the final chorus. It was a needed move, but I wanted more oomph to really get out of the repetitive loop that the song felt like it was stuck in. Similar ‘repetitive loop’ comments can be made in regards to their vocals and rapping. MMM doesn’t feel like their most impressive foot forward, in my opinion, and I will be picking their earlier singles over MMM any day.

The music video looks quite good. I like their use of the industrial look of their setting and the use of black and white throughout the video. It gives off a stylish look and adds a bit of simplicity to the music video. This also make the choreography scenes that feature their more colourful outfits feel like a ‘splash of colour’ and thus stand out a bit more. They do opt for the choreography and closeup formula, but it isn’t really that noticeable to me. I only realized it when I was typing out their review. Some fans mentioned that the video features YG Entertainment’s new building, which I thought was a little fun fact to add to the review. I think you can definitely say that this is a YG video. Hahaha… 🤣

The choreography for this comeback is definitely a highlight. Let’s definitely talk about the choreography they had for the EDM centrepiece. It looks amazing, complicated but very sophisticated. I didn’t want to say this before in the song review section, but those ‘Mmms’ had a sensual sound to them. And it looks like the choreography had that effect as well!

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.2/10

[Review] GOTCHA – Park Ji Hoon

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Also on the reviewing block today is Park Ji Hoon’s latest comeback, GOTCHA. How odd of me to be writing a review on the day of the song’s release. GOTCHA is the title track of Park Ji Hoon’s first studio album, Message, which also dropped today. This comeback comes after Park Ji Hoon’s earlier music release in the year, Wing, and another web drama for the actor side of Park Ji Hoon.

GOTCHA is a slight mashup of genres that end up coming together quite nicely. It is described as a ‘refreshing Latin rhythm as well as an 808 bass and trap rhythm’ (taken from SOOMPI). Some of the song might be overwhelming, namely the post-chorus hook that follows the first and final chorus, as it does appear out of nowhere and is more abrasive on the ears that any other part of the song. However, I heard it as an exciting change up that kept me on my toes. The Latin influence keeps the song very upbeat, bright and adds a very nice colour to the song. It did make me wonder whether GOTCHA would have more successful as a Summer track, as the Latin flair does seem to give off that impression. And I think it might of. However, I think KPOP has been blurring the lines between seasons as a number of releases I felt have been better suited for the Summer season have been released during what was supposed to be the ‘Autumn’ season in Korea, so Park Ji Hoon’s release isn’t really an outlier by any means. His vocals have gotten a lot stronger and they impressed me throughout the song. The melodies that his vocals had carried were quite strong and alluring. He also throws in a bit of a high note (though it was rudely interrupted by that rewind effect). His rapping was also quite interesting, adding some additional energy into the already quite upbeat song. I particularly liked the switch up between rapping and rap-speak he does in the first verse. Overall, GOTCHA was a really enjoyable track and highlights improvements in Park Ji Hoon’s skills.

Park Ji Hoon embraces his inner bad side for this comeback. Fans will definitely enjoy this darker side of Park Ji Hoon. This evil side of him is actually quite captivating and he was very alluring with his facial expressions throughout the video. His blonde hair was definitely ‘icing on the cake’ for this music video and concept. The producer and director did a pretty good job of pulling this video together and making sure Park Ji Hoon looks good. I also feel that the music video also gives us a taster to what the artist could do as an actor. If he is playing a character with evil intentions and the storyline is good, sign me up as part of the audience!

A big part of the performance that I don’t tend to mention as much are the outfits. And for his showcase stage, I felt Park Ji Hoon felt quite overdressed in comparison to his dancers. I hope that this doesn’t happen on the actual comeback stages. Apart from that, the choreography looks quite cool. I like the slight popping (at least, that is what I think it is) he does for that more abrasive post-chorus hook sequence and how he (as a solo artist) basically carries the entire second verse on stage.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.8/10

[Review] AYA – Mamamoo

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Another day late review! This time the review is for Mamamoo, who have made their first comeback as a full group since HIP (which was released around the time last year). Headlining this comeback is AYA, the title track from their tenth mini-album, Travel, and it follows the release of their pre-release track, Dingga two weeks ago. It may have been the first group comeback for the ladies, but it isn’t really the first time we have seen each of the members. Solar made her solo debut with Spit It Out, while Moonbyul and Hwasa made their solo comebacks with Eclipse and Maria. So it has been a busy year for the group since their last comeback, nonetheless.

Since HIP was such a successful song for the group, I was wondering how they were going to top that release. It was going to be one difficult feat. After many repeats of their new title track, I don’t think AYA even comes anywhere close to overthrowing HIP as one of their best tracks ever, if I was to be completely honest. This is because AYA noticeably lacks hooks. I was dying to hear a catchy moment but that was never delivered. That is what made HIP so addictive. Here AYA just keeps on giving us really nice melodies and vocal work. But it never went back to a central line to really establish itself, if you know what I mean. Likewise, it lacked a chorus that could have acted as a central point to return to. The pan-flute sequence is probably the closest form we get to a chorus in this song. By all means, that the lack of chorus or hooks wasn’t frustrating. The member did manage to give us another stunning song. But it just needed that foundation or ‘safety net’ as I might call it to go back to. So what makes AYA stunning? Well the vocal work was quite nice. It isn’t their most vocally charged song nor does it feel much of a statement. But the vocal work compliments the exotic nature of AYA. I like how Moonbyul’s rapping adds stability to the song. And this exotic nature was definitely a really captivating piece of music to listen to. The change up for the last half a minute of the song was very interesting. If you were becoming bored of the exotic flair that AYA had going on in the first three minutes, then they will surprise you with the change in tone. Overall, the song lacks a fundamental element. This impacts the song, but Mamamoo still manages to make do.

To match the exotic flair of the song, the music video goes with a visual concept of the same calibre. I am wondering if each of the characters that the members play in the music video are there for a distinct meaning. I have yet to find a theory explaining the music video or the characters, as I feel that the outfits Wheein is wearing during some parts of the video, Moonbyul’s archery shooting character, Solar’s monobrow character and Hwasa’s character decked out in leather and knocking out teeth are there for a reason (I do note that the latter was mentioned briefly in the lyrics). Other than that, I enjoyed the detailed sets and the emphasis on the golden hue throughout the video. Definitely fitting for the concept and these Queens.

The choreography for this comeback is definitely elegant and looks quite stylish. I really like how the member embraced their sensuality in this performance, which makes everything a lot more captivating. I also liked that despite how intense the final moments of the song got, the performance still went in well with the rest of the choreography and retained that exotic and sensual flair.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.1/10

[Review] Love Killa – MONSTA X

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The second comeback that occurred yesterday was by MONSTA X! Once again, apologies for the day late review (I explained why I am a day late in my last review). MONSTA X’s latest comeback comes in the form of their third studio album, Fatal Love, and the title track, Love Killa. This is the group’s first comeback since the release of FANTASIA and FANTASIA X this past May.

One of my complaints with MONSTA X’s previous comeback was that their sound was possibly encroaching into an overwhelming feeling with their heavy reliance on powerful EDM as their instrumental. And I am glad to hear that MONSTA X has diverted from that possibly overwhelming and overpowering version of EDM. Love Killa opts for an electro-bass instrumental that knows to when to hold itself back to make the song more impactful. It is a super addictive beat that I am enjoying and I feel that it enables for stronger melodies in the song. Take the chorus, particularly Kihyun’s opening line, which feels smoother and has more character. And as a result, I feel that Love Killa lands itself on the top end of ‘Best MONSTA X’ tracks for me. The presence of stronger melodies end up allowing the rest of the members to stand out, particularly those who are not as vocally as strong as Kihyun (the group’s main vocalist). It also allows the lines to stick a bit more. What I particularly like about Love Killa is that while it allows the vocalists to shine more, it doesn’t forsake the rappers. Love Killa has awesome rapping sequences in my opinion, with both I.M and Jooheon delivering some of the most impressive lines of 2020 KPOP. “That’s right, you look at my eyes. Straight into my eyes and just say…“, “Got room for one more. Oh I’m sorry, did I make you anxious?” and “Imma slay, Imma chill, Imma kill” just to name a few. I also like how the members echoes the lines in the first half of the chorus, giving the song more effect and impact. Overall, Love Killa ticks many boxes for me when it comes to MONSTA X.

One of the things that had me hyped up for this particular comeback was their alluring teaser images. But those did not prepare me for the music video, which seems to have a murderer concept (and it is probably one of my favourite concepts to date – cause I have an affinity towards this type of stuff). Based on comments in the YouTube comments, fans noted that each member was portraying a character that seems to be inspired by infamous movie killers. Jooheon’s character is similar to the Joker (and his smile and sudden change at the start of the video will forever haunt me), Minhyuk’s character seems to be inspired by American Psycho, Kihyun’s character is inspired by Hannibal Lecter, Hyungwon’s was another obvious one with Fight Club, I.M’s character is inspired by Drive and Shownu is inspired by Kingsman (or other since fans are still debating this one). Aside from an awesome concept, I also really liked the dominance of the red and black in the sets, depending on the colour suit they are wearing for the scene. Also Hyungwon’s hairstyling is on point in this video! Just thought I put that out there.

The choreography looks awesome. I liked the angst and (once again) fierceness that the members bring to the choreography and performance. I also loved how they nailed the sleekness at the start and end of the choreography.

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

[Review] SALUTE – AB6IX

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Yesterday, we saw the return of two groups. And I will be reviewing both releases today (Sorry once again for the day late reviews – I may have overnapped yesterday…). First up on the reviewing block is AB6IX’s latest release, SALUTE, which is featured on their third mini-album of the same name. This comeback comes after the group moved to a four-member lineup and released The Answer and Vivid.

Opening SALUTE up is this very epic thumping marching band sequence that hypes the song up. Unfortunately, it felt like a standalone piece when it was followed by the trap-based first verse. All that energy that the introductory sequence had managed to create within the opening sequence had dissipated suddenly into thin air and in place was a generic first verse that had no momentum. It would have been nice if they continued to channel that energy somehow. I did feel that the introductory sequence matched up with the brass-heavy chorus nicely, both working hand-in-hand with their own epic vibes. I liked the theatrics that they used and the simplicity of the ‘SALUTE‘ and ‘Come and get me. Come get it‘ repetition. They followed up the chorus with another generic second verse, but it contained a really pleasant surprise. That surprise was Lee Dae Hwi rapping, which was a standout moment for the song. The rest of the members didn’t seem to stand out as much, which is slightly disappointing. To me, the instrumental (bad or good sides) overpowered their presence in the song. So far, it seems like I have a mixed view on the song. SALUTE ends in a more positive manner, with the final chorus changing up the momentum by mixing in some more EDM with the brass-heavy chorus. Overall, I feel that AB6IX was going in an epic direction with SALUTE. It felt lacking in some reasons, which dulled the potential epciness of the song.

What the group did nail were those decorated military-like outfits and use of the marching band in the video, which seemed very fitting for both the introductory sequence and chorus. It also works with their fierce and confrontational visuals, which does compliment the song. It definitely makes for an awesome concept. I liked how clean the sets felt (not visually, but aesthetically). I personally didn’t like their use of the upward perspective. I know many groups do use it in their videos, but I felt that there was too much of it in this video.

And like the music video, the choreography has their fierceness to it that I am sure will make other groups very jealous. The concept suits ABI6X so well, which was most evident during the performance. I really like their military-like transition to get into formation during the chorus and the entire ending-sequence definitely had this powerful energy to it that I really enjoyed.

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

[Review] Siren – P1Harmony

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It seems like FNC Entertainment, once the home of famous KPOP bands, have moved onto producing KPOP groups. P1Harmony is the latest addition to the company’s lineup, which includes AOA, SF9, Cherry Bullet (the KPOP groups), N.Flying, CN Blue and FT Island (the KPOP bands). The new group is a six-member male group consisting of Keeho, Theo, Jiung, Intak, Soul, and Jongseob. Based on their profile (I get all the details of various KPOP groups from KProfiles), it seems like P1Harmony is one of the few new groups nowadays that are not connected to the Produce series or any other trainee survival show in some way. Just a little observation I made while looking them up for this review. The group also made their debut on Wednesday with Siren and the mini-album, Disharmony: Stand Out.

P1Harmony’s Siren is a hip-hop centric dance track, something quite different from their labelmates’ sounds. The verses could have used some oomph in the instrumental department. The background was bland for my taste. One good thing about the instrumentation during the verses was how it contrasted with the chorus, making the latter standout by miles. The chorus instrumental is very dynamic and robust, with the brass-like synths comes together to form an edgy and energetic punch. For those who may know, hip-hop centric sounds are not really my jam. But there is something very alluring about Siren that has me excited to see what is next for the group. It might be due to the fact that Siren really shows off some edgy flair and showcases a lot of potential. As it is a hip-hop sound, the song is mainly focused on the rapping. And boy, the members’ rap all added a lot of energy and intensity into the song, especially during the verses where I made an earlier comment about it being bland. The standout moment has to be the member that pulled that insanely fast paced delivery just before the final chorus. That really shocked me, but in a good way. Between the rapping, there was really good vocal moments. They don’t necessarily steal the limelight, but do help bring some balance to the song. The anthem-like delivery when it came to the chorus made everything in that section catchy and uplifted the energy to even more dynamic levels. Overall, another strong debut and one that puts P1Harmony on my radar!

The group and the producers of this music video were quite ballsy having so many people in one particular place, given the current circumstances worldwide. I was a bit nervous watching the music video because of this. Hopefully all people involved are okay. The graphics and post-production of this music video is definitely on another level. The apocalyptic scenes that kicked off the video was so intriguing. I wanted more of that in the actual music video, but it seems like that would be far too complicated to infuse into the rest of the video. But hey, those opening scenes made me stay and brought my attention to the members and song.

This group definitely has some performance skills up their sleeves. There was twist and turns, footwork and syncness to really help the group standout. The energy that come off from their choreography is something many other groups would envy. Even their facial expressions seemed relaxed and didn’t give off any newly debut feels. Definitely a strong impression was left on me by this group.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 10/10
Overall Rating – 9.2/10

[Review] Nostalgia – DRIPPIN

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It is time to have a deep dive into those Wednesday debuts. First up is the latest group to join the ranks of Woolim Entertainment’s roster – DRIPPIN. Personally, I don’t like their name. But there is nothing I can do about it. And who knows, it may grow on me in the future. The seven-member male group is made up of Hyeop, Yunseong, Changuk, Dongyun, Minseo, Junho, and Alex. Six of the members participated in Produce X 101. Five the members (aside from Junho, who made into the final lineup of X1, and Alex, the hidden member of the group) promoted under the name W Project 4 post-Produce X 101 last year. On Wednesday, the group made their debut with Nostalgia and the mini-album, BOYAGER.

What Nostalgia nails at first glance is its explosive and powerful nature. And I feel that this is always an appropriate way of making an entrance into the KPOP scene, given the massive influx of KPOP acts nowadays. You want to leave an impression and Nostalgia does just that for DRIPPIN. The song opens up to a pretty decent first verse. It felt very clean and the pre-chorus provided a great buildup to the first ‘explosion’, that is otherwise known as the chorus. My pick for the highlight of the song has to be the way they style the word ‘melody’ at the very end of the pre-chorus sequence by cutting it into syllables and taking away the instrumental for a brief moment. As already mentioned, the chorus is momentous with the way it is styled. The synths gave the song an electrifying effect and some zing to add appeal to the song. There is a subtle groove to it mixed in between the synths and intensity. And I also liked how the energy and intensity never lets up, even as the song moves into the catchy post-chorus ‘La La La… Nostalgia‘ hook. The second verse seems to be taken out of the book of all KPOP release and it doesn’t offer anything new. Glad it is followed up by another round of that explosive chorus. The rest of the song isn’t as cliche. I really enjoyed the more concentrated buildup to the dance break in the bridge and the added grooviness that followed in the dance/instrumental break, before returning to another and final chorus round. What I have yet to mentioned so far the members. Their vocal line is really good and their raps were pretty decent. I did have a craving for move ad-libs towards the end and even more rapping (away from the cliche second verse) to really bump up the song. But regardless, Nostalgia was a great first step for DRIPPIN.

The song is about wanting to return to the past with their lover. My guess when it comes to the storyline of the video is that the members want to recreate the scenery with the tree, as it has a sense of nostalgia for the members. One of the members plant the bare tree branch into the sand in the abandoned plane crash site, in hopes that it will grow to become that tree (which I assume they did). I may have gotten the story the wrong way around, but that is how I made sense of the music video with the lyrics. I really like the pale yellow that seems to be featured throughout the video in one way or another. It was a really nice colour to allow the members to pop, regardless of the white or black outfits that they wore throughout the video. It also felt pleasant, offsetting any harshness from the music/choreography that may have come about.

It seems like to be able to debut under Woolim Entertainment, your dance skills must be really good as they choreography some of the most intense routines ever that the idol must be able to perform in sync with everyone else. That is a particularly big ask and DRIPPIN definitely nailed it. The moves aren’t anything new, but the intensity and power that is placed behind each move is quite impressive. The ending of the bridge with the floating member seems quite cool, as well.

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

[Review] Jasmin – JBJ95

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The other day, there was a bit of a debut frenzy with new groups making their grand entrance into the KPOP scene. But we also saw the comeback of JBJ95 the other day. It has been a while since we last heard from the pair (Kenta Takada and Kim Sang-gyun), with Only One being their last release and that dates back to December of last year. Their comeback consist of the title track and mini-album of the same name, Jasmin.

It is clear that retro trend is in full effect in KPOP. Majority of the best tracks over the past few weeks (and possibly months) have had some sort of retro effect incorporated into it. I am not complaining, as some of the best KPOP songs ever have stemmed from retro and funky sounds. Jasmin is described to be a disco-based dance track and that is practically what we get. While I would have preferred something with a little more disco upfront, Jasmin manages to stay refined and feel classy. The guitars brings the initial funky influence to the song, which is then followed up with a great foot-tapping induced beat that really adds some depth to the song. I particularly liked how they accented the end of each line in the pre-chorus. The chorus feels like an extension of how the song starts. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as the chorus is quite pleasant. I really like the falsetto tone that the pair opted for during the chorus. It keeps the song light and it seems to had to the upbeat nature of the song. I feel like this is where the song could have been more upfront with the disco influences that I mentioned earlier, but what we got from the pair and the producers was definitely quite satisfying to listen to. They continue Jasmin with a catchy post-chorus harmonies, forming into a hook that is probably my pick for the best part of the song. The rapping that slides in effortlessly into the second verse fits in perfectly. For the bridge, they practically took away all of the music, highlighting their vocals before bringing the instrumentation back into play to wrap up the song. It all works out really well and the song literally wraps up with me feeling good. This is a great effect to end with. And especially with a song that is so easy going and impressive like this, Jasmin is a success.

The video was okay. I really liked the bar setting of the video and felt that was quite fitting for the song’s lyrics, which essentially compared someone to be as seductive as the scent of jasmine. Definitely classy setting for a classy idea behind the lyrics. There is a bit of a plotline that felt cheesy to me and I wished they did something better with it. I am talking about the very brief scene where the pair go to save the lady they are interested in (who is kidnapped and bound by ropes). Two things about this story line. One – it never resolved and we actually didn’t see her again after it was revealed she was kidnapped. And two – when they go for the big jump from the building right after shooting all those balloons, they landed on a cloud. That was where the cheese mostly came from and practically distracted me from the video for the remainder of it that followed.

I liked the slight funkiness that the music video brought to the performance, especially in the pre-chorus and post-chorus sections of the song. I also like their duo moments with the female dance just before the second chorus. Overall, a nice performance to compliment the song.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8/10

[Review] Jungle – CIX

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Reviews for this week are coming a day late, as you can already tell. The first song that I am reviewing today is CIX’s Jungle, which is featured on the group’s third mini-album, Hello Chapter 3: Hello, Strange Time. Originally, this comeback was scheduled for the end of June this year. However, Bae Jin Young became injured in the lead up to the comeback and their company decided to postpone the comeback til yesterday. Regardless of when the group was due to make this Jungle comeback, it was still their first comeback of 2020 and their first comeback since the release of Numb.

Jungle continues the groups intense style in a very unexpected and unconventional manner. The song starts off with a mixture of piano and organs for the background. It is chilling, haunting and just downright atmospheric. It also doubles as a unique start to a song and it impresses. The instrumental proceeds to add in a simple beat to the first chorus. It adds a calculated amount of definition to the song to keep it interesting. Not too much that it throws the rest of the song off balance or changes the song’s momentum. But not too little that it practically added nothing to the song. The chorus is then followed up with a brief pop instrumentation (that was also well calculated) that adds even more intensity to the song before leading into the second verse. The second verse is more so a continuation of the developments thus far and the momentum doesn’t really change until we get to the second chorus. It does manage to incorporate a pre-chorus, which brings back some of that organ from the first verse. For the second chorus, they bolster the first bit of the chorus by adding a more dynamic and bouncier beat to the mix. Yet it still keeps everything in frame and doesn’t change up the song too much. The bridge features the rap, which is played over top that dynamic beat that featured briefly at the start of the second chorus. I liked that they didn’t change the rapping ‘fit the song’. Instead, they made the instrumental fit the rapping, allowing the rapping to add a kick ahead of the final moments of the song. When it comes to the final chorus, I felt they missed the opportunity to amplify the chorus one more time to really bring Jungle to a dynamic and fulfilling close. One thing I have touched on yet are the vocals. I felt that the vocals as a whole was stealthy and artful, fitting perfectly with the subtle intensity that oozes from Jungle.

This is another elaborate video that I just can’t wrap my head around. There seems to be a lot of symbolism throughout the video. The entire video had these creepy yet captivating scenes and images that draws you into the music video. Below this section of the review is quite a lengthy explanation of the concept, connecting both the music video and teasers released prior to the actual comeback to Dante’s Inferno. It was quite interesting and helped me put a lot of context to the video. It also provides a few connections to their previous music videos. Aside from the plot, big ticks for the choreography and post-production scenes as well.

I am not too sure if the music video didn’t do a good job of showcasing the performance, but the moves looked overly powerful for the first chorus. It was such a distinct and noticeable mismatch. I guess we will find out tomorrow once they perform their comeback stage. As the performance progressed, the moves fitted in with the music more neatly and felt appropriate. It is just that first part I wasn’t keen on. The setup for the rap sequence also looks really cool.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 8.2/10

[Review] Blue Hour – TXT

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Also making their comeback on Monday is TXT, with Blue Hour. This is featured on the group’s third mini-album, minisode1: Blue Hour. This comeback follows the completion of their The Dream Chapter trilogy, which ended with their third mini-album (The Dream Chapter: Eternity) and the title track, Can’t You See Me. And TXT has been proven to be getting popular as the days go by, with reports suggesting that the group has managed to crush personal album sales records. That is a little statistic that I will share once I get around to an album review. In the meanwhile, here is the review for the Blue Hour comeback.

TXT is another group to follow the ongoing retro trends of KPOP. Or possibly, they are taking a page out of their labelmate’s recent release, BTS’ Dynamite. But either way, it is a really great move for TXT. Given their young age, they really should capitalize their youthful charms now before they inevitably move to more mature releases to fit their age. A mature concept now and then is okay (such as their previous comeback), but there is just a lot of unexplored territory if they don’t embrace that youthful side earlier on. The way Blue Hour started with the female voice going ‘boom boom…‘ (I think this was the lyrics that female voice was singing) was very intriguing. We then move into a more upbeat pop territory, with impressive vocals from Soobin and Beomgyu. The chorus confirms the Blue Hour‘s final form of disco pop. And paired with melodies like the ‘Cuz of imagination‘ (that starts off the chorus) just makes everything so much more appealing. The ‘Can’t you feel the rush‘ line was super catchy and this make the post-chorus hook my favourite part of the song, without a doubt. When it came to the second verse, I wasn’t impressed with Yeonjun’s rapping line. It just felt incoherent with the rest of the song. I did like Soonbin’s follow-up line that goes into falsetto mode. Taehyun’s husky voice that really makes ‘The sun is down...’ so much more impactful and Heuning Kai’s vocal rap line was a better form of rapping in the song. I did lowkey expect a rap sequence with a little more heft somewhere in the song and felt a little disappointed that didn’t actually occur once the song wrapped up. But overall, Blue Hour is fun, energetic and very enjoyable.

Once again, TXT’s music video features a story. And it seems to be an elaborate story that might connect to future music videos, based on the final scene alone where Beomgyu walks away from the tree and steps on the book that fell to the ground earlier. Likewise, where did the rest of the members go, as they were all sitting in the tree at the start of the video? And what the significance behind turning off the merry-go-round? Many questions to ponder and most likely answered in future videos. Unfortunately, I don’t have time to theorise what the video means, so I am making a bunch of assumptions for my ‘first take’ of the video. I liked the fun and youthful side of the music video (for the reasons I mentioned arlier on in the review.). I also liked the ‘imagination’ setting that I assumed the members had come up for the video. And those squirrels looked so cute (this last point is not an assumption, but a fact!).

The choreography looks light and fitting for the song. But it still looks complicated. I liked how there was a dance break version, which I assume included a few extra lines (as I don’t recall hearing some of the bridge in the Spotify version, which is what I based my song review on, though I do recall them appearing in the music video). The dance break version I reckon should be the default version as it added a layer of lighthearted coolness to the performance that I thought was unique.

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

[Review] I Can’t Stop Me – TWICE

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One of the groups kickstarting the final week of October is TWICE, with their highly anticipating comeback, I Can’t Stop Me (the title track) and Eyes Wide Open (the title of their second studio album). It follows on from their More & More comeback from earlier in the year. While this is great news for ONCEs, unfortunately promotions for their new song and album will not feature Jeongyeon (my favourite member of the group) for health reasons. Hopefully we will see her soon! But in the meanwhile, here is my review for I Can’t Stop Me.

I might be in the minority when I say this about I Can’t Stop Me, but I don’t see anything special with this track. For me, TWICE is renowned for their really catchy hooks in their song and these hooks usually employ a vibrant kick in the instrumentation and/or some really addictive repetition. I Can’t Stop Me doesn’t have any of that and hence it just feels flat. This might be a perspective of style, given that the producers opted for a mature take on the retro trend that has re-emerged in KPOP this year. I really liked this aspect of the song, given that it was a logical choice for TWICE and that the song did come off somewhat refreshing. Not only does retro and TWICE click together in your mind without any issues, but I Can’t Stop Me intersects with their continuation of mature sounding songs. But the KPOP industry has very creative minds throughout (as evident by the quality of music that we listen to everyday and I review) and I am sure someone could have come up with a catchier hook that allows TWICE to maintain their well-known techniques, but also embrace their new sound. What we did get was decent and had potential but I wished they somehow amplified the retro instrumentation a bit more to make the song a tad stronger. And I feel that the hooks may have benefited from this. Vocal wise, it seems like they didn’t push themselves hard enough and it felt a little dull for my taste. On the flip side, they might have pushed too hard when it came to the ad-libs, as they felt strained. Likewise, the rapping had the same issue. Together, they might have done this intentionally to fit the style of the song, so this might go back to stronger instrumentation to amplify everything else in I Can’t Stop Me.

I think JYP Entertainment outdid themselves with the green screen this time around. I mentioned in the music video review for More & More that JYP Entertainment made magnificent music video with the use of sets and green screens. This time around, I was wowed by the blooming flower at the start of the video, revealing the members within the blooming flower. The galaxy background for that part was captivating. The members closeups all looked stunning and I really enjoyed that hexagonal pattern for the second verse. I felt like the music video featured two sets that felt similar to other music videos – namely the train station platform from BLACKPINK’s As If Its Your Last and the mountains from Red Velvet’s Bad Boy. I am not saying they are copied, but they felt familiar. The ending was also pretty interesting with the cliffhanger of the train at the edge of the cliff.

The choreography was excellent. I really liked the energy they put into moves, particularly when it came to the chorus. I also liked their instrumental break that follows the first and final choruses. I also liked that they carried over the flower formation from the start of the video.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.3/10

[Review] Umbrella – H&D

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This particular comeback occurred a month ago on the 23rd of September, so once again apologies for the month-delayed review. H&D (Hangyul & Dohyun) returned on that mentioned date for the final time as a duo with Umbrella, the title of both the lead single and their special mini-album. Don’t be alarm as this won’t be the final time we will be seeing the pair, though. The two have been confirmed to be making their debut once again as part of BAE173, Pocketdol Studio’s first male group. Both members have already appeared in individual teasers for this upcoming group, who is set to debut sometime in the near future.

Umbrella is very different to SOUL, which was the pair’s debut track. For those who may not remember, SOUL was an edgy, hard-hitting and dark-sounding dance track. Umbrella, on the other hand, is lighter in all senses. It is a R&B jazzy type of song, fitting for a coffee shop on a rainy day or some retail music in a high-end store. While those may be the more generally accepted locations to have Umbrella playing, I personally have been playing it whilst working or doing some tedious tasks that makes me sensitive to loud upbeat music. So I guess I am showing how versatile this lighter sound is. But the song is easy on the ears, which makes it more appreciable. The vocal work in this song was quite nice, with both members bringing a very palatable touch. Even Dohyun’s slowed down rapping was tweaked fittingly for the more jazzy vibes of the song. Their harmonies really add some definition. All is good. The issue with Umbrella is that it isn’t striking enough to carry on the momentum that SOUL had, nor is it striking enough to tease or raise expectations for their upcoming re-debut. It is a bit twisted to think this way, given that this was their ‘farewell’ of one chapter of their careers. But this presented a great opportunity to do both.

The music video for Umbrella is quite simple. And for many of my readers, you might know that I liked to think that simplicity sometimes speaks louder than complexity. I feel like this is the case where the simplicity was well used. A stage where the pair stand on and sing into microphones. Surrounded by musicians playing the instruments that make up the song’s instrumental. Perfectly coloured backgrounds, fitting clouds floating above them and light strobes to mimic rain. Even the closeups behind the wet glass panel were on point. Definitely a perfectly executed music video.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 10/10
Overall Rating – 8.8/10

[Review] Dingga – Mamamoo

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On Thursday, I wrapped up the reviews for all of the Monday releases. And now, I can move onto reviews for the releases during the other days of the week. Some of these other releases during this week have been moved onto my ‘Coming Soon’ list of reviews that I updated this morning, which you can view by clicking on the top right hand corner of this page. Some of the releases no on that list are the ones I want to cover over this weekend. The first is Mamamoo’s pre-release single, Dingga, which will be featured on their upcoming mini-album, Travel, due for release in early November.

For a pre-release single, Dingga is super catchy and fun. It almost feels like a title track in its own right. Note that I say ‘almost’, as I feel that Dingga seemed like it was holding back. A title track, to me, would have gone ‘all out’. It is an odd concept to think about but pre-releases tend to have their own vibe, such that when you listen to it, you know it is a pre-release. And while Dingga does have a title track profile to it, the song does have a hint of that pre-release vibe. That or I have been listening to KPOP for too many years. Dingga features a funky and vibrant pop instrumental that conforms to the current trends of retro appeal. Pair that with Mamamoo’s well-known vocals and Dingga is pretty much like every other fun and quirky Mamamoo release. The melodies were definitely on another level in this song, as it effortlessly rolled off their tongues. The most impressive member in this track happens to be Moonbyul and her rapping. The song enables her to delivery some her lines in a refined manner. The best part, aside from the catchy chorus, is the dance break instrumental sequence we get. That was a pretty cool moment that I did not see coming and ended up enjoying a lot. If Dingga was a hint of what is to come, then whatever title track that Travel and Mamamoo presents to us come November 3rd is going to another massive hit for the group!

Matching with the funky and catchy vibes of the song, the music video is quite colourful, fun and cheerful. Set in a roller derby, diners, and arcades, the members and their dancers have an absolute ball hanging out with one another. There are some hints of the current pandemic, including the wearing of masks and the virtual calling at the start of the video (though this could easily have been passed off as an invitation to hang out). And while this is a great light-hearted video to watch, it is the ending that gets me intrigued, with Hwasa all decked out in black leather approaching someone who is dressed in red. She is handed a pickaxe that she proceeds to study. Her stare she gives at the end sends goosebumps down my arm and the pan flute we get as a possible music hint gives off a mysterious vibe. Definitely looking forward to this upcoming release!

Pre-release singles don’t tend to get a choreography version of the music video. But it seems like Mamamoo is indulging us with this comeback. All the moves they do when they sing the Dingga title are all the catchiest dance moves. Moonbyul and Wheein’s pop and locking dance break was also awesome! I wished Hwasa and Solar had a moment for themselves as well. That would have been another ‘cherry on top’.

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