Category: Reviews

[Review] Mayday – VICTON

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For those who missed their comeback earlier in the year, the male group released the title track, Howling and the mini-album, Continuous, back in March. That comeback marked the return of Han Seung Woo, who returned from short-lived X1. He, along with the rest of the VICTON gang, makes their return today with Mayday, which is the title track off their second single album of the same name. This comeback, in particular, also sees the return of Byungchan who had to sit out of the Howling promotions due to an injury.

The opening sequence of the song is extremely aesthetic and this basically sets the song up for success. There is something with the minimalist vibes the bass thumping and bouncy synth in the background that feels so clever. And when the Seungsik and Sejun comes through with their higher pitched vocals, it just really drew me in. Seungwoo follows through with a rap sequence and this is followed by a really interesting chorus. Melody wise, it was fairly strong. There is an subtle intense feel to it, which made it even more appealing. The instrumental was really bold despite not having too much going on (relative to the verse that I described), stepping it up to the opener and verse. Their vocals had this filtered effect over it, like the slight static you get with voices coming through speakers of a radio. I believe this is intentional, with the members singing about conflicting feelings of a relationship. On one hand, the members want out of the relationship as it is dangerous. But on the other hand, they want more it. But the most interesting member in the entire song has to be Hanse. His rapping is very impactful and memorable. There is a rap-speaking form to his delivery, which feels sleek and dangerously alluring. The roughness in his voice is very textural. The more I listen to the song to the review, the more I am pulled into the song thanks to Hanse. The instrumental for the bridge stills for a bit and this helps deliver an impactful final chorus ending to the song. Overall, Mayday is another great song to add to the list of current amazing releases that I will probably cannot get enough of.

The video opens up with Seungwoo falling from the sky. As he gets up, we see very dramatic flashes of the members and a mysterious female figure (whom we will assume is the ‘dangerous’ factor in the relationship for his video). We see the members walking from a phone box and holding torches in the forest. It seems like these scenes depict the members wanting to leave the relationship. But we see Hanse walking towards the female figure in a crazed manner and a whole choreography scene opposite an arrow wielding female figure, which are signs of being drawn to her and the danger she presents. We later see one of the members in a car accident, which probably tells us the extent of the danger. It is a very well thought out video and I really liked how they slide in the story line (provided I interpreted right). One other thing I noticed from the video is that the circular concrete that they film is has been seen in multiple videos throughout the last few years. But I am always surprised to see how different it looks in each video, such as the flag waving and helicopter searchlights details in those associated choreography scenes.

What I have yet to mention is that I notice the song’s chorus feels quite slow and almost dragged out. Their performance does a really good job moulding itself around this set up and this results in a very epic and visually powerful performance. The verses had some really cool moments which I wonder whether they will incorporate into the live stages. The one that I am most interested in is when they use torches. That will make the performance looks really dynamic.

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

[Review] More & More – TWICE

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TWICE has the honour of kicking June 2020 off with their new release, MORE & MORE, which is the name for both their new title track and mini-album. We last saw the group in Korea for their Feel Special comeback in October last year. Since then, the group has been busy with the Japanese leg of their world tour (thought his was later affected by the current worldwide health pandemic) and have released a documentary series on YouTube, titled Twice: Seize the Light. This comeback also features the return of Mina, who returned to group performances earlier in the year, after being on hiatus to focus on her mental health.

MORE & MORE starts off a sleek dance track, featuring smooth vocals from the members. As the verse progresses, we get more of a beat becoming infused into the song, allowing members who don’t have as smooth vocals to get their moment to shine. The song that progresses to its catchiest hook, in my opinion. The pre-chorus features the ‘…more more more and more‘ repetition hook, which I find to be very strong and melodic. We glide through this section in a manner that bridges the verse and chorus together is a very pleasant manner. Then, we are hit with the tropical house-based chorus. Yes, the overused genre is making its comeback. But as 2020 isn’t overly saturated into the genre just yet, the robust chorus for MORE & MORE comes off as refreshing and robust. I also like their one liners during the chorus. I am, however, not impressed with the main hook of the song, the shouty ‘More & More‘. I wished they incorporated a more melodic approach with his hook as this would have made the song a lot stronger. Instead, it feels rather half done in my opinion. The second verse and chorus is essentially the same as the first routine. The bridge is the most cliche but dynamic part of the song, as they enter a trap-based breakdown and the rapping section of the song. Not bad for the song, but I felt the rapping to very mild. I would have liked them to adopt something that would have continued to change the song, before returning to the final chorus. Overall, it isn’t the perfect track according to my ears. And while I am unsure about their step into this trendy direction, I quite liked the song from the get-go.

I might be reading into the music video incorrectly, but I think they adopted a Garden of Eden type of concept, based on the featuring of snakes and apples (i.e. the Forbidden Fruit) in the video. It is interesting concept and it compliments the lyrics of the song in a way, as the members singing about wanting ‘MORE & MORE‘ from their relationship. I really liked the sets for this video. It is very colourful but also very mystic in a way. This can be greatly attributed to the post production editing and the use of green screen. I like their use of green screen in this video and it is JYP Entertainment’s best use of that technology. The parts of the video that corresponds to first pre-chorus and the rap sequence of the song had were fantastic and hypnotic use of the green screen, adding a dynamism to the video. The only thing I dislike with the video is the Bohemian look that opted for. While it is reflects well with the ‘nature’ side of the concept and that many people enjoy the style, I have never been a fan of it. But that is just my personal taste.

I liked what they did with the performance. There were strong moments, but I do note that they seem to have ditched the addictive and viral dance moves. And I think this is a smart move overall. Strong moments include the trap based dance break and the entire pre-chorus routine. I actually also really like final part of the chorus, when the few deep beats come into play.

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

[Review] Who Dis? – SECRET NUMBER

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It is another late review. This time it is for a brand new group. SECRET NUMBER debuted last week on the 19th of May with Who Dis?. The group is made up of five members (Jinny, Denise, Soodam, Dita and Léa) and are under VINE Entertainment. You may recognise Jinny, as she previously participated in Produce 48 as an independent trainee and placed 69th. Interesting fact, the group was originally meant to debut back in March. But due to the ongoing health pandemic, they pushed their debut to May.

The first thing anyone would note was that Who Dis? is quite brass-heavy. And this is no doubt appealing to many listeners including myself. The group, despite only being newly debuted, has already garnered a lot of attention as their debut music video has already passed 8 million views. Obviously, SECRET NUMBER is doing something right in either the visual or audio department. And I like to think that this is due to the song. The brass sample that starts off the song is a piece that we have heard before. The instrumental features some brass as wow that peeks through the rest of the of thumping instrumental. When we get to the chorus, it felt like we were gonna be thrown into a loop of that same brass sample that kicked of the song. But that would have been boring. The chorus ended being a lot more interesting, amping up the thumping and bringing in a different brass piece to the chorus. The second verse is essentially the same, with Jinny rapping at the start instead. Jinny returns as a rapper for the bridge, just after a little intense break from the brass dominance. She returns once more as a rapper at the end, layered on top of the familiar brass sample I mentioned that kicked things off. You may notice that I am emphasising the rapping a lot. Well, that is because it the stronger element of the song, compared to the vocals. The group can sing. But they needed to follow through with vocal chops filled with some attitude or power to extend the chorus and make it more dynamic. Everything in the vocal department felt too typical and this drained some of the energy from Who Dis?. For a debut single, they knew what they were doing. They just need to refine their skills and I am sure they will be getting a lot more attention in the future.

As mentioned previously, the group has already garnered 8 million views. And while the music video can be cut down the seam to be audio and visual, this section of the review obviously focuses on the visual department. The music video actually looks really good. It does take on the closeup and choreography combination, but I honestly don’t mind it in this video as the closeups look quite captivating and fun. As for the concept, I don’t think it fits into the usual categories of aegyo or girl-crush. Neither is it a mixture, which I am glad. To be honest, it feels a little generic, but I am fine with that as that would be the preferred option over a combination of girl crush and aegyo in my books.

The performance looks a bit generic, like the music video. And at times, it felt relatively weak to other moves (i.e. the short strutting vs. the moves that followed right after, with the strutting being the stronger dance move). It ticks a few boxes. It has that already mentioned strutting to tick the attitude box. There seems to be some visual intensity as we see in the rap sections of the song and the short instrumental break. Overall, a good performance.

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

[Review] Wing – Park Ji Hoon

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I had somehow missed Park Ji Hoon’s comeback song, Wing, which was released earlier in the week on Monday. I knew he would be coming back sometime this week, but I was under the impression that his comeback would occur mid-week, rather than at the start. I don’t know how I managed to miss a major comeback like Park Ji Hoon’s, especially on a day full of solo male comebacks! So apologies for this unintended delay. His comeback single is featured on his third mini-album, The W. We last saw Park Ji Hoon at the end of last year through his 360 promotions.

Wing, to me, feels like multiple songs were snipped and conjoined together. From the very first second to the rap sequence that opens the second verse, we have 4 different songs mashed into one. And I would have been fine with that, provided that the song progresses along seamlessly. Unfortunately, the transition between the two halves of the verses does not have this quality and I am quite disappointed with it. It felt sudden and unexpected. But other than that transition, the rest of the song was quite fine. Park Ji Hoon showed off his voice throughout this song and this was a strong effort, particularly during the chorus. I did like how he used his signature deep voice for the hook of the song. The ‘Doom Doom Doom‘ was very catchy and addictive. It is probably one of the reasons why I want to continue listening to the song. I still would like to hear more rapping from the soloist, as that is what we know him for from his Wanna One days. It seemed like the song could have included more intense and impactful rap sequences to help bolden the song and give it some additional energy. The chorus had this party anthem-like feel to it, thanks to his shouting-like vocals and melodies that he brings to it. I did want more body to the chorus, to give it that oomph and with a lot more definition. Actually, that can be said across the entire instrumental of Wing. There is this typical feel to it, but I do admit that is comfortably pleasant. Collectively, I don’t think this tops his past two title tracks. But it is a fair effort.

For most of the video, I wasn’t really sure what was going on. Park Ji Hoon seems to be doing quite a fair bit in the video (i.e. driving around in the desert, talking into a microphone, sitting in a cafe). But nothing really made much sense, apart from the end where it looks like he is flying (which is the strongest connection we have, as he sings about his partner giving him wings to fly). I also want to be critical about the set. I don’t know if filming around a time which a ban was put in place (for current circumstances affecting the entire world), but the use of those built sets just cheapens the video and ruins any amazing shots of natural scenery the video had in it. I feel like the video could have been solely filmed in the desert/natural setting and it would have looked cool. The post-production editing for those scenes look quite good as well and they could have used this technique to change up the scenery a bit if they were worried that everythhing would look the same.

I really liked the light tapping to the head for the catchy ‘Doom Doom Doom‘ hook of the song. The song doesn’t give much opportunity for Park Ji Hoon or the dancers to show off any performing chops, if I was to be honest. But I did like the small acrobat-like moves that they pulled off during the performance. They made the stage look more captivating without going over the top.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.2/10

[Review] FANTASIA – MONSTA X

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Also making their comeback today is MONSTA X with FANTASIA. This is a big comeback for the group as it is the first official comeback that does not feature Wonho, who left the group during their Follow promotions back in October 2019 (which is also their most recent comeback). The comeback also features the return of Joohoney, who took the last 3 months off from promotions for health reasons (he has been missing from their recent Japanese releases). FANTASIA was previously scheduled for an early May release, but was rescheduled to today after Shownu suffered an injury prior to their comeback date. Let’s see what MONSTA X offers with FANTASIA.

FANTASIA is no light track. From the very first second, the song hits you with its fierceness and intensity, something that we know MONSTA X for. This manages to somehow one up all their previous releases, in a way that I didn’t think was possible. But MONSTA X knows how to push it each time they comeback. The instrumental features a tribal and anthem-like thumping drum beat. The bass was heavily used, giving the song that epic feel. As for the members, I thought each members managed to shine during their sections. Joohoney’s intense rap sequence kicks things off, before the baton is handed to Kihyun and Shownu in the verse, who both brought their vocal chops to the table. We are then thrown into the chorus, which is lead by Minhyuk and Hyungwon. I was surprised about this as it is usually the main vocalists that dominate this section of the song. But I really like this flip and the texture these two members give the chorus. For a split second, it felt like the producer tones the energy down ever so slightly during the chorus. But the momentum was somehow continued effortlessly. I did also like the layering of vocals in the post-hook section. I.M opens up the second verse with another powerful rap sequence, before we are thrown back to the main vocalists and the rest of the song repeats itself (but not in a repetitive manner). The most powerful section has to be the first half of the bridge, where the thumping seems to be more drawn out and dramatic. The song then ticks the energy down a bit in the second half, so that the entrance to the final chorus is powerful. Overall, no doubt a powerful song that I personally like. Though, MONSTA X should start to consider that this sound is overwhelming for some and I am not sure if they fair well in the next review if they up the intensity to a higher level.

What did I like about this video in a visual sense? Well, the gold pairing with black is definitely something. I really liked it. While the sound is extremely powerful and a little barbaric in a sense, the set really gives off a refined and elegant vibe. In a way, the visual video prevents the song from going into that overwhelming mode. Out of all the members, Joohoney left the biggest impression on me with his chains and cow boy hat. I also wonder how the comeback links up with Follow, as I am reading that the two are connected. This can happen on many levels, but it is usually done through the music video. I just don’t see any visual connection other than the sun or burning planet at the start.

MONSTA X has described this to be their hardest choreography yet. And I believe them. With a song this intense, it only makes sense for their choreography to be amped up. I am in awe that they managed to pull ths off and probably will do it with live vocals, as well. I really like the crab-like movement during the post chorus hook section and bridge. I also liked how Kihyun got solo moments in the choreography during the verses.

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

[Review] End Of Spring – ONEWE

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Since their re-debut last year, ONEWE have been returning with a quarter of their first studio length album. Their debut single, Reminisce About All, was featured on their 1st single album, 1/4. Their next comeback, Regulus, featured on their 2nd single album, 2/4. Earlier this year, ONEWE collaborated with label-mate Hwasa (from Mamamoo) with Q, which was the only track on their 3rd single album, 3/4. And now, the band is now back with their first studio album, appropriately named as One. The lead single from the album is titled End Of Spring and the focus of today’s review.

One thing that ONEWE has definitely established with their released singles is that they are capable of different sounds. And End Of Spring just adds to their variety. This is their most energetic sound yet and I would describe it as an exciting combination between the band sound with a club beat. There is such an even balance of both in this song that makes the song very pleasant. They could have gone heavy handed with the club beat or dominated with a rock sound, effectively snuffing out the other sound. But you can really hear both strongly in End Of Spring. Usually, I would say the guitars would be the highlight of the instrumental, especially when riffs are used. But in End Of Spring, I think the drums are the real winner as that adds to the song’s excitement and definitely gets things rolling along. Their vocal work is fairly good aspect of the song. I feel like they could have gone above and beyond with the vocal component of the song, but what we got was still quite good. The melodies which carry their voices is pleasant. The pre-chorus was probably the strongest part of the song, with Yonghoon’s vocalisation leading right into that energetic chorus. Dong Myeong also sounds nice during the verses and his harmonisation moment with Cya, who managed to insert a rap sequence into the song, which was probably a decent way to channel some energy in this song. Overall, it is a very good song and I would definitely go back for more.

What the music video for End Of Spring does right is that they mimicked the ideal club feel by bring a lot of people in. I have seen music videos for similar songs feature just the members performing and this doesn’t look as fun as it could have been. Here, you can tell that the atmosphere is exciting like the song and feels lively, which is what you definitely want alongside a song like this. I do wonder what the desert scenes are for, as the first half of the video was quite heavy on this. I assume this is connected to the lyrics somehow. Eagle eye fans may have noticed some familiar faces in the crowd. ONEUS (their labelmate and brother group) and AleXa (a soloist from a company that works very closely with RBW, the entertainment company that ONEWE is signed to). Great to see this closeness between members and artists even on screen. I think the video could have stepped up with something a little more exciting that coloured gas. Maybe fireworks that could have given some explosiveness to the atmosphere of the video. But the video does go well with the song and it definitely has me coming back for more (just like the song!).

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

[Review] Candy – Baekhyun (EXO)

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The second solo artist to be reviewed today is Baekhyun from EXO. He makes his solo comeback with Candy and second mini-album, Delight. Baekhyun made his debut last year with UN Village and City Lights, which all formed one of the most successful solo debuts ever. Baekhyun’s comeback follows Suho’s solo debut last month and Chanyeol’s recent solo collaboration with Raiden, Lee Hi and Changmo. Baekhyun also recently participated in a collaboration (Leo) himself with BOL4, for her solo comeback which also occurred this month.

Baekhyun’s solo debut track highlighted a lot of his vocals. And it is expected that his solo comeback would do the same. Candy does just this, but in a more laid back manner. More on this later though. The song falls under the R&B realm as well, as per his debut song. But this one is a lot more upbeat and straight forward in terms of its instrumental. I really liked how sleek the overall song felt, which can be attributed to a really refined instrumental and his smooth vocals. The thumping bass and the light twinkling pop in the instrumentation was really nice. I do have my issues with the song. I did feel that by going this straightforward and direct R&B route, the song feels a little more typical. I wanted something that ‘one-up’ UN Village, which was unique and characteristic of him. Candy didn’t have momentum, unfortunately. That that is only a minute issue. His vocals do a lot in this song and I thought this vocal chops were well used throughout this song. Those ad-libs during the bridge and ending of the song were on point and effortlessly beautiful. Those deep ‘Candy, Candy, Candy‘ chants give some texture and depth to the song. Furthermore, Candy likens Baekhyun to various sweet food items. While this sounds rather childish in some ways, his vocals really put a mature spin on it, which I really like. Overall, Candy shows off that Baekhyun is highly capable of variety and a more upbeat style (i.e. he isn’t just your typical ballad main vocalist).

To reflect the more upbeat style that we heard in Candy, the music video opts for colour, which makes total sense. After all, this song does not deserve anything dull. It is set in a urban area of the neighbourhood, which has an old arcade and movie theatre, like the ones we see in movies. And this suits the more laid back vibes the song has. Baekhyun looks really good in this video. It might be his hair or his smiles he flashes towards the camera. The music video does seem to approach with the dreaded choreography and closeup formula. But I didn’t it mind as much, as some of the closeups seemed to flow through to the choreography scenes cohesively.

Unlike his solo debut, this comeback features choreography. It isn’t anything complicated, which again matches the laid back and easy going vibes of the song. The instrumental of the song also wasn’t complex, so there isn’t any need for overly complicated moves to wow us. I do note that the moves do all work together to create a cool performance. There was a part of the performance where he dances opposite female dancers. I thought that was a strong moment in the choreography and I would have liked to see a more prolonged sequence of that, as there seemed to be some chemistry between the two sides.

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

[Review] Red Moon – Kim Woo Seok (UP10TION)

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Let’s kick off this week with reviews for two solo releases. The first belongs to the solo debut of Kim Woo Seok, otherwise known as Wooshin when he is apart of the UP10TION lineup. Though, you may be familiar with Kim Woo Seok for his more recent endeavours. Last year, he was one of the two members of UP10TION (the other being Lee Jin Hyuk) to participate in Produce X 101. He placed second overall in the survival show and thus was one of the 11 trainees from the show to make their debut as X1 with Flash. However, due to the voting rigging scandal, the project group disbanded earlier this year. Since then, Kim Woo Seok took a short break and has now returned as a solo artist with Red Moon. Let’s see what he has to offer with Red Moon.

Kim Woo Seok’s debut title track is a sensual styled song, made up of heavy bass and electric guitar. It isn’t a song that I find instantly powerful like many of the current dance tracks. Instead, it slowly builds as Red Moon progresses to become a really bold track. The song knows when to make an impact with its sound, such as the consecutive thumping that appeared between the more classically geared bridge and final chorus. This really helps boost up Red Moon to a whole new level. I say this because while I did enjoy the resulting instrumental, the ‘blank canvas’ or the trap-based layer that was heard underneath those already mentioned instruments above were incredibly dry and boring. Without those thumping beats, heavy bass and electrical guitar, I would have passed over this song and not looked back. If I could have my way in some capacity, I would wanted the song’s instrumental backbone to be a little more exciting as this could have provided the song with a little more electricity and power. But as I said, I did like the effects that were added to give that power and boldness. What I have no criticism for as I believe that Kim Woo Seok nailed from the very start was the vocal works. The song really does captialise on his vocals, bring that sensual nature to life. I really liked the relatively low tone he uses in the song’s verses. I also really liked how his voice amped up to match the increased energy flow from the chorus. All working well together to deliver Red Moon.

The music video looks pretty good. Sure, the music video heavily adopted the close up and choreography formula, which I have grown to dread. And this does bring a dry energy over the video. But I thought the sets designed looked cool. Furthermore, the warm hue in this video really reflected well with the song. The warm colours really made the video shine in a subtle manner and the song pop out of the video. The more vibrant coloured scenes ended up going well with the rest of the video. Kim Woo Seok takes on a homme fatale type of look throughout the video, which I am sure fans would love seeing. I do notice a growing trend of cutting fabric from clothing

The music video was definitely strong sensual vibe. And this is thanks to the performance. I think the main choreography points of the video is when his fingers run down his body and he proceeds to perform hip rolls. There is a lot of body rolling this in performance, which I am sure will excite fans. I particularly like the choreography during final moments of the bridge, leading into the final chorus. That looked powerful.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.2/10

[Review] Yours – Raiden & Chanyeol ft. Lee Hi & Changmo

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Two weeks ago, Raiden and Chanyeol collaborated on a single titled Yours. We got less than a week’s notice and I had not picked up on its earlier, so I was caught off guard with the release of Yours (my excuse for posting a late review). For those who don’t know Raiden, he is a DJ and producer under SM Entertainment. For those who don’t know Chanyeol, he is the main rapper of the widely known KPOP group EXO (who is also under SM Entertainment). Credited as a featuring artist in Yours is Lee Hi and Changmo. Lee Hi is a former YG Entertainment solo artist, who has recently signed with Makeus Entertainment (home of Sunmi), while Changmo is a very popular rapper in Korea. Together, this is a very star studded collaboration, adding another to the month of May.

The different artists participating in this song are all very different in usual content that they release as standalone artists. But Yours converges them all into a light funky R&B track. There is a bit of retro vibe to the instrumental, but it is very subtle. In terms of overall impressions of the song, I found Yours to be very upbeat and fresh. It has a nice Summery vibe, which I think is suitable for this time of the year (for South Korea). In addition to all of that, Yours is also has a pleasant and calming tone. Chanyeol predominately sings. Usually, I find his voice to be very husky. But it sounds quite smooth in this song. Lee Hi’s airy vocals sounds very innocent and sweet, unlike any Lee Hi release I remember from the top of my head. Both singers do a really good job of harmonising together, helping bringing the track together. I really like the vocal layering during the chorus. They both sing and harmonise in the top layer of the chorus, while Chanyeol sings in the background. It may appear to be a little messy, but it actually gives the song additional definition. Somehow, this becomes a clever hook, in addition to the two singers singing the ‘I’ll Be Yours‘ in the chorus. Changmo adds more of that rap roughness and his vocal segments give the song some texture. Adding to the texture of Yours at the very end was the heavily electronised robot-sounding vocals, which felt like a ‘just right’addition. I don’t think Yours is my personal cup of tea, but it a really nice song to kick back to.

I thought the music video was rather artistic. While Chanyeol and Lee Hi shines in the actual music, I feel like the music video does a great job of highlighting Raiden’s presence in this collaboration. The sets and cinematography when we see him perform the various instruments looked really cool. The only artist to feature alongside Raiden in the video is Chanyeol, who takes pictures of the various sets which we see him in. All looked quite good and I am sure there is a deep meaning to each of the images he hang up at the end, which looks like they represent the seasons.

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

[Review] Tiger Eyes – Ryu Su Jeong (Lovelyz)

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During the week, we saw the solo debut of Ryu Su Jeong, who may better known as a member of Lovelyz. Su Jeong is the second member of the group to undergo solo promotions after debuting, following Kei, who debuted under the stage name Kim Ji Yeon last year with I Go. As for Ryu Su Jeong, she made her solo debut on Wednesday with Tiger Eyes, which is the title for both her solo title track and mini-album. As this review is already a few days late, let’s get right into the review.

I am unfamiliar with the members of Lovelyz, so I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect with these (and any future) solo releases. Kei’s genre choice was a ballad, which made sense (in a cliche way) as she is the group’s main vocalist. Su Jeong is the lead vocalist of the group, so I half expected her to follow with the ballad route. But she ended up going with a dance track. And I think it is very refreshing move. Interestingly, Su Jeong strays away from the more innocent and ‘lovely’ (pun intended) style we always associate with Lovelyz. Instead, she opts for a very mature sound and a complete 180 from the concepts in which we usually see Su Jeong in. It is definitely exciting and adds to that refreshing note. I think this is a great song. The consistent beat we get in the instrumental reminded me songs from Kylie Minogue. There is slight heaviness to the beat, which is a major difference from the iconic artist. In addition, there is a very subtle intensity mixed into Tiger Eyes, which was interesting. The chorus has a nice kick of energy, which keeps the song exciting. I also enjoyed how the bridge had those piano key strikes, adding a light element to the otherwise pretty bass heavy dance track. I liked how Su Jeong’s vocals don’t go into that powerhouse mode or really any powerful mode in that sense. Instead, her vocals go down a more subtle route, with her vocals staying relatively low. By doing this, Su Jeong adds an intriguing touch to the song. The ‘Tiger Eyes‘ hooks was quite memorable after a few listens and I really liked how Su Jeong gave that phrase some life. I feel like this song could have used a rap sequence of some kind to give it that added edgy dimension, which I believe will make Tiger Eyes even more exciting.

You probably could already read my mind ahead of the next sentence. The music video had that typical close up and choreography formula. But I can’t always expect for a music video to incorporate a plot line. What the director of Tiger Eyes does right is highlighting the mature change that Su Jeong is undergoing. I mean, we are seeing a Lovelyz member in a way we have never seen them before. And there is a little bit of mysteriousness in the music video. I feel like there is enough interaction between the close up shots (even though they do not necessary connect to one another) that allows that mysteriousness to come from.

I feel like the performance could have used some more catwalk like moments, as I feel like there is enough attitude into the song to really make that feel natural. That, with the right stage effects, would have made this a knockout performance. But what we got is very suitable for the song. My only problem is how Su Jeong would return to a more innocent image through Lovelyz’s promotions. Unless, this solo promotion is easing us into a very different Lovelyz…

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

[Review] Punch – NCT 127

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Since March, the members of NCT has been quite busy with various music releases and promotions (Props to Haechan for participating in all of them!). NCT 127 first returned with Kick It and their second studio album, Neo Zone, in March. NCT Dream only just returned a few weeks ago with Ridin’ and their mini-album Reload (album review coming). And yesterday, NCT returned with their 127 lineup for promotions for their repackaged album and Punch. The music video wasn’t released until today, so this prevented me from getting a review out yesterday.

Punch is a song that seeks to make an impact in one way or another. And I feel like they give that impact at the start of the song when the electronic retro arcade-like instrumental was probably the strongest. They start off with a rap sequence in which they all share, before reverting to a breathy whisper over the same instrumentation. The contrast here is very strong and unique. The song then strips away the electronic arcade-like backdrop, allowing for melodic instrumentation and vocals to exist. And this before the song brings in an anthem-like chorus that I feel was rather aesthetic in its own right. As you can tell, it seems like a messy roller coaster ride in just the first half of the song. As to be honest, I did find this approach to be rather messy when I first listened to the song. But with multiple listens, Punch gets better and feels less messy, especially as the song comes together quite neatly. There are other elements to the song that I thought were quite good. The instrumental, as you listen more of it, contains additional elements that really help bind the song together. From the trap influences (that remind me of Superhuman‘s trap instrumentation), to the faint electric guitars that add some pop to the song, to the cinematic-like dance break that features at the end of the song. I have to admit that I find both the vocals and some of the rapping to be quite safe for the group. I wished they managed to ‘pack a punch’ into this element to give the song some life. I was also surprised to hear that they laid off the intensity and energy, which I think was a missed opportunity. Kick It seems to be the more superior in this sense, with Punch toning it down significantly. Overall, Punch is a good song. But I don’t think its their best effort.

I found the music video to be rather weak and bland. Apart from the wavy distortion applied in the post-production phases to the closeup shots that I will say looks cool, the music video followed the typical closeup and choreography set up, which isn’t as exciting when you think about it. I feel like the members were dressed at the start in a manner that made them look extra tough and I didn’t really get that feel from the song to warrant all that black leather. The sets looked cool and the lighting was rather nice. But apart from that, not much else to discuss.

The choreography definitely had that wow factor that I wished the music video had. That entire sequence at the start when the members are standing in a circle looks amazing. I also liked how the members come at you during the breathy rap sequences in the verses. The entire final chorus and dance break sequence at the end was pretty cool as well.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.6/10

[Review] Can’t You See Me – TXT

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Making their comeback and kicking off the week is TXT. For those who may not remember TXT (where have you been?) or if you are new KPOP listener (an acceptable excuse for not remembering TXT), they were the biggest male rookie group of 2019, debuting with Crown and Run Away. Today, the group returns with Can’t You See Me, which is the title track on their second mini-album, The Dream Chapter: Eternity. It also continues their series of growth, which has the themes of their past two releases. Let’s see how their latest release stacks up to their debut singles.

Can’t You See Me starts off with a really promising air of mysteriousness, which I think continually features throughout the song. It helps create an aesthetic atmosphere. The song then brings in a rock transition and this transition into what I would describe as a subdued rock dance track. Featuring throughout the verses are autotune moments that remind me of Billie Ellish’s Bad Guy. They add a really impactful and rough texture to the song, giving Can’t You See Me some character and profile. Instrumentally, the chorus feels very similar to the verse. But I really liked how their vocals help bring some life to the chorus, which helps differentiate the sections. I thought the chorus had decent hooks, with my favourite being the speaking line ‘My friends don’t understand me, no‘. The rest of the song is quite similar, with some different changes. The opening to the second verse is heavily filtered rap sequence brought to you by the members. I really liked the intensity of this sequence and how it added to the aesthetics of the song. The bridge takes away that subdued rock sound, leaving the vocals to do most of the work. Apart from some really soft crunchy synths, the slow tempo and the breathy vocals of Soonbin and Yeonjun makes total sense. I think the downfall of the track is that the different components I have described feel a little disorienting and it took me a few listens to cohesively piece the track together. But overall, I liked the more subdued sound and the different things they had going on in it.

The trailer for this comeback depicts the members becoming socially distance from Soobin. We get a sense of the social distance in the music video as well, as the members sing about how their friends no longer understands them. In the video, Soobin is the main character. The other members come over and I noticed that when they are all having fun, one or two of the members become ‘distant’. For the video, it happens to all the members. But storywise, I feel like only Soobin has this feeling. Things start to get wild as the members start to have a food fight with tomatoes and strawberries. During this food fight, Soobin screams (I assume he has had enough) and each of the members leave. All tomato and strawberry stained, we see the members outside (with exception of Soobin, I think) in a sadden mood. Skip a few seconds and we see the house on fire. I think Soobin takes his life (the red food fight depicts blood). But why are the members still around the house? Well, I think they are like voices in Soobin’s head and they realize their effect. Death is referenced in two parts. The first is when Beomgyu places a blanket over Yeonjun. When Yeonjun removes the blanket in a later part of the video, the other members are holding their heads, experiencing some crazy headache and are shown in a fast forward filter around Yeonjun. Maybe a headache caused by voices in one’s head? When the members leave Soobin, they are in the same fast forward filter as before, further showing that they are in his head. Yeonjun is later crushing a tomato in his hand and he looks at it like how someone would look at a blood-covered hand. When he looks up, all the members are zoned out. Each of these sections are followed by a red light (a foreshadowing moment). My next guess is that each member (other than Soobin) represent an emotion or desire. But for the sake of this review, I won’t delve into that level of detail. Overall, a really good video. I liked the set and the story (if my interpretation proves true).

The choreography has this subdued level of intensity that feel just right for the song. I liked how those autotuned moments in the instrumental became the more erratic moments in the choreography. These parts contrasted very nicely with the smoother texture of the rest of the choreography. I also liked their entire setup for the rap sequence in the second verse.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.3/10

[Review] Jungle – BVNDIT

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Returning yesterday was BVNDIT, with Jungle. This is the group’s 3rd comeback since their debut a year and a month ago with Hocus Pocus. Jungle is the title track of their second mini-album, Carnival, which also features Cool (which I have already reviewed) and Children (yet to review), both of which were released earlier this year. Let’s see what the group has offer with this latest comeback.

Jungle continues that intense sound that the group debuted and returned with in 2019. Their sound and visual concepts have aligned to the ‘girl crush’ realm since debut and they only stepped away from that side for the release of the two singles prior to Jungle. And while the group’s past title tracks have been rated fairly, I feel like Jungle is a step backwards and shows off that intensity in a not-so-good manner. The song goes with a middle-eastern influence within the dance track, which I personally don’t mind. I have praised many songs in the past for going with that foreign influence. What I do mind is that it is always there. Apart from the bridge of the song, it is never stripped away. It is always at a much lower tone so it is barely audible underneath the decent dance beats. This pretty much feels like an unnecessary incorporation, and frankly, it makes Jungle quite messy. I felt like they could have kept it when it was the main centre piece of the instrumental and then replaced it with more dynamic material to give the song some bulkiness during the other parts. I do admit it does give Jungle some colour and some character. It just could have been cleaned up. Another thing that the song lacks is a strong, catchy hook. I think this would have helped give the song some extra definition and made the song more robust. The only good solid part was the final dance break, just before the final chorus kicks in. But I felt like it was a bit too late for that.

The visual concept for this comeback was very strong and this definitely improves the comeback package by a mile. The members stand out throughout the music video, by wearing colours that pop in the various different settings in which they filmed in. There were some visual effects throughout the chorus, which helped make the video more captivating and helped boost the song’s appeal. The video was more of a close-up and choreography styled music video, but I think the video had some good points.

What I think is pretty strong in this performance is that the choreography used a staggered touch to some of the various moves, which I thought made the performance looked good. Unfortunately, the actual moves don’t really have much impact. The only part that looks pretty decent is that dance break just before the final chorus. There was some attitude to it, which I thought was good.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 6.8/10

[Review] Didn’t Say Anything – Baek Z Young & Ong Seong Woo

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Don’t you just love surprise releases? This is another collaboration single, joining the two big releases from last week (i.e. IU ft. Suga from BTS and BOL4 ft. Baekhyun from EXO). This single, Didn’t Say Anything, features Baek Z Young, a well known singer in KPOP, known for her songs such as Like Being Hit By A Bullet; My Ear’s Candy (ft. Taecyeon from 2PM); and my personal favourite, Garosugil (ft. Song Yu Vin). And alongside Baek Z Young in this song is Ong Seong Woo, whom we all know from his Wanna One days and recent solo comeback, Gravity.

I associate Baek Z Young, a lot of the time, to ballads. In addition to that thought, the title just screams out emotion and sadness. So that was my expectation going into the song. And boy, Didn’t Say Anything was definitely a ballad. I have only replayed it a couple of times since it was released. And each time, I have been left breathless and speechless. I miss these types of ballads that are just stunning to listen to and I can guarantee that it will continue that way for a very long time. Take Still Love You by Hwesung from N.Flying and Lee Hong Ki from FT Island, it still sounds amazing and floors me to this day. Didn’t Say Anything leaves me that way for a few reasons and it is usual suspects. Didn’t Say Anything features a very nice orchestral instrumentation that continues to build as the song progresses. And this buildup is paired alongside the vocals of both Baek Z Young and Ong Seong Woo. Both singers belt it out from about the half way point, slightly earlier than when most artists would unleash a high note or two. That high note at the end of the bridge was spectacular. Both artists surprised me with that one. Baek Z Young, sure. Ong Seong Woo, very unexpected. And to show off his vocal abilities further, he handles most (if not all) the ad-libs to finish off the song. But it wasn’t just the high notes that wowed me. Even at a normal volume, the pair sounded amazing. The harmonies were beautiful and Baek Z Young’s voice at the start and end was just velvety.

The song is about not saying anything to each other after a breakup due to the emotions one would feel, causing further heartbreak. For majority of the video, we see the singers alone, being heartbroken alone. But at the end, it was revealed that the two were actually side by side. They were in very close proximity to each other and a word or two easily could have been shared. But you could feel that there was an imaginary barrier between them that prevented them from doing so. And this imaginary line that was formed by their emotional states that prevented them from speaking (i.e. the sadness and the glances we could see them making towards one another). I thought that was an interesting yet clever way of presenting the meaning of the song.

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

[Review] Good Night – H&D

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Last month, I wrote a review for H&D’s debut single, SOUL. In that review, I promised that I would get around to writing a review for the second title track, Good Night, on the same debut mini-album, Soulmate. A music video was released for Good Night alongside SOUL, which I didn’t know about until a few days later. Though it seems I have taken a little longer than expected to review it, I finally present to you my review for Good Night. In other related news, both Lee Hangyul and Nam Dohyun have been confirmed to be debuting as part of a male group later this year.

When I listen to Good Night, Leessang is a name that keeps on popping up in my mind. For those who may be unfamiliar with Leessang, they were a duo who delved into the hip-hop and were very popular back in the day for songs like Turned Off The TV and Girl Who Can’t Break-Up and Boy Who Can’t Leave. I find the melody and the beat would be something that could have come from Leessang. Good Night is obviously a lot more upbeat, well suited for a youthful style and modernised. And the lyrics are a lot more innocent and pure. Moving the focus back to H&D, I thought their execution was pretty good. Both the rapping and singing from the duo were pretty strong. The only part that I thought was a little awkward was the chanting anthem sequence that followed the choruses in the song about half way and the at the end. I am unsure how to describe it as I am no musical expert, but it felt like the song become a lot rougher and messier when it came to that sequence, in my opinion. The instrumental of the song was more of your typical tropical island beats, but it did feel rather refreshing and well-suited for the upcoming Summery season that South Korea is about to enter. I personally think Good Night is a good song despite it also delving into a typical domain. I just feel that Good Night has more of a fresh appeal compared to SOUL.

When it comes to the concept of the music video, it is clear that they went in the opposite direction to their other debut music video. This video shows a sleepover concept and it was definitely a lot more lighthearted, colourful and innocent. I really liked how they wrote some the lyrics in the comic style font, in addition to having it act as a visual effect to give the video some extra character. Usually they do this for key English words in the song or just some typical ‘pow’ or ‘wow’ text. Overall, it looked fun and I think this video suited the song well.

To match the casual sleepover concept, the entire performance was done so in pajamas. I liked that they retained this detail, which made the performance feel more approachable and chill to watch. But the moves looked pretty typical and didn’t offer anything new to us viewers on the performance front. I did like the start and end, however, where they used the dancers to lean on, like they are on a couch, adding to that casual detail I mentioned.

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

[Review] I’m In Trouble – NU’EST

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Also making their comeback this Monday is NU’EST with I’m In Trouble. This new track is featured on the group’s 8th mini-album, The Nocturne. NU’EST has had a busy year in 2019 with the release of Bet Bet and Love Me (their most recent release prior to today’s comeback). 2019 also saw the long awaited return of Minhyun to the group’s lineup from other activities. Let’s see what the group has installed for 2020.

I’m In Trouble kicks off with the plucking of guitar strings. It took a brief moment before the proper beat to kick in, which end up being more instrumentation contributing to a beat that continues the low deep tone which the song started off with. As it delved into the chorus, I’m In Trouble took a R&B pop approach. I have to say that the song is already quite sleek and classy in an elegant manner. But it never really picked up, which was something that I really wanted as the song progressed. It just stayed in a very neutral setting. I was glad when it came to the bridge that the song inserted that vibrating-like synth. It was an odd addition, but it added some life and variety to the song. But I wished they continue with the additional elements as the song reverted back to the same consistent sound to end it off, which was bland. The vocal work was good, but not their best effort. Interestingly, JR opted for vocals this time around, but I felt a rap sequence of any degree was warranted to give the song some edge. Just enough so that the classy and sleek nature of the song isn’t lost. I think that would provide some extra variety to the sound and give the song some uniqueness. The hooks didn’t offer much, which I thought they could have fell back on to give the song that memorable touch. Instead, their main ‘I’m In Trouble‘ was incredibly plain and failed to gain any interest from me. Overall, it has some good things going in. But it just failed to capture my attention.

NU’EST’s latest music video that accompanies the release of I’m In Trouble is very aesthetic to watch. I really liked the pentagon platform with the partitions that they sit in. That looked really cool. The cinematography was also very good in this video. As for the plot line, I am not too sure what is going on in this video. It seems like the members are playing a game (that looks familiar) where they choose to who to kill (i.e. vote out). It seems based on the teasers and the music video, this game is played at night, while each member goes about their respective days. Who they choose seems to have do with something in their normal life. The members reach out to one another to form an alliance or warn one another of betrayal. In the end, the members voted for JR to be eliminated, though I am not sure why. My best guess is that a person they are all interested is playing a cruel game and this person edges the members on with text messages throughout the day. Though, I am not sure how the teasers fit into the video. My interpretation is very literal and I don’t think anything that I wrote above is part of a proper interpretation, as everything seems mysterious and mine feels a little too lighthearted. Do you have any clue? Fill me in by commenting below.

I thought the choreography was pretty good. The routine looks complicated despite it not really ultilising any crazy movements like in many other choreographies. Instead, this routine matches the song in the sense that it is sleek and refined. I thought the sections in which the members sing the hook (i.e. ‘I’m In Trouble‘ repetition) to be pretty dynamic looking.

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