Category: Reviews

[Review] Find You – MONSTA X

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I will be publishing my album review for Follow: Find You later tonight. However, in preparation for this, I need to do one more full review. During the week prior to their official comeback with Follow, the group released the music video for Find You (another track on the same album). I thought it would be nice to write a full review (song + music video) for this release so that the album review write up can be somewhat faster. I have been putting off this review for some time and this is the absolute last date to do so.

Find You opens the album up. But for those who have checked out Follow, Find You is the complete opposite. It takes the form of a ballad. A soft, soothing and touching ballad. I thought it was a strong song. It brings out the vocals of each of the member, including the two rappers, whom we don’t get to hear sing all that much when it comes to MONSTA X’s group releases. I thought the melody was really beautiful, gave the song a very delicate side and helped make the song extremely flowy. All great things when it comes to ballads. I did like the instrumental, which featured a paced synth-based backdrop for this song. It also featured piano, adding to that delicate feel I mentioned. The last thing I wanted to mention regarding this track is the lyrics. I think the song was already quite an emotional one. But in light of recent events that saw the departure of Wonho from the group, as I was reading the translation, I couldn’t help but think how perfect the song is suited for the MONSTA X and MONBEBE’s situation. Even I felt slightly emotional whilst listening to the track once knowing the meaning behind the lyrics.

I won’t dwindle on the music video section for long. Essentially, the video is the prequel to the events in Dramarama (i.e. what lead to all the members to time travelling, why is Hyungwon alone etc). The main reason is because of the loss of Hyungwon’s parents, his dad leaving behind the watch that essentially caused Hyungwon to become locked away in time. This devastated the group, causing them to all go on their separate ways (they are all alone at the end). The song fitted the atmosphere and the tragic story that started it all.

The main reason why I don’t want to go into too much detail is that I want to do another music video theory post for MONSTA X and this storyline comes to mind. And I might be going insane, but I have a feeling other music videos (i.e. Alligator) might be linked up to this storyline (though I am not 100% certain). I also saw no connection with Follow, which is rather interesting, though I haven’t sat down to look at both videos in detail yet. 

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

[Review] Obsession – EXO

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EXO is nominated for Best Male Group, Best Music Video, Best Male Choreography. Baekhyun and Chen are nominated for Best New Male Solo, with the latter also nominated for Best Vocals. Finally, EXO-SC is nominated for Best Subunit. Click here to support EXO and its members in the 2019 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. 

EXO is officially back with a brand new studio album and the title track, both titled as Obsession. It has been some time since we heard from the group, who have been reduced down to 6 members for this comeback as Lay is still promoting in China, while D.O and Xiumin have both enlisted into the military. It has been a slightly busy year for the group, with each active member focusing on solo projects. Chanyeol and Sehun debuted as EXO-SC, both Chen and Baekhyun made their respective solo debuts, Kai and Baekhyun debuted as part of SuperM. And now that EXO has regrouped, let’s see what Obsession (the song) has to offer.

Obsession bombards its angst and edginess right at you from the very first second and still, it manages to hook you on at the exact same time. The song is described as a hip-hop dance track. Despite its initial impression of being a completely new sound, I found the track to be very EXO as I listen to more of it. Obsession’s foundations seemed very familiar, reminding me of Monster in a way. What sets the song apart is the repetition of ‘I Want You’ that is heard throughout the entire song (including the chorus). It doesn’t get annoying and is well used to help the song become addictive in the few listens that I have given the song. The ‘I Don’t Think So‘ during the verses had a similar effect. The verses were actually quite cool, showcasing a powerful side to their vocal and rapping profile. The only part that left me shaking my head in a disapproving way was Suho’s part in the first verse. He didn’t sound right under any light. I really liked the chorus, even though it felt hidden in this song. It gave Obsession that melodic and smooth side, contrasting heavily with the roughness that we got in the verses. I don’t think I am obsessed with Obsession. But I think there is enough to make this one of EXO’s strongest songs yet.

I am quite sure, as you are reading this and that I am reviewing this comeback, eagle-eye fans are making some sort of theory video. There has to be some sort of storyline or meaning behind this very dark, intriguing and unique side to the group. All I know is that the members (EXO) are in a war with their other counterparts (X-EXO), as it was depicted in their teaser images. One side might show an obsessed side of the group (X-EXO), while the other shows a more sane side (EXO). I think at the very end, we see the obsessed side (X-EXO) win, as it burns up the planet and we finish with that look. I have to give props to their stylists for explicitly setting the two sides of each member apart in a very sophisticated yet extreme manner that makes the video become even more intriguing.

We don’t get to see much of the choreography in the music video, so I will return to the update the review once a full stage it out. But I found the moment in the music video to be very promising. I am definitely looking forward to the Kai and Sehun moment during the bridge. I also like the flowy nature that is alluded for the chorus.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance –  8/10 [Will Update Later This Week]
Overall Rating – 8.3/10

[Review] Come See Me – AOA

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Making their comeback yesterday is AOA. It has been over a year since we last heard from this popular girl group through their catchy Bingle Bangle comeback. Since then, the group was reduced to a five-member lineup, after Mina decided to not renew her contract with FNC Entertainment. The group then went on to participate on the TV show, Queendom, where the group reminded the audience that they still around. And this leads to their comeback, Come See Me.

What the group needs after their appearance on Queendom is a comeback featuring a powerful, catchy and addictive track. This would help further propel the group back into the spotlight, especially after some time away from the industry. Come See Me might just hit the mark, fulfiling the specified criteria above. But they only did so barely. I think this is a solid pop-dance track. It can be described as catchy and addictive, thanks to the chorus and that ‘Twilight’ hook. But as much as I would like to throw high ratings at it, the song did come with an overwhelming generic tag attached to it. The instrumental felt very plain and ordinary, while AOA past tracks have instrumentals that made them stand out and different from the rest of the female groups that they once competed with. The only time that the song felt like it was coming from AOA was during Jimin’s rap sequence. The same couldn’t be said with the rest of the member’s vocal work in the song. I was, however, was impressed that Jimin joined the vocal lineup with a singing section. But would all of this affect me from listening to Come See Me? Possibly, but the catchiness of the hooks might be enough to save it.

Based on the similarities between the music video and their final Queendom stage (with Sorry), I guess the company was going to make AOA comeback whether or not they gained anything from the competition show. From the brown outfits they wore on the stage to the use of guns, these were direct hints to the concept. I see the members play assassins in this video, so I assume the thrill of killing is like the thrill they get when their partner approaches them (as suggested by the lyrics). I liked the video as it showcased an edgy look, which is a completely different side of the group that we are used to. At the same time, the group managed to remain sexy, which has always been AOA’s strongest suit.

I am on the fence with this performance. I really liked how they finished the chorus, with the ‘twilight’ move. But I felt their start to the chorus and the verses were pretty weak. As expected, my most favourite part of the performance has to be when they beckon you to follow them (about halfway through the chorus).

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.6/10

[Review] Touchin’ – Kang Daniel

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Kang Daniel is nominated for Best New Male Soloist and Best Solo Choreography in the 2019 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Click here to support Kang Daniel and your other favourites!

Kang Daniel, one of the most highly anticipated solo debuts of 2019, has officially made his first comeback via a digital single, Touchin’. He made his solo debut back in July with What Are You Up To and the mini-album, Color On Me. While he topped charts with his album, he was not allowed to actively promote the album, which I assumed is due to the aftereffects of the lawsuit in which he filed against his previous company months prior to his debut. But with that officially behind him, it seems like Kang Daniel can freely release and promote tracks under his own label without any hindrance.

And I do hope that he does promote this track. Why? Well, I found the song to be what I had expected his debut to be like. There is a level of intensity that I found to be very appealing. But it was subtle compared to other dance tracks. Also adding to the appeal of the song is the instrumentation. I really like how the song built up suspense using the spaced-out xylophone beat. This was shortlived, as the buildup came quite quickly and we are launched into the chorus. The chorus has this rhythmic beat that is undeniably catchy. Following that was a techno-like guitar synth which I thought was fantastic. It continued to drive the song and felt fresh each time it was revisited. Finally, Kang Daniel’s vocals were on point. I really like the lower register at which he sings, followed by the ad-libs he presented at the end of the song. Overall, Touchin’ is a very well-produced and captivating, which is perfect for Kang Daniel.

I thought this was a really clever video. I like how ‘home Kang Daniel’ adds a slightly comedic touch to the video. He is too engrossed in the movie that he managed to add Tobasco sauce to his attire. ‘Movie Kang Daniel’ is much smoother and cooler than the home version. He stars in his own vintage spy movie, wins a game of Mahjong and walks away with the actress and case of money. It seems like the actress gets kidnapped and Kang Daniel goes on a mission to save her, which he thankfully does. He does get shot at along the way but the oldness of the VHS tape skips that part entirely. I did expect some sort of twist at the end, such as the actress coming out to share some pizza with ‘home Kang Daniel’ or for her to run into his house. But I guess that would have been unnecessary when I think about it in a deeper sense.

The performance shows off the sensual and sleek side of Kang Daniel that fans had loved since his time on Produce 101 Season 2 and promotions as part of Wanna One. I thought he showcased a lot of his dance skills in this performance and also incorporated what seems to be an upgraded version of that thigh-related move that he made really popular (I am quite sure there is a proper name for the move, I just can’t think of it right now).

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.9/10

[Review] Tattoo – The Boyz

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Recently, The Boyz made their Japanese debut with Tattoo. But Tattoo is one of the most confusing releases yet. It is their entrance to the Japanese market. But as far as I am concerned, the song only contains a line of Japanese (the rest of the song is in Korean). I have yet to find an explanation for this yet, as I have no idea of what to make of this situation. Furthermore, I am not exactly sure which category of music this goes into. But anyhow, we are here to have a closer listen to Tattoo!

Tattoo departs from the brighter sounds we got from the group through the releases of Bloom Bloom and D.D.D this year. Tattoo does seem to satisfy my craving for an edgy comeback from the group, particularly since they left 2018 with No Air, which happens to be one favourite song from tracks from the group. But I felt the instrumental to be very boring. There wasn’t anything added to the mix to really grab our attention or help make the track somehow standout. The vocals were pretty much similar. And together, it resulted in a bland track. However,  there were a few parts of the song which I enjoyed. These are small details, so they don’t cancel out the blandness encountered. The chorus had a nice melody, especially the opening line to the chorus. I really liked how the bridge was posed as well. I also enjoyed the rapping of this track. The ‘Black and Blue‘ in the pre-chorus was also quite memorable alongside that first line of the chorus. Actually, anything that involved English sounded really good in this track (i.e. Kevin’s line in the bridge).

Two things the music video did really well was its cinematography (i.e. camera work, angles etc.) and the constructed sets. They really helped give the video and song an epic feel. I also liked the closeups of the members in this video. There was something captivating about them, especially for the members who were dancing for their closeups. The video does have this blandness to it, thanks to the hazy nature. But I thought everything else was done well and this really helped the video stand out in my opinion.

The choreography for this comeback comes off as striking for me. There were a lot of moments that I liked (i.e. chorus, the start of the bridge etc.). I liked how the dance really fitted into the different beats of the song. Most groups do this. But I thought this was well-balanced and worth mentioning. During the slower moments, everything was flowy. During the chorus, when the beat was a lot harder, their moves reflected this change in a way that didn’t feel overwhelming.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 9/10
performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.5/10

[Review] ULlala: Poisoning – IN2IT

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Another review that I should have completed last week was for IN2IT, who made their comeback with ULlala: Poisoning and their 3rd single album, Puzzle, last Thursday. This is the group’s second comeback of the year, with Run Away being their first in 2019. Since that comeback in August, Sunghyun departed from the group, reducing the 7 member group to just 6 members now.

It has seemed like the Latin trend had died down this year, compared to 2018. But there is always that one track that keeps on pushing it back onto you despite being incredibly late to join the musical trend. This is what I felt when I was listening to IN2IT’s Poisoning. Usually, I am not troubled by new tracks going back to an overused trend. But instead of just going with the Latin influence, it would help make the track memorable by incorporating an interesting element that really differentiates the track apart from the rest of the Latin influenced category. Poisoning doesn’t have anything of that sort and just sounds like any other track that has such an influence. And this affected other aspects of the track for me. For example, I thought the hook was rather simple and boring this time around, thanks to the ‘typical’ barrier set up by the instrumentation. That being said, there are some other elements in the song that I did like (just nothing unique). The vocal work was good and I liked how they added to the edgy factor that I mentioned in their last review. The textures provided by the vocalists and rappers were good, as well. Overall, the track needed more of something (or things) to make it interesting and memorable.

Similar to the song, I think the music video could have used some interesting elements. Visually, it is a good video. Nice yet standard use of colour. It shows off the members in a very appealing light. Even their outfits see to show off of the members in a sensual manner, which I am sure will make fans go wild (i.e. the trending crop-top, the blazer only outfit and the very deep cut sweaters). But besides that, there isn’t much else to the music video, unfortunately, that really felt captivating.

You might expect me to say that the performance isn’t interesting, as that might be the recurring comment in this review. But I am not going to. I thought this was a good performance and choreography for the track, complimenting the song. I really like the routine during the chorus and the ‘ULlala’ hook in the song.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 6.2/10

 

 

[Review] Midnight Sun – Seven O’Clock

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Seven O’Clock returned during the past week with their brand new 3rd mini-album, White Night. On this mini-album, we can find their latest title track, Midnight Sun. Prior to making this comeback, it was revealed that Jungkyu and Hyun would not be participating as they sit out due to health concerns and that two new members (Louie and Eungyul) would join the lineup. However, due to personal reasons, Eungyul’s addition was cancelled, leaving Seven O’Clock’s current lineup at 5 members (Hangyeom, Taeyoung, Andy, 2Soul and Louie). Their last comeback was Get Away.

Seven O’Clock is one of those groups that often get forgotten due to the long periods between comebacks. To survive the industry, any artist needs to be making consistent comebacks to stay relevant. Seven O’Clock is one of those groups that haven’t had the opportunity to return consistently since their debut in 2017 and hence barely remember their previous tracks. With a quick refresher, however, it seems that the group has been attempting a brighter sound with their more recent comebacks. And they continue this through Midnight Sun, which isn’t too bad of a song. However, it is best described as a ‘typical’ comeback. It is a little late to the tropical game. I can see how some listeners would turn the other way as it is a sound that is so heavily used before. But I don’t mind its usage and that is why I am okay with it. I did think their vocals and rapping really help lift the song. They made the song feel fairly pleasant and the rapping provided some much-needed texture. There was also a decent melody that helped add to the brightness to the song. Overall, it is okay. But I hope they return with something a little more interesting next time.

I think their last few music videos have had a mismatched visual concept. While they have gone for that bright sound, they had a tinge of darkness which didn’t make sense in their music videos. For Midnight Sun, the music video is very bright, which is more aligned with the song. I liked the green colour that was chosen to be the highlight of the music video. I looked nice. However, like the song, the music video is very straight forward and bland. It consisted of mainly closeups and choreography shots formula. Sure, it is a common formula. But the video just felt liked it use just those elements, instead of having plots or using special effects to help make the video more intriguing.

I found the song had a nice bounce to it and I thought they did a good job of incorporating this into the performance. I also thought the starting formation was interesting. Apart from that, I thought the performance was okay. It isn’t the most impressive routine and the song doesn’t really give them that much opportunity to showcase an impressive routine.

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

[Review] Blue Flame – ASTRO

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The next major comeback of the week is by ASTRO, who returned today with Blue Flame, the title of both the song and their 6th mini-album. This is ASTRO’s first comeback since their January comeback, All Night. For this comeback, Moonbin will not be participating in the promotions as he is currently taking a break due to health problems. Hope he gets well quickly so that we can see him on stage soon! But it isn’t all bad news for fans, as we still get to hear him in the album and see him in the music video.

Blue Flame starts off with a reggae-like beat, which I thought was rather interesting. It gave the song a nice infusion of energy that we usually don’t get during the season of Autumn in Korea. But as a person who loves high energy and upbeat comebacks, I am not complaining. We lose the reggae influence during the chorus (though I am quite sure it is lying underneath the erratic and extremely loaded chorus instrumentation). But we get an extra kick in the energy department, which ends up tying the verses and chorus together quite nicely. I think both vocals and rapping are both strong aspects of this song. Everyone had a moment to shine in this comeback. I did want something a little more melodic, which is what we got in their All Night release. I think that could have smoothed out the song a little bit and made it even more interesting. But Blue Flame is a pretty good track, showcasing ASTRO once again in very strong limelight.

Visually, this is another strong music video from the group. This applies to both the members and the imagery found in the video. The sets are rather elaborate and complex, which makes the music video intriguing. Not exactly sure what the storyline is in this video. But there are books burning, wolf sightings and floating mirrors, which I am sure would mean something. I also find it surprising that the video isn’t overwhelmingly blue. Instead, it is rather mute and toned down, which I think works really well.

I thought this was a good routine for the performance. I imagine that they had to do a quick reshuffle with the announcement of Moonbin’s break only occurring last week. But watching the formations, you can tell the remaining members did an extremely good job of covering for Moonbin’s absence. The chorus was quite powerful, matching with the high energy we got from the chorus. I also liked Rocky’s solo moment with the female dancer and MJ’s section just before the final chorus.

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

[Review] As You Wish – WJSN (Cosmic Girls)

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It is already shaping to be one busy week with the comeback of multiple artists and we are only one the second day. Joining the comeback rush this week is WJSN, who returns with As You Wish and their 7th mini-album (which also shares the same name as the title track). This is their third comeback of 2019 following La La Love and their summer hit, Boogie Up. The comeback is also their fourth comeback to not feature the Chinese members.

It seems like WJSN has moved on from the fantastical sound that they have been associated with. As You Wish instead opt for a more traditional pop sound, which I think the group did elevate using their vocals. It is a very clean song, showcasing vocals and a short rap sequence without any hindrance. This allowed for each of the members to shine throughout the song, as I don’t think I picked up on weak moments in this song. The track was refreshing almost, given that WJSN has developed a sound for themselves. And as much as I am a fan of that certain sound, I do think As You Wish manages to showcase a different side of the group without going a little too far out of the comfort zone of fans. I also found the song to be very catchy, which really help bosts its likeability. Another great thing about this track is that the line distribution seems to be a lot fairer than usual. Exy, who is the rapper of the group, usually gets a small section of the song but this time around, she had 3 parts. Likewise, the members who have gotten fewer lines in the past had slightly more than usual.

Despite the slight change in song sound, the music video is pretty much right up WJSN’s alley. What the ladies depicted in this video is a switchboard or contact centre for wishes. They collect all the wishes that people like us make and they approve of those wishes so that it can become true. Not exactly sure what they were doing while they sitting in a circle, though they would have something to do with granting wishes. Finally, they sit in carriages that move across the night sky, which I assume they are depicting shooting stars. I found this to be a very pretty video, highlighting the member’s visuals throughout the many closeup shots we got of each member.

For those who didn’t notice, Yeonjung didn’t participate in the choreography shots in the music video due to an injury (I too did not notice until I read the comments section). Though it seems like she is okay now as she was featured in the live performance that was uploaded on the 1THEK channel today. As for the choreography, I liked how graceful the moves were in this performance, which I thought matched the song quite well.

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

[Review] Numb – CIX

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2019 has been a big year for rookies, particularly the ones formed featuring the members of Wanna One. All of the members have released music in the past year and many have or are gearing up for their second comeback. Joining this list is CIX, which features Bae Jin Young. Alongside ‎BX, Seunghun, Yonghee and Hyunsuk, CIX returns today with Numb, and their second mini-album, Hello Chapter 2: Hello, Strange Place. This follows CIX’s Korean and Japanese debut with Movie Star.

Numb felt like a smooth song at first. The verses give off a nice melodic feel, which made the song feel promising for me and potentially a great followup to Movie Star. But the EDM drop that featured in the song dispelled this quite quickly. It did break that promising feeling and it feels very different to their debut track. But it isn’t all bad news. Instead, it introduces a new level of intensity, which makes the song feel intriguing. It all leads the song into unexpected territory for me (relative to how the song started). I just felt there should have been a transition between the verses and chorus to make the song feel more cohesive. Instead, the chorus is literally detached from the rest of the track. I also felt like the song could have been a little more catchy as I find it hard to identify any strong hooks in the song minus the foreign influence in the chorus. The vocals and rapping are great. The lyrics of the song also seem to add an extra layer of tension, with it looking like the lyrics are taking a stab at modern societal pressures of students in a school setting, around friends, bullies and overall doing well at school.

The music video even goes to that length of depicting a school setting. But in a very dramatic and almost apocalyptic way. I think it shows the members being friends at one point. But I think the way the Korean education system operates is a competition between students to see who is the best, with parents assisting their children in any way possible to place their kids on top of the others. It seems like this drove a stake into the friendship of the members, as seen by the building being torn apart with two students on each half of the building. Using the school logic, if something was to happen to the other then you push ahead to place higher than them. But Bae Jin Young takes a stand in the music video, offering a hand to the friend who would have fallen to their death in the music video, which I think is a subtle way of saying that things should be just that one way. It is a video concept that depicts the problem in an extreme manner. But it effortlessly makes the point clear.

I thought the dance for this was really good. The chorus routine was very powerful, fitting for the EDM that the song opted for in that section. The verses were good but I don’t think they were amazing standout parts like the chorus. I also think the choreographers/company are favouring Bae Jin Young a little too much. He was in the centre of the performance a fair bit, leaving the best of the members with little centre time. Not his fault though, as this would be at the discretion of their company and production team. 

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 7.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.7/10

[Review] Above The Time – IU

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Yesterday, I reviewed Blueming, IU’s official comeback to the music industry and stage. And this song, along with every other song on the album has been rising to the top end of the digital charts in Korea, once again proving her power in the industry. In the Blueming review, I mentioned that IU had released another music video for Above The Time, which is observed as the follow-up to the storyline presented to us in You & I (IU’s 2012 hit). Before reviewing today’s comebacks, let’s have a dive into this song and video.

Listening to the start of the Above The Time, you are given the impression that it is going to be a ballad. We get an orchestral instrumental during the first verse and chorus, which really sounds amazing. This style is something we have heard IU do before and it makes her vocals breathtaking. After the first chorus, a drumbeat is incorporated into the song, giving hint that the song might not be as linear as we thought. And it still manages to pair well with her vocals. The biggest twist comes during the bridge of the track. It starts off like an orchestral instrumental break. But it switches it up completely with a folksy piece. It is a complete change-up but it manages to click into place without a hitch, which is rather intriguing. The two styles (folksy and orchestral ballad) end up merging together for a second before we go back to the ballad roots of the song. It is a rollercoaster to listen to. But you will not be disappointed if you listen to it. I particularly liked the ending, as it felt like another mini-rollercoaster in the song. The track slows down and then reincorporates a dramatic piece to give it that epic finish to an awesome ballad-like track.

As mentioned previously, the music video brings back the storyline in You & I (the one with the sleeping guy and the IU travelling through time with a goose to wake him up). Well, the same actor (Lee Hyun Woo) returns to reprise his role as the guy. Since waking up, he has been living in a similar building to which he was asleep. The calendar on the bookshelf points to the 31st of December 2019, which is the same date that IU travelled to the future in order for him to wake up. And so from the moment he woke up, he had been awaiting the arrival of IU. He shows us his wrist, which contains the clock face that IU had drew on his wrist in You & I (which might be a hint to the particular time). In preparation for her return, she drops a goose feather from the frozen goose in You & I, which started to bring Lee Hyun Woo’s memory back of the time before his deep sleep (i.e the bright scenes in which Lee Hyun Woo and IU were dancing), which results in his emotional breakdown. I assume that IU did this to not cause him any pain during the long wait. Not exactly sure how the clock face on his wrist disappeared but it became a picture of a flower on his hand (which IU had drawn in the past), signalling the that his memories were, in fact, true and that it was time for him to find a way to IU. This leads to the ladder and paper boat that I am hoping reunites Lee Hyun Woo and IU after all this time. That is my interpretation of the video but some details can be incorrectly interpreted. But it is amazing that You & I got its sequel, as I had never expected this actually occurs.

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

[Review] Blueming – IU

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One of the most popular soloists in KPOP is officially back with a brand new mini-album!!! IU, dubbed as a digital queen and ‘nation’s little sister’, returned today with her 9th mini-album, Love Poem, and the lead title track, Blueming. Other notable releases from IU  and this mini-album is the pre-release single which shares the same name as the mini-album; and Above The Time, which is the followup track (and music video) to IU’s 2012 release, You & I (excuse my early days of reviewing). I will be reviewing Above The Time tomorrow, so make sure to check back tomorrow for the review!

I expected something a little softer from IU for this comeback for some unknown reason. Maybe it is her previous comebacks and song releases talking to me. So when I heard Blueming, I was pleasantly surprised by its upbeat atmosphere. The rock electro-pop instrumental had a fun vibe to it, which made me instantly smile while listening to it for the first time. And I could tell from the first listen that this song will be rather addictive to listen to. The addictiveness can be attributed to a number of elements. The instrumental for one, especially when it came to the amped-up chorus, really helped engrave the song into my mind. This section alone was my favourite part of the song. The ‘I Feel Blue/Bloom‘ repetition was a close second.  IU, herself, sounds amazing in the song. But this was highly expected. Together, everything went well together and it comes off as a perfect track. And perfection is something that seems to be associated with IU with every one of her albums and songs.

The music video is visually stunning. IU herself was extremely pretty during the video and I loved her acting and expressions throughout the three and a half minutes. My favourite part is the exploding lockers, which was a scene with both good acting and pretty looks from the artist. As for the plotline, I am not too sure about what is going on the video though. It seems like her crush is hitting on her and the feeling is mutual. But when she goes to reciprocate the mutual feelings, her crush takes it the wrong way. I think it is due to the fact that both don’t really talk to one another (i.e. we never see this person and they don’t interact). But once both realize that they need to interact with each other, they do so by ‘exchanging’ balloons (the only words we got from the other party is ‘Read Me’ on the grey balloon), which I am assuming is a metaphor for conversation.  That is my interpretation of the video but I would love to read others, so feel free to share below!

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.6/10

[Review] Wannabe – Golden Child

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With Infinite on hiatus due to military enlistment, Woolim Entertainment is currently looking at their other male group to help fill the void in their company. The only problem is that Golden Child has been notably absent from the stage for over a year (the group did release Spring Again earlier in the year, but this was not promoted). So after their long hiatus, the company has decided to ‘relaunch’ the group, giving the younger group the ‘dark concept’ baton that Infinite was well-known for with WANNABE. Let’s see how Golden Child fairs with the new song and style.

Sometimes a change in sound is what the group needs to make them big. Take Girl’s Day as an example. Girl’s Day was popular with their cutesy concept but never would have reached their peak if they didn’t move onto a sexier and powerful sound. So by applying the same logic, WANNABE would hopefully be Golden Child’s turning point. And I personally think that this can be achieved. WANNABE is a good track. It isn’t groundbreaking, which I had expected given the use of the term ‘relaunch’. But there is enough to introduce me to a new side of Golden Child that I would like to see return in the future. The group didn’t flat out copy Infinite’s style, which would an obvious mistake. While I did hear some Infinite influence during the pre-chorus (the melody reminded me of The Eye), the group places a lot more emphasis on the instrumental mix. At times it felt smooth, other times you can feel the compressed tension. It felt a lot rougher with the EDM, but surprisingly not as intense as their senior counterpart. The vocal work was pretty good, but the rapping felt a little lacking in this track. I would have expected it to be a lot heavier and impactful.  I also find the song to have a really catchy chorus, which helps earn the song ticks.

I do not know why but I found the use of black and gold in the music video to be very satisfying. Like it is an obvious choice with the use of a darker concept and the fact that their group name alludes to the use of gold colour. But it gave the video a fair amount of aesthetics. Some of the gray also came off as silver, which I thought looked really cool as well. I also thought the visual effects made this video look good as well, with black rocks bursting into gold specks as the members run towards the camera.

With the new darker side of the group prevailing, the choreography seems to take a more mature approach. A fair amount of body rolls and thigh dragging was present in the choreography during the slower parts of the song. During the more upbeat sections, the moves are a lot faster and matching with the EDM. I liked the choreography overall but felt the dance breaks could have been a lot more intense.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.6/10

[Review] Fallin’ Light – GFriend

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After countless weeks of promises, here is the first of many Japanese music reviews to come in the following weeks.

GFriend is another one of those groups that have had a busy year. They kick-started 2019 with their Sunrise comeback, followed by their Japanese single, Flower, and their latest South Korean comeback, Fever.  And just last week, the 6-members female group has returned to Japan once again this year with the release of their 1st studio length Japanese album, Fallin’ Lights. The main title track from this album shares the same name as the album Their Japanese releases have been great so far, so let’s see what GFriend has to show us this time!

Once again, GFriend returns with a dance track that is infused into classical instrumentation. This isn’t unexplored territory for the group. However, I would consider this a ‘return to form’ scenario as it felt pretty much like their earlier days. The only difference is that they have obviously matured and this comeback showcases this maturity. The only thing missing (that I would also argue that the tracked needed) was some sort of electric guitar riff during the final chorus to take it full circle and add to the classical aesthetics in a modern way. I felt the latter happen during the chorus, where they amped the chorus up with a beat that drew me into the song even more. Besides the instrumentation, the other aspect of the song is the vocals. Two members stood out for me, but that isn’t to say that the other four members were not exceptional as well. Umji’s filtered part that opened to the track and featured post-hook worked exceptionally well, giving the song some texture. I find how Yuju not going down the high note road to be quite smart. The song doesn’t build much and a typical high note would not really go well with the classical aesthetics that they have gone for in this song. This is definitely another standout Japanese track from GFriend!

Something that I try to do with the majority of the music video section of my reviews is look for a plotline or theory behind the video. Sometimes the story feels a little more obvious, other times I rely on theories that I can get my hands on to write up the review (could be too complicated or press for time).  The latter happens to be the case this time around, so I have pinched (props to Nukimen) a theory from the YouTube comments sections that look like a lot of people are agreeing with or liking.

gfriend_fallinlights_mvtheory

I have to say the video is rather plain this time around. I know I can’t really expect anything flashy after reading through that theory post (see above) as it tries to create a relatable connection to us by looking a lot more ‘normal’, I just feel that it could have used a little more work in the visual department.

The dance is very elegant, fitting with the mature sound that GFriend has opted for. I thought the formations and how they move about during the performance were really cool this time around. I wish that there was a dance version up, which I am sure will contain additional sections that are equally as elegant as what we have seen.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.7/10

[Review] HIP – MAMAMOO

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Another very exciting comeback today is by Mamamoo. The female quartet returned with HIP and their second studio-length album, reality in BLACK. This is their first comeback since their gogobebe comeback earlier this year and their participation in the girl group competition show, Queendom. (which the group ended up winning as well). I do have a Queendom-related post coming your way, so keep your eyes peeled for that. In the meantime, let’s have a listen to HIP.

I already think HIP is an excellent addition to Mamamoo’s discography, despite it only being released a few hours ago. The track brings their edgy side in an elegant manner. It doesn’t get too wild but it doesn’t get too soft like some of last year’s releases. There is a hip-hop influence that we have seen from the group through their last comeback. I think that hip-hop style really brings out a different side to the group. We get to hear more of Moonbyul rapping, while the other members got to showcase a softer rap-speak style, which I thought was rather cool. We also can’t really talk about their vocals. HIP doesn’t sound like their strongest vocal performance. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t a great vocal performance. The softer vocals that they went for is rather smooth. I also dig the upbeat dance instrumental, with a lot of ear-catching moments including the guitar riff and the brass to just name a few. Overall, I find it a fun and catchy song that might find itself on top of a few charts over the coming weeks.

In preparation for this comeback, the teaser images showed us what Mamamoo would be like in 3 other alternative universes. These alternative versions were also the main star of the video. Moonbyul could potentially be a music video director, choreographer or a CEO of a successful entertainment company. Hwasa either could be a mother, the president or a music actor. Solar’s alter-egos were a rock star, boxer or a princess, while Wheein was either an environmentalist, indie artist or a painter. Though, I think we all prefer Mamamoo in the 1st universe, where they are the performing group. I did like the concept and I thought it made for an interesting video.  I liked how each universe didn’t feature the member’s alter-egos alone and showed them interacting with one another. For example, Hwasa and Moonbyul paused to take a picture at Wheein’s rally, while Solar is running away from the palace guards. I think the video also shows off the meaning behind of the lyrics well. No matter the outer gear, they will be rocking it because of their confidence. And so should you!

I really like the choreography for this comeback. The routine for the ‘Closer Closer Closer‘ chorus hook looks super cool and the dance breaks (yep, there are a few) adds an extra level of appeal to the performance. I also really like their portrayal of the edgy concept, which is very cool.

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

[Review] Astronaut – Stray Kids

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Last month, Stray Kids made a start to their upcoming Clé: Levanter comeback with the release of Double Knot. The second pre-release single and official comeback was scheduled for November 9th and 25th, respectively. However, due to the unexpected departure of Woojin from the group, the release of both parts of the comeback was postponed. Their comeback is not been rescheduled for 9th of December, which gives times for the group to replant their new tracks in preparation for an 8-man lineup. Today, we see the release of Astronaut, the second pre-release single expected on their upcoming mini-album.

Astronaut is probably their most generic and standard track yet. That is not a bad thing, though. I still had a kick-ass time listening to the track. There is an infusion of energy in this generic form of EDM that really makes you think of good times. Actually, it makes you want to have a good time. But while the instrumental was typical, their vocal work and rapping delivery had the very important job of not making the track feel that way as a whole. And I think they successfully nailed it. The vocals were quite smooth, adding a nice contrasting to the standard EDM we got. The rapping was rather dynamic. I liked the melody they brought in via the rap sequences. It also brought in character to the song, which made it even more appealing. Overall, I thought Astronaut was a great pre-release single. Though it makes me wonder. With two very different tracks (Double Knot and Astronaut), how will the upcoming album pan out?

Eagle-eyed fans noticed that there were nine members in the music video, which is definitely a treat for fans. Though for the most part, Woojin was edited out of the music video and I wouldn’t be surprised if some scenes were reshot. As part of the Clé series, you know Astronaut is somehow connected to rest of the video. Hyunjin is the main character, as suggested by the ending of Side Effects. We also see a glimpse of the vehicle that the members rode in in Side Effects, which shocked Hyunjin for a moment (it looked like a prequel, but that scene seems to suggest otherwise). Bangchan and I.N are also now seen as important figures in the story, shown in this music video. We also get an additional suggestion that this series is somehow linked to District 9 (which I pointed out in Side Effects) based on their white clothing at the end.  Other than that, I am not too sure about the ‘storyline’ of the video. Theories would be nice. And you can expect an upcoming ‘Music Video Theory’ post about this series sometime in the next year once I am a little freer to sit down and analysis every single detail of this confusing series.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.8/10