Category: Reviews

[Review] Utopia – ATEEZ

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ATEEZ is nominated for Best Male Group, Best Male (Group) Choreography, and the Rising Star category in the 2019 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Click here to support ATEEZ and your other favourite artists before the 31st of December!

2019 has been one crazy roller coaster. There have been many up and downs this year, which I am sure even the newest of fans are able to name a few. One particurlar group that has been experience the more positive events of the year is ATEEZ. They have had three comebacks this year in Korea and recently made their debut in Japan with Utopia. And as we find ourselves on a Saturday, I thought I bring back Japanese reviews for the remainder of the year, as there is a fair amount of Japanese tracks I need to review.

Utopia was originally released as part of the group’s 3rd mini-album (Treasure EP.3: One to All). I never wrote an album review for it, which leaves the songs on the album open for a review (which is obviously why we are here today!). The first thing that comes to mind when I hear Utopia is that it is a lot more colourful and vibrant, matching up with the title tracks of their 3rd mini-album, but basically different in that sense to any of their other title tracks. The track does align with their the rest of their promotional singles, as the chorus in Utopia is quite powerful. It packs a punch that makes the song so appealing! The instrumental has this edge thanks to its dynamic percussion and upbeat tempo that just keeps on giving. The vocal line was really showcased in this song, particularly during the chorus, but this also gives way to a very addictive post-chorus hook. The rapping as well works very well, enhancing the song further and giving it a very edgy touch. I also really like how the song slows down at the end, calming us down from the high they gave us in Utopia.

While I was very impressed with the music video, I couldn’t help but think it got a tiny budget. I say this because ATEEZ has had grand sets in the past or were flown to countries with strong and picture perfect scenery, which suited the song that they were filming for. Here, they filmed in a rather simple set and it was pretty much bare. They could have been going for a minimalist vibe, but the way the video was edited didn’t give off that impression (i.e. the editing made the video feel busy). But nonetheless, all the scenes were very crisp and the lighting/colour really reflected the brightness/vibrancy that the song had maintained.

ATEEZ is nominated for Best Male Choreography for Say My Name. And it seems like Utopia is a clear indication to why they would deserve the performance. There was always something happening in the choreography, despite the tempo being fast or slow. There was a captivating and alluring dynamic to the choreography that made it a strong routine.

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

[Review] Sweater – Ailee

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Ailee is nominated for Best Female Solo Artist in the 2019 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. To support Ailee and your other favourite artists, click here to vote before the 31st of December.

Earlier this year, Ailee made her long awaited comeback with Room Shaker. However, it was quickly forgotten due to lack of promotions and what was assumed to be conflict with her managing company. But since then, Ailee has signed with another company, making way for new releases in the future. She has also signed with an American company for future releases in the Western market. Her first release since signing on with different companies comes in the form of Sweater, a single released in both Korean and English.

Described as a Christmas ballad, Ailee draws our attention to Sweater in an effortless manner by appealing to our emotions through a beautiful and elegant sounding piece. Per usual, the ballad opts for a simple piano and violin instrumental, providing a very bare blank canvas for Ailee’s vocals to paint a picture on. And the image she manages to draw just sounds amazing. Her voice alone captivates and builds in a manner that makes the song as captivating as a dance track that builds perfectly into a dynamic piece. The only thing that changes between the two versions of the song are the language that the lyrics are in. I had expected there to be minute differences in the melody or overall audio aesthetics of the song (as often observed in Japanese version of Korean tracks and vice versa), but Ailee seems to have managed to polished both in a manner that these minute differences are well covered up or are non-existent.

Yes, you can feel the emotions when you listen to Ailee sing the song. But the music video just enhances the emotions you feel so that it is a lot more impact. Everyone we see in the music video has experienced loss. And from what I know, Christmas in Korea is more of a time to spend with your lover or friend, rather than family. So in this video, we see the first guy leave flowers by the intersection where his fiance was killed. The piano playing lady lost her husband and is counting down the days to his anniversary. The female student lost her mother, while the old man lost his wife. But each of these people have an item from their significant other. The guy has the two rings, the piano lady has a diary, the student has a key ring and old man has a notepad of his wife’s recipes. The saddest part is seeing them hold these items to themselves and watching them cry, as Ailee’s voice echoes in the background. In the end, we see them with their loved ones in a shop, showing the bond they had and still have during the Christmas period.

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

[Review] Remember Me – BDC

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Remember Me was released during the eligibility period for the Best Song award in the 2019 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support BDC’s debut song by clicking here to vote for your favourites and include Remember Me as a potential Best Song of 2019 recipient.

With the end of the year approaching and new releases tend to be scarce during the month of December, I will reviewing some of the many releases that I have missed over the last few months. Many of these releases are shown on the ‘Coming Soon’ list. I will start with BDC’s debut track, Remember Me, which was released on the 29th of October 2019. BDC (Boys Da Capo) is a unit group consisting of Kim Si Hun, Hong Seong Jun and Yun Jung Hwan from Brand New Music.

Remember Me starts off as a ballad. It was rather soft and felt sentimental. But as the song progressed through the first verses, the presence of the synth makes you come to the realization that the song is a dance track. The chorus ensures the dance track realization becomes reality, going for an EDM based drop and background. There is a lot of contrast between the two, as a result. But I thought the contrast ended up being quite clean and well portrayed. The two different sides of the song also allow the unit to show off their vocals and the dance group flair. I did expect a little more to the rapping, as it could have been used to drive the song to a better endpoint. But all was very good. My favourite part of the song has to be the ‘Remember Me, Remember Me...’ repetition, which was held back for the right moment to be the most impactful. Overall, I think the song is a very strong track for a debut and I am thoroughly surprised that I glossed over this track.

I will be honest, I haven’t checked out their music video until today. And I am very ashamed of this. I thought it was a good video. The scenes at the start and the second verse (where they were alone) made it look like they were forgotten. Hence, why the video was quite depressing start to the video. But once the chorus kicks in, we are treated to choreography shots that show otherwise. I think it would have been better to see the members in their solo shots to break free of their forgotten state, though I am not exactly sure how you would showcase that. I also liked how the video went for both flowery boy and edgy concepts, which might be a good indication that the unit is versatile.

I thought this was another good choreography routine. The start had more elegant moves to fit with the ballad-like style. They kick it up a notch for the chorus to reflect well with the dance style. Both sections are quite captivating and they had good stage presence (on the few stages that I watched). Essentially, there is potential for the unit in the future. And given the content that they have shown us, I would definitely like to see them return in the future.

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

[Review] Levanter – Stray Kids

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Stray Kids is nominated for Best Male Group and Best Male (Group) Choreography. In addition to that, all their 2019 releases (Miroh, Side Effects, Double Knot and Astronaut) are eligible for Best Song of 2019. To support Stray Kids, click here to vote for them and your other favourites of 2019.

Stray Kids has had a jam-packed year. The group have previously released 2 mini-albums this year, with Miroh and Side Effects leading the albums released in March and June (respectively). And now, the group have moved onto their 3rd mini-album of 2019, Clé: Levanter. The title track of the new album is Levanter and it also features Double Knot and Astronaut as pre-release singles. The album was also scheduled for release at the end of November. But due to the sudden and unexpected departure of Woojin, it was pushed back to 9th of December (today). Their first concert went ahead at the end of November prior to this comeback, as well.

After the release of everything mentioned above, Stray Kids have a lot of shoes to fill when it comes to Levanter. And within one listen to the new song, I was confident that the group had managed to fill those shoes without any issues. Levanter manages to find the middle ground between Double Knot and Astronaut, in my opinion. The song opts for a lighter than usual instrumental, going with mixture of synth and rock vibes in the background. I liken this element of the song to Astronaut, which was notably light in comparison to the rest of their discography. However, it is undeniable that the song features a strong level intensity. The chorus also has these epic vibes that remind me of Double Knot as well. The song is also very much vocally centered, with the vocalists of the group pushing their voices further during the chorus to enhance the epic impression of the song. I found their voices to be very piercing and this stood out during the chorus. The rappers, even though felt limited, sounded really cool during their parts. Overall, Levanter is an awesome track.

Once again, I do not want to dwindle on the music video for long as I will be returning with a Stray Kids music video theory post some time in the new year for you all. While doors have been a recurring theme in their past few music videos, I am still equally as confused as before when it comes to how the Leventer music video plays into the existing story line (and possible connection to their past music videos). But I hopefully shall unravel the story line some time in the new year (though, I would love to read about any theories you may have). Visually, this is a really good video. The members looked good and the sets looked really cool (and I think they were designed to remind us of the previous videos). I thought the graphics in this video was very cool and it felt pretty much different to anything that we got before.

Something that I felt very strongly when watching the choreography was how loaded it felt. It seemed to match the heaviness and deepness of the lyrics in a way that felt powerful and strong. Also, Felix gets a mini solo moment, which I am looking forward to! And the rest of the dance break looks really cool!

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

[Review] Only One – JBJ95

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JBJ95’s 2019 releases, including Awake and Spark, are eligible in the Best Song of 2019 category for the 2019 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. To support JBJ95, click here to vote and have the opportunity to select JBJ95’s songs as the Best of 2019.

JBJ95 made their return yesterday through the release of a special single, Only One. It is described as JBJ95’s first seasonal track, with the song fitting for the colder season in which Korea is experiencing. This is also the duo’s first release since the release of Spark and Awake earlier in the year. In other related news, the pair will also be having their second concert throughout the Christmas and New Year period and it is will also feature a stage for their new track, Only One.

Only One is described as a mid-tempo hip-hop and R&B track. But over the years, there have been a fair number of tracks of a similar description. And so, Only One is a very typical and bland track. There really isn’t much to say about the song without rebutting it with the comment that someone else has done the exact same thing. I did think the chorus was decent, as you could sense a pop of colour thanks to their vocal/rapping. However, the verses and bridge had this dreary vibe to them that stayed in my mind for the entirety of the song. So, not even a pop of colour was enough to ‘save’ the song. The moody electronic detailed instrumental is also not that much captivating, going with pretty much something you hear so often in the industry. Overall, I found the song to be boring. Maybe the group should stay with more upbeat sounds in the future.

The music video shared a similar impression to the song. Or maybe it was just the song rubbing off on the music video. But I felt it was very boring as well. I mean, the video shows the pair calling someone and then they stuck some flowers onto the corner of boxes. Not really the most captivating set of events in the music video. I have to give the video some props though. Despite the very bland sound, the music video features a colour palette that isn’t dull or grey. This often occurs during this season and draws more energy away from some tracks in an unnecessary manner. Here, Only One‘s video manages to add a little vibrancy, whilst maintaining the typical autumn golden hue.

Song – 5/10
Music Video – 6/10
Overall Rating – 5.4/10

[Double Review] +DONE161201+ & +REWIND170205+ – CL

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Many of your favourite artists are nominated in the 2019 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. If you haven’t voted yet, click here to do so and have your say on who are the best of each category in 2019.

CL makes her grand comeback to the industry with the release of +DONE161201+ and +REWIND170205+ yesterday. This is CL’s first comeback since leaving YG Entertainment last month and since the release of Hello Bitches in 2015. The two songs the former member of 2NE1 released yesterday consisted of two dates, which signify when they were completed. These two are also the first two of a series (In The Name Of Love) of track that will be released by CL herself in the coming weeks, though we don’t know when the next ones will be drop yet.

Both DONE and REWIND do not follow what CL released as a solo artist under YG Entertainment. They don’t take on board any hip-hop influences or sounds. Instead, the two track sounds more like pop tracks. They are good songs, reminding me of CL’s rough voice (which has definitely been absent from my playlist for some time). And both tracks a lot better than CL’s solo debut track (which I reviewed once and have never gone back to listen to it) DONE features an instrumental with an interesting hard vibrating synth. It plays throughout background and is an odd choice for a sentimental track. But it works relatively well, especially when CL starts rapping. I also liked the melodic touch the chorus had, which the synths also paired well with. Her voice is great in this song. REWIND is similar but it feels a little more weighed down and the instrumental feels more straightforward, going with a simpler, typical and less memorable mix. This results in a song that is quite bland. But I really liked the melodic flow of the chorus and her rapping seemed to have a better kick to it, then in the previous song.

It is often hard to judge videos of this kind. Obviously CL uses both videos to reflect upon the past 10 years, so it would be cruel to which is better or how they are flawed (if they are). So I will briefly run through what they had instead of laying down any judgement. REWIND is simply a collage of pictures throughout CL’s career, put together to ‘look forward to the future’. DONE features a lot of CL’s friends, lipsyncing to the song and is shown in a phone format (and felt like an advertisement for an Apple phone). Some familiar faces include Taeyang, Lee Hi, Park Bom, Minzy and Dara (though I might have missed some myself).

+DONE161201+
Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8/10

+REWIND170205+
Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.4/10

[Review] 360 – Park Ji Hoon

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Park Ji Hoon’s performance for L.O.V.E is nominated for Best Solo Choregraphy in this year’s KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support Park Ji Hoon and your other favourite artists by clicking here to vote.

All of the former Wanna One members (minus Ong Seong Woo, who has focused on acting this year) have made two releases in some capacity in this year. One of the last to join this lineup is Park Ji Hoon, who makes his return today with 360. This is Park Ji Hoon’s first comeback since his debut with L.O.V.E, which occurred back in March. Park Ji Hoon also returned to acting this year through Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency, as well.

The way 360 started off got me intrigued with the song. The instrumental kicks off with a smooth vibe and Park Ji Hoon himself starts off very low. The song ended up developing into a dynamic piece. There seems to be a subtle touch of funkiness in the instrumental during the chorus, which reminds me of solo releases by more well known acts, such as Taemin. Otherwise, it was well produced and a solid dance track overall. I really liked the post-chorus hook. It did sound awkward at first (his pronunciation of one of the words was questionable but it seems the lyrics were ‘take a shot for me‘), but a few extra listens really keyed it into my mind. His vocal work was quite good but I think Park Ji Hoon’s rapping steals the show this time around. It seemed to have a groove to which I thought nicely enhanced the song. Overall, 360 is a cool track.

The music video was really cool. I liked how the music video started off with the shakey closeup, the monotone filter and the flashing lights. And while I don’t like the flashing lights usually, I found them a good link between each scene. Deciphering the video is a little more complicated. From what I could see in the music video, there isn’t too much to go with besides Park Ji Hoon in different places. Based on the information I could find/understand, the video showed Park Ji Hoon at ‘different angles’ and hence this makes sense with the multiple locations. Other than that, I don’t understand what is happening in the video. I would like to know if there are some theories, so do comment below and share your understanding.

Like the song, I thought the performance was very dynamic. For a song titled as 360, the choreography contained a fair amount of turns. It looked elegant and powerful, which is very fitting for the song and the style that Park Ji Hoon went with. I also liked how sleek the chorus looked.

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

[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