Category: Reviews

[Review] Side Effects – Stray Kids

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One of the two big-name artists in the industry at the moment making their comeback today is Stray Kids. While Stray Kids may not be exactly established yet (a few more successful comebacks will be needed to consolidate that), there is no denying their growing popularity, especially after the success of their last comeback, Miroh. Their comeback today is featured on the second part of their Clé series, Yellow Wood, which is the group’s first ever single album.

The title track for this comeback is Side Effects. I find the trance elements that the song features to be undeniably appropriate for the Summer season, the season filled to the brim of energy. Just Stray Kids manages to mould the intensity into something that I personally have never seen. The song does not stop with its boldness and bass, which I think makes it so unique. There were brief moments of silence or slowness throughout the song that did provide some relief but there was always another element (let it be vocals or raps) to continue the momentum. Talking about the vocals and raps, this song is just another example of the group’s talents and potential. If Side Effect‘s instrumental throws its intensity at you, the vocals and rapping slap you across the face. Props to Seungmin and Felix for their deep tone moments, with the latter finally getting an opportunity to shine in a title track. As you can tell, I am extremely enthusiastic about this track and the energy that comes off on it keeps me on the edge of my seat (despite the many listens that I have already gone through).

There seems to be a complex story brewing within the series. It seems to be connected to Miroh, with Hyunjin fighting another member in both videos. So clearly, the centre member in this series is Hyunjin. I did notice some similarities to their debut music video (District 9), which was very interesting (i.e. bus, security camera view, the lyrics talk about a pill, fencing etc.). My brief understanding is that the members are roaming around freely. Hyunjin seems to be on edge for some reason, attacking Seungmin and becoming frustrated with Felix. The reason why, well, I guess we have to wait until the next comeback to see what is going on. (I did read a few theories on Instagram, which seems to connect back to District 9). Standalone, I think the video does a good job of conveying the tone of the song.

But what is the message of the song? Well, it is all about being overly insecure and worrisome, especially about how this mind state could influence how you perceive the world (i.e. Hyunjin vs. the members in the video). Someone pointed out (in the comments on YouTube) that there are 9 additional backup dancers in the background, potentially representing the demons of each member. Very interesting theory. As for the routine, I think this is another fully captivating performance to keep your eyes open for. 

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 10/10
Overall Rating – 9.7/10

[Review] Doom Doom – NOIR

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One particular review that I somehow missed out last week was NOIR’s Doom Doom. I have no idea how I missed this track, even though I previously knew about the comeback. I was reminded about it last night, so I quickly squeezed into the agenda for today. This is NOIR’s first comeback since the release of Airplane Mode, which was released back in October of last year.

Doom Doom basically took all the of intensity that oozed out of the release of Airplane Mode and compressed so that it becomes more concentrated in intensity. The best parts of the track, for me, has to the sudden blast of energy we get during the chorus. It was an extremely dynamic part of the song, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The rough, scratchy and heavily autotuned voice used as part of the instrumental we got during the first two choruses was just so amazing. Interestingly, the final chorus took on board a whole new sound, opting for a fast-paced dubstep, which was equally as strong and keeps the song interesting. While the verses were easily forgotten, I did like how they focused on more of the vocals and melodic rap sequences. But while it has been all praises for Doom Doom, I can’t help but think something feels missing in this track, which I am not entirely sure what exactly it is. But there is a void that feels empty and it prevents the song from being perfect, which it otherwise would have been.

Based on what I am seeing in this video, it seems like Doom Doom has received the highest budget for any of their music videos thus far. While NOIR hasn’t really taken off in the industry, it seems like the group must be bringing in money so that the company is able to create a larger budget for this music video. And I like most scenes in the music video. All of them seem to be edgy, with the exception of the choreography scenes where the members are wearing Hawaiian shirts. That seems to be the only major mismatch that I observed in the video. But apart from that, it is a good video.

As expected with such a song, the performance is definitely very intense as well. While I don’t have much to say about it specifically, I did find it to be worthwhile and captivating to an extent.

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

[Review] Don’t Need Your Love – NCT Dream X HRVY

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Note that I have put Yesung’s Pink Magic review on hold until later this week, with hopes that there will be a live stage. 

Noticeably absent from the NCT universe thus far this year is the presence of NCT Dream. At the end of last year, Mark graduated from NCT Dream due to his age and since then, we haven’t heard much from the subunit. That was up until the 6th of June 2019 when NCT Dream (with the exception of Haechan as well) released their collaboration single with HRVY (an English artist born in 1999 and has released many singles since his debut back in 2013), titled Don’t Need Your Love. The single was released as part of the SM Station 3 series.

To me, the track is typical of what you would hear on the Western music scene or the radio. Nothing fancy when it comes to the collaboration. But there might be some good coming from this track that I would like to touch on. The vocals from both artists were probably the best part. One thing that I always reiterated, however, is that simplicity can be good. In no way do I find this a perfect song, as the word ‘bland’ might be an excellent description of the song. But its simple beat and typicalness come off very pleasant and soothing, which might sound odd to you (and hypocritical of me, based on what I have said thus far). Another thing I find that satisfies me is its timing. A lot of the music I listen to happens to be KPOP (or indie music if we are talking about my Western tastes). So to hear something like this amongst my current playlist is actually refreshing. But as confusing as it sounds, I can guarantee, one too many listen of this song can result in it being skipped for another.

The music video features the NCT Dream members and HRVY as well. And it too didn’t feel remotely connected to KPOP, which I find to be surprising. I don’t know what really sets a KPOP video apart from Western video. But I assume colours, boxed sets and flashy cinematography during choreography scenes to be key characteristics. The cinematography, in this case, was crisper and more defined than any video I have reviewed over the past few years.

With all SM Station releases (with the exception of 1), there has not been a live performance for any of the releases. So anything regarding the choreography is solely based on the music video. Based on my simple YouTube search, it seems HRVY has also dabbled in choreography before. So it isn’t surprising to see him do quite well in this performance. But ti seemed to be a simple routine, for a simple song and release.

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

[Review] Romanticism – Leo (VIXX)

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Second up on the reviewing spotlight is Leo, the main vocalist of VIXX. He has returned with his solo comeback mini-album, Muse, which features the title track Romanticism. This is his first comeback since the release of Touch & Sketch in 2017. I was prepared to write and publish this review alongside with SF9’s review yesterday but had to delay it due to the late release of the music video (I did watch the original but it disappeared before I got to review it).

The song starts off well. I liked the slow pace of the instrumental, which really drives that mature and sensual sound. The R&B instrumentation definitely set the mood. It was rather interesting how he delivered his lines. It felt like his lines didn’t fit in with the slowness of the track. But this isn’t a terrible thing as I thought of it as a nice effect. I think the chorus was classy and gave the song momentum. But from the bridge onwards, the song lost its flow and anything that managed to be showcased at the start disappeared. The final chorus, even though it recontinued the momentum, didn’t feel as impactful because of the derailment caused by the bridge. Leo did show good vocal work throughout the song but I felt the song could have used something more, like a rap sequence (I am not sure, but I continually heard Ravi’s voice in the background and low key expected some surprise featuring). So overall, I thought it was an okay track. Good at the start but a letdown at the end.

The music video was okay, as well. I did think it was bland and didn’t have anything captivating going on to be worth discussing. I did like the colour contrast between the warmer and colder colours in the choreography set. And I think the camera work in this video worked well with the instrumental. But other than that, I don’t much else to say about the music video.

I think the most likeable element of the comeback is the performance. The chemistry between him and the backup dancers made this performance stand out, sensual and more suspenseful, especially at the start. I liked that sudden burst of energy in the performance when it came to the chorus and I am sure fans enjoyed that pelvic roll.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 6.9/10

[Review] RPM – SF9

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We begin the week off with two sexy comebacks for all the fans out there. First up on the reviewing spotlight is SF9. They return today with their latest title track, RPM, which is featured on the group’s seventh mini-album (which shares the same title). We previously saw SF9 earlier this year through their Enough promotions. Once again, Now or Never will be my standard and Enough fell slightly short of the standard. So let’s see how RPM places.

RPM starts off with a heavy tone and beat, which is a very different opener to what I am used to with other KPOP tracks. I have to admit that this, while is different, didn’t feel ideal at first. But a few listens in later, the heaviness does foreshadowing the dynamic and loaded tone they opted for this comeback. The rapping and vocals complimented this heavier style, which I quite liked. I didn’t know how they were going to pull it off. But after the energy rush we got from the chorus, it felt like a lock and key situation. I also like the suspenseful buildup to the first chorus, which kept me on the edge of my seat. I would have liked a strong vocal hook. It felt like they placed too much emphasis on the ‘RPM’ repetition, which only half satisfied me (The deep ‘Boom Boom Boom‘ that followed the RPM repetition was on point, however!). I would have also liked to see the rapping hasten as we got more of it. I think that could have added another dimension to the song. While there were some weak moments, RPM proved to be a strong contender. But once again, it didn’t match the standard that they previously set.

There seemed to be a plotline in the video. Based on what is seen, I assume it is set in a video game context with a futuristic heist being the main target. It seemed like some members made it through successfully by completing their mission, while others were lost (i..e Chani who took off his controller, which Zuho later picked up). However, based on what I saw, only one member successfully got the end (whoever stopped the sliding briefcase). Based on the lyrics, it seems like they were all racing to love. So maybe whoever stopped the briefcase at the end was the one who made to ‘love’ successfully. Awesome video with really cool effects and visuals.

The choreography for this comeback looks very intense and I am captivated by what I saw in the music video. To me, the standout member for this comeback is Chani, who I think was in the centre position for both the first and final chorus. I couldn’t take my eyes off him as his moves (along with the rest of the group) was powerful and definitely impactful.

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

[Double Review] Breakthrough + Happy Happy – TWICE

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Returning with their Japanese comeback during the week was TWICE. What makes this comeback special is that we get to see two tracks (to be released back to back in July), with Breakthrough and Happy Happy. And this means it is time for another double review!  This is the group’s first comeback since Fancy and their first Japanese comeback since BDZ.

For the release of Breakthrough, it seems like the girl group is taking further steps with the edgier sound they adopted for Fancy. Breakthrough is very catchy. And that is thank to its instrumental, which I really like for its rush of energy. The brass used in the chorus has to be my favourite addition to the song, giving the song life and definitely brings that edginess that I mentioned before in line with their usual released. I think the vocals complimented the energy, while the rapping seemed to be the weak point in the track. I also thought the ‘Breakthrough’ whispering (that ended the song) was quite dynamic and an excellent way to round out the track.

Happy Happy, on the hand, started out and remained weak throughout. It felt pretty much like a typical pop track and didn’t offer anything new to us listener. While the song does have some life in it through its brightly coloured chorus, the hooks were quite disappointing. I did think the vocals in the track were nice but with a weak song to be its ‘blank canvas’, you can’t really expect much. I also did think the rapping was quite nice in Happy Happy but felt it was passable for the most part.  I think it is safe to assume which of the two songs I preferred.

A major reason why these two TWICE releases are part of this double review is that they actually share a number of music video sets (or more technically, backdrops). But the two concepts are very different. It is amazing how much lighting can change the scenery. Breakthrough is everything you had expected. Edgy, dark and there is some maturity to it. And I thought they nailed this extremely well. Happy Happy, on the other hand, is colourful and vibrant. Just like how the song is. And given how this is familiar territory for TWICE, they too nailed it.

It seems like Happy Happy does not have a set routine if they were to perform it on stage, based on the music video. So I guess I have to bypass this section for that song. However, Breakthrough did have one. And I think it was fantastic. They managed to bring that energy from the chorus to the choreography. More so, that matureness that I felt in the video was channelled well (take Jihyo lying on the floor as an example).

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

Happy Happy
Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.4/10

[Review] Birthday – Jeon Somi

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Interestingly, a major similarity of the post I.O.I and Wanna One activities are that both the 1st place winners of their respective seasons of Produce 101 have yet to embark on a solo career. Also, both Kang Daniel and Jeon Somi have experienced management changes since leaving their respective groups. We all know of Kang Daniel’s lawsuit with his former company, while Jeon Somi switched labels between JYP Entertainment and The Black Label (citing ‘different directions when it came to music’). However that all changes today, with Jeon Somi making her solo debut with Birthday.

Debuting under The Black Label (a subsidy under YG Entertainment), you can expect the song to go down a certain direction (mainly due to the YG part of that track). And well, as we expected, the song had some hip-hop influence, particularly around the chorus’ drop. While it does mismatch with the rest of the song, which came out to be more of a pop genre track, I think it was very dynamic and different. But it seems like a cliche thing to do, given other KPOP tracks from the larger company, and I am not sure if the song reflects upon Somi’s true identity. But that is a topic of discussion for another day.  The pop genre verses reminded me of a Taylor Swift style track. And I find a lot of songs by Swift nowadays to have some attitude, which I think Jeon Somi channels exceptionally well through the post-chorus (‘You’re Not Invited‘) sequence. It is definitely a catchy track and it successfully reels me in, so I guess a few more repeats of the song is going to follow this review.

So when you think of a Birthday, you think of balloons, cake, presents and some fun times. Well, the music video for Birthday definitely delivers all of those components. A very large cake, might I add to that mix. So, I think the video ties in nicely with the song’s lyrics. The extravagantness of the music video is quite likeable, especially with the bold colours and very fitting sets for the video. The video does let Somi stand out and shows her in a very confident and powerful limelight, which is the only aim for her and her solo debut.

Like the strong drop of the track, the performance gives her a powerful dance move to compliment that. I also like the attitude she manages to channel through the post-chorus hook. As for the rest of the choreography, we have to wait and see when a live performance comes out.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.7/10

[Review] FUN! – fromis_9

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It is time to get back on the ‘catch-up train’. Making their return last Wednesday, alongside WJSN and BoA (review coming soon!) was fromis_9, with their latest comeback single, FUN! And with a title like that and past fromis_9 songs, you can definitely expect the track to go one particular direction. This is the group’s first comeback since the release of the forever catchy Love Bomb back in October of last year.

I think we can all agree that the track is loaded with colour and energy, which goes hand-in-hand with its title name and the group’s identity. The song is best described as ‘fun and whimsical, which I think are all words that could have described their past title tracks thus far. The chorus stands out for obvious reasons. That downward spiral effect that the chorus has is very unique. And the short ‘Fun’ punchy hooks are very memorable. The vocals were quite nice and I liked them best during the slower pre-choruses. I found it interesting they gave the slight hip-hop twist to the vocal fragment of the second verse, while the rapping continued the momentum from the chorus. Another very unique touch to the song. I think I enjoyed every part of the song. I just felt the instrumental break could have potentially gone that extra length and have been more quirky to be a perfect fit, but it is fine as it is.

I actually think this was a very cool music video. The video is a whole heap of tiny informercials, showcasing a number of familiar brands. But the group puts a spin on each of these brands by incorporating their name. So basically the video introduces us to ‘Funta’, ‘Fromi Sweat’, ‘Bomb Noodles’, Fromis (a play on Adidas) and ‘Funsilk’. Unidentifiable is the green apple drink and I think the only legit company in this video was ‘Clear & Clean’. I also like their ‘NG sequence”. Not sure if it was real bloopers or staged, but it showed the members having an enjoyable time. Overall, a very ‘fun’ music video.

I love how energetic and cutesy the performance is. It is a song that begs for a lot of energy, and the performance serves that energy in a very enjoyable and organised manner. While it does look like a complex routine, I find it amazing how the members don’t look like they went through 3 minutes of cardio and movement.

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

[Review] Follow – Yunho (TVXQ)

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While I have only completed one review for a release last week, let’s take a break for one of today’s releases. Today marks the official solo debut for Yunho, one of the two members of the TVXQ duo and has been active in the industry since 2003. The title track. Follow, is featured on the artist’s first ever Korean solo album as well. Previous solo singles from Yunho that I have reviewed are Champagne and Drop, which were all special singles a part of SM Station.

Right off the bat, I find Follow to be extremely fitting into a style of music that I listen to. I find the instrumentation that kicks off the track to be mysterious and dramatic, which are all things that I am drawn to. I really like the bass element in this track, which really makes the song sound so punchy and deep. I think the vocals are a tad weaker. I thought Yunho showed great vocals, with that odd growl in this voice and that really nice display of a high note at the end of the track. Rather, I think it was the integration of the vocals into the electronic side of the song that failed him. But that was only for the verses. I found they did a good job of incorporating this voice during other parts of the song. That raspier and electronically filtered background vocals that appeared during the hooks of the track were quite fitting and gave an added texture to the track. I think overall, I find the song to be interesting and engaging. Whether if I find myself to be a fan, I guess we have to see with a few more listens, even though it ticks off a few of my interests.

I think when it comes to Yunho and TVXQ in general, a dark concept is definitely a must. What makes this music video stand out is the fact there is a futuristic vibe to it, which I found to be very cool.  Per usual, I don’t have any clue on what is happening in the music video. I did see that Yunho may have awakened some motorcyclist spirit in this futuristic world but I hardly doubt that would be the plotline of the video (i.e. a little paranormal thrown in the mix). But this dark concept has me interested and I guess I need to rewatch a few more times to really grasp a plotline to it.

Per usual, Yunho doesn’t disappoint with his choreography. My thoughts are all based on what I saw in the music video. I find his moves to be extremely stylish in this comeback. ‘There is also some attitude in this performance, which makes it very worthwhile to check out whenever it is performed on stage.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.6/10

[Review] Boogie Up – WJSN (Cosmic Girls)

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As promised, we will be re-focusing on some releases from the previous week. And I think we should start off with what I consider to be my most favourite release from the last week. WJSN made their return last Wednesday with Boogie Up, their latest title track from their very first special Summer album, For The Summer. The Chinese members of the group, Cheng Xiao, Mei Qi and Xuan Yi, remain absent for this set of promotions due to overseas schedules.

I wasn’t sure what I was expecting when it came to Boogie Up but I felt an overwhelmingly strong expectation for disappointment. I honestly do not know why that was the case, as I pretty much enjoyed all of their previous tracks. But rest assured, Boogie Up is a gem that I cannot stop replaying. It is a Summer track with a retro sound. I found the track to be quite fun-sounding, very energetic and had a fair amount of cuteness, which was all elements that made me smile and want to dance to the track. It is super catchy, especially with the ‘Boogie Boogie Up‘ hook in the chorus, which my mind begs me to continually replay for. I like how straightforward their chorus was, with only the vibrant instrumentation and hook at the forefront of the track. I liked the verses as they had a nice flow and melody. Vocally, the song is sound. Dawon really got an opportunity to feature more in the track, which made me even more happy (she has an interesting voice). Though, I felt like they could have gone with a little more kick for the rap sequence. Mainly to fit Exy’s voice more neatly into the track.

Like most Summer seasoned music videos (as I have been mentioning in the last few days), the music video shows the members having a lot of fun in the Sun and heat. With the sun shining brightly, vibrant colours and the fact that the music video is set on the beach, I think this has to be the best Summer themed music video thus far this year. Other than that, it is rather typical.

I thought it was a really good performance to watch. I really like the ‘Boogie Boogie Up‘ move they have at the start of the chorus. Thought it was very cute and fitting with WJSN’s more youthful image.

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

[Review] Heart Sign – Ong Seong Woo

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We have heard music releases from all the members of Wanna One since their disbandment, besides Ong Seong Woo and Kang Daniel. It seems like we will be seeing the latter artist sometime in the coming months, with promises of an impending debut.  Things will change today as we move Ong Seong Woo to the list of music releases, who has been notably absent from the music scene since the disbandment. Technically, this isn’t a solo debut, but rather a special single release, joining hands with Pepsi, who recently kicked off their ‘The Love of Summer‘ project with Eunha and Ravi’s collaboration, Blossom.

Listening to the track, the song brought me back to memories of Wanna One debut track, Energetic. It had a similar beat and felt very nostalgic. It isn’t clear if it was meant to be intentional. But given how they managed to slide in the line ‘We Always Wanna One‘, it seems like they are doing it intentionally.  However, it isn’t a direct copy of Energetic. This nostalgia was only present during the chorus of the song. The verses and its buildup, while it still follows the electronic dance pop style like Energetic, is quite different. I appreciate this difference to an extent, as I did find those sections to be quite bland in comparison to the chorus and didn’t really feel like it was contributing much. Seongwoo’s vocals were nice. I think he did a good job of making the song feel very dynamic with his vocals. The song does suffer from a linear nature as it sounded so alike from start to end. I feel like this could have easily been avoided with a rap sequence. But overall, ticks for a little throwback to memory lane.

I don’t know who in their right mind would drop food on the ground over images of a beach and ignore that array of fast food on the table. But I guess, Ong Seong Woo had to be completely bored out of his mind to do that. Hahahaha… But he solves that boredom by going to the beach to take images and join up with some friends to have a good time (a common theme in a lot of these Summertime music videos). I think it was a nice video. Of course, Pepsi was on full display, while the emphasis on the blue in the sea, sky and clothes was definitely noticeable. But they made it all balance by featuring a fair amount of yellow (through the sand and beach hut).

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 7/10
Overall Rating –  7.4/10

[Review] Wave – ATEEZ

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And I am back! Thank you for putting up with my disappearance. Without any more delays, let’s jump right back into the review grind! I thought I start with more recent releases and ‘work my way’ backwards. The first artist up is ATEEZ, who returned yesterday with WAVE and ILLUSION. As I will be trying to catching up on many reviews as possible, I have decided to review WAVE first and return to ILLUSION another day. We last saw ATEEZ through their Say My Name and HALA HALA promotions earlier this year in January.

WAVE features that tropical sound that is heavily overused by industry due to its perfect fit for the Summer season. And while that could be a good cue to start rolling eyes, the song does feature a number of great elements that really throws out that belief of being ‘another’ tropical house track. The first has to be the inclusion of ATEEZ’s intense style that we have seen from day dot for the group. While this isn’t as heavy or serious, I find the song having a good balance between their serious nature and the lightheartedness of the bright season. The second has to be the guitar, which I find really refreshing. It adds to the lightness of the track and really drives the song melodically, which isn’t something I found happening that much in their previous tracks. The vocals and rapping is the third element that makes me enjoy the song. The vocals add to the melody-driven side of the song, while the rapping adds extra texture to the song, which I find to be equally as enjoyable. Overall, WAVE is a nice track. Sure, it turns towards something typical but the group manages to make it one of their own.

When you think of the title WAVE, the first thing you will think of is the beach. And well, we get fairly close to a beach for this music video. While I think a small section of the video is set by a beach, the main ‘wave scenes’ we observe are along the coastline. And I think the coastline is at a place that has featured heavily in past music videos. On top of that, the video showcases the guys having fun at a local supermarket and at a skate park. Not exactly an eventful video when you watch it but definitely quite fitting for the song’s atmosphere and the season they are in.

If their past performances had intensity, then the accompanying choreography for WAVE has personality and character. All smiles throughout the performance, which is a little foreign for ATEEZ in my books. But I like how fun they make the dance, especially with those facial expressions and smiles.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.8/10

[Review] Run Away – Teen Top

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Making their comeback today is Teen Top with Run Away. As much as I enjoyed Teen Top back when they peaked with their more popular releases, I find that they have dropped considerably in the competitive climate of the KPOP industry. I don’t mean this in a bad way as I find their persistence to be a very motivating influence in my current life. But I cannot simply deny that Teen Top’s tracks are moving towards a ‘typical and mediocre’ description, which was the case for both of their title tracks last year. Let’s seen if they can change the description this time around.

I will get straight to the point. The song suffers the same issue. It is typical and mediocre. Best words for me to really described the song in a nutshell. There were some moments that did grab my attention but the effect did not last long. While I did like the burst of energy that the drop to the chorus gave us, I felt like the buildup towards the drop was quite underwhelming. Hence they couldn’t successfully extract the drop’s full potential. The track does have a beat suitable for the Summer season. It goes for a tropical house instrumental, which we all know is heavily relied upon during this season. I thought the vocals were nice but they don’t go that extra mile. Maybe some power vocals could have lifted the song up to a whole new level? It does sound like I am pointing out something good and then finding the bad in it. But that isn’t the case when it comes to the rapping. C.A.P sounds different. Not a bad different but a very intriguing good different. I personally thought his rapping was probably the song’s most dynamic point. It is clean and it diverts away from the rest of the track (in my opinion). Unfortunately, Run Away does have some negative and positive points but it is a fair track overall.

Music video wise, I thought it was rather colourful, which earns big ticks from me. The colourful nature of the video is also another fitting aspect of the Summer season. Other than that, I don’t have much else to say about the video. It is mainly made up of closeup shots of the members and choreography scenes. I felt like I have already poked their song enough, so to do that to another part of their comeback may rub off as if I have no soul and do not like this comeback at all.

I think the saving grace of this comeback is the performance. I think the best of the performance has to be the powerful chorus. It is fierce and definitely demonstrates that they are still capable of strong dance moves. I do notice some things based on their showcase performance. But I am hoping they are more one-off occurrences or because of the way the video is shot.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 7.5/10
Overall Rating – 6.3/10

[Review] One Fine Day – Sandeul (B1A4)

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Making his solo return yesterday was Sandeul with One Fine Day. It has been a while since we heard from Sandeul or B1A4 for that matter. The group went through some changes recently, with Jinyoung and Baro (the group’s most popular members) departing WM Entertainment (which leaves a very large question mark on top of the group’s name) and CNU’s military enlistment. Hence their lack of members has left B1A4 absent from the public. Sandeul’s last comeback was his solo debut, which occurred back in 2016 with Stay As You Are.

It is no surprise to me that that One Fine Day is a ballad. That is also no surprise, as well, coming from Sandeul, who is quite well known for his vocals in the industry. One Fine Day has a straightforward ballad instrumental, consisting of mainly piano which builds up to a climatic classical infused track. Based on that description, there really isn’t anything fresh or new about the track. The one thing does stand out is Sandeul’s voice for me. I find his vocals to be a little different from before and this becomes a drawing point for me. I find the melody to be soothing and I can feel some emotions creeping up on you towards the end of the track. As much as I think it is decent, the track does seem to drag on, mainly because it is 5 minutes long (which tends to be uncommon in the industry). Decent yes but I don’t think it will be a song that I would continuous replay due to its length.  I feel like multiple listens will make this song extremely heavy on me and that wouldn’t be a ‘soothing’ feeling.

The music video falls in line with other relationship centred ballads. But it is one of those rare cases where the majority of the story is there and you don’t have to guess your way through it. Sandeul and the actress meet in a very empty theatre and their relationship blossomed from there. I find this to be a cute relationship and their interactions depict them as a genuine couple. I think along the way, their relationship does seem to become lost and they end up breaking up. While I think she tried to break up in a ‘clean fashion’, he does end up chasing after her, leaving her in tears. I also feel like the bus stop scene was after their breakup and they go onto one last bus trip into the sunset (she doesn’t smile when he smiles and he takes the bus back during the nighttime in tears). I think this indicates that he let her go but tried his best to be cheerful for her. Like these small details and thought it was a nice yet typical story.

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

 

[Review] No One – Lee Hi ft. B.I (iKON)

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Probably one of the biggest comebacks of last week was Lee Hi’s long-awaited return. And unfortunately, I missed it and delayed the review until today. Not to blame other people but I felt like if the comeback didn’t seem too sudden (Her teasers did come out of nowhere for me at least), I would have planned it into my agenda somehow. No One is Lee Hi’s first comeback since 2016 after the release of My Star. Since its release last Thursday, the song has topped charts all over South Korea, showcasing her power has remained the same despite an almost three-year break.

To me, No One starts off with a decent reggae beat. I did feel like the song did lose that particular colour that we normally associate with reggae as we progressed along with the song. While I think that sound compliments Lee Hi’s well-known vocals well, this ‘ loss of colour’ does make way for B.I’s rap feature. It gives the song a blast of intensity, which I think was much needed. Particularly after choruses that did not really seem to be captivating and were significantly underwhelming in my opinion. And it is because of this, I feel like the song hasn’t had the opportunity to stick into my head. It isn’t memorable and it doesn’t have me wanting to replay it. Based on what I have written, I think it is safe to say that I am not exactly into the song. The only thing (at this very stage) that has me interested is the fact that Lee Hi sounds like she curses in the song. ‘Officially’, I think she is singing a Korean word, but there is no doubt that about the presence of the ‘Shit’ in the song (even the English lyrics say so!). I am surprised about the lack of publicity or comments about this.

Not exactly sure what is going on in this video. But Lee Hi seems to be playing a cat with big dreams of falling in love and going on an adventure. While I do think the video is very YG, I felt the video to be extremely bland. I feel like the video is a good reflection of how expressionless Lee Hi’s face, as we have seen throughout her career. On top of that, we are treated to a lot of it throughout the video, as it did a good job of portraying some mystery. Lee Hi looks very pretty and mature in this video, which I think everyone is appreciating. I am not sure about B.I’s hair though. I did catch me off guard and looked messy (I talk from experience as I have a similar shaggy-like haircut as well at the moment).

From memory, Lee Hi doesn’t participate much in the choreography aspect of her performances. So it was nice to see her participate during the chorus. Though, it did seem obvious that she was more focused on live singing and not really perfecting the moves. As for the dance moves, I felt that they were quite bland, channelling the rest of the comeback.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 6.5/10
Overall Rating – 6.1/10

[Review] Twilight – ONEUS

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Apologies for the lack of reviews once again. I have been very busy and I am making some time today to squeeze in two reviews to just not fall way behind on the new releases. Returning today is ONEUS, a new male group who made their debut earlier in the year with Valkirye. Hence, this is ONEUS’ first comeback ever since their debut and their new title track is named Twilight. In related news, ONEUS’s band counterpart, ONEWE made their debut a few weeks back with Reminisce About All.

I personally find Twilight to be a nice continuation from the group’s debut track. I just find that it lacks some energy when it comes to the verses, which result in them not being not as memorable as the other parts of the track. I did find the guitar-based instrumentation in the verses to be interesting to an extent. They do set a moody tone to the track, which I think is the element that keeps Twilight in line with Valkirye. The choruses incorporate a more upbeat and trap-like instrumental. I found this to be, obviously, the more dynamic section of the track. But it wasn’t the most memorable section of the track. That is awarded to the pre-chorus, that the song opens up with. The combination of the thumping in the background and the tiny bit of raspiness goes a long way. I also like how one of the vocalists and the rapper combine their voices together towards the end of the pre-chorus to create an ultra rough and impactful section of the song. That really stood out for me. The rest of the vocals and raps were quite good, as well.

I really like the building they shot the video in. While I am not always a fan of these classy styled buildings, the way the director shot this video really made the castle-like building stand out. It is absolutely a well-appreciated changeup, especially since they were in a box for their debut music video. I am personally not sure if there is a story embedded in the video for not. It seems like that is the case with how serious and how they interact with various components in the video. I see that they played the backflip card in the video and I thought it was a little cliche, especially how many male groups have a member (or two) capable of doing the exact same thing.

But the backflip did showcase some fierceness in the music video. And I feel like that fierceness was brought along to the choreography as well. I think the fast-paced section of the chorus is definitely a decent example of the fierceness. I also like that slow spin move that did during the bridge of the performance. That was quite cool.

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