YOON SAN-HA made his solo comeback back in July with his second mini-album, CHAMELEON, and the single EXTRA VIRGIN. It is his first solo release since his solo debut last year with DUSK (led by the single Dive. He also made his return to acting recently through the Korean drama My Girlfriend Is The Man!. Meanwhile, fellow members MJ and JINJIN have formed a subunit, ZOONZINI (their debut single, Some Things Never Change, dropped last week – review to come), while CHA EUN WOO recently enlisted in the military.
EXTRA VIRGIN is such a snazzy track. Right off the bat, it is hard to avoid the extremely funky and upbeat nature of the song. Amongst this, EXTRA VIRGIN brings us groovy percussion, a tinge of country twang and interesting synth choices that consistently have made me think my phone notifications were going off, when in reality my phone is always on silent mode. YOON SAN-HA is extremely charming throughout EXTRA VIRGIN. His delivery was very bright and energetic, capitalising on his youthful personality. While the chorus did feel inherently strong, particularly with the shouty beginning, I did think stronger melodies would have strengthened the chorus further. But my personal favourite part of EXTRA VIRGIN was the bridge. The instrumental break was enjoyable, while the build-up from YOON SAN-HA that follows was really satisfying. The ad-libs at the end were also great, but I think there was room to be even punchier and not feel as constrained.
EXTRA VIRGIN‘s meaning is funny yet abstract and different, with YOON SAN-HA confirming the song is about being premium and top-tier, similar to how ‘extra virgin’ olive oil is relative to other types of olive oils. In the lyrics, YOON SAN-HA expresses the idea that he can be anything his partner wants him to be, proving himself to be of a premium standard. The music video sees YOON SAN-HA attempt to find a way to get into the city from outside the town. I suppose the country twang in the song and the cowboy hat he wears during the video imply that YOON SAN-HA starts off in the countryside and wants to be a city person, to be with the person he is pursuing. That is only what I got out of the video and lyrics, so I could be totally wrong with my interpretation of it all.
YOON SAN-HA was awesome on stage throughout this comeback. Just like what the song calls for, the choreography is energetic and upbeat. But the main selling point was how YOON SAN-HA really got into the performance. His facial expressions gave off a mischievous vibe (which was what he was going for, as confirmed in an interview that I read for this comeback), which adds to the fun vibe the song had.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.7/10
YOON SAN-HA was a close contender for a nomination for Best New Male Soloist in the 2024 KPOPREVIEWED Awards, but he ultimately missed out on a nomination. Had DUSK, YOON SAN-HA’s solo mini-album, been promoted on the music shows, I think he could have clinched a nomination. This would have helped it stay more prominently in my mind for when it was time to decide on the nominations. Anyway, if you can’t tell, I am reviewing DUSK today. It is a 6-track mini-album, featuring the title track Dive. As indicated throughout the mini-album, YOON SAN-HA focuses on R&B and ballads on his solo release, with one song earning itself a deserving 10/10. To find out which song that is, keep on reading below.
DUSK Album Cover
1. Yeowoobyul (여우별) – Yeowoobyul makes for a decent start to the mini-album. The first word that comes to mind when I revisit the song is tender. The acoustic guitars and soft percussion that comprise the instrumental for Yeowoobyul evoke R&B vibes, but SAN-HA’s vocals are as soothing as expected for a ballad. The presence (or feeling) of both these genres essentially sets up for what is to come on DUSK. While it is a vocally pleasant track with really nice, swaying melodies, I don’t recall much about this song when compared to the others. (7/10)
2. Losing My Mind – I recall when I first checked out the mini-album, Losing My Mind unexpectedly surprised me for being all in English. And even months on from the release, that unexpected feeling remains. Losing My Mind leans more towards the ballad side, featuring a piano-only instrumental. What gets me is how heart-wrenching SAN-HA sounds. Yes, he sounds stunning throughout “Losing My Mind,” but you can definitely feel the emotions pouring out of the song and his vocals. A memorable 10/10 for me. (10/10)
3. BITTERSWEET MISTAKE – BITTERSWEET MISTAKE moves the album into R&B territory and is the first to feature a prominent beat. It also features some dreamy synths and some sensual energy that I associate with the R&B genre. SAN-HA sounds very mature in this number. If you are unfamiliar with SAN-HA or ASTRO, I don’t think you would have guessed that he is the youngest in the group based on this track. I would have liked to hear a bit more in BITTERSWEET MISTAKE, as it is very linear, lacks development and ends abruptly. (8/10)
5. BLEEDING – Shortly after the release of the mini-album, SAN-HA dropped a performance video for BLEEDING, which I have linked below. As for the song, BLEEDING keeps us in the R&B territory, but the vector is a dance track with textural synths. I liked the crunch those synths give BLEEDING. When we get to the chorus, SAN-HA really hits his stride vocally in the song’s centrepiece, and the drop has this slight boldness to it, which I enjoyed. I just wish there was something more to BLEEDING that kept it from being so neutral from start to end. (8.5/10)
6. Rain Down On Me – Finishing off the mini-album is Rain Down On Me, which is a slight step up in terms of dynamism compared to the previous song. It continues with the R&B sound, but with a smoother dance vibe. I really like the guitar work in the background and how fitting the whole instrumental felt for a rainy day. I also appreciated the profound quality of SAN-HA’s vocals in this song. (9/10)
Cast your mind back to February, when CHA EUN WOO made his solo debut with the mini-album ENTITY. The single STAY led the mini-album, which consisted of five songs in total (Six if you bought the physical version, but I only have access to the digital version). Today, I will finally put words to the page for the album review for ENTITY.
ENTITY Album Cover
1. U&I (너와 단둘이) – CHA EUN WOO eases us into his mini-album with the mellow U&I. It is quite a dreamy track with a jazzy influence coming through. CHA EUN WOO’s vocals are sweet and soothing, and the melodies have that sought-after swaying effect that I like. Altogether, it is a warm opening. (8/10)
2. Fu*king Great Time – The next song is a smooth R&B track, led by an electric guitar and some synth bass. Fu*king Great Time is definitely one of the bolder tracks on this mini-album for several reasons. One of them is the f-bombs that CHA EUN WOO drops so smoothly as part of the song delivery. It is definitely unexpected for CHA EUN WOO, who is well known for his boy-next-door charms in the KPOP industry. His deeper vocals are also highlighted so well in the song. F*cking Great Time is also the only track on the mini-album with a choreography routine. (9/10)
5. You’re The Best – The final track on the mini-album is You’re The Best, an indie folk ballad. The track is rather simple, with just an acoustic guitar at the helm of the background and CHA EUN WOO’s soft yet delicate vocals. Just like the first song, the swaying melodies are present in this song, and the lyrics of You’re The Best gives off warm vibes. This is also reflected in the music video below. (8/10)
YOON SAN-HA made his solo debut eight years after debuting as part of ASTRO. His debut consists of the mini-album Dusk and the lead single Dive. This follows ASTRO’s surprise 8th-anniversary song Circles and their strong focus on solo work—CHA EUNWOO’s solo debut with STAY, a string of songs released by JinJin through his JIN LAB Project, MJ’s musical/OST works and a drama for the member of focus of today’s review.
It is great to hear from YOON SAN-HA after so long. I honestly thought Fantagio had forgotten about him – especially since he has grown considerably as a vocalist since ASTRO’s debut in 2016. It would be a pity for him to be absent from the music scene any longer. Dive is an alternative R&B track with a prolific chorus and heavy bass that gives so much definition to the song. I quite enjoyed the instrumentation as it is. I like how the verses simmer while Dive‘s full potential is reached in the chorus. YOON SAN-HA’s vocals can be described similarly. There is a nice deep tone to the new soloist’s vocals during the verses that match the tone of the background wonderfully. As for the chorus, YOON SAN-HA soars up high alongside the background when its powerfulness kicks in. I also like the emotions he puts into his delivery throughout Dive. It makes the song sound so much more powerful and passionate. However, Dive does have two problems in my mind. The first is the lack of a strong hook or clean melody to make the Dive more memorable. Everything I heard in Dive that could have served as a strong hook or clean melody just doesn’t feel fruitful enough. Secondly, I continually expect a bridge and final chorus once Dive ends. I don’t know if this feeling will be lost with further listens, but I keep expecting something more at the end of Dive to finish the song satisfyingly. But what we do get in Dive already makes it a strong solo debut release.
Dive expresses the loneliness caused by the departure of a loved one from one’s life. From what I got from the lyrics, his feelings for that person linger, and he regrets how things ended between them. In the music video, we see YOON SAN-HA alone in all of the scenes, depicting the loneliness he continually mentions in the song. But his acting really shows the emotional fatigue one gets following a breakup, and in the context of the song, processing that lonely feeling. With that in mind, however, I am not exactly sure what in the video would make me want to revisit it down the track. It is one of those videos you need to watch once, and you know the gist of things. It doesn’t help that it is straightforward and has only one constant theme throughout the scenes.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 7/10 Overall Rating – 7.6/10
As we move past the Lunar New Year holiday (Happy Lunar New Year to those who celebrate it!), we are now starting to see some new releases pop up. One of them is CHA EUN WOO’s solo debut with the single STAY and his first mini-album Entity, which officially dropped today. For those who may not know, in addition to being a successful actor, CHA EUN WOO is also a member of the male group ASTRO, who debuted back in 2016.
Honestly, I wasn’t sure what I was expecting with STAY and the idea of CHA EUN WOO’s solo debut. But what we do get sounds very nice. It may not be the most prolific song out there presently, nor does STAY really rock the boat. But it has its charms. I particularly really like the acoustic guitar in the instrumentation. It makes for a nice and pleasant background for this track, but there is enough heft in it to give STAY some bite and substance. Similarly, CHA EUN WOO does a great job at expressing his emotions and bringing that to the forefront. In a way, he made the song stilling and captivating with his vocals, which by my standards means it is a successful and strong solo debut. I did wish there was a bit more to the song, just to give it more of that memorable factor. But honestly, STAY was a very well executed and I enjoyed the release with the limited listens I have provided the song thus far.
Mistaken for a date at first, the music video features CHA EUN WOO and India Eisley. The video sees the CHA EUN WOO’s character struggling post break up with India Eisley’s character, becoming floored and unsure what to do once he crossed path with her again. The song’s lyrics expresses the desire for someone who has parted way with you to stay, and what I described above that we see in the video fits the brief quite well. The constant repeats of the same scene suggests his inability to move on due to these feelings, and he is only able to progress with his life once he acts on those feelings and desires. The horrible traffic jam also appears to be another visual representation of that. Honestly, a well put together video and a strong concept for this solo debut.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.4/10 [Updated on 3 March 2024 due to calculation error]
One of the first reviews I wrote this year was for Moonbin and Sanha’s Madness, which at the time, no one knew would be Moonbin’s final release before his unfortunate passing just a month ago. I contemplated for the last month whether I would write an album review for Incense, in case I had some negative things to say about one of the songs on the album. It wouldn’t seem respectful to the late artist (and likewise Sanha, who I am sure is still hurting over his friend and bandmate’s passing). But I am sure that Moonbin would want to enjoy his music even after he left. And I indeed enjoyed this mini-album release. Incense follows the release of WHO and REFUGE from last year.
Incense Album Cover
1. Perfumer – Kicking off the mini-album is Perfumer, which takes on the sexy side of the R&B genre. It is a short track, spanning only two minutes. But it is neat opener and it captures this side of the R&B quite well. The atmospheric instrumentation and the very sultry tone that the pair exudes through their vocals brings the sensual energy to life in Perfumer. I would have liked a more memorable ring to the song or maybe a memorable element, just to give Perfumer more of an edge. (7.5/10)
3. Desire (이끌려) – Desire is the first of two solo tracks we get from the members. Desire belongs to the late Moonbin, and ventures back into R&B territory. This time around, some pop influences also peek through, bringing more of an upbeat and playful vibe to the song. Moonbin’s vocals are really nice and clean in the track. The chorus also has a memorable ring, which emphasises that fun side to Desire. (8/10)
4. Wish (바람) – Wish is Sanha’s solo track and it is a stunner. It is pop-rock ballad in which Sanha expresses his gratitude for the fans/AROHAs. The instrumentation had some really beautiful moments in its calmer moments and soared to some spectacular heights as the song progresses and a more prominent pop rock ballad sound could be heard. As for Sanha, his vocals were very captivating and you could feel how sincere he was. (10/10)
5. Chup Chup – Chup Chup brings the two members of the unit back together through another pop R&B track. Chup Chup is also a start of the album’s more light and endearing side. The synths makes this a very bright and friendly track, while the duo showed us a more light-hearted and carefree tone. The hooks were cute and had a ring to them, thus tying the song together quite nicely. (8/10)
6. Your Day – Your Day is the probably the most concentrated track, in terms of upbeatness and fun vibes, on this side of the mini-album. The pre-choruses pack a punch, while the chorus features a super nice and bright rhythmic disco instrumentation that I just want to dance to. Both Moonbin and Sanha make sure their vocals are bright and vibrant, giving the track an even more fun vibe. What I felt was lacking in Your Day was a more prominent hook, which could have taken the track to a whole new level. (9/10)
Moonbin & Sanha are nominated for Best Subunit in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support Moonbin & Sanha, along with your other favourite artists, songs and performances by clicking here to vote today. Be quick, as voting closes tomorrow night!
This week also sees the return of MOOBIN & SANHA, one of the two currently active subunits from ASTRO. If you can’t tell by the name of the subunit, the group consist of Moobin and Sanha, and they debuted with in 2020 with Bad Idea. Last year, the pair returned with the title track WHO and their second mini-album REFUGE. Yesterday, the pair dropped their third mini-album, Incense, and the title track Madness.
Madness features a funky and groovy energy to its dance pop profile. But before you assume, the track isn’t necessarily colourful like most funky and groovy songs. Madness also features a serious and a subtle powerful tone to it throughout its run that prevents a colourful or vivid tone to form, which actually allows the sound to fit neatly into the unit’s discography. I found this to be create a decent listen and a definite improvement from their last comeback. Madness features a solid set of vocals from both members, though I wished there was more of a zing to their delivery to make the song a bit more interesting. They were not competing with the instrumental in anyway, but I think a bit of volume (and even some definition) would have worked really well in Moobin and Sanha’s favour to allow them to stand out in Madness. A more interesting melody or delivery some sort would have great as well. There were some moments in which Madness could have built itself on, such as the pop start to the pre-chorus and rapping from Sanha (and briefly from Moobin). But ultimately, Madness joins the long list of songs that lack something memorable. The final aspect of Madness that disappointed me was the repetitiveness. I did like the repetitiveness at first, but with multiple listens, the song is drying up quite quickly. The final chorus doesn’t offer anything new to the song that the first two runs of the chorus had already offered. Overall, Madness is an appreciated step in the right direction for the duo, in my opinion. It just needs more to it.
The song likens the spread of one’s charm to the addictiveness of a scent, resulting in another person to be driven to a point of madness or insanity. And the two charms that we need to be wary of, based on the music video, belongs to both Moonbin and Sanha. In the video, we see them developing scents and breaking into a piece of ice that containing a bouquet of flowers, which might be the ultimate scent they are trying to achieve. I really liked the darkness of the sets, especially the choreography and solo sets we see at the end of the video. I also enjoyed how well timed the video is. When the song launches into the second chorus, we see the pair desperately breaking their way through the block of ice. It plays into the idea of madness slightly, which I thought was clever.
I liked the choreography, but there isn’t much that stands out in a memorable sense. Instead, I appreciated the smoothness that the choreography had, which worked well with certain moments of the song and gave a nice contrast during the song’s more jagged moments (i.e. the chorus).
Song – 7.5/10 Music Video – 8.5/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 7.9/10
ASTRO’s full length studio album from mid-May is the next album to be reviewed on the blog. Titled Drive To The Starry Road, the studio album is ASTRO’s third one since their debut back in 2016. It features the title track Candy Sugar Pop and ten additional side tracks. In those ten side tracks, six of them were solo tracks from each of the members. This album does feature all six members, but promotions only consisted of five members, with MJ sitting out due to his military enlistment prior to the comeback.
Like the last album review, there appears to be a common description between most of the songs on Drive To The Starry Road. And that particular word is ‘pleasant’. I tried my best not to repeat it over and over again in this review to avoid repetition, but I could have gotten away with using it alongside most of the songs on this ASTRO album. There are two standout tracks, in my opinion, on this album. More particularly, two solo tracks. Have a read below to see which solo track I had given a 10/10 to (and to find out which one of the two that I strongly recommend overall)!
2. Something Something – Something Something hovers somewhere between a pleasant pop track and a groovy number. I don’t think Something Something leans towards any side in particular, and was balanced enough to still be engaging. The vocals paired well with the pleasant pop side of the song, bringing the song’s nice melody to life. The rapping worked tandemly with the groovy side and it too brought forth a dynamic touch and kick to Something Something. (8/10)
3. More – More concentrates and intensifies those funky vibes from the previous song without going down the usual vibrant route. As a result, I feel that More comes off as quite refined and mature. Their vocals and rapping follows suit, going with a more serious tone which definitely meant business. A more memorable melody or hook would have taken More to the next level, but what we got was pretty good. (8/10)
4. Light The Sky (하늘빛) – ASTRO continues their pleasant run with another pleasant pop track. Light The Sky goes down a pop ballad route with a very delightful instrumentation that feels quite atmospheric and definitely makes you think of a clear sky – either during the day or at night where the stars are shining brightly. The vocal work was soothing and brought a smile to my face. The rapping was low-key but works well with the softness that is Light The Sky. Overall, a comforting number. (9/10)
5. Story – We enter solo track territory with the first one belonging to MJ, who unfortunately didn’t get to promote the album due to his military enlistment. It is definitely nice that we still got to hear from him on this album. Story is a ballad really brings out MJ’s raw vocals. He was definitely stunning. The instrumental starts off minimalistic with just guitar, which brought your attention straight to his vocals. The second verse featured a rapid build in instrumentation, bringing in classical and synths into the mix. It eventuates into a stunning and epic backing piece. (10/10)
6. All Day – JinJin follows with his solo track, All Day, a hip-hop track. It is such an upbeat number that brings the energy of the album right back up. I liked the vibrant nature of the song, as it isn’t a profile that we have yet to hear on the album since the title track. JinJin adds a dynamic front to the song with his cool rapping and anthem-like chorus. Unfortunately, All Day does lack memorable elements, which pulls the song towards skippable territory. It is decent, but I kind of wanted more. (7/10)
7. First Love – First Love continues the brightness that featured as part of the previous solo track. But Eunwoo’s solo track is much more mellow and lovely. Both the instrumentation and Eunwoo’s breathy vocals were incredibly soft and fragile, but not in a balladry sense. Instead, First Love felt lovable and touching. I did quite like that brief guitar solo in the bridge and the swayable melody that First Love brings. The latter brought a smile to my face. Overall, another decent solo track. (8/10)
8. Let’s Go Ride – Moonbin brings R&B to the album with his solo track, Let’s Go Ride. I honestly did not expect anything else from Moonbin, simply because his solo performances and fancams from their recent concert show him pushing a sensual and mature agenda. And well, Let’s Go Ride definitely brings those descriptions to fruition. From the instrumentation to even Moonbin’s vocals, everything just oozed sensual energy and charisma that I am all for. His smooth approach to the song’s bridge was on point. (8/10)
9. S#1 – Out of all the songs on the album, Rocky’s S#1 is my favourite. I remember being in awe with the song and Rocky when I first vetted the album for an album review. His vocals were amazingly passionate, expressive and emotive. That high note was spectacular. S#1’s pop rock ballad instrumental was also quite riveting. Digging into the song, S#1 tells a full story of when a love first began between a couple and the breakup point of said couple. It was an interesting piece as a result. If you want any recommendation from this album, Rocky’s S#1 is what I will be recommending to listeners. (10/10)
10. 24 Hours (24시간) – The final solo song on the album belongs to none other than the maknae of ASTRO, Sanha. I feel Sanha was slightly disadvantage, following on from the likes of Rocky’s song. But 24 Hours is still (yet again) pleasant and soothing piece. Sanha’s vocals were nice, while the toots in the instrumental (can’t tell what instrument it was) helped give 24 Hour a unique profile. Not as captivating like the other tracks on the album, but still a nice listen. (7/10)
11. Like Stars (밤하늘의 별처럼) – The six members of ASTRO regroup for the last song on the album, Like Stars. It was a nice ender to the album, and rounds out the entire album in a heartening manner. The synth pop of the song’s instrumental brought a nice upbeatness, with certain parts of the song diverting to an atmospheric feel as well. Both the vocal work and rapping were fine, with the latter also bringing a bit of intensity to the song. I did wish the melody was more memorable. But what we got works absolutely fine. (8/10)
The next album to be reviewed is Moonbin & Sanha’s second mini-album, RFFUGE, which dropped mid-March this year. It features the title track WHO, and four additional singles including Ghost Town, which served as the mini-album’s pre-release single. Moonbin & Sanha’s comeback follows the debut of ASTRO’s second subunit, JinJin & Rocky, who made their debut with the single Just Breath and mini-album Restore. Their comeback precedes ASTRO’s Candy Sugar Pop comeback and the group’s third studio album, Drive to the Starry Road (which I will be reviewing at a later date).
I can’t remember the exact reason why I chose to review REFUGE, as it has been a while since its release. I just have it down as ‘TO REVIEW’ in my notes. It has been bumped up slightly, however, as I don’t think I can handle another full length album review this weekend, but thought it would be nice to still put out an album review. And REFUGE was the first mini-album on my list to review. Overall, REFUGE was a decent album with some good and weaker songs. It is still worth a listen, as you may find something you like, as I did.
2. BOO – BOO takes on the R&B genre. I personally like the beat, the brighter tone, the clear vocals and the intriguing nature of the twangs we get in the instrumental. But beyond that, I find BOO to be just a decent track. Unfortunately, the melodies or hooks weren’t as memorable as they could be. And compared to the other tracks on the album, BOO easily becomes the forgotten single. (7/10)
3. DIA – DIA is more of my jam. The disco influences in the crunchy instrumental brought a more dynamic profile to the song (which I find to be extremely memorable), and I find myself having a boogie in my chair every time this song comes on. I really liked their vocals throughout DIA, with this song showing off their vocals in the best on this album. There is no standout hook in this song, as the instrumental really dominated the track for me. But I feel there is enough in terms of melodies to help boost the song’s memorability factor. (8/10)
4. Distance – Distance brings forth balladry energy. Distance starts off with an acoustic centric instrumental which I thought was really soothing and nice, before developing into a more bolstered instrumental that somehow maintains the acoustic roots it began with. I find myself swaying along to the song, as the pair delivers very captivating vocals and melodies. I am not entirely keen on the siren-like synths, but they do help fill up the background of the song, creating a heftier number. (8.5/10)
ASTRO kick started the week yesterday with their third studio-length album, Drive to the Starry Road, which is lead by the single Candy Sugar Pop. This is ASTRO’s first comeback in nine months, following After Midnight and Switch On from last year. Since that last comeback, a lot has happened with the group including the solo debut of MJ (who also enlisted into the military at the start of the month and hence will not be part of promotions of this new release), the debut of the JinJin & Rocky subunit and the return of the Moonbin & Sanha subunit.
Candy Sugar Pop is an upbeat and energetic dance track that dips into pop through a mix of old school funk and disco influences. I like how the song maintains its energy throughout from start to end, never really slowing down. The mixture of synths were bright and surprisingly sweet sounding, which makes perfect sense, given that the song is titled titled Candy Sugar Pop. And this also makes Candy Sugar Pop extremely satisfying to listen to. I did think there was some room for improvement, in that Candy Sugar Pop could have been more dynamic with some extra oomph or bass to take it to the next level. However, that doesn’t mean this song was not dynamic. I felt that the dynamic nature of the song comes through via the rapping, particularly during the pre-choruses. I really like the alternating lines between Rocky and JinJin, just as it cuts the smoothness that the vocals brings to the song. It adds texture and I felt they added punches to the song that helped heightened it. As for the vocals, I really like how the vocalists sound, simply because they complement the song’s instrumentation and adds sweetness to Candy Sugar Pop. However, I do think the hooks and melodies in Candy Sugar Pop could have been more memorable, even though the Candy Sugar Pop repetition is slowly growing on me. The song’s best part comes at the end, where we get a mix of abrasive (but fun) retro synths and tidbits of rapping and vocals that we heard earlier in the song to end off Candy Sugar Pop. It felt just right and incorporated the best bits of the song, in my opinion. Overall, Candy Sugar Pop was fun and a great single to add to ASTRO’s portfolio.
Not exactly sure what the concept for this music video is. But I like the idea of the candy, sugar and pop taking the members to a whole new world that is more colourful, fun and probably also a bit crazy (based on the candy themed Rainbow Road scenes). It make sense, given that the members singing about that but likening the candy, sugar and pop to their lover. I did wish the dance sets were a bit more lively, just because they seemed dull and empty. I wish they had more of that colour, fun and craziness I just mentioned. The members themselves look great, with strong visuals from all members!
Rocky pulling those high notes was definitely impressive. The choreography was good and decent, and encompasses how I described the song (energetic and upbeat). But unfortunately, I didn’t see anything stand out.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 7.5/10 Overall Rating – 7.9/10
The next album review covered this weekend is Restore, the debut mini-album for ASTRO’s newest subunit, JinJin & Rocky. Restore, which is another album that dropped in January, features the title track Just Breath and four side tracks, three of which are solo tracks from the two members (one for JinJin and two for Rocky). The remaining side track is another single from the pair.
Compared to the other subunit under ASTRO (i.e. Moonbin & Sanha, who also recently came back), JinJin & Rocky have a very different and unique vibe that is more fun and bright. It comes as no surprise, given their witty and funny personalities and a title track that is as fun and outrageous. Let me know if you agree with my thoughts below and the summary of the album I just gave!
2. Lazy (ft. Choi Yoojung (Weki Meki)) – Lazy is JinJin’s solo songs on this mini-album, and it features Weki Meki member Yoojung. Lazy is a fairly simple song, consisting of a consistent piano and hip-hop based instrumental that comes off as lighthearted and fun. This lightheartedness and fun vibe is important in Lazy, offsetting the repetitive nature of the song. JinJin’s rapping is a bit heavy with the autotune, but is balanced out with Yoojung’s higher pitch vocals. Overall, a fair effort. (7/10)
3. Lock Down – Lock Down is my pick for best side track on this album. It is extremely dynamic, thanks to the bass and funky rock guitar that is present in the song. It almost felt like a stomping effect – quite effective in grabbing one’s attention. Both JinJin and Rocky showcased power in this song in their own way. JinJin obviously did it with rapping, while Rocky showed power through his vocals. I liked how both peaked at the end of the song, giving the song a strong ending that was unforgettable! (10/10)
4. Complete Me – Rocky’s first solo song comes in the form of Complete Me. Complete Me is quite a textured hip-hop dance song, with textures coming from both the instrumentation and vocals. It might be overwhelming for some (it did at first for me!), but repeat listens have helped lessen it. Now, I find Complete Me to be quite robust. Since Complete Me is a dance track and the textures gives it interesting potential, the song probably lends well as a performance piece, which is something that is definitely up Rocky’s wheelhouse. (8/10)
5. CPR – CPR is the second solo song from Rocky, and it also closes out the mini-album. It is a pop ballad that explores more of Rocky’s vocals. I liked the energy, passion and power Rocky puts behind his vocals for this song. I was thoroughly impressed with him in CPR, especially when it came to the ad-libs and high notes that we got. I want to hear more of Rocky like this in ASTRO’s work, as he has proven himself to be a capable vocalist. I also enjoyed the 90s instrumentation that CPR had in the background. Not spectacular, but definitely nice. (9/10)
Overall Album Rating – 8.6/10
JinJin Teaser Image for RestoreRocky Teaser Image for Restore
Also making their comeback this week was ASTRO’s subunit consisting of Moonbin & Sanha. The pair returned with the single, WHO, and mini-album, Refuge, on Tuesday. It follows their unit debut back in 2020 with Bad Idea and is the second subunit from ASTRO to release music this year (the first being JinJin & Rocky’s Just Breath). Moonbin and Sanha were also quite lucky in making their comeback as schedule, as both were diagnosed with COVID-19 a week prior to their comeback. Many groups are delaying their comebacks or postpone the start of promotions due to COVID, whereas Moonbin & Sanha managed to just dodge this potential impact and recovered just in time for their scheduled comeback. However, ASTRO’s fan meet event, which was scheduled for 13 March, had to be pushed back to April.
It is clear from this comeback that Moonbin & Sanha (the subunit) was formed to showcase a very intense and more mature side of the group. Bad Idea definitely had mature vibes, while WHO has adopted a darker profile. And at the helm of this ‘darker profile’ is a powerful dance track. It is also quite minimalistic throughout – to the point where WHO felt very bare. But the powerful and intense nature of WHO helps offset the bareness of the song. Part of me likes that. Unique and innovative in a way. But another part me of felt like it wasn’t enough. And sadly, I am leaning more to that latter side. While the powerful rock influenced flair we get in the chorus definitely gets WHO into the memorable category, I fear its stay would be short-lived. In other words, the intense beat is enough to get it there, but WHO didn’t have anything to keep it there. The chorus could have been backed up by a hook, through a two part chorus, and this (provided it was executed properly and fitted in with the rest of the track) could potentially have ‘sealed the deal’ for WHO to stay in the ‘memorable category’. It also could have potentially helped offset that bareness that I had mentioned in a more satisfying and fulfilling manner. When I turn to the verses and bridge, there are some good vocals in there and there was a really bone chilling ‘Who you looking for’ line. But nothing captivating or strong enough.
The dark side of the pair is definitely shown throughout the video. The video takes on a religious concept, which I think is a bit of a unique concept in KPOP. Some scenes of the video seems to depict the idea of hell and possession, which is a pretty cool topic to portray. It also fits in with the lyrics of the song, which is about express the confusing emotions between evil that cannot be escaped and the desire for healing (taken from Soompi). Both Moonbin and Sanha’s visuals were definitely top notch in this video, with the mature look really shown off in this video.
The powerful nature of the song lends well to the performance aspect of this comeback. It allowed them to show off their performance skills, coolness and fierceness on stage. Definitely a performance I recommend you watch.
Song – 6.5/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 7.5/10
Last month, we saw the debut of ASTRO’s latest subunit, JinJin & Rocky, who partied it up with their Just Breath single. It was later confirmed following JinJin & Rocky’s unit debut that ASTRO’s first subunit, Moonbin & Sanha, would be make their comeback in March, with a pre-release single dropping in February. Well time flew by as we waited, and Moonbin & Sanha’s pre-release single, Ghost Town, officially dropped yesterday. Now, we will be counting down to the day that Moonbin & Sanha returns as a duo, making it their first release since BadIdea, their debut single from 2020. In the meanwhile, let’s have a deep dive into Ghost Town.
Ghost Town is another stop along the mature path that Moobin and Sanha has sent us on with Bad Idea. It is not a grand stop of any kind, as there isn’t anything big or groundbreaking within Ghost Town that gets me excited or is a ‘must see’ attraction. It is just more so like a rest stop you stop at before going on with the last leg of your trip to the real destination (that is, their March comeback). After all, that is the purpose of a pre-release single. Ghost Town is pretty straight forward track with a pleasant blend with its acoustic instrumentation and trap/hip-hop beats. There was potential at the start, however. I found the acoustic guitar to be quite striking, but it was soon lost to the heavy hip-hop beats that is heavily present throughout the rest of the song. In the end, it does make Ghost Town repetitive. But not to the unbearable extent where it drains out the energy of the song. This is why I still found it pleasant. As for the duo, I don’t have much else to say other than that Moonbin and Sanha sounded quite satisfying throughout Ghost Town. They fitted in nicely with the instrumentation, and complimented the hip-hop vibes. The melodies were quite pleasant as well, but as mentioned at the start, not memorable. Overall, Ghost Town is basically your typical side track/pre-release single that just isn’t title track material. I sure do hope that whatever Moonbin & Sanha unveils in March, it is ‘title track material’.
The music video is pretty basic and isn’t too fancy. This felt right for the song, which was of a similar nature. All of the video was the pair in front of a screen that was showing static, red tinge cloudy backgrounds or was simply off some portions of the video (these parts were extremely dark and it was hard to see the two of them). The pair interacted with the camera in a way that reminded me of 90s R&B music videos. I personally thought the video was a bit dry and isn’t something that I would find myself revisiting. It is a fitting video for the song, but not my cup of tea.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 6/10 Overall Rating – 6.6/10
I end the working week with the review of the final Monday release. I did not expect to take five days to review all the releases from one day, but here we are. The final release is Just Breath, which is the debut single for ASTRO’s newest and second unit, JinJin & Rocky. It is featured on the unit’s first mini-album, Restore. This is ASTRO’s first release of the year, following 2021’s ONE and After Midnight. The unit also follows in the footsteps of the group’s first unit, Moonbin & Sanha, who debuted back in 2020 with Bad Idea, and MJ’s 2021 solo debut, Get Set Yo (which I have not reviewed yet).
Heading into Just Breath, I was expecting something edgy, and potentially hip-hop aligned or rap heavy at the very least. This expectation comes from the idea that they are ASTRO’s rappers. So, I was genuinely surprised when I started hearing old school funky pop music coming from the speakers when I checked out the release on Monday. Just Breath (which is a mildly annoying title, as it should be Just Breathe, just to be grammatically correct) is definitely loaded with exciting and fun energy. And it is the type of upbeat energy that keeps you on your feet whilst listen to the song. Everything from the percussion to the brass in the instrumental breaks were on point and an absolute blast to listen to. There were some moments within the song, like the marching sequence and a few of the exclamations, that I feel would be most effective to Korean speakers. As a non-Korean speaker, I don’t get them as much, but I didn’t mind them. Aside from the marching sequence, the exclamations added to energy of the song. As expected, Just Breath did consist of rapping from the pair. JinJin definitely had great momentum and kept the energy up throughout the song with his vibrant and energetic delivery. Rocky did participate in some rapping with a rap-speak delivery, but his main contribution to the song were vocals. I was thoroughly impressed with his showcases of vocals capabilities in Just Breath (and may have taken the honor as the standout member in Just Breath. Both brought great character and personality to their parts, making this another impressive release from the day. The chanty end to the song was also a nice way to cap off the song, giving off an inclusive vibe. Unfortunately, Just Breath does lack a solid melody, and I felt the autotune in the bridge to be a bit much (despite fitting in during that moment). But overall, Just Breath is a fun and energetic song with a few nice surprises.
Just like the song, the music video was very fun to watch and had some comedic moments that even I chuckled at. It appears like JinJin and Rocky are both bachelors and have their own struggles. But at the end of the day (well during the day, given how early they started drinking), they know how to really enjoy themselves and realize that it is best to be with others. They were pretty wild, and this made the video extremely enjoyable and captured the vibes of the song very well. Their acting (I am going to assume some of it was acting, though their natural personalities would definitely be at play in this video, as well) was superb. I liked how their energy was inclusive of everyone, and they even got the old lady at the food stand to have a bit of fun.
Their acting in the video is one thing, but the fun and party vibes they showed on stage is just pure confidence. That alone has really earned them a a lot of praise from me. From their expressions to the way they moved about on stage, everything felt free and fun. The best parts had to be the brassy sequences of the song, where the pair and dancers do their mini skips and jumps. It was definitely the peak moments in terms of energy. Rocky’s split was a surprise and him holding the soju bottle in the music video while dancing was also a memorable highlight.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9/10
In this weekend’s album review blitz, I am hoping to review a bunch (and by a bunch, I mean 8 albums) of albums that have been on my plate for a while. First up is ASTRO’s SWITCH ON, which dropped at the start of August (making this one of the more recent album releases to be reviewed this weekend). It features the titled track After Midnight, which also dropped on the same day. SWITCH ON and After Midnight follows the release of All Yours and ONEin April of this year.
2. Footprint (발자국) – Footprint is a favourite of my on this mini-album. It taps into the tropical house, but the members’ vocals incorporate a laidback tone into Footprint. I particularly liked the autotuned lines that as part of the chorus, given they were quite sleek and provided a refreshing element to the song. In the first verse, it served as more a pre-chorus with no instrumentation in the background. For the second, it was blended into the chorus with the use of instrumentation, giving the chorus added definition and refreshing colour. For the third chorus, its deliver was a mixed approached, acting like your typical launcher into the chorus but also forming the body of the chorus. This kept Footprint interesting and non-repetitive. (9/10)
3. Waterfall – If you were like me and found Footprint to be laidback, then Waterfall is even more so. The initial few seconds of Waterfall felt like the song was going to be a ballad. But after that surprise high note, Waterfall emerged as mid-tempo pop track, even though their vocals went into a balladry direction. This slight mismatch doesn’t deter me from enjoying the song, however. The harmonies and melodies were really nice, the instrumentation was beautiful and the members really put their vocals on full display. (8/10)
4. Sunset Sky (노을 그림) – Another nice sounding track. Like what the title suggests, I can definitely see myself listening to Sunset Sky while watching a sunset or whilst on a walk outside during a nice pleasant evening. I liked the acoustic side of the song, which (to me) gave the song a nice golden hue. The vocals complimented this and the rapping fitted in well, as well. The melodies within Sunset Sky were also quite warming. Altogether, I felt everything contributed towards Sunset Sky’s soothing and laidback atmosphere. (8/10)
5. MY ZONE – MY ZONE returns the album to the EDM front, tapping into trap sub-genre. MY ZONE is another strong song from the group, especially after a number of laidback songs. I particularly enjoyed the chorus for this release. I liked the deep and breathy start to the chorus, and the energy that the chorus ended up developing into was quite fulfilling. While it was very electronic-based, there was a bit of a funkiness to it as well, which made it even more enjoyable. I also feel that MY ZONE really let the rappers of ASTRO (JinJin and Rocky) show off some flair and energy with their delivery. (9/10)
6. Don’t Worry – Ending the album is Don’t Worry. The start made it feel like it was going to be a dance track. But I was left wondering where that feeling went during the first verse, which felt rather plain for me. But as they started driving towards the chorus, you could hear the synths to kick back in. The chorus was just how I had expected it, with a strong hook and vivid instrumentation. The rest of the song continued the momentum of the first chorus, allowing Don’t Worry to be another strong release and ender for the group. I also liked how it had a tinge of reassuring emotion, which complimented the lyrics of Don’t Worry. (9/10)
The final major comeback to occur on Monday was ASTRO’s After Midnight. This comeback follows ASTRO’s earlier 2021 comeback, ONE, and second studio album, All Yours. The new title track is featured on the group’s 8th mini-album since debut, titled Switch On.
After a string of mature and powerful title tracks, After Midnight takes a step back to ASTRO’s earlier roots of bright and fun pop songs. While it might not be as apparent, I actually prefer the darker and mature releases of many groups. And ASTRO is no exception to this preference. So naturally, I gravitate towards ASTRO in their more recent light. But I do like the occasion brightly energetic and fun track, which After Midnight definitely ticks the boxes for. I really like how After Midnight retains a bit of that matureness and isn’t as sugary as their more youthful and earlier works. It just doesn’t sound like a song released in the early years of one’s career! The funky instrumentation of After Midnight keeps on coming, never really stopping until the bridge to make way for a soft break. But Rocky manages to ramp up the song back to the song’s funky energy before the slow down with his rap sequence. Elsewhere, I liked Jinjin’s rap sequence following the first chorus, which continued the momentum of the first chorus into the second verse. I also like the final sequence of the song. It was definitely a concentrated form of what we heard throughout After Midnight and a well-done last ditch effort to really sell After Midnight (and it worked, as I was definitely thinking of the sequence after the song wrapped up). For the other members, their vocals helped add extra life to the song, and definitely made the hooks catchy. But I feel that these two elements could have gone further. I have two primary wishes for this song – the vocalists were a tad louder and the hooks were more dynamic. What we got was quite satisfying, catchy and works really well already. But I felt that the vocalists were masked by the chorus instrumentation just by a hair, and so I wished they were more appropriate balanced with the consistent instrumentation. For the hooks, I kind of wanted more dynamism and hefty hooks. I think both wishes would have made After Midnight even bolder. But overall, a great return to their earlier days, but also a great addition to their growing discography.
The song is all about wanting to spend time with their lover all night. While we don’t see that, we do see a similar concept between the members. Eunwoo starts off with a battery sign on his wrist which was low. But after spending time with the members, Moonbin’s battery was filled. This basically means that their time spent together throughout the night was enough to recharge their batteries. As for the rest of the music video, I really liked the the different places they shot at (not sure if they were sets or locations, but they looked really cool). I also liked the colours within the video. They don’t pop out or seem that bold. But they had this certain definition to it. And obvious, Summery usually equals colours.
As expected with the song being fun and upbeat, the choreography was equally as energetic and fun. I also really like the member’s facial expressions (all very happy and smile), which made up a lot of the atmosphere of the choreography.
Song – 8.5/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.5/10
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