As part of the ATEEZ’s latest album, The World EP.Fin: Will (which was released on 1 December 2023; album review coming soon), unit and solo tracks were featured on the tracklist alongside the title track Crazy Form. Each of these unit and solo tracks have a music video, thus making them eligible for a standard song review on my blog. Hence, in the lead up to the album review for The World EP.Fin: Will, I will be reviewing each of these unit and solo tracks separately. Naturally, the place to begin is the track with the first music video – HONGJOONG and SEONGHWA’s duo track MATZ.
With both HONGJOONG AND SEONGHWA being rappers in the group, it again comes as no surprise to me that the pair focuses on rapping and hip-hop in MATZ. While tracks like MATZ aren’t my instant go-to on any album, I can’t help but nod along to the song every time it comes up on the album or my playlists. I like how the pair does not hold back in any way or form – production or delivery aspects included. It feels like an onslaught of energy and intensity. The electronic and synths that were chosen to form the backing of MATZ is extremely textured and grungy-like. The intensity and robustness of the instrumental keeps us (the listeners on our toes). I particularly was caught off guard by the change in sound for the final sequence of the song. But the more I listen to MATZ, the more I feel it ties and sums up the song quite well by extending the aforementioned onslaught further. On the delivery side, both HONGJOONG and SEONGHWA bring a little something different to MATZ, which contributes to the heightened nature of the song. HONGJOONG sounds very expressive with his delivery, bringing energy and dynamism to the mix. On the other hand, SEONGHWA mumbles and slurs some of his words together, which I find adds a bit of personality and character to the song. I also find that he holds back the track – in the sense that it keeps MATZ grounded and not necessarily anything negative.
The music video sees the pair get kidnapped after a performance and held hostage. Later on they escape, only after they make a statement out of their escape. Further to that, HONGJOONG and SEONGHWA’s song is about their chemistry together, so the music video is definitely sending a message that nothing can hold them back when the two are together. Aside from that, I like the darker vibes of the music video, which matches up with that grungy feeling I was getting from the song. The only part that I didn’t like in the video is the use of the grills as part of their styling. Never liked them and probably never will.
As far as I am aware, MATZ is the only unit track from the latest ATEEZ album to actually have a ‘performance video‘ (i.e., there is choreography). Just like the song, the routine is super intense and the pair (along with the dancers) make sure to reflect this in the performance. I also like their chemistry and their individual expressions, which adds to the energy and vigor of the performance.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8/10
Also making her comeback today is CHUNG HA, who returns for the first time in 1 year and 8 months since her Sparkling comeback in July 2022 (and what was supposed to be the first part of her second studio album Bare&Rare). Since then, CHUNG HA went on an extended break from the industry, left MNH Entertainment and signed on with More Vision (the home of Jay Park, Honey J and some dance crews). Today, she returns with the single EENIE MEENIE, which features HONGJOONG from ATEEZ.
Signing onto a hip-hop label was the first sign that CHUNG HA was going down the hip-hop genre. But I did not expect that she would lean in this hard into the genre through EENIE MEENIE. Despite being well rooted in the genre, I feel that EENIE MEENIE keeps itself laid back. The instrumentation going with a minimalistic vibe, with the bass giving EENIE MEENIE a lot of character and personality to work with without the aid of much else. That being said, CHUNG HA does offer a bit more to the song down the track, with the pingy twangs we hear during the instrumental break adding further to that character and personality. As for her delivery, CHUNG HA’s main vectors in EENIE MEENIE are both graceful vocals and a sing-speak approach for the central piece of the song, with the latter being the more prominent delivery mechanism. There really isn’t much to the song that really give us an opportunity to sink our teeth in. But yet, I found EENIE MEENIE‘s minimalistic approach and CHUNG HA’s vocal charisma to keep us captivated and bring forth a stylish aesthetic. As noted above, HONGJOONG from ATEEZ also features in the song. His usual energetic delivery style is here, but I like how he also holds back to make sure he fits in with the rest of EENIE MEENIE. It might not be the track you expect from CHUNG HA, but it is definitely impactful and memorable.
First watch of the music video and I am totally digging it. So much so that I had 10/10 floating in my brain from the first watch. The entire video dons an urban look, which I find is simple and effortless looking. The post-production throughout this video is on point (particularly the changing garage doors). So are the camera work and styling. That person in the very shiny outfit was creepy but definitely a memorable aspect of the video. Also memorable is CHUNG HA’s visuals. Her outfits alone look amazing. I also like that HONGJOONG was part of the music video. Always nice to see the featuring artist in the video, no matter how brief it is.
Another part that contributes to the music video are the choreography shots. And given that this is CHUNG HA we are talking about, this aspect is (not surprisingly) nailed amazingly. She is both charismatic and captivating throughout the performance for EENIE MEENIE. It was hard to turn away from the her dance and the choreography scenes in general. And there is also a human slide that she slides down in the performance. As if that wouldn’t be up there with the rest of her epic performances from the past.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 10/10 Performance – 10/10 Overall Rating – 9.5/10
Welcome back to the Weekly KPOP Charts, this time for the 1st Week of the final month of 2023. We are practically on the home stretch to the end of 2023 and the beginning of 2024. It is also that time of the year where I need to get a move on with some scheduled posts for over the Christmas break, which will be my focus for the next few weeks ahead of Christmas. So you can imagine there is a lot to do to keep the posts coming out running over the upcoming holiday break. But before I get back to those posts, here is the Weekly KPOP Charts for the 1st Week December 2023.
ICYMI – 2023 KPOPREVIEWED Awards
If you have yet to vote in the 2023 KPOPREVIEWED Awards, click the link here to be taken to the voting page to support your favourite artists, songs and performances of 2023.
This week’s throwback song comes from SHINee’s Melon Music Awards performance from last weekend. Of the four songs from the last decade (i.e., 2010s) that performed, my pick this time around is Dream Girl.
Non-Korean song of the week
Jun.K (otherwise known as Junsu from 2PM)’s latest Japanese single, Command C+Me, is this week’s top Non-Korean song of the week. It ranks in the 18th position this week.
The Charts
Congratulations to ATEEZ and their comeback single Crazy Form for rising to the top of my Weekly KPOP Charts for the 1st Week of December 2023. For more of the charts, keep on scrolling down below.
Pos.
Song
Artist
Change
1
Crazy Form
ATEEZ
(▲ 20)
2
God Of Music
SEVENTEEN
(▲ 24)
3
Sweet Venom
ENHYPEN
(▼ 2)
4
Chill Kill
Red Velvet
(▲ 4)
5
LALALALA
Stray Kids
(▼ 2)
6
OOTD
Dreamcatcher
(▲ 6)
7
Talk Saxy
RIIZE
(▲ 57)
8
Soñar (Breaker)
NMIXX
(NEW)
9
Chasing That Feeling
TXT
(▲8)
10
To. X
TAEYEON (SNSD)
(=)
11
Baby Baby
Nam Woohyun (INFINITE)
(▲ 64)
12
What The Hell
DKB
(▲ 63)
13
NO WHERE, NOW HERE
ROTHY
(▲ 62)
14
VROOM VROOM
Weeekly
(▲ 18)
15
Must Have Love
ATBO
(▲ 60)
16
the soul savior ~ I don’t need a superman
Billlie
(▲ 59)
17
Gum
JESSI
(▲ 58)
18
Command C+Me
Jun.K (2PM)
(▲ 57)
19
Playground
LUN8wave
(▲ 56)
20
WATCH IT
THE BOYZ
(▼ 4)
21
I
Park Bom ft. Dawn
(▲ 12)
22
Screen Time
EPIK HIGH ft. HOSHI (SEVENTEEN)
(▲ 53)
23
Roller Coaster
24K+
(▲ 52)
24
Dropkick
&TEAM
(▲ 12)
25
ODD-VENTURE
MCND
(▲50)
26
Baddie
IVE
(▼ 2)
27
In The Mood
Whee In (MAMAMOO)
(▲ 27)
28
NEW STAR
n.SSIGN
(▲ 15)
29
War Cry
&TEAM
(▼ 22)
30
Do It
Youngjae (GOT7)
(▼ 7)
Songs leaving the charts
The following songs have wrapped up their nine week run in the charts system, and will no longer be on the charts from next week:
ATEEZ is nominated for Best Male Group, Best Stage Presence, Best Male Dance Performance (for BOUNCY), Best Electronic Song (for BOUNCY), Best Concept (for their Outlaw concept for BOUNCY) and Best Special Performance (for San’s Warrior Performance) and Best Album (for THE WORLD EP.2: OUTLAW). Support ATEEZ in these categories and your other favourite acts by clicking here to vote today.
Ending this past week was ATEEZ with their latest comeback – Crazy Form and their second studio album, The World EP.Fin: Will. The group first unveiled their new song on the MAMA Awards stage earlier in the week before dropping the music video and album release on Friday. This comeback follows on from the group June 2023 comeback –BOUNCY (K-HOT CHILLI PEPPERS) and their 11th mini-album, THE WORLD EP.2: OUTLAW.
After a string of powerful, intense and what some describe as noisy dance tracks, Crazy Form takes a step back from all of that. Crazy Form still has that ATEEZ vibe to it, just without that chaos that the noise, powerful and intensity brought when combined together. While it is just the first release without all of that, I already miss all of that and wished that Crazy Form went all out like its predecessors. There are some good moments, namely in the verses of Crazy Form that does give the song potential. The delivery had a sense of playfulness and rhythm to it, which I quite liked. The rapping doesn’t let down even though the step back on the instrumental front. And JONGHO’s soaring vocals and YEOSANG and YUNHO’s deep in the final moments of the pre-chorus that launches us into the chorus heightens the song. Unfortunately, the chorus is what makes Crazy Form feel flat. The lack of a punchy and blastful background for the chorus actually frustrates me, as the incline in the pre-chorus towards Crazy Form‘s centrepiece alludes to a bombastic and energetic chorus. What we get also isn’t even an anti-drop. It is like the producers forgot to hit the gas for the chorus. I don’t care for the melodies and the hooks suffers from the lack of energy. The only other promising aspect was the ending, when Crazy Form gets chanty and shouty, which brings Crazy Form to a very satisfying end. But all of that is let down thanks to a weak chorus, that I am not feeling this time around.
From what I can see in this video (and taking into account what has happened previously in this THE WORLD trilogy), the group is in its final phase of its rebellion that it has been building since the events in the Guerrilla music video. They just need to install their devices (produced by YUNHO and WOOYOUNG) around the city to illuminate an image of their pirate ship in the sky. The other members aid by distracting and taking out a few hurdles along the way that could impede on their mission. And in the end, the group succeeds with the pirate ship illumination (which is a nod to their ‘Pirate King’ start) and takes over the city in the end. I am going to assume that the shots with the city in the background is a celebration of their success, with pairs with their celebration under the water sprinklers at the bar.
The choreography is good, but it isn’t a standout in comparison to their past works (such as BOUNCY (K-HOT CHILLI PEPPERS), which earned a nomination for Best Male Dance Performance (Group) in the 2023 KPOPREVIEWED Awards). The best part of the routine for me was the sequence at the end where the song turned shouty. The rush that the song exuded was captured well into the choreography.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 8.5/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 7.7/10
ATEEZ returned in June this year with their 9th mini-album THE WORLD EP.2: OUTLAW. If you haven’t guessed it by no by looking at the title of this post, this mini-album is the focus of this album review. The title track featured on this mini-album is BOUNCY (K-HOT CHILLI PEPPERS), and there is an additional five side tracks on the mini-album. All my thoughts on the song are down below, with a few songs getting a 10/10 from me. Also, intensity is the recurring theme in all of the song on this mini-album, featuring in some form in each song.
THE WORLD EP.2: OUTLAW Album Cover
1. This World – Opening up the mini-album is This World, which features such an intense and electrifying set of synths. The way the song starts and ends with the incline towards the fast tempo was quite striking from the get-go. When This World reaches its chorus, the song turns into an equally intense rock sound appears. The vocals and rapping were all so riveting all throughout, from the soft vocals at the start to the powerful and explosive rapping at the song’s peak. A very strong opener. (9/10)
2. Dune – Where does one even begin with Dune. It clearly continues the group’s exploration of intense and aggressive synth work that they featured in the previous track and even some of their past tracks (like Guerrilla from last year). But ATEEZ always introduces something new to differentiate their tracks. And for Dune, that comes in the form of the very interesting guitar-like instrument at the start. It is quite ear-catching and gives off a very unique sound. This is followed by San’s falsetto ending pre-chorus, which I found to be quite memorable. The group then takes things to a whole new level of intensity with its chorus, but it is not until the bridge and final chorus sequence that I just completely blows me away as I am always convinced that ATEEZ cannot do more. Yet, they prove me wrong once again. The deeper and rougher vocals from Yeosang in the chorus was super cool and his presence alongside Jongho’s vocals in the final chorus was perfect. Jongho’s high notes and ad-libs pierces through. The blastful and rush of energy from the instrumentation was also just so intense that it felt blissful. I found so much to enjoy and be in awe within Dune. (10/10)
4. DJANGO – Taking the mini-album down a notch ever so slightly is DJANGO. I do appreciate the faintest relief that DJANGO provides the mini-album, especially following Dune and the title track. That being said, the track is still super intense in its own ways, like how it subtly built intensity by way of atmospheric synths (or is a choir background?) in the bridge. I also found like the vocalists got a chance to shine by the melodies in the chorus (which is my favourite aspect of DJANGO). Sure, the vocals do come off shouty to match the synth intensity and boldness, but they really do hold their ground in the track. The rappers themselves do an amazing job nonetheless to still give DJANGO that a powerful hip-hop and hyped edge that makes it another captivating listen overall. (10/10)
5. Wake Up – That faint relief in DJANGO didn’t last long, with DJANGO ending its run with intensity on par with what was present prior to DJANGO starting. Wake Up adds to the intensity, once again. You got Jongho’s high notes in the choruses, the rapid synth drumming, Hongjoong’s fast pace rapping and the other members shouting in the background behind said high notes all contributing to the intensity in Wake Up. On the other hand, I also did like the dips that Wake Up provided via the verses, heavenly vocals in the pre-choruses and the autotuned chanting/background harmonisations that kicks off the choruses. It balances it all out so Wake Up isn’t another overwhelming number on our ears. A well conceptualised track on this mini-album. (9/10)
6. Outlaw – Outlaw ends with what felt like the album’s blandest track, simply because I found it to be the least intense track of the bunch. I wished for cohesiveness that Outlaw followed through on this front. For the most part, it didn’t. But I did like the balance between vocals and rapping in this track. It wasn’t until the bridge of Outlaw does things get interesting. It sees some piano work, Jongho’s dragged out high-note, some bouncier synths and a sharper chant to end the track on. Some of these elements (i.e., the chant) was heard earlier in the song, but the end just adds a bit more body to make it punchier and impactful. (8/10)
As you can see, I am determined to cover more songs by Korean artists (or those who have a connection with the KPOP industry) that aren’t in the Korean language. Last weekend, I reviewed songs from KANG DANIEl, Golden Child, AB6IX and THE BOYZ. This week, I am reviewing VERNON’s BLACK EYE, ATEEZ’s LIMITLESS, TWICE’s HARE HARE and IVE’s WAVE.
Black Eye – VERNON (SEVENTEEN)
Language: English Release Date: 23 December 2022 Release Type: Black Eye (Digital Single)
Going over my records during the week, I realized that VERNON’s Black Eye (which was released at the very end of last year) had not yet been reviewed on my blog. So, here is the review! Black Eye is a straight forward pop-punk track that brings forth a nostalgic feel, This song style is one that suits VERNON super well, and his delivery throughout Black Eye proves just that. VERNON’s hoarse vocals is perfect for the genre and I liked the oomph he gives to bump the song upwards. I did wish there was a bit more to the song instrumentation, just to take it to the next level – maybe a solo guitar moment would have been ideal. I also wished the f-word wasn’t bleeped out (this would have potentially helped the song become bolder) and the lyrics were not written to feel like an angsty barely-of-age adult thinking they are cool in their rebellious phase against the world. A more mature outlook would have been better recieved. But overall, Black Eye was definitely a strong solo track from VERNON.
Now that I put my thoughts on the lyrics into words, I can’t help but think VERNON channeled this mentality for the music video. It changes my way of looking at VERNON in the music video (especially when he is very close to the camera), which I had originally thought was a good showing of a more angsty and rebellious side of the SEVENTEEN member. Other than that, the video does a good job of channeling the energy and pop-punk vibes of Black Eye.
Overall Rating – 8/10
Limitless – ATEEZ
Language: Japanese Release Date: 22 March 2023 Release Type: Limitless (2nd Japanese Single Album)
Again, Limitless is another song that I had realized that there was no review for. But that will change today. My understanding is that the song also serves as part of the OST for an anime titled Duel Masters Win. I don’t know too much about that anime, but the instrumentation of Limitless does fit the bill of an anime soundtrack. The synth work in Limitless has a forward trajectory and momentum that made it sound very cool from the get-go. When Limitless amps up in the chorus, the addition of the drumming percussion makes the track feel explosive. The electrifying rock back to the rapping in the second verse was also very exhilarating. As for the members, I wished there was a bit more character to their vocals and rapping. Everything felt held back in the track when it came to the members and it does dull out Limitless. A more robust melody and vocal line would have taken the chorus to new heights, and more oomph would have channeled more explosive energy into the song. The vocal part I did like was the pre-chorus, which featured a keyboard/piano like riff that just helped add a fragile tinge to the song, which I felt complemented Limitless‘ lyrics of embracing the limitless power and inner strength everyone has.
The music video sees the members go to the gym and participate in some sports like archery and fencing. I think the archery and fencing touches on the lyrics. They are sports that are usually seen as low-key and not as ‘active’ compared to the likes of basketball and soccer. But they do require just as much skill and technique, and the effort and inner strength one must find and input to play and win at archery and fencing pays off just as much as those other sports. As for the gym scenes, I think fans of the group will be swooning and loving those scenes. The choreography aspect of Limitless looks okay. But I expected something a bit more bombastic for this song and that expectation wasn’t fulfilled. The hand-off of the microphone to Hongjoong was probably my most favourite bit of the performance.
Overall Rating – 8.1/10
Hare Hare – TWICE
Language: Japanese Release Date: 31 May 2023 Release Type: Hare Hare (10th Japanese Single)
Hare Hare continues TWICE’s success in the Japanese market with another bubbly and fun-sounding JPOP track. I found the track to be super catchy and that it brings back that brightness that featured in TWICE’s earlier works. Timing-wise, the brightness works really well with the summery season that it was released in. I would like to hear a tropic remix of the track, as I think that would work really well with the way Hare Hare sounds. While it is clear that I very much enjoyed the song, Hare Hare doesn’t necessarily bring anything new to the table. But it is still a great and enjoyable song. My only complaint about Hare Hare is the bridge. The breakdown did not fit the rest of the song whatsoever. If the producers somehow maintained that bubbliness that Hare Hare is quite consistent on elsewhere in the song, I think the breakdown would have been more successful and appreciable.
The music video works very well with the song, channeling the song’s bubbly and fun sound. The presence of the emojis, bubble words and the adorable bunnies around the members adds a neat cuteness to the visuals. The members also do a great job of channeling the same vibes from the song forward with their facial expressions and acting. I did think the platform on the soccer field needed a rethink. It was awfully plain and just didn’t fit the rest of the video. The choreography was super cute and fun, just like the song. It also channels the bounciness that featured in the instrumentation of Hare Hare, while the pre-chorus/bridge infuses a bit of sophistication and matureness to the routine to complement where TWICE is at with their careers.
Overall Rating – 8.5/10
WAVE – IVE
Language: Japanese Release Date: 31 May 2023 Release Type: WAVE (1st Japanese Mini Album)
IVE’s WAVE serves as the group’s debut single in the Japanese pop market. For an entrance piece into an international music scene, WAVE was pretty good. There are some weak points to the song, like the not-so memorable verses, the lack of character from the members in the song overall, the odd intersection in the instrumentation of the bridge, and the missed opportunity to really heighten the song in the final chorus/moments of WAVE. But WAVE is catchy enough thanks to its repetitive yet monotonous hook (which I found to be charming the more I listen to WAVE, though it was the wrong move to continue on the monotonous nature in the rest of the song) and there were some strong moments that helps compensates for those weaker points. For example, I really like the hypnotic vocalisation that follows the first verse (by Liz) and second chorus (by Gaeul) of the song. The percussion and strumming guitar instrumentational also does a lot in WAVE in terms of making it more exciting (more than what the members added to the song) and moves WAVE along, while the whiplashes in the background makes off an interesting punctuation in the song. I did think (and this might be due to the music video) think the ending was lacking, just because I expected there to be some sort of concentration in the music. But instead, we got a repeat of what we heard already.
The music video for WAVE features IVE as squash players, patrons relaxing at the pool and rock stars. The first concept was quite fresh, given I don’t think any KPOP music video has gone with the squash concept before. Everything else was pretty much done before. But the video still highlights IVE’s amazing visuals. As for the choreography, I think there was opportunity for the group to do something bolder. What we got looked great, but the chorus calls for confidence and model-like. But instead, we got small movements which doesn’t appear to capitalise WAVE as well.
ATEEZ is back and they are supercharged with their latest song BOUNCY (K-HOT CHILLI PEPPERS) and their 10th mini-album, The World EP.2: Outlaw. This comeback follows the group’s December 2022 release HALAZIA and Spin Off: From the Witness single album, and their March 2023 Limitless comeback in Japan (which I have yet to review and will get around to in the future). The group is also in the midst of their Fellowship: Break The Wall world tour.
Going back to my opening comments for this review, “supercharged” is how I would describe BOUNCY. However, at the same time, if someone was to say BOUNCY was “overloaded”, I wouldn’t actually disagree with them. Each listen that I have given the song since its release, just over 24 hours ago, has given me the impression that BOUNCY is a high-octane release. There was barely a moment of rest anywhere in the song. The group just relentlessly pursued us with their powerfulness and abrasive ‘noise’ as some people might call it. The ending really emphasises this with its intensity and rush towards the end of the song. The only moment of rest that we get in BOUNCY was during the choruses, where there is a slight slowdown that coincides with the lyrics, which in turn pushes for a more playful and flirty vibe. It is an interesting move, but Hongjoong did a good job of selling that part, and so it catches on. The questionable part of BOUNCY follows right after Hongjoong’s part – the higher-pitched repeat of the chorus. It does give BOUNCY something different to play with and ultimately does add to the aforementioned playful vibe, but adds a screechiness that I personally did not enjoy. On a more positive note, the rapping in BOUNCY is impressive, which is what you expect from ATEEZ and their dynamic releases. Seonghwa’s part in the second verse is super cool and definitely serves as the song’s highlight for me. On the flip side, however, the vocals are pretty much underplayed in BOUNCY and are in the backseat of this song. However, Wooyoung’s slower and sensual take of the chorus following the bridge was a standout moment from the vocal line. Overall, BOUNCY has its charms and is another powerful and high-energy track added to ATEEZ’s repertoire.
The music video is action-packed, taking on the concept of outlaws. There is a fair bit going on in the video. Based on the teaser videos that dropped before the comeback, the group are sleeper agents who are activated to participate in a heist of green chili peppers, which seem to be the underground traffic item in this dystopian world that we saw previously in Guerrilla. Makes sense, given that world suppressed all emotions and expression, and hot green chili peppers will definitely elicit an emotion or expression from those who consume it. The goal of the group is to steal a batch of the the green chili peppers that are being transported into the city. Seonghwa and Yeosang are agents who are undercover in the team that is transporting the green chili peppers. Hongjoong and Mingi are cowboys gangsters that are wanted by the law, and well versed with the weapons. Wooyoung and San appear detached from the main story as they are part of some underground boxing ring, but maybe they fund the cause with their earnings. And Yunho and Jongho play cops, but I guess they are corrupt as they don’t do anything and join the rest of the team at the end. But in the end, they are successful with their heist, though we don’t see the green chili anymore. Interesting concept and a cool video overall, though I wished the characters the members are playing are a bit more teased out.
I do like how they bring the playful vibes to the performance. But it isn’t upfront or the centre of the performance. It is more so in the background or on the sides of the performance. As for the choreography itself, the knee-breaking move in the chorus and the snake formation was all very cool and super impressive. The ending with the high-energy rush was also well executed. Without a doubt, a performance that is worth the watch.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 10/10 Overall Rating – 8.7/10
ATEEZ is nominated for Best Male Group, Best Stage Presence, Best Ballad (for Turbulence) and Best Electronic Song (for Guerrilla) in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support ATEEZ along with your other favourite artists, songs and performances by clicking here to vote today. Be quick, as voting closes tomorrow night!
The final major comeback of 2022 belonged to ATEEZ, which dropped two days prior to the new year. Whilst everyone was busy preparing for the new year celebrations, ATEEZ is sliding us new music. The new single is titled HALAZIA and forms part of the group’s first Korean single album, Spin Off: From the Witness. This is also the group’s first musical release since Guerrilla in July 2022 and their third Japanese single, Paradigm, in November 2022 (which has yet to be reviewed).
HALAZIA is another one of those songs that I would describe as ‘interesting’. For the most part, the track does sound very ATEEZ-like, with its intense dance style. We are given a solid display of vocals in the first verse and more rhythmic and upbeat rapping in the second verse. The group goes full steam ahead towards the chorus with a strong pre-chorus, with a great stomping incline and church organs that builds suspense towards the main centrepiece of the song. The interesting aspect of HALAZIA comes via the chorus, which I am not exactly sure of. I love the concept of the breathy cult-like chants and instrumental that kicks it off. It stilled HALAZIA in a way that felt aesthetic and unique. But when you consider the pre-chorus was built up towards what felt like could have been a powerful and intense chorus, what we got felt like a loss of momentum and just didn’t live up to expectations. The second half of the chorus brought forward a completely different atmosphere, with a rapid intense rush of electronic element driving the song forward. Personally, I felt the two halves of the chorus did not cohesively come together and the mad rush of the second half felt like the producers was trying to make up for the lost momentum of the first half. However, I did think both halves had charm in their own way. The most impressive part of HALAZIA comes during the bridge, in the form of rapping from both Hongjoong and Mingi. I really liked the impact and force they brought to their parts in the bridge. This then led to the final sequence of HALAZIA, which was a blast of EDM and a shouty delivery that reminded me of Guerrilla‘s chorus. Overall, HALAZIA had great promise and almost got there. I just think the song needed to be better focused and cohesive in its central sequence to be more effective.
What really gets me with these music videos of a shared universe that spans over multiple videos is the amount of planning that must have already occurred to ensure the full story is told once the plot wraps up. And factoring in music, a unique concept that enables the storyline to be told, these comebacks must be planned many months (even a year) in advance. I applaud the people behind this, as this is something I cannot even imagine in my mind. Anyhow, the music video for HALAZIA connects to the world that was introduced as part of Guerrilla, where the emotions were stolen from the people (which really made them all creepy and I quite liked this chilling aesthetic). But the trailer to this comeback tells us that the world population was awaiting the return of ATEEZ (in the form of the infamous black hats they donned during their early days/concepts) to give them hope. But instead of that form of ATEEZ, a new version of ATEEZ has popped up instead. We are unsure this new form of ATEEZ brings, but they rally up the population to take back gravity (one of the other things they lost). What this all means, I have no clue whatsoever. And that ending with the ball dropping onto San like that is very suspenseful and mysterious. Hopefully, we will find out more in the next video.
ATEEZ once again impresses with the choreography. The intensity and power the members channel through was just so riveting to watch. In addition to that, the pre-chorus routine felt so sleek, while the cult-like profile of the first half of the chorus came through the choreography in a very captivating fashion. A routine I highly recommend you watch!
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.5/10
The second album I wanted to review during the week which I didn’t get around to was ATEEZ’s most recent release – The World EP.1: Movement. This is a more recent release to the albums I have been reviewing, dropping at the end of July of this year. And you will probably see me visiting some more recent album releases as I want to make sure I reviewing albums from all over the 2022 timeline (not just ones released many many months ago). The World EP.1: Movement features the title track Guerrilla, an introductory track (not included in the final rating) and 5 additional side tracks.
I use the word ‘epic’ or synonyms of the word a few times throughout this album review. And I think it is the right word to describe the album as a whole. And it comes no surprise for ATEEZ, who have put out some epic mini-albums over their years since their debut in 2018. I was only slightly disappointed with one song, and the rest of the mini-album really compensated for that. Can’t wait to see what else ATEEZ has in store for us in this new series!
The World EP 1: Movement Album Cover
1. PROPGANDA – This intro track was first introduced to us in the teasers leading up the album’s release. It serves as ATEEZ’s wake-up call to the dystopian world, which under the control of regime of the time. For majority of the length of PROPGANDA, the track features a lot of powerful EDM. But as we reach the end, electrifying rock takes over (hinting to us what is yet to come) and Jongho’s signature delivery of high notes. If you are not woken up from this intro track, I don’t know what will.
2. Sector 1 – Sector 1 starts off with simmering intensity but a calm atmosphere. But this arrangement only lasts briefly, just until the chorus. Then, Sector 1 quickly propels itself into its punchy chorus. I really liked those higher pitched vocals, which heightens the chorus even further. From there, Sector 1 maintains its punchy and intensity nature through some powerful rapping. The second verse’s pre-chorus briefly calms the song down before we find ourselves in the same chorus as before. The bridge maintains the intensity before the chorus comes back for its last hurrah in a hip-hop anthem fashion. Overall, a grand song that knows how pack a punch. (8.5/10)
3. Cyberpunk – I can definitely see how Cyberpunk attracted the attention of the fandom. The psychedelic-trance EDM instrumentation was definitely a prominent and iconic piece on this album. I really liked how the energy is paced in Cyberpunk and how that momentum was maintained throughout the track. In addition to that, the descending chorus line was superb and definitely added another iconic feature to the song. Seonghwa’s rendition of the line in opening the final chorus is the best in this song, with the roughness in this voice just doing wonders to that part. (10/10)
5. The Ring – To me, The Ring felt suitable for an epic adventure movie and we are at the part of the story where the characters needed some encouragement or hype to go on with their mission. On top of the hip-hop synth arrangement that plays an important part in The Ring, the addition of violins gives The Ring that epic vibe. I also really enjoyed the dramatic and theatrical flair of the chorus, which really solidified the momentous feeling behind The Ring. And, given that the song is more geared towards the hip-hop genre, the rappers really take full control of the wheel of The Ring and adds more to the epicness of the song. (10/10)
6. WDIG (Where Did I Go) – WDIG continues the epic vibes from the previous song. But WDIG falls more into the usual EDM realm of KPOP nowadays, bringing a more electronic prominence to the song. While I thought the verses were really well done and were relatively clear to appreciate, the chorus was a bit too autotuned and the hook was felt too drawn out for my liking. This made the song less appealing, compared to the rest of the album. Jongho’s vocals were probably the more enjoyable aspects of the chorus, but this doesn’t really help out much as it reflects the clearness factor which I had already touched on for the verses. (7/10)
7. New World – New World follows the formula of the title track, bringing together EDM dance synths and rock to form a powerful and bombastic end to the album. The rock is a tad slower and this makes New World more mature to a degree. Mingi is the standout member in this song, simply because his rapping was fire. And naturally, it was paired with some of the best aspects of the instrumental – such as that fast paced and thrilling thumping at the end of the bridge which brought New World a head-banging climax. A strong ender to the album. (8/10)
Before I attempt a weekend of an International Song Review and a few album reviews, here is one more song review. It is for ATEEZ’s latest title track release (which dropped today), Guerrilla, the lead track off the group’s 9th mini-album The World EP.1: Movement. It is the first Korean release from the group since the re-release of The Real at the end of last year and their 8th mini-album, ZERO: FEVER EPILOGUE.
If I had to pick one word to describe the likes of Guerrilla, it would have to be aggressive. And this aggression is present from the get-go. The new song opens up very crunchy synths and bass before launching right into Hongjoong’s raps. Your typical hip-hop influences are present in this opening verse. There is also brief taste of screamo. For the pre-chorus, the crunchy factor is lost and Guerrilla enters more melodic territories. Though this is short-lived, as Jongho ramps up the energy of the song with his soaring vocals (I will return to Jongho’s vocals in a moment). The chorus returns to aggressive synth territory and is delivered with shouty vocals that feels fitting for the grungy effect that the group is going for. I wished the hook here was a lot stronger, to give this section some much needed attention and oomph. To me, it seemed like the chorus was the weakest sections of Guerrilla. Then the song enters the post-chorus, a sequence that hybrids very punky and powerful techno synths, and grungy head-banging rock. All is very aggressive still, but it spins Guerrilla in a way that was unexpected. Jongho really shines and I found his soaring notes here to be very clean and precise, which shows you his skills and capabilities. We return to hip-hop roots with Mingi’s rapping, before Guerrilla is stripped to give the vocalists a moment to shine and the chorus is repeated. The bridge brings about very intense rock influences before the final chorus changes the dynamic a tinge with screamo vocals in the background. I think it is safe to say that my description at the start stands fairly well for Guerrilla by the time the song wraps up. Also, from what I described and heard from Guerrilla, it sounds like it should be a mismatch of aggressive sounds, given that there was a lot going on. But interestingly, Guerrilla is quite cohesive and nothing felt out of place. I think that is a feat on its own.
ATEEZ leads a rebellion in this video, setting up speakers throughout the city to get their message across. The video is set in a world where emotions and expressions are forced to be contained, as shown in the trailers. The lyrics of Guerrilla describe the world as a numb feeling. ATEEZ turns up the aggression with their song to combat these restrictions, blasting the world with their message to be more emotive and show expression. In the end, it appears that one of the kids being brainwashed to hold their emotions back escapes the confines of the brainwashing facility. The video ends there, and I am sure we will be seeing more of that kid and the Prestige Academy in future videos. Aside from that, I really like the high-end and sophisticated nature of the video, as it seems like a movie. The feature image for this post is my favourite shot in this entire video.
Aggressive is the word I would also use to describe the choreography for this comeback. I was watching it in awe and found it super captivating to watch. The movements were intense, energetic and powerful, all the while the group were also focused on performing the track. In particular, hats off to Jongho who successfully pulled this performance off without a hitch and his high notes were unfazed throughout.
Song – 8.5/10 Music Video – 10/10 Performance – 10/10 Overall Rating – 9.3/10
It has been a few weeks from the last album review. But with the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards winners announced during the week (congratulations to all the winners!), it is time to go back to doing the album reviews. And first up is a December release. ATEEZ made their comeback at the start of last month (and year) with ZERO: FEVER EPILOGUE, which is lead by the title tracks Turbulence and The Real (Heung Version). In addition to these tracks, the mini-album consist of 2 other new original tracks, 2 Korean version of past Japanese releases, an outro and previously heard versions of some of their past title tracks that the group previously performed on Kingdom: Legendary War. For the purpose of the review, I will be including all the songs on the album in the final rating aside from the Kingdom: Legendary War versions of their title tracks, as I have already discussed those versions in the past. Without any further delay, here is my review for ZERO: FEVER EPILOGUE.
2. Be With You – Be With You is a beautifully instrumented classical ballad that just manages to take my breath away. The piano and violin strings in this song are just stunning, while the vocals and harmonies expertly brings out that emotional tinge that makes Be With You so captivating. Even the rappers tweaked their delivery to be more vocal style to fit in with the balladry genre. Like most ballads, this one builds into that breath-taking piece before easing out so wonderfully. I love this typical trajectory, especially when it is done right. (10/10)
3. The Letter – The Letter takes on a soft R&B pop direction. The opening verse made it feel like a coffee shop music with a bit more oomph. But as the song progresses along, it diverted down a slightly more dynamic path with the inclusion of synths. The vocals and rapping in The Letter were also quite good and adds more dynamic traits to the song. Altogether, it had a nice kick to it and wasn’t as dry if the song had stayed with its coffee shop vibe. (8/10)
4. Still Here (Korean Ver.) – Still Here is a Japanese track that was previously released on the group’s second studio Japanese album, Into A to Z. Still Here is actually a neat pop track, consisting of a decent dosage of synths. I also liked the other parts of the instrumentation, including the guitar in the verses and that atmospheric in the bridge (which gave us a reprieve from the synths mentioned). The vocals and melodies in this song were memorable, while the rapping in the pre-choruses and at the end of the song added more dynamism to the song. (8/10)
5. Better (Korean Ver.) – Better is also another Japanese track, but is from the group’s first Japanese mini-album, Treasure EP. Map to Answer. Better’s biggest selling point is its repetition in the chorus. It is just do memorable and catchy. The group’s vocals and rapping are on point throughout Better and were the group’s best presentation on this album. Jongho’s high notes at the end was quite amazing. Interestingly, Better feels very ‘at home’ for ATEEZ, but also evoked a nostalgic vibe for me with its balladry approach. (9/10)
10. Outro: Over the Horizon – The outro consists of a very atmospheric instrumentation and a narration (by an unknown member). The narration can also be found as the words wrapped around the logo on the album art. It brings us to the end of both the album but also the Fever series as well, which the group has been actively promoting since mid-2020. This outro track does make me wonder, what is next for ATEEZ?, which I am sure is its intended effect as well. (8/10)
ATEEZ is nominated for Best Stage Presence, while ATEEZ’s sixth mini-album, ZERO: FEVER Part 2,isnominated for Best Album in the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Jongho is also nominated for Best Vocals. Support ATEEZ, ZERO: FEVER Part 2, Jongho, your other favourite artists, songs and performances by clicking here to vote.
As mentioned yesterday, I have been a bit busy especially in the last few days to review. But I am not busy at the moment, and so I will be reviewing the releases from the last few days. One of these releases is ATEEZ’s latest (?) title track, The Real, which is featured on the group’s 8th mini-album, Zero: Fever Epilogue. Actually, this isn’t a new song per se. The Real is ATEEZ’s final song on Kingdom: Legendary War, but has been revamped to be the new lead track for this album. This follows the release of Turbulence last week and their two comebacks from earlier in the year, Fireworks (I’m The One) and Deja Vu.
At the end of my previous review of The Real, I did mention that I would like to hear ATEEZ explore this unrelentless hype style. However, I had in mind that the group would do this through a different and original song, rather than the original. As mentioned already, The Real (Heung Version) has been been revamped to be the title track for this new album. I do have to say that the revamp was not extensive, though. If that is what you are after, then I prepare to be slightly disappointing, as I would say just under 90% of the new version is the same as the old version. In the The Real (Heung Version), there was more traditional instrumentation added, a slightly altered introduction, a more hype-inducing buildup for the pre-chorus and an extended final chorus at the end, which features an instrumental break that contains a prominent touch of traditional folk instrumental. Otherwise, the same delivery from the members, the exact same order and the same abrasive synths as per the original version of the song remained the same. I did wish that they went a bit further with the revamp like with the delivery (i.e. both rapping and vocals) and more pronounced changes, rather than subtle changes. That would have been a more mind-blowing experience. But while the changes described aren’t major, I did think that they did a good job of adding flair and continuing both momentum and unrelentless exudation of energy of the song (the latter being a massive selling point of the original version for me). Did I like the changes? Yes. But I think my original rating of 8.5 for the song component of the original version of The Real still stands with the Heung version.
In the case you were wonder the score for The Real (from the Kingdom: Legendary War post) on the blog is 7.9/10, which factors in the stage performance. The 8.5/10 song component of the release was never made public before.
I am not too sure what is going on in the video. It seems like the members are all of different factions and rivalry (based on that dance battle we get on the streets), but they come together to summon Yeosang back (who appears to be much more confident and arrogant (in a good way)). Something happened to Yeosang’s character at the end of INCEPTION and Deja Vu (and he is presumably the masked figure at the end of Fireworks (I’m The One) music videos), which were the main videos that made up the Fever series, hence why he needed to be summon back. The THANXX, Eternal Sunshine and Turbulence music videos might also factor in somehow, but I can’t think of how from the top of my head. Happy to hear any theories that you might have! After full reuniting, ATEEZ celebrates with one big street party! Aside from my haphazardly theorised theory on the music video, I thought it was a fun video that definitely draws from that side of the song.
Unsure if the performance has changed given the revamp, but the dance moves I saw in the music video were previously captured on stage at the Kingdom: Legendary War final stage. It seems like the moves in the music video a bit more oomph to them, and it looks much better than the stage version. I can’t fully make a judgement here, but it seems to head in the right direction.
Song – 8.5/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating –8.3/10
ATEEZ is nominated for Best Stage Presence, while ATEEZ’s sixth mini-album, ZERO: FEVER Part 2, is nominated for Best Album in the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Jongho is also nominated for Best Vocals. Support ATEEZ, ZERO: FEVER Part 2, Jongho, your other favourite artists, songs and performances by clicking here to vote.
Returning on Friday was ATEEZ, who unveiled a surprise music video for a pre-release single that will be featured on their upcoming eighth mini-album, Zero: Fever Epilogue, which is to be released next Friday (10 December). The pre-release single is titled Turbulence.
Turbulence is a ballad that is heartfelt and beautiful. It might be a departure from what they usually put out (i.e. intense tracks), but this is the work of a pre-release single (i.e. a single to be featured on an album, but is released ahead of the album for a range of purposes. including giving us insight into the album, or to hype up the album release). I am not particularly sure how to classify Turbulence, though I feel like the release offers a new side of the group and hence the song would fall into the latter category of hyping up next week’s release, promising us great things from the group. Anyhow, I find that ATEEZ does an amazing job, showing us a more emotional and sentimental side of themselves. This comes through via a number of avenues. Turbulence‘s instrumentation has an atmospheric vibe that you would find common with ballads. But to give it some extra sentimental energy and also some oomph, Turbulence’s backing also features some classical violins and electric guitars, which helps emphasise that heartfelt tone I already mentioned. The vocal work in Turbulence is no surprise, particularly since the group has the likes of Jongho (who is also nominated for Best Vocals in the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards), and he (in particular) stands out in this song with his high notes. But the other vocalists of ATEEZ also manage to hold their ground, and showcase their vocals capabilities as well. It also helped to soothing, yet vibrant melodies. The rappers of the group also do an amazing job fitting in. Usually I am not a fan of rapping in ballads (with some clear exceptions), but I think ATEEZ’s rappers do a really good job of capturing the emotion of the song and presenting their parts to us in a more subdued manner. They also help cut the overall smoothness of the song, which I think was clever in this song, as ballads can be boring if they are linear. Overall, Turbulence is a strong teaser of what is to come, and I am excited for their upcoming release next week.
The music video for Turbulence has elements seems to have elements that I recognised from their other music videos that formed part of the Zero: Fever series. The school desks reminded me of Inception, while the school bus we see San sitting in reminds me of Thanxx‘s music video. The train on the bridge reminds me of the train in the background of Fireworks. The scenery on top of the roof was also seen in the Deja Vu music video, while the train is also reference in the Eternal Sunshine music video. I think paper planes were previously referenced somewhere as well, as I have a vague memory of it. This is probably just me grasping at straws, but I don’t think these elements are there coincidently. But aside from that, I see a typical music video for a heartfelt and emotional song. The dark lighting is interesting, I guess it makes sense, given the darkness is what they felt at first (lonely, as depicted by the music video). But with one’s hope and such, they are able to see the path forward (i.e. the lights that light up at the end of the video).
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 7/10 Overall Rating – 8.2/10
After more ATEEZ? Well, you have come to the right place. As promised in my Eternal Summer review, here is my album review for ATEEZ’s latest mini-album, Zero: Fever Part 3. This mini-album features the title track Deja Vu and its contender, Eternal Sunshine, along with four other new songs. This mini-album is a strong one, especially its second half (spoiler: I dish out three 10/10 songs). It is not their strongest one, however. That title belongs to the album release before this one, Zero: Fever Part 2, which featured Firework (I’m The One) as it is title track.
2. Feeling Like I Do – Following from the bright and energetic nature of Eternal Summer, Feeling Like I Do continues that vibe with a decent track. I liked the upbeat nature of this track, with the synths bringing an enjoyable intensity to the song. The popping effect was a neat addition to the song, matching the vibrancy but also giving Feeling Like I Do some extra and unique energy. The drumming ties everything together. I also like the liveliness of the vocals and rapping. I do wish Feeling Like I Do had a more pronounced climax. It was the only aspect within the song that was missing for me. (8/10)
4. ROCKY – Drawn from the films that share the same title of this song, ROCKY is a bombastic and fierce song that talks about determination and succeeding as the underdog. Personally, I think ROCKY is better placed to be the title track, in place of Deja Vu, just because the energy in ROCKY is so impactful and memorable. The rock styled hip-hop influenced instrumental is very bold, and I love the swinging melody in the chorus. I think ROCKY could have worked with a boxing concept (pretty unique in KPOP) and lays the ground work for a pretty powerful choreography that will definitely scream of ATEEZ. (10/10)
5. All About You – All About You tones down the energy of the album with a more calming and soothing track. It is more of a contemporary track, not really falling into any of the standard sounds for a calming and soothing track. All About You has an synth heavy that literally simmers in the background for majority of the song. The vocals and harmonies adds both smoothness and textures, while the rapping gives the song additional momentum. Jongho’s high note is exceptional and the repetitive hooks make this song very catchy. I find it hard to fault this song and thoroughly enjoyed it. (10/10)
6. Not Too Late (밤하늘) – Not Too Late continues with the energy downtrend with a R&B track. Everything in song is quite dreamy, from the vocals to the R&B synth dominant instrumentation accented by piano and guitars. The rapping also follows the same mindset and the hooks are quite easy on the ears, easing us into the song and off the album. Another strong song and ender to this album. (10/10)
Kicking off this new week in the KPOP industry is ATEEZ’s music video release for Eternal Sunshine. As this single now has a music video, it is eligible for a full review on my blog, which is the purpose of this post. Eternal Sunshine was one of the contenders for the main promotional track for Zero: Fever Part 3, which was released in mid-September. But it was outvoted by Deja Vu, which was admittedly expected given Deja Vu aligned with ATEEZ’s image and profile more. But as I predicted in that review, the music video for Eternal Sunshine would still be released. On a quick side note before I jump into reviewing the song, if you are still after an ATEEZ fix, keep your eyes open for my album review, which I will be posting later today.
For ATEEZ’s range of title tracks, Eternal Sunshine is very much unexplored territory for the group. The song opts for the synth-pop subgenre that comes off as energetic and refreshing. Usually, we get very intense and edgy sounds from the group, so this is definitely a new and refreshing take on the ATEEZ we know. For the most part, I think it is a solid track. It is well suited for summer and is much more colourful than anything we have heard from the group before. The vocals were very nice and allowed the vocalists to explore pop with their melodies. The rapping was also decent, bringing more of a 90s influence via their delivery. The same can also be said about the chanty anthem that formed the bridge, which also felt like a substantial throwback to that same era and had good energy. The electronic humming was a great centrepiece of Eternal Sunshine and was quite memorable. However I think there were ways that ATEEZ and their producers could have made Eternal Sunshine more bold. The song lacked a climax. We got a high note from Jongho, which usually signifies a climax. But it just wasn’t exciting enough for me. I also wished they changed up the instrumentation a bit in the final chorus to spice up the song a bit and somehow close the song in a much profound manner. Eternal Sunshine, even though is new ground for the group, could have been better, with what we got being fulfilling but not gratifying.
To match the refreshing and summery tone of the song, the music video was extremely bright, vibrant and colourful. It definitely made the video very appealing to watch. The sun is constantly shining, which makes complete sense since the song is titled Eternal Sunshine. Out of all the scenes, I really liked Hongjoong’s solo scene, where he is being dragged across the train’s floor. It made me chuckle, but also added a lighthearted tone. This was reiterated towards the end of the video with all the members sitting on the floor and via their group scenes at the end of the video as well. The only confusing point in this video is the snow – not too sure what that represents. There is a line about Christmas in August, but I can’t really decipher that as well.
I feel that lighthearted tone of the music video also carried over into the performance aspect of this release. It also looked fun, energetic and the members looked like they were enjoying their time on stage, especially during the bridge of the performance. The moves didn’t feel intense, but the performance still carried that ATEEZ flair.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 7.5/10
Now onwards with the start of the new week!! First comeback of the week is made by ATEEZ, who returns with the fan-chosen Deja Vu as the main title track for this comeback. This comeback is their first since Kingdom: Legendary War and also marks the return of member Mingi. For those who don’t know ATEEZ have allowed fans to choose the main title track for their comebacks since last year’s comeback, Inception. For this comeback, KQ Entertainment put forward Deja Vu and Eternal Summer as contenders for title track, with the former emerging victorious. I am sure Eternal Summer’s music video will still drop later on. But for now, here is my review for Deja Vu.
Out of the two options for fans to choose as the main title track for this comeback, Deja Vu was most aligned with what the group has put out previously. Anything that sounds intense and powerful sound is definitely within ATEEZ’s wheelhouse. Deja Vu opens with what sounds like some dull metallic clanging and the muffled version of the ‘Da Da Da‘ hook. Standard dance synths and effects are used throughout the verse and pre-chorus. The dull metallic clanging returns in the chorus as the main centre piece of the instrumental side, while the vocalists perform the chorus in a very straightforward manner. I think now is a good moment to pause, so I can point out one of the issues with Deja Vu. Everything so far has been very generic and unoriginal. They get ticks for good energy, but other that I am a little disappointed with the standard drive the song is in. The rapping in the second verse does help lift Deja Vu‘s game. Hongjoong’s whispery delivery of the first half of this rap sequence was very interesting, drives Deja Vu forward in ways that the rest of the song hasn’t, and stole the show for me. Mingi’s followup rap sequence follows a similar setup. But once the vocals sequence (at no fault of the vocalists themselves) kick back in, we are back in that standard frame. Thankfully, the bridge cuts the standardness by introducing orchestral touches and this brings concentrated dramatic flairs to the song. This effect felt much needed and lifted the song for me. It just made everything from the rappers and vocalists more impactful, giving Deja Vu that round out that satisfies. If that isn’t enough, then the rappers end the song with a post-chorus extension, which (for me) ends the song on a more positive note. Overall, I feel like Deja Vu is an ATEEZ track, but it falls more so the generic side of the spectrum for me.
Similar to the song, the music video felt pretty standard as well. To me, the music video follows the standard formula of choreography and closeup. There are scenes throughout the video that hints towards a storyline (there is a scene with one of the members wearing the black outfit/hat that they kicked off their universe with), but they don’t seem as prevalent and felt more so on the ‘back-burner’ for this comeback. However, that doesn’t make this a bad video. Like the song, the visual aspect of the video gets better as it goes along. We move from generic dance sets to more ‘adventurous’ locations. And the video gets more captivating when the members perform in the rain and we can see their superb charisma on camera.
Correct me if I am wrong, but we have seen Hongjoong use his microphone as a baton before. It looked oddly familiar. Anyhow, it was the start of the charisma overflow in the choreography, which always makes the performance so more captivating to watch. It is also nice to see Jongho participate on stage (I believe he was injured at the time of shooting the music video, and hence didn’t appear in the choreography parts of the MV). His absence was a noticeable gap in the MV, for me.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 6.5/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 7.1/10
