B.A.P – KPOPREVIEWED

[Review] Headache – Moon Jongup ft. YUNHWAY

June 3, 2020Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged B.A.P, Jongup (B.A.P)Leave a comment

B.A.P is a group with a lot of wasted potential. This is something that I will continually remind you time and time again, so that they are not forgotten like other defunct, inactive or disbanded groups. A group comeback, even though promised by some members, seems like something that won’t happen any time soon. Since the start of 2019, B.A.P have gone their separate ways and embarked on solo careers. The latest member to join this movement is Jongup, who returned as a solo artist four weeks ago with Headache. The song also features YUNHWAY, who participated in Show Me The Money 8 last year.

Headache is a funky pop number that had this infectious feel good and easygoing vibe to it, which is quite pleasant. To me, Headache‘s energy is the main star of the song. It was gladly not compromised with any instrumental breakdowns or musical change ups (like mashup of different genres into one song or slow downs). Even when YUNHWAY joins in for a rap sequence, the song doesn’t change too much and maintains the energy. Her voice is rather unique. She brought a nasally yet light tone to the song and her sequence goes for an optimal amount of time (not sure if it would have had the same effect if it went for any longer). In a way, the song felt monotone. But this singular tonal approach paid off greatly. I am quite surprised and unsure why I put off writing this review. Jongup brings a nice voice to the party and helps makes the song’s melodies and hooks be more approachable and catchy. While he was more known for his dancing skills during group promotions, Jongup has definitely improved during his absence from the music industry in 2019. It would have been nice if his voice had a little more colour to it, to give it that much needed oomph. But Headache was a very nice and laid back song, overall. Oh, and in no way does the song feel headache inducing. It is just the feeling he gets when he thinks of his crush.

Jongup becomes playful in the music video when making his move on the waitress from the local cafe. That is essentially the music video summarised in the one sentence. There were a few things I noted while watching the video, though. It actually features YUNHWAY, which is a fantastic part of the music video. Many times the promotional material (including the music video) does not feature the the featuring artist when it should. Always a pity when that doesn’t happen. I also like when Jongup dances with his ‘crush’ in the music video. The flaw of the music video has to be the mistry filter, while dull the viewing experience.

While Jongup had this more carefree and easygoing vibe in the performance, I don’t think it is his most impressive performance to date. That probably will be attributed to one of the B.A.P stages from the past. With a song like this, there is a lot of smiles and energy infused into the performance, which made it very appealing to watch.

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

[Review] Aight – Jung Daehyun

October 12, 2019Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged B.A.P, Daehyun (B.A.P), Jung Daehyun1 Comment

We now turn towards a solo comeback. Jung Daehyun made his official solo debut earlier this year with a ballad (You’re My). I call this a typical move for the main vocalists for groups. So it is always interesting to see solo acts to change their tracks with their next release. This is the case for Jung Daehyun who returned with Aight yesterday. Daehyun also recently signed with STX Lionheart to be his managing company.

It is a complete turn around for Jung Daehyun, who hasn’t done a really upbeat dance track in his solo career thus far. While he has done R&B before, the retro influence that is brought to Aight makes it different. The funky and grooviness was a strong element that made the song feel fun and enjoyable. I also like the huskiness his voice brings to the three-minute long track, bringing back the memories of his voice during B.A.P’s heyday. Notably, however, he kept to a neutral mode, which I think made the appeal much stronger. It works in this case, which is a rare occurrence (as you never want anything to be neutral). There was some rapping in the song, which I thought was so-so. However, I wish the fun element extended the song further as I felt that all the neutral nature of the song to be very constrictive, given Daehyun’s known talents. I wanted a drop, I wanted dance break with a strong instrumental. I wanted something more to strength and deliver a punching impact. It is a great track. But it needed something more.

Even though Daehyun is returning under an unknown company, he had a pretty decent budget for this comeback. We saw a pretty low-quality music video for You’re My. Aight actually looked very futuristic and abstract given the different structures and sets featured in the music video. It is a really cool looking video. I really like the use of green and red in the video. I noticed a pattern with the editing in this video, with one longer-duration shot and then a burst of three very quick frames. Usually, I would complain that things moved a little too quickly based on this. But I thought it looked unique (though I am sure this technique has been used before in other videos).

I thought the choreography for this comeback was actually decent. Though Daehyun does focus on the live aspect of the performance, he does participate in the performance with small movements. The actual dance actually allowed the solo act to sing at the same time, which benefited the overall stage. There was also a classy vibe to it, especially during the ‘Attention’ parts of the choreography and the end.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.1/10

[Double Review] Questions + Flash, Party! – Zelo

July 12, 2019July 12, 2019Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged B.A.P, ZeloLeave a comment

We have heard releases from Young Guk, Daehyun and Youngjae from earlier in the year after B.A.P had left TS Entertainment and (assumingly) cease group activities. And now rejoining his former members as part of the wider KPOP industry is Zelo with his solo debut. Interestingly, Zelo is the only member to actually promote his release on the weekly music shows. As you can tell in the title, today’s review will be a double review – including Questions, the lead title track off Zelo’s first mini-album (Distance) and Flash, Party! (another track from the same album).

Once again, Zelo’s debut track is another tropical dance track. While the genre is overdone, the track doesn’t blast the tropical elements to the extent of other songs, which may or may not be a good thing depending on how you listen to the track. In Question‘s case, I think the lesser tropical sounds made the song more catchy. It is a little confusing to explain it in a concise manner but ‘less is more’ as they always say. I did like the upbeat vibes that come from it and I find the track to have a nice party vibe to it. I found Zelo’s vocals to be quite unique. I think this is the first time I heard him sing, so I was quite surprised. Another surprising thing is that he didn’t rap as much as I had expected.

Flash, Party! is a very intense and edgy dance track that really knows how to keep the momentum going. Despite the track running for a period of 3 and a half minutes, the most memorable section has to be the chorus, which uses a repetitive hook that is bound to continue ringing in your head even after you had moved onto another song. I did like how the verses take a melodic route, showcasing different sides of Zelo. Consequentially, his voice also is showcased. He uses different tones throughout the track. It almost felt like there were featuring artists in the song but it was all one man’s doing!

Questions had a very typical video that just didn’t the song justice. While I am okay with Zelo as the ‘centrepiece’ during his close-ups and choreography shots (which is expected), I didn’t think it was necessary to have him as the centrepiece during the party scenes. Everyone dance around him, which isn’t what a party feels like. Might just be me being nit-picky, but it was something I noticed. Flash, Party! is only a performance video, so the main part of the video is the choreography, which I will talk about below. I thought the edgy tone was carried over to the visuals nicely. There were some editing issues throughout the video (i.e. Zelo was attempting a b-boy move but the video just cut to him standing while he was mid-air). But apart from that, it was good.

The choreography for Flash, Party! looked really cool. We definitely got to see Zelo bust a few more moves than compared to Questions, which I think it definitely expected. I did notice that some parts had Zelo gliding, which I think was awesome. Question‘s choreography was designed to have him focus on the live factor of the performances. So his moves were a lot simpler and the way he moved looked like he was going back and forth. Nothing wrong with that. But it was just wasn’t captivating as much.

Questions
Song – 7/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 6/10
Overall Rating – 6.5/10

Flash, Party!
Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8/10

[Review] Another Night – Yoo Youngjae

April 19, 2019Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged B.A.P, Yoo Youngjae, Youngjae, Youngjae (B.A.P)1 Comment

The two days of B.A.P related reviews was not intentional. I was just holding off Jung Daehyun’s You’re My review until I had time to write it. And it just happens to be the day before Yoo Youngjae’s solo debut with Another Night. Youngjae has had solo tracks up his sleeve, such as his collaboration with former Secret member Sunhwa. But he has yet to review a solo album since his debut with B.A.P back in 2012. But that changes today, with the release of his Fancy mini-album. Since departing from TS Entertainment, Yoo Youngjae has signed on with J Harmony Entertainment.

Given my mentality, the main vocalist of a group always ends up going down the ballad route for a solo track. And this has been proven to be incorrect on numerous occasions. Another Night once again how I should really dump this train of thought. Youngjae’s solo track is another tropical influenced track that suits the warmer climate that South Korea is approaching. I say it is tropically influenced as I think the chorus used electric guitars to give off that effect, rather than using the common tropical house synth. I think that was an interesting changeup to the trend. Youngjae’s vocals are also really nice, with his voice being extremely clear and it also flourished with an instrumental that wasn’t overwhelming. For the second verse, there seems to be a bit of rapping influence brought into the song. I thought this was rather interesting and it managed to give the song a much-needed change in texture. I personally think Another Night is a decent debut track to start off on, as it manages to throw Youngjae’s charms right at you.

The music video can be taken as a very persistent guy, played by Youngjae, trying to get the attention of his crush. Or be a thriller, with Youngjae being the main star as the creepy stalker. But since the song is suited for a brighter climate, I think the initial option would be a better fitting storyline. I like the crispness of the music video, with the quality being a very appealing aspect to the music video. And I think having a music video being all smiles really pushes the cheerful emotion onto you, which I personally do not mind.

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

[Review] You’re My – Jung Daehyun

April 18, 2019October 12, 2019Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged B.A.P, Daehyun (B.A.P), Jung Daehyun2 Comments

Returning as a solo artist is Jung Daehyun. Daehyun is a member of B.A.P. However, it is has been a rough few years for the group due to scandals and lawsuits. While they did return for a while under TS Entertainment, this was short lived for unknown reasons. After that, some members left the group and ultimately the remaining four left TS Entertainment earlier this year (though, it seems like they haven’t formally disband yet). Daehyun signed on with Wecan Company and released his first mini-album earlier this month. The lead track is You’re My.

You’re My is a ballad, something I had expected from Daehyun for his first release (which ended up being an R&B dance track). To me, the ballad is rather typical, instrumental wise. It has an orchestral vibe, along with some drums in the background. Nothing that exciting as you can see. However, Daehyun’s vocals are what keeps this song from being too boring. His voice starts off quite soft but when it gets to the chorus, Daehyun’s powerhouse vocals kick in, giving the song a needed boost in terms of energy. It builds alongside the instrumental but as it is at the forefront, it felt like his vocals gave more to the song. The high note and ending felt a little muddled in my opinion. With the high note being at the start of the bridge and the end introducing new melodies, I felt like it was a little too loaded. But overall, it was a fair ballad that lets us enjoy a bit more of the song.

The music video starts off showing Daehyun finding a camera. It seems to bring past happy memories back to Daehyun. These memories feature his partner, who I think leaves for a faraway place. But the two are still together at the end of the video, judging by their Skype call. At the end of the video, Daehyun moves out and takes a final shot of the apartment that he shared with his long-distance girlfriend. And he departs with a smile on his face. It is always nice to see a ballad that isn’t about the sad emotions. On top of that, the video showed nice scenery and this went nicely with the happy memories. It wouldn’t be my pick for best music video but it was still nice overall.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.7/10

[Album Review] One Shot (2nd Mini Album) – B.A.P

February 12, 2019Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged B.A.PLeave a comment

We recontinue the ‘Past Album’ review segment this week with B.A.P’s One Shot mini-album, which was released back in 2013. The group’s second mini-album features Rain Sound and One Shot, the release’s main title track. One Shot also gained attention for its plot-twisting alternative ending and choreography. It is also what I would deem as one of their most iconic songs to date. Currently, the future of B.A.P is up in the air with the departure of Bang Yong Guk and Zelo (B.A.P’s rappers) announced last year. But regardless of what the future may hold, B.A.P has given us an outstanding discography that should not be missed!

1..Punch – Starting off the album is Punch. It is best described as an impactful song based on its meaning and its sound. The song is about standing up against those who think lowly of you. That already is loaded with a deep message! The music reminds me of a boxing match. The crowd goes wild in some parts and they seem to be close by. On top of that but the music does get you pumped up for what is to come. Throw in the vocal and rapping work of the members, in particular, Daehyun and Yong Guk’s and this song speak volumes on its own. (8/10)

2. One Shot (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of One Shot. (8.5/10)

3. Rain Sound (Pre-Release Track) – I was under the impression I had previously written a review for Rain Sound, but it turns out that wasn’t the case. Rain Sound is presented to us as a ballad and it seems to focus on more of the vocals than the rapping, which isn’t a normal thing from what I could remember B.A.P doing back in the day. The vocals were very good, at the time from memory and I liked the softer approach with the rapping, which once again allowed for the shift in focus. The instrumentation also featured acoustic guitars and thumping drums, which I thought were extremely notable in a song like this. Listening to the song now, you can tell how much the group has developed in both technique and sound. (8/10)

4. Coma – Embedded into the One Shot music video, we have Punch and Coma. Coma is extremely fitting to the video for its very dramatic instrumentation and sound, which I think is the main highlight for this track. I also like how serious sounding the track is, which makes you wonder what the song is about. The vocals are quite good, with all the members standing out. Both rappers sound amazing, but I think Yong Guk stands out once again as his raspy voice fits into the song’s atmosphere quite well. I did like how they got Son Ji Eun (former member of Secret) to feature in this track but did feel out of the blue for me. (8/10)

5. 0 (ZERO) – I really liked the melody of Zero as it has this flowy nature to it that felt so smooth. I liked the pop vibes from the instrumental, especially the guitar in the background, which I thought was nice. It compliments the vocals of the members. I did like how the rapping took a more melodic approach and kept itself in the background of the song, allowing the vocals to be the flourishing component of the song. The song overall has a very nice melody, which makes it a nice song to end the album with. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.1/10

[Album Review] Carnival (5th Mini Album) – B.A.P

January 27, 2018January 27, 2018Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged B.A.PLeave a comment

Last week was an extremely busy week, so I haven’t had the chance to sit down and listen to the newer albums. However, I have previously written some album reviews for situations like this, so I can at least post one on a weekly basis. One of these albums is B.A.P’s most recent mini-album, Carnival, which was released back in February 2016 (2 years ago).

1..Today (Intro Track) – Despite this being an intro track, I would love to hear a longer version. I love the epic feel that comes from the instrumental of the track. Daehyun’s vocals are excellent, but I would have liked to see how the other members would have contributed to the song. It is an epic intro track that opens the album up perfectly. (10/10)

2. Carnival – Carnival is a super catchy track that is bound to make you smile due to its happy and carefree atmosphere. The saxophone works well in the song and the energy that the members put into the song is definitely what brings the song to life. Per usual, both the vocals and the raps of the song are amazing. (10/10)

3. Feel So Good (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of Feel So Good. (9.5/10)

4. Go – Continuing the bright theme of the album is Go, which feels like that great Summer hit we look forward to each year. The song lack some intensity but that is made up with Zelo raps and the post-chorus. The chorus itself is catchy, especially how everyone joins in the final chorus. The ad-libs at the end was a great addition to the song. (9/10)

5. Albatross – From the very first second, the song launches you right into it. It is a great rock song that fits well with the bright energy concept that the album has been going for. The slowdown in the bridge, along with the breakdown was really cool moments in the track that were both needed. Bang Yong Guk’s raps (particularly the one ending the second verse) were by far my favourite section of the entire song. (9/10)

6. My Girl – The song gives off a One Direction feel, particularly the chorus. In the entire album, this particular song is the weakest and that may be attributed to its soft rock sound. I feel like this song just proofs the ability of B.A.P to fit in their genres into whatever genre that they attempt. There is a great ending to this song, which makes the entire album have a great ending, as well. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 9.25/10

2017 KPOPREVIEWED Awards – Results

January 10, 2018January 25, 2018Posted in KPOP, SpecialTagged B.A.P, BTOB, CHUNG HA, Dreamcatcher, EXO, G Dragon (BIGBANG), Hani (EXID), IU, KARD, Luna (F(x)), MONSTA X, Pentagon, Red Velvet, SEVENTEEN, SEVENTEEN Performance Unit, Solar (Mamamoo), Sunmi, TWICE, Wanna One, Zico (Block B)Leave a comment

**drum rolls please**

It is time to announce the winners of the 2017 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. This is the first year ever that you (the readers) got the opportunity to vote and pick out the winners of each category (excluding a few). Let me just start by saying thank you for all those who participated in the voting process, as you all made this possible.

This will be an EXTREMELY LONG post and it will be gif heavy so it may take a while to load up. If you have a slow internet connection (like me), you can still view the winners (along with the nominees if you missed the voting period/want a reminder) by clicking the link here.

The respective gifs for each category represent the winners which you voted for, while I have put down my pick for the category. I have opted to not do a commentary this year due to the already long length of this post.

BEST MALE GROUP DEBUT

Author’s Choice – Wanna One

BEST FEMALE GROUP DEBUT

Author’s Choice – Dream Catcher

BEST SOLOIST DEBUT

Author’s Choice – Jung Sewoon

RISING STAR

Author’s Choice – NU’EST W

BEST SUBUNIT

Author’s Choice – Gugudan 5959

BEST CO-ED GROUP

Author’s Choice – KARD

BEST MALE SOLOIST

Author’s Choice – Bobby (iKON)

BEST FEMALE SOLOIST

Author’s Choice – Sunmi

BEST VOCALS

Author’s Choice – DAY6

BEST RAPPER

Author’s Choice – Bobby (iKON)

BEST JAPANESE SONG BY A KOREAN ARTIST

onemoretime_bestjapanesesongbykoreanartist — *One More Time* – TWICE

Author’s Choice – One More Time (TWICE)

BEST COLLABORATION

Author’s Choice – Bye Babe (Chen & 10CM)

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY

Author’s Choice – Gashina (Sunmi)

BEST MUSIC VIDEO

Author’s Choice – You In Me (KARD)

BEST MALE GROUP

Author’s Choice – SEVENTEEN

BEST FEMALE GROUP

Author’s Choice – Red Velvet

BEST NON-TITLE TRACK SONG

Beautiful – Pentagon

BEST ALBUM

iuplatte-2 — Palette – IU (4th Studio Album)

And there you have it, the 2017 KPOPREVIEWED Award Winners. Congratulations to all! Hopefully, the artist’s that you picked came out on top and were victorious.

As for the BEST SONG OF THE YEAR award, it will be published in a separate post. For this year, the winning song will be the song that tops the End Of Year Charts (to be published on the 15th of January).
NOTE: YOUR VOTES MAKE UP 50% OF THE END OF YEAR CHARTS, WITH THE OTHER 50% CONTRIBUTED BY ME.

[Album Review] Ego (8th Single Album) – B.A.P

December 18, 2017December 17, 2017Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged B.A.PLeave a comment

B.A.P has returned with their brand new single album, Ego. This is B.A.P’s third comeback of 2017 following Rose and Blue. Thier title track, Hands Up, still follows B.A.P’s traditional fierce sound but their accompanying song on the album feature a somewhat softer sound, making Ego stand out to me. To see more of my review, scroll down below.

1..Hands Up (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Hands Up. (7/10)

2. Moondance – Moondance felt like something that would have fitted very neatly onto VIXX’s latest mini album. But here, B.A.P does a wonderful job with the various twist and turns that the song has. I love the pre-chorus, which gives the song only a second to build-up to a very cool and ear-catching chorus. The vocals in the song were quite nice, giving off a very attractive appeal. The raps were also tweaked from the usual fierce style to a slower pace and becoming somewhat sensual. The instrumental is quite ‘lit’ but in a subtle way. (9/10)

3. Think Hole – I love the bass during this chorus and the very soft yet catchy ‘Falling Falling Falling For You’. The contrast between the vocals in this part and the instrumental was a very appealing part of the track for me. The raps and vocals of the members were highlighted to show off their talents and skills in a subtler way (compared to their previous title tracks), which was something I like. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8/10

[Review] Hands Up – B.A.P

December 13, 2017December 17, 2017Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged B.A.PLeave a comment

Did you know that B.A.P is nominated for Best Male Group for this year’s KPOPREVIEWED Awards? To support B.A.P and your other favourite groups, click here to get voting!

B.A.P has officially returned with a brand new single, Hands Up. 2017 has been a big year for some groups, B.A.P being one of them. With solo work included, B.A.P has already returned with two singles, Wake Me Up and Honeymoon. So their year is completely jam-packed from the very start to end. And to round out that year is this particular comeback.

When I first saw the title, I thought the song would be something like getting hyped for a party of some sort (I guess my mind is in holiday mode at the moment). It was extremely surprising (for some odd reason) when it came out to be a lot serious and leaned towards a darker hip-hop sound. The instrumental remains consistent throughout the entire song. And while it did get a little repetitive towards the end, the consistency works well with the serious nature of the track. It also made the song feel a lot smoother when it came to the vocal parts of the song, which I pretty much liked. The raps are also stand-out sections of the song, particularly Bang Yong Guk’s, which is the most intense part of the track (and his husky voice makes it 100% better). The ‘Go Hands Up’ becomes addictive after a few listens. I just feel the song lacked energy and did not do enough to give it that ‘wow’ factor that I like to surprise me when it comes to this type of music.

The concept reminded me of Young, Wild & Free. Young, Wild & Free’s music video felt isolated but I would imagine a similar video to Hands Up would be produced if they threw in a few more people. It attempts to be edgier than any other video but instead, it felt very standard and plain. I like how they managed to rug the members up in the cold weather but still maintain a look suitable for the music. And I think this is the first time I am going to say this but I am not a fan of the camera work in this video. Some of the shakier shots were distracting.

[Updated] The choreography was nice but it wasn’t that appealing and memorable. Some parts lacked energy (complimenting some comments I made previously) while others parts were more energetic (i.e. chorus). Though, it managed to showcase a tense atmosphere, which I thought made it look decent and right up B.A.P’s alley.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 6.5/10 [Updated]
Overall Rating – 7/10 [Updated]

[Album Review] Blue (7th Single Album) – B.A.P

September 11, 2017November 15, 2017Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged B.A.PLeave a comment

B.A.P has returned with a brand new single album, titled as Blue. The group made their comeback last week with Honeymoon (review linked below). I will be posting another album review later tonight, alongside this one, to make up for my absence last Monday. I just had a hand full of work to knock out. But this post is all about B.A.P, so let’s get going!

1..Honeymoon (Title Track) – Click here for the full review of Honeymoon (9/10)

2. All The Way Up – This song has potential but it falls a little short. I love all the elements of the song. They have a bright and vibrant instrumental, which pairs well with their explosive vocals. Even the raps are amazing. But what the song needed was some bass. And that is where it falls a little short. If there was some bass, it would have made the song feel more suited for a party and even more uplifting. (8/10)

3. Rewind – Rewind takes another direction from the two songs before it (and the ongoing trends within the industry) with a jazzier and slower paced song. Its slower pace is its main charm and I loved how Zelo and Bang Yong Guk rapped to the song. The vocal work is (per usual) superb. Personally, it isn’t my preference but they did an undeniably good job with the song. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.5/10

bapbluefeaturedimage — *Blue* Album and *Honeymoon* Teaser Image

[Review] Honeymoon – B.A.P

September 5, 2017September 11, 2017Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged B.A.P1 Comment

B.A.P has made their return to the stage with a brand new single album, titled as Blue. Honeymoon, the title track for their 7th single album, marks their first comeback since Wake Me Up earlier this year.

Honeymoon is one awesome song. Let me just it out there. The song starts with some intriguing whistles. It then leads into an electronic based dance song, which I thought sounded amazing. The instrumental felt very Western and it could easily have been released in America and attracted some attention for its easy going sounds and beats. It kind of builds up but it isn’t as noticeable compared to other songs. The first verse/chorus felt quite slow and underwhelming. That was probably the biggest letdown of the song. However, from Zelo’s rap onwards, the song manages to kick it up a notch and sound more energetic and impactful. Jongup’s section in the second chorus was phenomenal and everyone else contributed towards an intense ending, which makes it so much more different compared to what I felt at the start. The ending did feel abrupt but it felt right for this song and Himchan’s vocals were on point to the song. It is not a perfect song but it is going to get a lot of replays in the weeks to come.

The music video was quite aesthetic in nature. And the cinematography of the video was quite nice, which allows us to take in beautiful landscape and seascape fully. The scenes must come together somehow and tell a story. Not exactly sure what the story is and I don’t think there are any fan theories about the video. But there has to be a connection between smashing a baseball bat into a computer screen, releasing goldfish into the sea and pouring a bottle of wine down into a grassy field. And I liked watching the video. Just someone cut the mullets and remove them, please? I don’t get this trend that is going on but I thought mullets were the shameful past of the 80s, not the new decade.

[Updated] The performances waits for the chorus to kick before blowing the viewers away. Especially that first chorus, where they had the cascading effect with Jongup in front. That was fluid and amazing. They did do some standing around, which took away that amazingness but they made up in their vocals/raps each time.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 9/10 [Updated]
Overall Rating – 9/10 [Updated]

10 Favourite Non-Title Tracks (Part 1)

June 28, 2017June 27, 2017Posted in 10 FavouritesTagged B.A.P, F(x), JJ Project, NCT, NCT127, OH MY GIRL, SHINee, Sistar, Song Ji Eun, Sunny Hill, VIXXLeave a comment

Welcome to the first ever ‘Special’ segment of my website. Though I have used the category ‘Special’ for other purposes in the past, I thought I could use to expand the content of what I write. So I thought I would make various lists of different aspects of the KPOP sphere, starting off with non-title tracks that should be more appreciated. I have other ideas lined up like “favourite OSTs’ and ‘favourite dances’ etc. If you have any ideas, feel free to comment below and I may just look into your idea. In no particular order, here are 10 (and this particular will be expanded in further editions) favourite non-title track songs by KPOP artists.

Crying – Sistar

Sistar leaves behind many great tracks, so of which barely get enough attention. What makes Crying a great track are the vocals. They were dynamic and gave the song a very unique feel. I thought the chorus was extremely catchy and interesting with how it starts off with a striking delivery of the word “Love”. The instrumental was pretty simple and their vocals/raps matched it perfectly.

One Step, Two Step – Oh My Girl

I personally thought this song has a very nice blend of instruments. It also felt like angels were singing to me. The track ended up being very addictive, becoming a song that I would search for on YouTube for a while. I loved how the track started off very sweet and nice. But as you approach the chorus, we enter a more upbeat phase, making the build-up sound amazing. The violins in the bridge were also amazing, with it being another highlight of the track.

Albatross – B.A.P

Adding to the fun vibes of their 5th mini album, Carnival, Albatross is one track to jam to. It is a very down to earth feel and listening to the song makes you wonder how fun the recording process would have been if there was a stage or music video accompanying it. It was released in February but there is a very vibrant and Summer feel to the song, making it a track that I constantly listen to during Winter when I want to feel some warmth.

Shadow – F(x)

I think out of all the non-title tracks out there and the songs on this list, this is the song that everyone will agree on as the most underrated song ever. It literally catches your attention with its very creepy lyrics. But the lyrics are smothered with the sweetness of the instrumental and their vocals, making the creep factor exceed the highest possible limit. It is extremely addictive and I totally love it.

I Wanna Fall In Love – Song Ji Eun (Secret)

Song Ji Eun’s tracks have always been intriguing for their dark messages. Her more recent releases haven’t followed that path, which is quite disappointing. But there are a few that have caught my attention, such as I Wanna Fall In Love. It is much better than many of her recent title tracks and her strong vocals resonate throughout the entire track. It dominates the entire track, which I think is amazing and the song is quite catchy after a number of listens.

Get The X Out – Sunny Hill

Judging from the title, I would never have thought of the song being what it is. It is extremely unexpected, as the instrumental is reminds you of toys and dolls. Very innocence. But instead, it holds a very scary message telling their partner to just leave. I love how they cut the swearing out (or else it would be banned) but it makes everything feel more intense. And this is another reason to why I love Sunny Hill’s songs. They take uniqueness to a whole new level.

Before The Song Ends – JJ Project ft. Suzy (Miss A)

To hear that JJ Project will be getting a unit comeback stage before the end of the year makes me extremely happy. But before that, I must show you all this extreme party-vibe track. Sure, it may be overpowered by autotune but it one hell of a song to jam to. Suzy’s featuring in this song makes it so much better. But the real winners are JJ Project, who has such a dynamic track under their belt.

Maze – VIXX

I tried to include some old tracks and some more recent tracks on this list. Maze falls under the “more recent” category, with it being one intense track to listen to. That is mainly because every time I listen to the song, I feel a rush of adrenaline as if I am actually running through a maze myself. It is a super catchy track and dynamic at the same time.

Switch – NCT 127

Switch is the only song on this particular list that has its own music video. From memory (and what I read a few months back) that this song and music video was recorded before the debut of NCT. I was totally into (and still am) the instrumental of the song. It sounded different to other songs that I have listened to. It’s another track that gives off a nice Summer feel, which I am totally digging at the moment, as I freeze each morning.

One Minute Back – SHINee

This, by far, is up there as one of the best songs ever released. It is such a unique song on so many levels. Their vocals are on point throughout the track, especially during the entire chorus. The lyrics of the song depict a guy catching his partner cheating on him and wanting to turn back time. Overall, listening to just once will not be enough as it leaves a very long lasting impact that makes you want to go back and listen to more.

[Double Review] Shadow – Daehyun (B.A.P) + Try My Luck – Jongup (B.A.P)

June 24, 2017Posted in KPOPTagged B.A.P, Daehyun (B.A.P), Jongup (B.A.P)1 Comment

B.A.P has caught us off guard with the release of a project album, which features tracks from Daehyun and Jongup. I know their promotions for the project album has ended, but better late than never. I have also decided to go with a different layout for this double review, but it will remain the same as any other double review (all parts will be shorter in length).

Shadow – Daehyun ft. Zelo (B.A.P)

Daehyun is my favourite member from B.A.P and to hear that he finally has a solo song makes me so happy. And he delivered with a RnB styled song. His vocals go hand-in-hand with the style. I actually preferred his live performance version (without the rapping), where you hear his vocals only. Zelo does do a good job, but it felt disconnected from the rest of the song. The same can be said in regards to the bridge of the song. It also felt different from the rest of the song. The song does not build up to a satisfying level, which leaves it hanging, in my opinion. Nor it is memorable as a whole. It also lacked having that punch or impact. There were catchy parts, but they seem minor compared to the rest of the song. Overall, it may sound like I dislike the song but in reality, it is more that I am on the fence.

The performance was good. I feel like the song could have fitted a more mysterious concept, but it delivered in giving Daehyun the chance to show some polished moves and a chance to showcase his vocals. I think in the end, they went with a more stylish concept, which was great as well.

Song – 6/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 6.5/10

Try My Luck – Jongup (B.A.P)

I have mentioned in every review since B.A.P’s return that Jongup’s vocal abilities have vastly improved. And this song is all the proof that you need. While it doesn’t feature mind blowing vocals that Daehyun has, Jongup does a really good job. He seemed to have elongated his “Try My Luck” to make it sound longer and his high notes just shocked me. It also seems like he tries rapping in the song and that too sounds amazing. The song itself also fits into the RnB domain. I think the correct word to describe the song is ‘smoky’. It’s very smooth overall and there is a nice melodic flow, which I don’t think Daehyun’s song had. I am quite sure the smoothness and melodic flow were present to accommodate his performance. Overall, I think this is a great song that showcases the already present and improved skills of the artist.

I said the song had a smoother and stylish sound, which made his overall performance so much better. It definitely showcases his dancing abilities really well and make it a worthwhile performance to watch.

Song – 8/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.5/10

[Album Review] Rose (6th Single Album) – B.A.P

March 12, 2017Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged B.A.PLeave a comment

Thank you for all the views for the review for B.A.P’s Wake Me Up. Also, thanks for the many retweets and likes on Twitter for the review. They just keep coming. In total, a whopping 131 retweets and 129 favourites for just one review is something completely unexpected. But it goes to show the power of BABYs and B.A.P fans around the world. So, I present to you all the full single review for B.A.P’s Rose.

1..Dystopia – This song is probably one of the few songs that satisfy my yearning for intense songs. It sounds like the type of song to keep you on the edge of your seats. The rock-based song sounds amazing. Sure, the instrumental may feel a little overpowering compared to the vocals, but in this song’s case, it works. Out of all the members, I think Bang Yong Guk’s vocals were highlighted the best. His short line at the start gave the song the kick it needed and his parts scattered throughout (even though some of them consisted of one word) still kept the song kicking. That being said, each member did a fantastic job in the song as well. It is one track that is worthy of all the head bangs you can fit in for the length of the song. (9/10)

2. Wake Me Up (Title Track) – Click to check out the full review for Wake Me Up (8.5/10)

3. Diamond 4 Ya – Moving away from the rock, Diamond 4 Ya is a completely different sounding song. However, that typical B.A.P feel is still there. It’s powerful in its own way, despite the sound being a lot more delicate and softer, compared to their more intense or tough sounds. I love the instrumental here, especially that squeaky sound after each chorus. I am also captivated by Himchan’s Your Love, Your Way. While I don’t find much interesting with Himchan’s vocals, this song does seem to have stomped on my opinions. The rest of the vocals sounded very nice. While I praised Bang Yong Guk’s parts in Dystopia, I feel like his part (and the entire rap sequences with Zelo) a little bland. While I spent my time head-banging in Dystopia, I toned it down to just a consistent and continuous nod. Don’t get the wrong idea, I am just making my actions more appropriate to the song. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.5/10

Image result for rose bap teaser image — Rose Teaser Image

(This album review was originally scheduled to be posted on Wednesday the 15th, but since I have completed the review earlier than intended, I decided to post it on Sunday the 12th, to allow for other reviews to be published a day earlier and as another sign of gratitude).

[Review] Wake Me Up – B.A.P

March 10, 2017Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged B.A.P, Bang Yong Guk, Youngjae (B.A.P)Leave a comment

B.A.P has returned with a brand new single, Wake Me Up. Following their active promotions of Feel So Good, That’s My Jam and Skydive; this is the group’s first release for 2017. This comeback also marks the return for Bang Yong Guk, who for the Skydive promotions, took some time off due to mental health concerns. And like BTOB’s recent release, I will be doing a review for the entire single (all three songs) and that should be up sometime next week.

The track takes me back to their Young, Wild and Free days. It returned to their days of rock based instrumentals, with electronic synths and hip-hop vibes. The song itself oozes with darkness, another aspect that you would always expect from a B.A.P song. But the difference between this song and (for example) Young, Wild and Free is the intensity. Everything in the track is held back. This ranges from the vocals to the raps. It isn’t as intense as their previous tracks, but by holding back, I feel like it delivers a stronger impact with the message. While I did say they hold back in a few aspects, their vocals and raps are still top notch and have been manipulated to work wonderfully in the song. I did enjoy the build up to each chorus. It isn’t as powerful in other electronic based songs but the same effect can still be felt. The song does open with an interesting sound, that also echoes throughout the song. In my opinion, Wake Me Up is a great song but it isn’t their best song yet. B.A.P is the best at making explosions in music that leave you gasping for more. If the track was delivered as a more intense and aggressive track, I think I would have enjoyed it even more.

Now, I mentioned the message of the song in the previous paragraph. The lyrics talk about wanting to wake up as a new person in a world that is full of judgement and pain. This is shown beautifully in the video. Body image, mental illness, paranoia, anger and (not exactly sure but) violence of some sort. Each of these people feels like that if they woke up a different person every day, their problems would be forgotten. However, with the help of B.A.P on TV, everyone in society decides to fight these judgements and be who they are. Like what everyone else is saying, they are starting a revolution. I hope I didn’t butcher the meaning the video, but that is what I got, with the help of comments and research. And even if I am wrong, I can agree it is a very dark and profound video to watch. For what the song lacks in intensity, I think the videos makes it up quite nicely. The car smashing scene was probably the peak of the video, which matched the small instrumental part that was in the video. The acting in the video is incredible. I really liked how B.A.P have taken a step back and only participated in the vocals/close ups, not any acting scenes. Though that does happen time and time again, it also reminded us that anyone can suffer from the problems above and the ending of the video showed that there will always be people out there that share the same concern with you.

The choreography was also intriguing. Not in a bad way, though. I actually quite liked it. Per usual, everything was fitting to the song, which is by far the most important aspect of the dance. What makes it interesting is the chorus. I don’t know what they are doing but it looks like they are holding onto someone and trying to wake them up. Or they are slowly crouching down into their hands. I am a little unsure but it looks superb. The way they incorporated Bang Yong Guk without making it hard for him deserves praise as well.

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