2024 has seen a few collaborations drop. But I don’t think any got as much fanfare as SPOT! did, which sees ZICO and JENNIE (from BLACKPINK) join forces. Both artists are widely popular in their own right. ZICO is a very familiar name when it comes to collaborations and JENNIE is widely known for being part of BLACKPINK and her solo works, as well. SPOT! dropped at the end of April, so apologies for only getting around to reviewing it now.
I will be honest – I didn’t pay much attention to the song when it was released. I can’t remember the exact reason, but I just never really turned my attention to it. As such, time allowed SPOT! to develop on my mind. And now, SPOT! is a song I cannot get out of my head. The songs’ two major hooks are extremely catchy. JENNIE’s vocal hook is probably the song’s primary hook and it is executed in a way that really demands your attention. Some might call it forceful – had I reviewed the song back in April, I probably would have said just that. But the vocal hook now feels very bold and I liked how it developed into a shoutier line. The hype and buildup within just that one line is definitely grabbing. ZICO’s repetitive rapping that follows the choruses (i.e. the “Up and down, Round and round, Everybody hit the spot“) follows through from the energy of JENNIE’s part. The backing maintains that hype energy and adds further excitement. Elsewhere in the hip-hop song, ZICO and JENNIE executes their parts just fine. You’d expect a good rap sequence from ZICO in his songs, and JENNIE adds some extra colour in SPOT!. Talking about colour, I quite like how fun that pitchy and windy synth at the end was. It was one of the elements that I remember being unsure about. But once again, time has allowed it to grow on me, just like how SPOT! did.
The music video sees both ZICO and JENNIE have a casual time alone, with one another and in the company of others. I am glad they managed to get JENNIE in the music video, which isn’t always the case for collaborations. This usually creates a void in those music videos. But for SPOT!, this was not the case, given the presence of both artists. I quite liked JENNIE’s parts. For some reason, I don’t think I ever connect JENNIE to such a causal fit or atmosphere, given her more elegant visuals on stage and at events. So, it was quite refreshing to see in her in that style and environment. ZICO’s parts add fun to the video and I like how he could do that in any situation, as evident throughout the video. Not the most memorable music video ever, but it does the job and keeps the casualness of SPOT! alive.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8.6/10
(G)I-DLE, Jung Kook (and his fellow BTS members), JENNIE’s groupmate JISOO and NCT (and its units) are nominated in the 2023 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support your favourite acts byclicking here to vote today.
It has been a couple of weeks since the last International Song Review post, so it is time for another. Last time, I focused on songs releases by Anne Marie and Minnie ((G)I-DLE), LE SSERAFIM, ITZY & CHEN (EXO). This time, I will focusing on (G)I-DLE’s I Want That, Jung Kook’s Standing Next To You, JENNIE’s You & Me and NCT NEW TEAM’s Hands Up.
I Want That – (G)I-DLE
Language: English Release Date: 5 October 2023 Release Type: Heat (1st English Mini-Album)
(G)I-DLE made their official Western debut with the single I Want That, following from their I DO pre-release earlier this year. I don’t have too much to say about the track. I do like what they have offered to us, but I think more could have been added to I WANT THAT to really enhance it. The club style and heavy bass gives this dance track some sassy and powerful energy, which is backed up by their lyrics. The chorus is super addictive, thanks to the combination of the beat drop and repetitive hook. Personally, I would have liked more character from each member, as I WANT THAT does get monotonous at certain points. A bit more sassiness and attitude from the members in I WANT THAT would have taken it to the next level
The music video begins with the members on the boat, which I presume is the aftermath of the events in the video. We are then shown the toxic relationships between the members and this guy. At points, it is sweet and romantic. Other times, he is abusive and a horrible human. In particular, we see Minnie walking down the aisle as a bride to marry this guy. But when she turns back, she only see a dark church (which alludes to her future with him). She runs away from the wedding before it gets any further. In the end, she takes matters into her own hands by walking into the guy’s workplace and points a gun to his head. We see glimpses of the other members pointing guns at the same guy, which represents the anger from his past partners and revenge they want. He taunts her, but he doesn’t realize that she was determined and shoots him point blank. To finish the job, she also brought a bomb, which causes chaos with the other workers. In the end, Minnie and the rest of the members walk out and get on the boat we see them on at the start of the video. As for the choreography, we don’t get too see much of it. But it looks okay. I just wished the choreography scenes were better incorporated into the video and featured better styling.
Overall Rating – 7.9/10
Standing Next To You – Jung Kook (BTS)
Language: English Release Date: 3 November 2023 Release Type: Golden (1st Studio Album)
Following the success of his other singles (Seven and 3D) earlier this year, the announcement of Golden and Standing Next To You became highly anticipated releases. I will be making plans to review Golden, but that might not happen until next year. But for now, I can say that my thoughts on Standing Next To You are somewhat positive. When I really focus on Standing Next To You, I really find myself appreciating the sleek vibes, retro energy and funky tones this pop track offers. I like that the track doesn’t mess with such a formula, keeping the track consistent from start to end. In the context of Standing Next To You, this is a very positive aspect of the track. Jung Kook’s delivery is charismatic and sensual in this song, which I am sure fans are enjoying. His falsettos can become quite addictive, but I particularly like the shoutier style he gives the pre-chorus, which heightens the chorus that comes after. But reflecting on the track afterwards and when I don’t focus on Standing Next To You, the track is rather forgettable and doesn’t really hold me as much as Seven and 3D did. It might be the case of being too sleek, but I boil it down to a lack of memorable hooks to really get this song into my mind and make me want to return.
In addition to the song, the music video also shows off Jung Kook’s charismatic charms that fans consistently highlight. His good looks are definitely are also on full display, which again, I think fans would be loving. The video is descried as showing Jung Kook chasing after a mysterious femme fatale. We see him catching up to her at the “light at the end of the tunnel”, which is a nice way of showing us the positive effect this femme fatale might have on Jung Kook. I did also think Jung Kook dancing in front of the big hole in a way is his way of showing how he could potentially fill that void in the femme fatale. All of this (and I am presuming the dancing also had an effect) convinced her to approach Jung Kook at the end of the music video. Talking about dancing, it is no doubt that Jung Kook’s performance skills were on full display, which I personally really enjoyed each time I have seen the music video. The sleekness and sensual nature of the song comes through really well in the choreography, and I also like the more intense parts of the routine, as well (such as the pre-chorus and the end).
Overall Rating – 8.2/10
You & Me – JENNIE (BLACKPINK)
Language: English Release Date: 6 October 2023 Release Type: You & Me (Digital Single)
You & Me was released following the conclusion of BLACKPINK’s massive Born Pink world tour. Upon first listen, I was disappointed with the track for a number of reasons, including the lack of personality, the disconnect between the different parts (particularly the verses and choruses), the lack of any memorable melodies or hooks etc. There was a lot in You & Me that just did not sit right for me. But the more I continued to listen to You & Me, the more I grew to like You & Me. After all, I am all about giving second chances when it comes to the music I listen to. The problems are still there, but they are less jarring then before. The standout parts of the song, for me personally, are the verses and the instrumental outro. The verses had a nice pleasant pop vibe to them. Sure, it isn’t anything riveting, but I felt a sense of nostalgia to those sequences. The heftier beats and electronic instrumental outro felt like a decent conclusion to the song, which was all very synth forward from the get-go. Heck, even the squeaks became charming for me. But there are some stuff in You & Me that I still feel the same way about from day 1 – the chorus instrumentation and vocal work was bland, there isn’t memorable melodies or hooks in the song to make the track memorable, the post-chorus vocal tone was not appreciable, and the rap speak sequence reiterated the song’s blandness. Overall, the good aspects were balanced out by the bad aspects in You & Me, and so I am on the fence for this one.
As for the performance video released to accompany You & Me, it is your standard high quality video that you would expect from YG Entertainment. It is more on the simpler side of the spectrum of music videos, but it still features a memorable moment or two, such as the silhouette of JENNIE and the male dancer whilst the moon in the background was brightest. JENNIE’s red dress is also pretty memorable. Performance-wise, it looks good. Nothing stands out to me, but it was a good routine nonetheless.
Overall Rating – 7/10
Hands Up – NCT NEW TEAM
Language: Japanese Release Date: 8 October 2023 Release Type: Hands Up (Digital Single)
The final song in this post is for a future group. NCT NEW TEAM is the current temporary name for NCT’s Japanese (and final) unit, who will debut next year. Beats me to why we don’t have an official name when they are already putting out Japanese songs. Hands Up is what you expect with NCT title tracks – a very synth driven dance number. There is more to the synths, but my mind keeps on coming back to describing the synth selection as “tinny”, and this I find to be pretty standard. The drumming/percussion added to the song does infuse more energy and texture to Hands Up. But I would also describe this to be quite tinny, so it doesn’t really add anything new to the song. At least, the energy and texture does provide a fun vibe, which is backed by hooks like the “Ooh Ooh“. The vocal work is a bit standard, as well. A good showing of skills, but nothing worth discussing further. And with every other NCT (or SM song for that matter), the bridge is definitely on point. As a starting point, Hands Up does a decent job of introducing us to the new unit/group. However, as they begin to pump out more songs (which I hope will be the case) and finds an actual name, I hope they can also develop a sound for themselves that is within the realm of NCT’s music.
The music video sees NCT NEW TEAM’s world become overrun with these green blobs that keeps on self-generating. The group, whom are just high school students, use their skills as baseball players and the power of the baseball to smash these green blobs. Ultimately, they kill the biggest blob with a power pitch and hit by the members, which causes all of the others to die. At the end, we see one of the members back on a train with a glowing green baseball, suggesting we might not have seen the last of the green blob monster. Overall, I quite liked how the producers showed off the group’s youthfulness and the new energy they bring to the industry. The choreography looks good, matching their synchronisation with what the other NCT units are very much known for. The energy they bring via their performance and choreography is refreshing and fun, as well. The choruses’ routine is the best bit.
TAEYANG made his long awaited solo comeback earlier this year with his second mini-album since his debut as part of BIGBANG way back in 2006. As part of the comeback, TAEYANG has released VIBE (which features JIMIN from BTS), the title track Seed and a performance vide for the side track Shoong! (which features LISA from BLACKPINK). As flagged in Seed‘s review, a review for Shoong! was on the cards and I will finally be getting around to doing that today.
Of the songs that was released in April as part of TAEYANG’s second mini-album (Down To Earth), Shoong! is the one that comes to mind most readily (more so than the title track). It recurred in my recommendations quite a bit in the weeks following its release and the track also boasts the featuring of LISA from BLACKPINK (which probably helped widen the audience of the song, and so it was shared further). But despite it boasting two big names in the KPOP industry and was shared around quite a bit on my social media, I oddly don’t remember much of Shoong! months on from its release. Listening back to Shoong! now, I find it uneventful. On Wikipedia, Shoong! described to be a mid-tempo dance track, described as an R&B and trap song. That is pretty accurate. But Shoong! is also is described as having “addictive melodies and trendy hip-hop beats”. This I disagree with. I find the melodies to be a bit of a drag (even though there is a ring to it, but not enough for me to categorise it as memorable or addictive) and the trendiness to be absent. Also, for a song titled after the sound of cars passing by, the way that the title is delivered throughout Shoong! makes it seem like everyone is going below the speed limit and passing by. The vocal work in Shoong! is reasonable for a mid-tempo song, with TAEYANG’s being quite solid and LISA adding a tinge of brightness to the song with her higher pitched vocals. I also liked LISA’s that flirty delivery, which adds a bit of character to the song. However, I think more could have been done in pretty much all areas of Shoong! to make it even better. As it is, Shoong! is an okay song, but it doesn’t live up to the expectations that I had expected with the two artists.
For this review, I am combining the music video and performance aspects of the release into one paragraph, given the video we do get is a performance video. I did appreciate the crispness and quality of the video, which is an expectation of a YG product. For those who are wondering, The Black Label (the company which TAEYANG is now signed to following his departure from YG Entertainment is actually a subsidiary under YG Entertainment). With the song in mind, the simplicity of the T set made a lot of sense. But I also enjoyed the “outdoor scenes” in the alleyway and cityscape roof. It was also definitely nice to see LISA in the video alongside TAEYANG. As for the choreography, it works. It was by far the most memorable aspect of the release. The key moves were smooth and I liked their chemistry. LISA’s flirty tone makes it into the choreography, while TAEYANG does a great job towards the end in adding a bit more intensity to the routine.
Song – 7/10 Music Video/Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 7.4/10
It was announced way back in 2018 that all the members of BLACKPINK would make their solo debut. Everything promptly kicked off at the end of 2018 with JENNIE’s release for SOLO. Then ROSÉ released On The Ground in 2020, followed by LISA’s LALISA in 2021. And now finally, after five years since the announcement of solo releases, JISOO makes her solo debut (as the last BLACKPINK member to do so) with the release of FLOWER yesterday.
To me, FLOWER sounds like the ideal song to become the next trend through TikTok/short form videos. The chorus of FLOWER reminds me of those Vietnamese songs that have been used as a backing to most of the shorts, reels and TikTok videos that I have been seeing on my social media. They all share a pretty similar appeal, in my opinion, and FLOWER would fit in quite well. However, FLOWER isn’t my cup of tea as a whole. The song’s chorus is quite lacking and feels very empty, as a result. I wished there was more body, lyrics or a catchy hook to it. Essentially, anything in addition would have been better than the empty feeling of FLOWER. I am not a fan of the whiny synth in the background the choruses, but they do have their charm. The chorus also disappoints as it follows on from some really decent verses that I felt was a nice showing of JISOO’s abilities, character, and vocal colour. Something to continue the momentum from the verses would have been ideal as the choruses, and I feel that the bridge is a good example of this. The inclination and oomph that we get from JISOO in that segment adds a lot more meat to the song,. The ad-libs and breathy “Hey” that follow also had a similar effect. Overall, FLOWER could have used a lot more to it. And as it stands, FLOWER is probably the weakest solo release from the group’s solo releases (thus far).
The music video was kind of boring. I hate to be a bummer, but I don’t think this particular video offered as much as the other solo music videos. The other videos had fabulous fashion, dramatic effects and cultural influences which helped make the video interesting to watch. And while we do have great fashion in this one and strong acting for JISOO, there just wasn’t anything else worth discussing. I do wish there was more to the video, similar to what I want from the song.
The choreography looks quite simple and was quite fitting for the song, from what I can see from the music video. I do hope that the verses have relatively more complex arrangements, like that spiral at the start of the final chorus with the dancers hands. That would give the performance bit more to it and something to get viewers to watch the performances for. What did see in the verses was interesting and heads in that direction, so I am definitely hopeful!
Song – 6/`10 Music Video – 6/10 Performance – 7/10 Overall Rating – 6.2/10
Welcome to the first official album review of the year. All the other album reviews I posted so far this year were drafted last year, and my review for BORN PINK is the first album review I have written this year. Woo! There is plenty more album review coming your way, but I thought I start off with a big release from 2022 that I hadn’t looked at just yet. BORN PINK is BLACKPINK’s second studio length album and was released mid-September 2022. It features the pre-release single Pink Venom and the title track Shut Down, alongside down another 6 side tracks. It follows The Album from 2020. Personally, my biggest takeaway from this studio album is that BLACKPINK and their producers could have done more with majority of the side tracks on the album. Despite that comment, there are still some standout and solid tracks on the album to enjoy. So continue reading to see which songs I thought were great and which songs could have been better.
3. Typa Girl – Typa Girl had some potential with the opening synths. It gave off intriguing vibes which I was all excited for. Given BLACKPINK’s consistent sound with majority of their promotional tracks, intriguing is definitely something good. Unfortunately, the intriguingness isn’t worthwhile. Once we enter the verses and choruses, we get that familiar sound profile that we all associate with BLACKPINK. Despite going down the same route as their previous track, Typa Girl’s instrumental continues to disappoint, as there just isn’t a whole heap going on. It does place the focus on the members. But clear vocals and fast rapping just doesn’t make up for the rest of the song, in my opinion. (5/10)
4. Yeah Yeah Yeah – I am glad the disappointment is short lived. Things start looking up for BORN PINK’s side tracks with Yeah Yeah Yeah. I really liked the retro tinge that the song had, especially when the chorus comes along. It is a centrepiece that I look forward to on this album. The vocal work was solid and presented the members in a pleasant light. My only gripe about the song is how cliché the main hook of the song is – just simply being “Just say Yeah Yeah Yeah”. (8/10)
5. Hard To Love (Rosé Solo) – The only member of BLACKPINK to have a solo song on this album is Rosé. The pop feel of the Hard To Love and the guitar work in the chorus were highlights, along with Rosé’s vocals. I particularly like that emotional pull that Rosé subtly provides to Hard To Love, which makes it more riveting to listen to. (9/10)
6. The Happiest Girl – Stealing my attention away from the entirety of this album is The Happiest Girl, which is a stunning and beautiful ballad. This is not exactly a style of music that I associate with BLACKPINK, but it was so well done. Repetition is the song’s biggest and only problem, but that can be easily overlooked when you consider the orchestration and the emotionally fragile vocals of the members caused by the breakup that is imagined in the lyrics. My favourite part of all, if I had to pick, would be Jisoo’s harmonic line “I can stop the tears if I want to”. (10/10)
7. Tally – For me, Tally is a skippable song. It is a decent display of potential from the members themselves and there is a neat swaying melody to the song. But apart from that, there isn’t much to remember about Tally. It is probably more because Tally follows The Happiest Girl – all of my attention is directed towards the previous song and I don’t have much more to share for Tally. But I felt the instrumental was plain, while there isn’t much of a hook to the song other than the aforementioned melody. (6/10)
8. Ready For Love – Final song on the album is Ready For Love. It is another pre-release single released back in July 2022 which I had not reviewed as the song was marketed to us as a promotional single for PUBG Mobile at the time. But its inclusion on the album allows me to finally review it! I quite liked the EDM chorus (definitely the highlight of the song) and the house pop style the rest of the song opted for. BLACKPINK themselves sound quite good in the song, but the hooks again were repetitive and I wished there were more to the hooks of Ready For Love. (7.5/10)
Following the pre-release of Pink Venom last month, BLACKPINK is back with their official comeback single Shut Down and the studio album Born Pink. Prior to Pink Venom, the group’s last comeback was back in 2020 with single Lovesick Girls and their first studio album, The Album.
The most memorable aspect of Pink Venom, for me, ended up being the fact that song was just so alike to many of their past singles. And I believe this was a common theme of other people’s thoughts on the pre-release as well. It appears that BLACKPINK and their producers have caught on, as Shut Down sounds vastly different from the group’s past releases. The biggest game changer to Shut Down was the La Campanella strings sample, which definitely gave off a refined and sophisticated feel to the song. But as one would expect with a BLACKPINK and YG song, there is still a strong hip-hop influence. Together, they created an intriguing piece that came out to be quite decent. However, I did wish the instrumental picked up a bit as the song progresses, just to give Shut Down a more dynamic flair. I kind of expected something extra to happen towards the end of the song, as we were given a pretty consistent background piece throughout the first and second runs of the verses/choruses. The bridge does seem to allude at a potential change in momentum and energy, but Shut Down eventuated into an even more sluggish ending. As for the members, I thought they did a fine job with their rapping and vocals. The rapping was definitely exciting and there was some good sequences and flow. The vocals were more on the forgettable side, but it was still appreciable. Good news, the hooks in Shut Down do have a memorable ring to it, and this helps Shut Down loads in my books. Overall, Shut Down is a much better track compared to their pre-release and a much appreciated new sound profile to their discography.
There appears to be a lot of references to their oldest music videos in Shut Down‘s very own music video. Some of the references that I picked up on include the Jennie’s tank, Rose’s light-piece swing and Lisa’s katana from their DDU-DU DDU-DU music video and Rose sitting on top of the planet Earth from their WHISTLE music video. The billboard that Jisoo takes a selfie in front also features a scene from the DDU-DU DDU-DU music video of herself. Aside from those references, I continually enjoy the presence of the black and pink coloured items and themes throughout their music videos. I don’t know why and I feel like it pretty much cliché now, but I still find the references to their name in the video to be quite interesting. I also liked the roller door and alleyway set, as well, for this music video. The colour from their outfits were also a refreshing visual as well.
The choreography for this comeback looks fantastic. It was tough and I liked how they were imaginary smashing or slamming things on the ground or their hands in time with the ‘Shut Down‘ mentions in the song. I particularly like the clock hands that preceded the clap of the hand in the chorus. I would definitely like to see what else BLACKPINK has in store for the rest of the routine.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 8.5/10 Overall Rating – 8.4/10
It has been almost two years since we have heard BLACKPINK through a full group comeback via the promotions of Lovesick Girls and The Album. Currently, we are progressing full speed ahead towards BLACKPINK’s official comeback in a month time with their second studio length album Born Pink and a yet to be unveiled titled track. But ahead of the release of Born Pink, we find ourselves here today just about to review the pre-release for that album, Pink Venom, which dropped earlier today.
It appears that Lovesick Girls was a once event in terms of the group’s discography. BLACKPINK returns to familiar powerful territory with Pink Venom, following the same vein of their past releases such as How You Like That and Kill This Love. There isn’t anything wrong with this classic BLACKPINK sound and style. It is just quite overdone by now. Pink Venom attempts to change it up with a mixture of traditional and tribal-like instrumentation throughout the song, sans the second verse which deep dives the song into 90s hip-hop territory. I think this instrumental combo lacks that knock out of the park feel that their previous tracks have. And I am quite sure the typical formula also dulls the potential of Pink Venom. The chorus was probably the most interesting aspect, but I am of the opinion that it is disappointing. Lisa and Jennie go into this high pitch soft whisper-like motif. I feel that this detracts from the powerfulness potential of song, and weakens the integrity of Pink Venom. It is somewhat unique, but very fragile. It makes me want to handle the chorus with care, which isn’t something you would want with a BLACKPINK song that starts off powerful. The verses and pre-choruses were more appreciable and enjoyable by a long mile. There was potential between the vocals in the pre-chorus from Jisoo and Rose, to the rapping by Jennie and Lisa in the verses. The chorus just lets it down. Pink Venom ends with a ‘La Ta Ta‘ hook, which I didn’t think really gave Pink Venom that punchy ending that I had expected. There was something lacking in the background to really hone the ending in and make it all climatic. It appears that Pink Venom isn’t my cup of tea this time around. Maybe more listens would make the song more approachable, but for now, Pink Venom just doesn’t live up to their previous tracks of a similar nature.
Per usual, BLACKPINK’s music videos are top notch. And once again, Pink Venom‘s does not disappoint. Visually, this music video had it all. Vibrant colours, impactful shots and stunning looks. Best shots for each member are: Jennie’s red outfit at the start of the video. Lisa’s gangster look, Rose’s leather look and Jisoo’s Korean hanbok inspired look. The scene with Rose and the black paint was also quite epic and could potentially be interpreted as quite deep. The sets looked amazing, especially that first choreography shot with the fabric blowing about in the background. I also enjoyed the subtle black and pink colours on some of the sets.
While musically, I think the chorus is weak, the choreography might be the next big thing for the group (until next month’s release). The small movements with their hands behind their back, for example, works well with the softer and fragile delivery of the chorus, while the bigger movements work well with the slightly more aggressive parts of the chorus (i.e. the ‘woah woah woah‘). The ‘La Ta Ta Ta‘ end sequence looks cool in the performance, as well.
Song – 6.5/10 Music Video – 10/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 7.9/10
The next BLACKPINK member has finally made their solo debut. We were first teased with solo work from the members of BLACKPINK back in 2018. We first saw Jennie making her solo debut in 2018 with SOLO. It took three years for the next member, ROSÉ, to debut as a solo artist with On The Ground. And today (and not after a three year gap), Lisa makes her solo debut with LALISA. That just leaves Jisoo, whom I hope we can see solo music from in the very near future. But for now, this is my review of Lisa’s LALISA.
LISA’s solo debut comes in the form of an anthem about herself. As much as I want to like LALISA, I feel like this is a barrier for me to get into the song. I am indifferent to songs that are just for the artist themselves (i.e. stamped with their name throughout the song). Of course, there are exceptions (as always). But I felt this indifference for this release and it had a pronounced flow on effect to other elements within the song. I wish I could overcome the barrier. But no matter how much I have replayed the song thus far, I can’t get over the fact that this song is only for LISA to sing or perform. It might just be that I am narrow-minded in this regard. Anyhow, putting aside my personal thoughts of the lyrics and title, LALISA has a pretty standard instrumental. I didn’t find anything interesting within it. I did like how it enabled a bit of attitude and sassiness from LISA herself. I also enjoyed LISA’s delivery of the song, particularly her rap verse in the second verse. That sequence was a bit of a wow factor for me and further proved to me her rapping ability (not that I had any doubts of her rapping capabilities in the first place). The repetition of the title ‘LALISA‘ is definitely quite catchy and helps makes the song memorable. But as I said at the start, the overly emphasised personalised side of LALISA makes it hard for me to really enjoy the song (though this is great for LISA!).
What I like about these solo music videos is that they are not confined to the usual amazingly designed and detailed sets we see the group (and other YG artists usually in). While they did re-emerge in this solo music video, it still had an outside component which I liked. That being said, the sets are really cool in this music video, particularly the white light dance set with the word LALISA forming part of the wall . That looked really cool and modern. I also like how the music video paid homage to LISA’s background with a bit of Thai influence in a segment of the music video through a set and some outfits. That was pretty cool element and LISA pulled it off effortlessly, just like every other look in this music video.
We got to see a fair bit of the choreography of the performance. And I think it is one that fits in with LISA really well. I liked the chorus in particular, which shows off two sides of her. There is a bit of cute bounce to the first half of the chorus, followed by the sassy and attitude-filled stomping in the second half of the chorus’ choreography. I also like the ‘L’ and ‘A’ that LISA and the dancers form with their hands to represent LISA’s name in the choreography.
Song – 6.5/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 7.3/10
It has been a long time coming. But after years of promise, the next BLACKPINK member has made their official solo debut. ROSÉ makes her start as a solo artist with the single On The Ground, an all English single. Usually for an all English single would be lumped as part of the International Song Review segment. But as ROSÉ will be promoting the song in Korea, I have decided to write a separate review for it. The first member of BLACKPINK to make her solo debut was Jennie, way back in 2018 with SOLO. Check out that song if you haven’t yet after this review.
On The Ground is an awesome track. I literally have to get that off my chest. I was pretty satisfied with the entire song from the start. ROSÉ really shined with her vocals in this song, making a lasting impression of a minimalistic acoustic instrumental at the start of the song. Her vocals were extremely clear and I really like the tiniest tinge of raspiness in her voice throughout the song. The producers were very clever with the minimalistic instrumental approach, as this made us zone into her vocals from the very first second. I also like the ‘Every day, every night‘ line in the verses, which reminded me for the briefest of seconds, a Taylor Swift type of melody. The chorus is a bit of a twist, with the direction changing for a bit of an electronic influence. I really liked this beat drop changeup, as it cuts through the acoustic of this song and brought a intense dynamic to the song without going for an overload of synths or strong beats. It is aesthetic, similar to how I perceived Jennie’s solo debut. As mentioned at the start of this paragraph, I was pretty satisfied with the song. But what sealed the deal for On The Ground that spectacular high note/peak. It came out of nowhere and everything before it in the bridge did not give me any idea that high note was fast approaching. It was so good and out of the blue that it left a strong impression on me. To the point where it made the final chorus feel more astonishing and lively. Needlessly to say with how impressed I am with the song, ROSÉ delivered a stunning solo debut song with On The Ground.
The music video compliments the song so well. I really like how the music video really highlighted her visuals throughout the video and kept her grounded (pun intended) throughout the video (for the most part). I also liked, to match with the song’s chorus, the music video opted for explosions and really cool effects (i.e. floating ROSÉ) to heightened the chorus’ vibes and energy. I also like how glamarous she looked throughout the video, which I am sure is reference to her celebrity status. But there are many scenes littered throughout showing us that she is realizing what is most important to her is not that lifestyle, but rather being herself. This is the premise of the lyrics as well.
[Updated] The performance was very clever. The thing that really stood out to me was just really how low the performance was, which felt fitting for the song’s lyrics/title. The first chorus was performed by Rose and the dancers by lying on the floor. The second chorus was performed sitting on the ground, while the final chorus was performed while standing up. It was a creative choice and it felt like a climb that shows that while she was at a low while living the glamorous life, she got back up as she fully embraced her own identity.
Song – 10/10 Music Video – 10/10 Performance – 10/10 [Updated] Overall Rating – 10/10
Given the long awaited wait for BLACKPINK’s first studio album and its success so far, I decided to fast track the album review for THE ALBUM. Otherwise, I think we are looking at a end of October or possibly even November publish date for the album review! THE ALBUM features of BLACKPINK’s 2020 releases including How You Like That and Ice Cream (with Selena Gomez). It also features the current track that the quartet is promoting, Lovesick Girls, as the title track. In addition to these three songs, THE ALBUM five side-tracks, all of which will be reviewed below. But before we proceed with this album review, can I take a moment to comment on the really plain and boring name of the album? Anything other than THE ALBUM would have been more exciting and appealing. Mini rant over. On with the reviews!
3. Pretty Savage– Pretty Savage is a pretty bland song. I feel like this is will be an unpopular opinion as I know many people enjoyed Pretty Savage. The song just underwhelmed. With a title like Pretty Savage, I would have expected something a little more hard-hitting and impactful energy. Instead, we got something that felt like hip-hop in neutral gear and the energy that the song started off with dwindled down as the song progresses along. Aside from the song’s roots in hip-hop, which the song nails perfectly (and hence I found that the song had a lot of potential – if only the producers ended up going with a little more impression rather than flair), there isn’t much to the song. None of the member’s lines or the chorus was memorable. Overall, a skippable track. (6/10)
4. Bet You Wanna (ft. Cardi B) – Like Pretty Savage, Bet You Wanna underwhelms once again. Unlike Pretty Savage, however, this song is much better that in comparison to the former track. The energy in this song doesn’t dwindle. Rather, it stays pretty much consistent throughout (more on this in a bit). The song’s lyrics and chorus could potentially become catchy and memorable if I am willing to continually press replay. The harmonies were pretty strong. However, I am not too inclined to replay the song because of the consistent energy. It felt repetitive by the time we got to the end of the song and it felt like the members were stuck, preventing the song to cultivate to anything climatic. And as much I am enjoying many of these international collaborations, Cardi B’s featuring in Bet You Wanna doesn’t amount to much. (7/10)
6. Crazy Over You – I personally felt that Crazy Over You would have better placed before Lovesick Girls. To me, Crazy Over You lies on the halfway point of just right (i.e. Lovesick Girls) and underwhelming (i.e. Bet You Wanna). The instrumental is definitely livelier and energetic thanks to the use of sound effects such as the squeaky scratching. The deep thumping and flute in the instrumental also add to the aesthetic of the song. When it came to the chorus, I expected a beat with a little more heft and energy. Something like what the end of Crazy Over You ended up becoming. As for the members, they all sounded good, though still on the underwhelming side of that spectrum. (7.5/10)
7. Love To Hate Me – Love To Hate Me has a very beautiful instrumental. I found the start of the song to have this subtle intensity and the synths created a pulsing sensation which I totally found captivating. The bridge featured a bit of piano. Different to the rest of the song, but it works extremely well. I enjoyed the pre-chorus buildup, leading us to expect an epic drop for the chorus of the song. But Love To Hate Me’s producers throw us a curveball and pushes for an unexpecting and stripped minimalist beat that really made Lisa’s lines more impactful. It was only a brief turn though, before the song returns us with something a little more ‘pop traditional’ and a bit more melodically catchy to further drive the song into us. The members don’t really flourish in this song, but they do sound great! Definitely one of the better side tracks on this album. (9/10)
8. You Never Know – You Never Know is a pop ballad that I thought did a pretty good job of showing off the members’ vocal. I also sense a bit of emotion to their voices in this song, which is always a good sign in the ballad world. The song was pretty easy to follow, with simple melodies being one of the driving forces in this song. I liked that the instrumental for this song was more classical (piano, strings etc.) and there has less reliance on the synths (though it was still a thing). This makes the song a little more epic and theatrical sounding, which I really enjoyed. Personally, these elements all come together to create my favourite (and what I believe to be a standout) track on this album. (10/10)
Kicking off the intense month of October is BLACKPINK, who makes their third return of the year with their long-awaited first album! With the group’s success since the start of their career, fans have been actively pursuing a studio album for the group for the past four years they have been active. Prayers and requests were answered earlier this year when YG Entertainment confirmed confirmed the album for September (though I personally was in a ‘see it before I believe it’ mindset), but it was later pushed to October. Lovesick Girls headlines the album, which was been titled as The Album, and features alongside BLACKPINK’s How You Like That (released back in July) and Ice Cream featuring Selena Gomez (released in August).
Lovesick Girls is a great changeup to the group’s (and YG Entertainment’s) usual style of music. More recently, the company’s artists have been exploring new sounds and genres, though most of these releases do opt for some of the usual YG tactics. Lovesick Girls seems to be the biggest step away from the usual style, by opting for a dance pop profile rather than the hip-hop roots associated with BLACKPINK and their company. It also doesn’t include the usual chant-like chorus and drop chorus, nor does it build up to an anthem-like final chorus (in an attempt to changeup the song in its final moments). No doubt, all of this is quite refreshing. To me, Lovesick Girls is an impressive display of BLACKPINK’s vocals and rapping. The pre-chorus is the prime example of the great vocals, before the group joins forces with an all-in approach and catchy hummable melody. I do have some minor complaint about the chorus vocals though. I didn’t like how the slight echoey nature of the chorus. I felt that the producers had a strong opportunity to make this part dynamic, but opted for a much weaker approach. It didn’t ruin the song for me, but it did strip away the energy that was building towards to the chorus. The rapping that features briefly in the first verse and more prominently in the second verse gives the song more heft and depth, with Lisa and Jennie incorporating a brief hip-hop touch to their delivery. What really made the rapping better was how well it complimented the instrumentation. If the instrumentation was the cake, then Jennie and Lisa’s rapping would be the icing. In addition to that sequence, I really liked what the acoustic guitars brought to the verses, further complimenting that dance pop styled-chorus. Overall, Lovesick Girls is definitely a great song!
What a stunning music video. For once, BLACKPINK is not in a built set. I think we have seen BLACKPINK out in the open air before, but it has been a while if I remember correctly. The music video shows the members in a happy relationship one second and the next second are in an argument or in tears over their relationship. It works well with the lyrics, which is all about them wanting to love someone forever but only knowing the pain of heartbreak. The most captivating part of the music video belongs to Rose during the bridge of the song. The way she throws black paint across the pink wall (subtle BLACKPINK reference?) and is later seen covered in black paint and crying in the bathtub is such an impactful sequence for me. Her acting was superb. I had to rewatch that sequence a few times to properly take it all in.
The choreography looks good. The chorus starts off simple but it slowly builds in complexity as the routine involves moving about. The way they got into formation for some parts (as shown in the music video) looks quite clever as well. Other than that, I don’t have much else to say.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8.8/10
In my previous review for BLACKPINK’s earlier release this year (How You Like That), I mentioned that we would need to see the actual release of their studio album in September, given YG Entertainment’s past inability to deliver on their promise for releases associated with the group. That statement still stands, though it still looks hopefully given that we have their second single of the year, Ice Cream, as promised by their company. However, the album release has been pushed back to the start of October. But fingers crossed that 2020 will be the year that BLACKPINK finally gets their album.
In the meanwhile, let’s review their latest release, Ice Cream. The track is mainly English, but there is a rap sequence that is in Korean. Hence, I am categorising it as a Korean release and not an ‘International Song Release’. I personally don’t mind this song overall, but there are some parts that I am iffy about. Let’s start on the positives. Ice Cream joins a growing list of high profile names performing alongside high profile KPOP artists, with Selena Gomez singing alongside BLACKPINK in this song. And I feel like Ice Cream is predominately English to accommodate Selena’s featuring. I would have enjoyed the song more if it wasn’t torn between the two languages and that the rapping sequence at the bridge was in English, given that Lisa was already rapping in English earlier in the track. I liked the simple melody of the chorus, which helped make the song quite catchy and addictive for me. I might even catch myself humming along to the melody of this song in the coming weeks. The pairing of BLACKPINK and Selena was enjoyable, which I found to be surprising outcome given that I wasn’t sure how this collaboration would go. The instrumental, while typical by today’s KPOP standards due to the use of the trap elements, is quite vibrant and playful. So far, everything seems to exude youth and I quite like less intense side of the group. Now onto what I am exactly not too sure about. The biggest issue for me is Lisa’s raps. They seem a little too crude sounding for a song like this. I felt that if they toned it down, stepped back from the whole hip-hop breakdown that was going on and inserted some of that playful tones that we got in the chorus, it would have been more fitting and sensible. And the ‘Ice Cream‘ at the end just felt unnecessarily drawn out. It should have been short and sweet. But overall, Ice Cream is a refreshing and cooling treat for the fans.
I know that given the current circumstances of the world right now, YG Entertainment couldn’t bring Selena Gomez to Korea (or BLACKPINK to the U.S.) for the filming of the music video. I really would like to see what the music video would have been like if the collaboration were together as a group. That would have been epic. Aside from that wish, the music video did a good job of fusing the two halves of the video (with one half shot in the U.S. and the other half shot in Korea) to make it one whole video. I do note that Selena’s scenes were a lot better, in comparison to the sets that BLACKPINK shot in. They just looked a lot more interesting and captivating. Fashion-wise, I think I could say the same thing. Additionally, I do like how those youthful and playful charms were portrayed and were not over-complicated with a whole heap of cutesy scenes, which seems like the default in Korea.
We haven’t got much of the choreography, though it is amazing to see a lot of dance covers on YouTube for this release. It definitely shows BLACKPINK’s influence and how great this song is! I will return to this review if we are gifted with a performance or dance practice. I will also update that other review I promised to return to review the choreography, but I still haven’t yet.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – To Return (if there is a performance/dance practice) Overall Rating – 8.6/10
It has been over a year since BLACKPINK made their comeback with Kill This Love and fans have been wanting more ever since. And after that gruelling long wait, BLACKPINK has finally returned with a new single, How You Like That. It is said that 2020 is going to be a big year for the group, as they are ‘confirmed’ for their album, which will be due in September 2020. Well, at least YG Entertainment claims so. We will have to wait for its actual release to actually believe it, given YG Entertainment’s track record with BLACKPINK’s past releases and the ‘promised’ solo singles for Rose, Lisa and Jisoo (these have been ‘confirmed’ for later in the year). But until then, we have How You Like That to relieve that BLACKPINK itch.
You might already know where this review is heading if I am going to say that the most enjoyable part of the song is the ending sequence. This is where the song delivers an instrumental piece that is both powerful and enjoyable for a number of reasons. The first reason was that everything before that was extremely lacklustre and boring. It failed to excite me, hype me, maintain suspense or capture my attention. The first verse was okay, but it needed a powerful drop once it got to the chorus to enforce the preceding section. Instead, the chorus opted for a dry and bland drop. It was quite emotionless, to put it frankly and this resulted in drying out the first verse as well. I know the final sequence is just an extension of the chorus (as you can hear the chorus behind the increased tempo and heavy beats), but it was something that that I was looking for because it added momentum and energy to the song. The rapping and vocal work were quite good. I liked how Lisa’s rapping really helped make up for the lost momentum of the chorus, delivering some impact. If only the instrumental was more interesting to help support that mindset. I will also give the song its How You Like That chorus hook, for the exact same reason. Another thing that I noticed as I listened to the song for the first time early tonight – I had the thought that How You Like That was a Kill This Love or Ddu Du Ddu Du version 2.0 as it basically went for the same formula. For their upcoming release, I would love to hear something that strays away from the same formula and hopefully is a lot more exciting to this than compared to this song.
It is a YG video and it expected that it will be a good music video. And I feel like they hit that mark, once again. The colours are very vivid, the lighting puts everything into focus and most importantly, the video highlights all the pretty visuals of the group. I really liked how their outfits and looks really had a wow factor to them in this video, which made it more captivating to watch. The same thing can be said about the set design. My favourite looks in this music video include Jisoo’s headwear that accompanies her red outfit, Rose’s casual outfit when she rips off the flower blindfold, Lisa’s red hair, Jennie’s look under the umbrellas, their dark angel dresses and all their outfits for the final sequence.
Dance wise, I thought it was a good routine. There is a lot of attitude in the choreography to support the chorus and this fits well with the lyrics of being better after breaking up with someone who doubted them. I also really like the strut they did as they launch right into the final sequence. Attitude and definitely boldness to kick off the best part of the song. I did think the line was a little odd. But it still worked.
Song – 5/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 6.8/10
Apologies again for the lateness of the review (this was meant to be published on Saturday but it is now Sunday where I am living). But this review will be looking at BLACKPINK’s 2nd mini-album to date, Kill This Love, which features the title track of the same name. I think the most exciting part of this comeback is that the number of BLACKPINK songs is growing, with the addition of 4 new songs (including the title track). The album also contains a remix version ofDDU-DU DDU-DU, which I think is really good as well. But as this song was previously reviewed, it has been omitted from this album review.
Kill This Love Album Cover
1..Kill This Love (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Kill This Love.(6.5/10) APOLOGIES TO ALL BLINKS OUT THERE. My original review referred to the song as Kiss The Love in the title. This has been rectified.
2. Don’t Know What To Do – The one thing that makes this song amazing is that it slowly builds up to the club-centred chorus. This makes the chorus stand out even more than what it already does standalone due to its energetic kick. And as a result, this makes the song one to remember. In conjunction with this is amazing formula, the song also centres itself around the member’s vocals capabilities. I don’t think there was much of a rap sequence in the song, which I think was slightly intriguing. I think the choice of vocals makes this song even more unique, as a rap would have potentially made the song feel typical in BLACKPINK’s standards. (9/10)
3. Kick It – Kick It is what I would say is within the grounds of BLACKPINK typical standards. It has what I would say is a similar formula to their title tracks. But what I like about this track is that still manages to put a different spin on it. This was done through the more R&B and dragged out the chorus. Combined with their vibrant vocals (the ‘Kick It’ vocals are very popping), I think the chorus is quite dynamic. I also thought the inclusion of the rap sequence in the second verse makes this song a lot more appealing. Finally, the chanting part of the bridge was pretty good, feeling a void that I didn’t think exist until I carefully rethought the entirety of the song. (8/10)
4. Hope Not (아니길) – Following the focus on vocals rather than raps is Hope Not. It is a ballad that does an amazing job of showcasing the vocals of the members. It gives the powerful and popular girl group a more delicate sound. The instrumentation takes an acoustic guitar approach, and this goes well with the vocals. I did like the ‘Yeah Yeah Yeah’ part of the song, with that being the most memorable highlight of the entire track for me. Overall, it isn’t my personal favourite song on the album but it still good to listen to. (7/10)
The biggest comeback of this week has to go to BLACKPINK, who returned today with Kill This Love. But when it comes to BLACKPINK’s comebacks, do you know what makes this one better? The fact that we also get three new songs (so an album review is coming your way!). We last saw BLACKPINK through the extremely popular DDU-DU DDU-DU. We also got to see Jennie through her solo promotions of SOLO at the end of 2018, along with promises from YG for future solo promotions for the other members (hopefully!).
Kill This Love starts with blaring horns, which really encapsulates the group’s fierce style within the first few seconds of the song. It also hints towards a military-style concept, which will become apparent quite soon. Following this, the group launches itself into a hip-hop infused verse, before settling on a vocally-centred pre-chorus. The blaring horns return for the chorus, which definitely had an added dramatic flair. At the end of the song, we get this military-like rolling drum beat that pretty brings the song back full circle to the same feeling that we got from the start (and it is probably my favourite bit) However, there are a few aspects that leave me rather disappointed with the song. The chorus was underwhelming, with a very mediocre approach for its catchiness. I also think the song was rather muddled with its many sounds. The presence of the extended pre-chorus right after the fierceness of the hip-hop verse really lost the flow of the track and it failed to make the chorus drop in a satisfying manner. Overall, I am not really feeling the song this time.
As usual, the music video is amazing. I say this with any YG Entertainment music video and will probably say it countless more times in the future. Each set looked amazing, especially the massive bear trap set. Though, I am never sure about the meaning behind every scene and how this relates to the lyrics or the rest of the video (sometimes, they feel quite random). I did find this video that did a good job of describing the scenes so I will post this here if you want to hear about a possible theory. I really like how edgy the members look with their outfits and on the sets. The military concept also carried over, with pretty much the ending being a massive military march.
The performance was really good. Fierceness seems to be the big word of the day, with it being an adjective throughout all the aspects of this comeback. The chorus looked amazing but my favourite choreography moment has to be the end with the marching/rolling drum beats. I enjoyed the rush of energy during this part.
Song – 6.5/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 7.8/10
This is not a drill. But BLACKPINK is returning! Just not as a quartet this time around. Instead, it has been confirmed by YG Entertainment that each member will be making their solo debut. Jennie’s solo release kicks off the series of solo debuts for each member with the title track titled appropriately, SOLO. We last heard from BLACKPINK via their smashing hit, DDU-DU DDU-DU.
This is one unique song. And I am really liking it. But before we jump into a shocking in-depth description, I must apologise for my lack of music terminology. This is going to be really hard. I thought the song had a nice minimisalitc vibe, especially in the opening verse. I also like those spaced out tapping (cannot think of the right word here) sounds which give off a classy yet epic vibe. Very ear-catching. I thought the pre-choruses was nailed perfectly. Her vocals just sound so good during this section. The chorus takes a turn and drops that minimalistic vibe. Instead, the aesthetics here are turned up, giving Jennie an opportunity to showcase some dance. I actually enjoyed the ‘SOLO LOLOLO‘ hook. I thought her rapping was on point and very sleek. I was hoping for the final chorus to have more a kick but they maintained the same chorus (with slight changes), which I didn’t mind. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was different yet so appealing.
So, the message behind the song is confidence. More specifically (and I quote this from SOOMPI): “Many women are in a relationship where they give up a lot of things just to be loved by someone else. But even though they put in a lot of effort, in many cases, it will return to them as pain. The song talks about being free rather than making up a fake version of yourself.” So the video shows two sides of Jennie. The first is showing her as hurt and in pain. The second is confident and strong. And this was rather cool. I liked the way the video was shot, with the cinematography being a major highlight for me. I actually enjoyed her final dance scene with the 20+ backup dancers. Jennie stood out in that crowd but yet the aesthetic of it was just through the roof.
The choreography for this looks amazing. I personally want to see how this would look on stage because the choreography for the first chorus looked more freestyle. But for the second and final choruses, I thought everything looked bold and very charismatic, obviously the exact vibes that Jennie was going for.
Song – 10/10 Music Video – 10/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9.8/10
KPOPREVIEWED 