Tag: Cosmic Girls

As promised during last week’s review of WJSN The Black’s review for Easy, I would be looking at WJSN’s latest mini-album this weekend. Well, that review comes today! This full group comeback (excluding Cheng Xiao, Meiqi Xuanyi due to scheduling conflicts) shares the name Unnatural for both the title track and the album’s name. Both of which were released at the end of March. This is another strong comeback from the group, who consistently have put out great title tracks and albums. Their last full group comeback was back in June 2020 with Neverland (headlined by Butterfly). Let’s see how the indivdual songs faired on Unnatural.

1. Unnatural (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Unnatural. (9/10)

2. Last Dance – Last Dance continues the mature vibes from Unnatural. It is also my favourite side track from the album. There was a lot to like in this song. To me, the instrumentation in this song was pretty much perfect. Nothing felt out of place, underwhelmed or overwhelmed. The synths employed were more to the harsh side of the spectrum, but they came together to make a fulfilling backdrop. They used this to create the peak of the song, which I thought was smart. I really like the catchy nature of the chorus, and how the melodies came off as soft but you can still hear them over the loudness of the synths. The rapping in this song really showed some edgy flair, which I also really enjoyed. (10/10)

3. Super Moon (원하는 모든 걸) – The next song loses the serious tone that the preceding mature tracks had. Super Moon takes us back to familiar territory for the group, reminding me of their Boogie Up days. The instrumentation is very vibrant and feels fitting for the initial period of Summer. I really like the texture component of the pre-chorus, which brought some depth to the song and contrasts with the light approach WJSN had opted for in the chorus. I also enjoyed the electronic infusion of synths that preceded the final chorus, giving a bit of zing to the song as it approached its end. I just wished Super Moon had a more dynamic and catchier hook to really push this song to a new level of appeal. (9/10)

4. New Me – New Me promises a sexier side of the group, based on how the song sounds. This is probably unexplored territory for the group, given their well-known fantastical sound that they started their careers off with. I can imagine a really sleek and sensual performance to accompany New Me on stage. The retro instrumentation was very alluring. I enjoyed the rapping in this song (particularly just before the first and final choruses), but felt the vocals were a bit plain. I really like the whole concept of that extra bit at the end after they had supposedly wrapped up New Me. It isn’t new per say, but they are rare in KPOP dance music. But it works well with that alluring side of the song, teasing us just a bit longer. (8/10)

5. Yalla (음) – For me, Yalla’s main appeal point is the chorus. The first half of the chorus is made up of broken up synths that come together to create a bold and aesthetically messy centre-piece. This is followed up with bold vocals and sweet harmonies. I also really like the groovy nature of the rest of the instrumentation. But that is if I were to treat the chorus as its own song. When I consider the entire song as a whole, I want the chorus somehow pops out more. It is different, but it lacks definition. It needed to be bolstered up to be more out there. Instead, Yalla stays relatively neutral despite having a potentially mindblowing and wowing arsenal. (8/10)

6. Rewind (잊지 마 (나의 우주)) – The album ends with the mandatory ballad that is expected on all KPOP albums. It is backdropped by a piano-centric instrumental, which built up to include other classical instrumentation. Typical in many ways, but still stunning. Rewind boasts member’s the amazing vocals, which is without a doubt their best on the album. Especially in the chorus, they really  pierced their way through the song. I think the weakest moment of Rewind is the rapping. I don’t think the ballad needed a rap sequence and it disrupted the blissful flow of the song. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.7/10

As per the schedule, Sundays see the release of a new Weekly KPOP Chart post and an album review post. I have already posted the Weekly KPOP Chart post for the third week of June 2020. Topping the charts is WJSN’s Butterfly, which is now the number one song for two weeks in a row. It is just a coincidence that I had also prepared the album review post for the mini-album, Neverland, that includes Butterfly as the title track for posting on the same day. It just makes me introduction a little more interesting though. The group has also won two weekly music show awards since the release of both the song and mini-album. Also, I am digging the album with all the tracks alongside Butterfly being favourites of mine. Let’s see what those tracks are!

1. Butterfly (Title Track) – Click here for the full review for Butterfly. (9.5/10)

2. Hola – The next track on the album is Hola and it starts off loud (in a good way). A better description for the song is that is a club banger and is best when the volume is up high. It like the energy that comes from it (I have personally been replaying the song for this element alone) and thoroughly enjoy the song’s intensity, thanks to its club vibes. The song’s hooks are extremely catchy and help makes their vocal work to stand out. I also like their vocal’s powerfulness, which is necessary when you pair it with a club-based instrumental like this one. My favourite one is the ‘Na Na…Na’ that follows the first and final chorus of the song. Exy’s rap sequence might be in a standard form (pretty straight forward with its deliver and in terms of the instrumental backing), but I find it is perfect for this song. I also enjoyed the chanting in the bridge. You might think I would find it awkward, but I felt it tied the song together neatly. Overall, an excellent song to follow the title track. (10/10)

3. Pantomime – The title of most unique song and favourite side-track on this album has to go to Pantomime, another song that I have regularly repeated since I first listened to the album. I find the instrumental to be very aesthetic. It is a bit irregular and isn’t as straight forward as you think, but I think it is the song’s charm. In a way, the synth heavy song keeps you on the edge of your seat as you just don’t know where the song would go next. I really liked the textural components of the instrumental and the delayed drop when it came to the chorus. I found the group’s lower tone vocals to be very fitting and helped make the song gain that aesthetic vibe. I also really liked how to keep the song different once it reached the final chorus (otherwise, this very irregular song would have felt repetitive or come off as a ‘standard track with many textural components’), Dawon goes even lower after a longer delay and I thought this was so sleek. Also, the ‘Like a Pantomime’ post-chorus hook is so memorable and addictive. (10/10)

4. Where You Are (바램) – I really enjoyed the way Where Are You started. It suits WJSN’s image quite well and had a very pretty vibe as well. And as the song progressed, those thoughts just continued to accumulate. The instrumental is a mash between pop and orchestral, which I have noted to be a great combination in the past. I also felt that Where You Are could easily be a follow up many of their earlier works thanks to the pretty vibes that I had just mentioned. The song doesn’t have that wow factor like the above two songs or the title track. But it is a great song, nonetheless. The melodies were extremely pleasant, and their vocals were quite charming. The rapping was so fitting for the song. The hooks had a sweet feel to it. Overall, a very easygoing and pleasant track to listen to. (9/10)

5. Tra-la (불꽃놀이) – WJSN carries the pleasant vibes from the previous track onto the fifth song. Once again, I find the song to be easygoing, pretty-sounding and quite calming. The song takes on a tropical instrumental, but make sure to retain their personality in the song as the song in its entirety feels suitable for WJSN. I personally find their vocals in Tra-la to be their best. While we had powerful and charming vocals, they sounded most like themselves in this song. The pre-chorus sequences had a nice build up to the sweet-sounding chorus. The song also brings me two Exy rapping sequences and both sequence (though short) bring out her potential and fits so well in the song. I find the final moments when the members sing together to be very nice and fitting for the lyrics, as well. (9/10)

6. Our Garden (우리의 정원) – The final song on the album is Our Garden and I find it to be the weakest song on this album. But it is only half a step down from the previous few songs, as I felt the hooks weren’t as profound due to its wholesome overall feels. Once again, the track has a very jazzy pop sound and brings along that pretty sound that I have mentioned from the previous song. I liked the whispery moments of the song (i.e. Dayoung and Luda at the start; and Eunseo and Luda at the start for the second verse), as the slight autotune gives it a very unique character. I also love Exy’s part in this song. Her rap is more a rap sing delivery and fits in neatly into the song. I also liked in the first half of her sequence, where there she echoes herself. The rest of the members, despite not being mentioned throughout the album review, nails their vocals once again. This track brings Neverland to a very strong close. (8.5/10)

Overall Album Rating – 9.3/10

WJSN (Cosmic Girls) is nominated for Best Female Group and Best Female Choreography in the 2019 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. To support WJSN and your other favourite artists, click here to do so today!

The next album on the ‘album review blitz’ list is WJSN’s latest mini-album release. Both the title track and mini-album share the same name, As You Wish. These were released in the middle of November and the group has been actively promoting the release since then. This release follows the groups chart-topping hit, Boogie Up, which was released back in June. Let’s see whether the group can continue their momentum following their previous comeback.

1. As You Wish (이루리) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for As You Wish. (8.5/10)

2. Luckitty-Cat (행운을 빌어) – One thing that I really like about Luckitty-Cat is how it just keeps going on. There is hardly a break in the song’s momentum. But this is no problem as the song is rather catchy and addictive. The lyrics and vocals tap into the group’s innocent and cutesy domain. I really like the melodies of the song as well, which was quite flowy and pleasant over the busy instrumentation I got. I also really liked the vibrancy of their vocals and the rap sequence in the song. Overall, a really good song from the group that could rival their title track, in my opinion. (9/10)

3. Lights Up (야광별) – Lights Up is a ballad and it features a piano and (later on) orchestral instrumental. It is almost like a fairytale-like backdrop for the song, which I quite like. Apart from the instrumentation, their vocals are the other primary element present in the song. While some members sound good, I thought that their voices were a tad too loud for the instrumentation, overall. And in some cases, some members sounded off. Though I am not too sure why they sounded off. Furthermore, I wished they scrapped the rapping this song track. It didn’t feel necessary and wasn’t well incorporated in my point of view. (6/10)

4. WW (우와) – We return to the more upbeat and energetic sound that WJSN feels most well known for. Minus the start of the song, where they went with a retro synth start that was distorted and felt ‘broken’, the song is pretty much a funball rolled into a 3 minutes and 45 seconds. I really like the vocals in this track, as they play with pitches, which is rather cool. The rapping is also lively int this track and is different from their past tracks (Good Job Exy!). I like the vibrancy of this track well, which helps make it addictive. (9/10)

5. BADABOOM (바다붐) – I like how serious and mature sounding the song sounds. It is fierce in its own way, which I am sure is a side of WJSN that could potentially be brought into play if they group ever wants to undergo a direction change. I thought the song was catchy, thanks to the hooks. I also like how instrumental contained thumping instrumentation, which I think pairs well with the title BADBABOOM. The ending to the song was really awesome, giving the song a unique extension. I also like “Li La Li La’ part before the choruses. It was a nice quirk that really caught my attention. (8.5/10)

6. Full Moon – Full Moon returns to that mystical and fantastical sound that the group is widely known for. The song features a catchy chorus and seems to incorporate a bit of R&B to the song. I like the vocal work and the rapping in this track as well. However, I can’t help thinking that this song is extremely weighed down and feel very dry. I want something with a little more oomph or bang to it, which I am certain would help retransform the song into something more interesting. (6.5/10)

7. Don’t Touch – This final song is fierce and powerful, which are words that I really enjoy using to describe songs. Exy’s rapping really brings the song to new a whole new level, which really makes it enjoyable. I feel like the producers didn’t do a really good job of mixing the instrumental with the vocals. One element is always overpowering the other in this song. You don’t get much opportunity to really appreciate an element because of it. But I like how they channeled their energy and I feel this is a very bold ending for the album, especially given WJSN’s image and pasty concepts. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 7.9/10

South Korea (and the Northern Hemisphere) have already kicked off Summer with a number of Summery time comebacks, filled with bright energy and catchy hooks that make any KPOP fan want to party and dance to. One of the more successful acts of the 2019 Summer thus far is WJSN, who returned with Boogie Up back in May. The group has topped charts including MCountDown, SBS The Show and Show Champion with the very infectious and addictive song. Today, we will have a look at what WJSN has accompanying Boogie Up on their album.

1..Boogie Up (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Boogie Up. (9/10)

2. Oh My Summer (눈부셔) – Oh My Summer is a nice pop song that gets you in the mood for the Summer season. I find the slight retro approach in this instrumental to be quite fun. I find the pace of the track to be quite interesting. There is nice energy level in the track and it is a track fitting for the Summer season. Other positive aspects of the track are that it is catchy and an addictive song. Both the vocals and rapping were pretty good, as well. If there were any negative aspects in the track, the positive aspects outweigh them, meaning WJSN delivered another good track in the form of Oh My Summer. (8.5/10)

3. My Type – Kicking the energy to a higher notch is My Type. It is another pop track that has a very bright and vibrant sound. I like how straight forward the song. It doesn’t mess around and gets straight to the point with its sound. The chorus does have the potential to be an amazing hook. But I feel like the melody was a little lacking, as it didn’t reel me as I had expected from such a bright song. I did think Yeonjung’s vocals were nice, in the chorus. But the highlights of the track have to be Exy’s rapping and that outro segment at the end, which provides a beach party-like atmosphere. (8/10)

4. Let’s Dance (우리끼리) – If you are looking for a song to put on speaker, this is probably the one. The synths used in the track seems to conform to the electronic genres that we get more typically nowadays. There is also some attitude to the song as a result, which I am totally enjoying. The addition of saxophones was very nice and gave the instrumental a party/club sound, which resulted in it in being fun and less serious. Though, if I was honest, I think the saxophone could have had a solo or been slightly louder to really add to that party feel. The vocals were nice and I like the rap opening, which I don’t think WJSN does much of. I can imagine an awesome dance routine to it, increasing my expectations for the track even further. (9/10)

5. Sugar Pop – Sugar Pop is exactly like how its title portrays it to be. It is a sweet upbeat pop track that has an infectious energy that you cannot help but be addicted to. It is another good to put on blast due to its almost explosive chorus nature. While I find the song to be very catchy and very suitable for an album full of energy, there is a section that I particularly love. The pre-chorus reminded me Bohemian Rhapsody and I thought this was a very cool effect to have in the song of a sweet nature. The vocals and raps, once again as superb. Yeonjung’s high note came out of nowhere and it also stole the show. Overall, another great song. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.7/10

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Unfortunately, I have run out of my ‘stockpiled’ past album reviews, so I had to write a fresh one up today. And I couldn’t decide which artist to pick from since there are so many. I have done two male groups in a row, so I thought I refocus on the female groups. And so, I picked WJSN’s second mini-album, The Secret, which was released back in September 2016. This was the very first era that WJSN  caught my attention with and since then Secret has been a longtime favourite of mine. So it only makes sense to see what else the mini-album, which Secret comes from, has to offer. So let’s get onto it!

1..Secret (비밀이야) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Secret. (10/10)

2. BeBe – BeBe is a very memorable track. Unfortunately, it was more about the fact that it was the song that followed Secret. But listening to it now, the track has a very bright pop feel that I don’t mind. It does follow a youthful approach without going overboard in the cutesy domain, which I am glad did not occur. It is quite enjoyable, with nice vocals and the single rap sequence was nice. The track was relatively fast pace and it could have slowed down a tad bit to be a little more favourable. But overall, BeBe is a nice track. (8/10)

3. Would You Kiss Me? (우주키스미) – Would You Kiss Me? is a nice sweet pop track. Well, it started off with that thought. And it carried that idea for the majority of the track. But like many listeners, I find that trap breakdown very mismatching and ill-fitting for the tone of the track. I guess it was something formulated to fit the experimental trend. But other songs work because they come together well, which is not the case for this track. If I were to talk about the sweeter moments alone than I would have enjoyed it. (6/10)

4. Prince (짠!) – Prince sounds like a standard sidetrack. It is a good track, heavy-handed on the synths in the instrumentation. There are trap-like breaks in the song, which I thought was fitting for the heavy use of synths. But the song does feel weighed down and hence it doesn’t have that necessary pop to be considered as a title track. The vocals are good, but they felt overshadowed by the instrumental. On the other hand, the rap sequence really shined and was my personal favourite part of the song. (7.5/10)

5. Robot – Robot is probably my pick for most memorable sidetrack on this mini-album. I liked how they departed from their pop sound and went with something a little more electronic. I think the instrumental was very catching, even though it was quite repetitive. It reminds me of those retro sounds you often got in games. There are some squeaky effects towards the end, which I thought kept the song interesting. The vocals were nice in the song and the rapping was quite cool. I actually liked the high-pitch echo that followed Exy for the rap sequence. It may not be the sound I drift towards, but they pulled it off well enough for me to do so. (8.5/10)

6. Good Night (이층침대) – It is time for that mandatory ballad on most mini-albums. And while sometimes the mandatory ballads are pretty good, other times they are a miss. Unfortunately, Good Night falls under the latter. Like the title, Good Night makes me drift away from the album. I forget about it and hence the ending is also forgotten. The vocals were nice but because it was so light, I didn’t feel a connection with it. (6/10)

Overall Album Rating – 7.7/10

 

Originally I wasn’t going to post an album review today due to the 2018 KPOPREVIEWED Awards posts (to be released in a few hours). But with so many good albums in the past week alone, I decided to slide it in any way to ensure I don’t fall too far behind. Today’s focus will be on WJSN’s latest comeback, La La Love. The album which this title track is featured is titled as WJ STAY? and it is their 6th mini-album. As I still have a fair bit to do today, let’s start moving along with the review.

1..La La Love (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for La La Love. (9/10)

2. You Got – You Got brings us back to the 70s with its disco-driven instrumental. It isn’t as bright or in-your-face if we compared it with songs from that era, which makes it instantly likeable. I did find they lost that retro appeal when the song progressed (especially during the chorus), conforming to a standard pop dance track. But there were moments that song that returned it to its former self. I like the vocals in the song, as they add a nice smooth texture of the song. The rapper(s) does an amazing job at upsetting this smoothness during the bridge and following the choruses, bringing a much needed and expected roughness to keep the song interesting. (8.5/10)

3. Star (1억개의 별) – Star is that ballad on the album. And once again, they bring out the vocals of each of the members. It, like most ballads that I really like, have this swaying effect – which specifically means that there is a flowy vibe to the song. I find it interesting that they allowed Exy to rap in this song. A rap sequence isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when it comes to ballads, with other groups giving their respective rapper a vocal line. But that being said, Exy shows how versatile she is and fits perfectly into the song. If I could be any more selfish, I wished they could have pushed themselves vocally. But everything felt perfect. (9.5/10)

4. Memories (그때 우리) – To me, Memories is rather cute. It is a song that when I listen to it, it makes me smile. I also like how they keep everything well balanced and doesn’t ‘overspill’ in any manner. The instrumental gave off pop vibes while remaining orchestral based. It had a beautiful tone to it. Everyone’s vocals were highlighted perfectly. While I am still questioning the need for the rapping in this song, I think it was brought into play when it was needed most, and it keeps the song from becoming too repetitive. I may not have much to say about this song, but it was really amazing. (9/10)

5. Cantabile (칸타빌레) – Cantabile is a song that fits extremely well into WJSN’s portfolio. The entire song screams out WJSN”s name with this mystical feel. But it isn’t as ‘innocent’ sounding as their previous works. The verses and the chorus all have that innocent touch to the song. But it is the mini instrumental break that follows the chorus doesn’t seem to conform to their signature sound but rather adding a nice edge to the song. Once again, the vocals and rapping were nice. I think if the chorus had a stronger hook that fits both sides of the song that I have discussed, I would be raving about the song. But as it is now, I still quite like it. (8/10)

6. 12 O’Clock – 12 O’Clock has this quirky vibe to it that I cannot shake off. That can have attributed to the presence of trumpets at the start and its Broadway/show-time instrumentation during the verses. While I did think the chorus was a blast (drop and melody), I would have liked it if they kept to the theme rather than going with modern synths. I really liked the rapping during the second verse for this track. Definitely a highlight for me. I think the one thing missing for this song is performance because it seems like it will have an amazing routine to go with it. (9/10)

7. UJUNG (우주정거장) -UJUNG is a sweet ballad to end the album with. It was a nice song vocally and I like what they did with the rapping in the second verse (despite it not being needed in the song). They could have been more adventurous and done something to the rapping in the bridge to keep it in line with the rest of the song as it did sound quite plain (but once again – not necessary for the song). There is also a cute vibe to it, which makes me smile quite a bit. While it seems to be the most passable song on the album, it does round out the album with a likeable tone. (7/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.6/10

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