I am back tomorrow with song reviews that I have missed whilst on my break, plus other new releases that will be released during the week. In other words, a lot to get through. But before I am officially back tomorrow, there is one last album review that I have scheduled – Dreamcatcher’s VillainS. It is their 9th mini-album release, and their second one of 2023 (the first being Apocalypse: From Us, which featured the title track BONVOYAGE). VillainS features the title track OOTD, three side tracks and an intro track – a grand total of five tracks. As usual, thoughts on each song are below.
VillainS Album Cover
1. Intro: This My Fashion – Kicking off the mini-album and the new chapter in Dreamcatcher’s career is the intro track This My Fashion, which features a repetitive autotuned or robotic utterance of the title and a more electronic rock sound profile. I found this track to be a little unsettling, thanks to the lack of anything else in the track (the lack of vocals means I will not be rating this song and including it in the ‘overall album rating’). But it definitely means that This My Fashion has an intriguing aspect to it which beckons me to listen on.
3. Rising – To me, Rising sounds like a throwback to their earlier rock works that they built their name on. And this throwback is definitely well executed by the group and their producers. Dreamcatcher sounds more mature in this track. The hooks and melodies in Rising are catchy and their delivery in this song just shows us how well they meld into the genre now. Also, the rock gears towards the metal corner of the genre, which feels weightier. All of this makes for a highlight on this mini-album. (10/10)
4. Shatter – While I do like the set up to Shatter and its more experimental sound profile of electronica and punk, I felt like some parts of the song were relatively softer than the rest and this left the track unbalanced, in my opinion. I wished where the vocals were soft, they were actually intensified. This would also allow the instrumentation to go harder to really fully appreciate the best of both worlds. I did like the clever interwoven classical influences in Shatter, giving another dimension to the song. (8/10)
5. We Are Young – Dreamcatcher hits the club in We Are Young, going with a progressive house sound. It is definitely a different take on the group’s usual sound, which we all know has been more rock leaning. The drop and subsequent instrumental that makes up the chorus was very satisfying and hits the spot quite well. Interestingly, the verses and bridge feature softer vocals and a more delicate touch from the members. In the bridge, the way Siyeon transitions We Are Young from these vocals back to the club vibe is probably the best bit of the song and a profound way to end of this mini-album. (10/10)
Dreamcatcher’s BONVOYAGE is nominated for Best Rock Song of 2023 in the 2023 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support BONVOYAGE and your other favourite artists, songs and performance, click here to vote today.
Dreamcatcher is officially back this week as well with their 9th mini-album VillainS and their latest single OOTD. This new releases follows their Apocalypse: From Us and BONVOYAGE comeback from earlier in the year.
To me, OOTD is probably Dreamcatcher’s weakest title track, to date. For the most part, OOTD‘s handles itself well. Once again, Dreamcatcher continues their signature rock sound that is synonymous with the group. OOTD differs by opting for a more electronica profile, which does have its merits. I really like how thick and grungy the rock sounds, which is a completely different vibe to the songs that Dreamcatcher have put out previously. The pre-choruses was probably the best part of the song, with the vocals bringing out a sleek and flirty vibe that I dig. The rest of the vocals and rapping in OOTD were pretty good, but there were some moments that I felt the members were too neutral, such as the rap-speak and slighter vocals that makes up the chorus. But the neutral vocals is only one of the reasons as to why I felt the chorus was a let down and left me unsure about the song. After all, the central part of the song is probably the most important part for the song to nail. It features an the anti-drop in the first half and a feeble attempt to rebuild itself after said anti-drop in the second half. I just felt the second half plays it too safe and keeps the energy to a minimum. This didn’t do the rest of OOTD justice and it held back the potential the song had to be a smashing number. The producers should have really amped up the second half of the chorus, to give it some punch and justify the anti-drop. Overall, while OOTD does continue Dreamcatcher’s sound, it is missing the spark that makes it scream “Dreamcatcher” to me.
Most of the music videos that we have seen from Dreamcatcher in the past have contained some kind of fantastical theme or element to them. This one doesn’t. Instead, Dreamcatcher are depicted as models in this video, showing off their OOTD. The members’ visual game in this video is definitely strong and their outfits and styling are stunning. In fact, their outfits where their don their hats is by far their most striking look in this entire video, especially when its comes to Siyeon’s hair. The virtual concept they had going on also looks quite cool, though I am not entirely sure what is going on. All I can say is that ending with the POV person drops down with the members just standing there and the computer screen later on just buffers was fairly creepy to watch.
The choreography for this comeback was both sharp and striking, and I really liked that. I particularly like their creative formations and how they moved about on stage. The routine itself also works well with the lyrics, giving the members to show off their looks and outfits.
Song – 7.5/10 Music Video – 8.5/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.1/10
As you can tell by the title of this post, Dreamcatcher’s 8th mini-album, Apocalypse: From Us, is the focus of this album review post. Released back in May of this year, Apocalypse: From Us features the title track BONVOYAGE and four additional side tracks (one of which is an introductory track). Per usual with Dreamcatcher, each rock is influenced by some form of rock, making for another consistent mini-album from the group. To find out what I thought about each song on the mini-album, keep on reading below!
Apocalypse: From Us Album Cover
1. Intro: From Us – Twinkling keyboard and a consistent electric guitar instrumental piece kicks off the introductory track before the electric guitar turns into a full-on electrifying rock instrumentation. The keyboard does fade into the rock instrumentation but does return at the very end. Another bold start to a Dreamcatcher album.
2. BONVOYAGE (Title Track) – Drafting up this album review, I have been going back and forth as to whether I should bump up the rating. 8/10 is already pretty high in my books. But I shouldn’t ignore the fact that the song has grown exponentially on me and it has become one of the best tracks (if not the best) of 2023 for me. So, I have decided to bump the rating up by one full mark, noting the weak points I mentioned in the original still apply to some extent. Click here to read the full review for BONVOYAGE. (9/10)
3. DEMIAN – Holy moly was my first thoughts to DEMIAN. It may have been a while since the album dropped, but I vividly remember being blown away with DEMIAN when I first listed to the album upon its release. We get a groovy jazz beginning that I would love the group to explore more in the future. But in true fashion with Dreamcatcher, the rock takes over. And they lean in hard into the genre. I also love the peek of piano in the bridge, just as a small moment of relief before we go back to the rock energy. The group themselves sound so balanced and calm throughout the track, making DEMIAN also blissful in its own way. (10/10)
4. Propose– The rock continues in Propose taking on a more traditional form. But woah, I consistently found myself head nodding or banging to the song every time it popped up on my radar. The start to Propose was quite atmospheric and this continues onwards into the first verse/pre-chorus. It did get a bit sluggish for a moment, but the emergence of rock in the chorus saved the day. The vocal work was strong and definitely a highlight throughout Propose. Also, a highlight was Dami’s charismatic rapping in the second verse. Again, another promising song from Dreamcatcher. (9/10)
5. To. You – To. You also continue the rock sound, but takes it down a balladry path. As a bit of a change, I find this track to be the least memorable number of the mini-album. But that being said, it is still a super nice rock track. I don’t think the heaviness of the rock instrumentation that does come through in To. You can constitute it as a ballad, but I do appreciate the pace and slowness of the track. The members sound really good and I like the mellow synth that features in the midst of the rock instrumentation. (8/10)
As already mentioned prior to my break, one of the first posts after posting the outstanding Weekly KPOP Charts will be the annual ‘Personal Favourite’ post. Each year, to help round out the first half of the year, I post a list of my personal favourite songs from the 1st half of the year in July of each year. As we are now in July 2023, it is time to post my personal favourite songs from the 1st half of 2023 (with a few extra tidbits).
For this year’s post, I am following what I did last year, as I quite liked how that turned out. This means in addition to the usual list of 10 songs (which are in no particular order and not related to my reviews as songs do grow immensely on me) for the first half of 2023, I will also be posting two songs from the November – December 2022 period. And I will be posting 3 non-Korean songs (i.e. English, Japanese etc.) by Korean artists that caught my attention so far this year. So without further delays, here are the list of my personal favourite songs of the year thus far (in no particular order, of course).
From November – December 2022
Personal favourite non-Korean songs of 2023 thus far
Personal favourite KPOP songs of the year so far (January – June 2023)
Returning to the stage is DREAMCATCHER with their latest release, BONVOYAGE. It is the title of their 8th mini-album, Apocalypse: From Us, and serves as the final major song from their Apocalypse trilogy. This particular trilogy started off in 2022 with the release of Apocalypse: Save Us and MAISON, followed by Apocalypse: Follow Us and VISION. It is also the group’s first release since the news all members renewed their contract with Dreamcatcher Entertainment a year in advance to end of the usual 7 year contract that most KPOP idols sign to debut and the release of the special single Reason to commemorate their 6th year as a group under the name Dreamcatcher.
For a number of DREAMCATCHER’s reviews, I have mentioned the “this is their most intense comeback to date” comment quite a bit. We have definitely seen an upward trajectory, in terms of intensity and power, from the group over the years. And while BONVOYAGE is probably one of their most blastful and boastful efforts yet when it comes to the choruses (which undoubtedly are the highlight of BONVOYAGE for me), I do feel like BONVOYAGE could have been more balanced between the verses and choruses. It didn’t occur to me until I started writing this review that the brief pauses at the start of the choruses did some important work in drawing my attention back to the song. The verses exuded a much calmer sensation with its softer approach, all of which I would describe as ‘nice’. But there isn’t much going on within them. Nothing is memorable from the verses, which I guess is why the song didn’t pull me in until we got to the choruses. Even Dami’s rapping in the second verse was on the softer side, and admittedly, well woven into BONVOYAGE. However, there was a missed opportunity to explore something more dynamic with Dami, especially since we all know what she can do from previous DREAMCATCHER songs. Anyhow, back to the choruses. It makes complete sense that the vocals were super powerful in order to be heard over the instrumentation of the choruses. I liked the way they ended the choruses with a slight melodic touch to ease us out of the intensity and helped give the song a memorable ring. And if you enjoyed the choruses of BONVOYAGE, you probably also enjoyed the continuous momentum of the bridge and final sequence of the song, which focuses on the latter halves of the aforementioned choruses. This continuous momentum propel Siyeon’s high note and helps end BONVOYAGE on a super climatic note. Overall, another great DREAMCATCHER release.
As mentioned above, the music video for BONVOYAGE rounds out the Apocalypse trilogy. In the song, the members sings of a farewell to a special someone. In the video, this may be due to the Apocalypse events that occurred in the MAISON and VISION music videos. There appears to be a bit of symbolism and imagery going in this video, and I don’t really have time to make sense of it all. So, maybe if the connections between the video are strong enough, I might consider the Apocalypse series as part of a future Music Video Theory segment, which DREAMCATCHER’s Horror series previously featured a part of. Aside from plot line, I really liked the crispness of the music video in all aspects, including the post-production. I also liked the action scenes in the video, and the members looked amazing in the video.
The choreography for this comeback looks pretty good, as a whole. While no moves stood out, I quite liked their energy on stage whilst performing BONVOYAGE. It made the entire performance worthwhile to watch, even though there was nothing mind-blowing in the choreography. The performance was also all smiles, which looked quite genuine and tells me that they really enjoy being on stage/with each other. It also helps put an even more positive spin on the song.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8/10
Dreamcatcher’s 7th mini-album, Apocalypse: Follow Us, is the next mini-album up for a review. Apocalypse: Follow Us was released back in October and features the title track VISION, one intro, an outro and an additional three songs. It follows on from the group’s Apocalypse: Save Us album and MAISON release from April 2022. Dreamcatcher continues their niche and style with this mini-album, keeping things fairly consistent (but also freshening up their releases one way or another) over the last six years since they rebranded themselves as Dreamcatcher. In celebration of their 6 year anniversary, Dreamcatcher recently released a digital single titled Reason. So after checking out Apocalypse: Follow Us through this album review, check out their new release as well!
Apocalypse: Follow Us Album Cover
1. Intro: Chaotical X – Kicking off the mini-album is Chaotical X, a very intense and dramatic electronic instrumental piece that really grabs your attention. The alarms at the end signal the end of the introductory track, blaring in a way that feels suspenseful and epic, making you want what is to come next.
3. Fairytale – Next up on the album is Fairytale. The pop rock nature of this song caught my attention. The pop vibe through Dreamcatcher’s vocals, while the instrumentation brings up the rock element to the song. Dami’s softer rapping approach was wonderful and works really neatly with the pop rock vibe. Altogether, Fairytale feels refreshing and blissful, making it an amazing track to listen to. A highly recommended song from me. (10/10)
4. Some Love – I really liked the boldness and boastfulness of the pop instrumentation of Some Love. As this is a Dreamcatcher song, electric guitars make an appearance in the instrumentation. And together with the synths, they create a funky atmosphere. Even though the instrumentation for Some Love is loud, the members still manage to stay on top of it. (8/10)
5. Rainy Day – Toning and slowing down the entire mini-album is Rainy Day. Rainy Day is a ballad, which features a nice piano R&B arrangement, accompanied by sounds of a rainy day. Melody wise, we have that swaying effect and the members sound quite nice. I did wish there was a bit more to the ballad, such as some sort of buildup, just so it doesn’t stay overly consistent as it did. Maybe throw in some violins or orchestra into the mix to give it some body, even as cliché as it sounds. But it is still a decent ballad to sit back and reflect upon. (7.5/10)
6. Outro: Mother Nature – Mother Nature begins off with an instrumental piece that felt like it embraces nature and balance. It felt fitting as a backing piece to a montage of nature clips of beautiful sceneries and wildlife. Towards the end, we do get some sinister drum beats and a horn being blown, suggesting that we should still be aware of our surroundings for what is to come.
As I have focused on the male rookies earlier on the week, I have decided to focus on the comebacks by the female artists first. Next up is Dreamcatcher, who made their return earlier on in the week with their new single VISION and their 7th mini-album, Apocalypse: Follow Us. This follows the group’s MAISONcomeback earlier this year and the release of their second studio album, Apocalypse: Save Us.
I described MAISON as their most electrifying release yet, but I think VISION overtakes that. The choruses is the reason why, as it had a very lurching electronic techno backing that almost elicits a head-banging motion. The same type you think of when it comes to rock – I like it how whatever Dreamcatcher does in their title tracks, it is always some sort of rock fix, even if it is pseudo. The energy that comes off the choruses was quite full on, and I really liked that. VISION‘s chorus had a similar set up to MAISON, but the structure definitely feels more well-rounded here. I think, if anything, the vocals could have gone a step further, but it was still a decent effort. I did like the softer fade they had with the ‘Vision~‘ at the end of the choruses. And when you join everything together, it is still a banger. As for VISION‘s verses, they really serve powerful vocals when it matters most and this really bolsters up the verses. I kind of wished that was the case for the chorus. The raps we get were awesome and definitely hit it right. The bridge’s instrumental featured a marching band like effect, which I felt was suspenseful and a nice way to make the final chorus feel more loaded and explosive. Definitely a powerful song that fits right into Dreamcatcher’s repertoire.
The music video for VISION features a future that is devastated by the rule of an unknown force. Dreamcatcher uses their powers (lightning) to overthrow the unknown force, which the members at the end succeed in doing. This definitely complements the vision of the future that the members are singing/rapping about in the lyrics of the song. I liked how they did it all in style and how some of their outfits felt fitting for their vision (i.e. the dresses and crowns – elegance and a symbol which represents power). I just wished the members had donned those exact outfits for the end when they appear in that breaking new segment. What they wore there felt too contemporary and didn’t fully feel like they won or gained power. Other than that, I really liked their militaristic concept the choreography scenes had undertaken. In these scenes, Siyeon reminded me of Hyolyn (former member of Sistar) throughout the video with the bob cut and the aura she gives off in this video. And that is quite a compliment!
I love the energy that Dreamcatcher pulled off throughout the performance, both in their moves and live vocals. The whole performance from start to end was awesome to watch and just had so much powerful energy. But the highlight of the performance was the bridge and final chorus. Everything just felt perfect on stage during these two moments. An A+ performance, in my opinion.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9/10
I time travel back to April this time to cover Dream Catcher’s second studio album, Apocalypse: Save Us. This was released mid-April with the title track, MAISON, as its lead track. The album features two halves, one full of group tracks and the other half is made up of solo tracks from each of the members. There is also an introductory track and an interlude questionably labelled as a skit (both of which do not feature as part of the final album rating as they do not feature lyrics). In total, Apocalypse: Save Us features 14 tracks to satisfy our Dream Catcher music cravings.
Another strong album from Dream Catcher, which features a number of 10/10 tracks. Find out which songs I gave the perfect rating to down below! Honestly, I am not surprised about this. Dream Catcher has always given us strong side tracks, and Apocalypse: Save Us is not exception. I also liked that the members got to explore individual sounds with their solo tracks. As a result of this, we were given very different tracks to what we usually hear from Dream Catcher as a group. There is probably something for everyone on this album! Also, each member shot a MV (branded as a ‘special clip’ on their YouTube channel). I have included a link to each video, so make sure you check the videos out as well!
Apocalypse: Save Us Album Cover
1. Intro: Save Us – Beginning the album is this instrumental introductory track, which can be further broken into two halves. The first half is this haunting and sinister classical organ instrumental, and the second half is a hip guitar instrumental that feels very urban and contemporary.
2. Locked Inside a Door – Following the introductory track, we move onto the album’s first 10/10 song. This album really sets itself up from the beginning. Locked Inside a Door is a groovy track thanks to its jazzy instrumental. And like most groovy numbers these days, I find myself having a bit of a dance along to the music when I hear it. I liked how both Dream Catcher embraced this jazzy side, going with some awesome vocal and rapping delivery and styles that work hand-in-hand with the genre. I also enjoyed how they were upfront, allowing their vocals to gain a stronger vibrant and appealing tinge. (10/10)
4. Starlight – Starlight tackles the synthpop genre, and I am loving it! I found the instrumentation to be blissful and quite a vibe throughout. I really like the consistency from start to end. Most of the time, I am complaining about songs being too consistent. But Starlight definitely thrives and excels as a result of this consistent approach. The vocals align nicely, and I quite liked how the producers did an amazing job ensuring that the song matches up with the rest of Dream Catcher’s discography. Dami, in particular, shines in this song. (10/10)
5. Together – Together continues the experimentation with different musical styles, this time dabbling in deep house. I liked how club ready this song is. I also enjoyed the way their vocals are kept delicate and soft, placing emphasis on breathy tones. In addition, I liked the pop of energy added to the chorus through that vibrant synth, giving the catchy sequence some depth, grooviness and allowing the chorus to be quite distinct from the rest of the song. The ‘Say that you love me’ repetition in the second half of the chorus is super catchy. Siyeon’s high note was spectacular. I have to admit though, this sone is slightly more plain than what we have heard so far. But it still a strong number. (9/10)
6. Always – Once again, Dream Catcher changes it up the trajectory of this album with a different genre. This time, it is ballad. If you know me, I have a soft spot for ballads. And Always proves just that. Always is a beautiful instrumented ballad with stunning piano work as the basis of the instrumental. It is also complete with wonderful and captivating vocals. The swayable melodies are just to die for and adds a memorable aspect to the song. (10/10)
7. Skit: The Seven Doors – The Seven Doors acts as an interlude between the two halves of the album. The first half (what we have heard thus far) are the group songs, while the second half (what we are about to venture into) are solo tracks from each of the members. The Seven Doors itself brings it all back to their energetic rock roots which sounds appropriate as an anime soundtrack. It is squashed between an atmospheric wind intro and nature sounds as the outro. My biggest question is, however, why is The Seven Doors labelled a skit?
8. Cherry (Real Miracle) – The first solo track on the album belongs to JiU. It is a cute track about her dog named Cherry. Cuteness is not something I would ever associate with Dream Catcher, so a track like this is actually quite refreshing and different. I enjoyed the upbeat funky and groovy vibes that’s Cherry (Real Miracle) had. A lovely and satisfying track, overall. (8/10)
9. No Dot – On a much more serious note is No Dot, which is SuA’s solo track. This is more within Dream Catcher’s wheelhouse for obvious reasons. No Dot is quite intense, thanks to the trap and rock elements in the instrumental. I also liked how the bass bolstered and added definition to the song towards the end, concentrating the darker and more intense notes of No Dot. SuA also sounds amazing, particularly when she uses her lower and breathy tones in the post-chorus hooks. (9/10)
10. Entrancing (황홀경 (极夜)) – As mentioned earlier in the review, I am a sucker for ballads. And Siyeon’s solo track, Entrancing, does exactly as the title suggests. It is a ballad that is draws influences from traditional Korean music. But it is not just that. Entrancing sounds like it uses a mix of classical, traditional and modern instruments to bring the captivating effect to life. It is very unique and leaves me floored (imagine my jaws dropping to the floor). Siyeon’s vocals were stunning and breathtaking throughout Entrancing, drifting along with the melodies. There was also a soft rap in the song, something I would not have expected with such a delicate song. (10/10)
11. Winter (한겨울 (寒冬)) – The next solo song (belonging to Handong) is another ballad. But this time, it takes the form of a R&B ballad. This song is quite delicate and remains quite soft throughout, reminding you of a winter’s day. Personally, Winter is not my type of song. Usually, I find the style dry and Winter did fall into that trap. Handong does surprise me at the end with an acapella ending that did perk my interest. Also interesting is that she ended the Korean centric song with Chinese lyrics. (7.5/10)
12. For– Yoohyeon‘s solo track, For, is an old time jazzy number. The track is well executed. From the jazzy instrumental to the sweet vocals from Yoohyeon, everything was on point and sounded ideal for the direction in which the influences had directed the song to go towards. What was quite unexpected was the fact majority of For is in English (sans a couple of Korean words in the choruses). To me, that is quite a surprise and give Yoohyeon a unique edge with her solo track (when compared to the other members). (8/10)
13. Beauty Full – Beauty Full is up next, headed by Dami. I have high expectations with her solo track, simply because she is my favourite member of the group! Consider Beauty Full to hit those expectations! Her track taps into the pop rock genre that has been in abundance in KPOP with some more recent releases. Beauty Full is pretty nostalgic for me (as are the other pop rock KPOP tracks), as pop rock is what I grew up with. I liked the vibrant energy that is coming from the song, with some really satisfying head nodding sequences. Dami’s vocals are superb and her rapping is top notch (per usual). The anthem direction of the bridge was very cool, as well. I might be bias heading into this track, but I leave happy and satisfied. (10/10)
14. Playground – We end the lengthy album with a vibrant and cheerful track from Gahyeon. Playground is a pleasant track that makes me smile while I listen to it. It is largely pop, but there are also some funky and jazzy elements as well. I also liked the subtle violin and brass in the instrumental. Gahyeon sounds really nice throughout Playground, though I think a high note (which might be beyond her abilities) would have really added the cherry on top for me. (8/10)
Dream Catcher also made their comeback earlier this week with MAISON and their second studio length album, Apocalypse: Save Us. MAISON follows the release of July 2021’s BEcause and the special mini-album, Summer Holiday.
MAISON is Dreamcatcher’s most electrifying title track yet. Right off the bat, the song brings in a electronic guitar riff that definitely promises great things. This keeps MAISON within Dreamcatcher’s niche of rock influence title tracks, as synths are shortly brought in and infused with the electronic guitar to create a dynamic and powerful backing piece. I liked the balance shared between the two sound profiles during the verses, but I was left disappointed with how the balance was continued into the chorus. As it stand, I find it incredibly hard to pinpoint the end of the verse and start of the chorus for MAISON, no matter how listens I have given it. It just sounds too alike. I wish one profile (either the rock or the synths) popped out more during the chorus in an intensified manner, This would have really helped give the chorus more definition and not have it blend in with the verse. At this stage, I have decided the section that contains the ‘Save my home in the …‘ to be the chorus, as it is MAISON‘s main hook and it is very catchy. For a brief moment, MAISON does take a breather from the intensity by inserting a melodic piano piece and I quite like how this climbed in intensity to return the song to its original mix of rock and synths. I also liked how they inserted that choir backing in the final chorus, for an additional dynamic touch. As for Dreamcatcher’s vocals and rapping, both were solid throughout and showcased intensity that complemented the powerful nature of the instrumental. MAISON is another strong song under the group’s wing, but does need a bit of refinement in its production.
The entire video was shot in front of the green screen. Not entirely sure how I feel about this. Usually, the green screen is applied to the background of a built set (especially for the choreography shots), and I think MAISON should have gone down this route. But this style isn’t that bad. It just feels overly artificial when it didn’t have to be. MAISON “sends a message to those who shamelessly destroy the environment in this current state of the earth, which is gradually losing its original state due to the actions of humankind” (taken from SOOMPI) and you could see this message in this music video, as it shows the world in an apocalyptic state. It also affects their world, which appears heavenly and beautiful in one scene, but broken and destroyed in the next.
I quite enjoyed how powerful the performance looked. This might appear to be an obvious statement as the performance matches the music and it reflects well, given Dreamcatcher’s past stages. But I found the group to be super charismatic on the stage whilst performing this track. Their moves, formations and transitions were strong, and it left a strong impression on me.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.2/10
Dream Catcher returned at the very end of July with BEcause (as the title track) and the special mini-album, Summer Holiday. While BEcause aligns with Dream Catcher’s usual sound, the rest of the mini-album is quite a journey that I am sure you will enjoy, as the group delves into different genres for each of their songs. Continue reading to find out which genres the group went with for this special mini-album. More recently, Dream Catcher released their sixth mini-album, Dystopia: Road to Utopia (which I have reviewed, click the link to read that album review), headlined by the title track, Odd Eye.
Summer Holiday Album Cover
1. Intro– The intro begins with the sound of fans (cooling fans), followed by someone entering the store (as you can hear the clickity clacks of someone’s shoes walk). The music then takes a slight dramatic turn that feels very up Dream Catcher’s alley, with it being bold, creepy (definitely terms that go hand-in-hand with Dream Catcher’s music profile), but also sophisticated and mature.
3. Airplane– Bright releases aren’t something that we really speak about when the topic revolves around Dream Catcher. But Airplane is just that. It is a summery pop track that ticks a lot of boxes, including bright (as already mentioned), upbeat, fun-sounding and refreshing. I liked the guitars in the background and all the synths in the song that reminds me of 80s pop music. Vocally, the song is pretty decent, but the rapping felt most fitting for the song. (9/10)
4. Whistle – Whistle takes us back to familiar territory. Compared to Airplane, this song is much more serious and mature. Whistle taps into EDM for majority of the instrumentation in the song, but there are some stillness during the song’s quieter moments. I also find the EDM, particularly during the bridge of the song, is reminiscent of EDM we heard back in the ‘00s. The whistling makes a lot of sense, and helped bring a lightness to the EDM track. The vocals made the song breezier and brought an appropriate pop melody to the song. It was a pleasant listen that I really enjoyed. (10/10)
5. Alldaylong – Another song, another genre. This time around, Alldaylong delves into city-pop. Like the genre, Alldaylong was a very light track and it also shows off the group’s ability to do more delicate songs (as I feel we associate rock and heavy EDM with the group more often). I liked the ‘surround’ sound processing that were applied on top of the vocals. It definitely made it feel more city-pop. It isn’t their most notable track on the album, but definitely a worthwhile change up in their sound. (8/10)
6. A Heart of Sunflower – Given the variety of genres on this album, I was expecting a ballad to come our way. And for this album, it comes in the form of A Heart of Sunflower. This ballad had everything when it comes to ballads. From the acoustics that started off the song and remained throughout A Heart of Sunflower, to the orchestral touch via strings, to the peak using more orchestral elements and electric guitars. The vocals are very delicate and touching. If anything, I wished the song had more harmonies. (9/10)
Officially returning today is Dream Catcher with BEcause, the title track from the group’s first special mini-album, Summer Holiday. They did give us a little sneak peek at the comeback yesterday through the official start of promotions on MCountdown, but the music video officially dropped today. This the group’s first comeback since the release of their sixth mini-album, Dystopia: Road to Utopia, and Odd Eye earlier this year.
When I first heard the song, I thought Dream Catcher strayed away from their usual rock sound by basing the song on the first part of the first verse (and the fact that this was a song released on a ‘special album’. Oh, how wrong was I. If I had waited a few more seconds for the song to reach the pre-chorus, I would have realized that BEcause does contain that Dream Catcher signature rock influence, returning the group to their roots. They do change up their chorus a bit by incorporating pizzicato sounds (plucking strings of a string instrument), before leading into the rock influence. The subsequent rock in the chorus was toned down slightly to not be its usual amplification, which helps merges the softness of the pizzicato sound with the rest of the song. For Dami’s first rapping sequence, we get more of a concentrated rock sound that I thought was really cool. It is the tiniest of details, but there was a electric guitar solo moment for a brief second which I really liked. The bridge features a creepy and haunting piano melody, before we are blasted with rock to end the song. The instrumental front of BEcause was really good and had such thrilling energy. For the vocals, I thought it was good. It is Dream Catcher’s usual style and I also really like the rock style filter over some parts to help give their voices some more edge. Overall, BEcause is a really good return to form for Dream Catcher. I do feel like the start was potentially me wanting something else from Dream Catcher, but I am happy with what BEcause ended up being.
Also returning to form is Dream Catcher’s concept, with the horror theme returning for this comeback. This time, it appears the members are staying at a haunted hotel, which is connected to an abandoned theme park. The setting for this music video appears to be the same theme park settings in other music videos, so I really like what the producers of the video did to make the theme park appear haunted and creepy. I also really like the grey colour scheme they went for. The whole bridge sequence was definitely haunting as well. But what was the most creepy were those people standing around wearing black cloaks and veils. In terms of plot, I am not exactly 100% sure what is going on. But I think the one of the members was caught, while all other members were evil spirits trying to corrupt that captured members (which was mission accomplished at the end). But aesthetics and atmosphere-wise, the music video for BEcause was nailed.
I liked how their performance incorporated some horror tropes. Nothing scary, but they are common things you would associate with the genre, such as the non-reflective mirror at the start of the performance, the Yoohyeon puppet in the first verse, creepy smiles throughout the choreography and slow turns we see commonly with dolls at the end of the performance.
Song – 8.5/10 Music Video – 9.5/10 Performance – 8.5/10 Overall Rating – 8.8/10
It is time for another album review. Honestly, I am so sorry about how scarce these album reviews are this year. They just take up so much time and I find myself to be quite limited with time lately. I am trying to keep to my schedule where I can and I am hope to get out all the album reviews that I have flagged on the ‘Coming Soon’ page as soon as possible. But enough talk about that. Today, we will be focusing on Dream Catcher’s latest mini-album, Dystopia: Road to Utopia. It features the single Odd Eye as the title track and Wind Blows as the secondary promotional track of the album. In addition to those two songs, Dystopia: Road to Utopia includes another three songs and an intro track (which I will not be including in the review). So without any further delays, here are my thoughts on Dystopia: Road to Utopia.
3. Wind Blows (바람아) – Dream Catcher, once again, merges their signature rock sound with EDM. While the group has done this before with some of their other side tracks, Wind Blows is unlike any other. And I say that in a good way. Wind Blows is a powerful piece. The energy that comes off it is quite thrilling. The softer moments of the song helped make the rest of the song more impactful. Their vocals and rapping really suits this style. Maybe in the future, Dream Catcher can revisit something along the lines of Wind Blows for a title track, as it definitely has the potential to be ground breaking change to their rock niche. (10/10)
4. Poison Love – Poison Love opts for an electronic dance profile, diverting well away from that rock niche that is associated with Dream Catcher’s name. And it joins the ranks of amazing side tracks from the group. Honestly, the amount of times I have replayed Poison Love since its release is probably quite unhealthy. Poison Love has such a sleek club sound during the chorus, subtly intense and quite hypnotic. The verses, considering the combination of instrumental and vocals, come off as quite classy sounding. The rapping in the second verse is heavy, yet continues the trance that the chorus creates. As a whole song, I find Poison Love to have this nostalgic factor that reminds me of songs from 2000s (which is what I grew up on). (10/10)
5. 4 Memory – Dream Catcher continues their diversion from their rock sound, continuing with a lighthearted song that delves into a mild touch of acoustics and a heavier tinge of an abrasive EDM. 4 Memory is a nice song that showcases their vocals. The lightheartedness of the song really brings out a smile in the listener, and you can feel the positive and bright atmosphere that is exuded from the song. Overall, quite enjoyable. (9/10)
6. New Days (시간의 틈) – New Days returns to the rock sound that we all know Dream Catcher for in their last song. New Days sound like it could be the anthem or OST for a bright and happy anime. It is quite an upbeat and bright song. I could imagine myself listening to the song while in the park on a day of blue skies. I really like their vocals in New Days. While the song blasts us with rock energy, their vocals keep the song grounded and not go overboard with the rock energy. I also like their harmonisation in this song. The best part of the song has to be the ‘Wa’ that follows the first and final choruses. It just adds a level of prettiness to the song that one would not expect when you hear this style of rock sound. (9/10)
BTS’ Dynamite was voted by you to be the Best International Song By a Korean Artist. All songs from this review moving forward, including the songs in this review, will be eligble for the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Check them out and remember to vote for your favourite at the end of the year. In the meanwhile, check out the winners for the 2020 KPOPREVIEWED Awards.
Welcome to the first International Song Review post of 2021. KPOP artists aren’t just focused on the Korean pop music industry. They have embarked on multiple other music video industries include the Japanese, Chinese and Western music industries. As they are released by Korean artists, I feel the obligation to review them like any other song released by the artists in Korea. But as they are not from the primary industry (i.e. KPOP), I decided to lump the reviews into one post. This allows me to focus on the primary review of Korean songs, but also allow me to ‘keep up’ with the releases outside of Korea. In this post, I will be focusing on songs released in the Western and Japanese music industries by Korean artists in late November 2020 and January 2021. I would recommend you check them all out. They include Chungha, Baekhyun, Dream Catcher, Jung Daehyun and TWICE.
Dream of You – Chungha (with R3HAB)
Dream of You is actually a Korean song released all in English. To give you some context, Dream of You is a pre-release single for her now-released first studio album that dropped earlier in the week. We all first heard the song at the end of November 2020 and it became part of the buildup towards Chungha’s grand return to the domestic market. What really stands out with Dream of You is the funky thumping instrumentation (which felt quite classy and dynamic all at the same time). The electronic nature of the instrumentation just makes it groovier. It is quite simple in hindsight, but it feels quite loaded when you consider the song as a whole. Chungha shows off her vocal flair throughout the song, delivering the song’s mature lyrics in a very complimenting manner. If Dream of You needed to prove its potential for Chungha to flourish in the Western market, then it did its job well. The music video released in conjunction back in November 2020 is actually a performance video. It showcases Chungha and her male dancers performing the song with an uber sensual choreography. There is a modern femme fatale vibe that comes from it, which I really enjoyed. It also felt like an extension of her Stay Tonight music video that was released earlier in 2020. I really the scenes where she performance in a suit and a hat. It just made the performance more impactful and interesting to watch. This release as a whole proves to me that Chungha is a performer that any industry should be afraid of. (10/10)
Get You Alone – Baekhyun (EXO)
It seems like the ongoing funky trend is spreading to other industries as well. Get You Alone is Baekhyun’s Japanese solo debut title track and it was first unveiled on the 3rd of January 2021 at his solo concert. The song has this casual upbeat vibe which makes it quite a pleasant listen. It isn’t really the most exciting song out there. But it manages to show off Baekhyun’s vocals quite nicely, emphasising the smoothness of his vocals and its husky profile. His ad-libs throughout Get You Alone and especially during the bridge is definitely the song’s icing on the cake. The music video shows a nerdy version of Baekhyun wanting to ask out someone he is interested in. But that person cruelly rejects him. He turns to the help of a more confident and experienced version of Baekhyun (the talk show host), who tells him what to do to be successful in the dating department (i.e. setting the mood, teaching him about manners and to make sure he smells nice – which resulted in a classy wardrobe change). I wished we got to see whether the changes and work put in paid off. It would have completed the story in a fulfilling manner. I liked the sets of the video. There isn’t anything special about them, but they managed to emphasis the funky tones of the song. The choreography shown throughout the music video was quite good and paired well with the song. (8/10)
No More – Dream Catcher
We all know Dream Catcher for their infusion of rock influences in their title tracks, regardless of the music industry they are releasing it in. What makes it even better is that Dream Catcher almost always puts a fresh spin on it. They found a niche in the KPOP industry and have managed to continued marketing towards that niche without tiring out listeners. But I don’t think we have ever heard anything with high intensity as No More. Released at the end of November 2020, No More literally charges at you with its relentless energy. It quite thrilling and powerful, all rolled into three minute long song. I really like how Dami’s rap cuts through the intensity by having the rock instrumentation stripped away into an almost trap-electronic piece. It does feel fitting for the song as a whole and brings some mid-song relief. The music video for No More doesn’t actually the members. I am assuming the anime characters that we do see are anime version of the members, though I haven’t found any information on who they are. The music video also doubles up as a lyrics video, showing the lyrics of the song of the song. I also like the transitions of the video. They do feel erratic, but most importantly, they matching the intensity of the song. As the video doesn’t feature the members and the anime character are simply images, there is not associated choreography with this comeback. (8.6/10)
Amazing – Jung Daehyun
Jung Daehyun, a member of the now inactive B.A.P, made his solo comeback in Korea with his first Japanese single back in November 2020. The new song is titled Amazing and it was officially released at the end of November 2020. But the music video was released for a month prior to the official song release. It is definitely nice to hear his voice once again, especially since this is the first song I have heard from him since the release of Aight at the end of 2019. His voice does flourish in the song and the melodies are quite enjoyable. Amazing also shines in the instrumental department. Sure, there isn’t anything special about it. But like the vocals and melodies, it was quite enjoyable and acted as a decent backdrop for the solo act’s vocals. It was noticeably dominated by repetitive taps on the keyboard and there was also some brass thrown into the song to give the chorus some additional colour. The music video was quite simple at the start, but it stilled managed to look classy thanks to the outfits worn by Jung Daehyun and the dancers. The video also showcased the visuals of Jung Daehyun quite well. About half way through the video, we see Jung Daehyun and the dancers perform under rain and in a water pool. While this is something we now see often in KPOP, it made the video more visually interesting. I personally felt the red light could have been omitted, but that is the only critical comment I can make for this video. The choreography looks nice. I wished more people would view the video to watch Jung Daehyun in action and listen to the song, as this comeback is very underrated. (8.2/10)
Better – TWICE
The final song in this post is TWICE’s Better. It was released back in mid-November. If you are looking for a fulfilling pop dose from this list, Better is the song for you. While some of the other songs above are within the pop realm, none of them match Better‘s colourful energy. It is the type of song that will make you smile and get up to dance to. The song’s best part has to be the descending melody that features as the song’s pre-chorus. It is definitely quite memorable and it makes the chorus just pop out so much more. The chorus comes out as a close second, with Jihyo’s ‘Better‘ really sticking in my mind. The rapping by Chaeyoung and Dahyun has a really nice kick to it, elevating Better to a much better level. While I don’t mention the rest of the members, they all sound really amazing throughout this new song. When it comes to the music video for Better, I applaud the stylist of the video who chose their outfits. The colours were quite dull and wouldn’t necessarily be considered fashionable at first glance. But the outfit colours worked in really close harmony to the rest of the music video, making the members stand out in the video. There is still a burst of other colours throughout the video using dominance, which compliments the pop vibes of the song. I also like the casualness of the video, portrayed through the member’s outfits and the uncomplicated nature of the sets. For the choreography, I like the bouncy energy they bring forth. The bridge looks complicated, but aesthetic. (9/10)
Dream Catcher is back with a brand new release titled Odd Eye and their 6th mini-album, Dystopia: Road to Utopia. This comes after a jam packed year for the female group, including their first studio album, their fifth mini-album, promotions for Scream and Boca, the release of the special single R.o.S.E BLUE for another mobile game, Japanese comebacks and a bunch of solo work. Definitely quite a long list of activities. Let’s hope that 2021 is an eventful year for Dream Catcher! It is already shaping to be one with Handong officially returning to the lineup of the group through promotions for Odd Eye.
Odd Eye is confirmation that Dream Catcher’s title tracks cannot be without a rock influence. The first verse pretty much settle on a hip-hop influenced instrumental for the dance track. Hearing this influence got me excited for a bit as I thought that Dream Catcher was going to break out the mould of their commonly associated rock sound. It was definitely an interesting change to their usual style. Even the pre-chorus lead me to believe that they left the rock influence behind in 2020, infusing bit of an electronic texture to the song. But when the chorus rolls around, Dream Catcher hits us hard with the rock elements. And I really liked that, as it definitely helped made the chorus and rock elements feel a lot more explosive than usual. The textures in the chorus were really powerful, whilst the vocals were very crisp and clear. The second verse is pretty much of a mix bag, It doesn’t really return to that hip-hop styled verse we heard start off the song. Instead, it is a bit of a mix between the two styles of music, allowing for a bridge to be created to facilitate the ongoing momentum of the song and Dami’s great rapping sequence. I would have liked for them to explore more of that hip-hop influence though. For the bridge, I really liked how that humming in the background. It kept the song going without needing to opt for a slowed down or cut back sequence. It also maintained the song’s intensity, keeping up the suspense. Overall, Odd Eye does embark into foreign ground briefly. But it did not do so at the expense of what we know Dream Catcher for. In fact, it probably made Dream Catcher even more powerful than before.
With an electrifying song like this, it was nice to see the producers opt for a modern influence to the music video. The video features a fair amount of electronics and additional post-production effects to give off a technological advanced premise. It actually comes off quite cool. They also redesigned the setting of the tree that featured in the previous comebacks to fit in with the video here as well. As for the symbolism, I have no idea what the video is about. Nor how it links to the other music videos in the Dystopia series. It is interesting to see the message at the video, telling us that Dream Catcher couldn’t find their utopia. For the choreography shots, I really liked the black, white and red colour palette. It felt striking and also edgy, fitting with the musical influences they had in the song.
Fierceness is how I would describe the choreography and performance as a whole. The members just came at you with all this energy to be on par with the song. And it felt very satisfying to watch. It didn’t feel like their best work, however. But it was still up there, nonetheless!
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 8.5/10 Performance – 8.5/10 Overall Rating – 8.8/10
The third album review for this weekend focuses on Dream Catcher’s latest comeback, BOCA, which is featured on the group’s fifth mini-album, Dystopia: Lose Myself. It is a short mini-album release, but it is one still worth checking out. All the song’s on this album is definitely of a high quality. Even the introductory track (which I didn’t review and hence include in this album review) is one of the best introductory tracks I have ever heard. Have a scroll down and check out each track whilst also having a browse of which songs I liked (hint – I liked all of them).
3. Break The Wall – Based on the title alone, Break The Wall felt like it be a full-on song. And Break The Wall lives up to that expectation, with the song’s energy and intensity is delivered by Dream Catcher’s classic rock influence. There were some great parts to this song that I would continually come back to. The rock influence during the chorus was extremely satisfying and checks my cravings for a rock song. Dami’s rapping takes the song a step further going with to a harsh but powerful level that really capitalizes on Dami’s voice and gives the song that needed climax. Finally, I really liked the ending, where we hear Siyeon put her vocals on full display with the prolonging and continuous ‘Woah’ that just keeps on coming at you. It was very bold and dramatic. I do find it interesting that the verses were muffled by autotune. In the live performances, the members hold up megaphones whilst singing their lines in the verses, which I thought was pretty unique. It fits in with the group’s message to rally up and give confidence to those who want to Break The Wall (that has held them back) with them. (10/10)
4. Can’t Get You Out Of My Mind – Can’t Get You Out Of My Mind delves into the EDM side, which isn’t something that I commonly associate with the group. To me, Can’t Get You Out Of Mind features a nostalgic for of EDM (can’t believe I just said that) that reminds me when EDM used to be just drops for the chorus. However, Dream Catcher doesn’t stop there with the chorus, following the drop with some vocals. And these vocals, along with the rest of the vocal work throughout Can’t Get You Out Of My Mind was very melodic and traditional for EDM. Sure, the song could have been more memorable. I think they could have given Dami a rap sequence to amp up the song’s intensity and provided additional depth. They could have also introduced some catchy hooks. But Can’t Get You Out Of My Mind does enough regardless these omissions. (9/10)
5. Dear – Dream Catcher wraps up the album release with the mandatory ballad that most KPOP albums must fulfill. While it is the outlier in terms of sound on this album, Dear is quite captivating. For the first two minutes, Dear is pretty much your standard piano-driven ballad. But after the two minute mark, everything sudden picks up and develops exponentially out of nowhere to become an beautiful orchestral piece. And I am glad it did so, as it made listening to the whole song worth it. In addition to be stunning music piece, the vocals are lovely throughout Dear, drawing me into it with its dreamy appeal. (9/10)
Dream Catcher continues to explore the rock niche that they have created themselves through the release of their latest mini-album, Dystopia: Lose Myself, which features the title track, BOCA. To date, no other group has managed to overtake or compete with Dream Catcher in this niche market. It is a pity that they are not getting more attention in the domestic market. But it has been confirmed that their fanbase is growing with each comeback, their last being Scream. More recently, the group collaborated with the mobile game Girl Cafe Gun and released their second mobile game soundtrack, R.o.S.E B.L.U.E.
The last few title tracks (i.e. Scream and Deja Vu) that Dream Catcher has promoted have left me in awe within the last listen. Unfortuately, BOCA didn’t have that same initial appeal. It actually took a few listens to actually settle on an opinion for BOCA. I wished that BOCA had more of an electrifying vibe to the song. There is that fast tempo harshness that the electric guitars brings to the chorus. That is quite exciting in itself, but it didn’t feel enough. I wanted them to go that extra mile with it, especially in the final chorus, to give the song that extra edge and some differentiation from the preceding choruses. Aside from a high note, there isn’t much to really give the final chorus that much needed energy release and climax, and hence I found the song to be somewhat repetitive by the time they wrapped up. Everything else gets a massive tick of approval from me. I really enjoyed the verses as they brought a hip-hop vibe to the song, which I felt Dream Catcher has not really paired with their rock sound before. This is comes after a really nicely aesthetic ‘tututu‘ in the background for the first verse. The vocals throughout the song was just superb. Yoohyeon’s powerful vocals and falesetto that leads into the chorus, along with Siyeon’s high note at the end makes them standout in this song. On the topic of members, Gahyeon joins Dami as one the rappers in this song. That I thought was quite interesting and different, as I remember that Dami was the main rapper in all their songs. And their part was definitely rhythmic and added a much darker and edgier vibe to the song. Overall, there are some lacking elements that does weigh down the song. But BOCA still fits in with Dream Catcher’s work and proves their worth.
The visual game in this song is strong. That really jumped out at me when I was watching the music video. From their innocent and pure side (shown when the members are in dresses) to their dark and edgy side (shown through their choreography outfits), Dream Catcher looks stunning and jaw dropping in this music video. BOCA in Spanish means mouth and throughout the music video, you see a lot of ‘mouth’ references. The mouths are mainly taped up or covered, preventing people from speaking. Based on the lyrics as well, it seems like the music video shows the members are fighting against these people who just constantly judge them and provide hateful comments. Definitely a powerful message, suitable for a powerful video like this.
I really liked how the choreography represented the mouth. It connects the music video, song and performance in a clever manner. In addition to the mouth move, I really liked the circle formation that they form with the backup dancers during the chorus. It looked stunning when they started turning around Siyeon. The rest of the performance carries the intensity of the music quite well, making this another standout performance from the group.
Song – 8.5/10 Music Video – 10/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9.1/10
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