Tag: Dreamcatcher

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

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

This is the first review in a while that I managed to complete on the same day of its release. Dream Catcher is back with a brand new song, Scream. It is featured on their very first studio album, Dystopia: The Tree of Language. If you watch the music video, you may notice that there is only 6 members involved in this comeback. This is because Handong is sitting out of this comeback due to overseas schedules. Dream Catcher has also confirmed that they will be releasing their third Japanese single, so keep an eye out on Saturdays for the review!

One listen in and I am already overwhelmed with the epic nature of the song. What I find very interesting is that Dream Catcher has been very consistent with their sound. Just everytime they return, they manage to reinvent the sound in some manner that makes it sound so epic and grand. Scream starts off with that rock sound that we are used when we discuss Dream Catcher. But slowly the thumping beats creeps in and we are introduced to a twist that leaves your jaws hanging. The chorus throws electronica into the mix and this gives the song that rush of intensity and dramatic flair that is unlike any I have encountered before in my many years of listing to Korean music. What I really thought was cool is how the members brought a deeper tone to their voices to the chorus. This definitely added to that flair I just mentioned. Another cool detail in the chorus as to be that choir-like ‘Scream, Scream, Scream‘. The rappers really shined, going with a deeper than usual tone as well. The vocals were superb in this song. In fact, I think all the members managed to top whatever song I considered to be their best previously as this was an awesome track which I highly recommend if you want some intensity in your playlist.

Darkness seems to overtake the members in this video, as seen by the start of the video with light being taken away and the members are running away from the dark clouds. There seems to be a little witchcraft in the video as well, based on some scenes looking like had a magic component to it. Their outfits seems to allude to witchcraft. But other than that, I have no idea what is going on in this video. What is the significance of the mask? What is the darkness and cloud? And why did it take over the light? What role to the members play in this video? It looks like we are going to get answers (hopefully) in an upcoming comeback, so I guess we have to wait and see. When it comes to the visuals of the video themselves, I thought the video looked amazing. The post production looked awesome and it definitely really appealed to my taste.

The choreography routine features backup dancers, which I don’t think Dream Catcher has ever used before. I find that fairly cool. I also think there is a lot of attitude to this song, thanks to the routine they perform for the chorus. I also liked how they kept Handong in mind while choreographing this routine, as I believe she might take the position of the masked female dancer when she returns.

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 9.4/10

It is time for another album review and today, we will be focusing on Dream Catcher. The group returned last week with Deja Vu, which was the title track of a special mini-album, Raid Of Dream. The release of the mini-album and the title track was paired with the new mobile game, King’s Raid. And based on my review of Deja Vu, the music video seems to be heavily based on the mobile game. Once again, we aren’t here for the game. Rather, we are here for the album, so let’s have a closer look.

2. Déjà Vu (데자부) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Déjà Vu. (10/10)

3. The Curse of the Spider (거미의 저주) – When I first saw the title of the song, I thought back to the spider that played a part in their initial four-part music video series that they debuted with. And I think the song is rather fitting for that era of Dream Catcher and Dream Catcher as a whole. It has that dance rock vibe that we associate with the girls and the intensity for the song is great. I also liked the rush of energy that the song gives. The vocal work was pretty good. I did like how Dami turned back to rapping but I think she could have gotten a much better punchy sequence, which was noticeably missing from the title track of this album and present all of their title tracks thus far. (8/10)

4. Silent Night – Silent Night is no Christmas carol. Instead, it furthers the group’s venture into EDM in a very abstract and aesthetically pleasing way. The track is in no way silent, as suggested by the title. The closest to ‘silence’ that we get in this track is the chorus, which is lowkey one of the best choruses I have ever heard. It is subtly intense, and it made the song very ear-catching. I find the melody catchy and I can’t stop humming the tune once the song ends. The actual EDM kicks in at the end of the track, acting out as the outro piece for the track. It is interesting to place to add the change-up in the track. But collectively, I think it makes the song very appealing and furthers that ear-catching business that they had going in the track already. I think, apart from the title track, this is one of their best tracks ever. (10/10)

5. Polaris (북극성) – The album ends with a ballad. And it is a pretty good track. Very melodic and has a nice classically driven instrumental. All the members sing in this track and their display of vocals was nice. And while it was a soothing piece of put on if you want to relax (or take a break from Dream Catcher’s intensity), I find the song doesn’t really tie the album together as nicely as one would expect. This might be the case because it was placed after Silent Night (and I am still immersed in the preceding track) or that the ballad just didn’t exactly blow me away. But I feel like there should have been one more song to the album, following this album. (7/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.8/10

Dream Catcher has returned with a special mini-album, Raid Of Dream and its lead title track, Deja Vu. This isn’t your normal KPOP release, as the group’s comeback this time is paired with the debut of the mobile game (something that I have no idea about), King’s Raid. Not sure if it is an English game though or if it is just in Korean. But that is not the main focus of the review. We are here to listen closely to Deja Vu. We also last saw Dream Catcher through their Piri promotions earlier this year.

I think the song is amazing. Barely a few seconds in and I am already in awe of the sounds that were coming out of my speakers. Deja Vu starts off very elegant and very OST-like. Siyeon, the member that opens the song, sounds amazing. Paired with the soft and melodic piano backing, we are given an entrance that is going to be highly memorable. I like the blast of energy that the song gives you during the chorus. It changes the sound up by going toward Dream Catcher’s rock style that we know of. It is intense and it throws a little chaos into the elegant sound that the verses and bridge opt for. Especially, that final chorus. What I like the most is that we are allowed to hear more of their vocals in this track. Even Dami opted for singing, rather than rapping. There was one set of lines that really shot right out at me while listening to the song that I also wanted to randomly touch upon. The ‘So now, I’m holding this pain‘ line is so strong. As a whole, another amazing song from the group.

Matching the song is the video. There is another complicated storyline, which I assume borrows inspiration from the game that they are promoting alongside the song. There were two key endings of the song, each of which showed one side to be victorious in the game. I liked that. Other parts seem to be a bit confusing, such as the ‘funeral’ scene. But as far I can tell, it seems to be the exact same scenario. The members swap positions. Besides the storyline, the video is so beautiful and well shot. The quality is something that really took the video to a whole new level, highlighting the beauty of the sets and the members. This is one to watch.

I think the extra fabric on their arms made the performance fit that elegance that the song and video had going. The moves, overall, looked good. I did like how they ended in a similar fashion to how they started, which was quite cool.

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 9.3/10

Known for their horror theme comebacks (I previously formed video theory posts regarding their horror ‘Nightmare’ series featuring the music videos of Fly High, You & I, Chase Me and Good Night), Dream Catcher has made their horrifying return today with PIRI. This is the group’s first comeback since their What promotions back in Septemeber. Since then, the group made their Japanese debut with the Japanese version of What and also released another single (Over The Sky) for their fans in celebration of their 3rd year anniversary since debut.

PIRI, after a very quick Google search, is a Korean instrument made from bamboo,  which is often heard in Korean folk music. I am not 100% sure but it seems like PIRI opens up with a whistling sound, which I think could be an actual piri instrument. But it is used as a detail, on top of the group signature rock instrumental sound. It is another intense song that really showcases another powerful side of the group. I did like the moments where the rock instrumental was stripped away for a soft piano. But the best bit was when the instrumental went for a full rock out during the chorus. The vocals were superb in the song. But the rapping is what caught my attention, once again. We all know how good Dami is, as per the group’s previous comebacks, but Dami is joined by Gahyeon in this song and she gives Dami some competition. Overall, PIRI is another amazing song from the group.

I think of the reason why I am drawn to Dream Catcher comebacks is for the visuals. Sure, the song is always a selling point but to this date, no other girl group has attempted the horror concept to a successful degree. In this video, the group is trying to make their way out of the mansion and come across haunting corridors and objects. Connected corridors that lead to the same spot, creepy dolls that turn their heads by themselves, multiple ringing phones and ticking clocks and a TV that shows a second version of yourself. I find the contrast between the darkness in the plot scenes and the brightness form the choreography scenes very interesting for this video.

I thought the choreography for this comeback was quite cool. Dream Catcher always has fitting dance moves for their rock-influenced songs. I like the many waves they made during the verses and the introductory sequence looked really cool. I also liked the touch of power they gave during the chorus.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.8/10

Dream Catcher is officially back with their first comeback since wrapping up their horror-themed quadrilogy. The new comeback is titled, What, and it features on their 3rd mini-album, Alone In The City. But have they really wrapped up their quadrilogy? I will talk about that later. And if you do not have a clue what I am talking about, you can have a read of my four-part music theory by clicking here (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 & Part 4). But now, on with the review.

If there was one word to sum this song up, it is definitely ‘epic’. The very dramatic yet powerful piano start kicked the song perfectly for me, before leading into the upbeat rock styled instrumental that the group commonly releases. However, there is power and the intense energy behind the wong, which makes it so ‘epic’. There is also an urban side to the song, which I thought was fitting for the concept but definitely added a nice tone to the song. The ‘What What What‘ gave the song some angst and attitude, which isn’t anything new but quite fresh when you think about. The singing in this song was top notch but the real winner for this song is the rapping. I am totally in love with the bridge of the song, with Dami’s rapping definitely a show-stopper and the complete stillness with Jiu’s section. Overall, What is epically amazing and I am in awe of the song.

Now, returning to the music video. Is the horror theme over? I think not. The storyline (if I can figure one out) doesn’t seem to be as intense and explicit as their past four music videos. However. the same book which made an appearance in Good Night makes an appearance in this video. However, it is also seen sprouting a flower. And there is no way you can explain ‘looking under your bed prior to sleeping’ or bloody curtains without a horror context. Hence why I think this may be a continuation or at least a follow up to that concept that they have nailed so far. I  thought the sets look good and the cinematography was amazing,

I like the performance but I am not 100% keen on it. I thought the moves during the verses were very fitting, pairing well with the softer nature of the verses. But once the chorus kicked in and the rock elements were more powerful, I thought the moves would have matched that change in intensity. But it looked very like there was a mismatch. But the ‘What What What‘ moments were good.

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 9.1/10