Tag: EVNNE

EVNNE made their comeback earlier this week with their 5th mini-album, Love Anecdote(s), and the lead single How Can I Do. This comeback follows their 4th mini-album release from earlier in the year, HOT MESS (yet to be reviewed), which was led by the single of the same name.

How Can I Do mixes groovy elements with hip-hop to create EVNNE’s new title track. It makes for a fascinating and sleek instrumental. I enjoyed the direction this track was going in, especially with that jazzy piano in the background of the pre-chorus and the funky bass in the chorus and bridge. As for EVNNE’s vocals and raps, I enjoyed their gritty and deep vocals in parts of the verses and dynamic rapping throughout How Can I Do. The pre-choruses and choruses feature really smooth vocals that add to the song’s sleekness mentioned earlier. Although there is some good in How Can I Do, I notice that the song doesn’t really go anywhere. There is a pronounced stagnant feeling that leaves me somewhat unsatisfied. It also doesn’t help that How Can I Do is fairly weak in the hook department. There is some melodic material that sounds nice in the chorus, but it isn’t enough to reel me in.

While it wasn’t the most profound or amazing music video out there, I did like the balance the producers struck when it came to the jazzy and the hip-hop heavy moments. You get a smoother aesthetic during the scenes that coincide with the pre-chorus, where the jazzy piano is in play. The music video moves into edgy territory during the second verse, where the hip-hop influences are strongest in the song. The rest of the video doesn’t overdo either style, which speaks to the balance mentioned earlier. The colour palette of the video and outfits also contributes to this.

There were two standouts choreographically for How Can I Do. I was rather impressed by the footwork and synchronisation. In particular, the bridge was the coolest aspect of the entire routine.

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

A more recent comeback belongs to EVNNE, who returned last week with the new single HOT MESS. The new song serves as the title track of the group’s 4th mini-album of the same name. This HOT MESS comeback follows their June 2024 comeback with Badder Love and the mini-album RIDE or DIE.

HOT MESS introduces us to a new side of EVNNE via an entirely new and distinct sound. As mentioned in their Badder Love review, EVNNE is a group that I associate with a bold and bombastic sound. HOT MESS turns EVNNE’s discography onto its head (in a good way) with such a goofy and colourful song. I did notice a childish flair, which usually concerns me. But I like how the song’s producers control it so that HOT MESS does not feel cringy (the case for a lot of childish-sounding songs). I really enjoyed the pop-rock tinge the instrumental had. It is on trend and brings an interesting retro flair to the HOT MESS‘ dynamic. The percussion and synth work also contributed to the HOT MESS‘ fun-filled nature. I also like how the upbeat nature of HOT MESS comes off naturally. The members all sound great in the song. If I were to pick, the vocals in the pre-choruses and JIHOO’s raps in the second verse were the best of both deliveries. The hooks are repetitive but catchy. The “I’m a mess” is quite effective and a good introduction to the choruses’ melodies (which I also greatly enjoyed). If I were to critique HOT MESS, its short length limits its potential. While HOT MESS is all good, it easily could have packed extra punch. But frankly, there was not enough time to explore that potential.

As expected with a fun song, the music video features more colour than what I am used to for EVNNE. But it isn’t exactly a vibrant set of colours. There are darker tones and shades used in the video, commonly used for a boy group to illustrate their toughness in a light-hearted video. It also lends well to the song’s harsher pop-rock influences. In the midst of the fun, the members represent worker ants because of the marching the start and the underground setting. And these worker ants also bake cakes. Their cakes are popular, but EVNNE is a ‘hot mess’ whilst baking and serving the cakes to their customers. At one point, they were throwing handful of cakes at their loyal fanbase. Though, I am sure it more so for portraying the fun and quirkier concept they were going for.

The choreography sees the group bring forth a very playful side of themselves. There were a lot of smiles and fun moments throughout the entire performance. The energy EVNNE puts into their delivery and exude from the performance is infectious. I don’t think anyone can help but grin widely while watching EVNNE perform HOT MESS.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.1/10

In true KPOPREVIEWED spirit, it is the end of the week and I am still reviewing the releases from Monday. The song in question up for review in this post is EVNNE’s Badder Love, the title track off the group’s newly released 3rd mini-album RIDE or DIE. This comeback follows the group’s January 2024 comeback with Un: SEEN and UGLY.

While their previous tracks (TROUBLE and UGLY) have been of a bold and bombastic motif, Badder Love sees EVNNE answer to the summer period that South Korea and other people in the Northern Hemisphere are experiencing. As for someone who likes the summer time more and is currently living in a part of Australia where it has been freezing lately, songs like Badder Love can be very appealing to me right now. For the most part, it does. Badder Love‘s instrumental is more of the pop variety, with nice pronounced guitar work right in the back and a refreshing set of synths. I like the more casual and carefree rush of energy that comes from Badder Love, which aids in making it a refreshing listen. As for the members, Badder Love gives the group an opportunity to show off a more melodic side, which is a fresh turn in their promotional material. I like the lightness that the members execute the song’s melodies with. Even the rappers of EVNNE join in with vocal parts, which was interesting. But despite listening to the song multiple times since it dropping on Monday, my initial thoughts on the song still stand – I wished there was more to Badder Love. More personality and individuality in some form could have made Badder Love even more compelling to listen to. EVNNE’s execution and delivery of Badder Love is fair, but also typical. It lacks that EVNNE factor and punch that I personally felt EVNNE had found in their earlier releases.

The music video description explains what the intent of the video is, leaving no room for misinterpretation. This whole mini-album supposedly “portray EVNNE’s reckless stance on love by using a phrase [RIDE or DIE], emphasizing the trust and loyalty of ‘together until the end’“. In the music video, we see the members as a group of friends who have taken up boxing together. They struggle with it in different ways, but are determined to reach their goals with one another. As such, we see the members consistently hanging out with one another despite of any regrets they may have about this journey. I liked the summery vibes that the video contains and that montage of the choreography shots at the 2:43 minute mark of the video looked very cool.

I liked how more fluid the performance felt, which gave off a more refreshing vibe to the choreography and complemented the song well in same regard. Their past performances have been more sharp and restricted because of the nature of the respective song. The inclusion of the love hearts was a cute element that works with the messaging of Badder Love, and I quite like the look of the stage as a whole when the members pull off their controlled wide arm movements in the chorus.

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

Following their debut with TROUBLE in 2023 (which caught my attention , grew on me considerably, and placed the group on my radar), EVNNE is finally back with their second mini-album, Un: SEEN and their latest title track UGLY.

The aspect of EVNNE’s new song that really sells UGLY to me is its instrumental, which opts for a club-like banger dance motif. The thumping nature of the instrumentation and the bass we get in UGLY is quite satisfying and sets up the song well. Both verses showcases the group’s rapping abilities, giving the song some dynamic moments. On the other hand, more variation on the vocals side would have made UGLY‘s verses more interesting. We do get a better showing of vocals in the bridge, though that sequence also lacks dynamic flair. The rapping and chanting that soon follows the vocals in the bridge are livelier (if not the liveliest moment in the song). But the biggest disappointment for me comes during the chorus. Firstly, I wished there was more oomph of some kind in the centrepiece of UGLY, either through concentration or intensity, so we can really tell the chorus apart from the rest of the instrumentation. There really isn’t anything that sets it apart from the rest of the instrumentation. Secondly, the “We Sla-la-la-la-lay” hook was good, but felt underbaked. It could have been some more profound or its delivery could have had more dimension to feel ‘more baked’. And thirdly, the vocal melodies in the second half of the chorus dulls out the chorus even further. Better vocals do come into play during the chorus (which I appreciate), but it isn’t the catchy centrepiece that I hoped for in UGLY.

The song is about embracing your differences and not caring about what others think about those differences. And in the video, we see just that. The group are depicted as teenagers being picked on by other students, as they are always surrounded by the other students. Throughout the video, we see the members show off their powers in self-defense, which is probably why they were being picked on in the first place. When they do embrace their powers, things become better for the members. They are partying in the club and there are smiles on their faces.

The choreography routine looks great. Its intense, just like the music, and shows off an edgier and darker side to the group. Towards the end, the choreography becomes a little more fun and loose, which I liked. Nothing necessarily stands out on its own in the routine. But like yesterday’s review, it is the whole package that stands out.

Song – 6.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.3/10

Time to review the debut single of a newly debuted group. EVNEE is a seven-member male group currently being managed by Jellyfish Entertainment (the home of two current members of VIXX, VERIVERY and formerly gugudan). The lineup consists of trainees who participated in Boys Planet earlier on in the year who did not make it in the final lineup of ZEROBASEONE – Keita (placed 12th in Boys Planet), Park Han-bin (11th), Lee Jeong-hyeon (15th), Ji Yun-seo (41st), Yoo Seung-eon (16th), Mun Jung-hyun (29th) and Park Ji-hoo (33rd). Originally announced as BLIT, the group ended up being renamed EVNNE and debuted last month with the single TROUBLE.

TROUBLE caught my attention thanks for its Baltimore Club style that it had going throughout the track. It made for a bold instrumentation, particularly when it came to the chorus. And with boldness comes a memorable appeal, which TROUBLE definitely had in my opinion. I liked how they allowed the synth to be standalone in the first half of the chorus, giving it time to grow on you. Then they follow it up with a rhythmic chant that adds to the appeal of TROUBLE. I would have liked the final chorus to somehow be a bit more bombastic to give TROUBLE a more satisfying end, rather than a repeat of what we got in choruses that came before. That was a missed opportunity, in my opinion. Other than the instrumentation, EVNNE does showcase a good execution of vocals and rapping. There wasn’t anything mind-blowing or grand from this department, but I did like the dragged out rap-speak delivery in the bridge of TROUBLE and the filtered rapping that leads into the final chorus. However, with the dragged out rap-speak delivery, I wished the instrumentation here was dynamic and not stripped back as it were, just so the song’s momentum (which was pretty good ahead of the bridge) wasn’t disrupted and a more dynamic backing would have made this part of TROUBLE excel further. As a track that kicks off their careers, TROUBLE makes a good case for EVNNE and I hope their subsequent releases go up and further than TROUBLE.

The music video shows the members causing trouble, fitting for the title and messaging they have behind the lyrics. First up is a series of explosion at an old building, which leads to the group becoming wanted. Secondly, they are seen driving away (which I presume they are doing to evade the authorities). Then, whilst covering the other members driving away on the news, Keita (the newsreader) stops working and steps away from his job. From there, the group hangs out and have fun with each other. The scenes in which we see the group play cards and hang out in the dark shows a more charismatic and playful side of the group, representing the side of the song that speaks to the members’ charm and innocence. I did think the group could have been more wild in the music video, but what we got is fine. However, I did think the start of the video could have started off with a breaking news type of announcement, rather than just silence.

The choreography is the best part of this debut. EVNEE really showcase their performance potential via their dynamic routine for TROUBLE. The swing of the raised legs at the start of the routine (iconic potential!), the swinging motion of their bodies towards the end of the instrumental part of the chorus and the ear muff like hand motion at the start of the chorus or end the performance were all really cool aspects of the choreography.

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