Tag: JBJ95

The other day, there was a bit of a debut frenzy with new groups making their grand entrance into the KPOP scene. But we also saw the comeback of JBJ95 the other day. It has been a while since we last heard from the pair (Kenta Takada and Kim Sang-gyun), with Only One being their last release and that dates back to December of last year. Their comeback consist of the title track and mini-album of the same name, Jasmin.

It is clear that retro trend is in full effect in KPOP. Majority of the best tracks over the past few weeks (and possibly months) have had some sort of retro effect incorporated into it. I am not complaining, as some of the best KPOP songs ever have stemmed from retro and funky sounds. Jasmin is described to be a disco-based dance track and that is practically what we get. While I would have preferred something with a little more disco upfront, Jasmin manages to stay refined and feel classy. The guitars brings the initial funky influence to the song, which is then followed up with a great foot-tapping induced beat that really adds some depth to the song. I particularly liked how they accented the end of each line in the pre-chorus. The chorus feels like an extension of how the song starts. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as the chorus is quite pleasant. I really like the falsetto tone that the pair opted for during the chorus. It keeps the song light and it seems to had to the upbeat nature of the song. I feel like this is where the song could have been more upfront with the disco influences that I mentioned earlier, but what we got from the pair and the producers was definitely quite satisfying to listen to. They continue Jasmin with a catchy post-chorus harmonies, forming into a hook that is probably my pick for the best part of the song. The rapping that slides in effortlessly into the second verse fits in perfectly. For the bridge, they practically took away all of the music, highlighting their vocals before bringing the instrumentation back into play to wrap up the song. It all works out really well and the song literally wraps up with me feeling good. This is a great effect to end with. And especially with a song that is so easy going and impressive like this, Jasmin is a success.

The video was okay. I really liked the bar setting of the video and felt that was quite fitting for the song’s lyrics, which essentially compared someone to be as seductive as the scent of jasmine. Definitely classy setting for a classy idea behind the lyrics. There is a bit of a plotline that felt cheesy to me and I wished they did something better with it. I am talking about the very brief scene where the pair go to save the lady they are interested in (who is kidnapped and bound by ropes). Two things about this story line. One – it never resolved and we actually didn’t see her again after it was revealed she was kidnapped. And two – when they go for the big jump from the building right after shooting all those balloons, they landed on a cloud. That was where the cheese mostly came from and practically distracted me from the video for the remainder of it that followed.

I liked the slight funkiness that the music video brought to the performance, especially in the pre-chorus and post-chorus sections of the song. I also like their duo moments with the female dance just before the second chorus. Overall, a nice performance to compliment the song.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8/10

JBJ95’s 2019 releases, including Awake and Spark, are eligible in the Best Song of 2019 category for the 2019 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. To support JBJ95, click here to vote and have the opportunity to select JBJ95’s songs as the Best of 2019.

JBJ95 made their return yesterday through the release of a special single, Only One. It is described as JBJ95’s first seasonal track, with the song fitting for the colder season in which Korea is experiencing. This is also the duo’s first release since the release of Spark and Awake earlier in the year. In other related news, the pair will also be having their second concert throughout the Christmas and New Year period and it is will also feature a stage for their new track, Only One.

Only One is described as a mid-tempo hip-hop and R&B track. But over the years, there have been a fair number of tracks of a similar description. And so, Only One is a very typical and bland track. There really isn’t much to say about the song without rebutting it with the comment that someone else has done the exact same thing. I did think the chorus was decent, as you could sense a pop of colour thanks to their vocal/rapping. However, the verses and bridge had this dreary vibe to them that stayed in my mind for the entirety of the song. So, not even a pop of colour was enough to ‘save’ the song. The moody electronic detailed instrumental is also not that much captivating, going with pretty much something you hear so often in the industry. Overall, I found the song to be boring. Maybe the group should stay with more upbeat sounds in the future.

The music video shared a similar impression to the song. Or maybe it was just the song rubbing off on the music video. But I felt it was very boring as well. I mean, the video shows the pair calling someone and then they stuck some flowers onto the corner of boxes. Not really the most captivating set of events in the music video. I have to give the video some props though. Despite the very bland sound, the music video features a colour palette that isn’t dull or grey. This often occurs during this season and draws more energy away from some tracks in an unnecessary manner. Here, Only One‘s video manages to add a little vibrancy, whilst maintaining the typical autumn golden hue.

Song – 5/10
Music Video – 6/10
Overall Rating – 5.4/10

Returning today is JBJ95. Not much has happened that I know of with the duo since we last saw them through their Awake promotions back in March/April. Based on their Wikipedia page, however, Kim Sang Gyun is debuting as an actor, with his drama currently airing (I believe). The drama broadcast and promotions for Spark (their latest comeback single) will be overlapping, so we get to see double Kim Sang Gyun (which I am sure fans will be thrilled for). Their 3rd mini-album also shares the same name as the song’s title.

Spark is a style that I quite enjoy. There is a little something uplifting with its sound and I tend to really become swayed by this element. There is also a very warm feeling to the song, as it shows a sense of nostalgia. The song talks about the moment in which we start feeling sparks because of someone, which I think many people can relate to. And hence why the song manages to hit the mark for me. The vocals are quite nice. Like the dance instrumental, it is very light and inviting, which really appeals to my tastes. And I like how the rapping manages to follow through with this. The rapping, which sometimes can really be a completely separate element in a song, manages to keep with the tone of the song. It did add a tiny bit of roughness to the song but that lightness manages to still remain. Overall, Spark manages to spark something within me. Warm and happy memories with its sound and lyrics.

The music video is rather interesting. Based on what I am reading, it seems like Kenta is an author and he is writing out what Kim Sang Gyun and his lover are going through. I thought this idea was rather unique. I like how the video managed to include some dramatic flair during the chorus to match with the change in sound. It is the usual stuff but the way the video was shot looked liked there was a bit of drama in the love story. The fireworks at the end looked very beautiful, with all three people looking up at the stars (Kenta noticeably separated from Kim Sang Gyun and his lover during these scenes). Overall, a nice and appealing video to watch.

I really liked the choreography for it. It is super fitting for the song, which I think is amazing. For a song like this, I didn’t expect anything too complicated. I liked how they had parts where they were holding hands together, which I assume mimics the holding hands that they would go through with their lovers. I just wished the outfits that they wear feel a little more fitting. The red they wore for their showcase didn’t look too good. 

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

Yesterday, JBJ95 made their very first comeback since their debut back in October last year with Home. Now, they are Awake with their second mini-album, which shares the same name as their title track. As far as I am concerned, I haven’t heard much of the duo since their debut, which I thoroughly enjoyed even after its release. Let’s hope Awake manages to leave the exact same impression on me.

The very first thing that hits me in regards to the song is how similar it is to SHINee’s more recent releases. The song is of a house genre, which may be the reason why it felt so similar to SHINee’s tracks. But JBJ95 still manages to put their own spin on it. The song seems like it is more suited for a warmer climate but I think that is how the genre is set up. The song features a very nice drop into an upbeat instrumental. I also found that the instrumental was not overpowering in any way, which I think was rather nice and benefits the song greatly. The chorus was also quite catchy, which makes the song very memorable and appealing. Paired with a nice set of vocals from the duo, the song manages to feel refreshing for my standards. I also liked the trap-influenced rapping, which I think gave a nice kick to the song. It also kept the song from becoming too repetitive, which was much appreciated as the song could have easily gone into that mode. Overall, Awake is quite good and definitely catchy enough to get me listening to it some more.

I thought the music video was really good. Interestingly, we don’t see any choreography scenes, which is a little different to what we see typically. Usually, songs of this nature will have choreography shots but that was noticeably absent. Instead, they compensated with a fair amount of closeups for each member. Not only that, but the video included some abstract explosions created by some modelling software. I am a major fan of this in my life (based on the amount of Instagram accounts that I follow who post these really modern yet sleek videos of art). So, I thought they were a really cool addition to the video. I also like the pale colour palette that they went for and how they paired it with the music drops, which makes the viewing and listening experience a lot better.

Unfortunately, there is no live performance for Awake yet. A little disappointed but I guess we just have to wit for their comeback stages, which I think starts tomorrow. I will update soon during the weekend (and after my many reports are submitted).

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – TBA
Overall Rating – 8.4/10

While November is promising to be one jammed packed month for comebacks, it seems like we are given a small teaser to what November a few days earlier. One of the comebacks revealed today (or rather debut depending on how you look at it) is JBJ95, which is made up of two former members of JBJ – Kenta Takada and Kim Sanggyun. Their debut single is titled as Home, which is also the title for their debut mini-album. 

I think of the appealing aspects of Home is that is a warm song. You don’t often get that feeling when it comes to a song of an electronic instrumental, like this one. But the song wasn’t that hard hitting and was actually quite soothing for the most part. The vocals and rapping also contributed to this sense of warmth,  with the vocals showcasing nice melodies and the rap-singing similar to the instrumental in the sense that it isn’t too impactful. I think the next thing to talk about is the very noticeable squeaky synth. While I tend to turn away from songs with unpleasant sounds, the way the producers of the song managed to make it feel fitting and intriguing is quite remarkable. The chorus to me was quite dynamic in a very subtle way, which makes it even better. I think the way the song turned out is definitely quite unique and it stands out in a crowd of very upbeat and energetic songs.

The video takes an artistic approach and has great cinematography. Essentially, from what I can gather from the lyrics and the visuals of the music video is that their loves have left them after a fight (represented by the broken glass and household items all over the floor) and the guys are essentially hoping they return (represented by the reverse motion of these household items returning to their original positions/ state). Besides the small plotline, their close-ups and choreography shots looked standard. Overall, it was a good video to watch that felt fitting to the song.

I think what really impressed me with the performance is how they managed to incorporate aesthetics into the choreography. I really like the pulsing balls they formed with their hands at the start of the routine, while the rest of the performance has a whole heap of various hand motions that add to the aesthetics. I also like how the chorus looked overall as well.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.3/10