Tag: MAMAMOO

[Review] Goodbyes & Sad Eyes – MOON BYUL (MAMAMOO)

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With MAMAMOO being inactive as a group, it has felt like it has been a while since we have heard from the group or the members. It probably doesn’t help that I don’t cover their solo comeback as soon as they occur. MOON BYUL recently made her return with her 3rd mini-album, Laundri, and the title track Goodbyes and Sad Eyes. MOON BYUL also pre-released the single ICY BBY (also from the new mini-album, but I yet to review). Her last comeback was last year’s Is This Love?.

Goodbyes & Sad Eyes is MOON BYUL’s answer to the ongoing rock trend in KPOP. There have been some good songs of this style lately, with the potential for Goodbyes & Sad Eyes to join the ranks with its electrifying guitar riffs in the verses. These riffs amps up and intensifies the song greatly. I am totally for exploring this sound further in the song. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, as the rest of Goodbyes & Sad Eyes opts to hold itself back to sit more generically in the pop-rock realm. While I appreciate the cleaner sound and how well it showcases the resultant melodies of Goodbyes & Sad Eyes, I just feel like the chorus missed an opportunity to give us something more powerful, cooler and explosive as the centrepiece. MOON BYUL does sound great throughout the track. But like the instrumentation, her vocals loses the edginess that she builds into the pre-chorus. The pre-choruses and bridge slows down Goodbyes & Sad Eyes into soft territory, but I like how we get to hear MOON BYUL’s familar rapping style before launching into the choruses each time.

Goodbyes & Sad Eyes celebrates an eventual break up, with that being the vibe carried through to the music video. There is no upset or sad MOON BYUL throughout the video. Instead, she is having the time of her life, choosing to look beyond the breakup and enjoy what she has in the moment. She is going out to the club, dancing around while packing her bags, but most importantly, she is genuinely smiling through everything. I do like the little anime sequences that appear at each pre-chorus sequence in the song. Definitely very cool to watch, but I also liked how it shows her at ease with the situation she is in.

I liked the energy that MOON BYUL and her dancers exude during the choreography. For the stage performances, she chooses to focus more on her live vocals, which shows us her immensely growing confidence in her live performances. It does mean that she tones down her participation, but the dance performances I have seen of Goodbyes & Sad Eyes was good to watch overall.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.6/10

[Review] WANT – SOLAR (MAMAMOO)

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It has been almost a year since SOLAR made her solo comeback with But I and Colors. Earlier this week, she returned with her new single WANT and her second single album of the same name.

Right off the bat, I really enjoyed the feel-good vibes that WANT exudes, particularly during the choruses. This definitely makes for a great impression. Considering her the main singles from her last release (linked above), the thought that WANT felt a little ordinary did cross my mind. But WANT still manages to hit the right spots for me. I found WANT‘s hooks to be very catchy and earwormy. The song’s dance-pop instrumental is fun, bright and bold. I find myself nodding along to the beat every listen since its release. Solar’s vocals really shone throughout the song, especially when it came to the ad-libs during the final chorus. It shouldn’t come as a surprise given her widely known powerful vocals. But she really impressed me here with her spectacular high notes. I do feel like the verses were weaker moments of WANT, simply because I don’t remember too much from them. But the choruses (for reasons mentioned above) compensated for the verses, given how prolific they were. Overall, a decent song from Solar.

I am on the fence when it comes to the music video. It showcases the good-vibes from WANT. But I didn’t find anything enticing about the video to make me want to revisit the video in the future. I did like the classy hotel setting the entire video was shot in. But Solar’s outfits were rather plain and didn’t match the vibe of the location. She does look good (as she always does), but it is the pairing of outfits and location that gets me.

The choreography also encapsulated those same feel-good vibes that I keep on mentioning. But unlike the music video, I think it did a good job of this. I enjoyed the lightheartedness of the moves and it brought a smile to my face. Solar focuses on her live vocals for the performance (which makes it one to watch!), but does participate in the choreography to help keep it engaging (for me, at least).

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.4/10

[Album Review] Colours (2nd Mini Album) – Solar (MAMAMOO)

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The next album up for review on my blog is Solar’s 2nd mini-album, Colours, which was released back in April. It features the rock-ballad hybrid title track, But I, the contrasting single Colors (yeah, the spelling between this song title and the mini-album title confuses me) and an additional four songs. It follows on from Solar’s 1st mini-album, 容: Face, released two years ago (but I never got around to reviewing) and led by the single HONEY (which I reference below).

Colours Album Cover

1. Colors – Click here for the full review for Colors. (8/10)

2. But I (벗아이) – Click here for the full review for But I. (9/10)

3. Empty (텅) – Empty is a pop ballad Solar had written when she was lonely. The vocals were superb (did you hear that soaring high note and those ad-libs at the end?), and the melodies had this fluttery effect. The instrumentation was more on the typical side, but I don’t think that detracts from the rest of the song. (7.5/10)

4. Honey Honey – If you think this is a double-concentrated version of her last title track (HONEY, released in 2022), you guessed wrong. Honey Honey goes down more of an R&B route. What I liked about Honey Honey is how the producers set the song apart from other R&B numbers by getting Solar to self-amplify herself in terms of vocals and a more pronounced instrumental. I love the resultant oomph Honey Honey has, and the strings in the pre-choruses were a very cool moment. (9/10)

5. Easy Peasy – Easy Peasy is a folksy song featuring acoustic instrumentation and Solar singing in a high-pitched demeanour. While the folk direction is not my cup of tea, I liked how Solar handled and controlled her delivery throughout the song. The melodies are nostalgic, as well. (8/10)

6. Blues – Blues is an epic number to end the mini-album with. I remember being blown away when I first checked out the mini-album months ago. And I love that even after all this time, Solar still amazes me with her jaw-dropping and stunning vocals in Blues. I LOVED how the sexy and sultry bluesy energy that Solar exudes from this song, as well as the grandness of the instrumental. No wonder Blues emerged as my favourite, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking to be blown away. (10/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.6/10

Teaser image for Colours

[Review] Colors – Solar (MAMAMOO)

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Way back in April, Solar from MAMAMOO made her solo comeback with her second mini-album, Colours, and the title track, But I. Ahead of that release, Solar gave us a snippet of Colors, the first song from the mini-album, as a teaser for the comeback. A performance video for Colors later dropped. Finally, after six months, I am reviewing Colors in the lead-up to the album review for Colours.

Colors is totally different from Solar’s title track. That is one of the things I admire about Colors. It sets out to be bold and delivers in significant style. But I tapped into balladry and rock (the former is what you expect from Solar, but the rock influence wasn’t too far of a reach), whereas Colors delved into the house genre. It is a new sound profile for Solar that admittedly took a few listens to grow on me. Even now, it isn’t the song I would actively search for to listen to, but I still appreciate it. Colors is a suitable track for the club setting with its heavy stomping beat. The instrumental is unapologetic in many regards, and Solar (the sole lyricist and composer of the song) ensures the song is kept that way. All of her vocals in Colors are delivered in a very spoken manner. Definitely an interesting choice for a main vocalist. However, amid the spoken delivery was a stretched-out squeal in the first chorus. It took a few listens for me to enjoy it (and the song in general), but it is one aspect of Colors that I now look forward to when I listen to the song. Overall, Colors shows us a different yet fun side of Solar.

For this review, the music video and performance aspect of the review will be merged together, given the only official video for Colors is a performance video. Described as the first KPOP release with voguing from start to end, I find the video embodies the song quite well. It is both bold and fun in many ways. A big part of the video is the ballroom house aspects (from the House of Love to the choreography), which I enjoyed. Solar did a fantastic job herself – it didn’t feel like a first attempt. I liked how the video was also full of colour via the outfits and club set but was not necessarily in-your-face about it. I liked this refinement; it didn’t make the whole release feel too noisy. I could see the video being just that, had there been too much colour or a dynamic light show (some of the reasons I find clubs too overwhelming).

Song – 8/10
Music Video/Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.2/10

[Review] NA – HWASA (MAMAMOO)

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We last saw HWASA a year ago through her I Love My Body comeback. Yesterday, HWASA made her solo comeback with her second mini-album, O, and the title track NA.

To me, NA takes a page from PSY’s, her current label’s founder, discography. NA‘s choruses have that nonsensical vibe that PSY’s music has. The electronic instrumentation of the chorus (and NA in general) also screams PSY. While it is a different dynamic for HWASA, this practically strips HWASA’s personality from the song. I get the desire to do something different and probably something more energetic than usual, but that shouldn’t come at the expense of the unique and individualistic charm that HWASA has. I am unsure if this was her decision or a company one, but either way, HWASA embraces the song and executes it with her signature raspy vocals. For the most part, she sing-talks her way through NA. It’s not exactly the most riveting delivery, but it works. She sounds best during the pre-choruses, giving us a taste of that vocal flair that the song calls for. The melodies here are striking and give NA some stylistic flair. Elsewhere in the song, when HWASA gets a chance to use her vocals (and less of that sing-talk or rapping motif), they come off incredibly plain. The same can be said about NA‘s hooks, which also fail to capture my attention. I wished this aspect of the song was more dynamic and robust. Even NA‘s outro failed to really spark.

The music video shows HWASA embracing herself and feeling uber confident as she takes in all the attention that is on her. Shooting the music video in Paris provides a lovely and rustic background, and where better to love oneself, but in the city of love. Her fashion throughout the video is on point. Noting above where the song reminded me a lot of PSY’s work, there was a similar yet subtle energy coming from the music video, particularly when it comes to the post-chorus sequences.

The choreography routine for this comeback comes off as fun. I like how it retains a bit of HWASA’s sexy style via those butt lift moves she does in the chorus. It is edgy and bound to spark chatter, something HWASA does not shy away from. The rest of the chorus routine was just as awesome. I liked the little leg lift HWASA and the dancers do. It seems out of place, but it just catches your eye in this routine.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.7/10

[Review] Is This Love? – Moon Byul (MAMAMOO)

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In February, Moon Byul released her first studio album, Starlit of Muse, and the title track TOUCHIN&MOVIN. Last month, the MAMAMOO rapper made her solo comeback with a repackaged version of Starlit of Muse, renamed Starlit of Twinkle. Leading the repackaged album is the title track Is This Love?. And now that I have reviewed the new single, keep your eyes open for the upcoming album review of Starlit of Muse/Starlit of Twinkle.

Is This Love? is a fun and bright pop track. Moon Byul has previously released pop-centric songs before, and Is This Love? follows in the same vein. However, while my thoughts on the song are generally positive, I think Is This Love? does fall short in some regards as it doesn’t steal the throne from Moon Byul’s other pop tracks, such as C.I.T.T (Cheese In The Trap) or LUNATIC (I know I gave the latter an 8/10 in the song department, that can be bumped up to 9/10 upon reflection). My initial impression about the song always featured a passing thought about a slight plainness cloud of some sort is lingering around the song. The chorus is when the music is bubbly and exciting, where you expect it to be. I liked how punchy the central piece was, how the upbeat energy exuded made me smile, and Moon Byul’s vocals pierced through the synths and instrumentation. It was a catchy and well-constructed part of the song, but I think the material could have been more robust. Is This Love?‘s verses were plainer, but they did give the song some variety. Compared to the rest of the song, the pre-chorus does slow things down. But I liked how the song ramped back up to the exciting chorus from the slowed moments. The only thing that I think Is This Love? could have done more fulfilling was the shouty backing that leads into the final chorus. I know – a really super minor detail. But how they cut it off felt incomplete and left me hanging. I wished that wasn’t the case.

Is This Love?’s lyrics speak to the feeling of falling in love, but Moon Byul asks about it ‘for a friend’. With such lyrics, this sounds like quite a cute video. In the music video, we see Moon Byul ‘asking around for that friend’ in a public way – think of a news broadcast, music show, sports, drama, commercial, or home shopping channel. In any media on TV, Moon Byul asks the question about falling in love ‘for her friend’. Towards the end of the video, the public recognises her and chases after her; all the while, she still says it is a misunderstanding and that she isn’t the one asking. It is definitely a fun, eventful and colourful video to watch.

Now that I am watching the performance in detail for this review, I have realized that it has some similarities to TWS: plot twist, which dominated at the start of the year. The song definitely has that plot twist influence, as well, now that I think about it. Moon Byul’s stage adds a slight cutesiness and bubbliness to the routine, making it fun to watch. I wonder what story she is trying to tell on stage, given that she is basically flirting with a male and female dancer as part of the routine.

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

[Review] But I – Solar (MAMAMOO)

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Also making her solo comeback on Tuesday this week was Solar from MAMAMOO. We last saw her promote on stage two years ago via her HONEY comeback and her first mini-album, 容 : Face. Tuesday saw her release her second mini-album COLOURS and the title track But I.

Despite the music video teasers released in the lead up to But I hinting at the two very different sound profiles, But I still managed to surprise me upon release. The song starts off soft as a ballad, with beautiful vocals from Solar herself, and a delicate and stilling piano backdrop. But that balladry motif quickly changes once we reach the choruses. The drumming and guitar work morphs But I into a rock track. It blasts us with some strong energy and Solar really kicks it up a few notches with her passionate and intense delivery. The melodies and hooks here are quite easy to get into. I particularly cannot get the “Your body, your money, your face, your vibe” out of my head. Following the first chorus, But I keeps the rock presence in the second verse, but tones it down considerably from the chorus. So, once the chorus returns for the final time, the strong energy still feels like a blast. The outro of But I does returns the song to its balladry beginnings and it drew the song to a wonderful end, as if she is now at peace with the hatred that she sings passionately about in But I. No doubt, But I is surprising. But it does so in a balanced and captivating manner that I personally enjoyed very much.

The lyrics of But I depicts one’s hatred for their a bad ex, which comes off crystal clear in the lyrics. But I (ha!) found it interesting that the pre-chorus for the song includes a line of what people external to the relationship had expected of Solar when she was part of the dead relationship (“Everybody thinks I was happy, happy but I I I I“) vs. when she was supposed to be heartbroken post-relationship (“Everybody thinks I’m not happy, happy but I I I“). I bring these two lines up in question for a particular reason. While not directly linked to what I am saying next, the two lines shows a contrasting expectation on Solar, and the video depicts a different two contrasting sides to Solar related to this post-breakup. On one hand, she is seen to be in mourning and is heartbroken following her failed relationship. And on the other hand, we see how vivid and freeing she truly feels after leaving the bad ex.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.6/10

[Review] TOUCHIN&MOVIN – Moon Byul (MAMAMOO)

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Moon Byul from MAMAMOO makes her return today as a solo artist after a year with her first studio album Starlit of Muse and the title track TOUCHIN&MOVIN. Ahead of the new single release, Moon Byul did pre-release the music video for Think About, which I have yet to review (and will get back to it at a later date). While she has not promoted as a solo artist in the last year since her 2022 Christmas promotions with PRESENT and CHEMISTRY, Moon Byul has been active as part of the MAMAMOO+ subunit alongside Solar.

Moon Byul delves right back into the funky and groovy with TOUCHIN&MOVIN. While the track is somewhat unexpected for MAMAMOO’s resident rapper (if that is where you are most familiar with Moon Byul), it isn’t anything foreign to Moon Byul – the solo artist, who has released something similar in the past in the form of LUNATIC (as an example – more upbeat than retro, but TOUCHIN&MOVIN is definitely a different sound that she continues on from the former release). Back to TOUCHIN&MOVIN, I really like the feel-good vibes and animated energy that the track effortlessly delivers in its instrumentation. Added to the funky guitar and groovy beats are brass and synths elements which does a whole lot, such as infusing even more energy, adds a cool edge and introduces punch into the song. Altogether, it was very hard not to feel all of the energy in its first release. I also like how Moon Byul doesn’t shy away from channeling the same energy through her vocals, which were quite consistent and grounded throughout TOUCHIN&MOVIN. It was definitely an engaging piece. The melodies had a nice ring and hook to them, which helps boost the memorable aspects of the song. There is only one thing I think could have potentially enhanced TOUCHIN&MOVIN and taken it to another level – a more substantial hook with more bite to it (to drive up the memorable factor even more).

If the brief was to keep it fun, light-hearted and simple, then this video takes the cake. Keeping to that is definitely on point for this song, and so it accompanies TOUCHIN&MOVIN well. For the entirety of the video, we see Moon Byul casually dancing to the song with her dancers, performing the track in some standard places like a restaurant and on a train. Personally, I wished there was a bit more to the video to make this aspect of the comeback more visually memorable.

Based on what I can see in the music video, the choreography looks fine. I do like how expressive the routine was. A more dynamic and longer instrumental break could have given Moon Byul and the dancers more material to work with in the routine, but what we got also looked quite good.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.2/10

[Review] I Love My Body – HWASA (MAMAMOO)

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Following the expiration of her contract with RBW Entertainment earlier this year, HWASA went on to sign with P NATION (live on stage as a matter of fact!)- the company founded by PSY and houses Crush, Heize, TNX, Penomeco & Swings. She appears to still remain as part of MAMAMOO, however. And yesterday, she released her first solo single under the new company – I Love My Body. Her last solo single was I’m a B in 2021.

I Love My Body has a lot of potential, but unfortunately is let down by the song’s most vital sequence – it’s chorus. More on the latter in a moment. I Love My Body takes on a retro pop, very much Megan Trainor style. The very start of I Love My Body, the brass and retro-prevalent instrumental and vocals throughout its verses and the backing vocals in the chorus pretty much embodies this style quite well. And we are lead to believe the chorus would follow suit with I Love My Body‘s incline towards the central piece and the classic piano that is synonymous with retro-pop numbers. But then the chorus takes an unexpected turn, with the retro instrumentation being substituted out for a bubble-synth backing piece and HWASA delivering the chorus in a monotonous spoken (almost mumbling-like) manner with a descending melody. I am not too bothered by the bubble-synth backing (I actually liked it as part of the backing for the instrumental/dance break I Love My Body ended with), but it does make for an odd drop in terms of I Love My Body‘s trajectory. With the spoken delivery, I am not a fan, even though I do find it memorable, unique and somewhat catchy retrospectively (just not for the right reasons). The combination of both terminally disrupts the flow of the song, making I Love My Body restart its momentum and appeal from scratch. It is a pity, because we do get a few good moments of vocal work from HWASA in I Love My Body, particularly the second half of the second chorus (or is it the bridge?). That sequence blew me away, but it (and the song’s verses) did not compensate for the chorus we got. I Love My Body and HWASA unfortunately disappoints.

From the music video and the title of the song alone, you can tell that this song is about self-confidence. And in this video, HWASA shows off her body throughout the video with no hesitations. The ending of the video with the dance break between the two police cars felt like a homage to the classic KPOP hit Bubble Pop, which was released back in 2011 by HyunA (a former P Nation artist). And I thought that was a fitting video to pay homage to in the summery period that is just ending. I also enjoyed the choreography scenes with the many dancers (definitely a 2023 trend to me) in the car park. It looked cool and epic without doing too much.

I actually quite enjoyed the choreography. It actually looks like a refined routine that show confidence in those who perform without needlessly flaunting their body and doing too much in the routine. It also fits the retro-pop song well. I don’t think I would ever associate retro pop with a flaunting performance. Per usual with HWASA’s performance style, she and the dancers do give bit more intensity to make the routine a bit more enticing.

Song – 6.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.4/10

[Review] GGBB – MAMAMOO+

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Congratulation to MAMAMOO+ for being voted ‘Best Subunit of 2022’ in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Click here to find out which other artists, songs and performances you voted as winners for the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards.

MAMAMOO unveiled their first subunit, MAMAMOO+ consisting of Solar and Moonbyul, last year in August through the release of Better (ft. BIG Naughty). Unfortunately, I didn’t get around to reviewing it for a few reasons. But never say never, as I might go back to review it once I get some free time, especially since MAMAMOO+ was selected as the Best Subunit of 2022 in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. But today instead, I will be reviewing MAMAMOO+’s comeback single from their first single-album release, Act 1, Scene 1, which dropped last week.

GGBB (Good Girl Bad Boy) is the title of the single in question. GGBB is a doo-wop retro song that has a mild cutesy tinge. The retro influence is reminiscent of their original group’s early work that they persisted and succeeded with when they first started out. I did feel the cutesy charm of the song made it feel slightly childish, but it also enabled a decent elements to come to life in GGBB. One of these is the very light chorus melody. At first, I thought it was weak and it would have helped if the chorus had some backing. But multiple listens since its release, and GGBB has managed to turn that thought upside down. Now, I appreciate the lightness and drifty nature of the melody. It feels fitting and comes off as catchy. Both Solar and Moonbyul do a nice job in the song. Solar definitely has the vocal appeal to pull this sound off. I had concerns for Moonbyul initially, given how high and light the chorus went. But she does fits into the song and her huskier tone gave GGBB an interesting appeal. The only thing that really irks me about GGBB is the electronic/autotuned dance break. I will admit it was a good beat. But in the grand context of GGBB, it is more of an experiment to incorporate something different into the song, per current trends. But this particular dance break just didn’t work and ruined the flow that GGBB had created itself. I honestly don’t understand the need to do this. I am sure if the producers selected a bridge or instrumental break that aligns itself with the retro influence of the song, GGBB would have been a solid release through and through. But unfortunately, the dance break we did leaves GGBB disrupted and potentially broken.

The music video is set up like a musical show/concept. It is a fitting concept for a retro based song. It isn’t an innovative idea, but it was well executed. The dance break tries to incorporate a modern element to the musical stage concept. And just like the song, the hip-hop direction it went in was quite ill-fitting. Minus that, and I think the video would have been a decent one. I quite liked the final chorus and ending, where the producers made it feel like a finale. Once again, well-executed.

I found the routine for this comeback to be a fun one. I liked the bright and cutesy tinge it had, which works hand-in-hand with the sound of GGBB. While their dance break was performed on stage as well, I did like the KBS Music Bank version of GGBB, which incorporated Chico Malo (MAMAMOO+’s pre-release, which I am hoping to also review sometime in the near future) into the performance in place of the dance break. The issue of not fitting in still stands, but I find it much better than the dance/instrumental break we get part of the original song.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.2/10

[Review] PRESENT – Moonbyul (MAMAMOO)

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Another KPOP act to make her comeback towards the end of the year is Moonbyul. For some odd reason, Moonbyul’s comeback with PRESENT felt out of the blue. But I cannot pinpoint why I feel that is the case. It might be due to the fact that she has been quite busy in 2022, with a fairly active start to the year with solo releases LUNATIC and C.I.T.T, participated in MAMAMOO’s first subunit with SOLAR, and she just returned with the rest of MAMAMOO for ILLELLA. Anyhow, Moonbyul’s comeback is titled PRESENT (as already mentioned) and its release coincides with her 30th birthday. Happy belated birthday Moonbyul!

Just listening to the song alone, PRESENT is, put simply, a pleasant song about Moonbyul’s wishes for her birthday. Nothing more, nothing less. The track falls into the R&B realm, but it does features a bit of funk through some brass elements in the chorus, which helps liven up the song a bit and give it some groovy energy. It isn’t anything major or show-stopping. Rather, it just invokes a happy and gleeful tone that contributes to the pleasant nature of the song. Whilst PRESENT is primarily about her birthday, Moonbyul also adds a bit of holiday flair with the addition of sleigh bells to the song each time Christmas is mentioned in the lyrics, as she makes references to the fact her birthday is just three days out from Christmas. And you cannot really celebrate a birthday that close without acknowledging the upcoming holiday in some manner. Melody and hook-wise, nothing stands really stands out. But I did feel Moonbyul’s nasally tone was quite comforting in the song, and I enjoyed her weaving in and out of vocals and rapping throughout the song. PRESENT isn’t anything spectacular, but it is a nice listen nonetheless.

Just how I mentioned how it is hard to celebrate a birthday just a couple of days out from Christmas without making reference of some kind to the holiday, this video references both birthday and holiday. In addition to seeing Moonbyul set up and celebrate her own birthday, there are also Christmas/holiday references throughout the video. Overall, it is a cute video to watch and there was a nice warm tone to it. In particular, I quite liked the whole montage during the bridge that brings Moonbyul to the cake. There was something with the spotlight and the idea behind the montage that made it a memorable scene/shot for me.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8/10

[Review] ILLELLA – MAMAMOO

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Let’s knock out some reviews for some new and recent releases. And there is a lot of them this week. First up, I am covering MAMAMOO, one of my favourite KPOP of all times. So far this year, it has been fairly quiet on the group front with all members focusing on their solo careers via solo comebacks and collaborations. Slowly, the group turned towards group activities, beginning with the Mamamoo+ subunit consisting of Solar and Moonbyul, whom collaborated with Big Naughty with Better (yet to be reviewed). Now, the group has returned to group promotions as a full group with the release of ILLELLA and their 12th mini-album, Mic On.

For me, ILLELLA feels like a return to form for the group. Since the release of AYA in 2020, I felt the group hasn’t really been showing themselves off as much in their title tracks. While each song did have their individual charm (even though I didn’t realize it at the time of review), I do miss the days when MAMAMOO performed a meaty song with thanks to their vocals. With ILLELLA, the group definitely delivered strong vocals that had bite to them. And with a song that has some nice percussive bass, I feel that ILLELLA has proved itself to be what I have been craving for. Sure, ILLELLA is still a length away from being the group’s best track. But it still does a decent job of throwing itself up there. The biggest charm of ILLELLA alongside the vocals is that it features a dose of reggae influence, which adds some zing to the pop that features as an underlay in the song’s instrumentation. The biggest flaw, on the other hand, is the fact that the song sounds repetitive, which is probably thanks to that guitar riff and the way the hooks were looped. It dries up the song, which is disappointing. I wished the song had done something more to dispel this repetitiveness. Potentially, having an instrumental piece of song kind earlier in the song and that dance break we got as part of the music video but not the official audio would have been great addition to ILLELLA. It was quite unique and the broke the song up decently. The way it used the ILLELLA hook and glitched it was rather intriguing. This would also been quite an addition to help prove to others that MAMAMOO can indeed perform a more complicated routine. But overall, ILLELLA hits the spot.

I quite enjoyed most of the music video. It is one of those videos that makes the members look good, with the standard formula of closeups and choreography shots. The outdoor scenes with the colourful outfits, the more brown and earthy tones brought forward through their fitness wear choreography scenes, the different solo shots we got of the members, the black leather outfits (Solar looked so good in that dress!) – there were definitely many scenes where the group looked amazing. The biggest no-no for me was when the members were on top of the car, driving down that city-pop highway. It just felt so cheesy and forced. The truck dance break was also pretty bad conceptually, but it was bearable (as the video reverts to that proper dance set).

The song definitely had rhythm, and you can feel it in the accompanying choreography for this comeback. I liked how the members also really embraced the reggae and used it to their full advantage to give us a sensual performance piece. I also really liked how the dancers added to the stage performance, allowing the group to focus on their live aspect of their performance.

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

[Review] C.I.T.T (Cheese In The Trap) – Moonbyul (Mamamoo)

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I am jumping around today with my reviews this weekend to focus on solo artists who have released songs over the last few weeks that I have yet to cover on my blog. First up is actually a release from this week. Moonbyul is back with a new single, C.I.T.T (Cheese In The Trap). This is a pretty quick comeback for the solo artist, given that Moonbyul just release a mini-album earlier this year, headlined by the title track LUNATIC. But I am not complaining!

C.I.T.T doesn’t give me much to complain about, anyway. I am a big fan of upbeat tracks, in general. Extra points are given if the song makes me smile. And C.I.T.T fits the bill perfectly, fulfilling both criteria that I had outlined just now. C.I.T.T has this strong and satisfying pop rock sound that energises you as you listen to the song. Its undoubtedly fun, playful, bright and catchy. I am of the opinion that more could have been done to make the instrumental a bit more exciting and unique, but it works extremely well as it is presented to us. What makes C.I.T.T even more enjoyable is Moonbyul herself. The song plays towards her strengths in both the vocals and rapping departments, My favourite part of the song is the pre-chorus, with the raspy nature of her vocals perfectly highlighted for the ramping up sequence of the song. Her vocals in the chorus and second half of the bridge are also great moments. The melodies and hooks were catchy enough to make the song memorable and addictive. I can definitely see myself returning to C.I.T.T, which is the highest compliment that anyone can pay a song.

In this video, Moonbyul is a student who wants to experience love. Everyone around her is getting confessions, flowers or are in a relationship. She turns to a tape that teaches her how to put the ‘cheese in the trap’, which in this case is code for ‘make someone fall in love with her’ (i.e. trap them). But instead of following the tape itself, Moonbyul decides to embrace her true self to find that someone, instead of following some cheesy instructions from a tape. She would be more comfortable and this will be attractive to many people! Aside from the cute storyline, I really liked all the different looks that Moonbyul donned throughout the video. From the typical school student look to the punkish rock star at the end, she definitely showcased multiple sides of herself, which is fun and appealing.

I liked how the choreography embodied the fun side of the song. Nothing stood out, but it was a great routine that matched the energy of the song well.

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

[Album Review] 6equence (2nd Mini Album) – Moonbyul (Mamamoo)

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The final album review for this weekend is for Moonbyul. Mamamoo’s rapper returned as a solo artist back in January with the title track LUNATIC. This follows two pre-releases in December 2021, G999 (ft. Mirani) and Shutdown (ft. Seori), both of which are featured on the 6equence mini-album as well. In addition to the title track and pre-releases (per usual, you can find the links to their respective reviews in the body of the album review), there are two more side tracks, an introductory track and the English version of her title track (not factored into the final album rating).

6equence definitely shows Moonbyul’s range. She goes from a fun title track to very emotional and heavy ballads. I would love to hear Moonbyul explore more and attempt different styles, given that her parts in Mamamoo’s songs tend to be quite limited (however, that has changed more over time after she gained more confidence in her vocals). Continue reading to find out my thoughts on her side tracks and more!

6equence Album Cover

1. Intro: Synopsis – Starting off the mini-album is an intro track titled Synopsis. It is a smooth R&B track that exudes a sensual and alluring atmosphere. The long instrumental segments of this song tell me that Synopsis would be more of a performance piece (Spoiler: it definitely was a captivating one, based on a performance I found at her solo concert from earlier in the year, capturing the smooth and sensual descriptions I just mentioned). We do get some vocals, and they work well with the instrumentation. (8/10)

2. G999 (ft. Mirani) – Click here for the full review for G999. (8.5/10)

3. Shutdown (머리에서 발끝까지) (ft. Seori) – Click here for the full review for Shutdown. (9/10)

4. LUNATIC (Title Track) – Click here for the full review for LUNATIC. (8/10)

5. For Me (너만 들었으면 좋겠다) – For Me enters R&B ballad territory. The instrumental features straight forward acoustic guitar and simple percussion. Sometimes simplicity is just enough, and this song proves just that. The simple nature of For Me also allows the focus to be placed squarely on Moonbyul’s vocals. You can tell just from her tone (and of the instrumentation) that For Me is an emotionally loaded song, and the melodies make For Me quite riveting. A strong song, ‘for me’. (8/10)

6. Ddu Ddu Ddu (내가 뭘 어쩌겠니?) – Ddu Ddu Ddu adds a slight kick to it that puts the song into mid-tempo waters, thanks to its band instrumentation. But that doesn’t really change much else, as Ddu Ddu Ddu continues the emotionally loaded direction of the album. And Moonbyul’s vocals a definitely top notch here. I find the band instrumental to be more up Moonbyul’s alley, as it enables for a smoother transition into rapping and Ddu Ddu Ddu’s style definitely fits her vocal tones. (9/10)

7. LUNATIC (English Version) – Refer to my full review of LUNATIC linked above.

Overall Album Rating – 8.4/10

6equence / LUNATIC Teaser Image

[Review] HONEY – Solar (MAMAMOO)

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Solar also made her comeback this past week with the title track HONEY and first mini-album, 容: Face. HONEY follows MAMAMOO’s main vocalist’s solo debut from two years ago, Spit It Out.

Like the other solo acts who returned last week, Solar’s return is also of the upbeat variety. This didn’t come as much surprise to me however, given the likes of Spit It Out. HONEY jumps out at me thanks to its dynamic house instrumental. In addition to this, HONEY also thrived on different textures. One segment was minimal, another was smooth, and then really heavy on the thumps. This, to me, made it appealing and striking to listen to. The brass following the chorus was a nice addition, adding a fun vibe to the song. Of course, Solar also plays a big part in making HONEY appealing. Aside from co-penning and co-producing song (obviously a big player in the existence of this song), Solar’s vocals were pretty neat throughout HONEY. I personally thought she did a good job of reflecting that dynamic nature and energy of HONEY through her mixed deliveries and vocal colours. Sure, it might not yet be the showcase of powerhouse vocals that I am sure many of us are waiting from Solar, but it worked well with the instrumental. The hooks and melodies we get helps make HONEY one of the catchiest and memorable songs from the past week, and they work extremely well in tandem with the instrumental. However, I am of the opinion that HONEY did not need rapping, however. The rap sequence in the second verse was probably the dullest segment of the song for me. But apart from that, HONEY was fun, likeable and one of my personal favourite releases of the week.

Another really great aspect of this comeback is the music video. The use of one colour for each shot made the video extremely visually appealing, striking and loud, just like the song. Solar’s visuals throughout the video was top notch, and her stylists put her in some really great outfits that really emphasis the colours that was the theme of the shot. Unfortunately, it isn’t an innovative idea. But Solar and the production team pulled it off, nonetheless.

For the performance, nothing really stood out on its own. But the entire routine was vibrant, which helped make the choreography worth watching. Listening to Solar sing live is always amazing, as well, given how stable she sounds on stage.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 7.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.1/10

[Review] Shutdown – Moonbyul (Mamamoo) ft. Seori

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Like my last post, there is another track that fits the brief (solo artist, song released in the last few months, and should have been covered before I reviewed the main title track) from last year. That track is titled Shutdown, a collaborative single from Mamamoo member Moonbyul and Seori, released at the end of last year as well. Shutdown is one of two pre-release singles (the other being G999) that is featured on Moonbyul’s latest mini-album, 6equence, which is lead by the single LUNATIC.

Shutdown is a smooth mid-tempo R&B track with one of those swayable melodies that I love. One of the things that stuck out at me (and to a lot of listeners as well) were the lyrics, which had two key chrematistics – they promoted inclusivity and were a bit erotic as well. Essentially, Shutdown is a song about a relationship between two women and Moonbyul has been receiving praise for this. Moonbyul has also confirmed the erotic nature behind the lyrics. Good on Moonbyul for breaking boundaries with this song, as it is pretty rare sight in KPOP. Aside from lyrics, we also have the amazing vocals of both Moonbyul and featuring artist Seori in Shutdown. Moonbyul’s natural lower tone is well utilised in Shutdown, keeping the song grounded. As for her rapping, I kind of understand its presence in this song to make the song a bit more interesting and not as repetitive. But I felt it was a bit too heavy, and should have adopted a softer approach to compliment the rest of the song. Seori brings a higher and lighter tone. I really enjoyed the airness that her vocals brought to Shutdown, and helped made the chorus more prominent. This is also why I feel Moonbyul purposely used her lower tone to ensure Shutdown isn’t too light and airy. Both artists balance each other and creates such a good track. The best part of Shutdown definitely has to be when the two vocalists alternate with each other the lines of the pre-chorus. Definitely the most memorable part of Shutdown. I also found the bridge to be stunning. A beautifully pre-release overall.

The music video is pretty nice looking as well, which compliments the song well. The golden hue we get from the lighting and colours is very warming and comforting. The video depicts the relationship between two females as mentioned in lyrics/song portion of the review. But instead of being erotic like in the lyrics, the music video shows a sweeter side of the relationship. At first, it appears like Moonbyul is alone and Seori is like a ghost. But at the end, I liked how they transitioned it so that Moonbyul and Seori are seen interacting with one another (whilst also lip-syncing to the song).

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.8/10