Tag: Rainz

Adding to the long list of comebacks this week (that I need to get a move on and start writing the reviews for) is Rainz, who are returning with their latest title track, Turn It Up. Turn It Up is the main track of the group’s second mini-album, Shake You Up. For those who may have missed Rainz, the 7-member boy group made their debut late last year with Juliette.

To me, Turn It Up is a decent song but there is a quite a bit of confusion that hinders its potential. The song could have been that really cool and powerful dance hit but some of the segments just do not fit well with each other. Take the chorus and post-chorus (or bridge to instrumental dance break). They are distinctly different sounding sections of the song and the way they got from one to the other is quite uncomfortable. I feel like a better transition could have been utilised to make the song flow. For some reason, I also felt like the song took a little too long to get to the chorus. It just feels drawn out for a tad too long when I first listened to it and that feeling just stuck with me. But it is not all criticisms though. I feel like the instrumental (for each separate sections) were good and the vocal work/raps were pretty decent. It just be the sound structure of the song that doesn’t sit well with me.

Welcome to another post-apocalyptic world, which interestingly lasted for one-third of the video. The second third seemed to be an abandoned warehouse, which goes hand-in-hand with the first third. But the last third was a white background studio. I am not too sure of that choice, which feels a little odd when you look at the bigger picture. Majority of the video was just choreography shots, while a very small fraction was dedicated to close-ups. There just isn’t much else to comment on.

Choreography-wise, this is pretty good. I liked the intro to the performance, which doesn’t look that impressive when you compare to other performances but works wonderfully with the slow start. I liked how they matched the gradual buildup of the song in their moves. But the winning moment has to be the bridge and dance break that follows after. Very impressive.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.5/10

Rainz is another brand new group formed from Produce 101 Season 2, which is clearly a fresh start for these new trainees with some of them gaining recognition for their skills and looks. Rainz is fan requested and comprises of 7 members: Kim Seong Lee, Ju Won Tak, Hong Eun Ki, Byun Hyun Min, Lee Ki Won, Seo Sung Hyuk and Jang Dae Hyun. It was reported that their contract will go for about a year.

To me, Juliette is a return to that old KPOP sound that I fell in love with when I first listened to KPOP 7 years ago (time does go too fast). The instrumental is just a pure retro beat that does lack some bass but delivers well when it is paired with the vocals/raps. Listening to it, I couldn’t help but have a dance in the chair I am in. The vocals and raps just show that there is clearly potential for this group and its individual members. If you want proof, just listen to the entire song. I don’t think there was one weak moment in terms of the vocals/raps. If there was anything to say about the song, they could have gone for a catchier chorus, which would have made the song more memorable. But overall, great debut track!

Even the sets of the music videos remind me of videos from three or more years ago. The virtual reality girlfriend concept seems to be something from that era (or even further back). The acting the video is just plain cheesy. Honestly, I found the video quite dull to watch. There wasn’t much happening within it that makes me want to speak about it.

The choreography seems to be stuck between the soft delivery of moves and the sharp delivery of moves. The moves during the verses seem to fit that soft side of the spectrum, while the post-chorus “Juliette” chanting features that sharpness. Though, I think the dance aims to be somewhat cutesy to appeal to their own ‘Juliette‘.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 6/10
Overall Rating – 7.5/10