Tag: TRI.BE

Next up is a review for a group that debuted in February of this year and (gasps!) a group that I actually reviewed before (check out their debut single DOOM DOOM TA and my review for their debut). TRI.BE made their first comeback since their debut with RUB-A-DUM mid-May. Since then, the music video for RUB-A-DUM has garnered almost 12 million views, which is a remarkable feat for a rookie group from an agency that isn’t that well-known. This is also just under double the amount of views their debut music video got! Amazing! it is definitely a sign that this group is garnering interest, which is definitely what a rookie wants to do in such a competitive industry. Let’s see what TRI.BE’s new track has to offer.

RUB-A-DUM is a very energetic and fun track. That was my initial impression of the song when it was first released (hard to forget such a song like this, for reasons that will become apparent) and it still forms part of my impression now. Currently, not only do I find RUB-A-DUM energetic and fun, I also find it overwhelmingly so. The song is a bit much. I am not one to be overwhelmed that easily. But I reckon RUB-A-DUM could have been toned back a bit and it still would have been as energetic and fun. Moderation, as they all say. There was also a lot going in the song, especially in the body. And I feel this is a main reason to why I feel that the producers of RUB-A-DUM could have toned it back. It would have made everything a lot more enjoyable and less overwhelming. So what do we get in RUB-A-DUM? Well, you get this Middle-Eastern influence in the instrumentation. I am assuming the high pitch whistling/flute we get is also a Middle-Eastern influence, though it was carried over to be a centerpiece in the instrumentation. We also get some deep bass, giving the song some depth and channels some energy. In addition, we get a bit of a pop melody for the chorus, a sudden move from chorus to the second verse with no break, and a slowdown to let us to listen to smooth vocals, before returning with the pre-chorus, But wait there is more. What was supposed to be the second chorus was replaced with lighter vocals and less harsh raps in which all the members participated in (I assume is the bridge), before the second chorus kicks in to end the song. If you think all of the above is a bit much, well, join the club. It is quite a mess and I also wish the producers of the song really cleaned it up to make it more inviting to listen to. On a more positive note, all those elements above are actually quite good on their own. RUB-A-DUM also features good vocals and rapping from the members, and the energy that comes off the combination of Middle-Eastern influences and that deep bass is quite prolific and powerful. But a neater and cohesive track would have been better and still would have retained that fun impression that you get when you listen to RUB-A-DUM.

The members of TRI.BE just continually multiply in this music video. First there is just the group. Another another copy of the group appears. Then we see three, four and fives times the same member. By the end of the video, we see 98 of them. Needless to say, it is a freaky video. The concept of the spaceship from their DOOM DOOM TA music video appears here, which is the cause of how the members multiply, zapping them into existence as we see at one point in the music. Other than the freaky generation of TRI.BE, we get a well put together music video that compliments the music and looks good as well.

The choreography for this comeback has this hip-hop style to it, whilst also bringing out the fun vibes of the song. There is also a playful energy to it, which makes it really appealing to watch. I really like the crab bounce they do during the chorus. I also really like the ending, when they make that ring with their thumbs and fist around on the members. It would have been cool for the move to be dynamic, with a different member in the centre at the end of each performance.

Song – 6.5/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.2/10

The next two reviews (released today and tomorrow) are for some new debuts that occurred this week. Yesterday, we saw the debut of TRI.BE, a new female group co-produced by Shinsadong Tiger and Universal Music. The group consist of seven members (SongSun, Kelly, JinHa, HyunBin, Jia, SoEun and Mire). From my research, the group name is split into two, with the ‘TRI’ part representing perfection (and comes from the word ‘Triangle’) and ‘BE’ representing the perfect being. They debuted yesterday with DOOM DOOM TA, which is featured on the group’s first single album, TRI.BE Da Loca.

Aside from a smashing to start of their careers with, what newly debut groups really need to demonstrate with their first few songs is potential. And I feel that TRI.BE has done that through DOOM DOOM TA. It is what I enjoyed about this song. I felt like there was a lot of it throughout the song that showcase the members to a degree. There are great vocals throughout and I definitely have to praise whichever member handled the high note just before the final chorus. Other members showed different textures which I think can be carried forward to new song releases, provided the producing team for their future songs can capitalize them. Knowing that this is a Shinsadong Tiger produced group, I feel that they are in safe hands. There were some decent rapping throughout the song, as well. This showcase of potential is definitely important in this case, given I felt DOOM DOOM TA was a boring song overall. To me, I couldn’t find a memorable hook in DOOM DOOM TA. There was a lot of repetition, but it just felt flat. The instrumentational had a tribal-like exotic flair to the electronic sound. While I do feel like this is slightly unique, it just didn’t live up to my expectations when it mattered most. It felt plain during moments when the instrumental should have been the most dynamic (i.e. chorus). And no matter how times I have replayed it so far, I just haven’t been reeled into it. I also felt the transition between the chorus and bridge could have a bit more smoother and not so much sudden. Overall, I have mixed feelings about this song. Maybe more listens will help make the song more enjoyable. But for the time being, it seems that I am on the fence about DOOM DOOM TA.

There was a big emphasis on triangles in this music video. And I think this really helps emphasise their origins. From first glance, the music video takes on the girl crush concept. But when you watch the individual scenes, they feel a bit random. Lying in the mouth of crocodile, confronting haters with guns and rifles, flaming chainsaw to cut down a really tall basketball goal, meteor shower with pyramid-shaped alien spaceships floating in the air. I am not too sure what is going on. I guess there is a little bit of a parallel with other female group’s takes on the girl crush concept, such as Weki Meki. But this is a step into the ‘out there’ spectrum from how I see it. Maybe it is all there for a specific reason and I am just overlooking the meaning of everything completely. Aside from that, I really like the post-production on the video with various cool transitions (shooting the bottle on top of the members head, before transitioning scene into a choreography shot, the whole pyramid alien ship CGI etc.).

Once again, a lot of moves and formations involving triangles throughout the choreography. As a whole, the performance is so-so. You pretty have seen everything they pulled off before in other choreographies. So they don’t really bring anything new to the table. But they managed to meet the energy of the song, which helped made the performance look pleasant.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 6.5/10
Overall Rating – 6.7/10