[Review] AOA - Bingle Bangle (Blitz)

The whole point of Blitz pieces was to let me write about songs more frequently, even if the length was shorter. So with that said, we're onto AOA's return in a world without Choa.  "Bingle Bangle" is a cute dance number that ushers in the summer season of Kpop. The simple chanting chorus backed by the whistle hook helps alleviate the absence of a main vocalist. Yuna does do her part, and as a winner in the post-Choa lineup. Chanmi is another, and shines in her parts. She probably tripled her production from past songs. If you can believe it, Jimin actually had no presence in the song until her rap break at the end. What's more, she didn't say "HEY" a single time. The rap itself was underwhelming, and I gotta say I expected better. Most people thought Jimin would step up in Choa's absence. But that could also be a byproduct of a cuter song. This is certainly the least AOA-sounding track in their discography and I'm not really feeling this one so far, doubly so with the cuter sound and scattered English. The MV is cute with the videogame motif and tons of CGI and special effects, plus Mina is definitely the member who plays the most videogames. Shoutouts to the GCN controller at the beginning, what a nostalgia trip that gave me. "Bingle Bangle" might not have much bang, but it gives fans hope that they can do alright as six - and that's what matters.

Word Count: 249

[Misc] 9MUSES Power Ranking

What a rollercoaster career it's been for 9MUSES. High highs, low lows, and member additions / departures like no other group in Kpop history. That is precisely why I wouldn't be able to do a proper power ranking timeline. Anyway here's some nostalgia writing. I debated adding Sojin and Keumjo to the list but opted against it. At the end of the day I do what I want, and will only consider their best lineup - y'know, when they were actually nine muses.

#9. Eunji
At one point, I loved every member of this group. Of course that doesn't matter in a ranking. Eunji will have to take last though not really her own fault. Then again, she did leave after "Glue" which cut her longevity. The irrational part of me disliked her for taking away more of Erin's rapping greatness but she needed a role. Plus she didn't do half-bad in the secondary rapping role either. It would've been interesting to see how 9MUSES would've shaped up had she stayed, but that goes without saying.

#8. Sem
Sem the giant follows Eunji at the bottom of the pile. She departed early compared to the rest of the members and she didn't have a clear identity within the group besides "be tall and gorgeous." Her beauty is striking and her short hairstyles distinguished her from the rest of the gang. The more members a group has, the more difficult it is to stand out appearance-wise but 9M were always able to do that no matter what their lineups were.

[Review] BTS - Fake Love (Blitz)

It has been over a year since I've reviewed BTS. Let's do something out of character and start by talking about the MV of "Fake Love." How far BTS has come. Compare this video (and song) to their debut and it's two different universes. How could the 2013 BTS afford all those Snickers?! Jokes aside, the quality is certainly top-notch here. Unfortunately the outfits are not. The only reasonably dressed member is Suga and it's not even close. Like, surely they had better outfits than these? Whatever the plot is supposed to be - if there's even one at all - is impossible to decipher so I'll pass on that. The song itself appears to be a mixture of "DNA" and "Blood Sweat & Tears" with smooth R&B tones and a strong dance theme (especially during the chorus). Problem is it doesn't fully commit to one or the other and is left awkwardly in the middle. Both styles do flow in and out of each other quite well, so that's a positive. The rap parts were extremely underwhelming (disappointing even) and despite Suga's best efforts I'd give the rapping a generous C+ grade. And truth be told the rest of the song doesn't stray far from that. Don't let the final score deceive you, "Fake Love" is actually quite forgettable and the only reason the points are so high is because of the MV production. There's always next time, and with BTS that will probably be in two months.

Word Count: 247

[Misc] Top 10 Girl Group Members Of The Future

Not sure how I'll categorize this post. Anyway I'm going to highlight the next big stars in the Kpop world. This will talk about ten girl (group) members who I believe will hit jackpot over the early years of their career. Whether it's to the level of IU and Suzy, or to general acknowledgement as one of the best / talented group members, the girls on this list all can make a claim. I'm pretty much calling my shot with some of them. When they are super popular in a few years I can look back here and claim I was a prophet.

Yuju
We'll get some obvious members out of the way first. Yuju made quite the impression early with GFriend, and has continued to be the driving force in their music. As one reddit user put it best, "it's not a GFriend song until Yuju hits the sixth octave." Yuju is currently a top 10 girl group vocalist, and definitely the #1 of the current generation of idols. She might not end up being the most hyped on the list but she'll always have plenty of power behind her.

Soyeon
As far as new rappers go, Soyeon ranks pretty high up there. Of course her debut just missed the latest installment of Girl Group Rapper Power Rankings, but I'd estimate she would be in the top 12. Her skills are reminiscent of LE, and her charisma of CL. Those are two names that any rookie wouldn't mind being attached or compared to. Soyeon is the carry of her group (not gonna type their name out) and that will come with both the good and the bad.

Tzuyu
This is a lil' bit of a cheat, as Tzuyu is arguably on that pedestal level already. Her youthful beauty lends to her popularity and if she isn't on the same realm as Suzy, Hani, and Seolhyun then she's only a little behind. She's certainly got the looks to compete, and being in such a popular group like Twice only helps her. Other members might be more talented than her, but the one with breakout potential will always be Tzuyu.

[Misc] AOA Power Ranking

With AOA's comeback on the way, here's another group list. Looks like they'll be on roller skates? Should be an interesting video and choreography, at least. One would hope. AOA is gonna need all the help it can get to make up for lost time and the loss of Choa. Yuna is gonna have to put this team on her back, or else Jimin and her army of "hey" will drown the skies in despair. Speaking of which...

#7. Jimin
Jimin will forever be in the shadow of Jimin of BTS. Nowhere near as popular, and doesn't rank as highly within her own group. She's the leader, but that position has held less and less weight over the years. Definitely a solid rapper (ranked #5 on the latest Girl Group Rapper Power Rankings), but her voice is too high-pitched for my liking. She tends to be super energetic in AOA songs and I prefer the more relaxed rapping from her. That and the recent plastic surgery are huge negatives in my book.

#6. Yuna
It is troubling to see the two likely primary forces of the new AOA at the bottom spots, but it is what it is. I know I said earlier that Yuna is gonna have to carry AOA, but it's pretty obvious that isn't gonna be possible. Realistically speaking, Yuna is an average vocalist at best and was only the secondary singer behind Choa because everyone else on the group is forgettable. Put her on groups like Girl's Day, GFriend, 9MUSES, and she would disappear down the depth chart. Pretty consistent visual though.

[Review] (G)I-DLE - Latata

 Three years after CLC, Cube Entertainment is bringing us another girl group with the tragically-named (G)I-DLE. I'm honestly going to avoid typing their group name out as much as possible, it's that bad. The Korean name isn't much better, either. Anyway this new squad is headlined by Soyeon, a young rapping talent that did extremely well on Produce 101 and Unpretty Rapstar Season 3. My immediate fears are that this is the start of a new Hyuna and friends but that may be the 4minute PTSD in me talking. Can't think negatively about a new group already, let's check out their debut song "Latata."

You can tell right away that this song is similar to other Cube girl group releases. That's because Big Sancho is behind "Latata." He also worked on past Cube hits like Hyuna's "How's This" and CLC's "Hobgoblin." It's a lot slower-paced than those examples, but the similar sound persists. Both the bridge and rap break helped mix things up while still maintaining the same speed of the song. Almost nothing feels out of place. Minnie's part was very awkward and definitely the weakest part of the song, though thankfully for her Yuqi makes up for it immediately afterward (more on her after the jump). There's nothing intricate here. "Latata" is a simple, balanced, and effective song. It's a good safe choice out of Cube's third girl group.

[Bonus] Girl Group Rapper Power Rankings V: Spring 2018 (#10-#1)

#10. D.ana (+2)
Newsun has thrived in Sonamoo's latest hits, so you know D.ana is also enjoying the success too. Her deep voice brings power and counters Newsun's higher range. Since December of 2016 she has slowly and methodically climbed up the ladder. Now she sits in the top 10 for the first time. With Euijin swaying hearts from The Unit, I hope Sonamoo continues on the upward trend. Hell, if Black Pink continues to be locked in the dungeon, Sonamoo may end up being the house of best rapping duo for girl groups.

#9. Yeeun (+1)
Hyuna may be no more but her successor is alive and well. Er, it's not like Hyuna died or anything. You know what let's move on. Yeeun is one of CLC's starlets, and her light rapping has a little bite to it. "Black Dress" was a good addition to her library, and presumably a sign that future group tracks will be more of that than "Where Are You?" I'm a little concerned with their inconsistent history, Cube Entertainment, and the fact that they're debuting a new girl group with Soyeon headlining it (though the group name is tragic). In a perfect world though Yeeun and CLC will still do well.

#8. Exy (+1)
With her rap in "Dreams Come True," Exy has demonstrated that she is the most consistent of the new age rappers. Cosmic Girls have been getting healthy dosages of promotion since debut, and although their concepts change, Exy remains constant. Her rapping is delightful and maintains her stronger side even in the cuter songs. Compare this to some other rappers and she's basically a god. Despite all my raving of Exy, I couldn't put her any higher, because I don't think she's a top seven talent just yet.