[Bonus] The Late Report: July 2019

Hm. Been busy with work, courses, and gaming but that doesn't make a week+ break acceptable. Welcome to the July edition of The Late Report. This is a grim reminder that I haven't been interested in too much new music lately, so here's hoping the beginning of the fall season brings some good stuff.

GFriend - Fever

There's not been much of note on the main front, but GFriend did drop something summery for us with "Fever." Immediately got TXT "Crown" vibes with the groovy instrumental and that isn't a bad thing. The dance itself isn't noteworthy as it lacks in comparison with their past choreographies. Eunha and Yuju continue to do the heavyweight vocal work, and SinB attempted to audition for Girl Group Rapper Power Rankings with her brief burst. Regarding the MV: why does Sowon need heels? The girl is a giant! Not a great song, but not a bad song either.

Suran - Surfin'

Suran is always a treat. Her voice is so unique and she's dabbled in a bevy of genres throughout her career. Most known in the hip-hop and R&B realms, "Surfin'" is a slight departure from those styles, focusing more on a heavy electronic / instrumental and dance break segments. This song would segue extremely smoothly into another summer jam like Winner's "Island" or Girls' Generation's "Party." The summer swing was in full effect in July, and Suran was more than happy to contribute to those waves.

Baekhyun - UN Village

Another EXO solo debut that is a perfect match between member and concept. Baekhyun's voice is delightful as he serenades us with R&B overtones. As part of EXO's three-headed vocal monster, he does his job quite well/ He may not have the power of Chen or the versatility of D.O but Baekhyun brings his own balance of skills to the table here. The charisma he exudes in voice and visual is strong and fans all over the world rejoice at his solo opportunity.

P.O - Promise (feat. Mino)

I haven't checked in with Block B since the news that Zico left Seven Seasons, so color me surprised when P.O of all members dropped some new music. During his time in Block B, they've always given him opportunities to sing (with mixed success) but "Promise" is a summer jam that doesn't really rely on the vocals. Plus he got Mino to share some of the rapping spotlight. Mino has quietly compiled quite the feature resume for himself. Gotta do what you can given the utter shithole that YG is in lately.

Younha - On A Rainy Day

Rounding off the July set is none other than Younha herself. After all that summer heat, she gives us something soothing to listen to as we cool off under the summer rain. Younha's excellence is well-documented over the many years of her illustrious career, and "On A Rainy Day" is a beautiful blend of soft ballad and powerful emotion. It's been over ten years and I still get chills from her voice, emotion, and music. Younha is a transcendent singer and I'm blessed to be a fan.