[Review] Oh My Girl - Remember Me (Blitz)

As we hit full stride in September, Oh My Girl returns adding "Remember Me" to their 2018 campaign. I am immediately captivated by that instrumental because good GOD that bass hits hard. But the singing is soft and elegant, which creates a beautiful contrast. I appreciated the MV where the lyrics "when I close my eyes" is matched in the video. There have been plenty of inconsistencies from other artists so I appreciated that. The lack of a true chorus isn't missed too badly by my ears and honestly after two listens I'm definitely okay with it. However, things would've taken an even better turn if not for the non-singing parts of the song. In the surprise move of the year, Mimi's return to rapping has results that are less than satisfactory. She gets two verses but both are very out of place compared to how smooth the vocals are elsewhere, and don't sound great. Then half the squad has an awkward chant break right before the bridge which is equally as awkward. This is some Twice rapping straight up. Mimi is absolutely capable of better raps and it's a damn shame because I really like the rest of the track. Keep everyone else off her turf, seriously. Thankfully we get to end on a positive note because that bridge plus finale help soothe the pain - Seunghee and Yooa really shine in this type of music. "Remember Me" will be remembered for both the good and bad.

Word Count: 247

[Review] Sunmi - Siren (Blitz)

Here's a big moment. Sunmi could do something rare: have five consecutive standout releases. "24 Hours," "Full Moon," "Gashina," and "Heroine" were all high-quality songs and this could be a historic addition. "Siren" brings another top instrumental and Sunmi's comforting voice to the stage, and these two elements drive the track much like how they have in past hits. The chorus provides an English hook fans can sing along to and serves as a contrast to her huskier tones in the verses. An underrated section of the song is that flawless transition from the verse to prechorus. It's so seamless that you might've thought "Siren" jumped directly to chorus from verse. In an era where songs have predictable changes and shifts, this is definitely something less common. The part that completely kills hype for the song - and the flow of the song itself - is the "lalala" part following the chorus. It's so awkward and serves no purpose. While I understand it's a dance break, the instrumental alone would suffice. The MV is whatever, though we do get to see some goofy Sunmi which was nice. Also, Sunmi is really skinny. Like, freakishly so. I know most Kpop girls are super thin but this is another level - it's uncomfortable. I like "Siren" more than "Heroine" early, but the latter was a grower and the former has little replay value. Despite her best efforts, "Siren" ultimately falls short of joining the club that its predecessors enjoyed being in.

Word Count: 246

[Review] (G)-IDLE - Hann (Blitz)

With Visual Power Rankings out of the way (and class ending) I can write actual content. Also this group's name puts them at the very top on Blogger's labels which pisses me off. Anyways, here's their first comeback with "Hann" and those verses are fucking gold. The English "do you remember what you said" flows super well unlike other tracks and goes right into the Korean. The rest of the English in the song...not so much (mostly because of pronunciation). The verses are drawn out so each member gets plenty of singing time. Miyeon and Soojin benefit heavily and sound amazing in lead roles. Soojin in particular leveled up since "Latata" with her mannerisms and stood out more - having bright red hair certainly helps. The song builds well on itself throughout but "Hann" struggles in the chorus game, leaving much to be desired. Hopefully this doesn't become a trend where they have really solid verses with lackluster choruses. They've been too repetitive and dull. I wasn't floored by this choreography either but the formations of an even membered group are enough to hold it down. Soyeon delivers another solid performance though it's not as impressive as her debut with "Latata." Like the verses, the bridge is also really good and builds into...an awkward dance break by Shuhua. Huh. Not what I was expecting but it'll do I guess. That break and the choruses hurt this song's chances of being better than "Latata." Plus Yuqi got ruined by those bangs, goddammit.

Word Count: 250

[Review] iKON - Killing Me (Blitz)

"Love Scenario" did awesome on the charts for iKON. Let's see if the subsequent follow-up "Killing Me" will do the same. With a title like that you figured it would be a little darker and that's reflected in the song and video. It's harder-hitting, and the instrumental chops away the background almost eerily. Bobby and B.I do a great job setting up the track and their presence in the rest of "Killing Me" is substantial without being overpowering (something they previously struggled with). The supporting cast pull their weight with vocals - Jinhwan and Donghyuk. Oh yeah I can't buy the whole stage name thing. The names they debuted with are the names I use. I'm not a fan of the instrumentals during the dance breaks. There's too much going on and it sounds like a hot mess. Actually, if the distorted vocals were removed I think that would fix the problem. Too bad we'll never know. Besides that, the only other major complaint I have is that Junhoe's magical voice gets clouded here. Doesn't sound as distinct as he usually does in iKON's music. Like in "Love Scenario" they bring the whole group for the final chorus. In both cases, it works really well. Gives the song an exciting closure without changing much, and makes for a good party banger. "Killing Me" is a strong release of a darker kind and it's about time they actually started having some good music as part of the YG crew.

Word Count: 247

[Review] Black Pink - Ddu-du Ddu-du (Blitz)

Black Pink is lucky I'm only doing a Blitz, for their sake. I can't rip them too hard for this comeback knowing there's a word limit. First off the title of the song is poorly formatted and looks dumb. It rivals Cube's new girl group's name in terms of how awful it is on the eyes, I won't refer to it at all. This song itself is so mediocre I can't believe I got hyped over their return after an entire year. It's really just...the sequel to "As If It's Your Last" in how each member's lines act as independent sections and barely string together at all. We do get to hear Jisoo improve on her vocals and that's good. Opposite her, Rose continues to struggle and I'm convinced she'll simply end up as Bom's successor in the singing department with the constant straining. Jennie's return to rapping "saves" the song and like Lisa in  "AIIWYL" is the only good part - if this track makes it to my library it will be thanks to fierce Jennie. The chorus' beat is utterly wasted by the lack of energy or emotion in the choreography and it's almost insulting to think all that time waiting was for this weak of a dance. They are Black Pink and I'm happy for their current success with this song but I'm still pissed. They deserve better. Fuck YG.

Word Count: 232

[Review] Katie - Remember (Blitz)

Getting a new YG release might as well be winning the lottery. Then to have the song be entirely in English, too? We must be in an alternate universe for today. I understand that Axis isn't under YG but this was still released on their main Youtube channel. Anyway, Katie Kim makes her debut nearly three years after winning Kpop Star 4. As someone who never watched an episode of this series, I had no idea what to expect. Yet another fluent English singer is added to the YG* ranks. Her voice definitely matches the smooth R&B style that many other YG singers have. The song also frames her voice and talents beautifully, at least for a first impression. It's a relaxing R&B number and Katie's English glides us through the journey. The problem with music videos for soloists that don't have a choreography is showcased here. "Remember" has a collection of wannabe-gangsters and Katie just hanging around, and outside of some strange special effects and Katie solo shots, there's nothing of value. I get that this is her debut but you'd think after waiting so long she'd have a video with a little more substance. Also she was born in 1993. This seems a little late to be "starting" your Kpop career (at least compared to her contemporaries) but what can you do when YG locks you in the dungeon for years without a single promotion. Honestly, good for her on escaping and finally making that debut.

Word Count: 248

[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

[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

[Review] VIXX - Scentist (Blitz)

Unfortunately this will snap my streak of consecutive months with at least one full review. Somehow, this is the first time I've written about VIXX (and added them to labels) which is quite the surprise. They were always a solid middle tier boy group and I've enjoyed some of their past hits. Songs like "Error," "Voodoo Doll" and "Shangri-La" rate highly in my library. On the other hand, I wasn't a fan of anything during their 2016 run. Nonetheless, here's "Scentist," fooling everyone into thinking they were gonna be singing about scientists. This is very much a VIXX song: the smooth instrumental that hits hard enough to dance along to, while maintaining that mysterious almost ethereal sound this group is well-known for. The unique twist is having Hongbin lead the chorus, shifting Ken to prechorus. Definitely an unexpected change but executed well. Heck Hongbin even closes out the song, too. Plus having Leo as your backup should put you at ease. Ravi only used like five noticeable English words in his rap! That's a marked improvement, and I can actually follow along this time. As far as I remember this music video is way more vibrant and expressive than those before it, and understandably so. You don't get to see too much of the dance, and Blitz reviews don't include live performances, so that's really all there is to "Scentist." It's a solid number coming off the beauteous "Shangri-La" and VIXX continues to make this type of sound their trademark.

Word Count: 250

[Review] Olivia Hye - Egoist (feat. Jinsoul) (Blitz)

The Loona hype train has come to a stop for now with the final member's solo release. Olivia Hye (dropping her last name from now on) is here with "Egoist" which is funny considering she was the last member / release. Anyway back when I reviewed "New" from Yves I said that simplicity worked out well for her. In "Egoist," Olivia gets to do a little more and the instrumental provides a nice assist. Those dance breaks were easily the high point of the song and matched the choreography well (or vice versa). Vocals-wise I don't think she's that impressive and the backing audio does well in masking what she really will sound like in live performances. At this point in Loona's time I have no idea which member is gonna be what so they're all decent support vocalists until I hear otherwise. Jinsoul's rap feature is a solid B+ in my book. She has that disparaging filter but I can look past it in favor of the overall good rapping. Rapper Power Rankings are being worked on for April so this new material is welcome. Loona is definitely in capable hands with her manning the rap department. The video has crazy strong aesthetics once again, but those ripped pants triggered my trypophobia and made me extremely uncomfortable the rest of the video. The ending where Olivia meets Heejin is a quality touch and gave me goosebumps. We could be on the verge of something magical here with Loona.

Word Count: 248

[Review] Heize - Jenga (feat. Gaeko) (Blitz)

Heize always delivers. If you expect her new songs to be amazing, she will not disappoint. If you expect them to be bad, she'll blow you away. Heize ain't a digital monster for nothing. This is Heize at her finest, backed by a fusion of jazz and hip-hop that create a groovy atmosphere and an enthralling listen. Her voice is delicate and firm, gliding over the verses and chorus while that smooth piano in the background takes me back to my high school days and love for jazz piano. The pure instrumental bridge is fantastic at bringing you to the final chorus. Even though Heize is a solid singer I would have loved to hear her drop a light rap in "Jenga," but that's why she brought in help. Gaeko's appearance was great. He's always been capable of any style of rapping and so fit in with the groovy theme just fine. It's honestly been so long since I've listened to anything new out of him and Dynamic Duo that his rap was arguably the highlight of the song for me. But don't let that distract you from the fact that "Jenga" is constructed brilliantly to suit Heize's strengths. The ending is a little abrupt and the MV is rather plain but the former is excusable while the latter did have some nice throwbacks in its defense. All in all yet another wonderful track by Heize.

Word Count: 236

[Review] Jonghyun - Shinin' (Blitz)

I would've loved to start 2018 off with two full reviews, but time constraints and other schedules / commitments have forced my hand. That and I find myself relying less on reviews as main content and using "non-standard" writing instead. But I'm wasting enough words already. Jonghyun's final release is a posthumous song, and a delightful one at that. Truth be told I didn't know how to feel about the decision to release "Shinin'" or if I was even gonna check it out. I'm glad I did. The electric background instrumental is refreshing and addictive, the latter element further compounded by his repetitive lyrics. Of course, the lyrics that everyone will talk about or mention is the "always be with you" during the chorus. I'm sure that line has helped provide some closure for fans everywhere, and the dual-layered meaning definitely stands out. Much like "She Is," Jonghyun demonstrates his ability for this smooth dance track style just as well as anything else. His voice was always versatile enough to work any genre so it's not surprising in the least to hear him sound so fluid and comfortable in "Shinin'." It's been tough trying to think of much else to say. "Shinin'" is a good song, and has significance as the final farewell to a beloved talent. In the end I'm glad that this was made available to the public. We'll always remember ya, Jonghyun.

Word Count: 234

[Review] Pentagon - Violet (Blitz)

This Blitz review is brought to you by random.org, which choose one of Pentagon's two recent comeback songs. All I know about Pentagon is that Jino, previously of S.M. The Ballad fame, is in the group. Oh and they released a song about Harambe and are managed by Cube (which curses their futures, rest in pizza). Moving on: Pentagon shows their soft side with this release, and "Violet" is styled after those dance and ballad fusions. The verses are extremely delicate but then shifts into a harder chorus - one that is easy to dance to thanks to that nice instrumental. Over the years there have been many a Kpop song with a similar concept. I don't believe there's a universal term for this mixed genre but someone needs to create one. Anyways, this song style and musicality reminds me of Block B's softer stuff. More specifically "Toy" and the sentimental aura surrounding it. Accompanying "Violet" is an equally soothing music video that will let you feel the feels. Side note: what's up with the varying resolutions of Kpop MVs these days? All in all, "Violet" is a good, relaxing track but if I'm going to delve further into Pentagon's discography, it's not going to be because of the ballads. But if this dual title track comeback is any indication, then some of their dance material is bound to be a stronger sell.

Word Count: 233

[Review] TWICE - Likey (Blitz)

The first Blitz piece was Twice, and the 10th Blitz is Twice. Time is a flat circle. Twice might also be a flat circle, as "Likey" gives a lot of "TT" vibes, plus both were released in late October. Good news is that "Likey" is much better than the two title tracks before it. Bad news is that it's still not as good as "Cheer Up" or "TT." The song itself is good, but I continue to lament heavy inflections in Twice (and JYP artists') music. Thankfully they aren't as severe this time around. While that hook is catchy, the linguist in me absolutely despises it because "me likey" is something a toddler would say. Then again, better than the hook from "Signal" so beggars can't be choosers. The most exciting part of the song is the bridge, where Nayeon leads into a surprisingly great (and fun!) rap break from Dahyun and Chaeyoung. This rap is better than anything they've shown so far, and the Dahyun dab was very cute. Thought it was odd during the first chorus where only half the group was doing the dance. It appears that this was only for the MV but weird nonetheless. Maybe due to space constraints? But then why film in an alley. You have another stereotypical MV but there is nice editing thrown in, as some of the transitions are really clean. Mina is stunning and I'm glad to see Chaeyoung grow her hair out. Lastly, Momo's hips continue to not lie.

Word Count: 250

[Review] Bolbbalgan4 - Some (Blitz)

A new Blitz piece calls for a new artist to discover. Bolbbalgan is a folk duo and apparently they were on Superstar K6 back in 2014. Granted, I have no idea what makes folk music folk music but hey that's a work in progress. In my library, I categorized people like Lim Kim or Kim Greem as ballads (primarily) so we'll see if "Some" is of a similar style. Upon first listen it certainly appears that way. Maybe folk is simply relaxing or "hipster" style. Jiyoung's voice is really calming and has a slightly husky nature to it. I wouldn't say that it's uncommon but certainly a nice change of pace from the usual bright and cheery voices many girl group members have. She sounds really good in the choruses, you can almost hear her expressions. Jiyoon doesn't have any lines but is responsible for the instruments and backing vocals. There's not much to say about her unfortunately, besides good work on the guitar haha. Given their label as folk artists, I definitely could see Lim Kim singing to this, which shows consistency at the least. I'm all for more duos in Kpop: Davichi and Akdong Musician have their own niches and styles, Bolbbalgan4 seems no different. "Some" is a relaxing piece and really represents the shift from upbeat summer jams to collected fall tunes. This song sounds perfect as we move into the colder fall weather. Excellent song from start to finish. Bolbbalgan4 is definitely on my radar now.

Word Count: 250

[Review] B.A.P - Honeymoon (Blitz)

Unfortunately I have to break the alternating string of normal reviews and Blitz reviews. I've also added the review tag to all Blitz and album reviews because of common sense. Moving on! B.A.P isn't exactly underrated but given their combination of rapping, choreography, and versatility I feel they don't get enough love. Or at least the love they deserve. "Honeymoon" is a fantastic example of at least two of those attributes. As per B.A.P standard, the rapping is elite. Zelo provides contrast to the smoother catchier moments of the chorus. I also really like they used the opening whistles to setup the chorus even though it doesn't make another appearance. At least, none that I can hear - future repetitions are replaced with singing. It's the little things like this that are hard to notice consistently browsing through other songs. Even though I've never been extremely impressed by the B.A.P vocalists, they do a great job with the chorus despite the spots of Engrish. Having such good rappers will easily overshadow the singers anyway. Meanwhile, Yongguk delivers the finishing punch with his rap verse that drives right into the final chorus (and extensions). And as abrupt as the ending might have been, I thought it did the job necessary to conclude the song. Ignore the usual MV, especially Jongup's mullet. Given that B.A.P is TS' flagship group, they have been treated well this year with solid releases in "Wake Me Up" and now "Honeymoon."

Word Count: 244

[Review] Sonamoo - Friday Night (Blitz)

Sadly, this piece won't be published on a Friday night. Still, we're all waiting for Sonamoo to break out. Despite being the "successor" to Secret (who are still locked up in the dungeon by the way) they haven't really found their footing yet. Mostly because they keep away from the badass tone that they had with "Deja Vu." However! "Friday Night" strays from the more bubblegum pop sound that they seemed to love across the last string of releases, none of which I could get into. This one is a little harder hitting and thank god for that because the girls are better in this element. Also thank god what happens at 0:46 never shows up again. Backing them up is a groovy instrumental and pretty solid choreography. It's one of the rare dances that uses a lot of tutting which is neat. Could even see some silly rollerblades version working out. I love how seamlessly Sonamoo uses Newsun and D.ana's rap breaks. They never seem forced and it's redeeming seeing them shine (I've not been a fan of their performances in their other songs). I'll keep MV thoughts brief: it's boring and could've done without the butt close-ups. They're dancing in water (which is cool) but unfortunately comes after GFriend's release where they did the same thing (not as cool). Supposedly there's another song in the works, so for now I'll enjoy this disco-loving song that puts Sonamoo back on the right path.

Word Count: 244

[Review] Monsta X - Newton (Blitz)

With five other Blitz pieces under my belt, I'm going to set my word limit to 250 for all Blitzes moving forward. Including that first sentence, so moving on! Monsta X slightly take up the mantle of releasing a summer jam for Starship with Sistar's departure. "Newton" is more on the softer side despite making me think of Cam Newton (who is anything but). The instrumental is powerful and drives the song without being overbearing. But the chorus is muddy as the backing sounds and vocals mix. I don't listen to much Monsta X, so I can't tell if it's the instrumental being too loud or the members voices being too soft, but during the chorus it's difficult to listen to. Shownu in particular is soft-spoken from what I saw on Running Man so that doesn't help. Anyway, I.M continues to impress between his technique and his voice. Since none of their vocalists seem standout, he'll be a huge reason behind Monsta X and their successes. On the other hand Jooheon is more of a miss than hit, though he does remind of Zico - still a long ways to go. "Newton" stays at one pace throughout the whole song, and the only thing that really changes is the instrumental. It's still a solid release (albeit not very memorable) and definitely one of the best Lipton advertisements ever.

Word Count: 228

[Review] Red Velvet - Red Flavor (Blitz)

Even though Red Velvet has made their third comeback under the dance category (or red concept / style), things looked promising from teasers. "Red Flavor" is a deviation from the styles of "Russian Roulette" and "Rookie" and more closer to the solid "Ice Cream Cake." Both song names have to do with food, hmm. Perhaps that's why both are so enjoyable. Wendy is in her element (belting out another bridge) and Seulgi's voice is wonderful. And as usual the rest of the squad holds up, too. Unlike other shared rap situations, I don't mind this one as much since both Irene and Yeri get their share of singing lines in the rest of the song. The rap itself isn't bad and might be Irene's best showing since "Ice Cream Cake." "Red Flavor" is really consistent from start to finish, despite the super awkward fuzzy(?) noises - the ones at the end of the first chorus for example. As expected, we have a vivid and colorful music video to accompany this track. Fruits are everywhere and you'd almost think this was sponsored by some local fruit market. The girls interviewing giant fruits are hilarious, and the overlay during those scenes are great. Too bad another (girl) group struggles to have visual consistency because Irene's bangs have to go. Thankfully they aren't omnipresent in their live performances. While I'm salty we didn't get another ballad masterpiece like "One Of These Nights," "Red Flavor" shows a return to form for the upbeat dance tracks that make Red Velvet dangerous on both sides of the ball.

Word Count: 262

[Review] SF9 - Easy Love (Blitz)

Continuing with the hopping between boy and girl groups, we have FNC's boy group SF9. Of course, I wouldn't be writing about them had I not attended KCON, but still. They are FNC's first true boy group since FT Island and CNBLUE are bands. Anyway, this is your stereotypical dance track accompanied by your stereotypical MV, the latter of which we will simply acknowledge and move on. The first thing I noticed about this song is the voices of SF9. They all sound older than their actual ages, which is cool. And dear heavens are some of these kids young. There have been so many songs this year that build into lackluster choruses (mostly solo effort culprits) that I've started to become wary of this in any song, but thankfully they avoid this with a really great and catchy chorus. Even though this is the first time I've heard them, I like the rappers despite the quips here and there (which I've never been a fan of) during the chorus. Hwiyoung in particular shows potential and since they're so young they have that much more time to improve. And as a sucker for high / long notes, the last chorus is even better than the rest. But perhaps the most exciting thing about "Easy Love" is the choreography: there's just so much going on! I dig the variety in formations, especially during the rap segments. They have the number count to make the most out of formation changes. The dance moves themselves range across the difficulty spectrum, plus there's a little shirt tease action for all the fangirls. If this song is anything to prove, it's that FNC has found their staple boy group and I see no reason that this group shouldn't keep getting more popular.

Word Count: 297