[Single Review] SONAMOO make up for their debut with CUSHION

SONAMOO debuted last year with 'Deja Vu' and they disappointed to say the least. TS pushed them as the female B.A.P but lacked that something special, it didn't help that the title track had an outdated sound and that it truly was B.A.P's early concepts plastered on female bodies. But I saw talent and promise and prayed for a better (proper) comeback single. But their new single 'Cushion' thankfully may be one of the best of the year so far.

'Cushion' strikes a perfect balance between 'cutesy' and 'fierce' that many groups try and fail to do. This is actually the concept/sound I wish A-Pink would transition to instead of churning out the same thing over and over. Really fresh production and some very VERY nice harmonies sprinkled through (0:22 is perfect vocal performance and production), raps are pretty good, chorus is super catchy... what more could you want from a k-pop single? Ok the awkward english lyrics are a little grating, I actually thought they were saying 'kiss my cushion' which would have made the whole thing 10x more amazing but it's ok I'll deal with another boy adoration song instead of ass worship. The chorus also reminds me of Red Velvet's Ice Cream Cake in the best way possible. It's the kind of song you'll probably listen on repeat for the first week and then never play again until December and tweet out "remember this jam?" or is that just something I do? 

They're all beautiful as well and I personally want them to be known as the more interesting version of A-Pink but I'm doubtful Korea will pick up on them as they have the CUBE girls. Oh well, we can only hope. 

[Single/MV Review] Girls' Generation's worst single? ...Catch Me If You Can

So this is SNSD's first single since the loss of member Jessica. It's a Japanese single but for some reason SM has decided to release it in Korea simultaneously too. I guess it's to act as some sort of buzz single for their full blown Korean comeback rumoured to be happening sometime in May.

...and it's kinda left me a bit disappointed.

Now I generally set the bar for Girls' Generations Japanese singles a bit lower than for Korean but this just didn't quite reach it. I do really like the punchy verses showing off their lower registers and the fact that Hyoyeon gets more than one line but that pre-chorus is really bland and unoriginal. I really do not like it and actually, I hate it. That really doesn't happen often that I HATE a part of a single from a company like SM but it's happened. 

The breakdown is fine, nothing special and a bit repetitive. Taeyeon singing over it in the end second chorus made it a bit more interesting, don't know why they didn't do that for every chorus and for the whole chorus. It's by no means their worst single ever (Hoot exists, ya'll seem to have forgotten) but it seems to be getting a lot of backlash from people. Oh well, if you want great EDM in k-pop just look to T-ara.

I'll probably still jam to it for a bit and then remember that songs like The Great Escape and Karma Butterfly exist and then wonder why I'm wasting my time with this crap. BECAUSE HYO GODAMMIT. 

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The MV however is friggin' great and actually one of my favourites from them. I probably wouldn't even given this song more than one play without it. They all look great, the choreography is great, the setting is great. It's great. I don't know if the choreography has been stepped up to distract away form the fact we've lost Jessica or if losing her meant the rest could actually be pushed dance to their full potential. I'm mostly just pleased that Hyoyeon actually is featured predominately for once. I'm deducting half a point for those orange suits though...smh

Song: 2.5/5

MV: 4/5

...Actually also thinking about it, now that they've lost a main vocalist I wonder if SM is gonna push them less vocally and go for these types of dance centred tracks and give more vocal songs to TTS. hmmmmmmm....

[Single Review] SISTAR bring in the summer with 'Touch My Body'

SISTAR are a top tier group now, there's no denying it. Competing with the likes of Girls' Generation and 2NE1. They released 'Touch My Body' on the 21st and it's been #1 on Melon since despite INFINITE releasing their brilliant new single since. So what do I think?

[Single Review] f(x) continue to impress with 'Red Light'

I have been so hyped for this comeback since they announced it and as usual f(x) have not let me down. 'Red Light' is an electro-pop song that goes hard. Switching between fast pace rap style verses, a synth-pop style light pre-chorus to a crazy chorus. There's a lot going on here but it's all threaded together wonderfully. The bridge is SUBLIME too. We've never really heard this kind of style from them before. The first play may be jarring to some and not instantly catchy like Electric Shock but after a few plays I promise this will be stuck in your head just like any other classic f(x) hit. SM are really taking some experimental steps with the music they put out and I think it's superb.

[Single Review] Orange Slayramel are back

When Pledis initially revealed the afterschool subunit I wasn't particularity impressed. I don't normally go for the whole cutesy thing they were doing for the first couple singles. But over time they've slowly morphed into this quirky group with their own distinct individuality. Since 'Bangkok City' they haven't had a bad single. 'Lipstick' was friggin' amazing. They also have some INCREDIBLE album tracks in their discography that I suggest you check out. See 'Bubble Bath' & 'One Love'. 

'Catallena' is described as an 'indian disco song' that samples a a Pakistani folk song (!!!), so obviously it's amazing. The lyrics describe a mysterious 'Catallena' woman. urgh seriously I just love everything about it. So funky, so fresh. Listening Orange Caramel, you're never bored, Pledis are really doing a great thing here with them. 

The video is the most original MV I've seen in k-pop since.. well their last MV 'Lipstick'. The girls become sushi... and I don't really know what else to say, just watch it. 

Score: 8.5/10

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[Single Review] AOA show us their Miniskirt's for their new single

When AOA first debuted I thought they were GREAT. Their debut song was fresh and the whole "we're an idol group but also some of us form a band with this other chick" concept was interesting, Korean idols playing instruments is not something you see very often. But after their debut I lost interest, I don't know why none of their songs really appealed to me - until now. 

Both and song and video for "Miniskirt" are essential a Bravesound/SISTAR/Alone rip-off which I dunno, has already been done about one hundred times since by just about everyone but I love it. I don't actually care too much about these rehashes because Brave does manage to change it up enough that I don't get bored and 'Alone' is one of my favourite k-pop songs so it's all cool. I'm still jamming. It's actually quite impressive how many songs he's managed to create from essentially the same thing with only a few being kinda shit. 

It's a sexy concept which seems to be very much in for 2014 so far. It turned Janurary 1st and about 10 teasers popped up for various different groups showing a lot of skin. This is no exception, AOA are rolling around on the floor and un-zipping their skirts. 

This is actually probably been my favourite girl group comeback of 2014 so far (not that there has been that many). Talking of which can SNSD and 2NE1 please comeback with full albums now please? Cheers. 

Score 7/10 

[Single Review] T.O.P dazzles with DOOM DADA

When it was announced that T.O.P was releasing a new solo single I was extrememly excited, "Turn It Up" is one of my favourite solo singles from the members of BIG BANG.

"DOOM DADA" is the usual YG affair, a Hip Hop track with a lot of bass, which is fine, but where it excels is T.O.P's delivery. He is actually the best rapper in BIG BANG if you ask me. He spits the verses with rapid precision. There isn't really much of a proper hook but it's ok, the focus is instead put on the verse where it belongs. It manages to be much more interesting than pretty much anything you'll find on GD's latest album. 

The MV is pretty crazy and leaves you puzzled. I don't know if there was meant to be a story or not but I sure as hell couldn't follow it but it was cool. I particular loved the bit with the spinning skeletons, very effective.

I not sure why YG decided to release this now, right in the middle of Taeyang's promotions but I guess it's more just for BIG BANG's dome tour in Japan or something.

Praying for GD&TOP vol. 2 though to be honest.

[Single Review] SHINee are at the top of their game & rival TVXQ with "Everybody"

SHINee are back with their THIRD I repeat THIRD comeback of the year. That's kinda crazy. Although k-pop artists usually have much quicker promotion cycles than you would find in the west they still normally limit themselves to once maybe twice a year (unless you are B.A.P). SM really seem to be pushing SHINee hard at the moment and I really hope this isn't signalling the end for them or that some of them might be going into the army. Although I'd love to see some solo work from them.

When I first heard this song and snippets via teasers I initially though, oh no another boring dupstep-y track, the chorus is not particularly interesting or catchy and is quite frankly kinda lazy from a composition sort of view. The verses are better and Minho isn't rapping this time which makes for a nice change, although he's got better since debut days, he isn't that great and I think I actually prefer his singing voice much like Amber in f(x). It's ok but when compared to other SHINee singles like Lucifer & Sherlock it doesn't compare. 

Where the song really shines however is when they perform it. This choreography is incredible, they throw each other around, turn into a transformer and they execute it perfectly. If you ask me, this solidifies SHINee as the best dancers in k-pop for sure. Infinite need to up their game to take their crown. The song wasn't really crafted to be listened to as much as performed to. If they ever perform it completely live (which I'm hoping they will next week) and the vocals are on point SHINee are seriously up to TVXQ level standard and that's incredible. SHINee are probably my favourite band in k-pop these days and I couldn't stand them back in 2009. They constantly show growth with every comeback and release albums that are consistent throughout. 

Score:

Performance : 9.5/10

Song: 6/10

(Did the score slightly differently this time because a combined score would really show how I felt - what do you think? I might start doing this for all releases)

[Single Review] T-ara - Number 9

T-ara are back! They are now back to the original six members and although I really like Areum I'm quite happy with this and I hope they keep this lineup from now on. Knowning CCM this wont be the case though. Anyway onto the song..

Number 9 feels like a hark back to their "Absolute First Album" days (one of the best k-pop albums ever btw if you've never listened to it). I adore this song. It's like Sexy Love only about 10 times better. Sexy Love was meant to be their big comeback after the Hwayoung scandal but it really didn't live up to the quality of their previous singles, for me anyway, it was a good single but not incredible. THIS is the big comeback I wanted. 

Produced by Shinsadong Tiger (responsible for most of BEAST'S and 4minute's big hits) "Number 9" starts of with just a guitar and a gentle oooooh before dropping right in the deep end of a club song. Which is basically the best way to start any song isn't it? The song is incredibly catchy throughout. My favourite part is Jiyeon's with that robotic "number 9" in the background. Awesome. 

There is also of course some awkward english "I'm addict.. I'm addict..." it's almost forgivable and what T-ara song is complete without it tbh? 

T-ara just don't know how to release a bad single. Hopefully this can help them recover to being one of the biggest groups in Korea again because this is for sure my favourite k-pop single this half of the year. 

I also love the video, it's a pretty standard k-pop affair but it fits the song perfectly and choreo is pretty good for T-ara's usually pretty low standards. Oh and Qri eats a rose... obviously.

Score: 9/10

[Single Review] VIXX release yet another great song 대.다.나.다.너

When VIXX first debuted, I pretty much ignored them. Like alot of the k-pop community. With the debut of a crazy amount of each week, I don't always listen to those not from the big companies at first. But I listened back over their discovery after they released 다칠 준비가 돼 있어 and realised they hadn't released a bad single yet they were still relatively unpopular still. With the release of Hyde they're picking up popularity now and this song can only make their fanbase grow even further. 

대.다.나.다.너 is the cutsey concept done right. Designed to contrast their last comeback, this song is a perfect catchy summer tune. It's popping with life, catchy and they do this cool thing in the MV where it's reversed but their mouths still match the words (for the most part). 

It was written by the same guy who wrote SHINee's Dream Girl and I can see that. It's not particularly inventive but it's just a plain old pop song. Definitely give it a listen and their other singles if you haven't checked VIXX's stuff out before. 

Score 7.5/10

[Single Review] Beast are back with the interestingly crafted "Shadow"

K-Pop in general has a short shelf life. Songs are designed that way, promotion cycles last a few weeks, lead (and often only) singles have super catchy hooks. If I like a song I'll generally play in on repeat for a month or so after which it enters the abyss of my itunes library that isn't in my recently added playlist. 

From the first play I can normally tell if a song is going to be on repeat. Not in this case. The first time I heard "Shadow" I was quite unimpressed. I thought sure it's nice but where's that super catchy hook that Beast normally have? I finished the first play thinking.. great.. but I don't particularly want to play it again. 

But I did. 

Slowly I started to realise that the chorus melody is in fact very interesting and crafted so well. Yoseob's vocals are allowed to shine by the production. I think this marks the first time rapper Junhyung has written and produced a title track for Beast and he really shows his talents. My favourite part of the song is also his second rap verse. The vocal modifications make something interesting. This song slowly infect itself into your head and I think it may in fact be one of the best things Beast have ever done, second only to Fiction, but I don't think they will ever top that. 

The whole thing also feels very Breath/Fiction era Beast which is good because that's Beast at the best. Beautiful Night was fun and all but this is better. They show off their dark charisma with some interesting imagery. What do you think? Comment below! 

Score: 8.5/10

[Single Review] Infinite make a stomping comeback with "Destiny"

Infinite are back and they definitely didn't hold back! "Man In Love (남자가 사랑할때)" is one of my favourite releases this year. Infinite never really ever seemed to disappoint me since so how does "Destiny" shape up?

"Destiny" is a hard hitting dance song filled with strings and dubstep wobbles, the chorus consists of insanely catchy "woooh woooh". Dubstep wobbles are not really new and can often just feel like a bit of a gimmick but I think they actually work really well here, it's really catchy and powerful. 

One thing that Infinite's management learnt early on is how to distribute the parts to members, the know which members have better voices, you never feel that any member has been left out but also that the members with less vocal talent have too many lines. Dongwoo and Hoya deliver excellent rap verses as always. 

In terms of the MV this comeback is a 180 degree change in image for Infinite (when is that not the case in kpop). Man in Love was all about being in love and a cutey image was potrayed with bright colours and aegyo smiles everywhere but this is all about fighting for the girl that's leaving you. The dancing is good. In terms of synchrony and cleanliness Infinite are the best dancers in kpop. 

I think this is also the first Infinite single not produced by Sweetune which makes for an interesting change. There are definitely some influences from them though and Infinite still keep their signature sound while changing it up a bit. The Sweetune 80s sound that was sounding a bit stale has been ditched for something much more modern which is definitely a good thing. 

Score: 8/10

[Single Review] 4mintue - 물 좋아? (Is it poppin'?)

4minute were one of the first groups that I became a fan of when I first got into k-pop back into 2009. They had however never seemed to establish themselves as a top tier group despite having been around for quite a while (Apart from Hyuna's solo career).

That however all changed with the release of their last single 이름이 뭐예요? (What's Your Name?) produced by brave brothers which dominated the charts for over a month (years in k-pop). However despite the success many fans and myself included felt it actually wasn't their best single and didn't match up to previous flawless releases such as HuH & Volume Up. Does their latest single do the trick?

물 좋아? is again produced by Brave Brothers, no doubt in hopes of repeating the success of What's Your Name? and is both extremely similar but also quite different. It's a bit less in your face than What's Your Name? Gayoon once again provides her excellent vocals on the hook that will get stuck in your head after the first listen. It's a perfect chilled out summer jam that I've had on repeat for since it was released. Does it come close to the perfection that was HuH? Probably not but it's a very nice single indeed. Let me know what you think? 

Score: 8/10