After the success of their prior release of Yesterday back in February, BBCs were highly anticipating the release of an album later on in the year. Their prayers were answered with the release of Montage, Block B’s sixth mini album on November 7, 2017 with the title track Shall We Dance.
The Song
The track begins with the blaring of trumpets, announcing to make way for the group and Zico starting off. The track is rap oriented, bringing the group back to other eras in their career such as Nalina and Nillili Mambo which this song does have a similar feel too. P.O’s booming voice is used in the chorus, allowing it to stick out and goes well with the guitar riff in the instrumental. The vocalists of the group do not get much limelight in the song other the U-Kwon really, which I would have liked for the others to have a larger impact on the song, luckily, we did see more of them in their previous track.
The Video
Set in a dingey neighbourhood, the video is of the group acting “gangsta” wearing leather and sporting messy hair. My favourite part of the video is during the first chorus with the camera panning out to all the members in different spaces in the busted building. I also enjoyed P.O interacting with the girl dancer, it was cute. The arm dance during the chorus is so simple, it’s contagious as I was unconsciously doing it as the song was playing. Members were each given a fair amount of screen time, with B-bomb hanging out in the truck while the others walked beside. The dancing shots were well done and the group shot of the members on the couch being hoisted by the forklift was another favourite. The video paired nicely with the song, no complaints.
Final Thoughts
Shall We Dance is a return to the classic Block B we know and love: grungy gangsters with a catchy song. The track will have you saying “yes” to the question the chorus asks and will have you bobbing your head with glee.
Japanese fans noticed that the moon was aqua this morning… He’s letting us know he made it up there… Let us all be happy now, he's at rest now and he wouldn't want us to be sad😇
Highlight: Can You Feel It? (2017) || Album Review
After leaving their old label and after the stress of starting up their own label, Beast have officially re-debuted as Highlight, named after their final album released under their old name. The group consists of the five former Beast members: Yoon Doojoon, Yong Junhyung, Yang Yoseob, Lee Gikwang and Son Dongwoon. The group released their first mini-album Can You Feel It? on March 20, 2017, and has been received well by the public with three wins as of writing this.
Disclaimer: I will be comparing this release to their previous releases under Cube
Songs
1) Plz Don’t be Sad
2) It’s Still Beautiful
3) Start
4) Dangerous
5) Can You Feel It?
6) Plz Don’t be Sad Instrumental
My Review
Plz Don’t be Sad is a fresh start for the group and they are doing so with a lively first title track. The song is quite joyful and all the members sound like they are enjoying themselves. This song fits in perfectly with this new adventure the boys have started and here they are letting their beloved fans know to not be sad because they have not gone away. The lyrics themselves and very uplifting and reading them will put a smile on your face and you may even blush a bit.
It’s Still Beautiful was the pre-release to this debut and it is a solid ballad. The members of Highlight are truly masters of the art of ballads, each one they have released cannot be passed aside as ballads tend to be and being able to promote them as pre-release tracks and even as title tracks, is not something just any group can do! I enjoyed the contrast in Yoseob and Dongwoon’s voices in the chorus, one low and one higher both giving a strong performance. Junhyung as well displays an amazing talent for singing which has much improved since Flower era.
Start is a relaxing R&B track with the theme of starting over after ending a relationship. Here, Junhyung returns to rapping and is a slow yet still fitting rap. Yoseob’s voice is soothing in the chorus and the other members also adjust their singing to fit this calm and relaxing mood. I find that Doojoon sticks out in this song, his voice just sounds more powerful here, and I really like it!
Dangerous is a slower R&B song with a lovely guitar in the background and the beat is great to snap along to. The speed of the singing is a mix of slow to fast that goes back and forth and it keeps the track interesting.
Can You Feel It is a song I would not expect on a Korean release. Usually, the more amped up songs that aren’t title tracks are found on their Japanese releases since most of the group’s album songs are much more toned down. This reminds me of a mix of Yey and We Up and that is a GREAT combination. This song is not as fast as Plz Don’t be Sad but it is definitely a song I could see being performed as an intro before performing the title track on music shows, again, like We Up was performed before Good Luck. This was a good placement for the end of the album which usually I prefer being reserved for ballads but in the case of this being Highlight’s first release, it leaves the listener with anticipation for more to come from the group.
Final Thoughts
Can You Feel It was a great way of exciting fans that after all the group has been through, they’ve still got it. The whole album had the constant theme of new beginnings which there was no better fitting concept for this release as it is a brand new chapter in each of the members’ careers. I am looking forward to more releases from the group in the future and pray for a successful trip ahead of them!
We have all heard of the universally popular book series: Harry Potter and how at Hogwarts you can be sorted into one of the four houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Slytherin. I thought it would be fun to sort kpop idols into said houses based on who they are. To start off, my ultimate bias group: VIXX.
In Gryffindor: N and Ken
N: -A person who is the first to charge into a situation and stand up for their friends
-Athletic
-Always wanting to do the right thing
-Goes by an eye for an eye (or in his case, a neck slice for a neck slice).
-A noble leader
-Passionate about improving self
-Selfless
Ken: -Passionate about career of being a musician and musical actor
-Willing to try new things
-Not afraid of making a fool of himself in front of fans
-Very well liked among the members
-Likes to do first, think later
-Extroverted
-Puts other people's happiness before self
In Hufflepuff: Leo and Ravi
Leo: -Love for animals
-Has nurturing personality which is shown through his love and concern for the members
-Humble: is "allergic to compliments" and never brags about his achievements
-Always willing to thank his fans for all they have done for him
-FOOD; loves to eat and cooks very well
-Patient with the other members
Ravi: -Love for family: adores his sister with all his heart and wants to protect her
-Hardworking: works himself to the bone in order to get what he wants and never takes shortcuts
-Humble: very thankful for the people that have gotten him to where he is
In Ravenclaw: HongBin
-Good looks: need I say more?
-Likes to avoid conflict: is awkward when tension ensues
-Self-sufficient & independent: good with group members but also is impressive with solo projects
-Makes wise decisions: confident in the decisions he makes and takes in all possibilities
-Gives good advice
In Slytherin: Hyuk
-Isn't afraid to take on the leader
-Group oriented: loves his hyungs and spending time with them
-Resourceful: using his height and manliness to get what he wants-Cunning and very sneaky
-Ambitious: wants to be the best he can be
-Self-preservation: wants to prove that he is not a burden to the other members because is he is younger
Do you agree with my placements? Let me know if you agree (or don't agree) and let me know what other groups I should sort! I love hearing from you! <3
R.eal1ze is the official solo debut of VIXX's rapper Ravi. After showing what he can do as a soloist with an earlier mixtape release in 2016 and MV release of Damnra, Starlights were super excited for this album released on January 9, 2017, produced by the rapper himself. What better way to start off the year?
Songs
1) Bomb (ft. San E)
2) Rose (ft. Ken of VIXX)
3) Ladi Dadi (ft. Microdot, Jero)
4) Alone at Home (ft. Jung Yonghwa of CNBlue)
5) Do the Dance
6) Lean on Me
7) Brain's Bands (ft. ESBEE) *rough translation
My Review
Bomb
is an explosive start to the album (pun intended). The chorus of the track is loud and hard and keeps true to the name of the song. Ravi's rap skills are absolutely no joke, from quick and witty to loud and proud he pulls it off! San E’s contribution to the song was pretty good, I enjoyed his verse except for the part in the beginning where he just holds the word "wow" three times, it was not pleasant to listen to.
Rose is the romantic ballad that will sweep anyone off their feet just by hearing Ravi's deep sexy voice. Ken's voice is very well suited for this song because it is a lower tone than Leo's voice. This song is also a more mature romantic ballad describing a woman like a rose and the lyrics suggest a more serious relationship than the typical first love song.
Ladi Dadi contains a marimba which makes the song more lighthearted yet it still has the hardcore rapper feel to fit in with the album. The featured artists contributed well to this song, both Microdot's rapping and Jero's singing fit the flow well and did not stick out like a sore thumb.
Alone at Home is sort of a ballad but still not, because it is happier. Jung Yonghwa's singing is great and Ravi's raps are great as well. Also, Ravi's sing-talking in the chorus is quite a treat, it's smooth and sweet. The piano and drums in this song give the track the happy atmosphere that would put a smile on the listener's face.
Do the Dance is a song that surprised me lyrically. At first, the title gave me the impression that it would be another song filled with plenty of the sexual innuendos Ravi is famous for putting into the songs he writes. After some research and reading, we see that this song is delivering some serious shade and the beat matches his frustration and anger. Not as hard as Bomb, but pretty close.
Lean on Me shows that Ravi is experienced in relationships and he knows what a girl wants. It is a sweeter song that is completely different from this hardcore rapper on the other tracks. Ravi's singing is very nice to listen to, it sounds innocent. Although my favourite song on the album, it falls under the category of songs that are completely polar opposite of the concept the artist is going for with the release.
Brain's Bands is the cool off that finishes the song on a quieter note. Putting the ballad at the end of an album always wins points from me because it really does close the album in a refreshing way. Ravi's rapping, even in a ballad are amazing and fit. ESBEE's feature was a good choice for the ballad because it makes the chorus memorable and does not just blend in with the rest of the song.
Final Thoughts
Ravi's R.eal1ze is a solid solo debut. Here we can see that Ravi's rapping can it in many different styles: ballads, pop songs, banger title tracks and more! The features were not generic and each added a bit of flavour to each song.
Hip-hop and R&B singer Zion T made a comeback on February 1, 2017, with OO. This album is a mix of hip-hop, R&B, and pop.
Disclaimer: This is my first time reviewing this artist's work so keep that in mind.
Songs:
1) Cinema
2) The Song
3) Comedian
4) Sorry (ft. Beenzino)
5) The Bad Guys
6) Complex (ft. G-Dragon)
7) Wind/Wishes
8) Cinema Instrumental
My Review
Cinema starts with the sound of one of those old-timey projectors and then adds in a soft guitar. After the chorus, the beat changes to a drum and a bass and it is done very smoothly. It really does a good job of introducing the calm feel of the album.
The Song begins with a charming piano and a happy tone. Snapping can be heard in the background and some bass is added in as well when it is mentioned in the lyrics. It is quite jazzy and has some good rap verses mixed with the artist's singing.
Comedian begins with some uncomfortable laughing and a laugh track. The track then leads into a drum beat. This song is less than two minutes and feels more like a transition than a song. This song is a sample of the artist's previously released song Doop.
Sorry is quite joyous for an apology song but the emotions portrayed through the artist's tone give off that apologetic mood. Beenzino's raps work very well here and his voice matches the tune nicely.
The Bad Guys is one of my favourite songs on the album. I really enjoy the singing/rapping here, it really shows how Zion T can really do both without it sounding choppy. The instrumental in this song is perfect for a drive in the country.
Complex shows just how perfect G-Dragon and Zion T mix vocally. This collab is just everything, they just mesh together. The DJ scratch was also a good touch. This song shows that GD can actually fit in with such a relaxed song which is very different from his usual releases.
Wind/Wishes is the final song the album and brings it to a close with a ballad. Although the same speed as the rest of the tracks, the softer voice used to sing makes it obvious that this is a ballad. The guitar and piano also give off this feeling.
Final Thoughts
As a new listener to the Kpop R&B and Hip-hop scene, this was a good first impression of the genre. The album had a constant theme and no outliers. I can now understand why Zion T is very respected by Kpop fans and have a new appreciation for him. My only critique would have to be that all the songs do sound very similar and are hard to differentiate. This album is a good recommendation for someone needing an album to listen to while studying or trying to sleep.
Feeling Sensation is the debut album of rookie group SF9. SF9 is the first male dance group under FNC Entertainment, home of groups such as AOA, F.T. Island and CNBLUE. It is made up of 9 members between the ages of 17-23. The group made their debut on October 5, 2016.
Songs
1) Fanfare
2) K.O
My Review
Fanfare
was a good choice for a title track because it is memorable. To start, the breakdown is different, a bit of a circus feel to it, it gave off a different style from the classic dance break often heard in kpop songs such as BTS' Dope and Monsta X's Be Quiet. The breakdown before the chorus was also well done give the vocalists some time to shine and the rappers a break. A solid title track to give off a good first impression to the kpop community.
K.O is a step in the opposite to Fanfare; it is a really slow song and it's not even a ballad! Another opposite to Fanfare is that it is more vocal based than rap based. The vocalists are able to show their skills here which are quite good. However, I find this song just too slow, I understand that there is this robotic concept to it based off of the dance (which is absolutely breathtaking!) but it is completely evident that this song would not make it on its own because it has the scent of an album side track. Still a great song but not as good as its predecessor.
Final Thoughts
Feeling sensation gives fans a taste of what SF9 has in store for them. Both tracks show off both the rap and vocal talent the group has and will definitely be a group to keep an eye on when a comeback is announced.
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