đđ đŽđş đŻđŚđ¸ đ§đłđŞđŚđŻđĽđ´ is the first Korean mini-album from TOZ, and it’s a pretty bright and fun moment. I listened to this EP before their real debut (in Japanese), and the group left a good first impression on me, making me want to check out their first release. I’ll keep the short group introduction for my review of đđđđđ, but basically, they’re all from MNET’s Boys Planet.
As for the music, I don’t have much ... read more
Minjeong's voice reminds me of Baek Yerin, and sweetch's production totally emphasizes this feeling. It's incredibly soft, light, and dreamy. You can hear jazzy undertones, close to Sophisti-Pop I guess, and It does remind me of his work on LOONA's “Sonatine” and Haseul's “Plastic Candy”. I wanted to check sweetch's work outside what they did for LOONA, and it's pretty much what I was looking for. Smooth Jazz tinted R&B jams. “My Flower” isn't ... read more
đđ˛ đđ§đŁđ¨đ˛đŚđđ§đ đ¨đ đđđđđ’đŹ đŚđŽđŹđ˘đ đ˘đŹđ§’đ đŤđ˘đŹđ˘đ§đ .
After many singles, RIIZE is finally coming with a mini-album, đđđđĄđđđ, and it’s a good sum-up of the group’s music so far. By that I mean, inconsistent. Not that the style of their songs is super different, but the quality is somewhat random. Their first two releases, “Get A Guitar” and ... read more
đđđ đŹđ°đ˘đđđĄđđŹ đđ¨ đđŽđ§ đđ¨đŠđŹ
If there’s something the IVE girlies know how to do, it’s how to have fun. Cause that’s pretty much how đđđ đđđđđđ feels. Apart from their first three singles (ELEVEN, LOVE DIVE & After Like), I never totally clicked with their work, but this project is fixing any issue I had with the group.
đđđ đđđđđđ is a sea of fun bops, and the ... read more
I seem to like this a bit more than my AOTY mates, and it’s probably due to my love for light and lively production, which đđ đđđđ contains in quantity. It’s one of those EPs that would get more traction and a higher rating if a bigger group released it. Image if BAEMON debuted with something that nice!
The songs flow nicely, are easy to get through and pleasant to listen to. While not challenging or unique, they offer just what you would want and expect from a ... read more
đđ°đđđ đĽđ˘đ¤đ đđđ§đđ˛! “đđđ§đđ˛ đđŤđŽđŹđĄ” đ˘đŹ đŚđ¨đđđŤđ§ đđ˘đđ˛ đđ¨đŠ đđ đ˘đđŹ đđđŹđ.
After the dark “Birth” and the bright “Flower Rhythm”, I was eager to know the direction the third single, “Candy Crush”, would take. And what a direction! To my pleasant surprise, we're getting a great City Pop tune, which I should have ... read more
đđ¨đŽđđ˘đ§đ˘’đŹ đŠđđđđĄ-đĽđ˘đ¤đ đŠđŤđ¨đđŽđđđ˘đ¨đ§
I remember checking Houdini's solo work a few years ago, when I gave closer attention to the people working with (G)I-DLE. Houdini's name would occasionally pop up, and it would always be on my favourite songs from the group. Then, I kinda forgot about him, until last week when I decided to add credits to all of (G)I-DLE and PIXY's discogs, and got reminded of him. This ... read more
đđźđ¸đ đđ§đđđŠđŹđŽđĽđđđđŹ đđŽđŞđ˘’đŹ đđ§đđŤđ đ˛ đđ§đ đ˘đŚđđ đ đđŽđ đđĽđŹđ¨ đđ¨đđŹđ§’đ đđđđĽ đŠđđŤđđ˘đđŽđĽđđŤđĽđ˛ đđđđđđĄđđ đđ¨ đĄđđŤ.
The worries I had for this EP after the release of “Could It Be” got confirmed here. K-pop acts need to stop trying to please a Western audience. ... read more
đđ¨đ° đđ¨đđŹ đđĄđ˘đŹ đđ đđđđĽ? đ đ¨đŤđ đđđđđđĽđ.
I never followed the group as nothing ever caught my attention, they’re doing relatively well in Korea, and their youngest member, Woonhak, quickly secured an MC role on Inkigayo (the youngest boy to host the show), alongside TXT Yeonjun and actress Park Jihu, which is just more exposure for the group. Nevertheless, I don’t understand the popularity as ... read more
đđ§đ đ¨đ đ đ¤đ˘đ§đ?
I was looking forward to Loossemble’s sophomore mini-album, đđŻđŚ đđ§ đ đđŞđŻđĽ. Their debut was great, and I wanted the same for this one, if not more. Here, they have the same thing going on. A catchy title track with “Girls' Night” and a bunch of rather nice b-sides, ranging from great to just fine, that goes more or less well together. After participating in the lyrics, all of the members are credited on ... read more
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[GWSN] - The Keys](https://cdn2.albumoftheyear.org/100x0/album/233082-the-keys.jpg)
đ đđ¨đŤđ đ¨đđđđ§ đ¤đđ˛ đŠđŤđ¨đŁđđđ đ˘đ§ đ-đđ¨đŠ
GWSN is a group that I know for a fact has S-tier music, and yet barely listens to. Urayuli recently sent me this one as a recommendation, so I decided to honour and forgive her for putting X:IN in my rec box last time (although I asked for it tbh). I already know “BAZOOKA!” and played “the Aerialist” twice in 2021 (according to last.fm), but I never listened ... read more
đđđđđ đđ¨đ§đđ˘đ§đŽđđŹ đđ¨ đđĽđ¨đ¨đŚ
After the mysterious and interesting “Birth”, it’s time for the second single from đđđđ, “Flower Rhythm”, to enter ARTMS’ discography. The name indicates a change of style, for a lively and bright sound, so let’s see what the new song offers.
“Flower Rhythm” breaks away from the rhythm of “Birth” (pun not intended). The whole ... read more
đđĄđ đ đ¨đ đđđ đŹđđđ§đđŹ đđ¨đŤ đ đŽđ§
The only full ONF project I listened to is their 2023 EP đđđđ đđđđđđ, and that one didn’t leave the best impression on me, given the score of 55/100 I gave it, and “Arrival” being the only track I enjoyed. But I decided to give the group a new chance, and who knows they might even make me want to check out their earlier projects.
As I press play, ... read more
Strangely, I'm not 100% convinced by “Could It Be”, the first single from YUQI's debut EP, đ đđ1. While I think this track represents her style well, it's also pretty basic and I would have liked something more from her. It has a friendly easy-going feel but I find it a bit redundant and would have appreciated more change in melodies. With that out of the way, as I said earlier, it represents her well and is a great introduction to her happy and fun world, made up of ... read more
QWER's debut mini-album đđđđđđ is a pretty fun experience. I first heard about them on Twitter as someone made a thread about the group, presenting the members with clips of them playing their instruments and singing. It did spark some curiosity in me, but it stayed there and I forgot about them. Urayuli talked to me about the project, so I followed her recommendation and gave it a go.
I knew I was getting into some Pop Rock tunes, but not the J-Pop side. QWER, through their ... read more
đđđ đđđđđđđ : đđ¨đŹ đđ đŤđđŻđđĽđđđ˘đ¨đ§ đ đŹđŽđ˘đŻđŤđ đđ§ đđđđ • đđđđđđ #đđ/đđ • đ đ¨đĽđĽđ˛ đđŤđ¨đŽđŠ - đŤđđđ đťđđđđ!
What an interesting listen! This is my first time hearing about the London band, Folly Group, and it was a good discovery. As I’m reading some of the reviews for đđ°đ¸đŻ ... read more
What a breath of fresh air those two songs are. I absolutely love “Midas Touch”. It’s so early 2000s Pop coded, leaning towards Britney Spears’ colour. And “Nothing” is one of the best Contemporary R&B jams I’ve ever heard. It really stands out among the thousands of them released every year.
Their voices sound insanely good, they’re so smooth, and I must say I was amazed by Belle’s skills and should have paid more attention to her ... read more
đđĄđ đŤđđđĽ đđ˘đŹđđŹđđđŤ
Urayuli sent me this project by the “amazing group” X:IN as a recommendation. I listen to everything Urayuli sends me. I believe in Urayuli’s taste. But today, I learned something. Do not trust Urayuli. Urayuli is dangerous.
Curiosity won, after seeing people write about how bad đđđ đđđđ is, not only on the EP page, but under BABYMONSTER’s debut page, to decide which one is the worst ... read more
đ'đŚ đđđŤđđ˘đ đđĄđđŤđ đ°đ¨đ§'đ đđ đ đ§đđ° đđ¨đŚđ¨đŤđŤđ¨đ° đđ¨đ đđđĄđđŤ
I've always rated TOMORROW X TOGETHER 60 and above, sometimes even 75. But as years passed, the music quality kept on declining. When they jumped on the (Pop) Rock sound with đđđđđĄđ, I thought it was great. Their take on the genre was pretty good, and it seemed like they found a new identity. But since their ... read more
“đđđ𲔠đđ¨đŤ đđĄđ đ°đđ˛ đđĄđđ˛'đŤđ đ˛đ¨đŽđ§đ , đđ§đ “đđ¨đ§đŹđđđŤ” đđ¨đŤ đđĄđ đ°đđ˛ đđĄđ đŚđŽđŹđ˘đ đŹđđđŤđđŹ đŚđ.
Where to even start? The bad production? The Blackpink recycle bin? The lazy composition? I don’t know, so I’ll start with the good points about BABYMONSTER debut, ... read more
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Recent Review Comments
On BLACKPINK - DEADLINE
"@suddenlystarlit late reply but it's track 3 and 4"
On i-dle - Mono
"@primari thank you so much!! i'm trying to slowly get back to writing reviews again and words like this truly motivates me haha <3"
On i-dle - Mono
"@KayleNevie that's cool! i also saw they were performing it on music shows"
On ARTMS - Dall
"@rbbaddie thank you so much, this makes my heart melt"
On i-dle - We are i-dle
"@ShadeRD I have accepted the "no-return" of Soojin (her solo debut made it clear), but still I find that they were playing with the fans by hinting at her.
I'm not annoyed at them releasing those songs, as it does make sense and every group ends up doing it. It's more about how it's done.
But again, I have zero idea of the real situation, what they're allowed to do or not and the making process. Idk if what seems like Soojin's references are intentional or not. I repeat myself but I guess I needed to let that out last night and then thought about it again haha!
In conclusion: I don't know anything about the situation and therefore shouldn't assume anything either, because then I'm just creating conspiracy theories, which I deeply hate!
2/2"
On i-dle - We are i-dle
"@ShadeRD You're right it's probably just about publishing, performance's rights. While it's true many other groups did that, but they do it in the following months or so, and songs are often put at the end of another album, or without promo. To me it's a little weird that it's done now and not earlier, and I struggle with the way they used her name/image for marketing strategy (it looks like that did at least).
But we have no idea of what happens behind the scenes and some stuff take times and are beyond our understanding. In the end we're here overanalyzing something far more complex than it seems. As listeners we only see the outcome and not everything that comes before which can make up come up with wrong interpretation.
1/2"
On i-dle - We are i-dle
"im writing this in bed right before sleeping so excuse any poor wording. shit cant believe im going to mess up my sleep for a silly comment under a silly album for something silly like that which is probably not THAT deep, but still pretty silly imo"
On enderkeenan's review of CIX - THUNDER FEVER
"100% agree with the daft punk sound, it reminded me of them too"
On ShadeRD's review of XG - AWE
"@ShadeRD yeah in the official lyrics it's written "bold" but it's just more fun to say "bald". one could say coco is bold for going bald!"
On ShadeRD's review of XG - AWE
"wait on which track is the Coco bar about being bald??? i didn't notice i guess"
On Vision@ry Vision - Performante
"@distopiadan oh yeah that's right i saw about it! the vocal album can come after that then đ"
On ILLIT - I'LL LIKE YOU
"@oaaat i'll give it a rest next comeback! dont worry it's not that deep really. the lack of impressive vocals applies to a few other groups primarily made of very young members. newjeans and triples are two other examples of this, but the production and melodies make up for it"
On Billlie - appendix: Of All We Have Lost
"@luneo tbh The Billage of perception: chapter 3 might have more of those straightforward tunes"
On Loossemble - TTYL
"@distopiadan thank u sm!"
On ShadeRD's review of LUN8 - AWAKENING
"lmao "you can’t exactly blame the group for avoiding calling the entire fandom crazy" so real"
On enderkeenan's review of TAEMIN - ETERNAL
""pitched-down moaning Taemin" lmaoooo he kinda slays this style compared to many others tho!! (expect kai)"
On ShadeRD's review of beabadoobee - This Is How Tomorrow Moves
"sweet review; i agree on how different the impact is compared to previous album, but i think it's a welcomed change as it shows how much she grew as both an artist and a person.
im not seeing her on tour this year but i saw her in Feb 2023 and istg she is top 5 cutest people ever!"
On Red Velvet - The Red Summer
"@enderkeenan thank you so much đ¤"
On NewJeans - Ditto
"@alstanskiof lmao yep!"
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