Jump to content

jiyeon

Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    3,584

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Blog Entries posted by jiyeon

  1. jiyeon
    The MX Brown is the last of the Cherry originals, its siblings being the MX Blue and MX Red, a clicky and a linear switch respectively. The MX Brown is the tactile switch that completes the trifecta of Cherry's flagship switch line.
     
    I personally prefer linear for its smooth actuation, and tactile for its actuation indication, and unfortunately the MX Brown isn't tactile at all. It's almost a linear. I describe it as a Red with a food baby. The bump is so minimal, yet it is just enough to let you know that you've gone past the actuation point.
    Taking a look at the stem, the legs are where the tactility is created. The small, tiny little dip in the legs that even my phone - that I used to take a photo of this stem - can barely detail it. While this particular stem that I have extracted from a Gateron Brown is particularly smooth, I imagine the likes of Cherry's Brown stems share the same characteristics.
     

     
    Next up is the force curve of the MX Brown. The bump's peak force is around 55g with the actuation point at around 45g, and around 0.75mm away from the actuation bump. That's a large gap in delay between the bump and the actuation. While this wouldn't be noticeable in real world usage, I assume for those whom don't often bottom out will have to get used to the late actuation. I'd be inclined to think I confirmed a keystroke once I experienced the tactile bump.
     

     
    The MX Brown is a tactile switch which also has the softest tactile bump of any tactile switch I have used. ZealPC's 62g Zealios being the most tactile switch I have ever used, with the sharpest, most pronounced, most detailed tactile bump I have ever used, and also with the bump being directly at the top of the keypress with no pretravel.
     
    You could read my Zealios review here:
     
    Another notable tactile switch I have used is the YOK Purple Trash Panda, which uses the same concept as the Zealios V2, sharing the same characteristics with the tactile bump being at the top of the keypress. Despite the Purple Panda being scratchier, I still prefer it due to the sharper tactility.
     
    You can read my YOK Purple Trash Panda review here:
     
    While the MX Brown is Cherry's flagship tactile, I don't feel like it deserves the moniker. It's barely tactile. While it does have a slight bump that allows the user to indicate when they have pressed a key, it's far from the standard of tactility that I expect from a tactile switch.
  2. jiyeon
    KBDfans teamed up with MITO and Gateron to create quite eccentric switches, known as the MITO Laser switches, with the design of the switches derived from MITO's Laser keycaps, which have the same purple, pink, and blue visual. Honestly, I had picked some of these up because of their color, otherwise, I would have bought regular Gateron Yellows and called it a day, as the MITO Laser switches are near-enough identical to the Gateron Yellows, but with a facelift, and different weight options.
     
    The MITO Laser switches come in Cyan or Pink flavours, which are 60g and 70g weights respectively. I opted to buy both, but for the purposes of review and usage, I went with the Cyan 60g switches as I prefer lighter actuation, I have very delicate fingers so anything heavier than 70g tends to tire my little fingers out quicker than most.
     

     
    Opening up the switch, it looks like any other standard linear switch on the market, with a standard two-piece bottom and top housing, a 60g gold spring, and an MX-style stem with linear legs. This again is reminiscent of the Gateron Yellow, the switch that the MITO Laser has essentially been cloned from. Nothing very special. It's smooth like any other linear, and the 60g weight is a great choice for someone like me.
     
    The materials used specifically for the housings feel particularly rough compared to a milky-topped Gateron Yellow, I don't know if that's because of the coating involved to get that purple, but the premium I paid to get these switches over Gateron Yellows is noticeably made more apparent by the coating being a bit rougher. In this instance, I would definitely prefer milky-topped Yellows. Milky-topped Yellows also produce a much deeper, thockier sound than these MITO Laser switches, which by comparison, sounds a lot more higher-pitched, at least when I lubed my 60g Cyan MITO Laser switches with Tribosys 3204.
     
    The keen follower might have remembered that I reviewed the Gateron Yellows before, which were the milky-topped version:
     
     
    In a nutshell, and to prevent this talking head style review from dragging on more than anything, the TL:DR is that the MITO Laser switches are nothing particularly special, apart from the color. They are nearly identical to the Gateron Yellows, but feature two weights at 60g & 70g, and come in a purple housing, otherwise, there is nothing to differentiate the technically three different switches which were discussed today.
     
    If purple and blue/pink is your thing, and you must have the color, and you like either 60g or 70g weights, the MITO Laser switches fit a small niche of users who are after a different aesthetic from the typical Gateron Yellows for sale on the market.
  3. jiyeon
    Jeong Eunji is back with a duet featuring 10cm. Eunji is known for being a vocalist for the 2011 K-pop girl group Apink, alongisde her other five members. Eunji has previously released her own solo albums such as Dream, Hyewha, and The Space, with amazing solo songs such as The Spring. Her mature, motherly, and warm voice is beautiful to hear, and Eunji is one of if not my favorite Korean artist, so any and all songs she releases, I will listen to immediately.
     
    Today, I'll be listening to her duet with 10cm to share what I think and what I like about the song. It's a short and sweet single, so I'm highly anticipating hearing Eunji's raw voice which is probably going to be accompanied by a single instrument for a relaxing and soulful experience.
     

     
    0:02 - Lovely and lonely piano to start off, gives a nice relaxing vibe to the song so far.
    0:12 - I love the contrast between Eunji’s smooth and elegant vocals alongside the choppy and cracky piano blocks, it gives some texture and rhythm to the song despite how separate the two are.
    0:22 - I love the transition from Eunji’s warm and soft tones to 10cm’s soulful and by contrast exotic voice, it’s a clear distinction as to who is singing and also a nice back and forth between the two vocalist’s nice tones. I also like how the piano follows the vocal tones of 10cm to give his vocals some more body, as it’s just the vocals and piano.
    0:35 - This back and forth is what I was describing earlier, it’s so easy to tell who is singing and the contrast is great, especially with the piano in the back elevating their singing range.
    0:54 - This is a beautiful duet, I love how sharply both of their voices are hitting notes and how effortlessly they both do it, two excellent vocalists.
    1:26 - Some more of the same toning and pacing of the first verse, and the same goes for 10cm, I love how calm and relaxing this duet is to listen to.
    2:19 - I’ll never get tired of their duality in the song, their voices compliment each other so much and I love how nicely their voices match to make an awesome duet.
     

     
    Despite how simple the compositional arangement of the song was, I love how the song is pure with Eunji and 10cm's vocals with literally only their voices and a piano melody. I especially love how the piano complimented them throughout the song in terms of matching their rhythm and creating warm and relaxation to the listener. Eunji never falters with her songs, and Be With Me is no exception. It is quite a simple song, but it's so relaxing and soothing to listen to, and that's essentially a majority of Eunji's songs.
  4. jiyeon

    Momoland - Thumbs Up

    By jiyeon,

    Momoland are back with their new single 'Thumbs Up' which is their first comeback since two members had left in Taeha and Yeonwoo, and one in Daisy whose future is still hangs by a thread. With a five-member lineup, Momoland are returning with a familiar style and aim to capture the same audiences that their previous songs such as I'm So Hot and Bboom Bboom captivated so well.
     
    Having followed Momoland since the inception of Bboom Bboom, I've been closely following their activities such as Baam, I'm So Hot, and indeed now, Thumbs Up. I've been anticipating a Momoland comeback and when Thumbs Up came up, I was excited to listen to it.
     
    Today, I'll be going through Thumbs Up, analysing it, and giving my thoughts and opinions on the song at a critical level. I love Momoland so my bias will definitely show.
     

     
    0:04 - Hyebin has such soft, seductive, and airy vocals in this beginning which is accented by the subtle undertone in a lower octave which gives her main vocals some more body and structure. The low, earthy, grounded bass is a nice contrast to the highs in Hyebin’s vocals.
    0:18 - Nancy’s part here raises the tone of the song a lot since now the song has Nancy’s girly and feminine fragrant vocals which are also accompanied by the instrumentals being a touch higher as well. Nancy’s vocals also have a soft resonant undertone which also gives her vocals a lot more depth. Nancy’s voice is so cute, soft, and elegant to listen to here.
    0:33 - The instrumentals almost go half-time and depress a lot during Ahin’s part here, her vocals explode since she has the astounding power voice and it’s utilised very well here. The continuous clapping builds up a lot of hype and energy especially since Ahin’s voice is also high and mighty in its volume.
    0:41 - Jane comes in with the same amount of energy and character to really build up this pre-chorus, the instrumentals in the back are slowly rising which again builds up the energy and hype of the song to flow into the chorus.
    0:47 - This song has such an EDM-style to it, it’s so heavy on instrumentals and the beat does the talking, with mainly JooE here shouting “THUMBS UP!” to accentuate the rhythm and energy of the chorus here. Definitely a song I could head-bang too and also sing along to in this chorus.
    1:02 - This trumpet-like instrument (can’t quite point to what it is exactly) has a nice subtle rhythm to it which is catchy, especially since followed by the members’ “la la la la la la la” which is a nice extension to the chorus.
    1:17 - The instrumentals here drop down a touch and dive into the lows to allow JooE and her acute rapping style to take shape. Momoland is known for swerving eccentric raps into their second verses and it appears Thumbs Up is no exception. I love that JooE gets the spotlight this time as she’s easily one of the most energetic and bubbly members in the group.
    1:32 - This second part to the verse follows the same formula as the first verse, especially since Jane’s lines follow the same rhythm similar to Nancy’s “hot hot issue issue” as her first verse, which I like as it steers the composition back into the rhythm after the rap swerve.
    2:01 - The chorus is amazingly catchy, it’s so easy to follow along with and vibe with. Momoland love their EDM-style choruses and Thumbs Up is awesome.
    2:31 - This switch-up in tempo into a seductive and sexy vocal performance from Nancy is great, she has this beautifully gravitating voice and the instrumentals toning down but still keeping the highs is such a great accompaniment to her singing here.
    2:46 - This final chorus with Hyebin’s ad libs are great, it brings even more energy to an already sugary chorus.
     

     
    Despite being a five-member group, Thumbs Up is easily one of my favorite Momoland songs, next to Bboom Bboom in an obvious number one. Thumbs Up has the flair, charisma, and energy that I have grown to love out of any and all Momoland title songs, and the amazing vocals from the likes of Jane, Ahin, and Nancy are no exception.
     
    Nancy in particular captivated me a lot in this song, her singing style this comeback was somehow the most mature she'd ever been and the most cutely-sexy. Her 'hot hot issue issue' in the first verse was easily repeatable as it was equal parts cute and sexy. Same goes for her part in the bridge, she has such a graceful and beautiful humming in her part of the bridge and it completed the song so well.
    Ahin's stellar vocal performance is also not to go unnoticed, she excelled and stood out as being easily the best vocal-wise, her vocals exploded and she nailed every single note.
     
    Thumbs Up is a song I can easily have on repeat, it's such a great song, thanks to the amazing vocals, catchy chorus instrumental line, and the energy and character that all five members exuded throughout the song.
  5. jiyeon
    The Cherry MX Black is arguably one of if the best modern Cherry switch to ever be created, the vintage kind of which is one of the most sought-after linear switches ever for its unbeatable smoothness, and ironically is labelled Cherry's best switch despite being made a few decades ago. There is a lot of debate online about what year would qualify a Cherry Black to be vintage, but generally from what I've read online, any Cherry Black switch found inside a board that was manufactured from before 1990 is considered a board with vintage Cherry Blacks inside of it.
     
    Today though, I have non-vintage, re-tooled Cherry MX Blacks with me. I have used these Cherry Blacks for around two weeks now and here are my opinions and experiences with my time using the Cherry MX Black. For reference, my daily keyboard uses 67g Tealios V2s lubed with Tribosys 3204 resting on a brass plate. The board I used with the Cherry Blacks in uses the Cherry Blacks lubed with Krytox 205g0 and a carbon fiber plate, so my experiences with the Cherry Black might differ from others due to the plate material, lubing, and even keycaps difference.
     
    When I first got my Cherry Blacks, I was curious as to how they would feel, as I've been advised online that re-tooled, modern Cherry Blacks feel vastly scratchier and much more inconsistent than vintage Cherry Blacks due to how much re-molding the Cherry Black has gone through.
    Unfortunately, this was the case with me, as immediately as a loose switch, when I pressed down on the switch, it was really scratchy. It had about the same scratchiness as YOK Pandas, which are notoriously scratchy switches in my experience. Even stock Gateron Yellows beat these in smoothness.
     
    I opened up the switch and the material wasn't actually that bad, but it was clear how rough and unpolished the material was compared to Gateron housings.
     

     
    Prior to purchasing the Cherry MX Black, I knew it was going to be a heavy switch from reading the force curve. At a perceived 60g operating point, and an 80g bottom-out, it was going to be a workout for my fingers which were used to switches that bottom-out in the 60g region.
     

     
    After opening up the switch, I took a look at the  stem, as I always do. Its material is fairly decent, with some minor roughness. It's a pretty standard linear stem with defined stem legs, as with all other MX linears on the market which use the same stem design. The material of the stem doesn't compare to the smoothness of other switches such as Gateron Ink Blacks or Zeal's high-end Tealios V2 switches, but it's decently smooth, and I'm sure people would not complain about it if they were obliged to use a Cherry Black.
     

     
    I believe what contributes more to the abundant scratchiness of the Cherry Blacks - even after lubing - is the housing. The housings are definitely rough and course, especially when compared to something like Gateron housings. The bog standard stem combined with the 'eh'-quality housing is in my experience what makes the re-tooled Cherry Black a scratchy switch.
     

     
    Typing on the Cherry Blacks was in all honesty, a pretty shameful experience. I lubed my Cherry Blacks with Krytox 205g0 - with a single Cherry Black lubed with thinner Tribosys 3204 lube to go into the Escape key - and every time I wanted to use them, the prominent scratchiness and sheer resistance of the spring was something I could not bond with. While it was a nice novelty to be able to daily run lubed Cherry Blacks, I did not find the typing experience throughout the two weeks I spent with them fun, and always found myself going back to my main board with Tealios inside them as I found the Tealios better-weighted and tenfold smoother.
     
    Do I recommend the re-tooled Cherry Black? No, I don't. It's far too scratchy for what it is, and the weight is a mountain to overcome. I would much rather purchase another alternative linear such as Gateron Yellows or even Gateron Ink Blacks, as those two switches are noticeably smoother than the Cherry Black even as a stock switch, and lubing both of those options will lead to an even greater smoothness that the re-tooled Cherry Black can never achieve.
     
    Sorry Cherry, but your gold standard is just a scratchy linear.
  6. jiyeon
    Red Velvet are back with ReVe Festival Finale, the 3rd and final chapter in the ReVe Festival trilogy, and featuring a song that some consider to beat Bad Boy, a 2018 Red Velvet song that was touted be the greatest Red Velvet song for its masterful composition, pitch-perfect vocals, and record-breaking media.
     
    Today I'll be listening to just the new songs that were introduced in the ReVe Festival Finale album, and not the ones that were included from the Day 1 and Day 2 albums. I'm particularly excited to see what Psycho is like, and judging by the reception its gotten so far, I'm highly anticipating one of if not Red Velvet's greatest song.
     

     
    0:03 - I like that most of the members get a small note to include into the intro here, it’s a nice showcase of vocal ability. The subtle string pizzicato also creates a dark and mysterious vibe to the intro.
    0:13 - This wonderful electronic arpeggiated synth here is great, it’s bubbly and vibrant compared to the sombre and dark heavy bass that is a layer below it, this combined with Irene’s stellar vocals create a nice composition.
    0:25 - I love the small attention-to-detail with Seulgi’s ‘I don’t play that game’ with the entire instrumental composition coming to a stop to emphasise her lyrics in this first verse.
    0:26 - The re-entry with the glitch effect and back into that beautiful arpeggio is a nice transition from Seulgi’s soulful and mature tone into Yeri’s youthful and girly tone.
    0:39 - The instrumental composition comes to a stop again here but this time with a light, airy, almost ghost-like vocal to carry the verse into the first pre chorus.
    0:41 - I love how airy and warm the instrumentals are here, especially with Wendy’s amazing falsetto, it’s such a dark pacing compared to the artificially sweet and bubbly instrumentals with the arpeggio earlier in the song.
    0:53 - So much brass to be heard here to emphasise the power and weight of the chorus, especially with the fast shakers to increase the tempo even more compared to the slow and steady pacing of the first verse and bridge.
    1:08 - The brass instrumentals go so well with the harmony going on, there’s so much power in the highs because of how punchy the brass is here. Wendy and Seulgi’s light sub vocals also give the chorus some more body in the higher registers.
    1:23 - Irene’s verse here has the same pizzicato that was found in the intro. I like that the second verse does not follow in the footsteps in the first verse with the arpeggio - even though the arpeggio was very addictive - to keep the song fresh and new throughout, as well as allowing Irene’s vocals here to shine through and emphasise on her talent.
    1:28 - The re-introduction of the arpeggio for Yeri’s small line here is nice as it breaks up the dreary and dark mood from the chorus that carried over into Irene’s part of the second verse.
    1:32 - I love Seulgi’s vocals here. She goes so high into minor keys, and the arpeggio almost seems to follow her even though the arpeggio is still the same register as before.
    1:36 - I like that they re-introduced the glitch effect transitioned back into the arpeggio was added to this latter half of the second verse for Joy and Wendy’s parts here, they both have feminine yet mature vocal tones compared to Irene and Seulgi who led the first verse with their contrasting vocal tones.
    1:50 - This time it’s Seulgi to do the pre chorus and she effortlessly does this one with her serene and graceful tone, which is in contrast to Wendy’s sharp and melodic tone in the first pre chorus. I love the contrast and the distinguishable nature of the bridges to tell who’s singing which bridge.
    2:03 - I absolutely love the chorus of this song. It’s so soulful, full of energy, charisma, and the composition to match.
    2:30 - A nice sombre change of pace and volume, Joy with her ballad-like singing her combined with the muted instrumentals makes for a completely calm break in the song with this bridge.
    2:45 - I love that this chorus doesn’t deviate too much from the already-masterful chorus that we had previously in the song, apart from some additional subvocals. It’s such an addictive and wonderful chorus to listen to.
    2:59 - I like the mix of heavy bass and brass combined with the ‘Hey now we’ll be okay’ to really emphasise the mood and aesthetic of the song. Especially with how the members pause when they say ‘It’s alright’ to really hit home the song’s meaning.
     

     
    0:12 - There’s such a deep hitting drum and the warped synths, and the vocals have a light warping effect on them too, it’s quite an interesting composition.
    0:39 - I like that the warping effect follows through into this prechorus.
    0:47 - This is a very EDM-like chorus, it’s very electronica heavy and the vocals are so fast and have a lot of reverb.
    1:39 - I find it really funny that the lyrics here are basically how to bake a cake, especially when the instrumentation follows their tone to emphasise the lyrics.
     

     
    0:12 - A light piano with soulful and ballad-like vocals, this definitely has a jazzy ballad feel to it so far.
    0:28 - The vocals are so soulful and heartfelt, the piano still following throughout is lovely to hear.
    0:53 - I love how raw and jazzy the chorus is here, there’s barely any assistance to the lyrics apart from the light piano that has been there from the beginning.
    2:22 - I like that the instrumentation stops to allow the high note to really hit and emphasise the vocal ability here without any help from instrumentation to elevate the high note.
     

     
    Gotta outright say it, Psycho in my opinion is a better song than Bad Boy, they're both so exceptionally well-mastered, well-composed, and both absolutely stellar songs, but Psycho's vocals are so wide and beautiful. I love how beautiful the arpeggio is during the verses, as well as the dark and heavy bass that follows the intro as well as parts of the second verse. It's such a nice contrast between the cute & bubbly and the dark and & remorseful. Combine the amazing composition with  the fantastic vocals from all the Red Velvet members and we have ourselves one of the best K-pop songs to be released in 2019.
     
    I know Wendy suffered injuries due to SBS' poor venue management, and Godspeed to her recovering, it must be devastating to create such an amazing song & album and have live performances taken away from you due to a company's poor artist care and attention... I'm sure Red Velvet are looking out for her every day and for a song where Wendy stood out so much as one of if not the best one in the group this time around, it must absolutely suck. I'm sure I'm not the only one, but I'm sure all ReVeLuvs are appreciative of the hard work and effort Wendy has gone through along with Red Velvet to create such an amazing song.
  7. jiyeon
    Red Velvet have come back once again with 'ReVe Festival: Day 1', and their newest title track 'Zimzalabim', which is a divisive song between ReVeluvs and other K-pop fans alike. I'll be going through this entire album and sharing my thoughts on opinions on the production, sound, vocals, and most importantly what I liked about each of the songs.
     
    Having been a fan of the cute side of Red Velvet - think Russian Roulette, Ice Cream Cake, & Power Up - so I'm interested to hear what Zimzalabim has to offer, as I've heard it's one of the weirdest-composed K-pop songs ever, if not the strangest. As always, I'm up for listening to anything, so I have high hopes Zimzalabim can deliver.
     

     
    0:15 - The song starts off airy and spacious with cowbells and some light guitars which is a nice entry into what I will assume is a busy and bubbly song.
    0:22 - Already there’s so much happening in the composition, there’s a lot of cowbells, synths, drums, and of course vocals. It all sounds very circus-like which I guess is this album’s aesthetic.
    0:26 - I love the bright and poppy vocals here combined with the high stings.
    0:51 - The cowbells come back, and now Seulgi is singing with so much echo and reverb that the airy and spacious environment the cowbells made in the beginning of the song sound even wider, it’s such a simple composition but works so well.
    1:07 - And back into a verse similar to how verse 1 began with the same type of instrumentals and bright and cheery vocals, so far I like the bright and circus-like vibe this song is giving off.
    1:30 - The circus-like theme is only amplified even more by the drums and rising tension of instruments, as well as the “Are you ready?” which is some serious integration into a pantomime sort of experience that you’d get from watching a circus show.
    1:45 - This chorus’ instrumentals I swear are a bit busier than the previous one’s, there’s clapping now and a lot more going on in the composition.
    2:14 - Everything slows down here for a bridge which I think is great as so far the song has been really fast-paced and bright, so a small ballad-like break is greatly welcomed.
    2:39 - In this final chorus, Red Velvet just pop off on the vocal harmony, the instrumentals are all fully blown out and it makes for an amazing finale to the song.
     

     
    0:15 - An interesting low and bassy instrumental to compliment the feminine vocals here.
    0:43 - I absolutely love this airy harmony, it’s so vibrant and fresh.
    0:56 - The harmony is so great here, the instrumentals have a reggae feel to them which gives a great welcoming and calm vibe to the chorus.
    1:24 - I like the subvocals to give the main vocals some more body here.
    2:09 - I love how much harmonies this song uses, it’s so unifying for all the members’ voices.
    2:52 - I feel like this song is just a choir set from Red Velvet and I’m all for it, the chorus harmonies will never get tiring.
     

     
    0:13 - Very lowkey instrumentals combined with sultry vocals, this is quite a different vibe to the previous two tracks.
    0:36 - A lot of clicks and bells in this pre chorus which is a nice progression for the instrumentals.
    0:46 - I like how the chorus stays fairly lowkey with the soulful harmonies from the girls, and maintains a low instrumental signature.
    1:16 - These high notes in the “I like it like milkshake” are so nice to hear.
    2:30 - I like how this part of the bridge is similar to the prechorus in that clicks and bells are introduced to lead to an explosive transition into the next section of the song. I love this production choice.
     

     
    0:19 - In contrast to the previous tracks, this track is so low and rumbly in the instrumentals and the vocals are so loud this time around.
    0:53 - I love the harmony here, it’s so airy and roomy.
    1:23 - This song remains so lowkey and vocal-heavy which I enjoy as Red Velvet have top-tier vocals.
    1:44 - I noticed this song relies a lot on vocal progression and repeat lyrics a lot which continues the tension of the song and progresses the song forward a lot. It’s got a similar style to Zimzalabim with these unconventional production choices and compositional design.
    2:56 - This song almost has a chant-like ending, it’s so repetitive and the instrumentals are no exception, definitely resembles Zimzalabim a lot.
     

     
    0:10 - This song has a very retro vibe to it, the vocals are so soft and the instrumentals are very bright and poppy.
    0:30 - There’s so much synthwork going on the instrumental which makes the already bright vocals so poppy and vibrant.
    0:51 - Definitely circus feel, it’s so bright and vibrant, the instrumentals are so electronic and arcade-like with the tones.
    1:37 - I find the prechorus so cute, it’s got such a cute instrumental signature and the high vocals compliment it so well.
    2:27 - I love the harmony here, it seems Red Velvet’s B-side tracks for this album emphasise on harmonies a lot to focus on the circus-like atmosphere of the album.
     

     
    0:25 - Very jazzy verse so far, has similar vibes to Sunny Side Up.
    0:53 - This chorus is so airy and vibrant, there’s a lot of echo and synthetic subvocals, and the instrumentals are so authentic which is a nice contrast in the composition.
    2:30 - JAZZ. The saxophone solo is so rich and vibrant, and I love how it continues throughout the bridge to compliment the vocals.
     

     
    Zimzalabim was definitely a strange song. It has an unusually catchy and mysterious chorus, combined with a unique and bubbly array of verses. The song switched up its composition and tone on so many occasions and it was mildly disorienting, but I guess that's what makes the song so fun to listen to, it's so unique and definitely a song I associate with Red Velvet. It's such a brave production choice and I love it.
     
    As for the rest of the album, I got really circus-like vibes and some minor R&B reggae vibes too, it definitely makes for the whole festival vibe that the album seems to be going for.  Sunny Side Up and Milkshake in particular I liked, both were consistent in terms of composition throughout the song, the vocals were so on point, especially when they harmonized in sections of the songs. Red Velvet have outstanding vocals, and ReVe Festival Day 1 was no exception.
     
    The ReVe Festival saga also has two more parts which I will also be listening to at a later date, so I'm looking forward to seeing what those have to offer.
  8. jiyeon
    The Gateron Yellow is a linear switch designed and manufactured by Gateron, to along with their line-up of linear switches such as the Gateron Red and Gateron Black. The Gateron Yellow is a linear switch with distinct similarities to the Gateron Red, with a slightly heavier spring at 50g actuation versus the Red's actuation at 45g. In this sense, the Gateron Yellow is essentially a slightly heavier Gateron Red, and in my experience, that holds true.
     
    Looking at the stem, it's about as standard as a linear MX stem goes, with the iconic MX top piece, and the smooth legs on the front of the stem. In Gateron's case, the material of the stem is extremely smooth, similar to their Gateron Red and Gateron Ink Black stems in particular. The stem is in a bumblebee yellow, and is quite literally the same as the Gateron Red's stem, just with a different color.
     

     
    The Gateron Yellow takes lubing well, I lubed Gateron Yellows with Tribosys 3204 and it improved smoothness a lot, as well as increased the 'thock' sound signature. This is again similar to the characteristics to the Gateron Red, and I can't convey just how similar this switch is to a Gateron Red.
     
    In essence, the Gateron Yellow is a Gateron Red with a heavier spring, it shares the same housing characteristics as the Gateron Red, whilst also inheriting the lubing capabilities of other Gateron linear switches. I have previously reviewed the MX Red, and used a Gateron Red as the example there, you can read the review here.
  9. jiyeon
    When Input Club and Massdrop - oh, sorry, I meant Drop - had a feud on mechanical keyswitches, Input Club settled and made their own 'Hako' flavor of tactile switches. What I have here today is the Hako Violet by Input Club, one of the lightest if not the lightest tactile switch I have ever used in my life, at just a 50g bottom-out from what I researched online about this particular switch.
     
    The Hako Violet is the brother of Input's Club Hako line, next to its siblings, the Hako Clear and the Hako True. All three of them are tactile switches and share the same Kailh Box design used in similar switches such as the Kailh Box Jade, Kailh Box Navy, and Kailh Box Heavy Burnt Orange, so they all include a remarkably boxy stem to prevent dust and moisture from entering the housing. My Kailh Box Jade review of which you can read here.
     
    As mentioned earlier, the Hako Violet is a tactile switch. Opening up the switch and taking a look at the stem, there is a noticeable dip in the leg of the Box stem. In my opinion, the Hako Violet isn't noticeably more tactile than an MX Brown, but is still soft enough to be satisfying and indicative of actuation. I believe this is due to the inherently lightweight nature of the entire switch as a whole which emphasises the sharpness of the tactile bump.
     

     
    My favorite thing about choosing this tactile switch over a mainstream MX Brown is the consistency of the switch's actuation. The Box stem is great for minimising stem wobble as well as promoting as consistent actuation on the keypress across an entire keyboard, as there is so much more surface area for the stem to slide down, making them extra smooth.
     
    Out of curiousity, I lubed the sides of the stem with thin Tribosys 3204 lube and I found that it did not enhance the smoothness of the switch in any way. I believe this may be because the switch is inherently smooth thanks to the design, and also that the Box stem sticks further out which leaks out lube when not pressed down.
     
    Input Club have done an excellent job at creating a switch which is smooth and tactile and that is all thanks to the Box-style switch. While I don't think the tactility is any better than a standard MX Brown, nor is it more extreme than a Zealios V2 switch, the switch's strong point lies in the consistency of actuation and smoothness of actuation.
  10. jiyeon
    The Blue ZIlent V2 is a silent tactile switch offered by ZealPC, the same vendor who has created other famous switches such as the Zealios V2, Tealios V2, and the Healios. This time around, Zeal has created the Zilents V2 which was made to compete with the MX Clear.
    The Zilents V2 are offered in 62g, 65g, 67g, and 78g weights, similar to its brother, the Zealios V2, which are also offered in those four weights, and additionally in four colors, with a progressively darker stem color with each weight option. I've personally chosen 65g as I own 62g Sakurios which I find a touch too light and 67g Tealios which are near the peak of my weight preference, so 65g was the middle ground in my weight taste. In my testing, I've compared the Zilent V2 to both 62g and 78g Zealios, and here's what I think.
     
    Starting off with the stem, the color comes extremely close to the Tealios, the Zilents are more blue in hue than the Tealios, where the Tealios take on a more turquoise saturation key. The stems of the Zilent V2 are smooth and definitely up to the standard of other Zeal boutique stems, made of ultra smooth plastic and it shows in the feel of the switch. This time around, there are silencing rubbers similar to those found in the Healios and its recolors the Sakurios & Roselios, three more of ZealPC's silent switch offerings. These silencing rubbers are excellent and provide a soft, pillowy bottom-out on keypress as well as dampen the impact on the way back up as well.
    These silencing rubbers also obviously make the switch a lot quieter as well, they slice about half of the sound profile of the Zealios V2, which is what the switch is designed after.
     

     
    Pictured below on the left is a 78g Zealios V2, and on the right is the 65g Zilent V2 that I have been analysing. They share the same stem leg design as well as the same stem slider design, only on the Zilent, the bottom and top of the sliders are lined with rubber instead of the traditional plastic. These are the defining characteristics of the Zilents V2 which is why I often refer to these as silent Zealios.
     

     
    The leaf inside both of these switches housings also remain identical to the human eye, with the legs of the contacts being highly protruded to promote that crisp and sharp tactile bump.
     

     
    The Zilents V2 inherit the same traits as the Zealios V2, having a defined, sharp, crisp bump at the top of the keypress, much sharper than that of an MX Clear or MX Brown. This combined with the silencing rubber to soften the bottom-out and upstroke impact, this switch is an excellent choice for those that find the Zealios V2 to be too forceful with bottom-out and upstroke, as well as find the Zealios to be too loud for a tactile switch.
     
    The ZIlents V2 are a modified switch done right, keeping all the traits of the Zealios V2 but improving them to target the market who want a silent variant.
     
    To read my review on the Zealios V2 where I go in-depth about the actuation and design of the switch similar in fashion to how I reviewed the Zilents V2, you can read below where I have linked my original Zealios V2 review.
     
     
  11. jiyeon

    MX Red - Smooth & Swift

    By jiyeon,

    The MX Red is one of the most iconic switches thanks to Cherry, the German mechanical keyboards and switches manufacturer famous (or infamous depending on how you look at it) for their MX Red, MX Brown, and MX Blue switches, which are linear, tactile, and clicky switches respectively.
    Today we'll be taking a look at the MX Red, this particular model specifically from Gateron, a manufacturer of switches whom have cloned Cherry's MX Red design and made their own edition, coined the Gateron Red.
     
    The MX Red is a linear switch as mentioned before which means there is no interruption in the actuation, meaning the keyswitch goes straight down when you press on it. Thanks to WASDkeyboards for providing the force curve chart below, we can see the actuation force of the Red is around 45g, and bottoms out at around 65g. This is a particularly light switch that is catered towards gamers who require quick actuation, so a 45g actuation force 2mm down on the switch is preferable for competitive gaming scenarios.
     

     
    Opening up my specific Gateron Red switch, the material is extremely smooth and the feel of the switch can attest to that. The stem legs are smooth which allow the leaf to cleanly slide along the stem legs. However for my tastes, I find using the Reds as stock to be scratchy, this is hard to explain for those who have not used lubed switches. My favorite analogy is rubbing your arm dry versus rubbing your arm with lotion applied.
     
    While the Reds are subjectively smooth when stock, the smoothness is accentuated greatly when they are lubed. I lubed my Reds with Tribosys 3204 and they both sound and feel extremely smooth, greatly improving upon the stock scratchiness. I would personally even rate the smoothness when lubed above something like a NovelKeys Cream.
     

     
    Personally, I am only comfortable using Reds lubed, as I find using them stock to be a bit too scratchy for my tastes, but at stock, they are bearable. They are not the smoothest linear I have ever used but they are also not the worst, although making a non-smooth is a difficult bar to clear.
     
    As a mainstream switch and probably the most well-known linear on the market, the Red is a fantastic choice for those who are after a smooth and swift typing experience. While they are a touch too light for me to use, I do enjoy the smoothness and the lightness is rather inviting when playing games that require that quick actuation.
    For people that want something heavier, I recommend the Yellow or Black switches, as those are a bit heavier than the Red whilst still retaining the smoothness of the Red. Otherwise, the Red is a great switch choice.
  12. jiyeon
    The Sakurios is a silenced linear switch from ZealPC, the Sakurios is a re-colored Zeal Healios switch with a 62g spring, and comes in a light pink tone. The Sakurios' sister, the 67g Roselios, comes in a more saturated pink to the Sakurios.
     
    These switches are costly at $1.20 a switch at the time of review, and I bought 70 of these for myself unsponsored using my own money. Due to this, I had high hopes for this particular switch due to its price as well as its hype, being a re-colored, 62g-weighted Healios. I'm personally fond of the 67g Tealios also by Zeal, and I have read online that the Healios are described as a re-colored & silenced Tealio switch.
     
    Cracking open the switch, it's a nice, smoothly-crafted, pink linear stem with firm rubber dampeners on the stem sliders, the stem is also a nice pink too. The material is smooth to the touch, similar to that of a Tealio or Zealio switch, it's nice quality from Zeal, especially for that pricetag per switch.
    The silencing rubbers aren't too hard nor too mushy, they're just right, and when bottoming out and returning, the rubbers feel pillowy and soft, it's a nice bottom-out experience compared to traditional MX switches where bottoming out can be quite harsh and sudden. I commend Zeal for this particular rubber, it's what silenced switches should strive to achieve.
     
    To compare, I'd say the smoothness of the Sakurios versus something like an Ink Black or Tealios is about 8/10, the Sakurios are noticeably less smooth than Tealios. But I'll touch on this more a bit later.
     

     
    Now where this gets interesting is that when I bought my Sakurios, I ran into quite a few problems...
     
    I ordered my 70 Sakurios directly from ZealPC, and about 10 of my Sakurios had loose leaves in them, whereby if I opened up those particular switches, the leaves would fall out without any force. Add to this the leaves in question bent easily, and I wonder what happened to my particular batch.
     

     
    I actually had emailed ZealPC in September regarding my issue, citing that my Sakurios are consistent on the keypress, which I assume this is due to the loose leaves.
     
    The response I got was as follows:
     
    Now, it's to be noted that I did use Krytox 205g0 lube to lube my Sakurios which are a particularly thick lube, so I can accept that it might have been my own mistake using thick lube on silenced switches, given that it was my first time with silenced switches and that I had been recommended thick lube to use due to my lubing technique.
     
    This still does not excuse the poor quality control of my particular Sakurios batch, loose leaves destroyed my experience with the Sakurios and I am deeply disappointed with the switch as a whole, especially for the price I paid for it.
     
    I paid about $80 to get switches that came with loose leaves.
     
    I will give ZealPC the benefit of the doubt and say that I am probably part of the 1% that got a bad batch of Sakurios, however that stil does not excuse the quality of switches that I got, like I mentioned a multitude of times throughout this review.
     
    That's not to disrepect the switch in any way, the switch is still fairly smooth to use and the bottom-out is soft & pillowy, but the leaf problem I had with my batch gave me an inconsistent typing experience, as well as a sticky feeling after lubing a majority with thick lube. For the record, I used a few unlubed and experienced the same probems minus the sticky feelings, so at stock, the Sakurios feel fine albeit inconsistent.
     
    I do truly hope that I'm in the minority with my batch slipping the cracks and that everyone else who bought - or buys - Sakurios experiences a pleasant actuation and soft bottom-out omitting the loose leaf issue.
    And word of advice, don't use thick lube with silenced linears. I learnt the hard way.
  13. jiyeon
    The YOK Purple Trash Panda is the tactile (and purple) edition of the YOK Trash Panda, a linear switch which is made to be a base in the Frankenstein switch, the Holy Panda.
     
    What sparked my interest about the YOK Purple Trash Panda - which I will be referring to as the Purple Panda - is that the product description across NovelKeys and mykeyboard.eu as well as other keyboard forums was that they described the Purple Panda as having the same actuation and tactility traits as the famous boutique switch, the Zealios V2. You can read my review of the Zealios V2 by clicking here.
     
    On the left is the Purple Panda's stem, and on the right is the Zealios V2's stem. At first glance, you really do see striking similarities between the two switches, such as the stem legs and the color. It's like YOK were intentionally replicate the Zealios V2 and it shows below.
     

     
    The main difference to both stems is the material, the Purple Panda is extremely rough to the touch as well as lubing, the material feels so unfinished and it's such a shame as it makes the switch so scratchy so use. I had to heavily lube the switch with Krytox 205g0 thick lube in order to solve the scratchiness and spring ping, and even then it didn't even rival an unlubed Zealios. The Purple Panda feels like it was sent one production line early and just isn't as polished as I feel it could've been. It's far too scratchy no matter what.
     

     
    If there's any redeeming qualities about the switch - which are minimal and already listed to begin with - it's that the tactility is awesome. The tactile bump at 67g feels great if not more sharp than the Zealios V2 at 62g and 67g weights. The Polar Panda's leaf in the housing is responsible for this trait which is why the YOK Panda line's switches, specifically the housings, are so sought after to create Holy Pandas. The housing is the best part of this switch unfortunately.
     
    I totally know what this switch is not best used as is and is best used to create the Holy Pandas, but I wanted to judge the switch as it is due to the fact that it is a purple variant of the YOK Trash Panda, and why would YOK create an alternate stemmed Trash Panda if the Panda housings are made to create Holy Pandas? Unfortunately in my use case, that's been answered by the fact that the stem is so scratchy and irritable that you shouldn't used these switches in the first place.
     
    It's not a bad switch by any means, and for the $0.60 per switch it retails for on your average mechanical keyboards online retailer, it's a great tactile switch that beats the Gateron Brown easily. The stand-out problem with these switches is how scratchy, unkempt, and rough the stem is, it pales in comparison to the Zealios V2 which is so what it tries to replicate, and falls flat on its face due to the low quality of the stem.
    Overall, it's a tactile switch that I'd take over an MX Brown, but nothing I would actively go after due to how rough and dry the switch feels to use.
  14. jiyeon
    The Gateron Ink Black is essentially a Gateron Black with a transparent, smoky housing and a black stem, and is highly regarded as one of, if not the most smooth MX-style switch on the market, rivaling that of Zeal's Tealios V2, and the Vintage Black.
    The Ink Black is a fairly medium-weighted switch, requiring 60g of force to actuate and 70g of force to completely bottom out. My personal preferred weight for linear switches is anywhere between 62g to 67g so the 60g of actuation force is very welcome.
     
    I personally like to use my linear switches lubed, but the Gateron Ink Black is one of those switches that doesn't require that treatment to be a smooth switch. It's a fantastic switch at stock, and is probably one of three switches that I'd consider using stock, next to the Tealios V2 and the NovelKeys Cream. The Gateron Ink Black is super smooth even without lube.
    With that being said, I still lubed my Gateron Ink Blacks with Tribosys 3204 as I felt that it didn't require thick lube like Krytox 205g0, and it made it even smoother. I did heavily lube my switch, but it did not interfere with the travel, actuation, upstroke, return, or keypress of the switch in any way, and I prefer heavily lubing my linears as it ensures 100% smoothness. Again, not that the Ink Black needed that in the first place, regardless.
     

     
    In my time scouting the switch market, I can find Ink Blacks for around $0.75-$0.80 a switch, which is fairly expensive considering the other offerings on the market, such as regular Gaterons, which can retail for as low as $0.30 a switch. However, I am confident that expending a bit more for the Ink Blacks will work in everybody who is considering a linear switch's favor, as the smoothness - once again, even at stock and unlubed - is rivalled only by the most elite switches such as the Tealios V2 and the Vintage Black - and those go for $1+ per switch each for what I can perceive having using Tealios V2 extensively as minimal improvement.
     
    In fact, since using the Ink Blacks, they've become my top 2 linear switch next to the Tealios who edges it out as a close winner. The Ink Black is smooth in every regard and the spring is really high quality. The spring feels robust and full which gives the Ink Black an ultra satisfying keypress travel. The Tealios on the other hand has a fairly hollow spring which is susceptible to pinging.
     
    If you're in the market for one of, if not the smoothest, linear, MX-style switch on the market for under $1 per switch, you cannot go wrong with the Ink Black. Ultra smooth stem, silky smooth housing, satisfying spring sturdiness, and excellent lubing capability, making it a solid linear switch.
  15. jiyeon
    The Tealios V2 are a boutique linear switch offered by ZealPC which features a 67g spring, Gateron-made housing, and a smooth, linear stem in Tiffany & Co. blue, no I'm not joking, the pantone for the stem is inspired by Tiffany & Co, and it's adorable. It sets itself apart from color from Zeal's popular purple Zealios, Hermes orange Healios, and pink Sakurios and Rosélios switches.
     

     
    I bought a 68 pack of Tealios V2 from KBDfans, for $1 a switch, which is expensive especially when I have a 60% keyboard. I would definitely say it's well worth investing in the Teals if you are after the smoothest switches on the market, a close second in my eyes are the Gateron Ink Blacks.
    What gives the Tealios its extremely smooth actuation is its stem legs, the stem itself appears to be made out of an outstandingly smooth plastic mould, and it shows in its construction where nowhere on the stem is rough to the touch. The legs are also angled perfectly to give the linear actuation of the stem a good balance between weight on the downpress and upstroke.
     
    Even from factory unlubed, these stems and by extension the Tealios as a whole switch feel extremely smooth to use, it's one of the best linear switches to use stock in my opinion purely because of how smooth the stem has been made.
     
    Despite its stock smoothness, I lubed my Tealios switches with a mildly-thick coating of Tribosys 3204 on the housing sliders as well as the entire stem, and this ultimately made the switch all users of linear switches should try. Zeal cracked the code for how to make the smoothest linear possible, and it's thanks to the ever-smooth stem.
     

     
    Personally, after using these Tealios lubed with Tribosys 3204, I don't think I can settle for anything less anymore. I formerly used NovelKeys Creams and even those now feel scratchy thanks to my time with the Tealios. Same can be said for Gateron Reds where while they are smooth, they feel hollow and far too light.
     
    The Tealios are a well-weighted switch which when paired with lube make the best linear switch in the game. If there was one thing to keep me from rating it a 100% switch, it would be the spring weight. I find 67g a little too heavy personally, although the weight also does accentuate the smoothness a lot, so I feel 67g is just the right spot. A spring swap to 62g might eleviate the heft a bit but like mentioned before, may reduce the feel of the actuation force and leave me wanting more out of the switch.
  16. jiyeon

    Berry Good - Fantastic

    By jiyeon,

    Fantastic is a 5-member Berry Good group comeback that marked the last comeback before leader Taeha, would make her departure due to contract expiration. Fantastic features the bubbly and sincere 'Oh! Oh!' along with a range of B-side tracks that I will be listening to today.
     
    Having been a fan of Berry Good only recently with their recent 2018 album 'Free Travel' which had awesome songs such as 'Green Apple,' 'Mellow Mellow,' and of course Seoyul's solo song 'Can I Dream Again?' I was anticipating what Berry Good would have next to present on their music portfolio. And after the news of Daye becoming inactive for this comeback - and presumably the future of Berry Good - as well as Taeha's departure, I was sure that they would put their all into this comeback with all that's going on.
     
    Today I'll be listening to Berry Good's latest album 'Fantastic' in its entirety, and analysing the composition, instrumentation, as well as what I liked about the song as a whole.
     
    I have acquired the 1411Kbps lossless audio FLAC files for this album as I actually bought the album physically, so the timestamps will be for whatever foobar2000 shows the timestamps to be for the physical CD, which I assume will not deviate from other sources too much.
     

     
    0:09 - I love Seoyul's entrance, she has such as serene and pure voice, so her voice combined with the sharp piano stings makes for a nice mellow entrance to the song. The composition here is so simple yet so effective as it controls the tempo of the song whilst also letting the vocals shine though.
    0:18 - Similarly for Gowoon, the composition stays merely the same, but this time her voice nicely contrasts the girly tone of Seoyul to give some nice separation of tones.
    0:28 - This pre-chorus is nice and mellow and still has the same vibes of the previous verse, Sehyung's vocals here are excellent, she has nice vocal range and sings her lines effortlessly. There's also this very low string instrument in the background playing a flat tone and it perfectly contrasts Sehyung's pure and innocent vocals which gives the song some space and body.
    0:32 - Honestly don't know what to think about Johyun's heavily edited voice here, she normally has such a sexy and womanly voice, so not sure what they were thinking by applying this robotic and synthetic vocal effect to her voice. It's very contradictory to the mellow and pure tones of the song.
    0:36 - I love this chorus so much. It's so colorful, vibrant, and super poppy. The short piano stings from the first verse come back here but very sharp and high this time, the vocals have also amped up a lot to give the chorus the energy and soul. I love that Gowoon's youthful and airy vocals are used here, she has the vocal range and talent to be able to carry this chorus nicely. The 'Oh! Oh!' part is also really catchy to sing along to.
    1:00 - This second verse shares similarities to the first verse with the simple instrumental and I love that they keep it simple and not too outlandish.
    1:28 - Once again, the instrumental composition here remains the same with only the vocals being varied.
    1:36 - This chorus is kept simple and is another reminder of the 'Oh! Oh!' part that I will never resist singing along to.
    1:56 - A little peek at a Johyun rap segment, and it uses her normal voice with no vocal effects. I'm still very neutral on whether applying a vocal effect in the first pre-chorus worked or not.
    2:04 - I like that this pre-chorus differs from the song's composition in that the instrumentation is really long and winded compared to the verses' quick and simple instrumentation, this gives a sense of air and room in this bridge which promotes serenity and purity which is exactly why Gowoon's voice fits this part so much.
    2:22 - This final chorus has altered lyrics which I find interesting as the start of the chorus seemed like this final chorus wasn't going to change, and we were led to believe we were right, until Seoyul entered and changed the lyrics, ultimately deviating from Gowoon's classic chorus.
    2:43 - Johyun's rap here is amazing. I love how the crude vocal effect is nearly gone from her vocals and we get a near-enough pure vocal rap from Johyun here. It's a nice mixup from the pace of the song up until now.
     

     
    0:18 - This has a very different dynamic from Oh! Oh! so far. This song is very poppy and dancey, with a heavily electronic instrumental and much more expressive vocals.
    0:33 - This is such an airy pre-chorus and even moreso with the added reverb on the vocals here.
    0:47 - This chorus is so energetic and poppy, it's definitely a song that you can dance along to. I also love the vocal ability displayed here despite how dance-oriented the song is.
    1:18 - This rap fits the song so well, it pumps up the energy even further especially since the instrumentation has remained pacey and energetic.
    2:04 - The chorus is so catchy, I really love how well the vocals here are at the chorus, especially with how high the notes go.
    2:35 - A very ballad-like bridge here with everything turned down just to get those low vocals in there. I love how much of a display this song is for vocal ability.
     

     
    0:10 - This song already feels fast, and it's absolutely because of the instrumentals here. The vocals are even so fast.
    0:40 - This bridge is also extremely fast despite the vocals being noticeably slower.
    0:54 - This chorus has so much Latin vibes about it, the lyrics combined with the instrumentation here indicate that with the piano and the shakers, and later with the wind instruments.
    1:26 - Interesting to have a rap here to spice up the already fast pace, this is a really fast song with a lot of Eastern vibes to it.
    2:34 - This part of the song has similar vibes to One Step Closer in that it's very dance-oriented, I like how the vocals get their chance to shine particularly here.
     

     
    0:17 - This song sounds very ballad-like and serene compared to the tone of the previous songs.
    0:36 - I love the vocals here, they're very airy thanks to the added reverb and the airy instrumental composition.
    1:01 - I love this chorus, it's so airy and fresh, the vocals are harmonized so well and the instrumental is so pure and untapped. It's very Gfriend-like.
    2:31 - I love the echo of the lyrics here, it's so airy and gives so much space to the composition.
    3:12 - This song has major Gfriend vibes and I'm all about it. This particularly chorus with the adlibs in the background is so pure and feminine.
     

     
    0:12 - I'm already getting dance vibes from this song, it's such an electronic intro.
    0:30 - The vocals have this cyber effect on them to give them an electric vibe which I assume is to promote this electronic aesthetic of this song, so far.
    1:12 - The vocals here are amazing. It's so clean and effortless. The high note at 1:40 in particular.
    1:51 - I love the break in the song to insert a small bit of adlib in there with the "It's like a breath of fresh air!", what a nice little message.
    2:45 - I will never get over how effortless that high note was.
    2:57 - This whole song is a display of the high note capabilities Berry Good members have and I'm all for it.
     

     
    I really loved this album. 'Oh! Oh!' and '달빛아래 춤을' stood out to me the most for being the most Berry Good songs that have come out, Berry Good are very pure in image and these two songs perfectly encapsulate what they're like. Oh! Oh! is so feminine and girly, and so refreshing to listen to. I also love that this song is where Johyun got shine, as I've previously been cynical of Johyun as a member of Berry Good for being nothing more than a pretty face. In 'Oh! Oh!' she got to rap and she did it effortlessly. Her part in 'Oh! Oh! was a great finisher to the already stellar song.
     
    It was sad to not have Daye in this comeback, and just as devastating to hear that this would be Taeha's last group activity as her contract would expire, but as an album that marked both those occurences, it did incredibly well. The fact that I went and bought the physical album is already a sign. Berry Good are incredibly unknown and any purchase matters.
     
    We will have to see what Berry Good will get up to next now that they are down to 4 members for now. For now, Fantastic is a fantastic album and definitely one of my favorite albums of 2019.
  17. jiyeon

    EXID - I Love You

    By jiyeon,

    EXID's 2018 single, I Love You, marks the comeback of their vocalist and leader Solji, who was absent from previous comebacks due to complications with her health. The five-member group returns with their new single, I Love You, a single that harkens to the themes of 80's disco and pop culture with the overly-engineered synths, VCR effects, polaroids, extreme shots of saturation and color, as well as the amazing vocal performances from the girls.
     
    I've been a big fan of EXID and am glad to see Solji is back for this new single. Today I'll be going through the single and analysing the composition, instrumentals, vocals, as well as my general opinion on the song as whole.
     
    I actually have a physical edition of this particular K-pop release and have acquired the 1411Kbps lossless FLAC version of this song, since I love EXID so much and bought the album! I'll be listing the timestamps of I Love You through what I can see foobar2000 is reporting.
     

     
    0:00 - Immediately the song begins with a very retro composition with a low synth, kickdrums, cowbells, and a fervid vocalist repeating "I love you" in a catchy and repetitive way. EXID are known for doing these repetitive intros and choruses so it is not surprise that they incorporate one here, and it works great as it gives a sense of intensity as to what is to come next.
    0:18 - Hani's vocals are so present and warm, they're accompanied perfectly with the background composition and the flow is fantastic. I love the coldness of her voice complimenting the 80's theme of the song.
    0:35 - The transition from Hani's verse to LE's rapping is amazing, it goes from this low and dark composition followed by a synth to turn the beat from warm & seductive to urban & hip, the beat picks up an octave along with the introduction of the cowbell. The kickdrums appear to have a lot more echo and body about them as well especially with LE's subvocals and echo effect underneath her vocals. LE's voice is naturally sexy and having double her vocals and a high-end beat is a great combination.
    0:53 - Hyelin's vocals are amazingly presented here with the exponentionally higher-toned background composition with now super bubbly sparkly tones contrasted by the low-end bass, this is truly something I would associate with 80's disco. Hyelin's voice here sounds so beautiful and fits the composition so well.
    1:00 - Solji's vocals are equally as beautiful as Hyelin's, the composition remains the same which emphasises the differences in their voices and focuses the listener on their own voices instead of the composition, which is difficult to pull off given the 80's influence and the emphasis on the poppy instrumentals, but they do it perfectly, especially when they have such trained vocals and singing. I also love how Solji's high notes are in perfect timing with the times in the instrumental where the synth reaches its apex. Great compositional design.
    1:11 - I once again absolutely love how Solji's "I love you" lines are perfectly harmonised with the instrumentals, it adds body and elevates her already-stellar vocals so much and I love that. In fact, the remainder of the chorus also gives the members perfectly in-time synth elevations. I love this compositional choice and it really gives a retro 80's vibe.
    1:44 - This simple kickdrum and synth combination to go with Hani's cold yet seductive whispery vocals is great, the vocals have a nice reverb around them and gives full attention towards her amazing vocal performance.
    1:52 - LE's rapping comes in again and it's once again fantastic, her high notes are complimented by a vibrant echo which gives her voice some body and elevates her song above the composition, contributing to the vibe of the song.
    2:01 - Similarly to the first verse, there's not a lot that's going on composition-wise, but Jeonghwa's vocals are amazingly vibrant and complimented by an echo effect, same applies to Hani's vocals later in the verse with her once again sexy whispery voice.
    2:44 - This is where the song reaches its climax and its a happy one, the chorus' amazing hook combined with Solji's adlibs finish the song off so perfectly. What a great ending to an amazing song.
     

     
    This is easily going into my top K-pop songs of 2018. The song is rich with talented vocals, amazing instrumentals, and even better composition and producer choices. Hyelin and Solji's vocals compliment each other perfectly, LE's rapping is as usual on point and elevated by the quicker tempo of the instrumentals, and Hani's luxurious vocals were a gift to the ears.
    If nobody had told me (and mostly because I was born in '00) I would have never guessed this was a 2018 song, the song screams a time before EDM and productions heavily favoring electronics rather than raw vocal power and of course synths.
     
    I love that EXID are not afraid to break boundaries of what music should sound like, or conform to the usual bubbly songs found in mainstream K-pop. EXID's I Love You is a perfect example of how music can be expressed by anyone and not locked down to a particular theme, pattern, or genre. This retro song is truly a work of art and the girls have done a fantastic job in making it.
  18. jiyeon
    Cherry Bullet is a new-generation girl group under FNC entertainment, who house artists like AOA and FT Island. Their debut album 'Let's Play: Cherry Bullet' features their titular track 'Q&A' which FNC hopes can encapsulate the public in their cuteness. Cherry Bullet's concept is video games hence the abundance of pixels, 8-bit icons, and sound effects in their music videos, and obviously their music.
     
    Today I'll be listening to Q&A alone, but the entire album also has two other tracks on it which I wasn't particularly interested in, and decided to focus on Q&A on its own as I have much to talk about.
     

     
    0:02 - I love the 'Q1... Q2... Q3... Q4' adlib in the back to give the main vocal some body and not have the composition be so flat, as the instrumentals are very muted so far.
    0:18 - Vocal explosion, there's so much natural reverb and echo in the high notes and it's amazing to hear, it's a good contrast from the bland and subdued tone of the intro.
    0:26 - I love that the adlibs continue with the earlier rhythm but this time with a lot more happening in the instrumentals to really amp up the volume and energy.
    0:34 - This pre-chorus has a cheerleader vibe to it, I also love that they continue with the harmonized adlibs and also keep those subdued instrumentals, it emphasises the sweet and bubbly voices of the girls singing.
    0:43 - There is the explosion of pop and color I was anticipating. There's so much rich vibrant airy sparkly instrumentals combined with the sweet and innocent vocals from the girls which is an awesome contrast to the suppressed and shy composition of the first verse.
    0:59 - I love this little "dadadada" bit as it's very catchy and easy to sing along to, it's a memorable note in this extended chorus.
    1:16 - I like that this second verse resembles the first verse's composition but this time with more energy happening in the actual lyricism and the vocals. Where the first verse built up the hype and energy slowly, this second verse is more soulful and heartfelt singing yet stil combined with that subtle and smooth instrumental.
    1:40 - I love the choice to put another member do this chorus. It catches the listener off guard because you typically expect the same person to do the chorus but they chose to make another member sing to spice the second chorus up and prevent it from being too stale and repetitive, even though the song itself is admittedly very catchy.
    2:14 - This bridge is nice and calming compared to the heavy hitting bubbly vibes from the earlier verse and the choruses which is nice as it showcases the vocal ability of the girls, and also gives us the listeners some breathing room so we're not too choked in the cuteness of it. I also love the use of reverb to realy give the vocals some body and heart to make the singing here feel very wide and open to give this bridge an airy feel.
    2:30 - Again with the cheerleader vibes, this is such a preppy and prominent bridge because of the harmonisation from the girls, they're all in sync and the instrumental dips are even synced up with the ends of the girls' lyrics to give the vocals some more impact and punch.
    2:47 - This final chorus is so great as it has all the cuteness and bubbliness from the previous choruses with the addition of some minor adlibs from the girls just to spice up this final chorus hit one last time.
     

     
    I absolutely love this debut song. Q&A is so bubbly, cute, and fun which is exactly what I'm into, so Cherry Bullet's debut song is right up my alley. I love the chord progression in the song with how stable the energy buildup is. The vocal ability of the girls is so great too, I love how talented their voices are yet they're all still very youthful.
     
    I'll definitely be following this group if their song concepts follow the some formula as Q&A, it's a mix of their concept style and their feminine and pure voices that makes me enjoy their music. Especially with the sparkly and vibrant instrumentals to add to the already shiny and bubbly composition.
  19. jiyeon
    Olivia Hye of LOONA is the youngest member of the 12-member girlgroup, born in 2001, and being a trainee for only a reported single day before debuting in LOONA (or technically getting selected, LOONA did not 'debut' until after the individual promotions).
     
    Olivia Hye got her chance to take the spotlight with her turn at the microphone, with the 2018 single 'Egoist' inside the 'Olivia Hye' album under LOONA's name. Yeah, it's kind of confusing but that's how LOONA's timeline worked, these individual member releases were not considered part of the official debut for the group.
     
    Today I'll be listeing to Olivia's single 'Egoist' and dissecting the composition, her vocals, and most importantly what I like about the song.
     

     
    0:00 - I already love how airy and roomy the composition is already, one-note piano keys echo and bounce around the air to give a pure and refreshing start to the song, as well as some mystery about what the song has to present.
    0:10 - Olivia's vocals are also airy and tranquil especially since the already spacious instrumental is still continuing on. Olivia's vocals are also on point her low tone and whispery singing here. I also love the subtle kicks in the back to convey the rhythm of the song whilst the rest of the composition does their thing.
    0:30 - The whole composition picks up here very suddenly, going from a mellow, calm, and dreamy vibe to an immediate uproar of heavy and punchy instrumentals, and the atmosphere is even more elevated by the rise in octave by Olivia, she is now singing in a regular tone and not in a whispery manner anymore.
    0:39 - I love the gentle "oooooh" subvocal in the background to compliment Olivia's sharp and descending vocals to pitch the vibe of the song down.
    0:51 - Olivia's vocals really convey how excellent they are here. The instrumentals pick up another notch as well as Olivia's tone. I love the ascension in the instrumental when Olivia also raises her tone just after the drop to the chorus.
    0:56 - It's very faint, but there is a subvocal from Olivia a few octaves lower than the main vocal which is giving the main vocal sample body and elevating her vocals.
    1:12 - This post-chorus bears a lot of resemblance to the intro and first chorus, it's very airy and roomy, especially since Olivia's vocals have kept that reverb and echo effect throughout the song so far.
    1:34 - This part caught me off guard. Throughout the song so far, I got this dreamy and drowsy vibe given how spacious and airy the song is, but this electronic drop is something else. It's like the previously-subdued instrumentals are exploding and roaring out here.
    1:51 - Jinsoul enters here with a rap which I found uncoventional but it works as a contrast to prevent the song from being too linear. I like this switchup with the dirty and rough vocals from Jinsoul combined with the bassy and punchy instrumentals.
    2:11 - This section of the song comes back to the more upbeat and highkey composition which is a great transition from Jinsoul's part and also keeps the song energetic for the upcoming chorus.
    2:32 - The rise and lows of Olivia's voice are truly the gripping parts of the chorus especially given the evident stings from the instrumental which follow Olivia's vocal tones.
    2:52 - I like that the bridge comes back to the intro's simple and dreamy instrumental. What makes this part even more roomy and airy is Olivia's vocals have reverb and echo, as well as the faint subvocals that promote even more room and space.
    3:17 - One last chorus to finish it off is fantastically done. The chorus has been transitioned from either a) a mellow and dreamy verse, b) energetic and exciting. Here we see a repeat of the dreamy and sleepy vibes from the first verse which is a nice callback to the song's atmosphere and keeps that mystertious and dreamy vibe that the song has retained throughout the song. It's so pleasurable.
     

     
    This song is so pleasurable to listen to. The whole song throughout excluding Jinsoul's part is airy and echoey, which gives this expanded and atmospheric vibe which naturally makes the composition more spacious and sound so fresh and wwide. Olivia's youthful and soft vocals also help this vibe especially given her vocals throughout the song have a reverb and echo effect on them. That's not even mentioning the lower subvocals that even further give the composition room and body.
    Jinsoul's rap broke up the composition surprisingly well, without her rap, the song in my opinion would've sounded linear, but the addition of Jinsoul's part keeps the song from being too boring and forgettable by inserting a changeup in tone and style.
     
    Credit has to be given to Olivia, she is the youngest member of Olivia, born in 2001, and already has stellar vocal ability. Giving an idol that is under 19 a solo single, is a risky tactic, but it worked fantastic. Olivia's voice perfectly fit the instrumental tone, the verses had high tones to compliment Olivia's vocals, and when the chorus drops, the instrumental picks up a bit along with Olivia's voice. That is amazing composition design.
     
    Overall, I absolutely love this single, the composition is what makes the song so great, the uniformity between the vocals and the instrumentals is amazing.
  20. jiyeon

    True Damage - GIANTS

    By jiyeon,

    True Damage are a new, virtual hip-hop group created by Riot Games derived from the game League of Legends. The group features artists Duckwrth, Thutmose, Becky G, Keke Palmer, and Soyeon from (G)I-DLE, the last of which also featured in Riot Games' virtual K-pop group K/DA, also playing Akali.
     
    As a fan fo K/DA and vibing with POP/STARS, I was very interested in True Damage when they were announced. I honestly had thought True Damage would've been similar to K/DA, but True Damage turned out to be featuring a hip-hop concept as conveyed by the characters' skins. The annoucements of artists like Becky G and Soyeon from (G)I-DLE caught me off guard as I immediately thought "There's no way they could do something similar to POP/STARS with this lineup."
     
    Of course, I knew I had to get on the Riot Games train of virtual groups, so today I'll be listening to True Damage's 'GIANTS' and talking about the composition, instrumentals, vocals, as well as parts that I like throughout the song.
     

     
    0:06 - Such an earthy and heavy bass 'wub' to start things off to give a very urban vibe about this song so far.
    0:12 - The same earthy and deep bass is awesome and accompanies the raspy yet contrasting tone of Thutmose, I'm loving his flow in this rap segment.
    0:25 - The bass seems to have picked up a notch here as well as Thutmose elevating his tone a bit higher too, I like the hype his rap generates.
    0:31 - I absolutely love that autotune, it's used perfectly to give his voice some switchup and body to keep his rap from being too bland and linear.
    0:37 - The earthy bass has been swapped for an airy and breathy windy lowend with Becky G's vocals kicking in. It's a nice contrast from the urban and masculine atmosphere from Thutmose's verse to this serene and gracious pre-chorus.
    0:49 - The chorus is banging, there's now a breathy and earthy bass instrumental to go with the vocals of Keke Palmer, her naturally mature and powerful vocal tone goes well with the instrumental which is around the same octave range, which creates a nice flow between the initial chorus with Thutmose and his urban and deep tone, and Becky G's sexy and airy tone, and here with the powerful vocals from Keke Palmer. Awesome chorus.
    1:05 - Becky G enters back in with the same vibe as Thutmose's verse, the earthy and deep bass returns but this time matched with Becky G's sexy vocals for a nice contrast between Becky G and Thutmose's verses to keep the two verses from being too similar, and to keep the song interesting.
    1:17 - Soyeon comes in with a vibe similar to Keke Palmer just now, they two share similar vocal tones but the difference here is that Soyeon has a slightly faster tempo in terms of her rap compared to Becky G who was very modest and calm in her pacing.
    1:35 - What I like about this pre-chorus is that there is some slight subvocals in the (they won't) to keep the pre-chorus from being a repeat of the first pre-chorus and to keep the airy and open atmosphere of the song.
    1:53 - I like that this second chorus prevents itself from being a copy of the first chorus by continuing on into an extension, this is awesome as I really expected it to go back to the "Sleeping giants, sleeping sleeping giants" but I love that the chorus continued along and kept the vibes going.
    2:12 - Huge turn in tempo of the song, it's very low-key and hip-hoppy from Duckwrth, even his vocals/rap is very slow and calm, which is a huge mixup from the previous vibes from the song being very airy, deep, and mysterious. I like this bridge as it keeps the song from being too in-your-face with the bass as well as giving the listener some breathing room to take a break from the heavy and deep bass that has bee prevelant throughout the song.
    2:40 - Keke's adlib "OOOOOH" is awesome. No other way around that, that was an awesome transition into the final chorus of the song. One last punchy, deep, bassy chorus to finish the song off after being teased with that lowkey and slow bridge.
     

     
    I really loved this collaboration. Everybody's voices throughout the song were recognisable in their own unique way, such as Becky G's sexy and seductive feminine voice, Soyeon's dominant and powerful voice, and Thutmose's urban and dark tone, they all blend together well in the composition of the song. Especially given how much I was hesitant about how all these artists' chemistry would work, but they all absolutely worked together and I love that.
     
    I absolutely love the dark, earthy, and deep bass that goes throughout the song, it really encapsulates the hip-hop and urban vibe that True Damage are going for, it's awesome. I love how dirty and deep the bass is, and I'm not usually one for bass. I think given that I'm using my FiiO FH5 in-ear monitors to play this song is why I enjoy all the low-end that this song offers.
     
    Do I like GIANTS more than K/DA's POP/STARS? I wouldn't say yes, but I wouldn't say no either. Both groups are unique in their own right, but GIANTS has a more interesting composition and arguably a more powerful chorus, the bass is so powerful and triumphant, and the transitions between verses, choruses, and especially that amazing bridge makes GIANTS a wonderfully-created song. I still haven't gotten over that extended chorus, it continues on the urban and dark vibe of the song and it's probably my favorite part of the entire song for just how powerful it makes the song sound.
     
    Just like K/DA, I would absolutely love more music from True Damage. Please Riot, please, I need more of GIANTS.
  21. jiyeon

    Ace of Angels - New Moon

    By jiyeon,

    AOA's latest EP, New Moon, released November 2019, has officially come out, and having bene a long-time fan of AOA for the latter part of my life, I am extremely excited to check it out.
    This time around, AOA has 5 members with the departure of Kwon Mina, but if their Mnet Queendom appearance taught us anything, it's that AOA can slay the entire K-pop industry no matter how many members leave. Their title sing Come See Me has been highly anticipated, so I will be sharing my thoughts on not just the title, but also the entire album's array of songs.
     

    0:00 - Immediately the song opens up nicely with a melodic guitar melody with echoing finger snaps and a mild kickdrum. Jimin's vocals are forward and echoing too. 0:20 - The girls' vocals are amazingly clear and given body with the low undertone beneath their vocals an octave lower than what they are singing. This vocal performance accompanied by the extended guitar melody make for a great first verse. 1:00 - The girls' vocals are once again center-stage as the instrumentals enhance the mids and highs in the song's composition. I especially like that the background instrumentals follow the vocal's raise and low in pitch to give the vocals some more flow and enhance the change in pitch. 1:32 - This second verse's composition is more or less derived from the first verse, only this time with a kickdrum to further accentuate the atmosphere and give Jimin's rap even more body and speed, upping the tempo. I love the flow of the second verse. 2:32 - This half-time bridge is amazingly clear and the subbass is full of vibrance and warmth. The girls' vocals here take center-stage and give the bridge lots of body and soul, especially with the instrumentals underneath the vocals elevating the vocals even higher than the low, subbass floor. 2:50 - A very simple clap and vocal bridge climax here to focus the listener on the excellent vocal ability of the girls. The slow buildup also leads to a dramatic final chorus which re-introduces the base composition of the first chorus combined with the second chorus to end on a high note.
    0:00 - The simple whistling is a melodic base combined with the stark dirty electric guitar. 0:20 - The vocals are the main focus here with a very bass pluck, guitar, and the repeat of the whistling from before. 0:49 - The half-time here also focuses on the excellent vocal abilities of the girls as well, letting the listener appreciate the vocals that much more as there is such a simple composition. 1:15 - The vocals here are accompanied by the return of that electric guitar with the kickdrum and whistling, making an awesome yet simple beat. 2:27 - The electric guitar here is subdued to allow the vocals to come forward that bit better, and I love how simple the composition is for the song whilst also keeping that repetitive catchy whistling in the background.
    0:07 - The simple guitar plucking combined with the traditional kickdrum accompanying the soft vocals is a great, seductive start to the song. 0:38 - The introduction of an additional guitar to add to the composition is great as it gives the song some more body whilst still keeping the focus on the amazing, sexy vocals. 0:54 - The amazing, high harmonies of the girls combined with that rhythmic background composition makes for an awesome jazz beat. The echo in the high notes makes for some amazingly wide sound staging too despite them only singing in a high tone. 2:32 - The muted background composition here with the vocals allows the listener to really take in the amazing vocal ability of the girls. I love this part so much because it puts so much emphasis on their talent.
    0:13 - That hard drum beat combined with their vocals is a nice, jazzy start to the song. 0:47 - The jazzy instrumental in the background combined with the girls' vocals is a head-rocker for sure. The background composition isn't busy enough to be muddled but still manages to keep the girls' vocals far forward. 2:20 - The soft "oooooh" sounds in the lower parts of the composition really elevate the girls' vocals and gives their vocals some body to enhance their vocals. The song otherwise has a very flat, low background profile.
     
    As a whole, the EP really impressed me. I particularly enjoyed Come See Me and Ninety Nine. Come See Me had those Latin vibes that I am honestly so weak for in Korean pop. The Latin-inspired guitar melody really enhanced the body of the song. Their vocals were out of this world.
    Ninety Nine stood out to me a lot thanks to that catchy composition combined with the alluring vocals of the girls. It's a nice, jazzy, seductive song.
    This album is a great return for AOA, Come See Me is an amazing song and part of an amazing album.
  22. jiyeon

    fromis_9 - Glass Shoes

    By jiyeon,

    fromis_9 are a 9-member girlgroup formed through the 2017 reality show 'Idol School', with the name 'fromis_9' meaning 'from Idol School 9'. Today I'll be taking a listen to their pre-debut single 'Glass Shoes' which aims to project them into the hallyu wave, with a soulful and pure schoolgirl vibe, similar to that of earlier Gfriend works.
     
    Being a fan of girlgroups and especially ones with bubbly and sweet tones, I anticipate Glass Shoes will meet my expectations and be a song I'll enjoy for years to come.
     

     
    0:02 - The song begins with a very innocent and pure instrumental coupled with the '빙글빙글' vocal harmonies from the girls, hinting at a pure and girly concept.
    0:13 - I love how simple the instrumental here is, the instrumental isn't too busy or crowded but enough to maintain the bubbly energy the intro presented. The drum and the electric guitar give the song a sort of rock type of feel which elegantly contrasts with the sweet vocals and bubbly highs of the instrumentals.
    0:28 - I love how the instrumental dips match the '생각하는 찰 나 에' to give the vocals some more pattern and rhythm about them.
    0:37 - The chorus definitely inherits the rocky punky instrumentals from the first verse and it strangely works despite the pure and innocent vocal image. There's also a really low electric guitar tenudo below the entire composition which elevates the highs of the vocals even more, nice touch.
    0:49 - I love how the instrumentals again match the rise and dips of the vocals to unify the vocals and the instrumentals to create a consistent and rhythmic composition.
    1:00 - The turn back to the intro's soothing and innocent melody is a nice touch as it gives the listener a break from the sugar and bubbly nature of the chorus.
    1:11 - This second verse has quite a subdued instrumental coupled with pure and sweet vocals, and begins to work its way back up as the second verse gets deeper into the pre-chorus.
    1:36 - I love how innocent and pure the vocals sound, fromis_9 always has this cuteness about them and this particular chorus is no exception.
    2:09 - This heartfelt and soulful bridge is accompanied by a mindful and soothing instrumental which I love as it showcases the raw vocal ability of the girls as well as taking a break from the bubbly vibe from the chorus and previous verses by giving us this soulful and relaxing bridge.
    2:33 - I anticipated this chorus to increase a key but it didn't seem to really change in volume or texture at all, it seems like a normal chorus with no added adlibs or anything which I love as finishes off with that same pure and innocent vibe that fromis_9 started off with in that first chorus. I also love that by not increasing the compositional tone or texture, that the song throughout has remained with a soulful and pure tone.
     

     
    I really love this song. The innocent and pure textures of the composition combined with the sweet and girly vocals of the girls. The song also has a heartfelt and peaceful vibe which I like as it promotes that girly and innocent vibe that fromis_9 are going for. Glass Shoes I find is similar to Gfriend's earlier works such as Fingertip and Rough, all three of those songs have pure and soulful vibes about them. Glass Shoes' chorus definitely has this purity and soul that creates an innocent image for fromis_9.
     
    Being a pre-debut, I think the song is meant to be a representation of who fromis_9 is going to be in later comebacks, and I personally think it worked, but like I mentioned before, it's very similar to Gfriend with the innocent schoolgirl aesthetic which wasn't entirely effective to make them stand out to me. The song is still very cute and pure to me and musically, I really liked it.
  23. jiyeon

    fromis_9 - Fun Factory

    By jiyeon,

    fromis_9 returns with their 2019 album 'Fun Factory' after riding off the success of last year's hit song Love Bomb. The title track 'FUN!' aims to be a bubbly and gleeful Summertime song to bring a cute and playful atmosphere, and who better to represent a bubbly Summer song than the innocent and pure girls of fromis_9!
     
    Having been a fan of fromis_9 since the explosion of cuteness from Love Bomb (no pun intended) I've been looking forward to see what fromis_9 come up with next, considering that their previous discography before Love Bomb was very schoolgirl-esque and mellow. Love Bomb blew their previous concept out of the water with a bubbly and unapologetically cute concept which was extremely well-received.
     
    Today I'll be listening to the entire Fun Factory EP and analysing each song, as well as sharing my opinion on each of the song's compositions and of course, the girls' vocal performances.
     

     
    0:02 - Nagyung's entrance is so flamboyant and bubbly especially combined with the chirpy instrumentals in the background. Her vocals also have a minor echo underneath which gives the composition room to breathe and give an effect of wide open space.
    0:08 - The "FUN!" chorus tagline is an immediate hook, it's so catchy and fun to hear "FUN!" from them all, the instrumentals have also picked up in tempo as well giving the song some speed and intensity
    0:16 - I love the introduction of some slight underlying bass as well as some heavier and busier background instrumentals to elevate the vocals of the girls who have naturally very girly and high range vocals.
    0:23 - Nagyung comes back for this first verse with her amazingly girly and high-pitched vocals to be accompanied by that catchy and bubbly instrumental in the back. Jiwon's part is no exception, with the ends of her lines ending in a graduating rise in octaves to match the pace of the instrumental.
    0:34 - It's so cute how Nagyung rhymed 'Ariana Grande' with 'geuronde', that is such great singing from Nagyung.
    0:40 - Gyuri's verse here is much slower and more elegant than the bubbly instrumentals in the earlier verses. There's a lot of body in the instrumental to give a pure, rich, open choir effect to enhance Gyuri's soft and gentle vocals. I love the contrast between Gyuri's elegant and soft verse compared to the speedy and sugary verses from earlier.
    0:56 - Right back into the sugary and bubbly chorus after the breathtaking break the listener was given by Gyuri's verse. I love how catchy the chorus is with the "FUN!" chant, it's so easily to sing along to.
    1:11 - Seoyeon enters the second verse with a rapping segment, the instrumentals in this section are almost the polar opposite to the verses where they were bubbly and sugary, with the highs replaced with now deep lows to compliment the urban nature of Seoyeon's rapping.
    1:19 - Hayoung's half-time part in this verse is a nice break and transition from Seoyeon's part similarly to Gyuri's pre-chorus.
    1:23 - Romsae's feisty and sexy voice if only for a few seconds totally infatuates me here, she perfectly transitions the song's tempo and atmosphere back into the sugary sweet vibe.
    1:49 - This time around it's Jisun to do the chorus, this time instead of the instrumental being open and airy, there is clapping going on to keep the fun (no pun intended) and speedy vibe going.
    1:46 - At this point, I don't know how anybody can even think about not singing the chorus, there is no way somebody listens to this song and doesn't scream "FUN!" at the top of their lungs to sing along with the girls.
    2:03 - As the song heads into the bridge, we get another pause in the sugary composition to breathe and make way for the bridge and finale. I love these short pauses as it gives us room to breathe after what we've heard so far but still leaves us hanging on for more of the same bubbly beat.
    2:19 - The instrumentals here are very subdued and muted to continue with the tempo break, and we're lead to anticipate the epic final chorus.
    2:26 - I love that this part is basically an acapella chorus to highlight the vocal ability of the girls since the chorus naturally had a busy and bubbly instrumental to go along with it which may have masked their singing slightly.
    2:33 - The next part of the chorus goes back to the normal upbeat and bubbly instrumental that the song is known for having, and is a fantastic finishing touch to the song.
     

     
    0:02 - This instrumental so far is very bubbly similar to the vibe I got from Fun!
    0:18 - Similarly to Fun!, Love Rumpumpum begins with a mellow and lowkey instrumental matched with beautiful instrumentals. In this song, there's a lot more focus on the girls' vocals.
    0:32 - The instrumental gets even more suppressed in this pre-chorus which gives the vocals some air and body, highlighting their amazing vocals.
    0:45 - This chorus definitely has the innocent and pure vibe from earlier fromis_9 discography, it's got a very pure and hearty instrumentals and with the girly and youthful vocals to match.
    1:07 - That subtle little echo in the 'Rumpumpum' is a nice airy vocal piece to give the song even more air and room.
    1:18 - The instrumentals have picked up a bit from the first verse which promotes the bubbly vibe of the song nicely.
    1:47 - At this point, I have "Love rumpumpum, love rumpumpum" stuck in my head, it's such a catchy little lyric.
    2:18 - The instrumental gets super basic here to give the listener a break from the sparkly tone of the instrumental before, and also to transition nicely into the final chorus.
    2:31 - One last catchy chorus to finish it off is great. I love how mellow the instrumental has been in comparison to Fun!
     

     
    0:05 - Definitely a ballad vibe here with the mellow instrumental combined with the soulful vocals.
    0:21 - The instrumental remains soft and simple here whilst the vocals also remain pure and innocent.
    0:44 - I love the extended piano notes to give an airy and soulful vibe to compliment the vocals.
    1:02 - Definitely a ballad, the vocals are so soulful and the instrumentals are so beautiful constructed and mended together. A beautiful composition.
    1:43 - The soulful vocals remain whilst the instrumentals have picked up slightly, particularly that piano. I love the steady increase in volume.
    2:25 - I love this part. It's so pure and raw. A few simple piano notes combined with soft and pillowy vocals.
    2:44 - I love the pause in instrumental just to accentuate the high note here, it's so beautiful and soulful.
    2:50 - This chorus is so beautiful. It's so soulful and heartfelt, especially since the instrumentals are so soft which highlights the vocals.
     

     
    Fun Factory is so amazing. Even though it's only 3 songs, every song stands on its merits, FUN! being the title and easily one of the best songs I've ever heard from fromis_9 to date, being so bubbly and chirpy, and with that contagious "FUN!" chant that is so easy to sing along to that you probably would do it involuntarily. Fun is such a fun song, no doubt about it. The vocals from all of the girls matched the instrumental so well to give a composition that is so sugary and bubbly. I also love the touch regarding the lowend bass during Seoyeon's part to give the urban and hiphop atmosphere during her verse, it was a nice touch.
     
    Love Rumpumpum reminded me a lot of fromis_9's earlier works with how pure and innocent the song sounded, the song was so sweet and innocent, and had the girly and youthful vocals to match. "Love rumpumpum, love rumpumpum" definitely got stuck in my head after the second chorus.
     
    As a whole, the album is amazing, and I will for sure remember Fun Factory as one of if not the best of fromis_9 albums.
  24. jiyeon

    Apink - One & Six

    By jiyeon,

    Apink returns with their 2018 album 'One & Six' and the title track 'I'm So Sick' also known as ' 1도 없어' officially. Apink aims to transition into a more mature and feminine concept over yesteryear's 'No No No' and 'Mr. Chu' hits.
    One & Six being one of Apink's more recent works at the time of review, the members have developed and grown their vocals and trained their singing to be top-notch over the years given that the group debuted all the way back in 2011.
     
    I have high hopes for this album and I'm anticipating this new mature and sexy concept from the girls. Today I'll be going through the entire One & Six album from start to finish, analysing the composition of the songs and reviewing what I like about each of the songs.
     
    For this particular album, I have acquired the 1200Kbps lossless FLAC versions of each of the songs, and will be playing them through foobar2000, so any timestamps displayed below will mirror the timestamps I am seeing for the official lossless file.
     

     
    0:03 - The song enters beautifully with a harmonising vocal accompanied by a gorgeous bright instrumental.
    0:19 - The same bubbly and bright instrumental accompanies Naeun's beautiful feathery vocals with the 1-2-1 1-2-1 1-2-1 singing to match the instrumentals, the subvocal with the (now I'm feeling) is crisp and clear and transitions the song nicely to Chorong's part, which also has a subvocal (i'm a liar) and the composition feels whole and bubbly in this part.
    0:34 - Namjoo's shrill and cold vocals match perfectly with the cold sting to transition into her part of the chorus. The composition also picks up from the low and shallow tone of Naeun and Chorong's previous part which is a nice, steady build-up. Hayoung's entrance is amazing, her soft and pillowy voice contrasts the cold and shrill tones of Namjoo's voice to make for a distinct composition.
    0:49 - Bomi takes the chorus here and her doll-like and chirpy voice steals the show, especially with the high and bubbly instrumentals in the background and accompanied by the low voice to elevate her voice even higher. Eunji's mature and husky vocals contrast Bomi's perfectly and again creates a clear distinction between two singers, excellent composition choice.
    1:05 - This harmonizing subvocal is a perfect breather to the amazing vocals of the girls, it's a simple (whoaa) and (na na na na na) to accompany the previous chorus' instrumentals, and is great for getting the listener ready for the next verse and to soak in what an amazing chorus we just heard.
    1:23 - Simlarly to the first verse, Naeun enters again with her pretty and feminine vocals and again with the same 1-2-1 1-2-1 1-2-1 singing which matches perfectly with the background instrumental. This is also true to Chorong's part of this second verse too, following that same rhythm.
    1:36 - The echoey and whispery (do you love me) from Naeun is a great wake-up moment to keep the second verse from being identical from the first verse, and is also a fantastic way to showcase Naeun's naturally feminine vocals as well as transition into the next part of the verse.
    1:39 - Namjoo enters once again with her amazingly distinct vocals to tell the listener exactly who's listening, and once again elevates the tempo and volume of the whole composition. This once again holds true to Hayoung's sexy and fluffy voice.
    1:54 - Honestly can't get enough of this chorus, hearing the first chorus had me hooked, but the build-up from the second verse slowly rising in volume and leading to another excellent chorus makes the song amazing. Bomi and Eunji contrasting in vocals whilst the instrumentals remain the same is a testament to how amazing and refined each of the vocalist's singing is.
    2:25 - The song takes a compositional break here and lowers the volume and tempo of the song to create a soulful and plentiful bridge with Chorong and Eunji's elegant and mindful vocals. The latter half of Eunji's part of this bridge also picks up a bit which anticipates a grand finale.
    2:42 - One final chorus to finish it all off is how this song deserves to finish, especially with the final touch of adlib vocals in the back to give the chorus even more soul and body than the previous two.
     

     
    0:10 - I love the introduction of the low-end bass to balance out the unapologetically high notes from the beginning.
    0:16 - Interesting composition here retains the jingle from the start and Chorong enters with her angelic vocals. The kickdrums start to pick up when Hayoung enters.
    0:49 - I love the mix of the highs and lows in the composition combined with the highs of the feminine vocals here.
    1:08 - This is a very casual song in the sense that the composition isn't too loud and noisy, yet the song retains enough of a composition to be able to elevate the vocals of the girls.
    1:25 - Interesting choice here to have the second verse have a nearly on-par background instrumental volume and punch as the chorus, which directly contrasts the first verse which was deceptively mellow. The kickdrums and clapping are very pronounced here.
    2:00 - This chorus is also about on-par composition volume-wise as the first chorus as well as the second verse. It's a great compositional choice to have the song steadily rise in volume and soul.
    2:40 - Eunji's vocals being left to rise as the background instrumentals halt is an amazing display of vocal ability from Eunji, I love this choice in compositional awareness.
     

     
    0:08 - Really quite an interesting compositional choice here with the reversed instrumentals combined with echoey vocals from the girls. This verse has a very jazzy vibe about it.
    0:50 - Eunji's warm and motherly vocals are a perfect match for the jazzy and soulful vibe here, her vocals are amazingly presented and the composition is still lowkey and shallow to allow her voice to shine through and take center-stage.
    1:24 - I love the half-time here to elevate the vocals a bit and allow the listener to vibe out with the amazing singing, especially since the instrumentals are still lowkey.
    3:02 - I love that the instrumentals drop a tiny bit to allow this final chorus to really be emphasised especially in the vocals department.
     

     
    0:08 - The song starts off in an almost ballad-like approach with soft velvety vocals accompanied by a mellow piano melody. The introduction of the guitar re-inforced a soulful type fo song here.
    0:34 - Definitely a ballad. There's so much soul and heart going into these vocals, and especially when joined by an amazing array of instrumentals to elevate the calm atmosphere of the song. So very beautiful in every way in the composition.
    0:54 - I am so in love with the "I wish forever star" and how echoey and soulful the singing is as it raises an octave along with the instrumentals. So soulful.
    2:19 - This beautiful guitar bridge is a great display of vocals and also contrasts the previous instrumentals before it, creating a distinct composition here.
     

     
    0:15 - This is a fairly up-tempo and heroic instrumental to begin with, especially with the soft vocals to accompany them.
    0:33 - I love the 1-1-3 1-1-3 tempo of the singing here as it matches the instrumentals that are ever so slightly picked up from the beginning.
    0:52 - This is quite a funky and poppy instrumental here contrasted with the earlier linear instrumentals. The vocals are also great here, getting their body and soul from the busy instrumental.
    1:33 - The way the instrumentals pick up here to match the vocals beyond Chorong's shy and motherly vocals here is a nice contrast to distinguish who is singing and is great to build up for the next chorus.
    2:35 - This bridge has quite a teenage group vibe about it with the low piano and the harsh drums combined with soft and ballady vocals.
    2:54 - I love how this final chorus starts off with nothing and immediately comes back in with the instrumentals to end with an epic finale with the adlibs on this chorus.
     

     
    0:17 - This is quite a funky and disco beat from this verse, there isn't too much happening in the instrumentals which promotes the vocal ability and makes the singing more forward.
    0:46 - Definitely a disco feel, it sounds very retro and early 2000's with how jazzy and upbeat the instrumentals are. The vocals match the instruments well.
    1:46 - Same kind of feel from the chorus, not too much change-up which is good for keeping the song on the same vibe and feel.
    2:09 - This EDM bridge is an interesting voice and further re-inforces the disco feel of the song as a whole, this song is so upbeat and clubby.
    2:49 - Probably the loudest the song has gotten, it finishes off strong with an upbeat and linear build-up from the initial first verse.
     

     
    I absolutely love the direction Apink have gone with this one. All the songs sound very mature and feminine, and steering slightly away from their older stuff. I'm So Sick is an amazing title track and sets the scene for what Apink have planned in the future. The compositional choices of the song allow distinct and clear separation between each member's vocals and it's so great in showing who is singing and showing that the song shines using all six of the members, which I guess is why the album is named 'One & Six'.
    I like the ballad 'Forever Star' as well as it's a fantastic display of raw vocal talent from the girls, the instrumental choices perfectly accompany what amazing vocals Apink have, it was a great choice to have a ballad that is different from their previous works into an album as great as this one.
     
    I'm So Sick is and will probably always be one of my favorite songs of all time, it's so perfect in every way, and I truly believe it's down to the fact that Apink have the stellar vocals to carry the song's momentum, and how perfectly each member contrasts each other's voices to create a distinct and well-structured finished product. The composition is bubbly and sparkly, and shows their sexy and mature side which is in stark contrast to their previous work as mentioned before.
  25. jiyeon

    SuperM - SuperM

    By jiyeon,

    Dubbed 'The Avengers of K-Pop', the Korean pop SuperM is a group comprised of SM's current greatest male vocalists, rappers, and dancers. The group has made their official debut with the release of their self-titled album 'SuperM' with the title 'Jopping' which is described as jumping & popping.
     
    I find it cool that SM has decided to create a super group with all the elements of the individual groups together into one. I believe this is for North American success projection, but only time will tell. Jopping has been described as exactly what a North American consumer would be interested in, featuring a lot of English lyrics, as well as focusing on the members' abilities themselves as singers, rappers, and dancers.
     
    I'll be listening to the full album and reviewing each song individually to highlight the strong points that I find in each of the songs.
     

     
    0:10 - Right off the bat, the epic anthem-like instrumental with the hard-hitting brass with the clapping is an amazing motivator and grasp into the song. Harmonise that with the amazing chant from the members with the rich sub-vocals and it makes for a striking intro.
    0:32 - This low-end hip-hop-like flow is nicely detailed and controls the tempo of the song nicely. It's a great head-bopper. The vocals have a distant echo effect which creates a sense of space and room to really volumise and resonate the low-end in the instrumentals.
    0:48 - I like that they keep that hip-hop beat when Taehyong enters with his rapping, his rapping is no accompanied by any sort of subvocal which is nice as it lets his vocals speak for themselves. Mark's latter half of the first verse is similar in giving his vocals the spotlight with no extra frills.
    1:05 - Here there are nice, echoey subvocals from Kai with the (paraglide) (pair of slides) (paradise) (better life) and it makes his vocals so fluid and roomy, the highs in his husky voice naturally contrast with that consistent instrumental background.
    1:21 - Baekyun's naturally feminine tones in his voice contrast nicely with that background instrumental and also share the same no-strings-attached vocal as the earlier part of the first verse did which is great in showcasing his vocal ability.
    1:28 - Taemin's entry with his low pillowtalk tone is a great change of flavour from the previous members' lines earlier in the first verse, whilst still sharing the same composition. I absolutely love how great this song is at showcasing their vocals and individual prowess.
    2:06 - I love that despite the song's inherent confusion over where the main chorus is, it still flows into a verse after the initial second chorus. Mark Lee's rapping here is exceptionally deep and punchy especially when paired with the returning hip-hop instrumental. The echoey subvocals have the same traits as Kai's earlier verse too. Taemin returns here too with his masculine whispery vocals and it's a fantastic contrast in mood to Mark Lee's dark and mysterious rapping.
    2:37 - The chorus is here once again for a third time and I love how it's naturally a connector between the second verse and the bridge to properly transition from the deep and masculine vibe of the verses and the upcoming bridge which I anticipate is going to take the tempo down a notch.
    2:54 - There's a faint humming in the background to once again give the atmosphere some body and room, and the vocals of Taemin and Baekyun here are the pinnacle of the vocal ability of SuperM. I love the change in tempo and pace in this section to set up an epic finale.
    3:16 - This chorus sounds epic. The subvocals and the high notes of Baekyun are amazingly well detailed and make for the most hyped chorus I've heard in a long time.
     

     
    0:12 - The heavy and punchy drum is so echoey and deep, especially when combined with the higher tones of the vocalists. This has a similar styling to Jopping so far.
    0:48 - This section really reminds me of Exo's earlier work with the heavy bias towards EDM-like instrumentals and the vocals being overly-worked.
    0:58 - Wow, the high vocals really pop especially since there is a swift transition from punchy drums to this dreamy instrumental.
    1:22 - The drum returns and the vocals also make their return with little echo effect, once again very similar to Jopping's style of composition.
    2:27 - This almost half-time section sounds very primal and animalistic with the drums being far deeper than before, and the vocals being forward.
     

     
    0:12 - This is a nice mellow beginning with the whispery vocals, it makes for a calm and airy atmosphere.
    0:59 - I love the echoey vocals of the members here, the calm instrumental background is also a nice touch too as it retains it low noise floor.
    1:36 - I particularly love this bit for the echoey vocals that return with the vibrant and roomy tones.
    1:56 - This change of pacing in the bridge is a great opportunity to showcase the vocals of the members and emphasise them with the whispery cloudy subvocals.
    2:30 - I like that the chorus seems to pick up the tempo a bit and also increase the instrumental volume a bit along with it. The echoey vocals combined with the subvocal adlibs make for a nice finale.
     

     
    0:06 - There's a very distinct futuristic and EDM-like background instrumental to go along with the amazing vocals here. A very different change from the previous songs in the album.
    0:43 - The 'Vroom' drop was simply epic. I noticed that the instrumental was let loose and became punchy and deep, with the vocals also coming alive, almost chant-like.
    1:18 - Similarly to the intro and first verse, this has the low notes of the instrumental with the simplistic vocal stylings.
    1:51 - I absolutely love the transition from the calm and shy instrumental from the verses to the absolutely dirty and nasty composition of the choruses.
    2:20 - If there was any proof that this is an EDM-style song, this is it. A bridge that encorporates an EDM beat and very raw and edgy vocals.
     

     
    0:20 - This is quite a calm and lowkey song, at least from the beginning. A simple echoey choir-like vocal composition with an even simpler 4-chord piece in the background. The entrance of the bass gives some body to the composition and creates a dark sound.
    0:54 - Similar to the first verse, there's an eerily-harmonic vocal composition with that noir-like instrumental composition.
    2:00 - This is probably the one point in the song where vocals pick up a notch. The rest of the song so far has been whispery and shy vocals with an even darker and muted instrumental composition.
     

     
    Going to be honest, I was only really hooked to Jopping. The rest of the songs did not seem very interesting nor prominent as Jopping was. Jopping simply one-upped every other song on the album. The album's songs all have the same hip-hop style about them, but Jopping does these the best, in my opinion.
     
    Jopping is simply put, an amazing dance track as it encorporates plenty of instrumental choices to get the listener hyped up. The brass is an amazing choice as it gives a royal and suspenseful vibe around the song. The bass is extremely evident in the Spotify 320kbps version and it makes the song so punchy and deep. Additionally, since that instrumental persists throughout the whole song, it's super easily to get into the flow and vibe with the song.
    To touch on the vocals and not specifically just in Jopping, I know the members very well so I was able to tell which members sang what parts. But to those uninitiated in Korean pop, I absolutely love that each of the members have their own specific flavour of vocal styles so there's an abundance of energy and character around the songs.
     
    As an album, it's not necessarily my thing to listen to, but Jopping as a song I will easily oblige to listen to. It's an amazing song with an amazing composition, and perfected by the unique and charismatic vocals of all the members.
×