TXT Gets Spooky In “Can’t You See Me” MV
BigHit rookies TXT continued their Dream Chapter series with the mini-album The Dream Chapter: Eternity.
Review: (daebakwhovian) With all that they have accomplished and the amount of hype each comeback gets, it’s hard to remember that TXT is technically a rookie group, debuting last year in March. Despite the huge expectations for BigHit’s next group following BTS’ global success, TXT continues to stand apart from the crowd with their unique vocal styles and versatility. This album continues their experimentation with different genres, constantly keeping listeners on their toes and at times switching the vibe of the song mid-track. Meant to represent the feelings of “teenagers who run into the reality that faces them”, this mini-album definitely features a darker, heavier, and more unexpected side of the young group. While the fun, upbeat “Drama” and the jazz-funk inspired “Fairy of Shampoo” seem more expected for a group whose average age is 18, the group’s vocals are highlighted in their plea to not be given up on in “Maze in the Mirror”. (Fun fact: “Shampoo Fairy” is a remake that many idols have covered. For a totally different vibe, check out Mamamoo Hwasa’s cover here.) The lead track “Can’t You See Me” uses a great mix of pop, EDM, and adolescent angst. Although I don’t usually get too deep into the lore of groups (especially not BigHit groups because we’d be here forever), I love how eerie the music video is; the light tempo and flawlessly performed team choreo contrasting with the isolating lyrics and increasingly disturbing images of blood-red and fire shown on-screen. Overall: Angsty, dark, and unexpected, TXT continues to show their talent despite being rookies on The Dream Chapter: Eternity.
Review (Kpopcorn): “Can’t You See Me” is a refreshing summer song. The melodies are haunting yet playful and whimsical. I hate comparing them to BTS, but the similarities in their vocals and choreography is hard to miss. I like the concept change in the middle of the MV. Is this an indication that TXT will be transitioning into more mature concepts as they get older? With an addictive hook, and pleasant beat changes throughout, “Can’t You See Me” will definitely be on repeat this summer.
NCT 127 “Punch” MV
NCT 127 released their repackaged album “Neo Zone: The Final Round” with lead single “Punch”.
Review (daebakwhovian): So I’m just going to rip off the band-aid quickly and put it out there; “Punch” was a bit underwhelming for me. That being said, I don’t think that it’s necessarily a bad song. I actually like the elements in it: the in-your-face electronic backing that matches the video game concept teasers, the beat drops, the really nice jackets they’re wearing- they just didn’t work for me all together for this song. I’m not a fan of the whispered rap parts and the lack of a easy-to-remember chorus line. It’s very loud, which makes a statement at the expense of letting us focus on the group’s vocals and rap. There are parts that I think really work well too, like the melody in the pre-chorus and the brass riff that introduces the dance break. I also think that I might have had a bit too high of expectations, the downside of SM’s mega-publicity and hype machines. Or it might be that I simply enjoyed some of the B-tracks more. “Nonstop” is the song that I’m most likely to replay from the new content on this repackage, although I admit it’s not as attention-grabbing as the lead single. And I was blown-away by the vocals on the unexpected but sweet “Make Your Day”. I applaud NCT 127 for always being willing to try something different, even if it’s not always my favorite. I also think “Punch” is one of those songs that become more likeable as you listen with the choreography, where NCT 127 never disappoints. Overall: “Punch” is unique and attention-grabbing, but doesn’t show NCT 127’s talents.
Review (kpopcorn): There is a lot going on in “Punch”. Perhaps this is not my favorite NCT 127 title track. The hook doesn’t really stand out enough for me, so the song feels like one singular long chorus. The opening lines and pre-chorus come out with so much energy and “punch.” When we get to the true chorus eventually, I’m unsure whether this is finally the chorus or not. The members are competing with the beat and visuals throughout the song. Personally, I would have preferred fewer sound effects and electronic instrumentals and more focus on the member’s individual talents. NCT are very talented rappers, vocalists and dancers but that gets lost in the noise.
Lay “Jade”
https://youtu.be/lcWpwAEc
EXO member Lay (Zhang Yixing) released his single “Jade” on China’s ‘I Love You’ Day (The numbers in 5/20 sound like ‘I love you’ in Chinese)
Review (daebakwhovian): This is going to be a shorter review, not because I dislike this song, but because I can’t find much I don’t like. Despite not actively promoting with EXO, Lay continues to stay active in China. This song is a perfect blend of his heritage and cultual traditions with his modern influences and collaborations. Written with Canadian hip-hop producer Murda Beatz (who has worked with the likes of Travis Scott, Drake, and Migos), “Jade” also references Chinese opera with traditional instruments vamping throughout the track. Lyrics-wise, the song compares finding that perfect girl to finding precious treasure. Whereas Western audiences may be more familiar with gold being used, I love that he uses jade as the comparison instead. There’s also a bit of wordplay involved: “jade” in Chinese (玉) sounds like “you” in English; in essence he is saying “you” are jade, precious. And seeing how SM did less than the bare minimum in promoting this song, I’m glad that Lay has his own agency for his solo acts and that the song seems to be performing well. Overall: Although this isn’t the first song to use the concept of traditional instruments fused with modern hip-hop beats, Lay’s producing skills and lyrical contributions make this single addictive and fresh.
Review (kpopcorn):
In case ya’ll forgot, EXO is a Chinese-Korean boy group. Some of y’all (certain capitalists) forgot, but Lay is here to remind you! In his new single “Jade”, Lay puts his Chinese heritage on full display, blending the grace and charm of classic Chinese opera with the cool confidence of modern Western hip-hop. This is not the first time traditional Chinese music has been mixed with modern music. But it always hits different whenever a Chinese artist takes it upon himself, with great care and effort, to bridge traditional Chinese culture with contemporary pop music.
This single is so refreshing since Lay has faced critism in the past with some in China claiming he is disloyal to his homeland. He is often accused of being ashamed of his background. Releasing his last album, “Namanana” in both Mandarin and English did nothing to quell this criticism. Moreover, Lay’s association with a Korean pop group under a Korean entertainment agency doesn’t help either.
Not long ago, Lay faced backlash for being the brand ambassador for Calvin Klein. When the Hong Kong riots were first starting to make headlines, Calvin Klein listed Hong Kong as a country instead of a region on their website. Many people in mainland China were disturbed by this. This is an idea that is still very controversial in China. There were those who wanted Lay to break his contract with Calvin Klein because of this controversy. Lay refused. Instead, he tactful posted a comment online. Despite this not being good enough for some, Lay still remains with Calvin Klein today. He was even recently promoted to Global Ambassador for Calvin Klein and participated in a worldwide campaign that also included the likes of Lil Nas, Justin Beiber, and Kendall Jenner to name a few.
But if you have watched Lay throughout his career, it becomes obvious how proud he is of his homeland. Lay has been very vocal about his desire to bring Mando-Pop to the world stage. Even when promoting in the United States, Lay would eagerly bring Chinese culture to the forefront, happily breaking into his native Mandarin between English sentences and offering cute and witty antidotes about his homeland.
Furthermore, Lay was scheduled to play at the Virgin Music Festival this year before Covid-19 abruptly interfered. The event was unfortunately cancelled. But Lay would later reveal that he had planned to perform a song entirely in Mandarin. He would have been the first to do so. And if that wasn’t enough, the song was to be performed in a Changsha dialect. Lay is from Changsha in China; an area with a distinct regional dialect different from the rest of the country. Lay potentially had the opportunity not only to showcase China as a whole, but put his hometown where he grew up on the map.
“Jade” is a love letter to China. Lay sounds beautiful singing in his native language. Throughout the song, Lay’s voice varies between his dreamy lower register, and soulful falsetto. “Jade” is riddled with references to classical Chinese culture. While gold is considered to be valuable to Westerners, jade is the Chinese equivalent. Lay compares the woman he loves to precious jade. But these classical Chinese inspired metaphors should come as no surprise. As he has always done, Lay proudly puts his Chinese heritage on full display. And for all the haters, Lay said “Chinese” with a capital C!
Agust-D Picks Up His Crown in “Daechwita” MV
After a week of cryptic social media clues, Agust D, the alter-ego of Suga (Min Yoon-gi) from BTS dropped his mixtape “D-2” and a music video for “Daechwita”.
Review (daebakwhovian): OK, I’m going to try to stop fangirling long enough to get through this review. *takes a deep breath* First of all, I love the context of this song. As stated before, this isn’t the first song to blend the old and the new, but “Daechwita” avoids simply following that trend with no added meaning. There’s so much depth to the lyrics in this mixtape as well. See a full review and analysis here!
Review (Kpopcorn): As a sageuk enthusiast, I am very much here for the Min Yoongi in hanboks and chignons agenda. Agust D’s “Daechwita” could pass as a mini historical drama. I enjoy seeing Asian artists draw on their unique cultural heritages and marrying them with modern Westernized music. It is a unique perspective and story that only Asian artists can tell. In “Daechwita” we are invited into King Agust D’s rich and colorful world. The music video is beautifully shot and takes on a cinematic quality. The cameo from Jin and Jungkook was a pleasant surprise and added a moment of light heartedness to the music video. Honestly, I am probably the only one who will not have the song on repeat. But I truly appreciate Yoongi’s artistry as well as his talent as a rapper, performer and creator. And with wishful thinking, I will be awaiting his historical drama debut.
Other Headlines:
- Girl group fans rejoice! There were several debuts recently from smaller companies:
- The six-member group Woo!ah! from nv Entertainment debuted on May 15 with the track “woo!ah!”(Exclamation!). Watch the MV here.
- Five-member group REDSQUARE from About Entertainment debuted May 19 with the song “Colorfull”. Four of them are former members of the disbanded group Good Day. Check out the MV here… which interestingly doesn’t show their faces?
- My favorite debut of the week, five-member group Secret Number also debuted on May 19. Signed with VINE Entertainment, the group has members from Japan, Indonesia, America, and Korea. Watch the MV for “Who Dis?” here.
- Stray Kids’ Changbin released a surprise MV for “Streetlight”. Written with Stray Kids leader Bang Chan, the self-composed track compares someone who is privately going through emotional struggles, pretending to be okay to a streetlight. Watch the MV here.
- Crush released his single “Mayday”, showing us that all we need to cure the self-isolation blues is Red Velvet’s Joy. This track and MV is simple but fun. And check out the cutest live performance featuring the pair on recorders!
- Recently discharged from the military, BTOB’s Eunkwang dropped his solo “Dear My Dear” (서랍). Ballad songs aren’t usually my thing, but I have to admit that his voice is gorgeous and the lyric video is nice as well.
What was your favorite headline this week? Let us know in the comments!