SHINee - 데리러 가 (Good Evening)
The Story of Light, Ep 1 marks the first official release from SHINee as four members. Although the final piece to their puzzle is no longer physically here, the members continue to emphasize that they are carrying on with Jonghyun always in their hearts.
“데리러 가 (Good Evening)” is the title track of the first part of the three-part album. To me, this song is haunting even though it’s produced with an upbeat electro-pop backing. I am glad that the group decided to go with an bouncy dance track like this one, but it seems quite introspective to me. Perhaps it’s the way SHINee performs this song - they are almost always connected in some way during the choreography and often face towards each other and away from the audience. This disconnect makes it feel as if we are viewing SHINee in a private moment, drawing strength from and supporting each other. Choreographed by Koharu Sugawara, the genius behind Taemin’s “Move,” the dance often uses stillness as performance and slowed movements that contradict with the bouncing beat. It creates a dreamlike picture on stage, as if the members are completely lost in their music.
The lyrics are about running towards someone, trudging onwards even as exhaustion looms. I won’t try to interpret those lyrics because I think there are infinite meanings behind these words. All in all, I really enjoyed this song (and its choreography). I can’t help but think about how proud I am of SHINee for honoring Jonghyun’s memory with their new music. I am happy they are continuing in their journey as SHINee, while never forgetting their fifth member.
- Kerry
Pristin V - Get It
Pristin V, a Pristin subunit consisting of Nayoung, Roa, Rena, Eunwoo, and Kyulkyung, made their debut on May 28th with the song “Get It.” This track is markedly different from what we’ve seen from Pristin as a group. “Get It” has a darker girl-crush aesthetic, with hints of EDM and other dance house music vibes.
The song is an absolute bop in my opinion, with the girls showcasing their vocals and rap skills really well. Unlike some Kpop songs with shoehorned-in rap verses, Nayoung and Rena’s verses fit perfectly with the flow of the rest of the song. In what’s probably my favorite part of the song, Eunwoo and Roa slow down the tempo with an amazing bridge that helps build tension for Nayoung’s verse and the final chorus. I highly recommend giving “Get It” a listen, and be sure to check out the live stages for an amazing choreo too!
- Katie
VICTON - Time of Sorrow
VICTON came back on May 23rd with a new single, “Time of Sorrow.” Over everything, I loooove the backing track in this song the most. The ambient synth and atmospheric instrumental throughout the song sold me. The boys sing of heartbreak and the horrible feeling of sadness following the loss of a lover. The rapline stands out to me the most in this song, particularly Hanse’s verse. His melodic rap over the ethereal instrumental makes a nice pairing.
More mature and complex than VICTON's releases in the past, “Time of Sorrow” points to the group developing their sound. After almost two years, VICTON has not yet made a splash on the K-pop scene. “Time of Sorrow” could be the jumping off point for wider success.
- Kerry
yyxy - love4eva (feat. Grimes)
This week, the third and final LOONA sub-unit yyxy released their mini-album, beauty & the beat, featuring title track “love4eva” alongside dream-pop artist, Grimes. Grimes’ participation in the song was set in motion only a few weeks ago, with the two artists exchanging DMs on Instagram. The rushed collaboration didn’t leave much time for Grimes to contribute too much, but enough to lend her voice in the opening introduction of the song.
Just when I thought I wasn't feeling the song as much as I was infatuated during Yves’ solo “new” or Olivia Hye’s “Egoist,” I suddenly found myself with the zippy rhythm stuck in my head for two days following my first listen. The bubblegum electro-pop song is indeed very catchy, combining the sweet charm of SNSD’s “Gee” with the infectious energy of I.O.I’s “Very Very Very.” Everything made sense after learning the song was partly produced by E-Tribe, known for their production of “Gee.” A closer listen to "love4eva," though, makes me wish they had utilized Yves’ more mature voice and Olivia Hye’s lower register better to offset the aegyo sound of Chuu and Go Won.
If we follow the history of LOONA’s releases, we can expect at least one repackage album from yyxy before we finally get to see a formal debut of all twelve members. Are you ready for OT12? Check out our handy guide of all the members and the LOONAVERSE!
- Julie