Repeats of the Week - July 7, 2018
- waekpop
- Jul 7, 2018
- 4 min read
APink - I'm So Sick
Who could’ve guessed that after 7 years of successfully releasing pop tracks with the familiar cute look and sound, APink would one day suddenly change things up by serving us a girl crush concept. First debuting in April 2011, the 6-member group now celebrates their 7th anniversary with “I’m So Sick,” the title track on their new mini album ONE & SIX.
Produced by Black Eyed Pilseung, “I’m So Sick” is a breezy dance track that melds an electronic dance beat with the trendy retro-pop synths we’ve been hearing much of in K-pop. The song opens with Naeun’s “I’m so sick of lying” line followed by a set of warped synths and vocals that really sets the tone and distinguishes this song from their previous tracks. There’s such a great buildup of energy with the pumping baseline that propels the song into its instrumental release in the chorus. "I'm So Sick" could've easily become just another generic dance track, but it retains just enough of the warped punchiness that keeps it memorable and sets the girls up for the exciting next step in their careers.
- Julie
Nu'Est W - Deja Vu
Nu'Est W, the four member subunit of Nu'Est, has just returned with "Deja Vu." Nu’est W has always had a sort of dreamlike energy to all of their performances. We saw it in “Where You At” and now again, in “Deja Vu.” The title track to their latest EP, Who, You, “Deja Vu” draws on more of the mystical elements we saw in the “Where You At” MV. As many groups attempt to create rich story lines, there are only a few that succeed in weaving a concept together cohesively. Nu’est W includes odd imagery throughout the MV - a goat, a girl standing alone, a compass with the members initials engraved on it - much of which doesn’t make sense. My theory is that this story will progress in their future MV’s much like BTS, the kings of the epic storyline, or to a lesser extent Monsta X, has done with their music.
Although Minhyun is promoting with Wanna One at the moment, the remaining four members have stepped up to propel the group forward until he returns. Nu’est W is clearly doing something right with this Latin pop track, scoring their first win over BlackPink on Music Bank just a few days ago. "Deja Vu" has some really interesting arrangements as well, with a surprisingly stripped down chorus, and some neat jumps in and out of rap verses. It's definitely worth a listen!
- Kerry
Gyeong Ree - Blue Moon
Gyeong Ree, member of 9Muses, launched her solo career on July 5 with digital single, “Blue Moon.” The track is a retro electro-pop song, with thrumming bass and popping synths. Gyeong Ree explores a lyrical rap style in the verses of this song, choosing to then float up a register as she sweetly sings the chorus.
As of 2018, 9Muses has had 14 different members since debuting in 2010. Gyeong Ree was introduced to the lineup in 2012 and has cultivated a fanbase that she hopes to carry over into her solo career. While the cohesive quality of 9Muses might be questionable, it could be beneficial for solo activities, as Gyeong Ree is doing and numerous other members have done as well. Without the distraction of line changeups, the artist has to only rely on herself for success. Hopefully, Gyeong Ree can make a solo career that follows in the footsteps of Sunmi, Yubin, Chungha and HyunA. With a song like “Blue Moon” which is perfectly on trend, and interesting enough to the ear that it merits multiple replays, Gyeong Ree might be on her way.
- Kerry
Yoonmirae - You & Me (Feat. Junoflo)
Yoonmirae, the queen of K-hiphop, is back with her 5th studio album, Gemini 2. The 12-track album was released on Thursday (July 5) and is the follow-up to her first Gemini album 16 years ago. For Gemini 2, Yoonmirae, who also goes by Tasha and is a member of trio MFBTY, continues to showcase her rapping and singing skills through the album's various genres of music over the lyrical concepts about relationships, society, and peace.
The release of Gemini 2 also came with a new music video for its title track “You & Me (Feat. Junoflo),” a song about two people who aren’t just friends. Featuring Yoonmirae and her friends and artists from Feel Ghood Music, her label with husband Tiger JK, “You & Me” is indeed a feel-good track backed by a smooth piano melody and her sultry singing voice.
What I like most about her more chill songs like this one and also pre-release single “No Gravity” is the complete sense of honesty and raw energy that you get from her even when she’s not delivering the usual hard-hitting bars she’s known for. There’s an effortlessness to her performances that I’m always drawn to, and it’s more apparent than ever on this new Gemini 2 album.
Also, since the release of the album is reigniting my Yoonmirae playlist, don't miss this banger of a track pre-released back in April: "Kawi Bawi Bo"
- Julie
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