Seventeen - Oh My!
This song is so freakin’ sweet, I can’t even take it! Seventeen is back with their fifth mini album, You’re My Day. It feels like we haven’t heard from this 13-member group in a while, but honestly, it’s only been a few months since their Japanese release, We Make You, in May. Maybe it feels longer because Seventeen truly has their own brand of sound and performance, one that cannot be matched.
With “Oh My!” the group abandons the tropical house, EDM, and funk styles, and just goes for pure pop. The song opens up with an 8 bit-esque version of the melody, before bouncing right into percussion, electric guitar and piano instrumentals. The members sing and rap of that dreamy stage of having a crush on someone. As usual, the lyrics were penned by members Woozi, S. Coups, Vernon and long-time collaborator, Bumzu. The lyrics are cheesy as hell, but purposefully, because don’t we act all kinds of cheesy when we have a crush? My favorite lyrics have to be Wonwoo’s rap, “On the sketchbook of my mind, I draw you out everyday.” Perfectly romantic, perfectly ridiculous, and yet, perfectly Seventeen.
The MV pairs nicely with the lyrics, opening with boys laying down to sleep in a large room with beds strewn about. As the song begins, we then see the members in a variety of surreal scenarios, sometimes standing amongst clouds, or floating far above the ground, sometimes sitting down to a garden party surrounded by giraffes. Interspersed are scenes of their, to be expected, impeccable choreography - sharp, creative and obsessively in-sync.
Seventeen has always been quite capable of treading the line between humor and sweetness, and “Oh My!” falls right into that category. Speaking of being humorous, did you check out the official fanchant video (helpfully demonstrated by Seventeen themselves)? They must think they're funny by including all the members' last names in there.
- Kerry
Triple H - Retro Future
The last time we saw Triple H, they were taking a perilous leap off the side of a building after fleeing from the cops. The terrible threesome resurfaced on July 18th, 2018, ready to wreak havoc on the K-Pop world again. We meet them as they land in their getaway car, presumably having perfect aim and the magical abilities to complete their jump without breaking anything. The three members don horrifying doll masks (to hide their identity? To scare the crap outta me? Not sure what that’s about) and successfully gain entrance into an unsuspecting couple’s home.
Here we lay out the scene for Triple H’s latest MV for “Retro Future.” After the wild ride that was “365 Fresh” the group continues the story in their latest release. Composed of HyunA, and Pentagon’s E’Dawn and Hui, the group has a reputation for pushing boundaries. They continue with this debauchery in “Retro Future,” hinting at all kinds of sexual deviance and rule-breaking, but not giving a hoot about it. After forcefully entering this couple’s home, Triple H proceeds to throw the wildest of parties, bringing mayhem and madness as they dance about the place.
HyunA and E’Dawn co-wrote the song, in collaboration with songwriters Big Sancho and Im Kwang Wook. The song literally brings in retro sounds, sampling both Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five’s The Message, as well as the wedding song even your grandma can dance to, The Cha Cha Slide Pt 2, by DJ Casper. With some updated mixing, the song still sounds modern, but with a healthy dose of that retro sound that is so on trend today.
The song is all about giving into the fun and partying until reaching the absolute limit. The MV closes with the three members back in the car, looking totally wiped out but still off to the next adventure. I’m sure this isn’t the last we’ve seen of them.
- Kerry
MAMAMOO - Egotistic
MAMAMOO set the season ablaze with their new title “Egotistic” from their latest album, Red Moon. There’s something so summery about a Latin-genre song, and it doesn’t look like this trend is slowing down anytime soon. The lush scenery backed by guitar strums and the groovy beat makes you sway to the rhythm. Add in MAMAMOO's incredible vocals on top of their sexy swagger and you have a track that makes the temperature soar.
True to the theme of the album, “Egotistic” focuses on fierceness and passion. The lyrics sing of the selfish obsession between two people and trying to break free from the foolishness. The fiery quartet's performance and vocal delivery have always made the group stand out in the industry. Moonbyul and Hwasa bring an ultra cool swagger with their verses while Wheein adds a more feminine effortlessness to the mix. Solar (oh my god, Solar in this MV!) has a sultry growl in her voice that amplifies her already powerful voice. Paired with the Latin sound, their dynamic voices make this song such a powerful and groovy listen that I just can’t get enough of it.
- Julie