MBLAQ - Y

Y is MBLAQ's second single. It was released on 17 May, 2010.

Tracklist:
01. 4 Ya' Stereo - Intro (Feat.Taewan a.k.a C-Luv)
02. Y
03. One Better Day
04. What U Want
05. Last Luv
*The tracks in blue are my favs of this release.

☆★☆

MBLAQ's second single opens up with 4 Ya' Stereo - Intro (Feat. Taewan a.k.a C-Luv). It's an upbeat intro that has a sexy vibe. I really liked the beats and the bass and also the synths that are in the background. Most of their singing was heavily autotuned, but I think it fitted with the song.

I really liked how the intro fits with Y, the title track of this single. Again, their voices are autotuned for the most parts, but it fits here too. Y also has those agressive beats like the first track and the whole song also has a sexy feel. The 'beeping' synths in the back kinda reminded me of those in 2PM's Again & Again, but it was a good add. I think Rain also made a small appearance since the person who sings the 'it's over' parts at the end really sound like him.

One Better Day really has an uplifting feel. I really liked how the song was very upbeat, but still managed to have a calm vibe by adding the pretty piano in some parts and the uplifting strings. This really is a song I would imagine myself listening to on rainy days.

What U Want is quite different and probably the most unique MBLAQ song till now. It has more 'band instruments' like a guitar, a piano and drums. Because of this, the song is more jazzy and I think it was a really nice combination with their voices. I especially liked the chorus, because the 'tell me what u want' parts were really addictive.

Their second ballad, Last Luv, since My Dream from the JUST BLAQ single is really pretty. I really liked the instrumental and the chorusses were also really pretty. I really like the instrumentals because it also has a bit of that jazzy feel (not much though) like What U Want. I especially liked the guitar, piano and drums. There are also some strings added. Their vocals quite impressed me too.

MBLAQ really impressed me with this single, every song on here was really good. Especially What U Want. I hope they'll make more of those songs in the future. 

☆★☆

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Girls' Generation & 2PM - Cabi Song

Cabi Song is Girls' Generation & 2PM's (소녀시대 & 2PM) first collaboration digital single. It was used as theme song for the Caribbean Bay waterpark CM. It was released on 20 May, 2010.

Tracklist:

01. Cabi Song

☆★☆

Cabi Song kinda reminds me of SEOUL (a collab single by Girls' Generation & Super Junior), but this is kinda like the 'dance version' and also because of those 'C A B I' lines probably. xD I personally really love this song because it is so catchy. I also love the beats and synths. The whole song also has a 'mysterious' atmosphere and that's what made me love it immediately the first time i heard it. 

Their voices also really fit together and I hope they will release more catchy and cool collabs like this in the future!

☆★☆

Rating:

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Davichi - Innocence

Innocence is Davichi's (다비치) 2nd mini-album. It was released on May 10, 2010.

Tracklist:

01. 시간아 멈춰라

02. 첫키스

03. 떠나지마 (Feat. 백찬)

04. 사랑을 못해 이별을 못해

05. Shadow

*The tracks in blue are my favs of this release.

☆★☆

시간아 멈춰라 kinda reminds me of Hot Stuff (a song they sang for a drama OST). It follows the same structure where the verses are calm and the choruses suddenly 'burst out' with a more rockish feeling. After a couple of listens I really grew to this song, because of the addictive choruses and pretty verses. Davichi's vocals are, as usual, excellent too. The only thing I wasn't satisfied with was the ending. I think a 'real' ending would've fitted more because this 'fade-out' ending left me wanting for more.

The next track is undoubtly my fav song of this mini-album. 첫키스 has a really nice beat with a nice piano melody playing along with it. I especially liked the 'summery-but-sad' atmosphere the song has. Again, the chorus is pretty addictive with the little english parts and soothing melody they sing. Also, Davichi's manages to capture the feeling of this feeling perfectly by keeping their vocals calm. It's definitely one of the best song by them yet.

Both 떠나지마 (Feat. 백찬) and 사랑을 못해 이별을 못해 are really generic. I didn't notice anything special about it, except that the instrumental are 'pretty'. 사랑을 못해 이별을 못해 is probably the most calm song on here, as it's more a ballad. I thought both of these were pretty boring and not really worth to listen. 

Atleast we get a more upbeat song now, after those 2 generic song. Shadow is a really fun song and it's really catchy. I especially liked the choruses and they kinda reminded me of that 'one night only' song when they sing 'one night shadow'. I also really liked the fun parts just before the shadow where they sing oh, what you gonna do?. The fun of this song is what makes it my 2nd fav on this release.

This mini-album is pretty okay, it isn't as good as their previous releases because of track 3 and 4, I could've done without those. But track 1 and especially track 2 and 5 are definitely worth a listen and good in their own way. 

☆★☆ 

Rating:

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f(x) - NU 예삐오 (NU ABO)

Tracklist:

1. NU 예삐오 (NU ABO)
2. Mr. Boogie
3. 아이스크림 (Ice Cream)
4. ME+U
5. Surprise Party
6. Sorry (Dear. Daddy)

Release date: May 4, 2010

The cover is kinda cool, but I wonder which one of the girls it is on the cover? =O

☆★☆

When I first heard NU 예삐오 (NU ABO), I was really suprised. I found myself really enjoying this song. I especially liked the addictive synths in the background and beat the song had. Especially the 'nanananananananana' parts had me hooked! xD I was also suprised with f(x)'s singing/rapping, it was really good. Especially the bridge was amazing with the high notes song by Luna. I could've done without the 'audience' cheering in the back though.

Fans of f(x) (including me) have really waited for Mr. Boogie to become included on an album/single after hearing a live recording of it and I must say I wasn't disappointed. The song has a really addictive chorus and I especially liked the arrangement. It gives a really cool and mysterious vibe to the song. The only con I have is that it's so short! 

아이스크림 (Ice Cream) also has some addictive synths and awesome beat, just like NU 예삐오 (NU ABO) and Mr. Boogie. The chorus are extremely addictive and the whole song is really cute. I just love the 'make a shake, make a shake, ice cream, ice cream' parts, they're so catchy!

And again, another song that is extremely catchy. I especially like ME+U because of the instrumentation. ME+U has, just like the other songs till now, again those addictive synths that make this song have a funky and fun atmosphere. I must say that at the beginning I disliked this song, because of the very high pitched vocals f(x) uses, but when I got used to it, I thought that it helped to give the song the funky/fun atmosphere it has and now it's one of my favs of this mini-album.

After the 4 really upbeat tracks we got, we get something more laid-back. Surprise Party is another song that has something catchy about it and I thought the instrumentation was really cute and pretty. Overall it just doesn't have anything striking and it's just nothing special, just generic.

And after the laid-back Surprise Party, we get something even more slower now. Sorry (Dear. Daddy) is more of a ballad with it's slow beats and calm piano in the back. I thought the instrumentation was very pretty. Besides the piano, we also get some synths in the chorus and bridge. The chorus was definitely the strongest part of this song imo, it has a really nice melody. I also liked the verses where f(x) sings with more lower pitched vocals.

f(x) really has bring some good stuff here and this def their best release yet. Every song, especially the upbeat ones, is catchy. It's like they're getting better with every release and I already can't wait for their next release!

☆★☆

Rating:

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Super Junior - 미인아 (BONAMANA)

Tracklist:

1. 미인아 (BONAMANA)

2. 나쁜 여자 (Boom Boom)

3. 응결 (Coagulation)

4. 나란 사람 (Your Eyes)

5. My Only Girl

6. 사랑이 이렇게 (My All Is In You)

7. Shake It Up!

8. 잠들고 싶어 (In My Dream)

9. 봄날 (One Fine Spring Day)

10. 좋은 사람 (Good Person)

11. Here We Go

Release date: 13 May, 2010

Cool cover, but where's everyone else? =S

☆★☆

Almost all of the songs on 미인아 (BONAMANA) are high quality. I expected a lot of this album, but it wasn't as good as SORRY, SORRY (which was perfect imo), but it definitely wasn't bad either.

The album has six upbeat songs and almost all of them were really good! I could've done without 좋은 사람 (Good Person) and Here We Go though. 좋은 사람 (Good Person) and Here We Go were just pure cheese, lol. xD Atleast Here We Go had a bit of a cool arrangement and was a kinda catchy, but that's about it. 

The other upbeat songs were all amazing in their own way. 미인아 (BONAMANA), the promonotial track, is extremely catchy, but my least fav out of 나쁜 여자 (Boom Boom), My Only Girl, Shake It Up! and 미인아 (BONAMANA). I must admit that at first I disliked it, but it has grown on me, it just doesn't beat those songs! 나쁜 여자 (Boom Boom) is hot, and I just love the catchy chorus and cool arrangement. My Only Girl and Shake It Up! have a 'mysterious' and more 'calmer' feel. I especially liked the chorus of both songs. They are probably the strongest tracks of this album.

The album also has a few 'slower songs'/ballads. I thought all the ballads were nice, although 잠들고 싶어 (In My Dream) was generic and kind of boring, the instrumental was nice. 사랑이 이렇게 (My All Is In You) was the most 'upbeat' out of the ballads. I thought the sweet feel and nice arrangement the song had was especially nice. 응결 (Coagulation) and 봄날 (One Fine Spring Day) had very simple instrumentals, but it helped adding to the emotional feeling of the song, both songs were extremely pretty. 나란 사람 (Your Eyes) is a probably the strongest tracks out of the ballads and I really liked the whole vibe of the song.

Overall, the album is really good. The album manages to keep your attention throughout all the tracks, except for the last 2. Like I said, it isn't as good as SORRY, SORRY, which is still my fav SuJu album, but this album comes close to being perfect too. They still manage to be one of the most interesting k-pop boy bands out there.

☆★☆

Recommendations:

2. 나쁜 여자 (Boom Boom) | 3. 응결 (Coagulation) | 4. 나란 사람 (Your Eyes) | 5. My Only Girl | 6. 사랑이 이렇게 (My All Is In You) | 7. Shake It Up! | 9. 봄날 (One Fine Spring Day)

Rating:

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DIA - 이젠 안녕

Tracklist:

1. 이젠 안녕

Release date: 29 April, 2010

I like the cover, but I'm not getting the random light things she's been using for some of her covers and promo pics. xD Oh well, it gives a nice light effect anyway.

☆★☆

DIA participated in writing the lyrics of 이젠 안녕 and I think she did a great job. It's a ballad that she wrote for the victims of the 'Cheonan tragedy'. If you don't know what happened and are curious, you can read in short what happened here. 

I thought the song was really beautiful. The instrumental is quite simple with just a piano and some synths, but it makes the song more emotional. DIA also displays strong and emotional vocals and I really liked the way she added a short high note after a few long notes in the chorusses. 

I'm really looking forward to hearing more from Dia, she's been giving some really good and consistent stuff. She really has amazing talent for someone of her age!

☆★☆

Rating:

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2PM - Don't Stop Can't Stop

Tracklist:

1. Don't Stop Can't Stop | 2. Without U | 3. 마자 | 4. 목숨을 건다 | 5. Without U (Explorer Mix)
6. Space 마자

Release date: 19 April, 2010

Hmm, the cover is ok, kinda cool. It's just stupid that Chansung and Taec just aren't fully on it. They could have put those little arm parts on it. lol

☆★☆

The first track Don't Stop Can't Stop is FIERCE. I love the hard beats and synths in the background. I thought the track was kinda addictive in a way too. Actually, the whole song was fierce, including the lyrics. At first I didn't really liked it, but after a couple of listens I started liking it. This is the best song on the single imo.

Without U starts with a simple piano and rain in the background as a simple beat is being added with Taecyeon starting to rap too. Overall the song is just okay and kind of addictive, but for some reason it's pretty similar to Heartbeat for me, especially the structure. The difference is that heartbeat was way better, lol. I think they would be better off with Don't Stop Can't Stop as the promotion track. But they started performing that one live too anyway, lol.

마자 has a mysterious synth you keep hearing almost throughout the whole track. I thought the verses were pretty nice, it has a cool feeling to it by adding that piano as a sort of beat, but in the chorus it's just the typical '2pm sound' again and that makes it kind of boring.

The next track is pretty similar to 마자, it's like a slower version. 목숨을 건다 has a similar beat to the previous track, but with an other instrumental. Atleast the arrangement is pretty, it features piano and  some pretty synths. This song is pretty boring to me and my least fav of this single.

The next 2 tracks are remixes of Without U and 마자. In Without U (Explorer Mix) the piano that you hear a lot in the original is completely gone and this song has a faster and more agressive beat also. I prefer the original since it's much more fit to the lyrics. Space 마자 has (like the title says) a more 'space-like' feel to it. The piano that was in the original is gone here also and it now has a bas in it back that gives a cool effect. I think I prefer this one over the original, since it has more variety.

Overall, the single is pretty okay, it's just typical '2PM sound', so it's all just nothing new. I hope they will do something more new and varied next time. Atleast their vocals are improving more and more and they give consistency in their singles & albums.

☆★☆

Rating:

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Lee Ji Ah - The Vampire Romance

Tracklist:

1. The Vampire ROMANCE

Release date: February 7, 2010

☆★☆

I really really love this song! I think the arrangement is really pretty. It features a piano and guitars and in the instrumental break there's a guitar solo that really fits this song. Lee Ji Ah's voice is very unique and her voice fits perfectly with this kind of calm songs. She manages to capture the feeling of the song perfectly by keeping her vocals really calm and she only puts more strength in her voice in the bridge. I think the lyrics of the bridge are especially pretty:

Tropical dreams of you, tragic faith, destroyed my heart.

Tropical dreams have gone, tragic faith, destroyed my hopes.

I really recommend this song to everyone! ^^

So basically, I hope to hear more soon in the singing career off this actress-turned-singer! 

☆★☆

Rating:

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