Catch-Up Mini Song Reviews - 1st Quarter Edition Pt. 2 (Miyavi, Brave Girls, (G)I-DLE, Miyavi)
You know how this goes now, let us do it!
Red Velvet - Feel My Rhythm
After the somewhat haphazard and last-minute release of Queendom, Red Velvet's latest EP seems the quintet finally return to the somewhat experimental sound they are known for. Slightly sampling Bach's Air on G String, Feel My Rhythm nonetheless sounds very much like its own track. The song does not reach each of its ambitious aims, but this is okay as the song attempts so much some failure is expected. It is hard to not be impressed by the orchestral chorus with the electronic undercurrent. It is a song that has only improved with age.
Rating: 8.75/10
Brave Girls - Thank You
Doubling as a fun love song and a thank-you-to-the-fan song, Thank You is a strong victory lap for Brave Girls' so far. A track like this would have been unimaginable just a little over a year ago. Hopefully, Queendom 2 keeps them active in the public's eyes. Thank You is a strong song, not providing any risky melodies, but just some great beats. I love the electronic elements over the Nu-Disco elements, which provide a posh and chic feel to the track. The outfits and choreography are somewhat underwhelming though.
Rating: 8.5/10
(G)I-DLE - Tomboy
After last year's Soojin bullying controversy, (G)I-DLE's first LP would be a make-or-break moment for the now-quintet. Thankfully for the group, it has become one of the biggest hits this year in Korea, surging to the top of basically all charts, even as they move towards indie hip-hop and R&B. Unfortunately, Soyeon's declining skills as a lyricist have reached their lowest point so far here, with more than enough cringe-worthy lines to create a compilation on its very own. Yeah, many of its elements are derivative, but it is hard to not get swept into that hyped-up chorus just because of how cool it thinks it is.
Rating: 7.25/10
Miyavi - Dumb
You didn't think that I could make it out of this post without mentioning the other new Miyavi song, now did you? This is how to do heavy electronic rock. The epic pairing to the emotive Strike it Out, the heavy EDM drop is the sort of stuff you wish more musicians would be willing to try. The melody here is not as instantly memorable as its pair-track, but it succeeds nonetheless. I'd love to hear this as part of an upcoming album though.
With you on the Tomboy rating. I feel like I liked it more in the beginning and it quickly wore off.
ReplyDeleteFeel My Rhythm is still barely on my playlist though. Kind of devastated by that.
Totally with you on Tomboy, the song was much more appealing on first listen, where the cringe hit harder.
DeleteInitially I too was surprised with how FMR was not doing it for me, but it did slowly grow on me, hopefully it does so for you too!
I feel like I'd rate Tomboy higher, like maybe an 8 at the least. Haven't really thought about it though! Regardless, your description made me cackle. xD
ReplyDeleteI REALLY like Dumb. It's probably my bias speaking. I'm bad at genres but that chorus reminds me of industrial songs. I like gritty songs in general.
You might probably be familiar with these, but just in case you aren't and are interested just the same: Nine Inch Nails - Closer and Einsturzende Neubauten - Die Interimsliebenden. These are the said groups' more popular songs. Dumb kinda reminded me of them.
Glad my description of Tomboy got a chuckle out of you!
DeleteDumb is definitely industrial, and I certainly feel a little bit of Closer within its creeping DNA. I had never heard of Einsturzende Neubauten before, but man that song is quite fun! Thanks for the recommendation, guess I got to check out some more of their songs!