October has seen a slew of great releases. Highly anticipated comebacks is the theme with a slew of boy group releases. October still isn’t over so look forward to even more releases in the next volume of Stuck In My Head.
Twice - Fake & True
Fake & True is a great sequel to Breakthrough and Feel Special. I’m glad Twice has moved away from the overly cutesy style of singing that is synonymous with J-pop. Using similarly inspired beats a s the other recent title tracks, the instrumental is lively and rarely drops in energy. Even during the rap, there isn’t the usual trap beat sucking out some of the energy. The chorus is even better with its high energy and made even better with a splash of brass.
Rating: 8.5/10
Tiffany Young - Run For Your Life (Eng.)
Run For Your Life is a great follow up to Magnetic Moon. Tiffany channels her inner Lady Gaga and Madonna while delivering a club-ready banger. The bumping bass line made the verses more impactful and I love the anthemic feel of the chorus. I just wished the last chorus up the tempo and was longer. This song has very little kpop stylistic appeal to it and is more catered to the Western world. The vocal distortions help create the dark and dirty mood the song was going for.
Rating: 7.9/10
SuperM - Jopping
At first I was skeptical about SuperM’s debut in America because I thought it would water to American musical trends. Jopping is not the case. This song is going to have polarizing opinions. Jopping follows the trend of songs throwing various sections together creating this messy and loud type of music. At first I had an instant dislike to the song because of the cringey English lyrics. A couple of listens later, I find myself enjoying the song. My favorite moments are the melodic pre-chorus and the bridge.The song really shines during the finale with its ad-libs and instrumental.
Rating: 7.8/10
AB6IX - Blind For Love
It looks like AB6IX has found a nice sound with their deep house leanings. The instrumental never slows down and doesn’t have random trap breakdowns. The verses are almost forgettable, but I enjoyed the melody of the chorus. The crisp instrumental keeps the song out of forgettable territory by keeping the momentum throughout.
Rating: 8/10
Limesoda - Wave
Limesoda is like a cross of Blackpink and G-Idle. Wave begins with a minimalistic instrumental driven by lively synths and finger snaps. The beginning allows the girls to use their voices to draw in the listener, but I do wish verse two had more umph to it. The best part for me is the addictive, beat-heavy chorus. I love that the chorus was actually a chorus and not an instrumental drop. The chorus is sassy and full of confidence, backed with an exciting instrumental.
Rating: 8/10
ONF - Why
Right from the beginning, the dramatic verse draws you in. Why is right in between a moody, edgy song and a dance track. The angst can be felt through the vocal delivery. The best part is the second half of the song where the instrumental begins to accelerate and be more aggressive. I like the synth-heavy sound ONF is going for and I wish they had more comebacks especially as a young group.
Rating: 8.5/10
ATEEZ - Wonderland
The bombastic nature of Wonderland is what drew me in. I love that the song has this in your face brashness. The orchestral flairs give the song a thrilling quality and a theatrical element to it. Right before the chorus, the song drops off for a brief moment leaving craving the next part. An irrational fear comes but is quickly dispersed as soon as the chorus hits. I love the sea shanty feel the song has and provides that epic feel for me.
Rating: 8.6/10
Stray Kids - Double Knot
The electronic influence on Stray Kids’ music continues with Double Knot. The song is the typical boy group banger. I enjoy the hard-hitting, distorted synth loops causing my neck to hurt with all the head banging I did. There is no melody to speak of, but the boisterous energy keeps me interested.
Rating: 8/10
Super Junior - Super Clap
The song waste no stop establishing this disco funk groove. I really enjoy the brass electro beats and tons of claps. The song never lets up and briskly continues forward with only a break during the bridge. I like the minimal instrumental and it makes it feel refreshing. The song isn’t an instant classic, but it’s a charming song I can groove to.
Rating: 8.1/10
Advanced - My Bad (feat. Shaun)
Musically, My Bad doesn’t bring anything new to the table. The strength of this song lies in the emotional mood created. Creating a moment of self-reflection, memories of the past pass by when listening to this song. Shaun delivers the songs poignant lyrics over layered synths. The ethereal drop is what put this song up there for me.
Rating: 9/10
TXT - Run Away
Long awaited comeback since Crown, TXT’s Run Away was worth the wait. Right away, the propulsive beat is established. The rock-infused strong brings about an anthemic quality which I love . The chorus is instantly memorable and is where the guitar comes in giving the song a gritty quality. An incredibly catchy melody, Run Away is one of the best songs I’ve heard all year.
Rating: 9.1/10
NU’EST - Love Me
From the opening whistle, Love Me’s upbeat nature takes hold. The song reminds of SHINee’s Good Evening with the house piano synths and filtered backing vocals. The instrumental never diverts and keeps bringing the energy. The hooks are addicting and instantly memorable and will keep you humming the whole day.
Rating: 8.6/10
DAY6 - Sweet Chaos
The opening sequence instantly shows a new side of DAY6. Sweet Chaos takes a more electronic approach than the previous 80’s synth sound. The pop-punk attitude of the instrumental highlights drummer Dowoon’s skills. I love the enthusiasm and energy brought by the vocalists of DAY6. The one thing I didn’t enjoy was the repetitiveness of the chorus and wish there was some slight variations every time.
![What are your thoughts on LOONA 1/3? Let us know![MV] 이달의 소녀/ViVi (LOONA/비비) “Everyday I Love You (Feat. HaSeul)”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNcBZM5SvbY
[MV] 이달의 소녀 1/3 (LOONA 1/3)](https://neomuhae.com/wp-content/webp-express/webp-images/plugins/feeds-for-youtube/img/placeholder.png.webp)
