K-POP RAMBLES: April 2019

MAMAMOO (마마무) - White Wind (9th Mini Album) [COMEBACK REVIEW]

By K-Pop Rambles - April 19, 2019

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(G)I-DLE ((여자)아이들) - I made (2nd Mini Album) [COMEBACK REVIEW]

By K-Pop Rambles - April 16, 2019

Rookie debuts are always an interesting thing to keep an eye on. But what's even more interesting is seeing how a group follows up on their debut - do they keep a steady sense of momentum? Or do they leave listeners disappointed? I'm sure a lot of people can agree that one group who've absolutely kept their momentum is (G)I-DLE - following up "Latata" with "Hann" is still one of my favourite decisions a rookie group has made. I love "Hann" to death. I can't even tell you how long I had it on repeat for.

But now, the girls have made another comeback, and this time we got a full-fledged mini album and not just a single. So I was interested to see if it was in any way similar to "I am" (what with its similar name and VERY similar album art), or if the girls had evolved and started to find their own style. Let's have a look at the album as a whole and see if I think that's the case!

1. SEÑORITA [TITLE]

To start off the album, we have the title track, "Señorita". And hoo boi, this is a big diversion from what we've seen from (G)I-DLE in the past - and from what I've seen, this song is fairly divisive. Some think it's just the right mix of sassiness and charm, others think the song is both too short and repetitive.

But if you're asking me, it's... pretty fucking great, honestly!

It's catchy, sticks in your head almost instantly, and has this amazing salsa/rumba vibe with the trumpets, stilted piano line and castanet touches. It reminded me an awful lot of Soyu's amazing "All Night" from last year - but it's as if (G)I-DLE's producers took "All Night" and mixed with the charisma of "Latata" to give us "Señorita". So, basically, it sounds very nice in my earholes and I'm a huge fan of it.

"Señorita" has got this fantastic sultry vibe to it that the girls match excellently, since they sing in their lower range for the verses - every single member sounds phenomenal here, no joke! Soojin in particular is absolutely MURDERING it this era. Goddamn, who knew she could look and sound so good?! She's by far the star here, and her performance is the standout of the song for me. (As well as Yuqi. I didn't think I could love that girl any more, but oooooooooh man this comeback has proved me so wrong.) As well as all that, Soyeon's off-kilter rap is honestly a stroke of genius. It catches you so off-guard with the rhythm that it gets your attention pretty much instantly, which Soyeon pretty much does on her own with her charisma anyway. It's excellent.

That mysterious/slightly sexy vibes comes across SUPER well in the lyrics, too! The lyrics are honestly really damn interesting for what could've been a simple love song. They've got such a great sense of curiosity to them, but it's a very mature curiosity that honestly took me by surprise. Whatever sort of relationship that's going on here is progressing very quickly, and yet the girls are willing to dive in head-first. And hey, who knew they could pull it off so well! The sultry vibe really suits them.

My dear, why are you coming so close?
There's still so much we don't know
What should I call you?

And yet, after all that, we still have the choreography to look at! (Yeah, I know I have a lot of opinions on this song. Bear with me.)

To be honest, while the dance isn't going to blow any minds, it's an example of what I'd consider a very well put-together routine. I don't think there could be a routine that fits Señorita any better than the one the girls are doing here. It matches the ebbing and flowing of the song's instrumental VERY well, with some really nice formation and position changes to keep you interested. There's also a slight change here from the choreography originally shown in the MV; in the second half of the chorus, the girls' arm positions now alternate between up and down instead of everyone's arms being up; there's also an extra move or two added in. That was a much needed and very well executed change, since it makes that entire section waaaaaaay more satisfying to look at. And hey, this choreo really picks up the pace in that final dance break, and I'm all for it! It's the cherry on top of a really nice routine.

(Also I've said it earlier and I'll say it again: SOOJIN. UGH. JUST YES. She embodies this fucking concept and I love it.)

All in all, this is a damn solid title track. It's got sass, charm and some really great details that just make it very high-quality. Considering I was so nervous to see how (G)I-DLE progressed, I couldn't be any happier with "Señorita" - I don't quite like it as much as "Hann", sure, but it's damn close! But hey, that's just the title track - we still have the rest of the album to get through...

2. WHAT'S YOUR NAME

Moving on to the side tracks, we start off with "What's Your Name". And considering I never got to listen to "I am" in its entirety, this is pretty new territory for me. I wasn't sure what to expect going into (G)I-DLE's side tracks - would they be experimental or more similar to their title tracks? Would they even be worth listening to? And after listening to "What's Your Name", I can say that they're certainly a little bit experimental, but definitely worth listening to!

Honestly "What's Your Name" reminds me a lot of "Latata" in terms of its style. There's a great buildup from the verses to the choruses here, with some futuristic synths serving as a base to the instrumental. The verses have a very grand atmosphere and vibe to them too; the pre-choruses in particular feel really anthemic. And that's particularly fitting for how explosive the choruses are - the synths from earlier are blown out and loud, but in a way that gets you energized, especially when you've got Soyeon's vocals layered on top. They're very addictive if you ask me, which is evidence of how much this song has actually grown on me! I was very unsure of it at first, but after repeated listens, it's certainly a good song in my eyes.

But y'know what I still don't like? Those trap breakdowns with Yuqi's vocals.

I know. NOT liking some of my bias' lines. Blasphemy. But let me explain.

With those breakdowns after each chorus, the great momentum and sense of explosivity I brought up earlier just... stops. It grinds to a halt in favour of an eight bar drop that's trying so damn hard to be edgy, sexy and memorable. It feels out of place from the beginning, and the song would've honestly been better off without it - hell, if they weren't there, this song would be title track worthy if you ask me! But they are there, and they end up leaving a really sour taste in my mouth - especially since it's how the song ends.

Lyrically though, this song is... weird? I went into this expecting it to be a party anthem about meeting someone new, but... no, this is a breakup song. A very different one, that's for sure. It's full of metaphors and flowery language in places that made it very hard to find a good translation, but once I did, it's... certainly interesting! They honestly subverted my expectations a lot, but I can't shake the feeling that they don't fit the tone the song is going for very well at all.

Set it down, forget about it, like a midnight dream
"We" and "you", we're going to have to talk about all those beautiful words

In the end, I can't help but feel like "What's Your Name" has a little bit of lost potential. Yes, the song is certainly good, but both the unneeded trap breakdowns and the... slightly confusing lyrics hinder it a bit - which is a major shame. I do still like it, though, and I've found myself listening to it a lot more than I expected to!

But on the note of breakup songs... do you want to hear an absolutely heartfelt, amazing and beautiful one? WELL, SAY NO MORE CAUSE (G)I-DLE HAVE YA COVERED.

3. PUT IT STRAIGHT (싫다고 말해)

It takes a lot for a song to elicit an emotional reaction from me. Yes, songs can make me happy (very much so, my love of music is why I started this blog), but... an actual emotional response? Like goosebumps or tears? That's rare. But it's something I treasure when it does happen.

But oh my god. This song.

This fucking song.

I got chills. EVERYWHERE.

If y'all haven't been taking Jeon Soyeon seriously as a composer and lyricist, then you'd better fucking start paying attention, because she composed and wrote this almost entirely on her own. She only had help from one other person, and that was on the composition side of things. But... if this is the talent that she's got? Holy FUCK. Now I get the buzz. Now I see what people were saying about her - that she's the next big thing, that she's more than just an idol. And this song proves it. The hype is real, big time.

"Put It Straight" is... emotions. It's just emotions in musical form. To get all waxy and poetic myself for a minute, it's the feeling of a call with no response; the feeling of a tug of war you can't win; the feeling of tears forming but not quite being shed. It's gorgeous. It's seriously one of the most atmospheric ballads I've heard. I'VE NEVER EVEN BEEN IN A RELATIONSHIP AND THIS SHIT MADE ME FEEL LIKE I'VE BEEN THROUGH A FULL-ON BREAKUP.

WHAT.

The stopping and starting of the instrumental in this song's verses is really ballsy, and ties right back into the metaphor of emotions I just talked about; you feel like you don't know what's going to happen. The song could explode with emotion and intensity, or it could just... fizzle out. And that'd be it. It's very touch-and-go in a way that's reminiscent of anxiety and uncertainty for me. (This is pretty clear in the transition from Miyeon's lines to Minnie's lines in the first verse - the song feels like it's building, and building, and building... and then it stops.) It's honestly fucking stunning. Combine that with the little added effects, like the echoing vocals or that faint sound of shattering glass during the second verse, and you have an example of how a minimal breakup ballad should be done, K-Pop or not.

That's just the song though - I haven't even BEGUN to talk about the lyrics. And yeah, they're just as much of a masterpiece as the song. They're insecure, they're fragile, and they're symbolic of a relationship on the verge of collapse. This song is honestly so well put together and the lyrics are just the final touch to make it perfect. They're drop-dead gorgeous, and so damn heartfelt to boot.

Just say yes - no, I mean, say that you're in love with me
Just like the old times
Now, can't you love me?

If you're asking me, I'd say this album is worth a listen for "Put It Straight" alone. It single-handedly makes this album worth your time. And from a musical standpoint, it's the best song on the album, hands-down. PLEASE let them have another song - god forbid a title track - like this in the future, because I'm on board from day one if it's as much of a masterpiece as this.

But... regardless of its immense quality, it's actually not my favourite song on the album. 😉

4. GIVE ME YOUR (주세요)

That would be this! Yes, I love "Put It Straight" a LOT, and it's the best song on the album, but "Give Me Your" is my favourite song. Let me explain why, though.

Heads up: this explanation is probably going to seem... very, very weird, and it's probably going to sound like the ramblings of a crazy person, but BEAR WITH ME, OKAY.

"Give Me Your" is a song that's almost reminiscent of something you'd hear in a coffee shop, in my eyes; it's something you could listen to whilst drinking tea, coffee, or some other fancy hot drink on a summer day. It's laid-back, chill and very relaxing to listen to, with its twinkly pianos and staccato rhythms. But... even with this image in my head, I found it hard to sum up this song's style in a way I was happy with. The coffee shop metaphor works, yeah, but it's still not perfect? I had a really hard time describing it.

And then, over the course of a few weekends, I sat down and played a video game. And that game summed up this song PERFECTLY.

LAYTON'S MYSTERY JOURNEY: KATRIELLE AND THE MILLIONAIRE'S CONSPIRACY.

...yeah, I know, my nerd is showing. BUT HANG ON, I'M GETTING TO THE POINT, I PROMISE.

Long story short, the Layton games are a childhood favourite of mine, but I had never got around to playing Lady Layton (which is what I call it, because good lord that title is WAY too long). But then I did. And OH MY GOD. If this game had a movie-style soundtrack with a bunch of different celebrities doing the songs, "Give Me Your" would be on it.

FUCK, IT'D BE THE LEAD SINGLE.

It's light, it's cheery, and yet it's spunky and tongue-in-cheek; it carries that feeling of an extra spring in your step when you're in a good mood. All of this matches Lady Layton (and specifically the main character Kat) perfectly. I couldn't get over how well it coalesced. And I'd be lying if I said it didn't help me enjoy the song more! I already loved it as it is - it was already my favourite song on the album - but this just made it better. Now, I highly HIGHLY doubt (G)I-DLE even know this game exists, but y'know what? Let me dream. Let me be my nerdy self. Okay? Okay.

This Lady Layton/coffee shop vibe carries into the lyrics as well, which are light-hearted, lovey-dovey and actually quite comical in places! They legitimately got a chuckle out of me, and they're so damn charming that I couldn't help but smile whilst reading them. They focus a lot on the singer's imperfections, and how they're amazed that their partner is interested in them - but they also touch on that relatable feeling of wanting to crawl into a hole and die when someone sees you looking like a mess. That shit's real.

A silly face with glasses, I can't believe I woke up from sleep [like this]
[...]
Alright, I think I'm going to go die now...

All in all, I love "Give Me Your" to bits. Light-hearted lyrics, a really nice instrumental and a theme that I admittedly adore - yeah, it's awesome. (G)I-DLE are two for two - first "Put It Straight", now this! What about the final track, though?

5. BLOW YOUR MIND

"Blow Your Mind" was a song I was admittedly interested in from the beginning, considering Minnie actually had a part to play in the songwriting/composition (as well as Soyeon, of course). Of course, I was also interested to see just how well it would hold up in comparison to the other tracks in this album. And after listening to it a lot, I can say it's a pretty alright song! I want to say it's great, but... it's got a major problem that bugs me, similar to "What's Your Name".

Let's focus on the positives first, though - this song has Soyeon's best rap on the album. It's fast, it's charismatic and it's another great rap from her. No surprises there. I also really liked the staccato pianos that are in the choruses, since they give the song a surprising amount of energy and vibrance. It's a very fun, bouncy rhythm for sure! I feel like all of the members have great parts here, actually; Minnie and Yuqi have that great lower-range introduction, Soyeon's got her rap, Soojin's sounds amazing in the chorus and final bridge, Miyeon's got her amazing adlib, and Shuhua has... well, Shuhua's being Shuhua and not getting a lot of lines. But once she's more comfortable with her Korean, that'll change! 😊 Regardless, everyone really does well here, and the abilities of each member are shown off really nicely.

But... like I said, I do have one big problem with this song - the "drop". Can we call it that? Is that the right term? I don't know if something that takes away so much momentum could be considered a drop. Whatever that vocal sample is, it sounds awful - it drives the momentum "Blow Your Mind" has going for it right off the nearest cliff. And that's a damn shame, especially after how good the choruses are! This song, similar to "What's Your Name", would've been title track potential if not for that one blunder... except with "What's Your Name", the trap drop is at least listenable. The drop in "Blow Your Mind" is not. It's grating, annoying and out of place, to say the least. It's very much like the seal that's pointed out in the music video, but... not in a good way. At all. It's annoying and I wish it wasn't there.

Lyrically, though, the song's nothing special. It's just one of those "I like you, you like me, let's hook up" sorta songs. Nothing too mind-blowing (heh) here. (It's amazing how all of the lyric videos I could find on YouTube were wrong, though... and I'm not talking about the English lyrics being wrong, I'm talking about the KOREAN lyrics being wrong. Which... is weird. Oh well.)

Don't wanna be unsteady, don't wanna be uncertain
I just want to stay calm
I'm like your painting

Also, I know there's a dance to this song - I'm not going to talk about it. The performance felt very rushed to me, and while I don't think it was as bad as a lot of people say it is, I feel like it would be unfair to review something that felt so thrown together. It's not a title track anyway, so it's not a big deal. It was nice to see it done live, though. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

So yeah, this... wasn't the best. And I would be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed with it when the album ended. "Blow Your Mind" let me down a bit, admittedly, but the rest of the album certainly didn't! There are some absolute gems on "I made", and if I had to guess, I'd say you might see me talking about them again in the future - I wouldn't be surprised if they ended up on a year-end list or two. 😉

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