[REVIEW] RED VELVET - PSYCHO (2019)

Red Velvet musical direction left me unsatisfied in 2019 despite having a big ambition throughout the year. The girls release a series of album under The Reve Festival title; however, each title track has a diasporic production. The first album has Zimzalabim with its messy arrangement whereas its follow-up Umpah Umpah falls into a generic territory. These missteps affect my perception to Red Velvet, which is why I actually do not quite excited for The Reve Festival Finale, the last album for the series.

The Reve Festival Finale released on Monday, December 23, 2019 and has a title track called Psycho. Based on its spooky teasers, Red Velvet approach their Velvet side that promised a more mature side of them. I still do not have a lot of expectations of Psycho until I watched the music video after the song released. It surprises me because finally, Red Velvet does something right this year!

What is so special about Psycho that differentiate it from Zimzalabim and Umpah Umpah? Check out my review of Red Velvet newest title track below…………………

Psycho shows how it belongs to a Velvet track since the beginning. It opens with a unique guitar and bass sound then continues with Wendy and Seulgi high notes. The verses dominated by a strong R&B beat and an addition of electronic sound. All of these flow in a medium tempo, which reminds me of the best tracks from Red Velvet’s Velvet side, BadBoy.

A similarity to Bad Boy means a good start for Psycho overall. However, Red Velvet does not want to follow the whole formula of their previous Velvet hit. They put a twist on Psycho chorus by adding a bit of Red side, which is brighter and more uplifting. The chorus is full of catchy hook from “Psycho psycho”, “Babo babo”, to “Jakku Jakku”. It appears towards the end of their singing, which the girls show their capabilities to do vocal harmonization. It sounds gorgeous and emphasizes Red Velvet strength as a group, which easily shows how Psycho stands out from Zimzalabim and Umpah Umpah.

Not only the song that sounds beautiful, but also the music video. Psycho shows Red Velvet elegance as a lady, which is a 180 degree turn from the bright and youthful Zimzalabim and Umpah Umpah. Sequin dress, smoky eyes makeup, and statement accessories rule their styling while a classic ballroom becomes the main setting for their dance scene. The cinematography itself is also interesting because it shows the group signature quirky theme. It plays with a dark lighting on various scenes; creating a shadow on Red Velvet figure. It’s mysterious yet alluring at the same time.

Red Velvet reminds us to not give up on them through Psycho. It’s a solid medium tempo track that shows a great balance between their Red and Velvet side. The catchy chorus with vocal harmonization represents a Red side while its R&B beat attributes to the girls’ Velvet side. Psycho also has a mesmerizing music video, whether from Red Velvet elegant styling or quirky scenes.

What a way from Red Velvet to end 2019! Hopefully, they continue this musical direction next year because it emphasizes on the girls’ strength while also approach the commercial aspect of a K-Pop song.

Rating:                        4.75/5

Categories: Kpop, Psycho, Red Velvet, The Reve Festival Finale