[MUSIC VIDEO REVIEW] Suho - Let's Love (2020)

Suho becomes the third EXO member to release a solo album after Chen and Baekhyun. On Monday, March 30^th 2020, the EXO leader presented Self-Portrait, a five track EP with lead single Let’s Love. Suho’s solo venture surprises me because he leaves EXO powerful image behind. Instead of sticking to pop, dance or R&B genre, he approaches rock-ballad theme and vulnerable lyrics.

Let’s Love represents Suho attempt to try something outside of his comfort zone. Will the EXO leader nail it or not? Check out my review of Self-Portrait title track below…………………………….

Let’s Love brings a melancholy mood since the beginning. This song opens with an electric guitar loop and drum sound, which will remind you to classic band ballad tracks. Then Suho’s soft vocal comes during the first verse and provides a strict contrast to loud instrumentals. Both complement each other; making the song pleasant to listen. The similar theme also continues on Let’s Love chorus.

The first half of Let’s Love is enjoyable; however, its strongest part actually appears on the second verse. It presents different structure from the previous part that allows Suho to explore on his vocal. He tries different singing style and blends with the harmonization at several parts. The addition of hook is a nice touch too that makes Let’s Love more memorable.

Not only in terms of music, but the lyrics of Let’s Love second verse is also a turning point for this song. After expressing his longing feeling on the first verse, Suho praises someone he loves and mentions how they make his life better. He gives a hopeful spirit to Let’s Love; much like its title that play with EXO chant. Overall, the second verse prevents the song becomes repetitive since the latter part follows rock/ballad cliché bridge.

Let’s Love melancholy yet hopeful theme continues on the music video. Suho sings in various settings with opposite color tones. He stands in the dark room, which represents the first aspect, while sits in front of brick red wall and yellow picture that maintains the latter feeling. The combination represents his album title too, Self-Portrait, since it showcases different reflection of Suho. Aside from that, Let’s Love music video does not offer something new, which has potential to bore you at several parts.

Though several parts feel formulaic, Let’s Love is a solid solo work from Suho. It pushes the EXO leader to go outside of his comfort pop/dance/R&B zone. His vocal surprisingly fits rock-ballad genre, which means it’s promising for him to continue go down on this route. The music video might seem repetitive, but at least, it’s nice to see Suho embraces different side of him.

Suho’s solo is another proof EXO member has clear direction on what they want to do as solo artists. Between this, Chen’s, and Baekhyun’s, each has a distinct color which not only set their identity as a solo artist, but also differentiate it from their group works. It’s promising and I can’t wait to see other EXO members solo attempt in the future!

Rating:            3.5/5

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[MUSIC ALBUM REVIEW] EXO - The War (2017)

It has been more a year since EXO released their third album EX’ACT. Now, the boys come back again with newest album The War on July 18^th, 2017.

The War album feels special for EXO. It marks the fifth year anniversary of their career. It would be interesting to see EXO growth and development in terms of music.

How much EXO have matured? How does EXO change after five years becoming idol? Check out my review of The War album here……….

EXO surprised us since beginning of The War album. They choose mid tempo song called The Eve as opening instead of the usual upbeat track. The Eve combined R&B beat with electronic dance music. R&B represented by bass and drum instrumental. Meanwhile, synthesizer gave the song electronic dance breakdown.

R&B and electronic dance combination created great dynamic for The Eve. This song became more complete with EXO singing part. Each member sounds strong here. Plus, I like the fact that the vocal and music kept fill each other parts just like what can be heard during chorus.

The Eve was a strong opening. It set tone and mood for The War album. Then the lyrics itself matched the situation too. We need to break the wall in order to see the eve. In other words, we need to let loose and listen each track to enjoy The War album.

Ko Ko Bop showed new side of EXO. The boys made an attempt in reggae music then mixed it with EDM. It’s promising, but there was a lot to be desire. Check out the full review here.

EXO kept their tradition in releasing funk music through What U Do?. This song was full of guitar riff, unique drum as well as bass melody. It reminded me so much with their previous hits Love Me Right. However, EXO added a bit of electronic pop music to differentiate it with the latter.

What U Do? displayed EXO true feeling to their loved one. They fell in love with whatever their loved one did. It was a cheerful song, which able to lift up spirit and danced. People will easily sing along since it has catchy chorus.

If previous three tracks showcased fun side of EXO, Forever did the opposite. It gave darker vibe through old school synthesizer and keyboard sound. Still, EXO put modern touch during the chorus. It has electronic dance music, which seemed to be the main theme of The War album.

Aside from having darker vibe, Forever also has strong dynamic. The song flow never slowed down since the beginning. Chen’s high note started Forever then continued with Kai, Chanyeol, and Sehun’s rapping parts. They keep the tone and emotion of this song, which talked about EXO willingness to stay with their loved ones forever. When it got too overwhelming, Suho and Xiumin soft vocal filled in. The latter surprisingly become a star of this song.

Diamond was the most experimental tracks in The War album. This time, EXO mixed deep house verses with Middle Eastern-influenced chorus. They managed to put smooth transition between two genres, which made the song flowed well.

EXO did not only experiment their music, but also lyrics. Diamond shed EXO sweet and sincere feeling to their loved ones just like what have been shown on previous tracks. This song showed EXO way of bragging. They talked about their awesomeness and power.

The experimental theme made Diamond hit or miss for some people. It was catchy and fun, but the vocal treatment could be better. They need to tone down unnecessary raps in the middle of singing.

EXO brought back their signature R&B style with Touch It. This song dominated by distinct beat, strong rap, and sleek vocal harmonization. It has tight arrangement along with enjoyable flow. All of these seemed like a reminiscence of R&B music golden era at late 90s and early 2000s.

Through Touch It, EXO member had a chance to show their capabilities in terms of music. Chen helped write the song lyrics. It was quite simple since it talked about a boy who did not know what to do when met his crush. Whether related or not with him taking part in composition, Chen vocal also shined the most here. He owned the bridge part!

Chill was another song composed by EXO member. Chanyeol took part in writing the lyrics. He described about how EXO members captivated by certain girl and could not escape from her. Just like Chen in Touch It, Chanyeol became the highlight in Chill. He nailed the rap part during bridge!

Other members also displayed different side of them throughout Chill. D.O. shocked me with his semi-rapping before chorus. It gave unique aspect to this song aside from its disco inspired music.

Chill was actually an interesting song. However, the song dynamic sounded confusing. It has no climax and ended abruptly. Moreover, the mixing created another issue to Chill. The music was too loud, which covered EXO vocal.

Finally, EXO brought slower song through Walk On Memories. It has strong R&B beat accompanied by piano sound. They played out the instrumental in distant, which created warm and dreamy vibe. This fitted well with the song lyrics.

Walk On Memories represented EXO longing feeling. They missed their former girlfriend and dreamed about their memories together. Other than music, EXO showcased similar vibe through their vocal. All of the members sang with soft tone in the beginning of this song.

Suddenly, Walk On Memories took different turn during last chorus. EXO sang this song in lower register instead of taking dramatic climax. It related with the lyrics, which was about feeling of acceptance. The boys decided to let go their former girlfriend. It was nice yet emotional change at the same time.

As the last track, EXO decided to go hard with Going Crazy. This song described EXO desperation in getting their former girlfriend back. There was sense of urgency and suffocation, which perfectly captured on the music.

Going Crazy mixed R&B and electronic dance genre. The strong beat along with EXO vocal, especially Baekhyun, gave emotional punch to the song. Meanwhile, the addition of piano and violin at the end of each verses created dramatic effect. Every part differentiated from other, which made this song played like journey for EXO.

The War proved how much EXO matured in five years of their career. They manage to keep up with trend while not losing themselves. The boys also develop sense in picking a song that easy to listen and fun to perform at the same.

Beside that, EXO successfully grew in terms of music and vocal. The War album production sounded solid while EXO vocal continued improving. Each member got decent amount of lines although Chen, Xiumin, and Chanyeol stole the show for me.

It was a great effort from EXO in creating The War. Definitely their best album to date!

Favorite Songs            : The Eve, What U Do?, Forever, Touch It, Walk On Memories, Going Crazy

Rating                           : 4.5/5

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[MUSIC VIDEO REVIEW] EXO - Ko Ko Bop (2017)

EXO is ready for their next summer comeback! After the success of Monster last year, EXO is back with newest single called Ko Ko Bop. This is the title track of EXO fourth full album The War that released on July 19^th 2017.

EXO has been teasing Ko Ko Bop since several months ago. The boys promised to bring new side of them through Ko Ko Bop. As expected, curiosity rose while anticipation built up.

What will EXO bring this time? What kind of new side? Check out the answer on my review of Ko Ko Bop below……………………..

Ko Ko Bop opened with unusual sound for EXO. This time, they tried to approach reggae music. Electronic guitar riff led the song followed by percussion and synthesizer at the end of each verse. Meanwhile the chorus brought certain hook that could easily stay in your head. It’s very chill and different from EXO typical strong sound.

Ko Ko Bop chill vibe based on its repetitive melody. The melody did not really go anywhere, so there was a chance Ko Ko Bop became boring. However, EXO tried to lift it up by putting EDM sound. There was a hint of it in Chanyeol rap parts continued with full breakdown after chorus.

The combination between reggae and EDM music was an interesting twist. Unfortunately, it did not flow smoothly. The transition seemed sudden and messy due to lack of connection. It would be better if EXO tried to combine it in subtle way like during last chorus.

Ko Ko Bop offered new sound for EXO, but it did not make them unrecognizable. The vocal treatment showcased their signature R&B style. Baekhyun, D.O, and Chen maintained distinct vocal tone while others supported great layering as well as harmonization.

In terms of lyrics, Ko Ko Bop itself did not have exact meaning. It only portrayed the essence of fun. How the boys want to dance and have fun with their lovers. This kind of theme represented well on Ko Ko Bop music video.

It showed EXO danced along while looked calm and free. They surrounded with colorful elements such as garden setting and car property. The boys styling were also bright. They played up with patterned shirts and unique hairstyles.

The fun aspect emphasized on Ko Ko Bop cinematography. There were various flashy scenes accompanied with fast editing. It created effect that EXO drunk on something. This kind of approach was not my cup of tea since it made the music video looked dizzy.

Although the music video concept was far from their usual style, EXO still manage to showcase their infamous power. It demonstrated in hilarious way in order to make it suitable with Ko Ko Bop theme. Check out how Suho jumped into table, which turned into water then sat inside washing machine. There was also scene where Chanyeol hit a ball and suddenly became fireworks.

EXO branched out different genre with Ko Ko Bop. It was refreshing to see their attempt in combining the rare genre in K-Pop, reggae with the trendy sound, EDM. Plus, EXO managed to keep their signature color in the middle of these combinations. It’s a new sound, but it’s still EXO.

However, their effort did not always smooth. There was a lot work needed to do in terms of song arrangement and music video production. They could improve and continue to challenge themselves after Ko Ko Bop. Keep it up, EXO!

Rating:                     3.5/5 

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[MUSIC ALBUM REVIEW] EXO - Lotto (2016)

After two months, EXO is back with another album called Lotto on August 18^th. It’s a repackage album for EX’ACT, EXO's third album.

Repackage album has always been a tradition for EXO. In 2013, EXO has Growl as their repackage album where the same name single became the biggest hit. Last year, EXO has Love Me Right and its release went head to head with Bigbang newest single.

For me, EXO repackage singles are always more superior than previous title track. EXO manages to come up with catchier repackage song while still have the same theme with previous title track. That’s why the anticipation is quite high for Lotto.

Could Lotto continue the solid release of previous repackage album? Let’s see the review for EXO three new tracks in Lotto album………………………………………………….

Lotto

EXO takes a new attempt with Lotto. It still has EXO usual electronic/hip hop sound just like their previous title tracks. However, Lotto melody and vocal treatment differs from other EXO tracks.

Lotto reminds me with Western electronic/hip hop music from its melody, strong beat, and auto tune sound. The music stays the same throughout the song while the vocal goes more into talking and rapping style.

It’s great to see EXO keeps experimenting instead of sticking to similar songs every release. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work well this time. Lotto doesn’t really go anywhere. There is no interesting dynamic on it.

The vocal also couldn’t bring more dynamic to Lotto because of auto tune sound. It covers the vocal and makes EXO couldn't show their full capabilities. It’s a pity because Lotto has sick beat and promising verses.

Thankfully, Lotto music video provides major treat for us. EXO keeps continuation from Monster, their previous title track, with its dark and gloomy tone. The shots are gorgeous despite having limited setting.

EXO also looks more mature on Lotto music video. EXO tries another new attempt by channeling bad boy look with drinking and rebelling scenes. Surprisingly, all of them pull this concept well. The choreography looks interesting too.

I also like that the whole music video follows the song lyrics. It’s about the resemblance of getting a girl with winning a lottery. We see EXO gambles and throws money while Chanyeol tries to save a girl at the same time. However, I am still not sure about the clear storyline of Lotto music video because there are too many scenes going on in short time span.

Can’t Bring Me Down

Can’t Bring Me Down is another electronic/hip hop song from EXO. However, it takes more classic approach with vocal on verses, rap on bridges, and beat drop on refrain. This classic approach successfully adds great dynamic to the song. Plus, the synthesizer sound and harmonization makes Can’t Bring Me Down more exciting.

Can’t Bring Me Down also has strong lyrics. It is about how other people fakeness can’t bring EXO down. It’s a powerful song overall and has potential to be their title track aside from Lotto.

She’s Dreaming

She’s Dreaming finally brings back EXO signature R&B track, which is lacking in EX’ACT album. This song actually quite simple by having strong beat along with bass and guitar sound. But, it sounds refreshing amidst all electronic dance track in EX’ACT album.

EXO also does a good job in terms of vocal. Baekhyun, Chen, and D.O. once again able to showcase their emotional voice. I also like that EXO takes different approach with She’s Dreaming by singing in lower tone.

Another good job is for Chen who takes part in composing the lyrics. She’s Dreaming is quite a sad song where EXO describes their relationship like a dream. EXO wants to always be with the girl, but she will forget them if wake up.

So, does Lotto live up the expectation? It’s quite hard to say this. Lotto is EXO weakest repackage tracks to date. But at the same time, Can’t Bring Me Down and She’s Dreaming provides us with EXO signature style that seems hiding in EX’ACT album.

Though it’s a good addition, Lotto unfortunately doesn’t give strong complement to EX’ACT. Or in another word, EX’ACT could existed without Lotto.

My Favorite Tracks:   Can’t Bring Me Down, She’s Dreaming

Rating:                                    3/5

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