LOOSSEMBLE Two Mini Albums Reviews
Added 2024-04-22 12:40:04 +0000 UTCYOOOO!!
I am SOOO glad I did both mini's because the growth between both projects was PERFECT and I'm glad I voiced my critiques from the first album because the second mini improved on all that and gives them their own lane with a STRONG title track also.
I also love that the storyline is carrying on in the mv's also. This is KPOP!! I LOVE IT. They have SO MANY interesting melodic moments which I think helps keep things interesting when the vocals are more laid back and your typical kpop voice which is popular amongst male and female vocals these days which is the lighter/thinner flirty voice.
But in the 2nd mini this doesn't seem as glaring an issue which I adored.
Enjoy!
Comments
Yes I will !
Koko3op
2024-04-23 15:36:35 +0000 UTCThis is a pleasant surprise. I'm glad they won you over. I felt the same way when listening to Sensitive and that mini. It was safe. But Girls' Night was an improvement in every way. The ad-lib comment is so funny because these members only ever got to say a "Hey", "Yeah", or "Alright" when in LOONA. Other than Hyeju and sometimes Hyunjin, they have almost no lines.
Monte
2024-04-23 13:31:26 +0000 UTCGlad you enjoyed them! They definitely stepped it up with the first come back. I hope you could check out ARTMS when they release their album at the end of May (also Odd Eye Circle and the solos they already released if you have time)
KO1NZELL
2024-04-23 08:21:50 +0000 UTCHahaha OOPS. I love that Yves was involved though! And thanks for adding that context!
Koko3op
2024-04-22 23:06:38 +0000 UTCNot you not liking both songs Yves produced/wroteππ (strawberry soda and truman show) But I'm so happy you reacted to them! Getting to see them grow outside of bbc has been the best thing ever, you can tell they're just going to keep improving. Something I thought I'd add just for fun: all the girls have writing credits on every song on both albums! As for why they kind of split off into two groups, I'm not sure if they've talked about it at length so don't quote me on it but they were let out of their contracts at different times and it seemed like things were really uncertain for a bit. They might not have found a company that wanted all 12 of them so splitting into two was the next best thing, minus yves and chuu ofc. But many of them have said they would love to comeback as 12 in the future and that they'd never rule that out. Also their version of a "mini album" being 5+ songs oh godssemble don't end the industry like that...
Kendall
2024-04-22 17:41:26 +0000 UTCbtw these are my opinions and I was already familiar with Rhapsody in Blue through American in Paris, but most of my knowledge of piece is bc of a podcast I JUST listened to a few weeks ago about Rhapsody in Blue, it's reimagining, and incorporations in culture and pop music, including in Birthday. For those interested: it was Switched on Pop (Vulture)-Rhapsody in Blue, Reimagined. https://open.spotify.com/episode/7AhnhsLXoSk5OHsQ7PMGql?si=a21d6e8007074ff5
Irene
2024-04-22 17:02:32 +0000 UTCThe sample in Birthday is from Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. I don't know if Loossemble also used Rhapsody in Blue(??), but it sounds similar to a famous phrase from that piece that Red Velvet also used. IMO classical music samples in kpop are cool, but are often gimmicky and aren't integrated in the smartest ways musically, (but I can't fully speak to that). However, I kinda liked the way it was used in Real World, at least more so than how it was used in Birthday. Although it seems to only use a small sample of the main piano melody, (like probably not actually a full phrase or even two bars), it felt well incorporated into the song. The sample was only used at the end of some verses, which helped prevent it from feeling repetative like other classical samples in kpop songs. In comparisson, Birthday used more of the piece, also only in its verses, but it then had this like really hard trap beat as the base line, which for me was too contrasting and took me out of the song. You could argue that Birthday is more interesting, it's definitely more camp, but to me I don't know if it's an as successful use of sampling. However, it's also worth noting that neither piece seems to be using sampling as a device to be in conversation with Rhapsody in Blue. They are both just co-opting the dreamy Hollywood-esc qualities that came from the start of the concerto and the American in Paris version of the piece to evoke that same feeling in their songs. It wasn't for no reason, those glissandos lend themselves nicely to really dreamy harmonies in both songs. Nor do they necesarily have to be in conversation with the original piece, this isn't Anaconda. It just could've been interesting if they had. I'm not saying this to gatekeep the use classical music btw; I'm just being nit-picky. Rhapsody in Blue it's self was co-opting elements jazz and blues for a concerto (orchestra music); it uses jazz type melodies without the improvisation that makes jazz, jazz. So, who would one be to say "you can't do that" even if it doesn't end up working well.
Irene
2024-04-22 16:45:29 +0000 UTCOhh no ramble away I love it!! Thank you!
Koko3op
2024-04-22 16:18:13 +0000 UTCwhen i woke up and saw this i was SO happy, what a great morning surprise!!! i dont think i can add much since everyone else here has already said their piece, but im just so proud of them for putting out incredible music, and choosing to come back to the industry at all after the terrible way they were treated by blockberry. someone else has mentioned it already but these girls were the underdogs in the full group, vivi and gowon especially. waiting for vivi to show up in a loona MV was agonizing. in so what, she literally only says 'hey'. like twice. that's her only line. and gowons voice is so unique, it has that light thin voice but it feels almost robotic? and the company never used it to its full potential. in PTT, gowon and vivi's lines were 'ye yeah yeah' until they had to share a line in the bridge. viwon stans were fr in the trenches. yeojin would get small lines here and there, as well as hyunjin and hyeju, but their voices in my opinion were never utilized in dynamic ways to make them stand out. hyeju was always used as a rapper (getting to hear her SING has been thrilling), hyunjin was't really given belting or strong vocal lines (im so proud to see her shoot up to main vocal status, her voice is so powerful), and yeojin always got short, cutesy and choppy lines (her presence has so much potential, im glad she has a bigger spotlight to show it off now). because of that people had little faith in loossemble when they were first announced, making jokes like "who's gonna sing" and all that. well ALL OF THEM! lmao i didnt mean to ramble so hard but you get the idea, they were not treated fairly and im so surprised but so happy that they not only decided to come back after the evil the industry has done to them, but stick together through it. SOOO proud of them, always. (by the way boomerang's bridge is ACTUAL crack. every time the song comes on i probably spend a whole minute replaying it over and over again) loved your reaction, loved seeing these girls get the praise and attention they deserve. <3
cali
2024-04-22 15:39:40 +0000 UTCAh i see, wonder if you remember that link and send it to me. Would be interested to hear the examples and differentiate them myself
Mint
2024-04-22 14:51:07 +0000 UTCI actually really like the ones shown in the Japanese examples so I don't think that's it. The other video someone sent me showed it better.
Koko3op
2024-04-22 14:47:41 +0000 UTCThe growth was fantastic!!
Koko3op
2024-04-22 14:46:46 +0000 UTCAhhh love that for them!
Koko3op
2024-04-22 14:46:28 +0000 UTCOoooo I did watch another video someone sent me about the chord progression thats popular in East Asian music. I'll watch this too! thanks
Koko3op
2024-04-22 14:46:16 +0000 UTCAnd just to add to this, I feel like the fact that these 5 are expected to sing a LOT more suddenly is pushing them to become better vocalists which you clearly caught on with the second mini being much more vocally comprehensive!
Fadi - moonlight
2024-04-22 14:25:10 +0000 UTCOne thing you need to know about Loossemble is that all 5 of them did NOT get a lot of lines in LOONA. Like they were not part of LOONA's "vocal line" (even though LOONA didn't have positions but we figured it from the line distribution). They were always at the bottom of line distribution. So to see each of them sing entire verses, bridges and choruses is sooo surreal! Like they barely got any lines on LOONA songs but here they are singing in harmony and doing runs and high notes! Orbits are PROUD!
Fadi - moonlight
2024-04-22 14:23:08 +0000 UTCI've been paying more attention to ARTMS compared to Loossemble and wouldn't have checked out that 1st EP without you, so thanks for that. Though, I'm not a fan yet, I am impressed by the quantity & quality of the songs across both albums. It is very classic Kpop. And like you said, both the 2nd EP & TT got better. But without having followed Loona closely over their careers, I am still having issues developing attachment to the vocals. Side note #1: Its really cool that their international fanbase followed over from Loona and is supporting their careers while they are making the type of music (in large quantities) that their fanbase wanted in the first place Side note #2: My music theory & ear isn't good but I've heard you complain about that Western vs Korean chord progression a few times already. I personally like that progression. I wonder if its this progression (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aezSL_GvZA). They call it Japan's favorite chord progression in that video but I think its used a lot in Korea/China as well
Mint
2024-04-22 14:22:59 +0000 UTCWho's that?!? and yeahh hidden gems for real!
Koko3op
2024-04-22 14:14:35 +0000 UTCGirls' Night and Super Woman are the "hidden" kpop gems in 2024 so far. Also, don't you think Girls' Night is what would happen if J.U.S.T.I.C.E ever decided to do kpop? lol I loved it.
C Baker M
2024-04-22 13:29:26 +0000 UTC
