P1Harmony(피원하모니) - Zero In Mini Album Thoughts

 

   

   P1harmony is a six member Korean boyband signed to FNC Entertainment. The group was introduced in 2020 to mass acclaim. P1H gained much attention for being a rookie group that seemed more like a group that had been around for years. They still seem like that even thou their only on their forth mini album titled Zero In. 

Tracklist:
1. 둠두둠 (Doom Du Doom)
2. Black Hole
3. Yes Man
4. Swagger
5. Mirror Mirror
6. Different Song For Me

    Zero in has the same sound as their other mini albums. Its seems to me that this band just keeps expanding on what they're good at. Electro dance pop with a hard hitting rap hip hop vibe seems to be the game here and man.. does P1harmony continue to play it well. Doom Du Doom is the title track that has a chill flow in the rhythm as the production of the song builds into louder beats. My favorite tracks are Swagger and Mirror Mirror because they are songs that express a sassiness birth by member Keeho. I'm not sure why but most of P1harmony's sound sounds like music that they actually want to perform. Apposed to many idol boybands that do songs for a high music chart placement. The reason why it is accepted is because the music sounds so genuine to us fans, instead of manufactured. Even the track called "A Different Song For Us" signals change in the guys desire to give more in variety. 

    The vocals and rapping is up to par with many other Kpop idol groups that have been around longer. I love the playing off singing and rap as both jumping around each other on the beat. We not going to even touch the the confidence in the delivery. 

      Zero in is a great mini album. I wouldn't say that it's an album that you should use to introduce you to P1harmony but it's an album that will make you appreciate the group. 

  

Ayumu Imazu(今津歩) - Pixel Album Thoughts(J-pop)

 

   Ayumu Imazu is a solo singer that got his start singing covers of American songs on Youtube. He was noticed by Jpop idol group Exile Tribe, where he became a trainee under their label. Th plan was to put he in one of the Exile sub branch groups since Ayumu was such a good dancer and vocalist. However, Ayumu decided to leave the label to become a solo artist.  He's now signed under A-sketch label where he has released a mini album and multiple singles online before the release of his first full length album titled; Pixel. 

Tracklist:
1. Tangerine
2. Juice
3. Over You
4. Butterfly
5. Problem
6. ACCHI KOCCHI
7. 薔薇色の夜
8. Unpredictable
9. Stranger
10. 破片
11. Colors

   Listeners will defiantly be able to tell that Ayumu is a dancer, as Pixel is an album that eases into a certain grove, then just stays that way all throughout the album. From the addictive horns in the intro to "Tangerine" or the radio electric dance pop production of "Over You", Pixel flows into itself as a whole body of work. It's something that I haven't heard a male Japanese artists do in a very long time. I enjoyed how all the upbeat tracks contained dance breaks where Ayumu hyping not only himself up in the background but also the listener as the beat layers back into the tracks chorus on final time. Even the slower tracks feel just right as a bit variety to the album. Ayumu sings sweetly in this songs like a young boy who ha found love for the first time. Some moments in the album also stand out as experimental such as the pop rock number, "Stranger". The suddenness of the beat as it slowly builds behind his vocals before coming to an explosive point in the chorus hits perfectly. That guitar solo is just sick... and I could see him dancing during the live performance. Pixel never had a dull moment in my opinion. Ayumu imazu knew what he wanted this album to be. His vision was a good one indeed. 

    Ayumu Imazu has a boy scout sort of voice that has a hint of spiciness too. I believe it's just the tonality in is vocals that give him enough maturity when needed and enough of a sweet cotton candy sound when he wants to sound young. He's a very Jpop ish sort of singer that sounds like himself, while using singing techniques that he most likely learned from training under Exile. There's nothing wrong with using what you learned from one of the biggest boybands to come out of Japan... Not at all. 

    I would say to give his album a listen because its good. He outdid himself compared to his other mini albums, that I though are middle ground at best. I'm excited to see his career continue to take off. 

     

Midnight( 미드나이트) Korean Film Thoughts(2021)

   

    Midnight is a 2021 Korean film that was written and directed by Kwon Oh Seung. The film stars Jin Ki Joo, Wi Ha Joon, Kim Hye Yoon, and Park Hoon. The film was scheduled for a 2020 release but was pushed back to 2021 due to Covid. Midnight ended up placing at third place at the Korean box office with well over seven million tickets sold. 

   A deaf girl tries to outrun, match, AND outwit a serial killers after she is witness to one of his kidnappings.....

     Midnight doesn't bring too much new content to what South Korea hasn't already done with slasher thrillers. However, this still doesn't mean that the movie isn't a thrill ride. The plot centers around a girl who is deaf. From the time the film starts, you get a look into her world as a person who can't communicate well in her place of work, or her not hearing what is going on in a group of employees. I wish that the director had played with this concept of her not being able to hear more in terms of the nail bitting scenes. There's a spooky atmosphere in fighting a killer in complete silence that could have really driven the nail in the coffin but the film only uses dead silence for a few scenes.  Midnight still is able to carry on as a pretty decent thriller thought, as I found myself yell at the female lead multiple times during the film. What I will also say is that had the serial killer not had enjoyed the chase, our main character would have died a long time ago..... She was almost killed so many times that it was frustrating. It didn't help that the killer was a crazed maniac that was good at tricking people and liked hurting women. Midnight edged toward the conclusion where the second  to the last scene should have been the final scene. What was the last scene is vary typical Korean drama/ film ending that I don't think did this film any favors in terms of standing out. 

    Wi Ha Joon(Squid Game) ate and embodied this film as the serial killer. Midnight was his moment to really shine and that he did.  I haven't been so angry at a killer in a long time. This jerk kept getting away because he was so cunning at tricking folks. Not to mention the victim can only use sign language or write down her thoughts, so it was easy for him to manipulate that. Jin Ki Joo spunky character was the comedic relief as well as the glue that brought everything together. One scene she was in had me crying because she was begging for her life and she was so pitiful in a way.  

   Midnight has a good replay value as a typical South Korean thriller. The film is above average with some great performances from the cast. Also, a good message about how the treat hearing impaired people is in there too.