July In Music

Two-thirds into the summer, the music scene only heated up more with comebacks and debuts! Also, I found myself listening to more Chinese music this month.

1. One - Gettin' By

Korean

Released: July 11th

One, a former member of OnePunch, is known for his appearances on Show Me The Money seasons 4 and 5. July 11th, he launched his career as a soloist, making him the first male solo artist to debut under YG Entertainment in 14 years. "Gettin' By", produced by AOMG's Cha Cha Malone, is a single off of his mini-album. This laid-back song talks about how life feels lukewarm after a break-up. One raps throughout and sing-talks the chorus in an almost monotonous way that reflects the whole "so-so" vibe.

Review: Song - 3/5  MV - 3/5

2. Shi Shi - A Late Goodnight

Mandarin

Released: July 13th

"A Late Goodnight (晚的晚安)" is a belatedly released OST from the Taiwanese TV Drama "Behind Your Smile". This lullaby-like song has a melody built on acoustic guitar and the light notes of a piano. All of this is complimented by Shi Shi's whispery vocals and a music (lyric) video of a night skyline.

Review: Song - 4/5  MV - 2/5

3. Luhan - On Fire

Mandarin

Released: July 13th

Luhan concludes his "XXVII" music project with the last part "I". In "On Fire" he is a tough, cool guy singing and rapping about moving forward to accomplish dreams. This release is of the electronic hip-hop genre and is especially exciting because it's the first time in a while that Luhan gave the world something this fun and upbeat.

Review: Song - 3/5  MV - 4/5

4. Blackpink - Whistle (JP Ver)

Japanese

Released: July 14h

Blackpink made their Japanese debut with Japanese versions of their five Korean singles, "Whistle" being my favorite. A lot of times, versions of K-pop songs in different languages don't have the same quality as the original. In this case, the Japanese version of "Whistle" is just as good as the Korean and has the extra appeal of all-English raps.

Review: Song - 5/5  MV - 4/5

5. A-Lin - Go Straight

Mandarin

Released: July 18th

Three years since her last LP "Guilt", A-Lin is preparing to drop her 8th studio album in September. "Go Straight (一直走 GO)" is the first single off her upcoming album and was produced by A-Lin herself. The song explores the EDM genre, a sound that the pop and ballad-oriented singer has never attempted before. Overall, "Go Straight" is fresh and uplifting, making us curious as to what else A-Lin has in store.

Review: Song - 4/5  MV - 3/5

6. K.A.R.D. - Hola Hola

Korean

Released: July 19th

Co-ed K-pop group K.A.R.D. finally made their official debut after teasing fans with pre-debut singles since December 2016. Once again, their title track is tropical house, which begs the question of when they are going to try a new style. Fortunately, there are a few fresh elements this time around: vocalist Jiwoo joins J-speph and BM in rapping and the music video was filmed brightly in areas of California.

Review: Song - 2.5/5  MV - 4/5

Sources

Info: 1,2, 5a,b

Images: 1,2,3,4,5,6