dall - ARTMS
type: album
genres: kpop, dancepop, future bass
date released: 31 may 2024
peace and love on planet earth 
from first listen this was pretty alright but i let it marinate a bit and ummmmm yeah i think this is gonna be a classic in my music player. i listened to this on the night that it released and if YOU KNOW the music video uploaded for the title track: virtual angel is pretty much unwatchable and will 100% cause an epilepsy attack. i think due to this i was already not in the GREATEST mood as i was listening to this album for the first time. but luckily they released a more watchable version of the music video which i will link below bc i do find it gorgeous. don't know what was the thought process with that editing.
BUT AGAIN... as i am listening through this again, all of these songs are very lovely and i love how my girly pops sound in them. i think out of all post-loona releases this might be my favorite!
some pre-release singles rolled out before the album dropped and i was honestly very... impartial to them at the moment of their release. but listening to them with the context of the album is def a wayyyy better listening experience.
i have a few favorites from this but the one that takes the cake is def 은하수를 여행하는 히치하이커를 위한 안내서... because WOW.... what a song!!!! reminds me so much of the melodic dubstep type shit i would listen to in high school. in the chorus when the tempo gets a little bit faster OOOOH YESSSS i love this song a whole lot.
overall thoughts: i had a lot of fun with this album and i enjoyed it so much! i haven't felt like that with a kpop album in quite a bit... i'm very curious as to how they are gonna follow up to this.
links: virtual angel (human eye ver.) MV, youtube album
highlights: 은하수를 여행하는 히치하이커를 위한 안내서, sparkle, virtual angel, unf/air, butterfly effect
rating: 
listened on 01.jun.24, published 07.jun.24
screenshot from virtual angel (human eye ver.) music video, directed by digipedi
3rd desire [reve] - kim woo seok
type: EP
genres: kpop, dancepop
date released: 7 march 2022
i've been obsessed with satisfied for at least the past 2 months or so. i don't think the song itself is that crazy but it definitely has an insane intoxicating vibe to it. and i am once again asking... why do kpop producers always get most interesting instrumentals for intros and outros ?!?!?! it feels like they do it on purpose because they hate me! it's ridiculous!!
BUT ANYWAY. because of that song, i decided to check out this EP. by ex-X1 member (rip): kim woo seok. i have a bit of a funny story with that group. they seem to follow me like a ghost tbh.
on first listen, this EP was pretty much...... whatever. i didn't think much of the songs. but recently i listened to it again and i think it clicked. it honestly feels very cohesive except for the ballad (more on that in a bit). the EP in its entirety is very fun to listen to tbh. all of the b-sides are pretty alright. though the title track (switch), satisfied, and shame are my favorite ones from here. i honestly don't have a single song in here that i hate. i think that is a massive win.
despite this being pretty cohesive, the ballad stands out a bit too much and i think it's placement in the tracklist does not help at all. it's a very pretty ballad for sure! but going from piano and violins to a song with the sexiest vocals and guitars i've ever heard takes me fucking out every time i play this. "where would you put the ballad then?" absolutely no clue... maybe in an ideal world this would have worked out a bit better:
- ghost
- switch
- what more can i do?
- 살며시 봄이 오면 (the ballad in question)
- shame
- satisfied
all in all. i think this is a very chill EP! i don't think it brings anything new to the table but it was a nice listen nonetheless. 1 and a half thumbs up.
also the album cover is so so pretty i love the colors of that pic.
highlights: satisfied, switch, shame
rating: 
listened on 04.apr.24, published 02.may.24
陽のかけら - inuha
type: EP
genres: shoegaze, dreampop, ambient pop
date released: 10 january 2024
what a beautiful EP! i've never heard of this artist (or voca producer?) but omg this was so nice to listen to. first thing that caught my attention was the album cover. you can't see it here because i compress these imgs to hell on purpose but it's a watercolor painting made by inoha and it just radiates exactly what i thought this EP would be like.
it's so sweet and calm... i think i would love listening to this as i am falling asleep.
and the way miku's voice is tuned is so LOVELYYYY as well. i am in love.
links: bandcamp
highlights: 出発の朝, 鳥はきれい好き
rating:
listened on 07.apr.24, published 10.apr.24
beautiful maze - drippin
type: single
genres: dancepop, kpop
date released: 3 april 2024
me thinks cute! when i first heard the teasers for beautiful maze i was expecting something along the lines of liquid dnb. despite my slight disappointment i never learn that you cannot trust kpop teasers the chorus of this song is super pretty tho. overall this is a very nice song but because of taste, i wish i had a little more going on for it! but i don't think it's boring either. its just Nice and that's it.
b-sides were pretty okay as well. like I AM BIASED OKAY this is after all one of my favorite kpop groups in terms of discography and the parasocial relationship i have with them is crazy but i'm just pretty neutral on all the songs here! i don't hate or love anything here.
but if anything, this was a pretty cohesive single and i can see why each of these songs are in here. honestly i'm just happy they are back with more music ^_____^
links: youtube MV, spotify
highlights: beautiful maze
rating:
listened on 03.apr.24, published 03.apr.24
non-breath oblige - pinocchioP
type: single
genres: jpop, electropop
date released: 2 june 2021 (omg my birthday...)
GASP..........
like i have mentioned previously, i am back on my bullshit. i like to play co-op matches on project sekai and someone picked this song! as i was playing it all i could think about was how pretty this song sounded. it was really like love at first listen.
i don't even think i have the words to properly describe how heartrenching this song is. like even without the translated idk japanese :( lyrics, the way miku's voice is tuned is just says so much. and i LOVE the parts where it a constant repetition of "i can't breathe"...... and i hate that the beat is in that section is so GOOD because it makes me want to dance BUT I CAN'T IN GOOD CONSCIENCE. it just feels so heavy and full of emotion. average vocaloid moment i know.
really recommend the MV as well. the animation is super beautiful.
i think i should get a bit more into pinocchioP as well... i know a lot of ppl love his stuff and i haven't heard much from him (my fault) soo.... maybe i'll listen to the album this song is included in. one day.
also the nightcord cover of this cover is absolutely not bad? at all???? i am not a fan of prsk covers but wow. they kinda did a great job with this.
links: spotify, youtube MV, project sekai 3DMV
rating:
listened on 21.mar.24, published 24.mar.24
img is a screenshot from the youtube music video, art by えいりな刃物
