ALBUM REVIEW: EVERGLOW - "REMINISCENCE"
Written by: meltrosz
"A non-fan's review on possibly one of the greatest K-Pop albums of 2020!"
More than a month ago, Everglow released their first extended play, "Reminiscence", with the lead single "Dun Dun". When they debuted last year, I heard several people hyping up "Bon Bon Chocolat" from time to time, but I never got curious enough to give it time to listen to. A few months later, they released "Adios", and this time, I was able to sit down and give it a listen. Although I liked it a lot, I felt like I wasn't seeing their true colors yet, so I inadvertently continued sleeping on them. But when I heard a snippet of "Dun Dun", I was immediately hooked. So, I decided to review their latest album and see if it was going to make me a fan of theirs. And now, without further ado, it's time to dive deeper into their album and find out if the other songs are just as good as the lead single!
'SALUTE'
"Salute" is a very upbeat and energetic song that aims to bring good vibes, which is a sound that I actually did not expect to hear from this group. The intro is an instant hook that will keep replaying on your mind for a while and never gets old regardless of how many times you hear it. The chorus has a happy tune that is not any less catchy than the intro and will be having you up on your feet and dancing if you only let its energy take control over your body. Admittedly, I wasn't a fan of the rhythmic singing during the verses on the first listen, but it wasn't so bad once you get used to it. It never grew on me, but the intro, the chorus, and the angelic bridge were iconic enough for me to keep listening to this song. It also helps that a few days after their album's release, they dropped a dance practice video for it, which made it not only a feast for the ears but also for the eyes. The choreography during the chorus is especially mesmerizing, as you can see the music controlling the girls' bodies while they are having so much fun with it. If you have some time, you should also check out the lyrics of this song, which is about breaking out of your shell and being yourself —a very powerful message hidden behind the catchy tunes.
9.0/10
'DUN DUN'
"Dun Dun" is a song that does not beat around the bush. Right off the bat, it gives you the instrumental hook, so you already know to expect that this is going to be a great experience. The music video also immediately shows you the two most beautiful girls in all of K-Pop — Yiren and Sihyeon — through the first few scenes. The song is littered with a lot of non-lexical vocables (nonsense syllables like "nanana") making it — as any songwriter would know — very catchy and extremely easy to remember. This is further amplified by the riff being repeated throughout the song to ensure that anyone who listens to this will never forget it. I'm actually not a fan of non-lexical vocables or riffs in choruses, but Everglow not only makes it work but also does it perfectly. Of course, the song does not rely only on these two aspects to carry everything; in fact, every part of the song carries its own weight. The verses have a very good rhythm that never lets off and continues building up to a crescendo in the hook. And just when you feel the energy reaching the limit, all background instrumentals suddenly halt and the only thing you can hear is Yiren whispering in your ear, which not only brings chills throughout your body but also highlights her gorgeous vocals. The three instances of the chorus in the song are also done in different ways from each other, which keeps it from turning repetitive and dull over time. Another iconic moment in the song is the dialogue between Sihyeon and Onda in the bridge: the contrast between Sihyeon's high register and Onda's low register serves as a very good transition from the bridge and buildup towards the upcoming hook. Overall, the song has no dull moments and will surprise you every time you listen to it, making you appreciate it more every time. And if you loved listening to the song, you'll definitely love it more when you watch it with the choreography. The synchronized stomping in the intro and the swaying and jumping in the chorus were especially visually stunning.
9.5/10
'PLAYER'
If you would like to hear how it sounds when two songs are combined into one, then you should definitely listen to "Player". It starts off with a rhythmic EDM verse and transitions into a dance pop pre-chorus, then the chorus combines both types of sounds by using a beat drop and sweet catchy lines as hooks. Both halves of the chorus are very catchy, and I'm sure it will get stuck in my head for a while. The bridge then steps back from all the bass and beats and instead focuses on Sihyeon's beautiful vocals with little to no background instruments, which created a very nice break from everything. Overall, almost every part of the song sounds different from the others, and I liked all of them except for the verses, which I found to be dissonant. The verses would've been great in another song since it had a very good rhythm and beat but, for this song, I prefer hearing more of the pop sounds than the EDM. Nevertheless, I think it was a very good combination of sounds, and I liked the adventure of hearing something different every minute.
8.5/10
'NO LIE'
This is undoubtedly the best song on this album for me — aside from the lead single. Right from the intro, you immediately get pulled in and you know that this song is going to be very good. Contrary to the intro and unlike the previous EDM-heavy songs on this album, this leans more towards a pop ballad, which I am a sucker for. It is a very pleasant and welcome break from all the beat drops, and I never expected this kind of sound from Everglow, so it was a wonderful surprise. The verse and the chorus were enjoyable to listen to but the pre-chorus was the one that stood out the most for me in this song. It is undoubtedly one of the best pre-choruses I have ever heard: it fully highlights Mia's singing ability, and she was able to resonate deeply with my soul throughout the whole section. It tickles your ear and essence, it makes you wish it would just continue to play forever. The chorus is also quite catchy and uses a lot of repetitions and heavy bass. The song fades away by using the intro as the outro, which I think is a very nice touch. Overall, the song is very easy to listen to, and I would love to hear it whenever it comes on my shuffle. It also has a few things I did not like such as the rap part in the bridge and the vocal slide in the first line of the first two stanzas in the verse, which I found to be unnecessary and awkward. Nevertheless, I would still love to listen to this song every time, especially just to hear the pre-chorus over and over again.
9.5/10
In conclusion, I think this was a very solid album with no weak songs. Everglow showed a lot of different styles in each song, which showcased their versatility. I also noticed that the songs were able to perfectly highlight their singing abilities, especially for Sihyeon, Yiren, and Mia, who showed a lot of techniques and wide vocal ranges in their parts. I don't even mind that there were only four songs on this album because each one was done with a lot of effort and hard work; no song was used as filler. Each one has the potential to be released as a single. If this is the kind of music I can expect from Everglow's past and future discography, then I'll be interested to listen and pay more attention to them. Hopefully, it will also make you start listening to them as well because I think they deserve a lot of recognition and appreciation.
__________________________________________________
Artistic Creativity: 9.5/10
Vocal Quality: 9.5/10
Music: 9.125/10
9.4/10
__________________________________________________
PROOFREAD BY: @Andrea
GRAPHICS BY: @Rinoa
Written by: meltrosz
"A non-fan's review on possibly one of the greatest K-Pop albums of 2020!"
More than a month ago, Everglow released their first extended play, "Reminiscence", with the lead single "Dun Dun". When they debuted last year, I heard several people hyping up "Bon Bon Chocolat" from time to time, but I never got curious enough to give it time to listen to. A few months later, they released "Adios", and this time, I was able to sit down and give it a listen. Although I liked it a lot, I felt like I wasn't seeing their true colors yet, so I inadvertently continued sleeping on them. But when I heard a snippet of "Dun Dun", I was immediately hooked. So, I decided to review their latest album and see if it was going to make me a fan of theirs. And now, without further ado, it's time to dive deeper into their album and find out if the other songs are just as good as the lead single!
'SALUTE'
"Salute" is a very upbeat and energetic song that aims to bring good vibes, which is a sound that I actually did not expect to hear from this group. The intro is an instant hook that will keep replaying on your mind for a while and never gets old regardless of how many times you hear it. The chorus has a happy tune that is not any less catchy than the intro and will be having you up on your feet and dancing if you only let its energy take control over your body. Admittedly, I wasn't a fan of the rhythmic singing during the verses on the first listen, but it wasn't so bad once you get used to it. It never grew on me, but the intro, the chorus, and the angelic bridge were iconic enough for me to keep listening to this song. It also helps that a few days after their album's release, they dropped a dance practice video for it, which made it not only a feast for the ears but also for the eyes. The choreography during the chorus is especially mesmerizing, as you can see the music controlling the girls' bodies while they are having so much fun with it. If you have some time, you should also check out the lyrics of this song, which is about breaking out of your shell and being yourself —a very powerful message hidden behind the catchy tunes.
9.0/10
'DUN DUN'
"Dun Dun" is a song that does not beat around the bush. Right off the bat, it gives you the instrumental hook, so you already know to expect that this is going to be a great experience. The music video also immediately shows you the two most beautiful girls in all of K-Pop — Yiren and Sihyeon — through the first few scenes. The song is littered with a lot of non-lexical vocables (nonsense syllables like "nanana") making it — as any songwriter would know — very catchy and extremely easy to remember. This is further amplified by the riff being repeated throughout the song to ensure that anyone who listens to this will never forget it. I'm actually not a fan of non-lexical vocables or riffs in choruses, but Everglow not only makes it work but also does it perfectly. Of course, the song does not rely only on these two aspects to carry everything; in fact, every part of the song carries its own weight. The verses have a very good rhythm that never lets off and continues building up to a crescendo in the hook. And just when you feel the energy reaching the limit, all background instrumentals suddenly halt and the only thing you can hear is Yiren whispering in your ear, which not only brings chills throughout your body but also highlights her gorgeous vocals. The three instances of the chorus in the song are also done in different ways from each other, which keeps it from turning repetitive and dull over time. Another iconic moment in the song is the dialogue between Sihyeon and Onda in the bridge: the contrast between Sihyeon's high register and Onda's low register serves as a very good transition from the bridge and buildup towards the upcoming hook. Overall, the song has no dull moments and will surprise you every time you listen to it, making you appreciate it more every time. And if you loved listening to the song, you'll definitely love it more when you watch it with the choreography. The synchronized stomping in the intro and the swaying and jumping in the chorus were especially visually stunning.
9.5/10
'PLAYER'
If you would like to hear how it sounds when two songs are combined into one, then you should definitely listen to "Player". It starts off with a rhythmic EDM verse and transitions into a dance pop pre-chorus, then the chorus combines both types of sounds by using a beat drop and sweet catchy lines as hooks. Both halves of the chorus are very catchy, and I'm sure it will get stuck in my head for a while. The bridge then steps back from all the bass and beats and instead focuses on Sihyeon's beautiful vocals with little to no background instruments, which created a very nice break from everything. Overall, almost every part of the song sounds different from the others, and I liked all of them except for the verses, which I found to be dissonant. The verses would've been great in another song since it had a very good rhythm and beat but, for this song, I prefer hearing more of the pop sounds than the EDM. Nevertheless, I think it was a very good combination of sounds, and I liked the adventure of hearing something different every minute.
8.5/10
'NO LIE'
This is undoubtedly the best song on this album for me — aside from the lead single. Right from the intro, you immediately get pulled in and you know that this song is going to be very good. Contrary to the intro and unlike the previous EDM-heavy songs on this album, this leans more towards a pop ballad, which I am a sucker for. It is a very pleasant and welcome break from all the beat drops, and I never expected this kind of sound from Everglow, so it was a wonderful surprise. The verse and the chorus were enjoyable to listen to but the pre-chorus was the one that stood out the most for me in this song. It is undoubtedly one of the best pre-choruses I have ever heard: it fully highlights Mia's singing ability, and she was able to resonate deeply with my soul throughout the whole section. It tickles your ear and essence, it makes you wish it would just continue to play forever. The chorus is also quite catchy and uses a lot of repetitions and heavy bass. The song fades away by using the intro as the outro, which I think is a very nice touch. Overall, the song is very easy to listen to, and I would love to hear it whenever it comes on my shuffle. It also has a few things I did not like such as the rap part in the bridge and the vocal slide in the first line of the first two stanzas in the verse, which I found to be unnecessary and awkward. Nevertheless, I would still love to listen to this song every time, especially just to hear the pre-chorus over and over again.
9.5/10
In conclusion, I think this was a very solid album with no weak songs. Everglow showed a lot of different styles in each song, which showcased their versatility. I also noticed that the songs were able to perfectly highlight their singing abilities, especially for Sihyeon, Yiren, and Mia, who showed a lot of techniques and wide vocal ranges in their parts. I don't even mind that there were only four songs on this album because each one was done with a lot of effort and hard work; no song was used as filler. Each one has the potential to be released as a single. If this is the kind of music I can expect from Everglow's past and future discography, then I'll be interested to listen and pay more attention to them. Hopefully, it will also make you start listening to them as well because I think they deserve a lot of recognition and appreciation.
__________________________________________________
Artistic Creativity: 9.5/10
Vocal Quality: 9.5/10
Music: 9.125/10
9.4/10
__________________________________________________
PROOFREAD BY: @Andrea
GRAPHICS BY: @Rinoa
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Great review!
I listened to the full album earlier this afternoon for the first time, and my thoughts are kind of a mixed bag tbh, still think that it's a solid album btw
Salute: the weakest track on the album imo, it doesn’t fit the album thematically, I’d have given it a 3.9
On an album that is supposed to represent the ‘girl crush’ concept, it’s the complete opposite, representing something between the ‘cute’ concept of the 2010’s and the ‘fresh’ concept that TWICE and Rocket Girls are known for popularising in their respective industries, it just feels off, considering the song when compared the the rest of the tracks on the album...
Dun Dun: not bad, would rate it about 2nd on Everglow title Tracks: Bon Bon Chocolat > Dun Dun >>>>> Great Wall of China >>>>> Adios, bc Adios has that god-awful sounding bridge in the first verse where a chorus should have been (we haven’t even heard the chorus at this point btw). Also, the mv for Dun Dun was stunning, imo probably a 7.5 - 8.5
Player: Matches thematically with the other two songs (sans Salute), I liked some sections of the song, but i felt like it was 3 songs blended into a single song, plus I'm not the biggest 'Girl Crush' enthusiast, probably a solid 5 - 6
No Lie: The best song on the album, god-tier status, deserves an 8.5 or above, will be adding it to my playlist
Re the part where four songs are a bit short for a mini:
Yuehua has a habit when making the albums of their idol groups -- both for Chinese and Korean releases -- where they will almost never produce an album with over 5 songs, this goes all the way back to UNIQ in 2015/16 (who technically had 4 songs bc the 5th was an OST ). The only group to have over 5 songs in a single album was 乐华NEXT with their album NEXT TO YOU, with 10 tracks, this was due to the fact that the members each had solo songs, so it added up to 7 solo tracks (since Chengcheng was featured on that album) and 3 group songs. The only way Everglow will likely have an album over the 5 track limit will be if they each have solos (at the expanse of cutting one or two group songs) or if Yuehua changes their habits (unlikely tbh)
Also one more thing that Yuehua is well known for doing is splitting up groups after the first 2-ish years to have the Chinese members promote in China for that sweet Chinese yuan, they did this to both the Chinese members of UNIQ and WJSN (the latter is managed by YH in China), hoping they don’t do this to EG but know that it’ll only be a matter of time.
I listened to the full album earlier this afternoon for the first time, and my thoughts are kind of a mixed bag tbh, still think that it's a solid album btw
Salute: the weakest track on the album imo, it doesn’t fit the album thematically, I’d have given it a 3.9
On an album that is supposed to represent the ‘girl crush’ concept, it’s the complete opposite, representing something between the ‘cute’ concept of the 2010’s and the ‘fresh’ concept that TWICE and Rocket Girls are known for popularising in their respective industries, it just feels off, considering the song when compared the the rest of the tracks on the album...
Dun Dun: not bad, would rate it about 2nd on Everglow title Tracks: Bon Bon Chocolat > Dun Dun >>>>> Great Wall of China >>>>> Adios, bc Adios has that god-awful sounding bridge in the first verse where a chorus should have been (we haven’t even heard the chorus at this point btw). Also, the mv for Dun Dun was stunning, imo probably a 7.5 - 8.5
Player: Matches thematically with the other two songs (sans Salute), I liked some sections of the song, but i felt like it was 3 songs blended into a single song, plus I'm not the biggest 'Girl Crush' enthusiast, probably a solid 5 - 6
No Lie: The best song on the album, god-tier status, deserves an 8.5 or above, will be adding it to my playlist
Re the part where four songs are a bit short for a mini:
Yuehua has a habit when making the albums of their idol groups -- both for Chinese and Korean releases -- where they will almost never produce an album with over 5 songs, this goes all the way back to UNIQ in 2015/16 (who technically had 4 songs bc the 5th was an OST ). The only group to have over 5 songs in a single album was 乐华NEXT with their album NEXT TO YOU, with 10 tracks, this was due to the fact that the members each had solo songs, so it added up to 7 solo tracks (since Chengcheng was featured on that album) and 3 group songs. The only way Everglow will likely have an album over the 5 track limit will be if they each have solos (at the expanse of cutting one or two group songs) or if Yuehua changes their habits (unlikely tbh)
Also one more thing that Yuehua is well known for doing is splitting up groups after the first 2-ish years to have the Chinese members promote in China for that sweet Chinese yuan, they did this to both the Chinese members of UNIQ and WJSN (the latter is managed by YH in China), hoping they don’t do this to EG but know that it’ll only be a matter of time.
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thank u for reviewing!
i personally didnt really care too much for dundun, it's not really my kind of thing to listen to altho i think the "your dundundundundun" part is catchy
i'll have to give the bsides a listen, i have a couple of friends who hyped them up for a hot minute when the songs dropped too
i personally didnt really care too much for dundun, it's not really my kind of thing to listen to altho i think the "your dundundundundun" part is catchy
i'll have to give the bsides a listen, i have a couple of friends who hyped them up for a hot minute when the songs dropped too
Thanks for the review! I'll check out the album 
A
Aerith
GuestThanks for the review as always~
This EP is seriously good (one of my favorites in a while), especially No Lie. I could put that song on repeat actually.
This EP is seriously good (one of my favorites in a while), especially No Lie. I could put that song on repeat actually.
taste :tea1:Thanks for the review as always~
This EP is seriously good (one of my favorites in a while), especially No Lie. I could put that song on repeat actually.
you definitely should!Thanks for the review! I'll check out the album
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Thank you for the review and I am glad you enjoyed Everglow this much! 
I gotta agree, with Dun Dun, No Lie is best one on the album, but I also love Player, getting addicted to it smh
I gotta agree, with Dun Dun, No Lie is best one on the album, but I also love Player, getting addicted to it smh
i've been listening to their past discography as well. they're a good group to enjoyThank you for the review and I am glad you enjoyed Everglow this much!
I gotta agree, with Dun Dun, No Lie is best one on the album, but I also love Player, getting addicted to it smh
