I.O.I – ‘Chrysalis’ Album Review

This post is by guest writer Jara Rowe.

A product of the survival show, Produce 101, rookie girl group I.O.I is finally formed. The 11 trainee members handpicked by the public released their debut mini-album, Chrysalis, not long ago. The name of the album is very fitting for where the girls have come from and what is in store for them in the future by being transformed into something spectacular. I.O.I demonstrates through Chrysalis that although they’re new comers, they can handle any genre like chameleons.

Track 1 – I.O.I (Intro)

Chrysalis kicks off with radio bits, a sweet “peek-a-boo”, and intense horns in I.O.I. (Intro). Smooth, angelic vocals come in over an intense hip hop rhythm that makes the short 45 seconds extremely interesting. The velvety voice of the rapper adds even more flavor to it. The track ends with a soft, yet swaggy proclamation — “focus on us”. The intro does a great job of building up anticipation for the rest of the album by giving tidbits of many things to come.

Track 2 – Dream Girls

Dream Girls is a colorful, high-energy title track that is full of feminine charm with a hint of swagger from a trap-like beat. The upbeat and bouncing synths make this a great pop dance song. Dream Girls has a very catchy tune and a positive message about believing in yourself to reach your dreams. However, it became really redundant quickly and I started to lose interest about halfway through.

Track 3 – 똑똑똑 (Knock Knock Knock)

With a typical girl group sound, Knock Knock Knock is the third track. Knock Knock Knock is a cute and warm mid-tempo ballad that emotes a spring feeling. This is a sophisticated and suave number that shows the vocals of each member, but fails to set itself apart from other girl groups.

Track 4 – Doo-Wap

Doo-Wap is a 90s synthpop song about blushing around a crush. This track is really refreshing and youthful. The chimes and drums partner to make a nice groove that is easy on the ears. Doo-Wap is a track that is fun but also shows off the groups’ vocals and rapping.

Track 5 – Crush

Crush is edgier than previous tracks. It’s a unique sounding song that samples the Dutch funk genre. This track allows I.O.I to showoff all of their sass. Crush is a high energy song full of character that would fit well in a club atmosphere.

Track 6 – 벚꽃이 지면 (When the Cherry Blossoms Fade)

When the Cherry Blossoms Fade was composed and written by B1A4‘s Jinyoung. It’s a light but deep and sentimental track. The vocals are airy but the emotions in the voices and backtrack adds a lot of depth. I particularly enjoyed the use of harmonicas throughout the song, it’s a refreshing element not often used in many Kpop songs.

Track 7 – Pick Me

Pick Me is without a doubt an EDM infused dance track. The song has a great message about hope, but I found it overwhelming as a whole. Just listening to the track, there is a lot happening and not much of that actually shows the vocal talent. The backtrack is loud and pumping from start to finish, which is good as a performance song, but harsh on the ears. I don’t see myself choosing to listen to this track just for enjoyment.

What Do You Think?

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