First of all congratulations on the comeback! You all worked very hard and it was evident. I'm so proud to see you all on stage again and I hope you have a great time performing the coming weeks. Second I apologize for not being able to write this letter in Korean. But since you guys said you appreciate getting more feedback I thought I would still write something down regardless! I tried to write it in a way that would be easy for papago to translate ❤️
1. chrOme hearts
I was already a very big fan of chrOme arts! The lyrics were absolutely stellar. And I think it was onlyoneof’s best and most engaging take on industrial music since libido! The dynamic play with masculinity and femininity was breath taking, yoojung in particular standing out in the performance, and I liked how the more aggressive vocal delivery contrasted against the powerful pre-chorus and relatively subdued anti-drop. The ambient bridge was also something I enjoyed a lot. Making the final anti drop in the chorus even more subdued was an excellent choice, adding to the effect of the bombastic closing segment of the song. I would go as far to say that chrome arts/hearts is your best choreography to date and I would love to see you incorporate more ballroom influences. For the Korean version most of this still applies, the only critique would be that the English lyrics didn’t always make sense and took me out of the song a couple of times. compared to the original Japanese version where that wasn’t an issue for me. The performance was still great though, I think the chrome hearts choreography video had some outstanding moments such as yoojung’s brow raise in the first chorus. And the floor walking part with nine in the middle leading the members on an imaginary leash was even more impactful than before. Overall 9/10
2. seOul drift
To get the negatives out of the way first, this is a sound I personally don’t particularly enjoy. Chanting choruses and rap heavy verses are things I gravitate away from in kpop, especially with boy groups. Sometimes they work for me but that is only with very particular artists and I don’t think this song did anything new or fresh in that department, at least in the first verse, that haven’t been done in more appealing ways elsewhere. What I did enjoy in these sections was the dynamic yet grungely distorted instrumental and the vocal slide at 0:30 that cuts in during junji’s part. I also think mill’s delivery was a standout throughout the song and especially during the first verse. His powerful and cheeky tone cut through the instrumental and really made you pay attention while keeping the delivery smooth and fun. From the second verse onwards the song really picked up for me though! Rie’s voice pierced through the song gorgeously and I think the vocal arrangement that followed until the chorus had the original and special onlyoneof flair I love and gravitate towards. I think Kyubin’s voice sounded absolutely excellent here as well. The cut from the chorus to the more ambient and slower bridge was also excellent. Rie, mill, and junji’s voices filled the space gorgeously and I think the pulled back breakdown that followed into the instrumental break was very tasteful and well done. Mill’s ‘slow show’ was particularly effective and Nine’s “the way you’re going is the real 여긴seOul drift” without the instrumental made it my favorite iteration of the line in the song. The dance break put the emphasis on break and it serviced the song greatly, I also enjoyed the choreography in this part and liked that it was highlighted. The chorus worked for me in some ways and didn’t in others. The pre-chorus was very nice and had some very good vocal moments I was hoping to hear in the build. The same goes for the chorus as the vocals kept it fun for me to listen to. While I understand the choice to chant in the song in line with the concept of loneliness and frustration that needs to find its way out. It wasn’t my taste. It wasn’t anything mind blowing, just okay. After a vocal heavy project such as underground idol I was hoping for a title track that would’ve emphasized and expanded on the members’ new and improved vocal skill as a unit. I would’ve loved to see the vocal arrangement from the second verse expanded on and could’ve done with less of the rap that could feel a little awkward at times. As a title track it’s my least favourite so far, overall and in terms of the industrial songs, but it’s also not a bad song. It just reminded me too much of things that have been done before in the kpop landscape.
Conceptually seOul drift did better for me, the lyrics conveyed the message of the song very nicely and I will always praise the way in which you approach intertextuality in songs. I think the references to boswell, instinct and the bridge as a whole were nice and I enjoyed reading the lyrics. The music video is stunning and the director did very well. The story was scarce and I would’ve liked to see more story progression and atmospheric shots but it was still pretty. The inclusion of the rainbow bag was cute and the references to underground idol were nice (particularly for Junji and Rie). Where the visual storytelling lacked in the mv was made up for in the description, though it would be nice to see them connect more. My main nit-pick is that I would’ve emphasized some different choreography parts in the video to make it more engaging. For example Mill’s kick would’ve been a very strong opener. But a scene I really LOVED was the focus on yoojungs leg as the second chorus kicked in and the acting in the unit scenes was very well done as usual.
The choreography is incredibly fast and difficult and I really applaud how you all managed to stay synchronized, the song was perfect for Junji to highlight his more powerful dance style and everyone held their own. I particularly liked the parts that mirrored the lyrics, the prechorus and chorus and it showed new sides of the members. The choreography is not my favourite but still very well done and I’m very proud of you for doing it so well.
Overall rating: 6/10, seOul drift is not particularly what I look for from OnlyOneOf but it’s fine for what it is as a song. It's not something I enjoy on streaming but as a song to kick off tour I see why it’s appealing to perform live, it's energetic and easy to scream along to. The concept is clear and while I don’t like the song as much as I wanted to, the parts I did end up liking I enjoyed a LOT in pieces. In terms of growth the choreography was a step up from skinz which was nice, although I think skinz’s take on industrial music was still much more compelling and fresh. This makes me think the industrial approach doesn’t have much more to offer, compared to other sounds the group can and has done well in the past. Members that stood out the most in seOul drift were Rie, Mill and Junji.
3. Mirage
Now this was SUPERB, the song was incredibly chill without teetering boring and the emotional vocal delivery only enhanced it more. The beat almost felt like a heartbeat that pushed the song forward and everything fell into place with this song. The vocal arrangement was very well done and I loved how comfortable the songs sounded. Whenever I listen to it the song puts me in a relaxed state. When I heard this song I remembered why I love onlyoneof so much. The repetition of the chorus worked well with the theme of the song and it was always tastefully done with something being different in the instrumental or the harmonies, making sure it didn’t become too repetitive. I particularly loved how the harmonies engulfed Junji’s voice in the second chorus, the crackling and piano in the third chorus paired with Nine’s emotive sound and the warped instrumental in the final chorus was so tasteful and immersive it managed to breathe new life into the song, despite being at the end. Which was again very fitting with the lyrics. Rie’s delivery in the second verse was also a standout and that little ‘내일도’ sounded gorgeous. Yoojung and mill’s rap was also very well placed and I loved how Mill’s verse contrasted yoojung's more laid back and soft delivery. I was always a big fan of the instrumental break in heartbreak terminal, so I was happy to hear another one here. This song is what I imagine an upgraded version of the line sun goodness album would sound like, while also being reminiscent of songs such as night night. Overall I think every member shined in this song and it was totally my style. rating: 10/10
4. candy bOmb
first of all the instrumental was absolutely KILLER! It's fun, bouncy and manages to pack a punch. While the chorus is shorter than I would’ve liked it to be, it does a good job and keeps you on your toes, yoojung and KB’s delivery were particularly strong and I really enjoyed hearing their voices like this. The bridge was also phenomenal, it completely changed the vibe of the song without feeling out of place and I think it might be one of your best bridges to date. Vocal effects were well placed too and I liked how they were utilized throughout the song. The only thing that knocks the song down for me is the vocal delivery in the verses. I see the potential in this kind of jagged delivery and understand why it was fitting with the lyrics but it didn’t really work a lot of the time for me. I think across all verses Mill managed to sound the most natural and I would’ve liked to hear more of that across the second verse. Though Nine was also convincing in the first verse. Mill really showed he is the main rapper and for such a rap heavy song that quality could’ve been utilised more effectively. Further, the lyrics were absolutely excellent! I loved how expressive they were and I could immerse myself in them completely to understand the feeling the song was trying to portray, the topic gave me a lot to think about too. Overall, the song was a little too short for my taste and I would’ve preferred for the verses to be more polished, but the lyrics, chorus and bridge were great. Members who shined the most were Yoojung, Kyubin, Mill and Nine, particularly in the bridge. rating: 7/10
5. blueblueseOul
Ever since the song came out in Japanese I’ve enjoyed it. It’s nostalgic and upbeat but doesn’t forget to emphasize the lingering sadness, loneliness and pain the lyrics are trying to convey. The instrumental and melodies are good, nothing experimental or new on their own but that’s not a problem as the vocal arrangement is the star of the show. The vocals fit perfectly in the songs ambient and spacial atmosphere and the harmonies almost function as new instruments on their own, particularly effective in the pre-chorus where vocals fill every space they can find, not letting a single part of the section sound empty. The choice to make the vocals sound like they’re drowning, paired with the lines about being engulfed by scent and the mixing of these scents with tears “발길이 닿는 곳마다 너의 향기가 눈물과 함께 섞여 다시 널 떠올려 오늘도” was absolutely EXCELLENT. It perfectly highlights how onlyoneof’s vocal arrangements can make an otherwise simple song sound absolutely breath taking and different. I also really enjoyed some new harmonies Nine added that weren’t present in the original song. Vocally Yoojung, Mill and Nine particularly stood out to me. I also don’t want to down play how amazing Nine’s lyrics were. If I had to pick, “너를 놓친 나에게 주는 벌이라 그저 향기로만 너를 찾아 헤매이다” is my favourite lyric and you should feel very proud of yourself Nine, I think you managed to make the song even more compelling than it was before. Overall rating: a high 8/10
6. nabi
If we’re talking about conceptual work, lyrical flair, compelling intertextuality and emotion, this song is a masterclass in grasping the meaning of a ‘structural universe’. The song takes its time to lay out its world and atmosphere, the vulnerability immediately palpable in the nature engulfed intro. once the beat kicks in the song lets the lyrics take the listener on a journey filled with hesitation, love, dreams, loneliness and hope. The story was clear and was only enhanced by its references to chrome hearts and byredO. Every detail was slowly unravelling and made not only for a great experience with this song, but also created a new feeling towards byredO. Personally this was perfect for me because byredO is my absolute favorite onlyoneof song, so a new perspective was very welcome. I think my favourite lyric in the song is “서두르지 않아 그저 가만히 널 기다리며 내가 여기 피어있을게” and I want KB and Nine to know you both may have written the most beautiful lyrics in your discography so far. Additionally, the storytelling was very nicely complemented by the emotional vocal delivery from the members. I could hear all the feelings the lyrics were trying to portray, before even reading them. I particularly want to highlight Rie because every time I heard him sing I felt it in my bones. Senji’s background vocals were also very nice and I think you guys should consider doing a proper collaboration one day. The song ends naturally with the chimes back into focus complemented by the sound of nature and birds chirping. Tying the whole song together. Overall a very strong 9.8/10. I think the song perfectly executed what it wanted to do, reminiscent of your art pop signature style. The only reason why it’s not a 10/10 for me personally is because I don’t really gravitate towards songs with this kind of mood in general, but that definitely doesn't take away from the quality of the song.
7. dOra maar English version
I’ll be very frank, I think dOra maar is your best song of all time, I have waxed poetic about its concept, performance, sound and lyrics since the day it released in 2020. But all my praise is reserved for the original version. Villain’s lyrics were never good and when it was announced these lyrics won the contest I was hoping the song would never release. When I listen to them, half of it does not make any sense and every part that is coherent feels like it’s a mockery of the song and undermines how tastefully the original lyrics portrayed the relationship between Picasso and dora maar. Ironically these lyrics embodied the ignorance of Picasso but did not justify this approach with any self-awareness. The instrumental remains good and the vocals are good when they’re not fighting against the words, but the lyrics stick out like a sore thumb and ruined any good feelings I could have towards this version. I did appreciate Haeil trying his best to remove the “itchy itchy” line. The original song is a 10/10, I can’t rate the English version any higher than a 2/10. I probably won’t listen to it again.
overall the album was good, but doesn’t hold up in polish and quality compared to previous albums. This was in part due to the disjointed placing of songs and unclear/incohesive sonical theme. It’s great for a kpop album, but underperforms as an OnlyOneOf album. From the batch of entirely new songs only mirage and nabi managed to exceed my expectations, and I think chrome hearts and blueblueseoul remained great compared to their Japanese counterparts. Though, I think it's a shame that the b-side song concepts were all more engaging and interesting than the title track concept for me. I assume the main point of the collection was to provide a diverse set of songs to kick off tour and I appreciate that for what it is. But I’m hoping for more cohesive albums in the future.
p.s. instead of releasing 5 versions of Dora maar please consider just making new art pop songs.
again sorry for this wall of text! but you said you would like to know what Lyons like and dislike about your work so I tried to be as detailed as possible. good luck with all the upcoming promotions and all your tour preparations. I'm sure everything will work out great!
If there's one thing I'm incredibly happy about, it's to see you guys perform comfortably again and finding new success after the hard times we all endured. I love you and take care of yourselves!
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