iKON – WELCOME BACK

Track List:

1. Welcome Back
2. Rhythm Ta
3. My Type
4. Today
5. Airplane
6. M.U.P.

With a fanbase larger than quite a few established acts, this debut is eagerly anticipated. They blew up the charts with their warm-up single, "My Type," and now they officially debut with their half-album, 'Welcome Back.' This EP contains five new tunes, as well as "My Type." Members B.I. and Bobby wrote the twin title tracks "Rhythm Ta" and "Airplane."



The EP launches into "Welcome Back," a song that has an R&B feel to it. They're backed by sassy saxes (probably synth, but it still oozes cool). Bobby really kills the raps here. It's also really catchy, and I found myself singing along. The lyrics are nothing amazing, basically saying they miss her and they're lonely even though they tried to be strong about the breakup. It's a strong opening, and it gives me hope for the rest of the album.

"Rhythm Ta" is the title song, and apparently a controversial one, as netizens are claiming the lyrics are dissing their idols. Member Bobby dismissed the claims, putting a more positive spin on things. To me, it's a generic diss, a boasting song, nothing more insidious. Besides that, the song is a heckuva lot of fun, from the piping synths to the rapping and the hook: "Rheethum Ta."  



My thoughts on "My Type" have already been aired in my previous iKON review. It's not bad, and gets better and better the more I hear it.

The fourth track, "Today," is a pretty catchy pop tune. They have some funky guitars going in the background, which I dig. I like some of the nasally intonations -- they remind me of G-Dragon. It's a little slow for a dance tune, though. The title is no mystery: as of today, the boys are suddenly attracted to a girl that they used to view as a friend.  



"Airplane" is a slower song, sort of a combination of sung verses interspersed with raps. Bobby and Junhoe handle the rapping here, which works really well; everything is on point and the melody is intact. I have respect for artists that can do this, as often a rap can ruin a good song, and a song can ruin a good rap. I'm happy to report the absence of ruin. The lyrics are clever: the girl is aboard an airplane, and the boys are begging the pilot to either let them on or kick her off so they can talk.

The last tune, "M.U.P.," is an anthem-like song. The tune alternates between piping synths and washes while the boys take turns rapping and singing. The title is an acronym for "Make U Proud," which the lyrics back up. They become very candid and humble here, saying that they're broke losers, but they will change and make the girl proud. A good closer to a good album.



I have to say I like this, and it was a lot better than their pre-release track. They strike a good balance between singing and rapping, and each boy has his own part playing to his own strengths. It's got kind of a chill vibe; it's definitely not in your face rap or hip hop, and it's not far off to compare them to WINNER. There's even some songwriting talent there, as B.I. and Bobby obviously enjoy playing with words, and I hope to hear more in the future. So was it worth the wait? I'll leave that up to the fans. Regardless, they get my thumbs up.

MV REVIEW - "RHYTHM TA"

iKON show off their hip-hop style in "Rhythm Ta."

Largely a performance MV, we get to see them fooling around on different sets. In one case, they are dancing around in the iconic box while lights are being shone on them like every other boy band. There's a reference to basketball, as they are dressed in the uniforms, play with the ball, twirling it on one finger, etc.  

Some of the costuming was confusing. There's a scene where they're in white robes and trunks like prizefighters, another where they're in basketball uniforms, and still others where they are in hip-hop attire. It's not that they looked out of place, but I have to ask why?


"Hands up! You're under arrest for dissing idols!"

So they get to show off some of their dance skills here. They're actually pretty good. All of the moves and gestures were screaming at us that they were hip-hop. Amusingly enough, the MV was very in your face in the same way the song was not.

It's okay, and did a decent job of showcasing the band, which is what MVs like this are designed to do. I complained about their last MV because it was lackluster. While this is rather basic, at least there's more going on. Two quibbles:
1) Why is there a dog in some of the shots, and why is he a toy or a stuffed animal in others?
2) I can't help but notice that despite the semi-basketball theme, no hoops were actually shot.

MV REVIEW - "AIRPLANE"

The boys of iKON have their heads in the clouds in their new MV "Airplane."

The MV shows the boys in different locations: hanging around an airport, on the runway, in the hangar, around the outside of the airport, in their apartment, on the roof, etc. They're sad, because the love of their life is now on board an airplane, heading for parts unknown. They remember times gone by, good times spent with her.
 


Kudos to the stylist. Every piece of clothing was believable. While some of it had a bit of hip-hop style, a lot of it was completely appropriate - none of the polyester animal print I've seen in other videos or other ostentatious apparel. Many of the scenes with the girl are in schoolboy outfits, so she may be studying abroad?

The acting was pretty good. They go back and forth from glum, sad puppy faces to grins and laughter. They do a good job with the body language and facial expressions. Actress Ji Ha Yeon ('Twenty Again') also puts in a decent performance.


"I have the funny feeling she's not thinking about me..."

Final judgement? It was pretty sweet video, in both senses of the word. The scenes with the girl were absolutely charming and gave a warm feeling to the whole thing rather than just being glum. There are some nice stylistic touches, like the toy airplane and its place in the MV. Not bad at all.

SEE ALSO: Actor Song Jae Rim unexpectedly passes away at 39