[Album and MV Review] Cosmic Girls - 'From. WJSN'

AKP STAFF

COSMIC GIRLS -- 'FROM. WJSN'

Track List:

1. I Wish *Title
2. Baby Come To Me
3. Say Yes
4. Perfect!
5. Hug U
6. I Wish (Chinese Ver.)

We haven't heard anything from them since last year, but Cosmic Girls are back with their newest mini-album 'From.' The 13-member pop group now has three mini-albums under their belt. The lead single off this one is "I Wish."

"I Wish" is a bright, plucky pop song. It's got a breezy, repetitive sound that works in its favor. There's a sweet bridge, and the chorus is cheerful and ebullient. It doesn't quite have the catchiness of "Secret" (my high point), but it does have a charm that grows on you the more you listen (which is why "Secret" was so good).

I think I like "Baby Come To Me" even more than "I Wish." It's got a wonderful upbeat sound and doesn't tend to stray off into billowy, whispery territory. This one really speaks to me. Maybe it's the way it starts with the chorus, the staccato nature of said chorus -- whatever it is, it's a nicely packaged track.

They slow things down for "Say Yes." It's a pretty track, the melody buoyed by acoustic guitar. Having some things in common with songs like Black Pink's "Stay," it's got a folksy vibe to it, almost as if they sat down with a guitar around a fire. The bridge is a tad awkward, and I think the song would be better without it.

"Perfect!" has some of these synth sounds almost taken out of 80s video games -- at least, at first. It becomes a nice happy tune after it sheds much of the electronic noise, a springy song, somewhat in the vein of "I Wish." It's not perfect at all, and while I don't hate it, it's kind of mediocre.

"Hug U" is a cute track, with more going for it than you might get at first listen. It's simple and unassuming, but it's got a sort of R&B kind groove with the keyboards, and I like it. The sing-song vocals are adorable, and the rap fits in well (which can't be said for every song on here). It's a great finisher and leaves you with a warm feeling.

MV REVIEW

The girls get intergalactic with their new MV "I Wish."

And they do, too. The MV is dressed up with dayglo colors, roiling clouds, rainbows, and all sorts of CGI effects. It's devoid of any kind of plot or sense, but that is hardly the point, and the effects are well-positioned and well-done. This isn't 'Rogue One' we're talking about, but they're still fun nonetheless.

The dancing looks as if it might be halfway challenging, and they mostly dance during the chorus, which is standard. It's nothing too elaborate, and they handle it easily.

The line distribution isn't bad. Most of the girls seem to be evenly represented, which they've had problems with in the past. The girls have great puzzled expressions, too, like they are really experiencing what we see on the screen.

Ultimately we're looking an MV that's drenched in color and doesn't stop long enough for you to get bored. It doesn't look like they're trapped in a box or a fake town, it looks like spent some money on sets and green screens and decent f/x, which is just as it should be.

Did I like it? Yes, I can definitely sign off on this one.

Score

MV Relevance..........8
MV Production.........8
MV Concept.............8
Album Production....7
Album Concept........8
Tracklisting..............8