[Album Review] BP RaNia � 'Refresh 7th'

AKP STAFF

BP RANIA � REFRESH 7TH

Track List:

1. Beep Beep Beep
2. Breathe Heavy
3. No dab
4. Breathe Heavy (Eng Ver.)

BP RaNia is back, minus Yina, leaving the current lineup at six:
Alex, Zi.U, Hyeme, Jieun, Yumin, and Ttabo. The band was formed in 2011 with a completely different lineup, without the "BP" (Black Pearl) moniker. They've released one single as BP RaNia, and now, a mini-album, 'Refresh 7th.'

"Beep Beep Beep" is a seriously upbeat tune with a summer vibe.� The drum machines are particularly obvious here, and I think they should have done something to maybe give it more of a drum and bass sound, more filled out. At times the song almost reminds me of�f(x), with a staccato sound and a sort of monotone in the chorus. The influence (imagined or not) just makes this track an awesome bop.

The second track is "Breathe Heavy," a slower tune than "Beep Beep Beep," and in some ways a better one. Hyeme's vocals are front and center during the chorus, which is in English. Her part is appropriately breathy. The lush synth washes are what�really sets this apart, and I really like the dark, seductive mystique of the main verses. The whole track just washes over you.

"No dab" is a more upbeat track. It's got that dance floor aesthetic, and some killer drops. The track is entirely Alex and Hyeme, with the latter handling the rapping. I like the fierceness and attitude that bursts through the track, even if the raps are slightly cringy at times. The girls are definitely telling the guy what's up in this one.

The English version of "Breathe Heavy" is a hot mess, with awkward grammar and equally awkward pronunciations -- which is odd, because the rest of the EP is fine. Not only that, but the lyrics are totally different in each version. Ah well, I didn't take this for a spin expecting flawless diction. The Korean version is better.

This is an extremely synth-heavy album. They wear their techno influences on their collective sleeves, and it gives this album a definitive sound. It still sounds like RaNia in some�parts�but updated for the current times. I'm used to some of that, but there was an R&B component to RaNia that seems to be absent here. None of that makes for a bad album -- just different.

MV REVIEW

Some of you will breathe a collective sigh of relief, but there's no MV just a teaser (as of this writing), and therefore no MV review. The concept, however, is really different. They've had some dark, sexy concepts in the past...indeed, it's what they're known for. Not only that there was a lot of attitude to what they did. What I like is that their trademark fierceness is still there, but there's still a brightly lit thread -- just look at the teaser images and MVs. I like this new incarnation, and am looking for even better things to come for this band.