[This review reflects the opinions of the author and not necessarily those of allkpop.]

Track List:

1. B.A.D

2. Contact

3. To you, Tomorrow

4. Change

5. Off Line

Super Junior D&E has made a modern return with their fourth mini-album, "Bad Blood". This release marks the subunit's first comeback in a little under a year and a half. Comprised of Donghae and Eunhyuk, Super Junior D&E aims to prove that they're still very much staple figures in the industry capable of holding their own despite a long break in promotions.

The subunit makes their return with the title track, "B.A.D" The overall sound is synth-heavy, electronic, funky, and eccentric just like the subunit. In comparison to the other concepts that Donghae and Eunhyuk have brought to the table, "B.A.D" is an edgier and riskier concept. The song is a bit repetitive but listenable. Following this song is track 2, "Contact", which has an interesting song progression that goes into an ultra-infectious booming bassline that honestly hypnotized me way more than their title track did. The falsetto vocals give the song a hook that is easy to get caught up in.

"To you, Tomorrow" and "Change" both evoke classic Super Junior vocal ballad styles. These two songs have typical anthem-like K-Drama OST energy. "To you, Tomorrow" has a beautifully written vocal progression that escalates into a nice breakdown whereas "Change" is a bit more ethereal and mysterious in sound. Both songs are perfect for OST use, but I prefer the fantastical quality "Change" has a bit more to "To you, Tomorrow".

Last on the album is another favorite song of mine, "Off Line". The song reminded me a lot of the viral TikTok hit by Arizona Zervas, "Roxanne". The catchy upbeat tempo, lyricism, and deliberate flow made this song feel effortless and perfect for the relaxing summer we just couldn't seem to have in 2020. Overall, the album is a good attempt from the Super Junior subunit at staying relevant to the current music industry's trends without abandoning original sounds or intentions.

MV REVIEW

Was it just me or was the "B.A.D" MV one of the most grandiose K-Pop MV budgets of 2020? Expensive cars? Check. Grand sets? Check. Horses? Check. It seems like the MV for "B.A.D" literally checked every checkbox for an insanely visually-appealing music video. The two are still donning their classic bucket hats from the SuJu days, but I do find that there is a little bit of sensory overload when watching the video. Donghae and Eunhyuk's classic charms and their familiarity with each other has truly lent itself to a synergistic performance, however, the overall feeling is that of overstimulation.

SCORE:

MV Relevance…..7

MV Production…..6

MV Concept……..7

MV Score: 6.7

Album Production…...8

Album Concept……...7

Tracklisting…………...7

Album Score: 7.3

Overall: 7.0