Iz*One - Oneiric Diary

Release Date: June 15, 2020
Genre: kpop

I wasn't familiar with kpop release schedules so I thought this came out when their full length was still fresh in my mind

Review: The intro is nice, and I remember not liking the title track as much because there was something about it that felt like all the other title tracks, but it eventually grew on me because of their dance performances. I can't help it, the song slaps. Plus, Hitomi sounds so cool when she does her "yeogin" part. But man, hearing them repeat "Swan swan swan" doesn't feel cool to me. I liked "Pretty" at first because it was cute and catchy, but hearing them say "pretty" over and over got old. Despite being written by my bias, "Merry-Go-Round" just sounded like your typical disco and it never grabbed me. Even with the Japanese versions, I just felt the song was okay. "Rococo" should have been a song up my ally, and when I watch their extra content where they use "Rococo" as background music, I do like it, but it's tricky, it just sounds fine, not mind blowing as their past stuff. Finally, "With*One" was always a soft song, but overtime, it grew on me. It doesn't make me as emotional as their other soft songs, but I think it's really sweet.

Tracklist/Scorecard:
1. Welcome (Intro) n/a
2. Secret Story of the Swan 9/10
3. Pretty 7/10
4. Merry-Go-Round 6/10
5. Rococo 7/10
6. With*One 8/10
7. Secret Story of the Swan (Japanese Version) n/a
8. Merry-Go-Round (Japanese Version) n/a

Summary: I guess that element of surprise went away, so I feel like these songs were on auto-pilot. I'll still go listen to them, but it's not as cute as I want them to be, nor is it as ridiculous catchy as I want it to be.

Key Tracks: Secret Story of the Swan
Rating: 7/10