Song Review: IVE Release MV For "Accendio" And AESPA Release Preview MVs For "Licorice" And "Long Chat (#♥)"

IVE (아이브) - Accendio 

Release Info & Mini Bio 

IVE, the six-member girl group under Starship Entertainment that debuted on December 1, 2021, released a new music video today on May 16, 2024 for their song "Accendio". "Accendio" is the second title track from their second EP album, "IVE Switch",  that was released two weeks ago, on April 29, 2024. 

Review 

"Accendio" is definitely the stronger of the two title tracks. While "Heya" has more memorable hooks and a repetitive chorus that sticks to your mind, "Accendio" has more layered melodies and more powerful rap-parts. It starts rather weakly, with an ethereal synth and a soft-rap, but then the melodic parts start hitting you one after the other. After the first hook it gains momentum, with the bridge being the highlight of the song, followed by a super-catchy chorus on a chanting backdrop. From the second verse onwards, the synths change completely tone and tempo and the raps hit harder as they become a lot faster. "Accendio" also has a more mature composition and arrangement, compared to other IVE tracks, without getting overly complex, including probably too many catchy melodies fighting for your attention in a short time, but beside that I believe this is one of their best songs.

The music video depicts the IVE members unlocking their powers after discovering a magical wand and then battling dark alter ego versions of themselves for control of that magic wand in a Japanese magic-girls, super-sentai style, with Wonyoung fighting for the "light" side while Yujin leads the "dark".  The inclusion of the overly-stylized dance-fight, which is by far the high point of the whole video, is a major plus to the whole experience. In conclusion, "Accendio" has definitely a unique concept, but it is mostly the execution of this concept that needs to be praised, for avoiding the silliness and awkwardness that usually comes with it. 

aespa (에스파) Universes

Release Info & Mini Bio 

AESPA released two preview, video-edit music videos as pre-releases for the songs "Licorice" and "Long Chat (#♥)". The music videos feature shortened versions of the songs that will be included in their upcoming first full-length album "Armageddon", that is scheduled to be released on May 27, 2024, and are heavy on animation and childlike silliness. 

aespa (에스파) - 'Licorice' Universe 

Mini Review 

"Licorice" is the strongest, albeit the shortest, of the two new pre-releases, even if the music video gives you only a small 'taste'. By strange coincidence it is also very similar to IVE's "Accendio" that was released today, with the members transforming into superheroes / super-sentai fighters and engaging in battle. In "Licorice" though the members don't battle their alter egos, but a "Licorice" / mint-chocolate monster, which becomes their friend in the end inviting to taste different mint chocolate flavored sweets, which the members absolutely love.

aespa (에스파) - 'Long Chat (#♥)' Universe

Mini Review 

"Long Chat (#♥)" is a mid-tempo, weird and wacky song about a piece of popcorn that becomes a star. Or something like that. The song is rather bland and uninspired with nothing even remotely memorable, but it is fun, easy listening. The silliness of the concept is rather obvious from the beginning with the members, who don't look exactly human, pretending to be scientists studying the stars in the middle of a forest and concluding that a piece of popcorn that fell from the sky is also a star. Unfortunately the whole music video feels disjointed, with 2D cartoon scenes, CGI graphics and live action set-pieces alternating each other, making the end result seem like something they put together last-minute with what they had in stock. It sure is unique, though!