Release Date : May 18, 2016
Tracklist :
1. Ex Girl (Feat. Wheein of Mamamoo)
2. 걸어 (All in) *Title
3. 네게만 집착해 (Focus On Me)
4.백설탕 (White Sugar)
5. 반칙이야 (This Cheating)
6. Because of U
Total Runtime: 00 : 19: 58
Recommended for: Monsta X fans and listeners who enjoy both fast dance tracks and chilled, smooth numbers.
NOT recommended for: Listeners who do not prefer loud, speaker breaking tunes or those who crave for epic vocals.
Popular rookies Monsta X has returned as a lost clan of mysterious mental patients in their comeback track, “All In”.
Starship Entertainment’s newest boy group have released a six-track mini album, “The Clan, Pt.1 – Lost” which is the first of a three part series, to be released this year.
Monsta X taps into new music styles worthy of praise and be placed on repeat.
Review
Track 1 – Ex Girl (Feat. Wheein of Mamamoo)
“The Clan, Pt.1 – Lost” begins on a light and fluffy note. “Ex Girl” is about an ex-boyfriend failing to get over his ex but the song is much giddier than a regular break-up song. Vocal duo Kihyun and Wheein make a sweet start to the first verse. Shownu makes a pretty harmony with Wheein before Jooheon’s rap about ‘his little princess’. I.M shows off his charismatic rap. The verse concludes with Shownu and Wonho’s addicting vocals. The chorus features Kihyun and Shownu complimenting Wheein’s fresh yet breathy tune. Minhyuk and Wonho head the second verse. In the bridge, Wheein sings, “I know I’m your ex-girl” with a nice adlib and Hyungwon enters for his first and only line. The rapper trade lines like a one-two punch. The final chorus is just a repeat but the vocalists stuck to the chilled feel of the song till the end.
Track 2/Title Track – All In
Monsta X goes “All In” at the last bid of their poker game. This title track is nothing short of an epic boy group number. The intro is filled of hard-hitting electronica and clapping. Kihyun’s voice breaks the fast beat slightly. I.M gets a big rap part in the verse before Hyungwon chimes in with a very catchy line. Hyungwon’s monotone voice really suits this song. Shownu wraps up the verse on a low-chest belt. Kihyun and Shownu smash the chorus where their strong diction captures a determined feel. Minhyuk and Wonho’s light vocals also suit the melody well. Jooheon slays his rap break, claiming his also going “All In”. Hyungwon and Wonho deliver higher pitches lines before Jooheon swags his way to end the second verse. After an upbeat trance-like break, Shownu drops the beat to tell his baby she’s beautiful. Kihyun goes for his strained high note before delivering a few adlibs in the joint chorus. The song ends in style as I.M and Jooheon eats up all previous parts in the most addicting and swagalicious rap you’ve heard from them.
Track 3 – Focus On Me
This track is wild and fast-paced from the get go. Lead vocalist Wonho is first to sing and he adopts an edgier tone. Minhyuk and Shownu follow suit before Jooheon brings his sassy-honey rap. Shownu explodes out of the gates in the chorus where he sustains his ending notes for longer. The rapstars turn up the intensity in yet another one-two punch. Kihyun slows down the track at the halfway mark with his soft falsetto. Jooheon and I.M dominate with their lengthy, fast raps. Shownu, Hyungwon, Kihyun and Wonho form an exhilarating block of lines. The bridge features a cool, dance-worthy electronica break. Kihyun and Hyungwon conclude the song by leaving a smashing impression.
Track 4- White Sugar
“White Sugar” sounds like nothing Monsta X has released in their career. It is a medium-tempo, breezy track, similar to a CNBLUE number. A chilled acoustic guitar begins the first verse. Jooheon gives his 2016 confession before Minhyuk and Wonho melts ears with their vocals. Shownu closes the chorus smoothly. Shownu’s voice has more support than the Ho-Hyuk. Kihyun sings the pretty sounding chorus. I.M rap-sings to start the second verse. Jooheon also uses this approach. Shownu and Hyungwon open the final chorus. Wonho comes in for two lines to compliment Shownu and Kihyun adlibs. Minhyuk and Jooheon ask for white candy one last time.
Track 5 – This Cheating
The album jumps back to its heavy dance tracks with this track. Kihyun is first to sing, followed by Shownu, who delivers a mini belt into the chorus. The chorus features repetition of ‘na na, na’s’. I.M and Jooheon’s have some spice and attitude in them. Minhyuk and Wonho sing a few lines before Kihyun belts out a high note to end the second verse. There is an instrumental break before the bridge where Shownu’s runs and another Kihyun high note are showcased. “This Cheating” finishes with Jooheon’s final rap.
Track 6 – Because of U
“Because of U” is a nice and slow R’n’B track. Soft, quirky sounding instrumentals feature in the intro. Wonho and Minhyuk adopt a chilled feel in the first verse. Kihyun follows suit. The song sounds a bit like a Zion.T track. Shownu uses his airy falsetto in the chorus. Jooheon and I.M team up once again with their deep, masculine tones. Shownu and Kihyun’s pretty-sounding falsettos wrap up this feel-good song and album.
“The Clan, Pt. 1 – Lost” is Monsta X’s third mini album since debut but it is a little lost like the album name. The album has cute, light-hearted and fast-paced tracks but they are not plotted well in terms of song sequence. The flow of the album could be better, as it seems too choppy when listening to it from the start. Nevertheless, most of the tracks were genuinely of a high quality especially the title track, “All In”. The boys stuck to their strengths – letting rappers Jooheon and I.M shine in every song. Their one-two punches were the highlights over Kihyun’s solid vocals. It will be interesting to see what Monsta X produces in the next installments of “The Clan”.
Replayability– GREEN
Addicting tracks that are worthy to be put on repeat
Cohesiveness– YELLOW
Better song sequence could make the album flow more smoothly
Originality– YELLOW
Some songs screamed Monsta X, others sounded similar to K-pop counterparts
