miss A are back with their 4th release - Touch. Click below to read my track-by-track review of the first release of 2012:
Touch
First track of the album and their current single, Touch is a completely unique and different song to what else is out there at the moment. It's quite dark (the song's intro is almost like it's taken from a horror film) and the string's throughout the song definately have an eerie quality to them. But with the beat and the girls' vocals, Touch is definately a sexy and sultry number too. Suzy and Fei take the chorus and I think they sound fantastic. miss A aren't known for their powerhouse vocals but it doesn't matter here, because Touch doesn't require over-singing, nor elaborate ad-libs. A very grown-up sound for miss A.
Lips
Definately a highlight on the mini-album, Lips is a fantastic dance/dub-step song. We haven't heard miss A tackle a song like this before (except maybe for Mr. Johnny on their A Class album) so it's great to hear them try this sound out. The song is definately a great follow-up to Touch as it continues with the sexy theme - I love the way you put your lips on me. The beat reminded me a little of Beyoncé's Run The World (Girls) and I think these songs would stand well together. Lips gets another A grade from me.
Rock n Rule
A bit of a lighter song now but not a dip in the album's fast-paced tempo. This electronic song is an anthem about the ruling the world. Rock n Rule isn't anything amazing, I would say, and probably the weakest moment of the whole mini album. However, that's not to say that I don't like it. I think it has that classic miss A sound and wouldn't have sounded out of place on their A Class album inbetween Love Alone and 다시 사랑. The dub-step breakdown is brilliant though and leads great into the last reprise of the anthemic chorus.
No Mercy
miss A tackle another new genre in No Mercy. Whilst keeping in line with the other sounds of the mini album, the song has more of a soulful feel to it with the percussions and vocals. The chorus is great to sing along with and is another stellar track here. It's another example where miss A have taken a few more risks with this album.
Over U
Another highlight, the fifth track Over U is another confident anthem from miss A. The girls have definately put their stamp on this song and again, it wouldn't stick out of place if on the A Class album. Suzy sounds awesome on this song, I have to say. But it is Jia's rap in the middle of the song that propels the song into amazing territory. For a non-native Korean speaker, Jia's rap skills anf flow are really fantastic. More great stuff and another A grade from me.
Touch (Newport Mix)
Usually, remixes tagged onto albums are dance remixes. But not with JYP artists it seems. On A Class, miss A's Good-bye Baby had an R&B remix and so did the Wonder Girls' track Be My Baby on their Wonder World album. The Touch remix is definately R&B inspired and it totally works. The song loses it's spooky edgy and, instead, the track is made into something more soft and vulnerable. I am so happy that this is featured on the mini album as it's a fantastic addition and great to hear the different side to Touch.
All in all, I am so impressed by Touch. I've always loved miss A but Touch has really surprised me. Their songs are what we've come to expect from them but they've upped their game alot - incorporating new sounds and adopting a more sophisticated and darker image. I hope miss A can win a few music show awards with Touch, despite the upcoming BIG BANG comeback.
Good luck miss A!
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