Lately, I haven’t been feeling up to writing reviews or making any post in general because I have a lot on my mind. All the same, I’m taking each day slowly and praying for the best. So pardon my late reviews😊; I will get back into the groove of things with time.
Alright, on November 10th, XIA released his 2nd mini-album, Pit A Pat. This EP has four songs + two instrumentals. The title track of the album is also called “Pit A Pat”
Kim Jun-su, popularly known by the stage names XIA or Junsu, is a South Korean singer, dancer and musical actor born on December 15th, 1986. He is a member of the pop group JYJ and was part of the original member line-up for TVXQ. C-JeS Entertainment currently manages him.
(Please note – this is a real-time review, meaning I am typing down my exact thoughts while listening to each song.)
Reaction to Title Track/MV:
- No English subs. I sometimes forget to pay attention to the lyrics anyway, so it’s no big deal.
- I don’t know if I’m about to use the right word, but I love the pixeled edit for this music video.
- This song is quite heavy on the electronic sound.
- Xia’s voice is strong and beautiful, as expected.
- The choreography is intricate and well-executed.
- My favourite outfit is the red suit. It complements Xia’s skin tone so well.
- Overall, “Pit a Pat” is a solid dance track, but I think it’s one of those that I need more time with because I’m not too in love with it after my first listen.
- Okay, I gave it a second listen, and It does get better with each new play. I enjoyed the instrumentalization more this time around, and Xia’s vocal runs towards the end are lovely.
Album Review:
Highlight medley videos –
- Pit A Pat – Yea, this song is a grower because every replay leads me to notice something new and exciting.
- Days – Okay, this is the kind of soothing energy that my mood desires right now. Also, it starts with a piano, which I always adore. Xia’s voice is so beautiful and calming. I love how we got some smooth drumbeats/guitar riffs to lighten things a bit during the hook. This song has a graceful melody, and I could hear this playing in the background for a romantic Kdrama scene. Ooo, I love how the guitar came forward towards the end. “Days” is my first favourite on this album. I LOVE IT.
- Writing you – Yes to another ballad. I am living for the serenading section going on right now. Bless me, XIA, bless me!!! Awww, his voice is so beautiful and powerful. His control is top-notch, and it’s like he’s singing to me personally. Hold up; I wasn’t expecting that guitar riff after the chorus. This song is pure bliss. I LOVE IT SO MUCH😢. The instrumentalization + production on “Writing you” is excellent.
- When it snows – Ooo, another ballad. You all can’t even imagine how happy I am right now. I’m getting three therapeutic songs in a row. What did I do to deserve all the beauty??😆Once again, with a soothing keyboard entry. I’m in love with this song; in fact, I’m in love with this album. I’m inspired to create a winter playlist. Xia got my creative juices tingling. Wow, the vocal runs on this track are like butter. Nothing more to say here because Xia served👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼.
- Pit A Pat (Inst.) – This is just an instrumental, but I love that he left in some backing vocals. Many Chinese artists tend to include instrumental tracks with all their backing vocals, so it’s nice to see Xia doing this.
- Days (Inst.) – Similar concept but without the inclusion of backing vocals.
Here is the album on Spotify:
Final Thoughts:
I’m so glad I reviewed this album. Honestly, I was considering skipping it, but this record was worth my time. It gave me a sweet mood reset. After hearing XIA serve pure vocals on each song, I feel very light and at peace. You can tell that the ballad tracks were my favourites, and those will be on replay for a long time.
On that note, XIA‘s 2nd mini-album, Pit A Pat, gets a 10/10 from me.