ITZY – Motto (The 12th Mini Album)

The bridge on Asylum 😭  really hope Lia gets a solo album in future 

Asylum is SO pretty!

really digging you and i omgggg☁️🫧

This is so good! But my fav has to be song other than motto has to be you And I and Pocket. Yejis charisma is dripping from that song! So proud to call myself a midzy🥹🙏 

ITZY releases music = I will yap about said music:

album: an even bigger step-up in technical quality to TUNNEL VISION, carrying with it an incredibly forward-focused, brighter sound that is rather unexplored for ITZY stylistically, all the while adding a unique color to their overall chic image. what it lacks in overall album cohesion it makes up in production quality- this is one of the better produced K-Pop albums of the year, and every song has a well-balanced mix and technical proficiency that makes this stand out as a rightfully anticipated release for my undying MIDZY heart <3 **8.5/10**

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Motto: I LOVED this title track way more than i expected. I was intrigued with how ITZY would tackle this sophisticated, nu-disco vibe and the execution left me incredibly satisfied. Perfectly balancing energy and tension delicately (as is expected for every ITZY title track arrangement, even their higher-intensity ones), carrying a brighter and more melodic-focused sound than their prior title tracks in the past ~2 years or so, this song is an immediate earworm from start-to-finish. Incorporating nu-disco with modern sophisti-pop and even orchestral elements in a way that feels quintessential ITZY in arrangement all the while branching out into a unique soundscape for them that has you hooked from the first listen. **9/10**

Glitch: An intricate blend of 2-step, high-fashion music, and elements of vogue house that leans into minimalism as its driving sonic color, crafting an overall interesting sonic experience with incredible technicalities in the production. the vocal production on this track is also INCREDIBLE, being delicately processed to complement the light, minimalist, and ‘runway’ vibe that the song captures. **7.5/10**

you And I: A complex blend of industrial noir, alternative R&B, and experimental contemporary that blends interesting sonic elements with an absolutely stunning production. The clean arrangement with masterful uses of space in the mix to add energy and INCREDIBLE levels of detail to an overall downtempo, lower-energy track- this is a song that SHINES in headphones and critical listening. It’s not necessarily easy to listen to, nor does it appeal to my personal tastes, but it’s so sonically interesting and is the gold-standard of the overall stellar production I’ve been praising throughout the entire album. **7.5/10**

Pocket (Yeji): A mixture of ‘NOT SHY’ era western tropes with modern hybrid trap and even sprinkles of an almost cyberpunk vibe in an overall characteristically high-energy, intense track for Yeji. The sheer power and energy of this song alone is incredibly hype and fun, all the while showcasing Yeji’s incredible vocal versatility throughout the track duration. It’s like if ‘NOT SHY’ meets ‘Can’t Slow Me, No’, all the while adding even more energy to truly capture Yeji’s iconic and commanding performance image. That being said, it felt a little short- the song could’ve benefitted from a bit more length. **7.5/10**

Asylum (Lia): A sentimental Y2K rock ballad, focused heavily on Lia’s honey-sweet vocal tone that combines delicate harmonic structures with an incredibly nostalgic, 2000’s-era vibe of sweet pop rock, akin to the early days of DAY6’s music. This song is incredibly comforting and sweet, and takes a step back from the high-intensity, forward-focused sound of the rest of the album in a welcoming and warm way that I personally enjoyed. **8.5/10**

LOOK (Ryujin): Focusing heavily on Ryujin’s chic image, this track is a fun, glitchy blend of vogue, industrial, and even a bit of aggressive, edgier cyberpunk-esque tropes. I *implore* people to listen to this song with good headphones- the production is powerful, boomy, and incredibly technically profound, capturing a relatively experimental sound in the K-Pop scene that hits HARD. I just wish it were a little longer, but otherwise, an incredibly hard-hitting, energetic track that I found enjoyable and fun. **8/10**

Undefined (Chaeryeong): This deep/2000s R&B vibe from Chaeryeong?!? Oh my miss MA’AM!!! this was a vibe and a half. incorporating elements of swing & cabaret into the overall deep, intense vibe of the song brings on an added level of tension in the arrangement that makes this song stand out in its laid-back nature relative to other tracks on this album. Chaeryeong’s silky vocal delivery also adds a velvety weight to this song, with the faint layered harmonies adding incredible sonic textures that blends seamlessly with the mix. **8/10**

Tangerine (YUNA): THAT INTRO THOUGH. WHAT. This song feels like it’s connected to Yuna’s solo debut in all the right ways, leaning into a disco house & citypop vibe that’s similar thematically to Motto while leaning heavier into city-pop arrangements and the brighter, forward-focused sound of Yuna’s debut album that I personally loved. The production is also surprisingly complex, heavily layered, and incredibly colored in ways that elevate this song even further into a bright, feel-good vibe all the while adding such INTERESTING harmonic dissonances (especially in the faint layered vocal harmonies throughout the song). And I will ALWAYS give bonus points for songs with a KEYS SOLO!!! **9/10**

Undefined is so good! Motto is such a bop, you And I is also fantastic- stellar album all round!

Love the album but still think it hasn’t dethroned Tunnel Vision for me. Tunnel Vision remains at 1 for me currently followed by Kill my doubt and Born to be.

Motto is a solid TT worthy song. It’s catchy and memorable. I just think it’ll need to grow on me more. For now it’s a 7/10.

Glitch is my fav group song. It’s weird but in a nice way. Reminds me of 8-bit heart from the last album but it’s not a shitpost. Really love it and It’ll probably be on repeat for me.
10/10

You and I is nice song. I believe it’s an ear worm if listened to more than 1 time. It’s also a grower and I’ll need some time to get used to it. But I loved it regardless. Love the cat sounds so for that alone – 8.5/10

Pocket is just phenomenal. Yeji solos never disappoint. It’s just really catchy and exactly my kind of vibe. No more notes. 10/10

Asylum is dreamy and emotional. As expected of Lia. She does this genre so well. This might be my second favourite song on the album just artistically. The lyrics are also so deep and meaningful. Good Job Lia. 10/10

Look is so funny to me. It’s exactly what Ryujin’s vibe is. And as a Ryujin bias, i should not be surprised it’s one of my favs.. Ryujin’s tone in this song is just so attractive I can’t. I noticed she has a different style of singing now? Kind of gritty and mouthy but so cool. It’s to die for. Once again, straight to my playlist. 10/10

Undefined is confusing. The vocals, production and flow are very nice I’m sure. However even after listening to it like 5 more times- i can’t figure out which direction it’s going in. I cannot follow the melody at all. The last minute or so is actually so mesmerizing though. And the instrumental is fire. But unfortunately this seems to be a miss for me. And it’s all on me because I’m just too dumb to understand the song. Sorry Chaery. 4/10

Tangerine is so poppy, and colorful. I mean, it’s Yuna. It’s exactly what I expected from Yuna. She has been on a roll with her solo work. City pop is her calling. While it’s not a song I’ll listen to voluntarily or put on my playlist – I’d definitely never skip it. I love the glittery and dreamy sounds. It feels like an extension of Ice -Cream which I also dearly loved. 6/10

Overall the entire album gets a 7.5/10.
A great addition to their discography but I’ll be waiting for something more legendary like Born to Be or Tunnel Vision.

Upon the first listen:

I love Asylum!! Lia has such a beautiful voice. 🥹

Other songs that have caught my attention: Motto, Look and Tangerine.

I’m sure I’ll like the others a bit more upon listens.

why is every mv 4:3 ratio nowadays?

I love it! For me, the album was so consistently good the whole way though. I would have loved a few more group songs, but I can’t complain too much, especially when we are getting 8 songs in total. I think for me my top three are Motto, Asylum, and Tangerine.

MOTTO is great, but I think my favorite on the whole album is Glitch. This is just so experimental and fun. It might be my favorite ITZY track finally dethroning Killshot/8-BIT HEART. I love ITZY at their most fun, and this is really developed on that sound!