Good morning everyone and welcome back to my blog. Today's review will be of the Retro kind and will be focusing on LOONA's first comeback title track Butterfly. First released on Feb 19 of last year, Butterfly has gone on to become LOONA's best performing Youtube video in regards to total views. This will likely change over time however as their most recent comeback So What continues to climb. Arguably LOONA's Butterfly era has been determined to be one of the most important and significant for the group. It was during this era the members of LOONA situated themselves as monster rookies who weren't afraid of difficult choreography and a unique take on song arrangement and style. To review the song we'll first have a look at the music video, then the song itself, and lastly discussing what I think about the dance for Butterfly. Let's start!
This review will be in the same format I have used in previous articles where I score the title track out of 5 main categories (Music video, Song, Concept, Style, and Dance) out of a total of 10 points. An overall score will then be tallied and given at the end with my final thoughts.
Straight out the gate I can confidently say that the music video for Butterfly is one of the most beautiful and well thought out productions I've seen in Kpop. Digipedi, the company behind behind this masterpiece (and most of their videos) has done a superb job of capturing the vibe of the song within the visual aspects of the music video. One of the things I really enjoy about this music video is the overall colour palette. Softer pastels in conjunction with punchier pops of colour really work well in performance sections while the narrative elements employ a diffused and ethereal concept that works well in contrast. A combination of shot on location scenes in conjunction with performance stages works well to show off the complexity of the groups performance while pushing the song's message and the video's narrative. The simple lyrics "Fly like a Butterfly" is perhaps the most synonymous element the lyrics share with the video itself. While the song is almost "floaty" in nature, the video does well to mimic this sense of airiness and lightness. I really love the focus on storytelling in LOONA's music videos and it's no different in Butterfly. I also enjoy how comprehensive they are with the groups lore (something I will not go further into as there are people out there far better suited to unravelling the mysteries of the LOONAverse than me). Digipedi have done a great job incorporating the performance elements into the song as well. They've managed to somehow highlight the super interesting choreography from the members without taking away the vibe of the song, in fact I would say that it only serves to enhance the experience due to the clever lighting used in these scenes.
As for stylistic choices all I can do is praise the person, or people, that thought it would be a good idea to have the girls wear pants. This was an ingenious decision and really helps to highlight the point choreography on offer here. The subtle differences in the blouses and adjoining outfits also compliment the members well. I really like that even though the members are essentially wearing matching outfits they all retain an element of individuality in their overall styling which includes their hairstyles. For this reason it was difficult for me to pick out any members that really stood out in the video but performance wise I think the main dancer Yves really ate up this video and she looks like a total gorgeous queen here. I have to give props to member Haseul as well as she pulls of her new (at the time) shorter style hair with ease. Another addition I really appreciate is the inclusion of many different images of females from all around the world. The inclusion of different people from separate cultures and backgrounds goes to show how inclusive and open LOONA is within their message and lore. In conclusion I think that the music video for Butterfly is outstanding in multiple areas. For the groups first comeback BBC and Digipedi have really pulled out all the stops to highlight just how serious they are with this group. I believe it's their goal to elevate LOONA out of just Kpop and into something that's more globally comprehensive while holding onto their Kpop flavour and flare (this is not to say that LOONA won't forever be Kpop, they will be). With high levels of production and detail the music video for Butterfly is simply wonderful. The criticisms I do have however are that the screen time distribution could have been improved as certain members are shown more than others and the fact that the video is only available on their official channel in HD resolution. Happily though, there is a 4k version available elsewhere but it's not on LOONA's official channel or 1theK.
As for the song itself Butterfly remains one of my favourite tracks from LOONA to date. The song employs a unique and interesting blend of softer piano elements combined with a diffused, yet dominating drum line in conjunction with EDM flares during the chorus. Withstanding the chorus the song is primarily focused on the members vocals, and what magical vocals they are. It is awesome to hear the low ranges on offer throughout the first initial sections of the songs. It is not everyday that girl groups get to experiment with their lower register and I appreciate any chance we have at hearing it, no matter the group. The softer more airy vocals also position the chorus up fantastically. The arrangement of this song is top notch in my opinion and I really like the duality of the verses/bridge in contrast with the powerful chorus. The chorus itself in largely focused on showing off stylistic elements of the instrumental in conjunction with key lyrics being sung over the top. While I would consider the chorus the most powerful element of the song I think the producers have done well to incorporate the higher pitched vocals sections in the chorus with precision. I will also say that while this song is fantastic if you're listening to it alone, it really does come alive when you watch the music video/a performance video alongside. I think Butterfly was designed not only as a simply aural experience but as a whole performance. the whole is greater than the sum of its parts if you will. Another section of the song that deserves praise is the bridge. Increasingly producers have been focusing on the bridge sections of songs to bring us some truly amazing works of art (this doesn't just pertain to LOONA either). The softer beats, chimes, and even the sound of water droplets really make the bridge feel ethereal and light and I just love the imagery that goes along with this section of the song. Overall I really enjoy how magical and airy this song feels when listening to it, it almost feels like the producers wanted to go for a Dream Pop vibe without fully committing to the genre which was a smart decision as I feel like it needs the attitude and power of the chorus to make the song feel unique.
Vocally it might be hard to distinguish any members that really stood out in Butterfly due to how the song was produced and arranged. There are also vocal manipulations on offer throughout the song which mask the members vocals in favour of using them as an instrument themselves (I will never tire of producers doing this, I love it). I will say that members Olivia Hye, Chuu, and Heejin do have a great vocal presence in this song and I appreciate how much focus goes to the members contrasting deeper and higher toned voices. I also really enjoy Haseul's use of her lower register as we have really only heard her higher register being employed in LOONA's solo/group material. Line distribution however is yet again an issue for LOONA. While I can appreciate the focus of songs using their main and lead vocalists to the greatest effect it really bothers me when members, who might have weaker vocals, get not even half the amount of time to sing when compared to the member with the most lines. Both Yeojin and Vivi are consistently underutilised in title tracks and I want to see this improved in their next comeback as do a lot of people. Enough of this BBC!
The element of Butterfly that deserves the most praise is most definitely the choreography. While LOONA have recently shown off just how good they are at dancing with recent covers and their latest comeback with So What, Butterfly is an exquisite example to prove just how versatile this group is when it comes to performance. The dance for Butterfly is very much performance focused and often mimics the lyrics so strongly that I feel like they must be experienced together to get the fullest effect. The outfits chosen for the Butterfly era do a wonderful job in highlighting the complex footwork in this particular routine. The chorus is definitely the section of the song that I would argue is the most impressive at first glance. LOONA posses the uncanny ability to make all their dancers look perfectly skilled and in unison with one another, this is no more apparent when the group dances to the chorus.
The synchronisation of this section continues to impress me to this day and I love the way that the members move their bodies in time with the music with such elegance and attitude. I do have to stress that while I am bias towards LOONA in many respects (I have made this clear in my previous LOONA reviews), I believe the dance for Butterfly will go down as one of the best GG dances in Kpop. The unique formation changes and positioning never fail to keep my interested in a performance of Butterfly even though i've watched it hundreds of times. The members that stood out for me in the music video and the live performances were often varied depending on the outfit and hairstyle used. I actually thought that this shows just how competent the members are at capturing the attention of their audience and making even the weakest dancer seem professional. That being said, members Kim Lip and Yves constantly draw my attention back to them as they've mastered the ability to embody any concept with such ease it actually scares me. My only criticism for the choreography is that its not long enough!!
My rating
Music Video: 9
Song: 9
Concept: 9.5
Style: 9
Dance: 9.5
Overall rating: 46/50
To summarise my feelings on LOONA's song Butterfly I have to say that this song is not only outstandingly proficient from a technical point of view but delivers a whole experience. From the music video, to the song, and lastly the choreography Butterfly is a track that distinguishes itself from the saturated Kpop scene and delivers to use a message of self love and worth. For that reason I believe Butterfly is a song that I will never forget and its impact was, and continues to be, too great to simply go down as "another Kpop song". Fans of LOONA will understand what I am trying to say here but for people who have yet to follow LOONA's activities I really suggest giving the song a good listen/viewing and you might just find elements of this comeback you really enjoy and vibe with.
Thank you once again for taking the time out of your day to read my review. If you have any thoughts please share them with me below or on Twitter. Don't forget to also share my work on Twitter if you enjoy it! Thank you <3 - THR
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