Trouble Maker's 'Chemistry' Shows Substance Beyond The Sex Appeal Of The Duo [REVIEW]

Hyunseung and HyunA deliver a solid mini album that withstands the hype.

This week, Cube Entertainment inundated the K-Pop industry with teaser photos and video to support the release of "Chemistry", the second mini album by the duo Trouble Maker (BEAST's Hyunseung and 4Minute's HyunA). The promotional photos seemed to become more aggressively sexy ranging from the initial photo in which HyunA was clad in her bra and hot pants with a fully dressed Hyunseung to photos where the duo frolicked on a bed. As a general rule, if a musical project seems over hyped, there may be little substance to it. In the case of Trouble Maker, however, their mini album "Chemistry" is definitely worth the level of hype and industry buzz.

"Chemistry" reflects a level of musical sophistication that was lacking in the 2011 release of "Trouble Maker". While "Trouble Maker" was a whimsical mini album with a self-titled single which helped to solidify the branding of the duo, "Chemistry" displays a high level of emotional range and musicality. HyunA ,who has clearly proven her vocal talent in 4Minute, is often relegated to the role of the sexpot accessory, as witnessed in PSY's "Gangnam Style" music video. In the past, Trouble Maker as a duo faced a situation where HyunA's overt sexual appeal both vocally and physically outweighed that of Hyunseung. In "Chemistry", this is no longer an issue.

"There Is No Tomorrow (Now)" the comeback single from "Chemistry" features strong vocals from both members of Trouble Maker. Hyunseung puts forth a greater effort to establish vocal dominance, which was absent in the past Trouble Maker mini album. The accompanying music video for "There Is No Tomorrow (Now)" reflects the decadence of life in the fast lane, most specifically in American culture. The video opens with the duo drinking profuse amounts of Budweiser and Hyunseung waking from a bed where he is draped with foreign women. In essence both the song and the video provide far more social commentary than what the duo was previously known for.

"I Like It" features a solo by HyunA with Flowsik from Aziatix, which has opens with a call and response rhythm that makes the song sound very similar to music released by The Black Eyed Peas. "I Like It" is enjoyable with a flavor that is hip hop meets electronic. "Attention" is a playful song which primarily features a saxophone and reflects 1990s New Jack Swing. The strongest point on "Chemistry" for Hyunseung is with his solo on "Girl (The Girl Who Wants To Play)". With R&B influences, "Girl (The Girl Who Wants To Play)" displays the potential for Hyunseung to lay down very sexy vocals which may be seen in the upcoming 19 plus release for Troublemaker.

Over all, "Chemistry" is a very solid comeback release for Trouble Maker. HyunA and Hyunseung have proven that the audiences have a lot to look forward to and that the duo is more than just a gimmick devised by Cube Entertainment. By exceeding the expectations for their comeback, Trouble Maker has established there is more to the duo than meets the eye.

"Chemistry", the second mini album from Cube Entertainment's Trouble Maker, was digitally released on October 28th with the release of the physical album on October 31th.

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HyunA
HyunA Hyunseung
Trouble Maker
Flowsik
Aziatix
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