(Editorial Note: Somewhere in digital land, there was one reviewer who raised the bar for K-pop reviews, and that’s McRoth. This article begins your favorite reviewer’s chapter with KpopStarz, where you will get to see more of his thought-provoking reviews, on as regular as possible basis. The McRoth score isn’t gone forever, it lives on via the K-pop Scoreboard only on KpopStarz. From another K-pop lover to this beloved reviewer, thank you and welcome to the team!)

Most K-Pop, as per pop culture tradition, likes catering to the seasons by unleashing (or retracting) tonalities depending on what the time calls for. Today, we will lightly explore two EPs that enter the fray with two distinct point of views. We'll listen and see how they chose to handle the production value, what fresh elements they decided to use, and how well the EPs came together for each; not only in quality, but in their resonance this season.

As the summer comes to a close, these two EPs find themselves expressing two very different colors of the seasonal K-Pop spectrum. If you’re currently high on the upbeats of summer or are prepped and ready to welcome calmer tunes, both of these EPs have something suitable to offer.

With two mini-albums under their belt, the quote unquote urban electropop boy band, NU'EST, returns this month with their third and arguably most enchanting release yet. 'Sleep Talking' scratches the surface of the group's dubstep inclination while sifting through far more interesting colors that haven't been explored this extensively before - at least not by these five. It's quite the honest enjoyment, as Aron, Baekho, JR, Minhyun, and Ren allow brighter melodies and prettier compositions to spearhead their rugged style from the darkness of their debut EP to conceptually happier grounds in this one (title track "Sleep Talking" and "예뻐 (Feat. 유아라 of Hello Venus)" attest to this). Even the cover art expresses this up-beat moment in NU'EST's discography (pictured above), with each member decked out in zany pattern-on-pattern ensembles -- a hot trend these days -- all in front of a perfectly pink backdrop, no less. It carries the same air of excitement and joy heard in most K-Pop released this summer, and unlike the next EP, makes sure to prevent the impending broodiness of autumn to seep in.

Yet, don't let the change in mood fool you. One of the EP's best and most memorable moments comes in the form of the moodiest track there is to experience: "Beautiful Ghost". Reminiscent of B.A.P's stamping singles, "Beautiful Ghost" drives a chasm between the pretty by unleashing a remarkable blend of pop-rock and howling background vocals. It's some of NU'EST's best work, undoubtedly, and leaves a lasting impression.

But if we're going to dabble in moody K-Pop, our next idol gives us a bit more of the dimmer delivery we're to expect in the coming weeks.

Here, we have BIG BANG's funnest member, Seungri, return to the limelight after a two year hiatus with his second EP, 'Let's Talk About Love.' This EP isn't as explorative as I had been expecting it to be, especially if you consider the change in pace and musical direction taken by his band-mate, G-Dragon (a musical rebel). But as I digress, I have to admit that the lack of significant musical growth, a paradox if I ever heard one, is a welcomed comfort to hear. Tracks like "Yoo Hoooo!!!" and "GG Be" are the very embodiment of Seungri's tongue-in-cheek personality that many have come to adore. To hear it unaltered and unmodified is a relief.

Much like his past projects "Strong Baby" and "What Can I Do," as well as the entirety of his first

EP 'VVIP', Seungri continues to prove that he does a lot of electropop and does it well. This time, by inviting more classic R&B and showtune-y characteristics to pique interest.

His 2013 lead single "Gotta Talk To U" expresses his suave disposition, a style likened to Justin Timberlake, and while it's not as memorable (its chorus leaves plenty to be desired), Seungri continues to stick to his guns and that alone is admirable. In a world as tumultuous as K-Pop, Seungri's understanding of who he is as a pop star is reason to exhale.

But even with an uninspiring hook, the verses laden with relatively darker vibes (made to seem emotive over an acoustic guitar riff) are at the very least a bit interesting to experience, especially when a lot of K-Pop is far stronger and up-tempo right now. Seungri is diving into cloudier moods early, and makes sure to carry the tone across most of the EP. "Come To My" and "Love Box" are tender in their execution and are easy go-to tracks for a summer exit.

One of the strongest moments on this EP comes in the opening track, "Let's Talk About Love," wherein Seungri delivers a BIGBANG-esque number featuring G-Dragon and Taeyang. Over a thumping beat, this trio rattles YG enthusiasts with a club-ready banger, armed with strong melodies by Seungri and (surprising to all) deep raps by Taeyang. It's an awesome track and unintentionally-but-probably-intentionally feeds my need for a BIGBANG comeback. Make it happen, guys.

In both EPs, it's difficult to find a solid point of contention to warrant any poor ratings or distinguish a clear front-runner in our eyes. Perhaps not the strongest Seungri project, 'Let's Talk About Love' still satisfies. It possesses the charms and styles that work best for this soloist and will give any listener who’s been pounding their fists to high octane summer anthems in K- Pop a rest by dimming the tone to a reasonable shout. On the other hand, NU’EST excites with a youthful approach in the present. With an exploration of R&B and an array of beautiful arrangements at hand, NU'EST's 'Sleep Talking' is one of the easiest EPs to enjoy this month (and this summer), and is one worth getting your hands on.

SCOREBOARD:

Artist and EP: NU'EST - 'The 3rd Mini Album: Sleep Talking' Genre: Dance Pop

Release Date: August 22, 2013

Uniqueness Factor: 0.5

Overall Cohesiveness: 1.0

Musical Quality: 0.75

Concept: 0.5

Final McRoth Verdict: 3.4 stars out of 5

Mass Appeal: 670,000+ YouTube views

Artist and EP: Seungri - 'Let's Talk About Love' Genre: Dance Pop

Release Date: August 19, 2013

Uniqueness Factor: 0.25

Overall Cohesiveness: 0.75

Musical Quality: 0.75

Concept: 0.5

Final McRoth Verdict: 2.8 stars out of 5

Mass Appeal: 2,570,000+ YouTube views

Contributing Writer: McRoth | Editor: Dorothy A