She'z - 낮과밤 (2012)

She'z is a forgotten Pop group that emerged from South Korea around the early 2010s. The members included Lee Jin Ah (the leader and eldest member, born on October 10, 1989), Lee Tae Yon (born on March 17, 1990), Kim Sae Yeon (born on June 11, 1991) and Kim Ji Young (the "maknae", or youngest member of the group, born on May 24, 1993). She'z had the privilege of being the very first idol group to be produced by Line Entertainment. Initially, this agency exclusively served as a platform for MCs and comedians alike, but around 2012 it decided to expand into the music industry. All of the girls of She'z are reported to have "majored in vocal performance at renowned arts institutions". According to Soompi (a website that focuses on Korean Pop culture), Line Entertainment promoted the group by stating that all of its four members had the ability "to sing and perform at the level of the lead vocalist in any other idol groups", which supposedly also gave She'z an edge to "experiment with several different musical genres". She'z made their official debut on May 18, 2012 with the first single, She'z Holic, featuring "내맘대로 (My Way)". However, it should be noted that even before this they had already appeared on the 2011 soundtrack of a Korean television drama series known as Scent Of A Woman contributing the song, "Better Tomorrow".

Nearly a month later in June, the quartet released 낮과밤 (Day & Night). This modest thirteen-minute recording includes two original songs and their respective instrumental versions. Professionally produced and boasting a top-notch, pristine sound, the 낮과밤 EP has a sleek design and comes with beautiful packaging as well, featuring a large booklet that is stocked with high-quality, color photographs and of course, the lyrics (although they are really of not much benefit if you can't already speak or read the Korean language). I'm really grateful that I purchased a brand-new, sealed physical copy of this EP when I did, as it now seems to be out-of-stock everywhere I've checked (I got it for under $5 too, not counting the shipping and handling fees). As far as the music of She'z goes, I imagine that it will most likely not turn too many heads, but I personally think that it's pretty enjoyable and consistent for K-Pop. On the lead track, "내맘대로", She'z flaunt their rebellious "bad girl" attitude. This terpsichorean Electropop tune struts around with a whole lot of glamour and charisma (it also has some subtle Rock stylings). Tae Yon, Jin Ah, Sae Yon and Ji Young all give a sensational vocal performance here.

"낮과밤", a lovely R&B ballad that's as soft and smooth like velvet, showcases the more emotional side of She'z. Judging by the translation, this song appears to speak of the desperate yearning for the return of that special person who has departed from one's life (as well as the feelings of hollowness and fragility that ensue when going through an experience such as this). Presented are some catchy beats, mellow acoustics and even a violin (along with light touches of piano). The four girls sing this one with more soul. The next two tracks are the obligatory instrumental versions of both "내맘대로" and "낮과밤". They may feel a tad lonesome due to the absence of all the girls' voices, but I still find them pleasant to listen to (and don't ever skip these instrumentals). While She'z had a lot of potential to be a successful K-Pop group, their existence would prove to be on very limited time. They just never got the chance to record a full-length album and have also been inactive since 2014 with no official statement as to what their status as a group is. That's kind of unfortunate, but looking on the bright side, at least She'z managed to make this EP and some other decent singles.