Feel The HYPE VIBES With SEVENTEEN’s S.Coups And Mingyu 1st Mini-Album
Photo: Pledis Entertainment
When rumors surfaced about a new SEVENTEEN sub-unit possibly being in the works, many wondered who it could be. Would it be a duet like the recent mini-albums from sub-units like JxW (Jeonghan and Wonwoo) and HxW (Hoshi and Woozi)? Or would it be a trio like the sub-unit BSS (Seungkwan, DK, and Hoshi)? Many started to come up with guesses. Maybe they would bring back a “2 MINUS 1” moment with members Joshua and Vernon, or maybe a sub-unit for The8 and Jun? There were many guesses, but to our surprise, the answer was a sub-unit we never knew we needed until now.
Leader S.Coups and member Mingyu have joined forces to create the new and highly popular sub-unit CxM: a duo full of energy, striking rap skills, and danceable music. CxM 1st Mini Album ‘HYPE VIBES’ is a very enjoyable mini-album with six songs that are bound to have you on your feet, singing and dancing along.
CxM 1st Mini Album ‘HYPE VIBES’ Tracklist:
“Fiesta”
“5, 4, 3 (Pretty woman) [feat. Lay Bankz]”
“Worth it”
“For you”
“Young again”
“Earth”
Before the mini-album announcement was released, S.Coups and Mingyu were releasing a variety of TikToks together, showing them out of the country, outside, and having fun, which had us thinking, “Hm, there must be a reason for this.” Regardless, the videos are fun, funny, and truly captured the concept before we even knew. Once the announcement was made, it was as if all the puzzle pieces came together at once. Now, knowing the beachy, party, happy-go-lucky theme for their debut, it makes so much sense.
@seventeen17_official boys in grocery be like: 🛒🤪
♬ Wii Shop Channel Trap - OSRSBeatz
The first song on the mini-album is “Fiesta,” and it's an exciting way to start. With a slight Latin influence, “Fiesta” takes that sound and adds a strong ‘90s/early 2000’s hip-hop beat with a prominent bass. Their deep, raspy voices merge so well, and the mixture of singing and rapping shows the range of the two members. “Fiesta” has all the makings to be a possible title track. There is an addictive chorus, catchy lyrics, and a groovy beat. After one listen, you will be rewinding the song to hear it again, and you can’t help but sing along to that fun chorus: “LA-TA-TA-TA-TA-TA. LA-TA-TA-TA-TA-TA. Fiesta, fiesta. We gon’ party, party like a rock star.” It’s a fun song, and it instantly became one of my favorites.
After jamming to “Fiesta,” you are instantly transported to a new scene. Imagine you are in the car with the windows down, heading to a party on the beach. The next song is the upbeat title track, “5, 4, 3 (Pretty woman) [feat. Lay Bankz].” Inspired by the 1964 Roy Orbison classic “Oh, Pretty Woman,” this track is a retro rock 'n' roll, pop, and hip-hop hit. This track is entirely in English, and as you listen to the track, you can’t help but just sing along with the members. This is a track that will get stuck in your head: “Pretty woman (I don’t depend on you). Pretty woman (I don’t depend on what you gon’ do). Pretty woman, pretty woman, pretty woman.” S.Coups and Mingyu have such captivating voices, and in this song, the members not only give their all to their raps, but their striking rock vocals also make a grand appearance. In the lyrics, they are talking about a pretty woman and the things that this pretty woman has them ready to do. This song features Western rapper Lay Bankz. Her verse is fast-paced, upbeat, and fun. Her flow is amazing, and her lyricism is phenomenal. She has a lot of lines that you have to listen to twice to understand how genius it is: “Beauty’s in the eye of the beholder, but I’m somethin’ to brag on. So done, da-da, my lipstick 예뻐” (in Korean yeppeo means “pretty”). She is a bonus to this song; her striking, skilled raps with this retro beat are captivating, and they add to the overall exciting vibe of the track.
The music video is bright and colorful. Filled with so many vibrant colors, your eyes will be entranced by every scene. Many different moments contribute to the party concepts the boys were aiming for. Dancing in a club setting or partying on the beach effectively portrays the idea and vibe they were going for. While watching the video, you can’t help but watch the choreography. Filled with swaying arms, pointing moves, jumps, and interactive movements, this choreography is fun and upbeat. It stays on theme with the concept and makes it an even joyous track. It’s such a fun song, and I hope we'll get to see it live one day.
@seventeen17_official #543_Prettywoman 🕶️ with CxM #에스쿱스X민규 #HYPE_VIBES
♬ 5, 4, 3 (Pretty woman) (feat. Lay Bankz) - CxM (SEVENTEEN)
@seventeen17_official 에스쿱스X민규 (SEVENTEEN) '5, 4, 3 (Pretty woman) (feat. Lay Bankz)' Official MV CxM #에스쿱스X민규 #HYPE_VIBES #543_Prettywoman @Lay Bankz ♬ 5, 4, 3 (Pretty woman) (feat. Lay Bankz) - CxM (SEVENTEEN)
The next track on the mini-album is the electric, hip-hop track “Worth it.” A track filled with a danceable beat, catchy raps, and that signature hip-hop we know and love from the SEVENTEEN members. With an R&B influence, you can’t help but move your hips along to the groovy beat. The song is short, but impactful. Compacted with so many factors that stand out like Mingyu’s iconic dreamy flow, and S.Coups's commanding flow, it comes together to make an enjoyable track that was instantly added to my playlist.
With a new vibe, the next song “For you” is a bright pop track with lighthearted vocals and smiles. This song is mainly in English, but they still incorporate Korean lyrics in there as well, giving us a mixture of both languages. With such notable instrumentals, “For you” is a track perfect for those bright and sunny days when you are hanging out with friends. The instruments are so pronounced, and because of that, we get a change in scenery. The pronounced upbeat guitar strums and drums create this summer fun song that will bring a smile to your face.
As you get older, you have those moments when you think back on your younger years, and in this next track, S.Coups and Mingyu give us a song that perfectly describes what that feels like. “Young again” is a punk-pop slow-jam with strong vocals and a perfect story of how we should live like we're young. With that early 2000s punk-pop sound, the boys' raspy rock voices match perfectly with this outstanding song.
The last song on the mini-album is the definition of a final song. Taking us back to 2015-2016, “Earth” is a techno track with an electro-captivating beat. Reminding you of a track from David Guetta, Calvin Harris, or Avicii, this track has a danceable beat and lovely lyrics. With S.Coups and Mingyu mainly singing in this song, we get to hear their soothing vocals, which match the techno styling of the song.
This mini-album is fantastic! Knowing that they also contributed to the creation and production of the mini-album makes this even more sentimental. S. Coups and Mingyu did an excellent job showcasing their range in genres and giving us a release we will never forget. So, check out CxM 1st Mini Album ‘HYPE VIBES’ for a fun time.
“5, 4, 3, (Pretty woman) [feat. Lay Bankz]” TITLE TRACK SCORE: 10/10
“5, 4, 3, (Pretty woman) [feat. Lay Bankz]” MUSIC VIDEO SCORE: 10/10
CxM 1st Mini Album ‘HYPE VIBES’ ALBUM SCORE: 10/10
Total Score: 10/10
Edited by Joi Berry