Move

I hadn't planned on getting a physical copy of Taemin's latest album quite so soon, but after seeing it being sold for a very fair price on here, I went ahead and got it. I'd listened to the digital version of Move the day it was first released and was amazed that Taemin had once again exceeded every expectation. Then a couple of months later, we saw the repackage: Move-ing, which added a couple of new songs and introduced a fairly different concept. With the quite minimal design of the album itself, and what little content has been added the second time around, you can tell that S.M. have rushed this repackage through, which is a bit of a shame. HOWEVER, that doesn't change the fact that Taemin has, as always, clearly worked very hard to make the best of the situation, penned a new title track himself, and not to mention, you still get all nine brilliant tracks from the original Move. Speaking of tracks, Move-ing has thirteen different songs to enjoy:1) Day & Night - The new title track which sees Taemin's return to songwriting. Rarely, for a Taemin song, the track has a nice, soothing acoustic sound to it. Together with his pleasant vocals and a gentle pace, this is a very relaxing song, perfect to listen to on a quiet day.2) Move - The original title track which still captivates me every time I listen to it. With sensual, seductive vocals and a smooth, almost androgynous performance, whether you're attracted to Taemin or not, there's a sexual aura about this song. Set against a dark, heavy bass too, it's one of my favourite releases of 2017.3) Love - While Move had a surprisingly minimal chorus, Love explodes when it reaches its chorus, in the first of two songs on this album that showcase the power in Taemin's lungs. I'm always a sucker for power ballads and Love is no exception.4) Snow Flower - One of the new tracks added in the repackage, and a slower and quieter ballad than the previous track. This makes for a beautiful listen, aided by a delicate vocal performance.5) Crazy 4 U - An eclectic song that mixes pop, R&B and synths together, and is a rather interesting track to listen to.6) Heart Stop - Another track that incorporates synths, this time mixing them with violins and other string instruments. This song also features Seulgi from Red Velvet, and her voice really suits the song whilst also blending well with Taemin's.7) Rise - Nearly every album Taemin has released has featured at least one song that shows the power of his voice really well. We've had Soldier, Sayanora Hitori, I'm Crying, and now Rise. It's the second power ballad from this album, and it is without doubt my favourite track. Taemin's voice resonates beautifully from the second chorus onwards, the lyrics are heartfelt and if you had to listen to just one song from this album, this would have to be the one.8) I'm Crying (Korean Version) - The original Japanese version of I'm Crying still holds the title of being my favourite Taemin song, and it was a smart move to have a Korean version released with the repackage. I've grown used to hearing the lyrics in Japanese, so this version felt a bit strange to my ear. I also think the vocal performance was more powerful with the Japanese version, but this song still deserves to be here.9) Thirsty - When I first heard Thirsty, I wasn't as big a fan of it as many other of the songs here. It wasn't bad by any means, but it felt quite familiar to what Taemin has done before. However, after listening to it several times over, it's grown on me, and it definitely deserves its place here.10) Stone Heart - As with many of these tracks, Stone Heart has quite a unique and interesting sound. Its repeated use of multiple drum taps vaguely reminds me of tribal music, and with breathy mysterious vocals, it stands out on repeat listens.11) Back To You - Quite a gentle and sweet song that really feels like its been sung from the heart. It takes a slower pace and once again feels soothing and relaxing.12) Hypnosis (Rearranged Version) - Hypnosis was a favourite of mine from the Press It album, although this rearrangement doesn't drastically change or alter much. It's a serviceable inclusion, added in the repackage, but it feels more like it's been added out of lack of time to add anything new, and to prop up the number of tracks.13) Flame Of Love (Korean Version) - There's not much for me to say about this last track, but given that Flame Of Love is one of my favourite Japanese tracks from Taemin, I have no problem with including a Korean version of it on this album.Overall, as repackages go, Move-ing does feel like it could have benefitted from having more time put into it. It doesn't impress anywhere near as much as Move did when it was first released, but then again Move is a serious contender for my favourite album of 2017, and as I've said, Taemin himself has clearly worked hard on it. If you didn't get a physical copy of the original album, then this repackage still comes highly recommended from me, as you still get the original nine tracks and this version is worth it for the addition of Day & Night and Snow Flower alone.