Last year, Lee Chaeyeon released her first solo Extended Play (EP), “HUSH RUSH,” following the disbandment of her former group, IZ*ONE, in 2021. On April 12, Chaeyeon released her new album “Over The Moon,” which has a total of five tracks and is just as bright and bubbly as her debut EP.

Chaeyeon’s music stands out from other K-Pop artists, which is impressive since she’s still following the sounds and trends that are popular. “Over The Moon” has such a fresh vibe to it and it’s easy to listen to the album on repeat.

“Line By Line – Intro” gives off a very summery vibe. There isn’t a whole lot to say about this one minute intro, but I think it’s cute and does great as an opener for the EP. I’m a big fan of intros and outros on albums, so I’m glad that Chaeyeon decided to include one here.

If you think “KNOCK” is bad, I’m just going to assume you’re a miserable person, because that song is the definition of fun. I don’t think I’ve ever described a song as bouncy, but that’s the perfect word for it. The choreography is clean and energetic too, which makes the wave of forced TikTok collaborations that came after the release actually fun to watch. The visuals and camera work of the music video were done very well and made the overall listening experience better. I’m serious when I say “KNOCK” might be the best song a soloist has released this year. All of the music Chaeyeon has put out thus far has been more than satisfactory. As I said in my last review of her music, I will be waiting excitedly for more.

“I Don’t Wanna Know” really threw me for a loop. The song rubs me in the wrong way for one reason: there is a specific sound effect used throughout the song that almost sounds like a squeak in your ear. I enjoy music from groups like “Stray Kids” and “aespa,” who are often regarded for experimental “noise” music, but this sound effect doesn’t add any coolness to the song. If anything, it’s borderline painful to listen to, and it really knocked the song down a couple pegs. To my disappointment, “I Don’t Wanna Know” was chosen as the promoted b-side, but the choreography somewhat salvaged the song for me.

“Don’t Be A Jerk” reminds me a lot of music by “GOT7,” the boy group that got me into K-Pop back in 2015. This track gives off a very nostalgic vibe, to the point where I swore I had heard it before. I think Chaeyeon’s voice is perfect in general, but her clarity and tone throughout this song was heavenly and made for an amazing listen. While I adored the upbeat nature of the title track “KNOCK,” I wouldn’t be upset if we got something similar to “Don’t Be A Jerk” in the future as one of her main promotions.

The final track is “Like A Star,” a ballad-type song. A common theme with this album is that the songs are great on their own, but together they make the EP feel messy. Much like “Don’t Be A Jerk,” “Like A Star” showcases Chaeyeon’s gorgeous vocals. Unfortunately, I don’t think the song fits in with the others. However, her solo debut EP “HUSH RUSH” had no ballad-type songs, so I guess I shouldn’t be complaining too much about the variety.

Overall, I’ll give “Over The Moon” an eight out of ten. I think the title track, “KNOCK,” is perfect and deserves all of the praise it’s getting. Like I said in my last review, there are small things I personally would have changed in this album. However, given that this is only her second release, it’s very comforting to know that this is the direction Chaeyeon is taking her music.