Buried Treasure: ITZY – Kiss & Tell

A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. Sometimes, b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve.

ITZY’s new mini album is strong all the way through, even including the type of sweet pop ballad we rarely hear anymore. Most of the songs follow a similar tempo and template, strutting forward with club-ready attitude. Of these songs, Kiss & Tell is the sharpest example.

IZTY had such an exciting debut year, but pretty much jettisoned that sound after Wannabe in early 2020. It’s exciting to hear them recapture and update it on this track. They’re no longer the fresh rookies they once were, and Kiss & Tell harnesses that experience. It’s not a very melodic track, choosing instead to throw around taunts and barbs as the production kicks off behind the girls. I listen to quite a bit of material like this in the Western pop world, and the key to this style is finding production that keeps momentum high and thrilling. Kiss & Tell‘s beat feels in constant acceleration and moves so confidently that your ear doesn’t even have time to absorb (or critique) the song’s meager vocal hooks. I’ll be interested to see how this ages with time, but for now it’s the most exciting moment on the album.

Grade: B