Rundown: JENNIE, IVE, PLAVE, EUNHYUK, ALL(H)OURS, RESCENE

A lot of heavy hitters this week and some solid stuff, actually. Not many star singles, though, unfortunately.

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Jennie (BLACKPINK) – “ZEN”

Her image can sell anything, and music video direction from Cho Gi Seok helps explain the impressive visuals that draw from XG‘s “Howling“. That said, am I likely to listen to this again? No, but I’m guessing just grabbing your attention was the point of this and its sudden release.

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Jennie (BLACKPINK) & Dominic Fike – “Love Hangover”

The spectacle of the releases has been effective, though the music hasn’t lived up to that hype as of yet, as this sorta meanders on and doesn’t hold up well on repeats. Still, the soulful production and melodic flourishes of the choruses have a bit of an enchanting effect that at least makes me look forward to the album.

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Eunhyuk (Super Junior) – “UP N DOWN”

While New Jack Swing is well-worn territory even in modern K-pop at this point, this release does seem a bit overlooked due to the fact that it’s a veteran soloist. The hook gets repetitive on multiple listens and it could’ve used a feature rapper (I realize he’s a rapper, but … yeah), but it has an easy groove and a lively energy that was definitely above my expectations.

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IVE – “ATTITUDE”

I had high hopes for this even the interpolation of Suzanne Vega‘s “Tom’s Diner“, but it ends up adding to their uneven output since “I AM”. More than anything it was just sorta … flat? It’s not a great sign for a song if the only thing you’re looking forward to on repeat listens is the aforementioned interpolation.

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PLAVE – “Dash”

Keeping an open mind on this because sometimes songs that have abrupt shifts in tone take some time to come together, though my personal preference (and the safer option, for better or worse) would’ve been for them to just lean into the rock edge wholeheartedly.

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ALL(H)OURS – “Gimme Gimme”

These kinds of shouty boy group songs absolutely can work if the production commits to the bit and goes balls to the wall, which this does in a second-gen type of way. That aspect alone makes it a fit on playlists, though ironically not incorporating enough pop elements (like better melodies and/or hooks) means it mostly ends up competing with existing EDM material produced similarly but better.

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RESCENE – “Glow Up”

Was really looking forward to this specifically because they always seemed to at least try for dynamic choruses of yore in their songs, which is what has made them a nugu darling of sorts since debut. However, with this they kinda settle into vibey FIFTY FIFTY-aspiring stuff with like 50 other groups (including new FIFTY FIFTY), and like the rest, mostly come without the indelible hook of “Cupid“.

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Gonna try to make a point of covering the stuff I enjoy this year, so … I’ll be working on it.