Song Review: aespa – Kiss N Tell

It’s been awhile since I’ve connected with a new aespa single, but as they move their attention to the Japanese market with Kiss N Tell, there’s an opportunity to switch things up and offer a different sound. This isn’t a complete reinvention, but takes the banging electro influence of songs like Lemonade and merges it with a more melodic execution. In K-pop’s struggle bus year of 2026, “melodic” in any shape or form is something to celebrate. Compared to big dance bangers of eras past, Kiss N Tell is relatively flat and repetitive in this regard, but within the context of this summer it feels almost like a revelation. The vocals forgo power in favor of breeziness, centered around a catchy “dee da da dee” hook that injects saccharine cuteness to the effervescent electro beat. For me, Kiss N Tell‘s biggest asset is its instrumental. Its bounding energy and sunny tone capture the sensation of riding a carnival attraction. The production swoops up and down, gliding easefully without ever becoming dull. The song’s last few moments are particularly exciting as synth takes centerstage for a breakdown that should last at least a few seconds longer than it does. aespa’s pleasant performanc...