Song Review: AMPERS&ONE – Kick Start

AMPERS&ONE debuted in late-2023 with the energetic On And On and have largely maintained that upbeat sound since. Though this was a very solid debut, they’ve struggled to find material that matches or elevates its quality. Their music has been consistently solid but lacks the individual personality of a TWS or BOYNEXTDOOR. Kick Start is no different, feeling as if it stepped right off the assembly line to be performed by any current boy group.

Kick Start switches between personality-fueled rap verses and a bright, playful chorus. Nothing about any of these segments stands out. It’s like “K-pop boy group 101” — the kind of generic material that might be performed as part of one of the industry’s many survival series. That plug and play quality continues to hamper AMPERS&ONE’s individual growth. By this time in their career, I should have idea what their musical brand is. Kick Start sounds more like the generic slop JYP is currently servicing to his new-gen groups KickFlip and NEXZ.

Beyond this, Kick Start just isn’t a very exciting song. The production lacks character beyond some annoying squeaky sound effects. The chorus feels rushed and repetitive and too much of the track revolves around clipped phrasing that’s hard to sink your teeth into. As always, the energy is strong. However, energy alone does not make a compelling K-pop group.

Grade: C