Song Review: AND2BLE – French Kissing

Back in May, we watched as the previously nine-member ZEROBASEONE splintered into two different groups and re-debuted. Both acts released very strong material that co-existed well and made me believe that there was room enough for each to be successful. The newly-reconfigured ZB1 has yet to make their next comeback as a five-piece, but today AND2BLE is back with their second mini album and title track French Kissing. Producers LDN Noise are having something of a renaissance this year. Their name pops up most often when I think of K-pop’s mid-2010s — specifically work from SM acts. However, they’ve composed a string of bangers in 2026. Despite this, French Kissing sounded like the least interesting track on this album’s highlight medley, mired in the kind of mid-tempo moodiness that’s smothered so many boy groups before. I thought the same about AND2BLE’s debut from its teasers, and ended up loving Curious over time. I’m hoping the same will happen with French Kissing, but I’m less optimistic. This is a style of boy group fare I don’t tend to enjoy that much. From the lurching synths to the tinny percussion and repetitive hook, it’s the track boy groups pull out when they want to at...