Song Review: Odd Youth – Can’t Go Back

If you would have told me I’d be salivating over the prospect of a new Odd Youth comeback, I would have looked at you like you were crazy, but this one comes with a major caveat. Can’t Go Back is the first new Sweetune-produced work in ages and follows an interview in which the production duo announced that they were officially back in the K-pop game after an extended hiatus! Sweetune also mentioned that they were updating their signature sound to match current trends, which makes me all sorts of anxious, but I’m thrilled to have them back either way. With Can’t Go Back, I can definitely hear the moves they’re making to align with our modern landscape. There’s more chanting, less dramatic vocal layering and more sing-talk. Yet, their specific touches poke through in their choice of synth textures and ability to imbue any song with a sense of dynamic progression. Is Can’t Go Back the best Sweetune song ever? Not by a long shot. Is it better than 95% of K-pop released this year? Maybe! The chorus has a sneaky sense of anthemic heft that grows more exciting as the production ramps up. The songwriting feels like actual K-pop rather than a replica forged from American hands. And althoug...