Song Review: Onew (SHINee) – Yay

Since leaving SM Entertainment for Griffin Entertainment, SHINee’s Onew has been pretty prolific, releasing a mini album, OST and — as of today — digital single Yay (만세). He seems ready to spread his musical wings, crafting a diverse set of songs that reflect his various strengths. Yay traverses several moods within its three minute frame, remaining disarmingly off-kilter throughout.

It would have been so easy for Onew to go down the expected ballad route, but I’m happy to see his new solo music take a funkier approach. Yay has moments when the beat drops out and we hear a more languid approach, but most of the song is upbeat and rhythmically engaging. It has the tone of freeform jazz, even if the structure is more taut than that. A surprising bulk of the song is devoted to a catchy (but repetitive) “oh oh oh” centerpiece. I would have used this hook more sparingly, but there’s no denying its bright, singalong spirit.

Yay‘s bassline echoes the same melodic structure as this hook, and that’s probably what makes it feel so repetitive. There’s a point where repetition becomes monotony, and Yay precariously skirts this line. I had a similar feeling about his September single Beat Drum, which makes me wonder if this is just an approach Onew enjoys. As it stands, I appreciate Yay more than I love it. It’s nice to hear new sounds in K-pop, but I don’t think I’ll be returning to this often.

Grade: C+