Song Review: WayV – Vision Wings

When last we heard from WayV, they marked the winter season with a 90s hip-hop track. Hip-hop has become a bigger part of their ouevre in general, taking a more streamlined approach than the hulking vocal drama and theatrical arrangements of years past. New single Vision Wings (鸢) continues this overall trend but adds traditional elements for good measure. There’s an alternate reality where this song would be an easy discography highlight. Its heart is in the right place, especially when it comes to flourishes within the production. But in keeping with this year in K-pop (and C-pop, apparently!), dynamic hooks are hard to come from. Vision Wings opts for a serious of monotonous phrasing, talk-chanted more often than sung. Rather than build toward an awesome chorus, the track takes the easy route and gives us a flat centerpiece that feels more like modern Stray Kids than classic SM. It’s never a good sign when you come away from a song and struggle to remember much about it. With Vision Wings, I easily recall the overall mood and energy, but not a single hook stays rattling in my brain. This doesn’t portend much longevity for the track and frustrates me when I know how fantastic thi...