Song Review: ZEROBASEONE – Now Or Never

I’ve developed this little cadre of fifth-gen boy groups who are making K-pop really fun for me these days. At the top are my big three: TWS, RIIZE and BOYNEXTDOOR. Then, there are ZEROBASEONE and &TEAM, playing the role of the cool cousins who come visit every once and awhile. For me, their music has been slightly less consistent over the course of the last two years, but I’d still consider myself a big fan. In fact, I’d wager that if you enjoy any one of these five groups you’re likely to enjoy them all. There’s so much connective tissue between their music, variety and stages.

ZEROBASEONE are scheduled to pre-release a Korean track next week ahead of their February album, but before that we have a new Japanese release. Now Or Never takes a slightly rockier approach than last year’s Yura Yura yet retains that song’s undeniably J-pop inspiration. It’s nice to hear the group play within the sonic landscape their music is targeting, even if I’ve heard stronger versions of this sound from Japanese acts.

Like many songs of this nature, Now Or Never sneaks up on you. It’s not built around an obvious instrumental hook, choosing instead to deliver straightforward production that supports (rather than distract from) the melody. This approach tends to pay dividends down the road, as a good chorus can be far more timeless than a catchy beat drop. In Now Or Never‘s case, the chorus arrives in two parts. First, we have a soaring refrain that matches the lyrical tone of the track. Following this is a punchier hook, drawing upon the rock elements of the instrumental. Taken together, these complimentary pieces make Now Or Never an easy standout.

Grade: B