As usual, Golden Child gets the “bias group advantage” on this site. This means not only their title track and a buried treasure will be reviewed, but I’ll be taking a look at the entire new mini album Take A Leap. Check back over the next five days, as I tackle the songs one at a time.

1. Take A Leap // 2. One (Lucid Dream) // 3. OMG // 4. Moment // 5. Make Me Love // 6. H.E.R // 7. Pass Me By

H.E.R

When I first listened to Take A Leap’s album sampler, I hoped that H.E.R would blossom into a thumping dance track. It never quite gets there, opting instead for an odd, ethereal mid-tempo bounce. Despite listening to the track many times, I’m still not quite sure what I think of it.

H.E.R was co-composed by Spacecowboy, who has worked with Lovelyz on some great material. His spacey synth sound is in full effect here, and I enjoy that general vibe. The track has a soft build to it, which would be even more satisfying if it grew to a whopper of a chorus. Instead, H.E.R climaxes in a surprisingly subdued hook. I appreciate this approach more each time I hear it, but the chorus seems more like two post-chorus refrains stuck together without the heft that should precede them.

I don’t know if this makes sense at all, but it’s my way of saying that H.E.R has unfulfilled potential. Thankfully, the track is bolstered by a gorgeous vocal arrangement that highlights its airy – almost celestial – charm. For now, I’m being a little generous with my rating because I think this will be the kind of song that holds long-lasting appeal rather than short-lived gratification. We’ll see how this pans out in the coming months.

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