In k-pop, there are two kinds of debuts. The first comes from an established agency and is usually teased extensively (sometimes with an entire reality show) before it’s unleashed on the world. The second comes from a small or new agency and just sort of appears without any sort of high profile warning. These are the true “nugus,” and tend to be extremely hit or miss. Boy group BLANC7 is definitely among their ranks, with debut single Yeah arriving free from hype or expectation. So is it a diamond in the rough, or just another generic wannabe?

Well, Yeah isn’t a trainwreck, but it doesn’t exactly set BLANC7 apart as a group to watch either. After a brief atmospheric intro, the track launches into a surprisingly lively electro beat. These opening moments offer an effective glimpse at the group’s potential, painting a sleek, polished bit of forward-thinking dance music. The pre-chorus is less inspired. Its trap-influenced build sounds as if it could have been pulled from any number of boy group tracks. It’s also a shame that the chorus itself isn’t more complex. The vocal arrangement is powerful and well-suited to Yeah‘s general tone, but the repetitive melody doesn’t transform into anything particularly noteworthy.

Yeah‘s low-point is its post-chorus breakdown, which aims to give a spotlight on the group’s choreography but feels disjointed and unnecessary. The chorus would have been better served by some sort of peak or crescendo rather than the energy-killer we end up getting. BLANC7’s potential is clear, but a bit more creativity on the part of their producers would really work wonders for their burgeoning career.