Girl group Dal Shabet were one of the first k-pop acts out of the gate this year, with their addictively fun Brave Brothers track, Someone Like U. Throughout their five year career, I’ve found Dal Shabet’s output to be pretty hit and miss. Someone happened to be one of their very best tracks. But new single Fri. Sat. Sun. (금토일) doesn’t quite aim for those lofty heights, and lands somewhere in the middle of their discography as a result.

As a choice for title track, Fri Sat Sun is an odd duck. Rather than chart a consistent course, the song begins with a slow, bubbling electro beat that gives the impression we’re in for a traditionally sexy girl group release. However, once the hook hits — with its sleek 80’s-influenced pop tempo and breezy melody — we’ve stepped into something completely different. This quickly segues into an extended, electronically-driven breakdown. Structurally, it reminds me of EXID’s L.I.E from back in June (which is expected, since both were at least partially composed by k-pop royalty Shinsadong Tiger). Fri Sat Sun is much more palatable in its chaos than L.I.E, but oddly not as memorable.

When dealing with a piecemeal offering such as this, with its tempo shifts and stylistic swings, it’s all about how everything fits together. In this case, we’ve got one strong element, and that’s the chorus. Unfortunately, the verses and underwhelming breakdown do little to inspire repeat listens. This leads me to think that a rewrite is in order. Ditch all the uninspired odds and ends, and build an entire track around that central hook. With a proper build, and more attention paid to the details, we could have been in for a real standout.