Girls Girls debuted at the tail end of last year with a sound that blends 2NE1-style swag with the overt sexuality of artists like EXID and HyunA. Unfortunately, it hasn’t done much for them yet. In fact, Juicy Secret (쥬시시크릿) is really their first track that made it on my radar — and my radar has a pretty darn wide reach when it comes to k-pop!

I’ve said it plenty of times before, but a rookie group from a small agency (with a smaller budget) has to release something unique if they’re to stand any chance of breaking into the mainstream. But reliably, these types of groups cling to proven trends rather than forging a new path for themselves. Such is the case with Girls Girls and Juicy Secret. The moment I heard that canned saxophone refrain the kicks off the song, my eyes rolled. I did praise a somewhat similar use of brass just yesterday when reviewing Pentagon’s debut, but in Girls Girls’ case the instrumentation is clearly a pretty flimsy sample — devoid of life or excitement. It just kind of lays there, repeated in the expected places without any change or fluidity.

This is a shame, because the tired sax is surrounded by stronger pieces. Juicy Secret‘s verses are particularly strong, buttressed by a hiccupy beat that lends the song some unique character. The pre-chorus build employs a nice pop melody with shades of breezy 80’s style. And then comes that middle eight breakdown, where the track morphs into a distorted blend of synths and middle eastern influences. It doesn’t necessarily fit with the rest of the song, but it offers a peak at what the girls could offer if they bucked trends and released something a bit more adventurous.