Well, isn’t this a nice surprise? I’ve always enjoyed Halo’s music, but the group hasn’t been able to break through with the Korean public in a meaningful way. This struggle has resulted in numerous comebacks that have passed by unknown to most casual k-pop listeners. With a limited budget and consistently decreasing hype, I didn’t expect much from Halo’s new digital single O.M.G.

As I listened to the track for the first time, I kept expecting it to plunge into some derivative EDM drop or trap breakdown. But to my surprise (and utter excitement), the instrumental retains its slick funk-pop groove all the way through. And when it comes to 2018’s releases, that alone constitutes very high praise. This sense of pop polish shouldn’t be a huge surprise, though, as O.M.G. was co-composed by the prolific Shinhye, who’s had his hands in so many k-pop classics (EXO’s Growl being the most well-known).

With O.M.G., Halo deliver the song that EXO-CBX should have given us last month. It’s relentlessly upbeat and fun, but with a propulsive synth-driven arrangement that feels legitimately cool. And to Halo’s credit, they deliver the track perfectly. I love the powerful vocal turns during the chorus. The higher-pitched key takes wonderful advantage of the group’s refreshingly unique tones. There’s just enough funk-laced grit in their performance to elevate the simplistic melody into something quite memorable. The entire package is effortlessly streamlined, resulting in a momentum-building dance track that feels like a throwback in the best way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwWgRzRu22c

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