Laboum has been on the tip of many tongues when it comes to up-and-coming girl groups, and there’s a reason why. Their singles run has been on a continual upswing since their debut in 2014, and Shooting Love (푱푱) continues that pattern. While it took a couple of listens for the track’s rowdy go-for-broke production to stick, it has quickly become an addictive addition to their discography.

Shooting Love first comes across as an almost mind-numbingly mash-up of Red Velvet’s Dumb Dumb and Crayon Pop’s Bar Bar Bar. That’s a lot of cutesy, shouty energy to deal with, which is why the song annoys just as much as it thrills upon first listen. I’m still not totally sold on the noisy verses, which just can’t seem to stay on any sort of form for more than a millisecond, but the chorus is an absolute winner. It retains the 80’s feel that worked so successfully for them on last year’s Aalow Aalow, but adds a sassy swing that makes the track feel cooler and more of-the-moment. From here, the second verse improves on the first, offering a nice soulful breakdown before segueing back into the glittery shouts that make up the bulk of the song.

What prevents Shooting Love from ranking higher is the same thing that makes it work. It’s a definite burst of energy from the very start, but I wish that energy had been doled out more carefully. The song feels as if it’s spinning around so fast that it threatens to derail. I’m all for breakdowns and diversions in verses, but when a diversion pops up almost every moment, they lose their potency. Shooting Love would have done well to pull back more often, allowing its punchiness to hit the listener when and where it counts.