Though Limesoda have been around for over two years, this is the first time I’ve featured them on The Bias List. None of their previous material has felt notable enough to write about, though I have been following the girls ever since member Hyerim competed in season six of K-pop Star. This February, Limesoda added a third member, and new single Wave (웨이브) refreshes their sound.

From production to vocal technique, Wave feels very beholden to BLACKPINK’s success. The girls sing in a similar cadence — kind of bratty and definitely affected. But, it doesn’t come across as a total pastiche, and they don’t go overboard. The verses utilize a sparse instrumental, driven by percolating synths and finger snaps. There’s a surprising level of empty space during Wave’s first minute, allowing the girls to draw in listeners with their voices. This is effective during verse one, but I wish that verse two upped the ante a bit. Wave’s beat-heavy chorus spawns addictive energy, and it’s a shame that this is cast aside for the song’s sluggish middle.

But, boy does Wave give us a chorus. More and more, it feels like choruses are losing importance in pop music. Too often, pre-choruses and instrumental drops take precedence, causing a track to feel uneven and unsatisfying. Wave doesn’t play such tricks. Its hook is big and brash and confident, supported by a robust instrumental that raises the tempo and heightens the excitement. Its sing-song melody may not be anything special, but it makes more of an impact than any of the group’s past work. This could be the start of something great.