A K-pop group’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. Sometimes, b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve.
With all my coverage of Key’s Bad Love album, I haven’t had the chance to express my appreciation for AB6IX’s new release. I don’t know that I’ll ever be a massive fan of AB6IX’s music (it tends to be a bit generic for me), but they’ve created their fair share of highlights. Mo’ Complete is one of their strongest efforts, filled with much more upbeat material than I’d expected. I think their music is at its best when it moves at a clip, delivering a wind tunnel of energy through which the guys can funnel their individual personalities.
There are several songs like this on the album, but my favorite is Believe. Too often, their dance tracks are undercut by needless drops and tempo shifts, but this one stays pretty streamlined. After a slow-burn introduction, the beat hits and stays relatively steady for the rest of the track. Believe feels like a sonic successor to their title track Close, though more effusive in its dancefloor energy. It’s also similar to album tracks Stay With Me and Simple Lover, which each could have been featured as buried treasures as well.
The thing that puts Believe over the edge is its choice of instrumentation. I keep waiting for K-pop house music to embrace more bombastic examples of the genre. Believe’s hard-hitting beat comes close, underlined that simple chorus with great drive. As with most of the album, I doubt whether this will rewrite K-pop trends. But, it’s a welcome shot of adrenaline.
Hooks | 8 |
Production | 9 |
Longevity | 9 |
Bias | 8 |
RATING | 8.5 |
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I want some more of that good K-pop house music, ONF’s excellent punch of Beautiful Beautiful hit me HARD. It still is my favorite song of the year…but I feel like Key’s Bad Love *might* defeat it.
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The instrumentation here is great, especially during the Believe hook. I really need to check out the album!
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Unfortunately, it’s boring and bland like the rest of the album and AB6IX’s discography
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