Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, 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.
DRIPPIN’s debut mini album doesn’t have a weak song on it. I don’t know that it instantly solidifies their place in the K-pop industry, but that can come with time. For now, I’m happy to hear Woollim Entertainment focusing on good songs. Their title track Nostalgia is fantastic, but b-side Overdrive might be even better.
Overdrive is my kind of boy group track. Its breakneck instrumental goes for the jugular, never slowing or stalling. In this way, it reminds me of tracks like ONF’s Complete and Wanna One’s Energetic. Overdrive bounds forward on a similar energy, with an opening verse that gathers steam before crashing into the song’s megawatt chorus. At this point, it’s like the producers set out to attack the listener with everything they had. Bombastic electronics join rhythm guitar and swoops of bright synths as DRIPPIN unveil an incredibly catchy hook.
I love the vocal arrangement during this chorus. I haven’t yet discovered any individual voices in DRIPPIN that live up to Woollim’s prestigious past, but the guys sound great when performing in unison. Better yet, Overdrive continues to surge forward after this chorus, never losing momentum. Even the rap bridge propels along the same high-energy instrumental. This gives the track incredible continuity, and makes the entire package relentlessly invigorating. I’d love to see DRIPPIN promote this as a follow-up, or return in a few months with a title track that harnesses this same intensity.
| Hooks | 9 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 10 |
| RATING | 9.25 |
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The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
Ah yes! From the first listen i loved this one, i wish this was the title track.
Also, they have really good vocals, with time they will shine on its own.
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I know this is off topic….
But Can Sweetune just come back already?!
It’s been one long hell of a wait and I’m tired of waiting……
Sweetune have delivered timeless classics such as The Chaser , Paradise , Janus , Step , Be Mine , Man In Love , The Star Of Stars , I-YAH , Lady , Back:Hug etc.
I want that classic approach to come back in 2021..
Great contendors:
WJSN
DRIPPIN
GOLDEN CHILD
GFRIEND
LOVELYZ
TXT
I would absolutely love to see this happen…
You’ll see Nick , during the “Kpop Resolutions for 2021” , I will not be holding back.
This is An Epic song , I desperately want to see the “Woohyun/Sungkyu” or “Joochan/Y” of this group and I absolutely love the energy on this one. And I Love this buried treasure out of all the ones you wrote today.
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Wow that’s exactly what I was thinking the whole year… Let’s be positive 2020 kpop had begin to make more 2nd gen vibe like track ! I really want sweetune to make song for the groups you had chose !
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I think my comment was reported as spam………..
Seriously , how WordPress works is one of the biggest mysteries in life……..
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I went in and approved it. I have no idea why wordpress would have flagged that comment as spam?
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Thank you so much 😀
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I actually really like everything about this except for the OK OK post-chorus. That hook just doesn’t quite land well for me. Everything else though is excellent.
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Heh, that is one of my favourite parts!
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WHEW. So. I finally had a chance to listen to this today, and…
This is the only song I’ve heard this year that I’d contemplate giving a 10/10 upon first listen.
I agree with all the points highlighted in your review, but for me, its biggest strength is its focus. ‘Nostalgia’ was a bit of a letdown for me, largely because the chorus feels too cluttered – even after a number of listens, my ear struggles to pick out the individual elements. It’s a lot of things at once, and it’s generally very good, but I wouldn’t call it catchy (up until the sensational instrumental middle-eight).
When ‘Overdrive’ decides it’s time to punch, it does so with megaton force behind it. Everything in the song hits in unison, creating more of a rhythmic hook than a melodic one. Not that the melody’s weak, by any stretch; it’s just that the syncopation does most of the heavy lifting, and – to my ear – it’s to the song’s tremendous benefit.
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Listening through the intro and the first verse, I was not sold. It sounded like the beginning of a fairly typical EDM song. From the first prechorus onward though, it just keeps getting better..and even better! The chorus and postchorus are perfect for shouting along, which hits a sweet spot for me as always. The second verse rap is so fun, and it keeps the energy going! I love it.
I am actually upset this was not a title track. This song is just so out of place as a b-side! It is so good, it is such a waste that it is not a title. It would have been so amazing as their debut song. Anyways, I will put those thoughts aside and just enjoy this songs existence.
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