Song Review: Pixy – Bewitched | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion

*Switching this post from “buried treasure” to “song review,” and including the mv for the English version below. The review corresponds to the Korean version.

Listening to Pixy’s new album, I feel like I finally understand the appeal of the group. Title track Addicted might actually be the weakest of the four songs, with Bewitched and Moonlight offering very interesting sounds.

The first time I heard Bewitched, I was instantly drawn in. If you’re going to go for a spooky, dark pop sound, this is the way to do it! The track casts an addictive spell, twisting and turning in unexpected ways but never forgetting the strong hook at its core. I’ve been critical of the melodies in Pixy’s title tracks thus far, and in some ways Bewitched isn’t all that different. But, the throbbing nature of its hook works much better within this electronic soundscape than the bombastic percussion favored by past songs.

Bewitched‘s production is an atmospheric wonder. When it kicks off, it seems we’re in for a familiar, lurching sound. But, we soon launch into a far more propulsive electronic beat. Momentum builds until the song cracks open, offering a horror show burst of vocal distortion that sounds like a K-pop exorcism. From here, Bewitched makes no missteps. The pulsing beat that underlines the chorus is fantastic, and sticks around for the second verse as well. Spikes of rhythm guitar add surprising funk to the arrangement, but it’s not too long before we’re plunged back into the dull throb that characterizes most of the song. Bewitched even makes room for a wonderfully distorted bridge and additional refrain to close out the track. If the girls continue to experiment in this way, I may have to jump on the Pixy bandwagon!

Hooks	8
Production	9
Longevity	9
Bias	9
RATING	8.75

7 thoughts on “Song Review: Pixy – Bewitched”

Moonlight is the one song that finally did it for me. I am full-on here for the Pixy bandwagon. Got some space next to you Nick?

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I wasn’t going to listen to it because I already have a far too long list of songs to listen to and I was underwhelmed by their title track, especially compared to their debut. But with this review, I’ll have to give them a listen!

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Oooh, they got it. NICE.

I was wondering whether or not it was going to. I still think Addicted is very good and its MV is perfect for introducing PIXY to anyone, but there is a reason why they picked this as the second title track, because the girls actually wanted THIS to be the title track. Hoping for an MV, ever since they revealed they have a dance for this song

You put it in very nice honestly words honestly. Bewitched’s melody isn’t all that different from their title tracks but with this production, everything is somehow elevated. (As for the first pre-chorus, I don’t actually think it’s vocal distortion, I think that’s actually just vocal fry.)

If I had to suggest something, I think the English version of this song is actually pretty great.

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I’ve been enjoying the stages of “Addicted” but as it song it just isn’t quite there for me. I gave “Bewitched” another listen, though, and I think I’d be happy to hear it pop up on one of my dance playlists, so that’s a winner. “Moonlight” slips back into that “not quite” zone – I’d just like a little more bite, whatever that means musically.

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Interesting to listen to. The sounds in the bass line remind me a bit of a theme for the enemy spider-aliens in an old video game called “Star Control II” (perhaps do not click on the link if you hate spiders): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5ecN92n6qI

This feels more like a small statement of experimentalism than a complete song, a horror-tinged sketch rather than pop. I don’t think it’s hooky enough for me to recommend to others or listen to except to revisit the interesting production turns though.

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