K-Pop A-Z

K-Pop A-Z Review: EXO – Can’t Bring Me Down

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Can’t Bring Me Down (from Lotto – 2016)

Can’t Bring Me Down’s opening verse promises so much more than the song ends up delivering. The instrumental supplies an aggressive, militant beat underlined by psychedelic synth and a few left-field vocal flourishes. It’s a dynamic — almost spooky — atmosphere that remains compelling through the pre-chorus. Unfortunately, from here the song lacks focus, divulging in a hip-hop/EDM breakdown that upends much of what came before it. The titular hook ends up buried in the mix when it could have been an anchor for a much tighter track. There’s still enough crazy experimentalism to make Can’t Bring Me Down work — but just barely.

 Hooks 7
 Production 8
 Longevity 8
 Bias 7
 RATING 7.5

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