We’re in the midst of a woman group gauntlet, with Ok-pop’s hottest acts making a string of comebacks this spring. Immediately, it’s LE SSERAFIM’s flip. Their one-two punch of Fearless and Antifragile helped outline 2022, however new single Unforgiven reverts to tropes higher left on the slicing room ground.
My first thought upon listening to Unforgiven was: “the place the heck is Nile Rodgers?” I used to be thrilled to see his identify on the credit. Ok-pop doesn’t typically collaborate with this type of legendary, genre-defining expertise. However wherever he could have performed on the music, I don’t hear his affect in any respect. As a substitute, Unforgiven acts as a redux of ITZY’s Not Shy – a grating, Western-themed chant-a-thon that’s the newest in a protracted line of drained “I’m such a badass” posturing. Producers have to discover a new schtick.
The factor is, I may completely fall for this idea if the music had been rooted in melody. However like so a lot of its ilk, Unforgiven is usually fashionable sing-talk strung collectively by TikTok-ready catchphrases. And, when the music does embrace melody, it has the cadence of a nursery rhyme.
Unforgiven’s strongest second is its second-verse rap, which briefly delivers a movement that compliments the manufacturing. Sadly, it’s sandwiched between repetitive choruses that appear to expire of concepts as quickly as they begin. That is most likely an exaggeration, nevertheless it appears like 35% of the music consists of more and more aggravating repetitions of the phrase “Unforgiven.” That is no less than 30% an excessive amount of, so far as I’m involved!
| Hooks | 6 |
| Manufacturing | 7 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 7 |
| RATING | 7 |
Grade: C-
