Chocolate is a song released as part of veteran singer Yoon Jong Shin’s year-long collaboration project. He previously worked with Epik High’s Tablo, and now he’s composed a track for Seventeen’s vocal unit. Jong Shin doesn’t actually sing on Chocolate, so it’s more of a Seventeen sub-unit release than an actual duet.

One of the things that makes Seventeen so appealing is their distinct pools of talent within the group as a whole. We got a more hip-hop oriented single in December with the excellent Q&A, and now we’re treated to something much more ballad-esque. Chocolate‘s melody is light as a feather, floating by without any major vocal moments or aplomb. However, as a child of the 80’s, I was smitten as soon as I heard those opening synths. From the midtempo beat to the prominent guitar solos, the song replicates a certain late-80’s pop sound that isn’t heard all that much in popular music nowadays.

This is a great example of a song getting by on the charm of its nostalgic sound, rather than the forcefulness of its melody or production. It really doesn’t give you much to grab on to, yet I find myself returning to it again and again. It’s practically the definition of “pleasant,” and usually “pleasant” isn’t enough for me. But, there’s something about the laid back, hazy atmosphere the song projects that elevates it to a different level.