Korean rapper Sleepy is one half of the hip-hop duo Untouchable, and for Body Lotion, he’s teamed with labelmate Bang Yong Guk of boy group B.A.P. It’s a pairing that makes sense, given their complementary styles. Despite his moniker, Sleepy raps (and sings) at a higher, more sprightly pace, while Yong Guk is all deep-voiced charisma.
Body Lotion is a bit of an odd duck. It transitions back and forth between hip-hop verses with little melody and a big, singalong pop chorus. The production by fellow hip-hop star Giriboy follows suit, loose and experimental until it smooths out for the hook. In a way, it feels like two separate styles that never quite blend. Luckily, both are strong in their own right, so the song is enjoyable in spurts. The instrumental is absolutely packed with layers of nimble, eccentric synth accents, including a constant electronic wiggle that’s either brilliant or incredibly irritating depending on your mood.
The entire structure threatens to collapse as we veer into a messy, dubstep-influenced middle eight, where the vocals are warped and the song momentarily loses its trajectory. But luckily, that sunny chorus floods back in to steer the track back on course. It’s these little flights of production fancy that are my least favorite aspect of Body Lotion, though I appreciate Giriboy’s talent in this arena and realize that it’s more a matter of personal taste than actual quality.
Hooks | 8 |
Production | 7 |
Longevity | 7 |
Bias | 7 |
RATING | 7.25 |