VIXX have promised us a trilogy of single albums this year, taking their concepts from Greek gods. First up is Dynamite, which springs from Zelos, the god of jealousy. With this emotion driving the track, you’d be forgiven for expecting something dark and tortured. But surprisingly, Dynamite is their funkiest, most pop-influenced single in awhile.

Dynamite‘s production choices share much with the work of SM acts Shinee and EXO. From its bright synth stabs to its fractured, nimble drum work, it would have fit nicely alongside 2015’s summer pop hits like Love Me Right or Married To The Music. There’s a heavy, 80’s inspired funk influence that runs throughout the track, most notable in its punchy, keyboard driven chorus. I’ve often complained about the trendy use of saxophone in place of an actual chorus, but Dynamite utilizes the instrument perfectly, as a background support that bubbles up here and there to give the song a sexy, mysterious vibe.

The melody seemed a bit all over the place on first listen, but proves its worth on repeated plays. While the chorus is by far the song’s most instant moment, the verses throb with a sinuous, ever-changing tempo. They’re not particularly melodic, but instead wrap the members’ vocals around the complex instrumentation underpinning them. This contrast between the verses and chorus provides an important balance that ensures Dynamite has more meat on its bones than most pop songs. If this is the quality VIXX will be giving us all year, I’ll be counting down the days until their next comeback.