My interest in new girl group P.O.P (Puzzle of Pop) went from zero to a hundred the moment I read that their title track would be produced by the Iggy/Youngbae duo. Responsible for all of GFriend’s singles and most of Astro’s, these producers gave us many of 2016’s best pop hits and easily became my favorite composing team of the year. 2017 has been noticeably quieter, with GFriend’s Fingertip the only title track the guys have produced so far.

Judging from Catch You‘s (애타게 GET하게) teaser, it seemed as if it would be a continuation of Fingertip‘s aggressive, synth-soaked sound. And that’s more or less what we get. The song’s chorus might not be as single-mindedly catchy, but the “opening theme song to a 90’s anime” sentiment is definitely there. Catch You‘s instrumental opens with a high energy synth riff before transitioning into its more generic verses. P.O.P don’t bring a whole lot of individuality to the vocals, but their powerful performance matches well with the fullness of the production.

As usual with recent Iggy/Youngbae tracks, every element of Catch You is densely packed with intensity. The chorus sweeps forward with an unwavering assault of hooks. On first listen, it’s almost too overpowering. The song seems to stretch on without a moment to breathe. But further listens reveal this to be a strength, providing a high octane workout that acts as a needed balance to the more cutesy sing-talk output favored by many new girl groups. If P.O.P further develop this sound, they might just turn out to be one of the year’s most exciting rookies.