Producer Ryan S. Jhun has had a dynamite year so far, composing song after song after song of consistently high quality. And in between his more hyped releases, he’s partnered with rookie group VAV. The guys’ past three singles have all been crafted by Jhun, and now they’ve collaborated again for She’s Mine. If I’m being honest, I don’t think VAV are getting Jhun’s best work, but this is to be expected given their relatively unknown status. Still, it’s nice to see a rookie attempt to carve out a signature sound rather than jump back and forth between trendy producers.

She’s Mine has harder edges than their last single — the jubilant Middle Of The Night — but they’re tempered by an instrumental that attempts to stretch in multiple directions at once. I could do without the near constant vocal distortion that lurks in the background, which sounds like the irritating buzz of the most persistent fly on earth. Ditto to the jerky synth attack that overtakes the second half of the chorus. I appreciate the dynamic arrangement, but something about the melody and production feels too repetitive and one note.

The song’s verses are more successful, driven by a loose, percussion-led hookiness that gives the guys plenty of room to play around. This funky style extends to the initial moments of the chorus, which pulse with an addictive, chant-like energy that ends too quickly. These elements go a long way towards ingratiating She’s Mine‘s ever-shifting composition, but the song never quite comes together to create something spectacular.

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