Review

INFINITE TOP SEED: In-Depth Album Review – I Hate

Infinite’s long-awaited comeback resulted in the title track Tell Me, which divided opinion on this site and others. It’s taken from the group’s third full-length album, Top Seed, and kicks off a string of ten other newly released songs. Just like with 2016’s Infinite Only, I’m here to offer my thoughts on every single one of them. Check back each day for several mini-reviews, and be sure to take a look at my sprawling K-Pop A-Z page for thoughts on the group’s entire catalog.


1. Begin // 2. Tell Me // 3. Synchronise // 4. No More // 5. TGIF (Dongwoo solo) // 6. Pray // 7. Why Me // 8. Wind // 9. I Hate // 10. Reminisce (L solo) // 11. Love Song (Sungjong solo) // 12. Begin Again


I HATE
Infinite previously took cues from hard rock with their first original Japanese single, Dilemma. I Hate steers even further in that direction, composed by Ollounder and Leez who have created similar tracks for girl group Dreamcatcher. It’s a genre that works well for Infinite and allows them to display a more powerful performance style. I Hate’s verses are tremendous, particularly as the tempo doubles for Dongwoo’s rap. I’m thankful that the instrumental also incorporates a few electronic flourishes, which help tie this musical experiment to their other material. The chorus is probably my least favorite element, as I don’t think the melody is all that striking. But the sheer intensity sparked by the guitar-fueled instrumental improves even the song’s more generic moments.

 Hooks 8
 Production 9
 Longevity 9
 Bias 8
 RATING 8.5

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