It’s no secret how much I adored Sexy Zone’s Run. That song felt like the climax to years of musical growth for the group. And immediately after its release, fans were treated to the announcement of member So Matsushima rejoining the group after a nearly two year hiatus. New single Not Found finds Sexy Zone whole and at the top of their game.
Now, this doesn’t mean that I love Not Found as much as Run. I definitely don’t, and that’s just down to personal taste and the style of songs I tend to prefer. But, it’s hard to deny how successful and polished the track is. As the theme to member Kikuchi’s newest drama, the track has a very cinematic sound, harnessing brassy flourishes to create the kind of drama usually reserved for Bond themes. Despite not being a traditional dance track, Not Found moves at a quick pace. Its verses have a conversational appeal — melodic but taking more of a hip-hop approach when it comes to phrasing.
This sets up Not Found’s chorus, which swells with melodic bombast as the guys sing in unison to create a towering arrangement. It’s a stirring sound, and one that has always suited Sexy Zone well. The track grows even more dynamic as it goes on, with a standout extended rap bridge that capitalizes on Kikuchi’s deep tone. From here, an influx of guitar helps bring Not Found to an exciting conclusion. The track knows how to pull every bit of spectacle from its relatively straightforward frame. This is how you transform a simple pop song into a real show.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 8.75 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
I’ve been waiting for you to review this song. I actually like this even better than “Run.” I guess it’s just a matter of preference. Either way, they’ve been on a very strong consecutive singles run for awhile now. This song also shows them doing fast-paced synchronized dancing of the kind that they hardly ever do as a group [which unfortunately sometimes lead to less than stellar live singing].
Btw, are you also watching the Fuma drama?
-Rina
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I’m not. Is it any good?
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I was about to ask you the same question.
I’ve been catching up with a lot of kisumai contents and dramas, so no time for this one yet!~ The kisumai boys do have some pretty good dramas though~ [and are pretty decent actors too]
-Rina
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For me, Kisumai are the kings of variety. Similar to Golcha in Korea, I can watch anything they do and know that I’m in for a good laugh.
Haven’t seen many of their dramas, though. I watched Tama’s Juuyou Sankounin Tantei but thought it was just so-so (and got old very fast).
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I agree! I’ve known kisumai since their junior days, and they’ve grown so much; even the quiet Tama and the “cool” TaiP are real good in varieties now.
J-doramas in general can get a bit too formulaic and episodic, especially one with a premise like Juuyou Sankounin, but for some reason I always find Tama a delight to watch. If you’re looking for a solid drama though, Tama’s Reverse is pretty good.
-Rina
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I love it! It does kind of sound like an opening to something. I like how upbeat this is. The brass sounds great.I had to get used to that shift between verses and chorus, but I’m really enjoying it overall.
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OH, I am a big sucker for the big band sound going on here.
The set is also so stylish too! And economical, and yet, stylish! Once again they poured the money into the awesome camera and cinematographer. We don’t a costume change every 7 seconds, let’s just do two costumes. Dance, yeah, let’s only start the dance half way through the second chorus.
But wah, it ended half way through! Curses Jpop, you are so unnattainable!
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