Though Momoland treated us to Starry Night back in June, it’s been almost a year since their last full-fledged comeback. The group has struggled to rekindle the magic of their Bboom Bboom/BAAM era, stuck between recreated that sense of novelty or moving onto new sounds. But, they’ve scored a real coup with new single Ready Or Not. The song is produced by PSY, a man who is pretty familiar with massive novelty hits himself. But beyond Gangnam Style, PSY has composed a lot of great music in various genres. On the surface, he seems like the perfect collaborator to bring Momoland to the next stage of their career.
In reality, I’m not sure that Ready Or Not feels distinctly PSY, but it does bring a welcome injection of pop melody to counter Momoland’s sillier instincts. Right from the start, the track bounds forward with great verve and a bright hookiness. The first verse opens with a simple sing-talk rap before moving into more melodic territory. This segues into a full-throated chorus that sees the girls singing in unison. The vocal arrangement is tight and satisfying, giving the refrain a fullness that feels very classic in its delivery. The hook itself is catchy and light, though I’m unsure how well it will age.
This being post-2018 Momoland, we can’t get through a song without some kind of manic instrumental touch, and Ready Or Not’s sample lands predictably after each chorus. The track delivers a sped up, brassy synth loop that brings a jolt of frantic, free-for-all energy before things settle down again. Thankfully, this production flourish isn’t overused. At its core, Ready Or Not is just a good old fashioned bubblegum pop song. There’s nothing wrong with that!
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 8 |
| RATING | 8 |
Where oh where is JooE? Ah, there she is, transformed into any mid-tier girl group style. That is about the same for the whole song. It sounds like any one of the girl group releases in that mad crush of February releases, except it is now November. (Actually the first 3 lines in the chorus sounds just like a recent girl group song, but not being a regular GG stan I couldn’t place it yet.)
Yeah, the bass is funky.
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JooE’s surgeon is a genius. I mean I liked the way she looked before, and I do think the sameification of girl group members is depressing, but holy shit the transformation is amazing, like, from a technical standpoint. Wonder if they’re using the same guys as BBC who really know their way around a face…
Anyway, I like the song! I’m happy to say it, as I thought Thumbs Up was sort of dreadful.
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It’s OK, but I kinda think of it as a diet Umpah Umpah?
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Ahh yess! Been thinking I kinda heard this somewhere before, and yep umpah umpah that is
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I liked it, though it didn’t click to me like what thumbs up, bboom bboom, and I’m so hot did. Despite that, it’s a pleasant experience to the ears, especially that Psy is behind the song.
I don’t know if it’s me, but I very much like their voices here compared to their previous title tracks. They don’t really sound too cutesy nor too mature; I think it’s balanced, who knows since I’m not an expert in this field.
I would give this an 8.25. This is a nice energy booster in the morning!
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Their vocals are what really captured my attention as well. Easily the highlight of the song for me
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Totally agree!
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Thank you, PSY, for that absolutely stomping beat! This is what I like to hear. A shot of good, oldfashioned, bubblegum energy to start my dreary winter mornings.
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