JO1 were borne from the Japanese iteration of the Produce 101 franchise, and like most groups under that umbrella, they’ve dabbled in all sorts of sounds. This has made their discography uneven, though each singles released after their debut has been charming in its own way. However, new track Born To Be Wild harnesses the kind of groove and energy that instantly appeals to me.
Composed by Korean producers Score and Megatone, who crafted Golden Child’s excellent Burn It earlier this year, Born To Be Wild tackles the throwback funky house sound that’s been gaining prominence among boy groups in 2021. The song’s best moments come when it fully embraces its old-school charms, and apart from one tempo-shifting verse in the middle (ie: the structural trend that will never die), Wild maintains its breathless pace.
The song opens with its stickiest hook – a chanted bit of rhythmic punch underlined by house piano. This won’t show up again until later in the track, but its presence is always welcome. From here, Born To Be Wild moves into a sprightly verse, showered by icy drops of synth. The piano makes a return for the exciting pre-chorus before the song drops into a slinkier chorus. But, Wild is overflowing with hooks, and the soaring refrain that punctuates the chorus is a total knockout. It’s a shame that it’s followed by that momentum-killing rap break, but at least the interruption doesn’t last long. Before we know it, that opening chant is back to forge a groovy bridge that ups the energy as we glide toward the climax. Born To Be Wild isn’t absolutely perfect, but it’s about as close as this brand of idol pop gets.
| Hooks | 10 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 9.25 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
I loved this song! It felt so energetic
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“These days” ?
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Yeah, that’s kind of weird, isn’t it? Makes me sound like the old fart that I’m becoming
Decided to do a bit of editing…
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I really love this song, from that instant-classic chorus to its addictive thump of a beat, everything moves in a functioning, organized manner. Really amazing and an enjoyable piece of music. Between this and Sexy Zone’s new come back, I have finally found Jpop songs to connect to this year. 9.5/10!
Ps. Are you going to do a buried treasure post for ATEEZ’s new Jp Song, Still Here? Fingers Crossed!
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I actually like this less than Oh-Eh-Oh. Maybe it is because the trap rap here is more jarring and less needed. Anyway, I feel like most of the elements such as the strings, piano, and the funky beat, are there for ‘coolness’, and don’t really add too much to the overall melody. Still, it is fine
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Get your motor running, head out on the highway … oh, wrong song.
The bassist on this track is just killing it. Also the guitarist. Those are real guys just grooving the shit out the of the song, and doing a rather nice job with it.
The first 8 lines or so are all just that bass and a single vocal line. That’s awesome.
The best thing about this song is that it announces itself, starts an insane momentum, and then keeps it up – except for a few moments which are fortunately fleeting. Its like the Chaser, which just moves and keeps moving, and then moves even more.
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this song reminds me a lot of superhuman doesnt it, even that “born to be wild” hook reminds me of “yeah! superhuman!”
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