As their industry stature has grown, Astro have begun to promote as units and solos. We had Moonbin and Sanha’s Bad Idea in 2020, MJ’s trot-tastic Get Set Yo last year and a steady stream of Cha Eunwoo dramas. Now it’s time for Jinjin and Rocky to put their own stamp on the ever-evolving Astro sound. These members may not grab Eunwoo-sized headlines, but they’re more than capable of igniting an exciting sound.
Just Breath (숨 좀 쉬자) (Just Breathe?) is a ball of funk-powered energy. It’s the kind of ebullient pop track that never lets up, and I love it for that. Jinjin and Rocky are having none of K-pop’s “break things down and move to half-tempo” business. They repeatedly punch you in the face with their pop prowess. Funk influences are omnipresent in this industry, but rarely are they so incessantly big. Just Breath’s hulking instrumental bounds out of the gate with swaggering confidence. The production is at its best when it forms a wall of sound, layering triumphant brass on top of chorused vocals and intricate rhythm guitar. It’s a workout in the best way.
The song’s only weak points come in the form of comedy. The occasional silliness (especially that lame post-chorus counting) takes away from Just Breath’s potency. The song doesn’t need to couch its feel-good vibe in humor. Thankfully, Jinjin and Rocky’s performance is stuffed with conviction. They play their roles to the hilt. Rocky’s vocals are a wonderful surprise, particularly during the crackling pre-chorus. Just Breath never quite finds a legendary melody to match its unbridled intensity, but you can’t go wrong with a track this eager to please. It’s a burst of undiluted fun.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 8.75 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
can i just that today is easily one of the best days in kpop in a long time? all 6 k-pop songs released today are solid, even my least favourite one (sorry ab6ix)
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I really like this. It’s just mad fun. There’s a lot of funky kpop songs but few of them really possess the energy for me to find them that memorable. This one has it in spades.
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This was really fun! I wasn’t planning to listen to this actually but your review piqued my interest and I have no regrets!! Super fun and engaging throughout! 🎉
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If the vocals were better delivered, I would be more sold on the song. Most parts sound forced.
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Honestly the best release of today! Such a good song and a pretty nice mini as well.
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I’m not sure how this will do on a playlist, but I love the music video! It’s so much fun, and I can even get by the post-chorus counting because of the choreography.
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Yeah, I do a lot of playlist listening and I know that weird breathy intro is going to throw off my groove.
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It reminds me very strongly of Super Junior’s “House Party”. (Super Junior junior?) And that’s not a criticism! It’s a sign of this subunit’s confidence and maturity that they’re willing to be unapologetically silly, nostalgic and FUN to that extent.
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Ooooh this is so fun, and the two of them really sell the whole thing – song, concept, choreo, MV, and all. This + Yena + fromis_9 has made my Monday a lot brighter 🙂
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… too busy listening to this on repeat to comment …
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Yeah, I think they meant “Breathe” – that’s a pet peeve of mine. But hey, the MV is doing that no-ui phone video thing I liked so much in ABSIX’s video, and the song’s hella fun, so I’m good.
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Kpop is killing me this week. Another one for the list.
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I also like the comedy. Old-school funk back in the day was VERY silly and they get that.
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