It seems Astro have entered a phase in their career that favors sub-unit and solo releases. This tends to happen after a group has established themselves, and it’s fun to see the individual members showcase their unique charms. Recent months have seen albums from main vocal MJ and dance/hip-hop unit Rocky and JinJin, but sub-unit Moonbin & Sanha kicked it all off back in September 2020. They’re returning in March, and have pre-released the moody Ghost Town as a teaser.
Ghost Town is quite different from the upbeat funk-pop of 2020’s Bad Idea, casting a more subdued tone that echoes many of the sounds currently popular on Western charts. In fact, the phrasing and melody are so familiar that they almost feel like cosplay. I could see someone like The Weeknd recording this as an album track. The song takes a gentle beat and adds looping refrains over the top. The structure is quite repetitive – a common pop music hallmark in a post-trap world. At best, this forms a hypnotic energy. At worst, it’s… well… repetitive.
As a pre-release, I think Ghost Town is fine. It’s the sound of Moonbin and Sanha trying on new musical clothes. It may feel like an awkward fit for them (my mind keeps flashing back to the giddy sunshine of past singles), but each delivers a solid, satisfying vocal. This style of soft moodiness doesn’t usually do much for me on its own, but I think I’ll appreciate Ghost Town as connective tissue on the upcoming album.
| Hooks | 7 |
| Production | 7 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 7 |
| RATING | 7.25 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
I personally really like the song, that kind of style suits my taste however,it’s not particularly groundbreaking. I also dislike the heavy use of aave, as it gives a very “try hard” vibe and a ends up feeling a bit gimmicky. I really think the boys pull off this sound though, and if they really are going for this for the album, I hope we get more exciting songs lyrically and sonically
LikeLike
I personally liked this song “Ghost Town”. It has a I wanted,those lyrics in English are just made for us. Overall the song’s vibe,it’s echoes mainly the parts like “I have gotta ticket out of ghost town”,”It’s God’s dream”, etc. are awesome. It’s easy for international Arohas like me to feel it more as it doesn’t need any subtitles. THANKYOU OPPA
LikeLike
This type of song usually isn’t my cup of tea, even if it’s The Weeknd-esque. Am listening to it for the first time tonight and to be absolutely honest, it isn’t really that bad sonically. At very least it is quite melodious.
R.I.P Moonbin.
LikeLike