As we get closer to my monthly round-up for January, I’m desperate for singles to choose as part of my “top three.” For the second month in a row, I’ve got nothing but placeholders so far. The brief music video teaser for Korean-Thai group THE7’s debut seemed promising. A bright, synth-packed funk instrumental? Yes, please! Never mind that the song may not technically be “K-pop.” At this point, I’ll take what I can get!
Get Loose is an interesting case. All the right ingredients are here, but the song isn’t hitting me the way I’d hope. Despite the bounding production and upbeat energy, there’s a sense of amateur trend-following that prevents the track from feeling fresh and exciting. The English-language lyrics don’t help. At best, they’re hopelessly generic. At worst, they’re cringey and distracting. Toss in some irritating vocal inflections during the chorus and you’ve got a song that seems intent on sabotaging itself at every turn.
Performance aside, this style of production will always appeal to me. Purely as an instrumental, Get Loose packs an enjoyable punch. It has a welcome fullness that makes for an impressive, larger-than-life sound. It slavishly follows a specific K-pop template, but at least it’s an enjoyable one. Moments of vocal firepower offer a glimpse at the group’s talent and make all the “dumbi dumbi dadi do-ing” of the chorus feel even sillier. I can see a future where THE7 create great music, but at this point there are still a few kinks to work out.
| Hooks | 7 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 8 |
| RATING | 8 |
Grade: B-
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
there’s THE7, THE8 and THE9 whats next THE10?
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THE∞ ??
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Isn’t this NCT?
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Well, since you asked, 8Turn “Tic Tac” dropped this morning, and it sounds thiscloseto any NCT song ever.
Also 1the9, pronouced Under 9.
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It is hard to imagine that any of the songs from January are going to be future classics, unless there are some b-sides I haven’t heard yet. The only certainty for me is Nine (OnlyOneOf) – beyOnd, which rapped up the solo series on a high note. I think Twice’s single would make my top 3 too. (I know I’m very changeable; this is probably different from what I suggested a few days ago, lol.)
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Dunno if someone asked this already, but are you planning to do review for ONEWE’s Gravity? It’s not a ballad, and it’s fully in English. Just released last Saturday.
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Not planning on it. The song is solid, but I don’t really have anything to say about it.
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Nothing new, yet enjoyable.
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What I am hearing, Nick, is that you are firmly in the “bargaining” stage of kpop grief. A high tide raises all boats, and in other years this might have been a tic or two higher. This year, it … it’s “fine”.
Also, I dearly wish in the chorus right at “Just you and Me-eee” at 1:08, the mee-ee would be a higher falsetto C# – B or even higher. Other groups, especially SM ones” would have added that flourish and an ever higher descant harmony on top of that on the backing track.
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Ah I love this. I can here this same sound a million and never get tired of it.
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