K-pop’s boy group landscape has become increasingly baffling to me. Back in 2020/2021, I would have scoffed if you told me CRAVITY would become one of the most reliable purveyors of bright, upbeat pop music. But, the guys have ditched the “skrrt skrrt” energy of their past and opted for a musical makeover. From last year’s Adrenaline to today’s Groovy, they’ve been on a winning streak, displaying the kind of continuity and focus that’s become increasingly rare among their peers.
Long may bright CRAVITY reign, because Groovy is another winner. While the song itself may be a bit derivative and lacking in melodic imagination, its bounding energy more than compensates. This is why many of us first got into K-pop: for the fun, upbeat music! Like many of global pop’s recent disco-funk offerings, Groovy is smoother of its edges. But, it leaves enough space for explosive, roller-rink synths to give the track some character. Better yet, CRAVITY never take their eyes off the ball. A second verse rap is incorporated well and the song’s inevitable breakdown is perfectly positioned during the bridge where it can have the greatest impact.
The first time I heard this track, I found the chorus underwhelming. It came across more like a rough draft than a polished melodic hook. But, that hook is already on an upward trajectory and I have a feeling time will erase any quibbles I had about its repetitive structure. That’s the magic of a big, buoyant arrangement. I’m hedging my bets today, but I wouldn’t be surprised if this bumps up to a “9” rating in the coming weeks.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 8.75 |
Grade: B+
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
So this happened to me. I was about to award Cravity an extra full point for the extra spritely speed. Then I realized that the 1.1x I had clicked on for another song* had carried over from one video to another.
Back at 1.0x, this gets an extra half point for the spritely speed. Actually 1.05x is about perfect.
For the state of kpop these days, this one is a keeper. Rating is a bit high, in other days this would be a low to mid 8.
*The other song this morning being Moonchild “Chili Chocolate”. I wish these girls the best of luck, because they are trying their darnest to sell the shit out of a shitty song, and whose song sounds far better at 1.1x. Here is an older showcase performance https://youtu.be/BK2EX_hWMBk
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I’ve been sitting here and waiting for everyone to wake up for hours so I could freak out about this album. Big day for the boy group crowd.
I don’t know what is up with Starship lately (IVE success funds…?) but CRAVITY is in a serious golden age. I’ve basically had the album on loop since it came out — I didn’t listen to the highlight medley or anything, so I went in with no expectations and just about lost my mind. I’m very impressed with this one. Even my least favorite non-ballad on the EP (Get Lifted) would still make for a solid NCT b-side, and the synth in the FLY intro and bridge is extremely addictive. Plus, I think the (very prominent) hyperpop influences in A to Z were pulled off perfectly. Baddie is the biggest standout for me at the moment, though. The chorus felt slightly disappointing for exactly one listen, and then I was SOLD. There’s a guitar solo. Come on. The ballad is perfectly serviceable, too, just overshadowed by the quality of everything else! I really, really hope CRAVITY keep it up, because every sound on this album suits them quite well.
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Also — and I hate that this is worth mentioning — every song is at least three minutes long. That’s praiseworthy in and of itself in the modern landscape.
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Regarding song lengths, I hear you. But at the same time, all those classic 60s Motown, pre-psychedelic Beatles, and girl group songs usually clocked in under 3 minutes: The Ronettes, “Be My Baby” (1963, 2:41), Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, “The Tracks of My Tears” (1965, 2:55), The Shirelles, “Will You Love Me Tomorrow?” (1961, 2:43), The Supremes, “Where Did Our Love Go?” (1964, 2:33), The Temptations, “My Girl” (1964, 2:45), The Supremes, “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” (1967, 2:40), The Shangri-Las, “Leader of the Pack” (1964, 2:49), Marvin Gaye, “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” (1968, 2:52), Martha and the Vandellas, “Heat Wave” (1963, 2:47), The Supremes, “Baby Love” (1964, 2:34), The Four Tops, “Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch” (1965, 2:46), The Marvelettes, “Please Mr. Postman” (1961, 2:31), The Supremes, “You Can’t Hurry Love” (1966, 2:44), The Angels, “My Boyfriend’s Back” (1963, 2:14), The Shangri-Las, “Remember (Walking in the Sand)” (1964, 2:17), The Chiffons, “One Fine Day” (1963, 2:07), Martha and the Vandellas, “Dancing in the Street” (1964, 2:40).
I kind of appreciate this return to this form of songwriting…
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I’ve got nothing against short song lengths. I only dislike it when a song sacrifices something in service to a short (streaming) length. Nothing you mentioned above feels unsatisfying because they were able to fit a full-fledged song within that running time.
It annoys me when modern pop songs sacrifice bridges or proper climaxes just to fit in at under three minutes.
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Yep, like Nick said, it’s less the actual number itself and more what it’s tended to mean for K-pop lately! Half of these CRAVITY songs have absolute standout bridges, so I’m mostly just glad they bothered to include them, haha. Thanks for the massive list!! I haven’t heard a lot of these, so I’m going to run down it over the next couple days.
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Alright, you’ve convinced me to listen to the album – and I’m so glad you did. Quick review:
⟡ Fly – OH MY GOODNESS A TALK BOX??? Again, so straightforward, so catchy. Nothing else to say, I just adore this.
⟡ Get Lifted – This one is more of a wacky, kitchen-sink approach ( I can see the NCT comparison). I’m not 100% about the shouty chorus, but they get points for energy.
⟡ Baddie – A bit of a vampier, darker side of the bright concept. Again, very straightforward, maybe a bit too straightforward. I miss a good chorus melody (but who knows, maybe it’ ll grow on me like it did you). The guitar solo really elevates this song.
⟡ A – Z – I really like hyperpop when it’ s on the sensory digestible side of the spectrum, so I love how it’ s done here! The vibes are there without overloading my brain’s sensory processing capacity.
⟡ Light the Way – Ballad is ballad, it’ s totally serviceable.
Fly is my (obvious) favourite 😀
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This is fun and funky, and the album is a ray of sunshine. And A to Z is pure 2nd gen crying on the dance floor melodrama.
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the trippin trippin trippin part is so bad but the rest of the song is actually good
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(..that’s actually one of my favourite parts ><)
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I’ve completely missed Cravity switching concepts and I am VERY surprised! Pleasantly, of course.
This sort of upbeat disco sound is right up my alley. It’s super straightforward but with just enough variety in the production to keep it interesting. Love that they opted for a high-tempo dance break instead of slowing the tempo.
Not much else to be said about this, I’ve already added it on Spotify and will probably be grooving to this all week.
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This is great! The prechorus is my favorite part, while the chorus is a bit pedestrian (I felt that way about Party Rock too). But overall, I just really, really appreciate how Cravity has given us different versions of bright in their past three comebacks. I feel like there is a lot of thought and planning going on behind the scenes that other boy groups could learn from. It always surprises me that they’re not a rookie group anymore, but it feels like they’ve grown up here. I’ve seen mentioned elsewhere that they went from high school in Adrenaline to college in Party Rock to office work in Groovy…I would say they did it all without sacrificing a sense of fun.
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I really hope that Cravity will keep satisfying us with these fun, upbeat releases! This one is cool. I like it much more than Party Rock, which seemed kinda underwhelming to me, but a bit less than Adrenaline. As it seems to me, the song’s main problem is its chorus that feels empty and overwhelming at the same time, but I can already see it growing on me. Rating is about right.
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Not really a fan of this song but the B-sides are great.
I really like all the b-sides.
This was a solid release from Cravity. I hope they continue this streak of good music.
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I’m with Nick on this. Back at debut I would’ve laughed at the idea of me being a Luvity and enjoying much of their music. Now I am a Luvity and ordered the album cause it’s that good.
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So fun, the song and the video! I think the hook would be stronger with if the first two lines of the chorus matched rhythm. I’d take out one “body” so each line has 7 syllables:
You make me feel so groovy
rhythm-ay body movin’
But still, a great one from Cravity.
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I disagree, actually – matching the syllable rhythm in both lines would make this chorus too predictable. It’s already pretty straightforward, so I’m glad they use little elements like the ‘body-body’ line to make it slightly more unexpected (also it matches up with the beat).
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I find the title track a bit underwhelming compared to the rest of the songs. Overall super groovy album that’s going to be in heavy rotation!
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This group is so good. This song is one of my lesser favorites on their new album and I still love it.
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I would have loved this 2 or 3 years ago. But alas, the disco groovy sheen of retro funk music has already shed its veneer for me, and I ended up closing the video at 2 minutes in. It bored me. Luckily, “A to Z” is such a beautiful b-side. So this comeback is still a win.
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I’m shocked at how consistent Starship has been in the past year in terms of music. Groovy is light and fun, but they really commit to the funk in FLY. It’s like a perfect marriage of Chromeo, Pharell’s Happy, and the High School Musical 2 soundtrack.
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Actually really liked this a lot! A good contender for top picks of the month.
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But the greatest news of all is that they broke their first-day sale with an uptempo and bright ep (Baddie and A To Z are cheesy and delightful as well), so let’s hope it can become a new market trend replacing the “NCT business model” that overloaded the world of KPop in the last 2-3 years.
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So glad Cravity are leaning into this sound.
Maybe not AS good as Party Rock and Adrenaline, but certainly a fine song.
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Whoever decided Cravity should take this turn in musical direction should get a raise. This is the third straight release that hasn’t missed
The rest of the mini is solid. I love FLY!!!
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This is just a delight, all sunshine and smiles. This style really suites them, because they seem to be enjoying themselves. I’ve listened to the whole album and found it a joy from start to finish.
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