I wrote about Bobby’s Cherry Blossom just yesterday, and now he’s back already with the title track of his just-released solo single. Drowning pairs him with vocalist Sole and ups the energy considerably. I didn’t expect to hear this style of city pop beat from him, but I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised given last year’s excellent But You. The overall vibe is more enjoyable than the song itself, but I appreciate the shimmering instrumental and smoothness of the production. I can already tell Bobby’s solo work is going to be more interesting and varied after leaving YG Entertainment. That can only be a good thing, and Drowning gets him off on the right foot.
My main gripe is that the song ends a bit abruptly. Just as it’s amping up to what feels like an explosive climax, we’re left hanging.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 8 |
| RATING | 8.25 |
Grade: B
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
Saw in the comments this was written 3-4 years ago. Man said we go R-rated in the lyrics. LOL! I’m down for it.
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/off topic on song
These first two non-250 word reviews are good! I was able to get information quick, since the reviews are succint, and they don’t lose any details at all on capturing how you feel on the songs. Between this & the Mnet survival recap-turned-thoughts section, hopefully your decisions on streamlining your blog content would be in your long-time favor. Always waiting for your superb writing 🤗
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I’m glad to hear it! It felt quite good on my end, too 😅
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Gotta confirm this one is Bobby’s best solo release so far! It was unexpected and satisfying at the same time to hear him tackle city pop vibes. I suppose I’ll add it to my playlist, which, sadly, can’t be said about 99.9% of most recent k-pop comebacks, as all of ’em seem just dull to my taste, and the ones I like the most are barely rated above 7.75 or 8…
P.s. Nick, I really like your new review format! Since they’ve become shorter, now it’s more convenient and comfortable for me to read them. In addition, correct the hooks rating from 9 to 8, ‘cuz the final one for this song is 8.25, not 8.5, xD.
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Thanks for catching that! And kudos for correctly guessing it was the “hooks” rating that needed changing. You know me too well 🙂
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I think I like ‘Cherry Blossom’ better than this but only slightly. I still really like this.
Also, as the comments above said. This new compact format is good.
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I wasn’t watching the MV when I played this so I only just found out but SF9 Hwiyoung, THE BOYZ Sunwoo, and DK are here !!
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It’s not my style but I like it.
It’s nice to see that IKON, The Boyz and SF9’s rappers are still in contact after Kingdom.
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I’ve had this one on repeat. I love how free Bobby’s flow is on this, and how playful his lyrics are. Plus, rapping over a city pop instrumental is new twist on the genre I hadn’t heard before.
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