The Faker Club is providing necessary counterprogramming for mainstream K-pop trends. Its artists from20 and Hello Gloom have delivered some of my favorite songs of the year, simply by opting for sounds and structures that are hard to find elsewhere. Eyes On Me is another winner.

If you’ve perused any of my “Global Round-Up” posts, you’ll know how much I love dance music. I’m a proponent of big beats that stay big across an entire track, and Eyes On Me offers sustained momentum that really appeals to me. Outside the K-pop playground, it would likely fade into the overstuffed club genre. It’s not like the song is reinventing the wheel! But after listening to so many subdued, stop/start projects from idol groups, this feels like a welcome salve.

While I’m not a big fan of the vocal effects Hello Gloom uses, they add an otherworldly quality to the track that feels a bit hazy and connects its atmosphere to winter’s Dancing In The Dark. Eyes On Me takes this vibe to summer vacation, bolstering its performance with a propulsive house beat. I especially love when the keys rush in during the second pre-chorus. I’ll never tire of this euphoric sound.

Grade: B