Look, K-pop producers… all I want is a great song that stays great all the way through. Is that too much to ask? The teasers for Xodiac’s Special Love seemed to promise bubbly, synth-kissed energy. Its exuberant chorus definitely delivers, but if the entire track had followed suit we might have a Sweetune-esque pop banger on our hands.
Sadly, the good stuff is doled out in pieces. To reach that fun chorus, listeners must wade through a plonky verse and several tempo-changing breakdowns. These unnecessary distractions steal attention from the heart of the track.
Special Love‘s strongest moments outweigh its missteps, and I find myself clinging to the chorus with a vice grip. I love the splashes of brass and the acceleration of the beat. The members have lovely voices and their performance is given room to breathe. It’s nothing revolutionary, but this sweet, melodic style is missed in today’s K-pop. Let’s have a full song’s worth of it next time!
| Hooks | 9 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 8 |
| RATING | 8.25 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
Wait, I really like this! No idea really who these guys are but I’m really enjoying this song. I agree that the chorus is the strongest part, but I don’t think the rest of the song is bogged down by its choices, either. Could it be more dynamic and exciting, sure! I understand the desire to have a song that truly knocks it out of the park. But as it stands, it offers plenty for me to bop to throughout, which seems to be a rarity recently so I’ll take everything I can get.
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Same thoughts! I think we just don’t have much standouts this year that’s why songs that come close to sounding like excellent classics are held at a higher standard in this blog but this is a solid song in my books and liked it at first listen!
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Oh my goodness this reminds me so much of early Golcha for some reason!
I really don’t mind the verses, they flow nicely and they’re cute enough. Even the tempo shift isn’t that bad here in my opinion.
In the end I don’t know if this stands out enough for me to make it to my playlist but I do really like it.
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this is a pretty cute song. not sure how it’ll age tho
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Oh I like this!! Don’t mind the verses too, I take this over roll the dice anyday!!!
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This is an instant mood lifter for me! I like everything about it and the guys stole my heart with their cheering guide video😍. Calling was nice, didn’t care too much for Throw a Dice, but this one, I loved. I’d rate it a 9/10
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