In a summer characterized by second-gen comebacks, K-pop’s girl groups have kind of been left out. Aloha aims to fix that. It’s not the full Sistar return we’re all begging for, but it’s probably as close as we’re going to get. The song reunites Soyou and Bora with producers Duble Sidekick, the team responsible for summer hits Shake It, Loving U, I Swear and Give It To Me.
Aloha doesn’t come close to touching those four classics (very few songs do, to be honest), but its nostalgia factor is high. It carries the sound of classic K-pop summer, bounding along bright, roller-rink-ready synths and a steady beat that keeps energy high. Soyou’s breathy vocals are as indelible as always — the aural equivalent of a cool drink on a hot summer’s day. Bora adds a jolt of excitement to verse two and we even get a key change during the final chorus!
Aloha‘s chorus is a bit one-note, which is where having the full brunt of Sistar’s vocals would have come in handy. But beggars can’t be choosers, and I’m delighted to hear this sound at all in 2023. It’s an incredibly refreshing track, easy to listen to but not subdued or dull. It will definitely become a staple on my summer playlist.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 8.75 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
I agree, the song is so good. And unrelated, but Eunbi’s teaser sounds excellent, full8loom & newtype are such great producers
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Solid pop song, timeless production, well performed.
Yes, please, more of this.
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Between this, The Wind, and next week’s slate of releases I’m quite hyped again! This feels more like the kind of kpop sound that I prefer. Sometimes there’s just nothing better than a classic song that does its thing well.
Also Nick, have you been watching Sevenus? They’re a group that’s rebranded after getting a revival of sorts through Peak Time (previously used to be Masc, but only two of the guys are now Sevenus). They’re having their first official release next Monday as well, and I have a feeling you’d really like their music based on the teasers they’ve released so far and the kind of songs they performed and have said they prefer while on the show.
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Interesting. The first verse and the prechorus are Loving U, but the chorus and Bora’s verse is Touch My Body.
Yeah, it’s a summer song, but I’d rather listen to its much better older siblings.
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“The first verse and the prechorus are Loving U, but the chorus and Bora’s verse is Touch My Body”
I was thinking exactly the same!
I also don’t think it’s up to the memorable Sistar’s summer hits, but I believe it will grow on me a lot with repetition.
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great if you’re missing some of that sistar nostalgia
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