When it comes to upbeat boy group tracks, August has been very generous so far. Now, Peak Time winners Vanner join the fray — re-emerging with the funky Performer. Both sonically and thematically, it feels like a suitable statement of intent, even if the song loses some potency when it strays from its taut, propulsive structure.

Performer slots within a lineage of upbeat funk tracks from K-pop boy groups. There’s nothing here we haven’t heard hundreds of times before, but this sound and energy is never unwelcome. Vanner bring a seasoned sense of professionalism to the mix, giving Performer a stately appeal.

As far as hooks go, the track is solid but unspectacular. Its chorus moves through some nice melodies, swerving into complimentary segments with ease. Performer‘s requisite second-verse breakdown is particularly ill-fitting — as is its momentum-killing bridge (despite following a very cool instrumental segment). These choices blunt the track’s overall effect, but this is still a K-pop sub-genre I’m quite biased toward so I’m more inclined to overlook them.

Grade: B