I love a cool collaboration, and producer KERENMI has delivered with new single Adult. The track brings together Avu-chan from Queen Bee (the coolest J-pop artist of the moment, btw) and BE:FIRST’s youngest member — and self-professed fan — Ryuhei. I don’t know much about BE:FIRST beyond their music, but Ryuhei has already shown eclectic taste that makes me very excited about his future as an artist.
Adult pairs these two vocalists, though Avu-chan’s unique phrasing and intensity definitely steers the ship. Pinballing between sparse (but impassioned) verses and an explosive chorus, the track wears its pathos on its sleeve. It has a dirty, grungy sound that only grows more feral as we enter the sonic maelstrom of its bridge. Adult may not be for the faint of heart, but its rough-around-the-edges production and cathartic performance leave an impact that reverberates long after the song has finished.
More than anything, I want to give Adult some attention because it’s just one piece of a compelling new vanguard of talent emerging in Japan right now. The song may be a bit of an acquired taste for some listeners, but I greatly admire its perspective and collaboration of artists you wouldn’t automatically think to pair together. The video is great, too!
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 8.75 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
Oh, yes, this might not click for many people, but for me this is so refreshing to listen to. It breaks the dark theme template and reverts back to classic song structure. Here the needs of the developing sounds and lyrics drive the song structure and the song craft not forced into a template where each section has so many bars and goes in sonic direction from here to there and etc. There still is a verse and chorus but some bits get interrupted by a bar or two of just whatever aural garnish they wanted to dump in, loudly.
Old fashioned like. Authentic.
I am one of many here who find Onew’s “O – Circle” fantastic and growing, basically unskippable. It is for the same reason, because it is a song that has reverted back to old fashioned songcraft, the musical phrasing in the drivers seat and not some template.
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maybe because i’ve been listening to queen b lately, but i like it!
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Not quite my thing just yet, at times I feel it needs more ambition, and at others, a little less. It is interesting, and Avu-Chan sounds great as always, so there’s that.
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