IVE’s I Am remains a triumphant 2023 highlight, raising expectations for how the group’s music will evolve. Their new EP will be out in a matter days, and we’ve now heard two of its tracks. Pre-release Either Way wasn’t designed to be a knock-your-socks-off showpiece, but even within its genre I found the song pretty dull. Off The Record doesn’t do much to elevate that feeling.
This year, we’ve had baskets and buckets and crates and barges of songs like this — pleasant, generic and completely shaved of its edges. Off The Record is well-made but far from interesting or ear-catching. And when we know what IVE are capable of at their best, the track feels like a b-side that never really needed a music video.
File Off The Record under: “songs that would very much like to be Fifty Fifty’s Cupid.” With that template in mind, the track equates itself well. Its groove is light and unobtrusive, borrowing a hint of city pop but smoothing it over with easy listening radio fluff. The girls sound good, though Off The Record doesn’t give them much to do. Echoing the production, their vocals feel a bit weightless, going through the motions rather than sinking their teeth into the performance. The one exception occurs during the brief bridge, where the track sounds as if it’s about to bound into an interpolation of The Cardigans’ Lovefool. Now, wouldn’t that have been cool?
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 7 |
| RATING | 7.75 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
That Lovefool interpolation almost got me to bring this to a 9.. if only it was longer or more interspersed throughout the song. That’s my favourite song of all time. For now this is an 8.5 as it lacks that melodic heft that IVE usually gives with their title tracks
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I mean, they are (or should be) already paying for rights to interpolate Love Fool, why not drop into it full and proper.
Many years ago, well before the term “interpolate” existed, the Pet Shop Boys dropped “Can’t keep my eyes off of you” into their own rendition of “Where the Streets have no name”, and it more brilliant for it. Also back when, longer remixes (12″ versions) were readily crafted, none of this sub3:00 thing. ‘https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sm36_lWAviQ
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Only 4 listens in, but this is easily a 9.
Nick, even though this isn’t your cup oft tea, how can you claim an 8 when it’s Ryan Jhun at the wheel doing what he does best?
This slander will not stand, lmao.
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To be honest… I’m soooo sick of Ryan Jhun’s current music. “What he does best” at this point is writing the most generic songs possible.
(maybe that’s a bit dramatic, but I’m still salty about that Infinite comeback haha)
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The whole mini album has his name as the first composer as well as first arranger 😅 maybe the reason it might not connect with you
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this is their most lightweight title track yet. it’s okay but it could have been so much more. compared to “I AM” this song is a slight whisper rather than a bang. there are interesting ideas here it’s just not as captivating as it could have been.
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I agree but also this is actually the second pre-release! The title track will come out with the rest of the album so hopefully it’ll be more exciting
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This website gives everything out of 4th gen GG’s trash scores. You’d get better out of Pitchfork a decade ago.
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“I Am” is like the highest rated song in 2023 lol.
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A C+ is jusr nowhere near a trash score.
A moment of trivia for you. Here’s a small compilation of girl group ratings this year on TheBiasList.
– fromis_9: #menow 8.25, Attitude 8.75
– NMIXX: Roller coaster 8.25
– Kep1er: Galileo 8.5
– Billlie: Eunoia 8.5
– NewJeans: Gods 8.5 (Rated literally yesterday!), ETA 8.25
– And finally, IVE: I AM 9
Oh, how trashy…
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And “After Like” was #3 song for 2022.
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And there’s CSR on #13 and NewJeans on #16.
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it’s called the BIAS list!!! even if he was giving all boy groups 10 and all girl groups 0, all humans are biased to some degree. Nick listens to almost everything which comes out, which is sure better than most kpop fans I know.
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i suspect this will be a grower, i mean its nowhere near the pop perfection of their first three singles but it just finds a way to grow under your skin. i was underwhelmed at first too but it got super catchy after a few listens
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It’s better than Either Way so I’m happy enough, though I believe they could do so much better than this.
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A well-crafted pop song, thats it. Pretty generic imo.
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oh wow, I knew I heard that bridge’s melody somewhere, got me searching and going to Justin Bieber then finally the og The Cardigans. Same sentiment that it should have been longer or incorporated to the song more. Every since the mv teasers of this song, first thing I thought that I hoped it would include something like this and it would be great if IVE would interpolate/sample more iconic melodies and add that to their branding since they did amazing with After Like! This is an 8.5 for me, its way more repeatable than Either Way.
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Yes, the autumn trend, the Cupid-like song.
It actually is a good effort for the Cupid-like song. Plus at some point IVE do need a softer song, so this isn’t a bad pre-release choice.
Rating is about right, maybe a touch low.
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Just a bit nitpick… when I read “this late night conversation” on the lyric I thought it would be sang as ‘con-verseshon’ with a sped up verseshon (not sure if you guys would catch what I’m trying to tell about though) instead of a slow ‘con-ver-se-shon’. It would have made the part more catchy and an earwormy imo.
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I thought the same thing! That line, late night conversation, should be 3 syllables, not 4. Not that these are the right words, but the rhythm of “late night heart-to heart” is way catchier rhythmically.
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I hated it on the first listen but it gets better and better. It’s light and I wish there were more rap parts to balance the sugary sound. However after a few listens you realize that The Cardigans call back is all over the song especially the chorus and it becomes highly enjoyable.
Must mention the opening short melody is Memories from Cats!
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Just like “Either Way” I think this is a really nice pre release. I liked the way the used the sample(s)…more would’ve probably put me off. Looking forward to the TT! 8/10
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It made me think of a Twice song all day and I’ve figured out which one: Up no more. I think this is because of a single very short line (which is not even the same…): “deo gakkai moyeo anja ja” in Off the record and “tto myeot dari dweeogago” in Up no more
But since this has bothered me all day I needed to share it…
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It’s well-crafted. I don’t think it’ll serve any unique purpose to set IVE apart musically, since it’s a typical Nordic Pop generic formula that has flooded the market since long ago.
Give ‘Off the Record’ to a Eurovision fan, and they will probably comment of its ‘blandness’, and it will be worse since this one is a Danish production.
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I really, really like this! It’s not entirely original, no, but it does what it’ s supposed to do and very well, too.
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